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Book Reviews of The Pilot's Wife

The Pilot's Wife
The Pilot's Wife
Author: Anita Shreve
ISBN-13: 9780316789080
ISBN-10: 0316789089
Pages: 304
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 115

3.8 stars, based on 115 ratings
Publisher: Little, Brown
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

319 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 209 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 12
Wow this book was great! I couldnt stop once I got started! Anita Shreve truly deserves the praise she gets. I went out and bought more of her books and cant wait to start one of those. Recommended for those who love literature fiction also has a bit of suspense too!
booklit avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 473 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 9
Excellent book. A real page turner. From the opening page I was hooked and could not wait to see what was going to happen. It really involves how well do we know another person?
needin2read avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 50 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
Story of how the pilot's wife deals with her grief after her husband dies in a plane explosion. With each new bit of information she uncovers she wonders if she ever knew her husband at all. I enjoyed this well-written story very much and will seek out more of this author's work.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 36 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
An amazing book! This is the first book that I have read by this author and I can't wait to read her others. The Pilot's Wife will surprise you at every new twist. This will be one of those books that you just can't put down!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 38 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
Excellent book! This was the first I've read by this author, and I kept thinking I knew how it would turn out, but then it would twist again.
scrapbooklady avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 472 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
"The Pilot's Wife" is not what I would normally consider my kind of book. And now, thinking back over the book, I'm not sure why I enjoyed it, but I did. Anyway, I found it to be thoroughly engrossing and beautifully written. Well worth the time it took to read it
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 273 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I thought this book was really well-written. The author definitely has the ability to draw you in and keep you there right away. The story was interesting.

I, too, felt compelled to keep reading, to find out what was going to happen next. But I also kept wishing it would be over. I guess that's a testament to the author's ability to give you that experience of "being there" and walking in the main character's shoes. My favorite part of the book was the last line.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 67 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
I expected to really like this book, but in the end I found it to be just okay. The plot seemed really contrived, like the author wasn't really sure what mysterious things that Jack Lyons, the pilot whose plane goes down, was up to. "The Weight of Water" was a much, much better book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Just okay. I saw the end coming a mile away. It would make a decent beach book, as it is a very easy and quick read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 39 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I loved this book. It was absolutely spellbinding and I could not put it down. I literally got up in the middle of the night to find time to read this one. Good to the very end.

This was my first exposure to Anita Shreve, and I am now a devoted fan!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 359 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
If you liked "The Bridges of Madison County," you will love The Pilot's Wife.
blessed1 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 127 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book. Read it in 2 days..only because sleep was necessary too. Carried it with me and read at every opportunity. I highy recommend it!
JackieH avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 36 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I absolutely loved this book! It's very eye-opening and will make you think about life in general.
24girl avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
A very good fast paced read but somewhat predictable.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I could't put this book down. Was up all night reading it just to wee what happened next.
ange1ash avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book explores the grieving of a woman who has lost her husband, a pilot, in a contraversal crash. While the world around her investigates wiether or not the crash was pilot error, mechanical, or even a suicide taking the passengers with, Kathryn (our main character) has to go through many more things than even that. Her young daughter is distraught and acting out, she is finding out about her husbands real character, and dealing with her own grief and emotions. And then, when it couldn't get any more dramatic, there is a startling twist.

Read it. It's a good one. Drama central. Crying and gasping.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 36 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Anita Shreve is a really unique author - I haven't quite made up my mind about her books yet. This one I enjoyed.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 36 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Oprah Book Club® Selection, March 1999: With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness:
Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form.
The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I could not put this book down! It was a surprise for me. Anita Shreve really caught my interest right away and I just couldn't put it down. This book is also a part of the Oprah's Book Club.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 113 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Loved this book, one of her best written books! A romantic book with a good mystery.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I couldn't put this book down! In this book of secrets the main character is developed so well, it was easy to put myself in her shoes.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I didn't want to put this book down. I fell in love with the characters and began to understand them as real people. Although a somewhat tragic story, it was moving and absorbing.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Not really worth the time when there are so many other better books out there. I thought it was going to be very deep and moving but instead I found it very contrived and predictible and in the end a little shallow like a trashy made-for-tv movie.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
The story of a woman who finds out her husband has died, and begins to piece together a life that she was completely unaware of. On the Oprah's book club list, a very good read about love. Highly recommend!
Highlandheart44 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Helpful Score: 2
A "Can't put it down" novel.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 99 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Powerful, emotional book with a fast paced storyline and characters you will care about and be sorry to see go.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I've read several of Anita Shreve's books, and this one is definitely the best of them all, in my opinion. I highly recommend it.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 25 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Good story about a marriage. I will read another by this author.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The story is interesting but the writing is a little "8th grade".
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 23 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book was ok...not the greatest, but quickly and easily read in a weekend. Didn't enjoy the ending. I would say it was worth reading, but not earth shattering.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Helpful Score: 1
Gripping, intense, page turner.

Mystery.

Kathryn's husband dies in a plane crash, after his death she discovers things she never knew about him.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 129 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I really did not think I would like this book from reading the back cover, but I LOVED it! This was a great book that was my introduction to Anita Shreve, who is now one of my favorite authors. It was hard to put down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very intriguing and shocking, yet believable
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was a very good book. Very sad, though, and very true to life!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Just an okay book but quite predictable and silly ending that was ho-humm. I would have liked different characters developed. Easy read.
hazeleyes avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 331 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Amazon.com Review
Oprah Book Club® Selection, March 1999: With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness:
Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form.
The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off.
simplicity avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 33 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I liked it! Worth the read. Maybe a little predictable, but still enjoyable.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this story! It is so well writed that you feel like you are there experiencing this heartbreak. It will shake you up to realize that all is not always what it seems. (and sometimes that is because we don't want to "see" what is in front of us! A good read!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
great read altho i didnt care 4 her other novels.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 49 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
From Amazon.com

"Oprah Book Club® Selection, March 1999: With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness:

Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form.

The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off. "
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was my first Anita Shreve novel and I am hooked - no fluff or drivel, no predictability - a smart and page turning read. Great story.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great book - must read!
SanJoseCa avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 328 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book is part "detective story" and part "interior monologue." You are drawn into a story of a tragic plane crash and the unravling of a secret life, exploring the question, how well do we really know our spouses.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 43 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful. Marvelous. Highly recommended.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A oprah's book club book.
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
Modaba avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 75 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A very well written novel that will keep you turning the pages very rapidly to reach the conclusion. This is the first novel I have read by Anita Shreve and it definitely will not be the last! I admire a writer who can grab your attention and keep you turning each page saying to yourself "What really happened? I have to get to the bottom of this." A wonderful book...no wonder it was a best seller and part of Oprah's Book Club.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 85 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A great book that I really enjoyed. I don't think it quite compared with "The Bridges of Madison County" like on reviewer said, but it was very good.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 45 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I guess I was expecting more excitement from this book. I thought it was kind of boring.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was my 2nd time to read this book - it's that good. And I just loaned it to a friend last night. The author does a good job of character development and the story moves quickly. Although it's not a "happy" story, it is a story full of emotional depth.
jdyinva avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 408 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Can't say enough good things about this book. From beginning to end it was fascinating. A wonderful, suspenseful story.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Helpful Score: 1
could not put this book down.. read it in one night cover to cover.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great book to read on vacation! All my sisters really enjoyed - surprises in it!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Helpful Score: 1
A gripping story by one of my favorite authors.
twosey avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 52 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who has trust issues in their marriage. Past or present, this is a book that will definately amplify the fact that you never really know anyone completely
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Easy read. Hard to put down once you start and it's easy to become emotionally connected to the main character.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 16 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Oprah's book club choice....very moving novel...
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 101 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Not my usual choice of reading but I enjoyed this one, a bit of light reading, a bit sad.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 32 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
To slow at the beginning. Had to put it down so many times. Not my favorite of this author.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Great book for a book club! Generated excellent discussion.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 98 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A real page-turner. Post 9-11, it feels a bit out-of-date, but not much.
Kmarie avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 529 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book!
Until now, Kathryn Lyons's life has been peaceful if unextraordinary: a satisfying job teaching high school in the New England mill town of her childhood; a picture-perfect home by the ocean; a precocious, independent-minded fifteen-year-old daughter; and a happy marriage whose occasional dull passages she attributes to the unavoidable deadening of time. As a pilot's wife, Kathryn has learned to expect both intense exhilaration and long periods alone ? but nothing has prepared her for the late-night knock that lets her know her husband has died in a crash. As Kathryn struggles with her grief, she descends into a maelstrom of publicity stirred up by the modern hunger for the details of tragedy. Even before the plane is located in waters off the Irish coast, the relentless scrutiny of her husband's life begins to bring a bizarre personal mystery into focus. Could there be any truth to the increasingly disturbing rumors that he had a secret life?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 106 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This Shreve book was easy to read and very enjoyable. Not unlike her other books, Shreve addresses some very difficult topics in this book, such as trust, infidelity, and a child who has experimented with their sexuality.

Kathryn, the heroine of the story, is catapulted into despair when she finds that her beloved pilot husband, Jack, has been killed in a plane crash. Comforted by Robert, a man from the union, who knows more than he initially reveals. Jack's death brings to light some disturbing possibilities which Kathryn must explore, and then come to grips with.

The story is wonderfully gripping. I really enjoyed this Shreve title, but like some of her others, wasn't thrilled with the ending, which was odd and I felt left unanswered questions.
Definitely worth reading though.
mamajamma avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 25 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Here is a book that only kept my attention while in the tub. It was just alright.
krissyj8 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
After I got half way through I couldn't put this book down. A quick and compelling read. One of Anita Shreve's best books!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A pilot\'s wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can you really know another person?
jillie24 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 24 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Passed around to my group of friends while on vacation in the mountains. All 4 of us read it within a weeks time. Easy read. Interesting twists to the plot that you wouldn't expect. Makes you feel all sorts of ranges on emotions. Really enjoyed.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I liked this book. The main characters are very appealing. The plot is mostly predictable with a bit of what I feel was a convoluted twist. But it was an interesting quick read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very well written... material that could have been written like a soap opera was, instead, written in such an engaging way, I savored this book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A page-turner, as are all of Shreve's books. I've never read a bad one, or one that didn't make me wish it went longer. The perfect escape. No real redeeming value, just a great book to take you away from the trials and tribulations of life for awhile.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Helpful Score: 1
I wasn't sure what to expect but it was well written. Right from the beginning it draws you in. Not a huge reader but I finished this one in three days.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 20 more book reviews
a haunting book that has stayed with me long after I closed the cover!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 19 more book reviews
EXCELLENT book... I truly enjoyed it...
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 24 more book reviews
Very emotional and moving story. had some shocking elements in the story as well. Like the author, so picked it up. Good story about people and the way some can live life.
Stephany avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 19 more book reviews
With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness. The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
This is a great story whic keeps you guessing till the end. Even though a movie has been made nothing can capture or evoke the emotions that this novel can, Barbara Delinsky is just great!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable---one revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever the knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it explores the question: how well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 36 more book reviews
what an amazing story..
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Shreve's best book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 59 more book reviews
Like this. Oprah picks good books.
rocklogson avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Good character development, well written. Makes you think "Just how well do I REALLY know anyone?"
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Interesting story, part tragedy, part dectective. Drew me in and couldn't put it down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 25 more book reviews
Oprah's book club selection. Interesting twist.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 58 more book reviews
Sad but excellent read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Not Shreve's best, but still a pageturner.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 11 more book reviews
Gripping. It's bad enough when your beloved husband dies unexpectedly, but when it surfaces that he led a double life, the unreality is beyond belief.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 17 more book reviews
Great story telling
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 49 more book reviews
Great Book.not to long,finished it real quick,but it kept you reading
libertybellepa avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 35 more book reviews
Read this a second time recently and loved it still.
A widow discovers her husband had a secret life and this deals with the aftermath of a tragedy that leads her to his other family.
tripletmom avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 225 more book reviews
Good story with unexpected twists.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 47 more book reviews
Very realistic and sympathetic characters. Kathryn's life is turned upside down and her emotinal journey in dealing with events is surprisingly suspensful.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 39 more book reviews
Excellent story about a pilot's wife who, after her husband's plane crashes, finds herself asking how well she actually knew him.
grandmasusan avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 45 more book reviews
I haven't read thisw book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 13 more book reviews
How well can we ever really know another person. Read about how one woman discovers truths about her husband after his death.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 50 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable -- one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack let a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who oherhusband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Great read!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
A great book, will keep you turning pages to find out how it ends.
ktleyed avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 72 more book reviews
Quick, engrossing read, a great first half, but I wasn't crazy about the ending, but overall it's a good book.
imnellen avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 246 more book reviews
Good Book. An Oprah Book so you know it's decent.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
This is a great book, it take a twist you will not expect.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 83 more book reviews
This was a great mystery! Another great read by Anita Shreve!
kyrridwen avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 25 more book reviews
A novel about the wife of a husband who goes down with his plane. Oprah's book club selection.
ceresas avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
awesome story; rather sad, but ends on a hopeful note.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 30 more book reviews
This is the story of a pilot's wife who receives word late one night that her husband's plane has exploded. That is the first step into a journey that leads her down a road of unexpected twists and turns deep into her husband's secret life. Definitely a page-turner!

Oprah's Book Club book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 72 more book reviews
I enjoyed reading this book. I love mysteries and this was a mystery plus with an emotional rollercoaster.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
While grieving for her husband, Jack, a pilot who died in a plane crash, Kathryn Lyons discovers that he had a second life she knew nothing about. Torn between her anger and her desire to preserve Jack's memory for their young daughter, Kathryn seeks out Jack's secret: a wife and two children living in England.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
Anita Shreve is always great. This book is no excption. It's an Oprah Book Club selection for a reason.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 115 more book reviews
Wonderful, well written story! I couldn't put it down...
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 40 more book reviews
A great thriller about a plane crash, it's causes & the effects left on those still here.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 60 more book reviews
Mesmerizing! Definitely recommend it.
katzep64 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 14 more book reviews
The book was sad and depressing. Do you really know your spouse??
The character's love for her husband blinded her to the ugly truth,
that her husband lead a double life. Story line was well written, and I
could feel the wife's pain and questions that ran through her mind.
In the end the wife was betrayed by the husband and the husband was
betrayed by his lover. A friend who knew I was reading
it told me to stop, I will be disappointed in the end..and I was.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Good read very suspensfull
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 2 more book reviews
Very good, easy read, love story, very well written.
changes4kelly avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 11 more book reviews
This book was just okay for me. Wasn't very original, and characters seemed not so smart or sympathetic. Pathetic is actually a better word to describe.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 64 more book reviews
This was one that I couldn't put down. You're drawn into all the emotions of the main characters. The settings put you right there.
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 977 more book reviews
Husbands and their secrets will never turn out good.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 28 more book reviews
This was a moving book that explores marriage, grief, and how it is so difficult to truly know someone, even if you're married. I enjoyed it every much
lovelle74 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 18 more book reviews
This was such a good read. The story was very captivating. I can't believe that the character had to endure the many discoveries she experienced after her husband passed away.
rxtech avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 5 more book reviews
This was one of those books that was hard for me to put down. Loved it.
mosulcat avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
I was enveloped in this book from the first paragraph. Anita Shreve did an excellent job of drawing me in to the life of Kathryn Lyons, having me feel empathy for her situations. I couldn't possibly say that I can imagine what it would be like to live in the shoes of Kathryn lyons but Anita shreve had a good point in asking the question "How well can you really know another person?"
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 13 more book reviews
Audrey Niffenegger, who wrote The Time Traveller's Wife, could use some lessons from Anita Shreve: You can write a compelling, sympathetic, page-turner without constant profanity, vulgar depictions of sex, and shallow characters.

The Pilot's Wife is one of the better books I've read recently. It was like standing helplessly by while watching a train wreck about to happen, and unable to look away. From the very first line in the book you know that things will continue to worsen for the main character with each turn of the page, that her "perfect" world as she knows it will unravel to almost unbearable levels. Shreve knows how to expertly draw the reader into her tales, can develop her characters into people we either know or can see in ourselves. Niffenegger, with her book, could do neither. Having read both books closely together, I couldn't help but make the obvious comparisons between the two. One soared, the other sank.

I look forward to reading more of Anita Shreve.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 31 more book reviews
I enjoyed this book of Anita Shreve's the best. The suspense kept me going and wondering how someone lives 2 lives and makes a woman feel like they're his only world. Sad at times, but enjoyable read.
JuneRosebud avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 12 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book. A very real look at the character's feelings as they are dealt potentially devastating blows and how healing can come with time and love.
emeraldfire avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
As the wife of an airline pilot, Kathryn Lyons understands the importance of being prepared for every eventuality that life presents to her. That includes everything from moving fairly frequently; to long periods of separation due to her husband's flight schedule; to the inevitable late-night knock at the door that every pilot's wife dreads. Yet when Kathryn receives such a knock: carrying word that the plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded somewhere off the coast of Ireland, she must confront the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time.

Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by the persistent rumors that Jack had led a secret double life, Kathryn sets out to discover the truth. She is determined to learn just who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost herself and her fifteen-year-old daughter. Her exhaustive search for the truth is what propels this taut and impassioned novel as it poignantly explores the question: just how well can we ever really know a person?

I must say that I absolutely loved this book. It was such an easy read for me; truly a page-turner. I've had this book on my bookshelf for quite a long time, but I can't remember if I have ever read it before. I think that I remember watching the made-for-television movie that was broadcast in 2002, starring Christine Lahti. I would definitely give this book an A+!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 21 more book reviews
I loved this book about a duel life.Its bben years since I read this book and I still remember how the wife became unraveled when the truth she knew became a mirage.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 33 more book reviews
I enjoyed this book, it reflects the dynamics of change in one womans life and how she deals with it
missy658 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
Just finished reading this book in two days. Very easy read though, I must admit, somewhat predictable. Enjoyable all the same.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book from the very beginning. Even though I felt the ending was a bit weak, I would still recommend reading the book.
ncbones avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 17 more book reviews
Loved this book, could feel the characters emotions.
babyjulie avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 336 more book reviews
I read this a lot of years ago, it was my first by Shreve, and I LOVED it! I've since read and bought more just based on the talent this showed alone.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 53 more book reviews
A great read! Could not put it down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 98 more book reviews
A PILOT'S WIFE IS TAUGHT TO BE PREPARED FOR THE LATE NIGHT KNOCK AT THE DOOR.BUT WHEN KATHRYN LYONS RECIEVES WORD THAT A PLANE FLOWNS BY HER HUSBAND HAS EXPLORED NEAR THE COAST OF IRELAND,SHE CONFRONTED THE UNFAITHOMABLE ONE STARTLING REVALATION AT A TIME
Robin1 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 26 more book reviews
Loved this book and could not put it down!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
touching
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
A must read, and make sure you have a box of tissues. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable--one startling revelation at a time
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 103 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door.When Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
I couldn't put this book down once I started it!!
babsjansen avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Page turner!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
Even though I knew what was going to happen in this story, I couldn't put this book down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3389 more book reviews
And she didn't disappoint me there. Anita takes you on a journey through a woman's self-discovery as she struggles with her husband's death and the reality that she didn't know him like she thought she did. It is a portrayal of a strong woman who sets out to learn who her husband really was ~~ while at the same time working to protect her daughter and helping her through this trying time as well as exploring her self-realization.
It is a quick read as well as an engrossing one. Though the book doesn't stir up lots of debates like Oprah's other selections, the topic of adultery still hits too close to home. However, it is interesting to see how Kathryn deals with it during her grieving process and comes to the realization that none of us really know another person. This book may sound depressing, but it really isn't. You have to read between the lines to see that there is a gift of hope that Anita was trying to share with her readers as you grow along with Kathryn on her journey.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 21 more book reviews
This is a very well written and entertaining book. It is the first book I have read by Anita Shreve and I will read more.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
This book was easy to read and engaging. The author gives enough of a sense that something suspicious is going on and keeps you turning pages to find out what it is.
meowysmiles avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 140 more book reviews
A great story of someone who must pick up the pieces of her life after hearing her husband's plane has exploded,excellent book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 35 more book reviews
What does the wife find out after her husband's plane crashes???
I liked this book. It's a good read.
wordyone avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 112 more book reviews
When a pilot's wife receives word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she and her daughter must confront the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
A great story line told by one of the best authors ever.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 140 more book reviews
I read this book last year and really enjoyed it!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Another great read by Anita Shreve!
ncsuz avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 77 more book reviews
The story makes you think about how well you can really know a person. But I was let down at Katherine's reaction to finding out some of these secrets. I would have been enraged and crushed to find out some of the things she did. But I just didn't feel that from her.
roofangel avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 5 more book reviews
Once you start you will be drawn in. Good book. Makes you think about secrets
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
It makes you think twice about men!!
carriej73 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 34 more book reviews
This book had good flashbacks and characterization, and was easy to read. It's about Kathryn, whose husband is an intercontinental pilot. He dies in an airline crash, then rumors start that it was suicide. She begins to investigate and begins to doubt how well she knew her husband.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 219 more book reviews
A GREAT STORY !
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 109 more book reviews
gripping, compelling read. When Kathryn receives word that her husband's plane has exploded, she begins an emotional search with surprising results...
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 73 more book reviews
I found this book easy reading. Very compelling.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 11 more book reviews
A well written book that will make wives and girlfriends everywhere wonder just a little more about what they don't know about their husband's relationships and business trips.
formia avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 20 more book reviews
An intense, emotional, hard read - but very, very good! I read this one in one sitting, couldn't put it down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Intriguing book about the secret life a wife discovers about her pilot husband...
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 518 more book reviews
oprah's book club. how well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 13 more book reviews
great book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 23 more book reviews
A real page turner. Although I felt like I had already read the book. I found out that it was a made-for-t.v. movie in 2002. Still it was a good read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 82 more book reviews
This was one of the best books i've read.
blessed1 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 127 more book reviews
Wonderful story. I read it quickly as I couldn't put it down til it was finished. I'll read more by this author.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
I was sorry I read this book. I know other people like it, but if you are looking for something uplifting, this is not it. If you are even mildly depressed, don't read it.
Doughgirl avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 138 more book reviews
In the middle of the night, a man knocks on the pilot's wife's door. He's come to tell her that there had been an explosion on the international flight her husband was piloting and it had gone down in the sea just outside of Ireland. There were no survivors. He's from the pilots' union, and has also come to stay with her to help with the flood of press and questions that will be coming her way. But as he is handling the press, the pilot's wife is discovering other thngs that lead her to question whether or not she really knew her husband - and eventually lead her to London to seek answers.

Yes, This book gets the rare (from me anyway) five star rating. It is compulsively readiable. I simply could not stop reading as the secrets unfolded. Although I correctly guessed some of the revelations that came, that didn't ruin the story at all. That's because it wasn't simply about the unfolding mystery, it was also about the pilot's wife's reaction to everything that she learned.

I remember clearly the day several years ago that a co-worker of mine came in looking particularly haggard. I asked her if she was OK, and she said that she was fine. She had just been up most of the night reading a novel - this novel. However, this book languished on my TBR for years. That's primarily because I tried to read Fortunes' Rocks by the same author (which is loosely related to The Pilot's Wife), and I just couldn't get into that story. So I wasn't all that eager to try The Pilot's Wife. I'm sooooo glad that I finally picked it up.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 43 more book reviews
A good examination of the nature of grief--falls apart a little at the end.
stargazer00 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 151 more book reviews
Very enjoyable, with an interesting turn of events.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
I liked this book a lot. It was a book club book for me.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
OPRAH BOOK CLUB
CHANGED THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD MARRIAGE AND WHAT CAN GO WRONG
DebSalanitro avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 29 more book reviews
My first by this author and I really liked it. I found it to be a page turner as I didn't want to be interrupted while reading and would hide from my family!
You are taken in from the very first page when the wife opens the door!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 31 more book reviews
Compulsively readable. An absorbing, inventive tale rendered in fine, original prose.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 19 more book reviews
I couldn't put this book down!
katgif avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 28 more book reviews
This was a great book. I didnt want to put it down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 30 more book reviews
Page turner, great read. Forget dishes and laundry, I couldn't put it down until I was done!
KrisC avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 20 more book reviews
Riveting story, very hard to put down. It will make you cry and be just as shocked as the character in the book. After Kathryn's husband dies in a horrific plain crash, she tries to remember if she really knew her husband as well as she thought she did. Her daughter seems to have more insight into this. In her search, she discovers love and laughter, betrayal and hurt. An Oprah's Book Club book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
This was a great book. I really enjoyed it!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
A terrific page-turner. My housework was neglected until I finished this book. Awesome! A real lesson in "knowing" people.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 367 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable--one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 25 more book reviews
Just when you think you know the loved ones in your life, your world can be flipped upside down- a real page-turner.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 18 more book reviews
Fantastic. WAY better than the movie! You will be kept in suspense.
ilovedale3 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 524 more book reviews
A wife is awakened by a knock at the door, telling her that her husband (who is a pilot) has died in a plane crash. She then begins to learn things about her husband that she never knew and she knows that she must learn the truth about her husband's life and death.

Great read, very touching. Underscores the idea that we never really know anyone...
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 30 more book reviews
wonderful
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
A very quick read; I enjoyed it.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 45 more book reviews
I really got into this story.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 31 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband,Jack, explodes of the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life. Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explored the question, How well can we ever really know another person.
buzzby avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6062 more book reviews
Engrossing book, she's very good at not overstating.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 28 more book reviews
As a pilot's wife Kathryn receives word that her husbands plane has exploded over the coast of Ireland. She learns that her husband had a second life. The story continues through her search to find out who he really was. Good characters and well written
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 110 more book reviews
My favorite of Anita Sheve. I couldn't put it down.
SunnyBrook avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 147 more book reviews
It was hard to put this book down!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 334 more book reviews
I love Anita Schreve's writing, one of my favorite authors, especially for stories about relationships that may be hidden. This book is no exception - a wonderfully compelling read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 40 more book reviews
When Katherine Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husban, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable, one step at a time. Soon drawn into a storm of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a double life, Katherine sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this story as it explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 16 more book reviews
This woman is amazing. I don't know if I could hold it together as well as she did under the same circumstanxes. Goo Book!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 17 more book reviews
Great book!!!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Great read -- couldn't put it down!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 15 more book reviews
Very interesting story that pulls you in from the beginning.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 69 more book reviews
Spellbound, absolutely terrific reading!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 231 more book reviews
An Oprah selection and a great read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
One of the better Oprah's book titles I have read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 17 more book reviews
I read this book awhile ago, back when it was first published, and I don't remember being very thrilled with it. It was one of those books that I felt obligated to read just because I spent $$ on it - definitely not a page turner.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 67 more book reviews
Well written with lots of surprises.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 404 more book reviews
I heard about this book because it was on many people's favorite book lists on a reading site. They did not steer me wrong. Beautifully written.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 285 more book reviews
This was a very good book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 65 more book reviews
Hard to put this book down!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
Good story about how much you can ever really know a person, even your spouse.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 17 more book reviews
Not a bad read, but I had a hard time liking the characters.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
A great story that holds your interest
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 579 more book reviews
gripping, you dont want to stop turning pages.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 469 more book reviews
When her pilot husband is shot down and publicity rumours are of his "secret life," Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was. This novel passionately explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 14 more book reviews
Enjoyed this book very much; a good mystery, with a good mix of emotion. The emotional aspect of the story is especially well described. There are many surprises and it leaves you wondering "how well do I really know anybody?"
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
Pretty unpredictable. I was eager to get to the end and figure it all out.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Kind of sad.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 18 more book reviews
very good book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 79 more book reviews
From the time Kathryn learns that her husband, who is a pilot, has died when the plane he was flying exploded near the coast of Ireland, the action is non-stop. She soon learns that she really didn't know him at all. Her husband was leading two separate lives. As the story unravels, I literally could not put this book down. A must read!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 15 more book reviews
The title character is drawn in to a maelstrom of publicity after a plane flown by her husband crashes, once rumors survace that the husband had lead a secret life. The wife sets out to learn about her husband's life. An Oprah selection.
k9kutter64 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 167 more book reviews
Awesome story....couldn't put it down....
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
A complex story about a woman married to a pilot who is killed in a plane crash. She finds that her husband led a secret life and she sets out to find who her husband really was.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 89 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock on the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 38 more book reviews
I liked it ok,but felt I wanted to finish it soon so as I could read another more interesting book,,LOL
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
I had seen the movie, but think the book is better.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 94 more book reviews
This is one of the best novels I have read. Before you start this book, be sure you have plenty of time to finish it because it's hard to put down. Anita Shreve is able to put the reader up close and personal with her almost living, breathing characters.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 23 more book reviews
Gripping... You don't want to stop turning the pages once Kathryn has opened the door.
A pilots' wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. but when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelations at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, how well can we really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 127 more book reviews
A very engaging book. "Oprah's Book Club" selection. Strong character development with a story that reflects real life. We are exposed to the mundane and the exciting with a twist of mystery as one woman comes to term with the truth about her husband.
Louise avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 13 more book reviews
This book is wonderful!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 220 more book reviews
A novel by the author of the national bestseller "The Weight of Water".This is an Oprah's Book Club selection. This copy is a first edition trade-size paperback (5 1/2 x 8 1/2), 1999.

Kathryn Lyons recieves word that her pilot husband's plane has exploded near the coast of Ireland. She sets out to learn who her husband really was. Her search leads her to the question: How well can we ever really know another person? A moving novel.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness:

Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form.

The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off.
TinkerPirate avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 61 more book reviews
You meet and marry. You live together for years. Then, your husband is reported missing and there are rumors of a secret life. WHAT! You have just entered the world of Kathryn Lyons. Join her as she searches for the truth.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Quick read -- very Lifetime-movie-esque.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 26 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knowck on the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable.......
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
It's a mystery, one touches the reader in a personal way. It brings out the doubting inner voice that wonders, what is happening behind the normal lives around us?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 37 more book reviews
This is my first book I've read by Shreve. I immediately grabbed a few more of hers after finishing. Very well written characters and plot.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 40 more book reviews
Wonderful story. Emotional, mysterious, romantic, captivating. All the good stuff!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 20 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this one. How well do we really know anyone? This book was a quick read, great for the beach.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
Great book!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 11 more book reviews
A novel in which a wife unravels the details of her dead husband\'s hidden life. An easy read, and a constant page turner.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 113 more book reviews
Very, very good. Read it in one day. I highly recommend this book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
Love Anita Shreve's work. This is a story that I couldn't put down till I finished it
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 30 more book reviews
Shreve doing what she does best. Makes you want to know these people, help them. Well-written and human.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 323 more book reviews
"An absorbing, inventive tale rendered in fine, original prose." - Mike Snyder, Houston Chronicle
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her jusband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question. How well can we really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 131 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question. How well can we ever rally know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
Anita Shreve's best book ever!!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 12 more book reviews
Oprah's Book Club pick. Excellent novel!
tracey13 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 310 more book reviews
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but actually loved it. Not at all the chick-lit I thought it would be. Compelling plot and deeply drawn characters. Very original.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
Like all Shreve's book, it keeps you interested
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 51 more book reviews
Oprah's book club. Very suspenseful - will KEEP you guessing until the end. Very human story by Anita Shreve - always a good read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 183 more book reviews
From Oprah's book club, she's the new Anne Tyler!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 65 more book reviews
A Pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the lat-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives work toat a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable - one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly eplores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 28 more book reviews
loved it!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 29 more book reviews
This is honestly one of the best books I have ever read! It is about the death of a husband, and all of the secrets that the wife finds out about him. It is so wonderful! Absolutely great!!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
Tragedy, intrique, romance..After her husband is killed in a fatal crash that could be blamed on him the wife digs into his private life. It is then she realizes she didn't know him at all. Good quick read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 7 more book reviews
Oprah's Book Club
Bonnie avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 422 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book, and was quite shocked by the twist it took...didn't see it coming.
pebbles32s avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
I really loved this book..keeps you guessing
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 19 more book reviews
This was my first Anita Shreve book and I loved it. The story took twists that I did't expect.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 63 more book reviews
Tale of infidelity and survival. I read every one of Anita Shreve's books since.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Gripping book! From the back cover..."A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable-one startling revelation at a time."
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 96 more book reviews
Wife receives word her husbands plain has crashed. But has it or is he leading a double life?Very good book, you wont wnat to put it down until you finish it.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 39 more book reviews
A wife learns her husbands plane has crashed. He is gone. She learns facts that tell her she may not have known him after all. What she learns keeps you reading.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 18 more book reviews
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Until now, Kathryn Lyons's life has been peaceful if unextraordinary: a satisfying job teaching high school in the New England mill town of her childhood; a picture-perfect home by the ocean; a precocious, independent-minded fifteen-year-old daughter; and a happy marriage whose occasional dull passages she attributes to the unavoidable deadening of time. As a pilot's wife, Kathryn has learned to expect both intense exhilaration and long periods alone but nothing has prepared her for the late-night knock that lets her know her husband has died in a crash. As Kathryn struggles with her grief, she descends into a maelstrom of publicity stirred up by the modern hunger for the details of tragedy. Even before the plane is located in waters off the Irish coast, the relentless scrutiny of her husband's life begins to bring a bizarre personal mystery into focus. Could there be any truth to the increasingly disturbing rumors that he had a secret life?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
Inspirational but you will cry your eyes out.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 407 more book reviews
A moving book about a woman, Kathryn Lyons, whose husband Jack dies in an airplane crash. What happened and what she learned about him kept me interested throughout the book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 5 more book reviews
An excellent read. Gripping page turner. I couldn't put it down.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 45 more book reviews
As always, Shreve weaves her tale among exquisitely human characters ~ a very good read, I enjoyed in immensely.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
This was a bit wordly for my tastes, but I still read it fairly quickly. There was definitely an element of wanting to know how it ends.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
An engrossing, emotional read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
One of her better books, easy read
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
the first Anita Shreve I read. I was hooked.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 380 more book reviews
good read
margaretlee avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 171 more book reviews
REALLY loved this book! Good narrator, excellent character development, great sense of suspense,altogether a great literary experience.
gongwer avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 25 more book reviews
A poignant look at life from the eyes of a pilot's wife - as she find that everything around you, and people you love, are always more than they seem....
retro-redux avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 219 more book reviews
book club edition
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 189 more book reviews
A moving story of love, trust and a split personality that unwinds into parallels of betrayal.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
An aircrash, a dead husband, and the wife discovers a painful secret! A good read!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 15 more book reviews
Guys this is a book by and for women. Don't bother. The author ran out of airspeed and ideas about the sametime. The ending is lame and limps to a close.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 2 more book reviews
First book I have read by Anita Shreve and I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more by her!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 3 more book reviews
Hardback
cranbery avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 530 more book reviews
One of my favorite books of the Oprah's Book Club! Very well written....
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 20 more book reviews
i rad this is one night.
Stacy1 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 90 more book reviews
Being married to a pilot means you have to be a bit of a fatalist, but nothing has prepared Kathryn Lyons for the news of her husband's fatal crash. Even before the plane is located off the Irish coast, a callous media turns her personal life inside out. As Kathryn struggles with rage and grief, a bizarre mystery swims into focus:Who was this man she loved, and what lay behind the life she took for granted. She is determined to find the truth, even though she knows it isn't going to be pretty. Anita Shreve is the author of THE WEIGHT OF WATER and other acclaimed novels. She lives in western Massachusetts.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
An Oprah selection: I loved it!
sirius-mama avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 37 more book reviews
Desperately in need of editing. Such an enticing premise - how well can anyone know a loved one? Such a disappointing delivery. As an Irish-American, I guessed one of her twists within the first couple pages - there was no mystery or tension for me on that storyline. I couldn't believe she took so long to state the obvious. Shreve appears to have done no research on the history of turmoil in Ireland. I found the characters to be shallow and not fully developed. I didn't particularly like or sympathize with the widow. I did read the whole book, hoping it would improve or actually surprise me, but it did not.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 56 more book reviews
great book.
MamaHendo3 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 40 more book reviews
This is on my "A" list! What a great story! Had my attention from beginning to end. You'll love the twist at the end.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Interesting and well-written ,but kind of a downer!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 6 more book reviews
Wonderful!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on
I enjoyed the book very much.
glbirch avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 205 more book reviews
A enjoyable read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 94 more book reviews
This is the first book I read by Anita Shreve. It was referred to me by a woman on the cruise I took on my honeymoon. Great book!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 92 more book reviews
An excellent, well written book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
Great book, could not put it down! Very surprising twist.
samanthachels avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 137 more book reviews
Oprah's latest Book Club pick is The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreveâ"an engrossing thriller woven between the pages of a stirring meditation on love and betrayal. With one late-night knock on her door, Kathryn Lyons's worst fears as a pilot's wife come true: Her husband, Jack, has died in a mid-air explosion off the coast of Ireland. Later, a phone number found among Jack's papers leads Kathryn to London and the unfathomable truth about her husband's secret other life. A second wife and two young children are just the beginning of what Jack was hiding in England. With each staggering revelation, Kathryn must reconcile her memories of the man she loved with the disturbing portrait unfolding before her.
queen627 avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 45 more book reviews
Oprah's Book Club book, but I really didn't like it. I ended up skimming to the end. A plane crashes and the pilots wife ends up finding out that her husband has a 2nd family in London.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 23 more book reviews
Did her husband really live a secret life?
mamadoodle avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 1105 more book reviews
Oprah Book Club selection.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book. It's a very good mystery.
Susanaque avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 422 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late night knock on the front door. When Kathryn Lyons received word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a lot of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack lead a secret life, Katheryn sets out to learn the truth, no matter what the knowledge might cost. Her search explores the questions, how well can we ever really know another person?
joyceanne avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 47 more book reviews
When Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable, one startling relevation at a time. She sets out to find out who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge mignt cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question, how well do we really know another person?
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 9 more book reviews
Good book - I can see why Oprah chose it!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 4 more book reviews
This was a fun book to read. Quick. The ending was just what I wanted to happen.
dollycas avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 689 more book reviews
Wonderful Story.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 24 more book reviews
good read
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 10 more book reviews
I thought it was a great book !
swingsistert avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 78 more book reviews
A very interesting read - perfect summer beach read!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 117 more book reviews
Good book, really sad though.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 112 more book reviews
This book has captivated me three times... that's how many times I've read it... and the story is just so well written..one of those books that keeps you held until the very end.
2manyb00ks avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 203 more book reviews
Good book. Sad story.
spontaneousreader avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 8 more book reviews
ok book, nice in between book...not too heavy.
skymama avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 14 more book reviews
Kathryn Lyons has a storybook life, a wonderful, loving, handsome husband who is an international-route airline pilot, a feisty fifteen year-old daughter, a beautiful home overlooking the ocean and a fulfilling job as a teacher. What more could she ask of life? It certainly is not to be awakened at 3:24 am in the morning by a knock on her door, a sound that only a pilot's wife, a soldier's wife, a cop's wife can fear. When the stranger says, "Mrs. Lyons?" she knows. Reading of the air crash that claimed her husband and 103 other people sent chills up my spine (shadows of 9-11). I immediately was drawn to the inner struggle of grief, loss and unbelief that Kathryn has to face. The story unwinds with delicate glimpses of humans at their worst and at their best: the media reporters who stalk her and her family, making their lives even more destroyed; the helpful young man from the pilot's union who seems to know the right things to say and do to comfort her; the agency officials who grill her without regard to her emotional state in their professional quest for the answers. What I found strangely lacking was no close family friends or coworkers to comfort her.

Then to add to her misery her dead husband is accused of being suicidal and deliberately causing the crash. She sifts through contents of his jeans pockets and finds fragments of papers with puzzling notations. Her curiosity draws her to a discovery that her husband of fifteen years was not what she thought he was. The story went astray after that and was never really concluded to my satisfaction.
Smokey avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 265 more book reviews
A pilot's wife is prepared for that late night knock on her door...but when it happens, her life will never be the same.
holz-graves avatar reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 24 more book reviews
If you ever want to start doubting every good thing in your life, read this book.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 279 more book reviews
Great book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 22 more book reviews
Good read.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 26 more book reviews
Great book!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 181 more book reviews
Once again, ended up with two copies! Loved this book!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 175 more book reviews
Loved this book!
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 109 more book reviews
A quick read. Thought provoking.
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 162 more book reviews
vEry good book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 106 more book reviews
Oprah's Book Club
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 141 more book reviews
great book
reviewed The Pilot's Wife on + 28 more book reviews
back cover: A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock at the door. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband, Jack, has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable -- one startling revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumors that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever that knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taut, impassioned novel as it movingly explores the question. How well can we ever really know another person?