Book Review: The Younger Wife
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Sally Hepworth
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publish Date: April 5, 2022
Format: eBook
★★★★☆
This book is perfect for those that like: Domestic Suspense and Family Secrets
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Storylines featuring Abuse/Murder, Sexual Assault, or Pregnancy Loss
Favorite Line: "Eat me?" ~ Heather and Rachel
The Book
Stephen Aston is getting married again. The only problem is, he's still married to his first wife, even though she is in a care facility for dementia. But he'll take care of that easily, by divorcing her--even if his adult daughters protest.
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon Heather as nothing but an interloper. Heather is the same age as Rachel and even younger than Tully. Clearly she's a golddigger and after their father's money. Heather has secrets that she's keeping close, and reasons of her own for wanting to marry Stephen.
With their mother unable to speak for herself, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family's secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is. But will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses...in all of them?
The Review
Just like The Good Sister, I not only read The Younger Wife in one day, but I also couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after finishing it. Sally Hepworth is quickly becoming a go-to author when it comes to domestic suspense stories. I have found her books to be realistic without being preachy.
While I found The Younger Wife to be a bit too predictable, the pacing was tight and I was very invested in the overall outcome of the story. Rachel, Tully, and Heather were my favorite types of characters - messy and flawed, aka just trying to survive their day-to-day lives. They each carry heavy burdens from their pasts that very much affect the way they not only interact with the world but with one another. As the story unfolds and you find out what their secrets are and understand them better, you can’t help but root for them no matter what choices they end up making.
This is not a story for everyone though. There are some very tough themes and events that occur outside the typical murder (such as sexual assault, pregnancy loss, and abuse) that some might not want to read about. I did think those issues were handled well and I appreciated the author's highlighting the importance of mental healthcare throughout the story.
Overall, this was another win, despite the ending, which I know others have had an issue with. For me personally, I choose to interpret it a certain way and think it throws in a nice last-minute twist into the mix.
The Author
Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, most recently The Younger Wife. Her novel, The Mother-In-Law (2019), has been optioned for a TV series by Hollywood actress and producer, Amy Poehler.
Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone.
Sally's novels are available worldwide in English and have been translated into 20 languages.
Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and three children.