This book was full of twists and turns and I would highly recommend! I loved the writing style that Cara used - I thought it was the perfect balance of gripping and intense, yet still easy to follow. The way that the chapters were narrated by two different characters with each one switching with them telling the story from their own perspective was a huge positive for me, I felt it made for an excellent read!
The plot was extremely gripping and it pulled me in from the very start and kept me guessing the whole way through, after I got about 30% of the way through I couldn’t put it down. There wasn’t a single point in this book where I wasn’t engaged with the storyline and I felt overall it was a 5* read.

Cara Reinard's THE WIFE AT THE WINDOW is an edge-of-your-seat twisty domestic suspense thriller!

“A compelling portrait of grief, mental health, and guilt— from a mother's fearless investigation to save her son through the lies, deception, secrets, and the past framing her life.

About...

This dazzling psychological thriller is a love triangle tale (not the norm) of two women with a past and one man.

Emerson-wife/mother
Talia-live-in girlfriend
Shep-husband/boyfriend/father

After the death of a child, a mother is not allowed to see her son due to mental illness. However, no one believes her. Both have dark pasts. The husband's new girlfriend is manipulative and controlling. Plus another storyline from the past rises to the surface. Let the games begin.

The author keeps you in suspense, ratcheting up the tension, when the past and present collide for an explosive finale in this captivating twisty suspense, exploring the unwavering power of motherhood.

One year earlier:

Emerson (an artist and children's book illustrator) is married to Shepherd Kingsley (an architect). They have a beautiful home in Newton and two children, Leo (a son) and Thea (an infant daughter).

Emerson is at home alone with her two children and sees an intruder in her house. She ran to check on her son and to the nursery to check on her baby. The man grabbed her arm as she ran for the steps with the baby, and down they went. When she woke up, the baby was in her arms. She fell. She does not remember. Her baby is dead.

No one believes there was an intruder and says the tragic accident was caused by the mother's fall chasing a dream, and blames it on her mental health and sleep disorder. She then is stripped of her family. Shep, her husband never stood by his wife when she needed him.

Now:

Shep lives in the family home and has a live-in girlfriend, Talia, (delusional) with his son Leo. Talia is obsessed with Shep and Leo—a monster. She will do anything to keep Emerson away from her new family. She even shares custody with Shep. Talia worked her way into Shep's life, knowing he was married with a family. She says she is protecting Leo.

Emerson had been diagnosed with a series of sleep disorders, hallucinations, and night terrors, but she knows this was not a dream, nor was she sleepwalking when the traumatic event occurred. There was a predator in her house. She also has a past with issues as a teen when there was a fire.

However, Emerson has spent time in a mental hospital and under a therapist's care. She is released from the mental hospital, Meadowbrook, and living at a halfway house. She wants nothing more than to reunite with her son. However, Talia is doing everything to keep her away.

Emerson is worried about her son and the destructive influence (rightly so) and stands outside on the street watching at the window.

Emerson has been granted visitation with her son; however, Talia cannot allow this. She tries to turn Leo against his mom and convince Shep to protest the court order for visitation. Emerson is trying to get back on her feet to be a good mother and a talented artist, a children's book illustrator. Then, someone keeps her from getting this job.

How far will Talia go to keep Shep and Leo? There is something sinister about Talia and her past.

We also learn about Talia (an assistant to Gus, her boss) at the architectural firm where she and Step work. There is a death at the firm, and Talia manipulates everyone, including Leo's visit with Emerson, and goes on the run. But her plan may backfire.

Enter Kent Bessler, a paranormal researcher based in Connecticut. His stepson went missing at age 10, and he wants to buy her old childhood summer home to film. Is her house cursed? Other secondary characters add to the intrigue and mystery.

Hang in there... a sinister turn when Emerson takes a trip back to her childhood summer home, where a devastating event took place years ago, and the beginning of the night terrors. Then, the hospital administrator drowns suspiciously.

However, is it Emerson or Talia who has a dangerous past? What dark secrets do each hold? Secrets will also come out. Someone wants revenge. Will Leo be collateral damage?

Will Emerson reach her son in time to save him? If she loses another child she will not survive. Never underestimate the power of a mother's love.

From past to present, all the sins of the past are unraveled. Who will win out in the end when nothing is as it appears? Who is the sociopath? The final twist is one you do not see coming!

My thoughts...

THE WIFE AT THE WINDOW is an edge-of-your-seat twisty domestic suspense thriller—from creepy paintings, a haunted house, manipulation, gaslighting, and dark past secrets.

An intense haunting who and whydunit, psychologically deft and full of hairpin turns, twists, and emotions. Will Emerson be able to solve the case of the intruder to prove she was not responsible for her daughter's death?

You think the book is going one way, but the author cleverly takes you in a different direction, keeping you glued to the pages. A tangled web of secrets, lies, and deception.

Fans will root for Emerson all the way. Talia is a piece of work, and Reinard has created an evil, manipulative person with gaslighting at its finest. The author also handles emotionally charged topics of mental health, grief, past trauma, and the death of a child with compassion and sensitivity.

This is my first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. I enjoyed her writing style. I hope we see more of Leo and Emerson in a future book as he ages.

Audiobook...

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook narrated by the dynamic duo—Amelia Sciandra and Lauryn Allman for an engaging and intense nail-biting performance for all voices.

Recs...

THE WIFE AT THE WINDOW is for fans of love triangles, dual POVs, twisty plots, motherhood, and domestic suspense. It is also for fans of authors Freida McFadden, Miranda Rijks (The Insomniac), A.R. Torre, K.L. Slater, Christina McDonald, B.A. Paris, Daniel Hurst, and Emily Shiner. Thriller and mystery fans should add this twisting tale to their summer list.

Special thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC for an honest review.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 17, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
June 2024 Must-Read Books
June Newsletter

Book Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Wife at the Window
By Cara Reinard

I absolutely loved this storyline! Wonderful read. Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review NetGalley!

Emerson has had her fair share of heartache losing her child and husband so when she is released from hospital to try and start again, it is not all as straight forward as it should be.

Twists, twists and more twists!

Talia is “new mum” to son Leo and will go to any length to stop Emmerson seeing her son again. Including betraying Leo’s Dad, Shep.

Won’t spill too much of the storyline but you defo need to give the is one a go! 100% addiction!!

'The Wife at the Window' proved to be a captivating read. Owing to its sensitive subject matter, it was an emotional experience that may not appeal to all readers; however, a trigger warning is provided at the start as a precaution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

I loved the beginning of this book and I liked the build up in this story. However, a lot of the action was more towards the last 30% of the book.

At first, I didn’t really like Emerson’s character but throughout the story I started to understand where she was coming from. She was resilient and didn’t back down. Talia on the other hand was a horrible human being.

I enjoyed the twist’s and thought it was good. I did not see that coming. The only thing for me was that one of the twists could’ve been taken out because the connection seemed a bit pointless. A nice thriller if you like few twists.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. The audiobook was engaging and Cara’s writing was easy to follow, gripping, and creative. However, unfortunately, the ending felt incomplete and it did not feel like it had the resolution the book built up for, buuut if you don’t mind more of an open-ended last chapter.. then it might not bother you too much.

What I loved:
- The dual female POV of two very different ladies
- Cara’s descriptions, she effectively builds up tension and sets up the atmosphere
- I always love me an unreliable narrator ;)
- the psychological aspect of the book
- hardcore Mom fighting for her son

What I did not love:
- The ending :(
- The overall story reminded me a bit too much of ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS by Stacy Willinghan IYKYK 👀
- Shep 🫠 are you for reaaaaal

With all that said, this book is for fans of THE NIGHT SHE DISSAPPEARED by Lisa Jewell, THE BREAKDOWN by B.A Parris, or THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC 🫶

"The Wife at the Window" is a rollercoaster of twists and turns that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The plot is undeniably engaging, pulling you deeper into the mysterious world of the two narrators’ unraveling reality. However, amidst the excitement, some characters felt unrealistically portrayed, with actions and motivations that seemed forced or inconsistent. Additionally, the resolution left much to be desired, feeling somewhat incomplete and leaving lingering questions. Despite these shortcomings, the novel shines in its clever twists and gripping plot, making it a fun and thrilling read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my free and honest review. Holy cow, this was an amazing novel! The characters were portrayed perfectly and had my emotions running high for all their intended and separate reasons. Perfectly written and a book I will not forget for quite some time. I cannot wait to read other books by this author. I am seriously impressed with her writing skills.

This one started off strong if a little drawn out. I was intrigued to see where the storyline went. I found the only character I really liked was Emerson, the others were only ok but Thalia I really disliked her and would happily punch her in the face. It felt like I completely missed the middle of the storyline and thrown into the last 1/4. It felt a little like it all went a little mad at this point and the outcome and how it all came together was a little disjointed and the author through everything at it. It was a little like starting with one book but the ending belonged to another. It was an ok listen but wouldn’t be a favourite.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review #TheWifeAtTheWindow

What a tremendous book. This book kept my attention and I stuggled to put it down. I really liked the character Emmerson, this lady has been through hell and she is just desperate to get her child back. A very good psychological thriller.

When you relate to a character the book is so much better to enjoy. You feel their emotions, their trials and tribulations. You put yourself in their shoes because you've walked a similar past. Emerson is just a lost mother from tragedy that everyone blamed her for and only wanting to see her child. And she did everything she could. Talia, the ex husband's girlfriend, seemed like she wanted the best for Leo but did she? Or was she just extremely selfish. This book was a whirlwind of emotions, drama and action. I pray Emerson gets the happy outcome she so deserves. This was a great read and I would definitely recommend!

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of the book started slow for me but I found the rest of the book to be well-paced and kept me guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by Cara Reinard.

Thank you Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Wife At The Window is a satisfying melodrama with hints of a thriller, a plethora of tension and a twisted ending.
A gripping, chaotic and smart story that will keep you flipping the pages way into the night.
Emerson has just been released from hospital.
She has just spent the last ten months recovering from the death of her daughter that she was blamed for.
Now Emerson wants to reunite with her son, Leo.
He is living with Shep, her ex husband and his new girlfriend, the manipulative Talia.
But nothing is ever straight forward and Emerson must battle her own evils as well as fight for the truth until it comes to a dramatic conclusion.
My first reading experience with a Cara psychological drama and was very impressed as I thoroughly enjoyed my reading encounter.
With a tangled plot, a bunch of provocative characters and a dire atmosphere and it will get the mind working overtime.
Fast paced with a few shocking surprises, the hints are all there but can you pick them out among the web of secrets, lies and deception.
I look forward to reading my next Cara book.

This book kept me wanting more the whole time. The characters were engaging and I loved to hate most of them. I knew there was going to be a twist in there someone but unlike some stories this one wasn’t predictable. I found myself not knowing who was the true villain until the end.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Wife At The Window’ written by Cara Reinard in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Emerson Kingsley is in a mental hospital following at accident at home where she’s accused of killing her baby daughter Thea. Nobody believes she’s innocent, her husband Shep divorces her and his girlfriend Talia moves into their home acting as mother to her four-year-old son Leo. After a year Emerson is finally released and watches Leo through the window but when she’s allowed to visit him Talia has other ideas and will do everything in her power to stop her.

‘The Wife At The Window’ is a tense thriller with a nicely thought-out plot that’s kept me involved from page one. I feel sorry for Leo who’s got caught between two women, his mum Emerson who loves him to bits and his heartless would-be step-mum. It’s obvious that Shep isn’t interested in Emerson’s recovery, though he doesn’t seem particularly interested in Talia either, so won’t commit to either. There’s plenty of suspense, drama and twists and turns, and a conclusion that both surprised and shocked me. It’s a great read and I recommend it.

This was such an exhilarating read, it had me hooked right away and the tension and suspense kept me reading!

This book is decently paced, kept me on my toes, and shocked me in more ways than one. I was NOT disappointed with the storyline. I definitely need to read more thrillers and more Cara because I did not want to put this one down. I had so many moments where I thought I knew “who dunnit” but was wrong every time. And I love that for me 😂 If you’re in need of a good addicting thriller, make this your next read.
Thank you Cara for the opportunity to read this early through NetGalley.

It was 2:16 AM when I finished this book, my apple watch had warned me that my heart rate had increased, and my first thought was to take it off because even the sightless vibration was a significant interruption when I was almost done with this book.

I will split this book into three major parts. The first part is about 50% of the book; the story is building, the characters are developing, and at the end, you probably have a couple of characters you are dislinking by now. From half of the book to chapter 50, you are probably agitated and wondering how this book is supposed to finish so soon. There is so much to be discussed and solved! From chapters 51-57, your blood pressure is high; if anyone interrupts, you will probably lose it. The end is everything but what I thought it would be. The story is so well executed that I would reread it with a new frame and find new aspects that I disregarded as nothing the first time I read it.

The book deals with mental health, child loss, family dynamics, work environments, family law/courts, and crime.

After reading this book, I have to read every single book from Cara Reinard, and you will probably feel the same way. This book is one of my favorite reads of 2024! The plot is outstanding, and the subplots are also well-accomplished. Read this book; you will not regret it. Also, this makes a fabulous book for a book club! I will for sure be recommending it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. Bravo to Cara!!! What an incredible book.
#TheWifeattheWindow #NetGalley

The Wife At the Window:
Full of suspense , this gripping psychological thriller is a must read! So many twists & turns that you won’t see coming!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.

The baby died and everything that I had was gone away
My darling boy called Leo was with my darling husband called Shep and his girlfriend called Talia
My name is Emerson and I have to get my boy back
I had an ARC