June 30, 2026
Edelweiss
Poisoned Pen Press
Fiction, thriller, psychological, ebook, arc,
368 pages
4/5
Read: 5/6/26-5/7/26
This book captivated me from page 1 and I had a hard time putting it down until I realized it was 2am! Although I found the plot fairly predictable, (I read a lot of psychological thrillers!) I was drawn into the hysterical internal dialogue of the narrator, Jodi. It is immediately evident that she is not mentally stable but that doesn’t say much after you meet the other characters. The story unfolds at a reasonable pace leaving no time for your mind to wander. The obsessive minutia of the protagonist supports her mental instability. Just as you begin to get a grasp of the “true” story there’s another angle added to make you reconsider your opinion. I’m not into spoilers so I will suggest holding onto your seat and making sure you have time to spare because you might find it hard to put down!
The story begins with Jodi at the police station with blood on her shirt. Then, it reverts to “two weeks prior”. After finishing the novel at this point, it hardly seems likely that the events that transpire only occurred within a 2 week span. After meeting at a charity gala where Jodi is a server and collides with Dr Roy Davies. He is a renowned psychologist with several published books and TV appearances. She offers to pay for his dry cleaning which leads to drinks and eventually her claim to be pregnant and 3 months later they marry. Because of the age difference it’s no surprise that his friend group are very suspicious of Jodi’s motives especially given her constant interrogation regarding Roy’s recently decreased wife, Deborah.
It’s evident that Jodi does have a motive for getting close to Dr Davies and it isn’t as clear cut as it may seem to those around her. Things begin to come together as Jodi begins to describe her childhood and her relationship with her sister Deb who was the only friend she ever had. As Jodi tries to ingratiate herself into this new life, she doesn’t succeed with trying to impress people with her overly aggressive housewife antics. She is particularly hostile to Marie, the long time live-in house cleaner for Dr Davies. Jodi’s hyper vigilance often causes conflict with those around her as she struggles to control her environment. Needless to say, Jodi becomes more desperate as her search for information is unsuccessful.
The story becomes more complicated when the affair Roy had with “Vee” is exposed. Jodi senses she may be closing in on the truth of what happened to the former Mrs Davies. She finds in impossible to believe the reports of suicide with a rifle due to depression. Jodi appears to be constantly pulling at strings to see which one might unravel the story she seeks.
It soon becomes clear that Jodi is on a mission for revenge but does she really know the whole story? Are things as clear cut as they seem to be in her mind?
Thanks to Edelweiss+ and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book. This review contains my unbiased and honest opinion of the novel.
https://www.edelweiss.plus/?sku=1464247552&g=4400
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8581059327
https://bookwormreviewblog.blogspot.com/2026/05/coming-in-june-2026-housewife-by.html
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