Illustrator Julia Green believes she’s living the American dream in suburban Houston, until she begins having sleepwalking nightmares featuring her husband, Austin, as a knife thrower with scantily clad Julia strapped to his target. And Austin’s aim is regrettably poor. Julia paints scenes from her dreams, and in analyzing them, realizes that what her friend, Trix, said is true, that ‘she doesn’t see what is right in front of her’. Soon, as Julia questions her lifestyle and state of mind, her observations light the wick on an explosive cache of suspicions and repressed secrets. When an unexpected tragedy occurs, Julia becomes the focus of the media and police, and she must cast off her submissive persona, find inner strength, and navigate treacherous waters to her long-overdue awakening. Review excerpts Foreword/Clarion: 4 stars 124 words In Sheila McGraw’s energetic, polished mystery The Knife Thrower’s Wife, cracks begin to appear in a long marriage. Julia loves her husband, Austin, whose portrayal as a mean, even sinister, man is spot-on. The book is realistic in its depiction of a family picking up the pieces of a marital implosion. In humorous fantasy scenes, Julia slips into daydreaming about how she would react more assertively to people if she had no personal and social constraints. Visual lines show how Julia feels “tiny, hairy centipede feet of fear” and capture her house as “a domestic detention unit” in the eyes of a big city resident, and in conversations, characters’ South Texas mannerisms come out to entertaining effect. —Foreword (Clarion Review)
***Reviewed By Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite (5-star rating)***
The Knife Thrower's Wife is a murder mystery thriller written by Sheila McGraw. Julia Green is a hard-working freelance illustrator, dutiful wife, and mother of adult boomerang twins. Her suburban life is turned upside down when she discovers her husband, Austin, cheating on her with an office co-worker named Salem Kingston. Ever the dutiful wife, Julia tries to save her marriage by giving Austin one last chance, to no avail. Plagued by recurring nightmares that feel increasingly realistic, Julia's life turns even more complicated when the police discover Austin's dead body, leading to an intense media frenzy over the investigation. Feeling inspired, Julia draws a series of paintings that put her instantly in the spotlight, making her the prime suspect for the murder of her husband. But if she wasn't the culprit, who is? The truth may shake Julia to the core.
If you're a fan of whodunnit murder mysteries, definitely check out The Knife Thrower's Wife. Author Sheila McGraw spins a captivating yarn filled with twists and turns that keeps your eyes glued to the pages. The plot moves at a blistering pace, with a narrative that draws you in with an enticing premise and takes you through unexpected paths to keep you thoroughly engrossed. I found the characters well-fleshed-out. Julia is a riveting protagonist, and you can't help but root for her. McGraw keeps her cards close to the chest as you struggle to identify the killer until the very end. The climax will shock you, yet it feels satisfying in hindsight. I highly recommend The Knife Thrower's Wife to anyone who enjoys a thrilling murder mystery novel.
