My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing – Review

Hi friends. Today, I will be reviewing My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing. This was a disturbing, yet amazing read. I found it a bit similar to a book I’ve already read, but it was still interesting and unique in it’s own way.

Book: My Lovely Wife

Author: Samantha Downing

Rating: ★★★★☆

Summary: Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We’re your neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder.

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Some spoilers are marked and hidden!!

Quote: “But I keep my mouth shut, because that’s what friends do. We don’t point out each other’s faults unless asked.”

*The Husband. At first, I was annoyed by the way he was narrating the story, but I eventually got used to it, and began to enjoy his POV. His true name is never mentioned, and his alias is Tobias, however, I decided to call him, The Husband. He is like any other father in his rich neighborhood, teaching golf at the local club, with a wife who is a realtor and two kids. However, his secret hobby is murder. As the story continued, I sympathized with him, and also tried to make excuses for him in my head. By the end of the book, I was rooting for him, which makes me just a tad bit worried about my mental health 😉

*Millicent. She was an interesting character who was constantly full of surprises. She also seemed to be the main brains behind the murders, and a bit controlling of her husband. But what can you expect from a serial killer? Though I didn’t like her, it was interesting to learn about her through her husband’s POV.

*Mystery and Plot. The mystery wasn’t much of a mystery, since we already knew who did it and why – well, you think you know why. I was surprised how things turned out, and couldn’t guess the ending. There was a good amount of suspense, and I was also constantly worrying that Millicent and her husband would get caught which I guess I should have been happy about, but I was still nervous. Most of the book wasn’t very fast-paced, but the end was more of a thriller.

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Quote: “You didn’t think we were going to stop, did you?”

*The Husband is a bit stupid. Honestly, I don’t plan murders, and I stay on the right side of the law, yet I felt like I knew that he shouldn’t have made such a ridiculous mistake. I think it’s a bit of a spoiler, so I’m going to hide it in the drop-down.

SPOILER!! BEWARE!! Do not click the arrow unless you want to reveal the spoiler!

After Trisha (?? I think that’s her name) told him that she dated Owen, and she gave some details about his house, The Husband wrote a letter, pretending to be Owen and used pretty much the exact same words to prove that he is indeed Owen and not a copycat. I expected Trisha to notice that those exact words had been used and that that would have been The Husband’s downfall. It seemed very obvious to me that he should not have done that.

*Justice. I personally would have liked for The Bad Guy to suffer a lot more than they did at the end of the book, but I guess justice was still served in its own way.

*Similarities. After I finished reading the story, it occured to me that this book was a bit similar to another book I have read, especially with the ending twist. You can see which book in the drop down below!

SPOILER!! BEWARE!! Do not click the arrow unless you want to reveal the spoiler!

I think it was similar to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Both wives got cheated on, and then they planned an elaborate revenge that included framing the husband for a crime they didn’t commit. However, while I liked My Lovely Wife, I didn’t like Gone Girl.

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Quote: “My name is not Tobias. I use that name only when I want someone to remember me.”

Overall, I liked this, I would recommend it, and I hope you enjoy it if you read it. This was a dark and twisted thriller with an unconventional narrator and a surprising ending. For a debut thriller, I think Ms. Downing did a very good job.

One sentence summary: A twisted and surprising thriller, with an unusual narrator.

Overall, 4 stars!

★★★★☆

Have you read My Lovely Wife? What did you think? Have you read any other thriller from the point-of-view of the killer? Let’s chat in the comments below!

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco – Review

Welcome bookworms! Today’s review is of Stalking Jack The Ripper. I really enjoyed this, and I think for a debut novel, it was great. However, there were some aspects that annoyed me, or that I would have loved for it to be explored some more.

Book: Stalking Jack The Ripper

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Rating: ★★★★☆

Summary: Presented by James Patterson’s new children’s imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion…

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story’s shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

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Quote: “Fear is a hungry beast. The more you feed it, the more it grows.”

*Audrey Rose. Audrey was a great character. She was a very bold girl who was determined to excel at a job that was deemed a ‘man’s job’. She believed in equality and didn’t let social norms confine her. However, some issue are mentioned below.

*Mystery. First of all, I loved the idea of solving Jack The Ripper’s murderous reign in England. Many of the clues that the police did use back in 1888 or received were used through-out the story. The final plot-twist was shocking and the motive very twisted. However, the person who did it was partly predictable.

*Historical Aspect. I love historical fiction, and historical mystery fiction is my second most favorite genre ever. I’m especially very very fond of the Victorian Era and I loved that the story was set during it. I think it was pretty accurate in portraying 1888 London but I am no expert. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this part of the story.

*Thomas Cresswell and Audrey Rose. Thomas was amazing. His flippant impropriety was amazing, and though he is sometimes very rude and arrogant, he was an amazing character. He and Audrey Rose were great together, both seeming to hate each other, or at least Audrey, and trying to out-smart and out-do the other. I wouldn’t say they were the best Sherlock and Watson duo, but they were great together outside the mystery.

*Clues. There were a lot of clues sprinkled around the story, and the cast of potential murderers was small enough to raise your suspicion of every person.

*Forensic investigation. It was fascinating to learn about how autopsies were carried out during Audrey Rose’s time. It was a bit disgusting, and I honestly don’t think I’ll ever want to perform one or even see a cadaver, but it was fascinating and very informative.

*The Ending. The ending was disgusting, twisted, creepy, and horrifying. I had an inkling about who it was, but actually reading the full reason why the person did the crime was revolting. And for that reason, I really liked it.

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Quote: “There’s nothing better than a little danger dashed with some romance.”

*Audrey Rose. She is a great character, however, her mystery solving skills were not that great in my opinion. She was very stubborn and determined to prove that her father was the murderer. It annoyed me that she wasn’t very open to the possibility that it could be someone else.

*Indian Heritage? Through-out the story, we get several hints that Audrey Rose’s is part Indian, and she talks about saris and Indian food etc… but it’s almost like an after-thought. Something to say, “I’m not entirely white, I’m part Indian too”. I would have loved for this to be explored a lot more.

*Too many men. This has been pointed out by a lot of reviewers already: Audrey Rose is literally the only female character besides her aunt and cousin. I would have loved more time to meet Audrey Rose’s cousin because she sounds like a great character who was unfortunately cut-out to make more room to showcase Audrey Rose’s ‘feminism’. (I also personally think that her cousin might have been a great partner for Audrey Rose in solving the mystery.) It would have been nice to see some other female characters who are also bold and who fight in their own special ways against the social norms of the society.

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Quote: “Wield your assets like a blade, Cousin. No man has invented a corset for our brains. Let them think they rule the world. It’s a queen who sits on that throne. Never forget that.”

In the end, I really liked this, even though there were some issues. I would recommend it, and I really hope you enjoy it if you read it.

One sentence summary: An engaging historical mystery with great characters, and an intriguing, yet predictable plot.

Overall, 4 shining stars.

★★★★☆

Have you read Stalking Jack The Ripper? What did you think? Did you find any of the things that I mentioned problematic as well? Let’s chat in the comments!

Watching You by Lisa Jewell – Review

It’s Monday! Time for another book review my friends! Today, I’ll be reviewing Watching You by Lisa Jewell. This was a slow but exciting read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the last 40 percent. Let’s get right into the review!

Book: Watching You

Author: Lisa Scottoline

Rating: ★★★★★

Summary: Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Bristol, England; home to doctors and lawyers and old-money academics. It’s not the sort of place where people are brutally murdered in their own kitchens. But it is the sort of place where everyone has a secret. And everyone is watching you.

As the headmaster credited with turning around the local school, Tom Fitzwilliam is beloved by one and all—including Joey Mullen, his new neighbor, who quickly develops an intense infatuation with this thoroughly charming yet unavailable man. Joey thinks her crush is a secret, but Tom’s teenaged son Freddie—a prodigy with aspirations of becoming a spy for MI5—excels in observing people and has witnessed Joey behaving strangely around his father.

One of Tom’s students, Jenna Tripp, also lives on the same street, and she’s not convinced her teacher is as squeaky clean as he seems. For one thing, he has taken a particular liking to her best friend and fellow classmate, and Jenna’s mother—whose mental health has admittedly been deteriorating in recent years—is convinced that Mr. Fitzwilliam is stalking her.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier, a schoolgirl writes in her diary, charting her doomed obsession with a handsome young English teacher named Mr. Fitzwilliam…

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Quote: “Because that’s the thing with getting what you want: all that yearning and dreaming and fantasizing leaves a great big hole that can only be filled with more yearning and dreaming and fantasizing.”

*Mystery. At the beginning of the book, we were introduced to the crime scene and we weren’t told who was killed. As the story progressed, I created my own theories and tried to find out who the person was and why they were killed. I was proven wrong at the end, but I still enjoyed the mystery.

*Jenna. I liked Jenna’s POV a lot more than I did Freddie’s or Joey’s. I was more interested to see what was happening to her and her friend Beth and to really understand Mr. Fitzwilliam’s true behavior. It was through her POV that I grew to distrust him and realize that he may have worse motives than I originally thought.

*Mrs. Tripp. Even though she seemed to have some mental issues, I liked her very much and wished that people would listen to her. I felt very protective of her like Jenna and understood Jenna’s plight in wanting to stay with her mom even though she needed help.

*Secrets. There were a lot of secrets that kept exploding through-out the story. It was also disgusting but enthralling to read about all the twisted stuff some of the characters did.

*Ending. I liked the ending and how everything was wrapped up. It wasn’t spectacular, but I understood the motive and I actually sympathized with the murderer.

*Cozy. This isn’t necessarily a cozy mystery, but it wasn’t a blood-pounding thriller and it was something nice to read. I really liked it because it wasn’t too heavily gory or overall nasty.

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Quote: “We’re all different.”

*Men. Honestly, all the men/boys in this book are repulsive, except for Alfie and Jack. Tom was awful. And so is his son. They were both the only two main male characters, and they were both really disgusting creepy guys. Freddie, I felt somewhat sorry for, but every-time I remember what he did and does, I hated him all over again. They were both very revolting.

*Joey. At first I liked Joey and I felt sorry that she was in such a rough patch. And then she grew infatuated with Tom and it took all I had to not scream at her to use some of her senses. At the end, I also felt bad for her, but not very much.

*Word of warning. There are a lot of characters in the book, so it might take a while for you to get everything straight! I was also confused by the time-line at the beginning.

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Quote: “Like I might be about to do something really, really stupid. And knowing I’m going to do it isn’t going to stop it from happening.”

I really enjoyed this, I would recommend it, and I hope you enjoy it if you read it! I’ve been waiting for this book for a while and it was one of my most anticipated releases for December of last year and it didn’t disappoint.

One sentence summary: A great mystery with twisted characters and a satisfying end.

Overall, 4.5 stars rounded to 5

★★★★★

Have you read Watching You by Lisa Jewell? What did you think? Let’s chat in the comments!

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson – Review

Welcome back to the review of the sequel to Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. The Vanishing Stair was an amazing sequel and a definite four star read for me. The mystery was explored some more, new secrets were revealed and the cliffhanger ending was amazing.

This review may contain minor spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Book: The Vanishing Stair

Author: Maureen Johnson

Series: Truly Devious

Rating: ★★★★☆

Summary: All Stevie Bell wanted was to find the key to the Ellingham mystery, but instead she found her classmate dead. And while she solved that murder, the crimes of the past are still waiting in the dark. Just as Stevie feels she’s on the cusp of putting it together, her parents pull her out of Ellingham academy.

For her own safety they say. She must move past this obsession with crime. Now that Stevie’s away from the school of topiaries and secret tunnels, and her strange and endearing friends, she begins to feel disconnected from the rest of the world. At least she won’t have to see David anymore. David, who she kissed. David, who lied to her about his identity—son of despised politician Edward King. Then King himself arrives at her house to offer a deal: He will bring Stevie back to Ellingham immediately. In return, she must play nice with David. King is in the midst of a campaign and can’t afford his son stirring up trouble. If Stevie’s at school, David will stay put.

The tantalizing riddles behind the Ellingham murders are still waiting to be unraveled, and Stevie knows she’s so close. But the path to the truth has more twists and turns than she can imagine—and moving forward involves hurting someone she cares for. In New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson’s second novel of the Truly Devious series, nothing is free, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.

Quote: “All the money, all the power—none of it compares to a good book.”

The Good:

*Mystery. In this book, the Ellingham mystery takes center stage and I really like that because that’s the main reason why I picked up the first book to start with. I was also eager to find out what happened to Ellie and what her secret was. Solving two mysteries at the same time was a little mind-exhausting, but still so much fun.

*Characters. I liked Stevie much more in this book. She didn’t sound so whiny, and she seemed much more mature. Nate was always my favorite, but I loved him even more in this book. His reluctant but fierce loyalty to Stevie and always helping her when it is against his better instincts is very touching. My favorite quote by him: “Why. Do. People. Do. Stupid. Things.” (Stevie answers: “Because we’re stupid.”)

*Ending. Chaima’s review of The Vanishing Year conveyed my thoughts on that ending so well. That cliffhanger is probably the best I’ve ever read and it’s making me crave the third book so much! So many questions were answered, but at the same time, they opened doors for even more theories. I’m pretty sure I’ve solved it, but there are still several unanswered questions and it ended on such a tense note and I really really need the third book.

(As you can see, there is a reason why I usually read series when all the books in it are out, instead of waiting a WHOLE YEAR for the next one.)

Quote: “The real magic rocks are the friends we make along the way.”

The Bad:

*David. What. Is. His. Deal. He totally went off in this book and seems to have no regard for his or anyone else’s future. I understand that Stevie might have broken his heart, but he shouldn’t just throw his life away just for the fun of it.

*Riddle. There’s a crucial riddle in this book and it’s solution wasn’t what I expected at all. I thought that the answer was something no ordinary person would think to do. I don’t know, maybe I’m just not good at solving riddles/thinking outside the box?

Quote: “Detection has many methods, many pathways, narrow and subtle.”

The Wrap:

All in all, I REALLY liked this, I would recommend it, and I hope you enjoy it if you read it.

One sentence summary: A great sequel with an intriguing mystery, amazing cliffhanger, and lovable characters.

Overall, 4 shinning stars

Have you read The Vanishing Stair? What did you think? Did that ending make you crave more of the Truly Devious series? Do you think you’ve solved it? Let’s chat in the comments!

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson – Review

Welcome to another book review! I hope you are having a fantastic start to this new and wonderful month. Today’s review is of Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. This book was okay. I liked the mystery and there is diversity and representation, but I felt like the new mystery overshadowed the Ellingham kidnappings and murder.

Book: Truly Devious

Author: Maureen Johnson

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Summary: Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym, Truly Devious. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

Quote: “When you have enough power and money, you can dictate the meanings of words.”

The Good:

*Mystery. If ya’ll haven’t realized it yet, I love a good murder mystery. Especially ones that are cold cases and the killer has come back to commit more murders. And this story delivers that. I loved the idea of the Ellingham Murders and I was super excited to join Stevie on the quest to solve them. Tiny hints were given through-out the story and I was engrossed by the two timelines, one from 1936 when the kidnappings happened, and the present day. I loved it, and I was super disappointed that this ended up more about the new death than the Ellingham mystery, but I was still super intrigued and immediately picked up the second book.

*Representation. You do not know how happy I was to see some diversity/representation in this book. Janelle, Stevie’s best friend, is described as a person of color and is also a lesbian. During their initial tour of Ellingham, we also meet a girl who’s in a wheelchair and a hijabi. Stevie suffers anxiety and has panic attacks. It was just so nice to see a group of people who aren’t perfect, who are from different backgrounds, and who are still awesome amazing people.

*Characters. I liked Ellie. She was so vibrant, confident, and cool, but beware of being in her company for too long. Janelle is perfect. She’s a builder and super handy with tools, yet she dresses up and wears make-up and perfume. It’s nice to see her not being a stereotypical female mechanic character who wears overalls and doesn’t even know that makeup exists etc. Nate is probably my favorite. I loved the fact that he’s socially awkward, pale as a ghost, and loves to write. The way he doesn’t know how to communicate, is forever grumpy and pessimistic, and who would do anything to help Stevie even though it goes against his better judgement just made him an amazing character and a super loyal friend.

*Setting. To be honest, I liked the setting of the story. Ellingham Academy is located on top of a mountain in Vermont. There is only one road in and it is very very rough. The remoteness of the place made it seem more surreal and also narrowed the cast of suspects down to whoever was staying there. The description of mountain air and the beauty of the woods was amazing and I loved it.

Quote: “You have to take things as they are, not how you hear they’re supposed to be.” 

The Bad:

*Writing style. The beginning of the book and I aren’t best friends. I just thought it felt a little off and a little bit more telling than showing. But it got much better and I ended up enjoying it.

*Character voice. I didn’t feel like Stevie was a teenager. She sounded a bit childish. I didn’t feel like the characters in general were teenagers but more like fourteen/fifteen than seventeen.

*New Mystery. I was honestly disappointed that this was more about the new mystery than the Ellingham case. The only reason I probably finished this was because of the new secrets being revealed about the Ellingham mystery throughout the story and maybe because I needed more Nate, Ellie, and Janelle.

Quote: “Where her books were, she was. Get the books right and the rest will follow.”

The Wrap:

All in all, I liked this, I would recommend it, and I hope you enjoy it if you read it.

One sentence summary: An okay book with an intriguing mystery, and great characters.

Overall, 3 stars

Have you read Truly Devious? What did you think? Am I the only one that was a little disappointed that the mystery wasn’t that focused on the Ellingham murders? Let’s chat in the comments!