The Wife Upstairs

Thanks to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?revie...

*Starred Review* In children’s author Hawkins’s first adult novel, Jane is a wanderer. Newly arrived in Birmingham, AL, she walks dogs for the rich and sometimes famous residents of Thornfield Estates. Jane both envies and despises the women she works for. To them, she is invisible. Luckily for Jane, that means they won’t notice her habit of pocketing their jewelry or bother to wonder if Jane is her real name. When Jane meets Eddie, she sees the opportunity of a lifetime. Handsome, rich, and widowed, Eddie Rochester is Jane’s ticket into a normal life. However, the further Jane molds herself to fit into Eddie’s world of wealth and glamour, the more she is tormented by the memory of Bea Rochester. As Jane digs further, the circumstances of Bea’s death start to slowly morph into a complete picture, but not before Jane gets caught in the middle of a battle already raging.

VERDICT With an even darker twist, this novel delivers a one-of-a-kind take on a well-known gothic tale. In addition to the suspenseful story line, the distorted love triangle and the impassivity of the Thornfield residents will have readers feeling simultaneously discombobulated and fulfilled. Recommended for all library mystery collections.

 

The Woman Outside My Door by Rachel Ryan

Release Date: January 5, 2021

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title

https://www.booklistonline.com/The-Woman-outside-My-Door/pid=9741521

Georgina tells herself that the fact that her seven-year-old son, Cody, has an imaginary friend is no big deal. Having just lost his grandmother, Georgina’s mother, it’s understandable that he would search for comfort in different ways. It’s only when Cody’s imaginary friend, New Granny, starts leaving signs behind—candy wrappers, mysterious phone calls—does Georgina suspect that there could be something more sinister going on. Trying desperately to convince her husband, Georgina searches for tangible proof beyond her maternal instinct. What if New Granny isn’t imaginary at all? Or worse, what if Georgina is losing her mind (she has had mental problems before)? Heralded by Georgina’s delve into Cody’s imaginary world, first-time-author Ryan draws the reader into not only Georgina’s terrifying journey to save her son, but also her marriage and her sanity. Georgina is a fierce, loyal narrator, and the reader won’t be able to resist rooting for her success. Seasoned mystery lovers will recognize similarities to B. A. Paris’ The Breakdown (2017), Mary Kubica’s The Other Mrs. (2020), and A. J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window (2018).