A review by thebookishmama
The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0 

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The character development across the three points of view was really great and the little drops of mystery and secrets across multiple chapters made for an overall desire to want to keep reading to uncover the truth. I did have an issue with the overall light the women were painted in the end. But the novel as a whole was great. The short chapters made for a great pace and kept me wanting to just read one more chapter. I kept asking myself so many questions and trying to guess where it was going to go. Each character was so vastly different, but it was great to see how they could all intertwine. I’m still left questioning the truth at the end and keep changing my mind, but this took a twist I did not see coming! The overall theme this novel presents is one I haven’t seen often in a thriller, which made for a nice change. 

Tully and Rachel have never been close, but when their father announces he’s getting married to a women who is younger than both of them, while still being married to their mother, they find themselves closer than they’ve ever been. They still haven’t even begun to process the quick declining health of their mother to dementia. While they both continue to deal with their own secrets and troubles, they’re hesitant to get to know their soon-to-be stepmom. Rachel stumbles upon a secret big enough to uproot everything she’s even known to be true, but she isn’t even sure she can trust her own gut. She isn’t the only one hiding a big secret, but could there be something more sinister going on?

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