A review by bookish_bailee
The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl

funny mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.0

 
A murder-mystery inspired by “Real Housewives” reality TV. Thank you to Saga Press Books for the gifted copy. This review is not sponsored or incentivized. 

An entertaining premise that felt just like watching reality housewife TV. It was vain and bloodthirsty, with deeply unlikeable characters, soapy twists, and a sharp-witted narrative voice. 

The plot pacing did not land for me. There was a great deal of set-up, with the murder not occurring until the story's second half. The plot twists and reveals came in quick succession thereafter, leaving little room or time for a satisfying investigation. The romantic subplots, too, were jarring. There was little on-page development, and they often ended as suddenly as they began, leaving them feeling shallow and unsatisfying.

Regarding characterizations, some issues with POV ‘head-hopping’ and backstory info-dumping, especially at the beginning, disrupted some of the flow. The characters were also very caricatured, leaning into stereotypes and exaggeration. That might be a narrative choice poking fun at the genre, but coupled with the pacing resulted in me caring very little for the characters or what happened to them.

I do think it is a very fresh idea, and Dahl’s prose is lovely. I was entertained but left looking for substance – that’s similar to my feelings on TV series like Housewives, though, so another could argue that the execution was spot-on. 

Please review the content warnings. Major ones include lesbophobia/homohobia/biphobia and the use of lesbophobic/homophobic slurs, substance abuse, ethnic stereotyping, and drugging.  

 
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