Krysten’s Review

I’m so tired of authors adding keyword-laden subtitles to their books, or superlative claims on the covers about its quality, in an attempt to convince readers to pick up their book instead of someone else’s.

The Wife List by J.A. Schneider is one of those such novels. Right there on the cover, it claims it is “the most thrilling novel of the year” (in what appears to be Microsoft’s Calibri font, by the way—which is the exact opposite of thrilling).

If you’re going to make a claim like that, you’d better back it up.

Spoiler alert: It is unequivocally not the most thrilling novel of the year. This year or any year.

That’s not to say it isn’t thrilling at all. It is, for about 20% of the book, a pretty good read. Exciting, even. But what comes in between is basically an unedited stream-of-consciousness mental diary of a crime fiction writer who wonders if her husband is part of a secret club of men trying to off each other’s wives, or if she’s simply paranoid and delusional.

The premise was so good, but the execution was way off. I almost gave up a few times, and if it weren’t for the ending, this would be a two-star book. I am glad I stuck it out, because there were a couple of surprises, and the ending made it worthwhile… I just wish the whole book had been like the last 10-15%.