The English Wife
- Authors: Lauren Willig
- Series:
- Type: Novel
- Rank:
- Rating: 4.2 based on 1,798 reviews
- Release Date: January 9, 2018
- Print length: 384 pages (Hardcover)
About the book
From New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Willig, comes this scandalous novel set in the Gilded Age, full of family secrets, affairs, and even murder.
Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life in New York: he's the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three year old twins on whom they dote, and he's recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she's having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad. Bay's sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips?
Praise for The English Wife
An elegant page turner that kept me guessing. A masterful story that transported me back in time. A great, great Gothic.
Lauren Willig absolutely delivers in this deliciously-paced, intriguing tale that is part mystery, part love story, and part family drama of the most emotionally-riveting kind. Brimming with evocative historical details and hauntingly good.
Lauren Willig's historical novels are so immersive, so note-perfect in their mastery of setting and voice, that I'm tempted to wonder if she has a time machine at her disposal. The English Wife, with its deliciously evocative portrait of the splendours, sorrows and intrigues of Gilded Age high society, is her best book yet.
The English Wife is an atmospheric, instantly absorbing page-turner. Lauren Willig delivers a richly detailed, expertly plotted novel that will instantly transport you back in time. This novel has it all--an intriguing mystery, a love affair for the ages and secrets worth dying for.
Lauren Willig has made a name for herself writing the finest historical intrigue and The English Wife does not disappoint - it is her best yet! Written with keen detail and subtle nuance, The English Wife is a dark and scintillating tale of betrayal, secrets and a marriage gone wrong that will have readers on the edge of their seats until the final breathtaking twist.
The English Wife brings to life old world New York City and London with all the splendor of two of my favorite novels, The Age of Innocence and The Crimson Petal and the White. Mystery, murder, mistaken identity, romance--Lauren Willig weaves each strand into a page-turning tapestry.
Full of Gilded Age glamour and Gothic suspense, The English Wife will haunt readers long after the story ends. Willig draws us in immediately - not just with an opulent setting and sensational gossip - but with a crime so visually stunning, I was left gasping for air by the end of chapter one. From London to old New York, readers will be mesmerized. Willig's writing is so smart and her pacing so masterful that readers will be guessing until the very last page. The English Wife combines the all insight of Edith Wharton with the tension and intrigue of Daphne du Maurier. It is Willig at her very best and most compelling.
The English Wife by Lauren Willig is a gorgeous gem of a novel. Part historical fiction, part mystery, and part dual love story, this book is full of engaging characters, flawless writing, and a twisty plot that will keep the reader guessing until the last page. Willig mesmerizes with clever dialog and unexpected plot reveals, promising another fantastic read for her many fans, and a perfect introduction to new readers. This will go on my keeper shelf along with my entire Lauren Willig collection!
Full of intrigue and suspense, Willig weaves an intricate tapestry of romance and betrayal. Rich in period detail and a plot that keeps you guessing, The English Wife, is a wonderful read.
The pages fly fast and furious in this thoroughly engaging, suspenseful yarn.
Willig has a knack for creating sympathetic characters and fully fleshed settings, adding some juicy plot twists to this atmospheric period piece.
A dark, romantic mystery full of twists and turns.
Lauren Willig is skilled in historical fiction and draws us deeply into the world of Gilded Age New York...The book is also perfectly paced, as we're gradually fed clues and revelations that keep us guessing until the very end.
About the author
