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Michael's Wife
She was sitting in a desert at dawn, but for the moment she couldn't think why.
Carefully now, not wanting to disturb her aching head more than was necessary, she got to her feet, placing her weight on one tingling foot and then the other. She searched the ground around her, not knowing exactly what she looked for -- a purse, a jacket, some belonging. But there was nothing.
And then it hit her, with almost a physical blow. Fear, full-blown, unmistakable.
Somebody wanted to kill her. She did not know who or why. But what was even more terrifying was the fact that she didn't know who she was!
Against the backdrop of a remote estate in the Arizona desert, a beautiful young woman embarks on a desperate search for her past in MICHAEL'S WIFE.
Carefully now, not wanting to disturb her aching head more than was necessary, she got to her feet, placing her weight on one tingling foot and then the other. She searched the ground around her, not knowing exactly what she looked for -- a purse, a jacket, some belonging. But there was nothing.
And then it hit her, with almost a physical blow. Fear, full-blown, unmistakable.
Somebody wanted to kill her. She did not know who or why. But what was even more terrifying was the fact that she didn't know who she was!
Against the backdrop of a remote estate in the Arizona desert, a beautiful young woman embarks on a desperate search for her past in MICHAEL'S WIFE.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
About the author
Marlys Millhiser
23 books115 followersMarlys Millhiser is an American author of fifteen mysteries and horror novels. Born in Charles City, Iowa, Millhiser originally worked as a high school teacher. She has served as a regional vice president of the Mystery Writers of America and is best known for her novel The Mirror and for the Charlie Greene Mysteries. Millhiser lived in Boulder, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 14, 2025
Michael’s Wife by Marlys Millhiser is a 2015 Open Road Media publication. (Originally published in 1972)
Based on the cover, the age of the book, and even the synopsis, I drew the conclusion that this book was on par with many other mass- produced ‘Gothic’ suspense novels that were all the rage in the late sixties and early seventies.
I did notice that this book had a higher average rating though, and this intrigued me, as many people who read older books like these can be harsh critics.
The novel is a unique blend of mystery and suspense, but in my opinion, there wasn’t really anything ‘Gothic’ about it. It was later categorized as romantic suspense, but that wasn’t the case either, by a longshot.
I try really hard not to judge the content of old books- many times I am successful, but in this case, some passages really caught me off guard… enough so that I’d suggest modern readers proceed with caution.
The story is centered around Laurel, a woman with amnesia, who discovers she is married, and has a two-year old child, that she abandoned immediately after giving birth.
Her husband, Michael, is stunned when she turns up after a two-year absence, claiming she has no memory of who she is, who he is, or that she has a child. He’s skeptical of her story but brings her back to his family’s estate, regardless.
Michael is cruel, both in a physical sense, and in an emotional and mental sense. Laurel grows to love the child, but feels like the marriage, though a part of her longs for it to be different, is beyond repair.
She’s stuck not knowing how to feel, who to trust, or what actions she should take. To make things even more difficult, she’s hounded by a sense of foreboding, desperate to discover how she lost her memory and why.
I suppose this book is more intriguing than entertaining. If I’d read this book back in 1972, I would probably have been surprised by the whodunit part, and might even have ignored some of the more disturbing passages. I could feel the atmospheric elements on occasion, and for its time the author did an admirable job of creating mystery and suspense.
I would have enjoyed this novel if it weren’t for the datedness and disturbing content, which distracted me from the overall experience.
From a historical perspective, this novel might have some merit as it provides an example of 1970s fiction, but the violence against women, and the lack of true Gothic elements, cancels out the novelty.
Overall, this one is a bit of a letdown. Reading these older books is a quirky pastime for me, on occasion. I usually get a kick out of reading them, as they are a reflection of time and place, and I often find a forgotten gem, along the way as well.
That said, it’s always a gamble, and this time I lost the bet…
2 stars
Based on the cover, the age of the book, and even the synopsis, I drew the conclusion that this book was on par with many other mass- produced ‘Gothic’ suspense novels that were all the rage in the late sixties and early seventies.
I did notice that this book had a higher average rating though, and this intrigued me, as many people who read older books like these can be harsh critics.
The novel is a unique blend of mystery and suspense, but in my opinion, there wasn’t really anything ‘Gothic’ about it. It was later categorized as romantic suspense, but that wasn’t the case either, by a longshot.
I try really hard not to judge the content of old books- many times I am successful, but in this case, some passages really caught me off guard… enough so that I’d suggest modern readers proceed with caution.
The story is centered around Laurel, a woman with amnesia, who discovers she is married, and has a two-year old child, that she abandoned immediately after giving birth.
Her husband, Michael, is stunned when she turns up after a two-year absence, claiming she has no memory of who she is, who he is, or that she has a child. He’s skeptical of her story but brings her back to his family’s estate, regardless.
Michael is cruel, both in a physical sense, and in an emotional and mental sense. Laurel grows to love the child, but feels like the marriage, though a part of her longs for it to be different, is beyond repair.
She’s stuck not knowing how to feel, who to trust, or what actions she should take. To make things even more difficult, she’s hounded by a sense of foreboding, desperate to discover how she lost her memory and why.
I suppose this book is more intriguing than entertaining. If I’d read this book back in 1972, I would probably have been surprised by the whodunit part, and might even have ignored some of the more disturbing passages. I could feel the atmospheric elements on occasion, and for its time the author did an admirable job of creating mystery and suspense.
I would have enjoyed this novel if it weren’t for the datedness and disturbing content, which distracted me from the overall experience.
From a historical perspective, this novel might have some merit as it provides an example of 1970s fiction, but the violence against women, and the lack of true Gothic elements, cancels out the novelty.
Overall, this one is a bit of a letdown. Reading these older books is a quirky pastime for me, on occasion. I usually get a kick out of reading them, as they are a reflection of time and place, and I often find a forgotten gem, along the way as well.
That said, it’s always a gamble, and this time I lost the bet…
2 stars
June 3, 2011
Reviewed for THC Reviews
I can't recall exactly where I first saw a recommendation for Michael's Wife, but I believe it was in one of the many romance forums to which I belong. In a few places, I've seen it categorized as romance or romantic suspense, but it isn't exactly either. There is very little, if any, truly romantic element to it. It is actually part mystery, as the reader spends the entire story wondering if the heroine is really who everyone thinks she is and if so, where she has been for two years and what made her leave in the first place. Michael's Wife also has a strong gothic element as the heroine battles her own psyche, fearing nearly everyone she meets and wondering if she's simply crazy. The author did a great job with creating an atmosphere that was just a little creepy with an almost constantly eerie, ominous feel, especially surrounding the Devereaux estate in Tucson. Once the story moved to Phoenix, the mood lightened a little, but there was still an overhanging sense of doom and gloom while waiting for the truth to be revealed.
Michael's Wife was both written and set in the early 1970's, during the height of the Vietnam era. I really felt like I'd been transported back in time to the decade of my childhood but in my current place of residence which was a very cool juxtaposition for me. Michael fought in Vietnam and the latter parts of the story are populated with hippies who are both peace activists and anti-war protesters. That whole culture comes to the forefront as well. Of course, there are no cell phones or computers, only what we would consider basic conveniences like modern appliances and a television. There wasn't even air conditioning, only a swamp cooler, in the sweltering desert summer. Don't even get me started on the hideous colors of fashions and interior decorations.;-) Not only was the era quite apparent in the physical aspects, but also in the social attitudes, especially toward women. They were still primarily the homemakers, generally taking a more subservient role with the assumption that if there was trouble in the marriage, she was the one at fault. Many people didn't seem to think twice about a man possibly abusing his wife and even kind of made fun of it in a darkly humorous way. There also seemed to be some stigma attached to mental illness. Strangely enough I wasn't overly bothered by these things like I normally would be, and I think that was mainly because of the context in which they were placed. It was almost like reading a historical novel in which the time and place were very vivid in my mind's eye.
The entire book is told from Laurel's third-person point of view. She was a fascinating character. The human mind never ceases to amaze me, so it was an intellectual, psychological and philosophical treat for my own brain to think of how a person can forget everything about themselves including their own name, but still have a knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Laurel was truly alone in her misery, a woman reduced to a fearful almost paranoid amnesiac state. I thought that she was very brave to stick around for the sake of the child she believed might be hers, even though no one believed that she couldn't remember and basically seemed to despise her. Jimmy became the rock to which she clung for strength and inspiration when things got difficult, and I could admire her for her commitment to being a good mother who refused to leave him again, even if she couldn't remember leaving the first time. She's a very down to earth woman who isn't really comfortable in the wealth and opulence of the Devereaux estate, but neither is she off-put by the almost slum-like housing in which they live when Michael takes her back to the Air Force base. There were other times though, when she seemed more weak. There is a part of me that wishes she had fought harder to get someone, particularly Michael, to believe her, but I also found her personality and attitudes to be pretty normal and believable given the time in which the story takes place.
Although we only see him through Laurel's eyes, Michael is easily the second most important character in the story. He is a very angry and tormented man who under other circumstances would have easily been sympathetic. However, even though he isn't what I would consider a romantic hero, he did remind me of heroes from the old bodice-ripper romances of the 1970's. Occasionally, he would do something nice for Laurel or seem like he was still drawn to her and wanted to reconcile, but more often than not he was a cold, dark, dangerous and sometimes even violent man. After learning about his childhood, I could see why he might feel betrayed when his wife seemed to simply walk out on him and their son, but I couldn't fathom why, if he truly loved and cared about her, he didn't try harder to find her or at least believe that she had amnesia when she returned. Therein may lie the problem, as he wasn't even able to admit that he was ever in love with her. Michael was certainly a very complex man, and while I was never comfortable with his brutish episodes of behavior, I wasn't as bothered by it as I would have been had this actually been a romance novel. I also think that having him be an enigma helped to play into the notion that he was almost every bit as suspect as anyone else in the story.
Michael's Wife got off to a somewhat slow start as the author takes her time introducing each potential suspect while Laurel struggles with trying to remember the past and how she could have possibly done some of the things they claimed she did. Eventually, the narrative begins to build momentum and becomes more intense and engaging until by the end, I was nearly biting my nails waiting for the denouement. I could have done with a few more clues being dropped earlier in the story, but I thought the author did a great job with drawing the reader into the confusion that Laurel felt, when she finally started to remember bits and pieces. In fact, it was quite strange just how “real” the story actually felt to me, in more ways than one. It was almost like something that could have really happened and would certainly make for a great movie, in my opinion. Michael's Wife was my first read by Marlys Millhiser. I was also surprised to discover that it appears to be her debut novel, making it pretty impressive for a first effort. I did enjoy the book and would be open to trying something else by Ms. Millhiser if the mood for reading this genre strikes again.
I can't recall exactly where I first saw a recommendation for Michael's Wife, but I believe it was in one of the many romance forums to which I belong. In a few places, I've seen it categorized as romance or romantic suspense, but it isn't exactly either. There is very little, if any, truly romantic element to it. It is actually part mystery, as the reader spends the entire story wondering if the heroine is really who everyone thinks she is and if so, where she has been for two years and what made her leave in the first place. Michael's Wife also has a strong gothic element as the heroine battles her own psyche, fearing nearly everyone she meets and wondering if she's simply crazy. The author did a great job with creating an atmosphere that was just a little creepy with an almost constantly eerie, ominous feel, especially surrounding the Devereaux estate in Tucson. Once the story moved to Phoenix, the mood lightened a little, but there was still an overhanging sense of doom and gloom while waiting for the truth to be revealed.
Michael's Wife was both written and set in the early 1970's, during the height of the Vietnam era. I really felt like I'd been transported back in time to the decade of my childhood but in my current place of residence which was a very cool juxtaposition for me. Michael fought in Vietnam and the latter parts of the story are populated with hippies who are both peace activists and anti-war protesters. That whole culture comes to the forefront as well. Of course, there are no cell phones or computers, only what we would consider basic conveniences like modern appliances and a television. There wasn't even air conditioning, only a swamp cooler, in the sweltering desert summer. Don't even get me started on the hideous colors of fashions and interior decorations.;-) Not only was the era quite apparent in the physical aspects, but also in the social attitudes, especially toward women. They were still primarily the homemakers, generally taking a more subservient role with the assumption that if there was trouble in the marriage, she was the one at fault. Many people didn't seem to think twice about a man possibly abusing his wife and even kind of made fun of it in a darkly humorous way. There also seemed to be some stigma attached to mental illness. Strangely enough I wasn't overly bothered by these things like I normally would be, and I think that was mainly because of the context in which they were placed. It was almost like reading a historical novel in which the time and place were very vivid in my mind's eye.
The entire book is told from Laurel's third-person point of view. She was a fascinating character. The human mind never ceases to amaze me, so it was an intellectual, psychological and philosophical treat for my own brain to think of how a person can forget everything about themselves including their own name, but still have a knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Laurel was truly alone in her misery, a woman reduced to a fearful almost paranoid amnesiac state. I thought that she was very brave to stick around for the sake of the child she believed might be hers, even though no one believed that she couldn't remember and basically seemed to despise her. Jimmy became the rock to which she clung for strength and inspiration when things got difficult, and I could admire her for her commitment to being a good mother who refused to leave him again, even if she couldn't remember leaving the first time. She's a very down to earth woman who isn't really comfortable in the wealth and opulence of the Devereaux estate, but neither is she off-put by the almost slum-like housing in which they live when Michael takes her back to the Air Force base. There were other times though, when she seemed more weak. There is a part of me that wishes she had fought harder to get someone, particularly Michael, to believe her, but I also found her personality and attitudes to be pretty normal and believable given the time in which the story takes place.
Although we only see him through Laurel's eyes, Michael is easily the second most important character in the story. He is a very angry and tormented man who under other circumstances would have easily been sympathetic. However, even though he isn't what I would consider a romantic hero, he did remind me of heroes from the old bodice-ripper romances of the 1970's. Occasionally, he would do something nice for Laurel or seem like he was still drawn to her and wanted to reconcile, but more often than not he was a cold, dark, dangerous and sometimes even violent man. After learning about his childhood, I could see why he might feel betrayed when his wife seemed to simply walk out on him and their son, but I couldn't fathom why, if he truly loved and cared about her, he didn't try harder to find her or at least believe that she had amnesia when she returned. Therein may lie the problem, as he wasn't even able to admit that he was ever in love with her. Michael was certainly a very complex man, and while I was never comfortable with his brutish episodes of behavior, I wasn't as bothered by it as I would have been had this actually been a romance novel. I also think that having him be an enigma helped to play into the notion that he was almost every bit as suspect as anyone else in the story.
Michael's Wife got off to a somewhat slow start as the author takes her time introducing each potential suspect while Laurel struggles with trying to remember the past and how she could have possibly done some of the things they claimed she did. Eventually, the narrative begins to build momentum and becomes more intense and engaging until by the end, I was nearly biting my nails waiting for the denouement. I could have done with a few more clues being dropped earlier in the story, but I thought the author did a great job with drawing the reader into the confusion that Laurel felt, when she finally started to remember bits and pieces. In fact, it was quite strange just how “real” the story actually felt to me, in more ways than one. It was almost like something that could have really happened and would certainly make for a great movie, in my opinion. Michael's Wife was my first read by Marlys Millhiser. I was also surprised to discover that it appears to be her debut novel, making it pretty impressive for a first effort. I did enjoy the book and would be open to trying something else by Ms. Millhiser if the mood for reading this genre strikes again.
January 12, 2016
Great 70s Southwest atmosphere. Soooo anticlimactic, though (the red herrings were more interesting than what really happened IMO), and I'm not satisfied that all the problems have really been worked out.
August 27, 2016
I found The Mirror by this author at a flea market and it immediately became one of my favorite books. This however was a huge disappointment. It was almost as if a completely different person wrote it. It just wasn't written well to me and did not pull me in like her other book did. I can't judge just by this book though she is obviously an extremely talented writer I personally just did not enjoy this book at all.
Did Not Finish
December 17, 2020Bailed when the supposed "hero" back hand slaps the heroine so hard she falls to the ground and his wrist watch leaves an imprint on her face....
...and they say romance is dead.
...and they say romance is dead.
December 30, 2010
For whatever reason, this was the first novel I ever read all the way through. Michael's Wife was the book that began my long happy past time of reading! I loved this book. I always dreamed the part two of this book which would have been really great as a story. It had so much hope presented... at least in my mind, about true love and endurance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2015
MICHAEL'S WIFE
I don't understand all the high reviews, I found this book to be slow and boring. I only kept reading to find out why she had walked out of her life. I did enjoy the interaction between Laurel and Jimmy.
I don't understand all the high reviews, I found this book to be slow and boring. I only kept reading to find out why she had walked out of her life. I did enjoy the interaction between Laurel and Jimmy.
December 10, 2015
Not what was expected
This book was a huge disappointment after reading The Mirror. The two books have nothing in common except the author. If you like romances then this book is for you. But even then I believe you will be disappointed.
This book was a huge disappointment after reading The Mirror. The two books have nothing in common except the author. If you like romances then this book is for you. But even then I believe you will be disappointed.
November 11, 2015
Too choppy
I guess it just wasn't my kind if book. I still don't know what happened to old Doe Eyes. Weird tale with an unsatisfactory ending.
I guess it just wasn't my kind if book. I still don't know what happened to old Doe Eyes. Weird tale with an unsatisfactory ending.
March 9, 2019
Boring, shallow, predictable, offensive and sometimes plain stupid
April 6, 2013
Very good book. While listed as romantic suspense, there really was not much romance.
September 24, 2025
a good read
Marlys MIllhiser is a favorite of mine. I met her at a library convention once and she was the nicest author ever. She writes for the times and all her books are worth reading.
Marlys MIllhiser is a favorite of mine. I met her at a library convention once and she was the nicest author ever. She writes for the times and all her books are worth reading.
July 2, 2019
What the hell did I just waste my time reading?? Wtf? Seriously dumb.
August 2, 2025
Ugh. What a dumb book. And I hated all the violence towards women, and how acceptable they tried to make it. Just…ugh.
June 5, 2026
First read this book years ago. I loved it. In fact I'm trying to find a way to read it for the third time.
December 22, 2015
I enjoyed this book because it was set in Arizona and I'm familiar with all the locations described.
I understand Laurel's confusion and weakness but I don't understand everybody's behavior towards her. Is this typical 70's attitude towards young women? You disappear and nobody cares? What kind of friends and family are these???
I thought it was hilarious to read about the fear towards "hippies" in that time, as if they were aliens from out of space. Everybody was scared of them.
They mystery was decent even though you know right away who the "bad guy" is.
I won't comment on Michael for fear of giving the whole story away, but if I ever cross paths with him I'd run him over with my car...yeap, that's how I'm feeling.
I understand Laurel's confusion and weakness but I don't understand everybody's behavior towards her. Is this typical 70's attitude towards young women? You disappear and nobody cares? What kind of friends and family are these???
I thought it was hilarious to read about the fear towards "hippies" in that time, as if they were aliens from out of space. Everybody was scared of them.
They mystery was decent even though you know right away who the "bad guy" is.
I won't comment on Michael for fear of giving the whole story away, but if I ever cross paths with him I'd run him over with my car...yeap, that's how I'm feeling.
November 14, 2017
She wakes up in a gully in the desert not remembering anything, including her name. She gets a ride with Harley MacBride, who eventually leaves her at his brother’s hotel. When she discovers a name on a piece of paper in her waistband, she calls Captain Michael Devereaux at Luke Air Force Base. He calls her Laurel and comes to get her, but he is very angry. He frightens her with his anger, but she goes with him as he tells her she is his wife, and she walked out of the hospital in Denver two years prior after giving birth to their son, Jimmy. Why did she do that? Where has she been for the past two years? And the it seems someone is trying to kill her.
July 30, 2010
I stayed up until 3 am reading this book. I just had to find out what had happened. Anytime a book starts with a girl waking up in the middle of the desert having no idea where she is or who she is is quite a beginning. I thought it was well written. I was a teeny bit disappointed kind of how it all wraps up but after thinking about it, I understood why. I did really like it.
June 10, 2025
Having enjoyed Millhiser's book, The Mirror, I looked forward to this tale of a woman with amnesia who finds herself thrown into one of those rich, entitled families that would put a nest of vipers to shame. Unfortunately, I found the book to be pedestrian and lacking suspense.
My advice: Skip this one, but if you like excellent time travel stories, find The Mirror.
My advice: Skip this one, but if you like excellent time travel stories, find The Mirror.
November 9, 2015
Great read
A wonderful change of pace from serial.killers and police procedural. I found myself continually picking this one up to read. Well placed with interesting characters. Will find more from this author.
A wonderful change of pace from serial.killers and police procedural. I found myself continually picking this one up to read. Well placed with interesting characters. Will find more from this author.
April 22, 2009
Even thought it's very dated - 1970's hippies and all! - this is one of my favorites. Not great literature, but a darn good read.
October 5, 2014
I loved this book the first three times I read it!! I'm trying to find a Kindle version with no luck... :(
November 9, 2015
Good read. Predictive ending
Figured out the villain too soon. Did not expect to be right about it. The characters were quirky and I liked that.
Figured out the villain too soon. Did not expect to be right about it. The characters were quirky and I liked that.
July 18, 2016
Just finished Michael's Wife by Marlys Millhiser. Written in 1972, it's a little dated, but still a really good read! Dark and suspenseful, it keeps you guessing until the end!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews