STARTER WIFE by Nina Laurin

 

Publisher:  Grand Central

Published:      June 11, 2019

ISBN:      978-1538715710

Genre:    Thriller  

Format:    Print from Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  myreviewbooks@aol.com

FIVE HEARTS

 

Claire Westcott has the perfect life.  A husband who loves her, a great house, the chance to be a stay at home writer.  There is nothing more she could want in life. 

But cracks are starting to show in that perfect life.  Lately her husband, Byron, has gotten up and left for work before she wakes in the morning.  And he’s been working late.  And she’s got a severe case of writer’s block…she hasn’t been able to write a word in months.  Worse of all, she’s pretty sure her husband is having an affair, but she’s certain if she can have a baby all will be well.  And then there is Byron’s sainted dead wife, Colleen.  Claire soon begins to take steps to save her marriage. 

She’s begun to follow Byron.  She has logged onto his computer and begun to read his emails. And she’s gone to a fertility doctor.  Is all of this enough to save her marriage?

I had Nina Laurin’s STARTER WIFE on my TBR since I received in a year or so ago and kept meaning to pick it up.  Between work and every day hustle and bustle I just hadn’t gotten around to it.  Boy am I sorry I didn’t dig into it as soon as I got it!

I’m not a fan of first person present tense and there is some of that voice in STARTER WIFE, but Laurin’s quick pace and truly terrific voice faded that aspect into the background.  I started this book in the morning and read pretty much through the entire day and late into the night to finish it.  And then it was over all too soon because it is that good.

Most of the story is focused on Claire…or is it?  She’s a complex character and her deterioration along with how Byron comes to terms with it is well done.  She has a special kind of crazy that you hope you never meet yet are utterly fascinated by it.

When the truth comes out you want to yell at Byron to run, just run.  The pre-ending, when Claire must finally reckon with what she has done is brought about by her sister was a moment to catch my breath in this white knuckle read.  And the ending…you just shake your head at the characters who have the final say.  Not in a bad way, but in the way you do when you’ve been a part of the story and know the truth.

This is definitely one you do not want to miss. I’ll be picking up Laurin’s back list as well and any future reads from her.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.