The Drive-By Wife

De: Mike Wells

Narrado por: Mark Torres

In this explosive psychological thriller, Allen and Cynthia Hunt are a well-educated, upper middle-class San Francisco couple who experience the ultimate domestic nightmare. A deranged, seedy truck driver barges into their lives, blackmailing Cynthia into becoming his "drive-by" wife. Billy has led a lonely, bleak existence on the road and has always dreamed of "having him a beautiful, lovin' woman to come home to". Unable to go to the police, Allen and Cynthia desperately try to fight off the twisted stalker, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. But the two have serious problems of their own. The story spirals into a tangle of deceit, deception, and murder. Can Allen and Cynthia unite and defeat the diabolical maniac from the hills, or will he destroy them both?

©2013 Mike Wells (P)2014 Mike Wells

A fantastic, nail-biting thriller!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Drive-By Wife to be better than the print version?

Its such a good story, that I think they would be equal. But, the audio does have a slight advantage because I truly believe hearing the story helps to experience the feelings and emotions of the characters in a way that you don't get from just reading it.

What other book might you compare The Drive-By Wife to and why?

I can't really think of a book that I've read that I could compare The Drive-By Wife to. However, the movie Joy Ride (with Paul Walker, where he goes on a road trip with his brother to see a girl and they cross paths with a crazy truck driver) did come to mind. Not so much the same concept.....BUT they did have the whole psycho truck driver thing in common.

Which scene was your favorite?

I can't say what my absolute favorite scene is because I'm afraid it would be too much of a spoiler!! But my second favorite scene would have to be when Allen and Cindy awoke to noises in their house, and Allen went downstairs to find Billy sitting in their kitchen. It was creepy and comical all at the same time.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Aside from getting a few hours of sleep, I pretty much did. And I liked it so much, I listened to it again.

Any additional comments?

Mark Torres was brilliant narrating this book! I live in Alabama, and Mark's portrayal of "redneck" Billy was perfect. And he went back and forth easily in dialogue between the Hunts and Billy. It was not confusing, and I actually could distinguish the differences between each person as he read. Thumbs up to Mike on an excellent story and Mark on an excellent job of telling it!

A Real Nail Biter

I received a free audiobook for an honest review.

I have read and listened to several of Mike Wells’ books and I always enjoy his stories and his writing style.

The Drive By Wife is suspenseful from the beginning. It has several twists and nail biting moments.

The narrator does a good job. I especially liked the pauses between sections. I’ve listened to books in the past when the narrator didn’t pause and it was confusing trying to figure out what happened at times.

I didn’t care for the main characters, Allen and Cynthia, at the beginning. They were in an unhappy marriage and didn’t treat each other well at all. As time went on, though, as things went out of control, they finally realized that still loved each other and by the time the book was finished they were like 2 different people. At the beginning they were ready to give up on each other and at the end they just hoped they’d be able to be together.

If you like suspense, you’ll definitely like The Drive By Wife.

THRILLER TO THE END!

What made the experience of listening to The Drive-By Wife the most enjoyable?

The narrator. This narrator made you feel like you were right there eavesdropping.

What other book might you compare The Drive-By Wife to and why?

The plot of this book was so unusual and fascinating, it is in a class of its own and not comparable to another book.

What about Mark Torres’s performance did you like?

As I said in my first comment, his narration is outstanding. I hope he narrates more of Mike's books.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Get set for the RIDE of your life.

Any additional comments?

I am a totally devoted fan of Mike Wells. I can't wait for his next book to be on Audible. If you haven't listened to any of his books, definitely try this one first. I guarantee you will want them all like me.

Time well spent

Would you listen to The Drive-By Wife again? Why?

The narration was understated and riveting. The story was unique, and original. The writing was slick and believable. It kept me guessing and awed at the twists.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved all of the characters, so I don't have a favorite. If anything I have a least favorite, and that's the wife, Cynthia. Throughout most of the story she's a little self-involved and doesn't really seem to appreciate the risks and personal liability her husband has been exposed to - even AFTER she planned to be unfaithful to him. But that's really just a nit-pick. She's a well-developed fully-realized personality with flaws, so - bottom line - she is who she's supposed to be.

Which scene was your favorite?

The most fascinating scene for me was the scene where the trucker comes over for the first date. I don't want to give spoilers, but the scene touched perfectly on each characters motives and reactions to each other.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It wasn't that kind of book.

Any additional comments?

The descriptions of the settings and the personalities of the characters were fleshed out in a perfect complimented pairing of narrator and author.

A great suspense read

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The Drive-by wife was a great listen. Mike starts off with an intriguing captivating scene that gets you intrigued and keeps you listening from the word go. As I have come to expect from Mike, he starts off with a great hook to kick off the book. The characters are well rounded, each with their own ways which makes them interesting. I enjoyed the character development throughout the book, as Mike peeled away the layers of each character in different ways

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Drive-By Wife?

I enjoyed the chapter where we learn were it all went wrong for Billy

What three words best describe Mark Torres’s voice?

Smooth, enjoyable, steady

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes I would. It would make a great movie

Any additional comments?

The Drive-by Wife was an enjoyable listen, although I preferred Lust, Money & Murder. This is a great book for people who enjoy suspense with a dash of romance.