THE WIDOW
by Fiona Barton
The Widow is definitely what celebrity chef and influencer Serena Wolf would call a “medium trashy novel.” She often reviews and recommends books of this type on her instagram. I think Wolf would define “medium trashy” as not requiring much effort to read, with a plot that may be somewhat silly, but the writing is good and you thoroughly enjoy yourself. That definition fits The Widow perfectly.
A bit on the dark side, The Widow very cleverly unravels the kidnapping case of a two-year-old girl. As a new-ish mom this subject would normally send me running, but for some reason I got really into this one. I think it’s because Barton writes from three characters' perspectives -- none of them the mother of the little girl.
The story jumps around in time quite a bit, but it begins after the main suspect in the case has died leaving his wife a widow. She is inundated by press, and one charming and skilled reporter manages to score an interview. These two women share the narrative with the lead detective on the case. The author unfolds the case in real time as discoveries are made, but also jumps ahead to the widow telling her story years later.
Barton kept me turning pages way past my bedtime, and although it is certainly not a light subject matter, I thoroughly enjoyed being sucked into the drama. The Widow will make a perfect beach read this summer. (Lily)
