Jason Powell is a big deal. He teaches economics at a prestigious university. And then he wrote a bestselling book that explained economic principles in lay terms. And then he became a talking head on television, asked to add color and interest to stories on economics and politics for a major television news station. And then he started a consulting business, which was successful almost immediately. He’s a good looking guy, which contributes to his popularity. And he’s happily married with a son at home.
But who is his wife?
She has no social media accounts. She isn’t photographed with him. She doesn’t work, not that she needs to. But it's almost like she’s a ghost.
Angela Powell is happy to focus her attention on raising her son and supporting her husband. She’s quiet and keeps to herself, and she likes it that way. And then a woman comes forward and accuses Jason of inappropriate behavior. He shrugs it off as a misunderstanding, and Angela believes him.
But then a second woman comes forward to accuse him of rape.
And Angela can’t help but wonder. Is he really telling the truth? Is she? How can she protect her family, and especially her son, and herself. She’s a ghost on social media. She’s a ghost on purpose. There are secrets in her past that could bring them all down. But she won’t let that happen. Whatever else happens in her family, in her marriage, she can’t let the secrets of her past come out. She will do whatever it takes. Even if it means lying to the police. Even if it means putting herself in danger. Even if it means something even more extreme.
Alafair Burke’s The Wife is a twisty story of family and secrets, of mistakes and lies, of relationships and the secrets that can break them down. I listened to the audiobook, and narrator Xe Sands drew me in from the first sentence.
I really enjoyed The Wife. It’s a tautly written thriller with lots of questions and surprises. Like the layers of an onion, this novel got stronger and more powerful as the secrets were peeled away, leaving a series of truths that could leave you breathless. A great psychological thriller for the beach or the sofa!
Galleys for The Wife were provided by HarperCollins through Edelweiss, with many thanks, but the audiobook was provided by me through Audible.