Black Widows

by Cate Quinn

Blake is dead.
They say his wife killed him.
If so... which one?

Polygamist Blake Nelson built a homestead on a hidden stretch of land—a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah—where he lived with his three wives:

Rachel, the first wife, obedient and doting to a fault, with a past she'd prefer to keep quiet.
Tina, the rebel wife, everything Rachel isn't, straight from rehab and the Vegas strip.
And Emily, the young wife, naïve and scared, estranged from her Catholic family.

The only thing that they had in common was Blake. Until all three are accused of his murder.

When Blake is found dead under the desert sun, all three wives become suspect—not only to the police, but to each other. As the investigation draws them closer, each wife must decide who can be trusted. With stories surfacing of a notorious cult tucked away in the hills, whispers flying about a fourth wife, and evidence that can't quite explain what had been keeping Blake busy, the three widows face a reckoning that might shatter all they know to be true.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Adult

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2021

About the author

Cate Quinn is a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, the Guardian and the Mirror, alongside many magazines. Prior to this, Quinn's background in historic research won prestigious postgraduate funding from the British Art Council. Quinn pooled these resources, combining historical research with first-hand experiences in far-flung places to create critically acclaimed and bestselling historical fiction.

Books by Cate Quinn - Black Widows and Blood Sisters

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everybody loved Blake. Except his wives.

Blake Nelson, found murdered by the creek bed.

He is survived by Mrs. Rachel Nelson. And Mrs. Emily Nelson. And Mrs. Tina Nelson.

That's right - he was survived by all three of his wives.

The four of them live on an isolated homestead, and no one else is even aware of there being a home in that area.

"We're sister-wives. Sealed together for eternity."

Rachel - the first wife - is devout, obedient and has survived the horrors of the Prophet's cult. She copes by suppressing memories but...did she suppress a murder?

Emily - young, frightened and coping in all the wrong ways - she's reeling from this marriage...but was she unhinged enough to commit a murder?

Tina - street-smart, ex-prostitute and ex-junkie - she jumped into this marriage to keep herself on the straight-and-narrow...but what would she do for one...last...fix?

All three wives are the suspects and the book slowly unravels - bringing to light the question - which Mrs. Nelson committed the crime?

"I have to tell you, that story doesn't exactly fit with what the other wives are saying."

So, (obviously) this book tackles a lot of controversial topics - polygamy, abuse, cults, religious fanatics - and yet I was wholly addicted.

I couldn't put it down.

I thought about it all day at work, I couldn't sleep cause I NEEDED to know the end. It is absolutely gorgeous.

I love how the polygamy (which honestly, is a hugely contested topic) isn't treated as a side-show scandal.

These women were really well-developed and they honestly love each other like sisters. The human-ness of this relationship is truly the star of the show.

I was rooting for them (even when I was completely unsure which was (or could've been) the murderer.

A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Cate Quinn for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[Lit with Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing: basic | Plot: JUICY b/c I'm obsessed with the tropes used | Ending: fine

Phat ass trigger warning: religious trauma, child abuse, GRAPHIC miscarriage around 87%

SYNOPSIS

3 wives. 1 dead husband. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY OPINION

This is the equivalent of reading a gossip magazine. Objectively, you know it is trash, but subjectively, you're vibing. If I'm being a hard ass, I'd probably give this a 2. But since I'm the biggest hoe for cults and bigamy/polygamy on the planet, I was eating this up. If you are not a mega-fan (yes the mega is important) of these tropes, give it a pass. Also, this is LONG. Like over 400 pages. So I'm expecting some congratulatory comments because if you've followed my reviews, you know I'm all about that <380 pgs LOL.

According to the author's note, Cate Quinn did her research for this book and has even won a fancy grant to conduct some other unrelated research in Britain. HOWEVER, if you look through the reviews, there's many dissenting opinnis from Mormons about how Mormonism and the FLDS are represented in this book. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the religious representation, but I would say that if you love being a Mormon, you probably shouldn't read this.

I was HELLA confused as to why Rachel, Tina, and Emily were using Southern dialect in Utah??? Especially Tina who was from Las Vegas??? Not that I lived in LV, but I've been around the block and I don't think LV natives say stuff like "I'm fixin' for a burrito" ?????? Tbh the Southern dialect was such a bizarre choice that I would've dnfed if the tropes weren't my faves of all time. Strange vibes for sure.

Anyways, I'll be the first to admit this isn't a literary masterpiece and there's some swiss cheese plot hole moments. If you're looking for a trashy, juicy read and you love cults and bigamy/polygamy, then go right ahead.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: JUICY tropes, surprisingly fast-paced for being over 400pgs but that might be because I loved the tropes

Cons: characters born in Utah and Nevada using Southern dialect ????, lots of plot holes lol, I was confused as to what time period this took place in

____________________________

For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

One husband, three wives - what could possibly go wrong? Rachel, Emily and Tina live on a remote property in Utah with their husband, Blake Nelson, in a plural, Mormon marriage. Blake goes out fishing one day and doesn’t return. His body is discovered with certain injuries and the police suspect murder. Naturally the wives become suspects as clearly one of them must have killed him, after all who else could it have been? But which one?

What follows is a superbly crafted story with many layers. Every time you think you are close to the answer another layer is peeled away. The story is told from the POV of the three women and you get to know them quite well. You think. They are all three very unreliable narrators! Rachel, is the first wife - a devout Mormon, very modest and ‘nice’. But Rachel’s story, for she grew up in a cult, is really quite dark. Emily - the second ‘sister-wife’ is a seemingly naive teenager (19 years old) who, having been raised as a strict Catholic, has some adjusting to do in the Mormon religion. And Tina - the third sister-wife is a former drug addict and prostitute from Las Vegas who met Blake in rehab where he volunteered. The women don’t exactly like each other and tensions simmer.

So while the women are all being subjected to police scrutiny, they are also suspicious of each other. Who can they trust? You get the picture! While this was not a fast paced, nail biting thriller it WAS a very character driven drama, mystery, thriller. There weren’t that many characters so we dived deep into the stories of the three women. What I thought the author did particularly well was to give them each a very distinctive ‘voice’ which came across as very authentic. There was never any doubt as to which of the wives was narrating. I became quite fond of all three of them as the book progressed.

I really enjoyed the book. When characters are so well portrayed I can really savour this sort of slow burn mystery. The book was little longer than average but I was still gripped and read it in one day. I have no hesitation in recommending this to fans of character driven drama and mysteries. Heck I mainly read thrillers and I still loved this. Thanks to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Cate Quinn for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blake Nelson lives in the desert of Utah with his three wives. Well, least he did until someone murdered him while he was fishing near his semi compound. Rachel, Tina, and Emily are hauled in for questioning by the police. Secrets start spilling over. The wives hate each other. They all feel betrayed by Blake on some level. Each one of them has a reason to want him dead. Each one of them have deep dark secrets that they want to protect at all costs.

Emily is hands down my favorite character in this book. She had me laughing out loud. I figured out who the killer was halfway through the book, which sucked for me. Overall a solid thriller without much blood.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mormon Blake Nelson builds a good life for himself in a very isolated homestead in Utah. He is found dead, believed murdered by his wife. Ok, but which one? Is it legal wife one, Rachel, quietly obedient or maybe sister wife two ex Catholic naive Emily or is it worldly wise sister wife three Tina, the ‘cuckoo’ in their nest? Each wife tells the story in their own way.

First of all, this is an original mystery that’s hard to put down. The story is character driven which works extremely well and I like the varied pace of their storytelling. It’s fascinating trying to work out which narrative is the most reliable as they are all guilty of not necessarily lying but omission and telling the truth as they see it. The characters are very good, they’re all well developed and you see their individual personalities very clearly. Rachel seems obedient and has a past in a cult known as The Sunshine Homestead and her experiences are very dark and absolutely shocking and so no wonder her recall is piecemeal. She is like the mother of the group. Emily is young, innocent especially about sex, frightened but not as weak as she might seem. Tina is whip-smart, a former Las Vegas show girl and drug addict which she is trying to shed through marriage to Blake. Their perceptions of each other are fascinatingly illuminating though it tends to muddy the suspect waters. It’s equally fascinating observing how the dynamics between the wives changes both in their attitudes to each other but also Blake. Adelaide Nelson, Blake’s mother is a brittle but intriguing character and some of her actions make your jaw drop. The multilayered book has so many elements to it which are woven together fluidly and with clever misdirection. We witness the turmoil of the women, their fears, suspicion, there’s a host of secrets, cover ups but at its heart lies the mystery of Blake’s killer. Thank you Tina for the occasional humour to lighten the dark load. I like the ending which takes the storyline almost full circle.

Overall, this is an excellent novel that is very hard to stop reading once you’ve started. It is a dark character driven tale that hooks you from the beginning and keeps you invested in seeking the truth.

NB Other Mormons in the story reject Blake’s polygamy - it is illegal!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially Orion for the arc for an honest review.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I had the right husband, and the wrong wives."

But what happens when the "right" husband is found dead and one of his three wives is suspected of killing him? Who could have killed Blake? Which wife?

So begins the mystery. Black Widows is told through the POV of sister wives: Rachel, Emily and Tina. Rachel was Blake's first wife; she has a past that she would like to keep secret. Emily is young, anxious and estranged from her family. Tina, an ex-prostitute, came from the Vegas strip and has been in rehab. The wives have nothing in common except for being married to Blake; until each is suspected of killing him.

"It would almost seem," she says, "as though your husband went out shopping for wives. A maid in the parlor, a cook in the kitchen, a whore in the bedroom."

Plural marriages how do they work? Does everyone get along? Are all the wives happy? Does Blake play favorites? Is there jealousy? You will need to read to find out. The premise of this book sounded so interesting. A man married to three women is found dead, the investigating officers believe he was killed by one of his wives. Now they need to prove it. Each wife has her voice and tells her tale. Through the course of the book, we learn more about each wife, her relationships with the other wives and her relationship with Blake. The beginning and ending of Black Widows were strong. The book lagged a little in the middle for me.

I really enjoyed the sections about the sister wives’ relationships with each other. This is no Big Love (HBO series) where each wife has her own home and children. In this book, Rachel, Emily and Tina all live under the same roof on an isolated homestead. As the police investigate and question each wife, the women also wonder which of them killed Blake and why.

Overall, an enjoyable, well written book which had me guessing and trying to figure out who killed Blake. Will you be surprised? I did not see that coming! Along the way we learn a lot of truths and there are some things brought to light in each of the POV characters.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

See more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody really cares who killed the Blake Nelson, since he's the least interesting person in the whole novel. What we really want to know is how these three women ended up in this shitty situation in the first place?! Revealed in cleverly plotted snippets, their stories come together in surprising ways. The whodunnit runs all the way to the end, with a properly insane finale.

It's all a bit crazy, but genuinely fun. Well worth a read.

ARC via Netgalley

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blake is dead.
His wife killed him.
The question is: Which one?

That is the hook that sucked me right into this book and did not let go. This is a long book but truthfully it did not feel it and I had finished it just over a day. It is a slow burn of a story, with the past of each wife being revealed through chapters of alternative points of view. But it is so interesting and twisty that you just need to keep reading.

So which wife hated Blake the most? That is pretty much it... one of his 3 wives liked him very much and they don’t like each other either. Tensions certainly ran high in this plural marriage. The women, Rachel, Tina and Emily, don’t trust each other and are quick to point the finger elsewhere. They all had their pasts, with secrets that would rather keep that way. It all comes to a thrilling conclusion and I loved it.

Thanks to Hachette Australia for my copy of this book to read.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery of “Black Widows” is quite unique and very distinctive. Three wives married to one dead husband and each accused of his murder. One wife killed him but which one? Rachel, the first and chief wife, obedient and doting of Blake. Tina, everything Rachel isn’t, sultry and an ex addict and Emily the youngest and second wife who is naive and doesn’t know any other life. Could one of them have brutally killed their husband in cold blood, leaving him barely recognisable? Blake Nelson and his wives are in a polygamy marriage as part of the fundamentalist Mormon religion. Life is hard, living miles from no one in the barren desert of Utah, preparing food for the end of the world and being shunned from other Mormons who don’t support polygamous marriages.
Although the story moves along quite slowly, intensely and vividly focusing on the women characters as each chapter is told by one of the wives in the first person. This allows the reader to feel their emotions, their suspicions of each other and the determination to discover the truth.
I was fully invested in who killed Blake, forming different opinions as the story moved along. The ending is very tense and though some of the subject matter is delicate and upsetting, “Black Widows” is an interesting and hugely original psychological thriller that looks into another religion’s hidden life and its members and how their culture and moral behaviour affect day to day life.
I learned a lot from this book, I knew only a little about Mormons or Latter Day Saints but have always been fascinated by them and their lifestyle choices. The author Cate Quinn has obviously done a serious amount of research as the story features much about their beliefs, including blood atonement, the apocalypse, their morals and dedication to The Book of Mormon. I was so engrossed that when I’d finished it, the next day I was still thinking about the ‘sister wives’, feeling like I’d formed a bond with the women.
A murder mystery like no other, with a tale of survival against the odds that is compellingly narrated and from a writer who is new to crime fiction, “Black Widows” is an unforgettable tale and ready made for the big screen!

4 stars

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could’ve been 200 pages shorter.

[Dalia (book_o_creativity) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings:
child abuse, sexual assault, grievous hurt, polygamy, domestic violence, rape, trauma.


Generally I write reviews within an hour or so after finishing a book while the ideas and words are still fresh on my mind but in this case I gave myself more than three days to let the book set-in in my head and then I started writing this review.

Starting with the storyline. Blake Nelson has married to three women, Rachel the first wife, Emily the second wife and Tina the third wife. They have been living in a deserted area of Utah hinding from the eyes of law. The relationship between the three wives have been taut recently. Subsequently one day Blake was found dead in their own ranch with indescribable injuries. Evidences are pointing to a mysterious fourth wife. Is it a work of any of the wives or is it their hideous past playing tricks?

I didn't know where Utah is situated and what is Latter Day Saints (LDS) until I read this book. But if polygamy is still subsisting there, it needs to be stopped. The Nelson family was a Mormon family. This book has so much Mormon influence, the entire book is based on the societal norms and standards prevailing in that paticular region.

This book is filled with trauma and various offences. It's quite disturbing for me, definitely not a quick light hearted thriller, it's more of a mystery novel. But the characters, I loved them. Like in real life no person is perfect, the characters here in this book are also flawed. Everyone has a traumatizing past and this made them relatable and helped me to connect with them.

Coming to the pace and writing quality, this book is hell slow paced. The story was rolling so slow I was getting bored and almost dnfed it but I've already dnfed three books in this year, so I stopped myself and started reading this book again. For half of the book nothing much happened. Writing style is commendable and quite flowy, narrated by multiple POVs.

Somehow the ending didn't work for me, it was good going until the ending came and it ruined everything. The ending felt bizzare and more far-fetched.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out strong – quite the page-turner at first so that I wanted to plop down on the couch and do nothing else but read for the rest of the day. But, by the time I got to 50%, I no longer cared who killed Blake Nelson.

Quinn is a skilled writer. And the background of the characters was fascinating. Not only did it deal with the much-misunderstood Church of the Latter-Day Saints (LDS), along with a more extreme form of that religion as well (polygamists), but it also delved into a third level – that of a remote cult-like organization. I found this three-layered effort on a group of people not super well-known to be fascinating.

As the book moves along, you learn more and more about the three wives as well, so there are three more mysteries within the main who-dunnit story. Ultimately, however, I ended up quitting the book as I lost interest. I’m not sure what the author should have done differently – perhaps it was taking too long to dole out the information? In any case, I did enjoy the writing style, and the shifting perspectives and personalities as chapters alternated between the points of view of the three wives.

Also, I do have to put caution out there for more sensitive readers: While nothing is told in first person or completely graphic in nature, the novel does contain numerous references to more extreme fetishes, so to speak, and abuse to minors.

If you read the novel, or simply enjoyed this review, drop me a Comment below and let me know what you thought! 😊

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This appeared to be my type of book all the way - great cover, polygamist relationships, cult references, and murder - all things that generally intrigue me in a book. I've watched Sister Wives for years, Big Love was a big hit for me, and Target's new spring clothing line features a whole selection of FLDS Warren Jeffs-like prairie dresses, so I thought it was all a sign of a 5-star read. Unfortunately, as with Target's new clothing line, it was pretty much a big miss.

The book begins with Blake, an FLDS member, and over-the-top doomsday prepper (what a great combo), found dead on his remote Utah ranch. Numero uno suspect - one of his three wives, Rachel, Emily, and Tina. Numero uno problem - each of them had a potential motive, they all have weak alibis, and they all hate each other. Of course it turns out that each of the wives are keeping secrets from each other, but Blake had also kept secrets from all of them. It's a classic "whodunnit" - which one of his wives hated Blake enough to kill him?

I actually liked way the storyline unfolded through the POVs - each wife delivered first-person accounts with a possible fourth person scenario hinted at, just for kicks. I did think that Quinn nailed the personalities of the wives and their overall angst with each other. Rachel, the first wife who grew up as Mormon and attended Brigham Young University; second wife, Emily, who basically ran away from her neglectful mother and her Catholic upbringing at eighteen years old to marry Blake; and third wife, Tina, a former drug addict and trick-turner, whom Blake converted when he volunteered at her rehab. I liked Rachel and Emily, but Tina's character seemed somewhat out of Blake's lane and just didn't fit, which lost me a bit. At times though, I found myself changing my opinion about all three of the wives and sympathizing with each of them more than I initially thought I would, so that was a plus. It was the overall plot that lost me. I figured out very early on who the killer was (and not because I'm some super sleuth - it was just very easy to figure out!), and although I did waver a couple of times, in the end I was right, and it just underwhelmed me. I kept waiting for a big "twist" in the epilogue chapters, but there was really nothing surprising at all.

I also thought there was some sloppy research when it came to religion - for instance, Catholics don't speak in tongues - although ecclesiastical Latin can be hard to follow, it is still not "tongues;" and at times, Quinn seemed to equate the fundamentalist LDS movement with evangelical Christianity. Evangelical Christians are a lot of things, but polygamists they are not. These would be minor things but for the fact that the whole plot centers around religion, so to have such an obvious confusion of facts on the main subject matter was a head-scratcher to me.

Overall, there were some parts of this one that I very much enjoyed, but it just didn't wow me. A solid 3 stars for me.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blake Nelson is dead. Which one of his three wives killed him? When it comes to a complicated marriage, the Nelson family definitely puts everyone else to shame. Blake's first wife, Rachel, is a committed traditional Mormon, but also fully believes in the plural marriage doctrine. Emily, Blake's second wife, is young and naïve, but truly is questionable in every sense of the word. Tina, Blake's third wife, is sexually explicit and a recovering addict. All three have complicated relationships with each other, and all are suspects. Without diving into the synopsis any further, who could it be?

I really loved how Black Widows started. It really captured my interest due to the storyline of the Nelson family's plural marriage. As the story ventured onward, I really enjoyed the cult undertones (without going further into detail) and I loved to dislike all three of the Nelson wives. Black Widows is a deliciously dark procedural novel and I'm actually quite shocked that this is a debut, because the writing is fabulous. My only complaint, and honestly the reason why this book isn't a four star read, is that the book is entirely too long. It could be a good 75-100 pages shorter and still deliver a compelling story. However, if you enjoy slow burn whodunnits, this book will be there for you. Save Black Widows for a rainy day (or weekend for that matter).

[JaymeO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three wives.
One murdered husband.
Who killed Blake?

Rachel is the first wife of polygamist, Blake Nelson. She was rescued from a cult and now runs the household and canning operation. She is in charge of the cooking and cleaning and ensures their survival through the end of days. But Blake isn’t satisfied yet. He soon takes two more wives, Emily and Tina, completing their family unit. However, he doesn’t plan for the fact that they all hate each other. When Blake is brutally murdered, all three wives become the prime suspects.

Black Widows is a clever thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. Rachel, Emily and Tina take turns narrating the story and are all well-developed characters. I appreciate the author’s nod to the 80’s television drama, Cagney and Lacey, as I am also a fan of the show. This reference often brings levity to a serious situation. I found this book to be more of a twisty thriller, than cult story. While the subject matter is difficult, it is palpable to read without having to turn away. Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed with the ending, but overall enjoyed it. If you loved Tarryn Fisher’s The Wives, this one is for you!

4/5 stars

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book being read is the result of a mistake on my part namely I thought I purchased a book written by Kate Quinn it turns out to be that Cate with a C instead of a K Quinn is a different writer and that this was her first thriller. And a fairly decent thriller it was.

Blake Nelson was married with three women Rachel, Tina and Emily and when Blake is found being murdered the usual suspects tend to be the wife or in the Mormon way multiple wives. That said the Mormons actually frown upon a marriage with more than one wife I learned from this book. It is apparently a split among Mormons to marry more than one wife. Who knew not me anyhow.
The story has a nifty gimmick as it is told from the perspective of the three wives, so each chapter is from the viewpoint of one of the three wives. Which makes for interesting reading to say at least.
We find out a lot about the various wives and how they each may be responsible for her husbands dead and also about the backstory of each wife which is at times heart-breaking.
What can I say a highly entertaining and well written thriller about love, marriage, abuse and murder. I can only advise anybody to read this novel.

Well done Cate Quinn you made my life more difficult having to keep an eye on books by Cate with a C and Kate with a K Quinn.

[Carole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I’m sorry, I don’t like to give negative reviews but this is one of the worst books I’ve read in a long time. I’m sure a lot of people will think it is wonderful, but I wasn’t interested in the story and I found it slow and boring. No way could I call it ‘a gripping murder mystery with a killer hook’. It seemed to go on … and on … and on. I began to lose interest in the second chapter when I spotted the first error (How some soul-searching’ …). OK, it might only be an incorrect apostrophe to some, but to me it shows a lack of care. I only carried on reading to see how many more errors I could find. Plenty. Does anyone who has anything to do with this book know how to use a comma, or where not to put an apostrophe, or how to proofread to find spelling mistakes/double words/added words/missing words? Obviously not. I have a whole long list of errors, but I’ll just note a few here:

Mrs Neilson (Mrs Nelson)
And the I realise … (And then I realise …)
… with it’s stench of chemicals. (… with its stench of chemicals.)
… in a polygamous marriages (… in polygamous marriages)
… based on the contents Mr Nelson’s wallet. (… based on the contents of Mr Nelson’s wallet.)
My straight black hair, is a little frayed at the ends, since I’m growing long, as part of my religion. (one word missing and two commas that shouldn’t be there)
… some some of the others (… some of the others)
… I’m laughed, bordering on hysterical. (… I’m laughing, bordering on hysterical.)
Maybe he found he. (Maybe he found her.)
The hear hits me like a wall. (The heat hits me like a wall.)

Many, many, more where they came from. How could anyone buy the rights to this book for ‘a significant six-figure sum’? Unbelievable. Sorry, this author is not for me, and the number of errors is unforgivable.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel, Emily and Tina live with their husband Blake Nelson on an isolated property in Utah. The three wives come from very different backgrounds but all live together in their Mormon marriage.

When Blake is found dead with suspicious injuries after he had gone out fishing, the police suspect the three wives. Which one hated him the most? It soon becomes apparent that there is tension between the wives and that they do not trust one another and are quite happy to point the finger.

This is such a great story. I loved the differences between the women and how they came to be Blake’s wives.

I was so desperate to find out who killed Blake that I ended up reading late into the night!! I kept changing my mind at who the culprit was.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polygamist Blake Nelson built a homesteadon a hidden stretch of land where he lives with his three wife's:

The first wife, Rachel is obedient and doting to a fault, but she's a past she'd prefer to keep quiet.

The second wife, Tina is the rebel, everything Rachel isn't. Straight from rehab and the Vegas Strip.

The third wife, Emily is the young one who's naive and scared. She's estranged from her Catholic family. The only thing the women have in common was Blake. Until all three are accused of his murder.

This book kept me on my toes. My mind wwas changed multiple times to who the murderer could be. I did eventually work it out but that never spoils a good story for me. Secrets are slowly revealed around each wife. It's packed full of twists and red herrings. The story is told from the three wife's perspectives with alternate chapters that tell us of the events before and after Blake's death. This is a well written story that's gripping from the start.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #OrionPublishingGroup and the author #CateQuinn for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
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**3.5 stars**

Black Widows by Cate Quinn. (2021).

The only thing that these three women had in common was their husband. And now they're each accused of his murder. Blake lived with his three wives on a hidden stretch of land in Utah. Rachel is the first and chief wife, obedient and doting. Tina is the other wife, who is everything Rachel isn't. And Emily is the youngest wife who knows little else. When their husband is found dead in the desert, the questions pile up but none of the widows know who would want to kill a good man like Blake. Or at least that's what they'll tell the police...

I really wanted to love this one. Polygamy and murder? Yes please, sounds fascinating. I did find this book enjoyable for sure, but there were a few things that made me drop my rating slightly. The biggest thing is that this novel is far too long; even though it's great that we get to experience all of the wives perspectives, it did feel like it dragged a bit. And yet by the end I still had a few questions that I think were not fully addressed. All three wives are unreliable narrators which makes it hard to know exactly what was going on - lots of red herrings involved! As Rachel's childhood is slowly revealed, it is clear that it was traumatic and horrifying and some readers may find these scenes distressing.
Overall: a slow burner suspense novel, readers will be stumped working out who killed Blake while being enthralled with the idea of a polygamous marriage.

[Jurgita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man patiko, nepaisant, kad knygos siužeto centre esantis mormonų tikėjimas man buvo nepriimtinas, keistas ir sunkiai suvokiamas. Gal dėl to, kad šis tikėjimas man svetimas, kai kurie knygos momentai buvo tarsi iš fantastikos srities ir vertė vartyti akis, tačiau ir sudomino taip, kad net susigundžiau daugiau pasidomėti apie mormonų tikėjimą ir kelias valandas praleidau apie juos naršydama internete.

[Abel Keogh · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's rare that I rate a book one star, let alone leave a review. If the book is that bad, I generally don't bother finishing it. However, this book is so awful and inaccurate that a warning to anyone considering reading this book is warranted.

It's obvious the author knows nothing about Utah, Latter-day Saints, or fundamentalist (polygamous) Mormons. In the back of the book she admits doing all of her research on the internet and it shows. Apparently talking to someone or, at the very least, having someone who lives in Utah review the book before publication, is too much to ask.

Here's a short list of issues that I found in the first nine chapters. (There were more but I stopped keeping track at that point.)

* Coffee machines in Utah also serve Postum (a drink that no one in Utah has consumed since 1984) because, you see, Latter-day Saints don't drink coffee.

* Latter-day Saints are prohibited from drinking caffeine (false).

* The Salt Lake Temple is glistening, white structure. (It's not white--it's made of gray granite for those to lazy to Google photos of it.)

* BYU has special scholarships for those kids specifically for fundamentalist (polygamous) Mormons.

* Everyone in the refers to Salt Lake City as "Salt Lake City" when anyone from Utah always says "Salt Lake" and omits the city part of the name.

* If you take sacred garments off a dead body in order to do an autopsy, it's an act of the devil and every Latter-day Saint will think your evil.

I could go on, but you get the idea. It's too bad the author had no idea what she's talking about because she had an interesting premise for a mystery novel. The problem is that all of her "research" is so inaccurate that it distracts from the story. Read at your own risk.

[Nadine Schrott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Außergewöhnlicher Krimi mit tiefen Einnlicken in die Lebenswelt der Mormonen.....

Spannend aufgebaut lässt dieser Krimi mich zwar mit einigen Fragezeichen zurück.....konnte mich aber mit seinen komplexen Charakteren vollkommen überzeugen.....

Blake ist tot....gefunden in der Wüste, stehen seine drei Ehefrauen sofort im Zentrum der Ermittlungen.

Spannend, intensiv und wirklich ungewöhnlich!

Absolut lesenswert!

[Dar vieną puslapį · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trys dalykai: viršelis, kultas ir anotacija. Nežinau, ar dar gali reikėti argumentų kodėl ši knyga turėtų sudominti. Dėl viršelio tikriausiai komentarų nereikia. Akis turite ir matote - tobulas. Kultas - tai kažkokia nauja realybė, su kuria neturime nieko bendro, o, kaip taisyklė, kas nepažinta - visuomet traukia ir vilioja. Čia mes turime galimybę iš arčiau pažvelgti į poligamiją kulto fone. Na, ir anotacija - istorija užsukta kaip reikalas ir tas matosi jau vien užmetus akį į aprašymą knygos gale.

Atokioje dykvietėje atskyrėlišką gyvenimą gyvena žmonės. Tiesa, jie kitokie. Bleikas priklauso kultui ir turi tris žmonas. Tikriausiai nieko keisto, kad visos trys moterys itin skirtingos, nes jei jau turi galimybę išbandyti visą paletę, tai kam apsiriboti to paties kirpimo moterimis. Reičelė - tipiška vyresnioji žmona. Ji atsakinga ir viską laikanti savo rankose gana tvirtai. Tina - Las Vegaso mergina, kuri savo gyvenime matė tiek kvaišalus, tiek prostituciją, tiek gana įvairų kitų žmonių gyvenimo būdą. Na, ir Emilė - pati baikščiausia ir atsargiausia. Gyvenimas nestovi vietoje, bet vieną dieną - Bleikas randamas negyvas. Policija pradeda tyrimą ir, žinoma, įtarimo šešėlis krenta ant žmonų. O bet tačiau, kuo giliau į mišką - tuo daugiau medžių.

O čia tai linksmieji kalneliai. Kiekvienas skyrelis gana trumpas, tad galima skaityti kaip tam tikras literatūrines saulėgrąžas - bet kada numesti ir vėl paimti pratęsti skaitymą. Kas dar įdomu, kad stengtasi su kiekvienu skyriumi pakelti įtampą. Paskutinis skyriaus sakinys lyg nedidelis dar vienos įtampos bombos susprogdinimas. Taip ir mėtaisi tarp kaltinimų tai vienai, tai kitai žmonai ir susisuka galva, nes iš vienos pusės atrodo, kad kiekviena jų gali būti kalta, o iš kitos - kad jau niekas nebeaišku. Tas blaškymas ir gerai ir kartu šiek tiek pradėjo erzinti, kai tai truko keturis šimtus puslapių, nes čia nėra tos standartinės schemos, kur įžangoje mes įsivažiuojame į istoriją, kulmonacijoje esame aukščiausiame įtampo taške, o pabaigoje įtampa nusleidinėja ir situacija išaiškėja. Čia kiekvienas skyrius yra lyg mini įžanga, kulminacija ir pabaiga. Tas ganėtinai vargina, bet suprantu, kad skonio reikalas ir kažkam gali nunešti stoga nuo tokio stiliaus.

Tokie netipiniai reiškiniai kaip religiniai kultai bei poligamija tikrai skatina smalsumą, bet yra vienas bet - be visų įdomybių ir egzotikos galiausiai aplanko suvokimas, kad visi mes esame apie tą patį ir svarbiausia bendražmogiški dalykai, kurie mums visiems yra esmių esmė. Kiekviena iš žmonų perėjusi savotišką pragarą. Kiekviena iš jų gana stipriai traumuota. Nedrįstu teigti, kad būtent tai joms leido pasirinkti tokį gyvenimo būdą, bet galimai taip ir yra. Faktas, kad kiekviena bando išgyventi. Šios moterys ieško saugumo, tikisi, kad kažkas jas išgelbės iš jų nepavykusio gyvenimo ir kažkaip Bleikas pasirodo tas, kuris tą galėtų padaryti. Bent jau joms taip atrodo.

Kitas svarbus momentas, kad galima ironiškai šypsotis dėl Bleiko pasirinkto gyvenimo būdo, kad oi kaip pasisekė, bet knygoje atskleidžiama ir kita tokio gyvenimo pusė. Panašu, kad nors kas naktį Bleikas gali rinktis, kuri žmona miegos šalia ir tenkins jo aistras, bet įtampa ir atsakomybė už tris žmonas jam kelia didelius iššūkius. Žodžiu, nėra taip, kad kažkur žolė žalesnė. Galime žiūrėti į situaciją nejautriai ir smerkti, bet manau autorei be aštraus pamokslavimo ir artikuliavimo pavyko parodyti kitą šios istorijos kampą - žmogišką, skaudų ir traumuojantį.

Nėra, kad alpčiau kokia čia nereali knyga, bet sukėlė įdomių minčių. Kultas, daugpatystė skamba gana egzotiškai, bet, mano galva, visa ši istorija susiveda į tikėjimą žmonėmis ir pasitikėjimą vienas kitu, kas yra toks bendražmogiškas dalykas. Daug įtampos, netikėta atomazga ir gana intriguojanti pabaiga. Buvo visai smagu.

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[Come Musica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nel deserto dello Utah, in una proprietà isolata, viene rinvenuto il corpo esanime di Blake Nelson, coperto da ferite. Blake è un uomo mormone sposato a tre donne: Rachel, Emily e Tina.
Le tre mogli ad un tratto diventano tre vedove. La polizia sospetta dell'omicidio una delle tre vedove.
I capitoli sono corali: uno per ognuna delle tre mogli. La lettura scorre e la tensione è mantenuta sempre alta.

Chi altro potrebbe essere stato, se non una delle tre vedove, visto come è sperduta la tenuta? Ma quale?

Ognuna delle tre vedove dà un racconto della storia e ogni particolare aiuta il lettore ad addentrarsi nei meandri del fanatismo religioso che fa da sfondo all'intera storia.
Ognuna delle tre mogli mi è simpatica a modo suo.
All'inizio del racconto, Rachel, la prima moglie, una devota mormone, molto modesta, è quella che proprio non sopporto. Ma poi, man mano che il racconto prosegue, Rachel si conquista la mia simpatia. Il passato di Rachel, cresciuta in una setta, è davvero piuttosto oscuro.
Emily - la seconda "sorella-moglie" è un'adolescente apparentemente ingenua (19 anni) che, essendo stata cresciuta come una rigida cattolica, deve adattarsi alla religione mormone.
E Tina - la terza sorella-moglie è un'ex tossicodipendente e prostituta di Las Vegas che ha incontrato Blake in riabilitazione dove si è offerto volontario. Le donne non si piacciono esattamente e le tensioni diminuiscono.

Non solo la polizia sospetta di una delle tre vedove, ma anche le stesse indagate sospettano una dell'altra, fino a quando, per un motivo misterioso, le tre cominciano ad affidarsi una all'altra e a diventare non più tre punti isolati, ma una comunità, una famiglia, anche se un po' suis generis.

Ognuna delle tre donne ha una sua voce distintiva ed è questo il punto di forza del thriller. E nonostante il loro passato un po' travagliato, Cate Quinn è molto brava a farle empatizzare con il lettore.

“Dietro di noi, la casa è divorata dalle fiamme. In cielo salgono grandi nuvole di fumo.
– Ho già una famiglia, Adelaide, – rispondo. – Solo che è un po’ diversa da ciò che la gente immagina.
In quel momento vedo un lampo della signora Nelson che ricordavo. Mano di ferro in un guanto di velluto.”

"Mano di ferro in un guanto di velluto.”: quando ho letto questa frase, ho sorriso. È stato il consiglio che mi diede la mia prima preside, quando iniziai a insegnare in un Liceo Scientifico privato di Lecce. "Paola, ricorda: pugno di ferro in guanto di velluto."

Attraverso il racconto di queste tre donne, Cate Quinn aiuta il lettore ad abbattere ogni pregiudizio e ad accettarle per quelle che sono: donne con un passato di sofferenza che provano a riscattarsi.

“Alla fine avevo capito male la situazione. Ho scoperto che noi eravamo le mogli giuste, con il marito sbagliato. Perciò ora la vita insieme tra Tina, Emily e me funziona. Il matrimonio è tutta una questione di comunicazione. Tenere i confini aperti. Ne abbiamo parlato a lungo. È importante parlare, se vuoi aiutare altre donne.”


Da mogli per obbligo a vedove unite che sono riuscite a trovare un equilibrio nella triade:

“Quello che di sicuro non vogliamo, è un marito ciascuna. Io non so dove potrei trovare il tempo. Se ripenso all’inizio con Blake, noi due e basta, mi sembra troppa responsabilità, per una donna sola. Meglio condividere il fardello.
Probabilmente un nuovo marito avrà bisogno di un po’ di tempo per adattarsi al nostro sistema di vita, ma possiamo aiutarlo noi. Si dice che un matrimonio plurimo sia come una ruota. Piú raggi ci sono, piú è forte. Ma quando aggiungi un altro raggio, la ruota ci mette un po’ a ritrovare il suo equilibrio.
Be’, comunque noi ora il nostro equilibrio l’abbiamo trovato, e, come dice Tina, la gente farà meglio a lasciarci in pace.”


Per tutti i 109 capitoli, l'attenzione non cala.
Il finale è quello che mi è piaciuto meno. Però capisco che con i finali io sia un po' fissata.

[Jolie · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this story was interesting enough for me to finish, it was disappointing in several ways. The copy I read had many and frequent editing errors, but as an advanced copy, perhaps those will be corrected by the time it is published. More concerning, however, were the content errors that were so numerous they went from merely distracting to actually offensive.

Ms Quinn lives in the UK. This book is set in the deserts of Utah, among fundamentalist and mainstream Mormons. It is entirely evident after reading this that Ms Quinn has never stepped foot in a Utah desert, knows nothing about mainstream Mormons, and very little about Fundamentalist Mormons. In fact, in the interview with the author at the end of the book, she makes it clear that all her research was done online. Clearly, even that was limited.

The types of fundamentalists she describes do exist—in that there are people practicing polygamy and holding to specific beliefs. The mainstream Mormons she describes, however, are a caricature based on images of 19th century early Utah settlers and an amalgamation of early (largely discredited or abandoned) LDS church writings. The list of cultural and religious errors is long, but the most grievous are the sections of “scripture” she claims to quote but instead merely made up.

In this day and age, it’s not hard to do thorough research online. Particularly on a religion that has 16 million members and a very large online presence. Even if she never visited Utah or spoke with any members of the LDS church, or any polygamous sect, she could have done a better job. Failing to do so was lazy, and shows a disrespect for her subject and her readers.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I told you, honey, we’re outlaws, living God’s word.”

It's no secret that I'm weird and that I love to read weird books with bizarre topics. My favorite things to read are about serial killers, insane biographies, and books about cults. So this one jumped right out at me when I read the synopsis.

It started off with me zooming through pages because there was this need to gather all the information that I could. But then I felt as if I was a dog chasing its own tail. Information kept being repeated and repeated like it was a broken record. And that is where it lost me. I actually skimmed the last little bit because it wasn't one that kept me all that interested and the killer was very easy to figure out. I needed more bizarre and less eye-rolling.

None of the characters were all that interesting and I didn't feel any emotions towards them. They all had their own little secrets but it just wasn't enough to have me interested in what happened to any of them.

Black Widows was an okay read with bland characters. The author tried too hard to be shocking and it fell flat. The twists that were supposed to be hair-raising were just your typical everyday stuff. I can't say that I was overly impressed. I guess it was something to pass the time.

[Loreta Griciutė · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐
" Visi mylėjo Bleiką. Išskyrus jo žmonas. Kartais jo nekęsdavom.
Pasirodo, klydau. Mes buvom geros žmonos, tik turėjom nevykusį vyrą. Aš, Tina ir Emilė viską išsiaiškinom. Juk santuoka - tai bendravimas. Nuoširdumas. Daug šnekėjomės. Tai svarbu, jei nori padėti kitoms moterims.
Sakoma, kad poligaminė santuoka - kaip ratas. Kuo daugiau stipinų, tuo stipresnis.
..............
- Regis, ne visos mamos geros. "

Oi kaip man patinka tokios knygos, kuriose viskas persipynę, ir reikia pamažu narplioti, kol tiesa išvys dienos šviesą.
Prikaustė dėmesį nuo pirmų skyrių,įdomiai skaitėsi, įtarimų sukėlė visos trys žmonos, nes kiekviena turėjo skeletų savo spintoje.
Aišku atomazga - nenuspėjama, tikrai nesitikėjau tokio įvykių posūkio, bet viskas gerai, kas gerai baigiasi.
P. S. Sunkiausia iš turinio buvo skaityti apie komuną, ir tai, kas dėjosi jos viduje, apie kraujomaišą ir slaptas kūdikių kapines.

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by these kind of stories, however, Black Widows fell a little flat for me. I typically enjoy different POV's, but the author switched back and forth so frequently it just got annoying. The book was 100 pages longer than it needed to be, and I just feel unfulfilled by the ending.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading The Clinic, I knew I wanted to read all of Cate Quinn's novels, so I decided to go back and start with her debut under this pen name - Black Widows. I thought this was a great domestic thriller and I especially loved the tagline on the cover! I love reading books that involve cults, and while that is essentially just one character's backstory it added a certain something to the storyline and made it all the creepier. This is the first time I've read a book from the point of view of a polygamist's wives, and it was both unique and a little disturbing. I loved all of Tina's spunk and she was my favorite POV of the three.

One thing I was also a huge fan of was the audiobook, and people we have a full cast! Katherine Fenton, Stephanie Cannon & Jennifer Woodward narrated Rachel, Tina, and Emily's viewpoints (not necessarily in that order) and they each did an excellent job embodying their respective characters. Some parts of Black Widows are slower than others, and while I had a sneaky suspicion of something I didn't pinpoint the killer exactly. I think Quinn has homed in on her talent for domestic thrillers since this novel, but it was definitely nothing to sneeze at either. I love a good thriller, and this is a great one to pick up if you are in the mood for a longer but pacey read!