Title: The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives
Author: ELIZABETH ARNOTT
ISBN: 9780241733639
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Pages: 312
Source: Private Copy
Beverley, Elsie, and Margot are not your average housewives. They are all wives of convicted killers. During the sun-drenched summer of 1966, the three women form an unlikely friendship after the discoveries of their husbands’ brutal crimes. With their exes—some of California’s most infamous murderers—dead or behind bars, they are attempting to forge a new future for themselves.
Headstrong Beverley tries compulsively to maintain control of everything around her, all while raising two children. Bookish Elsie fights to make a name for herself in the newsroom, working among men who sneer at her career goals. Glamorous Margot prefers partying to homemaking and devotes all her energy to upholding the appearance that everything is fine—anything to quell the shame from her husband’s deceit.
They know people look at them and think only one How could they not have known what their husbands were doing? How much are they to blame? And yet when a string of local killings hits the news, the three women—underestimated, overlooked, shrewd—decide to get to work. After all, who better to catch a killer than those who have shared their lives and homes with one?
Official Summary
27 August 2026
I was a little wary about this story being set in the 1960s—I’m always worried that a historical setting will slow things down. Regular visitors will know that I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction. Although, I’m not entirely sure the 1960s really qualifies as historical fiction yet!
The story centres around the friendship of three very different women, with one shocking thing linking them: they are all married to serial killers.
The world believes these women must have known what their husbands were doing, but in reality, they were completely clueless. They lived ordinary lives with men they believed to be ordinary husbands. I really enjoyed seeing the story from their perspective, rather than focusing solely on the killers themselves.
I loved their determination to find the new killer in their neighbourhood. The fact that they were wrong more than once made the investigation all the more enjoyable and realistic. They weren’t professional detectives, after all—they were simply three women who refused to be ignored.
These women were underestimated and overlooked, with no one taking them seriously. And watching them slowly find their voices was one of my favourite parts of the book.
I particularly enjoyed Elsie. Working as a PA at the local newspaper gives her access to information, but her boss has no idea that she is digging into the case—or that she secretly dreams of becoming a journalist. Watching her confidence grow was brilliant. She goes from being quiet and submissive to becoming a woman who is willing to speak her mind, and I absolutely loved that transformation.
Poor Bev! Despite her determination to be more aware, she once again missed what was right in front of her. You’ll have to read the book to fully understand that statement, but let’s just say I felt for her!
This was a well-written, engrossing story filled with twists, and I really enjoyed the way the author showed that even in the 1960s, women were standing together, fighting to be heard and demanding to be respected.
It was also refreshing to be on the other side of the story for a change—not following the serial killers, but looking at their wives and the victims, the women who are so often forgotten when we talk about these crimes.
A really enjoyable read and a four-star rating from me.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Elizabeth Srnott is an award-winning writer and journalist and has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook. Her work has featured in publications including The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and National Geographic. She lives in London with her husband and their daughter.
Thank you for visiting the blog again. This one was a little different to the books the books I normally review, but I had loads of fun reading it. Until next time… Happy Reading!
