Customer Reviews

The First Wife

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was one of the most exhausting books I've ever read. It's about tough journalist J.J.Warren who has to interview communications mogul William Andrews. Andrews is used to having people kiss his butt and do whatever he needs done, well, J.J.Warren doesn't, she tells him exactly what she thinks of him and the way he runs his company. They end up falling in love, and quickly get married, then she begins investigating the horrible death of his first wife Kay Parker.

Kay was brutally shot in the head at the couples ski cabin by an intruder who was never found. The deeper Jane (J.J.) gets into the mystery, the more that starts going wrong. Someone is trying to silence her...but who? Honestly, once I got to the point in the book where you FINALLY find out what's going on, I didn't care anymore. I was sooooooo sick of the previous 250 of Jane second guessing EVERYTHING that was going on. Every little thing was analyzed 16 different ways, very trying on my patience.

Overall, I gave this book two stars because I actually finished it, and I did that because a small part of me was curious to find out what was going on...also the ending was a surprise, avid mystery readers might have spotted it earlier, but myself not being one, I was pleased with the ending. That said, I can't really say that I'd recommend this...I just didn't like the writing style and the story draaaggged on. Definitely find something else.

I have to say that this was a pretty poorly written book. I love a good romantic suspense novel as much as the next reader, but I found myself skimming through page after page, and finally towards the end, I skipped a whole chapter or two. First of all, the romance between the two main characters was contrived at best. There was just no reason why these two should or would have gotten together. I just didn't feel any attachment there. A couple of times the author jumped to a totally different venue mid-paragraph. Bottom line, I just could never cozy up and really lose myself in this book. I kept plugging away as long as I could though, because I hate to spend money on a book I don't read, but I finally skipped to the end and even that was a let-down. Check this one out at the library and save your money is my advice.

I have to admit that this book left me more than a little bit confused. The description they give this book is that it is about a woman who gets swept off her feet by one of the richest men in the world. The reader gets the impression that they have a whirlwind romance, fall madly in love and finally marry only to have the husbands past come back to haunt him in the form of his dead wife. However, in actually reading this book that did not seem to be the case, there was no whirlwind romance. In fact the romance part was very flat. Jane, the heroine of `THE FIRST WIFE', went out on a total of two and a half mediocre dates (on one of which she was almost killed) with the powerful William Andrews before she agreed to marry him. She clearly did not want to marry this man, even rehearsed her speech on how to let him down easily when all of a sudden she decided to say yes. She debated everyday whether or not she actually loved Andrews all the while keeping up an investigation into his first wife's murder (which she believed was at the hand of her betrothed) and having way too many suspicious brushes with death. Moreover, Jane finds evidence of an on going affair between William and another woman. Now my question is, who in their right mind would enter into this marriage and why? Had Jane been only after Andrews money this story would have been a bit more believable, however Diamond painted Jane to be a woman of high morality who despite all of these "obstacles" began to genuinely fall in love with her fiancé. Diana Diamond is a pseudonym for a male mystery writer, which you can clearly tell in `THE FIRST WIFE'. I believe that a woman would have fleshed out the romance a bit and made the decision on whether or not to marry William Andrews a no-brainer for Jane and for the reader.

Also, it didn't seem as though Andrews was obsessed with the death of his first wife, as stated in the description. It was more like Jane who was obsessed with investigating the details of the first wife's life and her death. Which, of course, only brought more trouble for her.

If you have read any of my other reviews of Diamonds books they have all, with the exception of `THE BABYSITTER' generated three stars. One may wonder, why do I keep reading her books if I only find them to be average? I read them because they are very easy to read, never boring and often times unintentionally funny. Definitely a break from some of the more serious mysteries.

Eight years ago, an intruder burst into the home of William Andrews; the thug killed his wife Kay and almost William too. The perpetrator was never caught and Bill spent the next few years building up his empire to the point where he became one of the most powerful men in the world. He never was serious about any woman until he read the articles about him written by Jane Warren who painted him in unflattering light.

Bill buys the newspaper that employs Jane and arranges for her to interview her new boss. Jane thought he would fire her but after a rough start there relationship turns romantic and he asks her to marry him. After she says yes the "accidents" start. Jane believes someone is trying to kill her. She thinks it has to do with Kay's death and the woman in Paris who William remits a monthly sum. William doesn't confide in his fiancée, but Jane digs and the deeper she gets, the more desperate the perpetrator is to get her out of Bill's life permanently.

Diana Diamond writes a juicy romantic suspense novel that demonstrates the power that the rich and powerful yield. The heroine thinks her own husband is a suspect in the attempts on her life but there are plenty of other people who would like her dead because she is a threat to them. All Jane's troubles go back to THE FIRST WIFE and she intends to uncover the secrets her husband is hiding or die trying (which she almost does). This is a must read for fans who like action, romance and intrigue in the tradition of Jackie Collins.

Harriet Klausner

J.J. Warren excels at being a hard-edged business reporter for the Southport News in Connecticut. She does not hold back when pursuing a topic and always goes for the tough questions. Her new boss is William Andrews, someone she "raked over the coals" in a recent set of scathing articles. Jane is sent by her editor into to the city to interview William Andrews. Anticipating the worst, Jane is determined to pursue the interview even if it means she has to follow Andrews to Paris and back in one day. Jane confronts William in Paris and tells him what she thinks of his behavior in ignoring her. William apologizes, and very soon thereafter pursues Jane. He acts quickly and convinces her to marry him. Jane cannot put her reporter instincts aside and wants to know what happened to Kay Harper, Andrews' first wife, who was killed in a tragic robbery eight years ago. She and William go to Paris together again once they are married, where William is on a supposed business trip. Jane wants to see what he does. Does he have a mistress in Paris? Accidents seem to happen to Jane left and right. She becomes suspicious of everyone around her, William's two kids Cassie and Craig, the housekeeper, even Bob Leavitt, William's right-hand man. Jane becomes convinced that William Andrews asked her to marry him to keep her quiet. The action escalates to the point that Jane goes back to ski chalet where the supposed robbery took place. The narrative is electrifying, keeping you in suspense of what will happen next, but the ending is written somewhat clumsily. All the action has been built up to a crescendo but does not get resolved in a satisfactory way.

Well, this book was more than a little silly. But it was entertaining. It was like a Mary Higgins Clark book that was less believable, had more cursing and some sex. I wouldn't spend more than a dollar on it (which I didn't), though the end-twist was pretty good, even if the whole book was utterly ridiculous.

The First Wife started of as a sensational story (and extremely relevant to today's world ie Newslimited global ownership etc) dealing with the conflict of journalists facing the fear of losing their independent voice as their newspapers get bought out in the ever nearing monopoly of a media tycoon due to the fact that they will be fired if the criticise their new owner and his companies. Then for some ridiculous reason William P Kennedy seems to suddenly realise he is writing under his Diana Diamond pen name and fans of that series may not be too into this sort of thing so drops that storyline, adds in romance and a determination by the journalist to find out all they can about the media baron's (who is now their love interest) first wife. Why not just finish the original story and publish it under the William Kennedy name, it's not like the Diana Diamond pseudonym has a better reputation anyway.

The other thing that disappoints with The First Wife is just how far fetched and unrealistic it becomes. I mean the pool cover scene, come on anyone that's ever seen a pool cover knows the speed these things move. There is no way it could beat even someone who can't swim who has to pull themselves by the pool gutter to the other end of a pool. Kennedy's Diamond novels vary substantially in quality however most don't warrant the handing over of hard earned cash. The only reason I've even kept reading them is because The Trophy wife was a pretty good book. Best to stick to your local library for the Diana Diamond series.

In The First Wife J.J. Warren has written a series of popular columns criticising media tycoon William Andrews for one of the world's last remaining independently owned newspapers, The Southport Post. She practically needs a change of pants when she learns Andrews has just bought the Southport Post and that she has been summoned to his office. Her boss reassures her Andrews wouldn't even know who she is and it's just for an interview for a biographical piece about the new owner of the paper but she knows at least one of his staff would know and have told him.

Andrews treats her like the unimportant small town reporter she is, leaving her waiting and missing each subsequent promise of an interview. His assistant knowing the importance of good PR and that she will slam him in her article as a giving him the finger before she is fired gets her on the private jet to taking Andrews to Paris where she can interview him on route, promising they'll fly her home. Williams of course keeps ignoring her. Filled with rage she blocks his exit from the plane and tells him exactly what she thinks of him, content to just run up a huge room service bill before going home to unemployment. This is where the book goes down hill, naked from the shower she discovers in an attempt to apologise, give her that interview and convince her to write a less abusive story about him Williams has personally brought her room service to her room and is waiting there. He obviously likes what he sees as they become more than just boss and employee.

So as her quest to know more about him she becomes obsessed with finding out all she can about and exactly what happened with the death of his first wife. William's kids don't like her being their new mum and it soon becomes apparent that either they or someone else wants her to go the same way as William's first wife

This is a fairly new author to me but have now read about five of her books and she can really weave a tale.

Had me guessing up to the last chapter.

Anyone who like a good mystery will like her books. In the same vein as Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag.

If you enjoy novels of suspense and questions, then you'll love Diana Diamond's novel The First Wife. Jane Warren is a stubborn reporter who knows how to get the dirt. Fresh out of a going-nowhere marrige, she finds herself suddenly the center of attention of one of the most powerful businessmen in the world, William Andrews. But as their short courtship grows into a sudden engagement and wedding, Jane can't help but shake the feeling that something just isn't right, and the mysterious attacks on her life and privacy don't help her feel any better. Knowing of William's past wifes tragic, horrific end only eight years prior, she starts to research and snoop in on something that just may cost her life. This book was held so many twists and turns that It was never boring. However I found the book frustrating at times as there were always questions appearing, sometimes out of thin air. But with great description and a very surprising ending, I believe Diamond made up for it. If your a person that enjoys a story that will always keep you guessing, I highly recommend this book for you.

Two things are obvious: Diana Diamond, pseudonym, is a man and his main goal is getting his advance rather than making a magical entertaining novel.. I read The Babysitter and enjoyed..it then I read..the Good Sister...and it was so amateurisly done, I stopped reading the novel after 100 pages...then after the big hype..here I am..reading "the First Wife" and find...he's making the same sophomoric mistakes...we get the heroine's thoughts in a rambling narrative..but see very few dramatic scenes...all writer's courses..shout..show don't tell..obviously...he missed that...It's much harder to pen "good dramatic" scenes....easy to use narrative.....why is he squandering his wonderful mind..(I detect a first rate mind here)?????
I'll let you know...my final verdict...should I continue..though I might..just shelve it, considering I have better things to do with my time..