The Other Mrs Miller by Allison Dickson

 

The Other Mrs. Miller by Allison Dickson

Release Date - July 16, 2019 

Publisher Website - Penguin Random House Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter

Pages - 343 pages
My Rating - 4/5

**borrowed from library**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Two women are watching each other.

Phoebe Miller isn't sure when the rusty car started showing up in the cul-de-sac she calls home, or why its driver would be spying on her. What could be interesting about an unhappy housewife who drowns her sorrows in ice cream and wine and barely leaves her house?

Only one knows why.

When a new family moves in across the street--the exuberant Vicki, who just might become the gossipy best friend Phoebe's always wanted, and her handsome college-bound son, Jake, who offers companionship of a different variety--Phoebe finds her dull routine infused with the excitement she's been missing. But with her head turned she's no longer focused on the woman in the car. And she really should be...

An addictive domestic thriller for fans of The Last Mrs. Parrish and The Couple Next Door, The Other Mrs. Miller serves up a delicious brew of dark secrets and stunning plot twists that will keep you captivated until the very last page.

Mysteries and thrillers are the sort of reads that are usually best enjoyed by knowing as little as possible going in. They work because of the twists and turns that the story takes readers on. The Other Mrs. Miller is exactly this kind of book. The less you know the better when it comes to this domestic thriller.

This book is both familiar feeling and offers just enough to make it feel uniquely its own. Fans of the genre will find recognizable tropes within this story which is part of the fun of reading any thriller. The atmosphere and writing help create a campy, fun tone which allows for this to be a compulsively readable book.

Phoebe, one of the Mrs. Millers from the title, is cut from a very familiar cloth - an unhappy housewife with a drinking problem and too many secrets. She manages to feel like a long time friend in her familiarity but one that can still surprise you. It should not be a surprise that she is a hot mess but it works for both the character and the story. When a new neighbour, Vicki, enters the picture things get even more interesting and twisty. I enjoyed all of the characters in this in some manner or another. It's key for the characters to match the tone of the book. They need to feel like they are part of the world that is being created and the author has definitely captured that here.

There is, like with most thrillers, a bit of suspension of disbelief that needs to happen for you to become fully immersed in the story. Allow yourself to be taken on the ride the story wants to take you on and you will be entertained. It is the type of book that begs to be enjoyed with a glass (or two) of wine.

The second half of the book, for me, was not as strong as the first. I flew through the first part of the book but I felt the second half felt longer thanks to the pacing of the second half.

The Other Mrs. Miller is one of those thrillers that is also fun to read. A book that leads readers to unexpected places and entertains along the way. If you love reading unputdownable thrillers I suggest giving this one a try.