Fiction

Embassy Wife

Embassy Wife

  • Downloads：1807
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-08-23 11:20:58
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Katie Crouch
  • ISBN：1666502235
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

Katie Crouch's Embassy Wife is a page-turning thriller following two women abroad searching for the truth about their husbands—and their country

Katie Crouch's Embassy Wife introduces us to Persephone Wilder， a displaced genius posing as the wife of an American diplomat in Namibia。 She takes her job as a representative of her country seriously， and comes up with an intricate set of rules to survive such problems as: how to dress in hundred-degree weather without showing too much skin， how not to look drunk at embassy functions， and how to eat roasted oryx with grace。 She also suspects her husband is not actually the ambassador’s general counsel， but a secret agent in the CIA。 Ever the embassy wife， she takes the new trailing spouse， Amanda Evans， under her wing。

Amanda Evans has just arrived in Namibia， mere weeks after giving up her Silicon Valley job， as her husband， Mark， has accepted a Fulbright。 But once they arrive in the sub-Saharan desert， it becomes clear that Mark， who lived in Namibia two decades earlier， had other reasons for returning。 Their marriage， which seemed solid in the safety of home， feels tenuous in the glaring heat of the Kalahari。 Mark， it seems， has secrets born twenty years ago， and this journey is actually a quest to find a woman he left behind。 When Amanda’s daughter becomes involved an actual international conflict， lines are drawn in the sand， and it is clear that her own government won’t stand up for her or her daughter。

Propulsive and provocative， Embassy Wife compellingly explores the limits of human resilliency and loyalty， asking: How far will Amanda go to keep her family intact？ How much corruptness can Persephone purposefully ignore？ And what， exactly， does it mean to be an American abroad when you don’t like your country anymore？

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Reviews

Alison ，

Solid 3。5 started out with a lot of promise。 Fun salacious subject of the state department staff filled with personality and the excitement of an international posting。 Then is swing into a particular plot line that was a little unbelievable and too many coincidences to feel readable。 Ended up like any average summer beach read。

Helen ，

A fun and interesting book; but filled with way too many coincidences; making it implausible and bordering on chick lit。

Teresa ，

2。5The August selection of The Nervous Breakdown Book ClubI hesitate to give this work my usual critique， because modern humor is not the kind of book I usually read。 The absurd plot （mostly in the second half and especially in the denouement） is not for me， but I’m sure some may find it entertaining。 The novel is set during the former U。S。 presidential administration and I learned some current-ish （probably already outdated） slang， which I’ve promptly forgotten。However， it was the perfect book 2。5The August selection of The Nervous Breakdown Book ClubI hesitate to give this work my usual critique， because modern humor is not the kind of book I usually read。 The absurd plot （mostly in the second half and especially in the denouement） is not for me， but I’m sure some may find it entertaining。 The novel is set during the former U。S。 presidential administration and I learned some current-ish （probably already outdated） slang， which I’ve promptly forgotten。However， it was the perfect book to read last night when I couldn’t sleep and also didn’t want to think。 That’s not a criticism。 。。。more

Laurel ，

Having visited Namibia I could picture several of the locations noted in this book。 The story was interesting， informative and humorous 。

Nancy ，

Recommended as a top 10 my Melsa。 The last 20% of the book was better; the first part was predicable and rather unexciting。

Rose Douglas ，

I really enjoyed this tale with two expat and one Namibian at its center。 It was mostly light and fun， with just enough depth paid to the reality of race and in expat life to keep it interesting。 I listened to the audio of this one， which was overall good， though the accept the narrator gives to Amanda， the main character， really distracted me （think Cate Blanchett in Benjamin Button）。Our main characters are Persephone - a "career" Embassy Wife， striving to be the best support to her State Depar I really enjoyed this tale with two expat and one Namibian at its center。 It was mostly light and fun， with just enough depth paid to the reality of race and in expat life to keep it interesting。 I listened to the audio of this one， which was overall good， though the accept the narrator gives to Amanda， the main character， really distracted me （think Cate Blanchett in Benjamin Button）。Our main characters are Persephone - a "career" Embassy Wife， striving to be the best support to her State Department husband she can be， Amanda - a recently transplanted trailer spouse following her husband， Mark - Amanda's husband， and Mila - a Namibian wife with a child in the international school。The plot seamlessly wove between the main characters， bringing in their pasts and presents。 I most enjoyed the inside look into embassy/expat life （deference to the Ambassador， international school politics， rules for trailing spouses） - all presented with snarky humor with nods the Trump administration setting。 。。。more

Barbara Switzer ，

This book has beautiful， almost poetic， landscape descriptions， but the ending ties up loose ends in a most unbelievable way。

Devin Mainville ，

Thank you for NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC！ Another book I was drawn to because of the cover that I ended up really enjoying。 This satirical novel follows the lives of various embassy adjacent people in Namibia - namely two trailers （spouses of government workers who follow their spouse from country to country） and the wife of a Namibian minister。 It’s similar to a lot of contemporary women’s fiction， lots of drama surrounding lackluster marriages and the politics of planning schoo Thank you for NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC！ Another book I was drawn to because of the cover that I ended up really enjoying。 This satirical novel follows the lives of various embassy adjacent people in Namibia - namely two trailers （spouses of government workers who follow their spouse from country to country） and the wife of a Namibian minister。 It’s similar to a lot of contemporary women’s fiction， lots of drama surrounding lackluster marriages and the politics of planning school events， but the setting of Namibia gives it a unique take。 The characters are all somewhat unlikeable， but their bad judgement is entertaining and ultimately everyone gets their due。 Maybe it's just because I was watching it at the same time I was reading this， but Embassy Wife gives me a lot of White Lotus vibes， i。e。 oblivious white people bringing their bullshit to a foreign country。 But fun。 。。。more

Shirley ，

Brilliant， just fabulous。 Living in South Africa I recognize a lot of what is going on though I'm sure Namibia is better than How the author depicts it！ Brilliant， just fabulous。 Living in South Africa I recognize a lot of what is going on though I'm sure Namibia is better than How the author depicts it！ 。。。more

Shirley ，

This book was fun。 It was a perfect summer read/listen。 I listened to the audiobook， and the narrator did a fantastic job on all the accents and enhanced the story with her mad vocal drama skills。 I usually avoid any books with “wives” or “husbands” in the title unless I caved into peer pressure （successful peer-pressured read - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo）。 I’m not into domestic drama or domestic anything。。。 I got suckered into this one because of that fun cover。 Heck， those were some cut This book was fun。 It was a perfect summer read/listen。 I listened to the audiobook， and the narrator did a fantastic job on all the accents and enhanced the story with her mad vocal drama skills。 I usually avoid any books with “wives” or “husbands” in the title unless I caved into peer pressure （successful peer-pressured read - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo）。 I’m not into domestic drama or domestic anything。。。 I got suckered into this one because of that fun cover。 Heck， those were some cute zebras！ The reading experience turned out to be fantastic。 A reward for taking a chance outside my comfort zone！ 。。。more

Andrea Dinan ，

Do you like your women's fiction with a bit of culture？ Set in Namibia， this novel follows the story of two very different women， Amanda and Persephone， trying to make successful lives following their husbands' careers in Namibia。 The writing and plot are light， leaving the reader to draw many of their own conclusions about poverty， inequity and US colonialism。 However， you will learn quite a bit about Namibia via the author's own personal experience。 As a Fulbright fellow myself （and a rower， j Do you like your women's fiction with a bit of culture？ Set in Namibia， this novel follows the story of two very different women， Amanda and Persephone， trying to make successful lives following their husbands' careers in Namibia。 The writing and plot are light， leaving the reader to draw many of their own conclusions about poverty， inequity and US colonialism。 However， you will learn quite a bit about Namibia via the author's own personal experience。 As a Fulbright fellow myself （and a rower， just like Amanda's husband） I was sucked in to the cartoonish life of diplomats。 This is an interesting novel， a compelling take on the competitiveness of contemporary white women set in Africa。 5 stars！ 。。。more

Judy Masters ，

When Amanda and her husband Mark move to Namibia their life is turned upside down by the culture and the geography。 I loved this book。 The book reminded me of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires in that the book was funny but yet， serious in facts and emotion。 A good escape book。 When Amanda and her husband Mark move to Namibia their life is turned upside down by the culture and the geography。 I loved this book。 The book reminded me of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires in that the book was funny but yet， serious in facts and emotion。 A good escape book。 。。。more

Nancy ，

Thanks to Dreamscape （via NetGalley） for a chance to listen early to this audiobook - publication date August 1， 2021。 I really enjoyed this one （4 stars on Goodreads）。 The setting ， physically Namibia， psychically the World of US Embassy/ State Department life was unique and drew me to this one。 The cover is pretty smashing too！I powered quickly thru 14 hours of listening time 。 The story follows 3 women associated with the US Embassy in Namibia/ International school in Namibia。 It often felt l Thanks to Dreamscape （via NetGalley） for a chance to listen early to this audiobook - publication date August 1， 2021。 I really enjoyed this one （4 stars on Goodreads）。 The setting ， physically Namibia， psychically the World of US Embassy/ State Department life was unique and drew me to this one。 The cover is pretty smashing too！I powered quickly thru 14 hours of listening time 。 The story follows 3 women associated with the US Embassy in Namibia/ International school in Namibia。 It often felt like a comical farce but the twists and fast pace kept me going eagerly。 The ending was satisfying and left me hoping for a sequel with these zany characters。The characters themselves seemed like types more than people one might like ， the only one I felt any real connection with was Amanda。 I suppose readers might find their own “person” amongst the characters。 The males in the story were particularly unlikeable but then I think this is women’s fiction ！ This book was particularly good on audio， the narrator was excellent and the dialogue sharp and clever。 I particularly enjoyed the digs at the previous administration and State Department take on them。 I also enjoyed learning about Namibia。 I look forward to a TV series， seems made for one！ 。。。more

Lacey Stairs ，

Such an interesting story told from several perspectives。Amanda Evans has given up her job， home， and lifestyle， to relocate with her family to Namibia after her husband accepts a Fulbright grant for research。 The adjustment is hard and unwelcome， as far as Amanda is concerned。Persephone Wilder is THE Embassy Wife。 She has it all figured out; how to dress， how to engage in conversations， who is who and what is what。 She's got it covered， and she looks great doing it。 Persephone takes Amanda unde Such an interesting story told from several perspectives。Amanda Evans has given up her job， home， and lifestyle， to relocate with her family to Namibia after her husband accepts a Fulbright grant for research。 The adjustment is hard and unwelcome， as far as Amanda is concerned。Persephone Wilder is THE Embassy Wife。 She has it all figured out; how to dress， how to engage in conversations， who is who and what is what。 She's got it covered， and she looks great doing it。 Persephone takes Amanda under her wing to inaugurate her as an official "Trailer" spouce。 （Defined as the one who does the import job of following their embassy employed spouse from post to post and keeping the house and children in check。） Amanda rejects this idea。 Coming from a career in Silicon Valley just a few weeks before， being a house wife is unappealing and boring。 Or so she first thinks。It's not long before Amanda， Persephone and a few other characters， are entangled in situations they could have never dreamed of before。 Namibia might be a red desert， but it's lush with secrets， lies and betrayal。Such an enjoyable book。 I loved the audio book which was wonderfully narrated。 I went through this book quickly and have been telling all my reader friends to watch out for it。 。。。more

Barbara ，

I received an audio copy of Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 This is such a fun book。 The narrator is wonderful。 She gave each character a distinct personality。 The setting is Namibia。 Amanda Evans and Persephone Wilder befriend each other。 Persephone is the highlight of this book。 She is the funniest character I’ve read in a long time。 I hope the author writes many more books where Persephone is a character。 Embassy Wife is an excellent story with a I received an audio copy of Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 This is such a fun book。 The narrator is wonderful。 She gave each character a distinct personality。 The setting is Namibia。 Amanda Evans and Persephone Wilder befriend each other。 Persephone is the highlight of this book。 She is the funniest character I’ve read in a long time。 I hope the author writes many more books where Persephone is a character。 Embassy Wife is an excellent story with a stunning backdrop but it’s all about the wonderful characters。 。。。more

Susan Lundstrum ，

Enjoyed first half but the ending ruined the book for me。

Julie ，

This book was great。 4。5 stars for me。 Reese Witherspoon needs to hurry up and make this into a movie and also play Persephone。 Such a good read。

Ellen ，

I just met someone from Namibia， learned a little about his country and culture， and this audiobook book， written from women's points of view， was a great addition。 The author lived in Namibia and did extensive research， it felt authentic。 Also， excellent narrator。 I just met someone from Namibia， learned a little about his country and culture， and this audiobook book， written from women's points of view， was a great addition。 The author lived in Namibia and did extensive research， it felt authentic。 Also， excellent narrator。 。。。more

Jenny （Reading Envy） ，

I found this very bright book in NetGalley and I admit I chose it because I was pretty sure I had never read a book set in Namibia。 🇳🇦The story focuses on a few women - Amanda， who has left her tech job to support her husband's Fulbright project， and Persephone who is the wife of a diplomat。 Even the Ambassador is a woman。 Then shenanigans ensue。 The husbands are shady。This is the second book in a row I've read that was set in southern Africa， and you know because of all of the mentions of milk I found this very bright book in NetGalley and I admit I chose it because I was pretty sure I had never read a book set in Namibia。 🇳🇦The story focuses on a few women - Amanda， who has left her tech job to support her husband's Fulbright project， and Persephone who is the wife of a diplomat。 Even the Ambassador is a woman。 Then shenanigans ensue。 The husbands are shady。This is the second book in a row I've read that was set in southern Africa， and you know because of all of the mentions of milk tarts。 I did feel I learned some about the place， although mostly through the gazes of white people and expats。 I found it enjoyable and a little silly。 And it's important to go into it thinking silly and light because if you are looking for a book that examines the lives of the people who are from there， this is not it！ I was surprised to see it being published by a major publisher in 2021; it isn't terrible but doesn't seem like the focus readers are asking for。 I ended up looking for it after finding it on the Millions list， but hmm。 The author basically says at the end that she lived in Namibia for a while but had t make up drama to write a book about it。 And while she places it during the Trump presidency， and it's mentioned a few times， but more like sprinkled in for time placement than any real social commentary。 Not every novel needs to be social commentary but I think I still kind of wanted this one to be。 。。。more

Debra ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I did not get what I wanted from this book; there were large gaps in the plot。 I wanted more about how and why Esther’s death was faked。 Because even if someone was looking into Mila’s background， having changed her name it was unlikely they’d have found her， and even if they did - she was born poor， which is neither a scandal nor a crime。 And Esther had no one that she would have believed was looking for her， so that all made a perplexingly miniscule amount of sense。 Also， I assumed Josephat wa I did not get what I wanted from this book; there were large gaps in the plot。 I wanted more about how and why Esther’s death was faked。 Because even if someone was looking into Mila’s background， having changed her name it was unlikely they’d have found her， and even if they did - she was born poor， which is neither a scandal nor a crime。 And Esther had no one that she would have believed was looking for her， so that all made a perplexingly miniscule amount of sense。 Also， I assumed Josephat was Esther’s Jojo， but we never get to the bottom of that either。 The end was rushed along to a conclusion and skipped all those revelations that might have enriched the story。 。。。more

Matt Goad ，

car guards， Pick n' Pay， North Korea， Independence Ave。， termite mounds， corrupt asf， everything's an ugly burnt orange–validating reading another American hating the same things about Namibia car guards， Pick n' Pay， North Korea， Independence Ave。， termite mounds， corrupt asf， everything's an ugly burnt orange–validating reading another American hating the same things about Namibia 。。。more

Amanda ，

"The Real Housewives of Namibia"。 Katie Crouch is a fantastic storyteller。 I was happy reading 'Embassy Wife' and couldn't put it down。 The character's are diverse， the female friendships complex and the setting， Namibia， is described in rich detail。 The book just felt genuine but also juicy with gossip about culture customs， stereotypes， greed and ambition。 If you're looking for the perfect book to take to the beach or on vacation take a chance on Embassy Wife。 "The Real Housewives of Namibia"。 Katie Crouch is a fantastic storyteller。 I was happy reading 'Embassy Wife' and couldn't put it down。 The character's are diverse， the female friendships complex and the setting， Namibia， is described in rich detail。 The book just felt genuine but also juicy with gossip about culture customs， stereotypes， greed and ambition。 If you're looking for the perfect book to take to the beach or on vacation take a chance on Embassy Wife。 。。。more

Alecia ，

I enjoyed this very much。。。something a little different。 The cast of characters are a compilation of eccentric， silly and smart。 The plotting is clever （a little too coincidental， but that's OK） and kept me going。 Amanda and her nine year old daughter， Meg， are uprooted from Silicon Valley to Namibia （where she has a very good job）by Amanda's husband， Mark。 He claims it his "his turn" for the opportunity to work on a Fulbright Scholarship。 As the story unfolds， we learn he has other reasons to w I enjoyed this very much。。。something a little different。 The cast of characters are a compilation of eccentric， silly and smart。 The plotting is clever （a little too coincidental， but that's OK） and kept me going。 Amanda and her nine year old daughter， Meg， are uprooted from Silicon Valley to Namibia （where she has a very good job）by Amanda's husband， Mark。 He claims it his "his turn" for the opportunity to work on a Fulbright Scholarship。 As the story unfolds， we learn he has other reasons to want to move there。 Amanda quickly becomes bored and resentful， and starts learning the local ways from other "Trailing Wives" as they are called （they trail their husbands around from one diplomatic position to another）。 The author has lived in Namibia and uses that knowledge to provide a realistic background。 The story is by turns sardonic and moving。 Although I found it a tad overlong， I was turning the pages with interest。 。。。more

Lisa Serota ，

Loved this。 Fast moving， funny look at what is like to live abroad as an expat part of the US state department- the wives are the Trailers following their husbands to the far parts of the world。 Takes place in Namibia - shows the reader white privilege， colonization， in a funny sardonic way- that makes you want learn more and be better…

Mary Anne ，

A very fun book， especially if you love reading about other countries。

Lisa Sweeney ，

🦏🦏🦏🦏🦏

Gervais Hagerty ，

I'm only 30 pages in and already I want to find a way to live abroad。 This book is a fun and fascinating look at ex-pat lives in Namibia。 I'm only 30 pages in and already I want to find a way to live abroad。 This book is a fun and fascinating look at ex-pat lives in Namibia。 。。。more

Marcella ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 It is witty in a Jane Austen way， poking kind fun at the goldfish bowl of embassy life。 However， for those of us that have been there， lots of plot holes and absurdities。 A fake Fulbright？ An ambassador making someone a CIA agent （separate bureaucracies）？ skimming over the mixed race question of paternity？ Camping out by rhinos？ Many pages I am saying C'mon to myself。 The best part is the description of the country and the people surviving in a harsh environment。 It is witty in a Jane Austen way， poking kind fun at the goldfish bowl of embassy life。 However， for those of us that have been there， lots of plot holes and absurdities。 A fake Fulbright？ An ambassador making someone a CIA agent （separate bureaucracies）？ skimming over the mixed race question of paternity？ Camping out by rhinos？ Many pages I am saying C'mon to myself。 The best part is the description of the country and the people surviving in a harsh environment。 。。。more

Rena ，

Interesting， sometimes surprising， and generally fun set of cultural encounters。

Jan ，

I didn't know anything about Namibia， nor about the lives of State Department employees working abroad， but the author lived in Namibia and had friends in the State Department， so I assume that I now know a little more about both。 Admittedly， I don't know what part of what I "know" is true， but the book was very enjoyable。 I didn't know anything about Namibia， nor about the lives of State Department employees working abroad， but the author lived in Namibia and had friends in the State Department， so I assume that I now know a little more about both。 Admittedly， I don't know what part of what I "know" is true， but the book was very enjoyable。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Embassy Wife

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Embassy Wife&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Embassy Wife&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0