The Wife Upstairs

What a fun, entertaining read! This was one of the better thrillers I've read recently. It had a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. I will definitely recommend this one to friends.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Wife Upstairs is a thriller about Jane, a dog walker, and Eddie, a recently widowed resident of Thornfield Estates in Birmingham, Alabama. Eddie's wife, Bea, the founder of a successful southern lifestyle brand, died in a boating accident, and Jane sees her chance to leave behind her past by reeling Eddie in to her charms. This book was full of twists, and I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Yes to this entire book! 5 diamond sparkly stars!
Another one full of my favorite things...Stepford Housewives, Gorgeous houses, backstabbing housewives, cheating husbands and murder.
Check. Check. Check.

i loved the main character Jane and just wanted her to get all the gingham she deserved.

If you have this book, read it!

thank you to #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my free arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun, suspenseful read! I’ve loved Rachel Hawkins’ books since I read her Hex Hall series in middle school, and I was even more intrigued by the premise. The Wife Upstairs is essentially a Jane Eyre retelling, set in the modern-day South in an affluent community.
Jane Bell is a former foster child walking dogs in the wealthy Thornfield neighborhood to make ends meet when she meets Eddie Rochester, who has been recently widowed from a mysterious boating accident.
Entwining with Jane’s story is Bea’s, Eddie’s wife.
This book was full of complicated relationships between very wealthy people, hints at Jane’s mysterious and tragic past, and a healthy dose of suspense.
I loved all of the characters, some of whom were ridiculous in the most realistic way. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next, and the ending was concluded perfectly.
As a huge fan of Jane Eyre, I loved seeing characters with the same or similar names as characters in Jane Eyre, as well as minor plot points that mimicked those in the original book
The Wife Upstairs was a fun, suspenseful twist on the original beloved novel. 4.5/5 stars!

This book was amazing! The anticipation was mind blowing! Jane was hiding something so she started a new life in a different state. She lives a miserable life there in a rundown apartment with a creepy roommate. She makes a meager living by walking dogs in an elite neighborhood. She is on the outside looking in, longing to have their wealth and beauty. While walking a clients" dog she is almost run over by a very handsome man in the neighborhood, named Eddie. She finds out he is widowed and decides then and there to snag this man and live the life she deserves. She slowly starts realizing that Eddie is not quite the man she thought he was. Her gut instincts tell her something is not quite right with him. She finds out his deepest, darkest secret. It is something that is quite shocking. You need to read more to find out. Enjoy!

I just cannot give this book anything other than 5 massive stars. Love me a good domestic thriller, and this sure as heck counts as one.

I think what I loved about this book the most is the combination of uniqueness and seductiveness of it. The story follows Jane, a new resident of a very rich neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama who is quite broke herself. One day, she meets a wealthy resident called Eddie, whose wife and her friend had drowned in mysterious circumstances during a girls'. trip Jane is attracted to the rich and protective man, and the two fall for each other. But Bea's story keeps haunting our heroine, like a red flag she tries to bury in her mind.

Bottom line is, everyone has SECRETS. And those can be dangerous ones.

I am a sucker for love triangles, especially ones as unique as this; in addition, we're not reading about rich people in NYC or LA, but Alabama, which is a truly unique setting for this kind of story.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Reader, Rachel Hawkins has done it again! Not only is this book a great retelling of a classic but it’s also thrilling and filled with that familiar hilarity that only Hawkins can write. The Wife Upstairs is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2020.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

This is the story of what happens to a series of characters who went from rags to riches. The main protagonist is Jane, a penniless young lady who grew up in foster homes. She is trying to scrape by in life by walking dogs of rich people while supplementing her income through petty theft. While walking dogs, she meets Eddie, a young (apparent) widower, whose wife Bea had died in a boating accident. Bea built a highly successful business and, from nothing, she and Eddie had become the nouveau riche.

Eddie and Jane quickly become a couple. But something is mysterious about the boating accident that took the lives of Bea and her best friend Blanche. Blanche's husband (Tripp) is suspected.

This is a fast-moving, suspenseful and well-written story. Highly entertaining and intriguing. If you are looking for a sense of realism, however, you will be disappointed.

Great pleasure reading, a nice escape from reality.

What a ride!! Absolutely loved this book and Rachel Hawkins writing style was perfection. I felt every character come to life and she really took me through the scenery and feelings of the characters.

It’s told in a few different point of views but mainly it’s told through Jane. She has her own secret past and becomes a dog walker for a fancy neighborhood with Stepford wives. She stumbles upon Eddie who recently lost his wife along with her best friend and the dark secrets begin. It’s a thrilling fast paced book I devoured quickly. Definitely a book I would recommend!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished The Wife Upstairs (after reading it in less than 2 days!) and absolutely loved it!! The book is told from the perspective of the missing/presumed dead wife and the new girlfriend. I love the character development and the way the author keeps you guessing. The ending was a complete shock and was so perfect. I will be telling everyone about this book!

What a wild ride! It’s always dicey when there’s an unlikeable, unreliable narrator, but it worked in this case. Though some of the story was predictable, there were still plenty of twists that kept me engaged. Good character development, great dialogue, overall good pacing. Would recommend.

Wow! This book was very well written. The plot was focused and kept the reader on guard as the plot moved along. The characters were developed and creatively portrayed. This book is a true page turner and keeps the reader guessing...it can be read in one day!

Jane has managed to flee her boring life in Arizona and wind up living a new, not so fabulous life in Alabama. It is not that she hates her dog-walking job, she likes the dogs, just not their owners. They have everything Jane doesn't have, money, style, and the ability to hire someone like Jane to handle the more mundane aspects of their lives.
When Eddie Rochester nearly runs her over, she sees a chance to live the kind of life she envies. Eddie is a recent widower whose wife Bea and her best friend are presumed dead, apparently drowned. So what if Eddie still lives in the house Bea bought and decorated, it screams money, and it is where Jane used to dog walk. The clients she once worked for will have to accept her as an equal now that Jane and Eddie have fallen in love. So why isn't Jane living her version of happily ever after?
Well, maybe because Jane's past is creeping up behind her and she doesn't want it anywhere near Eddie. Or maybe it is because there are a lot of unanswered questions about what happened to Bea. Or, it might be because the police are knocking on Eddie's door with some shocking news. What's a girl to do when she is this close to having everything she thought she wanted. I kept flipping the pages of The Wife Upstairs since there is more going on here than you will see at first glance.
A fast-paced story told mostly from Jane's perspective. I didn't care for the character of Jane, and Eddie did not strike me as anyone's knight in shining armor. What hooked me was wanting to know what happened to Bea, whodunnit, and why, and what was Jane hiding. 304 pages that I flew through.
A fun backyard read though this will not be published until January. I can picture it snowing out and settling in by the fireplace to enjoy this twisted tale.

I thought this book was amazingly written and hooked me from the beginning. Told in multiple POV’s this fast paced novel leaves you guessing at every step. I absolutely loved it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After leaving Arizona under not so great circumstances, Jane has a plan. She’s moved to Birmingham, AL and is ready for a fresh start. She begins walking dogs in an upscale neighborhood that she can only dream of living in. One day, as she’s walking one of her clients dogs, when she’s almost run over by the recently widowed Eddie. She begins to think maybe she can make her dreams a reality. Soon she discovers that Eddie’s wife’s death may not be the accident everyone previously thought but the police have another suspect in mind but Jane is not so sure anymore.

As an Alabamian who has always loved Jane Eyre, this book could have failed on several levels. Instead, it was successful on every single one. It even managed to pull off a few twists which only made me happier. Just when I was feeling extremely smug because I was so sure I knew what was going on because I was so familiar with the plot of the original Jane Eyre, the twists started.

Everything about this book was clever, and it felt true to the feel of modern Alabama. All the little nods to Jane Eyre, like using names from the book in different ways e.g. the name of the subdivision or of Rochester’s dog that Jane walks and even employing the “Reader, I...” quote, were charming. The plot was a fun combination of an old classic and modern mystery that made it a book that I did not want to put down until the very last page.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

Thank you to Rachel Hawkins, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a fantastic modern re-telling of Jane Eyre, which is one of my absolute favorite books. I loved how the story was told by three different POVs, and I especially loved Adele the dog.

I really enjoyed this book! I knew the author sounded familiar then I realized I loved her Hex Hall series. The Wife Upstairs was gripping from the beginning and I finished it in just a few hours!

This modern re-imagining of Jane Eyre kept the pages turning and the reader wondering which narrator to believe even after closing the book. A well-executed gothic mystery.

Love Rachel Hawkins! This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers.

This is a deliciously delightful, deceitful and deceptive book not to be missed! The blurb says this is Jane Eyre reimagined, but if you have no interest in a classic gothic romantic mystery - do not fear. This is a complex, layered psychological novel with a similar storyline and character names. Jane, a product of foster homes and a system that failed her is on the move and reinvents herself in a southern suburb as a coffee shop server and dog walker. There was recently a tragedy in town with the drowning deaths of two rich best friends. Blanche and Bea are presumed dead in a boating accident. Their husbands mourn them and now Jane walks both their dogs. Jane and Bea’s husband, Eddie Rochester begin flirting and we are wary of them both. I loved Jane and respected her choices knowing they were limited and she really does have feelings for Eddie. Eddie lived in the shadow of Bea, who was the success story of the south and ran a self made empire. Jane is a fresh of breath air to Eddie, both entering a relationship with baggage, secrets and motives. Oh, and are the women really missing and dead? This is a fun read with lots of unexpected twists and I loved every word until the epilogue which was flat. I’m giving this 5 stars and tearing out the epilogue pages.

This book seemed like the type of book I typically Iike to read and it did not disappoint. I couldn't put it down!

The story is about Jane-the plain, poor, loner who finds a job in a wealthy neighborhood walking dogs. She longs to be a part of this life, and after meeting widower, Eddie, her dreams begin to come true. But Jane soon finds out that things are not as perfect as they seem when details about Bea (Eddie's wife) and Blanche (her best friend) surface about their deaths.

This book was entertaining and kept me reading late into the night to finish. Some parts were a little predictable, but it was still a great story. I would recommend!

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story is a modern take of the Gothic classic "Jane Eyre". I must confess that I haven't read Jane Eyre for many years, and am determined to reread after having read this book.

Jane is a young woman fleeing her past, who ends up in Alabama. She begins to walk the dogs of the wealthy town's housewives, falls in love with recent widower Eddie, and becomes one of the wealthy townspeople she had envied.

As Jane moves in with Eddie and takes over his wife's role, she begins to have more questions about who he is and what he may have done.

I loved the twists and turns of this book. I like when I am surprised by the ending, and this book didn't disappoint.
I recommend this book to those of you who enjoy mystery, suspense and Gothic novels.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes place in my hometown, Birmingham, Alabama. It's odd reading a book and seeing the names of places you've been familiar with all your life. Birmingham's not that popular a place for book locations! The book itself reminds me of "Gone Girl," with all its twists and surprises. The author has that knack for sudden character reversals. What you thought you knew goes right out the window, and suddenly the plot is going in a different direction. I wish the character of Jane, the main character, had been fleshed out a bit more. Hearing about her earlier history would have made her a more believable and sympathetic character. Very clever story. My first book my Rachel Hawkins, and I'm sure I'll be looking for more to read.

"I think if I don't talk to someone soon, I'm going to lose my mind."

I have SO many thoughts about this book. Firstly, it's told mostly from Jane's perspective in this modernized 'Jane Eyre' adaptation. If you're like me, that made you do a double-take and say, "Go on..."

On the other hand, if you've never even heard of Jane Eyre, well, that's fine, too. I found myself wondering as I was reading how much more tense it might be if I didn't have any kind of idea where the story was going to lead. So, don't be put off if you're not familiar. It might be better that way. :)

This is one of those stories that features, not so much 'protagonists,' as say, really awful people that you sometimes identify with because that's good writing. If sordid drama is your thing with a dash of small-community secrets and shady characters who dress well, this is the right book for you!

Thriller!! The title had me from the beginning. Each character had a deep, dark past. As the book went along, more twists and turns I did not see coming. Read in three days!! Thanks for ARC

This book kept me guessing till the end! I loved the different characters outlooks on the situation. Could not put it down!!!!

I loved this Southern take similar to Jane Eyre. I live near Birmingham, Alabama so the story was set in very familiar territory. That made it interesting to me to hear local places, shops and areas mentioned. Jane is a very likeable character even though you realize she is out to con Eddie. It seems she may be the one in trouble herself. A good read for Summer, the story is intriguing and keeps you guessing.

One of my favorite all time books is Jane Eyre and this book takes the classic story but gives it a modern spin. “Jane” is trying to escape her former life and falls into a job as a dog walker in an upscale neighborhood. This is where she meets him... Eddie.... the one she just feels connected to. Her past is not perfect but neither is his. What really happened to his dead wife who was never found? It is a great book and must read!

I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. It’s that good and reminds me a lot of Ruth Ware’s “twists and turns” style of storytelling. I highly recommend this one.

"The Wife Upstairs" was a good thriller. There was something shady and untrustworthy about every one of the characters that kept me reading. Overall worth reading.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Rachel Hawkins and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Where do I begin with this novel chock full of seemingly unredeemable characters who swirl around the murders of two friends and southern socialites in upscale Alabama? The book has many "I didn't see that coming!" moments and the characters are never what they seem to be, Each player in the quickly unwinding plot are all hiding secrets with hidden angst and motivating fear. "Jane Eyre-esque", this novel is a fun read and will keep you coming back to escape into the crazy world of a "real housewives" drama with murder on the side. With southern charm front of house and lying and deceit working being the scenes this book begins with a dog walker catapulted into the world of designer lives and dastardly deeds.

5/5 for this book. I loved it! Jane arrives in Thornfield Estates and becomes a dog walker to the rich and bored surburban housewives. She meets the attractive, recently widowed Eddie and falls in love - with him or what his money can give her. Eddie's wife and best friend went missing in a mysterious boating accident.

The story follows Eddie and Jane as they both have secrets in their past they dont want others to know about. The book keeps you guessing the entire time.

Loved it!

Pretty Woman meets Jane Eyre- told from multiple POV’s.

“Whatever souls were made of, mine and Jane’s were the same.”

Jane Bell recently moved to Birmingham, Alabama to start over. Broke and living in a crappy apartment, she gets a job as a dog walker in a fancy neighborhood called Thornfield Estates, a beautiful gated community. There she meets Eddie Rochester- handsome, rich, and recently widowed. As Jane and Eddie become closer, she learns Eddie’s wife Bea died in a tragic boating accident with her best friend less than a year ago. But was it an accident? As the story progresses, Jane learns the truth about Bea, and faces secrets of her own.

Fast paced and binge-worthy! Fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell will enjoy this!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC!

An intricate plot from many different directions, which left me wondering who of the characters I felt like I could trust!

Rated E for exceeds expectations. I've never been wild about Jane Eyre, but couldn't resist this modern take. Hawkins did a great job updating the parts of the story that haven't aged well and still managed a good twist (difficult with a story we all already know).

As soon as you start reading this book you know the main character is going to be an interesting one!’ Full of drama and thrill... you won’t want to put it down. Go read!

Enjoyed all of the twists and turns. The story sucked me in to the plot and kept me reading because I had to know how it would turn out in the end.

This book was fantastic! I loved how the true story unfolded and getting sneak peeks of Bea’s life throughout the book. Jane’s story has me hooked from the beginning and loved the twist at the end.

The Wife Upstairs is a quick and entertaining read, with a nod to the classic Jane Eyre. I appreciated that it isn't a modern-day retelling of the story, but rather a new story with inspiration clearly taken from the original Hawkins walked the line well between making her characters flawed, yet understandable (if not somewhat likable.). While the twists weren't shocking, they also weren't completely obvious, and I looked forward to seeing how the story unfolded.

Really enjoyed this new book by Rachel Hawkins. Jane is a dog walker who moved to Birmingham, Alabama who is looking for something more. She meets Eddie and sparks fly. She is then thrust into a world of rich housewives and giant houses. Although the mysterious death of Eddie's ex-wive looms. The novel kept me turning pages and was extra fun since I'm from Birmingham, so I knew all the places and atmospheres. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good suspenseful mystery.

Wow...this was a good one that definitely exceeded my expectations!

Jane is a new arrival in Alabama. She’s broke, and lives with a roommate in a dump of a town. She ends up dog-walking for the elite in a beautiful gated community. On one of her walks, she meets Eddie. He’s a recently widowed man whose wife, along with her best friend, drowned during a “girls weekend”. Their bodies were never discovered. Jane and Eddie fall in love. As their romance quickly escalates, Jane can’t help but hear the town gossip and wonder if Eddie’s marriage wasn’t as perfect as he depicted. Jane also has a past that she doesn’t want anyone to find out...least of all Eddie.

I completely devoured this book! There were some twists that I could see coming, but even more that took me by surprise. I love the writing style of author Rachel Hawkins. It’s very smooth and easy to get lost in her descriptions, characters lines, and imagery. It’s just a fun book that reveals secrets at a perfect pace. That made it very hard for me to put down.

⚠️ CAUTION: This is a modern twist on JANE EYRE, a novel I’ve heard about, but never read. I was also unfamiliar with details of the plot. There is at least one Goodreads review for this book that doesn’t use a spoiler alert before revealing one of the twists. According to the reviewer, spoilers aren’t needed for a book based on a book published in 1847. I absolutely do not agree with that. FYI in case anyone reads additional reviews before reading this novel. If you aren’t familiar with Jane Eyre and don’t want to be spoiled, proceed with caution.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Rachel Hawkins, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A story told by the points of view of Bea, Eddie, and Jane, The Wife Upstairs is a excellent suspense with a lot of twists and turns.
Thank you St. Martins Press, Rachel Hawkins, and Netgalley for ARC.

Suspenseful and full of twists! A modern day take on the classic novel, Jane Eyre, ‘The Wife Upstairs’ keeps the reader guessing to the very end. Written from perspective of the three main characters, Rachel Hawkins weaves together a tale of a twisted love triangle where no one is quite as they seem.

This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go until I finished! I loved all the twists & turns, thrills, chills, lies, and shocks! A must read for those who love books in which there is much more to the characters than you original think! I found it to be well written, chilling, and absolutely thrilling! Grab your copy today! Not one you want to miss!
Will make sure to buzz it up!

Jane is running away from her past. Even her name is not hers. Right now she is walking dogs to earn money in an affluent neighborhood. It keeps her busy and at least it helps pay her rent.
Than one day she meets Eddie. Handsome, tall, rich. He asks for dinner. Before she realizes what's happened, she's moved into his mansion. He's given her a nice car to drive and a credit card to use whenever she needs anything. The only fly in the ointment is the death of his first wife and her best friend. They have been gone over a year. Dead, presumed dead in the lake. No bodies have been found. It's just a matter of time. Then Jane will find herself mixed up in a dark twisted story that she never saw coming.
Great read, entertainment at its finest!!

Fans of Tarryn Fisher's The Wives will marvel at Rachel Hawkins' The Wife Upstairs! ~ White Hot Reads

Oh. My. God! It has been an extremely long time since I've binged a book in less than 24 hours. Add in the fact that The Wife Upstairs kept me wondering what was going to happen next and I couldn't stop reading. The beginning was a bit simple for me - at least I thought it was - until I kept reading. Each time I thought I had it figured out, Hawkins through in another twist I didn't see coming.

The Wife Upstairs is a brilliant 5 star read full of bobs and weaves that engross the reader from the very beginning!

This book is the perfect page-turner to pack for a flight or a beach vacation - I couldn't put it down, Well written with thoughtful twists and turns throughout, I was able to easily finish the book in one sitting. While the base concept is one that isn't anything new, the book itself felt fresh as opposed to contrived or derivative. Will definitely be recommending this book to others!

I enjoyed this book very much! The writing style made for a fast read and I finished the book quickly because the style was so enjoyable. The characters were well developed, and I cared about finding out what happened to all of them. The twists were well set up and believable. I thought the retelling of Jane Eyre was well done, and whether you were familiar with that book or not, you could appreciate how interesting this story was. I look forward to reading more from this author and appreciate NetGalley and the publisher giving me the opportunity to read such a wonderful book.

I devoured Rachel Hawkins's new take on Jane Eyre. It's hard to keep people guessing when modernizing tales, but she manages to do so. It has a similar feel to a Ruth Ware novel or Paula Hawkins. Recommended.

I highly enjoyed this adaptation of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed the different versions of the characters and how well Rachel Hawkins updated them to fit into the 21st century.

This book I could not put down, this story will grab you in the first few pages and not let you go. What a great story and totally did not expect the ending. It will make you realize what is really important in the world, and money does not buy happiness, ever. And it seems that secrets have a way of coming out, no matter how hard you try to keep them close to yourself. Is the biggest compliment really flattery???? Great story!! Will be recommending this to lots of other people.

This is the first Rachel Hawkins book I have read and I was captivated from the first page. So suspenseful - it had me guessing right up until the very end. I loved the characters and the setting and finished the book in two days! I cannot wait to start recommending this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.