Loved the creepiness factor in this one! No good deeds going unpunished here. Betrayals of trust are everywhere in the novel and the suspense is constant. This one will please readers who enjoy a good evil woman tale.

Title: My Husband’s Wife

Author: Jane Corry

Publisher: Penguin

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Date on the shelf: Jan. 31, 2017

Format: Hardcover

Setting: London, England

Read the e-book ARC version

Death is the first thing that you’re introduced to in Jane Corry’s thriller, “My Husband’s Wife.” The reader is then transported fifteen years into the past to set the story in motion.

Having spent their honeymoon in Italy, it’s now time for Ed and Lily to begin married life. Ed is in advertising, but he wishes to be an artist. Lily had worked in employment law, assisting mostly women who have been fired. Now comes a greater challenge, that of criminal law. Her first client is Joe Thomas, who allegedly murdered his girlfriend by burning her in the bathtub. Talk about difficult, Thomas wants an appeal and everything points to his being guilty, but she’s got to prove the opposite in a court of law.

If that wasn’t a big enough challenge, an Italian neighbor needs someone responsible to watch her young daughter. Carla is a loner and bullied because of her looks, but there’s something dark about her. This is shown through her need to steal. She shares her mother’s attention with “Larry.”

Following Lily throughout her life is the nightmare that happened to her brother, David, in the stables. There is guilt associated with that memory.

A single event, one of recognition, changes the lives of Carla and her mother. Without financial support they have no other choice, but to go back home to Italy.

Years later, lives have changed. More difficult for Lily and Ed, even though Lily has become a highly respected lawyer. For Carla, it’s a time of revenge.

My Husband’s Wife was difficult to read. I’m not one to like dark novels where you can’t find a single character to care about. That you hate the choices they make in life and how they treat people. That they are schemers and manipulators. But you know, that’s reality and I think it’s a lot more difficult creating characters that are disturbed and obsessed, than one’s you absolutely love and can relate to. This had to be written with multiple characters perspectives. How else would you understand where they are coming from?

Three paintings out of five

Denise Fleischer

gottawritenetwork.wordpress.com

June 30, 2018

Fun read wth a twist. No spoilers here. Good characters and fast paced plot.

This book is a love story, a story of obsession, jealousy, revenge, not a love triangle but a love quadrangle.

This is riveting reading that connects the lives of four disparate characters, only one of whom survives to lead anything like a normal life. It is the story of Lily and Carla and Ed and Joe...their connection and the death of Ed. I won't be a spoiler, but there is no simple explanation in this twisted plot.

It is hard to put it down as the characters interact and destroy. Marriage, childhood, suicide, all forms of destruction that make this a fascinating, fast paced thriller.

Very engaging and beautifully woven thriller! The twists and trends keep me turning the pages and loved the title!!!

2.5 stars. The first half of this book was engaging. I liked the point of view of Carla and the struggle between Lily and Ed trying to make their new marriage work. But once the second half of the book started, it all went downhill. The characters were so unlikeable and totally unrelatable. I didn't care what happened to any of them.

3.4 - somewhat choppy and disorienting, but the plot kept me turning pages; recommended for a decent distraction

Mystery loving patrons will enjoy this title. Library will definitely purchase this one!

This book is like 2 books in one. I absolutely loved it! Another fantastic debut novel and I'm already looking forward to reading more from the author.

An intriguing concept, but it dragged, especially near the end. Unlikable characters are one thing but I found everyone irritating and it was hard to get through that as a result.