The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins (Book #6)

Title: The Wife Upstairs

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Dates Read: Jan. 15 - Jan. 16

Format: Audiobook

Rating: ★★★.75

Description: Jane is broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community in Birmingham, Alabama, worlds away from the poverty she grew up in. Then Jane meets Eddie, a young (and wealthy) widower, who gives her the life she always dreamed. But the memory and legacy of Eddie's dead wife, Bea, won't stop bugging Jane. Bea is everywhere. And when new evidence involving the accident that killed both Bea and Bea's best friend a year before surfaces, Jane must figure out who she can trust if she wants to hold onto her new life.

Review: While this book wasn't wholly original, I did enjoy it. I think Hawkins did a great job at pacing the story and didn't lose the story at the end like some thrillers do. The only thing that really annoyed me was when Jane was narrating and constantly reminded us that she was poor and Thornfield Estates was outrageously outside her means. Like, I get it! You grew up poor! You don't need to remind me every other sentence.

Final Note: I think diehard mystery/thriller fans won't be blown away by The Wife Upstairs, but it is a really solid read. Hawkins' pacing is great and she ties up all loose ends by the end of the story while still leaving a little mystery to keep you thinking about the book.

I found many similarities between this book and The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine, Verity by Colleen Hoover, and My Lovely Wife by Samantha Dowling as well as a couple other thrillers I can't think of off the top of my head.