This book was very good. A modern take on the classic Jane Eyre. It was a modern version with a few new twists. I found it to be very enjoyable and could not stop reading it. Always a good sign.

If you enjoy the review,go get it! Don’t think too much! Just get it!

Ok! Hmm… What should I say? Let me begin.

The Wife Upstairs is a character driven, twisted and complex domestic thriller which will bring keep you on your thoughts throughout the book and for people who live alone,yes scary.

The book starts with Jane. Plain Jane who is stuck as a dog-walker with pretentious people till she stumbles upon the handsome and charming Eddie Rochester who is a widower and things start changing for Jane as she gets closer to Eddie and Plain Jane is not too plain anymore but is that all there is to the story? Do we don’t want the story of Bea?

The book starts just another story of a young girl struggling to make ends meet. Then you see the pages, the secrets and the lives unfold.

I have to applaud the writer for her smooth narrative and keeping the reader in lovely darkness. Domestic thrillers are often predictable and this one is definitely not that.

There are two strong and intense women who keep taking the story forward. The multiple pov style always appeals but will definitely appeal in this one because of its intensity.

The story brings out the themes of snobbery, troubled families and pretentious lives the rich and the elite are seen to live as.

If I tell anything further I will spoil your experience. If you love thrillers,then go for this because it’s just not the intensity but also the subtlety that is hard to find and that’s the beauty of it.

When you finish the book, look at the book cover and read the entire text on it again. You will realise why you love thrillers and fall in love with them all over again.

Jane: simple, plain-Jane the dog walker. Eddie: the handsome, smooth talking, rich dog owner. When the two meet, sparks fly and Jane falls hard.

But all is not as it seems...

I LOVED THIS BOOK and devoured this book in a day. I was drawn straight into the mysterious lives of Jane and Eddie. Hawkins writing is brilliant. It’s such an easy read but completely grips you. I just had to find out what was going to happen.

I had an inkling where the story was going but I was not disappointed.

The story is slightly slow to begin with, with the first few chapters effectively building the story, introducing us to the characters and backgrounds.

The story is not only told from Jane’s point of view but also another character and it just added to the story, to the twists.

Hands down, fantastic binge worthy read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a thriller.

I haven't finished this yet. I'll leave a full review when I'm done but it's shaping up to be a good read. Thanks.

Every time Jane picks up a dog from a client she gets a glimpse into how the other half live...and helps herself to a trinket or two. Dog walking was never part of her plan but then neither was getting close to rich widower Eddie Rochester. Maybe she will be able to get more than a glimpse of wealth after all.

Often when I see books on Netgalley I don't always read the synopsis fully as I like to go into books blind and have the story unfold as I read. The Wife Upstairs was billed as a psychological thriller so along with the title that was all I needed to know. When I joined the buddy read I heard that actually the story was a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. I have never read that or even know the story so I was still starting the story with very little idea where it was headed. I started to read late at night and was immersed straight away in the story. I reluctantly stopped as I grew tired and I could not wait to get back to it again the next day where I promptly finished it.

When I started to read it is clear Jane has secrets and has run from something hence her lowly dog walking job and sleazy house mate. So I was eager to keep reading to find out more about Jane and she her get her comeuppance as she wasnt the nicest protagonist. However the story is so much more than that and it is multi layered with secrets hidden behind many of the splendid front doors of the neighbourhood. The pacing of the story was spot on and never felt rushed and the epilogue was extremely satisfying. One tiny part of the story was not explained but it was miniscule and think the reader just has to use their imagination but this did not detract anything from the overall read.

A good psychological thriller is hard to pull off as there is a fine line between domestic noir and domestic bore. Rachel Hawkins is new to the adult thriller genre but she writes like a seasoned pro and held my attention from page one. The Wife Upstairs has set the standard for this year's thrillers!

The Wife Upstairs is an intense ride! Based on Jane Eyre, this thriller still manages to throw in some unexpected twists and I was totally gripped from the outset!

I hated every single one of the characters. But still, I couldn't stop devouring the book because I needed to know how it ended. Masterfully written, this gothic and mysterious romance is going to stay with me for days.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as we meet the main character, Jane, it is obvious there’s something sinister afoot. She’s working as a dog walker in the exclusive Thornfield Estates and as such is given free rein to visit the homes of the well-off residents, often unaccompanied, where she can’t resist pocketing small high-value items that she sees lying around. When she’s introduced to recently widowed Eddie, she sees her luck changing, especially when he then employs her services for his newly acquired dog. It soon becomes obvious that Eddie is quite taken with Jane and their relationship quickly blossoms. Jane is curious about the death of Eddie’s wife, Bea, in a boating accident along with her best friend, and the more she asks about it, the more curious she becomes until she finally unearths the truth in a dramatic climax.

This was an excellent thriller of a read, great storyline, interesting characters, and enough twists to keep the reader engaged throughout. I’d highly recommend this title to any readers who enjoy this genre.

Many thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley UK for the review copy.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Jane Eyre is my favourite classic novel, and coming very close is Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier - a retelling of the Jane Eyre themes relocated to Monte Carlo and large stately home in Cornwall in the 1930s. Over the years I’ve seen plays and ballets of the book, the inevitable film and tv adaptations ( Michael Fassbender as Mr Rochester - be still my beating heart). I love Jean Rhys’s novel Wide Sargasso Sea which is written as a prequel to Jane Eyre, telling the story of Rochester and Antoinette ‘Bertha’ Mason and their whirlwind marriage in the West Indies. The book has something new to say to every generation it seems and it is remarkable successful in most incarnations. So I jumped at the chance to read Rachel Hawkin’s novel The Wife Upstairs where the author relocates Jane to the southern states of America. It’s clear that the author loves the original novel knows it well. Here she has created an ambitious retelling which is Jane Eyre as a compelling murder-mystery, via ‘The Real Housewives of Alabama’.

Jane lives in the bad end of a Southern town, with slimy landlord John who despite being youth worker at his local church, isn’t above spying, leering and even a touch of blackmail. Jane’s background is chequered, but we know she aged out of the care system and has been going it alone with no family since. She ended up lodging with John out of desperation when she finds herself with nowhere to go. She creates a job walking the dogs of the wealthy residents of nearby Thornfield Estates - a gated community where the wives are far too busy with their beauty regimen, lunches and charity work to walk their own dogs. Jane envies their well-kept hair, their nails, their stunning homes and enviable lifestyles. What would she look like, if she had nothing to do all day but go the gym and spa?

It’s on one of her dog walks that she meets the widowed Mr Rochester. He is a self- made millionaire, with his own building contracting business, but it is his wife’s money that has really helped him climb to the status of his neighbours. Bea Rochester, was the creator and director of catalogue business Southern Manors - a play on the famed hospitality and etiquette of the Southern states. Bea died just over a year ago in a boating accident with her best friend Blanche. Her way with interiors can be seen in the marital home, but also in most fashionable homes on the estate. Jane is surprised at how well she and Ed get along, and when he buys his own setter puppy for her to walk she takes it as a sign he wants her around. Jane describes herself as normal and ordinary, even plain, whereas Bea was a beauty - why would he want to go out with her? They keep their fledgling romance a secret and for a while Jane enjoys listening to the neighbourhood women wondering if Ed is dating, and who is the mystery woman. Just occasionally though, she gets the odd hint that everything wasn’t what it seemed with Bea and her friend Blanche who died with her. Together since college, to hear most of the women talk the two were like two happy peas in a pod. It’s only Eddie, and sometimes Blanche’s husband (drowning himself in drink) that hint otherwise - one being that Bea owes all she knows to Blanche and that a rivalry existed between them.

As Jane and Ed’s relationship becomes more serious and goes public, each one is keeping their own secrets. Jane doesn’t want Ed to know about where she’s lived with John so has left all her belongings behind. It turns out that John once shared a foster home with Jane and he knows a little more about her than she would like. Blanche’s husband Tripp seems devastated by his wife’s death, often disheveled and definitely drinking so much that Jane is on edge around him. Yet Ed doesn’t really talk about his late wife at all, and Jane can’t understand why. She’s seen pictures and they look like the perfect couple; Blanche was so beautiful and such a great businesswoman. I was starting to suspect that, just as her business was all about appearances, so was their marriage. Plus her body has never been found, that must surely disturb him? She sometimes wonders whether she’s really dead. When Ed secretly follows Jane back to her former flat and meets John, she is sure their relationship will be over. However, Ed seems unfazed. It’s almost as if he’s more at home with Jane and the type of background she’s struggling to get away from. Maybe Jane is a better for for Ed, than his first wife was? Yet she doesn’t feel fully secure - even though she has access to the money, lives in the house and no longer walks dogs. Now the women who employed her to walk their dogs are having to get used to her in their social circle. They have been very gracious, but they do keep asking whether Ed will put a ring on it.

Further on, besides the main narrative, where Ed does put a ring on it, we get a first person narrative from Bea with all the intricacies of her college life including meeting Blanche. This brought even more questions into my mind. If this was more of a frenemy situation than is there more to their deaths than meets the eye. Bea reads like someone with a personality disorder, without a core sense of self and attaching herself to people she admires in order to emulate them. This reveal reminded me of Gone Girl, and from here the plot really does twist and turn. The author plotted this well and really built the tension. It’s as if Jane had unknowingly stepped into a trap that is slowly and inexorably closing around her, until there’s no escape. The closer she gets to the truth of all the relationships here, the more danger she finds herself in. By this point I was constantly reading to see how this would end. Was Bea murdered and by whom? What was Blanche’s part in this tragedy? Will Ed’s secrets finally be revealed and what will he do to keep them hidden? This is a fast addictive read that will keep you guessing.

Jane has a secret past. In fact, Jane isn't even her real name. She's recently moved to Birmingham, Alabama and is working as a dog walker in the chic Thornfield Estates neighborhood. Not that dog walking pays the bills—Jane has other ways of doing that. But Jane doesn't plan to be a dog walker for long.

When she meets the newly widowed Eddie Rochester, her plan to move up in life begins in earnest. Their relationship is whirlwind, to say the least, but Eddie is hurting. His wife, his love, disappeared almost a year ago along with her best friend, another of the Thornfield Estates ladies, and Jane is more than willing to help him pick up the pieces of his life. But can Jane really fill the missing Bea's shoes? And does she really want to?

Followers on the blog know that I'm a sucker for any Jane Eyre or Rebecca retelling. And let's face it Rebecca is undoubtedly a Jane Eyre retelling anyway. The Wife Upstairs is billed as a take on Jane Eyre but elements of the tale are definitely drawn on du Maurier's story, making is an excellent modern-day twist on the classics!

When Jane arrives at Thornfield Estates, two neighborhood women have been missing for months.

Best friends Blanche and Bea went to the latter's lake house for a weekend away, but neither returned. It's been theorized that they got drunk and went boating, both of them lost to the deep waters of a man made lake, their bodies hidden in an underwater forest that makes retrieving the bodies all but impossible.

And Jane is working for Blanche's widow already. A man who spends his time, as Jane observes, getting wasted.

Though it takes some time for Jane to meet Bea's husband, Eddie, she makes fast work of it once they do cross each others paths. Or rather, Eddie does. He asks her out and before long invites her to move in with him in his grand and empty abode.

But Bea's shadow hangs over everything. The neighbors seem to judge Jane by Bea's example. The house is decorated in Bea's style. Even Jane can't quite shake the missing woman, finding herself dressing in a manner that shadows a look Bea sported in the few pictures Jane sees.

Hawkins offers up three perspectives to the story. Jane's, obviously, Bea's, and Eddie's. As to whether or not you can believe any of them completely is up to the reader to decide. Which is kind of the case with the source material as well.

This latest retelling is contemporary and fun! Perfect for fans of the classics but also just a great modern-day suspense as well. So you don't need to have any familiarity with Jane Eyre or Rebecca—but it does absolutely make it more fun if you do!

I'm a huge fan of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, and have read the novel several times so it is always with some trepidation that I read a modern day re-imagining of this classic psychological suspense story.

The Wife Upstairs brings the story right into modern day America and we meet a rather mysterious Jane who is employed as a dog-walker for those bored housewives who live on an exclusive estate of prestigious mansions in Birmingham, Alabama. Whilst on one of her daily dog walks Jane is intrigued by a house which, although stunning in its design, appears to stand quite alone. When she meets Eddie Rochester, the enigmatic owner of the property, Jane is soon engulfed in a whirlwind romance with this handsome, but troubled widower.

What then follows has all the Gothic twists of the original story but which brings everything bang up to date with characters that, although similar to Jane Eyre, have modern day dilemmas to face. There is an air of creeping menace from the start, from the cloying and self-obsessed women who befriend Jane, to the shadowy figures which haunt her past. The sense of mystery is brought sharply into focus when Jane comes up against some rather deadly secrets in Eddie's past.

It's not an easy task to re-imagine a classic but all credit to the author for keeping the splendid Gothic elements of surprise, which is just what is needed to keep the story suspenseful, and for placing Jane and Eddie very firmly in the twenty-first century. The Wife Upstairs has enough twists to keep you guessing and there’s a deliciously creepy air of tension especially when Jane starts to realise that all is not as it seems in this rather too good be true world

The wife upstairs is a new, bold take on the classic Jane Eyre. Our Jane finds herself in a desperate situation and uses her charm and motivated mindset to chase Eddie with the hopes of hooking him as her new rich, handsome husband. Jane works hard to be exactly what she thinks she needs to be to fit into his life. While masquerading in her new life her old secrets still haunt her but nothing is more haunting that the secrets she is slowly uncovering.

I liked getting to know the characters in this story, peeling away the lies to reveal the truth. The Wife Upstairs kept me on the edge of my seat, guessing who was a villain and who was a victim all while quickly turning the pages to piece together the story. I will say the plot is pretty standard thriller, it was the chilling moments which there were MANY that really hooked me.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’ll just say the ending left me with some questions and I’m looking forward to discussing this with all of my thriller loving book buddies. I can’t wait to see what Rachel Hawkins comes up with next.

The Wife Upstairs is a modern retelling of the classic story of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Jane Bell was part of the foster care system from age 3 and has moved to Center Point, Alabama for a fresh start with a new identity after escaping the horrors of her past. She manages to land a job as a dog walker for the wealthy people residing on the Thornfield Estates, the McMansion area of Birmingham, Alabama. One frigid mid-February day she takes the Reeds’ dog, collie Bear, for a stroll after picking him up from Magnolia Court. On the walk a red sports car comes hurtling out of a driveway and Jane tries to move out of the way but ends up on the ground having fallen on the slippery surface. The car screeches to a halt and the driver gets out to see if she's okay. He introduces himself as Eddie, an attractive, widowed millionaire who doesn't seem all that concerned that his car has crashed into a lampost causing quite a bit of damage. He invites her into his home for a cup of coffee where they get to know each other. Her instincts tell her something isn't quite right but she simply can't put her finger on it and puts in to the back of her mind writing it off as silly and paranoid.

It turns out that Eddie's wife, Bea, and her best friend, Blanche Ingraham, both apparently died in the same boating accident at Bea’s lake house under somewhat mysterious and suspicious circumstances. Eddie Rochester appears to have sinister secrets and skeletons in his closet that are about to be revealed. Will Jane get a chance at a fresh start with Eddie and get her happily ever after? This is an impulsive, captivating and completely absorbing domestic-based thriller that has slight elements of Jane Eyre but that was different enough for it not to be exactly the same tale. The fact that it is told from three perspectives - Jane, Eddie and Bea’s - creates a well-rounded story that is thoroughly immersive and as the point of view changes with each chapter, it's a seamless transition between them. It's an easy, twisty read with a despicable cast of characters, many of whom come from money and behave in the spoiled, stereotypical way we often see in those to whom money is no object. Clever and tautly plotted, The Wife Upstairs is intensely gripping, full of drama and surprises, and culminates in an unexpected and rather explosive climax. A thoroughly entertaining thriller. Highly recommended.

This book got my reading year off to a flying start! I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a book in a day, and this book made me want to do it. I couldn’t put this down.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins, is a Jane Eyre retelling with a twisty thriller element thrown in, and I loved it! It was addictive, full of interesting characters and intrigue and just good fun. I felt for sure that I was going to bite my nails off while reading this, and I highly recommend it.

Wow I was not expecting that ending. This book is amazing and I didn’t see the twists and turns coming. I was so adamant that someone did it, I was even telling my friend about this book and I was like he definitely killed her to find out it wasn’t him all along I was shocked. Also felt really sorry for the main character as all Jane wanted to do was find her place in life and to fit in but she was always the odd one out.

Jane Eyre is one of my favourite classics and this modern day re-telling was a perfect way to start a new year. I was gripped from chapter 1 and flew through this twisting thriller.

Although I found none of the main characters to be likeable that was somehow part of the charm of this book and I enjoyed the different perspectives and styles of writing throughout the novel.

A great read and I was only slightly disappointed that I guessed the twist early on, this didn't make it not an enjoyable read though.

I read this fantastic book in a day, it's the kind of twisted story that grabs you right from the start. A new author for me but I will definitely be watching out for and reading more of this lady's work.

Jane can't believe her luck when she bags the handsome and extremely rich Eddie Rochester and before she knows it he has swept her up and is quickly living with him in his beautiful home , however this is not a love story as Eddie's wife has been missing for over a year and when her best friends body is found things start to take a sinister turn. A really cracking read!

Jane, not her real name, has created a new persona for herself to get away from her past. A past of trauma and fostering that she would really not think about. By chance she is given an opportunity to dog walk in a much nicer area than where she lives and through this she meets Eddie. Eddie’s wife Bea disappeared at the same time her long time friend died. They were together on a boat and only one body was found.Occasional chapters give us some of Bea’s story and it didn't finish with the boating accident. Jane is longing for security and to be free from thinking where the next meal comes from- she previously supplemented her income with trinkets from the houses she worked in and very often pawned them to pay her rent. She has a secret from her past and someone she doesn't want to find her- what and who we don’t know. A story to tantalise you and one certainly to keep the grey matter active. I really enjoyed this and fair raced through to find out the who’s and why’s. A new author to me and certainly one to look out for- I love where a book takes to you a place of uncertainty and plays with your mind a little- and this one very much does that. A cleverly thought out concept, one gripping read.
(amazon to do on the 5th)

Right from the opening sentence I knew this was going to be a great book. Then we meet Jane or at least that is the name she gives.

Jane is a dog Walker for residents in a gated community. The women who live there reminded me of (insert any from the housewife’s of ….series) wealthy, shallow gossipy creatures that are style over substance. Jane covets what they have and often helps herself to things they won’t notice are missing.

While out walking a residents dog and staring at her favourite house she narrowly avoids being hit by a sports car driven by none other than the dashing Eddie Rochester. Soon the gossip wheel is spinning out the tale of the death of his perfect wife Bea, her body never recovered from the scene of the accident. However, after a life spent in foster care and running from her past Jane wants the life Eddie can provide.

Jane is a character I totally got on board with, she makes no apologies for her wants or how she intends to go about getting them. She has a mouth like a sewer and is devious and manipulative. You know the saying you can’t kid a kidder, this applies heavily as I often wondered who was really playing who.

A modern interpretation of Jane Eyre with hints of Rebecca don’t be fooled in to thinking you know the story. Women aren’t quite as feeble anymore.

I loved this book! I genuinely don't think I could pick out one fault.

I enjoyed the alternating P.OVs, I felt like each character was equally important throughout the book.

I also loved how engaging this book is. Straight away into the plot. The pacing was perfect throughout the whole book.

I thought the story lines of each character were intricately woven. Everyone in this book had a story, their own story to tell.
There were points that I thought I had this plot twist sussed but I was wrong!

Escapism at it's finest. A five star read that comes out on January 5th!

Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins and Harper Collins for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to eead this book as soon as I heard it was a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. Jane is a dog walker for the elite of Thornfield Estate. She happens to meet Eddie Rochester while dog walking for one of her clients and a whirlwind romance later, she moves in to his home. But is everything as rosy as it seems? The spectre of Eddie’s ex wife and her mysterious disappearance, Eddie’s secret and Jane’s past all make for a twisty fast paced domestic thriller retelling of one of my favourite classics.
Although I was entertained, the mystery or the thriller part wasn’t exactly surprising. I found myself predicting everything well before the reveal. Maybe it’s because I already knew how the original story goes or maybe because domestic thrillers all have a predictable pattern.
But it’s fun and fast paced enough to keep you reading till the end. Looking forward to what Rachel Hawkins writes next