Blake has three wife- Rachel, Tina and Emily. They live an isolated life in the desert away from prying eyes and judgement. The wives don't really get along and there is jealousy and resentment, as every night Blake chooses which wife to go to bed with.

Then Blake is found murdered and the wives are the prime suspects. Each wife wondering which one killed Blake.

I love the characters in this book. Especially Rachel, the first wife. So many emotions and pasts to delve into. Rachel and Tina decide to take matters into their own hands and go on a road trip to investigate Blake's past and clear their names.

The ending was intense and a surprise. Such a great read, I highly recommend it!

Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Told from the perspectives of all three wives, I was hooked and intrigued from start to finish. With shocking secrets and a slowly unravelling, fascinating story, I changed my mind constantly as to who I thought was the murderer - I was still wrong!
It was perhaps a slow-burner, but I think it worked so well. Cleverly-written, character-driven and utterly thrilling, I very much enjoyed this one. A read I definitely recommend!

Although this is pretty much a standard "whodunnit", it is well written and it was interesting to learn about a community that is so different and private. I really liked the relationship between the three women, and how they blossomed and came together as the book went on. The ending was satisfying too, so all in all a recommended read.

I loved the concept and the characters. It started off really interesting and intriguing. However it was much longer than I felt it needed to be and therefore dragged on occasions. The ending was also disappointing and therefore it’s just an average read for me.

I dont know why when i requested this book i assumed it was based on the series on the telly many years ago. This is not this book but what a read all the same and i thoroughly enjoyed it. This was a first for me by this author but it wont be my last.

What a read! Different and complex, it was impossible to put down, believe me! I’ll start saying that I am not a religious person and cults scare me, so this was a very interesting read for me; a man who is married with three different women…
Of course, the day he appears dead all the widows will be the main suspects… The questions will be, did they do it? Did they plan this together even if they hate each other, or are they innocent or guilty?
As you can see, there are so many questions that popped in the reader’s mind when they started reading that believe me, it was impossible to stop reading till all the questions were answered. The story is told from the view of the three widows; Rachel, Tina and Emily; the only thing they have in common is that they are married to the same man and that they hate each other.
This is a slow burning story, as the story progresses and we discover the past of all the wives and their secrets you can fully understand their situation and how this ending was inevitable. Let’s be honest, reading books like this doesn’t make me trust religions or the fervent people that follow their rules, on the contrary it makes me to be more afraid and cautious when I am near them.
I’ll advise that even if this is a very interesting read, sometimes it’s difficult being on the skin of the characters, none of them had an easy past and their present is not very happy either. Maybe the future, without Blake, will be the starting point they need. Ready to discover “Black Widows”?

What a great hook!

Black Widows is the story of the death of Blake and the guilt that is assumed with all three of his wives. As we learn more about Rachel, Tina, and Emily, and what their own lives entailed, the twists are abundant and I could not put this down!!

With thanks to Netgalley and Orion for the chance to read and review.

When a man is found murdered in the desert the first suspect is the wife, but in Blake's case there are three to choose from. He was a member of the Mormon church & practising polygamy & the family lived a long way out in the wilderness. The three wives are very different & the reader gets to view events from each of their points of view.

This is a book that has languished on my shelf for a long time. I started it a few months ago & couldn't get into it. However I was determined to clear up my shelves so I had another attempt. This was an interesting premise & the three wives were all quite interesting characters, being married to Blake I felt though they all had a good reason to be rid of him! The main drawback to this book was that it dragged on far too long. It would have benefitted from a bit of editing. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This was such an interesting and intriguing book, partly because of the murder but also because of the relationships that are created. I found the plural marriage dynamic extremely interesting. I was so curious about the relationship between the three wives, especially considering how different they all are, and enjoyed how this developed across the book. I did feel that the character of Emily was not as fully developed as the others, but overall, there was a good sense of each character’s distinct personality.

The mystery aspect of the plot was very well-done, helping to draw the story to a satisfying conclusion. There were so many twists and turns that constantly makes you second-guess who the murderer is. I think having the three perspectives of the three wives really beneficial in this aspect as you get to hear each of their suspicions about each other, thereby influencing your own opinion.

I did find that the story slowed down a bit in the middle. I was desperate to found out more clues about the murder but felt like there wasn’t always enough given to keep up the pacing. Also, I found some of the chapters a bit short. Just as you got used to one perspective it suddenly changed to another one which I think contributed to the slow development of the story at times.

That being said, this book was really enjoyable to read. Although there was a religious aspect, this wasn’t too overpowering or off-putting. Instead, it was central to the relationships between the different characters and really helped make this story feel unique in comparison to other murder mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for this copy of Black Widows by Cate Quinn.

In Black Widows we open with a mystery. Someone has killed a man named Blake. Blake is a Mormon, living on way out on his own, isolated on a ranch, just him and his three wives. That's right, Blake is a polygamist and his three wives are Rachel, Emily and Tina. The ladies don't get along and Blake is busy preparing for the end times. Blake's murder sends a shockwave through his wives, who all have different opinions of their husband. None of them seem to be the killer but that is the mystery. If one of Blake's wives didn't kill him, who did and why?

Black Widows was a solid mystery, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Having never read a book that had a family of polygamists as it's main characters I was quite surprised at how easy it was to adapt to the concept, which is a testament to the writing. Quinn does a great job of writing from each wife's perspective in a way that allows the reader to imagine that they can see and hear the person that they are reading about. Very good writing, solid plot. Well worth the read.

This book is 30 cents at the moment - and I am really glad I got a Netgalley copy because that book wouldn't have been worth those 30 cents. (Except to make the author gets something to eat of course).
My reasons for disliking this book are purely based on personal preference. I was intrigued at first - a dead man? And one of his wives killed him? Secret marriages?! Yes - and no. The book is set in a Mormon community - at least the main characters are Mormon.
And, well- I am not big on religion. Especially not on conservative religions - and Mormons are pretty conservative. But allow multiple marriages. Religion is quite a Theme.
Anyhow, Mormon man has three wives. One of them killed him. That's as easy as it gets. The question is - which one?
I cringed very badly while reading this book, which is mostly to be put on the topic and only to a smaller part on the writing itself. The book is told from the perspectives of the three wives - the first wife and two sister-wives. Weird terminology? Trust me, book goes weirder. I was close to dumping the book multiple times and it never really managed to hold my interest for longer than the first few pages. The writing style tired me, so I used it to fall asleep for a couple of days.

I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book and all its characters! A gripping read away from the usual murder mystery plots which was very refreshing. Excellently written and believable characters. 5 stars from me! With thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

I really loved this one! So different to books that's out there at minute which is always a good thing in my opinion. I'm not very familiar with Mormons but I find the subject very interesting so it was good to get to learn more about their way of life. The story starts with the death of a man that has three wife's that all live together on an isolated ranch, when the three women are taken into police custody for questioning you start to learn their past life stories. I loved all three of the women as different as they were and parts of Rachel's story were so creepy that I had goosebumps. Really good discriptive writing, I will definitely be looking out for more from this author!

Black Widows’ is the latest book by Cate Quinn.

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. Or, at least, that’s what they’ll tell the police…

This book kept me awake into the early hours of last night and I grabbed every spare minute I had today to finish it off. This book was gripping with a capital G.

The story is seen from the narrative of 3 wives/sisters called Rachel, Tina and Emily who were all married to Blake who is brutally murdered. With no clue as to the who the murderer is, the police suspect all women could be capable as they all have motives. The women are Mormons and are outcasts of the town, whilst Blake worked and the women stayed at home away from disapproving eyes.

Through the narrative in the story, we see the different sides to the women. Rachel, the first and older wife is committed to her marriage and her religion, she’s jealous of the other younger women who share her husband’s bed and spends most of her day canning food in preparation for the end of days. She’s haunted by memories of her childhood that she’s trying to suppress but as the police delve further into her past, she’s finding it harder to run away. Tina, also comes from a troubled background of hardship and saw Blake as her hero unaware of the life that she’s leaving behind, she’s outspoken with a brash side but in another way she’s quite protective of the other wives and is determined to prove their innocence particularly Emily. Emily the youngest and most naive of the trio and thinks admitting to the murder will bring her to heaven to be with Blake.

All the women are fascinatingly complex characters, all from broken homes and all looking for love and all think that Blake is their knight in shining armour. Even though this book, is a great read, it’s very unsettling in parts, as it focuses on religious cults and child abuse and this can make for traumatic reading at times.

A story of jealousy, friendship and revenge and filled with drama, twists and plenty of attitude, ‘Black Widows’ is a cleverly written thriller set on the cusp of Nevada with the glitzy lights of Las Vegas as its background.

You can buy ‘Black Widows’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

Cate Quinn really kept me guessing throughout this book and I had many questions throughout that made me want to continue reading so I could find out the answer. Cate does a really good job making each wife sound suspicious and giving them all reasons for cracking and wanting Blake dead.

You go through a rollercoaster of who you think murdered Blake. It’s a real mystery as to what has happened.
We also follow the three sister wives as they piece together how the marriage between the four of them broke down. Blake pitted his wives against each other, always making them think the others were better. There is hostility between the wives, they’re not friends in any way and they can’t stand to be around each other. They would probably kill each other. Although the three sister wives do not like or trust each other at the beginning of the book, they become friends and allies by the end. It is really nice and heartwarming to see that these women have all stuck together and become like sisters to each other. Their relationships have come a long way.

Cate makes it easier to remember each character, their past and their relationships with Blake and the other wives by giving each character a particular ‘voice’ and their own language characteristics, like slang. This definitely made it easier to quickly remember who each wife was and who the chapter was reflecting.
We really see the good and bad qualities of Blake through the eyes of each wife, we really needed each wife’s opinion to create a clear picture of Blake because each wife’s memories of him are biased.

Overall, I don’t think this book lived up to the hype I’d seen, but it was still a good book. I found the first half of the book very monotonous, but I continued reading because I wanted to know what happened to Blake, and I’m glad I did because the second half of the book picked up and I enjoyed reading it much more. There’s definitely some twists throughout which adds to the suspense and keeps the reader on their toes – Cate is always coming up with another clue or lead. But, there were so many things said to the detectives and to the other wives that were suspicious or clues that were just ignored, which was a bit frustrating. Who murdered Blake is a complete shock, I had absolutely no clue it was that person!

Thank you to Cate Quinn, Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

A mystery more than a thriller. Complicated relationships to work out and understand,secrets and lies to unravel. Add in religion and you have it all. Unfortunately not enough to keep me interested.

I can't believe I have never read a book by Cate Quinn before! 'Black Widows' is my first, but it certainly won't be my last.

Interestingly, the first thing that struck me on opening this book, wasn't the cover, or the writing, or the synopsis, but the disclaimer (for want of a better word) before the story even begins, and credited to the book, 'Educated' by author and historian, Tara Westover: 'This story is not about Mormonism. Neither is it about any other form of religious belief. (...) There are many types of people, some believers, some not; some kind, some not. The author disputes any correlation, positive or negative, between the two.'

(In my own, very humble opinion), religion is one of the most controversial subjects that anyone could choose to write about, spiritually, scientifically, morally, and many other ways. The fact that Cate Quinn has chosen to write a fictional story about orthodox Mormons and the animosity that the tradition of pluralism (one husband, many wives) was brave indeed, and the very fact that she felt the need to add the Tara Westover quote indicates that she expected opinion to be divided.

Soooo, what am I waffling on about you might ask. Well, orthodox Mormon and subsequently, societal outcast Blake has been found murdered, strangled with his own belt. Strangely, his wedding ring finger has been hacked off and is missing. Suspicion immediately falls upon his wives; not one, but three, with rumours of a fourth in the pipeline. They are Rachel, the homemaker, the first wife; Tina, rescued from a depraved life of sex and drug addiction; and Emily, ditsy, fragile, maybe a little mad.

As the story is told from the different perspectives of Rachel, Tina and Emily, so dark secrets are uncovered and memories emerge of a religious cult where bad things happened.

The three wives' characters are brilliantly depicted; each very different in their personality, role and outlook. They are fierce rivals for the attentions of Blake, and a place in his bed at night...and yet, as the story progresses, although still unsure of each other, an affectionate alliance develops between them in their quest to find the killer of their husband.

The end wasn't entirely a surprise, but that didn't detract in any way from what I found to be a fascinating story about a culture I know very little about.

I give this book four stars.

A great read. Three women, one husband....
Blake Nelson a polygamist living in a rural, hidden area in Utah is found dead. The police believe that one of the wives is responsible but which one? The story is told in chapters by each wife, Rachel, Emily and Tina. Their individual stories of their husband differ greatly as to what sort of man he was.
I found the book a little slow to start but was also facinated by the fact that the wives never really got on. As the story progressed I found it really gripping. I would recommend this book as an interesting glimpe into an unseen world of discipline and jealousy. A great who done it!

(4.5)

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for this advanced copy of Black Widows on return for an Honest Review.

Blake has 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.

Or, at least, that's what they'll tell the police...

Polygamy is a very taboo subject for a lot of people. And this book opens that up for those of us that have very little awareness of what live is like in a polygamous relationship. It’s also an insight into the Mormons or Latter Day Saints beliefs and ways aswell. Again something I knew very little about.

The author has clearly done a lot of research into the book and that is evident from the detail that she has encorporated.

I liked that each chapter was told by one of the wives and because of that you build up a sense of who each woman is and become bound to her within her chapter and become invested in her and her suspicions of the others.

It’s rare for me to find a book that has me changing my gut feelings of ‘whodunnit’ and I loved that!

This is definitely a unique story that I enjoyed from start to finish.

I was so excited to read this and I was not disappointed!!!
Blake is found dead and we are left wondering who did it!! A brilliant story told from the 3 wives point of view, I really got drawn in to each of their stories. A twisty and gripping thriller which I really enjoyed.