Title: Two Dead Wives
Author: Adele Parks
Publication: December 26, 2023
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Pages: 386
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SYNOPSIS (From Goodreads)
An overprotective father has lived as a recluse until his adult daughter – Stacie Jones – returns from Paris, in need of radical brain surgery. Peculiarly, he appears to almost welcome her illness, it does at least mean she is back under his roof – and his control.
In the meantime, the country is rapt with the scandalous case of murdered bigamist Kylie Gillingham. Her husbands, son and best friend are left dealing with a confused mix of emotions: grief, fear and triumph.
But none of them can piece their lives back together while suspicion of her death hangs over at least one of the husbands.
Despite the evidence, Kylie’s two sons won’t accept she is dead and gone. They set out to search for her and find themselves in the same town as Stacie and her father…
How are these families linked and can any of them ever be a real family again after such tragedy?
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I have read a handful of Adele Parks books and she always writes the best twists. Well, I’m here to tell you that she did it again. This book was so twisty and filled with revelation after revelation that I read 85% of it in one day, in one sitting. I literally did not move.
The story follows one woman who has gone missing who just happened to be married to two men. Right off the bat you are knee deep in the investigation of this missing woman, but all the questions about her circumstances are spinning around you making your head spin. I love how Parks actually reveals part of the “who dun it?” early on, but makes it quite an adventure to get to the gritty details of everything. And honestly, I was not convinced the information I “knew” was fact. I second guessed everything until the very end.
My one issue with this novel was the jumping around. I love a good puzzle, but a few times I found myself extremely confused about who I was reading or how they were even involved in the story. I know that was part of it, but you jump from person to person, and also to different times in the timeline. Occasionally this got a bit too much and I had to pause to wrap my brain around what was happening. This is not enough to deter me from loving this book, but it was noticeable.
Other than that, I really enjoyed the character development in this book, especially with the kids involved. A lot of times, unless the kids are the actual victims, writers skirt around involving the children because it can be a turnoff to some readers. Parks wrote the kids into the story intricately and thoroughly and I loved seeing what was happening from their eyes. Parks hit all the personalities, even with the age differences in characters, so perfectly and I really think it made this story even better. This is a beautifully written maze that brings you out just as you think you will drown in all your questions and theories.
Then she throws at me in the afternotes a secret that has me RUNNING to the bookstore. I don’t want to spoil it so… you’ll have to read the entire book and then get to that secret. Happy reading!
