SIX WEEKS TO LIVE

SYNOPSIS

Jennifer Barnes never expected the shocking news she received at a routine doctor’s appointment: she has a terminal brain tumor—and only six weeks left to live.

While stunned by the diagnosis, the forty-eight-year-old mother decides to spend what little time she has left with her family—her adult triplets and twin grandsons—close by her side. But when she realizes she was possibly poisoned a year earlier, she’s determined to discover who might have tried to get rid of her before she’s gone for good.

Separated from her husband and with a contentious divorce in progress, Jennifer focuses her suspicions on her soon-to-be ex. Meanwhile, her daughters are each processing the news differently. Calm medical student Emily is there for whatever Jennifer needs. Moody scientist Aline, who keeps her mother at arm’s length, nonetheless agrees to help with the investigation. Even imprudent Miranda, who has recently had to move back home, is being unusually solicitous.

But with her daughters doubting her campaign against their father, Jennifer can’t help but wonder if the poisoning is all in her head—or if there’s someone else who wanted her dead.

Title: Six weeks to live

Author: Catherine McKenzie

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication date: May 4, 2021

REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

What would you do if you only had six weeks to live? Spend time with your family? Travel? Well, not Jennifer! When her doctor tells her she has glioblastoma and her life expectancy is only six weeks she becomes convinced she’s been poisoned by her ex- husband and uses that time to try to prove it.

I had never read this author before but had heard great things about her. I decided to give this one a go because the premise sounded really interesting (yet very depressing) and, while I enjoyed it for the most part, I was not blown away by it.

The story is told through Jennifer and her three daughters. They’re triplets, with two identical and one fraternal, and on the positive side each one had a distinctive voice. However, I can’t say I really warmed up to any of them. All the jumping back and forth between the four women made this a very dynamic read, keeping the pace pretty even all throughout.

Secrets are hinted almost from the very beginning (especially relating Jennifer’s marriage and her refusal to grant her husband a divorce), so I was expecting a really explosive secret, but as the end came near and reveals started happening I felt the story fizzled out. Granted, there were several twists, but none of them left me speechless. The final justification for everything was one of my biggest pet peeves in suspense stories that I think has been overused lately in the genre.

I could not finish this review without mentioning a really annoying fact. Miranda, one of Jennifer’s daughters, just keeps saying “Fork”, “What the fork?” and so on. What the actual F*CK was that about? You’re a 25 yo, talk like a f*cking adult!

Light and fast domestic suspense that although nothing memorable it made me interested enough to go and check the author’s previous work.