She Treads Softly: What the Wife Knew

Monday, November 18, 2024

What the Wife Knew

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane
12/10/24; 368 pages
William Morrow

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane is a very highly recommended, twisty, and compelling domestic thriller. You may suspect the direction things are going, however, with all the lies, scheming, and secrets among these characters don't be too quick to think you know the twists.

Dr. Richmond Dougherty, an esteemed pediatric surgeon, leaves his wife and childhood sweetheart, Kathryn, to wed 27 year-old Addison. It is not a love match. Addison had blackmail information on Richmond and force him to marry her. Ninety-seven days after the wedding Richmond is dead from a suspicious "accident" and Addison is a very wealthy widow. Even though she has an alibi, she is also a suspect in what may have been his murder. Make no mistake, Addison wanted Richmond dead, but she had no hand in it. The question is who did it? And with that question the number of suspects keeps expanding.

The writing is exceptional in What the Wife Knew! This fast-paced thriller is packed with dysfunctional families, deception, grudges, revenge, lies, scheming, secrets, and unlikable characters. It is also un-put-downable. Once you start reading you will not want to stop. The suspects in Richmond's death are numerous. Kathryn is a devious character who keeps targeting Addison, with their children, Wyatt, 20, and Portia, 15, in tow. Richmond had more than a few questionable facts raised about his character too.

The narrative is mainly through Addison's point-of-view, both in the present and the past, until the half-way point when there are some chapters from Richmond's point-of-view. Addison has an attitude and a mouth on her. She can be abrasive and isn't looking to make any friends. Addison is a fully-realized individual who will also become a character that you will be supporting. You will wish her the best in the future as you learn about her past. All most all of the other characters, with a few exceptions, Portia and lawyer Elias Zimmer, are despicable.

What the Wife Knew is an astute, intelligent, perceptive domestic thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the shocking ending. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.