Spencerville vs The burning bed: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Wife abuse, Abused wives, Abused women
Spencerville
The Cold War is over, and Keith Landry, one of the nation's top intelligence officers, is forced into early and unwanted retirement. Restless, Landry returns to Spencerville, the small Midwestern town where he grew up.…
vs
The burning bed
Recounts the tragic story of Francine Hughes, a battered wife who in desperation murdered her abusive husband, detailing their marriage, the deterioration of their relationship, the murder, and the trial that followed.
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The burning bed is the quickest read — about 5 hours vs 8 for Spencerville.
- Spencerville has the widest readership — 11353 ratings behind its score.
Scores by source
| Spencerville | The burning bed | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.8 (11353) | — |
| Hardcover | 3.5 (11) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.0 (170) | — |
Reception
| Spencerville | The burning bed | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 11353 | 4 |
| Editions | 34 | 7 |
| Citations | — | 25 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 2171 | — |
| Reading it now | 1401 | — |
| Written reviews | 498 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 138 | 8527 |
| Pages | 468 | 290 |