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The Starter Wife
From the bestselling author of Girl Last Seen comes "a spine-tingler" (Booklist) of a psychological suspense, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Jessica Knoll.
Local police have announced that they're closing the investigation of the suspected drowning of 37-year-old painter Colleen Westcott. She disappeared on April 11, 2010, and her car was found parked near the waterfront in Cleveland two days later, but her body has never been found. The chief of police has stated that no concrete evidence of foul play has been discovered in the probe.
I close the online search window, annoyed. These articles never have enough detail. They think my husband's first wife disappeared or they think she is dead. There's a big difference.
My phone rings, jarring me away from my thoughts, and when I pick it up, it's an unknown number. The only answer to my slightly breathless hello is empty static.
When the voice does finally come, it's female, low, muffled somehow. "Where is it, Claire? What did you do with it? Tell me where it is."
A woman. A real flesh-and-blood woman on the other end of the phone. She's not just in my head.
A wave of panic spreads under my skin like ice water. It's Colleen.
"Laurin knows how to ratchet up the suspense." --Publishers Weekly
Local police have announced that they're closing the investigation of the suspected drowning of 37-year-old painter Colleen Westcott. She disappeared on April 11, 2010, and her car was found parked near the waterfront in Cleveland two days later, but her body has never been found. The chief of police has stated that no concrete evidence of foul play has been discovered in the probe.
I close the online search window, annoyed. These articles never have enough detail. They think my husband's first wife disappeared or they think she is dead. There's a big difference.
My phone rings, jarring me away from my thoughts, and when I pick it up, it's an unknown number. The only answer to my slightly breathless hello is empty static.
When the voice does finally come, it's female, low, muffled somehow. "Where is it, Claire? What did you do with it? Tell me where it is."
A woman. A real flesh-and-blood woman on the other end of the phone. She's not just in my head.
A wave of panic spreads under my skin like ice water. It's Colleen.
"Laurin knows how to ratchet up the suspense." --Publishers Weekly
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2019
355 people are currently reading
8591 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 593 reviews
August 24, 2020
The Starter Wife has two unreliable narrators. There is the mysterious student who is stalking college professor Byron and his wife and there is Claire, Byron's second wife. The student feels that Byron's wife if not worthy of him and that she must protect him from her devious ways. She actually considers herself his "Guardian Angel", determined that at some point she will be married to Byron and he will know she is the perfect wife for him.
Claire is dealing with feelings of jealousy and resentment towards Byron's first wife, Coleen, whose wealth was responsible for the house they live in and the money they can spend on luxuries. She resents Coleen's former college professor career and also her second career as a painter and she hates that they are still living in the house that Byron and Coleen lived in before Coleen committed suicide.
I can't say that any of the characters in the book are likable although it's hard to know the truth of the other characters because we only see them mostly through Claire's eyes and sometimes through the eyes of the stalking student. When the book starts, Claire begins to get messages from Coleen and phone calls from an anonymous woman, alluding to something that is missing. Claire puts all her effort into finding out who is harassing her while she also is trying to set up fertility treatments behind her husband's back.
The book is very interesting except that the two narrators are so unlikable and seem to have no redeeming qualities that it's hard feel invested in what happens to them. The other characters, seen through those two women's eyes, can't be fleshed out realistically since we aren't getting the real facts about them. I did figure out some plot points ahead of time, but still had no idea how the book would end.
Published June 11th 2019
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
Claire is dealing with feelings of jealousy and resentment towards Byron's first wife, Coleen, whose wealth was responsible for the house they live in and the money they can spend on luxuries. She resents Coleen's former college professor career and also her second career as a painter and she hates that they are still living in the house that Byron and Coleen lived in before Coleen committed suicide.
I can't say that any of the characters in the book are likable although it's hard to know the truth of the other characters because we only see them mostly through Claire's eyes and sometimes through the eyes of the stalking student. When the book starts, Claire begins to get messages from Coleen and phone calls from an anonymous woman, alluding to something that is missing. Claire puts all her effort into finding out who is harassing her while she also is trying to set up fertility treatments behind her husband's back.
The book is very interesting except that the two narrators are so unlikable and seem to have no redeeming qualities that it's hard feel invested in what happens to them. The other characters, seen through those two women's eyes, can't be fleshed out realistically since we aren't getting the real facts about them. I did figure out some plot points ahead of time, but still had no idea how the book would end.
Published June 11th 2019
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
July 23, 2019
I am happy to say that I liked this book a lot more than I was expecting to. This book is full on crazy. If you are burnt out on the drunk unreliable narrator then steer clear but if you fancy a narrator that puts the cuckoo in cocoa puffs then you've come to the right place.
Claire is married to English professor Byron and while she is still head over heels in love with him it appears that his interest in her is beginning to wane. She can't have this. She will do anything to keep her man. Unfortunately the woman she is most jealous of is his first wife, his starter wife, his dead wife, Colleen. She tragically committed suicide and yet Claire is reminded of her every single day. Mostly because they live in her house surrounded by her paintings. It seems as if they will never be able to escape Colleens memory no matter how much Claire tries to make their life so perfectly perfect. Why doesn't Byron see just how hard Claire tries to keep him happy?
Claire is jealous, Claire is drunk, Claire is paranoid, and Claire is about to lose her ever loving mind and I couldn't tear my eyes away. A done-in-one-day book that I couldn't put down. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Claire is married to English professor Byron and while she is still head over heels in love with him it appears that his interest in her is beginning to wane. She can't have this. She will do anything to keep her man. Unfortunately the woman she is most jealous of is his first wife, his starter wife, his dead wife, Colleen. She tragically committed suicide and yet Claire is reminded of her every single day. Mostly because they live in her house surrounded by her paintings. It seems as if they will never be able to escape Colleens memory no matter how much Claire tries to make their life so perfectly perfect. Why doesn't Byron see just how hard Claire tries to keep him happy?
Claire is jealous, Claire is drunk, Claire is paranoid, and Claire is about to lose her ever loving mind and I couldn't tear my eyes away. A done-in-one-day book that I couldn't put down. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 20, 2019
Well that was a crazy and wild ride! It was entertaining for sure but there were a few problems I had with it while reading. It was still enjoyable though and would make a darn good summer beach read.
Claire is married to Byron, a college professor. Byron's first wife aka the starter wife, Colleen, committed suicide while they were married, and Claire has always felt like she was in Colleen's shadow. It is probably hard to shake that feeling when they live in Colleen's nice home, spend money from her estate, and are surrounded with her artwork. Claire's relationship with her husband appears to be on the rocks as Byron has been acting cold and distant towards her lately. Claire might have to do some investigating to find out why Byron is acting this way.
This was definitely a page turner and ended up being a fairly quick read. At times I felt frustrated and confused by the motivations of certain characters. However, most of the questions I had about characters' behaviors were answered by the time I finished the book. This is one of the rare times I will say I think I might enjoy this book better on a reread. It's also the type of book I am looking forward to other people reading as I am dying to know what others have to say about it. Lots of interesting things to discuss!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
Claire is married to Byron, a college professor. Byron's first wife aka the starter wife, Colleen, committed suicide while they were married, and Claire has always felt like she was in Colleen's shadow. It is probably hard to shake that feeling when they live in Colleen's nice home, spend money from her estate, and are surrounded with her artwork. Claire's relationship with her husband appears to be on the rocks as Byron has been acting cold and distant towards her lately. Claire might have to do some investigating to find out why Byron is acting this way.
This was definitely a page turner and ended up being a fairly quick read. At times I felt frustrated and confused by the motivations of certain characters. However, most of the questions I had about characters' behaviors were answered by the time I finished the book. This is one of the rare times I will say I think I might enjoy this book better on a reread. It's also the type of book I am looking forward to other people reading as I am dying to know what others have to say about it. Lots of interesting things to discuss!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
June 29, 2020
A plot you've read a million times...but with poor writing.
2 stars...probably a generous rating.
The Starter Wife is the ultimate in unreliable narrators. This story, however, has something that other books in this genre don't...not a single chapter without the cuckoo. I literally felt like I was reading page after page of confused, drunken rambling with no direction, no plot, and no sense of story. It exemplified the tedious, and held little anticipation. I already knew exactly how it was going to end. This story has been done so many times before, but far better. I was reading only to finish, and not out of any sense of enjoyment. It needed a foundation...or some sort of framework. It was a crumbling story with nothing put in place to hold it up.
The characters were confusing and not well defined, the plot had gaping holes throughout, and at the end of the day, I simply can't recommend this book. Not to anyone. It was such a disappointment.
**While I wish I could have given a more positive review, I'd still like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with advance copy of this novel.
2 stars...probably a generous rating.
The Starter Wife is the ultimate in unreliable narrators. This story, however, has something that other books in this genre don't...not a single chapter without the cuckoo. I literally felt like I was reading page after page of confused, drunken rambling with no direction, no plot, and no sense of story. It exemplified the tedious, and held little anticipation. I already knew exactly how it was going to end. This story has been done so many times before, but far better. I was reading only to finish, and not out of any sense of enjoyment. It needed a foundation...or some sort of framework. It was a crumbling story with nothing put in place to hold it up.
The characters were confusing and not well defined, the plot had gaping holes throughout, and at the end of the day, I simply can't recommend this book. Not to anyone. It was such a disappointment.
**While I wish I could have given a more positive review, I'd still like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with advance copy of this novel.
July 8, 2019
The Starter Wife by Nina Laurin is my favorite type of mystery: a thriller that you want to re-read so you can pick up on some of the clues you might have missed the first time. Byron Westcott is a college professor whose wife Colleen disappeared years ago. The police suspect she committed suicide but have never recovered her body. Several years later, Byron marries Claire, a budding novelist, who idolizes her husband. Cracks begin to appear in this happy marriage and where this is going you will never guess. The tension builds until the very end. I highly recommend The Starter Wife to all mystery readers who like to be surprised. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2019
**Update** Thank you to the wonderful Nina Laurin, who sent me a signed copy of her book (all the way from Canada 🇨🇦, where my husband is also from 😊 ) after I won it in her drawing! This is the best book mail I’ve received so far! 💜 I have your other books and will be reading them when I get a chance. Thank you again Ms. Laurin. I can’t express how excited I was to receive it...you made my day! 😊 You are truly a thoughtful and generous author!!!
This one started a little slow, then picked up and I was really enjoying it. The author did a great job of creating totally detestable main characters.
Byron is a college professor. His first wife, Colleen, was an artist with mental health issues who ended her own life...but her body was never found. After a few short relationships, Byron met and married his second wife, Claire.
Byron and Claire are living in the house he lived in with Colleen. Exactly like it was when she was alive...and yes it’s creepy and Claire isn’t happy about it. Still eerily decorated with her paintings. Although Claire did convince Byron to take down the nude one of him and Colleen that hung in the bedroom above the bed. Byron is still obsessed with his dead wife.
They also live off Colleen’s savings, but this doesn’t bother her. Claire is an unpublished writer and quite happy to spend her days lounging around, being spiteful and ungrateful. When she starts to get strange emails and phone calls, Claire begins to obsess over Colleen’s death and believes she may still be alive.
None of the characters are likable, but Colleen was my least favorite character. Just as I was anticipating all the big reveals, I turn the page and...the Epilogue is there! I was left confused, stunned and wanting a cleaner ending. Unfortunately, the ending brought down my rating, but others thought it was great.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 3 ⭐️’s
Published: June 11th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 352
This one started a little slow, then picked up and I was really enjoying it. The author did a great job of creating totally detestable main characters.
Byron is a college professor. His first wife, Colleen, was an artist with mental health issues who ended her own life...but her body was never found. After a few short relationships, Byron met and married his second wife, Claire.
Byron and Claire are living in the house he lived in with Colleen. Exactly like it was when she was alive...and yes it’s creepy and Claire isn’t happy about it. Still eerily decorated with her paintings. Although Claire did convince Byron to take down the nude one of him and Colleen that hung in the bedroom above the bed. Byron is still obsessed with his dead wife.
They also live off Colleen’s savings, but this doesn’t bother her. Claire is an unpublished writer and quite happy to spend her days lounging around, being spiteful and ungrateful. When she starts to get strange emails and phone calls, Claire begins to obsess over Colleen’s death and believes she may still be alive.
None of the characters are likable, but Colleen was my least favorite character. Just as I was anticipating all the big reveals, I turn the page and...the Epilogue is there! I was left confused, stunned and wanting a cleaner ending. Unfortunately, the ending brought down my rating, but others thought it was great.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
My Rating: 3 ⭐️’s
Published: June 11th 2019 by Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 352
August 6, 2019
Claire Wescott is married to Byron, a professor at a liberal arts college in Ohio. She’s his second wife and is starting to question if his change in behavior towards her means something...is it a sign that he’s seeing someone else. Claire thinks a baby will be the answer though she’s got fertility issues. As she pursues that direction, she’s also trying to figure out if there’s a “who” responsible for his distraction.
From the start, I knew I was dealing with an unreliable narrator because Claire has some serious issues! And, the prologue introduces someone, anonymous, who’s always in the background and I was never quite sure where to place her...past or present, good or evil, real or imagined. Then there’s Colleen, Byron’s first wife, who has a large presence in the story. She disappeared years ago, presumed dead by suicide. The narrative is Claire’s and it’s an uncomfortable place to be in as she grapples with self doubt, body image issues and her writing failures. I didn’t like her very much though I had empathy for her situation. I went back and forth about Byron because I only had Claire’s point of view.
Because of my struggles with Claire, I had mixed feelings about this story. I had a hard time resuming reading after breaks because I didn’t want to be back in her head. But, there came a point where things shifted and it became a seriously intriguing puzzle I had to solve. I got there but was still surprised by one final twist. I’m glad I hung in there because being off balance is part of the story’s allure. If you don’t get hung up on how you feel about the narrator, you’ll appreciate the journey and the payoff. I’m still thinking about that ending. 3.5 stars
(Thanks to NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
From the start, I knew I was dealing with an unreliable narrator because Claire has some serious issues! And, the prologue introduces someone, anonymous, who’s always in the background and I was never quite sure where to place her...past or present, good or evil, real or imagined. Then there’s Colleen, Byron’s first wife, who has a large presence in the story. She disappeared years ago, presumed dead by suicide. The narrative is Claire’s and it’s an uncomfortable place to be in as she grapples with self doubt, body image issues and her writing failures. I didn’t like her very much though I had empathy for her situation. I went back and forth about Byron because I only had Claire’s point of view.
Because of my struggles with Claire, I had mixed feelings about this story. I had a hard time resuming reading after breaks because I didn’t want to be back in her head. But, there came a point where things shifted and it became a seriously intriguing puzzle I had to solve. I got there but was still surprised by one final twist. I’m glad I hung in there because being off balance is part of the story’s allure. If you don’t get hung up on how you feel about the narrator, you’ll appreciate the journey and the payoff. I’m still thinking about that ending. 3.5 stars
(Thanks to NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
June 6, 2019
The Starter Wife by Nina Laurin was absolute roller coaster of a domestic suspense book. In the beginning it was a tad confusing but as I got into it more I couldn't put it down. That ending was just crazy - and I loved it. When a book goes off on so many tangents and keeps you guessing I know it is a good book!
Claire is Byron's second wife. They seems relatively happy but the shadow of Colleen - Bryon's first wife who committed suicide- hangs over their relationship. Byron is still in love with her and Claire is threatened by her - and is not convinced that she is dead. She becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her - literally stopping at nothing to find out the truth. You won't believe where this one goes. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
Claire is Byron's second wife. They seems relatively happy but the shadow of Colleen - Bryon's first wife who committed suicide- hangs over their relationship. Byron is still in love with her and Claire is threatened by her - and is not convinced that she is dead. She becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her - literally stopping at nothing to find out the truth. You won't believe where this one goes. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
June 15, 2019
The Starter Wife is Nina Laurin's third thriller, but I have to say that I found it 8 parts women's fiction and only 2 parts resembling a thriller. It also has a premise that has been done to death and doesn't have anything new to add or offer over and above those books. I didn't find myself gripped at any stage and the characters certainly didn't help as they were bitchy, quite juvenile and infuriating. Most of the twists were quite obvious and the middle section dragged so much that I debated putting it down well over a dozen times but persevered in order to review it. Because the two main characters are two very similar females it's often difficult to tell who's talking as they sound exactly the same.
This is seriously lacking in originality and the requisite thrills to be called a thriller. There are also some humongous plot holes. I hope her next book might be better but would definitely wait to read reviews before I picked it up after this. Many thanks to Mulholland Books for an ARC.
This is seriously lacking in originality and the requisite thrills to be called a thriller. There are also some humongous plot holes. I hope her next book might be better but would definitely wait to read reviews before I picked it up after this. Many thanks to Mulholland Books for an ARC.
June 17, 2019
Interesting idea and fairly well done
First though got to say that the lead lady Claire gets nausea, about everything and anything, and barely a page goes past without her for one reason or another telling us!
That aside ( oh and her love of drink, somewhat a pre requisite of many books now, a lead lady who drinks 24/7 ) this is a domestic thriller thats more domestic than thriller but when it is thrilling it really is!!
Its a story, confusing at times, about ultimate class A stalking and the lengths one woman ( over decades ) will go to get what she wants and by whatever means get her her ‘prize’, the stalkers nonchalance at her actions are chilling and will induce a shudder in every reader!
The characters are strong, not particularly likeable but strong and my dislike grew as the story unfolded
The last 25% of the book suddenly leaps at you and the story ratchets up at speed until the inevitable shock and crux of the book
Scary, in parts, unpredictable in other parts and ultimately a goodish read
7/10 3 Stars
June 11, 2019
Well that was fun!
Other than what's already in the blurb, there's very little I can say about the plot--there's a huge, game-changing twist in this one, so I don't want to spoil anything. I stayed up far too late to finish reading because I was determined to see how this unfolded. Laurin knew how to keep me turning pages!
There was one not-so-teeny thing I had to overlook in order to keep enjoying this story--Google.
Byron, the former husband of the "starter wife," becomes involved with a series of women after his wife's disappearance in 2010. Apparently, we're to believe that *not a single one* of these women Googled him before they dated him. Move things back ten years from when they happened here, and yeah, that might be plausible. But in the 2010s? Hahaha, sorry, probably not.
As soon as I pretended the plot was unfolding in a different time period, this was a lot of fun! Nina Laurin was new to me, so I'll be sure to look for more of her work in the future. I'll dock a half a star for the Google funny business and give this 4.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a DRC of this novel.
Other than what's already in the blurb, there's very little I can say about the plot--there's a huge, game-changing twist in this one, so I don't want to spoil anything. I stayed up far too late to finish reading because I was determined to see how this unfolded. Laurin knew how to keep me turning pages!
There was one not-so-teeny thing I had to overlook in order to keep enjoying this story--Google.
Byron, the former husband of the "starter wife," becomes involved with a series of women after his wife's disappearance in 2010. Apparently, we're to believe that *not a single one* of these women Googled him before they dated him. Move things back ten years from when they happened here, and yeah, that might be plausible. But in the 2010s? Hahaha, sorry, probably not.
As soon as I pretended the plot was unfolding in a different time period, this was a lot of fun! Nina Laurin was new to me, so I'll be sure to look for more of her work in the future. I'll dock a half a star for the Google funny business and give this 4.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a DRC of this novel.
July 8, 2019
CRAZY!!! I listen to this one on audiobook and could not put it down. I think maybe I might need to go back and actually read the physical book because this one was quite confusing! I just want to reference the term unreliable narrators and leave it at that! This was the craziest book I've read so far this year twists upon twists! I think definitely this authors best thriller yet!
June 15, 2019
Out of all the books I've read by Nina Laurin is this the one I had the hardest time reading. Both What My Sister Knew and Girl Last Seen are great thrillers, while this took forever for me to get into. Now, I think it's because I right from the start felt very, very annoyed with Claire, the main character. And, the more I read the less I liked her. What kept me going was the fact that I wanted to know what the heck is going one and if Colleen really committed suicide. The best part was the last 1/3 of the book when you got Claire's husband Byron's POV as well. Now the story starts to make more sense, and I started to understand more about those weird chapters when someone is stalking Byron's wife that were interwoven with Claire's chapters.
The Starter Wife is not my favorite Nina Laurin book, the last part of the book did make the reading worthwhile, although I found the ending very abrupt. I found it particularly hard to read the book because of my dislike for Claire (for God's sake she doesn't even like cats), but if the Laurin had that in mind when she created the character. To make her as unlikable as possible, well then she succeeded. I would, however, recommend starting with the author's first two books before going for this one. They are way better!
I want to thank the publisher for providing a free copy for an honest review!
The Starter Wife is not my favorite Nina Laurin book, the last part of the book did make the reading worthwhile, although I found the ending very abrupt. I found it particularly hard to read the book because of my dislike for Claire (for God's sake she doesn't even like cats), but if the Laurin had that in mind when she created the character. To make her as unlikable as possible, well then she succeeded. I would, however, recommend starting with the author's first two books before going for this one. They are way better!
I want to thank the publisher for providing a free copy for an honest review!
August 13, 2019
"They will all think I’m crazy, insane, psychotic, but what else is love but madness? Isn’t that what all the great novels are about?"📖 Buy This Book: Amazon 📖
📚 Series: No.
📚 Genre: Mystery/Thriller.
📚 POV: Dual first person.
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Unreliable narrators. Death. And other things I would rather not say. 😉
⚠ Read if: you are a fan of domestic thrillers a la Gillian Flynn or Lisa Jewell.
The Starter Wife is the first book I have read from author Nina Laurin and I would have to say, I found a new fave thriller writer.
This book is about the journey of a second wife, Claire, dealing with the shadow of his husband's first wife, Colleen, whose case was still undeclared whether as a murder, a suicide, or a missing person's case. Aside from Claire, the story is also told through an unknown narrator.
If you are a fan of unreliable narrators, this book is surely for you. I enjoyed the guessing game and weighing the truths. Nina Laurin surely knows how to build up the suspense that will keep you at the edge of your seat and not letting you put the book down at all!
What a lovely read! It is a one-sitter type but a busy bee like me had to time my readings 😭
Excited to read more from this author! 🥰
"But I won’t. I don’t want to get you this way. My way may be harder, may take longer, but that’s okay. Everything worth having is worth waiting for— isn’t that how it goes?"☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Thrill Factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4.64/5 ☁
Much thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own. Also, all quotes are taken from the ARC and may not appear in the final published copy.
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// 𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 //
35% in and I'm going crazy with this one! 🤯
December 11, 2019
Claire is married to Byron and is his second wife. Bryon’s first wife ,Collen committed suicide but her shadow hangs over their head as she feels Byron is still in love with her .When Bryon starts acting distant with Claire she becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Collen and will stopping at nothing to find out the truth to save her marriage.
The Starter Wife by Nina Laurin is a definite page turner and an enjoyable domestic suspense.Though a little slow in the middle it picked pace later and kept me guessing till the end . Highly recommend !
I would like to thank Grand Central Publishing & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Starter Wife by Nina Laurin is a definite page turner and an enjoyable domestic suspense.Though a little slow in the middle it picked pace later and kept me guessing till the end . Highly recommend !
I would like to thank Grand Central Publishing & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
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March 17, 2019
Wow.. The starter wife was an addicting read that I couldn't get enough of! This is my first Nina Laurin book and it really ended up being a good read that has gotten me out of my reading slump.
I have been totally obsessed with domestic thrillers and this really knocked it out of the park for me. It had everything I look for in a domestic thriller. It had so many lies, secrets, betrayal, multiple wives, obsession and murder!
The starter wife was well written with well thought out plot and characters and everything just flowed together perfectly. It was a little predictable for certain parts of the story but even so, it was still really enjoyable and kept me reading until all hours of the night until I was finished it. Once I did finish it I quite honestly didn't want it to end and the ending really has you left with unanswered questions and had me thinking of my own conclusions which is a fun part of reading.
I have been totally obsessed with domestic thrillers and this really knocked it out of the park for me. It had everything I look for in a domestic thriller. It had so many lies, secrets, betrayal, multiple wives, obsession and murder!
The starter wife was well written with well thought out plot and characters and everything just flowed together perfectly. It was a little predictable for certain parts of the story but even so, it was still really enjoyable and kept me reading until all hours of the night until I was finished it. Once I did finish it I quite honestly didn't want it to end and the ending really has you left with unanswered questions and had me thinking of my own conclusions which is a fun part of reading.
May 25, 2019
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! :)
This is definitely for all you mystery/thriller fans out there who can't get enough of your CRAZY WOMEN. You know, the Single White Female types, the Fatal Attraction types... or even Gone Girl. :)
All the nastiest tropes of our favorite crazy girls are upped here for our reading pleasure, evoking gales of disturbed laughter from tortured chests. :)
Fun. Good, evil fun. :)
This is definitely for all you mystery/thriller fans out there who can't get enough of your CRAZY WOMEN. You know, the Single White Female types, the Fatal Attraction types... or even Gone Girl. :)
All the nastiest tropes of our favorite crazy girls are upped here for our reading pleasure, evoking gales of disturbed laughter from tortured chests. :)
Fun. Good, evil fun. :)
May 29, 2019
“I’m overcome with a sensation of vulnerability, alone and exposed in this airy room like a goldfish that becomes aware of her tank for the first time.”
Claire and Byron have been married for a few years. Byron’s first wife, Colleen, died ten years ago in an apparent suicide and to Claire, it’s clear he has not moved on from her death. Colleen’s paintings still adorn the walls of every room in the house they shared and he won’t let Claire redecorate even though she now lives there with him. Even worse, he proposed to Claire with a replica of the lost emerald heirloom ring that he had given to Colleen.
Claire’s insecurities regarding her infertility, inability to have her writing published and Byron’s hangups on Colleen start to get the best of her. When odd things start happening - for example, strange emails appearing and disappearing - Claire begins to convince herself that Colleen didn’t actually die.
Is Colleen alive and coming back for revenge? Is Claire losing her mind? Is something entirely more sinister going on?
This book was intriguing and kept me guessing. I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of the characters and there were a lot of loose ends that weren’t addressed. All in all an enjoyable read for any thriller lover looking for a bit of crazy!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Claire and Byron have been married for a few years. Byron’s first wife, Colleen, died ten years ago in an apparent suicide and to Claire, it’s clear he has not moved on from her death. Colleen’s paintings still adorn the walls of every room in the house they shared and he won’t let Claire redecorate even though she now lives there with him. Even worse, he proposed to Claire with a replica of the lost emerald heirloom ring that he had given to Colleen.
Claire’s insecurities regarding her infertility, inability to have her writing published and Byron’s hangups on Colleen start to get the best of her. When odd things start happening - for example, strange emails appearing and disappearing - Claire begins to convince herself that Colleen didn’t actually die.
Is Colleen alive and coming back for revenge? Is Claire losing her mind? Is something entirely more sinister going on?
This book was intriguing and kept me guessing. I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of the characters and there were a lot of loose ends that weren’t addressed. All in all an enjoyable read for any thriller lover looking for a bit of crazy!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 17, 2019
He loves her, he loves her not, he loves her he loves her not....
“True love only gives and asks for nothing in return.”
The Starter Wife, takes you down the aisle of marriage bliss and makes you realize what one will do to keep the spark of love alive - and just how far they’ll go to keep their mate by their side. After all, in love and marriage, it’s until death do you part, right? 4.5 stars
“True love only gives and asks for nothing in return.”
The Starter Wife, takes you down the aisle of marriage bliss and makes you realize what one will do to keep the spark of love alive - and just how far they’ll go to keep their mate by their side. After all, in love and marriage, it’s until death do you part, right? 4.5 stars
July 4, 2019
With thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this ARC in exchange for and open and honest review.
Claire Westcott was married to college professor Byron Westcott. When they first met Byron was grieving after his first wife Colleen committed suicide. After Byron and Claire got married they remained in the house he shared with Colleen. Her paintings were still on the walls including a nude painting of Byron and Colleen in the bedroom.
Claire was a trophy wife, she didnt work but she was writing a novel which she was trying to get published. Although Claire loved Byron he had recently become cold and distant. One day out of the blue Claire was shocked to receive a text message from Colleen. Claire became paranoid and started to question her sanity
Meanwhile a struggling waitress become fixated with Byron when he visited her restaurant. She followed him home and managed to get a copy of Byron`s keys. Byron didnt know the waitress existed but she decides to get rid of his wife and make him hers.
The Starter Wife was not a bad book but I didn't feel like dropping everything to read it. The plot didnt become exciting for me until the 70% mark when the different storylines came together. I had an inkling of what the twist would be but I was only partly right. When the real story came out I was gobsmacked, the Linda storyline was brilliant. I definitely didn't see that coming.
The problem was Claire wasn't a sympathetic protagonist, although her marriage to Byron was crumbling I didn't feel sorry for her. She was definitely obsessive, especially when she tried to sell one of Colleen`s pictures to pay for IVF.
Overall the plot was well thought but it didnt grab me until the final pages.'. This book would of been three stars but the gripping ending gave it another star.
April 24, 2019
'A gripping thriller'... Yes!
We meet Claire Westcott, 27, married to successfull professor in literature Byron Westcott, some 20 years her senior. Claire is not very happy. She met Byron when he was already a widower. His first wife, famous artist Colleen May, disappeared a few years ago. She seems to have been mentally unstable and presumably drowned herself. Her body was never found...
Claire's written a manuscript, but she is not succeeding in selling it. In the mean time, she takes care of Byron and that's about all she does. She wonders why Byron apparently is no longer happy with her. And why is she suddenly getting a message from Colleen?
The story is told from a few different viewpoints and the 'gripping' part is that it takes a while before the reader discovers who, besides Claire, the other voices are. We see Claire behaving more and more erratic and it doesn't take long before it is clear that all is not well in their marriage.
But who is deceiving who? And more important: why?
It was a great read, full of unexpected twists and turns, with good characters and very well written.
Thanks to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for this digital review copy.
We meet Claire Westcott, 27, married to successfull professor in literature Byron Westcott, some 20 years her senior. Claire is not very happy. She met Byron when he was already a widower. His first wife, famous artist Colleen May, disappeared a few years ago. She seems to have been mentally unstable and presumably drowned herself. Her body was never found...
Claire's written a manuscript, but she is not succeeding in selling it. In the mean time, she takes care of Byron and that's about all she does. She wonders why Byron apparently is no longer happy with her. And why is she suddenly getting a message from Colleen?
The story is told from a few different viewpoints and the 'gripping' part is that it takes a while before the reader discovers who, besides Claire, the other voices are. We see Claire behaving more and more erratic and it doesn't take long before it is clear that all is not well in their marriage.
But who is deceiving who? And more important: why?
It was a great read, full of unexpected twists and turns, with good characters and very well written.
Thanks to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for this digital review copy.
June 12, 2019
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
The Starter Wife took me on one crazy journey, and I enjoyed every second of it. I was scratching my head in confusion and second guessing myself so many times, which I thought was brilliant. The book had me going back and forth thinking I knew everything and knew what was going on, but then I'd go back to having no clue and coming up with a bunch of different theories. It was completely captivating.
This was actually my first book from Nina Laurin but it certainly won't be my last. Any author that can write such a gripping thriller that keeps me in suspense every single page, gets me as a fan. And I'm not lying when I say every single page. Right down to the last sentence I was enthralled and still wondering what was going on. It was amazing how little was given away about the plot, and yet it was never confusing. I actually wish I could go back and read it for the first time all over again to experience that craziness some more.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
The Starter Wife took me on one crazy journey, and I enjoyed every second of it. I was scratching my head in confusion and second guessing myself so many times, which I thought was brilliant. The book had me going back and forth thinking I knew everything and knew what was going on, but then I'd go back to having no clue and coming up with a bunch of different theories. It was completely captivating.
This was actually my first book from Nina Laurin but it certainly won't be my last. Any author that can write such a gripping thriller that keeps me in suspense every single page, gets me as a fan. And I'm not lying when I say every single page. Right down to the last sentence I was enthralled and still wondering what was going on. It was amazing how little was given away about the plot, and yet it was never confusing. I actually wish I could go back and read it for the first time all over again to experience that craziness some more.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley, Nina Laurin and Grand Central Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Claire begins to get suspicious of what her husband is up too, so she looks up the story behind her husband’s missing first wife and finds out that she disappeared in suspicious circumstances. Claire is getting phone calls with no one on the other end and e-mails that scare her. One of those phone calls a woman answers and knows more about Claire than she should; is Colleen, his first wife alive and looking to get rid of Claire?
This book was not at all what I anticipated and I LOVED IT! This book had be turning the pages like nobodies business! I wasn’t quite sure what was happening and why it seemed like there was a lot about Claire losing it. I was suspicious of all the characters in this novel and I wasn’t sure if I liked any of them all that much. I loved how much suspense there was throughout this novel and I found myself rooting for one character in particular. I loved the darker atmosphere of the novel and the chapters that you didn’t know who was writing made it even more fun to try to figure out! I loved how twisted this story was and I hope there is more twisted stories to come from Laurin! There were so many little twists throughout this novel that leave you gasping for breath while you try to speed read the ending! I can’t say too much without giving away any twists, so do yourself a favor and read it!
Out June 11th!
Claire begins to get suspicious of what her husband is up too, so she looks up the story behind her husband’s missing first wife and finds out that she disappeared in suspicious circumstances. Claire is getting phone calls with no one on the other end and e-mails that scare her. One of those phone calls a woman answers and knows more about Claire than she should; is Colleen, his first wife alive and looking to get rid of Claire?
This book was not at all what I anticipated and I LOVED IT! This book had be turning the pages like nobodies business! I wasn’t quite sure what was happening and why it seemed like there was a lot about Claire losing it. I was suspicious of all the characters in this novel and I wasn’t sure if I liked any of them all that much. I loved how much suspense there was throughout this novel and I found myself rooting for one character in particular. I loved the darker atmosphere of the novel and the chapters that you didn’t know who was writing made it even more fun to try to figure out! I loved how twisted this story was and I hope there is more twisted stories to come from Laurin! There were so many little twists throughout this novel that leave you gasping for breath while you try to speed read the ending! I can’t say too much without giving away any twists, so do yourself a favor and read it!
Out June 11th!
May 3, 2019
3.5 Stars to The Starter Wife!
Claire is Byron's second wife, he's about 20 years her senior and there's a bunch of indicators that he may not be over his first wife, Colleen, who died 10 years earlier, but who's body was never found. When Claire gets a phone call that seems that it might be from Colleen, it's the thread that begins to make the whole quilt unravel.
This book started out with extreme promise but as it moved forward it started to lose me a bit. The concept of the unreliable wife is becoming frustrating for me - the woman who is so desperate to keep her man (who she thinks is probably cheating anyway) is quite disheartening and the finale of the book was a bit over the top. I'm still giving 3.5 stars because this book held my attention and I did strongly enjoy the first 2/3 and the writing was very well done. I'll also be the first to say that I've read an abundance of domestic thrillers so maybe the plots are becoming too similar - so someone who has not become over-saturated in this genre may enjoy this title more than I did!
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Claire is Byron's second wife, he's about 20 years her senior and there's a bunch of indicators that he may not be over his first wife, Colleen, who died 10 years earlier, but who's body was never found. When Claire gets a phone call that seems that it might be from Colleen, it's the thread that begins to make the whole quilt unravel.
This book started out with extreme promise but as it moved forward it started to lose me a bit. The concept of the unreliable wife is becoming frustrating for me - the woman who is so desperate to keep her man (who she thinks is probably cheating anyway) is quite disheartening and the finale of the book was a bit over the top. I'm still giving 3.5 stars because this book held my attention and I did strongly enjoy the first 2/3 and the writing was very well done. I'll also be the first to say that I've read an abundance of domestic thrillers so maybe the plots are becoming too similar - so someone who has not become over-saturated in this genre may enjoy this title more than I did!
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
August 13, 2019
This book takes the cake in CRAZY. This domestic suspense definitely took me on a wild rollercoaster ride of psychotic. It is told in alternating perspectives....Byron’s wife (Claire) and Byron’s obsessed admirer.... My advice read carefully. There are many clues throughout the book that if you catch early on...will make the book so much better and easier to follow... Secrets, lies and dark deception....this book checks all the boxes! I have enjoyed ALL of Nina Lauren’s past books, What My Sister Knew & Girl Last Seen. She is a young, talented new-ish writer and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
3.5 stars rounded up! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.5 stars rounded up! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 13, 2025
(Review to Come...)
June 14, 2021
It's my very basic and sound principle that any book with girl/s, wife/wives, or woman/women in its title is going to be a remarkable read. It is this same principle that propelled me to pick this book up from the bookstore. It doesn't even matter that the title, The Starter Wife, sounds really ridiculous. Lol.
But it's actually not a bad read. In fact I find this one quite well written and addictive to read. I was beginning to think that the plot is pretty predictable but then I was proven wrong with this surprising twist which was quite shocking and something I didn’t expect.
I also wanted to complain about Claire's excessive introspection but after reading the book, I realize it’s necessary to the story. I thought that was a very clever job the author did making me believe the dual narrative. I usually find unreliable narrators in thrillers unimpressive but here, it actually kind of works. Ooops. I may have already said too much. I’m going to need to stop here.
But it's actually not a bad read. In fact I find this one quite well written and addictive to read. I was beginning to think that the plot is pretty predictable but then I was proven wrong with this surprising twist which was quite shocking and something I didn’t expect.
I also wanted to complain about Claire's excessive introspection but after reading the book, I realize it’s necessary to the story. I thought that was a very clever job the author did making me believe the dual narrative. I usually find unreliable narrators in thrillers unimpressive but here, it actually kind of works. Ooops. I may have already said too much. I’m going to need to stop here.
August 1, 2019
Woah! Twists and turns ga!ore!
This book grabbed me early as I sensed an undercurrent of delicious deception, secrets and lies. Nothing have warning to what unfolds.
The characters are vivid and damaged and ever do imperfect. Claire Westcott, married to her older, be!loved husband Byron was a woman I was desperate to know. Her character development is brilliant and she is the star of the novel for sure.
This helped me out of a frustrating reading slump with its interesting plot and great pacing. The last forty percent had me riveted until three in The morning! I lapped it up.
Expect the unexpected, enjoy the tense undercurrent and back in your voyeurism of the lives of these characters. Do we ever truly know those closest to us?
Highly recommended as a twisty take with a dark edge that I found to be so entertaining. I liked the authors writing a lot and bravo for the thri!!ing climax and unforseen end chapters. A solid 4* book to be enjoyed.
Never assume a thing.
This book grabbed me early as I sensed an undercurrent of delicious deception, secrets and lies. Nothing have warning to what unfolds.
The characters are vivid and damaged and ever do imperfect. Claire Westcott, married to her older, be!loved husband Byron was a woman I was desperate to know. Her character development is brilliant and she is the star of the novel for sure.
This helped me out of a frustrating reading slump with its interesting plot and great pacing. The last forty percent had me riveted until three in The morning! I lapped it up.
Expect the unexpected, enjoy the tense undercurrent and back in your voyeurism of the lives of these characters. Do we ever truly know those closest to us?
Highly recommended as a twisty take with a dark edge that I found to be so entertaining. I liked the authors writing a lot and bravo for the thri!!ing climax and unforseen end chapters. A solid 4* book to be enjoyed.
Never assume a thing.
June 7, 2020
Conflicted on this one 🤔
RATING: 2.5 STARS
2019; Grand Central Publishing
I was really conflicted on rating this one. It was written well, but the story was not really suspenseful and read more like a soap opera. You see the ending coming way too early, but I was able to finish it. I rated it 2.5 as it was an okay book, and rounded it to two stars as it was a bit less than okay.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
RATING: 2.5 STARS
2019; Grand Central Publishing
I was really conflicted on rating this one. It was written well, but the story was not really suspenseful and read more like a soap opera. You see the ending coming way too early, but I was able to finish it. I rated it 2.5 as it was an okay book, and rounded it to two stars as it was a bit less than okay.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***
April 6, 2019
. The starter wife is about Byron a college professor and Claire his 20 something wife. There is suspension that Byron killed his first wife Colleen. Her body has never been found. Edge of your seat suspense.
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