The English Wife, Lauren Willig
The English Wife, Lauren Willig
8 Rating(s)
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

The English Wife
A Novel

Author: Lauren Willig

Narrator: Barrie Kreinik

Unabridged: 14 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/09/2018


Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig comes The English Wife, a scandalous novel set in the Gilded Age full of family secrets, affairs, and even murder.

"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."--Sally Koslow, author of The Widow Waltz

"Her best yet...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."--Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan's Tale

A Book of the Month club pick!

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 house in England, they had a fairytale 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 named 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 try 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?

About Lauren Willig

LAUREN WILLIG is the author of the New York Times bestselling Pink Carnation series and a RITA Award-winner for Best Regency Historical for The Mischief of Mistletoe. She graduated from Yale University, and has a graduate degree in English history from Harvard and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She lives in New York City, where she now writes full time.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Holly on February 08, 2018

I found the characters confusing and the plot was hard to follow. I liked the premise of a gothic mystery set in the New York gilded age, but it didn't live up to my expectations. I enjoyed some parts, but the flow was not working for me. It begins with Bayard Van Duyvil found with a knife in his che......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on December 18, 2017

4 scandalous, intriguing stars to The English Wife 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 The English Wife was off to a slow start for me, but once it picked up, I was glued to it. The Gilded Age is one of my favorite time periods, and instantly this book reminded me of a favorite book that Lauren Willig co-authored with Karen Wh......more

Goodreads review by Carrie on December 07, 2017

Bayard Van Duyvil and his wife Annabelle seemed to be living such a charmed life when one night Bay is found dead with a knife in his chest and Annabelle is nowhere to be found. With Annabelle thought to be drowned and a murderer to be found the press is all over the story of how this privileged cou......more

Goodreads review by Lindsay L on February 09, 2018

2.5 stars I had high hopes for this novel, but it fell flat for me. This genre is usually one of my favourites, but I had a hard time staying focused as I found my mind wandering between all of the side stories and different characters involved. I did enjoy the atmosphere and gothic tone, but the st......more

Goodreads review by Heidi on December 03, 2017

The year is 1899. The Van Duyvils are an extraordinarily wealthy and established family in New York. One night, at a holiday party, there is a murder... or is it a suicide? The newspapers whip the public into a fury with their sensational headlines. They ask, 'Who are the Van Duyvils and who is the n......more


Quotes

"With a smooth Mezzo and immaculate intonations Barrie Kreinik’s narration is impeccable, perfectly portraying each and every character and adding special emotional touches where they’re really needed." -TheReadingFrenzy

"The English Wife is atmospheric, romantic and heart-breaking, and I’m glad I opted to listen to it. The enthralling story, coupled with Barrie Kreinik’s outstanding narration, makes it an audiobook I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking to enjoy an intricate, well-constructed and character-driven mystery." -AudioGals

"Willig's audiobook, set in Gilded Age New York and London, is a mix of romance, mystery, and murder. Narrator Barrie Kreinik is a perfect fit for the mix of British and American characters...Kreinik's reading is slow paced, allowing the tension to build as the story unfolds." -AudioFile