The Killer's Wife

by James Patterson, Max DiLallo (With)

This title not published individually. See The House Next Door

Till murder do us part.
Six girls have gone missing. Detective McGrath knows the only way to find them is to get close to the suspect's wife...maybe too close.
BookShots
LIGHTNING-FAST STORIES BY JAMES PATTERSON

Novels you can devour in a few hours
Impossible to stop reading
All original content from James Patterson

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

144 pages, Paperback

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

[El · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second novella in ‘the house next door’ book. To be honest, it was very predictable (I guessed all the plot twists) & not in the slightest bit unique. That being said though, I still couldn’t put it down. So I think 3 stars is a fair rating

[Vincent Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

When six girls go missing in The Killer's Wife by James Patterson, Detective McGrath knows that Michael Pierson is the killer. With no other suspect, McGrath is after justice for the girls. However, to get the killer, he gets close to the killer's wife ... and though he lies to his partner that he is after the killer, the professional line when detectives get close to suspects or their sources is blurred - Detective McGrath falls in love with the killer's wife.

On the night they make love, the killer commits suicide in prison. The killer's wife, Helen, says that that night she loses two men she cares about - her husband and detective McGrath.

When McGrath confronts her, she tells him that he, McGrath, thought was using her, but she was the one using him. All along, she and her husband were working together kidnapping and killing those girls. Furious, McGrath kills her, but when police arrive, they arrest him.

It is two stars because the story is too predictable. We can say it is thrilling, and that's why James Patterson is a thriller writer, but the mystery is not there. He can never be a mystery writer because the language he gives the characters are dead give away. Like, when a character assumes another persona only to quip that they want the detectives to know their real persona.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I’m tired or maybe I just got completely caught up in this book but I had no idea that it would end as it did. I love, absolutely love, being taken by surprise.

A high school teacher is arrested for the disappearance and likely murders of several high school girls. The male cop in the case gets involved with the accused killer’s wife.

As the investigation goes on, his involvement with her gets deeper and he suspects he might even love her.

I enjoyed the sections of the book when the male cop was dealing with his elderly parents. He would stop by and make sure they were fed, bathed and safely in bed despite the parent’s memory issues. This cop was an all round good guy and if he ended up with the killer’s wife, she’d be one lucky woman.

When the twist comes in the story I felt so bad for every single good person in the tale.

[Liz Destefano · Rating 2 out of 5]

Six girls are missing and Detective McGrath needs to get close to the suspects wife and now he gets a little too
He’s guts tells him she knows something but as he starts falling for her
The killer dies in jail and she thinks all loose ends are tied up until he follows her into the woods because he put a GPS on her
And of course she laughs and tells him that she used him and that’s when he shoots her calls his partner to go out and find the girls in the woods and then they come to this house to arrest him

[Meiwilli · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Killer's Wife is Patterson's most boring work to date. But redeems itself somewhat with a bit of a twist at the end fir those who haven’t figured out what’s going on. The story is drawn out and predictable but had it not unfolded so painfully slow, would have been a great thriller.

All I could think the whole time I read this story was, MEN! What was he thinking?! 2.5 stars to pass the time.

The Killer's Wife is included in the trilogy of short novellas in The House Next Door.

[mandyfujita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Andrew McGrath is convinced that Michael Pierson is the kidnapper of 5 high school girls ar San Luis Obispo. He just needs evidence that maybe his wife can lead the police to.

With Detective Mcgarth hanging around so much, he starts falling for her. New clues comes up and everything starts spinning out of control.

[Jimmie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I begrudgingly gave this book two stars. James Patterson whiffed on this book. The reason I’m giving The Killer’s Wife two stars is because the storyline was somewhat interesting. The author spoke through the characters, so I found that interesting. But for the most part, this book came across empty and bland.

[Christopher H · Rating 5 out of 5]

So yeah this book has three little short stories in it. The first story is the best in my opinion. The third story was a little weird because it had to do with aliens and the aliens wanted the humans as a whole to be kinder to their own race and blah blah blah..it's like..why would the aliens care..? But anyways I thought the book was really fun to read on the whole.

[Courtney Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a short story, this one didn't grab me until more than half way through. I honestly had it figured out long before "it" was revealed. Didn't love this one. Seemed sort of obvious that the wife was involved, she was acting just too weird.

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

detective andy McGrath is looking for 4 girls that have gone missing when micheal pierson is caught with a girl he is charged with clare,samantha,maria,patty that are missing but detective McGrath trys to help the murders wife ellen as she is hounded by the press and her every move is watched.....

[Tonya Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When four girls go missing, all evidence points to the Vice Principle! Did he do it? He’s not talking to anyone while incarcerated.
What does his wife know? She claims innocence, but is she really?
The Killer’s Wife was riveting!

[Rachel Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not great. I think the content of the story would have been helped by a more noir telling of it (and I generally dislike noir.)

The best parts were the subtle parts, which were literally only the beginning and end.

[Alabama Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slam dunk case of a serial killer caught but no real evidence, and no bodies.
The lead detective is determined to get the answers from the killers wife and finds her to be very friendly. Several plot twists make you wonder if she knew what her husband was doing and if she helped him in some way.

[Chelsi Ulrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This books is book 2 in the house next door books. There are 3 total. I think this one was wildly predictable, and I knew from the beginning how it would play out. It was still a good quick read and I recommend it. Just don’t expect it to blow you away with twists or plot.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was predictable.

[Tamara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan, too predictable.

[Patsygermany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a real page turner.....good thing it was a fast read.

[Lisa Neal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Predictable and weak story

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a twist i didnt see it coming!!!!!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short James Patterson bookshots where the copy investigating a man who is accused of abducting several you women gets too close to his wife. OK read

[Janet Cline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another shorted book

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good twist at the end of this short story.

[Pamela Rabon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could really see how this was going to end, way early. Still the story was good to see, how they would get there.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read as a collection of 3 stories in The House Next Door.
This one was predictable and the detective was not smart.

[Charity Rau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really too much of a mystery as it was very obvious what was going on.

[April]

It's good book. It kept me busy on a 6 hour drive. I did the audiobook. I like audio books better bc I have two kids and it's hard to sit down and read.

[Vinnie Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Good story!

[Nina Ahad · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story started off well and then just lost complete depth and turned into emptiness.

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six high school girls have gone missing. Detective McGrath is this close to solving the case or is he??