The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

 

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie––not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

 

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past––or his––catches up to her?

Publisher: St. Martin's Press | Genre: Domestic Thriller  | Pages: 290 | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3 Cups

  

It was the modern Jane Eyre aspect of this book that had my curiosity piqued. It’s very rare that we get a modern Jane Eyre so, when I was offered this book for review, I jumped at the chance and I have some thoughts.

 

Did I like the book? Yes. Did I like it as a Jane Eyre re-telling? No.

 

Let’s get into the plot of the book. Jane’s a dog-walker in a gated community—think a Southern version of Desperate Housewives—she’s a bit of a klepto who is hiding from her past in a place where no one will think about asking. Eddie is the mysterious man who lives in Jane’s ‘favorite’ house on the lane and there’s a lot of suspicion surrounding him concerning the boating accident that claimed the lives of Bea, his wife, and Blanche, her best friend. When a chance encounter brings them together, Jane’s found the perfect guy to offer her what she’s never had—money and protection from her past—and Eddie’s found a fresh start with a woman who, while plain, intrigues him. While it’s not easy sailing, things get a whole lot choppier after Blanche’s body is found. Suspicions are aroused, neighbors are looking closer, the police are asking questions, and things are starting to go bump in the night. Now it’s a race to see who’s past will catch up to them first.

 

The plot alone was brilliant and intriguing. There’s mystery, intrigue, danger, and an odd romance of sorts. This had the makings of a riveting Southern Thriller, if the names would have been changed and the association to Jane Eyre would have been vague rather than thrown in your face. Those who have read Jane Eyre would have been able to pick up on the connection.

 

Looking at this as a modern version of Jane Eyre, it fell flat and I found parts of it, especially the oddly placed Jane Eyre quotes, a bit cringe worthy.  While it’s revealed in the synopsis that Jane isn’t Jane—and I did like that twist—the other characters were unlikable versions of the lovable characters from the book. Even if you haven’t read Jane Eyre, you probably know how it ended and, while The Wife Upstairs stays close there’s a bit of a twist—which, again, I did enjoy.

 

The book was an easy read and, while not exactly flowing, I found I had read half the book without realizing it.

 

I’m a little disappointed with this book. This was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases and it didn’t live up to what I thought it was going to be. Reading the acknowledgements at the end of the book where the author states, ‘And lastly, thanks to every woman who ever got to the end of Jane Eyre and thought, “Honestly, Jane? You could do better.” You are my people.”  It made me think that, in same way, she wanted to ruin some of the original characters (Rochester) that most of us love from Jane Eyre.

 

Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books and I love the characters dearly. Not only was it a very modern book for its time, it’s a book that was very empowering. It was one of the first books where the character (Jane) was very self-aware and striving to be an independent “individual.” Charlotte Bronte created Jane to be determined, to not back down, and to be able to make her own choices. I’ve always thought that Charlotte created Jane to be the person (and make the choices) she wanted to be and to make. Jane didn’t have to choose Rochester but did so because she truly loved him and he loved her in return.

 

Overall, while I’m apparently not one of the author’s ‘people’ I found that I both liked (if I removed all immediate Jane Eyre connections) and disliked (if I viewed this as a modern retelling) this book.

 

If you’ve not read Jane Eyre, I think you’ll appreciate this book as a Southern Thriller. For me, this didn’t work as a retelling. I would have loved this book had the author not named the characters straight from J.E. (even the dog Eddie owns was named Adale) or included the oddly placed quotes but rather alluded to the story.  Those who have read Jane Eyre, would have been able to pick up on the references and I, personally, would have enjoyed the book better.