The Third Wife: A Novel

“The Third Wife is a summer gem. The story is complex…the many characters well drawn... Readers of Donna Tartt and Tana French will recognize Jewell’s pacing for what it is: essential.” —New York Journal of Books

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes a riveting family drama with a dark mystery at its core, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Jojo Moyes.
In the early hours of a summer morning, a young woman steps into the path of an oncoming bus. A tragic accident? Or suicide?

At the center of this puzzle is Adrian Wolfe, a successful architect and grief-stricken widower, who, a year after his third wife’s death, begins to investigate the cause. As Adrian looks back on their brief but seemingly happy marriage, disturbing secrets begin to surface. The divorces from his two previous wives had been amicable, or so it seemed; his children, all five of them, were resilient as ever, or so he thought. But something, or someone, must have pushed Maya over the edge.

“Jewell’s last few novels have been a revelation—emotionally sophisticated and complex,” says Kirkus Reviews. The Third Wife is “an emotionally intelligent, brilliantly plotted, and beautifully written examination of a very modern family that will keep you gripped to the end” (London Daily Mail).