The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives by Elizabeth Arnott - Review

I got this book on Netgalley, so thank you very much to Penguin for granting me access to this. I received an electronic copy of the book for review purposes, but was not otherwise compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I really liked this book and would definitely read something else by the author. I was intrigued by the premise - about actual wives of murderers in the 1960s - and the book did not disappoint. 

Beverley is the main character of the book. She had no idea that her husband was a killer, of course, until he was arrested in the family home. She is struggling to get her life back on track. People in the neighbourhood hate her and she's trying to protect her kids from the brunt of it. She lives in fear and has to barricade herself into the house at night. She has met two other women with serial killers for husbands. Elsie is quiet and reserved and her husband was similar, but also turned out to be a killer. Margot was married to a governor or senator or something, someone in politics, who was also a killer. She masks her pain by drinking too much. 

Beverley is speaking at a police conference when a call comes in about a murder and the chief takes off. Beverley is having an affair with one of the men who arrested her husband and she gets to know a bit more about the girl who was found dead. She fears that another serial killer is on the loose, but the police don't agree with her. She enlists the help of Elsie and Margot to help her uncover the truth. 

It's like a fun romp of a book - the women are irrepressible despite what life has thrown at them and it's easy to like them and want them to succeed. I also definitely wanted a drink with them! There's an air of gothic about the book - there's a heatwave and everything is oppressive in the California sunshine. There's the Manson killings kind of as an undercurrent, which I definitely liked. 

I'm giving this four out of five, I thought it was a great book and I'll look out for more! 

Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth - Review

I actually saw this book in a motorway service station when I was travelling to Birmingham in February, and I was really tempted to buy it, but resisted temptation of buying this and something else. But then I looked later and it was only 99p on Kindle so I bought it. I read it while I was in Rome! And flying there and back. I loved Rome and highly recommend it, and this was a good book to read while I was travelling. 

The book is about sisters Sarah and Juliette and has a dual narrative - one in the 90s, and one in the now, when Sarah is 42 and Juliette is just turning forty. I am forty-two and am enjoying reading about women my age - especially when there was a dual narrative which was so reminiscent of my own life in the 90s. 

Sarah is single, and lives in London. She's from Manchester originally where Juliette still lives with her mediocre husband and two children. Their mother was pretty neglectful and I don't remember much said about their dad at all, but I did read this over a month ago so maybe I've just forgotten by now. (I am kind of sorry that my reviews are so far behind, but I'll get caught up.... eventually). Sarah's life is pretty empty but she knows she doesn't want Juliette's life either. 

Anyway, she rents a campervan for the two of them to go on a trip to the Scottish Highlands for Juliette's birthday. It's a bit run down and causes them no end of problem but that's half the fun of it. There's no mobile signal at the campsites so Juliette can't speak to her children. Neither of the women like going over to the showers and loos, either, which I found very relatable and hilarious. They've had a bit of a tempestuous relationship over the years and things do flare up but it's obvious there's a lot of love between the two of them even if they don't always understand each other.

In the dual narrative, it's the late 90s and Sarah is fifteen. She is obsessed with boy bands, sex, underage drinking, and her teacher, Mr Keaveney. She is convinced that they are in love and that once she leaves school and turns sixteen, they will go to Gretna Green and get married and everyone will accept this. I knew girls who were obsessed with teachers in the 90s and I think Emma Jane got this so perfect, just bang on for what it was like back then when you FEEL so deeply. When bands do mean EVERYTHING and when a crush feels like it will kill you. 

It's obvious that something happened in the 90s that has repercussions on today, and I thought I guessed it, but I was a bit wrong. I do think the ending didn't quite live up to the rest of the book. I wish it had been a bit different. 

But I did really like the book; I liked Sarah a lot and really felt a lot of her life. I will definitely read something else by Emma Jane Unsworth and I am giving this four out of five. 

Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena - Review

I can't remember where I heard about this book but I was intrigued by it so bought it on Kindle. I read it at the end of April and it's the first of June as I'm writing this, so forgive me if I've forgotten some of the ins and outs of the plot. However, I know I didn't particularly like the book and wouldn't reach quickly for something else by the same author. 

The family in question is the Merton family. They are parents Fred and Sheila and their children, Catherine, Dan, and Jenna, and Catherine's husband Ted and Dan's wife Lisa. They are all getting together for Easter dinner, but tensions are already running high. The family is rich as anything after Fred sold his company. However, Dan assumed that he would inherit the company so he's angry with his dad that he didn't. He and Lisa have very little money and he is stressed about it. Fred is selfish and cruel. Sheila is neglectful and critical of all her children. They were brought up by a nanny, Irene, who lived in the house and who still lives close. 

Catherine has a high flying career as does Ted, but they've been having problems having a baby so their lives aren't perfect either. Jenna is the wild, third child, a bit flighty, blah blah. Her boyfriend attends the dinner too but I don't remember his name. Everyone falls out with Fred and Sheila and leaves, although Jenna and her boyfriend stay a little bit longer than the others. 

The next day the housekeeper or someone arrives at the house and finds Fred and Sheila brutally murdered. At first the policce think it's a robbery gone wrong, but then they realise it's been set up to look that way. Suspicion falls on the three children, of course, but there are just so many people and so many red herrings that it's hard to keep up. Fred's sister (Angela?) says that Fred had promised to leave half his money to her, but there's no proof of this - although it would have given her a good motive, of course. It's easy to think it's Dan, as he's been screwed over most by his father, but honestly, all the kids are acting weird. 

The book is like 100 pages too long in my opinion, and a crucial piece of information comes way too late in the book for me to care. I found it hard to read and can only give it two and a half out of three.