“[A] divinely original thriller…a wonderful carousel of revolving suspects, motives, and means, and many people to love and to love to hate.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
An addictive second mystery novel about book clubs, murder, and the domestic secrets inside every household from the author of Pretty Guilty Women!
Three beautiful women. Two wedding bands. One dead husband.
When Anne … Women!
Three beautiful women. Two wedding bands. One dead husband.
When Anne Wilkes, Eliza Tate, and Penny Sands arrive at book club bearing bottles of wine, none of them are plotting to kill. But when the subject of a philandering husband arises, revenge is in the air. By the end of the night, someone is dead.
Two women with rings on their fingers and one with stars in her eyes. All of them are hiding something. All of them are lying.
What really happened that night? Only the guilty knows. Did one woman take everything too far, or is the truth really more twisted than fiction?
A domestic thriller that will keep you guessing, Three Single Wives is compelling mystery for book clubs that devoured Samantha Downing, Sandi Jones and Lucy Foley.
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Gina LaManna has self-published a lot of humorous and paranormal mysteries and cozies. Three Single Wives is her second industry published novel, after last year’s spectacular book release, Pretty Guilty Women. While Pretty Guilty Women showcased LaManna’s excellent skills at character development and an insider’s look into female friendships, Three Single Wives takes a dive into the flawed nature of humans and looks at how murky morals can become.
Although we know there’s been a murder, the reader isn’t told who it is until later in the book. This comes out in the trial transcript that is incorporated into the novel and helps to not only move the novel along, but also adds some tension because you kind of have an idea of what is going to happen next and this makes you want to read faster so you can see what really happens next. With the three women as suspects, we also end up getting two more as the book progresses. This helped to add more layers to the novel and was a way for LaManna to give us misdirection and lots of red herrings.
You may end up disliking all of the women or you may see yourself in one or all of them. I enjoyed seeing the different stages in a life portrayed by these women and felt a bit of sympathy for all of them, while at the same time wanting to shake them and have them make some better decisions. To me this is the sign of a great book, when you can see yourself in the characters, but become angry with them at the same time.
I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, which often happens in suspense and thrillers. I did not figure out who the killer was, which always pleases me. But I did have a couple of questions at the end and wondered if I missed something, or if it was not explained well or at all. This didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though.
Another fantastic read, and if you enjoy domestic suspense, you should definitely check out Three Single Wives and Pretty Guilty Women!
Easy enjoyabl3 read
Very interesting, believable characters… author has unique ability to make her characters come alive!
Friends, Book Club and Alcohol, throw in a sleaze bag of a husband, whatever could go wrong! What would you do for a friend? Fun read with a familiar plot but lots of secrets and twists. Characters have many layers, and are developed well throughout the book. The situations are real enough to empathize. Writing was fast paced enough to keep the pages turning. Even though I guessed the killer, it was fun to see it all come together. Another enjoyable read by this author!
Thanks to Ms. LaManna, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED Three Single Wives by Gina LaManna! It had basically the same formatting as her previous book, Pretty Guilty Women (which I also enjoyed), but for some reason this one just worked even better for me. I loved the assorted characters and female friendships, and the end just made me so happy. I didn’t suspect what would happen, but it definitely leaves you feeling empowered and like you need the girl gang from this book. I also loved that everything started with a discussion at a book club, since I am a huge fan of bookish novels.
There are definitely unlikable characters in Three Single Wives, but overall I liked the majority of them, and the ones I didn’t like didn’t bother me like with some books. I decided to listen to the audiobook, and I am so happy I did. Susannah Jones made for an excellent narrator, and I could have listened to her all day. I started the book later at night and ended up staying up until 1 AM to finish because I HAD to know how it was going to end. I loved that after the prologue LaManna went from days before the murder leading up to it, and that she sprinkled in transcripts from the court proceedings. This really helped to break the book up along with the various viewpoints which I also loved!
If you want a pacy, fun mystery then I highly recommend checking out Three Single Wives. The audio is fantastic, but I have a feeling the physical copy would be super quick as well. I love LaManna’s writing style and she’s certainly become an autobuy author for me. She has over thirty novels and I can’t wait to go back to some of those, and to read whatever she writes next because I AM HERE FOR IT!
A night out at a girlfriends house for bookclub – bookclub with an actual author, some wine, and talk of how you’d murder your husband if it came down to it… what is so bad about this? It’s bookclub after all, lots of fictional things are talked about. Well, when one of the husbands does end up dead and evidence is continuing to point in the direction of anyone of you, who is the real killer and why?
The story is told through the different women’s view points, and the court room transcripts of each one of them being interrogated on the stand of what happened that night, how the talk of murdering husbands came up and why they are not the killer. All three women at some point have come into the life of the murdered and the unraveling of how and why is a fast paced read.
As each woman’s story is told, each one does seem to have a reason to want to murder this man. It is the unraveling of who could actually go that far to follow through with it, and how they managed to do this when evidence is can be linked back to each one. This story keeps you hanging on until the very end.
Thank you to Source Books for the early read, I really enjoyed this thriller and will be looking for more books by Gina Lamanna. It was a very fast paced read, and I really enjoyed that the author dangled the court transcripts in between each chapter. It made the story more interesting, and when you’d think one had the motive and guts to follow through, the court then makes you re-evaluate your thought on who did it.
Very different book from others that I’ve read by this author but just as awesome. This book was so good I had a hard time putting it down. It was like reading a really good true crime novel. The book was so well written I felt like I was there seeing it all unfold.
Three Single Wives is fun, twisty, and suspenseful! I really enjoyed the multiple points of view, and the characters were engaging.
Content Warning SPOILER:
Mention of child rape (not on page, not graphic)
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.
This mystery is written in a different format than your typical book. (Though it is similar to Pretty Guilty Women by the same author.) The story surrounds the love lives/marriages of three women who are each having personal issues in their relationships. The crime doesn’t take place until near the end of the book. The story starts right before the crime, and then goes back to months prior (with current court transcripts thrown in in between chapters eluding to motives of each.) We learn early on who the victim is (through those transcripts,) but each woman, we learn as the story progresses, has a motive, along with a few other characters. It’s a pretty subdued read. Not much in the way of laughter or happiness. It’s not really dark, though there are some darker elements. Heavier topics mentioned. These women are smart, and strong, yet they each have vulnerabilities, and they each hold secrets. So many secrets. There are a few surprises tossed in. The plot starts out a little slow and gets moving quicker as you get further into the book. It’s written from a third person narrative. This book is a little more grittier than most of the other books by this author. It’s not as ‘clean’ as her usual work. The subject matter, the language, the sexual content (though minimal,) is all more ‘real.’ Nothing is sugar coated.
*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.
Three Single Wives is a compulsively readable thriller about three women, a book club, and a murder. Anne, Eliza, and Penny are friends, who, during one wine-fueled book club meeting, have a hypothetical discussion on how they would get rid of a cheating husband. Sometime later, one of the women’s husbands is found dead, and all three women had a motive to kill him.
Three Single Wives is a very entertaining and absorbing read. I didn’t have the slightest idea who the killer was. The story kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book to all domestic suspense readers.
Anne, Eliza, and Penny belong to a book club. During a meeting, the topic comes up of murder. When the girls tell their take on how to murder a cheating spouse, little do they know truth is stranger than fiction! One of their husbands is found murdered! The book is told by all 3 women’s point of views and from courtroom transcripts. The plot keeps you guessing until the very end and is well played out. I really enjoyed how the story was told. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
”Was it possible that their dirty little secrets were about to become very big twisted truths?”
Three Single Wives is sort of a “who died?” and “whodunit?” all mixed into one suspenseful thriller. It starts at a book club meeting between the main characters, Eliza, Anne, and Penny. Then goes on to rotate between past POV’s of the three main characters, and police interviews between a handful of characters the days after the murder. Yes, there is a murder, but as the reader we start out not knowing who is dead or who killed them. There is a lot of finer pointing between characters, and honestly I had no clue who to truly trust. I spent the first half of the book confused at all the allusions to the deceased, and trying to figure out something that I wasn’t meant to know yet.
The second half of the book I was rapidly turning the pages to figure out who the heck the killer was and why they did it. I can honestly say, that while this person did signal my spider senses a couple of times, I really did not think that in the end they would be the killer. I think that Gina LaManna did an excellent job placing definite clues and misdirecting the reader, while also placing stealthy red herrings, and telling the flawed and rollercoaster stories of these three women. These women are connected in some unusual ways, but you see how even though they shouldn’t form a bond, they do.
This read is entertaining and will keep you guessing and questioning until the very end. You may find yourself invested in the main characters no matter how flawed and morally gray they are, and thinking that even if they did murder the deceased, maybe they should be allowed to get away with it. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys domestic suspense, and unlikely friendships between women in different stages of life.
Enjoyed from the first page to the last.
It took a little bit to get into this murder mystery but I didn’t figure out who done it, till towards the end. I received this this book for free and I voluntarily chose to review it. There are a lot of characters in this story and it takes a little while to get them all sorted out. There are a lot of false leads to lead everyone astray. However, it all starts to fall into place toward the end. It has an exciting ending. This is not for the under 18 readers and I’ve given it a 4.5* rating.
How could a discussion at a book club turn out to be deadly?
It can when the book club members discuss how they would kill their husband if he were having an affair, and then someone’s husband turns up dead.
Despite the dead husband and the trial transcript that was at the beginning of each chapter, the characters were comical. The things they said on the witness stand were unbelievable.
We find out about each woman from eight months before and then leading up to the fateful book club night and trial. We also are kept in the dark about who the murderer is. We get bounced around from one person to the next.
All of the women were flawed in one way or another, but for the most part they were likable.
Penny was a bit on the unlikeable side, though.
Roman, one of the main male characters, was very unlikeable.
I enjoyed Ms. LaManna’s writing style which brought a nice flow to the book, the structure of the chapters, and of course the storyline.
THREE SINGLE WIVES KEPT my interest because of the characters’ antics, the book talk, and the terrific characters.
If you need a change of pace for a murder mystery, you will want to add this book to your reading list.
And….Ohhhh….what a great ending. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Murder following a self-help book club?! Sign me up! “Three Single Wives” by Gina LaManna is the epitome of an edge-of-your-seat read! Welcome to a world where everyone’s a suspect, and you’re *almost* okay with said murder… I said, almost!
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If you’re used to LaManna’s writing style, you’re probably guessing this is going to be another cleverly crafted cozy mystery, which I’ll always love. Still, today I’m happy to tell you that she has branched out into women’s fiction suspense for a second time! Domestic thriller? Yes, please! If her last and next are anything like this, then sign me up! No, seriously, sign me up!! From the author of “Pretty Guilty Women,” Gina Lamanna brings you “Three Single Wives” published by Sourcebooks Landmark!
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Eliza Tate is looking to amp up her newfound publishing PR company with a book club, featuring the author. She has planned to pepper the event with a few of her friends, aimed at making her sole client and over-night Instagram sensation, Marguerite Hill, look good for the publication of her second book, Be Free. Mom-of-four Anne Wilkes and her babysitter, aspiring actress, Penny Sands, are more than happy to lend a hand – even if they have their own reasons for doing so. What happens when you mix a little wine, friends, a few motives, and a book about empowering women together? Why, someone ends up dead, of course!
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The ensemble of characters LaManna has put together is top-notch; throughout each of the three main narratives, there wasn’t a single moment of character confusion. I knew exactly whose chapter I was on each and every time. The personalities of Eliza, Anne, and Penny flowed steadily and smoothly from start to finish. I loved them all, maybe not all of their choices, but rather the bits and pieces of them that I felt a connection. I could relate to Eliza’s drive to create her own name in the publishing world, Anne’s struggles with motherhood, and Penny’s confidence and decisiveness to survive in a new location. Let me also take a moment to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the court transcript snippets between the chapters, so much so that I felt inclined to go back through and read only the transcripts after I had finished this book. It was fun revisiting my original theories knowing how it would ultimately end. Speaking of endings, I never saw this one coming! While I was able to guess WHO died early on, even though there was some pretty creative writing trying to shroud the victim’s identity for the first part of this novel, everything else left me entirely surprised. Each of the misdirects led us on a winding path right up to the murderer. I daren’t say much more as this is one gem you’ll want to uncover for yourself – including the meaning behind the title!
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I would recommend this title to thriller fans everywhere, especially those looking for a little something different to spice up their next read! I’m anxiously awaiting news of her next domestic thriller! Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark, NetGalley, and the author, Gina LaManna, for providing me with a complimentary copy of “Three Single Wives.” I have voluntarily and honestly reviewed this title.
Wow…this book was hard to put down. Three women with motive to commit murder, but who is the guilty party. This is a story that has you guessing throughout…first, who is the murder victim and then who committed the crime. Just as one of the characters was putting the pieces together, and just before the answer was revealed, is when I finally figured out who did it.
This suspenseful story was well worth the time I spent reading it…which was done in one day.
The story revolves about 3 women who are in a bookclub together and then one husband is killed. Through flashbacks, police interviews and different POV’s you discover which husband is the victim and then the big question is: Whodunnit?!! The women are all so different with their own motive for murder. And the victim was absolutely not blameless.
Gina LaManna weaves an intricate tale and I totally enjoyed finding out who the killer is. Normally I am not into mystery/thrillers, but for Gina I would make an exception again and again! (2020)
Three Single Wives is a very entertaining read that I just loved.
One dead body after a vociferous discussion at the book club !
Who was the murderer?
The book is told from different points of view, all the characters had flaws which endeared them to me .
Can you guess the ending? I could not.
Great read, cant wait to get a copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to try and figure out who did it!!!
Wow this was a great read! Three friends attend a book club and after a night of drinking there’s a dead body and the ladies are on trial. There’s 2 wives and one who wants to be. The POV toggles between present and last 8 months of the ladies’ life and what led to that tragic night. It’s a quick read & suspenseful with a twisty ending! Thank you to Sourcebook Landmark, NetGalley, and Gina LaManna for an ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.