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An Ambush of Widows
12 hours, 32 minutes
In New York Times bestselling author Jeff Abbott’s latest novel of riveting psychological suspense, an uneasy alliance forms as two widows delve into their husbands’ deadly and dangerous secrets—as they try to protect their own.
Henry North is a down-on-his-luck cybersecurity expert from New Orleans. Adam Zhang is the cofounder of one of Austin’s most successful venture capitalist firms. These two men didn’t know each other. They had never met. Yet they died together, violently, in a place neither had any business being.
When Henry doesn’t return from a business trip, his wife, Kirsten, panics—and then gets an anonymous phone call: “Your husband is dead in Austin.”
Flora Zhang knew her husband was keeping secrets. She suspected an affair, but she had decided she could forgive him for his weakness—until her husband ended up dead. And with no explanation for her husband’s murder, the police begin to suspect her.
Together, these two widows will face a powerful foe determined to write a false narrative about the murders. In doing so, neither Flora nor Kirsten will remain the women the world thought they were.
In New York Times bestselling author Jeff Abbott’s latest novel of riveting psychological suspense, an uneasy alliance forms as two widows delve into their husbands’ deadly and dangerous secrets—as they try to protect their own.
Henry North is a down-on-his-luck cybersecurity expert from New Orleans. Adam Zhang is the cofounder of one of Austin’s most successful venture capitalist firms. These two men didn’t know each other. They had never met. Yet they died together, violently, in a place neither had any business being.
When Henry doesn’t return from a business trip, his wife, Kirsten, panics—and then gets an anonymous phone call: “Your husband is dead in Austin.”
Flora Zhang knew her husband was keeping secrets. She suspected an affair, but she had decided she could forgive him for his weakness—until her husband ended up dead. And with no explanation for her husband’s murder, the police begin to suspect her.
Together, these two widows will face a powerful foe determined to write a false narrative about the murders. In doing so, neither Flora nor Kirsten will remain the women the world thought they were.
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First published July 6, 2021
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About the author
Jeff Abbott
53 books1,234 followersJeff Abbott (born 1963) is a U.S. suspense novelist. He has a degree in History and English from Rice University. He lives in Austin, Texas. His early novels were traditional detective fiction but in recent years he has turned to writing thriller fiction. A theme of his work is the idea of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary danger and fighting to return to their normal lives. His novels are published in several countries and have also been bestsellers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and France.
Series:
* Whit Mosley
* Jordan Poteet
Series:
* Whit Mosley
* Jordan Poteet
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August 22, 2021
An Ambush of Widows by Jeff Abbott (Goodreads Author), Christine Lakin (Narrator)
Flora Zhang's wealthy husband has been murdered, along with another guy, in an empty warehouse in Austin. In New Orleans, Kirsten North gets a phone call saying that her husband is dead. The murder of their husbands brings Flora and Kirsten together but neither one of them trusts the other. Whose fault is it that their husbands are dead and who wanted them dead?
As we explore the past of Kirsten, her husband, and her foster brother, Zach, we know that this trio has/had secrets that needed to stay secret. But Flora's husband had his own secrets, too, secrets he kept from Flora, although she was willing to let them slide until those secrets blow up their life. Now both Flora and Kirsten are determined to find out what happened to their husbands and why they were meeting in an empty warehouse. Flora has her reputation to protect and Kirsten wants revenge. These two women can work together to find out the truth or they can bring each other down. All the while they are trying to fend off whoever is after them, too.
There are a lot of characters to keep track up with this story but I enjoyed the mystery and the fact that both women were willing to stand up to whoever had smashed a wrecking ball into their lives. But who to trust? Kirsten isn't even sure she can trust her foster brother. Flora isn't sure she can trust her husband's cousin, business partner, or best friend. And who hired the bumbling assassin? Don't mess with the widows!
Published July 6, 2021
Flora Zhang's wealthy husband has been murdered, along with another guy, in an empty warehouse in Austin. In New Orleans, Kirsten North gets a phone call saying that her husband is dead. The murder of their husbands brings Flora and Kirsten together but neither one of them trusts the other. Whose fault is it that their husbands are dead and who wanted them dead?
As we explore the past of Kirsten, her husband, and her foster brother, Zach, we know that this trio has/had secrets that needed to stay secret. But Flora's husband had his own secrets, too, secrets he kept from Flora, although she was willing to let them slide until those secrets blow up their life. Now both Flora and Kirsten are determined to find out what happened to their husbands and why they were meeting in an empty warehouse. Flora has her reputation to protect and Kirsten wants revenge. These two women can work together to find out the truth or they can bring each other down. All the while they are trying to fend off whoever is after them, too.
There are a lot of characters to keep track up with this story but I enjoyed the mystery and the fact that both women were willing to stand up to whoever had smashed a wrecking ball into their lives. But who to trust? Kirsten isn't even sure she can trust her foster brother. Flora isn't sure she can trust her husband's cousin, business partner, or best friend. And who hired the bumbling assassin? Don't mess with the widows!
Published July 6, 2021
June 18, 2021
A fantastic thriller that exceeded my expectations!
Kirsten North is shocked to receive a call from her husband’s cell phone, with a strange voice at the other end of the line.
“Your husband has been killed. In Austin. Texas...He was shot.”
Kirsten’s husband, Henry, was supposed to be in New York for work. She books the first flight out of New Orleans to Austin.
Flora Zhang is struggling after her husband, Adam’s, death. Adam’s body was found next to Henry’s, but nobody can figure out how they ended up in a warehouse together.
Kirsten and Flora end up working together to try and figure out what their husbands were up to, who killed them, and why there are folks who may want to kill Kirsten and Flora as well.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy An Ambush of Widows. The beginning was a bit slow, and I wasn’t getting the vibe of anything exciting happening.
Luckily, I was wrong. Things soon picked up, and I was hooked!
There are many potential suspects and shady activities going on to propel the storyline. The characters are extremely fleshed out...especially Kirsten and Flora. I loved seeing them come together to try and figure out who would kill their husbands, given that they couldn’t trust anyone...let alone each other.
I predicted a part of the reveal semi-early on, and thought I would be disappointed if it turned out I was right. However, there were other moving pieces of the puzzle that I didn’t put together. It was all handled so expertly, and I was HERE FOR IT.
I always appreciate when a book doesn’t let me down at the end, and I have to say this ending was exciting, entertaining, and fully satisfying (with the exception of the last two pages).
This is my first Jeff Abbott read, but it surely won’t be my last.
4.5 stars.
Sincere thank you to Grand Central Publishing/Novel Suspects for sending me a physical ARC. The book will be published on: 7/6/21.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Kirsten North is shocked to receive a call from her husband’s cell phone, with a strange voice at the other end of the line.
“Your husband has been killed. In Austin. Texas...He was shot.”
Kirsten’s husband, Henry, was supposed to be in New York for work. She books the first flight out of New Orleans to Austin.
Flora Zhang is struggling after her husband, Adam’s, death. Adam’s body was found next to Henry’s, but nobody can figure out how they ended up in a warehouse together.
Kirsten and Flora end up working together to try and figure out what their husbands were up to, who killed them, and why there are folks who may want to kill Kirsten and Flora as well.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy An Ambush of Widows. The beginning was a bit slow, and I wasn’t getting the vibe of anything exciting happening.
Luckily, I was wrong. Things soon picked up, and I was hooked!
There are many potential suspects and shady activities going on to propel the storyline. The characters are extremely fleshed out...especially Kirsten and Flora. I loved seeing them come together to try and figure out who would kill their husbands, given that they couldn’t trust anyone...let alone each other.
I predicted a part of the reveal semi-early on, and thought I would be disappointed if it turned out I was right. However, there were other moving pieces of the puzzle that I didn’t put together. It was all handled so expertly, and I was HERE FOR IT.
I always appreciate when a book doesn’t let me down at the end, and I have to say this ending was exciting, entertaining, and fully satisfying (with the exception of the last two pages).
This is my first Jeff Abbott read, but it surely won’t be my last.
4.5 stars.
Sincere thank you to Grand Central Publishing/Novel Suspects for sending me a physical ARC. The book will be published on: 7/6/21.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
August 2, 2021
One of the reasons I read is to learn, and in reading Jeff Abbott’s 2021 thriller I learned that a group of widows is called an ambush. Did you know that? Well now you do - the collective noun for widows is in fact “ambush.”
I also learned through reading An Ambush of Widows that a dude can write 20 novels in one of my favorite genres and still not be on my radar. Jeff Abbott’s author bio says a theme of his work is the idea of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary danger and fighting to return to their normal lives. That’s certainly the case here, where the wives of two murdered businessmen try to unravel the mystery of what happened to them while also dodging nefarious characters nipping at their own heels.
Abbott is from Austin, TX, and much of the action takes place in that vibrant city. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters’ complicated relationships. Though there’s nothing necessarily groundbreaking in the story, I had fun trying to guess the who in this whodunnit nonetheless.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing / Novel Suspects for providing me with a gifted advance copy to review. An Ambush of Widows is now available.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
I also learned through reading An Ambush of Widows that a dude can write 20 novels in one of my favorite genres and still not be on my radar. Jeff Abbott’s author bio says a theme of his work is the idea of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary danger and fighting to return to their normal lives. That’s certainly the case here, where the wives of two murdered businessmen try to unravel the mystery of what happened to them while also dodging nefarious characters nipping at their own heels.
Abbott is from Austin, TX, and much of the action takes place in that vibrant city. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters’ complicated relationships. Though there’s nothing necessarily groundbreaking in the story, I had fun trying to guess the who in this whodunnit nonetheless.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing / Novel Suspects for providing me with a gifted advance copy to review. An Ambush of Widows is now available.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
August 21, 2022
SYNOPSIS
Two seemingly unconnected men die violently together in a warehouse, bringing together two widows to solve the mystery of their murders.
MY OPINION
Cover with women standing in an illuminated windows are hot right now; my fave recent reads Dark Objects and Look Closer have similar vibes. I'm a fan.
As always, Imma keep it 100 with you THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. It doesn't have the same twisty twistiness as Look Closer... I would say it's more like Dark Objects. It's a slower burn with a lot of focus on the character's backgrounds. There's three povs (the wives and the hitman!!! love that) plus the occasional flashback. FYI this is a citizens gone rogue story, but it didn't annoy the shit outta me which is great.
I was very impressed that this male author could write female characters without describing the size of their titties and saying they give good sloppy toppy. I loved the depth of Flora; a wife who wasn't blatantly abused yet retreated into herself to let her man get his shine on. My heart actually felt something called emotion for Flora during a certain scene, can you believe it!? Kirsten had her own backstory, which yes, was a lil OTT, but still entertaining.
My big gripes are that it was a lil too OTT in places and it went in circles for a bit. There was limited male author vibes and a juicy j premise. A solid read, but like I said A SLOW BURN. This isn't your typical thriller... it's got a lil meat to it.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well written, interesting premise, starts with a bang, great depth of Flora's character, essentially zero male gaze writing
Cons: goes in circles for a bit, a lil OTT
Two seemingly unconnected men die violently together in a warehouse, bringing together two widows to solve the mystery of their murders.
MY OPINION
Cover with women standing in an illuminated windows are hot right now; my fave recent reads Dark Objects and Look Closer have similar vibes. I'm a fan.
As always, Imma keep it 100 with you THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. It doesn't have the same twisty twistiness as Look Closer... I would say it's more like Dark Objects. It's a slower burn with a lot of focus on the character's backgrounds. There's three povs (the wives and the hitman!!! love that) plus the occasional flashback. FYI this is a citizens gone rogue story, but it didn't annoy the shit outta me which is great.
I was very impressed that this male author could write female characters without describing the size of their titties and saying they give good sloppy toppy. I loved the depth of Flora; a wife who wasn't blatantly abused yet retreated into herself to let her man get his shine on. My heart actually felt something called emotion for Flora during a certain scene, can you believe it!? Kirsten had her own backstory, which yes, was a lil OTT, but still entertaining.
My big gripes are that it was a lil too OTT in places and it went in circles for a bit. There was limited male author vibes and a juicy j premise. A solid read, but like I said A SLOW BURN. This isn't your typical thriller... it's got a lil meat to it.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well written, interesting premise, starts with a bang, great depth of Flora's character, essentially zero male gaze writing
Cons: goes in circles for a bit, a lil OTT
June 18, 2021
3.75 rounded up!
Kirsten thought that Henry was in N.Y.
Flora thought that Adam was on his way home.
So, how did these two seemingly unconnected businessmen end up murdered together in an abandoned warehouse in Austin?
The Widows are left with more questions than answers and each believes that the other’s husband is the one responsible for getting the other man killed.
And why has a hitman been hired to kill Kirsten?
And, why is Flora being framed?
Will the two Widows become allies or adversaries when the secrets begin to spill?
The book started out strong for me, and I was immediately hooked!
BUT, at about the halfway point, I had a strong suspicion about WHO was responsible and I was correct about the person though I didn’t have all of the details right. Until this point there were many possibilities but after it, I never doubted my choice again.
And, the ending got a little bit OTT for me-especially the very LAST chapter-which in my humble opinion should just be cut.
But, with that being said-I cannot believe that with 19 published books, three of which were nominated for Edgar Awards, that I had never before read this author!
It could take me awhile to get caught up!
Be on the lookout for DeAnn’s amazing review to find out if she and I felt the same way about this one or not…
Thank You to Grand Central Publishing for sending me a physical ARC of this book which is on sale on July 6, 2021
It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Kirsten thought that Henry was in N.Y.
Flora thought that Adam was on his way home.
So, how did these two seemingly unconnected businessmen end up murdered together in an abandoned warehouse in Austin?
The Widows are left with more questions than answers and each believes that the other’s husband is the one responsible for getting the other man killed.
And why has a hitman been hired to kill Kirsten?
And, why is Flora being framed?
Will the two Widows become allies or adversaries when the secrets begin to spill?
The book started out strong for me, and I was immediately hooked!
BUT, at about the halfway point, I had a strong suspicion about WHO was responsible and I was correct about the person though I didn’t have all of the details right. Until this point there were many possibilities but after it, I never doubted my choice again.
And, the ending got a little bit OTT for me-especially the very LAST chapter-which in my humble opinion should just be cut.
But, with that being said-I cannot believe that with 19 published books, three of which were nominated for Edgar Awards, that I had never before read this author!
It could take me awhile to get caught up!
Be on the lookout for DeAnn’s amazing review to find out if she and I felt the same way about this one or not…
Thank You to Grand Central Publishing for sending me a physical ARC of this book which is on sale on July 6, 2021
It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
July 10, 2021
Who Knew?
What do a clowder of cats, a paddling of ducks, a tower of giraffes, or an ambush of widows have in common?
They're all collective nouns. The author gave readers a vocabulary lesson with his definition of a group of widows designated as “an ambush of widows”.
My pre-conception of the title had me thinking “verb” and that a group of widows was being ambushed or pursued by nefarious individuals.
I suppose it was a double entendre because that happened too.
There are four dead husbands in this book and four women wanting answers. The story follows them in present time with an alternating backstory for Kerstain and JJ. Multiple narrations had me on my toes processing the many moving pieces.
I really enjoyed this because of the numerous threads without over-wrought descriptions. Did I mention that one of the characters was a hit-man? Not a particularly smart one, but he had a major impact. Call me morbid, but I like hit-man stories.
Jeff Abbott wasn’t on my radar until I read this and I’ll definitely read more by this author.
Thank you to a friend for mailing me her physical copy- it was much appreciated! Publishes on July 6, 2021.
If anyone’s interested, here’s a broader list of collective nouns from my Google prowess:
A colony of penguins
A shrewdness of apes
A parade of elephants
A murder of crows
A troop of kangaroos
A bloat of hippopotami
An obstinacy of buffalo
A drove of pigs
A crash of rhinoceroses
An ambush of tigers
A dray of squirrels
A zeal of zebras
What do a clowder of cats, a paddling of ducks, a tower of giraffes, or an ambush of widows have in common?
They're all collective nouns. The author gave readers a vocabulary lesson with his definition of a group of widows designated as “an ambush of widows”.
My pre-conception of the title had me thinking “verb” and that a group of widows was being ambushed or pursued by nefarious individuals.
I suppose it was a double entendre because that happened too.
There are four dead husbands in this book and four women wanting answers. The story follows them in present time with an alternating backstory for Kerstain and JJ. Multiple narrations had me on my toes processing the many moving pieces.
I really enjoyed this because of the numerous threads without over-wrought descriptions. Did I mention that one of the characters was a hit-man? Not a particularly smart one, but he had a major impact. Call me morbid, but I like hit-man stories.
Jeff Abbott wasn’t on my radar until I read this and I’ll definitely read more by this author.
Thank you to a friend for mailing me her physical copy- it was much appreciated! Publishes on July 6, 2021.
If anyone’s interested, here’s a broader list of collective nouns from my Google prowess:
A colony of penguins
A shrewdness of apes
A parade of elephants
A murder of crows
A troop of kangaroos
A bloat of hippopotami
An obstinacy of buffalo
A drove of pigs
A crash of rhinoceroses
An ambush of tigers
A dray of squirrels
A zeal of zebras
August 29, 2021
Maybe I’ve just been reading too many books about husbands who are not to be trusted?? Wives that are completely taken off guard when her husband’s activities are finally brought to light ????
I’m an outlier on this one. As you know from the blurb; Kirsten North receives a phone call from her husband’s cell phone. A strange voice tells her “Your husband has been killed. In Austin, Texas . . .he was shot”. Kirsten is shocked, her husband Henry was supposed to be in New York for his job. Henry North is a reasonably respected cybersecurity guard from New Orleans.
Flora Zhang’s husband, Adam’s body was found next to Henry North. She is reeling from the shock. Adam was a successful venture capitalist from Austin.
Kirsten North travels to Austin to try to discern why these two men were killed in a warehouse where neither one of them was supposed to be. Her foster brother Zach is along for support.
As far as the wives knew, these two men had never met. But what did they have in common? Why were they murdered together? WHAT DO THEIR DEATHS MEAN FOR THEIR WIDOWS?
Flora and Kirsten meet, decide to work together to try to understand what the husbands were doing, what secrets were being kept and who killed their husbands. Especially when they realize that they, also, may be targets. There are a host of characters that are possible killers.
At the start this novel pulled me in, but I started to get bored by the middle. It was great to see Flora and Kirsten evolve to the point of working together to try to figure out what went on.
This novel didn’t really seem as though it had anything really new or fresh in it. Just when I was settling into the end, it began to feel very over the top and once again I was back to a 3* rating.
This was an entertaining read but not a memorable one. A 3* means it was a good book and entertaining. I struggled to write this review because it just wasn’t a stand out for me. After reading so many thrillers it’s hard to find something completely original.
I am surprised that this author is so prolific and yet I have never read any other of his books.
I received an ARC directly from the publisher and an EARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
P.S. I have seen at least 3 novels in the past few years with a cover that looks almost identical to this one!!
I’m an outlier on this one. As you know from the blurb; Kirsten North receives a phone call from her husband’s cell phone. A strange voice tells her “Your husband has been killed. In Austin, Texas . . .he was shot”. Kirsten is shocked, her husband Henry was supposed to be in New York for his job. Henry North is a reasonably respected cybersecurity guard from New Orleans.
Flora Zhang’s husband, Adam’s body was found next to Henry North. She is reeling from the shock. Adam was a successful venture capitalist from Austin.
Kirsten North travels to Austin to try to discern why these two men were killed in a warehouse where neither one of them was supposed to be. Her foster brother Zach is along for support.
As far as the wives knew, these two men had never met. But what did they have in common? Why were they murdered together? WHAT DO THEIR DEATHS MEAN FOR THEIR WIDOWS?
Flora and Kirsten meet, decide to work together to try to understand what the husbands were doing, what secrets were being kept and who killed their husbands. Especially when they realize that they, also, may be targets. There are a host of characters that are possible killers.
At the start this novel pulled me in, but I started to get bored by the middle. It was great to see Flora and Kirsten evolve to the point of working together to try to figure out what went on.
This novel didn’t really seem as though it had anything really new or fresh in it. Just when I was settling into the end, it began to feel very over the top and once again I was back to a 3* rating.
This was an entertaining read but not a memorable one. A 3* means it was a good book and entertaining. I struggled to write this review because it just wasn’t a stand out for me. After reading so many thrillers it’s hard to find something completely original.
I am surprised that this author is so prolific and yet I have never read any other of his books.
I received an ARC directly from the publisher and an EARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
P.S. I have seen at least 3 novels in the past few years with a cover that looks almost identical to this one!!
January 4, 2024
New Orleans native Kirsten North is at home one night alone trying to keep herself busy while her husband, Henry, is in New York on a business trip. A cybersecurity expert, he has a small but seemingly successful business that he built from the ground up. Busy with work, she has heard little from Henry over the past week, so when her phone rings bearing his name, she eagerly answers the call. But after saying hello, she’s met with an unfamiliar voice who merely says “Your husband is dead in Austin.”
Meanwhile, Flora Zhang is mourning her own husband, Adam. A obscenely wealthy Austin venture capitalist in the tech space, he was gunned down brutally alongside an as yet unnamed man. Determined to find out what really happened to her husband, Flora begins to look into Adam’s world. What she starts to find, however, are secrets buried upon secrets. Did she know Adam at all? Or was he merely protecting her from some unknown evil? Even more troubling, who was the man that died alongside him?
Jumping on a plane, Kirsten is hoping to learn that the phone call was merely a sick joke. But when she comes face to face with Henry’s body in the morgue, her world narrows to finding out what really happened. So when her path crosses with Flora, she decides to join forces with her to uncover the truth. Little do they know, however, that they’re facing quite the adversary. Someone willing to go above and beyond to sell these two violent deaths as anything but what they actually were. Will Kirsten and Flora manage to clear their names while also discovering the truth? Or will the killer win one more time?
Neither man had supposedly met the other. There’s no obvious trail of phone calls or emails showing they were in business together. But yet they were both brutally killed—together—in a location where neither should have been. What led to this devastating loss for two widows? And who is to blame?
Holy moley, what a ride and a half! From the get-go, An Ambush of Widows was a slowly ratcheting story of suspense that just never let up. Between the two stellar female main characters and the Hitchcock-esque plot, I was truly blown away to say the least.
Narrated by multiple POVs (including one contract killer) and dual timelines, I was flummoxed with where it was all headed. That is, right up until an utterly jaw-dropping twist that turned everything on its head. I mean, even with the subtly hinted at clues, the smorgasbord of potential suspects meant that I just didn’t see it coming.
My favorite part of this novel, though, was easily the characters. From a heartbroken widow determined to make the murderer pay to the hired gun stalking her, they felt true-to-life in a way I didn’t expect. Granted, there were plenty of somewhat far-fetched elements in this cat-and-mouse laced thriller, but, ultimately, it landed just right with me.
If there was even the smallest weakness, however, it would lie within the need to suspend one’s disbelief. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t even once feel at all over-the-top. A strange contradiction, I know. But the truth nonetheless.
Well-written and expertly plotted, this one most definitely had me from hello. So much so that it far exceeded my expectations. Especially once I reached that ending. Usually I hate an unresolved conclusion, and while, for the most part, it was, there was just enough to let me hope for a sequel starring these epic characters after the fact.
Let me just finish with how truly mind-blowing I found this book. From the twisty premise to the absolutely perfect title (did you know a group of widows is called an ambush?), not a thing was missing from these pages. And coming from me, that’s saying a lot. After all, if you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know how picky I can be. So take this as your call to arms and rush out for this sublime read ASAP! Rating of 5+ stars.
Trigger warning: death of a spouse, alcoholism, foster care, breaking and entering, shoot out on the street, mention of: hacking, organized crime
Meanwhile, Flora Zhang is mourning her own husband, Adam. A obscenely wealthy Austin venture capitalist in the tech space, he was gunned down brutally alongside an as yet unnamed man. Determined to find out what really happened to her husband, Flora begins to look into Adam’s world. What she starts to find, however, are secrets buried upon secrets. Did she know Adam at all? Or was he merely protecting her from some unknown evil? Even more troubling, who was the man that died alongside him?
Jumping on a plane, Kirsten is hoping to learn that the phone call was merely a sick joke. But when she comes face to face with Henry’s body in the morgue, her world narrows to finding out what really happened. So when her path crosses with Flora, she decides to join forces with her to uncover the truth. Little do they know, however, that they’re facing quite the adversary. Someone willing to go above and beyond to sell these two violent deaths as anything but what they actually were. Will Kirsten and Flora manage to clear their names while also discovering the truth? Or will the killer win one more time?
Neither man had supposedly met the other. There’s no obvious trail of phone calls or emails showing they were in business together. But yet they were both brutally killed—together—in a location where neither should have been. What led to this devastating loss for two widows? And who is to blame?
Holy moley, what a ride and a half! From the get-go, An Ambush of Widows was a slowly ratcheting story of suspense that just never let up. Between the two stellar female main characters and the Hitchcock-esque plot, I was truly blown away to say the least.
Narrated by multiple POVs (including one contract killer) and dual timelines, I was flummoxed with where it was all headed. That is, right up until an utterly jaw-dropping twist that turned everything on its head. I mean, even with the subtly hinted at clues, the smorgasbord of potential suspects meant that I just didn’t see it coming.
My favorite part of this novel, though, was easily the characters. From a heartbroken widow determined to make the murderer pay to the hired gun stalking her, they felt true-to-life in a way I didn’t expect. Granted, there were plenty of somewhat far-fetched elements in this cat-and-mouse laced thriller, but, ultimately, it landed just right with me.
If there was even the smallest weakness, however, it would lie within the need to suspend one’s disbelief. Don’t get me wrong, it didn’t even once feel at all over-the-top. A strange contradiction, I know. But the truth nonetheless.
Well-written and expertly plotted, this one most definitely had me from hello. So much so that it far exceeded my expectations. Especially once I reached that ending. Usually I hate an unresolved conclusion, and while, for the most part, it was, there was just enough to let me hope for a sequel starring these epic characters after the fact.
Let me just finish with how truly mind-blowing I found this book. From the twisty premise to the absolutely perfect title (did you know a group of widows is called an ambush?), not a thing was missing from these pages. And coming from me, that’s saying a lot. After all, if you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know how picky I can be. So take this as your call to arms and rush out for this sublime read ASAP! Rating of 5+ stars.
Trigger warning: death of a spouse, alcoholism, foster care, breaking and entering, shoot out on the street, mention of: hacking, organized crime
August 20, 2021
2.5
I loved the idea of this book, and the beginning started out great, but I feel like the plots threads, too many, were very convoluted and confusing at times, and some of the twists unbelievable and unnecessary. I didn’t love it, on to the next one☺️
I loved the idea of this book, and the beginning started out great, but I feel like the plots threads, too many, were very convoluted and confusing at times, and some of the twists unbelievable and unnecessary. I didn’t love it, on to the next one☺️
August 18, 2021
Quite convoluted and leads to confusion about which character is in which role. 4 of 10 stars
July 6, 2021
3.75 great book title stars
This is an interesting thriller with childhood friends – Zach, Henry, Kirsten – and their adult lives get complicated! Zach and Kirsten are foster siblings and always have each other’s back and Henry lives next door. Kirsten and Henry end up getting married, but unfortunately, they don’t get to live happily ever after. In fact, much of the book is centered around Henry’s murder.
He’s found in an abandoned warehouse along with another dead man in Austin and a mysterious call brings Kirsten to town. Kirsten has no idea who the other man is and why they were together. Soon, Kirsten has connected with the other widow – Flora – and the two women are determined to find the killer – even if it’s one of them!
Throw in a bit of corporate espionage, revenge, a hit man, and the mob and you have a good thriller recipe. I really liked the first half of this one, but it really slowed down for me, and the conclusion was a bit convoluted for my taste. It was still an enjoyable read and had some great aha moments! If you read the book, you will get the explanation for the title. I thought it was quite clever!
I am excited to find a new author and he’s got a huge list of titles. Jayme and I had a great buddy read with this one and I give her all the credit for picking this one. She and I had similar thoughts but be sure to read her stellar review.
Thank you to Novel Suspects and Grand Central Publishing for my physical copy of this one. Now available.
This is an interesting thriller with childhood friends – Zach, Henry, Kirsten – and their adult lives get complicated! Zach and Kirsten are foster siblings and always have each other’s back and Henry lives next door. Kirsten and Henry end up getting married, but unfortunately, they don’t get to live happily ever after. In fact, much of the book is centered around Henry’s murder.
He’s found in an abandoned warehouse along with another dead man in Austin and a mysterious call brings Kirsten to town. Kirsten has no idea who the other man is and why they were together. Soon, Kirsten has connected with the other widow – Flora – and the two women are determined to find the killer – even if it’s one of them!
Throw in a bit of corporate espionage, revenge, a hit man, and the mob and you have a good thriller recipe. I really liked the first half of this one, but it really slowed down for me, and the conclusion was a bit convoluted for my taste. It was still an enjoyable read and had some great aha moments! If you read the book, you will get the explanation for the title. I thought it was quite clever!
I am excited to find a new author and he’s got a huge list of titles. Jayme and I had a great buddy read with this one and I give her all the credit for picking this one. She and I had similar thoughts but be sure to read her stellar review.
Thank you to Novel Suspects and Grand Central Publishing for my physical copy of this one. Now available.
September 11, 2021
Two men, Adam from Austin, TX and Henry from New Orleans are shot to death in a warehouse in Austin. Kirsten North is called by a robotic voice informing her of Henry's murder. Why was he killed in Austin when he told Kirsten he was in New York? Adam's wife, Flora, is racking her brain trying to find out why he was killed in a warehouse with a man with no connection to Adam. Are these men leading secret lives? If so, how will their widows react to the unleashing of secrets?
This book's title originates in the title given to a group of widows - an ambush. My nerdy brain found that interesting. The plot is twisty, the pacing had the right mix of action and slower pace. I found the switching of timeliness and characters POV to be easy to follow. There are a lot of characters in the book, but it never gets too heavy with remembering who they are. My only complaint is the ending was a little bit over the top action wise. Other than that, I had a good time reading it!
My appreciation to Novel Suspects and author Jeff Abbott for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book's title originates in the title given to a group of widows - an ambush. My nerdy brain found that interesting. The plot is twisty, the pacing had the right mix of action and slower pace. I found the switching of timeliness and characters POV to be easy to follow. There are a lot of characters in the book, but it never gets too heavy with remembering who they are. My only complaint is the ending was a little bit over the top action wise. Other than that, I had a good time reading it!
My appreciation to Novel Suspects and author Jeff Abbott for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 6, 2021
My first introduction to Jeff Abbott, and it won't be my last! Wow. I was initially drawn to the cover, but it ended up being far more than just a great cover. I was white-knuckled reading the final few chapters trying to put the pieces together and figuring out how things would end.
Two men, Adam Zhang and Henry North, who seem to have no previous connection, are both found dead in Adam's abandoned, Austin, Texas, warehouse. Henry was a cybersecurity expert from New Orleans, and Adam was a venture capitalist from Austin. Now their wives, Flora and Kirsten, who have nothing in common, want to know why. While Kirsten and Flora’s relationship is none-too-friendly and neither one fully trusts the other, they soon realize that in order to find out what happened to their husbands, they need to work together. Kirsten also comes with Zach, her foster brother, who is fiercely loyal to her, but who also has some interesting (and questionable) connections on both sides of the law. Suspicions abound on all sides, and everyone seems to have a motive and acts shady at times.
My only gripe was that the story started a bit on the slower side, and I wasn’t sure where anything was going. But once the storyline goes back in time to Kirsten and Henry's past, the pace quickly picks up, and then I couldn't put it down. There are quite a few secondary characters and it was initially difficult to keep them all straight, which complicated the plot somewhat, but it also provided a plethora of suspects that kept me guessing as to who did what, and when, and why.
I thought the ending was very complete and well-done. Oddly, many times I find myself skimming the final pages in a book because it all seems to be "fluff," but not in this one. I savored the last few chapters, and I liked how Abbott left the door open to the possibility of a sequel down the road. I am generally not a fan of series, but a return to these character would be most welcome.
Overall, Abbott takes several familiar (aka overused) plot elements, such as hit men, foster kids, mob connections, etc., but mixes them up and twists things in ways that are fresh and inventive. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! 4 stars.
Two men, Adam Zhang and Henry North, who seem to have no previous connection, are both found dead in Adam's abandoned, Austin, Texas, warehouse. Henry was a cybersecurity expert from New Orleans, and Adam was a venture capitalist from Austin. Now their wives, Flora and Kirsten, who have nothing in common, want to know why. While Kirsten and Flora’s relationship is none-too-friendly and neither one fully trusts the other, they soon realize that in order to find out what happened to their husbands, they need to work together. Kirsten also comes with Zach, her foster brother, who is fiercely loyal to her, but who also has some interesting (and questionable) connections on both sides of the law. Suspicions abound on all sides, and everyone seems to have a motive and acts shady at times.
My only gripe was that the story started a bit on the slower side, and I wasn’t sure where anything was going. But once the storyline goes back in time to Kirsten and Henry's past, the pace quickly picks up, and then I couldn't put it down. There are quite a few secondary characters and it was initially difficult to keep them all straight, which complicated the plot somewhat, but it also provided a plethora of suspects that kept me guessing as to who did what, and when, and why.
I thought the ending was very complete and well-done. Oddly, many times I find myself skimming the final pages in a book because it all seems to be "fluff," but not in this one. I savored the last few chapters, and I liked how Abbott left the door open to the possibility of a sequel down the road. I am generally not a fan of series, but a return to these character would be most welcome.
Overall, Abbott takes several familiar (aka overused) plot elements, such as hit men, foster kids, mob connections, etc., but mixes them up and twists things in ways that are fresh and inventive. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! 4 stars.
January 8, 2025
Nope Nope Nope!
I love my twists, but my goodness, this was just too much!
It started out really promising and then just devolved into a big mess!
The conversations between Flora and Kirsten was just cringe, they couldn't decide if they wanted to be friends or enemies 🙄
Solid 2 stars!!
I love my twists, but my goodness, this was just too much!
It started out really promising and then just devolved into a big mess!
The conversations between Flora and Kirsten was just cringe, they couldn't decide if they wanted to be friends or enemies 🙄
Solid 2 stars!!
July 6, 2021
Kirsten North believes that her husband Henry, a software security consultant, is away on business in New York City. She receives a call from his phone and a stranger tells her that her husband has been shot dead in Austin, Texas. A quick online search reveals that this is a major local news story - successful venture capitalist Adam Zhang and an unidentified man were found shot and killed in an Austin warehouse. Kirsten immediately leaves New Orleans and heads for Austin. She is unaware that she is next in line to be murdered and the hit man is following her every move. Kirsten’s half brother Zach, who has ties to the mob, shows up in Austin to help. Soon Kirsten and Adam’s widow Flora decide to work together to uncover the mystery of their husbands’ deaths, even when they don’t fully trust one another.
An Ambush of Widows is a satisfying thriller you won’t want to put down. Author Jeff Abbott has created a strong cast of suspicious characters making this an effective whodunit that will keep you guessing. This is a slow burn book which takes its time to percolate but once it gets going, it will thoroughly entertain you as the pieces of the puzzle come together with some twists you probably won’t see coming.
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Novel Suspects Insiders for the opportunity to read An Ambush of Widows in advance of its July 6, 2021 release.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
An Ambush of Widows is a satisfying thriller you won’t want to put down. Author Jeff Abbott has created a strong cast of suspicious characters making this an effective whodunit that will keep you guessing. This is a slow burn book which takes its time to percolate but once it gets going, it will thoroughly entertain you as the pieces of the puzzle come together with some twists you probably won’t see coming.
Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Novel Suspects Insiders for the opportunity to read An Ambush of Widows in advance of its July 6, 2021 release.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
July 26, 2021
I was hesitant to pick this book up, because let's face it—the name of this book is corny as hell. However, the synopsis really intrigued me after reading about it and I thought, "what the heck?! why not!" and jumped in. I am so happy that I didn't judge a book by its title (is this a thing?) because this book was so much fun.
An Ambush of Widows
is not Jeff Abbott's first book, but it was my first read by the author and I'm happy to say that I'll be reading more by him.
The story centers around two women—Kirsten North and Flora Zhang. Two women forever intertwined after hearing about their husbands' murder. Kirsten's husband Henry is a cybersecurity specialist and Flora's husband Adam is one of Austin's most successful venture capitalists. The two men could not be more different and have no connections to each other. Kirsten gets a phone call anonymously saying that her husband was murdered and decides to fly to Austin and discover what has happened. Her husband was supposed to be in New York? After the two women meet, a fire lights under both of them to figure out why exactly were their husbands murder and are either of the two to blame?
An Ambush of Widows really tricked me. I did not expect that ending at all. So many lovable characters and so many devious ones as well. I binge read this book in record time, which always is a good indicator of a great thriller. Again, the title is stupid, but there is a nod to why the title is the way it is in the book so I moved on from it. Overall, this book was more crime-fiction / thriller than mystery, but had the character development of a drama. Honestly, I can't even compare this book to anything, because it's very different than novels I am used to, which is always a major plus in my book. Go into this book without reading too many reviews and enjoy!
The story centers around two women—Kirsten North and Flora Zhang. Two women forever intertwined after hearing about their husbands' murder. Kirsten's husband Henry is a cybersecurity specialist and Flora's husband Adam is one of Austin's most successful venture capitalists. The two men could not be more different and have no connections to each other. Kirsten gets a phone call anonymously saying that her husband was murdered and decides to fly to Austin and discover what has happened. Her husband was supposed to be in New York? After the two women meet, a fire lights under both of them to figure out why exactly were their husbands murder and are either of the two to blame?
An Ambush of Widows really tricked me. I did not expect that ending at all. So many lovable characters and so many devious ones as well. I binge read this book in record time, which always is a good indicator of a great thriller. Again, the title is stupid, but there is a nod to why the title is the way it is in the book so I moved on from it. Overall, this book was more crime-fiction / thriller than mystery, but had the character development of a drama. Honestly, I can't even compare this book to anything, because it's very different than novels I am used to, which is always a major plus in my book. Go into this book without reading too many reviews and enjoy!
September 9, 2021
This book started off strong, then became confusing! I had a hard time keeping track of the different characters. Then I stopped caring. I had to force myself to finish it.
September 21, 2022
Two men who, as far as we know, don’t know each other, are found murdered in an abandoned warehouse in Austin, Texas. One is Henry North, a cyber security consultant from New Orleans, the other wealthy local business man Adam Zhang.
Henry’s wife Kirsten thinks he’s on a business trip in New York until she receives an anonymous call on his phone simply saying “Your husband is dead in Austin.”
We’re soon introduced to the killer who goes by the name of “Mender” and he’s intending to kill Kirsten too. But who has hired him to kill both the Norths and why? And was Adam Zhang an intended victim too or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Meanwhile, his widow Flora is beginning to fear that the police suspect her of her husband’s murder.
Although the story starts rather slowly and conventionally, the uncertainly and tension rise several notches as we learn more about the past lives of Henry, Kirsten and her foster brother Zach. This continues to build through the following chapters right up until the finale, where the last revelations come right out of left field.
Overall, a well-plotted and constructed novel with its share of unique characters.
Henry’s wife Kirsten thinks he’s on a business trip in New York until she receives an anonymous call on his phone simply saying “Your husband is dead in Austin.”
We’re soon introduced to the killer who goes by the name of “Mender” and he’s intending to kill Kirsten too. But who has hired him to kill both the Norths and why? And was Adam Zhang an intended victim too or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Meanwhile, his widow Flora is beginning to fear that the police suspect her of her husband’s murder.
Although the story starts rather slowly and conventionally, the uncertainly and tension rise several notches as we learn more about the past lives of Henry, Kirsten and her foster brother Zach. This continues to build through the following chapters right up until the finale, where the last revelations come right out of left field.
Overall, a well-plotted and constructed novel with its share of unique characters.
September 13, 2021
Kirsten's husband Henry doesn't return from a business trip. Flora's husband Adam doesn't make it home either. Both men, who don't appear to have any connection, were gunned down in an abandoned warehouse in Austin. Kirsten's husband wasn't supposed to be in Austin, so she decides to go there and find out what her husband was doing. Flora also wants to know what her husband was up to. Together, the widows uncover their husband's secrets.
An Ambush of Widows starts slow, but picks up about half way through the novel. Multiple points of view and storylines makes for an intriguing novel. The women each have their own stories, but there is also the mysterious connection of why their husbands were killed together. A twisty and suspenseful thriller.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
An Ambush of Widows starts slow, but picks up about half way through the novel. Multiple points of view and storylines makes for an intriguing novel. The women each have their own stories, but there is also the mysterious connection of why their husbands were killed together. A twisty and suspenseful thriller.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2025
I thought this crime mystery was pretty good because it kept you guessing why and who murdered the husbands,the plot was good because the two widows thought the other had something to do with the murders a lot of times you’re guessing and the author goes back in time to make you suspect something is amiss ,how it ties together isn’t expected,the assassin was the only disappointment as he couldn’t get out of his own way.
January 30, 2022
I'll be honest: I only read
Ambush of Widows
based I liked the title.
It made me recall that a group of crows is called a murder.
Where did I learn that? The Simpsons. No joke. And people say television rots your brain.
Even though the author has consistently disappointed me with his previous books, I still took a chance on this.
When oh when will I learn not to read anything that doesn't feature Sam Capra?
Still, the premise had potential, until it took a convoluted turn every which way.
I would have given this two stars if many of the scenarios didn't hinge so much on coincidence and was hard to suspend disbelief for.
The character development was meh and I didn't care or relate to either widow.
There were too much going on toward the end; who is playing who, the hit man, the mob; I mean, sheesh, let's just throw in the kitchen sink while we're at it.
I'm pretty sure I won't read the author's next unless it features Sam Capra or it's called A Murder of Crows.
It made me recall that a group of crows is called a murder.
Where did I learn that? The Simpsons. No joke. And people say television rots your brain.
Even though the author has consistently disappointed me with his previous books, I still took a chance on this.
When oh when will I learn not to read anything that doesn't feature Sam Capra?
Still, the premise had potential, until it took a convoluted turn every which way.
I would have given this two stars if many of the scenarios didn't hinge so much on coincidence and was hard to suspend disbelief for.
The character development was meh and I didn't care or relate to either widow.
There were too much going on toward the end; who is playing who, the hit man, the mob; I mean, sheesh, let's just throw in the kitchen sink while we're at it.
I'm pretty sure I won't read the author's next unless it features Sam Capra or it's called A Murder of Crows.
November 16, 2021
(4.5 rounded up!)
June 28, 2021
An Ambush of Widows is an awesome enough title to entice a reader perusing the shelves of their local Barnes & Noble or corner bookstore to at least stop and pause. Widows fighting back against injustices happened upon them to avenge their husbands' death makes for a great underdog story. The title alone drew me in to see what Jeff Abbott's latest thriller would entail.
Enter Kirsten who receives an anonymous phone call from someone who's told her her husband, Henry, is dead in Austin, Texas. Kirsten is immediately confused because the caller was calling from her husband's cell and he wasn't supposed to be in Austin. His business trip was elsewhere. Kirsten boards a plane to Austin from New Orleans unaware of the stranger following her with a plan to end her existence as well.
Enter Flora Zhang who's husband, Adam, is found dead with Kirsten's husband. The two don't appear to have any business dealings or reason to have even known each other. Adam Zhang is a rich cofounder of a successful venture capitalist firm while Henry North is a cybersecurity expert who's business is fledgling at best.
The shared interest in finding their husband's killers lead Flora and Kirsten into dangerous territory where there is really no one they can trust.
What Jeff Abbott does best here is maintain a cast of characters that are all potential suspects. Flora could potentially have had her husband killed for his money, Kirsten could have assumed her husband was cheating the reason she arrived to Austin before news even broke of her husbands death. There's also Adam's partner in the business who could have simply wanted a bigger stake in their wildly successful firm. A couple mobsters, contract killers, and clients are thrown in for good measure.
Just to be clear, I enjoyed reading An Ambush of Widows. It was an easy, fast paced whodunit read that kept me entertained. I've been slowly reading a few books that initially caught my attention, but this one maintained my attention. I cared enough about this mystery to see who wanted these two men dead. I believed it couldn't be as simple as that.
Ultimately, finding out whodunit pushed me towards finishing this novel. I hate to say that neither widow stood out for me. Kirsten is sort of a badass and the smarter of the two, yet she did nothing for me. Flora has every luxury at her fingertips, but slips into the role of being a sad woman who's hurt by a husband who isn't who she thought he was. Newsflash, none of us are who any of us think we are... I hope that sentence makes sense. My point is that our significant others are capable of harboring secrets that we'd never imagine.
Do I recommend this title? Sure. I've read a few of Abbott's other novels and their all great, fast reads. I enjoyed An Ambush of Widows. Overall, the plot was intriguing and captivating. The characters were not really people I ever cared too much for... but hey. We can't all get what we want.
Copy provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley
Enter Kirsten who receives an anonymous phone call from someone who's told her her husband, Henry, is dead in Austin, Texas. Kirsten is immediately confused because the caller was calling from her husband's cell and he wasn't supposed to be in Austin. His business trip was elsewhere. Kirsten boards a plane to Austin from New Orleans unaware of the stranger following her with a plan to end her existence as well.
Enter Flora Zhang who's husband, Adam, is found dead with Kirsten's husband. The two don't appear to have any business dealings or reason to have even known each other. Adam Zhang is a rich cofounder of a successful venture capitalist firm while Henry North is a cybersecurity expert who's business is fledgling at best.
The shared interest in finding their husband's killers lead Flora and Kirsten into dangerous territory where there is really no one they can trust.
What Jeff Abbott does best here is maintain a cast of characters that are all potential suspects. Flora could potentially have had her husband killed for his money, Kirsten could have assumed her husband was cheating the reason she arrived to Austin before news even broke of her husbands death. There's also Adam's partner in the business who could have simply wanted a bigger stake in their wildly successful firm. A couple mobsters, contract killers, and clients are thrown in for good measure.
Just to be clear, I enjoyed reading An Ambush of Widows. It was an easy, fast paced whodunit read that kept me entertained. I've been slowly reading a few books that initially caught my attention, but this one maintained my attention. I cared enough about this mystery to see who wanted these two men dead. I believed it couldn't be as simple as that.
Ultimately, finding out whodunit pushed me towards finishing this novel. I hate to say that neither widow stood out for me. Kirsten is sort of a badass and the smarter of the two, yet she did nothing for me. Flora has every luxury at her fingertips, but slips into the role of being a sad woman who's hurt by a husband who isn't who she thought he was. Newsflash, none of us are who any of us think we are... I hope that sentence makes sense. My point is that our significant others are capable of harboring secrets that we'd never imagine.
Do I recommend this title? Sure. I've read a few of Abbott's other novels and their all great, fast reads. I enjoyed An Ambush of Widows. Overall, the plot was intriguing and captivating. The characters were not really people I ever cared too much for... but hey. We can't all get what we want.
Copy provided by Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley
July 9, 2021
“That’s the collective noun for a group of widows. An ambush.”
“You know what a group of tigers is called…also called an ambush, same as a group of widows.”
This thriller opens with Kirsten receiving a call from her husband Henry’s cell phone. The caller tells Her that her husband has been killed in Austin, Texas. But Henry had told her he was in New York.
So begins the mystery. Kirsten travels to Austin to uncover whatever information she can. Her foster brother Zach travels to help her. They meet Flora Zang, widow of the millionaire financial whiz kid Adam Zang, who was found slain alongside Henry in an empty warehouse. They all suspect each other, as they should. The reader is introduced to the Zang’s neighbors, his business partner and his nephew. Also included is a step back into Kiersten and Zack’s upbringing with foster parents Larry and JJ, and a daly with a suspected mobster. Just like that, the suspect list has quadrupled.
There were plenty of twists to keep this story engaging. A tad slow in the middle, it quickly picked back up as additional information is uncovered by Kiersten. As the pieces come together, the reader remembers facts the author dropped along the way. I loved that this thriller didn’t just have a quick ending with information hidden until then. Rather, it was laid out throughout for the reader to pick up and organize. Definitely recommend this one!
Thank you to @novelsuspects and @grandcentralpub for the advance copy to read and review!
“You know what a group of tigers is called…also called an ambush, same as a group of widows.”
This thriller opens with Kirsten receiving a call from her husband Henry’s cell phone. The caller tells Her that her husband has been killed in Austin, Texas. But Henry had told her he was in New York.
So begins the mystery. Kirsten travels to Austin to uncover whatever information she can. Her foster brother Zach travels to help her. They meet Flora Zang, widow of the millionaire financial whiz kid Adam Zang, who was found slain alongside Henry in an empty warehouse. They all suspect each other, as they should. The reader is introduced to the Zang’s neighbors, his business partner and his nephew. Also included is a step back into Kiersten and Zack’s upbringing with foster parents Larry and JJ, and a daly with a suspected mobster. Just like that, the suspect list has quadrupled.
There were plenty of twists to keep this story engaging. A tad slow in the middle, it quickly picked back up as additional information is uncovered by Kiersten. As the pieces come together, the reader remembers facts the author dropped along the way. I loved that this thriller didn’t just have a quick ending with information hidden until then. Rather, it was laid out throughout for the reader to pick up and organize. Definitely recommend this one!
Thank you to @novelsuspects and @grandcentralpub for the advance copy to read and review!
October 31, 2025
I rec'd an excerpt from Negalley and read a very very short snippet.
Based on that, I wanted to read more! The full story, I liked the POV of....both wives and I was surprised that we had the hitman's POV. I found the characters interesting and the twists and turns fascinating. But I found myself a bit sidetracked, wanting to know more faster than the story was delivering. I did like it, just didn't love it.
Based on that, I wanted to read more! The full story, I liked the POV of....both wives and I was surprised that we had the hitman's POV. I found the characters interesting and the twists and turns fascinating. But I found myself a bit sidetracked, wanting to know more faster than the story was delivering. I did like it, just didn't love it.
January 15, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this book! I have read and liked this author’s work before so I thought that would give this book a try. I was hooked by this story from the start and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next throughout the book. This turned out to be quite the page-turner and I am glad that I picked it up.
Kirsten’s life is turned upside down when she receives a call from a stranger using her husband’s phone telling her that her husband is dead in Texas. She didn’t even realize her husband was in Texas since he told her that his business trip was in a different area. She heads to Texas and learns that an unidentified man has been killed with another man and it is in fact his husband. Flora’s husband was murdered with Kirsten’s and she is learning that her husband may not have been the man that she thought he was. Both women work, at times together, to find out what really lead up to their husbands’ death.
This story is told from three different points of view. Not only do we see things from Kirsten’s and Flora’s perspectives, we also get to see things from the killer’s point of view. I thought that the three viewpoints worked well together to give the reader the full story. There was a lot to unravel in the lives of all of the individuals involved and I never knew what might have played a part in the eventual murders. I loved how determined each of the widows was to find out what had happened to their spouses. I liked that there were enough twists and turns to keep things interesting until the final page.
Christine Lakin did an amazing job with the narration. I really liked the variety of voices that she used during the story and I really appreciated how distinctive her voices were for Kirsten and Flora. I thought that she added a lot of excitement and emotion to the story. I feel that her narration added a lot to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done mystery thriller filled with interesting characters that kept me guessing until the very end. I definitely hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and I purchased a copy of the audiobook.
I really enjoyed this book! I have read and liked this author’s work before so I thought that would give this book a try. I was hooked by this story from the start and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next throughout the book. This turned out to be quite the page-turner and I am glad that I picked it up.
Kirsten’s life is turned upside down when she receives a call from a stranger using her husband’s phone telling her that her husband is dead in Texas. She didn’t even realize her husband was in Texas since he told her that his business trip was in a different area. She heads to Texas and learns that an unidentified man has been killed with another man and it is in fact his husband. Flora’s husband was murdered with Kirsten’s and she is learning that her husband may not have been the man that she thought he was. Both women work, at times together, to find out what really lead up to their husbands’ death.
This story is told from three different points of view. Not only do we see things from Kirsten’s and Flora’s perspectives, we also get to see things from the killer’s point of view. I thought that the three viewpoints worked well together to give the reader the full story. There was a lot to unravel in the lives of all of the individuals involved and I never knew what might have played a part in the eventual murders. I loved how determined each of the widows was to find out what had happened to their spouses. I liked that there were enough twists and turns to keep things interesting until the final page.
Christine Lakin did an amazing job with the narration. I really liked the variety of voices that she used during the story and I really appreciated how distinctive her voices were for Kirsten and Flora. I thought that she added a lot of excitement and emotion to the story. I feel that her narration added a lot to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well-done mystery thriller filled with interesting characters that kept me guessing until the very end. I definitely hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing and I purchased a copy of the audiobook.
July 15, 2021
Vroom, vrooom, .... fasten your seatbelts.... it's gonna be a wild and bumpy ride!!!
If you're reading this review in an airport (or train station or bus terminal) bookstore, just pick up the book... It's (for me) perfect (for a plane or train or ...) murder and mayhem and mystery ... and non-stop momentum and twists and turns and wait, who did what? ... to whom? ... and why?... and, nope, I didn't see that coming ... repeat...
Pick it up, get sucked in, keep turning pages, (don't stop to ask too many questions or spend a lot of time thinking about the nuances), ... and ... poof ... you may not have got much sleep, but, gee that was fun....
Nah, not exactly literary fiction - I won't be waiting to see if this gets nominated for the Booker or the Pulitzer or the National Book Award, nor will I be re-reading passages to marvel at words spun into gold ... but that's not what I was looking for here! We're talking good, clean fun, ... well, that is if your idea of good clean fun is corpses and carnage and lies and deceptions and feints and mis-directions and lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
If you're reading this review in an airport (or train station or bus terminal) bookstore, just pick up the book... It's (for me) perfect (for a plane or train or ...) murder and mayhem and mystery ... and non-stop momentum and twists and turns and wait, who did what? ... to whom? ... and why?... and, nope, I didn't see that coming ... repeat...
Pick it up, get sucked in, keep turning pages, (don't stop to ask too many questions or spend a lot of time thinking about the nuances), ... and ... poof ... you may not have got much sleep, but, gee that was fun....
Nah, not exactly literary fiction - I won't be waiting to see if this gets nominated for the Booker or the Pulitzer or the National Book Award, nor will I be re-reading passages to marvel at words spun into gold ... but that's not what I was looking for here! We're talking good, clean fun, ... well, that is if your idea of good clean fun is corpses and carnage and lies and deceptions and feints and mis-directions and lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
September 3, 2021
You can also find my review on my blog: https://rebekahreads.ca/an-ambush-of-...
I’ll say it again: An Ambush of Widows by Jeff Abbott was such a pleasant surprise. I had NO idea what to expect with this book—I had no idea who this author was, what his writing was like, or even what the book was about—but I am so glad to say that I LOVED it. It was such an addicting, exciting, and binge-worthy read that I could not put down.
An Ambush of Widows follows two women—Kirsten North and Flora Zhang—who do not know each other at all but are forever intertwined after their husbands are found murdered next to each other in a warehouse. Kirsten’s husband, Henry, is a cybersecurity specialist, while Flora’s husband, Adam, is the founder one of Austin’s most successful venture capitalist firms. There’s no way these two men would have ever known each other or had any connection to one another—so how did they end up dead together? When Kirsten receives an anonymous phone call telling her that her husband was murdered in Austin, she hops on a plane as fast as she can to figure out what the heck happened. When she meets Flora—the other widow—the two of them work together to uncover to truth behind their husbands deaths.
This book had me HOOKED from the very first chapter. It has such an interesting premise, story line and so many intriguing characters that worked together to form such an entertaining read. I could not, for the life of me, figure out where this book was going and the ending was such a surprise. There’s honestly nothing about this book that I didn’t love.
I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a different type of thriller!
Also, this book reminds me a little bit of Linwood Barclay’s books—so if you’re a fan of his then you’ll definitely enjoy this one.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for not only introducing me to this new author, but also for gifting me this incredible book in exchange for an honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I’ll say it again: An Ambush of Widows by Jeff Abbott was such a pleasant surprise. I had NO idea what to expect with this book—I had no idea who this author was, what his writing was like, or even what the book was about—but I am so glad to say that I LOVED it. It was such an addicting, exciting, and binge-worthy read that I could not put down.
An Ambush of Widows follows two women—Kirsten North and Flora Zhang—who do not know each other at all but are forever intertwined after their husbands are found murdered next to each other in a warehouse. Kirsten’s husband, Henry, is a cybersecurity specialist, while Flora’s husband, Adam, is the founder one of Austin’s most successful venture capitalist firms. There’s no way these two men would have ever known each other or had any connection to one another—so how did they end up dead together? When Kirsten receives an anonymous phone call telling her that her husband was murdered in Austin, she hops on a plane as fast as she can to figure out what the heck happened. When she meets Flora—the other widow—the two of them work together to uncover to truth behind their husbands deaths.
This book had me HOOKED from the very first chapter. It has such an interesting premise, story line and so many intriguing characters that worked together to form such an entertaining read. I could not, for the life of me, figure out where this book was going and the ending was such a surprise. There’s honestly nothing about this book that I didn’t love.
I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a different type of thriller!
Also, this book reminds me a little bit of Linwood Barclay’s books—so if you’re a fan of his then you’ll definitely enjoy this one.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for not only introducing me to this new author, but also for gifting me this incredible book in exchange for an honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 4, 2022
A great choice for escaping the daily schlep. I loved the title. Quite original. The ambiance was perfect.
January 19, 2022
There is no synopsis in my review, just FYI.
An Ambush of Widows won me over with the name... throughout the first half of the book; I thought it was just "OK," - but then the 2nd half picked up for me, and it went from OK to pretty good... and then it ended with "I really liked this book!" Totally a win.
I liked how Jeff Abbott (new to me author) tied in the ambush of widows during the last quarter of the book and how there were more widows in the book than I realized at first (not a spoiler... I just wasn't paying enough attention until I thought back on it later).
All in all, 4 solid stars for me!
An Ambush of Widows won me over with the name... throughout the first half of the book; I thought it was just "OK," - but then the 2nd half picked up for me, and it went from OK to pretty good... and then it ended with "I really liked this book!" Totally a win.
I liked how Jeff Abbott (new to me author) tied in the ambush of widows during the last quarter of the book and how there were more widows in the book than I realized at first (not a spoiler... I just wasn't paying enough attention until I thought back on it later).
All in all, 4 solid stars for me!
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