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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Having seen this come as a TV series, I felt I needed to bump this up my TBR so I can watch the series!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved this book as it’s full of twists and turns and kept me guessing all the way through. What would happen if your husband is suddenly arrested for a historic murder of his ex girlfriend who has supposedly been travelling for the last eight years. That’s where our lead character finds herself. As her world is turned upside down and she is not getting any answers from her husband Beth’s life is thrown into turmoil as people start to question how much did she really know about her husband.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The premise of The Serial Killer’s Wife is undoubtedly intriguing. Exploring the perspective of a serial killer’s spouse promises psychological depth and the potential for a gripping, suspenseful narrative. Unfortunately, the execution of this compelling concept fell short of my expectations.
The character development throughout the book is disappointingly shallow. The protagonist, the wife of the serial killer, remains emotionally distant and difficult to connect with. Her actions are primarily driven by self-interest, which she repeatedly justifies by claiming concern for her child. This portrayal not only lacks nuance but also makes it hard to empathize with her or fully invest in her story.
The pacing of the plot is another issue. The middle section, in particular, feels unnecessarily drawn out and, at times, even tedious. For a book centered around such a dark and thrilling topic, I found myself longing for the tension and suspense that were largely absent. While there is a “shocking” twist near the end, it is handled far too quickly and superficially, leaving little room for the dramatic impact or resolution it deserved.
That said, the story itself isn’t bad—Alice Hunter does a good job of crafting a dark and unsettling atmosphere. However, the book ultimately lacked that special something to make it a true page-turner. Readers intrigued by the concept and who don’t mind slower pacing or less developed characters may still enjoy it, but for me, The Serial Killer’s Wife didn’t live up to its potential.
This is a bit slow moving. We spend most of the book learning about one murder. It isn’t until 2/3 of the way through the book we learn about the others. However, you have to love a book where in the end the serial killer is the most likable of the characters.