“Wow. I had absolutely no idea I would love this book as much as I have. I really haven’t been able to put this one down. I have been gripped from the very first page and found that I very quickly devoured this book in just one sitting. This is most definitely a five-star read.” Little Miss Book Lover 87 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I’d grown desperate for company since the discovery of the dead woman in town.Gloria is … discovery of the dead woman in town.
Gloria is used to solitude. Widowed and still grieving her late husband, she spends her days with only her faded photographs for company. But when a young woman is murdered nearby, Gloria grows anxious. Living alone in an old farmhouse, surrounded by empty woods, there’s no one for miles who would hear her scream.
When freelance travel writer Beth arrives with her trailer to live on Gloria’s land, Gloria is relieved not to be alone. The police have no suspects in the murder and fearless Beth makes Gloria feel safe. Then Gloria discovers Beth is a widow too: the women become closer and begin to share their secrets.
But soon Gloria starts to wonder… what does she actually know about Beth? About what brought her to this isolated spot? About how her husband really died? Is it a coincidence that she’s arrived just as this small town has seen its first murder in decades?
Gloria thought that Beth had told her all her secrets. She was wrong.
An utterly compelling suspense novel that will have you hooked, Two Widows is a gripping thriller that will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, The Couple Next Door and The Woman in the Window.
Readers love Two Widows
“WOW!!!! I have not read a book this good in some time! It had me hooked from the very beginning and I could not stop till I finished! I had to keep going, had to know how this ended! Laura Wolfe really knows how to catch a reader’s attention… I cannot wait to read more by her!” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow! An outstanding book! A stunner. Just wonderful. I could not put this book down. One of my standout reads of the year! I loved Gloria so very much and was rooting for her. Beautiful writing. Pacy, suspenseful and brilliant story. Please read this book.” Renita D’Silva ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Two Widows is brilliant! I thought I had the plot figured out and then boom! I’ll meekly admit I didn’t have the plot figured, turns out I had nothing figured! Lots of red herrings but overall this is a clever story of friendship, loss and darkness. I read in two sittings because Two Widows was perfection! Don’t waste your time reading reviews, just pick it up and read it! I promise you won’t regret it.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is a hidden gem of a novel!! A stonking good read, that kept me guessing. It is not predictable like many books of this genre. Definitely worthy of 5 stars!!” NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I loved this book, read within one day, it had me gripped, wanting more… it was well written and I loved it.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is so good… I so do not want to give the plot away, so it’s a must read. How it all comes together is brilliant.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is a most impressive debut, and I am adding Ms Wolfe to my list of authors to watch… This was a compelling mystery from the very start, and it kept me guessing until the very end… I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this exciting new author in the future.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐more
I always enjoy a well-written mystery/suspense novel, and Two Widows did not disappoint.
After the murder of a young woman, widow Gloria Flass finds she longs for company. When Beth Ramsey, a travel writer, contacts Gloria about renting space to park her tiny home, she readily agrees. A few days later Gloria rents her garage apartment to a “starving” artist named Joe.
Perhaps her loneliness was the reason she didn’t do background checks on either of them. Gloria soon learns free-spirited Beth is also a widow. Despite their age difference, the two soon become friends.
When a second young woman, whom Beth had befriended turns up missing and is later found murdered, Gloria believes she’d made a mistake in trusting Beth.
The book is writing in first person, the chapters alternating between Gloria’s and Beth’s point of view. The author throws in enough twists and turns that kept me guessing the murderer’s identity until the end.
This was my first time to read one of Laura Wolfe’s novels, but it won’t be my last.
Two Widows is a thriller that tells the story of two different women with quite contrasted lives. Gloria lives in northern Michigan in a rural farmhouse, where she had resided with her husband and her son. Elizabeth is just starting out her life, with a handsome husband to call her own and some big news for their future. Their lives intertwine into a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat trying to decipher how it will ultimately resolve.
I really enjoyed this read! I was hooked from the beginning, and thought I had everything figured out. The clues that the author gives lead you in a pretty straightforward direction, until the plot shifts and you are led down a completely different trail. I would definitely look forward to reading other books by Laura Wolfe after reading this. Thank you NetGalley for an amazing read!
The best part of this book was the switching between the POVs.
Likable characters.
I expected more… darkness…
My thoughts went in so many directions… that didn’t turn out to be the case.
That’s great, but it left me… feeling meh.
Decent read
A thoroughly well written book. It had surprises for its readers.
Just an outstanding read. Guaranteed to take your mind off current events. Characters you care about, writing that takes you there and doesn’t waste your time doing it.
Two widows kept me turning the pages as I watched the story unfold. I had difficulty with how the villain was apprehended but enjoyed the book overall because of the developing relationship between the two main characters.
I love a book that has me guessing and switching opinions based on the newest information while leaving me unsure as to whether I’m right or wrong. This is that type of book, and it was an excellent mystery. The story unfolds in two parts alternating chapters: Grace “now” and Elizabeth “before.” It’s an effective method, as it allows for the plot to advance. I thought both women were interesting characters, but I especially liked Beth. She was one of the most “real” characters I have read in a long time. I did think that the resolution seemed to come a little of nowhere, but in the bigger context of Beth’s story, it made sense. I would recommend this book. For a full review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
Gloria is widow living alone in her farmhouse surrounded by vacant land. She has recently leased some land to a new tenant, Beth Ramsey. She has brought a tiny house on a trailer. It is so efficient. She is a freelance writer about popular destinations in Michigan.
Gloria’s husband, Charlie, died two years ago and she finds living alone to be quite difficult. Her son is gay and lives in California. She has not heard from him in quite awhile. She had allowed her homophobic church friends to influence her opinion of his lifestyle. Thus, they are at odds with one another and Gloria regrets allowing others to influence her.
Gloria has a small apartment to rent above her garage. A scruffy man, calling himself Charlie, shows up inquiring about the apartment. He is an artist and can pay upfront. She had recently rented to a local girl. Gloria is a bit hesitant to rent to a man, but agrees. She needs the money to supplement her small income.
Soon, a woman is found murdered on a nearby beach which frightens Gloria. She is more aware of keeping her doors locked. She and Beth become close and share about their lives. Gloria truly enjoys her company. Gloria is trying hard to become a better person through self-help books.
The story goes back and forth telling the reader about Beth’s past. It’s quite compelling and we wonder what she’s capable of. Could she be a murderer?
This was a terrific story that took awhile to build. At first I thought it seemed rather slow and repetitive, but toward the end, it quickly grew quite frightening and I found myself rooting for Beth. Why, you may ask. Well you have to read this one. It’s good.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book was provided to me from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is written from 2 different points of views/timelines, Gloria is Now and Beth is Before. Gloria, a widow rents out a piece of her land to Beth, who owns a “tiny house”. Gloria also has a garage apartment, that she rents out to Joe, an artist. Gloria’s husband Charlie has died and she is all alone and befriends Beth. Beth is also a widow, but her story leads up to Gloria’s current timeline. This was very well written and was not confusing. I really enjoyed this story. I liked the back and forth and it made you understand the events of “now”. There was enough suspense and mystery to keep me reading. I was never bored. A woman’s body is discovered right be Beth moves in. And a little time later, Amanda, Beth’s new friend and Gloria’s former renter is missing. Thank you bookouur, netgalley and Laura Wolfe for this book.
I absolutely loved this book from the first page! Gloria is a widow who is feeling a financial pinch so she rents space in a field to Elizabeth (Beth) Ramsey for the summer for her “tiny home.” Shortly after that, she rents her garage apartment to Joe Miles, an artist, who is a little rough around the edges. Gloria feels safer with her two renters because there was a recent murder in town and then another one. The story is told in a now and then format with Gloria and Elizabeth as the narrators. Lots of exciting things happen in this book and it kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. What I liked best about this book is the fact that it took place in Northern Michigan, my home state, so every town they mentioned brought back memories for me. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this fantastic read in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to future books from Author Laura Wolfe.
Two Widows is the story of Gloria who lost her husband and is very lonely. Beth also a widow (with secrets ) is younger and she has rented Gloria’s land to park her tiny house.
The two become friends of sorts but Gloria is having doubts as two murders have now occurred in this small town.
The book is nicely told from each of their perspectives.
I just love Gloria !
There are some nasty characters in this book which I love !
Twists and turns will keep the pages turning.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read The Two Widows.
Gloria lives in northern Michigan on a decent but remote patch of land. 2 years ago her husband died of colon cancer and now she often feels lonely. She lost contact with her son Ethan after reacting badly on his revelation that he’s gay, something she now regrets. The zealot ladies of her church ostracised her for being the mother of a gay person. So now she’s stuck in a rut with only a pile of self-help books to keep her company. When a woman is found dead on a nearby beach, she feels a bit uncomfortable with living so far away. She puts up an advert for the apartment above her garage because money is tight. But when a younger woman asks to lease part of her field to park her trailer (sorry, tiny house), she accepts. When they find out that they’re both widows, they connect pretty well and become friends. Gloria starts thinking of Beth as the daughter she never had. The same week, she rents the apartment to Joe, a painter but Beth doesn’t seem very pleased with the new neighbour.
When Gloria seems him going into the woods at night with something that looks like a rifle, she starts to worry that he could be the killer. Personally, I don’t believe those lurk in the woods at night to search for victims. But who knows?
Beth tells that she’s a travel writer with an assignment to write a series of articles about the area. Gloria introduces her to Amanda, her former tenant as a source for information. Then, the young woman goes missing. But after a while, Gloria notices that some of the things that Beth tells aren’t true.
The story of the friendship between the 2 women is told by Gloria alone. After every chapter, there’s another one about what happened in the past, told by Beth. She starts out as a happily married woman who just finds out about being pregnant. She’s a successful journalist and her husband is a hotshot investment banker. But things go awry. It’s clear that she’s hiding certain things about her past from Gloria, but that’s not a crime, is it? Is she feigning her friendship? Is she a killer? All those things are possibilities that are merely hinted at and never said outright. Suspicion creeps upon you, the more you learn about her past. But all those things have to be considered in the right light and with the circumstances taken into the account. Sometimes things aren’t what they appear to be and other times they are.
It’s a very slow book, only in the last quarter things pick up a bit and actions start to happen. The largest part is more a feel-good story that focuses on the different sorts of family- and friendship- relations and their dynamics. The whole segment about Beth’s mum, dad, and sister is drawn out too long for a psychological thriller. It’s not a bad book, but the blurb and the classification are a bit misleading. It was not what I expected. I kept on waiting for the misleading or creepy to happen and stir up the tension, but the suspense was on a rather low level. Now the last quart of the book was great, with an emotional ending. But I guess this book wasn’t exactly my thing.
I thank Bookouture and Netgalley for a free ARC; this is my honest unbiased review of it.