Wondering how much of Black Widows is based on fact? Cate Quinn has written a research history to accompany the book.
Black Widows by Cate Quinn"An absolutely thrilling novel. I devoured it over a weekend, unable to put it down. It's a clever and completely original take on a domestic thriller."—ALEX MICHAELIDES, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Silent Patient
"Oh, my, can this author draw women... while Quinn writes with spirit on weighty subjects like domestic abuse, polygamy and religious cults, her primary and most poignant theme seems to be female friendship.”--NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Blake's dead. They say his wife killed him. If so... which one? Polygamist Blake Nelson built a homestead on a hidden stretch of land—a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah—where he lived with his three wives: Rachel, the first wife, obedient and doting to a fault, with a past she'd prefer to keep quiet. Tina, the rebel wife, everything Rachel isn't, straight from rehab and the Vegas strip. And Emily, the young wife, naïve and scared, estranged from her Catholic family. The only thing that they had in common was Blake. Until all three are accused of his murder. When Blake is found dead under the desert sun, all three wives become suspect—not only to the police, but to each other. As the investigation draws them closer, each wife must decide who can be trusted. With stories surfacing of a notorious cult tucked away in the hills, whispers flying about a fourth wife, and evidence that can't quite explain what had been keeping Blake busy, the three widows face a reckoning that might shatter all they know to be true. For fans of The Wife Between Us and The Dry comes a chilling murder mystery that takes a domestic thriller's classic question—"Did his wife kill him?"—and twists it into an completely new type of suspense. |
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Praise for Black Widows:
"Oh, my, can this author draw women... while Quinn writes with spirit on weighty subjects like kinky sex, domestic abuse, polygamy and religious cults, her primary and most poignant theme seems to be female friendship.”
–NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“Original, informative, suspenseful—the big three in a literary slam bang.”
–NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS
“A compulsively readable page-turner with a surprisingly heart-warming message.”
–CRIMEREADS
"A powerful domestic thriller."
–BUSTLE
“Intriguing…Quinn is a writer to watch.”
–PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Black Widows is an absolutely thrilling novel. I devoured it over a weekend, unable to put it down. It’s a clever and completely original take on a domestic thriller. A whodunnit set in a Mormon household, a question of which wife killed their mutual husband, it’s told from the alternating perspectives of each of his three wives—and manages to be more than the sum of its parts: at once a fast-paced thriller and also a fascinating examination of Mormon culture and an extremely complicated and deadly marriage. Highly recommended.’
–ALEX MICHAELIDES, author of the instant #1 New York Times bestseller The Silent Patient
“Black Widows is a bombshell of a suspense novel! The story unfolds through three sister-wives married to the same man, and each woman is unique, fascinating, and full of surprises. This tantalizing and troubling story will keep you guessing right up to the end.”
–SAMANTHA DOWNING, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It
“As tensions unravel and secrets are revealed, you will race to the end, watching the puzzle assemble into a picture you never imagined.”
–JULIE CLARK, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight
“Part page-turning whodunit, part desert domestic noir, Black Widows is a sly, contemporary crime masterpiece. I loved it.”
–ADRIAN MCKINTY, author of The Chain
“Quinn gives her readers an exquisite murder mystery, taking us through uncharted territory of off-the-grid, modern-day intentional communities. Black Widows is a steady, slow boil you'll be happy to immerse yourself in.”
–CHRISTINA DALCHER, author of Vox
“This wildly unique and stunningly intricate novel takes hold of you from the very first pages and never lets go. For anyone in need of the perfect thriller, look no further than Black Widows... Easily my favorite thriller of the year.”
–GINA LAMANNA, author of Three Single Wives and Pretty Guilty Women
“It's unusual to read a story that reveals a completely different life, but that's exactly what Black Widows does. A thrilling tale which twists and turns along an immersive desert landscape, with a surprising Thelma & Louise style ending that makes you feel proud of the sisterhood.”
–ARAMINTA HALL, author of Our Kind of Cruelty
“I loved this book. It's both a fascinating glimpse into a hidden world and brilliantly twisty crime novel. Three wives, three motives, three utterly compelling stories.”
–ELLY GRIFFITHS, author of the Dr. Ruth Galloway mysteries
“Black Widows is a brilliant joyride in the company of three unforgettable women, sister-wives with nothing in common except their dead husband. Completely compelling and vividly told, the story plays with your loyalties and makes you question what counts as moral behavior. This is a hugely enjoyable and original mystery with real heart, and I loved it.”
–JANE CASEY, author of The Burning and How To Fall
“It's a great hook and a tremendous read—I thoroughly enjoyed this. The tension ramps up all the way to the end and I loved the relationship between the wives.”
–HARRIET TYCE, international bestselling author of Blood Orange
–NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“Original, informative, suspenseful—the big three in a literary slam bang.”
–NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS
“A compulsively readable page-turner with a surprisingly heart-warming message.”
–CRIMEREADS
"A powerful domestic thriller."
–BUSTLE
“Intriguing…Quinn is a writer to watch.”
–PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Black Widows is an absolutely thrilling novel. I devoured it over a weekend, unable to put it down. It’s a clever and completely original take on a domestic thriller. A whodunnit set in a Mormon household, a question of which wife killed their mutual husband, it’s told from the alternating perspectives of each of his three wives—and manages to be more than the sum of its parts: at once a fast-paced thriller and also a fascinating examination of Mormon culture and an extremely complicated and deadly marriage. Highly recommended.’
–ALEX MICHAELIDES, author of the instant #1 New York Times bestseller The Silent Patient
“Black Widows is a bombshell of a suspense novel! The story unfolds through three sister-wives married to the same man, and each woman is unique, fascinating, and full of surprises. This tantalizing and troubling story will keep you guessing right up to the end.”
–SAMANTHA DOWNING, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It
“As tensions unravel and secrets are revealed, you will race to the end, watching the puzzle assemble into a picture you never imagined.”
–JULIE CLARK, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight
“Part page-turning whodunit, part desert domestic noir, Black Widows is a sly, contemporary crime masterpiece. I loved it.”
–ADRIAN MCKINTY, author of The Chain
“Quinn gives her readers an exquisite murder mystery, taking us through uncharted territory of off-the-grid, modern-day intentional communities. Black Widows is a steady, slow boil you'll be happy to immerse yourself in.”
–CHRISTINA DALCHER, author of Vox
“This wildly unique and stunningly intricate novel takes hold of you from the very first pages and never lets go. For anyone in need of the perfect thriller, look no further than Black Widows... Easily my favorite thriller of the year.”
–GINA LAMANNA, author of Three Single Wives and Pretty Guilty Women
“It's unusual to read a story that reveals a completely different life, but that's exactly what Black Widows does. A thrilling tale which twists and turns along an immersive desert landscape, with a surprising Thelma & Louise style ending that makes you feel proud of the sisterhood.”
–ARAMINTA HALL, author of Our Kind of Cruelty
“I loved this book. It's both a fascinating glimpse into a hidden world and brilliantly twisty crime novel. Three wives, three motives, three utterly compelling stories.”
–ELLY GRIFFITHS, author of the Dr. Ruth Galloway mysteries
“Black Widows is a brilliant joyride in the company of three unforgettable women, sister-wives with nothing in common except their dead husband. Completely compelling and vividly told, the story plays with your loyalties and makes you question what counts as moral behavior. This is a hugely enjoyable and original mystery with real heart, and I loved it.”
–JANE CASEY, author of The Burning and How To Fall
“It's a great hook and a tremendous read—I thoroughly enjoyed this. The tension ramps up all the way to the end and I loved the relationship between the wives.”
–HARRIET TYCE, international bestselling author of Blood Orange
About the author:Cate Quinn is a bestselling historical thriller novelist in the UK under the name C.S. Quinn -- her Charlie Tuesday series for Thomas and Mercer UK sold over 350,000 copies across four books, and 35,000 ebooks in the U.S. She is also a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, The Guardian, and The Mirror, alongside many magazines. This is her first novel as Cate Quinn.
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