TW: Implied mother/son incest. By page sixty, I wanted to DNF the book. I wanted to read specific pages I remembered from when it came out, though, so I plugged on. This author...does not explore the kind of character the protagonist is, well at ALL. The prose is purple, the character is in love with herself and describes mundane actions for entire pages. Her incessant, bland, boring inner monologue unfortunately smothers real-life actions she's taking and real-time events that are occurring. Her thoughts WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. She whines at one point that she hadn't done enough to hide herself after the serial killer she married went to prison You self-pitying dingbat! You did TONS: 1. You changed your name and your son's. 2. You moved far away. 3. You dyed your hair. 4. You lost a little weight. 5. You shop at night and don't make friends. But sure, whine for attention, you windbag. Not once did I sympathize with her on -anything-. I wanted to a few times! Every character around her is super unrealistic and the plot is barely there. Nina has no sense of agency. Things just happen to her. She spends dozens of pages thinking subtly that she's better than everyone else.

TW FOR MENTIONS OF POSSIBLE INCEST
I have no idea if the author, at times, intended the following of his Supremely Amazing Mother Goddess character. Nina Mosley is so boring, flat, and lacking in agency that I really don't know. Her sole characterization is serial killer's wife, such that it's this book's title. But she also...has a weird fixation on her son. Like almost romantic. She frames him in terms that are used to describe partners a lot, and she compares her son to her ex--notice I didn't use the phrase "his father"--in ways that are increasingly uncomfortable. Her son is eight, and his father much older. Even for a single mother who's traumatized, the amount and -ways- she pays attention is bizarre. In the chapter transitions between five and six of the edition I read, she blabs and blathers about her son with some deeply unfortunate implications. The very next sentence that begins a new chapter is a sexual reference to her ex-husband, and the paragraph itself is about sex. There is -no- transition or indication that it's an ADULT MAN she's talking about because the last paragraph of the last chapter? was about her young son. AUTHOR, YOU ARE GROSS. I firmly believe someone pointed out the implication to the author before the book was published and he probably hollered that the person was a pervert, not his beloved, bland, boring (haha alliteration) poorly-defined creation.
TRIGGER WARNING OVER

So the book goes on like this for three hundred pages. The supposed action-packed final chapter was BORING. The villains are cardboard cutouts and provide heaps of exposition. A review I read stated that this book was boring and offered nothing new. The author tried for "wife knew and was too shocked and horrified to do anything," and did not succeed. Don't waste your time with this pointless drivel. ( )

Fabulous, haunting, and realistic tale of a woman caught by her past and trying very cautiously to live her present as a single-mother on the opposite coast from where her life went sideways by marrying the wrong man.

Anyone who has been in a relationship, parented a child, or lost someone to a violent crime will relate to this tale of psychological suspense and family drama. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. The characters could have been a little more developed and I felt as though it ended a bit abruptly without getting to know the characters as well as I could have, but over all it was exciting and kept my attention. ( )

SUMMARY: In his debut novel, Floyd explores the meaning of identity on a personal level and that of humanity on a general one through protagonist Nina Mosley, the former wife of a convicted serial murderer. After divorcing her husband Randy and changing her name, Nina settles into a generic suburb with her young son and tries for a semblance of a normal life despite being haunted. When a family member of one of Randy's victims finds her and exposes her true identity, Nina learns upon whom she can rely while she confronts the reality of becoming a victim herself.

WHY YOU'LL LIKE IT: The plot itself is morbidly fascinating. How much did Nina know about her ex-husband's activities, and to what degree is she herself accountable? What are the limits of personal responsibility and should instinct be paid as much if not more attention than reason? There are no easy answers, and Floyd doesn't proffer any, instead encouraging the reader to ponder these questions themselves. Gripping and harrowing action sequences and likable secondary characters.

WHY YOU WON'T: The style of the book is erratic and confusing, shifting back and forth between the present and the past, sometimes at points which are unnecessary and/or frustrating and causes the main action to suffer. The characterization of the protagonist is peculiar as it becomes more and more difficult to afford Nina the sympathy she allegedly deserves. Expending effort to read the three-hundred pages or so of this novel leaves one walking away with the feeling that they never truly came to know her and perhaps it wasn't worth it to bother. The ending is somewhat unsatisfactory and pat, but realistic.

BOTTOM LINE: Solid effort which very much makes clear this a debut novel but also competently demonstrates the author's immense talent and potential. ( )

Leigh thought she had put her horrible past behind. As the ex-wife of a serial killer on death row, putting her past behind her has nit been easy, now the father of one of her ex-husband's victims has tracked her down and is about to destroy everything. A great read...couldn't put it down. ( )