Everyone Is Lying: A Twisted Dive into My Husband’s Wife

Book Review (Spoiler )

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

By Mariah V

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person's date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

Review 📚

Now, I wouldn’t have even thought about picking up this book if it wasn’t for my ballet instructor stopping a barre exercise in the middle of class to recommend it. She was so excited talking about this novel that I figured I’d give it a go. Well, this was my first ever read by Alice Feeney, and I can best describe it as: expect the unexpected. Because honestly, I didn’t expect a lot of what was happening in this novel.

I’m into thrillers, but not as much as mysteries, mainly because I always want to bypass the storyline and get straight to who did what. I’m not a patient reader. My Husband’s Wife really had me thinking that everyone was crazy and everyone was guilty. This psychological thriller had me feeling like everyone was up to something and no one could be trusted, except the dog.

The chaos of the story starts with Eden Fox, an artist who returns home after her routine run only to find another woman who looks exactly like her, claiming that the house is hers and that she is the one married to her husband. This all happens within the first few chapters, so I was immediately interested in seeing how everything would unfold.

It’s wild how everyone in this story plays a part in this twisted plan involving Eden Fox. Honestly, I understand why,after what she did, which was horrible. Then there’s another part of the story that focuses on a terminally ill woman named Birdy, who has one foot in the grave and the other inheriting a house that once belonged to a grandmother she never knew. The house, Spyglass, is a grand dream home overlooking the village, but because Birdy had no emotional attachment to it or her grandmother, she ended up selling it to the very woman who was later locked out and killed.

Birdy, in my opinion, is a little peculiar but very intelligent. She’s self-aware, pays attention to detail, and can tell when someone is lying. It’s sad that she’s alone in the world besides her dog, and now she’s dealing with a terminal illness with limited time left. But I guess the best way to spend your final days is to take on one last mission,finding out who killed Eden Fox.

The investigation into Eden Fox’s murder becomes very twisted and almost confusing. The person I thought was responsible wasn’t who I expected at all. In fact, the real culprit was someone who wasn’t very noticeable, which is probably how they got away with it. That person was a little unhinged, likely because of her strange husband, Sergeant Luke Carter.

I call him strange because he basically sleeps with every woman he comes across,Eden Fox and now Birdy. He seems settled in his life, but in reality, he’s not. He loves his job more than anything and has never had the desire to experience life outside of Hope Falls. And honestly, Hope Falls sounds like a peaceful place to live or retire. I wouldn’t mind living in a small fishing village in Cornwall near the ocean. Sign me up for the small cottage life.

But back to the husbands,because apparently, Sergeant Carter isn’t the only one in this twisted story. Harrison Wolf, Eden’s husband, is heavily involved in the chaos. To me, he’s the reason most of this happened. I don’t think Harrison has much of a backbone, even though he runs a billion-dollar company. He’s clearly intelligent,he created a company called Thanatos, which predicts death dates. This concept ties into Birdy and even her grandmother’s story.

Now, would I want to know when I’m going to die? Absolutely not. But if I were diagnosed with a terminal illness, maybe I would. I guess it would give me a sense of control or allow me to make the most of my final days.

As the story progresses, I began to understand why Birdy traveled to Spyglass,not only to find out who killed Eden but also to live her last days a little more boldly. When it comes to Eden Fox, I actually felt really bad for her. Her husband and the woman impersonating her had me convinced that the real Eden was lying. Even Sergeant Carter believed she was confused or had hit her head, since he had already met the “real” Eden when they moved into the house.

Even her own daughter, who hadn’t spoken in years, finally said a few words,only to agree that Eden wasn’t her mother. That part was such a twisted mess. Everyone was against this woman, and for what? All she wanted was to open her first art gallery and live a happy life at Spyglass. But Eden Fox wasn’t as innocent as she seemed.

She’s actually the reason Harrison’s daughter hasn’t spoken in years and now lives in a facility away from her father. But as I kept reading, it became clear that Eden wasn’t the only one doing things she shouldn’t have. Almost everyone in this book is guilty in some way.

Sergeant Carter? I thought he was in on it the entire time. Turns out, he’s just a sad man. He settled into a marriage that started as a one-night stand and resulted in a child. While he does care for his child, you can tell he’s not happy. The only thing giving him purpose is his job,and helping Birdy seems to give him a new sense of meaning.

I just didn’t understand why they went through all that trouble to get rid of Eden. I’m pretty sure pushing her off the cliff wasn’t originally part of the plan, but I guess once everything about her actions came to light, it escalated. What she did to the daughter is definitely something you can’t overlook.

To me, there are multiple villains in this story. Harrison is not a good husband or father. Maybe he tries to be at the end, but it’s too late. And his company predicting death dates? It fits perfectly into this unsettling plot.

Then there’s Birdy,who, honestly, should have been a better mother to her own daughter (another major twist). And the Eden Fox doppelgänger,Mary? Harrison basically manipulated her into doing everything just so he could be with her and build his version of a perfect family.

Everyone in this book is twisted in their own way. And the real victim? The daughter, Gabriella… except even she turns out to be just as manipulative as everyone else.

The only character I truly liked was Sunday, the husky. She was the only one who had good judgment. Everyone else? They can stay in that small village and never leave,because they are all crazy. Lol.

But aside from all the chaos, I will say this: the book is twisted, a little confusing at times, but ultimately entertaining,especially once all the truths come out at the end. I was able to finish it in one day, which says a lot.

If you’re looking for an amusing thriller, this is a good pick. It honestly reminds me of those wild Lifetime movies from back in the day.

This was my first time reading Alice Feeney, and after My Husband’s Wife, I might pick up another one of her books.

Oh,and Birdy lives! Go figure.