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Available
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Genres
Collection
Publication
Pamela Dorman Books (2017), 370 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Thriller. HTML:�[A] must-read thriller . . . My Husband�s Wife has an ending that will change the way you view marriage forever.� �Bustle �If you loved Gone Girl and The Talented Mr. Ripley, you�ll love My Husband�s Wife. It�s got every thriller�s trifecta: love, marriage, and murder.� �Parade �The novel�s plot is as provocative as its title.� �The Washington Post From the bestselling author of The Dead Ex, a deliciously addictive psychological thriller about the powerful effects of little white lies on three intertwined lives�and when those secrets become deadly When young lawyer Lily marries Ed, she�s determined to make a fresh start and leave the secrets of the past behind. But then she takes on her first murder case and meets Joe, a convicted murderer to whom Lily is strangely drawn�and for whom she will soon be willing to risk almost anything. But Lily is not the only one with secrets. Her next-door neighbor Carla may be only nine, but she has already learned that secrets are powerful things. That they can get her whatever she wants. When Lily finds Carla on her doorstep twelve years later, a chain of events is set in motion that can end only one way.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member veeshee
This story pursued a lot of different angles. On one hand, Lily is struggling in her marriage with Ed for a variety of reasons. But she is also struggling with her case, as it dredges up things in her past that she would rather keep hidden. The author did quite a good job of intertwining these 2
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aspects to show the chaos that reigns in Lily's life. Carla is another very interesting character in that she is a child I both hated and pitied at the same time. I think that the author actually did a fantastic job in creating her; it is not easy to make a reader both hate and pity a character. In the first half of the novel, the story is easy enough to parse out, and both Carla and Lily's behaviours are easy to understand. However, the second half, which takes place 16 years later, is more convoluted. A lot of it didn't really need to happen and I was especially confused by Carla's motivations. Usually, my attention wanes at this point and it becomes a chore for me to finish the novel. But this time, I couldn't stop reading. For some reason, I found myself completely engrossed in the story, wanting to know more. I stuck with the novel until the very last page. I don't know if it is the author's writing style or something else about the story, but it just had this edge to it that made it hard to pull away from this novel, even when you probably should have. This wasn't the best thriller I've ever read, but I still enjoyed the story for the most part. I think another pitfall for this novel (apart from the second half being a bit of a drag) was that the title and cover didn't really reflect the story as well as it could have. But overall, I'm giving this a 3.5/5 stars, rounded to 4. Show Less
LibraryThing member boudicca123
Told from two viewpoints, Lily and Carla - both not remotely likeable, but what a tale; tense, thrilling and with plenty of twists and turns along the way. A dark, dark story - people with secrets, betrayal, love and murder. It took a little while to get into, but then, wow, very hard to put down.
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An amazing book which was very well written, fast paced with plenty to get your teeth into - unlike anything else I've read. More please!! Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
The title of Jane Corry's newest novel is sure to make you stop and think twice - My Husband's Wife. And no - it's not about polygamy - it's my favourite type of book - a twisty, psychological tale.
Now, I must admit when I started the book, I had no idea where Corry was going to go with her opening
Well, they do - in a most unexpected and clever way. The book covers a period of fifteen years - then and now - lives change and little girls grow up. Every one of the four is guarding a secret - from both the past and the present. But secrets have a way of coming out. As do lies. The opening prologue of the book has an unnamed character thinking...."So it's true what they say about dying. The past comes back to go with you." A great hook to draw the reader in. Those italicized entries continue throughout the book, narrowing down who it could be.
Lily and Carla are the driving narrators. Each one is a master of rationalizing the decisions they make. All four are flawed characters, and I found it impossible to muster to find sympathy or empathy for any one of them. (Okay, little Carla did get some) They're all distinctly unlikable. But it's impossible not to keep reading - I was fascinated with Corry's plotting - and the secret machinations of each player.
A strong debut - I would read this author again.
Now, I must admit when I started the book, I had no idea where Corry was going to go with her opening
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chapters. We meet Lily and her husband Ed - newly married, following a whirlwind courtship. They've moved into a little apartment - Ed is pursuing his hopes of a new career in art and Lily has just begun her career as a lawyer. Her first case is an appeal for a murderer that she finds herself strangely drawn to. Down the hall live nine year old Carla and her single mother Francesca. We meet and get to know all four. How are the lives of these four going to intersect?Well, they do - in a most unexpected and clever way. The book covers a period of fifteen years - then and now - lives change and little girls grow up. Every one of the four is guarding a secret - from both the past and the present. But secrets have a way of coming out. As do lies. The opening prologue of the book has an unnamed character thinking...."So it's true what they say about dying. The past comes back to go with you." A great hook to draw the reader in. Those italicized entries continue throughout the book, narrowing down who it could be.
Lily and Carla are the driving narrators. Each one is a master of rationalizing the decisions they make. All four are flawed characters, and I found it impossible to muster to find sympathy or empathy for any one of them. (Okay, little Carla did get some) They're all distinctly unlikable. But it's impossible not to keep reading - I was fascinated with Corry's plotting - and the secret machinations of each player.
A strong debut - I would read this author again.
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LibraryThing member bnbookgirl
An interesting story involving some interesting characters. Young Carla is my favorite, but when she grows up I struggled to find a redeeming quality in her. Lily is the other main character and I must say I found her character somewhat one dimensional. I didn't get psychological thriller from this
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one, but I did enjoy the convoluted storyline. I thought the character Joe could have been eliminated. I listened to this book and Lily and her mother were from Italian but I felt that the readers accent made them sound Eastern European. For some reason that really threw me off. If you are looking for a quick read with a intriguing story this might be for you. If you are looking for a psychological thriller, this probably isn't it. Show Less
LibraryThing member jdy
A good book, and would read this author again. I feel like it dragged on in some places, but for the most part, really enjoyed the story line. Lots of twists and turns.
LibraryThing member flourgirl49
This book started out promisingly enough - I enjoyed young Carla who is a manipulative child who usually manages to get what she wants, and she doesn't get any better once she grows up. Lily, the main character, is a mass of insecurities and secrets and is ripe for the picking by Carla. There are
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three characters in this story that have Asperger syndrome or are on the autism spectrum -Lily's brother, her son, and her client. That doesn't strike me as believable. The ending devolves into a mess of various trials and questions of who is really guilty of the crimes committed - really a disappointing resolution. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookczuk
So basically every main character in this book has serious character/personality flaws as well as secrets. It was one of those books where you really could root for no one, and hope that the children involved come out as unscathed as possible. Written from several POV, there were times when I just
From the publisher:
When young lawyer Lily marries Ed, she’s determined to make a fresh start. To leave the secrets of the past behind. But then she takes on her first murder case and meets Joe. A convicted murderer whom Lily is strangely drawn to. For whom she will soon be willing to risk almost anything.
But Lily is not the only one with secrets. Her next-door neighbor Carla may be only nine, but she has already learned that secrets are powerful things. That they can get her whatever she wants.
When Lily finds Carla on her doorstep sixteen years later, a chain of events is set in motion that can end only one way.
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wanted to shake a couple of them. Still, there was a lot of thoughtful planning and details in the telling, and the plot does wiggle around all those lies, flaws, and secrets. I stuck with it through the end.From the publisher:
When young lawyer Lily marries Ed, she’s determined to make a fresh start. To leave the secrets of the past behind. But then she takes on her first murder case and meets Joe. A convicted murderer whom Lily is strangely drawn to. For whom she will soon be willing to risk almost anything.
But Lily is not the only one with secrets. Her next-door neighbor Carla may be only nine, but she has already learned that secrets are powerful things. That they can get her whatever she wants.
When Lily finds Carla on her doorstep sixteen years later, a chain of events is set in motion that can end only one way.
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LibraryThing member ChrisWay
Did not like. Couldn't get past the writing. It did not feel authentict.
LibraryThing member relativelybooktastic
This book was a little difficult to get into at first. It didn't catch my attention and to be honest Carla's character bugged me from the beginning to the end. That just makes the story more worthwhile reading.
We get to see the Perspective of Lily- a recently married lawyer who has to take on a
This book is a dark thriller and it keeps your opinions fresh on top.
We get to see the Perspective of Lily- a recently married lawyer who has to take on a
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heated case of a convict who is in prison for killing his girlfriend. Carla-nine year neighbor who finds herself in situations young in an age that leaves her the impression that she knows what she wants in life and how to get it.This book is a dark thriller and it keeps your opinions fresh on top.
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LibraryThing member LoriKBoyd
So many twists and turns, and not very likeable characters. The title and premise were good, but the story seemed to drag at times.
LibraryThing member techeditor
MY HUSBAND’S WIFE is a difficult book to review because I changed my mind about it so many times. I was bored at first, then it was absorbing, then everything was tied up too neatly.
But one really great thing to say about this story is that you will change your mind over and over about who is
First Carla is a nine-year-old and Lily is in her 20s, a newlywed. You will feel sorry for Carla because she is bullied in school. Then you will see how she manipulates the adults around her. In that, she is much like her mother.
Next is Lily the lawyer, who is married to Ed and cannot quite believe how she got so lucky. She is new to the law and allows herself to be taken in by (and taken with) her client, a prisoner arrested for murder.
Carla and her mother live in the same apartment building as Lily and Ed. Every Sunday Carla‘s mother claims to have to go to work when she leaves Carla with Lily and Ed.
Cut to about 12 years later. Carla and her mother have been living in Italy, but Carla has returned to England. She has a plan to find Lily and Ed and hit them up for money. At this point, the book didn’t bore me anymore.
So the lives of four characters, Carla, Lily, Ed, and Lily’s client, who never goes away, are forever intertwined. And the reader won’t be able to decide whether each of them is good or bad as evidence keeps mounting.
I am in a similar dilemma about the book. That is, for the most part, I guess, it’s good but not great.
But one really great thing to say about this story is that you will change your mind over and over about who is
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good and who is bad. This is what will keep you reading to the end.First Carla is a nine-year-old and Lily is in her 20s, a newlywed. You will feel sorry for Carla because she is bullied in school. Then you will see how she manipulates the adults around her. In that, she is much like her mother.
Next is Lily the lawyer, who is married to Ed and cannot quite believe how she got so lucky. She is new to the law and allows herself to be taken in by (and taken with) her client, a prisoner arrested for murder.
Carla and her mother live in the same apartment building as Lily and Ed. Every Sunday Carla‘s mother claims to have to go to work when she leaves Carla with Lily and Ed.
Cut to about 12 years later. Carla and her mother have been living in Italy, but Carla has returned to England. She has a plan to find Lily and Ed and hit them up for money. At this point, the book didn’t bore me anymore.
So the lives of four characters, Carla, Lily, Ed, and Lily’s client, who never goes away, are forever intertwined. And the reader won’t be able to decide whether each of them is good or bad as evidence keeps mounting.
I am in a similar dilemma about the book. That is, for the most part, I guess, it’s good but not great.
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LibraryThing member purple_pisces22
Couldn't put this one down and kept thinking about after finishing. Although some of the story was typical, there was enough that was different to be interesting.
LibraryThing member rmarcin
Lily is newly married to Ed Macdonald, an artist, after a short 6 month courtship. However, she doesn't feel close to him. Meanwhile, she is assigned to represent Joe Thomas, a man accused of murdering his girlfriend by drowning her in a boiling bath. Lily is attracted to Joe, who is dangerous. Joe
After 12 years pass, Carla re-enters the lives of Lily and Ed, who now have a son, Tom. Carla's motives for reuniting with the couple are financial, as Ed has profited from the drawings/paintings of Carla.
I didn't really like any of the characters. Lily also had a great deal of mystery about her past, and her relationships with the men in the book.
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reminds Lily of her dead brother, Daniel. While Lily is working on the case, their neighbor Francesca, along with her daughter, Carla, impose on Lily and Ed to watch Carla (9). Ed is fascinated with Carla and sketches her frequently. After 12 years pass, Carla re-enters the lives of Lily and Ed, who now have a son, Tom. Carla's motives for reuniting with the couple are financial, as Ed has profited from the drawings/paintings of Carla.
I didn't really like any of the characters. Lily also had a great deal of mystery about her past, and her relationships with the men in the book.
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LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
I might have enjoyed this book more had the main characters been less despicable: lily-livered Lily, manipulative Carla, weak Ed... arguably only Joe has the strength of character to remain true to himself. The plot was fairly predictable - despite the lies and a much higher than can really be
Thankfully the writing was strong enough that it stringed me along to the end. Mildly entertaining if you have nothing else to read.
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believed amount of bad decisions. The ending just made me want to throw away the book with a gag.Thankfully the writing was strong enough that it stringed me along to the end. Mildly entertaining if you have nothing else to read.
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Language
Original publication date
2016
ISBN
9780735220973