The Wife Upstairs delivers in being a mystery thriller. Definitely will be one of the best in 2021. This story is told by 3 different point of views Jane the new girl, Bea the wife and Eddie the husband. Neither character is really likable but the author created them that way. The storytelling is fast and to the point and only revealing its plot when it's time for you as the reader to know it. There really is no guessing the ending even if you tried. Wonderful amazing work by the author.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

4.25 stars

I really enjoyed Jane and her personal story. Had some great twist and turns and while I kind of guessed the who/why/how it kept me guessing and wondering if I was right. When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it and couldn't wait to get a moment to pick it up and carry on with the story.

A huge thanks to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley and Rachel Hawkins for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, let me say - I absolutely love Jane Eyre. It's my favorite classic. So when I found out there was a Jane Eyre reimagining, I had to get me hands on a copy. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free copy!

So, Jane is living in a craphole with creepy John when she gets a dog walking job in a rich neighborhood. She loves to make fun of the housewives in her head as well as steal small things from them from time to time. When Eddie, the widower in the neighborhood, almost runs her over with his car, things start to turn up for Jane.

This was unputdownable! Bea, Eddie's wife, was so intriguing. Was she good? Was she evil? Is anything Eddie says true? I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what would happen next. And that twist - wow. This was everything I could have hoped for in a Jane Eyre reimagining. It was totally different from the original classic, which is good for those of you who hate classics or those of you who haven't yet read Jane Eyre. I loved the alternating chapters between Bea's and Jane's POV. We also got a peek into Bea's past as well as Jane's. The endings are completely different, but compliment one another well. This was a thrilling and captivating domestic suspense and I actually just changed my rating from four to five stars while writing this review!

Im calling it now, this is going to be the thriller of the year, or at least of the winter!

When Jane starts walking dogs in the rich neighborhood called the Thornfield Estates, she doesnt expect to fall for the handsome widower, Eddie. She also doesn't expect to go on a date with him or fall into a whirlwind romance! Her life seems to have taken a turn for the better except lying behind all those elegant doors are a whole lot of secrets for her to discover.

I am the worst at writing reviews for thrillers because I get so excited about them that they're hard not to spoil! This book sent me through so many twists I didnt see coming The story was fast moving and spent more time on the story development rather than the character development which I loved! This is a fast oaced thriller I highly recommend out in JANUARY!

Rating 3.5

Shocking, twisting, and enthralling all describe The Wife Upstairs. The book shares four different perspectives, which was interesting to read. The main character is Jane, a recent transplant from Arizona to an affluent neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama. She is the neighborhood's dog walker, but she has her sights set on a bigger prize. I immediately felt like there was something "off" about her.

Eddie is a secondary character who is a resident of Thornfield Estates. He recently lost his multi-millionaire wife, Bea, in a boating accident and her best friend, Blanche. Jane meets Eddie, and the two quickly form a relationship. Jane soon realizes that some secrets are impossible to keep hidden.

The book's main point of contention is Jane's increasing obsession with Bea and the mystery surrounding her death. Jane even begins to question Eddie's alibi or lack thereof. Jane feels as if she can never live up to Bea, causing issues in the relationship.

Without providing any spoilers, I found out quite quickly what had happened, who was or was not dead, who was or was not the murderer. I will say, I felt like I had been "Gone Girl-ed." While I could see where some of the plots were going, I most certainly did not see the revelations at the end of the book.

The only part I struggled with was the switching between tenses. I would be reading one POV, and then it would switch to italics like a narrator was now speaking. I have read books where this happens, but it was just a bit jarring in this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loved "Gone Girl," B.A. Paris' books, and who wants a quick but engaging read.

I’ve read multiple retakes on Pride and Prejudice, but this is the first time I’ve read one of Jane Eyre.
This modern day Jane is a broke dog walker in Birmingham, AL. But unlike the original Jane, this one is no innocent. Eddie is a rich widow in the upscale neighborhood where Jane works. He lost his wife in a boating accident six months ago. A whirlwind romance ensues.
Since this is a re-telling, it’s not giving away any secrets to say the original Mrs. Rochester is alive and hidden in the attic. And call me crazy, but all I could think of was the improbability of this working out. I mean, wouldn’t Jane notice Eddie sneaking off? And food and water going missing? The original Mr. R had the old housekeeper helping him.
We hear from both of the missusses. And while different on the surface, there are similarities - their hidden backstories, their unlikeability. Add Eddie to the mix of unlikeable characters, with his sleazy charm. Surprisingly, to me, they all came across as fairly flat. The twist, coming towards the end of the story, isn’t very engrossing or surprising.
The story to me smacked of glibness and cliches. It’s not bad, it’s just meh. It’s a mediocre re-working of the original story.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Thank you St. Martin’s press for my review copy.
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Un.Put.Downable
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Wooo, what a ride. This is the thriller I’ve been waiting for. For years mind you. I loved it. I’m not going to get into the plot too deep except to say it brought me back to my love of The Last Mrs. Parrish and Behind Closed Doors. Back when the thrillers were on fire.
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Here’s a few reasons why you should pick it up.
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The original plot.
The twists you don’t see coming.
The character study.
The Southern gothic feel.
The need to read....and put down everything else to do so.
To truly block the world around you.
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Now, I have one complaint. It’s a small one. I think it should have wrapped up sooner. The end drug out unnecessarily. Mind you...not so much as a reason not to read....but it could have been avoided.
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At the end of the day....this will be the thriller I’m recommending. Hands down. All the stars.

This has got to be the twistiest twister of Jane Eyre I've about ever read! Basically, a lot of small details are the same; character names (even the adopted puppy, Adele) and the ghost of the 1st Mrs. Rochester is prevalent. But that is about where the similarities end.
Jane Bell is a 23 year old dog-walker who thinks she hit the lottery when she meets Eddie Rochester, local widower. He's handsome, rich and seems to love Jane, who has a ton of secrets of her own. But there's a mystery swirling around regarding what happened to Bea Rochester, Eddie's 1st wife and her best friend, Blanche. Are they even dead? Just missing? Is there murder afoot? Read this fast-paced thriller to find out. It's definitely not what you're expecting!

Jane is walking dogs in a ritzy neighborhood of wealthy and bored housewives. Jane could never have imagined she would be walking dogs one day and meet the man of her dreams the next. She falls quickly for Eddie, a handsome wealthy widower. But the neighborhood ladies still love and miss Eddie’s deceased wife Bea. Jane falls into a comfortable life with Eddie. Things change when Jane starts to see a glimpse of who Eddie. What really happened to his perfect wife Bea. What happens next is an intense and unexpected.

4 clever stars for this amusing (kind of sorta ) take on the classic Jane Eyre.

The setting is in Birmingham, AL, a city I am very familiar with as I grew up close to there. My parent's best friends lived there and we visited often.

The cast you ask? Ok, so there is Jane, a young, lovely, and smart gal who walks dogs in a ritzy neighborhood. The guy...Eddie, lives in the neighborhood. He has a dog that needs walking and he has an eye for Jane. Oh, and his wife just died about 8 months ago. And that was under suspicious circumstances. Her name was Bea. Her BFF was Blanche and we think they drowned in a boating accident. But did they?

Eddie and Jane fall in love and she is very eager to move into his house and life really. She wants to be one of the girls in that fancy subdivision and wants their respect. The only way to do that is to marry Eddie. She gets right on that and apparently he has been thinking about it too, bc he produces a magnificent ring when she suggests ending things. Did I mention she is a very clever girl?

With things going her way she begins planning a splendid wedding; but a dreadful discovery is made that will change everything. The adventure begins! Someone's body is found and that creates a nice little mystery that unravels is a delightful way.

I recommend refreshing your memory (or googling) the plot of Jane Eyre. It is not followed very closely but it does add some interesting and entertaining speculation to your reading experience.

This is my first time reading the author and I will add more to my TBR. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital edition to read for review. I recommend it! It was an enjoyable mystery I quite enjoyed.

I received this book "The Wife Upstairs" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. This book was interesting with twists and turns. A suspenseful page turner that will keep you guessing. Everyone is referencing Jane Eyre but I have never read it so maybe that is good, I don't have to compare to anything else.

Dark, thrilling, tantalizing.

Rachel Hawkins' remake on a classic was everything I never even knew I wanted in a much beloved classic. It was a much darker, grittier version of Jane Eyre with an even bigger twist than even the most loyal of fans could ever imagine wanting let alone envision.

I absolutely adored it.

So engrossing, so much fun and honestly left me eagerly turning the pages up to the very last chapter. I loved everything about it and was left wanting more but also weirdly completely satisfied with everything she did to this much loved favorite.

Jane is a broke dog walker for the rich elite in Thornfield Estates until she meets the rich and handsome Eddie. The only problem is he has a missing wife presumed dead. I LOVED this book! I found myself thinking about the characters while I was away from reading. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged!

This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention.

This one was easy to read and I flew through it. It wasn’t really that much of a thriller to me, more of a suspenseful buildup, but the ending wasn’t really mind blowing.

I would read more by this author, because it was enjoyable enough to keep reading and kept my attention. It was also easy to pick up where I left off when I put it down for a while.

i enjoyed this book quite a bit, the writing was sharp and clear, lots of characters with secrets and red herrings. the ending could have been a bit stronger, ie the last few pages but overall it was a really good read

love a twist on a classic story. This was such a fun way to experience a modern version of Jane Eyre.

I enjoyed having a shady narrator, especially since she still manages to be likable. I enjoyed all the southern, gossipy women. I enjoyed the tension. And I enjoyed the unexpected ending. This was a lot of fun.

So many of my book-loving, book blogging, book reviewing friends have read and loved The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins, and with good reason, it’s excellent! You will love the story of Jane, a dog walker in the upper-class neighborhood of Thornfield Estates. When she meets wealthy Eddie, she imagines their life together, filled with the things she cannot afford on her own. As they develop feelings for each other, something tugs at Jane. It’s the mystery surrounding the death of Eddie’s first wife. Yeah, that would be enough to scare me too.

Check out the plot:

Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie––not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past––or his––catches up to her?

With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?

This smart, dark, twisty story of evil is a nail biter for sure. You will absolutely devour this modern retelling of Jane Eyre (but set in Alabama).

This will be out on January 5! Pre-order here.

I thought for sure I would love this book but i just never got attached. I struggled for the first 60%. Because it’s a Netgalley book, I wouldn’t give up. I think not having one likable person kills it for me.

Finally it picked up and I whipped through the rest of the book. Totally made it worth while.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Jane Bell is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates—a gated community full of mansions, bored housewives and all the same SUVs. Where the people are so rich and have way too much stuff that they won’t notice when Jane takes some of their random knick-knacks or small jewelry and who won’t even care to ask if Jane is her real name. Which is where she meets recent widower Edward Rochester whose wife Bea drowned in a boating accident with her best friend Blanche and whose neither body has been recovered yet. Jane can’t help but see this as an opportunity to get herself out of her dreary life and into the life she always wanted. But as Jane and Edward fall for each other, Jane is haunted by Bea who is everywhere throughout the house and who is beloved by everyone in the neighborhood who can’t help but compare them and how will she ever measure up.

Oh man this was so good and such a delicious twist to the classic Jane Eyre story. I really loved how we got contrasting POV chapters with Jane and Bea so we kept getting more information to unpack this twisting tale and giving you the false impression that you knew who the villain was but realizing at the end it wasn’t who you thought not entirely. It was really interesting to get that last Eddie POV chapter since most of the story is told in Jane or Beas POV. I really liked Jane, she had a very interesting back story. Edward was definitely interesting and I really liked Bea and just the plot twists where so well timed and kept me guessing until the end. This was a really fast read and I just couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.