The Wife Upstairs is an well-written, twisty gothic thriller that also happens to be a loose retelling of Jane Eyre. The story follows Jane who is new to the area in Birmingham, Alabama. She walks dogs in a gated community to get by while just hoping her luck will change. She meets recently widowed Eddie Rochester whose wife recently died in a boating accident. Seems like the perfect opportunity. It doesn’t take long for the dead wife to haunt Jane. Nothing is as it seems. Prepare for plenty of twists and a gripping plot. If you enjoyed the classic, this is a fresh take. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, St. Martin's Press and the author, Rachel Hawkins for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.

A book where the main character walks dogs? Yes, please.

I always love a book that starts with the main character running from something in her past, as I always know that the past is going to come back to haunt her somehow, which I wasn't disappointed.

I loved Jane's attitude towards life; I did know that with her starting with stealing jewelry from her clients, it was just a matter of time before stealing jewelry became stealing money and much more.

Great read for fans of a perfect suspense novel.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! WHAT A THRILLER! I loved it! Thanks again- my review will be forthcoming on goodreads.

Twisty, twisty thriller!!! I enjoyed getting to know "Jane" as she introduced herself to us. From the start, she let's us know she's not the most trustworthy dog sitter or person. However, she allows us to see her vulnerable side which gives us hope that she will redeem herself. I have to admit I saw the end coming, but was still curious what the prologue might hold.

I was unexpectedly swept away by this one! Captivating and FUN - this book is sure to take readers by surprise. I've noticed that many new thriller releases parade themselves as being gothic without really delivering on the promise, but this one fits the bill. Deliciously twisty.

Meet Jane. Jane is new to the upscale neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama, where money, pretty people, and shiny cars are plentiful. Jane takes a job as a dog-walker for the society set, where she is able to infiltrate her way into the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
Meet Eddie. Eddie is a handsome, successful, and grieving widower. His wife Bea and her best friend were tragically killed in a boating accident. Jane begins walking Eddie's dog, and it soon becomes clear that a spark exists between the two of them. It is not long before Jane has moved into Eddie's house and his life. However, once moved in, Jane begins to fixate on the late Bea. Bea's beauty, her ambition, and her devotion to Eddie are fascinating to Jane. As Jane begins to learn more about Bea's life (and her death), questions arise. Was Bea really the person that she purported to be? Or did she have skeletons in her closet? Skeletons that someone may have gone to great lengths to hide?
Great book with many twists and turns! As you learn about Eddie, Jane, Bea, and Bea's best friend, the reader begins to wonder who the actual culprit is. For as we know, things are rarely what they seem on the surface....

Jane is living in a shithole in Alabama when she gets a dog walking gig in the fancy neighborhood. These ladies have more than they could ever need and would never notice a missing earring, or ring, or whatever Jane feels like taking that day. Luckily for her, her job helps her cross paths with Eddie Rochester and their flirty banter soon becomes a full blown relationship. Only problem is Jane can’t get his widow Bea out of her mind. Can she keep Eddie in the dark about her past as well as help him move on from his late wife?

Not a book spoiler but spoiler alert-I failed my buddy read of Jane Eyre with @dg_reads @ahatforeveryread and @theboozy.reader I know that means I should probably have my reader card revoked but I just couldn’t get into it. Well let me tell you, I did NOT have that problem with this retelling! I loved this book! It kept me up late flipping pages wondering what would happen next. I did guess the twist fairly early on, but it didn’t take away from the reading experience! I loved that we heard Bea’s story from the past, as well as Jane’s past and present day. You do not want to miss out on this book!

The Wife Upstairs is a loose retelling of the Charlotte Bronte’s class gothic novel, Jane Eyre. In this version, Jane is a struggling dog walker in the upscale neighborhood of Thornfield Estates. She has a little issue with kleptomania and is intrigued when she meets Eddie, whose wife died in a mysterious boating accident. Jane sees Eddie as an opportunity to gain financial security. But as details of Bea’s death slowly emerge, Jane’s newfound life may not be as secure as she had hoped. This is a fast-paced suspense novel that has lots of juicy twists and turns. I wish that the gothic tropes had been a bit more present, but nonetheless, this was a fun twist on a classic. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I really LOVED The Wife Upstairs! It is a retelling of Jane Eyre I believe (I've never read Jane Eyre!) but as someone who likes retellings of classics (I loved The Winters, a retelling of Rebecca) I LOVED this one too! It kept me reading, I could not put it down and the writing was fantastic. The character development with Jane was a good pace and the alternating chapters made it all easy to follow. It was also very atmospheric, which is one thing I LOVE in a thriller!

Thank you for allowing me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Overall, the book was entertaining enough to keep me interested but I came across 2-3 political references/jabs that I could have done without. One of my biggest pet peeves is when authors insert their political beliefs into their books and/or bash someone else's view. That's a huge turn off for me, and to be honest, it almost caused me to not finish the book. The reason I did finish it is because I felt it needed to be mentioned in my review since the whole point of this is to leave an honest review. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be picking up any books from this author in the future because of this.

Another thing I noticed was that there needed to be more breaks in between settings/scenes. For example....one minute Jane and Eddie are having a mild argument in the living room in the middle of the night over something, and the next sentence (same paragraph), Jane is up and out of bed and ready for the day. There should have been a break in paragraphs letting us know that scene was over because it was very confusing - this happened several times throughout the book. There most definitely needs to be some more editing done before this goes out to the public.

In closing, I did find the story to be entertaining, even if ALL of the characters were completely unlikeable (but that could have been the author's intent). Unfortunately, when I remember this book, what will stand out is the author's politics that were thrown into the book when it really added nothing to the story.

2.5 stars

I just downloaded this and I’ve already finished it. I started this am and it’s 8PM and I just finished! It’s so good, you won’t know which way is up, what a ride! Jane is a dog walker who can’t believe her luck when she starts dating recently widowed Eddie. But what about the wife upstairs?

I just realized this is the author of the Hex Hall series and I will add that I read these when I was much younger and absolutely devoured the series and I’m so amazed at how much Rachel Hawkins writing has progressed from YA to adult thriller... I can’t wait to see what is next! Feel free to send it my way!

This book had me on the edge of my seat from page one! This surprisingly spooky, domestic thriller had some fun twists and turns. Most of the characters were unlike able which usually turns me off from a book but this time I kept reading waiting for something horrible to happen to them!

Okay, so we know upfront that this is a 21st century take on Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. In this
iteration we have Eddie Rochester, apparently a wealthy widower, and Jane a cash strapped woman who walks the dogs of the rich women who reside in Alabama’s exclusive Thornfield Estates community. (Their attraction to each other is almost immediate). Then there’s Bea, wife of Eddie and owner of a successful life-style brand called Southern Manors that (according to Jane) sells “overpriced cutesy shit”. It is Bea who provides the real wealth in the Rochester house. She is THE WIFE UPSTAIRS referred to in the title of Rachel Hawkins book.

Added to the mix is Bea’s longtime “friend” Blanche who knows all the “dirt” about Bea,
is green with envy and wants everything Bea possesses - her business, her husband – her lifestyle, etc. Then there’s Tripp, Blanche’s husband.

Jane is not the naïve, squeaky clean woman of the Bronte novel and we learn that she too has a past as she becomes embroiled in the machinations of the other players. John, her room-mate is a particularly unlikable but only appears in a couple of scenes. There are more than enough unsavory characters with questionable motives as well as a plethora of dark secrets to go around as well as a murder or two to keep the reader turning the pages.

The Wife Upstairs, by Rachel Hawkins, is one of those intense thrillers where you think you’ve got it all figures out only to realize the storyline is so much more twisted than you imagined.
Jane is new to the Birmingham, Alabama area and is scraping by to make a living. She’s rooming with an ultra-creepy guy named John, and walking dogs in the very posh Thornfield Estates to earn a few extra bucks.
Her luck changes though when she meets the recently widowed Eddie Rochester. His wife Bea, and her best friend Blanche, died while boating during a girl’s getaway—both of their bodies lost to the lake. Eddie is handsome, attentive, and rich, having inherited his wife’s multi-million-dollar company Southern Manors. Jane’s secret past (a life of abusive & dangerous foster homes) has given her the ability to adapt fluidly to almost any situation. And the situation she finds herself in now—the chance to snag a rich husband and comfortable life—is almost too easy. Before long Jane is living in Eddie’s house and has assimilated into the community. But sometimes the past refuses to stay buried.
The Wife Upstairs is a twisted modern Jane Eyre that will leave your mind reeling at the possibilities—right down to the end. There are so many twists and turns from why Bea and Blanche ended up at that lake, to what was happening between them before that, and who might have been there with them, and what really happened to them. There are some things I wished had been fleshed out with a little more detail (Jane’s past, Blanche’s specific issues with Bea & her company, the problems between Bea and her mother) and there were a few point of view changes that I found jarring (a couple times near the end it switched from the predominant 1st person to 3rd for brief segments to fill in some of the past story). But overall, I found The Wife Upstairs to be interesting, engaging and a well-paced thriller that I highly recommend.
The Wife Upstairs will be released January 5, 2021.

*I received an ARC of The Wife Upstairs from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Twisty & Turny and Utterly Compelling!.

Meet Jane: An Arizona transplant who is new to Birmingham, Alabama. Jane is looking to make ends meet by being a dog walker in what appears to be the sleepy little subdivision of Thornfield Estates.

Thornfield Estates however has a “Stepford” vibe - gorgeous, perfect housewives, beautiful expensive homes with everyone following a simple easy routine, and enjoying the quintessential life.

Or so it seems.

Little does Jane know that the residents of Thornfield Estates have their secrets and boy are they doozies!

Penniless and pretty, Jane is hoping to meet “the one.”

Enter Eddie Rochester. A recent widow who is trying to get over the death of his wife, Bea and her best friend Blanche, both of whom drowned while away on a “Girls Weekend.”

Eddie is dashing, kind, smart and successful - everything Jane wants in a man.

A whirlwind romance ensues, with Jane being swept off of her feet. Of course, Jane gets what she wants: A marriage proposal. Then again, Jane always gets what she wants.

Or does she?

In this case, perhaps Jane should have looked before she leaped.

Poor Jane. I almost feel for you. Almost.

What happens next is nothing short of brilliant, twisted and completely wild. Talk about turning the freaking tables and stunning this reader to no end!

“That twist” is the reason to pick up this highly anticipated novel!

Well done, Rachel Hawkins!

Captivating characters and a fantastic plot, make this mystery suspense a must read!

This was a fabulous buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc.

*Modified version of this review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine on 10.21.20
Published on Goodreads on 10.25.20

3.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this witty, suspenseful update to the gothic classic 'Jane Eyre' with touches of 'Rebecca'. This modern Jane is almost destitute and works as a dog walker in the wealthy Thornfield Estates in Birmingham, Alabama. Like the original Jane, she appears meek and mild and considers herself unattractive. She is actually a devious schemer and a thief. Her real name isn't really Jane and her past life is hidden, unfortunate and somewhat shady. I found none of the characters remotely likeable, but they were intriguing and compelling.

She manages to ensnare the handsome, wealthy and charming Eddie Rochester. He is a widower who lost his wife and her best friend in a boating accident. She moves into his lavish home and they soon are engaged to be married. It seems like a true love match. She works hard to be accepted and fit in with a group of frivolous, bejewelled, sophisticated ladies from the estate community. She soon becomes part of their group. She has achieved wealth and a sophisticated lifestyle. What could go wrong? She continues to steal and is being blackmailed by a sleazy ex-roommate who works at a church.

The big twist in the original Jane Eyre is revealed early in this novel, but also by this book's title. Readers of the old classic should have no fear as the twists here are different and shocking. There is a crime somewhat reminiscent of 'Rebecca' and cleverly done. This was a gripping, fast-paced, entertaining, and enjoyable read, despite the fact that the entire cast were horrible people.

This was definitely a fun, fast paced little thriller! Perfect for these fall months, too.

Our main character, Jane, had me a little worried at first. She seemed like she was just on the cusp of being unlikeable, but honestly she seemed more realistic than most of the characters in recent books I've read. She feels like she could be a friend, and parts of me I sometimes saw in her. I also loved that she was a dog walker and did her own thing. After a while it gets tiring reading about endless rich lavish protagonist 😅

The mystery and plot were pretty solid though the end kind of felt a little lackluster to me. Still, I feel like once I started this book I couldn't really put it down. It flowed so easily and seamlessly.

Definitely would recommend if you want something fun and light and doesn't take itself too seriously.

I do love a good psychological thriller! I was so excited about getting this novel before the January release.

Jane Belle has had a difficult life and has move to Alabama as she was offered a place to stay.
She has no money, lives in a dumpy part of town and is tired of her miserable life. She is creative and starts her own dog-walking business for wealthy families. She likes the dogs but doesn’t like the people; however she is jealous and really wants to live like them. Whenever given the chance to go inside one of their homes to get the dog, she steals things ~ nothing big, just something she can pawn….. Hmmm

While out dog walking, she starts to daydream and is accidently gets hit by a car driven by wealth handsome, newly widowed Eddie Rochester. She is not hurt but he feels terrible so invites her in to make sure she is all right. Jane and Eddie hit it off right away. In fact, Eddie gets a dog just so he can be with Jane.

Eddie’s wealth is actually his wife’s. Bea was a glamorous and successful owner of a business she created called ”Southern Manor”; it is trendy with expensive southern items/apparel.
She and her best friend Blanche went missing after a “girl’s weekend”. Both are presumed dead from drowning in a boating accident but neither were found. .
Awww the plot thickens!

Story is told from the POV of Jane, Eddie and Bea in both present day and the back story of when Bea and Blanche were school girls also how Bea and Eddie met.

Since this is a psychological thriller and yes a twisted suspense. However, there were hints early on about the toxic relations between characters.
Jane reminded me of the con artist Amber in the “Last Mrs. Parrish” so the big twist for me was that Jane wasn’t the MOST unlikeable character in this story!.

Note about me: I typically don’t like a book if I don’t like the nasty unlikeable foul-mouth characters.
I have a low tolerance for profanity ~ I do “get” that when someone gets angry.…it just seems to fit but in this story the nasty f-bombs were completely unnecessary and overused ~ well I am sure that’s just me!
As for unlikeable characters, I am actually okay with sociopaths and psychopaths ~ find them interesting ~ it is the foul-mouth nasties that I don’t like.

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes only. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 5, 2021

What a story! This book was hard to put down. There were so many elements to the story and characters that keep you guessing to the end! Definitely recommend!!

3.5 stars

This novel is entertaining for those who enjoy a sinister but not necessarily scary mystery, and while the ode to Bronte is interesting, it isn't essential to appreciate what happens here.

Jane, a young woman with a less than ideal past, finds herself walking dogs and participating in petty theft in a wealthy Southern neighborhood until she lands a recently widowed local homeowner. For me, both Jane and Eddie run a bit flat; I'd have liked to get more into their heads and find the compulsion to care more about their outcomes for better or worse. While it's obvious that characters in a mystery/thriller need some secrets, some parts of the characters felt more like actual vacancies than mysterious underlying truths.

There is a good twist here, but the journey to get there was a slow burn (intended). I was entertained but wanted a little less chill and a little more thrill overall.