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ThreeSingleWives
An addictive second mystery novel about book clubs, murder, and the domestic secrets inside every household from the author of Pretty Guilty Women!Three beautiful women. Two wedding bands. One dead husband.When Anne Wilkes, Eliza Tate, and Penny Sands arrive at book club bearing bottles of wine, none of them are plotting to kill. But when the subject of a philandering husband arises, revenge is in the air. By the end of the night, someone is dead.Two women with rings on their fingers and one with stars in her eyes. All of them are hiding something. All of them are lying.What really happened that night? Only the guilty knows. Did one woman take everything too far, or is the truth really more twisted than fiction?A domestic thriller that will keep you guessing, Three Single Wives is a compelling mystery for book clubs that devoured Samantha Downing, Sandi Jones and Lucy Foley.
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First published September 1, 2020
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About the author
Gina LaManna
72 books1,463 followersOriginally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Gina LaManna has also called Italy and Los Angeles home. After studying numbers and equations in college, she realized multiple choice tests were “just not for her” and began writing books instead. She loves cappuccino foam and whipped cream and would subsist solely on sprinkles if possible. She currently lives in St. Paul with her wonderful husband and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 436 reviews
January 15, 2021
In Three Single Wives, a fun wine-fueled book club turns deadly when a body is found. Could their discussion of cheating husbands and murder have paved the way? Everyone has secrets, and the four women at the book club have more than their fair share to hide. So who was killed and who really did it?
The premise of this book is intriguing, and it certainly grabbed my attention. I found the initial pages to be compelling, introducing the readers to each of the main characters in this murderous little drama. But then, it started dragging on, and I pretty much lost interest.
One problem for me is the writing style. It's overwritten, as a lot of psychological thrillers tend to be. It's heavy on the (melo)drama, going on and on with each person's thoughts and emotions, way past the point of necessity. I can grasp why a character is feeling a certain way, and I don't need it spelled out for me across paragraphs upon paragraphs. Less is more, you know? It feels like hardly anything happens, so every small event or feeling is stretched out into so many pages of text. I felt my attention wandering constantly.
The other problem is that a lot of the things that happen don't really make sense at all. For example, the court transcript is pretty much just the prosecution and defense accusing every single witness of being the murderer. Or, when a wife suspects her husband of cheating, she befriends the mistress because she feels bad. Or, when a friend's husband starts to blackmail a character, they remain BFF with that friend. I could go on, but most of the character's actions don't follow with their personalities or logic or even emotion. It just feels random.
I don't read a lot of psychological thrillers because I find most of them to be disappointing, and this one definitely falls in that category. None of the characters really gelled into real people with thoughts and actions that make sense. Not much actually happens in the story, but every ounce of meaning and drama is wrung out of every little action and emotion until all the suspense is gone. By the end, I hardly cared who was killed or who did it. I'm just happy to be done.
The premise of this book is intriguing, and it certainly grabbed my attention. I found the initial pages to be compelling, introducing the readers to each of the main characters in this murderous little drama. But then, it started dragging on, and I pretty much lost interest.
One problem for me is the writing style. It's overwritten, as a lot of psychological thrillers tend to be. It's heavy on the (melo)drama, going on and on with each person's thoughts and emotions, way past the point of necessity. I can grasp why a character is feeling a certain way, and I don't need it spelled out for me across paragraphs upon paragraphs. Less is more, you know? It feels like hardly anything happens, so every small event or feeling is stretched out into so many pages of text. I felt my attention wandering constantly.
The other problem is that a lot of the things that happen don't really make sense at all. For example, the court transcript is pretty much just the prosecution and defense accusing every single witness of being the murderer. Or, when a wife suspects her husband of cheating, she befriends the mistress because she feels bad. Or, when a friend's husband starts to blackmail a character, they remain BFF with that friend. I could go on, but most of the character's actions don't follow with their personalities or logic or even emotion. It just feels random.
I don't read a lot of psychological thrillers because I find most of them to be disappointing, and this one definitely falls in that category. None of the characters really gelled into real people with thoughts and actions that make sense. Not much actually happens in the story, but every ounce of meaning and drama is wrung out of every little action and emotion until all the suspense is gone. By the end, I hardly cared who was killed or who did it. I'm just happy to be done.
March 23, 2021
What happens when book club gets a little....murdery?
Anne, Eliza and Penny arrive for what was supposed to be a completely normal book club night. They got the booze, they got the books and they have one very dead husband at the end of it.
But...who did it?
Was it Anne? The overworked mother of four and wife of a probable-cheating spouse?
Was it Eliza? The workaholic one-woman powerhouse with a probable-cheating spouse?
Or was it Penny? The kleptomaniac pathological liar who slept with a married man?
One of them is going to jail...but with so many motives, which one?
Overall - I quite liked this story!
I loved how LaManna slowly revealed all of the character quirks and plot-details.
Anne, Eliza and Penny were such unique characters - and they (and the myriad of side characters) were such great suspects.
I was so confident so many times throughout this book that I "found" the right killer...only to discover that I was completely off each time.
I also liked the way book club was woven into the story - though part of me wished the books were a bit more grounded in reality, so I could read along with them.
All in all, I feel like this book worked really well!
A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Gina LaManna for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
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November 21, 2020
Gina LaManna provides us with another fun and entertaining thriller set in Los Angeles about a trio of women and their friendships, with each facing a number of challenging circumstances in their lives. There is the wealthy Eliza Tate, childless, working in publishing, married and still in love with her good looking husband, Roman. Anne Wilkes has been close friends with Eliza ever since they met in college, is happily married to a long serving LAPD detective, Mark, a housewife with 4 young children that run her ragged, the youngest of whom are twins. The 26 year old Penny Sands has stars in her eyes, has recently moved to LA from Iowa with a view to making it there, risking everything as she had been doing so well in her hometown. She is now living in a poor and disreputable area of LA in a badly furnished dilapidated apartment, struggling to survive, attending acting lessons run by Roman.
It all begins with the three women at a well oiled with alcohol bookclub discussion with successful self help author and guru, Marguerite Hill, when the talk ends up on the subject of murder and how it might be committed. The following morning a murder is discovered, and we go back 9 months to see how this all began, and although the victim is a husband, we don't learn who until much later on, leaving the women wondering if one them was responsible, a murder triggered by their previous day's conversation. In a narrative interspersed with details of a court trial through transcripts, we learn of how the women became a close friends, whilst at the same time slowly revealing their flaws, their dark and dirty secrets, the difficult circumstances they have to overcome, the affairs, the betrayals, the suspicions, the blackmail, theft and a pregnancy.
LaManna writes an engaging mystery with plenty of suspense and tension, there are twists and turns that keep you interested in where it all heading, whilst trying to work out who the killer is. What interested me were the 3 main characters, all distinctly different from each other, such as Eliza, the high flyer, so different at home from who she is at work, having few illusions about Roman, but loving him despite his obvious penchant for other women. I particularly liked how she could become friends with the younger Penny, seeing through to her vulnerability and fragility, whilst maintaining a long term friendship with Anne, even when their social lives and financial circumstances are polar opposites. This is a wonderfully enjoyable novel that is likely to appeal to those who are looking for a light hearted and vibrant thriller to read in these most difficult of times. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
It all begins with the three women at a well oiled with alcohol bookclub discussion with successful self help author and guru, Marguerite Hill, when the talk ends up on the subject of murder and how it might be committed. The following morning a murder is discovered, and we go back 9 months to see how this all began, and although the victim is a husband, we don't learn who until much later on, leaving the women wondering if one them was responsible, a murder triggered by their previous day's conversation. In a narrative interspersed with details of a court trial through transcripts, we learn of how the women became a close friends, whilst at the same time slowly revealing their flaws, their dark and dirty secrets, the difficult circumstances they have to overcome, the affairs, the betrayals, the suspicions, the blackmail, theft and a pregnancy.
LaManna writes an engaging mystery with plenty of suspense and tension, there are twists and turns that keep you interested in where it all heading, whilst trying to work out who the killer is. What interested me were the 3 main characters, all distinctly different from each other, such as Eliza, the high flyer, so different at home from who she is at work, having few illusions about Roman, but loving him despite his obvious penchant for other women. I particularly liked how she could become friends with the younger Penny, seeing through to her vulnerability and fragility, whilst maintaining a long term friendship with Anne, even when their social lives and financial circumstances are polar opposites. This is a wonderfully enjoyable novel that is likely to appeal to those who are looking for a light hearted and vibrant thriller to read in these most difficult of times. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
December 4, 2020
“It’s just not book club without wine!” 🍷
Eliza Tate is having a small gathering in her home for her client, best selling author Marguerite Hill, and two other women, longtime friend Anne Wilkes, and the 26 year old she thinks her husband is sleeping with, Penny Sands.
Gulp.
Like most book clubs, they discuss the book...a little.
And spend the rest of the time gossiping about things like cheating husbands.
🙄
They might have even made some throwaway comments about how they might kill a cheating husband, y’know, if they found out they knew one.
🙄
The story goes back and forth in time, with easy to follow, alternating viewpoints.
Each chapter ends with a transcript from the Courtroom, where each sassy woman is being questioned about their guilt or innocence. (Fun!)
Although some of it was predictable, (I guessed the guilty party about halfway through)
there was a surprising little twist at the end!
Tag words for this one: Soap Opera, (go with it!) Domestic Suspense, Light, Entertaining! 🍿
A buddy read with Kim! 🤗
3.75 rounded up!
Eliza Tate is having a small gathering in her home for her client, best selling author Marguerite Hill, and two other women, longtime friend Anne Wilkes, and the 26 year old she thinks her husband is sleeping with, Penny Sands.
Gulp.
Like most book clubs, they discuss the book...a little.
And spend the rest of the time gossiping about things like cheating husbands.
🙄
They might have even made some throwaway comments about how they might kill a cheating husband, y’know, if they found out they knew one.
🙄
The story goes back and forth in time, with easy to follow, alternating viewpoints.
Each chapter ends with a transcript from the Courtroom, where each sassy woman is being questioned about their guilt or innocence. (Fun!)
Although some of it was predictable, (I guessed the guilty party about halfway through)
there was a surprising little twist at the end!
Tag words for this one: Soap Opera, (go with it!) Domestic Suspense, Light, Entertaining! 🍿
A buddy read with Kim! 🤗
3.75 rounded up!
May 25, 2021
This is a Thriller. I found parts of this book hard to follow. I was also bored doing the first part of this book. I did love the ending, but the twist was not the best. I did not guess the twist. I am very lucky to win a Hard Cover Copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway, but this is 100% my own honest opinion about how I feel about the book. (*)
December 20, 2020
An enticing and deliciously salty popcorn mystery.🍿🧂
This story starts off with a book club that includes wine (right up my alley). 🍷📚 The group of four women briefly talk about the book in question, and then move onto more gossip-y subjects. Murder is “jovially” discussed when it comes to men who cheat and have secrets.
Before the next sunrise, the husband of one of the women has been murdered. Each book club member has motive and opportunity. Each woman has secrets.
This was fun, fast-paced, and juicy. I suspected everyone at certain points, and went back and forth with my suspicions more than once. My love/hate for the characters went back and forth as well. The ending was a nice treat. I may not remember the deets of this book in a year from now, but I had a great time reading it. I look forward to more from this author.
This story starts off with a book club that includes wine (right up my alley). 🍷📚 The group of four women briefly talk about the book in question, and then move onto more gossip-y subjects. Murder is “jovially” discussed when it comes to men who cheat and have secrets.
Before the next sunrise, the husband of one of the women has been murdered. Each book club member has motive and opportunity. Each woman has secrets.
This was fun, fast-paced, and juicy. I suspected everyone at certain points, and went back and forth with my suspicions more than once. My love/hate for the characters went back and forth as well. The ending was a nice treat. I may not remember the deets of this book in a year from now, but I had a great time reading it. I look forward to more from this author.
August 28, 2020
Just as with Pretty Guilty Women, this book is so entertaining. It involves book clubs, wine, and someone’s dead husband. All the women are carrying secrets, and you never know who you can trust. Is the murder the work of just one woman? The way LaManna peels back the layers, I suspected each woman at different times. I thought the wives were all complex and well-developed characters. The ending is a fun one, too. Overall, this is a guilty pleasure type thriller that I highly recommend for fans who enjoy fun drama with their suspense!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
December 10, 2020
Someone at book club is sleeping with your husband...and they know, that you know, that they know....hmmm..
This is probably the most dysfunctional book club I have ever seen. Cheaters, liars, thieves, and there are only 3 members! Wow these girls bring drama to a new level. When it comes up during one drunken night that they should kill a certain someone...and then it really happens...Uhh what is one to think?
I was drawn into this right from the start. All the drama and mystery. However at some point it fizzled out for me. Several things that I suspected ended up being true and ..well it wasn't that shocking. I think honestly I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more book club time. I did enjoy it, just not as much as I had hoped. So many have loved it and I really wanted to. It just was a bit too predictable and well..drama.
Thanks so much to Jayme who did a buddy read with me!
This is probably the most dysfunctional book club I have ever seen. Cheaters, liars, thieves, and there are only 3 members! Wow these girls bring drama to a new level. When it comes up during one drunken night that they should kill a certain someone...and then it really happens...Uhh what is one to think?
I was drawn into this right from the start. All the drama and mystery. However at some point it fizzled out for me. Several things that I suspected ended up being true and ..well it wasn't that shocking. I think honestly I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more book club time. I did enjoy it, just not as much as I had hoped. So many have loved it and I really wanted to. It just was a bit too predictable and well..drama.
Thanks so much to Jayme who did a buddy read with me!
November 30, 2020
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
A book club where murder is discussed? Sign me up! “Three single wives” is a tale of murder with a touch of sorority between three unlikely allies.
The story is told through the three main characters alternating POV, Eliza, Penny and Anne. Before each chapter there’s a transcript of the murder trial where we don’t get to know who the victim is till halfway through (this seems to be a trend lately), although it wasn’t difficult to guess who it was.
It took me a while to get into the story and the main reason was all three women started out as pretty unsympathetic characters, although I must confess that as the story unfolded they all grew up on me, flawed as they all were.
With a first half a bit more slow where we get to know the characters while all the puzzle pieces are set, the second half picks up the pace and was much stronger imo. With several red herrings thrown around, you will keep guessing and doubting every single character. I chose one suspect early on and for once I was right, although the end fell a bit flat for me as the book ended pretty abruptly and I would have liked to read a bit more about the aftermath.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
A book club where murder is discussed? Sign me up! “Three single wives” is a tale of murder with a touch of sorority between three unlikely allies.
The story is told through the three main characters alternating POV, Eliza, Penny and Anne. Before each chapter there’s a transcript of the murder trial where we don’t get to know who the victim is till halfway through (this seems to be a trend lately), although it wasn’t difficult to guess who it was.
It took me a while to get into the story and the main reason was all three women started out as pretty unsympathetic characters, although I must confess that as the story unfolded they all grew up on me, flawed as they all were.
With a first half a bit more slow where we get to know the characters while all the puzzle pieces are set, the second half picks up the pace and was much stronger imo. With several red herrings thrown around, you will keep guessing and doubting every single character. I chose one suspect early on and for once I was right, although the end fell a bit flat for me as the book ended pretty abruptly and I would have liked to read a bit more about the aftermath.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2020
Three Single Wives was a read in an afternoon book for me. A twisty psychological thriller/whodunnit that kept me turning pages until the end.
Plenty of people wants Roman dead.. but who killed him? 3 women discuss killing their husbands in a boozy bookclub one night. The next day Roman as dead. That is how it begins and then we go back and learn the story of each of the women and their lives. The courtroom transcripts add to the story. Any of them couldn’t have been the killer, and I did no guess it in the end.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
Plenty of people wants Roman dead.. but who killed him? 3 women discuss killing their husbands in a boozy bookclub one night. The next day Roman as dead. That is how it begins and then we go back and learn the story of each of the women and their lives. The courtroom transcripts add to the story. Any of them couldn’t have been the killer, and I did no guess it in the end.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
October 12, 2020
Another domestic thriller snuck its way into my list. I’m not a fan of this genre, it lacks the suspense, tension, and shocking moments I like. Putting those feelings aside, I’ll give a quick review.
I enjoyed how the each chapter was broken up by transcripts from the court case. It brought some interesting turns and light humor. Each woman definitely had a reason to want Roman dead. The book presents a timeline of the six months previous to the murder and demonstrates each woman’s motive. Each woman had their own baggage and mostly hid it from the others. The book slowly revealed each character’s secrets and some deviousness. I started to skim midway through bc I just felt there was a lot of filler and unnecessary details. The ending was unexpected and I did like how their stories were wrapped up. 3.5⭐️
I enjoyed how the each chapter was broken up by transcripts from the court case. It brought some interesting turns and light humor. Each woman definitely had a reason to want Roman dead. The book presents a timeline of the six months previous to the murder and demonstrates each woman’s motive. Each woman had their own baggage and mostly hid it from the others. The book slowly revealed each character’s secrets and some deviousness. I started to skim midway through bc I just felt there was a lot of filler and unnecessary details. The ending was unexpected and I did like how their stories were wrapped up. 3.5⭐️
September 26, 2020
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED Three Single Wives by Gina LaManna! It had basically the same formatting as her previous book, Pretty Guilty Women (which I also enjoyed), but for some reason this one just worked even better for me. I loved the assorted characters and female friendships, and the end just made me so happy. I didn't suspect what would happen, but it definitely leaves you feeling empowered and like you need the girl gang from this book. I also loved that everything started with a discussion at a book club, since I am a huge fan of bookish novels.
There are definitely unlikable characters in Three Single Wives, but overall I liked the majority of them, and the ones I didn't like didn't bother me like with some books. I decided to listen to the audiobook, and I am so happy I did. Susannah Jones made for an excellent narrator, and I could have listened to her all day. I started the book later at night and ended up staying up until 1 AM to finish because I HAD to know how it was going to end. I loved that after the prologue LaManna went from days before the murder leading up to it, and that she sprinkled in transcripts from the court proceedings. This really helped to break the book up along with the various viewpoints which I also loved!
If you want a pacy, fun mystery then I highly recommend checking out Three Single Wives. The audio is fantastic, but I have a feeling the physical copy would be super quick as well. I love LaManna's writing style and she's certainly become an autobuy author for me. She has over thirty novels and I can't wait to go back to some of those, and to read whatever she writes next because I AM HERE FOR IT!
There are definitely unlikable characters in Three Single Wives, but overall I liked the majority of them, and the ones I didn't like didn't bother me like with some books. I decided to listen to the audiobook, and I am so happy I did. Susannah Jones made for an excellent narrator, and I could have listened to her all day. I started the book later at night and ended up staying up until 1 AM to finish because I HAD to know how it was going to end. I loved that after the prologue LaManna went from days before the murder leading up to it, and that she sprinkled in transcripts from the court proceedings. This really helped to break the book up along with the various viewpoints which I also loved!
If you want a pacy, fun mystery then I highly recommend checking out Three Single Wives. The audio is fantastic, but I have a feeling the physical copy would be super quick as well. I love LaManna's writing style and she's certainly become an autobuy author for me. She has over thirty novels and I can't wait to go back to some of those, and to read whatever she writes next because I AM HERE FOR IT!
March 7, 2021
Book clubs, wine, three women and a dead husband. If your interest is piqued, then Gina LaManna's latest mystery/thriller, Three Single Wives, won't disappoint.
Three Single Wives, set in Los Angelos, is the tale of three women, their friendship, challenges in their lives and murder.
Eliza Tate, wealthy, career-driven publistist, is married to the handsome Roman Tate. Roman, a bit player in L.A., is now an acting coach where 26 year old, Iowa native, Penny Sands, takes acting classes. Penny has hopes of becoming an actress and takes the biggest risk of her young life as she heads to Hollywood with all of her possessions in one tiny suitcase to her name,
Penny finds that making it in Hollywood requires more money that she came with and needing to make extra money, Roman gets her a job as a babysitter to the children of Eliza's best friend, Anne Wilkes.
Anne, a housewife and mother of four young children, is married to LAPD detective, Mark Wilkes. Anne finds herself in need of a babysitter as she suspects her husband of spending time elsewhere and Anne becomes a private detective in need of answers.
Three women and now three lives intwined together. One wine laced afternoon together with author Marguerite Hill, has all three women discussing murder and how to get away with the "perfect" crime.
While one discussion might lead to another discussion, this one leads to an actual murder of one of the husbands.
LaManna takes the reader back nine months to see how it all began with a story that is filled with all the twists and turns to make this an enjoyable afternoon read or a new book club suggestion with maybe a disclaimer beforehand.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark. #NetGalley #TheeSingleWives
Three Single Wives, set in Los Angelos, is the tale of three women, their friendship, challenges in their lives and murder.
Eliza Tate, wealthy, career-driven publistist, is married to the handsome Roman Tate. Roman, a bit player in L.A., is now an acting coach where 26 year old, Iowa native, Penny Sands, takes acting classes. Penny has hopes of becoming an actress and takes the biggest risk of her young life as she heads to Hollywood with all of her possessions in one tiny suitcase to her name,
Penny finds that making it in Hollywood requires more money that she came with and needing to make extra money, Roman gets her a job as a babysitter to the children of Eliza's best friend, Anne Wilkes.
Anne, a housewife and mother of four young children, is married to LAPD detective, Mark Wilkes. Anne finds herself in need of a babysitter as she suspects her husband of spending time elsewhere and Anne becomes a private detective in need of answers.
Three women and now three lives intwined together. One wine laced afternoon together with author Marguerite Hill, has all three women discussing murder and how to get away with the "perfect" crime.
While one discussion might lead to another discussion, this one leads to an actual murder of one of the husbands.
LaManna takes the reader back nine months to see how it all began with a story that is filled with all the twists and turns to make this an enjoyable afternoon read or a new book club suggestion with maybe a disclaimer beforehand.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark. #NetGalley #TheeSingleWives
September 24, 2020
How could a discussion at a book club turn out to be deadly?
It can when the book club members discuss how they would kill their husband if he were having an affair, and then someone's husband turns up dead.
Despite the dead husband and the trial transcript that was at the beginning of each chapter, the characters were comical. The things they said on the witness stand were unbelievable.
We find out about each woman from eight months before and then leading up to the fateful book club night and trial. We also are kept in the dark about who the murderer is. We get bounced around from one person to the next.
All of the women were flawed in one way or another, but for the most part they were likable.
Penny was a bit on the unlikeable side, though.
Roman, one of the main male characters, was very unlikeable.
I enjoyed Ms. LaManna’s writing style which brought a nice flow to the book, the structure of the chapters, and of course the storyline.
THREE SINGLE WIVES KEPT my interest because of the characters' antics, the book talk, and the terrific characters.
If you need a change of pace for a murder mystery, you will want to add this book to your reading list.
And….Ohhhh….what a great ending. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
It can when the book club members discuss how they would kill their husband if he were having an affair, and then someone's husband turns up dead.
Despite the dead husband and the trial transcript that was at the beginning of each chapter, the characters were comical. The things they said on the witness stand were unbelievable.
We find out about each woman from eight months before and then leading up to the fateful book club night and trial. We also are kept in the dark about who the murderer is. We get bounced around from one person to the next.
All of the women were flawed in one way or another, but for the most part they were likable.
Penny was a bit on the unlikeable side, though.
Roman, one of the main male characters, was very unlikeable.
I enjoyed Ms. LaManna’s writing style which brought a nice flow to the book, the structure of the chapters, and of course the storyline.
THREE SINGLE WIVES KEPT my interest because of the characters' antics, the book talk, and the terrific characters.
If you need a change of pace for a murder mystery, you will want to add this book to your reading list.
And….Ohhhh….what a great ending. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2020
”Was it possible that their dirty little secrets were about to become very big twisted truths?”
Three Single Wives is sort of a “who died?” and “whodunit?” all mixed into one suspenseful thriller. It starts at a book club meeting between the main characters, Eliza, Anne, and Penny. Then goes on to rotate between past POV’s of the three main characters, and police interviews between a handful of characters the days after the murder. Yes, there is a murder, but as the reader we start out not knowing who is dead or who killed them. There is a lot of finger pointing between characters, and honestly I had no clue who to truly trust. I spent the first half of the book confused at all the allusions to the deceased, and trying to figure out something that I wasn’t meant to know yet.
The second half of the book I was rapidly turning the pages to figure out who the heck the killer was and why they did it. I can honestly say, that while this person did signal my spider senses a couple of times, I really did not think that in the end they would be the killer. I think that Gina LaManna did an excellent job placing definite clues and misdirecting the reader, while also placing stealthy red herrings, and telling the flawed and rollercoaster stories of these three women. These women are connected in some unusual ways, but you see how even though they shouldn’t form a bond, they do.
This read is entertaining and will keep you guessing and questioning until the very end. You may find yourself invested in the main characters no matter how flawed and morally gray they are, and thinking that even if they did murder the deceased, maybe they should be allowed to get away with it. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys domestic suspense, and unlikely friendships between women in different stages of life.
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC provided by Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley!
Three Single Wives is sort of a “who died?” and “whodunit?” all mixed into one suspenseful thriller. It starts at a book club meeting between the main characters, Eliza, Anne, and Penny. Then goes on to rotate between past POV’s of the three main characters, and police interviews between a handful of characters the days after the murder. Yes, there is a murder, but as the reader we start out not knowing who is dead or who killed them. There is a lot of finger pointing between characters, and honestly I had no clue who to truly trust. I spent the first half of the book confused at all the allusions to the deceased, and trying to figure out something that I wasn’t meant to know yet.
The second half of the book I was rapidly turning the pages to figure out who the heck the killer was and why they did it. I can honestly say, that while this person did signal my spider senses a couple of times, I really did not think that in the end they would be the killer. I think that Gina LaManna did an excellent job placing definite clues and misdirecting the reader, while also placing stealthy red herrings, and telling the flawed and rollercoaster stories of these three women. These women are connected in some unusual ways, but you see how even though they shouldn’t form a bond, they do.
This read is entertaining and will keep you guessing and questioning until the very end. You may find yourself invested in the main characters no matter how flawed and morally gray they are, and thinking that even if they did murder the deceased, maybe they should be allowed to get away with it. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys domestic suspense, and unlikely friendships between women in different stages of life.
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC provided by Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley!
August 31, 2020
Three Single Wives is a compulsively readable thriller about three women, a book club, and a murder. Anne, Eliza, and Penny are friends, who, during one wine-fueled book club meeting, have a hypothetical discussion on how they would get rid of a cheating husband. Sometime later, one of the women's husbands is found dead, and all three women had a motive to kill him.
Three Single Wives is a very entertaining and absorbing read. I didn't have the slightest idea who the killer was. The story kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book to all domestic suspense readers.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
Three Single Wives is a very entertaining and absorbing read. I didn't have the slightest idea who the killer was. The story kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book to all domestic suspense readers.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
May 7, 2020
Three women, two of them married and one deceased tool of a husband with literally every character having a motive to murder! This is the plot of Three Single Wives by Gina LaManna and I loved every second of it! I’d spend one chapter of the book thinking one of the characters was most certainly the murderer only to change my mind in the next chapter. Guessing, guessing, and more guessing as I turned the pages! As I’ve said before, if you can keep me guessing, you’ll keep me reading and more than likely make me a fan for life!
Each chapter starts with a court transcript of the Prosecution questioning the woman the chapter is narrated by, which is one of three women the story follows. I’ll forgo rehashing the summary, you can read this on your own. The characters are finely tuned and emotive, each with their own back history making them vulnerable to the murder victim. The plot is tight, it is twisty and it wraps up beautifully! The ending left me with a deeply satisfied sigh that I don’t always get in some of the more open-ended books and I’m left to my own conclusions. Three Single Wives is a clever thriller with a mystery at heart and I look forward to reading more from Ms. LaManna.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Gina LaManna, and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC of Three Single Wives in exchange for my honest review.
Each chapter starts with a court transcript of the Prosecution questioning the woman the chapter is narrated by, which is one of three women the story follows. I’ll forgo rehashing the summary, you can read this on your own. The characters are finely tuned and emotive, each with their own back history making them vulnerable to the murder victim. The plot is tight, it is twisty and it wraps up beautifully! The ending left me with a deeply satisfied sigh that I don’t always get in some of the more open-ended books and I’m left to my own conclusions. Three Single Wives is a clever thriller with a mystery at heart and I look forward to reading more from Ms. LaManna.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Gina LaManna, and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC of Three Single Wives in exchange for my honest review.
December 22, 2020
A cleverly titled domestic thriller with a suspenseful plot. Filled with scandal, lies and too many secrets!
“Secrets were heavy. Heavy, living, breathing things that grew and morphed, changed and mutated over time. They suffocated and drowned their keepers; they blistered with anger and deepened with depression.”
Three mismatched women, a wine-fueled night of book club and two husbands that are suspected of cheating...somehow lead to a murder. As the book kicks off, we find out someone has been murdered. The author doesn’t reveal the victim immediately, but it’s rather obvious. I read a lot of thrillers and this one was fairly predictable, but I was still in for a sinful treat. Reading about the scandals that encompass and bind the three main characters!
This is my first time reading Ms. LaManna’s work. I was disappointed when my request for the ARC was turned down, but it was worth the wait to read the finished copy!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: September 1st 2020 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 368
Recommend: Yes
@Gina_LaManna @sbkslandmark
#psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills #StrongWomen #ScandalousRead #PhilanderingHusband
“Secrets were heavy. Heavy, living, breathing things that grew and morphed, changed and mutated over time. They suffocated and drowned their keepers; they blistered with anger and deepened with depression.”
Three mismatched women, a wine-fueled night of book club and two husbands that are suspected of cheating...somehow lead to a murder. As the book kicks off, we find out someone has been murdered. The author doesn’t reveal the victim immediately, but it’s rather obvious. I read a lot of thrillers and this one was fairly predictable, but I was still in for a sinful treat. Reading about the scandals that encompass and bind the three main characters!
This is my first time reading Ms. LaManna’s work. I was disappointed when my request for the ARC was turned down, but it was worth the wait to read the finished copy!
My Rating: 4 ⭐️’s
Published: September 1st 2020 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 368
Recommend: Yes
@Gina_LaManna @sbkslandmark
#psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills #StrongWomen #ScandalousRead #PhilanderingHusband
September 9, 2020
"Never underestimate book club." YA DAMN RIGHT! And......... I KNEW IT!! 🤣
Ok, so clearly as readers, book clubs are a thing and reading about one in a book is always fun. But don't let the synopsis fool you - while the book club has it's part, and it certainly does, really just focus on these women. (Also, can we just take a moment to take note of Anne Wilkes name? Hello, Misery....ish. 😉) But I digress...
We go back and forth through time lines and various POVs interwoven with police transcripts. This is a format I actually like a lot. It gives me that movie reel feeling as I envision all the madness that is about to occur. I weirdly figured out who the killer was straight away but with the zillions of thrillers I read, that doesn't really matter to me if the journey to the reveal is compulsive and while this one didn't quite start that way - the author had me quickly riveted.
There are definitely a lot of diversions to keep you from figuring out what the hell is going on and I absolutely love it. I questioned my original guess SO many times and was so happy to know I was right (again, the journeyyyyyyyyy)! I will say that the very ending for me was a bit abrupt and too neat.. but hell, I had so much fun with these women! I'd actually like to join their book club please. K, thanks.
My first by this author but definitely not my last. More please!
Ok, so clearly as readers, book clubs are a thing and reading about one in a book is always fun. But don't let the synopsis fool you - while the book club has it's part, and it certainly does, really just focus on these women. (Also, can we just take a moment to take note of Anne Wilkes name? Hello, Misery....ish. 😉) But I digress...
We go back and forth through time lines and various POVs interwoven with police transcripts. This is a format I actually like a lot. It gives me that movie reel feeling as I envision all the madness that is about to occur. I weirdly figured out who the killer was straight away but with the zillions of thrillers I read, that doesn't really matter to me if the journey to the reveal is compulsive and while this one didn't quite start that way - the author had me quickly riveted.
There are definitely a lot of diversions to keep you from figuring out what the hell is going on and I absolutely love it. I questioned my original guess SO many times and was so happy to know I was right (again, the journeyyyyyyyyy)! I will say that the very ending for me was a bit abrupt and too neat.. but hell, I had so much fun with these women! I'd actually like to join their book club please. K, thanks.
My first by this author but definitely not my last. More please!
June 28, 2022
The book opens with wine and a bookclub! Which immediately pulled me in. What starts off as innocent conversation about a self help book soon turns to the topic of murder. What seems to be a joke soon turns to reality when one of the women's husbands winds up dead.
This book was full of juicy gossip, and was fun and fast-paced. The multiple timelines between the trial and the past kept the storyline exciting.
Throughout the book I loved and hated every character and suspected everyone. The ending caught me off guard in such a good way.
Overall, this was a really fun read. It explores the turbulent relationships between wife and husband and friendship.
This book was full of juicy gossip, and was fun and fast-paced. The multiple timelines between the trial and the past kept the storyline exciting.
Throughout the book I loved and hated every character and suspected everyone. The ending caught me off guard in such a good way.
Overall, this was a really fun read. It explores the turbulent relationships between wife and husband and friendship.
September 12, 2020
Starting out the month with a domestic thriller, and it was just the read I needed to keep me guessing!
I’ve struggled these last few weeks with reading in general, as life gets the best of me, but know that a mystery or thriller is always a sure bet to break through and bust the slump.
Three Single Wives was just as entertaining as I’d hoped, as it centers around three women, book club, a lot of wine, and a murder. As the book deepens and the women are interviewed as to what went down at book club that night, it was a fast and compulsive read for me!
*many thanks to Sourcebooks for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own
I’ve struggled these last few weeks with reading in general, as life gets the best of me, but know that a mystery or thriller is always a sure bet to break through and bust the slump.
Three Single Wives was just as entertaining as I’d hoped, as it centers around three women, book club, a lot of wine, and a murder. As the book deepens and the women are interviewed as to what went down at book club that night, it was a fast and compulsive read for me!
*many thanks to Sourcebooks for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own
May 11, 2020
Three Single Wives by Gina LaManna is a twisty tale with a clever spin on the familiar plot of revenge. The narrative is well-paced, and I was propelled through the storyline with a high degree of engagement.
It all begins with what, by all outward appearances, is a benign book club meeting. Anne, Eliza, and Penny are imbibing in their usual wine and chatter when the subject of a philandering husband is introduced into the conversation. The topic then turns to thoughts on the best way to kill such a spouse, and by the end of the evening someone is dead.
Told from the alternating perspectives of each of the women, and with brief excerpts of police transcripts, the secrets that have been hidden are slowly unravelled and exposed. While I did not particularly connect nor empathize with any of the women, their story is one that will keep you guessing.
Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS - Landmark for this ARC.
It all begins with what, by all outward appearances, is a benign book club meeting. Anne, Eliza, and Penny are imbibing in their usual wine and chatter when the subject of a philandering husband is introduced into the conversation. The topic then turns to thoughts on the best way to kill such a spouse, and by the end of the evening someone is dead.
Told from the alternating perspectives of each of the women, and with brief excerpts of police transcripts, the secrets that have been hidden are slowly unravelled and exposed. While I did not particularly connect nor empathize with any of the women, their story is one that will keep you guessing.
Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS - Landmark for this ARC.
November 26, 2023
Gut geschrieben und locker und leicht zu lesen. Die verschiedenen Perpektivenwechsel haben mir gut gefallen. Zusammengefasst aber leider zu vorhersehbar.
January 9, 2021
Omg… This was so much fun.
Three women (were they friends?), one book club to celebrate the launch of an author’s second book (wasn’t that familiar?), a discussion on how to kill the husband (hehehe 😂), and one dead body, a murder (didn’t I say online launches were much safer?). A court case where the prosecutor wanted to nail the culprit. But who was it?
My second book by author Gina LaManna, I loved the whole format of it. Different POVs where one chapter had the prosecutor asking the questions and the next had the backstory of that woman. I loved going back in time to understand how the story progressed since the past 8 months.
Each woman drew my empathy; I loved the way the author made them gray characters. Shadows played over them when life was tough. I could understand the acts they did to survive. My emotions were evoked.
The story had a gossipy feel to it, which was so needed on a lazy Saturday. In lieu of the television, the book provided me the right amount of entertainment.
A great finale to the read, and I was happy.
Three women (were they friends?), one book club to celebrate the launch of an author’s second book (wasn’t that familiar?), a discussion on how to kill the husband (hehehe 😂), and one dead body, a murder (didn’t I say online launches were much safer?). A court case where the prosecutor wanted to nail the culprit. But who was it?
My second book by author Gina LaManna, I loved the whole format of it. Different POVs where one chapter had the prosecutor asking the questions and the next had the backstory of that woman. I loved going back in time to understand how the story progressed since the past 8 months.
Each woman drew my empathy; I loved the way the author made them gray characters. Shadows played over them when life was tough. I could understand the acts they did to survive. My emotions were evoked.
The story had a gossipy feel to it, which was so needed on a lazy Saturday. In lieu of the television, the book provided me the right amount of entertainment.
A great finale to the read, and I was happy.
August 29, 2020
Gina LaManna has self-published a lot of humorous and paranormal mysteries and cozies. Three Single Wives is her second industry published novel, after last year’s spectacular book release, Pretty Guilty Women. While Pretty Guilty Women showcased LaManna’s excellent skills at character development and an insider’s look into female friendships, Three Single Wives takes a dive into the flawed nature of humans and looks at how murky morals can become.
Although we know there’s been a murder, the reader isn’t told who it is until later in the book. This comes out in the trial transcript that is incorporated into the novel and helps to not only move the novel along, but also adds some tension because you kind of have an idea of what is going to happen next and this makes you want to read faster so you can see what really happens next. With the three women as suspects, we also end up getting two more as the book progresses. This helped to add more layers to the novel and was a way for LaManna to give us misdirection and lots of red herrings.
You may end up disliking all of the women or you may see yourself in one or all of them. I enjoyed seeing the different stages in a life portrayed by these women and felt a bit of sympathy for all of them, while at the same time wanting to shake them and have them make some better decisions. To me this is the sign of a great book, when you can see yourself in the characters, but become angry with them at the same time.
I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, which often happens in suspense and thrillers. I did not figure out who the killer was, which always pleases me. But I did have a couple of questions at the end and wondered if I missed something, or if it was not explained well or at all. This didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though.
Another fantastic read, and if you enjoy domestic suspense, you should definitely check out Three Single Wives and Pretty Guilty Women!
Although we know there’s been a murder, the reader isn’t told who it is until later in the book. This comes out in the trial transcript that is incorporated into the novel and helps to not only move the novel along, but also adds some tension because you kind of have an idea of what is going to happen next and this makes you want to read faster so you can see what really happens next. With the three women as suspects, we also end up getting two more as the book progresses. This helped to add more layers to the novel and was a way for LaManna to give us misdirection and lots of red herrings.
You may end up disliking all of the women or you may see yourself in one or all of them. I enjoyed seeing the different stages in a life portrayed by these women and felt a bit of sympathy for all of them, while at the same time wanting to shake them and have them make some better decisions. To me this is the sign of a great book, when you can see yourself in the characters, but become angry with them at the same time.
I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, which often happens in suspense and thrillers. I did not figure out who the killer was, which always pleases me. But I did have a couple of questions at the end and wondered if I missed something, or if it was not explained well or at all. This didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though.
Another fantastic read, and if you enjoy domestic suspense, you should definitely check out Three Single Wives and Pretty Guilty Women!
September 2, 2020
Thank you to @bookmarked for the gifted copy of Three Single Wives that just released yesterday on September 1st.
This is my first book by the author and I loved it. Read it cover to cover in one day. I mean, is there anything better than reading an awesome thriller sitting outside in the sunshine by water? I can't think of anything.
In Three Single Wives - we embark on a tale of complicated friendships between four women and the one man, Roman Tate, that seems to be the center of drama for all of them. Eliza (his wife), Anne (Eliza's longtime friend), Penny (his student) and Marguerite (Eliza's client) all give us their perspectives on their relationships with the other women and Roman in this alternating POV story-telling.
Mixed in with the first-hand accounts are the court trial testimonies from a murder case where all of the women appear to be suspects for different reasons.
This one kept me guessing right until the end. The author also wove some deep themes of struggles that women face everyday into this novel including postpartum depression, infidelity, family of origin issues and being manipulated by men. The author handled these delicately showing the struggles that women face everyday - with balancing motherhood/working, marriage relationships and coming into who they were created to be. These topics could be triggers depending on your experience.
Now that I've finished this one, I'm headed to find the author's backlist titles.
What's your favorite seasons to read thrillers in? For me, it's a year round deal and thrillers are a staple of my reading life and have been for decades.
Highly recommend this one. 4.5 stars for me!
This is my first book by the author and I loved it. Read it cover to cover in one day. I mean, is there anything better than reading an awesome thriller sitting outside in the sunshine by water? I can't think of anything.
In Three Single Wives - we embark on a tale of complicated friendships between four women and the one man, Roman Tate, that seems to be the center of drama for all of them. Eliza (his wife), Anne (Eliza's longtime friend), Penny (his student) and Marguerite (Eliza's client) all give us their perspectives on their relationships with the other women and Roman in this alternating POV story-telling.
Mixed in with the first-hand accounts are the court trial testimonies from a murder case where all of the women appear to be suspects for different reasons.
This one kept me guessing right until the end. The author also wove some deep themes of struggles that women face everyday into this novel including postpartum depression, infidelity, family of origin issues and being manipulated by men. The author handled these delicately showing the struggles that women face everyday - with balancing motherhood/working, marriage relationships and coming into who they were created to be. These topics could be triggers depending on your experience.
Now that I've finished this one, I'm headed to find the author's backlist titles.
What's your favorite seasons to read thrillers in? For me, it's a year round deal and thrillers are a staple of my reading life and have been for decades.
Highly recommend this one. 4.5 stars for me!
September 9, 2020
Out last week, Three Single Wives is a thriller that follows the classic whodunnit storyline as it follows three women who are more connected than they could ever know. A tangled web is woven around Eliza and Anne, who are longtime best friends from their university days. Eliza’s husband teaches acting classes and recommends one of his students to babysit for Anne’s family. Her name is Penny and she quickly becomes friends with both women and becomes increasingly attached to Roman. Told through depositions and flashbacks, we follow along as we try to figure out who murdered who and why. Shoutout to @sourcebooks for this ARC on @netgalley.
The part that was lacking the most from this book for me was the character development. I feel as though LaManna was trying to create a creepy stalker vibe with Penny but it just kind of fell flat. I wanted to know more about Penny and her past to really make sense of her storyline. Eliza was also lacking in my opinion as I didn’t have that much sympathy for her because I just couldn’t connect with her. I found it to be a slow burn read and I just needed some more action. If the characters had some more grit to them - I would have enjoyed it more. That being said, I did keep turning the pages because I wanted to figure out who was guilty.
The part that was lacking the most from this book for me was the character development. I feel as though LaManna was trying to create a creepy stalker vibe with Penny but it just kind of fell flat. I wanted to know more about Penny and her past to really make sense of her storyline. Eliza was also lacking in my opinion as I didn’t have that much sympathy for her because I just couldn’t connect with her. I found it to be a slow burn read and I just needed some more action. If the characters had some more grit to them - I would have enjoyed it more. That being said, I did keep turning the pages because I wanted to figure out who was guilty.
May 2, 2024
Ließ sich schnell lesen und war bis zu einem gewissen Grad auch spannend, wenn auch teilweise vorhersehbar.
February 15, 2021
Gina LaManna writes an entertaining thriller set in Los Angeles about a trio of women and their friendships. The three ladies, Eliza, Anne and Penny are each facing challenging circumstances. Eliza Tate who works for a publishing company is married to Roman and is a close friend of Anne Wilkes since they met at college. Anne, married to LAPD detective Mark, is a stay-at-home mum with four young children. Actress Penny Sands has just moved to LA from Iowa and is living in a run-down area in an unmaintained flat. She is in Roman's acting class. When Eliza organises an event inviting self-help author and guru Marguerite Hill, to launch her second book, both Penny and Anne are present. With plenty of wine flowing, the conversation turns to philandering husbands and murder.
Gina LaManna's novel contains a stirring mix of tension, mystery and suspense, and this offering, Three Single Wives is a compelling thriller. The narrative is interspersed with details of a court trial through transcripts and the reader learns about the women's close friendship, their respective flaws, and their lewd secrets. I loved spending time with all three main characters, finding out about their lives and challenges. A scandalous, drama-filled delight!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Little, Brown Book Group UK/ Sphere via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Gina LaManna's novel contains a stirring mix of tension, mystery and suspense, and this offering, Three Single Wives is a compelling thriller. The narrative is interspersed with details of a court trial through transcripts and the reader learns about the women's close friendship, their respective flaws, and their lewd secrets. I loved spending time with all three main characters, finding out about their lives and challenges. A scandalous, drama-filled delight!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Little, Brown Book Group UK/ Sphere via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
December 31, 2021
How on earth do you go from a book club discussion that leads to a hypothetical discussion about how you might murder your spouse, to the next day one of those men ending up dead, and no one including the reader being entirely sure for a long while just who killed the man.
Or in fact which man it was, as there is a lot of motivation everywhere.
Told in a mix of transcripts from the court case and from the ladies points of view going back 8 months to the present, to explain all the complicated dynamics at play, I was utterly hooked and needed to keep on reading to discover the truth.
It's very clever and well thought out, and I really did come to also want to kill the dead man as he arguably deserved to die.
This is the second book I've now read by this author and I'm completely convinced it won't be the last as I've enjoyed both so much.
Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Or in fact which man it was, as there is a lot of motivation everywhere.
Told in a mix of transcripts from the court case and from the ladies points of view going back 8 months to the present, to explain all the complicated dynamics at play, I was utterly hooked and needed to keep on reading to discover the truth.
It's very clever and well thought out, and I really did come to also want to kill the dead man as he arguably deserved to die.
This is the second book I've now read by this author and I'm completely convinced it won't be the last as I've enjoyed both so much.
Thank you to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
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