What do readers think of Black Widows by Cate Quinn? Write your own review.

Black Widows revolves around three very different women who happen to be sister wives. Much of the intrigue of the book is figuring out how these women and their lifestyle...works. The short chapters from the viewpoint of each of them adds to the suspense. Highly recommended.

In an arid lonely desert in Utah a man, a polygamist, and his three wives live in a very dilapidated house. When the story begins the man, Blake has been found brutally mutilated.
The story develops slowly as we meet the wives; they are all very different from each other and the only thing they really want is to please Blake.
As the investigation of Blake's death begins the wives are the only suspect. Which one killed him? I loved the way this story progresses as we meet the wives their stories and how they got here. We also find out a little of the Mormon rituals and religion.
I liked this story very much.

I loved this book and all of the tension that went with it! A list of characters that hit the mark and kept me guessing until the end. Subject matter that is certainly on the forefront right now...as it should be. No spoilers, read for yourself and prepare to be intrigued and spellbound.

To coin a phrase "this book had me at hello...". Short succinct chapters drew me in immediately. My curiosity about Mormons and other secretive groups such as Scientology, Jim Jones cult grabbed me. The three wives had well developed and distinct personalities and I felt sympathetic towards all three. The very short chapters moved the story along quickly and kept my interest piqued. My only problem, if there was one was that since the chapters were so short and my interest was so high I found myself reading till the wee hours of the night. This was a highly enjoyable read and perfect entertainment for a COVID-19 winter read!

Not your usual husband/wife thriller - one husband, three wives, with more wives on the way? One may never know because Blake is dead and all three wives are suspects. Through the story, with each wife telling their version, both with Blake and each other, their respective pasts are revealed. All three are untrustworthy, so which one comes closest to actually telling the truth. The subject matter about polygamy, and the parts about Homestead, a cult like living compound, where Rachel the first wife grew up, are somewhat uncomfortable to read. Yes, some sex is discussed, yet I did not find it too graphic. The …more chapters are short and the story moves along very smoothly. It is not hard to say "just one more chapter!" I would recommend this one and will read more from this author. (less)

Fun may not be exactly the right word for the feeling evoked by a murder mystery, but this book certainly did make me want to visit book stores, and talk to others about books once more. Let me explain: for the past year plus, so much of what I've seen being published has been books about some marginalized person or group, or about what's wrong with America and our way of life, or about being "woke." Frankly, I've found them tiresome. I read for entertainment, not for challenges to my core beliefs.

Then, along comes Black Widows by Cate Quinn, a well-written, absorbing, well-plotted book about three women married …more to the same man at the same time. Their husband has been murdered, but who is his killer? Quinn draws her characters well - each wife loves Blake, but each has a resentment or a problem with him, or with his extended family.

If you like mysteries and suspense as much as I do, and if you like to stay up late turning pages (even when you know you should turn off the lights), then you'll enjoy Black Widows! It's a "fun" read, a book that makes reading an interesting diversion rather than a rant. (less)

When interviewed regarding the writing process for the book, Ms. Quinn said "It was like a book that couldn't wait to be written." For me as a reader, it was like a book that could not wait to be read. I really liked the book and found the author's use of the chapters to identify and speak in the wives' voices very important to an understanding of the characters and their roles in the story.
When a cast of deeply flawed characters come together the result may be surprising.
Kept me guessing until the end.

I wish I had never read this book...so I could start over! As an inveterate reader of fiction, drawn to murder mysteries, courtroom drama, and police procedurals, I have read many books advertised as "page turners," even one called "un-putdownable." I have always dismissed those descriptions as hyperbole until I read Black Widows. What an engrossing, fun read! The author's technique of switching the narrative back and forth among the three sister-wives and moving back and forth in time is surprisingly easy to follow and perfect for this novel. Among my favorite characters were the two police detectives involved …more in the investigation. The dialogue, both between them and with the sister-wives, was so realistic, I felt like I was sitting in the room with them. Any reader who enjoys mining for clues will find Black Widows a fascinating and very satisfying read. (less)