From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much. Meet the first Mrs. Ford Beautiful. Accomplished. Wealthy beyond imagination. Married to a much younger man. And now, she’s dead. Meet the second Mrs. Ford. Waitress. Small-town girl. Married to a man she never forgot, From a summer romance ten years before. … girl.
Married to a man she never forgot,
From a summer romance ten years before.
And now, she’s wealthy beyond imagination.
Who is Connor Ford?
Two women loved him. And knew him as only wives can know.
Set amongst the glittering mansions of the Hamptons,
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a decadent summer thriller about the lives of those who will do anything for love and money. Who is the victim? Who is the villain? And who will be next to die?
more
I could not finish this one quickly enough. But this one was just so predictable that I could not become invested in the story. Though there are lots of twists and turns, the characters were too manipulated and just plain irritating. When I don’t like ANY of the characters, my enjoyment of a book is pretty much negligible.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Content Rating: 18+
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Published: July 28, 2020, by St. Martin’s Press
https://pageturnerreviews.home.blog/2020/08/04/the-wife-who-knew-too-much-by-michele-campbell/
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a twisty, thriller by Michele Campbell that will grab you from the first page. This book is an easy, quick read, perfect for taking your mind off all the craziness this world has to offer. I will say that the writing and character development is adequate for the story. The storyline is good, but a bit predictable and unrealistic, so be prepared to suspend disbelief. So, if you are willing and able to do this, you will enjoy this book.
The book opens with Nina, who is very rich, telling us through her diary that her much younger husband, Conner Ford, is in love with someone else and is planning to kill her. When Nina’s death is ruled a suicide, Conner becomes a very wealthy man. However, not all is how it seems.
“My husband is planning to kill me. For obvious reasons. He’s in love with someone else. And he wants my money.”
Tabitha Girard, a down on her luck thirty-year-old waitress, has been in love with Conner since he first saw him thirteen years ago. Conner is from an affluent family and Tabitha from a low-income family. They met at the country club where she works and where Conner’s family is a member. They have a brief but intense summer romance where they both profess their love, but Conner’s grandmother does not approve because of Tabitha’s social standing, and she quickly breaks up the affair.
When Conner shows up thirteen years later professing his love, Tabitha realizes that she has never stopped loving him. This is when things get interesting, but I can’t say much more, no spoilers for my review.
“The night Conner Ford walked back into my life, I was waitressing, just trying to make ends meet. To this day, nobody has ever reached me like he did.”
The characters in The Wife Who Knew Too Much annoyed me throughout the whole book, and I found them shallow and self-centered. It seems that all Conner cares about is money and has based all his life decisions on getting and keeping money. He dumps Tabitha to keep his grandmother’s money. He marries Nina for her money. Now on to Tabitha, this woman could not make a sound decision throughout the entire book. If there were a spotlight on the right choice, she would pick the wrong choice hidden in the shadows. She made some laughable decisions and then was shocked when things turned out poorly. I am not sure if she was just naïve or just not very smart.
The Wife Who Knew Too Much started promising, but for me fell a bit short. I think this could have been an excellent book, but unfortunately, it was indistinguishable from many books in the thriller genre. However, if you are looking for an easy to read book to sit by the pool with or take to the beach, this one may fit the bill. This was the first book by Michele Campbell that I have read, and although this book was far from perfect, I would consider reading more of her books.
* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. *
** I kindly received The Wife Who Knew Too Much by way of NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Michele Campbell. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **
This was my first time reading Michele Campbell thanks to St. Martin’s Press. I have to say I was hooked from the beginning. The way it starts you are immediately trying to figure out what is going on. I am definitely going to be seeing what other books Ms. Campbell has written because I want to read more. This is a quick exciting read. It’s the best for the crazy times we are in. I definitely recommend grabbing this one.
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a thrillingly fast read set in the world of the extremely rich. Tabitha is cinderella, moving from nearly broke waitress to more money than she could ever spend. But is it worth it and, more importantly, is it safe?
Recommended for fans of domestic suspense and mystery.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is not my first experience with Michele Campbell. It’s also not the first book by her that I’ve been disappointed with. If I recall correctly, I had a problem with both predictability and believability. Well, the predictability isn’t so much a problem here, so there’s that. However, believability is just nonexistent. Add to that the irritating and unlikable characters, including a woman who seems to throw her good sense right out the window, and this one lost me. I will add that unlikable characters on their own aren’t necessarily a no-go for me, especially in the thriller genre, but combined with everything else, it became a no-go. I did finish, but it reached a point where it was harder to pick up than it was to put down, and once it went so far out there, there was just no coming back.
A spectacular page turner! The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell was just that. I must have been hiding under a rock for her to just come into my radar. Wow! She is good. Ms. Campbell had me on the edge of my seat with my heart pounding out of my chest and so breathless, I was hoping I wouldn’t pass out. Now, that is my kind of book!
Tabitha who is the main character is someone most of us can identify with. She is a struggling waitress who runs into the guy she fell in love with one summer as a teenager. We’ve all been there. Right? You really care for her and she is an upstanding woman. The hell she goes through will keep you turning the pages late into the night.
This book crosses a few genres including Domestic and Crime Thrillers. Those two are a couple of my favorite genres to read. If you haven’t discovered Michele Campbell yet, I strongly urge you to try this book. I just know you will love it!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.
I was quickly sucked in from the first chapter. I connected to Tabitha being this down to earth girl and finding the love of her life again after all those years. But then it slowed way down for me. Then sped back up for a good drama filled ending. Overall it was fun domestic mystery with murder, love, loads of money and of of course backstabbing.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for my review copy!
Nina Leavitt had married the very wealthy Edward when he was 50 and she was 23. Sadly, he got sick but she lovingly nursed him until he died. A year later, she married Connor when she was 50 and he was 30. She was very wealthy and he was broke. Nina knows that Connor is in love with another woman, Tabitha, and that Connor only wants Nina’s money. She also believes that he wants to kill her.
Connor and Tabitha had known one another when they were teenagers. She came from a poor family and worked at the country club as a server where he and his family were members. It has been years since they have seen one another, so when he comes into a restaurant where she works, she is surprised. He just wants to see her again saying he never stopped loving her. However, he knows that Nina has people watching him and has to get back to her. Tabitha knows she mustn’t contact him, but tries to call him anyway. The calls go to voicemail.
Desperate to see him, Tabitha tries to sneak into a party that Nina and Connor are giving at their mansion on the water called Windswept. She is caught and questioned by the police. Later, Nina’s body is found in the pool. Was she killed or was it suicide?
When Connor finally responds to Tabitha’s calls, she tells him she is pregnant and they quickly get marred. She moves into Windswept but suspects there are those who want her gone. People think Connor killed Nina but Tabitha doesn’t believe it. Could the man she loves have done this?
I’m sure I’ve given out too many spoilers here but I want readers to know that this is a very compelling read with lots of action and intrigue. I liked the characters but found Tabitha to be much too naive. But that’s part of the story. Enjoy!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a psychological suspense in the same vein as Gone Girl. For a lot of people that would be a plus for me, not so much. The main characters in this book are real hard to sympathize with as they are all cheaters of some sort and not real nice people. Unlike Gone Girl this book kept me reading just to see if karma catches up to them all. The plot does throw in some quick twists and turns to make the end of the book better than the beginning. The book is okay and I feel than people who like Gone Girl will probably love it but I am not in love or even like with this book. My voluntary, unbiased review is base upon a review copy from Netgalley.
This book starts with a bang as you read the last diary entry of Nina, a dead socialite. “If I die unexpectedly, it was foul play, and Connor was behind it. Connor and her.” It moves at a fast pace from there until the end. This thriller is filled with misdirection to keep you guessing. Every time you think you’ve figured something out, a twist happens that brings you back to square one.
Tabitha has been unlucky in love. As a teenager, Tabitha’s heart was broken by Connor — the popular boy who was a member of the country club where she worked. By chance, Connor comes back into Tabitha’s life years later. Her life has gotten worse while Connor’s has improved significantly. He married for money. However, he is extremely unhappy with his wife, Nina. Connor reveals to Tabitha that he’s always loved her, and the two quickly begin an affair.
When Nina appears to have taken her own life, Connor is suddenly free to be with Tabitha. It seems like Tabitha has finally found her happily ever after. However, she discovers almost immediately that nothing is what it seems in Connor’s world. Suspicions are raised about Nina’s death and Connor’s past. Is she equipped to handle this treacherous world?
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only wish was that Tabitha had been stronger. She’s a passive participant in this story; the weak wife who gets pushed around by everyone. That aside, this captivating story keeps you engaged with all of the twists and turns that you won’t see coming. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great summer thriller.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
. , .
This is the first book I’ve read by Michelle Campbell and I enjoyed it. However, it was a bit too slow for me. It took me quite a few days to read it and normally I can read a thriller in a day because I am so invested in seeing what happens. That simply wasn’t the case here. While the story as a whole is good (especially thinking back on it after reading) I did find myself getting bored some of the time. When I read a thriller, I want things to happen at a fast pace so that it’s exciting. I like feeling the intense emotions and gripping the pages in need of answers. But that just didn’t happen with The Wife Who Knew Too Much. That’s not to say that other won’t love it because many readers WANT slow and tense reads. But for me, I like a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller.
One of the main things that caught my attention (besides the cool twist that totally knocked me through a loop) were moments where this book felt like a partial romance. It was totally weird but kind of cool in the same sense. If you read the book, you’ll see what I mean. Also, that TWIST was amazing! I wasn’t expecting it and it threw me.
Overall, I think this will be a hit among many readers even though it wasn’t my personal favorite. I do plan to read more novels by the author despite my reservations because her writing style is flawless. The execution of this story is fantastic!
The book opens up with the wealthy first wife’s diary entry warning that her husband Connor is cheating on her and she plans on divorcing him. If she dies, then they need to look at her husband. The book then centers on Tabitha, the second wife, and her relationship with Connor. Tabitha grew up in the poor section of town and wasn’t supposed to mix with the country club boy Connor. Ten years later, Connor comes back to town and they reconnect. With a lawsuit pending on the estate, Connor is afraid that the investigation of his wife’s death will be reopened. I received a free copy of the ebook from the publisher through Netgallery. This is a very suspenseful book that has a lot of twists. Tabitha is a very naive heroine whose basic goodness shines through. I was frustrated by decisions made by both Tabitha and Connor. Even though I was not a fan of the characters in the book, I was engrossed in the book until I finished it.
Money and power seemed to be the only thing that mattered to Connor Ford.
He took what he wanted with his charm and wealth, and broke Tabitha’s heart many years ago.
Connor is now married to wealthy Nina, but cheats with Tabitha.
Where can this lead? It leads to deceit, murder, lies, and another fantastic Michele Campbell book.
You don’t know who to trust or want to trust.
Every character has something to hide or some trait that doesn’t seem above board.
The suspicions about who the murderer is will keep you on the edge of your seat and have you worried about Tabitha‘s safety in all of this.
Was she brought on the scene to conveniently be accused of or complicit in the murder or blamed for anything else Connor had done so he wouldn’t be blamed?
THE WIFE WHO KNEW TOO MUCH has everything a thriller promises. You will not be able to stop reading.
Make this book a must on your summer reading list. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What an thrilling story! This story took me in all sorts of directions before the exciting, unexpected ending—just what I love, and have come to expect, in this kind of book.
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is full of fascinating characters—some you are going to love, and some you are going to hate. And you may not know how to feel about them until it’s too late.
I’ve loved all of Michele’s books and always carve out some quality reading time when I start one of her books because I know I’m going to want to devour it. And I sure did this one! The Wife Who Knew Too Much needs to be a must-read for all.
A twisted story of love, lies and too much money. Conner didn’t know how to survive life without money and made it control all the bad decisions he made Tabby only wanted to love Conner and it almost cost her life. The story is told from multiple point of views and with a non linear timeline. Figuring out who the true culprits are is almost impossible because almost all the characters are unlike able for one reason or the other. That is actually a pretty remarkable feat that the author pulled off.
For me a first read by this author. A fast paced intriguing story that gets your full attention shortly after starting the book. Tabitha is swept into a romantic relationship with her former boyfriend. Against her better judgment all her feelings of been completely in love with him are coming back to the surface.
Is Connor Ford using her or does he truly love her. Finding herself in an environment she is uncomfortable with who can she trust? The police seem to be more against her then trying to help.
Connor is more into protecting his wealth then protecting the supposedly love of his life that he can’t live without. The story is a real page turner that will have you reading way past your bedtime.
The synopsis of this book caught my eye, and having read two previous books by Ms. Campbell, I was dying to start this one. Right off the bat, the diary entry by Nina Levitt had me super intrigued as to what was going to happen in the story. But past that, it felt like I was slogging through this book.
I really felt no connection at all to Tabitha or Connor. We learn from flashbacks that these two met at the summer resort that Tabitha worked at, with Connor being the rich kid who she had a summer fling with. Years later, she’s still trying to make ends meet, working in a bar and grill when Connor walks in, now married to a millionaire heiress.
Tabitha really had no redeeming qualities in my eyes. She made poor decisions as a teenager, and she continued to make them in her adult life. She really just acted like someone who just had no clue, and I felt no sympathy at all for her throughout the entire book. Except for maybe the very last chapter, but not enough to redeem her character for me. Connor, he was portrayed in such a way that I didn’t know if I was supposed to hate him, like him, or feel sorry for him. So I just didn’t feel anything.
I did like the premise of the story, and tried hard to figure out clues along the way as to who had really killed Nina, and I figured several things out along the way. There were some plot holes that distracted from the story, but overall I was very invested in finding out how this story played out. I think because there were no redeeming characters to root for, I was more just excited to get finished and find out who did it.
I commend Ms. Campbell on the story, it was intriguing and kept me turning the pages, it just didn’t feel the same to me as the two previous stories I’d read. I think it is just a case of this book not quite working for me, but it won’t deter me from picking up the next book Ms. Campbell writes.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
I’ll be brief because I don’t relish writing negative reviews.
I cannot recommend this novel to anyone, for any reason. I did finish it, but the entire read was a tiring, lovesick slog. I thought I was reading a high school girl’s puppy love diary most of the time.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook ARC.
Talk about a slow burn book! Throughout “The Wife Who Knew Too Much”, I was unsure of my feelings about the novel. When I hit the 3/4 mark of the book, I was sold on this novel. I couldn’t stop reading because I.NEEDED.MORE. If you are looking for a twisted, action packed, shocking ending, this book has it! I am still a little shocked by what I read!
The characters Tabitha and Connor are flawed a bit — I think Tabitha was naïve from time to time and Connor was money obsessed but I think both those flaws fit well into the storyline.
Author Michelle Campbell has earned herself a new fan!
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.
Thank you, NetGalley, for my e-ARC.
Tabitha Girard lives her life on the outside looking in. Raised by her grandparents, she works at the country club serving and cleaning up after the spoiled, rich, and entitled. That is, until she catches the eye of one of them, Connor Ford, who also happens to be her crush. They embark on a clandestine summer fling. As is the case with most whirlwind romances, this one also ends in heartbreak. Life goes on…both making bad life choices. Tabitha with Derek and Connor with Nina.
Years later, they are re-united when a expensive car pulls up to the restaurant where Tabitha works as a waitress. Emerging from within is Connor, older(but still gorgeous), obviously wealthier, but…unhappy. Caught off-guard, Tabitha is wary, but unable to resist him. They (cautiously) start spending time together, catching up and making up for lost time. But, unlike Tabitha, Connor has a lot at stake. And…he’s married. It is during one of their times apart that something comes up. Suddenly, Tabitha finds herself in a precarious situation and desperately needs Connor’s support.
So, she goes in search of him. And…makes a complicated situation even more so. Better for some, worse for others. Worst for Nina. Nina, herself, alluded to her own death in her diary, pointing a finger at Connor and a woman referred to as “her.”
The plot shifts in time. Some chapters are written from the alternating perspectives of Tabitha and Nina, with a couple as entries from Nina’s diary. The story started with her ominous recording of July 4th, the day she died. I was hooked. I anticipated a suspenseful whodunnit. But, what I got was a mediocre mystery with a convoluted plot, extraneous characters, and a farfetched climax. This was the third book I’ve read by Campbell and not her best work.