The Widows #1
ISBN: 9781728294018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 04/02/2024
Format: paperback and audio
My Rating: 5 Stars
"An 80s romp with big hair and even bigger secrets! Grab your popcorn and settle in for this incredibly fun and twisty read." ― Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author of You Shouldn't Have Come Here
1985, Rhode Island.
A private jet carrying four partners of a Providence law firm crashes outside New York City, killing all aboard but leaving behind more questions than answers and setting the stage for four widows to find the truth.
Justine: a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life
Camille: a beautiful, young second wife whom some suspect is a gold digger
Meredith: a stripper who was in a relationship with the firm's only female partner
Krystle: a founding partner's wife committed to the firm being a legacy for her sons
While the crash is initially ruled a tragic accident, something's not adding up: the team wasn't supposed to be in New York that day, and it's soon revealed there was a very large sum of cash that burned up with the plane.
The scene is as wild as '80s neon, and the manic chase to uncover the Mafia-laced secrets gives this rip-roaring read a rad vibe that will linger long after the '80s soundtrack fades and the hairspray falls.
"Young Rich Widows is hands down the most original thriller you'll read all year. Laugh out loud funny, twisty and full of surprises." ― Wendy Walker, international bestselling author of What Remains
My Review
Highly Entertaining!
If you are looking for a top-notch scandalous audiobook written by some of the top thriller authors (dream team)) with engaging narrators and four killer brilliant laugh-out-loud recently widowed—look no further!
YOUNG RICH WIDOWS earns a 5-star and I would love to see a sequel in the future! (Yes, we are getting it - more below). Think: “First Wives Club.” FUN. FUN!
Set in Providence, Rhode Island, in the 80s, there are four partners of a prominent law firm. They have been killed on a private jet plane crash. Was it intentional or an accident?
After further investigation and sleuthing, it appears they were associated with the mafia. Now the widows must band together which is difficult since they do not like one another.
The team wasn’t supposed to be in NY, and a large sum of cash burned up with the plane. Why were the four partners on the same plane? Were they part of the mafia, or were they in the middle of investigating them?
Now it is up to the four widows to find out what happened and, at the same time, keep themselves out of harm's way.
What really happened, and is there any evidence? Are they next? Is someone out for revenge? What about hidden messages?
Plus, there are secrets between these partners and the wives soon discover.
Justine: a former fashion model adjusting to suburban life.
Camille: a beautiful, young second wife some suspect is a gold digger.
Krystle: committed to leaving the firm to her sons after her husband worked his whole life to support them.
Meredith: (funny) a stripper at the local club who was in a secret relationship with the firm’s sole female partner.
Tragedy brought these four unlikely women together. These women do not get along, but before they are done, they must band together to keep safe and bring down the bad guys. These women are intelligent, tough, witty, and tenacious!
The widows must find the answers in order to protect their inheritance, their families, and their lives
Meet Authors: Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Vanessa Lillie. If you have not read their books, here is a chance to sample their work.
Each story fit seamlessly, glued to my e-book and audio until the satisfying conclusion.
Wild, crazy, and full of humor! What is not to like? It sounds as though this was a collaborative effort during the pandemic. So thank you, ladies, for providing some great entertainment! I loved meeting the widows, each with their unique personalities.
YOUNG RICH WIDOWS is a fun story of female competition and friendship exploring four women tragically thrown together and become friends, all set in the fun 80s and 90s. Also based on actual events of the 80s, from Providence's thriving Mafia to the early days of enforcing environmental regulations.
The e-book includes a Reading Group Guide and a fun Conversation with the Authors and the Widows! I look forward to listening to (#2 Widows) Desperate Deadly Widows (March 2024)
Special thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for a gifted digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Also listened to the audiobook: The narrators: Dina Pearlman, Karissa Vacker, Helen Laser, and Ariel Blake delivered an outstanding performance!
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 14, 2022
Praise
"An 80s romp with big hair and even bigger secrets! Grab your popcorn and settle in for this incredibly fun and twisty read."
― Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author of You Shouldn't Have Come Here
"Crazy fun!"
―Andrea Bartz, author of Reese’s Book Club pick and instant New York Times bestseller We Were Never Here
rtaining, and loads of fun! A one-sitting read!"
―Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish
"Almost impossible to stop listening. If you’re looking for an audiobook that’s fresh, fun, and full of surprises (bonus points for being set in the ‘80s), this is it."
―Tessa Wegert, author of Shana Merchant series
"Break out your crimpers and legwarmers because YOUNG RICH WIDOWS will have you (re)living the 80s in style. A phenomenal female-driven mob thriller that’s sure to keep you on your toes and make you laugh out loud. Belle, Fargo, Holahan, and Lillie make one heck of a dream writing team. Brilliantly crafted and highly entertaining!"
―Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of The Revenge List
"Funny, heartwarming and action-packed thriller you don't want to miss."
―New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf
"I loved the interactions between the widows, both when they’re at each other’s throats, and when they learn to coexist with―and maybe even care for?―each other."
―Megan Collins, bestselling author of The Family Plot
"Young Rich Widows is hands down the most original thriller you'll read all year. Laugh out loud funny, twisty and full of surprises."
―Wendy Walker, international bestselling author of What Remains
Desperate Deadly Widows
Book #2 THE WIDOWS
Narrated by: Dina Pearlman, Karissa Vacker, Helen Laser, Ariel Blake
Series: The Widows, Book 2
Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
Original Recording Audiobook
Release date: 03-19-24
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Originals
Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thriller & Suspense
My Rating: 5 Stars
About the Authors
Photo Sara Hanna Photography
Kimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eight novels, including The Personal Assistant, The Marriage Lie, a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery & Thriller, and the co-authored #1 Audible Original, Young Rich Widows. Her books have been published in dozens of languages and optioned for film and television. Keep up with Kimberly on Facebook (www.facebook.com/KimberlyBelleBooks), Twitter (@KimberlySBelle), Instagram (@KimberlySBelle) or via her website at www.kimberlybellebooks.com
Photo Credit: Katharine Hannah
Layne Fargo writes killer books for feminist killjoys. She's the author of the thriller novels TEMPER and THEY NEVER LEARN (currently in development as a television show), and coauthor of the bestselling Audible Original YOUNG RICH WIDOWS. She also co-created, co-hosts, and produces the podcast UNLIKEABLE FEMALE CHARACTERS on Lit Hub Radio. Layne lives in Chicago with a rescue pit bull and cat who are best friends, and the only man she never wants to murder (well, almost never). When she's not plotting twisted stories, she enjoys long walks in the local cemetery, binging trashy TV shows, and spending all her money at indie bookstores.
Catherine "Cate" Holahan is the USA Today bestselling author of The Widower's Wife (August 2016), Lies She Told (Sept. 2017), Dark Turns (November 2015), and One Little Secret (July 9, 2019). An award-winning journalist and former television producer, her articles have appeared in BusinessWeek, The Boston Globe, The Record newspaper, and on many web sites. She is a graduate of Princeton University and lives in New Jersey with her husband, two young daughters, and sometimes-good dog.
Vanessa Lillie is the Amazon Bestselling author of Little Voices, which received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Best Debuts 2019 by Bolo Books. She's a Board Member of Sisters in Crime and regular contributor to The Providence Journal. Her second thriller, For the Best, was a POPSUGAR Best-of and domestic thriller bestseller. Her coauthored Audible Original, Young Rich Widows, will be released Spring 2022. She's originally from Miami (Mi-am-MUH), Oklahoma and is a member of the Oklahoma Cherokee Nation. She now lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband and sloth-obsessed son. Smitten with the smallest state, she enjoys organizing book events and literary happenings in the city's robust creative community. Come hang out with her on Instagram @vanessalillie
