A review by liseyp
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A twisty, turny thriller perfect for fans of Gone Girl. 

 

No one knows what goes on behind closed doors, or in the case of this apparently happy couple, what goes on when they sit together in their two car garage while their teenage children are asleep and spend ‘date night’ planning the kidnap and murder of a woman.

 

Told in first person by the husband, who I don’t think we ever learn his actual name, this is a tale of an oddly endearing, though obviously toxic marriage. Day to day they deal with the usual challenges, work, bringing up teenagers in a world of convenience fast food and 24/7 internet. In the dark of night they share their joint hobby of finding the perfect woman for their next target.

 

Although the narrator is in this up to his neck, he still manages to be a sympathetic protagonist. It’s clever writing and makes for an absorbing story. Even if you guess the turns the plot is going to take the writing means you’re still fully invested in these characters. The impact on this  marriage and their children of what they are doing even without being caught. 

 

A really absorbing read.