#Book review # The other Mrs Miller by Allison Dickson

Phoebe’s recently lost her wealthy father Daniel, so she can probably be forgiven for keeping to her suburban house in a quiet cul-de-sac. She has no desire to interact with other people and would definitely like to avoid journalists and paparazzi. Since his death, Daniel has been accused of various kinds of harrassment and even rape by numerous women who were too afraid to talk about it earlier for the fear of retribution. Phoebe did not exactly have a happy childhood herself. Most of the time her father didn’t acknowledge her existence, and when he did, it was only to put her down or label as worthless.

Phoebe had her moment of rebellion when, having got accidentally pregnant, she got married to Wyatt. Unfortunately, the baby died, numerous fertility treatments proved to be futile, and Phoebe gradually realised that becoming a parent was her husband’s dream, not hers, as she is not a maternal type. Phoebe’s marriage is on the rocks, she doesn’t want to leave her house for any other reason apart from grocery shopping. Slowly, but steadily, Phoebe is letting herself go…

She’s rediscovered the grace in being childless, and how it affords limitless opportunities for poolside reading and day drinking. She has also found nirvana in wearing yoga pants with no intention of doing poses, peace in ignoring ingredient lists, calories and macro counts. Her favourite synonym for serenity is French: cabernet sauvignon.

A new family moves in the house next door, and Phoebe gets involved with the Napiers family life in all sorts of predictable and unpredictable ways.

In the second part of the book we see a different Phoebe Miller, somebody who is bold and resourceful, and is willing to act. I kept thinking about The Likeness by Tara French, where the murder victim was also somebody who kept reinventing herself and trying out diffrent lives, friendships and relationships. Of course, if you lead this kind of exhilarating life, what you cannot afford is trust in other people, which is earned and built over time. Is the other Mrs Miller ready to pay this price?

The Other Mrs Miller was a fast and engaging read. I just had to know what was going to happen next. At several points I wrote a note for myself with what I thought the future had in store for Phoebe Miller, and, of course, I was wrong! This dark and humorous book may not be particularly realistic (do you know many rich and socially disgraced heiresses?!?), but it is an interesting example of a domestic thriller. It definitely kept my attention until the very end.

Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P.Putnam’s sons for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Book Blurb:

In this unputdownable domestic suspense debut, a lonely suburban housewife finds her life entangled with the family that moves in across the street at the same time that she becomes convinced someone is watching her–perfect for fans of The Couple Next Door and The Last Mrs. Parrish.

Once a darling of Chicago’s social scene, Phoebe Miller fears she’s become irrelevant and cliché: just another miserably unfulfilled housewife who drowns her sorrows in Chardonnay and ice cream and barely leaves her house. Maybe it’s her dark thoughts and fertile imagination that lead her to believe the worst about everything she spies going on in the exclusive suburban cul de sac she calls home. But surely that rusty blue sedan that keeps idling by her driveway is a sign that she’s being watched. And that new family that just moved in across the street–Dr. Ron Napier, his vivacious wife, Vicki, and their handsome college-bound son, Jake–can’t be as perfect as they appear. Especially not with the bruises on Vicki’s arms and the fear in Jake’s eyes.

When a chance introduction to the exuberant Vicki–and a forbidden encounter with Jake–draws her out of her shell and deeper into the Napiers’ orbit, Phoebe’s life finally gets the infusion of excitement she’s been missing. But when anonymous threatening notes begin landing on her doorstep, she’ll have to ask herself just how well anyone can truly know their neighbors…and how close to home unforeseen danger sometimes lies.

• Have you read the other Mrs Miller or is it on your tbr?
• Do you like reading domestic thrillers? Do you expect them to be realistic?