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The Governor's Wife
The latest thriller from the author of 'Accused', 'The Common Lawyer' and 'The Abduction'.
416 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2011
377 people are currently reading
792 people want to read
About the author
Mark Gimenez
19 books497 followersMark Gimenez grew up in Galveston County, Texas, and attended Texas State University and Notre Dame Law School. He practiced law and was a partner in a large Dallas firm. He is the author of ten novels—The Color of Law, The Abduction, The Perk, The Common Lawyer, Accused, The Governor's Wife, Con Law, The Case Against William, The Absence of Guilt, and End of Days (Con Law II)—as well as a children's novel, Parts & Labor: The Adventures of Max Dugan. His books have received critical acclaim around the world. They have been bestsellers in the UK, Ireland, Australia, India, and South Africa and have been translated into fifteen foreign languages. The Perk won a spot in Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery Novels, edited by John Connolly and Declan Burke.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
August 1, 2014
Another really good novel by the much underrated author Mark Gimenez. Having read most of his work I can honestly say that they are well written and very entertaining. He is often compared to John Grisham who I also enjoy but this is so unfair on Gimenez. Although it is an honour to be compared it does not give him the recognition and praise he deserves. He is a very good writer in his own right.
April 6, 2016
This is the 6th book of this author I've read. I'm going to read two more, and then I'll have read them all to date. I really like they way he writes. However, this book was disturbing for many reasons. Mr. Geminez is an issues writer, essentially. I'm all for it. I think, these days, more people learn what's going on in the world through fiction, as the news is just a mess. Real reporting is rare, with few exceptions. So, we have writers who take the issues of the day and write about them as real life would experiences them...with fictional flourishes, of course. I'm a reader of newspapers, albeit, via the internet, but I do like to think I know what's going on. I'm learning I see only the frosting. Mr. Geminez has taken off my rose-colored glasses about the legal profession, politicians (though I did know what a lousy bunch they are), and brought racism right into my life, via the lives, up close, of some of his characters. All brought up front through his writing. I was brought up in a highly liberal family, a family of activists, so thought I was well versed on these issues. I have learned, even before this book, that I can never understand racism because I am not black, nor brown, or anything but a Caucasian woman. Reading this book, helped me in so many ways understand more, feel more than I have in a long time. I thank him for that. It's easy to say "cliche," or some other words to diminish what should not ever be diminished. I applaud "issue writers," because so often they see what we do not; even those of us who ARE activists. Unless you are of the living part of any issue, you/me/we, have no true conception of what are the problems or difficulties of those lives. How lucky we are that there are writers who bring us into these lives.
June 11, 2019
This is the third book I've read by Mark Gimenez in the past couple of weeks, and I've loved each of them. I'm amazed at some of the criticism I see (some, not all) where people seem to take it too seriously while missing the underlying lessons that actually are serious. I think they must get confused by the mix of humor and serious issues, and don't know how to follow.
The overall tone is humorous, light-hearted satire, mostly political, left-leaning I think, but not too much so. All sides are fair game in this book. But there are some serious issues illustrated in the book, and some interesting history about Mexico, Texas, and the US that I think is probably accurate; I was raised in Alabama, and we didn't learn a whole lot about the history of that area. In fact, I'm sad to say, I didn't learn a lot about history at all, since it seemed to be mostly memorizing dates of important events without really learning why they were important. Like, I learned that the Battle of Hastings of in 1066, but I didn't even know where it was or why it mattered.
This book had something for everyone - humor, action, history, and even romance. There was a lot going one, and it never got boring to me. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The audiobook was very well done, I thought. It was narrated by Jeff Harding, who did the Jack Reacher books. I was beginning to think he wasn't that good due to his dry delivery, but that seemed to be more the way the Reacher books were written, I guess. This one was very good.
The overall tone is humorous, light-hearted satire, mostly political, left-leaning I think, but not too much so. All sides are fair game in this book. But there are some serious issues illustrated in the book, and some interesting history about Mexico, Texas, and the US that I think is probably accurate; I was raised in Alabama, and we didn't learn a whole lot about the history of that area. In fact, I'm sad to say, I didn't learn a lot about history at all, since it seemed to be mostly memorizing dates of important events without really learning why they were important. Like, I learned that the Battle of Hastings of in 1066, but I didn't even know where it was or why it mattered.
This book had something for everyone - humor, action, history, and even romance. There was a lot going one, and it never got boring to me. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The audiobook was very well done, I thought. It was narrated by Jeff Harding, who did the Jack Reacher books. I was beginning to think he wasn't that good due to his dry delivery, but that seemed to be more the way the Reacher books were written, I guess. This one was very good.
May 31, 2021
A bit slow to start, though picked up pace as you went on. I enjoyed the last half of the book a lot more than the first.
The politics and awful scenarios in the book, made me glad I’m not American. I appreciate a work of fiction, though google showed me there was truth there too.
The politics and awful scenarios in the book, made me glad I’m not American. I appreciate a work of fiction, though google showed me there was truth there too.
January 28, 2013
Incredibly disappointed.
The Colour of Law and The Abduction are two of my fav crime books of the past 10 years. I "read" this book last night and it is going straight to the charity shop today in the hope that someone may enjoy it. I say "read" because I ended up turning the pages looking for the story and failing.
I paid for a thrilling crime book and instead was subjected to page after page after page of a lecture on the socio-economics of Mexican migrants trapped in the no mans land between Mexico and Texas.
I wanted to empathise and sympathise with the main characters and want to follow their story. Nope. Cartoon stereotype actors brought onto the page to demonstrate the migrant problem.
If the objective was to make the reader despise the main characters then Mark Gimenez has succeeded and the ending was so unbelievably ridiculous I felt like throwing the book at the wall.
If I wanted a documentary I would have bought a non fiction book on the no doubt terrible plight of these people.
Not for me.
The Colour of Law and The Abduction are two of my fav crime books of the past 10 years. I "read" this book last night and it is going straight to the charity shop today in the hope that someone may enjoy it. I say "read" because I ended up turning the pages looking for the story and failing.
I paid for a thrilling crime book and instead was subjected to page after page after page of a lecture on the socio-economics of Mexican migrants trapped in the no mans land between Mexico and Texas.
I wanted to empathise and sympathise with the main characters and want to follow their story. Nope. Cartoon stereotype actors brought onto the page to demonstrate the migrant problem.
If the objective was to make the reader despise the main characters then Mark Gimenez has succeeded and the ending was so unbelievably ridiculous I felt like throwing the book at the wall.
If I wanted a documentary I would have bought a non fiction book on the no doubt terrible plight of these people.
Not for me.
May 31, 2012
OK, the 2nd book that I didn't finish. Did the author actually write this? It was so different to his other books, and to me was a glorified Mills and Boon novel. I know I had a proof and it was disjointed but all the same, soppy story, poor dialogue and so uninteresting. The funny thing is that when I looked on Amazon at the reviews it got 4.5 out of 5. I am obviously missing something!
September 3, 2012
I really like this guy's books. The dry wit and humour was there in this one, but it didn't stack up to his other, in my opinion. Why? Well, a number of reasons that I can't go into without spoiling it. Suffice it to say that the wrong guy died! Message to author - it's a mistake to kill of someone of his calibre.
Just sayin'!
Just sayin'!
May 23, 2017
I was so disappointed in this book I couldn't even finish it. Just a bunch of political goobledy goop.
March 6, 2019
This is an InfoDump book. Lots of side info that are warping up the main story. Can skip lots of pages without losing anything from the main story. After 15% of the book I just dumped it.
July 17, 2018
I may not have chosen this book off the shelve, but it just happened to cross my path when I wanted something to read. I found it a quite an enjoyable read. The ending was a bit incredulous, but still I would recommend the book. One thing that stands out was that I learned more about the living conditions in the 'colonias' on the Mexican border, something I am not familiar with. Always good when a book leaves you with improved general knowledge. I also read a book called The Perk by the same author and also found that quite good.
February 6, 2016
THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE is another great read by Mark Gimenez. One of my very favorite books (THE COLOR OF LAW) was written by him, and he does not disappoint. Even though this book is a little long, it is not boring and it does not lag at all.
Lindsay is the wife of the Governor of Texas. She is becoming bored with the title and also tired of her husband, as he is portrayed as the typical Texas good old boy who gets a little lovin' on the side. Lindsay is a nurse and decides to go work down in the section of Texas that is over the wall but not quite in Mexico. The descriptions of this area are very real and really make you see the hardships they face.
There is a doctor involved, a great guy, so what will Lindsay do? This book is not a mushy romance. The characters are very well developed, from Lindsay, the doctor, the Governor, their daughter, bodyguards, and "The Devil" (the drug lord who is also involved in the story. I tagged this book other countries because a lot of it does take place in Mexico.
One day, the Governor is hunting at a private ranch and he shoots some drug smugglers from Mexico who have a hidden marijuana farm on the ranch. There are children involved......makes for a really good plot.
I only gave this 4 stars because at the end the story took a really goofy, cheesy turn, but then, it didn't. I plan on reading more books by this author. I can recommend this one - enjoy!
Lindsay is the wife of the Governor of Texas. She is becoming bored with the title and also tired of her husband, as he is portrayed as the typical Texas good old boy who gets a little lovin' on the side. Lindsay is a nurse and decides to go work down in the section of Texas that is over the wall but not quite in Mexico. The descriptions of this area are very real and really make you see the hardships they face.
There is a doctor involved, a great guy, so what will Lindsay do? This book is not a mushy romance. The characters are very well developed, from Lindsay, the doctor, the Governor, their daughter, bodyguards, and "The Devil" (the drug lord who is also involved in the story. I tagged this book other countries because a lot of it does take place in Mexico.
One day, the Governor is hunting at a private ranch and he shoots some drug smugglers from Mexico who have a hidden marijuana farm on the ranch. There are children involved......makes for a really good plot.
I only gave this 4 stars because at the end the story took a really goofy, cheesy turn, but then, it didn't. I plan on reading more books by this author. I can recommend this one - enjoy!
April 5, 2017
The Governor's Wife proves to be a much loved lady. Her husband of 29 years, Bode Bonner, loves her but puts his ambition to become the next President of the United States, and his mistress, ahead of his wife Lindsay. She has come to feel stifled by his ambition and has a yearning to make a difference in the world, even in a small way. She disguises herself and flees Texas to the Mexican Colonias to fall back on her nursing degree, helping Dr. Jesse Rincon service the very poor there. Dr. Rincon also comes to love Lindsay.
While she is gone, Bode kills the son of the Mexican Drug Cartel, El Diablo, and becomes target #1. Lots of murder and mayhem ensues on both sides of the border, with El Diablo eventually kidnapping Lindsay in order to lure the Governor of Texas to take her back, thereby putting his death at the hands of El Diablo in motion.
I found the story gripping with lots of twists, turns and surprises along the way. A great read!
While she is gone, Bode kills the son of the Mexican Drug Cartel, El Diablo, and becomes target #1. Lots of murder and mayhem ensues on both sides of the border, with El Diablo eventually kidnapping Lindsay in order to lure the Governor of Texas to take her back, thereby putting his death at the hands of El Diablo in motion.
I found the story gripping with lots of twists, turns and surprises along the way. A great read!
July 23, 2020
I think that this story could have been far more effectively told had it been half the length as I found that the characters and the storyline seemed to be shoe-horned into the spaces left by an almost constant barrage of facts, statistics and political rhetoric. Although I did gain some extra insights into the complex socio-economic and political issues of the area (that earned the book an extra star!) I tired of being given the same information over and over again - it felt like a cross between a polemic and a lecture! Further frustrations were that most of the characters came across as steroetypical caricatures and the action scenes were, at times, just too ludicrous to be believable. This is the first time I've read one of this author's novels and, based on this experience I'm not tempted to read any more ... even though the friend who passed this book on to me says that I should!
June 23, 2012
Took me a long long time to complete it...given it's length n not to forget multiple narratives...
A nice read, little too political in honesty...but a good one, just should have been a little shorter...like 50-60 pages less...
My first read from the writer...might pick another some day :)
A nice read, little too political in honesty...but a good one, just should have been a little shorter...like 50-60 pages less...
My first read from the writer...might pick another some day :)
September 26, 2015
Really loved the characters.
November 12, 2015
Couldn't even get through it...there was absolutely no story! Just page after page after page of lecturing. I have really liked some of the author's books but this one was a total miss.
August 25, 2020
This was an interesting book to read at this time of political conventions and the Presidential campaign. It deals with Bode Bonner, a Republican governor for Texas, who had been a star football player for the U of Texas and was now a very popular governor with conservative and tea partiers. It also deals with his wife, who does not share his political convictions and eventually leaves the Governor's Mansion to do something worthwhile with her life in the colonias along the Rio Grande River where she meets and falls in love with the doctor who has dedicated his life to the refugees who live an incredibly poor and desperate life on the southern side of the border wall. While the end of the story is rather corny and reminds the reader of a 1950's western, the book was a fast read and did hold your attention until the conclusion.
August 17, 2021
I am so thrilled as I should be after reading this. It's a perfect blend of politics, corruption, crime, morals, and action. It was my first time reading a political book and I'm happy to choose this one. It didn't unfold till the end, keeping the game on right from the beginning.
These characters are so well created with many flaws just like a normal person. That makes it feel real.
I would have loved to know more about Lindsay Bonner which is one of the reasons I gave it 4 stars.
Another reason is the narration. Narration in this book is just not the way I like it to be. That does not mean you won't like it. It's a bit dramatic for me.
All in all, this book is a must-read. Even if you haven't read many crime thrillers. This book will have your back.
This is all I have for you about this one! Let me know what you think about it🤍
These characters are so well created with many flaws just like a normal person. That makes it feel real.
I would have loved to know more about Lindsay Bonner which is one of the reasons I gave it 4 stars.
Another reason is the narration. Narration in this book is just not the way I like it to be. That does not mean you won't like it. It's a bit dramatic for me.
All in all, this book is a must-read. Even if you haven't read many crime thrillers. This book will have your back.
This is all I have for you about this one! Let me know what you think about it🤍
December 28, 2018
The Governor's Wife might just be my favorite Gimenez novel to date. It is a political thriller. Ripe with relevant, and timeless, issues. Democrats vs. Republicans. Drug cartels and immigration. It has everything, and Gimenez brings it all together in a page-turning drama that unfolds fast leaving the reader somewhat breathless!
(While most of Gimenez' books slant left, sometimes very left, I still enjoy the tales he tells. Even though it gets a little thick, and becomes a little much, I just look past his personal political position).
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the crime novel, YOU CHOOSE
(While most of Gimenez' books slant left, sometimes very left, I still enjoy the tales he tells. Even though it gets a little thick, and becomes a little much, I just look past his personal political position).
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the crime novel, YOU CHOOSE
December 1, 2018
I enjoyed this book though in the modern era of cell phone and cell phone cameras the plot of what happens is not very believable. A governor of a large state’s wife disappearing for months to work along the border? If it happened it certainly would have been played for all it was worth. A drug cartel targeting a governor and the US government not taking action, that’s completely left out of the book is the federal response along with the ATF agent who was initially told to cover up the fact that the drug lord was targeting the governor.
October 5, 2017
I like the way this author writes. The premise of the book, politicians lie, even to their nearest and dearest, goes further - it explains why their ambition gets the better of them.
In the light of current events (the shootings in Vegas), the easy access to guns, is quite interesting.
The story itself, the love story aspect, I wasn't that interested in, but the rest is worth taking the time to read this novel.
In the light of current events (the shootings in Vegas), the easy access to guns, is quite interesting.
The story itself, the love story aspect, I wasn't that interested in, but the rest is worth taking the time to read this novel.
January 10, 2019
I now read 2 of his books and rather like the Author. This book was different from the first I read. It gave me an inside of what our Country would be with a border wall. I truly hope this will not happen. We do not need a wall, but more good border control. Nothing good will happen from a wall on the border. But it will hurt many Americans living near the Rio Grande. They will suffer from a wall. But it seems no one is thinking about that.
January 21, 2019
Its an intriguing novel about politics in the US, mainly Texas. The in-depth knowledge on many issues as immigration, smuggling, drug cartels, abortion, and many more. The way its all harmonically narrated and the easiness of explaining the perplexed political mess makes it a breeze to read. I really enjoyed the book, and mr. Gimenez became one of my favorite writers.
November 14, 2019
I love this author and have recommended his books to so many people. However, this book is a huge disappointment. Gimenez has gone completely Hollywood with a predictable storyline. Such an excellent author and I'm really sorry to see that he wrote such an awful book. I will always be a fan of his, but I'm hopeful I won't find more of this type of writing among his work.
July 15, 2021
Thrill seeking
Owh my goodness. I loved reading this book, there were times where I was sitting on the edge of my seat, heart pounding with excitement, anxiety, anticipation of what's to come haha Mark Gimenez is amazing, I love his understanding and explanation of the law, I learnt a lot from just reading this book.
Owh my goodness. I loved reading this book, there were times where I was sitting on the edge of my seat, heart pounding with excitement, anxiety, anticipation of what's to come haha Mark Gimenez is amazing, I love his understanding and explanation of the law, I learnt a lot from just reading this book.
November 18, 2023
Great Read! This is about the governor of Texas and his wife. He wants to run for president. She does not want to be the governors wife. She disguises herself and goes to work as a nurse at the border where people are living without running water, electricity, with only dirty river water to drink.
This was a great read. I am now looking for other books by this author.
This was a great read. I am now looking for other books by this author.
January 27, 2018
Exceptionally well written story about the abduction of the Texas governor's wife and life on the Mexican border. The author created memorable characters and filled his novel with strongly developed and merged story lines. A great book.
December 24, 2018
Outstanding and Timely
Jimenez
This was my fourth novel by this author. I have enjoyed every one thoroughly. Highly by one who loves the written word. Great talent lies in this writer's tomes.
Jimenez
This was my fourth novel by this author. I have enjoyed every one thoroughly. Highly by one who loves the written word. Great talent lies in this writer's tomes.
January 22, 2019
Decisions taken through political
ambition of one William Bode Bonner that affect all those closely connected to him. Intrigue, murder and impulsive striving to reach the pinnacle and aim for the White House....
ambition of one William Bode Bonner that affect all those closely connected to him. Intrigue, murder and impulsive striving to reach the pinnacle and aim for the White House....
December 29, 2019
Quick, easy read. Lots of Texas locations and lore, which is interesting (especially if you're a Texan). Gets a bit "John Wayne" in parts, but well written with clever transitions between plot lines, and some surprising twists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews