“I despise hearing about other people’s problems, because I don’t like most people, especially people who would be described as normal.”

In this breakout standalone novel of suspense in the vein of Gone Girl and The Girl on a Train, a woman agrees to help an old boyfriend who has been framed for murder—but begins to suspect that she is the one being manipulated.

And look for Alafair Burke’s latest heart-racing novel of psychological suspense, The Wife, coming in January 2018.

Twenty years ago she ruined his life. Now she has the chance to save it.

Widower Jack Harris has resisted the dating scene ever since the shooting of his wife Molly by a fifteen-year-old boy three years ago. An early morning run along the Hudson River changes that when he spots a woman in last night’s party dress, barefoot, enjoying a champagne picnic alone, reading his favorite novel. Everything about her reminds him of what he used to have with Molly. Eager to help Jack find love again, his best friend posts a message on a popular website after he mentions the encounter. Days later, that same beautiful stranger responds and invites Jack to meet her in person at the waterfront. That’s when Jack’s world falls apart.

 Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the victims was connected to his wife’s murder—there is no doubt in her mind as to his innocence. The only question is who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why?

For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets, to absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him?

The Ex had us hooked from the beginning. The characters live in an entangled web of their past. Olivia, prominent lawyer and ex fiancé of Jack, fights to keep Jack’s innocence in the forefront. He is not capable of such a horrific crime! Jack is the victim here! His wife was brutally murdered years ago in a train station shooting. He is a dedicated father to his teenage daughter. He was framed! Or… was he?

Alafair Burke is a talented mystery/thriller writer. Her stories are fast paced and her characters are multilayered and bold. Even though we solved the mystery of the triple homicide pretty early on, Burke’s writing and storyline kept us engaged and wanting to read how all the pieces come together in the end. We enjoyed The Ex and look forward to reading more from Burke!

Alafair Burke is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of sixteen novels.

Her most recent psychological thriller, THE WIFE, has been praised as “sneaky” (Lisa Scottoline), “schemey” (Seattle Times), “twisty” (Megan Miranda), and “tantalizing” (Booklist).  THE WIFE was selected as a best-of-the-month pick by Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Entertainment Weekly, O (Oprah Magazine), and others.  It is being adapted as a feature film by Amazon Studios, with Alafair hired to write the screenplay.

Her previous novel, THE EX, was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. 

In addition to the standalone novels that have earned her a reputation as “a genius for plot” (Oprah Magazine) and “a virtuoso” of domestic suspense (Minneapolis Star Tribune), she authors “two power house series” (Sun-Sentinel) featuring NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher and Portland Deputy District Attorney Samantha Kincaid. Alafair is also the co-author of the “Under Suspicion” series with Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark. 

Alafair was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but grew up primarily in Wichita, Kansas.  She traces her lifelong fascination with crime to the fact that a serial killer was active in her hometown in her formative years.  In a world where the killer could be anyone, and where an arrest appeared hopeless, Alafair found comfort in crime fiction. Her mother, a school librarian, helped her navigate her way from Encyclopedia Brown to Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie and eventually to Sue Grafton. In the books, as opposed to Wichita, smart sleuthing always paid off, and order was always restored.

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