Kept me entertained, but reasonably predictable. I opted for the audiobook and sorry to say I hated the narration of Evan but the rest of the performances were good. Sorry not to be such a great review but given 4 stars as I read and enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this, my review has been left on Goodreads and Bookmory.

Thank you to Bookouture through Netgalley for an ARC of the audiobook.

Lola, mother of Jessica and wife of Evan, has just died. Ariel comes in as a housekeeper to help out the family during their grieving process. However, Ariel is trying just a little too hard to get close to them and get their trust. Everybody has secrets.

This psychological thriller has several different points of view, which can sometimes work against a story in a thriller, but it made it work in this one because all the narrators are unreliable. The beginning of the book jumps right into the story, making it fast-paced from the beginning. There are twists revealed throughout the book. Some are obvious, others are not.

I did enjoy listening to this book. However, I did guess a lot of the plot twists which takes away the thrilling aspect of a thriller for me. I loved the unreliable narrators, and even though I did guess the twists it did keep me hooked until the end. 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Emily Shiner for an advance copy of this book.

The books started out making me think that the family was a normal everyday family till I discovered Evan’s affair.

Having Ariel come into their lives and finding out her role in the family was quite interesting. Jessica lifestyle is very disturbing but understandably so for what was happening in her life.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The Wife in the Photo by Emily Shiner. All I can say is that I NEED A SEQUEL!! This book was fantastic but the ending!!! It left me wanting to know more! SO many questions left unanswered. I will be super disappointed if this is a standalone book. This could be a whole series!!!

This was a fast read. It was fast, and a lot would happen, wanting to keep reading without stopping. I enjoyed reading it, but most of the story was very predictable for me.

It’s one of those where right off the bat they tell you who the “supposed killer” is, so you know exactly that character will definitely NOT be the real killer and expect a twist somewhere. Unfortunately I was able to predict the big “twist” and who the killer was within a few chapters but I was still hoping I would be wrong.

I was not happy with the ending, it felt a little rushed and I wanted the murderer to pay for her crimes or to suffer a bit. Also I have to say the MMC was kind of frustrating, I was expecting more from the chief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this advance copy!

Book Title: The Wife in the Photo
Author: Emily Shiner
Narrators; Todd Kramer and Kate Handford
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: September 7, 2023
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 296

I pick up the photo on their mantel of the beautiful wife in the photo.
I know her husband killed her. And I’m going to make him pay…

Story is told from the POV of Ariel, Evan and Lola via her Diary.
Characters:
Lola ~ the wife in the photo
Evan ~ husband of the wife in the photo
Jessica~ daughter of the woman in the photo
Ariel ~ the new housekeeper
Miriam~ Evan’s assistant who recommended the new housekeeper

I do read a lot of psychological thrillers and love the twists and turns actually expect twist and turns as well as hidden secrets.
This is my second Emily Shine4. I read [book: The Secret Wife] My comment was that it was better than expected so I was looking forward to this story.

Lola Warner the wife in the photo has been married to husband Evan for sixteen years; they have a fourteen year old daughter Jessica; however recently she has been suspicious that Evan is having an affair. She decided she is going to leave and take Jessica with her.
Before leaving there is a situation on their second story deck that isn’t completely clear but Lola has a fatal fall when she tumbled down the stairs.

Evan is the chief of police and is completely overwhelmed - he is not able to manage his job, their teenage plus maintaining the daily chores of a house.
His assistant Miriam tells him that he needs a housekeeper to assistant with the daily activities of running a house. He agrees and asks if she has any suggestions. She thinks about it and recommends Ariel.
We readers suspect a connection between Miriam and Ariel but aren’t given those details ~ just yet!

Unfortunately I found the characters unlikeable:
Plus I kept yelling at Ariel as she just wasn't making a lot of sense to me..
The story was slow and YES! There is a bit of twist at the end.
Have to admit my arm chair detective skills pretty much had this one figured out.

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this early audiobook..
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 7, 2023.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy.

This book had potential to be so much more but it became rather predictable very early on. The story being told from the perspective of the different characters, telling the story from present day and the past (via diary entries); it had the bones for a good thriller.

However, the twists and turns the author tried to create took me exactly where I thought they were going and they were rather underwhelming. The characters were not likable, there was not a single character you could feel sympathetic towards or found relatable.

And the ending left me feeling like the story was incomplete.

The Wife in the Photo took me for a wild ride! I highly recommend this book if you’re hungry for a good domestic thriller. I love when a book messes with my head, and this one did just that. It tends to disappoint me when I can tell early on who the “villain” is while reading a book, and that was the case with this story. However, the book redeemed itself by throwing in so many other twists I did not see coming. The writing style isn’t stellar, but the plot was great! I devoured this book in a day. I hope Shiner writes a follow up. I would buy any other books of hers in a heartbeat.

This was my first book by Emily Shiner and I'm already looking for more. This is written in short chapters with each chapter written in a different POV. This thriller has a lit of twists and turns, which I love.

Evan hires a housekeeper named Ariel after his wife's death, because he's having a hard time keeping up with the home, work, and his teenage daughter Jessica. He soon learns Ariel isn't who she claims to be. It's a great story and kept me guessing.

This book releases Sept 7, 2023

Thanks to Bookouture & NetGalley foot the advanced copy!

This book was well paced and full of twists and turns. Once I got into the flow of the book, it grabbed me and I had a really hard time putting it down as I needed to know what was coming next. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and being an avid thriller reader, it was so fun to go through the guessing game of which character is unreliable.

This was my first Emily Shiner book and I will definitely be checking out her others. Thanks NetGalley!

A disturbing psychological thriller told in several points of view. So many lies playing out. A shocker of an ending. There were several twisty surprises in this one.

Lola has just died, leaving behind her husband, Evan and daughter, Jessica. Evan is feeling the pressure and decides to get some help around the house. Being the chief of police and a father are weighing him down. Here enters Ariel, someone trying to get close to them to get to the truth.
As Ariel gets employed, she works hard to earn the trust of Evan and Jessica both. They both act suspicious at times.

Thanks to Bookouture through Netgalley for the chance to listen.

I was immediately pulled into this story and had a hard time putting it down. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen. I kept thinking that I knew how this was going to turn out but I was totally wrong. The last 10% of the book went downhill for me. It just felt dramatic and rushed and left me wanting more because it was so unrealistic. I’m still trying to figure out how the title of the book has anything to do with the story. Overall I did enjoy the book and would recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Well what can you say about an Emily Shiner book. Starts of slow and then really grabs you and the ending you never think it is what it is no matter how much you think you know.

Kept me totally gripped and had to keep listening completely addictive. The narration was perfect.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own

Wow! This book kept me guessing the whole time!
In the beginning I hated Evan! Actually, I didn't like him at all throughout the whole thing! I wasn't sure about Ariel and Jessica.
So many twists and turns! Now I understand the phrase "unreliable narrator"...
5 Stars!!

This book had potential, it left bread crumbs throughout to keep the reader intrigued. However, it did not ultimately deliver. There was a twist or two that were interesting, but there wasn't enough build up of the characters to really care about any of them. The ending also felt pretty predictable if you've read thrillers before.

Emily Shiner has promise, but overall this book was forgettable amidst the plethora of superior suspense books available.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Emily Shiner for an advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Wife in the Photo is about the sudden death of Lola, wife of Evan and mother to Jessica. Ariel is the housekeeper hired to help make life easier for Evan and Jessica. Ariel suspects Evan killed his wife and vows to uncover the truth while holding on to her own secrets.

I really enjoyed the audio of this book. I found the narrators to speak clearly and do a really good job developing each character and their personalities.

This book grabbed my interest from the beginning and I immediately tried to guess all the twists that would come. Unfortunately, they did not come and I guessed the one major twist right away. I really hoped that there would be one huge final twist at the end but there wasn't. The ending was actually pretty ridiculous. This book lacked excitement and suspense, which was disappointing because it had so much potential.

The Wife in the Photo" by Emily Shiner is about a house keeper who comes to help out a dad and his daughter after the tragic death of the mother. I really enjoyed all the characters including the diary readings expect for Evan. I did find his character development lacking and he came across as somewhat flat and underdeveloped. The slow start of the story was a bit of a challenge, but it gradually gained momentum, becoming a fast-paced and thrilling ride around the 40% mark. The carefully crafted twists took me by surprise, adding an element of excitement and unpredictability that I thoroughly enjoyed. Despite its minor drawbacks, the read is worth considering for fans of the thriller genre.
Thank you NetGalley, Emily Shiner, and publisher for the ARC!

The Wife in the Photo by Emily Shiner is a psychological thrilller filled with mystery, intrigue, and suspicion. 
Lola has died. Ariel thinks Evan (Lola's husband) has murdered her.
Ariel gets herself hired as a housekeeper  by Evan to help him and his 14 year old daughter, Jessica, manage the household.  Ariel's only focus is to protect Jessica and try to find proof that Evan killed his wife. 
This audiobook is narrated from Ariel, Evan,  Jessica, and Lola's  perspective (through her diary). These different perspectives created misdirection, which keeps the reader guessing and invested.
I have rated this book 3.5/5.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

This book definitely kept my interest. I finished listening to it in one day and it certainly made the tasks I was doing while listening more interesting. The plot was engaging and most of the twists were quite good. I did have a few problems, however, The reveal at the very end--the surprise phone call--seemed totally unrealistic. No way an interested party would not have been uninformed and therefore surprised by the identity of the phone caller. Also, there was way too much repetition, especially with what several of the major characters were thinking and plotting. Sometimes I wondered whether the audio had skipped back a few pages because I felt like I was hearing exactly the same thing, even in the same words, over and over again. I think it's good for authors to give the reader credit for figuring out some of what a character is thinking and why, or at least not repeatedly hitting us over the head with it. Also, the title is seems to have come out of nowhere.

The narrator for the female parts was excellent. The narrator for Evan seemed a bit wooden, but given that he was a police captain, his delivery actually seemed to fit, so it didn't bother me.

Many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio e-ARC.

A dark and twisty thriller with a host of characters all with plenty of hidden agendas.
I felt the book had a strong start and the twists and turns along the way maintained my interest. Just when you think you have the plot sussed, another curve ball throws you in a different direction! I was slightly disappointed with the ending but still found the overall read an enjoyable one.
The narrator of the audiobook did a particularly good job in maintaining the intrigue as the plot thickened.
I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.