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readingwiththeresa's review against another edition
4.0
I put 4 stars but I would rate this book 3.5. It was addictive, fast and easy read but that ending though!!! I couldn’t put it to words of how I feel after finishing the book. I then started reading reviews and from what people said, I realized that they were right. That ending was no ending because it was confusing and I’m actually not satisfied. This book was definitely not the typical justice is served at the end kind of book, which is something I’m not used to. Still a good read though!
paulabrandon's review against another edition
2.0
Bethany is a photographer having an affair (a very secretive one) with billionaire Calum Bradley. When he is murdered, Bethany starts getting stalked and blackmailed by somebody who knows about the affair, and is setting things up to look like she is the killer. So Bethany starts making the sorts of decisions you've come to expect in these sorts of thrillers, and winds up in a right royal mess!
Current popular fiction feels very sexist, to be honest! Us women are always "The Girl", "The Wife", "The Woman", "The Daughter", "The Mother" etc etc. On top of that, we're always guilty of something, hiding terrible secrets, or being an unreliable narrator. While having a likeable main character isn't a prerequisite for me enjoying a book, this is really getting old! It is possible to create a complex female character who isn't inherently deceitful! This literary trend now smacks of author laziness, as opposed to being an unconventional story-telling ploy.
My problems with this book were many. To explain why I didn't like it much, I will have to go into spoiler territory!
Calum is a billionaire who has legions of fans and is gossip rag fodder. He's not an actor, musician or sports star. He works in security systems! This doesn't ring true. Does Richard Branson have groupies? Perhaps he does, but the scenario in this book doesn't seem likely.
As a protagonist, Bethany is just too selfish and stupid for me to get on her side. I felt too much like she dug herself into her own mess. If you think your protagonist is getting exactly what she deserves, your book is in trouble! In fact, the story never really gets around the fact that the smartest thing for Bethany to have done was go straight to the police.
The book clumsily tries to keep our focus away from the most obvious culprits: Bethany's husband, Jason, and her best friend, Alex. Instead, Bethany chases patently ridiculous suspects and theories, and you just know it's because Elle Croft desperately wants us not to figure out the glaringly obvious too soon. As for me, as soon as Alex said she was being blackmailed too, I was comfortably able to predict how things would go down.
And the motive? Alex did this all because she's in love with Bethany's husband, Jason. Yes. She did it for a man. I thought that motive went out of fashion in the mid 90s when R.L. Stine and the like were using it in YA fiction. To see it still trotted out in this day and age is upsetting and mildly offensive! You can't help but think Alex could have just gone to Jason with evidence of the affair and broken them up that way. Constructing an elaborate murder conspiracy and framing someone seems like a lot of work, and a bit of overkill!
Police investigation procedures and courtroom procedures also seemed off. It's absurd that the police would overlook the fact that the killer would have been tall and left-handed!!! This evidence only comes up during the trial?!? Huh? And the jury still finds Bethany guilty? Well, I guess when you're not smart enough to get out of jury duty....
The book doesn't explain its ending. Jason apparently knew about the nude photos, suggesting he knew all the facts all along, and leaving Bethany believing he's the real killer. But then we get the epilogue, and Alex's offensive "I did it for a man" motive.
I also didn't like the ending. Bethany is found guilty, and goes to jail. There's no real climax. I like a bit of excitement in my thrillers! Although I felt she kind of deserved everything she got, the ending was a drab anti-climax.
The Guilty Wife is readable and somewhat enjoyable on a potboiler level. It moves quickly. But for me, it was too cliched and predictable and "trendy" to really be effective.
Current popular fiction feels very sexist, to be honest! Us women are always "The Girl", "The Wife", "The Woman", "The Daughter", "The Mother" etc etc. On top of that, we're always guilty of something, hiding terrible secrets, or being an unreliable narrator. While having a likeable main character isn't a prerequisite for me enjoying a book, this is really getting old! It is possible to create a complex female character who isn't inherently deceitful! This literary trend now smacks of author laziness, as opposed to being an unconventional story-telling ploy.
My problems with this book were many. To explain why I didn't like it much, I will have to go into spoiler territory!
Spoiler
The lengths Bethany and Calum went to in order to maintain their secrecy were silly. No texting? Haven't they heard of burner phones?Calum is a billionaire who has legions of fans and is gossip rag fodder. He's not an actor, musician or sports star. He works in security systems! This doesn't ring true. Does Richard Branson have groupies? Perhaps he does, but the scenario in this book doesn't seem likely.
As a protagonist, Bethany is just too selfish and stupid for me to get on her side. I felt too much like she dug herself into her own mess. If you think your protagonist is getting exactly what she deserves, your book is in trouble! In fact, the story never really gets around the fact that the smartest thing for Bethany to have done was go straight to the police.
The book clumsily tries to keep our focus away from the most obvious culprits: Bethany's husband, Jason, and her best friend, Alex. Instead, Bethany chases patently ridiculous suspects and theories, and you just know it's because Elle Croft desperately wants us not to figure out the glaringly obvious too soon. As for me, as soon as Alex said she was being blackmailed too, I was comfortably able to predict how things would go down.
And the motive? Alex did this all because she's in love with Bethany's husband, Jason. Yes. She did it for a man. I thought that motive went out of fashion in the mid 90s when R.L. Stine and the like were using it in YA fiction. To see it still trotted out in this day and age is upsetting and mildly offensive! You can't help but think Alex could have just gone to Jason with evidence of the affair and broken them up that way. Constructing an elaborate murder conspiracy and framing someone seems like a lot of work, and a bit of overkill!
Police investigation procedures and courtroom procedures also seemed off. It's absurd that the police would overlook the fact that the killer would have been tall and left-handed!!! This evidence only comes up during the trial?!? Huh? And the jury still finds Bethany guilty? Well, I guess when you're not smart enough to get out of jury duty....
The book doesn't explain its ending. Jason apparently knew about the nude photos, suggesting he knew all the facts all along, and leaving Bethany believing he's the real killer. But then we get the epilogue, and Alex's offensive "I did it for a man" motive.
I also didn't like the ending. Bethany is found guilty, and goes to jail. There's no real climax. I like a bit of excitement in my thrillers! Although I felt she kind of deserved everything she got, the ending was a drab anti-climax.
The Guilty Wife is readable and somewhat enjoyable on a potboiler level. It moves quickly. But for me, it was too cliched and predictable and "trendy" to really be effective.
mhaslam5's review against another edition
2.0
Ridiculous story with a main character as dumb as a door knob. I only gave it two stars because I didn't expect the ending. Skip it. There are better ones out there!
cruehlmann's review against another edition
3.0
I thought the book was pretty good, until the end. I am not a fan of books that leave you hanging and don't have a sequel.
caszriel's review against another edition
4.0
~I received a copy from Hachette New Zealand and willingly reviewed it~
I really liked this book, quite a light read but also extremely enjoyable! Definitely liked how I could read a chapter quite quickly and when I really got going (thanks to my awesome calculus teacher for that hour in class donated to reading this book!) the book didn't take me too long to finish. The story isn't that new or unique but I like it anyway and had a lot of fun reading it :)
I really liked this book, quite a light read but also extremely enjoyable! Definitely liked how I could read a chapter quite quickly and when I really got going (thanks to my awesome calculus teacher for that hour in class donated to reading this book!) the book didn't take me too long to finish. The story isn't that new or unique but I like it anyway and had a lot of fun reading it :)
dr_manuela_reads's review against another edition
2.0
This was an ok read. I knew right away who done it, but I still hated the ending. In some ways it was okay that Bethany goes to jail, but that ending!
I could not connect with any of the characters. Calum’s voice was so clear in my head - a condescending asshole. The way he said her name - Bethany, just jarred in my ears. How could she go for him?
I’ve given this book this many stars as I think some of the writing was done very well. The fact that I could “hear” Calumn’s voice and actually “hear” the way he said, “Bethany” points to potentially good writing. (For the record, I read this - it was not audio). But the story itself is so unreal.
I really hate when women are said to be smart, start their own business, get awards for their work, and yet are portrayed as dumb dimwits and without any common sense. Bethany’s actions are not that of a smart woman. A smart woman would have gone to the police. A smart woman would not have wanted to solve this on her own. The police, we are told, are the best in the world. Yet, they announce in the paper that Bethany is the suspect and there is a man hunt for her. Really? They just interviewed her. And then we are to believe that her husband, with the help of Calumn’s assistant are the ones that turn her in? Really?
Unbelievable plot with not even one likable character.
I could not connect with any of the characters. Calum’s voice was so clear in my head - a condescending asshole. The way he said her name - Bethany, just jarred in my ears. How could she go for him?
I’ve given this book this many stars as I think some of the writing was done very well. The fact that I could “hear” Calumn’s voice and actually “hear” the way he said, “Bethany” points to potentially good writing. (For the record, I read this - it was not audio). But the story itself is so unreal.
I really hate when women are said to be smart, start their own business, get awards for their work, and yet are portrayed as dumb dimwits and without any common sense. Bethany’s actions are not that of a smart woman. A smart woman would have gone to the police. A smart woman would not have wanted to solve this on her own. The police, we are told, are the best in the world. Yet, they announce in the paper that Bethany is the suspect and there is a man hunt for her. Really? They just interviewed her. And then we are to believe that her husband, with the help of Calumn’s assistant are the ones that turn her in? Really?
Unbelievable plot with not even one likable character.
user267463784637647836874's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
subkafereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75