His Perfect Wife: A Novel

Natasha Bell

Dec 2018 · Sold by Crown

About this ebook

His Perfect Wife proves how unknowable those closest to us can be.
 
“This smart, mirror maze of a thriller bristles with sharp edges, twisting familiar Gone Girl themes into Bell’s own intense creation.”—Kirkus Reviews
 
Before she disappeared, Alexandra Southwood lived an average, happy life: devoted to the care and upkeep of her husband, Marc, and their two beautiful daughters. But now, held in a room against her will, Alexandra is forced to imagine how her family is coping in the wake of her disappearance. She finds solace in memories of their past, recalling her courtship with Marc and their marriage—all that he saved her from, all that she’s lost.
 
Marc’s pain is visceral. He thinks of nothing but Alexandra. Even when the police discover her bloody belongings, he cannot accept that she is gone. Marc is the only one who believes she’s still alive, and he channels his pain into action, embarking on his own journey to find his wife, one that will lead him to discover answers to questions he never wanted to ask.
 
Previously published as Exhibit Alexandra
 
“An astutely written, complex debut.”—The Guardian
 
“Beautifully insidious, a novel that outwits expectation at every turn.”—Francis Spufford, author ofGolden Hill 
 
“[A] provocative debut thriller . . . Bell’s daring performance can’t be ignored.”—Publishers Weekly(starred review)

Ratings and reviews

Alexandra has gone missing! When police investigate they find bloody clothing belonging to her ... but no body. Has she been murdered? Abducted? Her husband, Marc, becomes the prime suspect, but he believes she is out there ...somewhere. This is a really hard book to review. The beginning was like swimming in quicksand. It did pick up speed, but it took a while to get there. It's a convoluted story told in individual chapters by Alexandra and Marc. It's all wrapped up in her art performance ... but what is art and what is the reality? The ending is somewhat of a surprise and it felt a bit rushed to get there. This is the author's debut novel and while it was okay, it didn't come across as thrilling. I found it a bit tedious. Many thanks to Crown Publishing for the advanced paperback copy of this debut novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

About the author

NATASHA BELL grew up in Somerset and studied English literature at the University of York. She holds an MA in the humanities from the University of Chicago and an MA in creative writing from Goldsmiths. She lives in southeast London and splits her time between writing and working as a projectionist.