Other Mrs. (Kubica)

The Other Mrs.
Mary Kubica, 2020
Park Row Books
368 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780778369110


Summary
Hypnotic and addictive and perfect for fans of You, The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the blockbuster bestselling author of The Good Girl.

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor, Morgan Baines, is found dead in her home.

The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie, who is terrified by the thought of a killer in her very own backyard.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. It’s their eerie old home, with its decrepit decor and creepy attic, which they inherited from Will’s sister after she died unexpectedly.

It’s Will’s disturbed teenage niece Imogen, with her dark and threatening presence. And it’s the troubling past that continues to wear at the seams of their family.

As the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of Morgan’s death. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of THE GOOD GIRL and PRETTY BABY. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children and enjoys photography, gardening and caring for the animals at a local shelter. (From the publisher.)

Book Reviews
[C]onvoluted psychological thriller…. Red herrings litter the multiple narratives, adding too much weight to an already overloaded plot, and a soapy twist disappoints. Hopefully, this is a temporary slump for the talented Kubica.
Publishers Weekly


[A] mesmerizing tale…, but the story is wrapped up a bit too neatly. What is satisfying  is the oppressive sense of unease that permeates this intense psychological suspense drama.  —Gloria Drake, Oswego P.L. Dist., IL
Library Journal


A fresh start for a doctor and her family becomes a living nightmare….  Kubica ably molds Sadie into a (very) complicated woman with simmering secrets; as usual, she…can turn almost any location into a swirling cesspool of creepy possibility.… A page-turner.
Kirkus Reviews

Discussion Questions
1. Discuss Sadie’s role as a victim in the novel. Do you think she should be held accountable for her actions in the story? In what ways is she the hero of her own story?

2. Trauma and recovery are important themes in the book. Talk about how each of the characters experience trauma and how it informs their actions and behaviors. Do you think it’s possible to ever fully recover from trauma?

3. What do you think of Sadie’s relationships with Otto and Tate? How do you think her experiences from the past shaped her approach to motherhood?

4. Discuss the characters of Sadie, Camille, and Mouse. How does each perspective enhance the story?

5. Did you think Will was a good husband throughout the novel? Do you think he ever truly loved Sadie?

6. How does the isolated setting play into the novel? In what ways does it compound the circumstances in the story and Sadie’s state of mind?

7. What is the significance of the title, The Other Mrs.? Who did you think it referred to at different parts of the story?
(Questions from the author's website.)

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