Loving Husband or Heartless Killer {+ Giveaway}

How well can you really know someone? What secrets live within a marriage? These are two questions at the heart of Fiona Barton’s stunning debut novel, a haunting psychological thriller with one of the most fascinating unreliable narrators in recent fiction, and one of this winter’s buzziest books.

An electric, thought-provoking debut, THE WIDOW (New American Library Hardcover; 978-1-101-99026-1; February 16, 2016; $25.95) has been sold in over twenty countries, and has drawn comparisons to recent thriller successes The Girl on the Train and The Silent Wife. Glamour UK called it “The Most Anticipated Book of 2016” and said it would fill the void left by Girl on the Train. PopSugar and Sacramento Bee included it in their lists of buzziest winter books.

Thanks to the lovely folks at Penguin/Random House, I have a print copy to giveaway in celebration of the release. Please see the end of the post for more giveaway details.

In THE WIDOW, Jean Taylor is the wife of a man who may be a monster. Though never convicted, Glen Taylor was the prime suspect in a horrible crime that captivated people across England. Now, a week after Glen’s death, journalist Kate Waters shows up at Jean’s door, like so many others before, seeking answers—and the scoop of a lifetime. Though Jean kept quiet during the media circus surrounding the trial, she is finally ready to break her silence. 

The desperate search for answers—both in the past and the present—takes shape through the interlocking narratives of the widow, the journalist, and the detective who never forgot the case. Each has a story to tell—but some might be more truthful than others. Their stories converge in a deft, heart-stopping ending.

Says Barton, a British journalist who has worked for the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph, of her inspiration for the book: “As a journalist, I spent a lot of time in court. In the big cases—notorious and terrible crimes that led the news—I would find myself watching the wives of those standing in the dock and wondering what they really knew, or allowed themselves to know.”  

Advance Praise for Fiona Barton’s THE WIDOW:

        “[An] exceptional debut from British journalist Barton, who circles her story as if it were a lurking panther, unseen but viscerally sensed….she tells her tale with a realism and restraint that add to its shattering impact.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

        “The ultimate psychological thriller. Barton carefully unspools this dark, intimate tale of a terrible crime, a stifling marriage, and the lies spouses tell not just to each other, but to themselves in order to make it through. The ending totally blew me away!” — Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

        “Fiona Barton’s THE WIDOW is a fast-paced, heart-stopping debut. Jean Taylor—the widow—is heroine and anti-heroine, naïve and savvy, dominated and dominating; in short, utterly compelling. Sure to thrill fans of The Girl on the Train and The Husband’s Secret, I raced through this in one nail-biting sitting.” — Catherine McKenzie, international bestselling author of Hidden

         “A marriage is a public union, but can also act as a wall hiding an inner world of secrets. Fiona Barton's THE WIDOW grabs hold of this insight and runs with it, twisting all the way to the end.” — Andrew Pyper, #1 international bestselling author of The Demonologist

        “Stunning from start to finish. I devoured it in one sitting. The best book I've read this year. If you liked Gone Girl, you'll love this. Fiona Barton is a major new talent.” — M. J. Arlidge, international bestselling author of Eeny Meeny

“Dark, compelling and utterly unputdownable. My book of the year so far.” — C.L. Taylor, international bestselling author of Before I Wake

        “A brilliant, enthralling debut.” — Jill Mansell, New York Times bestselling author of Thinking of You

        “THE WIDOW is a twisty psychological suspense that held me spellbound. Fiona Barton delves into the darkest reaches of the husband and wife relationship and the secrets they keep. THE WIDOW is a beautifully written novel of psychological suspense that takes readers on a disturbing journey into the mind of a woman whose husband may be guilty of a horrendous crime. Fiona Barton’s skill as a journalist is on full, brilliant display in THE WIDOW.” — Linda Castillo, New York Times bestselling author of After the Storm

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Fiona Barton

Fiona Barton lived for many years in London where she worked as a senior writer at the Daily Mail, news editor at The Daily Telegraph, and as chief reporter at The Mail on Sunday, where she won Reporter of the Year at the National Press Awards. 

Since leaving her job in 2008 to volunteer in Sri Lanka, Barton has trained and worked with exiled and threatened journalists all over the world. Born in Cambridge, England, she now lives in southwest France with her husband and is currently at work on a second book.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Penguin/Random House, I have a print copy of THE WIDOW by Fiona Barton to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress the Widow Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to replay to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you ever considered just how much or how little family members, especially the spouse, knows in a murder case?

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