At a time when much of my reading seems centered on dystopia, trauma, or pathos it’s welcome to read a novel that is simply enjoyable. No hard thinking or difficult emotions to process, just a well-constructed story that you can settle into. It isn’t as easy as it sounds because often this kind of book can be badly written or just written without enough thought and so has gaps and issues that a picky reader like me can pull apart. Thankfully, Lauren Willig is an author who gets it. Her latest novel, The English Wife, is set in the  1890s and is the story of one of those prefect couples who have everything—love, adorable children, and more money than they know what to do with. Annabelle is an English aristocrat and Bayard is as close as Americans get to aristocracy. His people were already having cocktails on the verandah when the Mayflower pulled into port. It’s all oh-so lovely until Bayard is found with a knife in his chest at the couple’s housewarming  gala for their newly built mansion.

Annabelle and Bay may be at the center of The English Wife, but it is Bay’s elitist, icy mother who insists on being at the center of their lives. Everyone’s lives. She is the epitome of snobbery and as Bay is her only son and heir to the family’s fortune his marrying an English wife is seen as appropriate in her eyes. But how would she feel, now that her son is dead, if she knew Annabel may not be who she says she is? And so, with bewitching rapidity, the secrets start to reveal themselves and no one, in the present or the past, is happy about it.

That’s about all I’m going to tell you about The English Wife. Suffice it to say, it’s all about the plot and there’s plenty of it, but if you know me, you know I cannot stand plot overload. It has to be handled properly and Willig does. The narrative is split between the time when Bay and Annabelle met and fell in love in London to New York after Bay’s death. She dovetails the two timelines carefully so details appear when needed without being fanciful or overdone. She also throws in an important twist that I did not see coming. If it sounds too twee or cozy, it’s not. At the same time, it’s not a novel that is going to change your perceptions or evoke great bursts of emotion. It is exactly what I needed, an entertaining respite from heavy reading.

I admit, it was the cover that first lured me in, but once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The historical setting, the mystery, the well-developed characters all blended together to create a very satisfying story. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future!

I love historical fiction, especially from this time period, and i also love a good murder mystery, so this book seemed like a perfect fit for me.
Sadly, though the concept was great, the execution was confusing, tedious, and boring. Too many side stories that dont advance plot, too many characters, too many characters named too closely to each other, making it difficult to keep track.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This weekend I finished two novels written by two authors I have been wanting to try for a long while. Every time I read a synopsis to a Louise Erdrich's book, I want to (and often do) add it to my to-read shelf. Her books sound so interesting and given all the accolades, they must be well-written. I even asked to review Erdrich's latest book, Future Home of the Living God, from the publisher. I hadn't yet had time to download it to my Kindle, but when I was at the library on Saturday I saw that it was a 7-day loan, and grabbed it. The book gods must want me to read it now. Who can deny the book gods? And, amazingly I did start it Saturday and finished it late on Sunday afternoon.

After reading a few of Tasha Alexander and Deanna Raybourn's historical/romantic mysteries, I kept seeing Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series being recommend to me. I liked the summary and added that to my list. After a several books, Willig released a few standalone historical fiction. When I saw her newest novel, The English Wife was a gothic mystery, I was down to read and review this. I got my crap together and actually sent it to my kindle! I ended up giving both novels the same rating.

THE ENGLISH WIFE Written by Lauren Willig
JANUARY 9, 2018; 384 Pages (St. Martin's Press)
Genre: fiction, historical, gothic, mystery

​​(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)

RATING: 3.5 STARS

I didn't really see this one as a gothic romance with mystery, but more like the books set in the 1940s - romance mystery. It did have some parts that kind of reminded me of Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca, which I guess were a bit on the "gothic" side. I liked Willig's writing, but found that the editor could have cut down a bit on the story as it started to lag a bit. I enjoyed seeing the story get tied up. I think had this book been a bit tighter I would have galloped through it as it is a good story with interesting characters. I am definitely going to read more of her books.

While I did enjoy the setting and time period, I found the pace to be very slow. I thought Janie as a narrator was likable but I didn't enjoy the dual timelines. This is just my personal preference as I don't really like alternating timelines in general. The gothic mystery was pretty good and I loved being taken back to the gilded age. Overall, however, this book was just average for me

The English Wife is a new novel by Lauren Willig that takes us back in time to 1899. Annabelle Van Duyuil and her husband, Bayard (Bay) are holding a Twelfth Night Ball at their newly finished home Illyria. Later that evening, Bay is found stabbed to death in the folly and his sister, Janie catches a glimpse of Annabelle in the river. It is believed that Bay pushed Annabelle into the river and then killed himself. Annabelle’s body, though, is not found. There had been rumors swirling around society that Annabelle had been having an affair with the architect of Illyria. Janie does not believe the rumors and wants to discover what really happened that night at the ball. She knows that her mother would never hire a detective, so Janie seeks out assistance from reporter, James Burke. The pair delve into Annabelle and Bay’s lives seeking answers. The more Janie learns, the more she realizes how little she knew about her brother and his wife. Did one of their secrets get them killed? And why did Bay die with saying the name George?

The English Wife sounded like such a great book. A Gilded Age story with scandals, secrets and murder. The final product, though, was like being stuck in rush hour traffic. You move forward very, very slowly. The pace was slow, and the dialogue was awkward. There were a couple of good sections, but they were few (and did not make up for the rest of the book). There are numerous characters (with very similar names) and background stories on each of them. The book is written with one chapter in present time and the next chapter takes you back when Bay met Georgie. There are detailed descriptions of homes (inside and out), clothing, art, and plays (many discussions on Shakespeare plays). The author did capture the lifestyle of the rich living in 1899. The only likeable character is the reporter, James Burke. I quickly tired of Janie (whiny) and her overbearing, dominating mother. The author should have given Janie a strong backbone and a curious nature. Instead, she retreats into the wallpaper (very much the wallflower). There is a lot of repetition in the book. The mystery plays out slowly over the course of the novel and the reveal is anticlimactic. The identity of the killer was no surprise. The ending was disappointing with many threads left dangling. The author was attempting to capture the era with the writing style, but it comes across as contrived. The connections to the play Twelfth Night are apparent (for those who have read or seen Shakespeare’s play). The English Wife had potential, but it was not achieved. I found it a tedious book to read and I want the hours I spent reading it back.

Told in a dual timeline format, this story alternates between Janie Van Duyvil and her quest to find out what really happened to her brother and his wife and the story of Bayard Van Duyvil and his English wife, Annabelle, leading up to Janie’s discovery of Bay’s body. Set in the Gilded Age, the story of Bay’s death and Annabelle’s disappearance makes for a scandalous story told in the newspapers with few real facts. Janie can’t reconcile the reported “facts” with what she witnessed in her brother’s marriage, and enlists a reporter to help her find the truth, no matter what it is.
I enjoyed the twists and turns the story took, as more and more secrets were revealed and the mystery came to its unexpected conclusion.
This was the first novel I have read by Lauren Willig and it won’t be the last.

Lauren Willig's The English Wife is a twisted story full of family secrets, affairs, alternating timelines, and a shocking murder that will cause a family scandal of epic proportions. As the story opens, it is 1899 in Cold Springs, NY, home to Bayard and Annabelle Van Duyvil. The Van Duyvil's are an extraordinarily wealthy and established family in New York. They are right up there with the Astor's, Vanderbilt's and Carnegie's. The couple is throwing a party called Twelfth Night at their home they call Illyria.

After missing for most of the evening, Bay's sister Janie (Genevieve) discovers Bay laying on the cold ground with a knife in his chest. She also believes that she briefly saw Annabelle's body floating in the cold waters of the Hudson. Janie becomes immersed in discovering what really happened to Bay and Annabelle. Rumors abound indicate that Annabelle was having an extramarital affair with a noted architect who was paid to bring her former home to life in the States.

Rumors also abound that it was Annabelle, the so called English Wife, who is responsible for killing Bay and leaving her two nearly 4 year old children behind. Janie decides to put her faith and her trust in an investigative reporter named James Burke. Janie and Burke agree that they will pledge to be honest with each other, and let the pieces fall where they may end up. Burke works for a paper called The News of the World. Some would prefer to call Burke's job scandal mongering instead of investigative reporting. As the investigation continues, Janie discovers some very twisted and very devastating news about her brother and his wife. Information that could shatter the Van Duyvil family name.

The story alternates between two timelines that end up converging in 1899. The story is told in the alternating narratives of Janie and Annabelle Lacey. Willig moves backwards in time to London 5 years before the story starts. Here we meet Georgie Evans, and shortly thereafter, Bay Van Duyvil who is exploring Europe with friends. There is something curious about Georgie that I won't spoil. There is also a question about Bay that tells a larger story. She and Bay have a curious relationship that ends with the couple getting married and later returning back to the States.

Will Janie learn the truth about what really happened, or will it be swept under the rug by the family matriarch Ava Van Duyvil? The most curious aspect of this entire investigation is the name that Bay says before dying. Who is this person, and did this person have anything to do with killing Bay? Is anyone in this family really who they say they are, or is someone hiding a deeper, darker secret in order to protect the family legacy and name?

In the end, The English Wife is a riveting mystery that left me guessing until the end. The story is both compelling and heartbreaking. There is plenty of foreshadowing as well as some things you really must pay special attention to.

I want to thank the publisher, St Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an galley of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book, took way too long for me to finish.. I think it is partly because of the period language and maybe the plot was moving a bit too slow. I wanted to commit to the book and the author, so I read it all the way through and I am very happy that I did.

The plot is clever, the twist and turns and court room drama. The author did a great job in transporting the reader to the historical period, at the turn of the 19th century in locales London and New York, this is what I love so much about historical genre books. I really like the main characters of Bay and Georgiana. Strangely enough, I admire their love, commitment and loyalty in a different kind of way. I was so hoping that it would all work out for them. The ending is very surprising. I am looking forward to reading more books from the author, Lauren Willig.

Set during The Gilded Age, this book is a Victorian who-done-it and moves seamlessly back and forth through time as we try to nab the culprit.
A man is found murdered and his wife is missing. Is she a victim or prime suspect? Janie, a member of the family, reluctantly joins forces with a reporter to discover the truth.
This novel absolutely drips with gothic atmospheric tones. The author definitely threw in a couple jaw-dropping surprises as the story wove to a conclusion.
I enjoyed this one. This is my introduction to this author`s work and I plan to read more of her writing.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

With pitch perfect period language, devilishly clever plotting and a twist-in-the-tail reveal, this is already one of my favorite historical mysteries of the year. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend The English Wife to my friends.

*ARC via netgalley*

Set during the late 19th century, alternating between London and New York, a mysterious double homicide has set tongues wagging in the elite society. When Bayard Van Duyvil’s body was found stabbed along the river and his beautiful wife’s body apparently presumed dead and lost in the river alongside their home it seems like a closed case of jealousy gone wrong. But Janie found this explanation too pat and convenient and definitely very unlikely behaviour for her brother and sister in law. So she sets of to finding out the truth no matter the cost. With the help of an investigative reporter, secrets are revealed and things do not appear as they seem. Can Janie really accept what her investigation reveals? The English Wife will definitely keep readers on their toes, trying to find out who really is telling the truth and with each page every supposition gets turned around until you won’t know what’s going on. I do love the way the plot is twisted and turned around and each character has depth which is slowly unveiled as the story progresses. A definite page turner!

The place is New York, the time is just before the turn of the 19th century, and the crime is the murder of Society favorite Bayard van Duyvil and disappearance of his wife Annabelle. When Bay brought Annabelle over from England five years ago, they seemed to have a fairy tale romance, but now ugly rumors are surfacing about their marriage. The missing Annabelle is accused of being a fortune hunter, an impostor, an adulteress, and a murderess.

Shocked by the newspapers, Janie van Duyvil, Bay's subdued little sister, decides to defy her formidable mother and unravel the truth of the matter. She enlists the help of James Burke, a newspaper reporter with secrets of his own. Amid a web of disguises and deceit, Janie will find the pivotal clue to prove just who stabbed her brother on the night of the Twelfth Night ball.

This book was a page turner from the very beginning. The twin story lines--the gradual unfolding of Annabelle and Bay's relationship beginning in 1894 and Janie's investigation in 1899--were both of equal interest. The dialogue was tremendous; a rapid banter of quotations from Shakespeare, Tennyson, Oscar Wilde, et al. set the tone of high society in the Gilded Age perfectly. The way the story of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night surfaced again and again in the book (and the way the author worked in The Prisoner of Zenda!) made the story line of disguised identity and disguised desires all the more rich.

My one complaint would be that the first two-thirds of the book were more satisfactory than the last third, and the grand finale waxed very melodramatic, making it less of a literary novel at its close. The mystery was very well done, however, and I recommend this book to anyone who likes a well-written Gothic novel.

I selected this book from NetGalley because of the blurb. I have been on a mystery/suspense kick for a while now, and this one sounded like it would be a perfect fit. I was also intrigued by the historical aspect of the novel.

The book opens with the main character, Janie, and her cousin, Anne, discovering the body of beloved Bay (Janie's brother) and the shoe of his wife, Annabelle, leaving them to believe that she also has been murdered. The press takes the view that Bay committed suicide and murdered his wife, but Janie doesn't believe that's possible. She rounds up the help of James Burke, a journalist for the paper The World, and together they begin a quest for the truth.

This novel shifts time periods from the present, where Janie is trying to determine what happened to her brother, to the past, where Bay's wife begins filling in pieces of the puzzle for the reader. She tells of their meeting, their courtship, and how the ended up married and living in a house that is a replica of the one she grew up in. In present time, Janie and Burke are filling in as many pieces as they can as well.

This all leads up to the climax of what happened the night of the Twelfth Night ball, and how Bay and Annabelle came by their demise.

I loved that Janie and Burke were able to develop a friendship throughout the novel, and the banter between the characters often had me chuckling. In a suspense novel, there are not always going to be lighthearted moments, so that was a nice change of pace that added to the character development. I also loved reading about the courtship between Bay and his wife. He does not turn out to be the character you might think, but I still found him lovable. The relationships in this novel are rich and develop believably throughout the story.

The climax comes about naturally and didn't feel rushed or impossible. The author did a great job of leading the reader there without giving too much away.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I definitely recommend for fans of suspense novels that are a bit on the lighter side, or those who enjoy reading historical fiction.

I gave up at about ten percent of the book. Just not my cup of tea. Maybe it’s the time period. But I just couldn’t get interested in this one. DNF

I'm a big fan of Willig's <i> The Secret History of the Pink Carnation </i> series, and this is my first experience reading a book of hers beyond that series, and I really enjoyed it. I went in expecting the same type of plot and characters, but was really (pleasantly) surprised to see how different the book was from the series. The characters in the book are more complex than TSHPC characters, and the book is definitely much darker. The book still has many of the same characteristics of Willig's books: strong female leads, romance and a mystery at the heart of it so other fans of her previous works will not be disappointed in the slightest. I'm really excited to read more of Willig's other books now.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book.

I have enjoyed Lauren Willig's previous books and those books and their pace was what I expected. Honestly, I came away disappointed with The English Wife. It took me a long time to even start to engage with both the characters and the two level story line. I admit, the jumping between years/alternate chapters is not something that I like as a reader but it was Lauren Willig and we had "history" so I tried. She had done time jumps before that worked. What I came away with was a sense that a less complicated, straightforward story would have worked better. My conclusion: an interesting story with a less than stellar execution.

This was a rather tedious read. The story is interesting enough but there were so many details of the period (and I know for some people that would be their favorite part) that it took a long time getting to the actual story. I have a friend who loves period books, though, so I would definitely recommend it to her.

I wanted to like this book but struggled to finish it. The plot sounded wonderful but the book read very slowly. It was too full of unnecessary details and too thin on character development, and I can't recommend it.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Willig’s The English Wife lends a distinctly American flavor to the Gothic family saga. Rather than a titled English family and their elegant country manor at the center, we have the upper-crust New York elite and their opulent Gilded Age mansions. Rather like the Vanderbilts, the Van Duyvils are of Dutch heritage; after arriving as immigrants centuries earlier, they now sit at the pinnacle of culture, with homes both in Manhattan and upstate along the Hudson.

The novel uses the popular dual-period format to unravel a series of mysteries. On the eve of his Twelfth Night ball in 1899, held on the grounds of his English-style mansion in Cold Spring, young Bayard (Bay) Van Duyvil is found right before he dies, stabbed with a jeweled dagger amid the snow and ice in his lantern-lit gardens.

His distraught sister, Janie, who faces social opprobrium due to her unmarried state, thinks she saw a woman’s figure underneath the ice – and Bay’s British wife, Annabelle, has vanished. What happened?

The papers, sniffing out a scandal, proclaim their theory of a murder-suicide. Rumors had been flying about Annabelle’s affair with her husband's architect. Janie was never close to Annabelle or her brother, but she knows them both better than that. She wants to uncover the truth, and her means to this end is through a newspaper reporter, James Burke. Strangely, in Bay’s last words, he spoke a man’s name: George.

Flashbacks to 1894 reveal the story of Bay’s meeting in London with a down-on-her-luck young actress named Georgie, who has been trying to escape a painful past and see her way out of her current predicament.

Willig knows the conventions of the gothic mystery well, revealing clues bit by bit, and sensing exactly when to upend readers’ expectations for where the plot is leading. She captures the trappings of affluence among New York’s high society members, the gossip that follows their every move (and in which they willingly participate), and the gilded prison in which they live. None of the wealthy characters has full agency, including Janie’s cousin Anne (a terrific secondary character), a sophisticated divorcee who trades barbs with Bay’s mother while chafing at her dependence on the Van Duyvils’ largesse.

The author also adds some deliciously tart observations on the era herself:

"They had been returned early, but already people were milling about, making sure of their seats. No one wanted to miss the trial of the century. Never mind that last year there had been another trial of the century and another one the year before that. There were still ten months left to the century and this was the trial of it. For now."

Janie’s romance is predictable in parts, but her feelings about her status as the family wallflower ring true. As its well-crafted mystery unfolds, the story also offers a reminder that nobody truly knows what it’s like inside a marriage besides the couple themselves.

(Published at Reading the Past)