I found myself sucked into the book. It is one of those books that only works if everyone is virtually unlikeable. Despite ALL of the characters being unlikeable, it didn’t turn me off from the book. From almost the beginning, I had an idea in my head about how this might go and it turned out that I was right. I don’t know if I’m just really good at guessing twists or if this was utterly predictable. The writing made it really easy to devour this one, but I expected everything that happened. I also haven’t read Jane Eyre so I can’t comment on the retelling aspect. Overall, a fun read that didn’t wow me! The narration was really good and I felt like it captured how awful these people all were.

An excellent and twisty modern retelling of Jane Eyre, the classic Gothic novel by Charlotte Brontë.

All three of the narrators were excellent!

Rachel Hawkins soars with her debut adult novel. She intertwines mystery, romance and murder seamlessly.

Jane was an imposter assimilating a new life in Thornfield estates. She begins to develop relationships by providing dog walking service. Eddy Rochester, a wealthy widower,
rushes to cover his tracks regarding his deceased wife’s death. Jane fit all his needs and soon moves into Eddy’s home. She has a perfect life or so it seems. She is soon to find out it’s all lies.

Jane follows hidden clues uncovering information about her fiancé’s wife’s death. Betrayal became evident as new knowledge unfolds. Quick actions became vital as all rush to escape Thornfield before another death occurs.

A thrilling and surprising ending that captured my attention until the end.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to review and provide feedback on “The Wife Upstairs”.
#thewifeupstairs. #netgalley. #rachelhawkins

This review is of the audio book, provided to me for free by #NetGalley.

For me, this was a disappointment. Personally, I read thrillers to be ... thrilled ... and pulled along by the story, surprised by the twists and turns. I knew the ending very early on in the book, and I believe that very few genre readers will be surprised by it. Still, this fits into the domestic thriller genre nicely, and the Jane Eyre aspect adds something new. It still may be an entertaining read for many fans of the genre; I realize that not everyone reads thrillers in hopes of being surprised by the ending. However, this is not a book I would suggest to someone who is specifically looking for a surprising and suspenseful read, or someone looking to branch out into the genre for the first time. And I would never recommend the audio book version to anyone!

What drew me in and kept me going was seeing how the classic Jane Eyre story would morph and inspire this domestic thriller. And that was fun! Loved her interpretation of St. John Rivers... for whatever reason, that was probably my favorite part. But as far as the thriller aspect goes, it was mediocre and middle of the road. Not much in the way of suspense or danger, the main character was either cocksure or confused, but rarely relatable, which further lessened the suspense. The stakes never felt very high for anyone except for Tripp, but he wasn't part of the action. And, finally, the many pieces of the backstory never fused in a satisfying way. All this combined and left me asking, What was the point?

I suspect that I would feel less critical of the print version of the book, because the primary narrator was so grating when delivering dialogue, that it was difficult to relax into the story. I made a point of listening to the descriptions around dialogue, to try to understand if the narrator chose to deliver lines a certain way or if she was taking direction from the book, and it seemed like it was mostly the narrator. The accents were inconsistent, as well as over the top, and sometimes it was not clear who was speaking, because they now sounded different from the previous time they spoke. The secondary narrator was also not great, with similar accent issues. There was a time or two where her theatricality reminded me of Moira Rose, which in this case is not a compliment. Final narrator was fine, and a relief to hear... although, somewhat of a leading choice, based on his narration of another popular domestic thriller.

Suspense is mild, violence is mild, romance is almost nonexisting. Cursing throughout.

With thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book, all opinions expressed here are my own.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins is a suspenseful southern retelling of Jane Eyre. As someone who still hasn’t read the classic, I had no problem thoroughly enjoying this book.

Most of the characters are hiding things, from the kleptomaniac dog walker, to the handsome “widower” things are not all as they seem. Especially when one best friend turns up dead and the other is locked in a panic room...

This book was well written and well paced with interesting characters and an intriguing storyline. A highly recommended read.

4.5 stars.

A wife and best friend are presumed dead. The husbands live in an upscale neighborhood. A kleptomaniac starts walking dogs there and falls for one of the husbands. Then one of the bodies is found (the other person is locked in a panic room) and it’s clear that it was murder. Who did and how will the innocent get away?
Opinion
I absolutely loved this audiobook. The suspense is off the charts. There was a twist towards the end that I did not see coming.
This book is good enough that about halfway through I started recommending it to my friends.
Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed listening to this! I listened along with a hardcopy because I like to alternate between the two sometimes and it really was a fun way to immerse myself into the process. Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classics novels and I appreciated the influence and take from that classic into this book. It was a fun time!

The Wife Upstairs is a twisty work of fiction chock full of suspense. Although the plot felt formulaic and familiar, I did not predict the ending. This book was good as an audiobook and would be perfect road trip accompaniment. It was an enjoyable listen for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, author, narrators, and publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

I loved this audio! My favorite ones are when you have multiple narrators. The story line was captivating and interesting. Definitely a must listen book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one big deja vu for me. It’s been years since I’ve read Jane Eyre but there were enough similarities (names, places) that there was an immediate connection and familiarity. That’s a positive and a negative... there are lots of pieces pulled from other stories so nothing was really fresh or original. To me, this was just a mash-up of Jane Eyre and one of the Real Housewives franchises.

I’m not a fan of ambiguous endings and while I initially thought that was the case here, the final
Minutes made it pretty clear that there was no ambiguity - I just hope the author doesn’t opt for a follow-up novel.

I listened to the audiobook and really did not like the voice actors. especially “Jane.”

The Wife Upstairs was great on audiobook! I’m so glad I listened to it. It was a great story and I so liked Jane.
It was filled with twists and turns and who done its. It was easy to listen to and really enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

I literally kept hearing about this book nonstop in all the book groups and on bookstagram! So I knew I had to read it!! I read it and then I listened to the audiobook and while the book was definitely an experience the audiobook was AMAZING!  If you go the audiobook route the characters and the narrarators match the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Jane is down on her luck, she is trying to hide her past and start a new adventure! Jane is new to the area and so when she starts walking dogs in a very wealthy area of town she is doing pretty well. She keeps adding on new clients to walk their dogs and she's managing to thrift a few things to sell so that she can pay her rent to her tool of a roommate.
Now, let's talk about Eddie. Eddie is a man who is mourning because his wife and her best friend died at the lake about six months ago, and one day he meets Jane when he is backing out of his driveway and almost hits Jane.
That started their relationship. In the beginning  she was walking his dog too and then he asked her out for dinner and their relationship blossomed from there. Jane is swept away by Eddie the way he stood up for her to her tool of a roommate and the way that he provides for her.
As time progresses Jane and Eddie's relationship becomes more of a serious relationship and she tries to fit into the neighborhood.
Now there is Bea. Bea was Eddie's wife until something happened at Lake. Bea tells her own part of the story in different chapters and she's not the sunshine that everyone makes her out to be but did she die on the lake, was she murdered, or did something more sinister happen to her?
This is one of those thrillers that has you on the edge of your seat and you have to continue in the book because you have to know what the  secrets are and what actually happened!  There are some easy twists in the story that are kind of predictable but they are so good! If you like thrillers by B.A. Paris and Samantha Downing then this is the book for you! It's a great fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

I think the whole real housewives meets victorian literature should be the new thing we see more and more of. I will forever support authors retelling classic with their own twist and Hawkins definitely delivered with this! As a massive Jane Eyre fan myself I HAD to pick this up. Being so familiar with the base material I was needing to recalibrate at the beginning a bit because this is definitely a retelling and Jane, Rochester ect share little more than the name and role of the original (very fan -fiction esque). Would recommend when youre some fresh new thriller read!

Even if you think you know the story of Jane Eyre, don't pass up on this twisty retelling turn domestic thriller.

Jane is leaving the ghosts of her old life behind, and making her way as a dogwalker in a ritzy suburb of Birmingham, AL. This is where she meets Eddie Rochester and becomes entangled in the suburban housewife drama of Thornfield Estates... and the mystery of Bea Rochester's death.

Great for fans of A Simple Favor and and Desperate Housewives, or anyone who has spent time in Alabama. You may have never met the women of Thornfield Estates, but trust me... you know them.


Thank your NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting take on Jane Eyre. It's been a while since I have read the classic, and I enjoyed recalling the original plot as I made the comparisons.

Jane Eyre is my favorite classic and I have enjoyed other works by this author so I was excited to see this retelling. .I think this has retelling was wonderfully done. The writing style kept me captivated and I love the southern psychological thriller spin that the author put on this classic story. The narrators did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. If you like psychological thrillers and the classic Jane Eyre, you should read this book. You don't have to be familiar with Jane Eyre to enjoy this novel.


Review will also be left on Amazon, Audible and Goodreads.

A modern day retelling of Jane Eyre...set in Alabama. This was a fun one! I listened to the whole audiobook in a single day, thanks to the killer narration of this one. I loved the twist on a classic. It was enjoyable and definitely kept me wondering what was next. I don’t really think any of the characters were very likable, but I actually did find myself to be a fan of Jane. I enjoyed the multiple POV telling as well. This is a book that I actually recommend on audiobook, if you’re into them!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

The Wife Upstairs is a suspenseful book with a shocking ending that had me invested from the beginning.

Jane is a dogwalker in a rich gated community called Thornwood Estates. She frequently steals jewelry and small items from her clients. Then she meets Eddie whose wife is presumed dead after a boating accident a year ago with her best friend. Eddie and Jane quickly fall in love and their relationship progresses. Jane is happy with the money and stability Eddie provides. However, Jane is living in Bea’s shadow and can’t seem to get away from comparison. Will Jane and Eddie’s secrets pull them apart or bring them closer together?

I was invested in The Wife Upstairs from the beginning. I loved the story. It definitely seemed predictable at times, but I didn’t want to put the book down. I really enjoyed the story. I didn’t really like Jane, but really wanted the best for her. There were definitely times I wanted to yell at her because I was so invested in the story. I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen next and was wrong multiple times. I love reading unpredictable books.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Shaffer, Kirby Heyborne, and Lauren Fortgang. They all did a great job and talked with emotion. Their voices really fit the characters, and I am so glad I listened to the audiobook.

I recommend The Wife Upstairs to fans of domestic suspense especially if you like books that seem predictable with a shocking ending.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, Libro.fm and NetGalley for The Wife Upstairs audiobook.

I really enjoyed this. I haven't listened or read many psychological thrillers in awhile because I got burnt out on them, but this was familiar and yet still new. I knew there would be a twist, but it still wasn't exactly the twist I expected.

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook edition of The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins.

It took me an entire quarter of the way through until I finally realized that I was reading a modern day Bronte novel. But instead of a period Gothic, it's a southern Gothic, with slightly different twists and turns. You would think having a character named Eddie Rochester would be all it took to clue me in, but alas.

Jane is desperate to break into the elite scene of Birmingham Alabama, starting as a dog walker, hoping to move her way up. So when she meets Eddie Rochester, she sees her chance. Eddie is handsome and rich, but has an edge...and a past. Add to that, Eddie is very hesitant to discuss his ex-wife, who died mysteriously, and there have been strange noises in the house...

You see where I'm going with this right? But it was a very fun retelling, and actually tempted me to read Jane Eyre again. It was written well with all of the modern adjustments you could ask for. I kind of like these retellings of old classics.