Guilty Wives

by James Patterson, David Ellis

Sitting in a dark, dank prison cell in Paris, serving a life sentence for murder, Abbie Elliot tries to piece together the story of how she came to be here.

It all happened in Monte Carlo, where she was having the holiday of a lifetime with her three best friends away from their stifling lives, and husbands.

Abbie remembers casinos, nightclubs, champagne and private yachts. The next thing she can remember is a swarm of police storming the yacht and arresting her and her friends.

Abbie has been set up, she knows it. But now she must find out who would do this to her, and why. Or she will spend the rest of her life rotting in that cell.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

544 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2012

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Megs ♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me laugh. Probably not in the way JP intended, either. I was laughing at how ridiculous the beginning of this book was...but then it got okay.


A group of four women decide to go on a little vacation to Monte Carlo. Each woman is married, some more happily then others, but not one of them seem to be fully satisfied with their lives. When they get off the plane they decide to lay poolside topless and quickly meet a few men. Then they leave with the men to get a room and have a huge orgy. LOL ...JP's obvious sexual fantasies aside I could have probably dealt with the orgy coming on so quickly if they had given some reason why these women all wanted to go out and turn into massive skanks the second they are away from their husbands, and also if I could ignore the fact that one of the girls was described as shy and quiet, but she's right there to jump into the orgy....It didn't make sense at all.


Anyways, it turns out that two men get killed that night, but all of our girls are, of course, too drunk to remember a thing...Then it gets worse when they find out who one of the guys were...He was undercover so they had no idea, but lets just say he's a very important person. (don't want to give anything away!) Basically then they are immediately taken to jail and labeled terrorists.


One night of craziness is costing them everything. They are treated horribly at the jail, and are humiliated when their families all come to see what has happened. Most of the rest of the story takes place explaining what happens to them in jail, and their court appearances.


As far as mysteries go this one fell flat. We are supposed to wonder who actually killed this man, and wonder if our wrongfully accused ladies will ever get out of jail, but honestly I didn't care at all. Sure there was a hint of curiosity, but for the most part I kept thinking "what goes around comes around", and felt no sympathy for these women at all. I almost did not finish this, but I'm glad I did. The ending was actually pretty good.

[Nur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have always love James Patterson's works! I know I have to get this book after I read the preview.



I WISH THEY MADE THIS INTO A MOVIE, SERIOUSLY!



I mean, it was really an awesome page turner as I finished it within a night, mind you! That's the thing about crime/thriller books. You just can't put it down! :)



I felt the character. I felt Abbie's angst, courage, pain and the eagerness to find the whole truth.



I really enjoyed the way the book flowed and this was an exciting read!

[Racheal Kalisz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not at all like any James Patterson book I have read before.

A girls weekend away goes terribly wrong and these ladies end up in a horrific French prison...two of them for life. Abbie is intelligent, and despite her incarceration and constant abuse, she figures out how her night of fun and passion goes wrong.

I loved this book. The suspense built from page one and did not let up until the last page. Great Read!

[jv poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a fan of James Patterson, I found this stand-alone to be a notch above what I've come to adore and expect from Mr. Patterson.

Excellent twists and turns with a phenomenally badass heroine.

Spectacular!

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of his best that's for sure. I didn't think he wrote very well from a female point of view either. I kept thinking the lead character was male.

Two stars.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most disappointing James Patterson book I've ever read.

This is the first book review I have ever done and I'm sorry to say it is not a good review.

I am an avid reader and I have always looked forward to the new James Patterson books. I can't remember ever having a book that I just couldn't finish reading. I think this might be a first for me.

I have always loved reading the James Patterson “Women’s Murder Club” series, the Alex Cross series and I really enjoyed the “Private” series. I could hardly put those down once I started reading but “Guilty Wives” was a major disappointment for me.

The 1st part of the story had a lot of French terms that were seldom explained which made it hard to understand what was happening. The story was very slow moving and I had to force myself to read some of it each day. I got about 1/3 of the way through it and just couldn't force myself anymore so I stopped reading it.

Update - I had to find out whodunit, so I read the last 200 or so pages. The writing on those last pages were more like what I was used to with Patterson.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read most or all of James Patterson's books. Compared to the others, this one was so-so. The plot was about as absurd as it gets. Four women go off on a girl's vacation, which is really a thinly disguised vacation to let loose and swing with the best. Of course, most are fabulously wealthy, so they can easily spend time throwing money around. They pick up four guys and end up on a boat. There is a crime, for which the four are arrested, tried and found guilty. The whole plot idea was too unrealistic to be believed. I found the characters less than well developed, except for only one, Abbie. As usual with Patterson's books, this was an easy, fast read However, getting into the book was slow and rather difficult. I started to decide this was one I simply could and would not read, but finally got into it. I think Patterson is starting to show that even he, the prolific novelist, can finally start to slow down. I guess he needs to pick the people with whom he writes (and who probably provide the plot and basic book, which they edit and rework together, or he does all that himself) better, so the storyline remains believable.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good! I enjoyed every second of it.
I rented this book on CD from the library only because there were a few books on CDs left, and James Patterson is a popular writer so I was hoping his book would be good! And it was.
The book turned out to be nothing that I expected. There was a huge crime that the wives were convicted for and you spend the whole book trying to figure out who did it. Also, there was some extreme action at the jail. I hope that the French government doesn't actually let that type (or any type) of abuse happen.
I normally don't like reading books that take place in Europe or have other languages mixed in the book, but with this book I didn't mind it at all and kind of enjoyed that aspect!

I suggest this book if you like mysteries :)

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually love, love, love Patterson's books and can't put them down. Unfortunately this wasn't one of them. Perhaps it gets better as you go along, but I just couldn't make myself spend anymore time on it. Four women jet off to Monte Carlo, drink, party heavily, and cheat on their husbands. They wake up the next morning to chaos and are whisked away to be arrested for the murder of two men. At no point in all this did I develop any sympathy or affinity for these women. Do bad things, bad things tend to result.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guilty Wives is an GREAT read; I could hardly put it down. Four wives go to Monte Carlo for an all girls vacation. While there, they end up accused of murdering the French president and his body guard. They end up in prison knowing the someone set them up. But who and why? I highly recomend this book!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! I'm a long-time Patterson fan, but I've been frustrated with some of his recent books, because he's been allowing his co-authors so much freedom that the books no longer read like a Patterson book. Not so with this one - or if David Ellis DID write most of it, I will make it a point to read all of his books as well, because it was spectacular!

This story is told in the voice of Abbey, one of four wives who are arrested and framed for murder (I'm intentionally leaving out details of who was murdered, so not to spoil the surprise for others). Four female friends decide to go for a "girl's weekend" in Monte Carlo, and everything is downhill from there. Most of the book deals with Abbey's attempts to survive the French prison system and to prove her innocence.

The writing is so rich in description that it is easy to become lost in it. At times, I felt I was actually there, suffering alongside of Abbey and her friends. There is also a deliciously steamy love-making scene near the beginning of the book between Abbey and a famous movie star - a fantasy that most women can relate to.

This one ranks high on my "must read" list!

[Paris (kerbytejas) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts off slowly but then it takes off, and it's a roller coaster ride until the end. This was a great surprise audiobook.

[Dee Bright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I generally love Patterson, but this one missed the mark for me. I'll explain why, hopefully without giving away the ending for those who choose to read it.

-- the sexual content near the beginning was too graphic for me
-- the interrogation and trial seemed to go on and on and on, more frustrating than engaging. I ended up COMPLETELY SKIPPING AT LEAST A FORTH OF THE BOOK just to get into the story.
-- I felt several key characters were inconsistent. One example: the lead inspector grills 4 innocent women for four days and is convinced they're guilty; later he interrogates a person and immediately picks up on his innocence
-- at one point, great emotion is shown over a loss, but there wasn't sufficient background to show us why
-- overall, the ongoing "grittiness" of the bulk of the book was not enjoyable for me--too much overt inhumanity

And perhaps the greatest flaw, in my opinion:

-- In retrospect, I found TOO MANY areas where the plot was just way too far fetched. Found myself saying, "REALLY? You've got to be kidding!" Can't say more without being a spoiler for those who might read the book anyway.

As usual with Patterson's books, the writing itself is excellent. But the above issues got in the way of it being a good read.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Guilty Wives by James Patterson and David Ellis

I have not read anything recently by either author so I can’t judge this book by any past books of theirs. All I can say about Guilty Wives is ‘wow’. If anyone is looking for something that will keep your brain engaged and keep you on the edge of your seat, then I cannot recommend this book enough.

If just one-tenth of what these authors wrote about Frances legal system is correct, then I have to really thank God for ours, no matter how it can seem unfair to some people at times. This was a very fast-paced novel written in the first person. Everything is seen through the eyes of Abbie Elliot and I think that this creates a wonderful tension throughout the entire book and especially through the courtroom scenes and her incarceration.

Abbie and her three close friends are going away for a girl’s weekend in Monte Carlo. They are rich and very privileged women. They have also been somewhat mistreated by their husband’s, and in one instance even abused, so that gives them a bit of leeway to act as they did when first arriving in Monte Carlo. In the first part of the book, leading up to their arrest and for even a time afterward, you will not feel that you will ever come to like or sympathize with them. You may even feel contempt for them as I did, until the horrors of what they are facing starts and the unspeakable happens. Now they are involved in a murder investigation and implicated in the murder of a high powered person, one I would never have thought to be in a position TO be murdered!

The fast pacing, wonderful descriptions, and well-written trauma bring to life what is most likely every person's nightmare. Being thrust into a situation that you have no control over, being abused and kept helpless by some of the people that should be protecting you, people whom you’ve trusted, this is some of what these women faced.

I hate to use a cliché, but this was one heck of a gripping read. I could not put this book down and if it is any reflection at all of what Mr. Patterson and Mr. Ellis can accomplish together, then I hope they will collaborate again in the very near future.

[☮Karen]

I've said before I stopped reading Patterson but lately have enjoyed the books he's written with David Ellis. This has a 3.9 rating on Goodreads and was available from Libby.

Four married women going on a girl's trip to Monte Carlo with tons of cash and a desire to misbehave ... What could possibly go wrong?

I thought the plot was rather absurd, but found some mindless entertainment along the way. January LaVoy did a fantastic job with the many different voices and French language being spoken throughout.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four wives fly off in a helicopter no less for a Girl’s Weekend in Monte Carlo. Serena Schofield, a former U.S. Champion skier, she is the one footing the bill for this weekend. Her husband provides for her but it really is a loveless marriage. Bryah Gordon, born in Johannesburg under the oppression of apartheid, her husband is very controlling and at times physically abusive, so this is her first ever weekend away with just the girls. Winnie Brookes, an exotic Brit, beautiful inside as well as out. Her husband was in British Intelligence for years and now works at the British Embassy in Bern. Then there is Abbie Elliot, her husband is a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Bern. She can’t believe these women are her friends.

They are all having a fabulous time hitting the casinos and clubs, eating delicacies, drinking champagne, sitting by the pool, drawing the attention of many handsome men. Sounds like a wonderful weekend right?

When the “girls” wake up on a yacht surrounded by police they realize something awful has happened. They are arrested for a crime so unbelievable. The vacation of a lifetime becomes the fight of a lifetime.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
A few years ago I read that James Patterson has so many story ideas that he basically just writes about a 100 page outline for each idea and then passes off to a co-writer to complete. This formula has produced many bestsellers. I had read two books earlier this year by David Ellis and was very impressed with his work.

The theme of this book is interesting but there are just a couple of things that are keeping me from loving this book and giving it 5 stars. I am really starting to hate the 2 or 3 chapters at the beginning of a book that tell us almost word for word something happening later and then the story moves back to where the events started. It ruins the flow when you get to that part of the book and you think, “I already read this/knew this”. Then early in the book the readers are given a huge clue to what really happened and we keep reading until the characters realize the truth and have that “aha moment”. It takes away from the suspense.

With that being said I did enjoy the story. The procedures followed by the French officials, detectives, prison guards and the ease of buying certain ones off really showed the French in a bad light. I have never been to France or in this situation but realize being in prison is no picnic. What these ladies experienced could very well be true. It does make for a fine piece of fiction.

Patterson and his co-writers do deliver good stories. After so many and releasing so many each year I feel like they are getting to be rushed out to rake in the cash. This book will still be a bestseller because of Patterson’s reputation but this really could of have been great with just a few changes. My recommendation when you read this book start on page 15 and only read the first paragraph on page 31. Then you will love this book!!!

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four women in their forties leave their husbands and children to fly off for a weekend in Monte Carlo. After spending an afternoon flirting with the pool boys and any men at the resort pool [2 of them topless no less] they hit a club where they pick up 4 strangers. Next is the casino and then back to a yacht for an orgy. Pardon me, but this sounds like a man's dream and not anything believable! From the background, these women appear to be stable and not with a Paris Hilton lifestyle!

Two of the men are shot and one of those just happen to be the President of France! These four wayward women go to prison where there life is pure hell. Have no idea what the prisons in France are like and have no intention of finding out--- but if they are anything close to what is described I don't know what all the fuss was about with Abu Ghraib. Those were terrorists and not desperate housewives tortured there!!!

If the background of the women and their first day in Monte Carlo had been expanded, it might have been a better book. Instead it left you wondering why these ladies would become sluts within hours. The majority of the book took place in prison which was not an entertaining read. The ONLY thing that saved this book from being a total waste of time was the ending.

[Mohammed Sheikh · Rating 4 out of 5]

more review @https://mohammedsreview.wordpress.com

Guilty wives is a stand alone thriller by James Patterson and David Ellis. Four friend residing in Bern, Switzerland plans a four day lavish trip in Monte Carlo,without their husbands. They were full on high stakes casino, gambling, Drinking. On the second day of their trip they were on a luxurious yacht,drunk surrounded by newly made friend including a Hollywood star.the very next morning they were awakened by the para military force and police swarming all over place.they were held for a crime they didn't committed with all the evidences are against them, and now they have to fight for their freedom and free from all the accusation.

So this novel is all about lust, love and betrayal. Have the pace, great story telling , and more importantly its quit different from James Patterson's other works.finishing could have been better, the ending was pretty much predictable!

Rating : 3.7/5

[☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this was definitely a crazy twisted mess of revenge and jealously. I can't see how someone can do such a terrible thing and not think twice about it. I can't believe someone to hate that badly.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read if you want something that will hold your interest for a moment. Great classic it is not, can't even say it is a great James Patterson - I still maintain he is churning out numbers to fulfil some contractual commitment.

Unfortunately. Because I think this had the basis of a great book. It starts right in the middle, which is unusual in itself - and quite tantalising. But far too many drab pages describing prison (I spent 5 years in a girls' boarding school and didn't need the reminder!) I was hooked on how the authors were going to unravel the mystery.....and then all of a sudden, it was all just laid open. All over.
She'd figured it all out with just one little line spoken to her.
And the authors only told us after it was all done.

Not to say that the what she did wasn't well thought out - just that in my humble opinion, her story wasn't told in a way I have come to expect from this author.

This is my second Patterson disappointment in a row - so I have taken out an Alex Cross story because I know that there can never be a bad one of those. Please Mr Patterson.....

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book... I cannot even express probably how much I loved reading this book. I had been looking for a good mystery to read for a little while now and my mom had recommended this book for me to read. I wasn't sure about it when I bought it because sometimes my moms taste is very different from mine. However, right away I was hooked. I wanted to know why, how, and who could possibly do something like this?? This was not a mystery novel where you get all the information in the beginning. Patterson and Ellis give you little bits and pieces of information as you carry on throughout the novel. They keep you guessing and some of the plot twist surprised me! It's not a book that you can tell everyone about because if you share too much you can ruin everything. It's one of those books where you just have to get it, open it, and discover for youself what an awesome adventure Guilty Wives is :)

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Totally engrossing miscarriage of justice Patterson thriller that sees four wealthy wives on vacation in Monaco, end up being arrested for terrorism!! Somehow James Patterson and David Ellis get this story to work. Good Patterson read. 7 out of 12.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of James Patterson's better books, although I'm a big fan and enjoy his books as a whole.

[MAPS - Booktube]

Malgré des tous petits chapitres et un rythme de lecture qui se veut très rapide, le départ a été difficile pour moi.

Je trouvais ça vraiment difficile l’incarcération des filles alors qu’elles sont innocentes. Assister à des droits bafoués, au fait qu’elles se font maltraiter et que personne ne prend le temps de les écouter me faisait capoter! Les trucs en lien avec l’injustice ont toujours été des triggers pour moi et là, le bouton était ben collé. J’avais l’impression de lire mon pire cauchemar et je ne savais pas si j’arriverais à le terminer.

Le volet du procès en est un qui m’a fait grincer des dents. Rien de pire que lire un procès perdu d’avance où l’on cherche un coupable et non le coupable.

Le volet prison correspond à ce qu’on imagine de la prison, mais à ce que j’ai lu, n’est pas vrai : des gardiens qui martyrisent les prisonniers, les boss qui font partie de la magouille, ect. D’un autre côté je comprends que c’était important pour le concept.

La suite prend une tournure assez prenante. Abbie est une protagoniste mentalement très forte qui représente, dans mon imaginaire, une version très similaire de comment j’aurais réagi à ce drame. J’ai aimé la suivre. Je comprenais son entêtement et c’est définitivement elle qui m’a permis de finir le livre.

La 2e partie se déroule très rapidement. On déroule les pages sans respirer parce qu’on veut savoir!

La fin…pas ultra satisfaisante…it’s not enough. Jcomprends mais eille! Spas assez!

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook on a long drive... Couldn't stop listening!

[Geri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me on the edge of my seat.
Twist and turns galore.
This is my second book with David Ellis as co- author
he exceeded my expectations.
Good job, David

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great one!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit being shocked about how great this novel ended up being. Yes, I know James Patterson is an excellent author with his trademark short chapters, but rarely have I ever read a Patterson book with so 'thick' a plot, so strong in the dialogue department, and so thoroughly entertaining. I find that Patterson's stand-alone books tend to be pure filler as we wait for Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, or Michael Bennett. This book blows the usual rubric away and kept me highly interested from beginning to end. Could David Ellis be the key (the sub-author)?

Beginning in a less than 'deep' plot, the book grows quickly as we move from murder to trial (a non-US courtroom, so be ready to learn) and onwards from there. Patterson and Ellis weave us through some excellent courtroom drama and the dismal life in prison as well as a great turnaround towards the end. I was completely surprised by this and how well it all flowed. While still upwards of 140+ chapters, the length of the overall book makes those 'quickie' chapters a little longer, but the content does make you want to read on a little longer before bed or supper.

Well done Messrs. Patterson and Ellis. Do team up together again, especially if you can make such a great novel.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal. James Patterson and David Ellis are two of my favorite authors and when I saw that they were teaming up, I could not get my hands on the book fast enough. I was curious to see how their two styles would blend together and quickly realized that there was a legal/courtroom facet to this story (Ellis' forte) and a mystery aspect (Patterson.)

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but this story had me on the edge of my seat and I didn't know what the truth of the story was until the very end (it's no fun to figure out the mystery in chapter 3!) Another strength of this book is that it has very short chapters, which makes it that much easier to pick up and put down without feeling stuck in the middle of a long chapter.

The authors portray the emotion and intensity of this book so vividly. From page one, you feel the joy of an indulgent vacation, right along with the characters. You feel the fear of being trapped in a situation you cannot escape. You feel the deep sadness and terror of being locked in a jail cell.

This book is a must read for anyone into mystery or courtroom drama.

[Elizabeth Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Patterson book I've read. I got it because it seems a shame not to read a book by the man who almost single-handedly seems to be keeping publishing afloat, and because I LOVE everything his co-author, David Ellis, has ever written. (check out In The Company of Liars, which is a. insanely good and b. written in a way that SO shouldn't work but yet totally does)

Anyway! Guilty Wives--I get why Patterson sells so well now. The chapters are all pretty short, there's a lot of action--in fact, it's basically non-stop--and the heroine goes from glamour to prison and puts up with A LOT so you totally want her to get everything back and she does. Plus, at 424 pages, I got through this in under two hours, which I think says a lot about Patterson's ability to suck readers in.

PS Please try a David Ellis book--he is SUCH a good writer and so underrated!