My Husband's Wife

 

My Husband's Wife

By Alice Feeney

Book club pick, and I was determined to finish this before everyone gathered because I missed last month. My month has been insanely busy, and I still haven’t had a day off since August 3rd…yes, I’m keeping track. Regardless, I finished most of this book on my flights to and from Charlotte to Lansing, wrapped it up last night, and what can I say?

I have a headache.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Sounds interesting, right?

The book starts off fast-paced and genuinely thrilling, and I was immediately into it. Eden Fox comes home to find another woman living in her house who claims to be her husband’s wife. From there, the story alternates between Eden and Birdy, a reclusive woman drawn to the same house through a sinister clinic that predicts the date of your death.

And then things get…complicated.

Actually, really complicated.

I spent most of this book confused. Seriously, it felt completely out of control at times. There are twists on top of twists, identity switches, secrets, timelines, and enough deception to make you question pretty much every character, and your own ability to follow along.

Will the real Eden please stand up?

The premise of the clinic predicting your death date was actually the part I found myself thinking about the most. Would you want to know the exact date you were going to die? I honestly don’t know. My instinct is to say no. Why wouldn’t I just live the life I want to live and keep going as normal without knowing? But then I think about the question behind it: If you knew, would you change how you live?

It reminded me of The Measure, which was a book club pick for us that received very mixed reviews but led to a great conversation. I found that premise fascinating too, and I think it’s one of those questions that sticks with you long after you finish the book.

As for My Husband’s Wife…I’m less sure the actual story stuck with me in the same way.

There were too many loopholes and moments that didn’t quite make sense to me. Some of the twists felt more convoluted than shocking, and while I absolutely did not see the ending coming when it came to the whodunit, it was also completely over the top.

I actually think this would make a better movie. The fast pace, unreliable characters, twists, secrets, and “wait…WHAT?” moments would probably work really well on screen.

This book was an absolute roller coaster…confusing, convoluted, twisted, and occasionally exhausting. I will give Alice Feeney credit for one thing: she kept me guessing.

Trying to explain this book would be like trying to explain a family tree after everyone has married, divorced, changed their name, and assumed someone else’s identity.

And based on my track record, I think I’ll rule out ever becoming a detective.