Greer Hendricks' and Sarah Pekkanens' The Wife Between Us is a stunning suspense/psychological thriller read that you do not want to miss. The premise captured my interest from the get go and as soon as I started I had a very hard time putting it down. Hendricks & Pekkanen are a phenomenal writing duo. The story flows at a great pace and the suspense builds with every chapter.

The story is narrated by Nellie, and begins with her impending marriage to Richard. From the prologue through the last lines of the epilogue, assumptions and apprehensions build. There are twist and turns throughout that will make question just who's voice it is you are hearing, and whether or not the protagonist is mentally unstable or simply a scorned and heartbroken women who's taken to drink to ease her pain. The secondary characters fill in her world all while enabling her behavior and complicating the situation.

There's a point in the story where I truly felt my heart stop. Everything is upside down and I immediately wanted to re-read from the beginning as this new perspective made me question all my suspicions. This happens both in a small and large scale through the entire book. By the time I reached the epilogue, I was once again turned upside down. By this point, as it all comes together, I'm feeling a bit dizzy and maybe a little shaken by the latest revelation.

The Wife Between US is a story that immerses the reader in revenge and deceit. My emotions were conflicting as we come to understand just how astute and cunning our protagonist is. Greer and Pekkenen (who I've long been a fan of) are on my watch list of #mustread writing duo's. The plot is simply brilliant and I'm hopeful there will be more to come from these storytellers.

This was a great book. As the description says, "assume nothing" -- and it's right! I don't often get surprised by plot twists in books, but I wasn't expecting this one. Thanks for the great book!

Full of twists and turns, this book kept me entertained from beginning to end.

The Wife Between Us has been at the top of my must-reads list since I first heard the announcement. The highly anticipated novel from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen promised a suspense driven novel like no other, the story about a marriage as it fell apart and the women affected by it. It's a domestic thriller, the kind of novel that makes you question everything. Who did it? Why? How? Am I really reading the truth right now? Like previous popular suspense and thriller novels, The Wife Between Us has an unreliable narrator, a mixture of points-of-views, and flashbacks for readers to dig through to find the truth. It's like Gone Girl and The Girl On the Train, the story similar in plot, but very different in its delivery.

"She is oblivious to hwat I have done to her. She is unaware of the damage I have wrought; the ruin I have set in motion."

The blurb ends with "assume nothing," and it's so very accurate for this novel. No one is who you think they are and the relationships between them are muddled with lies, heartbreak, and an awful lot of secrets. Divided into three parts, readers get to know Vanessa, Nellie, Richard, Emma, and Aunt Charlotte. I would talk about each, but to share my thoughts on the characters and their development would really give too much away. Each part is driven by suspense and mystery, a complete story in each part that leads to the next, the questions only piling higher. The first part was unique, I really got caught up in it, but as the book shifted into part two and later part three, I found myself a bit bored. There are some big twists in this book, but they didn't really lead to the massive blow up, the game changer, I have come to expect from suspenseful thriller novels. I needed more time with the characters and more of a chance to truly understand how one marriage fell apart and created the mess that each character is now wading through. I still enjoyed the book though, the first part and the epilogue truly outweighing the chapters that lacked excitement.

I'd been deceitful. I hadn't been a good wife."

Marriage is complex, there are always three sides to every story, or if you're reading The Wife Between Us, there's even more. Greeg Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen tear apart the makeup of a marriage, revealing the love, the lies, the betrayel, the happiness, and the tiny moments that turn into an avalanche that suffocates it. It's fast paced and well written, even with two authors. I truly enjoyed all of the twists and turns in The Wife Between Us, it had just the right amount of deceit, but ended up lacking some in the details. I really look forward to seeing this one on the big screen, as word has spread the book has been optioned for film.

"He knew me better than I knew him."

Ohh, I LOVE a good suspense thriller! LOVE it!!

And one that's written well is even better!

And one that twists, and twists again, and then once more?!! YES PLEASE!!!

The Wife Between Us (available January 9, 2018) hits every one of these points on the head. Plus it's intelligent and clever with razor-sharp revelations that threw me off-balance in the best possible way.

I know what you're thinking: there are so many books that promise twists and turns. So many claiming to be the next Gone Girl or Girl on the Train. And I've read a lot of books that come close, but none that have quite reached the level of twists and surprises promised.

And when I was given a chance to read The Wife Between Us, I was thinking the same thing. Another decent thriller with an unreliable narrator who will shock me when I learn the level of her deception.

But I was wrong. Sooo wrong. I mean, in the sense that it's twists and turns caught me off-guard -- yes, it did provide me with the requisite shocking revelations. But The Wife Between Us is more, surprising readers in new and different ways, with unanticipated twists happening at unpredictable moments.

The Wife Between Us is a stunning book, one that forces readers to grab on as the story takes off at a breakneck pace, and then to hold on as Hendricks and Pekkanen take readers through incredible hairpin curves and switchbacks of suspense.

I don't want to say any more - I want you to get all the thrills from this inventive story. Suffice to say The Wife Between Us is a page turner from the first chapter, one that will continue to astonish readers throughout. THIS is going to be the most talked about book of early 2018.

Oh, and FYI, the movie rights have already been scooped up by Amblin Entertainment. So read it now (and we can talk about how much better the book was after we see the movie!!).

Odd book that will keep you guessing until the very end. I'm still not entirely sure what happened. You'll reread the end several times.

WHOA!!!

What did I just read?

I like to think of myself as a mystery thriller sleuth who's able to see the ending of most mystery novels a good mile and a half away. Well, Greer Hendricks and co author Sarah Pekkanen put my detective skills to the test with The Wife Between Us and I'm reeling at how they were able to get me. You clever, clever women...

The Wife Between us already suggests on the blurb that the title is misleading and you probably should hang up any ideas you may have and just sit down and enjoy the ride. What an interesting, confusing, and thrilling ride it is.

It's extremely important not to give anything away here so I'll make this review brief. We're introduced to a voice, or two, and are presented information little by little and it's all important info. These bits of story assist in keeping the reader off kilter. One voice is a narrative that doesn't feel very reliable. There's obviously something wrong with this woman and learning her story kept me glued to the pages.

Hendricks-Pekkanen weaved an intricate, complicated story that compels any who dare to think they know where the story is leading, to essentially give it a go and read The Wife Between Us>. The strongest character development is obviously shared via the woman's voice who narrates her piece of the story yet I still felt very much familiar with the other moving pieces.

The Wife Between Us will have many wanting to re-read where they think they may have gotten tripped up in the unraveling of the plot. Luckily, I'm very good at using the highlighting function on my Kindle so... anyway...

Just read this one. Those who love psychological, mystery thrillers with a hint of chick-lit will love this novel. It's the story of how no one, or anything is as it seems.

Copy provided by St. Martin's press via Netgalley

The cover drew me in but the words kept me intrigued. I really didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book. I didn’t read the blurb. I seen the cover and entered a giveaway through Shelf Awareness Pro.

To say I was hesitant is an understatement. I’m not a big fan of books with cheating in them but it was unfair of me to judge the book by its title if I was going to stick with my rule of going in blind. So blind I went and the story that unfolded was one that I definitely was not expecting.

I have to admit I didn’t know what I was reading at first. The going back and forth confused the hell out of me. So it’s definitely an unreliable character. I felt like I was reading something I wrote from my own thoughts. As I continued to read though it all started to make sense.

Nellie married the perfect man of her life. Her Prince. He’s everything she’s ever wanted in a man at least she thought. Or are her thoughts to be trusted?

I loved reading her parts. At first it was like I was in a mind of a delusional woman. Everyone around her could see what was going on except for her. Then add in Victoria and we’re having a manic episode party!

The Wife Between Us is a romantic suspense with so many twists and turns you’ll feel like you’re on a bipolar ride. The highs are high and the lows are low. This book is so fun to read and entertaining that I finished it in one setting. The manipulation, the careful planning, the unreliable narrators and shady characters make this book one of top 10 in 2018. I really hope Greer and Sarah write more together. They obviously have chemistry and I look forward to where that takes them.

The Wife Between Us was such a wild ride, where do I even begin? This was such a twisty, turny, roller coaster it is such a hard thing to describe and I don't want to say toooo much but there is so much that happens in this book that it would be hard to detail everything in this review. And because you NEED the full experience this is as ALWAYS SPOILER FREE!!!


Before I go any further I want to preface this by saying that this has already been picked up for a movie to be made by the same team at Dreamworks that made Girl On A Train!!!


Lets go over a few main points this book checked off for me:

Suspense- CHECK

Confusion- CHECK

Twists, Turns, & Unexpected Plot Twists- CHECK


Okay now that those points were covered lets get on to the nitty gritty and see why so many people loved this book. Well, after those points, what else can you ask for other than an ending to blow your mind about everything that you assumed along the way?? Yes, go into this book knowing nothing and assuming nothing because this is how the book is supposed to be. Unknown and unassumed in the ways of the characters and how events will transpire.


When you can go in completely clear of expectations you are doing the best thing you can do when reading this book. I assumed things, I was WAAAAYYYYY wrong. I expected things, I was WAAAAYYY wrong. I am the type that will try to figure everything out and go in circles in my mind trying to make sense of everything and explanations. There was no way I saw half of everything that happened in this book. I knew at the beginning of the book that there were two people that wrote this book. But what I didn't expect was to be completely confused by the first half of the book.

Like completely and utterly confused and lost. But that only made everything that much better as the story progressed. In the book you have 3 main characters that I would have to say are the ex-wife, soon to be wife and husband in the middle. You get everything view wise in first person from the ex wife. All of he way her mind works to the things that she deems are absolutely necessary in the ways of her minds mission.

This book is definitely going to go down as one of the most talked about books, and I cannot wait for everyone to see exactly what us reviewers are screaming about it being that good of a book.


You think you have an idea of the narrator and then everything that you thought gets turned on its head. You start thinking is she unreliable? YES. Why would she do that? why would she say that? WHAT is wrong with this woman? Things that only get explained as you go further into the book!


Just take mine and so many other peoples words for this book, and get your hands on a copy.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, and St. Martins Press for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Wife Between Us

by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen



Vanessa and Nellie are two women who share the same man.

Or are they?

Vanessa, the first wife. Shrunken to nearly half her size due to stress and emotional pain, she can barely make it out of bed to trek down to the department store she works at. It's depressing, really . . . to be catering to the rich women who spend their days passing time on the prowl for the latest Oscar de la Renta dress or Prada bag. It's doubly depressing because she literally used to be these women, spending painstaking hours choosing just the right cashmere twin set or the perfect set of tasteful Jimmy Choos to pair with a carefully tailored pantsuit. Now, Vanessa is a laughingstock. A disgrace. Damaged goods.  Everyone remembers how she behaved that night of the cocktail party in her former home, how she made a fool of herself on such an important evening. How she made a fool of her husband. Ex-husband.

And everyone also knows that she was left with next to nothing in the divorce. Vanessa was made to give up the perfect, cookie-cutter home in the quiet suburbs of New York. Forced into leaving behind the closet full of designer clothes and the immaculate kitchen decked out in state of the art appliances and cookware. She is no longer driven around in a spotless town car like the trophy wife she was, passing through The City That Never Sleeps to arrive at appointments where she was offered champagne and mindlessly spent $500 on a haircut. Instead, Vanessa is now living in her aunt's spare bedroom and trying to get through the day without drinking the bottles of wine she keeps buying and hiding, and she's traded out her fashionable footwear for a worn pair of Nikes so she can get around the city in an affordable way. She can barely make ends meet. Richard took everything.

But she can't move on, no matter how hard she tries. And it's all because of her. Vanessa can't stop thinking about the woman who is being primed to take her place. The beautiful blonde with the generous curves. The one with the wedding dress hanging on her closet door, in the apartment she lives in in a quiet building. Vanessa sacrificed everything for . . . what? For whom? 

The second wife, Nellie. After making the great escape to New York City, she has done her best to create a new life for herself. A new name, new hair, a comfortable and cozy new apartment with a quirky roommate installed. But even though she now has a built-in best friend, she can't bring herself to talk about that night in Florida; the one where her entire life became derailed in the flighty space of a few hours. But that night did more than change her course - it has made her unrelentingly paranoid. Mysterious phone calls that have no one on the other end, the feeling of someone's eyes on her back, the constant checking of locks and complicated alarm codes . . . these are the things that rule Nellie's life. Until . . .

. . . she meets Richard. Tall, dark, handsome. Rich. A savior. A knight in shining armor. He is the one who has come to save her from her nightmares. Richard has all the answers. He is able to anticipate her every need and desire. He dotes on her the way no other man has before, and Nellie is blossoming under his attentions. Everything in Nellie's life is complete. She has a wonderful job at The Learning Ladder, a posh boutique-style preschool for Upper East Sider's to send their precocious offspring. Nellie lines her walls with their precious finger paintings and thoughtful drawings, their little spirits adding just that extra ounce of special into her carefully curated existence. She spends her weekends planning her dream wedding to her own personal Prince Charming, but there is one thing that she can't stop thinking about . . . that woman . . . the one from her past.

The Wife Between Us is the debut novel by power duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. A relationship that began when Hendricks was editing Pekkanen's novels evolved from an instant connection into a deeply rooted friendship full of mutual respect for each other's talents. When Hendricks quietly departed from her publishing house in 2014, she decided to try her own hand in weaving the gripping stories that she'd spent so long enjoying. Turning to her friend for support ended up in the eventual birth of a twisting and turning plot that readers will be sure to latch on to this winter. As the ugly truths of how raw human nature can force people into reacting, readers will be hooked from the first chapter all the way until the surprising end.

It has been a tedious few years since the enigmatic and bonafide hit Gone Girl was released, the novel seizing control of the way readers view thrillers. As readers now expect a chilling and maniacal turn with a crushing hook, the demand for the newest scary story is on. Every author thinks they've come up with the next "crazy psychological thriller that will top Gillian Flynn." I bet I've read 50 novels in the last few years that have words to that effect typed on the back of them in boldface. And while Megan Miranda has certainly been making her mark in the thriller genre with innovative storylines that keep the reader guessing, none of her novels have had that It-Factor . . . the one that gets the hair on the back of your neck standing at attention or the goosebumps multiplying on your arms. The Wife Between Us did that for me, pushing me to finish the book in less than 24 hours, something I have not done since Gone Girl. I could not put it down. Every single time I thought I had the characters and the plot figured out, I would find myself not just wrong - but completely off base. Another turn would come around the bend, sending me careening into a tailspin full of Oh-My-Gods. And for that, I'm going to say that this book is not something I can compare to Gone Girl.

Because it's better.

Giving The Wife Between Us 5 out of 5 stars, I hate to tell you that you must wait another month for its release date (January 9, 2018). Put this book on your TBR list immediately because it's a novel you will not want to miss. I guarantee you that everyone will be talking about this one, so don't let yourself be spoiled. Read it on your own to find out the real truth between and behind Vanessa and Nellie, and I promise you won't be disappointed.

It seems that since the release and popularity of Gone Girl, all psychological thrillers are lauded as the next Gone Girl.  I will be honest.  I liked Gone Girl but enjoyed Gillian Flynn's other two books better.  With that said, The Wife Between Us, easily reaches the Gone Girl level and exceeds it by far.  

There is not a lot I can say in a review about the plot that would not give away important plot points.  So I will just say this is a well written story and just when you think you know what is going on, you find out you really had no idea.  Set aside some time when you start reading this book because you will definitely not want to put it down at all once you reach the half way mark.  I could easily see this story being made into a movie.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

MIND.

BLOWN.

When I finished this book, I felt like I had just read some sort of literary alchemy. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have crafted a mystery and suspense story that will make you sit up and gasp in shock. Even the most jaded reader will be stunned by the twists that Hendricks and Pekkanen throw at them.

But here is the thing. Read the blurb, one-click, read the book, and come back here and tell me your thoughts. You do not want to know more about this book than what the blurb says. You want to go in cold and let Hendricks and Pekkanen mesmerize you with their story. Let them lull you into thinking you know what's going on - who's using whom, who's terrorizing whom, who theatens whom. Let them make you think you know.

And then let them rip that rug right out from under you and BLOW YOUR MESS OUT.

Once I recovered from the (first) plot twist, I realized how deft and canny Hendricks and Pekkanen are. They pull you into their story so deeply that you miss the few opaque clues they drop. And that's okay. This is one of those times when you will relish the shock.

Well played, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. Well played.

This book was soooooo good in terms of plotting. Unreliable narrator, marital drama, blah blah blah. There are several whopper plot twists throughout the book, and many of them (especially the first big one) made me say, "Wait, what?!" Definitely a compulsively readable bit of mind candy. My biggest complaint, and the main thing that dragged my rating down, is that all these women are in love with Richard and willing to give up their lives to be kept by him, essentially, and I just don't see the appeal at all. He's rich and supposedly charming, etc. but all I see is the controlling, maybe a bit psychopathic, misogynist. I just couldn't be convinced of his attraction, which took from the plot. But minus that tidbit, one of the best domestic suspense novels I've read. Did I mention the very plural twists?!

This book starts with two perspectives. But pay attention. It draws you in to witness the aftermath of a dissolved marriage and one about to begin.

Vanessa is Richard’s ex-wife. Her life has been upended, and she now lives a sad and depressed life with her aunt and works at Saks.

Nellie is Richard’s young bride-to-be. She is bubbling with enthusiasm as the perfect man who swept her off her feet from their first meeting, is about to take her away to a most perfect life, where she will no longer have to worry about her sullied past.

This engrossing read drew me in and kept me reading through the end. Everyone has a secret, and no one is innocent. It reflects moments of vulnerability, despair, manipulation, courage and hope. But this is life. There are twists and surprises that will keep you keenly engaged. But whatever you think is going on, think again!

This review is based on an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to be yet another book which is a thriller and because of that I don’t really want to say much about the plot, sorry! This is a domestic thriller and the main reason I only gave it four stars instead of five was because it just seemed to be missing that ‘something’. I’m not going to lie, I was hooked, and I wanted to know what happened but there isn’t much action in this. Yes, there’s a big reveal but once that was revealed there didn’t seem to be much else and I did feel like the ending was just a bit, meh.

Part of what makes this book amazing was the way that the first part of the book is told before the big reveal. I’m not going to lie, it did take me a while to get in to, but it built up the suspense well and you knew something was going to come and happen you were just waiting for what it was. I honestly didn’t see the twist coming and that is entirely due to the writing; you learn a lot in the first part of the book but very cleverly, not really enough to see what’s coming.

Vanessa is an unreliable narrator so be warned if that’s something that you dislike! I’d also warn against going into this book thinking you know what’s going to happen because you won’t; this is definitely one of those thrillers that you need to go in with an open mind and no pre-conceptions! This has so many subtle little twists that all add up to create the overall plot and it is very clever writing. I did get a bit fed up later on in the book, but I think that may have been my impatience to want to see what was going to happen and not reading quick enough!

I don’t want to say anything except that I can understand why this book is hyped and this is a great twisty, domestic thriller, so if that’s what you’re looking for then pick this up!

This is yet another one of those “thrillers” that is so hyped and the blurb so dazzling that it’s hard not to want to read it and find out what all the rave reviews are about.

Frankly, I’m puzzled. I’m not going to go into a lengthy review of the characters and plot, there are already so many reviews on this book.

I did find myself reading continually for the first half of the book, then when the “big reveal” came it was slow going for for me afterwards.

I really enjoy strongly character driven books. The only character that is well developed is Vanessa and I grew tired of her continued attempts to save Richard’s future wife from going through what she did. She is also an unreliable narrator so while the first half had me turning pages, after the “reveal” I didn’t feel as interested in her or her plans.

I enjoyed aunt Charlotte the most. She is well described and has been there for Vanessa since she was young and continues to support her throughout all of her disappointments and the failed marriage. I enjoyed getting to know her, her passion for art and helping others. I seemed to know her the best when the book ended. Richard is certainly a very disturbed individual but we don’t get to know much about his true personality and character until the ending. Emma is a very interesting character and I would have liked to know more about her earlier on. The last chapter is very cleverly written and it was not expected and wrapped up the book wonderfully. Had the rest of the book been as exciting I would have enjoyed it more.

So I enjoyed the first half and the ending but wouldn’t call this a stellar “psychological thriller” as it is being described. The writing was just average for me, perhaps it was the combined authorship that made it flow the way that it did.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Will also post to Amazon upon publication

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one because it started off a bit slow. But I stuck with it and I am glad I did! The pace picked up and the story held my interest. I couldn't put it down. This is a definite YES!!!!

This book... this book. It had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning.

The twists, the turns... just when I think I know where the story is going, there's a twist that's leading me somewhere else. I absolutely loved it. My jaw may have dropped more than a dozen times while reading, and when the dots began connecting together, I was just blown away.

It's such a good read. Highly, HIGHLY recommend it.

The Wife Between Us attracted my attention due to its intriguing title and equally appealing cover. The book does not disappoint. The narrator is unreliable and some of the characters are unstable and flawed to say the least. The intricate plot offers many assumptions and then twists them into something else entirely forcing readers to continually alter and resort thoughts and perceptions regarding the outcomes of the narratives. It is a story of marriage, friendship, manipulation, anguish, regret and family.

Vanessa narrates in alternating chapters, as herself, at the time when she is single and newly married, and then as her older ex-wife persona. The young Vanessa is excitedly looking forward to a fulfilling and long marriage to a wonderfully amazing man. The older, bitter Vanessa is trying to prevent her ex-husband, Richard, from marrying again. As the chapters unfold Vanessa slowly reveals her rationale for not wanting another woman to marry him.

Although the book was written by two authors, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen it flows seamlessly. The authors will have you rereading and then even second guessing what you have reread until you understand the puzzle of the wife between us.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the ebook galley for which I am providing this review.

Vanessa has problems. Now that she’s divorced from Richard, she can’t stand the fact that Richard has moved on. Not only is he his usual thriving self, but now he’s getting married to someone new–someone young and beautiful. It just so happens that this new woman reminds Vanessa of someone she used to be.

What is it about Richard? Was he a perfect husband? Is he truly a knight in shining armor? Was Vanessa a psycho and mentally unstable wife? Who’s to blame for the marriage ending and what role do the others have in this story?

I went in to this book super excited after reading multiple rave reviews about it from friends on Goodreads. It seemed like everyone was loving it, so I went straight to NetGalley and put in my request. After I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. I thought for sure I knew where the story was going. It felt slow to me, but I hung on until nearly halfway through when the first major twist was introduced. I was shocked! I was so very surprised and befuddled thinking that I’d skipped something or that I was lost. It seemed unique and interesting, but as time went on, I became disentranced and my mind began to wonder away from the story. The characters became confusing to me and the plot felt all over the place. It was like I wanted to get to the ending to see how things would unfold, but there simply wasn’t anything going on to captivate me. At times, I felt like there was too much information and in other places, simply not enough. I didn’t feel like it was horribly predictable as there were plenty of twists and a strange reveal at the end, but even with all the crazy twists, this just ended up being an okay read for me and it just didn’t feel like a thriller.

I did still enjoy it and feel like this is going to be a favorite for many people! I will still recommend this because I know many will love it. The title, cover, and blurb fit the story perfectly!

3 stars