Book Review: The Wife

THE WIFE | Alafair Burke
01.23.2018 | Harper
Rating: 4/5 stars

Six years have passed since Angela met Jason Powell while catering a dinner party in East Hampton. Their relationship was just supposed to be a summer fling like the typical relationships locals formed with summer visitors. Jason was unwilling to see things end just because he had to move back to the city. Jason worked as an economic professor at NYU during the week and on weekends would head back to East Hampton to be with Angela. Jason loves everything about Angela. He wants nothing more to be with her and her son, Spencer. Eventually he asked her to marry him. Angela saw their marriage as a chance to rebuild her life, leaving behind her tragic past for the Manhattan.

Over the years Jason’s career has quickly accelerated thanks to a best selling book, a new consulting company, and a budding media career. He is in the spotlight and Angela is there to stand by his side through everything. Even as Jason is accused of sexually harassing one of the interns working at his consulting firm and then again as Jason is accused of raping his colleague, Kerry. As their perfect life starts to unravel Angela is forced to put on a brave face and commit to standing by Jason. At the end of the day she believes him. When Kerry goes missing Angela is forced to reconsider her stance as she heads to court to defend Jason. With old secrets coming to light, what will Angela chose to do?

In an instant, I became the woman they assumed I’d been all along: the wife who lied to protect her husband.

THE WIFE is a domestic thriller centering around the Powell family. When Jason is accused of sexual harassment and then rape, Angela is put on the spot and immediately assumes the role of devoted wife. Despite the heartache that comes with learning about Jason’s previous indiscretions, Angela vows to do whatever she can to defend her husband. But will she lie for him? Angela and Jason’s situation is incredibly timely for the current state of affairs in America, where incidents like this are being exposed to the media on a regular basis. Alafair does a fantastic example of showing how stressful these situations can be for all sides of the family.

Angela Powell is the narrator of THE WIFE and takes the reader through her situation every step of the way. You are instantly connected to her and what to know more about her life, which is perfect because Angela is a woman with a past. She briefly lays the groundwork that there was something tragic that happened to her and that this tragedy is connected with the birth of her son, Spencer. It is not until later in the novel that the full story comes out. Angela’s backstory helps to build a better understanding not only of her, but also how her past impacts her present.

We need an explanation, something to reassure us that the horrible things that happened to them could never happen to us.

On the surface THE WIFE seems to be a straightforward story, but within the pages of this book there are plenty of surprises to keep the reader hooked until the very last sentence. Trust me, whatever you think you know, you don’t. The ending of THE WIFE is one of the best I have read all year! I absolutely loved the way that Alafair was able to bring this story to a phenomenal end. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read THE WIFE, I highly recommend adding it to your TBR!