Member Reviews
HOLY roller coaster ride !!!!!! The Other Mrs. is an incredible read, and Mary Kubica does it again!
I love stories told in multiple point of views, and thats what your getting in this novel.
The alternating voices of Sadie, Camille, and Mouse are captivating and the characters are complex, complicated and well fleshed out!
There are SO many twists and turns I could not put this book down. Lies, murder, mystery, did I mention shocking twists? This is one you have to read to see for yourself.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review "The Other Mrs." by Mary Kubica. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery of this novel. The writing was excellent. I was interested for the majority of the time I was reading until it got closer to the end. The twist seemed a little far fetched in my opinion. It did end up having a better ending than I originally hoped. I would gladly read more books by Mary Kubica in the future.
In The Other Mrs., bestselling author Mary Kubica ramps up the dramatic tension with an intense examination of Sadie Foust's psyche.
Sadie, a physician, has moved from Chicago to an isolated little island along the rugged Maine coastline with her husband Will, a handsome and charismatic college professor, fourteen-year-old son Otto, and Tate, who is just seven. In her first-person narration, Sadie reveals that she is still reeling from Will's infidelity, as well as "what happened in Chicago -- not just the affair alone, but all of it, everything . . ." About the latter, she is vague. But she is attempting to settle into a new routine in her position at a local clinic and adjust to life in the dreary home Will inherited from his sister following her suicide. And then there's Imogen, the goth teenager who is angry, resentful, and inspires fear in Sadie with her erratic behavior. Imogen's presence exacerbates Sadie's struggle to manage her anxiety and re-establish a relationship of trust with Will.
Kubica intersperses Sadie's dialogue with a third-person narration detailing unfolding events, as well as the first-person dialogues of a little girl nicknamed Mouse,who details the abuse to which she has been subjected, and another female voice, Camille. Camille claims to have been Sadie's roommate, and expounds on her love for Will, describing their extramarital affair. It is clear that she is still obsessed with Will. She bemoans her status as "the other woman" and describes some of her sessions with a psychiatrist who encouraged her to discontinue their trysts. She is nearby, having "convinced" herself to follow Will to Maine and is living in an empty house near the Fousts. She acknowledges engaging in behavior that has frightened Sadie, jealous of the fact that Will loves Sadie more. Still, convinced that she is prettier than Sadie, Camille brags that "if I wanted to, I could do my hair like hers, I could dress like her, pass myself off as Mrs. Foust. Convince others to believe that I was Will's wife, his chosen one. If I wanted to." Her endgame isn't clear.
Sadie finds her new job challenging and must also deal with Otto being bullied at school (again), as well as mysterious events at home. As the investigation into Morgan's murder proceeds, disturbing evidence implicates Sadie. But she knows she is innocent and becomes desperate to prove her innocence.
In Kubica's capable hands, the book's setting is critical to the story's success and serves as another character in the book -- ominous, foreboding, and stifling. The tale of deception is replete with shocking plot developments and twists that keep the action moving forward at an unrelenting pace, aided by the alternating narrations. As always, Kubica's story is deftly plotted and flawlessly executed. In fact, it is not until the jaw-dropping conclusion reveals what has actually transpired -- and it differs from at least one wholly unreliable narration -- that Kubica's ingenuity and creativity are fully appreciable. Her characters are richly and credibly developed and, at least in the case of Sadie, surprisingly sympathetic. Whether Sadie is a victim is a question readers may ponder long after finishing the book. Kubica's original take on a story line device that fiction writers have employed frequently is spectacularly successful.
With each successive publication, Kubica's writing has gotten better and it can be credibly argued that The Other Mrs. is her best book yet. Atmospheric, eerie, and compelling, The Other Mrs. examines family secrets, manipulation, and the lasting impact of traumatic events, and further cements Kubica's reputation as a master writer of psychological thrillers.
This is the first book by Mary Kubica that I have read. While I thought the book was well-written, I did not find it very thrilling. Before the halfway mark I had the "twists and turns" figured out and that point the book was too slow paced for me. Some people may really enjoy this one but for me this is one is pretty forgettable. Three stars for "The Other Mrs." from me.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A fantastic psychological thriller about a murder. I loved the descriptions and setting of an old house by the sea in the winter. I was unable to put this 5 STAR thriller down after the first chapter!
This author's books are a hit or miss with me. I wasn't that into this one. I just didn't find this book to be that believable and it was just too far out there for me.
Thank you for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
While normally I am averse to books using mental illness as a plot twist, this one did it so differently than most. Not only was it not the big twist at the end, but the author also portrayed the character respectfully, and not stereotypically. The note at the end from the author shows her commitment to portraying this character in a respectful way. The way she allowed the character to take control of both the situation of abuse and her illness in the end was very satisfying!
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for an advanced copy of this book.
Definitely a fun and exciting read. If you love thrillers I would recommend this one but be prepared to wait as it builds tension and then hits you with a whammy that’s unbelievable. What you think is going to occur goes over your head and the execution is amazing!
This is my third Mary Kubica book, and it hit all of the same notes that her other books have hit for me. Her psychological thrillers are good stories, but not very thrilling. She is a solid writer, her stories just never wow me. None of the characters in this one felt fully developed. I feel like I only got partial snapshots of each person, rather than fully realized characters. However, I will probably continue to read her books when I come across one that I haven’t read. As with her other books, I’m giving this one a 3 star rating.
3.5 stars. A psychological thriller with many twists and turns told from several points of view. A story of murder, a dysfunctional family, a manipulative man, a troubled wife, and the “other woman” . . . but with a major twist. I should have loved this story but I didn’t and just thought it was okay. It seemed to drag in places and it took me a long time to finish reading. Still, the overall plot was interesting.
This book was dark and twisted but not scary. The story was really compelling and the characters were well developed.
I had high hopes for this book which has a very intriguing premise. The story started off quite well, with Sadie and her family moving to a new town in Maine after a family tragedy. I don't mind an unlikeable main character, but unfortunately I could never warm up to Sadie.
She is the main POV and the main focus thought most of the book. There is a huge plot twist which of course I guessed by the early part of the book. Many readers loved this one, but the writing was too heavy-handed and overly dramatic for me. Additionally, Sadie is a physician but almost zero time and attention is given to her profession. The book does pick up the pace near the end, but overall the pacing was too slow for me.
This thriller didn't work for me but please read the other reviews and decide for yourself. This one took me a few weeks to finish and normally I read a book in a few days or a week at most. I heard this book is going to be made into a Netflix series and it actually might work better that way! I am very fond of this author's writing so I will definitely look forward to what she writes next.
Addictive, Pageturning, and Intense!
I was really psyched to get this book and I wasn't disappointed in the least! I have loved all of Kubica's prior books, but I think this was my favorite!
For this title, you really should try to know as little as possible before taking the plunge. What I can say is this. . . you will not know what is going to happen from one page to the next. This book is highly unpredictable which I LOVE. Sometimes I try to put my detective hat on and I can easily guess what is going to happen next. This was NOT the the case AT ALL, which I am very happy to report. Why read a book that you can easily predict the storyline and plot? I was completely flummoxed and surprised by the turn of events. I'm not going to say anything else. What are you waiting for? Read it!!!
This was a read with a lot of twists and turns. I felt like we were left hanging without some information at the end though and I am not real sure what it was. Just that something was missing. I did like the book though and felt that Mary Kubica did very well with it.
Will and Sadie move to a small town in Maine looking for a fresh start. When their next door neighbor comes up dead, Sadie is wondering what is really going on in their neighborhood. She feels that people are watching her and that things are happening that seem strange. We get several different POV's in this book which makes it interesting.
As the book progresses and no murderer has been found, Fingers start being pointed at the new neighbors in town, but why? Sadie begins to do a little digging of her own. What Sadie does not know is that she is putting herself in danger the more that she keeps digging. Will she find out who the murderer is and keep her family safe? You will have to read this one to find out what happens. I am not going to give all of this one away.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book.
What to say about this one?
First of all, this was my first book by the author. I’ve heard great things about her so I will definitely try a few of her others, but this book was not my favorite. I didn’t hate it either, it was just okay.
The writing was good, the pacing, character development, and dialogue also good. I couldn’t really find fault anywhere in the pages, but the story was completely forgettable. Overall it was just okay.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy. I will not be reviewing those one on social media.
What an amazing book! My first by this author but most certainly not the last! It kept my interest from beginning to end but I think I held my breath for the last few chapters. Just when you think you've got it all figured out...boom! Surprise ending! Very interesting book about how mental illness can affect a whole family.
4.5*
How have I not read this author before!?💁🏻♀️
It’s safe to say Sadie and Will have had their fair share of problems in Chicago! Time for a change in scenery, and a move to Maine might just be what they’re looking for to put their family back together.
Only the murder of a neighbor unexpectedly shines the spotlight directly on Sadie and her family. Not on the dead woman’s husband! Come on...isn’t it always the husband!?
Sadie was certainly not a likable character. She did so many things that were just down right bizarre, leaving me shaking my head. Let’s just say she won’t be winning any awards for doctor of the year...let alone mother of the year!
This was a fun, twisty thriller that captured me from the beginning and loved each and every twist! I was kept in the dark guessing right up to the end! Ultimately my voice grew hoarse from screaming at the characters to stop their crazed, questionable behaviors!
Loved it! I have a few of Ms. Kubica’s older books on my shelf and I’m anxious to go back and read them!
A super fun and twisty buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing - Park Row and Mary Kubica for an ARC to read and review.
I loved this book and can’t wait to share it with others. Mary Kubica improves with each book. She is going on my list of always reliable authors!
Great mystery. Delves into mental illness using believable, relatable characters. Level after level - peeling away all the layers revealing a twisted relationship and it's effects on those it touches.
Mental illness is a terrible thing to have to deal with! Mary Kubica deals we’ll with this issue although in my opinion far fetched. It did make for good reading.