Title: THE PERFECT WIFE
Author: JP Delaney
ISBN: 978 1524 7967 61
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 432
Source: Private Copy
The Perfect Life. The Perfect Love. The Perfect Lie.
Abbie awakens in a daze with no memory of who she is or how she landed in this unsettling condition. The man by her side claims to be her husband. He’s a titan of the tech world, the founder of one of Silicon Valley’s most innovative start-ups. He tells Abbie that she is a gifted artist, an avid surfer, a loving mother to their young son and the perfect wife. He says she had a terrible accident five years ago and that, through a huge technological breakthrough, she has been brought back from the abyss.
She is a miracle of science.
But as Abbie pieces together memories of her marriage, she begins questioning her husband’s motives–and his version of events. Can she trust him when he says he wants them to be together forever? And what really happened to her half a decade ago?
Beware the man who calls you . . . the perfect wife.
Official Summary
11 January 2023
I stumbled upon JP Delaney rather accidentally at the end of last year when I read The Girl Before, so reaching for this book I knew I was going to enjoy it. I am not usually very big on futuristic books; however, JP Delaney creates a wonderfully gripping thriller with a futuristic touch. There is a lot of tech stuff in the book and at first glance that might seem a little overwhelming if you are like me. But when you reach for The Perfect Wife, you can expect a gripping thriller with a soft touch that will touch your heart. The author’s inclusion of a young boy with autism makes this book a brilliantly moving story.
I enjoy the way the author does not allow the tech details to overpower the story. While there are loads of technical details about programming and algorithms in this story that is not the core focus. JP Delaney leaves you wondering what the future of robotics might bring our way while he centres this story around autism, the various treatment options and what living with an autistic child entails. His writing is balanced, leaving the reader with a lot to think about while experiencing a fabulously creative story.
Abbie wakes up in a hospital room with no memory of how she ended up there. Only it is not a hospital room and he husband informs her that she died five years ago. Confused, Abbie discovers that she is a Co-bot. A companion robot created by her husband because he could not bare to live without her. She has the real Abbie’s memories – well most of them and she will be able to learn more with every day. She has Abbie’s feelings and she even looks like Abbie. Going home she reconnects with her autistic son and she has all the maternal instincts the original Abbie had. However, she soon discovers that everything is not as it might seem. The real Abbie disappeared – her body has never been found and the police suspect that her husband killed her. As she recovers more memories about her marriage, she is not sure if she can trust her husband.
I do not know much about robotics and some of the tech in this story was a little beyond my understanding I found myself completely engrossed. I enjoyed the balance the author created and loved this little boy in this book. The mother’s love for her child was beautifully highlighted and left me loving the co-bot even more.
This book leaves you questioning how far technology should be allowed to go. Would it ever be acceptable to create a robot that replaces a person? If technology can develop to that extent would it ever be acceptable? I am not sure I would be comfortable with that – but then again the story does make a few compelling arguments as to why it could be beneficial.
If you are looking for a tech-savvy read that will leave you wondering while enjoying a gripping thriller with a soft touch at its heart, then you will not go wrong reaching for this book.
Also By JP Delaney
The Girl Before
Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.
The request seems odd, even intrusive – and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.
Emma
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant – and it does.
Jane
After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street, she is instantly drawn to the space – and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror as the girl before.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
I’m JP Delaney, a bestselling author who’s written under several different names.
People often ask why I write under a pseudonym. There’s no great mystery to it – it’s simply that I like to write different kinds of books, and publishers and retailers believe it’s confusing for readers to pick up a book by an author they think they know, only to discover it’s a completely different kind of story to the one they were expecting. Personally, I think my books have much more in common with each other than they have differences. I find similar characters, themes and interests cropping up whatever I’m writing. (Sometimes I even drop in little parallels, just for fun…) And my relationship with the reader is always fundamentally the same. I never forget I’m inviting them to come with me on a journey, and that as their host and guide it’s my duty to enthral them.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. I am looking forward to a busy reading year and hope you will keep stopping by. Please remember to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below, and if you have a book suggestion that you think I might enjoy, feel free to drop me a line. Until next time…Happy Reading!
