Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was a bit hard at times to keep track of where we were in the story line when listening to the audiobook. The story jumps around between past events and present events quite frequently. It wasnt too hard to keep up but it was something I was struggling with a bit at first, before I got into the groove.
I will say, I think the story is better suited to consume in large chunks. At first, I was just listening to it in small snippets here and there, when I had the time. But there is too much information in the story and the time jumps became confusing when consuming the book in small snippets. It was a much more enjoyable experience when I sat down and listened to most of it in one sitting.
A very interesting story that had me on my toes most of the latter 75%. I was absolutely heart-broken for our main character at times and I thoroughly liked the way all of the main characters were written. They were very unique and seemed like individual people. I could clearly imagine all of them and their setting while listening. The author has a way of really painting a room and a character that provokes pretty vivid imagery.
The "bad guy" seemed a little too typical villanesque towards the end with the whole "Im going to stand here and tell you my evil plan"-section. But I guess that is part of the crime genre - and a reason I typically don't divulge in that genre.
As someone who doesnt have a partifuclarly fond spot for neither crime or historical fiction, I was thoroughly entertained by this story. I would highly recommend this to practically anyone and Im interested to see what else this author has in store.

In this historical mystery, Constance Sullivan stands accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic. She had the means. She had the motive. She had the opportunity. But Constance swears she is innocent. Her husband was a hypochondriac who was always dosing himself. And it seems that perhaps there are those in her circle who may have wanted her husband dead -- or wanted to frame her for his demise.

At the outset, I wasn't sure how much I would like this one, but I ended up binging most of it in one day. The narrative alternates between Constance's trial and the events leading up to it. The narrator did an excellent job of voicing the characters and I was really enthralled. Unfortunately, I felt like the third act fell apart a little bit and I was able to guess some of the twists.

All in all, a great read for anyone looking to enjoy a dark gothic tale of mystery and revenge.

This review will be posted to Goodreads and Instagram on June 25, 2024.

This book was thrilling and had my interest from the first minute! (I listened to the audiobook). The Victorian world-building was believable and seemed like the author had really done their research. It's also based upon a true story and the story highlights the injustices of the Victorian legal system as well as issues of class, sexism, and marital power dynamics. The characters were well developed, and I found myself getting upset on behalf of the main character as the mystery unfolded.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGallery for an advanced copy of this audiobook!

The Arsenic Eater's Wife is more a of a period drama than a true thriller or murder mystery, though I don't think that's a bad thing. I imagine this kind of story is difficult to categorize. I'm simply pointing it out for readers who might be expecting a more "traditional" mystery or thriller structure.

It's a story about Constance, a woman whose husband dies under mysterious circumstances. Connie and her husband had some issues within their marriage, so everyone around her believes her to be guilty of his murder.

Connie is not a very interesting protagonist, though she is determined and very loyal to her children. They are her primary motivator throughout the story, but we never really see her interact or play with her children in a way that would deepen their bond. She seems to just have have that general unending love for her children that mothers in media have. The children are mostly taken care of by the serving staff, however, and they play a very minor role in the story. It's makes Connie's motivations a little shaky, in my opinion.

There's also a truly unbearable amount of repetition throughout the story. I listened to it as an audiobook, and I truly believe that almost two hours could be cut. We see an event from Connie's perspective, then hear the lawyers talking about it in their opening statements in court, then hear witnesses being questioned about the events, then see the lawyers talk about it in their closing statements, then hear the JUDGE talk about it, and then and then and then... Connie is also CONSTANTLY talking about how her house is evil and haunted, though she has no basis for that belief.

Connie and William, her husband and the victim of the story, have a very contentious relationship. He's portrayed in a very negative light. He's verbally, financially, and physically abusive towards her amongst other things, and yet... the book tries to convince us that he was a good man for Connie and a good father. I can't understand how she doesn't feel free after William's death. She's instead regretful of how she treated him. It was a different time, but we saw ZERO redeeming qualities from that man for the entirety of the novel.

I like the actions that Connie took to "get back" at her husband, and I think that the story might have worked better if we thought there WAS a chance that she was the killer. She has plenty of motive, but the entire time we know she's innocent.

Near the end there's a rather large time skip, after which Connie questions all of the suspects. I'm not someone who is usually a fan of time skips, but I think this one was done alright. Generally I find that it resets the characters and we have to learn who they are all over again, but everyone remained pretty consistent with this one. The thing I disliked was that everyone just spilled all their secrets to Connie with the slightest bit of questioning and prodding as though they hadn't been keeping these secrets tightly for years. Instead of seeing exciting reveals play out, we have people just telling us the plot twists years after they're relevant. it was a little disappointing.

I sound like a massive hater, but I really did enjoy parts of the book! The main mystery is pretty interesting, and I think that Tonya Mitchell did an excellent job of setting up several characters as suspects. I knew who had done it at about the 40%, but the red herrings were good enough to keep me interested. The final plot twist was pretty good as well, and I found the ending relatively satisfying. I also really liked the reveal about William's cause of death.

The writing was excellent, and the atmosphere was pretty good as well. It seemed like the author really did her research into the era. I have no way of knowing if all of the information was factually correct, but it was well explained down to the function of arsenic in the body. The court room was an interesting setting, and the back and forth structure of the novel kept it from being too dry. It's just that everything was repeated and the scenes started to drag.

I should also mention that there is a LOT of self-harm in this novel and a suicide attempt, so if that is triggering I wouldn't recommend. I don't have any experience with self-harm, so I can't say if it was handled well or not. In my personal opinion, I found it a bit unnecessary, and I don't really like the way that it was resolved.

I fell like I have a lot of complaints about The Arsenic Eater's wife, but the base plot and the immense amounts of character drama were really gripping. I was telling my boyfriend the plot of the novel afterwards, leaving out everything I found unnecessary, and he was enthralled by it! It's just in need of a harsh edit, and a slightly reworked dénouement.

I would recommend the Arsenic Eater's Wife if you enjoy a messy, dramatic historical novel and have some time to kill.

Historical fiction with a very gothic feel to it. Constance stands accused of murdering her husband with arsenic. Her husband, William, was a hypochondriac who self-medicated with arsenic. The story is not told in a straight timeline - it jumps around a bit - and I wasn't a fan of that, but the pacing was good throughout. I loved the gothic feel to the story, and the fact that this is based on a true story. It has all the elements of a good gothic mystery - infidelity, betrayal, deceit, greed, love? I read this in one sitting because I had to know what happened. Well drawn characters - it all worked well. Thank you to Net Galley #netgalley for my advance reader copy. and thank you to Dreamscape Media #dreamscapemedia for my advance copy.

I love this book so much! Everything about it was so good! The twists and turns I didn't see coming kept me listening. The fact that it was based on a true historical case made it so intriguing, Highly recommend!

I thought this was going to be worth listening to, but I didn’t care for the narrator, I disliked the characters and got turned off at all of the drug use and cheating.

The Arsenic Eaters Wife by Tonya Mitchell, Constance is an American married to William living in Liverpool he is a Britt and a cruel husband. It is 1889 when the book starts William is dead and Constance who is called Connie is ill but still being arrested for his murder. His brother Edward during their marriage was infatuated
With the a American mother of two and she had a frenamy in Ingrid and doesn’t think she can trust the servants but when she gets arrested everyone turns their back on her to fight this fight alone. In the Victorian era a lot of people took arsenic treatments for facials and as tonics it was something her husband William seem to be addicted to she made mini efforts to make his doctors aware of this but all he did was lie and say either he didn’t do it or it wasn’t an issue at all. Throughout the book we get to know the family the children the servants and all the reasons Connie ultimately did what she did but was one of those things killing her husband? Also, if she wasn’t the one who killed him then who did or was he even really murdered? This was a great book and I went from thinking she did it to she didn’t do it to he wasn’t murdered, to he was murdered but by who and so to say the book keeps you guessing is an understatement and the perpetrator totally came out of left field but was definitely apropos to the story. I loved her lawyer Mr. Sullivan an absolutely loved his replacement Tip Top. I always love Penelope Rollins performances in an audiobook and she did a stellar job in this one. She did the American voices the BRITs the Scots and even the Irish and what a brilliant job she did. With a fascinating mystery based on a true story and great narration you cannot go wrong with The Arsenic Eaters Wife it was a brilliant story and one I totally recommend. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review. #DreamscapeMedia, #NetGalley, #TonyaMitchell, #TheArsenicEatersWife,

TW for abuse, institutionalization, and family drama.

I enjoyed this book. It gave hints of The Yellow Wallpaper mixed with a solid historical mystery. The only part that felt less satisfying is that so little of the investigating can be done by the main character since she's in jail. She does get to participate in all the vengeance though, so that was satisfying.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes historical mysteries, female rage, and feminist fiction.

I enjoyed this historical fiction audio from NetGalley. It has a lot things from the time that really made you feel for the woman, i.e. how easily it was to imprison her for her husband's murder and how little rights she truly had. The continuous lack of justice for the main character was depressing and realistic. The way the story was told and the way it unfolded was very well done and gave you just enough to keep you guessing the whole way.

Court Room drama + Soap Opera

This is story of Constance who was falsely convicted of murder of her husband using arsenic poisoning in 1889 England. After a long courtroom trial and completing the sentence in prison, she finally is able to confront the actual murderer.

Nays
👎🏼 Its covered in two timelines, pre and post murder, both of which are written in present tense. It was difficult to differentiate in the Audiobook narration and eventually I lost track of exact year in both of them.

👎🏼 Further the book is 10.5 hours long (330+ pages). This was my biggest issue with the book. It felt like a soap opera where story moves just an inch in half hour episode, specially the timeline leading up to murder.

👎🏼 Most reviews have mentioned an Author's note which talks about the true historical event. Since it was missing in Audiobook ARC, it creates a gap for the reader to be able to appreciate this as True Crime.


Yays

👍🏼 Versatile usage of Arsenic in that era was something unheard and explored. The only usage I knew of this was as a poison, but knowing that it was used in cosmetics and drugs was surprising.

👍🏼 This was my first historical court room drama, i guess. That was interesting and also well narrated giving a complete visualisation of the scene.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. The Arsenic Eater's Wife was an interesting listen with the narrator adding to my enjoyment of the story, but I did find the story to be somewhat uneven. Inspired by true events, the story flips between past events and the current day where Constance finds herself on trial for the murder of her husband. What really stood out to me about this story was the depiction of the legal system. It was biased against the defendant, and it was interesting to see what an almost impossible task Constance's lawyer faces in saving her from death. I did enjoy the unfolding of prior events to understand how Constance found herself on trial for a crime she didn't commit. The culprit wasn't really a surprise when the big reveal happened as there are plenty of hints sprinkled throughout the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story and would look for additional titles from the author.

4 ⭐️
Format: Audio

What I loved:
• Based on real people and events so I could look up and find out more.
• FMC was strong and unapologetically true to herself.
• Twisty character connections and deceptions.
• The revenge and setting right of wrong doings.

I didn’t really dislike anything about The Arsenic Eater’s Wife. I went into reading it without really knowing much, so I was worried it would be dry and boring, but it was not that at all! I found myself angry at the injustice done to Constance (real life Florence Maybrick) simply because men’s words and actions hold more power than women’s.

The audio narration was well done. Played at 1.5x speed.

Would definitely recommend if you like historical fiction, true crime, courtroom settings, and mysteries.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy of Tonya Mitchell’s The Arsenic Eater’s Wife.

It took only a few minutes for me to become entranced with the world of Constance Sullivan, and her plight as a widow suspected of murdering her husband in 1889. Her husband, William, has recently died of what's suspected to be arsenic poisoning. But during a time when arsenic was both readily available and used by some, including William, as a way to ward off physical ailments, who's to say what was accidental or intentional?

I was intrigued to find this novel was inspired by a true historical case. I also was not expecting there to be so much of the plot hosted in the courtroom, and found it a fun surprise to enjoy what's essentially a courtroom drama with the unique twist of the Victorian era. The book was atmospheric, well-written, and dark. This was the first book I've read by Tonya Mitchell and I'm now motivated to read more. Penelope Rawlins did an excellent job with narration and helped to create an immersive experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Tonya Mitchell for the gift ot an advance copy for honest review.

Based on a true historical case, this historical mystery had me eating out of the palm of its' hand (pun intended).

It's 1889 in Liverpool, England and Constance and William Sullivan appear to have the perfect marriage. And yet, when William is found dead due to arsenic poisoning, Constance is hastily considered a suspect. For many, the widow's guilt seems clear, especially since many witnesses are now coming forward with incriminating testimony and facts about the dark side of Constance and William's marriage. There is a sinister web of deception weaving through the community and household. Who can Constance trust? Who is holding the key to the truth?

This book was absolutely fascinating. I was completely caught up in the narrator, Penelope Rawlins, and her interpretation of these characters. Her captivating reading far exceeded my expectations. I do think this book would be an incredible read in book form as well. It's just a well written mystery! The court scenes and mystery had me comparing the flow and aspects of the storyline to "Where the Crawdads Sing" mixed with "The Crucible". My need for vengeance in the last 30% of the book was playing out even better than I expected. The writing drew my attention to the social issues women faced in the 19th century and before. Such a solid mystery!

Thank you Tonya Mitchell, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for this captivating historical mystery in exchange for my honest review.

This was a strongly written historical fiction that used multiple timelines. They were well balanced and were paced perfectly to allow the case and background story to unfold simultaneously. The historical details included also added much to the depth of this story, ranging from information regarding the overuse of arsenic in day-to-day life, women's prisons, and court cases of the time.

The characters were part of what made it strong. Constance was an excellent protagonist who was more complicated than I expected her to be. I enjoyed that neither she nor the remaining characters were "good" or "bad," and there were even instances where I felt myself softening (very slightly) towards her husband. It did take a little time to keep track of who everyone was, as many characters were introduced at the beginning of the work, but it didn't take long to become situated in the story.

I recommend reading this one if you like historical fiction based on true legal cases. If you're interested, I recommend checking out the audiobook version as the narrator did an excellent job. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this work, which will be published June 25, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Arsenic Eater's Wife by Tonya Mitchell is a historical fiction set in Liverpool England duriing the late 1800's. Connie a young bride to an older gentleman has learned of the decpetion from not only her husband but her staff and friends. Connie is now on trial for the murder of her husband William, a crime she did not commit. Connie is the real victim of this crime. William has been known to eat arsenic to fix what ailes him but when a fatal dose kills him Connie must convence the jury of the court of her innocence. With the evidence stacking against her Connie must come to terms of her ruling and her likelyhood to be hung for the crimes. This book had me hooked from the very first page. Connie never gave up hope that she would someday walk free and get the ansewers to all of the questions of why someone would kill William and set her up for the murder. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to an advance copy of this audio book.

Excellent historical mystery made even more interesting by the fact that it’s based on a true story. Very complicated characters, wonderful sense of time and place, and the ending is fantastic.

Tonya Mitchell's "The Arsenic Eater's Wife" is a gripping historical novel that masterfully intertwines suspense, mystery, and a dash of the macabre. Inspired by a true case, the story plunges readers into the harrowing trial of a woman accused of murdering her husband. The protagonist, whose voice is both haunting and compelling, navigates through a web of betrayal and deception, revealing the dark underbelly of her seemingly genteel life.

Mitchell's narrative keeps you on the edge of your seat, each chapter peeling back layers of secrets and lies. The courtroom scenes are intense, filled with dramatic twists that challenge your assumptions about guilt and innocence. The author's portrayal of the period is vivid, immersing you in the societal constraints and the chilling atmosphere of the 19th century.

What sets this novel apart is its complex protagonist. Her quest for revenge and the burning desire to clear her name drive the plot forward, making for a page-turner that is hard to put down. As the story unfolds, you can't help but question the true nature of madness and justice.

"The Arsenic Eater's Wife" is a testament to Tonya Mitchell's storytelling prowess, offering a heart-stopping revelation that lingers long after the final page. If you enjoy historical fiction with a strong, enigmatic heroine and a plot full of unexpected turns, this book is a must-read.

If I hadn’t been given an audio ARC, I probably wouldn’t have finished this one. It was completely predictable, even the last twist at the end was somewhat foreseeable from pretty early on in the story. It wasn’t a total flop of a story, it just wasn’t a huge hit with me.