The Widow by Fiona Barton
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I thought this book was really well done. I have had this book for several years but never got around to reading for one reason or another. When I noticed that a copy of the audiobook was available and it featured a large cast of narrators, I decided it was time to see what this book was all about. I was hooked by the story right away and there were times that I didn't want to put it down. I really did enjoy this book in the end.
This is a book that jumps around in time a bit with several different points of view. I think that the way the book was set up helped to add to the mystery. From the start of the book, I had an idea of where things might go but I was never quite sure. This is a rather sad book in a lot of ways largely because the story felt so realistic and a crime against a small child is at its core. How many little boys and girls go missing every year without a lot to go on? It happens all too often based on what I see on my local news. I wanted a happy ending in this book (don't I always?) but I got a more realistic one instead.
Much of this story is told from Jean's point of view. We hear from her both during her marriage to Glen and after his death. I wasn't quite sure if she was hiding something or covering for her husband. Was she the clueless wife, was she involved, was he an innocent man? I can't really say that I really liked Jean but I did feel somewhat sympathetic to her at times. Then there's the reporter who was probably one of the more likable characters in the book. She wants the story but is pretty competent in her quest to find answers. The detective was determined to solve this case. It was the one that kept him up at night and he was willing to do what needed to be done to get some resolution. We do hear from Bella's mother and Glen and while those points of view are short they are powerful.
There are quite a few narrators that lend their voices to this audiobook and I thought that they all did a great job with the story. The bulk of the work fell on just a few narrators since most of the story was told from their character's point of view. I found all of the narrators to be easy to listen to and I believe that their performances added to my enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to fans of mystery thrillers. I think that this story felt very authentic and the way the story was presented kept me guessing. I wouldn't hesitate to read more of this author's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
Initial Thoughts
This one did keep me guessing. I wasn't quite sure what happened to Bella until it was revealed. I had a pretty good idea but there was enough doubt thrown into the story that I wasn't really sure. The book does jump around in time a bit but I think that the way it was done added to the mystery. I can't say that I really liked any of the characters but I was somewhat sympathetic towards Jean and I didn't dislike any of the key players either. This was a sad story in so many ways largely because crimes like this happen way too often in our world. I thought that everything was really very plausible. The narration was very well done. There is a rather large cast of narrators for this book with each reading the parts of the book from their assigned character's point of view. The bulk of the story was done by just a couple of the narrators and I think that the whole cast did a nice job.
I thought this book was really well done. I have had this book for several years but never got around to reading for one reason or another. When I noticed that a copy of the audiobook was available and it featured a large cast of narrators, I decided it was time to see what this book was all about. I was hooked by the story right away and there were times that I didn't want to put it down. I really did enjoy this book in the end.
This is a book that jumps around in time a bit with several different points of view. I think that the way the book was set up helped to add to the mystery. From the start of the book, I had an idea of where things might go but I was never quite sure. This is a rather sad book in a lot of ways largely because the story felt so realistic and a crime against a small child is at its core. How many little boys and girls go missing every year without a lot to go on? It happens all too often based on what I see on my local news. I wanted a happy ending in this book (don't I always?) but I got a more realistic one instead.
Much of this story is told from Jean's point of view. We hear from her both during her marriage to Glen and after his death. I wasn't quite sure if she was hiding something or covering for her husband. Was she the clueless wife, was she involved, was he an innocent man? I can't really say that I really liked Jean but I did feel somewhat sympathetic to her at times. Then there's the reporter who was probably one of the more likable characters in the book. She wants the story but is pretty competent in her quest to find answers. The detective was determined to solve this case. It was the one that kept him up at night and he was willing to do what needed to be done to get some resolution. We do hear from Bella's mother and Glen and while those points of view are short they are powerful.
There are quite a few narrators that lend their voices to this audiobook and I thought that they all did a great job with the story. The bulk of the work fell on just a few narrators since most of the story was told from their character's point of view. I found all of the narrators to be easy to listen to and I believe that their performances added to my enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to fans of mystery thrillers. I think that this story felt very authentic and the way the story was presented kept me guessing. I wouldn't hesitate to read more of this author's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
Initial Thoughts
This one did keep me guessing. I wasn't quite sure what happened to Bella until it was revealed. I had a pretty good idea but there was enough doubt thrown into the story that I wasn't really sure. The book does jump around in time a bit but I think that the way it was done added to the mystery. I can't say that I really liked any of the characters but I was somewhat sympathetic towards Jean and I didn't dislike any of the key players either. This was a sad story in so many ways largely because crimes like this happen way too often in our world. I thought that everything was really very plausible. The narration was very well done. There is a rather large cast of narrators for this book with each reading the parts of the book from their assigned character's point of view. The bulk of the story was done by just a couple of the narrators and I think that the whole cast did a nice job.
3