Book Review - The Guilty Wife by Elle Croft by L. A. Keller
This book caught my eye because I was looking for a good mystery thriller and the title on Amazon displays as "The Guilty Wife: A thrilling psychological suspense with twists and turns that grip you to the very last page." Very clever marketing and the book itself was good. It did have some twists but the end was predictable.
I didn't like that it started with a prologue. It's a cheater's way of grabbing your attention by throwing out some juicy details. In this case, the few paragraphs of prologue put the reader in media res also known as the middle of the story. Facts that the protagonist would not have known at the beginning.
Bethany is a photographer having an affair with a very wealthy client. Calum. She claims to love her husband, Jason but she also loves Calum. She states, "I was in love with my husband. Always had been, really." I'm not a believer that you can be in love with two people - maybe in lust with one and in love with the other - or maybe you really aren't in love with one of them at all but trying to convince yourself that you are. Regardless, she carries on what she thinks is a secret affair. When she wants more from the relationship, which Calum will not give her, she ends it. It's on that same rainy night, he is murdered.
Bethany didn't murder Calum, the reader is sure of that fact, but someone close to her did. Of course, we all want to guess her husband. He is the likely candidate. Does he know about the affair? Someone is leaving her threats and pointing the police in her direction. Who would have access to her home? Who would want her to pay? Calum's wife? Calum's former mistress who had been severely attacked by one of his fans? I don't want to give away the ending but you will figure out another suspect, long before that person is revealed.
The book was enjoyable but didn't grip me until the last page. I grew aggravated with Bethany's lack of comprehension about her situation and her naivety. It was $.99 on Kindle so I would suggest reading it, but not if you have to pay the paperback price of $13.99.
The Guilty Wife
Happy Trails,
Leslie
I didn't like that it started with a prologue. It's a cheater's way of grabbing your attention by throwing out some juicy details. In this case, the few paragraphs of prologue put the reader in media res also known as the middle of the story. Facts that the protagonist would not have known at the beginning.
Bethany is a photographer having an affair with a very wealthy client. Calum. She claims to love her husband, Jason but she also loves Calum. She states, "I was in love with my husband. Always had been, really." I'm not a believer that you can be in love with two people - maybe in lust with one and in love with the other - or maybe you really aren't in love with one of them at all but trying to convince yourself that you are. Regardless, she carries on what she thinks is a secret affair. When she wants more from the relationship, which Calum will not give her, she ends it. It's on that same rainy night, he is murdered.
Bethany didn't murder Calum, the reader is sure of that fact, but someone close to her did. Of course, we all want to guess her husband. He is the likely candidate. Does he know about the affair? Someone is leaving her threats and pointing the police in her direction. Who would have access to her home? Who would want her to pay? Calum's wife? Calum's former mistress who had been severely attacked by one of his fans? I don't want to give away the ending but you will figure out another suspect, long before that person is revealed.
The book was enjoyable but didn't grip me until the last page. I grew aggravated with Bethany's lack of comprehension about her situation and her naivety. It was $.99 on Kindle so I would suggest reading it, but not if you have to pay the paperback price of $13.99.
The Guilty Wife
Happy Trails,
Leslie
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