Linda Wallheim is the wife of a Mormon bishop and mother to 5 grown sons. Lately, she has begun to question whether or not she is doing everything in her life that she was meant to do when her entire world is turned upside down. This begins bright and early one morning when Jared Helms, a member of their ward, turns up at the Wallheim home to speak with the bishop. He has brought his five year old daughter Kelly with him. The news that he has is disturbing to say the least.

Jared claims that his wife, Carrie, has disappeared and abandoned him and their daughter. As it turns out, he is seeking the bishop's absolution of some sort to declare him to still be a good man regardless of the fact that his wife left him.

This is the news that begins Linda's new lease on life. Before long, she begins to suspect that Jared has done something to harm Carrie and she is determined to get to the bottom of the situation. However, her investigation starts to lead her down paths that she had not expected. Secrets begin to spill out of not only Carrie's life, but of another household as well. Will Linda be able to unravel these dangerous and deadly secrets while also protecting herself?

THE BISHOP'S WIFE is completely captivating. Author Mette Ivie Harrison takes her readers into the world of the Mormon life. In addition, it is much like peeking into the private lives of the neighbors living in that particular ward. A true page turner, THE BISHOP'S WIFE is a book that draws you in and makes you feel as if you are a part of that world, too. The many mysteries that surround these people are as prevalent as the, sometimes, terrible secrets that are being held; many of them centuries old.

While THE BISHOP'S WIFE is centered on discovering what has happened to Carrie Helm, her story is by no means the only one that comes to light. I was enthralled from the very first page and wanted to spend every spare minute with THE BISHOP'S WIFE. It was more intriguing than frightening although, once you know the truth; there may be plenty of fright to be had. THE BISHOP'S WIFE is not to be missed!

Book Summary

In the predominantly Mormon city of Draper, Utah, some seemingly perfect families have deadly secrets.

Inspired by an actual crime and written by a practicing Mormon, The Bishop’s Wife is both a fascinating look at the lives of modern Mormons as well as a grim and cunningly twisted mystery.

Linda Wallheim is the mother of five grown boys and the wife of a Mormon bishop. As bishop, Kurt Wallheim is the ward’s designated spiritual father, and that makes Linda the ward’s unofficial mother, and her days are filled with comfort visits, community service, and informal counseling.

But Linda is increasingly troubled by the church’s patriarchal structure and secrecy, especially as a disturbing situation takes shape in the ward. One cold winter morning, a neighbor, Jared Helm, appears on the Wallheims’ doorstep with his 5-year-old daughter, claiming that his wife, Carrie, disappeared in the middle of the night, leaving behind everything she owns. The circumstances surrounding Carrie’s disappearance become more suspicious the more Linda learns about them, and she becomes convinced that Jared has murdered his wife and painted himself as an abandoned husband.

Kurt asks Linda not to get involved in the unfolding family saga, but she has become obsessed with Carrie’s fate, and with the well-being of her vulnerable young daughter. She cannot let the matter rest until she finds out the truth. Is she wrong to go against her husband, the bishop, when her inner convictions are so strong?