Review: The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

Title: The Wife Stalker

Author: Liv Constantine

Published: May 2020, Harper

Format: ARC Paperback, 400 pages

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

Breezing into the tony
seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething
Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and
joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome,
successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she
doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is
permanent.

Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo,
the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to
re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s
thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying
attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond
measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support
that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else.

Piper.
Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and
unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind,
along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children.

Joanna
is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use
against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she
digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing
secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for
the lives of her ex-husband and children, her concerns are dismissed as
paranoia. Can she find the proof she needs in time to save them?

My thoughts: I’ve been a fan of this writing duo ever since reading their debut novel, The Last Mrs. Parrish, which I absolutely loved. And I feel that this book, their third one together, is definitely more in line with that one, which I loved!

This is a fast-paced thrilling psychological thriller that really keeps you on your toes. It’s told from two view points, alternating between Joanna and Piper, and really keeps you on the edge of your seat as you get the sense that something is not quite right, but you aren’t sure just what. I also loved that I didn’t necessarily love either character, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. But they are written in a way that you want to know more about them and understand their motivations.

I love a book where you think you know what’s going to happen, that you think you have all the information, but you couldn’t be more wrong. I knew there was a big twist coming, and maybe that upped my anxiety as I was reading it, but I just couldn’t figure out where this was heading and boy that did ending floor me! So much so that I actually had to reread it to make sure I read what I thought I had just read. It was just so good & clever and I totally did not see it coming!

This was one book that I just could not put down and the short chapters combined with all the drama that was unfolding kept me completely engaged with the book. Again, it wasn’t necessarily that I loved the characters, but I just NEEDED to know where everything was headed.

This is the perfect beach read – it’s fast-paced, thrilling and really keeps you guessing as to where things are headed. I’ve met these authors before and I don’t understand how such lovely ladies can be so twisted in their writing. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next!