BOOK DESCRIPTION
BLAKE'S DEAD. HIS WIFE KILLED HIM. THE QUESTION IS: WHICH ONE?
The only thing the three women had in common was their husband. And, as of this morning, that they're each accused of his murder. Blake Nelson moved into a hidden stretch of land - a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah - where he lived with his three wives: Rachel, the chief wife, obedient and doting to a fault. Tina, the other wife, who's everything Rachel isn't. And Emily, the youngest wife, who knows almost nothing else.
When their husband is found dead under the desert sun, the questions pile up. What are these women to each other now that their husband is dead? Will the police uncover the secrets each woman has spent her life hiding? And is one of them capable of murder...?
Black Widows is a distinctive and original psychological thriller, igniting conversations around marriage, relationships, religion and gender.
'Black Widows is a brilliant joyride in the company of three unforgettable women, sister-wives with nothing in common except their dead husband. Completely compelling and vividly told, the story plays with your loyalties and makes you question what counts as moral behaviour. This is a hugely enjoyable and original mystery with real heart, and I loved it.' Jane Casey
This is the captivating and at times very dark tale of Rachel,Tina and Emily,three vunerable, emotionally scared women who found themselves under investigation for the murder of their deeply religious husband Blake. The chapters alternated between the perspectives of the three women,each of whom had been affected in some psychological way by events from their past. Each women was a individual in her own right who each had her own unique personality,opinions and character traits. I think Rachel viewed herself as the mother hen,Tina was a ex prostitute who had a surprising softer side and then there was Emily,she appeared to be quite a innocent character who enjoyed playing detective and watching re - runs of Cagney & Lacey. The three women,quite understandably shared a fractious relationship,there was quite often a toxic atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust when they were together. Although the story was about all three of the women,I would say that the main character was Rachel because her backstory about the cult that she escaped as a teenager was very integral to the plot. As the story unfolded and became more acquainted with the women, I discovered that I had mixed feelings about each of them,there was elements of their characters that I liked and also elements that I didn't like. Were their narratives reliable? Did one of them kill Blake? Maybe they were all involved in his death? What was the meaning behind Rachel's terrifying nightmares?
Religion plays a integral part in the plot of this story and the reader is given a insight into the practices and beliefs of the Mormon Church, the lives of people who are in polygamist marriages and the abuse Rachel,Tina and Emily were subjected to by others. In one hand I did feel sympathy for the women when I witnessed the snide comments they were subjected to but in the other hand,because I don't practice their religion, I could also see the abusers points of view. It's difficult to understand things from other people's perspectives when you don't live by their beliefs and codes. There are many different religions scattered across the globe with their own beliefs and codes of practice. Unfortunately that also includes a large number that have no morals whatsoever especially where the treatment of children is concerned.
Written in short,snappy chapters that give the reader a very bad case of just one more chapter syndrome,this is a fast paced,captivating thriller. Many of the chapters had endings that encountered the reader to carry on reading because you really wanted to learn what was going to happen next. The story was packed full of twists and turns, the characters were realistic and the truth was revealed during a seriously intense confrontation. I really enjoyed this addictive thriller,I think it's worth all the stars and more and is very very highly recommended.
Thanks so much for the blog tour support x
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