Excellent read. Could not put this one down. The mysterious disappearance of Colleen Wescott has everyone, including police, baffled -- especially the new wife of Wescott's husband...

~ www.roxtao.com ~

Oh, how confused I felt during the reading of this book…

It starts as a classic family thriller, with a growing feeling of unhappiness, in contrast to the dreams of joy that the main character had when she got married to the one who looked like the ideal husband. And then, slowly, things start to change and you get the feeling that something is wrong, although you cannot really put your finger on what exactly it is. The heroine starts acting weirder than the situation would ask for, normal things begin to look shady, the characters keep changing colors from white to black and vice versa from one chapter to another.

At some point, I was annoyed with the heroine, thinking she’s overreacting and going paranoid for absolutely nothing. Because we’re getting the whole story from her point of view, for a while things don’t seem to make sense, everything is foggy and unclear.

Not until the perspective changes and all of a sudden, boom! Here comes the shocking truth and after that, everything is spiraling out of control, all the puzzle pieces start falling in the right places and you discover a whole new story, in a way you couldn’t have predicted in a million years.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of The Starter Wife by Nina Laurin.

Claire is happy with her catch of a husband. He's older, he's wealthy, and he's patient with her desire to become a writer. But despite Byron's forthcoming-ness about his first wife and her suicide, Claire can't shake the feeling that there may be a bit more to it than the cut and dry reports say. With time, research, and listening to people tell their stories about him, Claire knows in her gut that her husband has ominous secrets that he's keeping. Did his first wife really commit suicide, and more than that, is she still alive.

I've read a lot of books similar to this one, but I just couldn't latch on to this. The whole premise was just way to over-the-top for me, kind of ridiculous. Also, I couldn't stand the characters, any of them.

@nina.laurin is one of my favorite go-to authors for keep me on the edge of my seat (and guessing!!) page turners! #thestarterwife is no different!! If you haven’t picked this one up yet or if it’s on your TBR, make it your next read!!! Special thanks to @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for the #arc! And sorry for the delay in my review— full time grad school and full time teaching crazy, adorable 5th graders (and my adorable 7th grade son!!) have kept me super busy!!

The Starter Wife was a captivating novel! I enjoyed the underlying story behind the scenes. Claire is married to Professor Byron Westcott who is a lot older than her. His first wife Colleen died by suicide years ago. Claire tries to maintain their perfect marriage, but at the same time he never stopped loving Colleen. Claire can't get over her jealousy of Colleen. Mysterious things start to happen to Claire as she starts losing control.

I found the first half of this book to be extremely frustrating because the actions taken by the main character seemed unrealistic and silly. However, when the story began to come together and the characters sorted themselves out it was fantastic. I couldn't put it down.

In The Starter Wife we find Claire Westcott, who struggles to maintain the momentum of her marriage to college professor Byron while living in the shadows of his first wife, Colleen May, a gifted painter, who disappeared some years previously. She becomes increasingly unhinged as she tries to balance her instability and obsession with her suspicions of her husband and desire to make the marriage work.

The term "train wreck" is woefully inadequate to describe Claire. She is not the least bit sympathetic as a narrator, and her husband is not much better. One wonders why she is so fixated on him, why she loves him to the point of madness. And this works as a psychological thriller, because you feel the build up as she careens down the path to horrific extremes.

There are some confusing moments. Her motivations are unclear, as well as some of the events that draw out her psychopathy. Certain parts of the story told in flashback seem a bit contrived, although that is a personal opinion and not a criticism of the overall quality of the book.

This book is a hot mess, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Claire is the hottest of hot messes and she is the one telling the story. In that aspect, the author maintains continuity of character. And the unravelling of Claire, her marriage, and the overall story fits neatly, even if certain elements remain cloudy at the end.

If you enjoy a story where certain events are left unresolved, you will appreciate The Starter Wife. It will keep you turning pages, anticipating the next twist. Take it along to the beach or on your next car trip. It's a good weekend thriller, even if it is not all that unique., disturbing enough to make you gasp without inducing nightmares.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The main character got on my nerves with all her whining but I'm sure the author intended her to be easily fooled by her husband. There were lots of twists and turns throughout and a unexpected ending which makes for a very good read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre.

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing book.

I have read this authors other two novels and enjoyed them both. Her books are a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs. There are twists and turns that constantly keep me guessing. Just like the first two books, I knew I had it all figured out, until I didn't. Another good book with an ending that while I did not see it coming I did enjoy it. I look forward to more by this author.

Just when I think I have this story figured out it throws another wrench in the mix. A story of a love so strong that nothing or no one will stand in its way. A woman so bent on having her perfect life, perfect husband that she will do anything to achieve it. Nothing is going to stop Claire from what she truly believes is hers. Hers to do with as she sees fit. Hers to attain at any and all cost.
Claire fell so in love with Byron Westcott that she lost all reasoning. All common sense. She was young and dumb for sure. She completely redid her life for him. She went from being a dowdy teen to being a ver good looking young woman with a college education on top of it.
Byron Westcott loved only Colleen. Colleen was his world. His entire existence. His reason for being. He would have done anything for her. They had a love that was meant to last a lifetime. But it was not to be. Colleen went missing and that almost destroyed Byron. No body was ever found and it was presumed she committed suicide. Byron will always mourn Colleen even when he finally moves on to a life with Claire. But will things be good between them. Will he be faithful to her? Will she be enough to help him get over his loss?
This book is one that has so many twists and turns you may get lost. You may think things are heading in one direction and find out you was so far off base that you are totally shocked. I sure was. I thought I had things figured out. I really did. I was so wrong. This book is full of some very shocking twists and turns but it will keep you wanting more. You will want to know what happens next. You will want to know what exactly happened to who and why. Each time you think you have it something else will happen. To the very end you will wonder...
Who is Claire. What happened to Colleen. Who is Byron and what has he done. Who is who and what is happening. I really enjoyed reading this book. It sure kept me on the edge of my seat for almost two days. It’s a great psychological thriller. It’s one I highly recommend to anyone that loves a book with many twists and turns.
The characters are likable in a love/hate kind of way. Each one playing the part beautifully. This author was new to me and I definitely look forward to reading more of her books. This is a page turner for sure.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #Grand Central Publishing for the ARC of this book. This is my complete and honest review.
A big 5 stars. I loved it.

This was a fun thriller that kept me turning pages to conclusion. I found it exciting with a intricate plot .
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My opinion is my own.. For all of that like emotional domestic thrillers this is a perfect afternoon read.

Claire is the main character who has married a man older then she. as his second wife. His "starter wife" disappeared and was declared a suicide. Claire is not happy in her new life as she expected to be as her husband has her living among the first wives home and on her money he gained from her death. He wants everything to remain as it did with his first wife. .He is also very controlling and Clair has reason to be questioning the truth behind the disappearance of the first wife. Soon Claire is finding clues that give her cause for alarm and when she is contacted by someone claiming to be the first wife the action really takes off !

I loved this book as it had twist and turns to keep me turning pages. The mystery was multi layered and interesting as it built suspense. A fun read that I do recommend.

Nina Laurin tells a great story. A mix of thriller and suspense. Great character development.
Easy too follow story line. Quick page turning book.

Nina Laurin. author of Girl Last Seen and What My Sister Knew, employs plot twists, surprising developments, and misdirection to maximum effect to compel The Starter Wife forward as readers try to discern the difference between reality and her unreliable lead character's imagination.

Colleen Westcott's disappearance has never been fully solved. Was it murder? Suicide? Or is she still alive, but missing? Her body has never been recovered. Claire Westcott is married to Colleen's husband, Byron, a professor of literature at the same small college where Colleen also taught. Bryon was, of course, a person of interest in the investigation into Colleen's death, but no charges were ever brought against him. Claire and Byron began dating five years ago after they met at an alumni event. Claire had been one of his students. They married after a whirlwind courtship, and Claire is supposed to be writing a book while Byron is teaching, but the rejections from publishers are numerous and continuing to arrive.

Through a first-person narrative, Claire describes her life with Byron and what it's like to live in the shadow of his presumably dead first wife. Her paintings hang on virtually every wall of the house she shares with Byron -- the one in which he resided with Colleen. The same furniture fills the home, including their bedroom. Claire relates, "Colleen may have died but she never left." Their attempts to have a child have not been successful, Claire is drinking far too much, and it appears that Byron has lost interest in and patience with her. He is spending more and more time away from home, and when he's there, he's distant. Claire suspects that he is having an affair with one of his students.

Against that backdrop, in addition to receiving a telephone call that Claire is convinced is from Colleen, she receives an email that simply disappears from her in-box. Desperate to hold onto Byron and their marriage, Claire becomes determined to solve the mystery of Colleen's disappearance. She also follows the young coed with whom she thinks Byron has been unfaithful, and confides in one of his colleagues. But when she proposes and tries to lure him into an elaborate scheme to obtain hormone treatments in an unhinged attempt to conceive a child, the colleague is understandably alarmed and bolts. A narrative from an unidentified third party, addressing Byron, appears to be the voice of someone stalking Claire. Who is she?

Laurin keeps readers off-balance as she takes them on an uncomfortable journey into Claire's thoughts. Claire struggles with self-doubt related to body image and her failure to succeed as a writer, in addition to the stress of living with a husband who seems to have never gotten past his first wife's disappearance. Is Claire merely a stand-in wife to Byron? Or does he really love her, but is emotionally unable to fully move forward with his life after the trauma of losing his first wife? Since Byron is obviously damaged and unable to fully commit himself to their marriage, why is Claire so obsessed with him and hellbent on staying in the relationship?

Whether Claire is a victim or a very disturbed villain is unclear until her estranged sister arrives, and the truth about Claire's past is gradually revealed. From that juncture, the book's pace accelerates and the story races to an explosive conclusion.

Laurin distinguishes herself in a crowded field of female authors publishing psychological thrillers. Although none of Laurin's characters are particularly likable, each is fascinating in her/her own right, and The Starter Wife is entertaining. She clearly enjoys presenting a fact with certainty, only to insert doubt a few chapters later, and employs that technique expertly in this story. Right up to the end of the book, in fact, which readers should not be surprised to find mired in ambiguity and intertwined in the sly commentary Laurin injects about social media through the depiction of chatter among Byron's students on an internet forum. The Starter Wife is an excellent choice for a summer afternoon read by the pool or on the beach, as well as a book club discussion.

The Starter Wife is the first book I have read from author Nina Laurin and I would have to say, I found a new fave thriller writer.

This book is about the journey of a second wife, Claire, dealing with the shadow of his husband's first wife, Colleen, whose case was still undeclared whether as a murder, a suicide, or a missing person's case. Aside from Claire, the story is also told through an unknown narrator.

If you are a fan of unreliable narrators, this book is surely for you. I enjoyed the guessing game and weighing the truths. Nina Laurin surely knows how to build up the suspense that will keep you at the edge of your seat and not letting you put the book down at all!

What a lovely read! It is a one-sitter type but a busy bee like me had to time my readings 😭

Excited to read more from this author!

Holy moly - this was a brawny thriller and everything about this book was superb. The characters, the narration, the twists the plot were all excellent. I loved The Starter Wife for being an extremely refreshing take on the female sociopath trope . This was one of those books where everyone is not particularly personable but you love it anyway.

A really fantastic read and well worth five stars!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Claire met and fell in love with Byron Westcott (a successful professor of literature at Mansfield Liberal Arts College) when she was his student. He was older, sophisticated and encouraged her writing career. He'd been married once before but his first wife had died unexpectedly years ago.

Colleen Westcott, a renowned artist whose paintings keep increasing in value, committed suicide ten years ago. Or so it is assumed, but in fact the police never found her body, just her car parked near the Cleveland waterfront. Now after two years of marriage, Claire is afraid Byron will never get over his first wife.

Claire feels like a shadow living in Colleen's house among her things, spending the money Byron inherited and not being able to make any changes to their surroundings or change the lifestyle he shared with Colleen. Just when their marriage is going through a rough patch, Claire begins getting phone calls and emails from someone who calls herself Colleen.

Twenty-seven-year old Claire comes across as a whiner, making the book difficult to get into if you want to like your protagonist. The story is told by Claire, but begins with a prologue narrated by an unknown waitress who swipes a very expensive engagement ring left in the restaurant bathroom. The engagement ring belongs to Byron's wife.

The plot is twisty and intent. Throughout there is the question of whether Colleen is alive or dead. And if she is alive, why is she in hiding?

Claire Wescott is married to Byron, a professor at a liberal arts college in Ohio. She’s his second wife and is starting to question if his change in behavior towards her means something...is it a sign that he’s seeing someone else. Claire thinks a baby will be the answer though she’s got fertility issues. As she pursues that direction, she’s also trying to figure out if there’s a “who” responsible for his distraction.

From the start, I knew I was dealing with an unreliable narrator because Claire has some serious issues! And, the prologue introduces someone, anonymous, who’s always in the background and I was never quite sure where to place her...past or present, good or evil, real or imagined. Then there’s Colleen, Byron’s first wife, who has a large presence in the story. She disappeared years ago, presumed dead by suicide. The narrative is Claire’s and it’s an uncomfortable place to be in as she grapples with self doubt, body image issues and her writing failures. I didn’t like her very much though I had empathy for her situation. I went back and forth about Byron because I only had Claire’s point of view.

Because of my struggles with Claire, I had mixed feelings about this story. I had a hard time resuming reading after breaks because I didn’t want to be back in her head. But, there came a point where things shifted and it became a seriously intriguing puzzle I had to solve. I got there but was still surprised by one final twist. I’m glad I hung in there because being off balance is part of the story’s allure. If you don’t get hung up on how you feel about the narrator, you’ll appreciate the journey and the payoff. I’m still thinking about that ending.

What a fun read! It's hard to standout these days with the number of domestic/psychological thrillers in the market, but Nina Laurin has done a great job keeping the twists and turns coming in The Starter Wife.

Claire is the ultimate unreliable narrator- or is she being gas-lighted by her older husband Byron, whose first wife Colleen died under unusual circumstances? Is Claire the victim or villain? This is fast-paced read that will keep you guessing to the last page.

Thank you to @Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

well...I started reading this expecting a typical thriller where the main characters are not quite everyday normal. That is not what I got! The plot has been written many times, but Nina Laurin managed to give it a tweak and a twist that was anything except expected. I read thrillers for that twist that keeps me guessing until the end. That's what I got in The Starter Wife.
Claire is the main character who has married a man many years her senior. She is his second wife. His "starter wife" disappeared and was declared a suicide. Sound familiar? But, taking a leap of faith here....Claire is suddenly not as happy or certain in her new life as she expected to be. Still sound familiar? From this point, the story does a couple of twists that will leave you wondering if you missed a clue earlier in the book. The ending is not what I expected and yet it was definitely thrilling. This is a quick read that I finished in a couple of afternoons. Take a chance...read this book.

A plot you've read a million times...but with poor writing.

2 stars...probably a generous rating.

The Starter Wife is the ultimate in unreliable narrators. This story, however, has something that other books in this genre don't...not a single chapter without the coo-coo. I literally felt like I was reading page after page of confused, drunken rambling with no direction, no plot, and no sense of story. It exemplified the tedious, and held little anticipation. I already knew exactly how it was going to end. This story has been done so many times before, but far better. I was reading only to finish, and not out of any sense of enjoyment.

The characters were confusing and not well defined, the plot had gaping holes throughout, and at the end of the day, I simply can't recommend this book. Not to anyone. It was such a disappointment.

**While I wish I could have given a more positive review, I'd still like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with advance copy of this novel.