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The Wife Upstairs
Victoria Barnett has it all.
A great career. A handsome and loving husband. A beautiful home in the suburbs and a plan to fill it with children. Life is perfect—or so it seems.
Then she’s in a terrible accident… and everything falls apart.
Now Victoria is unable to walk. She can’t feed or dress herself. She can’t even speak. She is confined to the top floor of her house with twenty-four-hour care.
Sylvia Robinson is hired by Victoria’s husband to help care for her. But it turns out Victoria isn’t as impaired as Sylvia was led to believe. There’s a story Victoria desperately wants to tell... if only she could get out the words.
Then Sylvia discovers Victoria’s diary hidden away in a drawer.
And what’s inside is shocking.
A great career. A handsome and loving husband. A beautiful home in the suburbs and a plan to fill it with children. Life is perfect—or so it seems.
Then she’s in a terrible accident… and everything falls apart.
Now Victoria is unable to walk. She can’t feed or dress herself. She can’t even speak. She is confined to the top floor of her house with twenty-four-hour care.
Sylvia Robinson is hired by Victoria’s husband to help care for her. But it turns out Victoria isn’t as impaired as Sylvia was led to believe. There’s a story Victoria desperately wants to tell... if only she could get out the words.
Then Sylvia discovers Victoria’s diary hidden away in a drawer.
And what’s inside is shocking.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2020
About the author
Freida McFadden
43 books97.6k followers#1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,478 reviews
April 11, 2020
This was good but exactly like Colleen Hoover's book, Verity
Want to read
July 7, 2021No Rating
Loved how it started off
Downhill from there....entered into the too foolish to believe any of it category.
Loved how it started off
Downhill from there....entered into the too foolish to believe any of it category.
July 21, 2023
Verity 2.0 but I had fun 🤣
May 4, 2023
This was a 4-star read going into the ending...
A beautiful home, a troubled marriage, a terrible accident, and dark secrets....
First off, I thought the narrator did a fantastic job.! Hats off to her! Both she and the story sucked me in from the very beginning. Sylvia Robinson saves a woman's life in a restaurant and in the process is hired to work for Adam Barnett, a bestselling author who needs help with his disabled wife, Victoria. It sounds like a dream come true - living in a beautiful home, being paid more than she had ever been paid before, and naturally, Adam is incredibly handsome. There doesn't seem to be a downside, so Sylvia packs her bags and moves in.
Then Victoria (Vickie) gives Sylvia (Sylvie) her diary. As she reads more of the diary each day, Sylvia begins to question, to look at her actions, and become concerned. Plus, Adam is so handsome that her panties fly off and you can guess the rest...
As I mentioned, this book started very strong for me. I was hooked and kept trying to make time to listen. I also wanted to yell at every woman in this book and at the author for writing women to be so ridiculous. But then what irritated me was what sucked me in as well. I wanted to know if anyone would smarten up. So many times, I was shaking my head and thinking for the love of all that is holy....
This book was entertaining and kept me engaged until the end when I threw my hands in the air and thought "Oh, come on" I would have been happier if the book ended with a scene close to the end. The very last section brought it down for me. Many will like how it ended, I just couldn't go there. Sat shaking my head.
Plus, if you are reading or listening to this book, it will give you vibes to other books with similar themes.
Three stars for the book. Five stars for the narrator.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
A beautiful home, a troubled marriage, a terrible accident, and dark secrets....
First off, I thought the narrator did a fantastic job.! Hats off to her! Both she and the story sucked me in from the very beginning. Sylvia Robinson saves a woman's life in a restaurant and in the process is hired to work for Adam Barnett, a bestselling author who needs help with his disabled wife, Victoria. It sounds like a dream come true - living in a beautiful home, being paid more than she had ever been paid before, and naturally, Adam is incredibly handsome. There doesn't seem to be a downside, so Sylvia packs her bags and moves in.
Then Victoria (Vickie) gives Sylvia (Sylvie) her diary. As she reads more of the diary each day, Sylvia begins to question, to look at her actions, and become concerned. Plus, Adam is so handsome that her panties fly off and you can guess the rest...
As I mentioned, this book started very strong for me. I was hooked and kept trying to make time to listen. I also wanted to yell at every woman in this book and at the author for writing women to be so ridiculous. But then what irritated me was what sucked me in as well. I wanted to know if anyone would smarten up. So many times, I was shaking my head and thinking for the love of all that is holy....
This book was entertaining and kept me engaged until the end when I threw my hands in the air and thought "Oh, come on" I would have been happier if the book ended with a scene close to the end. The very last section brought it down for me. Many will like how it ended, I just couldn't go there. Sat shaking my head.
Plus, if you are reading or listening to this book, it will give you vibes to other books with similar themes.
Three stars for the book. Five stars for the narrator.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
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March 27, 2024Changing it to a one star because she literally took Verity and tried to make it her own.
Do Not Disturb is a rip off of Psycho.
The Housemaid is a rip off of The Last Mrs. Parrish.
Write your own stories.
VERITY WAS PUBLISHED FIRST. LEARN TO GOOGLE, ITS FREE. FREIDA IS LIKE THE GAS STATION SUSHI OF THRILLERS.
Do Not Disturb is a rip off of Psycho.
The Housemaid is a rip off of The Last Mrs. Parrish.
Write your own stories.
VERITY WAS PUBLISHED FIRST. LEARN TO GOOGLE, ITS FREE. FREIDA IS LIKE THE GAS STATION SUSHI OF THRILLERS.
August 2, 2020
Pretty sure this author owes Colleen Hoover some money because it's essentially a rewrite of Verity.
July 8, 2023
3.75*
the sexual tension between me and punching every character in the face 😍😍😍😍😍
the sexual tension between me and punching every character in the face 😍😍😍😍😍
May 22, 2020
This is my 3rd Freida McFadden book in a row. And this one is enough to stop my own trend. This one was the dumbest one by far. They're all kind of dumb but they get me hooked right on the first page so I go with it. But this one was really dumb.
Sylvia doesn't have two nickels to rub together so she gets tempted to take this job with this handsome guy in upstate New York to care for his now handicapped wife. She takes the job and starts reading Victorias diary. Which, first of all, why did Victoria hand over her diary so quickly to this stranger? But okay, we'll go with it.
Sylvia starts having an affair with Adam because he's soooo handsome. Alrighty.
But then as Sylvia starts reading Victorias diary she gets nervous about Adam. Uh yeah. And she reads how abusive he was to Victoria. I can't believe this strong, independent woman would fall for this controlling guy. He won't let her share the same toothpaste or food in the fridge. That is beyond bizarre. So instead of being like, um, no we're gonna start sharing food because we cook meals together, she just goes along with it. And instead of saying we're going to share toothpaste because we also KISS, she just gets her own toothpaste and does it. Ugh, it's so annoying.
THEN - he buys a house 3 hours away from Manhattan without letting her look at it. So she's forced to quit her job. No WAY! That is just so dumb. Their conversations had me thinking that at some point Victoria was going to grow a backbone and say something clever. Instead, she just cowers and agrees with him and then doesn't put up a fight. It was really hard to root for her. I need a stronger woman than that.
Then we get suspicious that Adam Suit yourself, dummy.
The ending was like making fun of a bad scary movie. She might as well have tripped over a tree root and lost one of her shoes. It was just SO dumb. So no wonder
I'm done with these books for awhile. If I can't get into another book, I'll come back. But I know they're all pretty dumb.
Two stars. Mostly for the silly shenanigans at the end.
Sylvia doesn't have two nickels to rub together so she gets tempted to take this job with this handsome guy in upstate New York to care for his now handicapped wife. She takes the job and starts reading Victorias diary. Which, first of all, why did Victoria hand over her diary so quickly to this stranger? But okay, we'll go with it.
Sylvia starts having an affair with Adam because he's soooo handsome. Alrighty.
But then as Sylvia starts reading Victorias diary she gets nervous about Adam. Uh yeah. And she reads how abusive he was to Victoria. I can't believe this strong, independent woman would fall for this controlling guy. He won't let her share the same toothpaste or food in the fridge. That is beyond bizarre. So instead of being like, um, no we're gonna start sharing food because we cook meals together, she just goes along with it. And instead of saying we're going to share toothpaste because we also KISS, she just gets her own toothpaste and does it. Ugh, it's so annoying.
THEN - he buys a house 3 hours away from Manhattan without letting her look at it. So she's forced to quit her job. No WAY! That is just so dumb. Their conversations had me thinking that at some point Victoria was going to grow a backbone and say something clever. Instead, she just cowers and agrees with him and then doesn't put up a fight. It was really hard to root for her. I need a stronger woman than that.
Then we get suspicious that Adam Suit yourself, dummy.
The ending was like making fun of a bad scary movie. She might as well have tripped over a tree root and lost one of her shoes. It was just SO dumb. So no wonder
I'm done with these books for awhile. If I can't get into another book, I'll come back. But I know they're all pretty dumb.
Two stars. Mostly for the silly shenanigans at the end.
November 28, 2021
Absolutely brilliant! This book had everything. It got me hooked from the first page and never let up. I figured out what was going on, but still loved the twists and turns. There were no plot holes, if all fitted. Well done to the author (even if I didn’t like another book by her)
November 30, 2022
The female characters in this book are so frustratingly stupid it made my head hurt.
When Sylvia is reading the diary of Victoria, and Victoria is describing her move in with Adam… Ugh! Red flags red flags red flags—- for the readers in the back RED FLAGS! 🚩 Victoria should have turned herself around and walked away.
Thennnn…. Sylvia siding (making excuses) for shitty things Adam did, described in Victoria’s diary. Girl. Girl!!!!!!! Girl 👏 code 👏
I’m not sure how many times I muttered “you’ve got to be kidding me, you idiot!” While reading this.
I kept reading because I liked Frieda McFadden’s books in the past, but this one didn’t do it for me. I couldn’t get past how stupid the woman were, or the sleeping with the married man and justifying it. Dumb.
When Sylvia is reading the diary of Victoria, and Victoria is describing her move in with Adam… Ugh! Red flags red flags red flags—- for the readers in the back RED FLAGS! 🚩 Victoria should have turned herself around and walked away.
Thennnn…. Sylvia siding (making excuses) for shitty things Adam did, described in Victoria’s diary. Girl. Girl!!!!!!! Girl 👏 code 👏
I’m not sure how many times I muttered “you’ve got to be kidding me, you idiot!” While reading this.
I kept reading because I liked Frieda McFadden’s books in the past, but this one didn’t do it for me. I couldn’t get past how stupid the woman were, or the sleeping with the married man and justifying it. Dumb.
May 23, 2023
My queen Frieda never misses. This was like Verity by CoHo but 10x better. The plot twists and the ENDING???!!!!!! bitch I was so shook I literally couldn’t put this book down.
May 10, 2024
This was an excellent listen for some fun escapism. Even though I had it all pretty much figured out early on, the well developed characters had me hooked and easily kept me invested till the very last word.
Narrator Angie Kane does a fabulous job as the solo voice for all of the characters. Her impeccable pacing made for a most phenomenal listening experience.
Narrator Angie Kane does a fabulous job as the solo voice for all of the characters. Her impeccable pacing made for a most phenomenal listening experience.
November 26, 2021
This was truly one of the worst books I have ever read/listened to. That's a very bold statement, but a true one, unfortunately.
Victoria has a great job, just married her dream man, and moved into a beautiful house he bought for her. She has it all - until she has an accident and loses just about everything.
Sylvie a young girl down on her luck who just so happens to cross paths with Victoria's dream man. He's hiring and needs help taking care of Victoria. Well what do you know, Sylvie needs a job asap. Why not move in with this strange couple?
Sylvie discovers Victoria's secret journal and slowly learns the truth about this couple and their life leading up to the accident. Sylvie realizes she doesn't know these people at all - and she's in danger.
Let me start by saying the first 1/3 of this book was mostly decent. It had potential. But then you hit a point where you know exactly what is going to happen before it happens. The characters are so one dimensional and have zero development. And I am TIRED of authors writing women as so naive and senseless. Stop making your readers want to side with the bad guys because your "victims" are just plain STUPID.
I haven't read Verity yet, but a lot of other reviews say this is an exact copycat. I will not be reading anything else by this author.
Victoria has a great job, just married her dream man, and moved into a beautiful house he bought for her. She has it all - until she has an accident and loses just about everything.
Sylvie a young girl down on her luck who just so happens to cross paths with Victoria's dream man. He's hiring and needs help taking care of Victoria. Well what do you know, Sylvie needs a job asap. Why not move in with this strange couple?
Sylvie discovers Victoria's secret journal and slowly learns the truth about this couple and their life leading up to the accident. Sylvie realizes she doesn't know these people at all - and she's in danger.
Let me start by saying the first 1/3 of this book was mostly decent. It had potential. But then you hit a point where you know exactly what is going to happen before it happens. The characters are so one dimensional and have zero development. And I am TIRED of authors writing women as so naive and senseless. Stop making your readers want to side with the bad guys because your "victims" are just plain STUPID.
I haven't read Verity yet, but a lot of other reviews say this is an exact copycat. I will not be reading anything else by this author.
December 8, 2021
3.5 stars. The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden had its ups and downs for me. There were parts where I almost gave up and then I found myself totally invested again. Parts of the plot had been done before and maybe that was why it fell short at times. Overall though, there was something in the plot that kept me wanting to listen to the very end. This was the first book that I have read by Freida McFadden. I might try another of her books at some time. Angie Kane did a very good job narrating this audiobook.
Victoria Barnett was a well respected and well liked nurse practitioner at a major hospital in New York City when a very handsome and charismatic man came to the ER on her shift. His name was Adam and Victoria suddenly realized that he was a famous author. Victoria could not keep her eyes off of him. Adam had been attempting to cook when he accidentally cut his finger and was in the need of stitches. Victoria was more than willing to comply and administer the stitches. Both Victoria and Adam felt an instant connection and attraction to each other..Their romance was a whirlwind. It was fast and furious. Victoria was so caught up in it. Throughout their relationship, though, there were so many red flags that Victoria chose to either ignore or she found excuses for them. I felt like I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up and see what was right under her nose. Despite everything, Adam and Victoria married, and moved into a large home in a remote part of Long Island. Then Victoria had a horrific accident. She fell down the long staircase in their new home. Victoria suffered a major brain injury as a result. She was confined to a wheel chair and had to have a feeding tube. Victoria required constant care.
Sylvia Robinson was not in a very good place in her life. She had lost her job and was in dire need of money to pay her rent and buy food. She was on her way to a job interview when she stopped to get some coffee and noticed a woman choking. Sylvia tried to help the woman but it backfired in her face. The woman accused Sylvia of trying to harm her. Adam happened to have been a customer at the restaurant when all this was happening and came to Sylvia’s rescue. He claimed to have witnessed the entire thing and defended Sylvia’s actions. Adam and Sylvia ended up having coffee. After Sylvia admitted that she was supposed to have been on her way to a job interview but was no longer presentable to go to it, Adam offered Sylvia a job as a companion to his invalid wife, Victoria. Sylvia could not let this opportunity slip through her fingers. Adam was paying her more money than she ever thought possible. Of course Sylvia accepted the position. Sylvia soon discovered that things between Adam and Victoria did not add up. The house did not feel right. It gave her the creeps. Sylvia found Adam to be so attractive though. He was so devoted to Victoria or was he? Then Victoria got Sylvia to read her diary. Would Sylvia be able to discover the truth?
I did enjoy parts of this audiobook. Other parts were either obvious, far fetched or frustrating. It did keep my attention enough that I listened to the entire thing. I did not like Victoria’s character. I found her to be gullible and way too trusting and unable to make decisions when she needed to. For a smart woman she missed so many warning signs. Adam’s character made me cringe. He was every woman’s worst nightmare.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Victoria Barnett was a well respected and well liked nurse practitioner at a major hospital in New York City when a very handsome and charismatic man came to the ER on her shift. His name was Adam and Victoria suddenly realized that he was a famous author. Victoria could not keep her eyes off of him. Adam had been attempting to cook when he accidentally cut his finger and was in the need of stitches. Victoria was more than willing to comply and administer the stitches. Both Victoria and Adam felt an instant connection and attraction to each other..Their romance was a whirlwind. It was fast and furious. Victoria was so caught up in it. Throughout their relationship, though, there were so many red flags that Victoria chose to either ignore or she found excuses for them. I felt like I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up and see what was right under her nose. Despite everything, Adam and Victoria married, and moved into a large home in a remote part of Long Island. Then Victoria had a horrific accident. She fell down the long staircase in their new home. Victoria suffered a major brain injury as a result. She was confined to a wheel chair and had to have a feeding tube. Victoria required constant care.
Sylvia Robinson was not in a very good place in her life. She had lost her job and was in dire need of money to pay her rent and buy food. She was on her way to a job interview when she stopped to get some coffee and noticed a woman choking. Sylvia tried to help the woman but it backfired in her face. The woman accused Sylvia of trying to harm her. Adam happened to have been a customer at the restaurant when all this was happening and came to Sylvia’s rescue. He claimed to have witnessed the entire thing and defended Sylvia’s actions. Adam and Sylvia ended up having coffee. After Sylvia admitted that she was supposed to have been on her way to a job interview but was no longer presentable to go to it, Adam offered Sylvia a job as a companion to his invalid wife, Victoria. Sylvia could not let this opportunity slip through her fingers. Adam was paying her more money than she ever thought possible. Of course Sylvia accepted the position. Sylvia soon discovered that things between Adam and Victoria did not add up. The house did not feel right. It gave her the creeps. Sylvia found Adam to be so attractive though. He was so devoted to Victoria or was he? Then Victoria got Sylvia to read her diary. Would Sylvia be able to discover the truth?
I did enjoy parts of this audiobook. Other parts were either obvious, far fetched or frustrating. It did keep my attention enough that I listened to the entire thing. I did not like Victoria’s character. I found her to be gullible and way too trusting and unable to make decisions when she needed to. For a smart woman she missed so many warning signs. Adam’s character made me cringe. He was every woman’s worst nightmare.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 9, 2024
❝𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐. 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐. 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈.❞
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
❥𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚:
Sylvia's down bad.. with no rent money, she’s facing homelessness. that’s when she meets Adam at a diner. . Adam's looking for someone to watch over his wife, Victoria, who got hurt really bad in an accident.
Sylvia's hesitant, Adam’s place is in the middle of nowhere, she doesn’t know how to feel about Victoria and she's not exactly a healthcare pro.
❝ 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪’𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴. 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵. 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦. 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘪𝘵.❞
however, does she really have a choice?
with no other options, she accepts his offer that comes with free housing and an amazing salary.
when Sylvia first meets Victoria, she seems lost in her own world. but as Sylvia spends time with Victoria, she notices Victoria is more aware than she first appeared. the more they interact, the more it seems clear Victoria wants to tell her something. when Victoria leads Sylvia to her dairy, hidden away in a drawer, she starts reading.. what she finds inside flips everything upside down.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
❥𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏:
this one might be a little to close for comfort..
like basically every other review says, it’s very very similar to verity.
full disclosure: i don’t really like colleen hoover, so for me this felt like i was experiencing verity, written by a good author.
anyway, i still enjoyed it! the twists and turns kept coming and it kept me highly entertained from beginning to end.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
❥𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚:
Sylvia's down bad.. with no rent money, she’s facing homelessness. that’s when she meets Adam at a diner. . Adam's looking for someone to watch over his wife, Victoria, who got hurt really bad in an accident.
Sylvia's hesitant, Adam’s place is in the middle of nowhere, she doesn’t know how to feel about Victoria and she's not exactly a healthcare pro.
❝ 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪’𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴. 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵. 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦. 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘪𝘵.❞
however, does she really have a choice?
with no other options, she accepts his offer that comes with free housing and an amazing salary.
when Sylvia first meets Victoria, she seems lost in her own world. but as Sylvia spends time with Victoria, she notices Victoria is more aware than she first appeared. the more they interact, the more it seems clear Victoria wants to tell her something. when Victoria leads Sylvia to her dairy, hidden away in a drawer, she starts reading.. what she finds inside flips everything upside down.
· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
❥𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏:
this one might be a little to close for comfort..
like basically every other review says, it’s very very similar to verity.
full disclosure: i don’t really like colleen hoover, so for me this felt like i was experiencing verity, written by a good author.
anyway, i still enjoyed it! the twists and turns kept coming and it kept me highly entertained from beginning to end.
August 14, 2020
Nice twists. Very neat 'ring' ending. Poor Vic.
Q:
She’s going to sue me for everything I’ve got? Well, good luck. ... She can have my debt if she wants it. (c)
Q:
As I walked into the foyer of our new potential home, the first thought I had was that if I screamed, nobody would be able to hear me. (c)
Q:
And that seems to be the essence of our marriage sometimes. He lies to me because he thinks I won’t ever know the difference. (c)
Q:
She’s going to sue me for everything I’ve got? Well, good luck. ... She can have my debt if she wants it. (c)
Q:
As I walked into the foyer of our new potential home, the first thought I had was that if I screamed, nobody would be able to hear me. (c)
Q:
And that seems to be the essence of our marriage sometimes. He lies to me because he thinks I won’t ever know the difference. (c)
August 31, 2023
I think this is probably one of the worst books if not the worst I've read this year. I think that pretty much everyone who has read this book can agree it's eerily similar to that of Colleen Hoover's "Verity". You can forgive one similar plotline especially if the author didn't know Verity existed, but from what I've heard Freida McFadden's other books are based on other existing books and that seems like no coincidence. There seems to be a fair bit of plagiarism going on here. Anyway let me get on with this review and why this book sucked.
❄️ Storyline ❄️
Sylvia or Sylvie is a poor and struggling young woman who is randomly offered a job that sounds too good to be true in a diner by a super hot guy called Adam. The job which seems like a doss, is to keep Adam's brain damaged wife, Victoria, company. It's not even a carer job! I swear that Sylvie probably works two hours a day max! So she gets paid handsomely to do nothing and gets to live in Adam and Victoria's house free of charge. Victoria can barely communicate but manages to point Sylvie to her diary which reveals the secret to her accident and relationship with Adam.
❄️ Strengths ❄️
💪 Not many tbh. The first third of the story was quite compelling and gripping but then it soon got boring, repetitive and frustrating.
💪 I liked the eerie and isolated setting which definitely added suspense and mystery. Although similar to Verity, the story seemed like it could be an interesting domestic thriller.
❄️ Weaknesses ❄️
❌ I pretty much disliked all of the characters. There wasn't even a pet in the story for me to root for! All of the women in the story were so incredibly dumb and naive!! They pretty much lose their shit over a hot guy even though he's one huge walking red flag! 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩 He's a psychopath but they don't care because he's hot. Seriously?? These women are like bitches in heat around this guy.
I do think that literature that epitomises domestic abuse is important. I'm sick of reading about weak women who allow a man to control them and don't develop a backbone. I want to read about strong women who are done with being the victim, see past a hot guy and grow a backbone, taking matters into their own hands like in The Last Mrs Parrish.
Victoria has COUNTLESS opportunities to escape Adam but she puts up with him because he's hot and sometimes sweet to her, plus being married is some kind of great status symbol. In her eyes it's better to be married even if your husband is an absolute asshole than be single and alone. What message does that give to women?? Victoria is meant to be smart but she's so dumb. She makes excuses for Adam all the time.
Sylvie is no better and thinks that oh because Adam is so nice to her surely the red flags in the diary can't be true. 🤦♀️ Oy oy oy. How dumb and naive can you be?? The guy is a freak and all of the women make excuses for him. Adam practically has his own harem in the household. He basically hires a bunch of women so he can shag them all and they're all happy to share him.
Adam is just a psychopath. I don't know how Victoria continually puts up with Adam's shit and behavior which continually gets worse and worse and doesn't see how dangerous he is!! Even I predicted him killing Mack and pushing Victoria down the stairs!!
❌ The story was so damn PREDICTABLE!! I predicted the so called "twist" from a mile away! The writer tries to spin the crazy bitch wife angle but then ends up spinning it back to the psychopathic hubby. So unoriginal and dumb. If I were Sylvie I would have handed the diary over to the police right away!! Why ponder over it when there's incriminating evidence in there?? Maggie and Adam try to make it seem like Victoria was crazy- "she got fired, she threw a toaster at Adam, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia etc etc." If Sylvie was smart enough she would do some more research about Victoria i.e try to find proof of any "psychiatric illness" like letters from doctors or job dismissal letters. Again she trusts the psychopathic hot guy and the over friendly cleaner Maggie who is schtupping Adam as well!
❌ Literally nothing happens in the story apart from Sylvie and Victoria swooning over Adam, Sylvie's dilemma over schtupping her boss, and Victoria's entries about Adam's shitty treatment of her. The story is slow paced, frustrating and predictable. There are no thrills or any action. There's no secrets or exciting twists or turns.
❌ The ending is just so stupid and unrealistic. Adam is about to shoot Sylvie but her high school love Freddy swoops in to save her. Then there's Maggie's revelation which makes zero sense. Why protect a guy who has pretty much been shagging the whole household and is a psychopath???
❌ The writing is very basic and repetitive- it's like it's written by a teenaged girl. There's a lot of telling but not much showing going on.
❄️ Conclusion ❄️
If you're into stories about psychopathic hot bosses, dumb women who fall at their feet and predictable formulaic "twists", you'll love this. I don't think I'll be reading any more of Freida McFadden's books as it seems like this author not only writes like a teenager, but steals plots from other stories. Even Verity was a hell of a lot better than this and I only gave Verity two stars!
❄️ Grading ❄️
Character development: E
Ending: D-
Plot: D-
Setting: B
Suspense: C-
Writing style: D
Overall grade: D-
❄️ Storyline ❄️
Sylvia or Sylvie is a poor and struggling young woman who is randomly offered a job that sounds too good to be true in a diner by a super hot guy called Adam. The job which seems like a doss, is to keep Adam's brain damaged wife, Victoria, company. It's not even a carer job! I swear that Sylvie probably works two hours a day max! So she gets paid handsomely to do nothing and gets to live in Adam and Victoria's house free of charge. Victoria can barely communicate but manages to point Sylvie to her diary which reveals the secret to her accident and relationship with Adam.
❄️ Strengths ❄️
💪 Not many tbh. The first third of the story was quite compelling and gripping but then it soon got boring, repetitive and frustrating.
💪 I liked the eerie and isolated setting which definitely added suspense and mystery. Although similar to Verity, the story seemed like it could be an interesting domestic thriller.
❄️ Weaknesses ❄️
❌ I pretty much disliked all of the characters. There wasn't even a pet in the story for me to root for! All of the women in the story were so incredibly dumb and naive!! They pretty much lose their shit over a hot guy even though he's one huge walking red flag! 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩 He's a psychopath but they don't care because he's hot. Seriously?? These women are like bitches in heat around this guy.
I do think that literature that epitomises domestic abuse is important. I'm sick of reading about weak women who allow a man to control them and don't develop a backbone. I want to read about strong women who are done with being the victim, see past a hot guy and grow a backbone, taking matters into their own hands like in The Last Mrs Parrish.
Victoria has COUNTLESS opportunities to escape Adam but she puts up with him because he's hot and sometimes sweet to her, plus being married is some kind of great status symbol. In her eyes it's better to be married even if your husband is an absolute asshole than be single and alone. What message does that give to women?? Victoria is meant to be smart but she's so dumb. She makes excuses for Adam all the time.
Sylvie is no better and thinks that oh because Adam is so nice to her surely the red flags in the diary can't be true. 🤦♀️ Oy oy oy. How dumb and naive can you be?? The guy is a freak and all of the women make excuses for him. Adam practically has his own harem in the household. He basically hires a bunch of women so he can shag them all and they're all happy to share him.
Adam is just a psychopath. I don't know how Victoria continually puts up with Adam's shit and behavior which continually gets worse and worse and doesn't see how dangerous he is!! Even I predicted him killing Mack and pushing Victoria down the stairs!!
❌ The story was so damn PREDICTABLE!! I predicted the so called "twist" from a mile away! The writer tries to spin the crazy bitch wife angle but then ends up spinning it back to the psychopathic hubby. So unoriginal and dumb. If I were Sylvie I would have handed the diary over to the police right away!! Why ponder over it when there's incriminating evidence in there?? Maggie and Adam try to make it seem like Victoria was crazy- "she got fired, she threw a toaster at Adam, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia etc etc." If Sylvie was smart enough she would do some more research about Victoria i.e try to find proof of any "psychiatric illness" like letters from doctors or job dismissal letters. Again she trusts the psychopathic hot guy and the over friendly cleaner Maggie who is schtupping Adam as well!
❌ Literally nothing happens in the story apart from Sylvie and Victoria swooning over Adam, Sylvie's dilemma over schtupping her boss, and Victoria's entries about Adam's shitty treatment of her. The story is slow paced, frustrating and predictable. There are no thrills or any action. There's no secrets or exciting twists or turns.
❌ The ending is just so stupid and unrealistic. Adam is about to shoot Sylvie but her high school love Freddy swoops in to save her. Then there's Maggie's revelation which makes zero sense. Why protect a guy who has pretty much been shagging the whole household and is a psychopath???
❌ The writing is very basic and repetitive- it's like it's written by a teenaged girl. There's a lot of telling but not much showing going on.
❄️ Conclusion ❄️
If you're into stories about psychopathic hot bosses, dumb women who fall at their feet and predictable formulaic "twists", you'll love this. I don't think I'll be reading any more of Freida McFadden's books as it seems like this author not only writes like a teenager, but steals plots from other stories. Even Verity was a hell of a lot better than this and I only gave Verity two stars!
❄️ Grading ❄️
Character development: E
Ending: D-
Plot: D-
Setting: B
Suspense: C-
Writing style: D
Overall grade: D-
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2023
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This showed up on a list of Jane Eyre retellings. I've said in other reviews that the original Jane Eyre was kind of half-romance, half-thriller, so retellings tend to go either way since most authors can't capture the gothic ambiance of the original... and that's fine. I'm not a purist and I'll happily read either iteration of one of my classic faves.
THE WIFE UPSTAIRS is about Sylvia. The book opens with her saving a woman from choking in a restaurant... but the woman is a scammer who then threatens to sue her for saving her life. A man witnesses the whole thing, stands up for Sylvia, and then they get to talking. He finds out she's looking for a job and guess what? He's hiring. He's a famous novelist looking for a companion for his wife, who was in a terrible accident. She spends all day in the attic room, alone, receiving drugs and food through a tube. Isolated, except for her nurse and the housekeeper.
Sylvia agrees and receives free room and board in the couple's remote estate in Montauk. And right away, things seem fishy. Sylvia finds a notebook in the wife, Victoria's room, which turns out to be Victoria's journal. And what she finds in the journal doesn't quite add up with the account that she's received from the husband, Adam. Worse, it paints a rather dark picture.
Because Victoria might be lying too.
This book was pretty hard to read for a lot of reasons. I just read DRAGONWYCK by Anya Seton and talked about how it had a lot of fat-shaming. This book, THE WIFE UPSTAIRS, has a similar problem, in that it has a lot of ableism. The way that Sylvia talks about Victoria, and the language she uses, is pretty dehumanizing and awful. There's a lot of talk about how pathetic she is, and how she's a shadow of her former self, and how "lucky" she is that Adam didn't "stuff" her in a home. None of these characters are supposed to be particularly likable, so I'm sure that was a deliberate choice to show what assholes the characters are, but it's still jarring to read, and I thought I'd mention it here just in case someone doesn't want to read that, coming from the protagonist.
As for the story itself... it was fine. Other people have said this was a lot like VERITY and I agree that they had a lot of the same tropes. The core stories are different, though, and so are the endings. I personally thought VERITY was a little better and did the whole suspense thing a little better. I found myself skipping THE WIFE UPSTAIRS a lot. Some of the twists are the same, too, so I think if you read VERITY, you probably won't be as impressed with THE WIFE UPSTAIRS. I found myself guessing what was going to happen pretty early in the book. It wasn't exact but it was close enough.
2.5 to 3 stars
July 3, 2023
3.75 rounded up to 4 stars.
TW: abusive relationship, body shaming
This was my 5th book (3rd in a row) by this author.
This was a very gripping read that I read practically in on sitting (I only needed a break for grocery shopping and cooking).
I enjoyed the storyline and its structure.
The abusive relationship here is quite crazy,
As for the plot, there was nothing that original. I even thought that I was reading a better version of “Verity”, by Colleen Hoover. I seen it before in several different books, but it was highly entertaining, especially the audiobook narrated by Angie Kane.
The main character is so naive! But I did feel some sympathy.
Seeing Victoria’s desperation in trying to communicate with Sylvia was heartbreaking and exasperating at the same time, especially during the audiobook.
Although there are plenty of foolishness, I thought that it was a very enjoyable fast read, hence my ratings.
e-book (Kindle): 419 pages (default)
Audiobook narrated by Angie Kane: 10.1 hours (normal speed)
Paperback: 413 pages (62 chapters)
TW: abusive relationship, body shaming
This was my 5th book (3rd in a row) by this author.
This was a very gripping read that I read practically in on sitting (I only needed a break for grocery shopping and cooking).
I enjoyed the storyline and its structure.
The abusive relationship here is quite crazy,
As for the plot, there was nothing that original. I even thought that I was reading a better version of “Verity”, by Colleen Hoover. I seen it before in several different books, but it was highly entertaining, especially the audiobook narrated by Angie Kane.
The main character is so naive! But I did feel some sympathy.
Seeing Victoria’s desperation in trying to communicate with Sylvia was heartbreaking and exasperating at the same time, especially during the audiobook.
Although there are plenty of foolishness, I thought that it was a very enjoyable fast read, hence my ratings.
e-book (Kindle): 419 pages (default)
Audiobook narrated by Angie Kane: 10.1 hours (normal speed)
Paperback: 413 pages (62 chapters)
September 23, 2022
THE WIFE UPSTAIRS is a psychological thriller by bestselling author Freida McFadden. This is the fifth book I have read from this author, and having loved her novels, I was eager to start reading The Wife Upstairs. As an avid reader of psychological thrillers, I can only say, treat yourself and read all of her books! Her books are so good!
Her Standalone Books Include:
Baby City (2015)
The Surrogate Mother (2018) (Read)
The Ex (2019) (Read)
The Perfect Son (2019) (Read)
The Wife Upstairs (2020) (Read)
One By One (2020)
Want to Know a Secret? (2021)
The Locked Door (2021)
Do Not Disturb (2021)
Do You Remember? (2022)
The Housemaid (2022) (Read)
The Inmate (2022)
Never Lie (2022)
This is my review of The Wife Upstairs.
They meet unexpectedly in a diner…and their lives would be forever changed.
Adam Barnett, a New York Times best-selling author is a handsome and loving husband. He is at the diner to interview an applicant for a full-time caregiver for his wife, Victoria, who is confined to the top floor of their house, unable to walk, talk, feed or dress herself, after a terrible accident. But the applicant never shows up…
Sylvia Robinson needs a job, and when Sylvia steps into action to save the life of a diner in distress, Adam feels that Sylvia would be perfect for his wife.
Adam offers Sylvia the job, with lots of benefits, free accommodation and a generous salary, but it means moving from Brooklyn to a remote area of Long Island. Sylvia desperately needs a job, but she has a sensation of doom lingering overhead. Sylvia accepts the position.
Victoria used to work as a nurse practitioner in ER, where she met Adam as a patient.
But it soon becomes apparent to Sylvia, that Victoria isn’t as impaired as she was led to believe. There’s a story Victoria desperately wants to tell... if only she could get out the words.
Then Sylvia discovers Victoria’s diary hidden away in a drawer, and she starts to read it, and learn more about Victoria. And this is where everything changed…
This was an easy read, but a little more predictable than some of her other books, but I still enjoyed it.
Her Standalone Books Include:
Baby City (2015)
The Surrogate Mother (2018) (Read)
The Ex (2019) (Read)
The Perfect Son (2019) (Read)
The Wife Upstairs (2020) (Read)
One By One (2020)
Want to Know a Secret? (2021)
The Locked Door (2021)
Do Not Disturb (2021)
Do You Remember? (2022)
The Housemaid (2022) (Read)
The Inmate (2022)
Never Lie (2022)
This is my review of The Wife Upstairs.
They meet unexpectedly in a diner…and their lives would be forever changed.
Adam Barnett, a New York Times best-selling author is a handsome and loving husband. He is at the diner to interview an applicant for a full-time caregiver for his wife, Victoria, who is confined to the top floor of their house, unable to walk, talk, feed or dress herself, after a terrible accident. But the applicant never shows up…
Sylvia Robinson needs a job, and when Sylvia steps into action to save the life of a diner in distress, Adam feels that Sylvia would be perfect for his wife.
Adam offers Sylvia the job, with lots of benefits, free accommodation and a generous salary, but it means moving from Brooklyn to a remote area of Long Island. Sylvia desperately needs a job, but she has a sensation of doom lingering overhead. Sylvia accepts the position.
Victoria used to work as a nurse practitioner in ER, where she met Adam as a patient.
But it soon becomes apparent to Sylvia, that Victoria isn’t as impaired as she was led to believe. There’s a story Victoria desperately wants to tell... if only she could get out the words.
Then Sylvia discovers Victoria’s diary hidden away in a drawer, and she starts to read it, and learn more about Victoria. And this is where everything changed…
This was an easy read, but a little more predictable than some of her other books, but I still enjoyed it.
March 21, 2022
Summary: A woman agrees to take care of a disabled woman who may not be as out of it as she seems. Who is really the villain in this situation?
Overall: 1.5/5 stars This read like a Verity copycat and was very repetitive. The rapid-fire events of the last 50 pages are the only thing that prevented this from being 1 star.
Characters: 3/10: Stock characters with very little identifying characteristics.
Uniqueness: 1/10
Plot:4/10 This dragged in the middle but did pick up at the very end.
Cover: 7/10
Atmosphere:3/10 The author kept telling us we were scared and trapped instead of showing it with descriptions.
Knowledge: 6/10 I appreciate that the author is a doctor who has insight into brain injuries.
Enjoyment: 4/10 An easy read, but utterly unoriginal.
Overall: 1.5/5 stars This read like a Verity copycat and was very repetitive. The rapid-fire events of the last 50 pages are the only thing that prevented this from being 1 star.
Characters: 3/10: Stock characters with very little identifying characteristics.
Uniqueness: 1/10
Plot:4/10 This dragged in the middle but did pick up at the very end.
Cover: 7/10
Atmosphere:3/10 The author kept telling us we were scared and trapped instead of showing it with descriptions.
Knowledge: 6/10 I appreciate that the author is a doctor who has insight into brain injuries.
Enjoyment: 4/10 An easy read, but utterly unoriginal.
July 4, 2023
3.75
I was very interested throughout the whole book even though I knew this book was a lot like Verity. So I did kind of guess some of the plot twists. I still had a fun time. I couldn’t put the book down.
I was very interested throughout the whole book even though I knew this book was a lot like Verity. So I did kind of guess some of the plot twists. I still had a fun time. I couldn’t put the book down.
July 3, 2023
3⭐️ If I could read this entire book in one sitting, why couldn’t Sylvia read Vicky’s diary in one sitting? I feel like that would have made a huge difference for her actions. Why treat it like a daily devotional? Girl. Just binge it next time, save yourself some trouble.
Yes, it’s basically Verity - but it was still a fine book.
Yes, it’s basically Verity - but it was still a fine book.
January 28, 2022
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 3.75 Stars
Story - 3.75 Stars
July 10, 2024
Listened to this as an audiobook, and the narrator was so good! I just got frustrated because I would have had Vicki's diary read IN ONE NIGHT!!! Why did it take so long, aaahhhh 🤣
December 18, 2023
The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden is a twisted psychological thriller that explores the dark side of marriage, secrets, and lies.
The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden is a psychological thriller that I have mixed feelings about. It was a fast-paced and suspenseful read, with a lot of twists and turns. The author did a good job of creating complex and flawed characters, and a plot that kept me guessing until the end. The book also touched on some interesting themes, such as the role of women in society, the power of manipulation, and the consequences of lies.
However, I also have to admit, I was not completely satisfied with this book. There were some aspects of the book that I found lacking or unrealistic. For example, I found the diary entries too long, boring, and repetitive. They did not add much to the story, and they only made me lose interest in Victoria’s character. I also found Victoria’s character too trusting and gullible, especially when she ignored the obvious signs of trouble in her relationship. I felt frustrated and impatient to read pages after pages of a sweet love turns to a disaster through a naive point of view, especially when the red flag appeared in the beginning. It’s quite hard to believe that both women could be so easily manipulated and deceived by the same way. The plot was not very original, as it was similar to many other domestic abuse books, but it was still well-executed and engaging.
The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden is a psychological thriller that I have mixed feelings about. It was a fast-paced and suspenseful read, with a lot of twists and turns. The author did a good job of creating complex and flawed characters, and a plot that kept me guessing until the end. The book also touched on some interesting themes, such as the role of women in society, the power of manipulation, and the consequences of lies.
However, I also have to admit, I was not completely satisfied with this book. There were some aspects of the book that I found lacking or unrealistic. For example, I found the diary entries too long, boring, and repetitive. They did not add much to the story, and they only made me lose interest in Victoria’s character. I also found Victoria’s character too trusting and gullible, especially when she ignored the obvious signs of trouble in her relationship. I felt frustrated and impatient to read pages after pages of a sweet love turns to a disaster through a naive point of view, especially when the red flag appeared in the beginning. It’s quite hard to believe that both women could be so easily manipulated and deceived by the same way. The plot was not very original, as it was similar to many other domestic abuse books, but it was still well-executed and engaging.
July 25, 2022
DNF @ 17%. This book is a complete knock-off of Colleen Hoover's Verity (which was published 2 years prior to The Wife Upstairs). I tried to separate the two in my head, but it was literally like reading the same manuscript with only names changed. I'm a huge Freida McFadden fan, but this one totally missed the mark. Sadly, I must move on to something fresh and never before done (or copied).
April 10, 2023
Given that I have now read too many Freida McFadden books that I have found are just way too similar to or much the same as other books published first that I've read, I have decided to reasses my ratings. I'll leave my original review for what I thought at the time, but don't want to support this.
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This was an outstanding psychological thriller! The twists throughout, the build up and suspense were next to none. Even when you think there couldn't possibly be any more twists, then comes the biggest and most shocking.
If you start reading this book and think it closely resembles another book in this genre (won't name names so as to avoid spoilers), I agree. I thought I was reading much the same book as a book I had read by a different author that was published first.
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This was an outstanding psychological thriller! The twists throughout, the build up and suspense were next to none. Even when you think there couldn't possibly be any more twists, then comes the biggest and most shocking.
If you start reading this book and think it closely resembles another book in this genre (won't name names so as to avoid spoilers), I agree. I thought I was reading much the same book as a book I had read by a different author that was published first.
May 4, 2024
“We have Verity at home”
October 13, 2020
Spoilers ahead ****
I said I wouldn't read this author again but I lied. Well this time I mean it. I liked finishing the book to see what happened, but other than that I'm peeved at everything about this book. Like the author's other book the main character is annoying and juvenile. Actually all the characters are annoying. Even Victoria.
Spoiler alert **** why would she stay with Adam? The author creates Long Island as some kind of isolated wilderness. Its Long Island!! It's a city unto itself. This lady gets two hundred bucks a week allowance! Call a friggen uber! You're a nurse. Go get a job! Long Island has medical care of all kinds. Just frustrating and stupid. Never again. Plus this story is almost identical to Verity by Colleen Hoover. Just not half as good.
I said I wouldn't read this author again but I lied. Well this time I mean it. I liked finishing the book to see what happened, but other than that I'm peeved at everything about this book. Like the author's other book the main character is annoying and juvenile. Actually all the characters are annoying. Even Victoria.
Spoiler alert **** why would she stay with Adam? The author creates Long Island as some kind of isolated wilderness. Its Long Island!! It's a city unto itself. This lady gets two hundred bucks a week allowance! Call a friggen uber! You're a nurse. Go get a job! Long Island has medical care of all kinds. Just frustrating and stupid. Never again. Plus this story is almost identical to Verity by Colleen Hoover. Just not half as good.
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