The Fiancee

A Novel

By: Kate White

Narrated by: Cindy Kay

“A tense, simmering, fast-paced mystery, Kate White’s latest captivating thriller explores the secrets that lurk just under the surface of a picture-perfect façade. I raced through this story about a close-knit family’s annual gathering at an idyllic estate that quickly turns deadly. The Fiancée kept me guessing until the very end, never sure who to trust - or where the danger was hiding.” (Megan Miranda, New York Times best-selling author of The Last House Guest and The Girl from Widow Hills)

The New York Times best-selling author returns with an unsettling but riveting psychological thriller about a captivating woman who joins a family and threatens to upend their picture-perfect lives.

They had everything they needed for a perfect family vacation: close-knit relatives, a bucolic setting...and a murderer in their midst?

Summer’s looking forward to a break from hustling for acting work in Manhattan when she, her husband, Gabe, and Gabe’s nine-year-old son arrive at the annual family get-together at her in-laws’ sprawling estate. On the agenda are leisurely gourmet meals, tennis matches, and plenty of relaxation by the pool.

But this year, Gabe’s brother, Nick, has invited his new flame Hannah, whom Summer immediately recognizes from a few years before. Oddly, her brother-in-law’s girlfriend claims not to know her. Yet she charms the other family members, and after Nick announces that he’s proposed to Hannah, Summer doesn’t have much choice but to grin and bear it.

Then, the reunion is rocked by tragedy when a family member is found dead. Though the doctors attribute the loss to natural causes, a grieving Summer fears that the too-good-to-be-true Hannah is involved, even as Gabe dismisses her suspicions.

How far will Summer go to expose the truth? As she investigates just what Nick’s fiancée might have done to keep her perfect image intact, she begins to fear that the first death might only be the beginning....

©2021 Kate White (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Great easy thriller read

Enjoyed this one very much. The second husband lured me to Kate White’s other books. I can’t wait to start the next.

Always surprised

Kate White always bests me in figuring out who done it in her novels.

Good story, harsh/grating narration

I really wanted to like the book, but I couldn’t stand the harsh/sharp whispery sounds. Nevertheless, I wanted to know how the story ends. So, by the time I reached the midpoint of the story, I decided to skip to the 3 last chapters of the audiobook.

Maybe the microphone amplifies the “s”, “sh”, “th” and “ch” sounds too much that the audio recording sounds so sharp/harsh at times. The whispery/breathy voice the performer uses (whenever she expresses sympathy, sorrow, anxiety, etc) makes the sounds even sharper.

I listened to the audiobook with a no-frill headphone, so I don’t know if adjusting a (fancier) headphone’s settings can reduce the sharpness of the sounds. I hope it does.

An excellent mystery, simply enjoyable

I do at least 3 books weekly. I rarely write reviews unless the author really upsets me because I know these books are the author’s sweat and hard work. I am mindful of this and most books are enjoyable to some degree. Rarely is one so terrible I feel the need to bash the the author. I have read all of Kate White’s mysteries and found each one enjoyable- one thing I appreciate about her mysteries is that she writes without showing me her politics, without having to explain to her readers how she is or isn’t religious by making her characters tell the story and doesn’t bore me to death by trying to make me understand how “WOKE” she is by her characters. I am not sure what some of the reviewers who have given bad reviews want from a simple mystery. In my opinion, Kate White delivers a solid and interesting mystery each time.

Great story, annoying narration

Another fun Kate White thriller. But all whispery voices start to grate after a while—particularly when the narrator tries to assume the male roles.

Listened in 2 Days

Kate White is a solid storyteller. All of her suspense novels keep my interest and have unexpected twists.
I haven’t regret reading or listening to one of her books ever. This novel is a about a suspicious death at a family estate in Pennsylvania. If you enjoy domestic suspense novels, you’ll enjoy this one.

Started slow but picked up

I thought the book was going to be better. It was not a favorite.

Nice little mystery

Great story, easy to follow. decent characters however they were not very developed and I won't think of them again. With that said I didn't find out who did it until the end!!

So predictable

Within the first chapter or two, I had guessed the entire plot. Oh well- it was mildly entertaining for an otherwise boring weekend.

A simple, but fun and easy thriller

The obsession with one of the female characters was a bit much and I found myself constantly yelling at the book “Hello! It’s not who you think it is!” However, in typical Kate White fashion, I did not correctly guess the end. Still a fun read despite the obsessiveness! Always love a quick thriller where everything is answered at the end.