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    The Testament of Harold's Wife
    The Testament of Harold's Wife
    The Testament of Harold's Wife
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Testament of Harold's Wife

    Written by Lynne Hugo

    Narrated by Melissa Hurst and Graham Winton

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    From award-winning author Lynne Hugo comes a witty, insightful, refreshingly unsentimental novel about one woman's unconventional path from heartbreak to hope.After losing her husband, Harold, and her beloved grandson, Cody, within the past year, Louisa has two choices. She can fade away on her Indiana family farm, where her companionship comes courtesy of her aging chickens and an argumentative cat. Or, she can concoct A Plan. Louisa, a retired schoolteacher who's as smart, sassy, and irreverent as ever, isn't the fading away type. The drunk driver who killed Cody got off scot-free by lying about a deer on the road. Harold had tried to take matters into his own hands, but was thwarted by Gus, the local sheriff. Now Louisa decides to take up Harold's cause, though it will mean outsmarting Gus, who's developed an unwelcome crush on her, and staying ahead of her adult son who's found solace in a money-draining cult and terrible art. Louisa's love of life is rekindled as the spring sun warms her cornfields and she goes into action. But even the most Perfect Plans can go awry. A wounded buck, and a teenage boy on the land she treasures help Louisa see that the enduring beauty of the natural world and the mystery of human connection are larger than revenge.and so is justice.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateSep 25, 2018
    ISBN9781980005230

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    Reviews for The Testament of Harold's Wife

    4/5

    21 ratings6 reviews

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    • 5/5
      What a pleasure to read this book and to spend time with Louisa. The Testament of Harold’s Wife is a story about a lot of things: hunting, farming, small towns, the death of loved ones and the need for closure or maybe revenge, each person’s ability to move on – or not move on, but mostly to me this was a story about the period of time where Louisa is trying desperately - desperately - to get a grip on her life, a life so totally different from the one she has so far lived. No husband Harold, no grandson Cody, son Gary not the same. She blames the drunken man who ran Cody down on the side of the road for Harold’s death, too. Harold was consumed by trying to get even with Larry, the “killer.” Louisa regrets she didn’t realize what Harold needed, couldn’t give it to him. It’s too late now that he’s gone, she feels apart from the son she was never that close to anyway, knows she isn’t and can’t help him, and fears he is trying to manage her life now, that he thinks she’s just a bit wacky and can’t manage on her own. He’s turned to God and has given her Glitter Jesus to watch over her.The writing in this book is perfect. Louisa’s closest family now is her cat Marvelle and her chickens named after characters in the story Little Women. They spend most of the day in the house with her (when Gary isn’t checking up on her) and she has insightful conversations and tea with them all. Louisa drinks a bit too much and a bit too early these days, and as she and the cat and the chickens have tea with a boost Louisa slowly works her way to THE PLAN. Larry must pay. Simple as that. Louisa is also close with her sister CarolSue. CarolSue worries about her and checks in with her and gives Louisa fashion advice for her reconnaissance/pretend dates with the sheriff, Gus, who seems to have a crush on her. Initially the sisters develop THE PLAN together. But they aren’t that close – CarolSue lives in another state and her husband is ill and receiving radiation. So while sharing a lot, Louisa decides maybe CarolSue doesn’t need to know quite all the details of THE PLAN. And what follows is amazing and funny and suspenseful and thoroughly entertaining.As I said, it’s perfect, real and authentic. The flow, the language, the setting, the characters – and a little mystery and a lot of suspense thrown in – are so satisfying. It’s not always a happy read because you are suffering with Louisa, feeling her grief and her tenuous hold on herself and don’t know what’s in store for her future, but it’s also wry and witty and will make you laugh out loud. And genuinely care a lot about many of these people. A new author to me but one I will most certainly continue to read. Very enjoyable, well crafted, engaging story that made me think. I recommend author Lynne Hugo’s work without hesitation.
    • 5/5
      Interesting book about loss and aging. Liked interaction between main character and animals.
    • 5/5
      Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “The Testament of Harold’s Wife” by Lynne Hugo Kensington, Sept. 25, 2018 Lynne Hugo, Author of “The Testament of Harold’s Wife” has written an unusual, emotional, intriguing, riveting, captivating and intense novel. Also in this unique story is some satire and wit. The Genres for this story are Fiction, Women’s Fiction. The timeline for this story is the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her quirky, dysfunctional and unstable characters as complicated and complex. Louisa is an older woman, and has dealt with the deaths of her grandson Cody and her husband Harold. Louisa blames Larry, the drunken man who ran Cody over, and said that he thought it was a deer. Larry is walking around as a free man. Louisa also blames Larry for the death of Harold who failed in carrying out his plans for revenge against Larry. Is it for Justice or Revenge? Louisa lives on a large farm, and her best friends are her chickens and temperamental cat. Often they have “tea” parties with a little bourbon to discuss the issues on hand. Louisa is determined to carry on with Harry’s Plans to take care of Larry. Her only obstacles are Gus, the sheriff, who keeps checking up on her, and her son, who is looking to see if Louisa has lost her marbles. Louisa’s son Gary seems to be looking for some sense of purpose, and he has found some help from Jesus. Louisa does have a wicked sense of humor trying to keep her son off her tracks. Now Louisa is a retired teacher, and knows that she has to study her subject to continue with this plan. How is Louisa going to manage this? One thing Louisa does know is Larry is a trophy hunter and kills deer. How is she going to use these facts to help her plan? I appreciate how the author describes the plants and animal life that make up Louisa’s life. The beauty of nature that surrounds Louisa is amazing. It is nice to see how Louisa does appreciate the environment. I would recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a thought-provoking story with wit and satire. Happy Reading !!!
    • 4/5
      This is my first Lynne Hugo book but after reading this, I'll definitely order some of her older books. This fantastic book had a quirky grandmother as the main character who made me laugh and who I cheered for throughout the book.Louisa is alone on the family farm in Indiana. Her beloved grandson had been killed by a drunk driver and then her husband committed suicide at the same place on the highway. The driver who killed her grandson wasn't charged because he claimed that a deer caused him to swerve. Louisa decides that she needs revenge against the driver and with the help of her sister, she works to come up with the perfect plan. Louisa's closest companions are the chickens that live in her house - named after the sisters in Little Women - and the cat that she talks to all of the time. She loves her tea - with a splash of bourbon in it and is a fantastic character. You can feel the grief in her life but can't help but applaud her as she concocts her plan of revenge.I loved this book because of Louisa. She was a fantastic character who was aware of her age and her situation. She was eccentric and tenacious - she'll make you laugh and make you cry but the whole time you'll be aware that she's a character you won't soon forget.
    • 5/5
      What a little treasure this book is: it will make you laugh, it will make you cry. And you will not regret spending time with The Testament of Harold's Wife by Lynne Hugo. Louisa is Harold's wife. She has lost her grandson Cody, who was killed by a drunken driver. Larry has been found not guilty of this crime because he claimed he swerved to avoid hitting a deer. Louisa has also lost her husband Harold. She spends most of her days with her cat and chickens which are named after the sisters in Little Women. She finds herself needing revenge for the loss of her grandson and husband. She meticulously plots how to get back at Larry, a plan which occupies her days and nights. You need to read the book to find out how all that planning and plotting works out. This novel brings out all kinds of emotions: anger, loss, sorrow, revenge, laughter and hope in the future, no matter what. A great read. Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      The Testament of Harold's Wife by Lynne Hugo is a highly recommended novel featuring an independent older woman with a plan to get revenge.First a drunk driver killed her beloved grandson, Cody. Then her husband, Harold, committed suicide. Louisa knows Harold was trying to get revenge on the man who killed Cody, who claimed there was a deer in the road and was never held accountable for the death. Gus, the local sheriff, kept an eye on Harold and interfered with his plans at every turn. Now, with Harold gone Louisa decides that it is time for her to continue Harold's plan and get revenge on the killer. Now her adult son, Gary, who has dealt with Cody's death by becoming a minister, is keeping an eye on Louisa (along with Gus). Gary seems to think there is something wrong with Louisa having her chickens inside the house and talking to them. But, Louisa knows how to execute a plan and keep ahead of those who want to interfere.The Testament of Harold's Wife is a humorous, fast paced novel. Each chapter is told through a different character's point-of-view, with the bulk of the novel following Louisa and her plans. It is an original novel with a rather charming, folksy, heroine who is grieving her losses without feeling sorry for herself. Instead she makes a plan and sets out to get the killer. The bulk of the character envelopment is, naturally, for Louisa. And while she is appealing, she does seem to act and talk older than she really is for no obvious reason.I enjoyed the novel and there are several pretty funny scenes in it, along with several touching moments and recollections. It is an entertaining and has some poignant moments. Louisa is honest when she shares her feeling and observations about those in her life. I was interested in her plan to get revenge and how it would all play out. The ending was a satisfying conclusion to the story. (On the other hand, I guess I don't find quite as much charm as some readers in Louisa discussing giving alcohol to her chickens and cat.) In the end, this is a satisfying novel about a woman dealing with grief, with humor, practicality, and looking ahead to her future.Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Kensington.