Full disclosure – I was provided a copy of this book by the author; however, I have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
A fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing
Beth Kemp and her husband Brad are both writers in New York City. After Brad hits a slump and his success beings to wane, their relationship becomes strained. Beth agrees with her husband’s urging that a move out of the city would be best not only for their marriage but also for their creativity. After moving to a scenic little town in Connecticut things appear to be going well, until Beth notices that several men in Brad’s inner circle had wives who have all met unfortunate endings. In fact, coming off the heels of her good friend and publicist’s own demise, Beth’s imagination begins to run wild. Are these men conspiring together to kill their wives and using each other as the alibis to get away with the perfect murder? If her speculations are correct, how long will it be before she becomes the next victim?
The Wife List is the newest book by author J.A. Schneider. Being a fan of her work, I was eager to delve into this one. Schneider’s wordsmithing and world building are second to none and Beth’s growing paranoia is palpable as her suspicions are slowly validated. The thought of a group of men getting together to conspire to murder their wives for one reason or another was one that I had not yet encountered, however not exactly implausible. Of course, with the main being a crime thriller author it was easy to dismiss her observations as paranoia or being “too into her work”. While reading through, I found myself rooting for Beth to unravel the riddles surrounding her before the next victim was discovered. I began to suspect certain characters and at one point I thought I had nailed the culprit, until the twist that I never saw coming was revealed. The Wife List was average length, checking in at just about 300 pages, but those pages were action packed from start to finish. Once again Schneider has delivered a story that will keep the reader guessing until the very last pages.
If you like thrillers with relatable characters and mysteries full of intrigue The Wife List will check all of those boxes.
Jennly Reads 