New American Library
Hardcover;
978-1-101-99026-1;
February 16, 2016; $25.95)
An electric, thought-provoking debut, THE WIDOW has been sold in over twenty countries and has drawn comparisons to recent thriller successes The Girl on the Train and The Silent Wife. Glamour UK called it “The Most Anticipated Book of 2016” and said it would fill the void left by Girl on the Train. PopSugar and Sacramento Bee included it in their lists of buzziest winter books.
In THE WIDOW, Jean Taylor is the wife of a man who may be a monster. Though never convicted, Glen Taylor was the prime suspect in a horrible crime that captivated people across England. Now, a week after Glen’s death, journalist Kate Waters shows up at Jean’s door, like so many others before, seeking answers—and the scoop of a lifetime. Though Jean kept quiet during the media circus surrounding the trial, she is finally ready to break her silence.
The desperate search for answers—both in the past and the present—takes shape through the interlocking narratives of the widow, the journalist, and the detective who never forgot the case. Each has a story to tell—but some might be more truthful than others. Their stories converge in a deft, heart-stopping ending.
Says Barton, a British journalist who has worked for the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph, of her inspiration for the book: “As a journalist, I spent a lot of time in court. In the big cases—notorious and terrible crimes that led the news—I would find myself watching the wives of those standing in the dock and wondering what they really knew, or allowed themselves to know.”
Advance Praise for Fiona Barton’s THE WIDOW:
“[An] exceptional debut from British journalist Barton, who circles her story as if it were a lurking panther, unseen but viscerally sensed….she tells her tale with a realism and restraint that add to its shattering impact.”
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
“The ultimate psychological thriller. Barton carefully unspools this dark, intimate tale of a terrible crime, a stifling marriage, and the lies spouses tell not just to each other, but to themselves in order to make it through. The ending totally blew me away!”
—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Fiona Barton’s THE WIDOW is a fast-paced, heart-stopping debut. Jean Taylor—the widow—is heroine and anti-heroine, naïve and savvy, dominated and dominating; in short, utterly compelling. Sure to thrill fans of The Girl on the Train and The Husband’s Secret, I raced through this in one nail-biting sitting.”
—Catherine McKenzie, international bestselling author of Hidden
“A marriage is a public union, but can also act as a wall hiding an inner world of secrets. Fiona Barton's THE WIDOW grabs hold of this insight and runs with it, twisting all the way to the end.”
—Andrew Pyper, #1 international bestselling author of The Demonologist
“Stunning from start to finish. I devoured it in one sitting. The best book I've read this year. If you liked Gone Girl, you'll love this. Fiona Barton is a major new talent.”
—M. J. Arlidge, international bestselling author of Eeny Meeny
“Dark, compelling and utterly unputdownable. My book of the year so far.”
—C.L. Taylor, international bestselling author of Before I Wake
“A brilliant, enthralling debut.”
—Jill Mansell, New York Times bestselling author of Thinking of You
“THE WIDOW is a twisty psychological suspense that held me spellbound. Fiona Barton delves into the darkest reaches of the husband and wife relationship and the secrets they keep. THE WIDOW is a beautifully written novel of psychological suspense that takes readers on a disturbing journey into the mind of a woman whose husband may be guilty of a horrendous crime. Fiona Barton’s skill as a journalist is on full, brilliant display in THE WIDOW.”
—Linda Castillo, New York Times bestselling author of After the Storm
My Thoughts:
"The Widow
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
I can hear the sound of her crunching up the path. Heavy footed in high heels. She's almost at the door, hesitating and smoothing her hair out of her face. Nice outfit: jacket with big buttons, decent dress underneath, and glasses perched on her head. Not a Jehovah's Witnesses or from the Labour party. Must be a reporter, but not the usual. She's my second one today--fourth this week, and it's only Wednesday. I bet she says, "I'm sorry to bother you at such a difficult time". They all say that and put on that stupid face. Like they care." --- from Chapter one of The Widow by Fiona Barton.
How well do you know your spouse or significant other? Maybe you don't know him/her as well as you thought you did. What if that person committed a horrible crime? Would you stand by their side?
This is the premise of The Widow, Jean Taylor and her husband, Glen, have been married over a decade and she is somewhat happy in her marriage. They were in love when they married but sometimes complacency can make that love change.
The Widow starts out in 2010, after Jean's husband has died, hit by a bus. The reason for the reporters? Well, in October of 2006 a two-year-old little girl by the name of Bella disappears from her front yard. You may wonder what a little girl was doing out in the yard all alone. Her mum, Dawn, just went inside to make their tea and things happen very fast. There are predators out there who prey on children and that is what happened in this case.
Who took Bella? Glen is a suspect and undergoes interrogation after interrogation and never reveals what he knows. Jean sticks by her man, if you will, and they weather the storm of accusations by the press, neighbors, and family, but this goes on until 2010 and the death of Glen. There is no real evidence that Glen had anything to do with Bella's disappearance.
This story is told by different viewpoints, Jean being the main one, the reporter, Kate Walters and the investigating detective, Bob Sparkes. Through alternating chapters, the reader learns more about these people and the circumstances of not only Bella's disappearance but of Glen's death.
The Widow is being compared to the Best Seller The Girl on the Train, of which I have read. It definitely has a similarity as they are both psychological suspense in nature. The protagonists are both women in a situation not of their own making. I found the characters to be well developed, and as I read this book, I kept coming back to the question, how well do we know another person? Everyone has secrets, some minor in nature and some people have secrets that are dangerous. This book encompasses both of these scenarios as we learn what kind of people that Jean and Glen were.
I read this book in a few sittings and that is an accomplishment for me lately, and I really liked it. Kind of had an idea about the ending but was not sure. The author writes in a way that grabs your attention in the first chapter. I give this book five stars for writing and plot!
I received a copy of this book for review and my honest opinion.
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