THE PLOT: ‘The Lagos Wife’ by Vanessa Walters is a domestic thriller about a wealthy woman who goes missing in Lagos. Nicole Oruwari is a British-Jamaican woman who marries into a prominent Nigerian family. She lives a life of luxury, with a palatial home and staff. But, when she goes missing, no-one knows where she could be. Her aunt Claudine flies to Nigeria to track down her niece. Yet, the more Claudine uncovers about Nicole’s life as an expat housewife among the Lagos elite, the more she realises she doesn’t know her niece at all.

SUMMARY: This was such a fun book that had me gripped! I haven’t been back to Nigeria since the pandemic, but I loved how this book transported me to Lagos. The characters were well-observed, the plot was entertaining and the cultural and class differences were nuanced. I’ve seen criticisms that the book portrays Nigeria as corrupt and the characters were one-dimensional. However, I think a book of this nature has to turn up the dial and simplify characters slightly. Is this book going to win the Booker Prize? No. Was I entertained? Yes. And that’s why I’m giving it four stars.

GOOD BITS: I love that this story centres around a Jamaican character in Nigeria. This provides instant tension and an interesting culture clash. As a south-Londoner, I felt the dynamics between the Jamaican and Nigerian characters were realistic and engaging. I also liked the detail around Nicole and that she wasn’t the perfect victim or a stereotype. Her relationships with the male characters were suitably layered, which made her feel like a well-rounded person.

NOT SO GOOD BITS: Although I was generally gripped by the mystery, the extended passage in Badagry felt didactic and didn’t really serve the story. It felt like the author wanted to crowbar in some reflections on slavery, which I understand, but they didn’t really serve the plot. However, my true gripe with this novel is the ending. I really don’t want to write any spoilers but the big reveal was a bit tame.

OVERALL: I’d recommend this book to fans of ‘My Sister, the Serial Killer’ by Oyinkan Brathwaite and ‘Queenie’ by Candice Carty-Williams. Thank you to Penguin for my #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

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