A man is murdered and his three wives have a motive. He is part of a fundamentalist Mormon faith that allows poligamy which is frowned on by most Mormons and against the law. So Blake and his wives live on a remote ranch.
The story begins slowly with it being told by each wife in turn. Each wife has a secretive past and at first I wasn't sure if I would be able to care about any of them. Gradually I was hooked. Along the way, I learned more about the Mormon faith (totally different to my ethos), and by the end really cared about them.
So many twists right to the end.

One dead man, three wives, who is responsible? While this was a very interesting look into the world of the Mormon religion and Polygamy it didn’t blow me away. I found it very slow to start and it wasn’t until half way through that it skipped up a gear for me. That said the characterisation of the three wives, the way their past’s influenced their present and the simple whodunnit makes it an enjoyable if not epic read

This book is really good. It is well plotted with plenty of suspense and twists and turns along the way that’ll leave you guessing until the end. The story is told through three different perspectives, the wives of the murdered man. Once I got to know the characters I felt I could hear their individual voices and the story flowed well between the characters. I really enjoyed the setting and context of the story as it was completely different to anything I had read about before. I think it deals with the difficult themes of abuse and religion sympathetically.

I enjoyed this read. I did find it a little slow at the start but around the halfway mark I felt it had hit its stride and proceeded along at a good, steady pace, some readers may find this a little late. I often find with books of this genre that the author is so focussed on delivering those heart-stopping, pulse-racing moments or a big twist, that the end of the book is sped through or even ends abruptly. This book has those moments but is not rushed and that made a real difference to my reading experience. I also did not find the book too predictable as sometimes occurs in this genre. The Mormon aspect made this book original and stand out from others.

The chapters are generally quite short, which I like as a reader as I feel it makes the book easier to pick up and put down (although I barely put it down near the end). Some of the chapters could have been made into one though, there seemed no reason for breaking them up at those points, the narrator of the chapter was the same and the story continued on anyway. The short chapters and the narrator changing each time could leave me feeling slightly confused and having to go back to double-check who was narrating, it could also make the timeline feel slightly off. At some points, this lead to the writing being somewhat chaotic with all the chopping and changing.

Overall it is a good read and I believe fans of this genre will enjoy its originality.

My thanks go to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book which kept me guessing until the end.

3.5 stars

This book had a good premise but fell short in parts for me. Some of the characters were unbelievable and unlikeable. That said it was a ok read. I would try another novel from this author though. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Was completely blown away by this brilliant book and predict it will be a HUGE hit in 2021. A beautifully written, sad - yet also uplifting - thriller that follows the lives of three women in a polygamous marriage. When their husband is brutally murdered, the women are all prime suspects. As they race to clear their name, and discover the real killer, we get to know the characters as they get to know each other.

This is a beautiful written, literary crime fiction novel exploring themes of female identity and oppression. I adored it and would highly recommend it.

One word to the publisher, I know this is an ARC but there are a lot of typos. Hope they get sorted before 4 Feb!

Thank you for the chance to read this stunning novel.

I’m in two minds about this book: it is certainly an original, intriguing and fascinating story, which made me curious about the whole Mormon culture; it is captivating, fast paced and suspenseful; it touches on several sensitive and at times harrowing issues. On the negative side, it is poorly written and in need of serious editing. I also didn’t like the ending. Overall, it is an unusual and memorable read, which will definitely make you think and question some common canons and perceptions of modern society.

#BlackWidows #NetGalley
A must read.
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 is everything Rachel isn't.
And Emily, the youngest wife, who knows little else.
When their husband is found dead under the desert sun, the questions pile up.
But none of the widows know who would want to kill a good man like Blake.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for giving me an advanced copy.

What a book! A great un-put-down-able novel based in Utah/Nevada with The Church of Latter Day Saints. Told from the viewpoint of the three wives, based around the murder of their husband Blake, and their worries, suspicions, and distrust of each other. Each wife comes from a different background, and there is a mystery to be solved over buried memories of the first wife, Rachel. This book delves into cult lifestyle, with child abuse, mysogeny and sexual exploitation. It’s is grim yet compelling, and each chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger, keeping the reader gripped to the end!

A fascinating story set in the mysterious Mormon community. I was absolutely blown away by the twist! Highly recommended.