Black Widows: A Novel
by Cate Quinn
Black Widows (12/21/2020)
"Black Widows" sets the stage for what could have been a gripping read. Unfortunately the author loses the reader with silly subplots i.e. Las Vegas. Based on the premise of polygamy in the Mormon Faith, first wife Rachel, sister-wife Emily and sister-wife Tina, create interesting aspects of living in a plural marriage. Their shared husband Blake is found dead and each is considered a murder suspect. All three wives carry baggage from their past, giving provocative thought to one's low self-esteem and the search for love. Initially Quinn's characters come alive in the first half of her book. Each chapter is like opening a sealed envelope, revealing secret information about each of Blake's three wives. At times the investigation into Blake's murder seems gratuitous and clumsy. There are a few twists and turns, but a sappy ending gives this book a B-.