Kimberly Belle | DEAR WIFE

Plot (via Goodreads):

Beth Murphy is on the run...

For nearly a year, Beth has been planning for this day. A day some people might call any other Wednesday, but Beth prefers to see it as her new beginning--one with a new look, new name and new city. Beth has given her plan significant thought, because one small slip and her violent husband will find her.

Sabine Hardison is missing...

A couple hundred miles away, Jeffrey returns home from a work trip to find his wife, Sabine, is missing. Wherever she is, she's taken almost nothing with her. Her abandoned car is the only evidence the police have, and all signs point to foul play.

As the police search for leads, the case becomes more and more convoluted. Sabine's carefully laid plans for her future indicate trouble at home, and a husband who would be better off with her gone. The detective on the case will stop at nothing to find out what happened and bring this missing woman home. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? The only thing that's certain is that someone is lying and the truth won't stay buried for long.

Review: 

Kimberly Belle is just a force to be reckoned with when it comes to highly addictive thrillers that suck you in from page one and are relentless within their grip. When I think of her writing, I think of her future fans that start with one book and have the ability to eagerly devour each and every story she has released in the past. I say this with a hint of jealously as as much as I enjoy the ability to read and review books before they are released, I feel that I'm at a standstill with Belle's writing because the minute I finish a novel by her, I am salivating at the thought of a new and shiny read coming through. That is your warning - Kimberly Belle is addictive. 

I loved the alternating perspective within this one. Between the mysterious Beth who is on the run from an abusive husband and the even more mysterious Jeffrey, who's wife Sabine is missing, each chapter was more enjoyable than the last. What I enjoyed the most about these alternating perspectives was that Beth's chapters and Jeffrey's chapters would end with mini-cliffhangers - moments I found it impossible to put down and even harder to resist the temptation to forgo all life responsibilities to get to the bottom of the story. I was filled with addiction and anxiety as I raced to the finale of this dazzling story. 

With a plot similar to Gone Girl and the other novels in this genre, Belle has a knack for taking a story-line you may or may not have heard before and crafting a harrowing and thrilling story woven in a shroud of mystery and intrigue. Even Jeffrey, who was unlikable was so entertaining to read and at times I didn't know what to believe about his marriage to Sabine. The contrast between his version of his relationship and the memories Beth has were not only immersive, but added such depth to the story. About a quarter of the way through, the tough-as-nails detective working the case is added as another perspective and I found myself falling even deeper into the rabbit hole of this chilling story. With the pacing that increases at a palpable rate, I was not prepared for the "oh my god" moments that included both large and small revelations. Moments that seemed not that important and things mentioned just for the sake of characterization are resurrected in a taunting manner and laugh in the face of the reader. Whatever you think you prepare yourself for, I guarantee this is an ending that will leave you breathless and chilled to the core...even in the heat of the summer.

Special thanks to Park Row Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5