A review by firestormwv
Black Widows by Cate Quinn

4.0

[a:Cate Quinn|20154067|Cate Quinn|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] worked as a travel and lifestyle journalist for many newspapers and magazines, including The Times, The Guardian, and The Mirror, before releasing [b:Black Widows|52658299|Black Widows|Cate Quinn|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1632763793l/52658299._SY75_.jpg|78458995]. Her background in historical research earned her postgraduate funding from the British Art Council. [a:C.S. Quinn|8134484|C.S. Quinn|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1410348937p2/8134484.jpg] and [a:Joanna Taylor|1114027|Joanna Taylor|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] are two of her pen names.

I checked out Black Widows from the library for which I work.

The book Black Widows follows three sister wives who are accused of brutally murdering their husbands. The plot twists and turns until it reveals the truth.

Rachel, Emily, and Tina, the sister wives, appear to have nothing in common except their spouse Blake. Their diverse personalities add to the suspicion. Rachel, the first wife, is a former drug addict and sex worker from Utah, Emily, the second wife, is a young ex-Catholic, and Tina, the third wife, is a former drug addict and sex worker from Las Vegas. Blake grew up in a conservative LDS family, but he came to believe plural marriage was the pathway to Celestial Heaven. His views caused him to estrangement from his parents and siblings. He builds a homestead in remote Utah to live in his utopia. From the start through the disclosure of the murderer, the wives suspect one another.

I read this book in two sittings because I was anxious to see what happened next. I gave it four stars because the conclusion seemed to wrap up too cleanly and quickly. Throughout the novel, Quinn's writing held my attention. She depicts the location in such a way that the reader can visualize the scene in its entirety. I like how each of the wives was given their own distinct personalities. The wives' differences lend depth to the plot while also emphasizing their similarities. Some of the plot twists and turns may surprise and unsettle some readers. The killer's motivation is intriguing, although not completely unexpected.

This could be the book for you if you enjoy mysteries, investigating different spiritualities, and learning about different cultures. This will most likely not be your cup of tea if you are uncomfortable with plural marriages and kink.