If She Were Dead

by J.P. Smith

"Smith spins out a sensuous, sinuous psychological thriller that compels attention to the final line."― Booklist Amelie and Janet are in love with the same Janet's husband. One knows it; the other doesn't. Or does she? As bestselling novelist Amelie Ferrar knows, an affair with a married person is like a work of a kind of spy story with its rules and customs, negotiations and compromises, and many private rituals. But like any spy story, there will inevitably be a something will slip, someone else will find out, someone may even die. As Amelie falls deeper into her obsession with the man she loves―and his wife―the line between the fiction she writes and the reality she lives begins to blur…and the twisted ending to this story is one that not even she could have seen coming.

Genres: Suspense, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2020

About the author

J.P. Smith was born in New York City and began his writing career in England, where he lived for several years with his wife and daughter, and where his first novel was published. As a screenwriter, he was an Academy Nicholl Fellowship Semifinalist in 2014.

His ninth novel, The Summoning, a psychological thriller, was published on September 7th, 2021.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amelie and Janet both love the same man. One is his wife ...the other his lover of two years.

As a best-selling author, the lover knows it probably won't last forever ... not unless she herself makes some changes.

What if his wife was dead .. it's a game she plays in her head. If she were dead, she and her lover wouldn't have to hide their relationship. If she were dead, his kids would grow to love her. If she were dead, her life would be perfect. And if she were dead, she wouldn't have to worry that someone would tell his wife.

Book Blurb: As she falls deeper into her obsession with the man she loves―and his wife―the line between the fiction she writes and the reality she lives begins to blur...and the twisted ending to this story is one that not even she could have seen coming.

This is a superior psychological drama with finely drawn characters who are unforgettable. The ending is a total shocker.

Many thanks to the author / Poisoned Pen Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of IF SHE WERE DEAD. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feeling on If She Were Dead by JP Smith. I really don’t know where to start. It took a while to get into this book and it felt very slow and drawn out for most of it. There was not a single character that I liked, all of them getting on my nerves and needing a serious shaking! And there there was the ending.. what was that all about? I am still not really sure how I feel about it at all.

Amelie is a divorced writer having an affair with a married man., after her own husband left her after an affair. The man she is with Ben is really not worth her time or feelings. She is obsessed with him and struggles to separate fact from fiction. She fantasises about what it would be like I did his wife were no longer around. The book is basically their affair and the thoughts going on in her head.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

[Sunflowerbooklover · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well... ladies and gents this cover is everything!!

I had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately I'm not going to sugar coat anything about this review. This book was pretty bad. It's basically about a woman that's having an affair with a married man... and her thoughts during the entire affair. Let me TELL you.. nothing was happening here my god!!

Around 75 percent it picked up a tad bit... and my goodness I was thinking wow something is about to happen. Nope it just sort of was complete mess again after that. Yikes this was just a hot mess in all and I can't recommend this.

2 stars for me on this one.

Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is told by Amelies perspective. Its all about obsession and infidelity. Amelies whole life revolves around her lover Ben, nothing else seems to matter. I loved the fact that it has a bookish theme. Amelie is a best selling novelist . All characters are unlikeable. The only thing I would have to say is I felt it ended rather abruptly.

[Lisa B. · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book..ugh. Worst of all is the ending!!

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realize that J.P. Smith is a man until I read the post-story interview. That would explain this sex scene: "when they got into bed, they moved with speed, the air filling with growling, hungry noises that came from something deep within them as they wrestled each other into position and in less than a minute it was over, the best she'd ever had, ever, ever." Hard to imagine one-minute-sex qualifying as best ever for anyone under any circumstances (except the author?).

Awful delusional main character, completely hopeless, story that meandered pointlessly and a ridiculous ending.

[Kim Gasparini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off kind of slow, picked up in the middle, seemed to gain in promise towards the end, and then the last 2 pages threw it all away.

[Caroline Bertaud · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book and I don't really know how to rate it. I found some parts very good, and in some others—probably the majority of it—nothing happened. It's very slow burning, and the conclusion is…how to say?…not shocking per se but either didn't make sense or there's something I missed about the main character that could have explained it.
Amelie is a famous novelist. In love with a married man, she's been her lover for the last two years. She met him at their children’s school after recently divorcing her husband who was having an affair with a younger woman. There's nothing really new in the concept, except this: as a novelist Amelie make scenarios of what-ifs and that give readers some great parts where reality and fiction blend into one another. Too bad there weren't more of these moments.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping that my second book by this author would be a little better, but unfortunately it suffers from somewhat the same problems for me as The Drowning I didn't like any of the characters, and especially disliked Amelie and Ben. I don't like cheating books, and so I probably should have known from the beginning that I wouldn't like this one.
It is slow, not much plot (besides the cheating, musing about the cheating, etc). I was a bit confused in the end as well. I think this may be it for this author for me.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[PacaLipstick Gramma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won an ARC of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

Well. The best part of this book was the smell! I use the perfume samples I get in sale flyers as bookmarks. I really love Michael Kors Wonderlust!

Short of that, I had a heck of a time getting through this book. The monotony. Drudgery. Painfully long soliloquies. It was never ending.....

I did not feel any connection to any of the characters. They were just too one dimensional and emotionally flat. And the ending? What in the heck was that all about? It honestly made about as much sense as the previous 295 pages.

I KNEW I should have baked Christmas cookies.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waitttttt... what the actual fuck???

------------

The ending of this book fucking blew my mind. I loved it.

So far I've read two books by J.P. Smith, and both books have astounded me. I loved the dynamics of this book and the obsessiveness of our main character Amelie. There were times when I wasn't sure if she was going crazy or not, but I still kept rooting for her. What can I say, I love an unlikeable character.

I've read so many mystery thrillers about 'the other woman' but this felt refreshingly different. I just could not put the book down. I was too desperate to find out what was gonna happen next.

I just absolutely loved this book.

[Brianas_best_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Review✨

Thank you Sourcebooks and Poisoned Pen Press for sending me a free ARC of “If She Were Dead” to read and review! ☺️

“Amelie and Janet are in love with the same man: Janet’s husband. One knows it; the other doesn't. Or does she?” 💔

This book was so good! It was a fast read broken into five parts and I absolutely flew through it. I was drawn in by the fact that Amelie is a bestselling novelist as I love reading books where the main character is an author themself. They usually have a hard time telling fact from fiction and it makes for a great story.

More than anything, “If She Were Dead” is a story of obsession. It really makes you wonder how well you know those around you and if you can truly trust the person you are in a relationship with.

If you decide to pick this book up (which you should) then get ready for a wild ride full of love, hatred, and obsession!

4/5 ⭐️

[Steve Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

IF SHE WERE DEAD is a beautifully written and highly intelligent psychological thriller that takes the reader deep inside the head of Amelie, a divorced novelist, as she navigates her long term affair with a married man. It’s a tale of obsession, longing and betrayal and the author propels us along this emotional journey until we are unsure as to what is real and what is not.

J.P. Smith has captured the essence of an affair and its wider implications, and shows with uncomfortable realism what can happen when someone deceives themselves while perhaps being deceived by others.

The author has written an impressive story with many twists and turns and he cleverly grabs the reader and does not let go right up until the masterful climax.

IF SHE WERE DEAD is another terrific novel by J.P. Smith and very highly recommended.

[Elise a.k.a. PAPERNERD · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went completely "blind" into this story and although it was not too bad of a story, for me personally the "oompf" was missing.

Again - not saying that it was a bad story, but my demands were not met.
Demands in the way of suspense and excitement.

I never read the end of a book first, but if I would have known beforehand I think, I would have been better off starting with the end...that's the only time this book actually got interesting...
However, this story also resulted in an open end.

This was the story of an affair, but it seemed like the story did not concentrate on a specific thing...

I do not think, there are any trigger warnings necessary:
There was not much of descriptions of the cheating couples' life before they met - just more of foot notes.
Same goes with their encounters (no "smut").
Not a lot of characters were involved.
No hidden secrets.
Was this a love story without romance ?
Was this a suspense story without excitement?

At the end of the book, I did not understand, why I even read it and constantly waited for the ball to drop.

For me, it was a mellow read only.

[booksbikesbooze · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up!

This was a fast paced domestic thriller, completely different from Smith's last novel: The Drowning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Drowning in early 2019, so I was looking forward to If She Were Dead. While the middle was a tad confusing, I was able to finish this quickly and enjoyed the unexpected twist at the end. I also enjoyed discussing this as the ending left me with some questions! (As did The Drowning!)

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy #partner

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of works by Liv Constantine and Sandie Jones will love this next work by J.P. Smith, author of the suspense/mystery thriller "The Drowning".

Author Amelie Ferrar is having an affair. After 2 years, the relationship seems to have become stagnent - until it looks like the wife, Janet, has found out.

What happens next is a subtle work of psychological mind games that will have you wondering whether Amelie, in her furvor to protect the affair and bring it into the open and to eventual marriage, is really seeing what she is seeing - or if her mind has fractured leading her to a more sinister end game that you won't see coming.

"The Drowning" is one of my favorite books and I could not wait to read this one. A stand-alone, "If She Were Dead" is a different kind of slow-burn that as the chapters go on and the parts of the novel pass, the story itself seems to get more and more frantic on purpose to show Amelie's own interior mind.

It was a lot of fun (scary story, but fun for the ride). Perfectly perfect for a rainy day read - with the lights on.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for early access to this title.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm having a difficult time reconciling my paradoxical reaction to this book. At times I thought the story was mired in exorbitant narrative, resembling a loopy stream of consciousness from a stark-raving, drunk, unemployed 18th Century philosopher. Other times, the prose was so taut and slick that the tension was palpable. At times, I thought the plot was absolutely brilliant... until other times when it wasn't. I felt the ending was an overshot. There were times when I grew tired of the back and forth of Amelie's thoughts, words, and deeds. Then there were other times that I could not put the story down.

I gave it 4 stars because I have a suspicion that my appreciation for 'If She Were Dead' will grow like a cult classic—the more I think about it, the more I will love it. I would definitely recommend this book.

BTW, Ben is the Almighty King, Lord of the Schmucks!

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and J.P. Smith for an ARC of 'If She Were Dead' in exchange for honest and voluntary review.

[Wrenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelie Ferrar is a noted writer, divorced from her husband who had an affair.
She has been having an affair with a married man for two years. Her lover Ben is married to Janet.
With her powerful writer's imagination, Amelie daydreams about what her life would be like if Janet were dead.
She is wrapped up in everything Ben. She wants him to leave his wife and marry her, but Ben is perfectly happy with the arrangement they already have.
As Amelie falls deeper into her dark compulsion, the line between fantasy and reality becomes obscured.
This circuitous psychological thriller was a slow burn with a dreamlike quality.
The writing was excellent and kept me interested, though it was deliberately paced and most of the action takes place in Amelie's head.
I didn't find Ben particulary intriguing, or worthy of Amelie's fascination though.
This one has a great unexpected ending!
Thank you to Poison Press for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

[Avery Swartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was written in a very intriguing way. i loved the word usage and imagery this book provided me. i suspected a more intense ending considering the plot of the book, however, the actual ending was a great way to settle the conflict once and for all and in a very suspenseful but resolving way. definitely recommend this book

[Roma Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not my cup of tea. The editing is choppy, the writing is good bu the plot did not do it for me. I could not relate to the plot or the characters much

[Lilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt like I was reading a script for a movie.

[Cassidy Schmidt · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Gabby Lindquist · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, chapters are very short so there are alot of them. Ending had some twists and l need some questions answered LOL

[Mandi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was bored through 80% of the book and then when it ended all I could think was “WTF?”

[Janice Lombardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow...

[SilverReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not my cup of tea. I don't expect all story endings to end up in a neat package, but either I missed something or this just didn't make sense to me.

[Sarah Dickinson]

What can I say about this book ? I don't believe in giving you a summery or a storyline. No spoilers are to be found in my reviews. Mainly because you can read that anywhere, and sometimes that's not what you need to know before you decide if you want to read a book. Or maybe that's just me, either way I intend to tell you the things that matter to me when I decide if I want to invest either my time or emotions delving into a book.
The biggest question is was it a page turner, a story that needed 1 or more things different to be better, or worse, tossed into a DNF pile. It took me a bit to get into it, 20 pages or so, but then it was impossible to put down. It was simply gripping. Complicated, fascinating and is still crawling into my psyche as I question past relationships and scenarios, and wonder if I know what love or healthy love even is.
Then there is the writing. Which stand alone, could send me back to some of the classics of literature. It was so well written that calling it well written didn't do it justice. The plot was interesting, and the twists were exceptional. For the most part the characters were crafted well enough to be likable , or at the very least you will feel invested in what happens to them. Don't let that tone dissuade you , as it's more geared toward my personal opinions. I for one am simply over female characters that , at their very core are dependent on a man. This is not the complaint of male writers creating female characters in a narrow sexist focus by any means. The character's views are important to the plot and tone of the book. Simply stated she needed to feel that way for the story and the character dynamics to work. But, if you're like me and this is a theme that grates on you , and threatens to push your "I'm over it" button please ride it out. As you will surely be glad you did.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this ARC to review

[Tishika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw a lot of complaints about the ending of this book. I’m glad I stuck it out because I didn’t mind it. It was getting there that was the challenge. I would have enjoyed it much more if less time was spent in Amelie’s head.

[Traci Medford-Rosow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. I have a strong preference for nonfiction, so when I read Smith’s THE DROWNING I was surprised that I could not put it down. When I agreed to read his latest novel, IF SHE WERE DEAD, I was sure that I would struggle to get through it. And I did. For the first 30 pages. But then his story gripped me and did not let go.

Part love story, part exploration into the difficulties of marriage and part psychological thriller, Smith’s latest masterpiece dazzles and delights with plot twists and turns down to the very last sentence. Literally.

A seemingly simple plot—married man having an affair with an unmarried woman—proves to be the instrument for an exploration into the tangled parts of our own psyches. I was left wondering who exactly was the most aggrieved—the cheating husband, the mistress, or the “innocent” wife? At different parts in the story I believed it was all three. By the last page, however, I felt it didn’t matter. They were all perpetrators and victims—of one another, and even more so, of themselves. And then there was the fourth “real”victim—the truly innocent one.

Smith’s latest novel will leave me questioning the complex nature of love, crimes and punishments for a long time.

Traci Medford-Rosow
USA Today bestselling author of UNBLINDED: One Man’s Courageous Journey through Darkness to Sight and INFLECTION POINT: War and Sacrifice in Corporate America.