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Mad Women #2
The Widow of Weeping Pines
Obsession turns deadly in this sleepy little coastal town.
Therapist and struggling author Betty Lou Abbott has a secret, one she keeps locked in the basement of the historic mansion she inherited from her late husband. Her fiancé, Ian, also has a secret: he is having an affair with one of Betty Lou’s clients. She thinks so, anyway.
As Betty Lou’s life becomes intertwined with the beautiful, successful Carmen Marquis, her intention to expose the affair turns into a dangerous obsession. Especially when she learns there is more to Carmen than meets the eye.
Caught in the middle of this cunning pair of women is Nicholas Stahl, a crooked detective who is determined to prove the truth—that one of them is a cold-blooded killer.
Two women—one crazy, one ill—and both have secrets they would kill for.
Two men—one innocent, one ruthless.
All four will leave you wondering who you can trust.
Therapist and struggling author Betty Lou Abbott has a secret, one she keeps locked in the basement of the historic mansion she inherited from her late husband. Her fiancé, Ian, also has a secret: he is having an affair with one of Betty Lou’s clients. She thinks so, anyway.
As Betty Lou’s life becomes intertwined with the beautiful, successful Carmen Marquis, her intention to expose the affair turns into a dangerous obsession. Especially when she learns there is more to Carmen than meets the eye.
Caught in the middle of this cunning pair of women is Nicholas Stahl, a crooked detective who is determined to prove the truth—that one of them is a cold-blooded killer.
Two women—one crazy, one ill—and both have secrets they would kill for.
Two men—one innocent, one ruthless.
All four will leave you wondering who you can trust.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2022
154 people are currently reading
11556 people want to read
About the author
Amanda McKinney
37 books1,000 followersAmanda McKinney is the Amazon Charts bestselling and multi-award-winning author of more than thirty romance and thriller novels. Her books have received over fifteen literary awards and nominations, including the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence, and have been included in lists such as POPSUGAR's 12 Best Romance Books, and featured on the Today Show.
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www.amandamckinneyauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
March 19, 2023
Well, that was fun!
“Sometimes I wish my husband would die. Do you ever feel like that? Do you ever think how much better your life would be if your significant other would just keel over and die from a heart attack, perhaps at the gym, or while raking leaves or shoveling snow or maybe something more cinematic like an 18 wheeler taking him out on the way to work.
Quick. Easy. Done.”
C’mon. Be HONEST.
Betty Lou Abbott (Betts) is a therapist and wannabe author, residing in Weeping Pines, after the death of her LATE husband, Jack. She is now engaged to Ian Bailey, a dentist struggling to pay his bills.
The client who most intrigues her is the beautiful, mysterious, Carmen Marquis who is actually a very successful author, who has moved back to her hometown from Los Angeles, for reasons unknown.
And, then we have Detective Nicholas Stahl who is suspicious of them all.
Five characters. Short Chapters. Fast Pace.
Who is telling the truth? I bet you can’t figure it out.
This DARK novella (188 pages) is the first in the “MAD women 4 book series” and by “MAD” Amanda McKinney might mean ANGRY, or she might mean MENTALLY UNSTABLE or it is quite possible that she means both!
You have been warned!
This can be read as standalone or the series can be read in any order.
I am off to find the next!!
(I think they are all available on KU)
Adult Language and Brief Open Door Sex Scenes
“Sometimes I wish my husband would die. Do you ever feel like that? Do you ever think how much better your life would be if your significant other would just keel over and die from a heart attack, perhaps at the gym, or while raking leaves or shoveling snow or maybe something more cinematic like an 18 wheeler taking him out on the way to work.
Quick. Easy. Done.”
C’mon. Be HONEST.
Betty Lou Abbott (Betts) is a therapist and wannabe author, residing in Weeping Pines, after the death of her LATE husband, Jack. She is now engaged to Ian Bailey, a dentist struggling to pay his bills.
The client who most intrigues her is the beautiful, mysterious, Carmen Marquis who is actually a very successful author, who has moved back to her hometown from Los Angeles, for reasons unknown.
And, then we have Detective Nicholas Stahl who is suspicious of them all.
Five characters. Short Chapters. Fast Pace.
Who is telling the truth? I bet you can’t figure it out.
This DARK novella (188 pages) is the first in the “MAD women 4 book series” and by “MAD” Amanda McKinney might mean ANGRY, or she might mean MENTALLY UNSTABLE or it is quite possible that she means both!
You have been warned!
This can be read as standalone or the series can be read in any order.
I am off to find the next!!
(I think they are all available on KU)
Adult Language and Brief Open Door Sex Scenes
December 26, 2022
Betty Lou is a professional therapist in the quaint, small town of Weeping Pines, Washington. It was a move she wouldn’t have chosen, but her late husband felt the move back to his home town was just what they needed. So of course Betty Lou, (we can just call her Betts) begrudgingly went along with it.
But when circumstances change she finds herself alone in a town she hates…and apparently the locals equally hate her back in equal measure. Enough. Betts needs to make the most of her circumstances.
She’s opened a therapy clinic in her basement, completely off the books. Well, a gal does need to make a living, right!? But one of her clients may have ulterior motives for attending therapy.
A speedy thriller that kept me engaged throughout! At under 200 pages I flew through it in no time.
Usually character development takes a back-seat in shorter novels. But that wasn’t the case here, the author did a fantastic job in giving all the characters depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich
But when circumstances change she finds herself alone in a town she hates…and apparently the locals equally hate her back in equal measure. Enough. Betts needs to make the most of her circumstances.
She’s opened a therapy clinic in her basement, completely off the books. Well, a gal does need to make a living, right!? But one of her clients may have ulterior motives for attending therapy.
A speedy thriller that kept me engaged throughout! At under 200 pages I flew through it in no time.
Usually character development takes a back-seat in shorter novels. But that wasn’t the case here, the author did a fantastic job in giving all the characters depth.
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich
January 2, 2023
3.5 STARS
Lots of disturbing people doing disturbing things!
I did like the author's writing style though, it is to the point and moves quickly.
Betty Lou is a struggling author and a therapist (with a BIG secret). I guess you could call her Author-Doctor?? She lives in a historic mansion in a quiet coastal town.
More than one of the characters are certifiable bat-sh*t craaaazy! Ulterior motives, some nightmarish scenes, a cabin in the woods, and a shot in the dark. There are more than a few plot holes I questioned, but I liked the end.
This novella is part of a standalone domestic suspense series. It is free on KU and the next comes out on Jan 20, 2023. I'll read it because I'm curious.
Lots of disturbing people doing disturbing things!
I did like the author's writing style though, it is to the point and moves quickly.
Betty Lou is a struggling author and a therapist (with a BIG secret). I guess you could call her Author-Doctor?? She lives in a historic mansion in a quiet coastal town.
More than one of the characters are certifiable bat-sh*t craaaazy! Ulterior motives, some nightmarish scenes, a cabin in the woods, and a shot in the dark. There are more than a few plot holes I questioned, but I liked the end.
This novella is part of a standalone domestic suspense series. It is free on KU and the next comes out on Jan 20, 2023. I'll read it because I'm curious.
January 26, 2023
"It is going to be an uncomfortable ride, I can promise you that. But it is an honest, no-holds-barred story that you will relate to on a level you won't want to admit."
Well, sorry to tell you Betty Lou Abbott, but I thankfully don't relate to you at all. Yikes!
I'm not going to talk much about the plot because I don't want to spoil anything this slim novel (under 200 pages) has to offer. Betty Lou Abbott (Betts, for short) was one of the most delightfully despicable characters I have come to read in quite a while. She's a perfect example of the unlikeable narrator that you just can't stop reading about because McKinney took time to make her interesting. Intelligent, cunning, manipulative, and maybe a wee bit deranged. Spending time in her head had me chortling one minute and being horrified the next. I really enjoyed the twists and turns this story took. All in all this was a fun afternoon of reading and I always appreciate when my reading time is well spent! Thank you Ms. McKinney! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich for my complimentary copy.
Well, sorry to tell you Betty Lou Abbott, but I thankfully don't relate to you at all. Yikes!
I'm not going to talk much about the plot because I don't want to spoil anything this slim novel (under 200 pages) has to offer. Betty Lou Abbott (Betts, for short) was one of the most delightfully despicable characters I have come to read in quite a while. She's a perfect example of the unlikeable narrator that you just can't stop reading about because McKinney took time to make her interesting. Intelligent, cunning, manipulative, and maybe a wee bit deranged. Spending time in her head had me chortling one minute and being horrified the next. I really enjoyed the twists and turns this story took. All in all this was a fun afternoon of reading and I always appreciate when my reading time is well spent! Thank you Ms. McKinney! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich for my complimentary copy.
January 21, 2023
The Widow of Weeping Pines can best be described as a bit unsettling… but I mean that in the best possible way!
In this story we have Betty Lou Abbott (Betts), who is a therapist who runs a clinic in the basement of the Gadleigh Estate. The Gadleigh Estate was left to Betts, by her deceased husband. Betts is also in the process of becoming a writer. She dreams of being a famous author one day. In the estate with Betts is her fiancé, Ian Bailey. Ian is also the town dentist. We also have Carmen Marquis, who is one of Betts’ clients at her clinic. We then have the town detective of Nicholas Stahl. Trust me when I say that between these characters, there is a lot of bizarre behavior going on! Who is crazy? And is Carmen having an affair with Ian? 😳
This was a fast read, which contained short chapters (my favorite), with lots of twists! This is a book that you can and will want to read in one sitting because you can’t turn the pages fast enough, and you need to know what happens next! I am so glad that I found this book as I am now looking forward to reading more books from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley, HH Tisevich, and the author for a digital copy of this book. This book is available to read now- Publication date: December 2, 2022.
In this story we have Betty Lou Abbott (Betts), who is a therapist who runs a clinic in the basement of the Gadleigh Estate. The Gadleigh Estate was left to Betts, by her deceased husband. Betts is also in the process of becoming a writer. She dreams of being a famous author one day. In the estate with Betts is her fiancé, Ian Bailey. Ian is also the town dentist. We also have Carmen Marquis, who is one of Betts’ clients at her clinic. We then have the town detective of Nicholas Stahl. Trust me when I say that between these characters, there is a lot of bizarre behavior going on! Who is crazy? And is Carmen having an affair with Ian? 😳
This was a fast read, which contained short chapters (my favorite), with lots of twists! This is a book that you can and will want to read in one sitting because you can’t turn the pages fast enough, and you need to know what happens next! I am so glad that I found this book as I am now looking forward to reading more books from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley, HH Tisevich, and the author for a digital copy of this book. This book is available to read now- Publication date: December 2, 2022.
April 18, 2023
EXCERPT: Betts
Sometimes I wish my husband would die.
Do you ever feel like that?
ABOUT 'THE WIDOW OF WEEPING PINES': Therapist and struggling author Betty Lou Abbott has a secret, one she keeps locked in the basement of the historic mansion she inherited from her late husband. Her fiancé, Ian, also has a secret: he is having an affair with one of Betty Lou’s clients. She thinks so, anyway.
As Betty Lou’s life becomes intertwined with the beautiful, successful Carmen Marquis, her intention to expose the affair turns into a dangerous obsession. Especially when she learns there is more to Carmen than meets the eye.
Caught in the middle of this cunning pair of women is Nicholas Stahl, a crooked detective who is determined to prove the truth—that one of them is a cold-blooded killer.
Two women—one crazy, one ill—and both have secrets they would kill for.
Two men—one innocent, one ruthless.
All four will leave you wondering who you can trust.
MY THOUGHTS: From the opening lines to the very last word, Amanda McKinney had me hooked. This is probably the craziest, most compelling, rollercoaster ride of a novella that I have ever had the pleasure to read. I picked it up and didn't put it down till I finished it.
Anxiety, anger, manipulation, jealousy, revenge, even murder - but no remorse.
Don't read about The Widow of Weeping Pines, just read the book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#AmandaMcKinney #NetGalley
I: @amandamckinneyauthor #HHTisevich
#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Set in small, Southern towns, Amanda’s books are page-turning murder mysteries peppered with steamy romance She lives in Arkansas with her handsome husband, two beautiful boys, and three obnoxious dogs.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HH Tisevich via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Widow of Weeping Pines by Amanda McKinney for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Sometimes I wish my husband would die.
Do you ever feel like that?
ABOUT 'THE WIDOW OF WEEPING PINES': Therapist and struggling author Betty Lou Abbott has a secret, one she keeps locked in the basement of the historic mansion she inherited from her late husband. Her fiancé, Ian, also has a secret: he is having an affair with one of Betty Lou’s clients. She thinks so, anyway.
As Betty Lou’s life becomes intertwined with the beautiful, successful Carmen Marquis, her intention to expose the affair turns into a dangerous obsession. Especially when she learns there is more to Carmen than meets the eye.
Caught in the middle of this cunning pair of women is Nicholas Stahl, a crooked detective who is determined to prove the truth—that one of them is a cold-blooded killer.
Two women—one crazy, one ill—and both have secrets they would kill for.
Two men—one innocent, one ruthless.
All four will leave you wondering who you can trust.
MY THOUGHTS: From the opening lines to the very last word, Amanda McKinney had me hooked. This is probably the craziest, most compelling, rollercoaster ride of a novella that I have ever had the pleasure to read. I picked it up and didn't put it down till I finished it.
Anxiety, anger, manipulation, jealousy, revenge, even murder - but no remorse.
Don't read about The Widow of Weeping Pines, just read the book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#AmandaMcKinney #NetGalley
I: @amandamckinneyauthor #HHTisevich
#fivestarread #contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #mystery #suspense #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Set in small, Southern towns, Amanda’s books are page-turning murder mysteries peppered with steamy romance She lives in Arkansas with her handsome husband, two beautiful boys, and three obnoxious dogs.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HH Tisevich via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Widow of Weeping Pines by Amanda McKinney for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
April 3, 2023
Quite the little psychological thriller this one. I absolutely will be adding this series to my TBR.
I was hooked the first chapter and remained invested the whole way through. This novella is written as a multi-timeline and limited dual-perspective view that I consumed in one sitting. Mostly told from our Main Character “Betts” (with a few random but important chapters from the Detective) we go go one heck of a dark ride.
The story slowly unfurls and leaves you questioning EVERYTHING. I could NOT for the life of me pin down this story (my favorite kind of read). I was surprised more than once and the mystery level was perfection. Not really heart thumping or breathe faster- kind of thriller, but a definite mind bender.
I took off one star for the plot - I had some unanswered questions and would have liked to see some better plot development on that front.
Heads up on the adult language and minor spicy 🌶️ scenes if you’re uncomfortable with reading this. I found it to be a minute amount so it didn’t detract from the story for me.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was hooked the first chapter and remained invested the whole way through. This novella is written as a multi-timeline and limited dual-perspective view that I consumed in one sitting. Mostly told from our Main Character “Betts” (with a few random but important chapters from the Detective) we go go one heck of a dark ride.
The story slowly unfurls and leaves you questioning EVERYTHING. I could NOT for the life of me pin down this story (my favorite kind of read). I was surprised more than once and the mystery level was perfection. Not really heart thumping or breathe faster- kind of thriller, but a definite mind bender.
I took off one star for the plot - I had some unanswered questions and would have liked to see some better plot development on that front.
Heads up on the adult language and minor spicy 🌶️ scenes if you’re uncomfortable with reading this. I found it to be a minute amount so it didn’t detract from the story for me.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2022
“Sometimes I wish my husband would die. Do you ever feel like that?” That is the question this book opens with. I wasn’t sure about it at first because I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style but the plot twists and the ending had me shook! The book had short chapters which is always a plus and I just couldn’t put it down. This one will keep you guessing until the very end.
Betty Lou Abbot is convinced her fiancé is cheating on her. Her fiancé isn’t the only one with a secret. Betty keeps hers tucked away in the mansion she inherited from her late husband. Betty becomes obsessed with the idea of the affair. She begins stalking the mistress who is a client of hers named Carmen. Add Detective Nicholas Stahl to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.
The Widow of Weeping Pines is available now.
Thank you to netgalley and hhtisevich for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Betty Lou Abbot is convinced her fiancé is cheating on her. Her fiancé isn’t the only one with a secret. Betty keeps hers tucked away in the mansion she inherited from her late husband. Betty becomes obsessed with the idea of the affair. She begins stalking the mistress who is a client of hers named Carmen. Add Detective Nicholas Stahl to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster.
The Widow of Weeping Pines is available now.
Thank you to netgalley and hhtisevich for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
April 22, 2023
Sometimes I wish my husband would die.
Yeah.
Uhm.
No one please show my boyfriend this book and its terrific opening line.
Catching up with all my ARCs so that the NetGalley police stops thinking I'm an asshole, and decided to start with this one, because both the blurb and the cover looked enticing.
The Widow of Weeping Pines is a short-chaptered little gem that sounds like every other domesti thriller you've ever read, but is blessed by Amanda McKinney's good writing.
The plot doesn't wait around and you're never left hanging, because the story is spread into a frantic succession of events and twists you won't be able to catch your breath.
Betts is one very unlikeable main character, but in her defense, everyone in this book sucks.
Also, bonus point for the author to create a story without feeling the need to introduce more than 10 characters.
There's really not much backstory -which for me is a positive trait, because I like my thrillers like I like my washing machine press cycle: quick and effective-, and I feel like some parts were extremely rushed and some questions were left unanswered, but I overall liked this and can tell it has potential to be the one-sitting kind of read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5
January 26, 2023
"Sometimes I wish my husband would die."
Wow. What a great first line!! This book grabbed me and didn't let go until the very last line, which happened to be equally shocking.
Betts is a stunningly relatable character! But! Is she stable? Or is she mentally ill? She's a hot mess and a little hilarious, though.
She discloses many shocking secrets throughout the book as it passes through the past and present of her relationship with her husband, Jack, and recounts the days before and after his demise.
The detective and her "clinic" patients are equally important and add to the suspense. Literally every character is a major player in the end.
I would say this book has major Samantha Downing vibes (think My Lovely Wife) and doesn't disappoint!! Easily a 5 star read!!
Wow. What a great first line!! This book grabbed me and didn't let go until the very last line, which happened to be equally shocking.
Betts is a stunningly relatable character! But! Is she stable? Or is she mentally ill? She's a hot mess and a little hilarious, though.
She discloses many shocking secrets throughout the book as it passes through the past and present of her relationship with her husband, Jack, and recounts the days before and after his demise.
The detective and her "clinic" patients are equally important and add to the suspense. Literally every character is a major player in the end.
I would say this book has major Samantha Downing vibes (think My Lovely Wife) and doesn't disappoint!! Easily a 5 star read!!
December 10, 2022
Would you like to kill your husband? I wouldn't!!! .... but I was curious to pick up this fictional thriller suspense and see what this mad woman was thinking! .... and mad she is. Introducing Betty Lou Abbott, Bett for short. She has an illegal business in Weeping Pines.
Quote
"Every year, a single black rose lies perfectly centered on the ground in front of my deceased husband’s headstone. A rose that I did not place there."
.... but why?
.
Set in Autumn .... we go to a creepy place
Quote
"The Gadleigh Estate is notorious in Weeping Pines, its thick stone walls guarding secrets of multigenerational wealth. The core of the home was built in the mid 1800s, and has been renovated and expanded on by a long line of affluent owners, the last of whom being my late husband."
.... and it's meant to be haunted!
I loved the detective dialogue in this book, didn't like the detective though, he is a scum ball, a dick wad, and you will understand why as you read along. Bett is quite a detective herself but things turn a bit oopsies which makes this book even more interesting. Mild gory bits in this one, nothing very graphic which meant I didn't have to skip pages. Not really any violence this was cleverly written not to offend, swearing in this one, so close your ears, or skip right past.
Yes, overall a totally facinating plot and amused me no end, I'm definitely giving this a
5 star rating/review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
Thanking once again Netgalley .... This book is now published.... Note this is a Novella.
.
Pauline Reid
BookReviewer
New Zealand.
.
For visuals
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl_1Kl2y5...
Quote
"Every year, a single black rose lies perfectly centered on the ground in front of my deceased husband’s headstone. A rose that I did not place there."
.... but why?
.
Set in Autumn .... we go to a creepy place
Quote
"The Gadleigh Estate is notorious in Weeping Pines, its thick stone walls guarding secrets of multigenerational wealth. The core of the home was built in the mid 1800s, and has been renovated and expanded on by a long line of affluent owners, the last of whom being my late husband."
.... and it's meant to be haunted!
I loved the detective dialogue in this book, didn't like the detective though, he is a scum ball, a dick wad, and you will understand why as you read along. Bett is quite a detective herself but things turn a bit oopsies which makes this book even more interesting. Mild gory bits in this one, nothing very graphic which meant I didn't have to skip pages. Not really any violence this was cleverly written not to offend, swearing in this one, so close your ears, or skip right past.
Yes, overall a totally facinating plot and amused me no end, I'm definitely giving this a
5 star rating/review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
Thanking once again Netgalley .... This book is now published.... Note this is a Novella.
.
Pauline Reid
BookReviewer
New Zealand.
.
For visuals
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl_1Kl2y5...
January 11, 2023
‘Weeping Pines’ really appealed to me as a dark novella based upon a woman who fantasises about murdering her husband. The way it was all layered and constructed was really well done by McKinney and the twists were expertly placed to maintain interest in the plotline. For me Betts became one of those really sinister female characters that stays with you; she is calculated and her obsessions bring out an incredibly dark side of her personality. I personally love it when female writers construct these more malicious characters so for me, this story reminded me of writers like Megan Abbott and Gillian Flynn who centre their stories on women who are pushed to be other because of their environment or relationships.
The story did lack a little momentum for me in the middle, almost like it could have been shorter as a novella but I did appreciate the details included to round out the storyline generally. And personally some of the intimate scenes seemed a bit out of place as they didn’t add much in terms of plot but overall the thriller genre was tightly compacted into this short read. ‘Weeping Pines’ was a great introduction for me to get into McKinney’s work.
(3.5 stars rounded up)
The story did lack a little momentum for me in the middle, almost like it could have been shorter as a novella but I did appreciate the details included to round out the storyline generally. And personally some of the intimate scenes seemed a bit out of place as they didn’t add much in terms of plot but overall the thriller genre was tightly compacted into this short read. ‘Weeping Pines’ was a great introduction for me to get into McKinney’s work.
(3.5 stars rounded up)
January 31, 2023
I suppose the positive note about this story was that I read it in one sitting, however, I was left hating every character in the story.
January 27, 2023
An outlandish off the charts crazy in away that makes this domestic psychological thriller come together perfectly.
January 10, 2023
“Sometimes I wish my husband would die. Do you ever feel like that?”
Holy cow! With an opening line like that, how could you not be hooked?! When you’ve only got 184 pages, you have make them all count, and this novella starts off with a bang and takes the reader on a wild ride until the very end!
If you were to look up “unreliable narrator” in the dictionary, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see our main character, Betty Lou Abbott, or Betts as she prefers to be called. Betts is a therapist, an author, a notorious widow – oh, and she also has antisocial personality disorder. She’s selfish, manipulative, an accomplished liar, but also utterly compelling.
This story is intense, exciting, and absolutely unputdownable. Many thanks to NetGalley, HH Tisevich, and Amanda McKinney for providing me an advance copy of this book.
Holy cow! With an opening line like that, how could you not be hooked?! When you’ve only got 184 pages, you have make them all count, and this novella starts off with a bang and takes the reader on a wild ride until the very end!
If you were to look up “unreliable narrator” in the dictionary, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see our main character, Betty Lou Abbott, or Betts as she prefers to be called. Betts is a therapist, an author, a notorious widow – oh, and she also has antisocial personality disorder. She’s selfish, manipulative, an accomplished liar, but also utterly compelling.
This story is intense, exciting, and absolutely unputdownable. Many thanks to NetGalley, HH Tisevich, and Amanda McKinney for providing me an advance copy of this book.
May 14, 2023
I honestly don’t know where to start with this book..
Betts husband died a year ago and she’s now engaged to a struggling dentist she’s not too fond of. She runs an illegal therapy clinic in her basement to keep them afloat.
Betts drinks 2 bottles of wine a day and she seems to be stalked by the detective who was also her late husbands friend. Who kind of gave me the creeps. Anywho, he is convinced she killed her husband. And then her fiancé goes missing after a measly fight.
All in all, the book was okay. I found myself confused a lot of the time and I had to backtrack and reread. The twist was pretty satisfying. But also I’m left with questions.
I also though Carmen could of had more of a story, the synopsis made me think she was going to be a big mastermind. Not some background character.
Thank you NetGalley and HH Tisevich for the digital copy of the book.
Betts husband died a year ago and she’s now engaged to a struggling dentist she’s not too fond of. She runs an illegal therapy clinic in her basement to keep them afloat.
Betts drinks 2 bottles of wine a day and she seems to be stalked by the detective who was also her late husbands friend. Who kind of gave me the creeps. Anywho, he is convinced she killed her husband. And then her fiancé goes missing after a measly fight.
All in all, the book was okay. I found myself confused a lot of the time and I had to backtrack and reread. The twist was pretty satisfying. But also I’m left with questions.
I also though Carmen could of had more of a story, the synopsis made me think she was going to be a big mastermind. Not some background character.
Thank you NetGalley and HH Tisevich for the digital copy of the book.
March 23, 2023
Wow. What did I just read? The Widow of Weeping Pines is an extremely fast-paced read. It's novella length and certainly packs a lot in such a short book. It was crazy and bizarre, but in a good way. I couldn't put it down and absolutely didn't see that ending coming.
Betts is so obsessive and narcissistic. I knew I shouldn't like her, but I did.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it if you are in the mood for a quick, slightly crazy read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Betts is so obsessive and narcissistic. I knew I shouldn't like her, but I did.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it if you are in the mood for a quick, slightly crazy read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded down.
For the first 55% of the book - I was in love. Our main narrator Betts lost her husband a year ago to a heart attack. She's left alone in their giant house where she runs an illegal therapy clinic to make ends meet. She's engaged to the local dentist who she doesn't much care for. Oh, and she's probably crazy.
The author does a great job of establishing an unreliable narrator. Betts is sure her fiancé is cheating on her and starts tracking his phone and driving by his office. She's pretty sure that he's cheating on her with one of her patients so she starts driving by that woman's house. We experienced the book through Betts' point of view and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was real and what was in her head.
Where the book lost me was in the second half. The big reveal didn't make sense to me nor did the final resolution. I couldn't figure out how It left me with unanswered questions. I also couldn't figure out what the Detective's deal was in the beginning of the book. He sees a corpse who was murdered but the rest of the police are thinking suicide and... he just lets them keep thinking that? I was waiting for a reveal about him being the murderer but as far as I can tell, it was just a weird, rando situation that didn't relate to the rest of the book.
The book was less than 200 pages. For most of it, I thought how the author did a great job of keeping everything compact and organized. She dropped us right into Betts' life and revealed details at a reasonable pace. I wish the author had spent more time with the wrap up. It felt very abrupt and left me with so many questions.
This isn't a bad read but left me unsatisfied at the end. I'd be interested in reading other suspense books by the author.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.
For the first 55% of the book - I was in love. Our main narrator Betts lost her husband a year ago to a heart attack. She's left alone in their giant house where she runs an illegal therapy clinic to make ends meet. She's engaged to the local dentist who she doesn't much care for. Oh, and she's probably crazy.
The author does a great job of establishing an unreliable narrator. Betts is sure her fiancé is cheating on her and starts tracking his phone and driving by his office. She's pretty sure that he's cheating on her with one of her patients so she starts driving by that woman's house. We experienced the book through Betts' point of view and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was real and what was in her head.
Where the book lost me was in the second half. The big reveal didn't make sense to me nor did the final resolution. I couldn't figure out how It left me with unanswered questions. I also couldn't figure out what the Detective's deal was in the beginning of the book. He sees a corpse who was murdered but the rest of the police are thinking suicide and... he just lets them keep thinking that? I was waiting for a reveal about him being the murderer but as far as I can tell, it was just a weird, rando situation that didn't relate to the rest of the book.
The book was less than 200 pages. For most of it, I thought how the author did a great job of keeping everything compact and organized. She dropped us right into Betts' life and revealed details at a reasonable pace. I wish the author had spent more time with the wrap up. It felt very abrupt and left me with so many questions.
This isn't a bad read but left me unsatisfied at the end. I'd be interested in reading other suspense books by the author.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.
February 8, 2023
Genre: Psychological/Thriller
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pub. Date: December 2, 2022
The main prognostic is a widowed psychologist who runs an illegal clinic in her home’s basement. When the book’s blub reads, “Two women—one crazy, one ill—and both have secrets they would kill for and Two men—one innocent, one ruthless,” you pretty much know that the novel will be a domestic thriller, which is why I wanted to read the book. As promised, early on in the story, it is apparent that some or all of the characters are mentally unbalanced. The blurb doesn’t mention that they are also unlikeable. Unlikable characters can contribute to an engaging plot. That did not happen here. When I read “The Widow of Weeping Pines,” I wasn’t aware that it is part of the “Mad Women Series.” I wouldn't have read the book if I had known. In my experience, thriller series novels are sometimes clumsily written, and they can be cheezy, which pretty much sums up my opinion on this novel that began with promise but didn’t follow through.
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.amazon.com
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Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pub. Date: December 2, 2022
The main prognostic is a widowed psychologist who runs an illegal clinic in her home’s basement. When the book’s blub reads, “Two women—one crazy, one ill—and both have secrets they would kill for and Two men—one innocent, one ruthless,” you pretty much know that the novel will be a domestic thriller, which is why I wanted to read the book. As promised, early on in the story, it is apparent that some or all of the characters are mentally unbalanced. The blurb doesn’t mention that they are also unlikeable. Unlikable characters can contribute to an engaging plot. That did not happen here. When I read “The Widow of Weeping Pines,” I wasn’t aware that it is part of the “Mad Women Series.” I wouldn't have read the book if I had known. In my experience, thriller series novels are sometimes clumsily written, and they can be cheezy, which pretty much sums up my opinion on this novel that began with promise but didn’t follow through.
I received this novel at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://books6259.wordpress.com
https://www.goodreads.com
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.amazon.com
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/c...
February 26, 2023
We couldn’t think of a better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with Amanda McKinney’s The Widow of Weeping Pines. The first installment in the “Mad Women” series, the book revolves around psychologist-author Betty Lou Abbott (Betts) and her life in Weeping Pines, the small coastal hometown of her recently deceased husband.
TWOWP’s synopsis stood out to us immediately as a quintessential small-town, domestic thriller and we knew we had to dive right in! Capped at 184 pages and written in dual POV, it was an easy read and we breezed right through it.
A significant chunk of the story was written from Betts’ POV, and the first-person narrative allowed us to delve into the protagonist's psyche. McKinney has done a brilliant job of developing her character as the outsider in a small town where she is viewed with suspicion following her husband's sudden death, and her attempts to rebuild her life. However, the slow unravelling of her character had us questioning everything and established her as the perfect (and utterly despicable!) unreliable narrator. Unfortunately, the remainder of the characters, especially Detective Stahl, were stereotypical and failed to leave any significant impact on the story, or us as readers.
Where reading about Betts’ character development was a high, the plot turned out to be a letdown. TWOWP played out like a typical 70s thriller, packed with a suspicious detective, a recently widowed woman, and the sordid scandals of a small town. And while the first half kept us intrigued, the second half, packed with plot holes and loose ends, felt careless and frustrating. Even the “big reveal” was cliché and ludicrous.
Nevertheless, McKinney’s writing was the book’s saving grace. Her eloquent descriptions and slow build-up of several scenes kept us engaged and had us finish the book in a day. Although TWOWP hasn’t made it to our list of favorites, we’d certainly give her books another shot in the future.
We thank Netgalley and the author for the e-ARC of this book.
L&L Rating: 3 stars
TL;DR: Small-town domestic mystery; Unreliable narrator.
TWOWP’s synopsis stood out to us immediately as a quintessential small-town, domestic thriller and we knew we had to dive right in! Capped at 184 pages and written in dual POV, it was an easy read and we breezed right through it.
A significant chunk of the story was written from Betts’ POV, and the first-person narrative allowed us to delve into the protagonist's psyche. McKinney has done a brilliant job of developing her character as the outsider in a small town where she is viewed with suspicion following her husband's sudden death, and her attempts to rebuild her life. However, the slow unravelling of her character had us questioning everything and established her as the perfect (and utterly despicable!) unreliable narrator. Unfortunately, the remainder of the characters, especially Detective Stahl, were stereotypical and failed to leave any significant impact on the story, or us as readers.
Where reading about Betts’ character development was a high, the plot turned out to be a letdown. TWOWP played out like a typical 70s thriller, packed with a suspicious detective, a recently widowed woman, and the sordid scandals of a small town. And while the first half kept us intrigued, the second half, packed with plot holes and loose ends, felt careless and frustrating. Even the “big reveal” was cliché and ludicrous.
Nevertheless, McKinney’s writing was the book’s saving grace. Her eloquent descriptions and slow build-up of several scenes kept us engaged and had us finish the book in a day. Although TWOWP hasn’t made it to our list of favorites, we’d certainly give her books another shot in the future.
We thank Netgalley and the author for the e-ARC of this book.
L&L Rating: 3 stars
TL;DR: Small-town domestic mystery; Unreliable narrator.
January 25, 2023
I must admit I have mixed feelings about this book. On the plus side, it kept me quickly turning the pages— short chapters and different POVs really worked for the story. And it grabbed me from the very first page. However, there was very little character development or depth to the characters. If it had been a longer book, perhaps this may have been different. Also, there were tense plot threads in the book (for example, a possible murder-suicide) that were never resolved or addressed. Were these simply red herrings? Maybe it’s just me, but I would have liked these plot points to be further developed.
Anyway, it was a quick, tense read with a very interesting twist. And it did keep me reading into the night. So you may want to give it a try if you have a couple of hours free one afternoon.
A huge thanks to NetGalley, Amanda McKinney, and the publisher HH Tisevich for gifting me the digital copy of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!!
Anyway, it was a quick, tense read with a very interesting twist. And it did keep me reading into the night. So you may want to give it a try if you have a couple of hours free one afternoon.
A huge thanks to NetGalley, Amanda McKinney, and the publisher HH Tisevich for gifting me the digital copy of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!!
January 15, 2023
There’s all kinds of crazy going on here, so naturally I liked it. This novella is mostly narrated by the snarky Betts. She’s worried her fiancé may be having an affair with one of her clients. Her previous husband died of a heart attack although a member of local law enforcement doubts that. My favorite Betts quote: “Everyone wins if the husband would just keel over and die.” A quick, entertaining read.
February 5, 2023
Betts is a teacher/writer/psychologist....with a dead husband, dentist fiance, and somewhat of a drinking problem. Oh, and a detective breathing down her back!
I enjoyed this quick little thriller, and I mean quick, under 200 pages. It's action packed and I liked the author's straight to the point writing style. In a short span of pages, I was attached to some of the characters and enjoyed all the twists and turns. 3.75 if I could...
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC!
I enjoyed this quick little thriller, and I mean quick, under 200 pages. It's action packed and I liked the author's straight to the point writing style. In a short span of pages, I was attached to some of the characters and enjoyed all the twists and turns. 3.75 if I could...
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC!
February 1, 2023
I received this as a free arc through netgalley
This was a book with a whole lot going on. Constant new information kept it very fast paced. I hated hated the main character, which I think was the point. There were a lot of triggers, suicide, miscarriage, alcoholism.
This was a book with a whole lot going on. Constant new information kept it very fast paced. I hated hated the main character, which I think was the point. There were a lot of triggers, suicide, miscarriage, alcoholism.
December 6, 2022
This book took a hold of me from the VERY first sentence and didn’t let go of it’s grip the entire time. The story of The Widow Of Weeping Pines follows our main character Betty Lou (or Betts) after the loss of her husband. When she suspects her new fiancé of cheating on her and the deputy sheriff of Weeping Pines suspects Betts of having something to do with her husbands death, she takes matters into her own hands.
This story confused me in the best of ways. Every character seemed to be at some sort of level of messed up, but I couldn’t figure out their involvement until the very end. This book kept me guessing the whole way through, and I have sooo many highlights throughout with notes like “WHAT” and “is this a clue?!” I loved the internal monologue of both points of view and there were very definitive differences in the characters. This one had me sitting on the edge of my seat the whole way through. EASY 5 star read for me and I cannot wait to read more from this author!
Thanks so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC of this book!
This story confused me in the best of ways. Every character seemed to be at some sort of level of messed up, but I couldn’t figure out their involvement until the very end. This book kept me guessing the whole way through, and I have sooo many highlights throughout with notes like “WHAT” and “is this a clue?!” I loved the internal monologue of both points of view and there were very definitive differences in the characters. This one had me sitting on the edge of my seat the whole way through. EASY 5 star read for me and I cannot wait to read more from this author!
Thanks so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC of this book!
December 10, 2022
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Amanda Mckinney is a master at dropping small bread crumbs of tension throughout her story, thus building up the intrigue until it all swells up into a big climactic reveal, usually preceded by a (few) plot twist(s) that will keep your head spinning long after you've stopped reading.
Amanda's first thriller, The Widow of Weeping Pines, delivers on all of it. We get treated with psychologically interesting main and side characters, who all work together in providing the trademark intrigue and mystery throughout the story.
"This is where my story begins, and also where it ends. It is going to be an uncomfortable ride, I can promise you that. But it is an honest, no-holds-barred story that you will relate to on a level you won't want to admit."
As always, I loved the writing, the story, the characters and the plot twist that left me reeling even after I finished the book. However, I am left with unanswered questions and some information that was provided as important was not used further down. The book might've benefitted from using the time jumps from the start, to really deepen the relationship between Betts and her husband and fiancé (which would've also given the opportunity to use the information I'm hinting at). So, while I enjoyed the book, I was slightly disappointed about these things and the lack of multiple twists and turns (especially compared to Buried Deception), meaning I'm only rating it 4 stars. But, I certainly recommend picking this one up if you're looking for a quick read that provides lots of intrigue and will blow you off your chair with a brutal plot twist.
P.s. to my romance reading friends, beware! No romance nor HEA in this one.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC I received from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Amanda's first thriller, The Widow of Weeping Pines, delivers on all of it. We get treated with psychologically interesting main and side characters, who all work together in providing the trademark intrigue and mystery throughout the story.
"This is where my story begins, and also where it ends. It is going to be an uncomfortable ride, I can promise you that. But it is an honest, no-holds-barred story that you will relate to on a level you won't want to admit."
As always, I loved the writing, the story, the characters and the plot twist that left me reeling even after I finished the book. However, I am left with unanswered questions and some information that was provided as important was not used further down. The book might've benefitted from using the time jumps from the start, to really deepen the relationship between Betts and her husband and fiancé (which would've also given the opportunity to use the information I'm hinting at). So, while I enjoyed the book, I was slightly disappointed about these things and the lack of multiple twists and turns (especially compared to Buried Deception), meaning I'm only rating it 4 stars. But, I certainly recommend picking this one up if you're looking for a quick read that provides lots of intrigue and will blow you off your chair with a brutal plot twist.
P.s. to my romance reading friends, beware! No romance nor HEA in this one.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC I received from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
December 23, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and HH Tisevich for the opportunity to review The Widow of Weeping Pines.
I had very high hopes for this book, but ultimately, it was not for me. The writing was much more “tell” than “show,” which automatically takes me out of a story. I like to draw my own conclusions and interpret the story, but everything was a little too spelled out for me. With writing like this, it takes out the suspense for me completely. I also found the characters and scenarios to be unrealistic - I found myself disconnected from the story because I couldn’t envision any of this happening, nor could I connect to any character.
The writing around the town was good, I think the author writes scenery well and I got a good sense of the small town and the “vibes” there.
I had very high hopes for this book, but ultimately, it was not for me. The writing was much more “tell” than “show,” which automatically takes me out of a story. I like to draw my own conclusions and interpret the story, but everything was a little too spelled out for me. With writing like this, it takes out the suspense for me completely. I also found the characters and scenarios to be unrealistic - I found myself disconnected from the story because I couldn’t envision any of this happening, nor could I connect to any character.
The writing around the town was good, I think the author writes scenery well and I got a good sense of the small town and the “vibes” there.
December 12, 2022
I would give it a zero if I could. I only finished it because it was short. It was not a good story line and the end was confusing but no real loss because by that point I simply did not care. Not the author for me. A waste of valuable leisure time.
January 13, 2023
This was recommended to me by a friend, and I went in knowing absolutely nothing about it. I was pleasantly surprised at how immediately I was sucked in, and how the author was able to tell so much story in so few pages. The pacing was great, the characters were fascinating, and Betts had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
I was proud of myself for picking up on a few key details, and I think the author did a great job and pacing the reveals and details to piece together a mad woman murder mystery. Not a bad read for my first book of 2023!
I was proud of myself for picking up on a few key details, and I think the author did a great job and pacing the reveals and details to piece together a mad woman murder mystery. Not a bad read for my first book of 2023!
January 5, 2024
A page-turner that sucks you in from the beginning. I could not put this book down. This is one of the books that I read during my chemotherapy treatments. It pulled me in that the time flew and I almost forgot why I was there. It was not only a beautiful distraction it was a great read. I devoured this book. I received this book for free and these thoughts are my own. Thank you for such a wonderful gift to the reading world. I did go and buy this book for my collection at home.
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