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The Other Wife
She’s a total stranger. But she knows who you are�
Suzi did a bad thing. She’s paying for it now, pregnant, scared, and living in an isolated cottage with her jealous husband, Nick.
When Nora moves into the only house nearby, Suzi is delighted to have a friend. So much so that she’s almost tempted to tell Nora her terrible secret. But there’s more to Nora than meets the eye. It’s impossible—does she already know what Suzi did?
Meanwhile, Elle spends her days in her perfect home, fixated on keeping up appearances. But when her husband betrays her, it unravels a secret going all the way back to her childhood. She’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to him, even if that means murder. After all, she’s done it before�
Caught up in their own secrets and lies, these strangers will soon realise they have more in common than they could ever have imagined. When a shocking event brings them together, their lives will never be the same again.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2019
14199 people are currently reading
48991 people want to read
About the author
Claire McGowan
35Ìýbooks1,911ÌýfollowersClaire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,712 reviews
November 28, 2019
This story, it was...something else.
Told from the perspectives of three women: Elle, Nora, and Suzi, is a twisty, domestic suspense relying heavily on plot points seen a million times. Readers will quickly and easily intuit the relationship between the three, and will likely feel underwhelmed by the story overall. Yes, there are a couple mildly surprising twists near the end, but again, it's all been done so many times before, I felt no spark of excitement while reading. Further, nothing felt fleshed out or expanded upon...chunks of plot were doled out like appetizers, but we never really got to the main course. (Sorry for the food analogies...I'm hungry.)
I also have something I need to get off my chest...I loathed Suzi's character. She was a thoughtless, vaguely ignorant airhead, who couldn't responsibly care for a dog. As a mom of four dogs myself, I found her character to be incredibly abhorrent.
I just realized it took me over 2 weeks to read this book. I usually read three books a week. This one just wasn't my jam. (Again with the food!)
Overall, a very average, not at all unique, story.
2.5 stars rounded up
**Thanks to the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my candid review.
Told from the perspectives of three women: Elle, Nora, and Suzi, is a twisty, domestic suspense relying heavily on plot points seen a million times. Readers will quickly and easily intuit the relationship between the three, and will likely feel underwhelmed by the story overall. Yes, there are a couple mildly surprising twists near the end, but again, it's all been done so many times before, I felt no spark of excitement while reading. Further, nothing felt fleshed out or expanded upon...chunks of plot were doled out like appetizers, but we never really got to the main course. (Sorry for the food analogies...I'm hungry.)
I also have something I need to get off my chest...I loathed Suzi's character. She was a thoughtless, vaguely ignorant airhead, who couldn't responsibly care for a dog. As a mom of four dogs myself, I found her character to be incredibly abhorrent.
I just realized it took me over 2 weeks to read this book. I usually read three books a week. This one just wasn't my jam. (Again with the food!)
Overall, a very average, not at all unique, story.
2.5 stars rounded up
**Thanks to the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my candid review.
February 19, 2022
Rating: 3.0/5.0
Genre:
Domestic Thriller
Suzi is a pregnant woman with a secret! Her husband Nick does not trust her and is jealous most of the time. A new neighbor (Nora) moves into a nearby house. Nora has secrets as well. Who will trust who? Who is who? You need to read to know.
I liked the synopsis and thought this will be a fast-paced thriller. It was totally the opposite. This was too slow. Very very slow. The multiple points of view were sometimes too much to cope with, even though all that was intentional for the story itself.
The Other Wife has a generic name and unfortunately, the story felt as generic too. It is not a bad book but definitely not an excellent one either. It is enjoyable as it lasts, once it is finished I feel one will forget about it. I am going with 3 stars out of 5.
Available on Kindle Unlimited
July 8, 2022
What an outstanding book!!! Narrated by Karen Cass makes my day!!! I love listening to her. This is one of my top ten psychological thrillers for '22! Claire McGowan you hit every goal for psychological thrillers. It kept me guessing throughout. Which character is connected to which character? The book is full of deceptions, lies, ghosting, gas-lighting, psychopaths, sociopaths, infidelity, manipulation and mysterious people.
The gist of it is Suzi is beautiful, pregnant and married to a very jealous and controlling husband who sets the perimeters with cameras and spyware. She thinks she is smooth hiding a lot of secrets from him, but he knows her every secret. Does he know the baby may be someone else's? Their relationship is unhealthy and deceptive on both ends. The triggers are there for psychological abuse.
Suzi and Nick's neighbor is a recently widowed lady, Nora! They build a friendship on false pretenses. I laughed aloud, then feared for their uncanny, unsettling ways. The body count appears to go up with them around. There are more POVs introduced and I found all of them interesting in how this plays out. I can't say enough about this one! Fantastic job, Claire McGowan and Karen Cass with her beautiful accent and depiction of the characters.
That ending though!!! WOW!!!
The gist of it is Suzi is beautiful, pregnant and married to a very jealous and controlling husband who sets the perimeters with cameras and spyware. She thinks she is smooth hiding a lot of secrets from him, but he knows her every secret. Does he know the baby may be someone else's? Their relationship is unhealthy and deceptive on both ends. The triggers are there for psychological abuse.
Suzi and Nick's neighbor is a recently widowed lady, Nora! They build a friendship on false pretenses. I laughed aloud, then feared for their uncanny, unsettling ways. The body count appears to go up with them around. There are more POVs introduced and I found all of them interesting in how this plays out. I can't say enough about this one! Fantastic job, Claire McGowan and Karen Cass with her beautiful accent and depiction of the characters.
That ending though!!! WOW!!!
October 19, 2019
Suzi is married to Nick. He's extremely jealous. Suzi had an affair and ends up being pregnant. She also has no friends until Nora moves into the isolated countryside beside her. Nora quickly becomes friends with Suzi. But Nora already k owns more a out Suzi than she's letting on about. It seems Suzi is not the only one with secrets.
This story does not really start until you get about two thirds of the way in. The pace is slow. The story is told from multiple points of view. The chapters are headed by who is narrating them. None of the characters are likeable but I think that was the authors intention. Suzi's husband is jeal6and a control freak. When it becomes apparent how Suzi and Nora are linked, I wasnt surprised. There are plenty twists to out you off the trail. The resolution is satisfying. This is a thought provoking read.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author Claire McGowan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story does not really start until you get about two thirds of the way in. The pace is slow. The story is told from multiple points of view. The chapters are headed by who is narrating them. None of the characters are likeable but I think that was the authors intention. Suzi's husband is jeal6and a control freak. When it becomes apparent how Suzi and Nora are linked, I wasnt surprised. There are plenty twists to out you off the trail. The resolution is satisfying. This is a thought provoking read.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author Claire McGowan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2019
The Other Wife is your bog-standard domestic thriller with a pretty atmospheric and sinister vibe to it, but ultimately the characters were difficult to tell apart and weren't developed well enough to be enjoyable. What we did learn about the characters certainly didn't endear them to me, and I found they had some intensely annoying habits. I also found the story slow and the consistently changing points-of-view made it quite disjointed and as a consequence, you never are fully engaged with the plot. When it's getting to the stage that you are considering writing a character list to keep track of everyone the reading sadly becomes a chore rather than a pleasure. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC.
January 31, 2021
This was a good mystery all the way through. I was sad that it ended. I want another one.
April 10, 2022
Predictable, but surprisingly compelling domestic thriller.
December 4, 2021
Suzi - Pregnant, scared, living in an isolated cottage with her possessive, jealous husband, Nick. She's done something bad, made a big mistake - and now she's paying for it.
Nora - Nora's moved into the cottage near to Suzi, she has a devastating past she is desperate to keep secret. And a reason for why she is at that cottage.
Elle - Glamorous Elle spends her days keeping up appearances, waiting for her husband to get home. She also has a big secret from her past, going right back to childhood. She needs her husband, and she is willing to kill to keep her husband.
These three women have more in common than they could ever think. Their secrets and lies are ready to explode, and then one shocking event will bring them together, certain to make their lives changes forever.
Claire is an absolutely fantastic author. She had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to keep reading, not wanting to put the book down. There's little twists spreaded the whole way through, getting bigger until they lead to the main. I absolutely loved it.
A story filled with secrets, lies, twists and blackmail. This should be read immediately!
Nora - Nora's moved into the cottage near to Suzi, she has a devastating past she is desperate to keep secret. And a reason for why she is at that cottage.
Elle - Glamorous Elle spends her days keeping up appearances, waiting for her husband to get home. She also has a big secret from her past, going right back to childhood. She needs her husband, and she is willing to kill to keep her husband.
These three women have more in common than they could ever think. Their secrets and lies are ready to explode, and then one shocking event will bring them together, certain to make their lives changes forever.
Claire is an absolutely fantastic author. She had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to keep reading, not wanting to put the book down. There's little twists spreaded the whole way through, getting bigger until they lead to the main. I absolutely loved it.
A story filled with secrets, lies, twists and blackmail. This should be read immediately!
September 20, 2019
A domestic thriller with unlikeable-but-interesting characters that keeps you on your toes. It was slow to start (at least in my opinion� there are plenty of reviews saying otherwise) and the ending felt really chaotic in a forced way. There were definitely moments that were harder to believe than others, but once you learned to ignore that feeling it was overall quite enjoyable.
I would've preferred tighter writing and a shorter book in order to keep that urgent, panicked feeling, but it wasn't bad at all. I'll definitely consider reading Claire McGowan's other work.
A big thank you to the publisher, Amazon Publishing UK, for allowing me to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
I would've preferred tighter writing and a shorter book in order to keep that urgent, panicked feeling, but it wasn't bad at all. I'll definitely consider reading Claire McGowan's other work.
A big thank you to the publisher, Amazon Publishing UK, for allowing me to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2020
I received a free e-copy of The Other Wife by Claire McGowan from NetGalley for my honest review.
The book had a good plot and several twists to it. I just really didn't connect with the characters.
A domestic thriller about women who have secrets. They want someone to talk to and trust but can they trust each other?
The book had a good plot and several twists to it. I just really didn't connect with the characters.
A domestic thriller about women who have secrets. They want someone to talk to and trust but can they trust each other?
May 3, 2021
This book should be called "How stupid can you be". All characters were unlikable, the story's "twists" were as predictable as the winter snow in Chicago. Pathetic wives and very smart/evil husbands - how original. I'm concerned what's considered "best-seller" nowdays.
October 28, 2019
Ok now I'm sad Claire McGowan doesn't have as deep a catalog of adult thrillers on Amazon as I had originally thought. First What You Did and now The Other Wife, which I liked even more, and I have a slight book hangover!
This was an excellent, emotionally fraught domestic suspense in the vein of The Wife Between Us--fans of that book will like this one, I think. It has a variety of women scorned and battered by controlling, dubious men, with lots of sordid, soapy details and a satisfying, unsettling ending. I was guessing the whole time as to how the messy interpersonal details would play out--and that's how I would describe this. Things get MESSY, in the most delightful way.
It's multi-POV, third person, where the various POVs you get are all women entangled in deceitful marriages, or flirting with disaster, or investigating a mysterious death. It jumps around in time, but not too much or confusingly, and plays on a few favorite tropes: the creepy smart house, isolated in the woods (in a snowstorm, no less!), Gothic family histories, people who aren't what they seem. There are some unreliable narrators in this book, on more than one level. At the same time, as Gothically soapy as one or two turns are, the emotional arcs still feel grounded--the characters feel like real, whole people, and you easily get pulled into their emotional orbits and care about what happens to them. Much like in What You Did, I was tugged along on a very emotionally immediate read.
As with What You Did, come to think of it, the men are the least well drawn, but hey I'm fine with that. Turnabout is fair play? They satisfy fun/expected character tropes, though if anything could count as a quibble with the book, it would be that. There was one specific male character I would have liked a tad less distance from, though I think perhaps the air of mystery was to contribute to dramatic tension?
Anyway, I loved this--pulled a VERY late night going from 0 to 65%, highly unusual for me--and I'm looking forward to McGowan's next standalone domestic suspense! Sadly with publication schedules I'll have to wait a year :(
This was an excellent, emotionally fraught domestic suspense in the vein of The Wife Between Us--fans of that book will like this one, I think. It has a variety of women scorned and battered by controlling, dubious men, with lots of sordid, soapy details and a satisfying, unsettling ending. I was guessing the whole time as to how the messy interpersonal details would play out--and that's how I would describe this. Things get MESSY, in the most delightful way.
It's multi-POV, third person, where the various POVs you get are all women entangled in deceitful marriages, or flirting with disaster, or investigating a mysterious death. It jumps around in time, but not too much or confusingly, and plays on a few favorite tropes: the creepy smart house, isolated in the woods (in a snowstorm, no less!), Gothic family histories, people who aren't what they seem. There are some unreliable narrators in this book, on more than one level. At the same time, as Gothically soapy as one or two turns are, the emotional arcs still feel grounded--the characters feel like real, whole people, and you easily get pulled into their emotional orbits and care about what happens to them. Much like in What You Did, I was tugged along on a very emotionally immediate read.
As with What You Did, come to think of it, the men are the least well drawn, but hey I'm fine with that. Turnabout is fair play? They satisfy fun/expected character tropes, though if anything could count as a quibble with the book, it would be that. There was one specific male character I would have liked a tad less distance from, though I think perhaps the air of mystery was to contribute to dramatic tension?
Anyway, I loved this--pulled a VERY late night going from 0 to 65%, highly unusual for me--and I'm looking forward to McGowan's next standalone domestic suspense! Sadly with publication schedules I'll have to wait a year :(
February 3, 2022
Just when you think you know a character, Claire McGowan blows your mind. This is the story of three women—pregnant Suzi, bored out of her mind in her beautiful home; Nora, the widowed neighbor, always peering out the window, obsessed with Suzi and her wretched husband, Nick; and Elle, an uppercrust woman in London whose only job seems to be waiting for her dashing husband to come home. But each woman is fascinating, and Ms. McGowan doesn’t pull punches at revealing them to be flawed, sometimes strange and completely relatable. The way their lives intertwine is masterful, and the entire story is told in a tense, exciting tone that leads to the crescendo of the ending. So good.
February 14, 2024
4.5 Stars
As twisted as domestic thrillers get.
I loved how this story developed.
Started off with a widowed woman moving into a cottage across the road from a couple.
From there, the plot is all over the place. Circumstances and characters change rapidly as you read this page turner.
I enjoyed this from beginning to end.
Great writing from Claire McGowan
As twisted as domestic thrillers get.
I loved how this story developed.
Started off with a widowed woman moving into a cottage across the road from a couple.
From there, the plot is all over the place. Circumstances and characters change rapidly as you read this page turner.
I enjoyed this from beginning to end.
Great writing from Claire McGowan
February 3, 2020
Slow Burn in an Icy England Winter
For me, this was the very definition of a psychological thriller.
Generous portions of psychosis and chillingly atmospheric in mood and setting. Featuring unreliable narrators and several supporting roles, none of whom could be trusted. Or could they? There were no usual suspects as any of the cast seemed capable....
My Who-Dunnit List was fluid with constant re-evaluating and shuffling of all the options. I don’t remember reading a book where I’ve vacillated to such an extent. I was questioning the sanity and motivations of all!
Did I mention dead bodies? There are some. There’s also infidelity, manipulation, spying, and A LOT of lying. I mention this because one or more of these subjects could be triggers for some.
I loved the writing! The understated premise unravels nicely giving the reader room to deduce situations for themselves. The author then circles back to tie up loose ends. This occurred throughout, not just the ending.
The beginning was a little depressing as the narrators were in dark places mentally. Each were grieving in their own way. However, not all is doom and gloom as lighter quips popped up at unexpected times. This one was a favorite:
“Those Russian women, they knew how to deal with the cold, and that was by throwing all sense of fashion out the window and essentially going out dressed as a bed�.
This was a straight shot of psychological thriller. I’ll take a double please.
For me, this was the very definition of a psychological thriller.
Generous portions of psychosis and chillingly atmospheric in mood and setting. Featuring unreliable narrators and several supporting roles, none of whom could be trusted. Or could they? There were no usual suspects as any of the cast seemed capable....
My Who-Dunnit List was fluid with constant re-evaluating and shuffling of all the options. I don’t remember reading a book where I’ve vacillated to such an extent. I was questioning the sanity and motivations of all!
Did I mention dead bodies? There are some. There’s also infidelity, manipulation, spying, and A LOT of lying. I mention this because one or more of these subjects could be triggers for some.
I loved the writing! The understated premise unravels nicely giving the reader room to deduce situations for themselves. The author then circles back to tie up loose ends. This occurred throughout, not just the ending.
The beginning was a little depressing as the narrators were in dark places mentally. Each were grieving in their own way. However, not all is doom and gloom as lighter quips popped up at unexpected times. This one was a favorite:
“Those Russian women, they knew how to deal with the cold, and that was by throwing all sense of fashion out the window and essentially going out dressed as a bed�.
This was a straight shot of psychological thriller. I’ll take a double please.
October 17, 2019
Suzi’s husband Nick moved them to a cottage in the country months earlier, forcing Suzi to leave her job. Now she’s 6-months pregnant, completely isolated and trapped, due to the fact she doesn’t have her own vehicle. And Nick is getting more and more controlling by the day, having a say about everything from how she cleans the house to any piece of food she puts in her mouth. Suzi wants to keep her family together, but all she can think about is the man she’s still in love with, the man she’s been waiting to hear from for months.
And then out of the blue, a woman named Nora rents the cottage next to Suzi’s. Finally, Suzi doesn’t feel so alone. Suzi hopes that she can find a confidant in Nora, but what she doesn’t know is Nora already knows all of Suzi’s secrets and she is planning to use them against her�
The Other Wife by Claire McGowan is a twisty domestic thriller with a cast full of unlikable characters. We see through the perspectives of 3 women: Nora, Suzi and Elle. We know Nora and Suzi are neighbors, but we are trying to guess how this separate woman, Elle, fits into the mix. Unfortunately, I guessed how the 3 women were all interconnected, which removed the element of surprise. But at the end, there were more twists that I didn't see coming, which kept me hooked to the story. I still would recommend this one! 4/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Claire McGowan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
And then out of the blue, a woman named Nora rents the cottage next to Suzi’s. Finally, Suzi doesn’t feel so alone. Suzi hopes that she can find a confidant in Nora, but what she doesn’t know is Nora already knows all of Suzi’s secrets and she is planning to use them against her�
The Other Wife by Claire McGowan is a twisty domestic thriller with a cast full of unlikable characters. We see through the perspectives of 3 women: Nora, Suzi and Elle. We know Nora and Suzi are neighbors, but we are trying to guess how this separate woman, Elle, fits into the mix. Unfortunately, I guessed how the 3 women were all interconnected, which removed the element of surprise. But at the end, there were more twists that I didn't see coming, which kept me hooked to the story. I still would recommend this one! 4/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Claire McGowan for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2020
Suzi is pregnant and isolated living in a secluded area with her controlling husband. Suzi is delighted to have someone move in nearby, and soon becomes friends with the new resident, Nora.
A domestic thriller full of secrets and lies. Twisted characters. Intriguing story. An entertaining read.
A domestic thriller full of secrets and lies. Twisted characters. Intriguing story. An entertaining read.
September 25, 2019
Other Wife is a thriller about as original as its title. Which is to say not at all. It’s very similar to a great many women authors women driven thrillers that seem to be all the rage nowadays, it diligently works the formula, but doesn’t go out of its way to offer readers something new or exciting. So here you have the traditional split narratives, which do eventually narrow down via a twist so (from miles away) easily predictable, it barely seems like a twist at all. But essentially it is a story of two marriages, both crappy, with wives in both being the victims of coercive control. In fact, this is laid on so thickly, it can be a coercive control PSA. Which is, of course, a terrible thing, but also very much one of those two to tango scenarios. So before you go pitying the wives, consider this…they made choices, they made stupid choices and stuck with them and continue to do so on daily basis through personal weaknesses or self delusion. And also…they are not the naïve innocents in all of this. In fact, they are criminals, liars or both. Obviously, the wives are connected in some way and obviously it’s through a man, this is, after all, a very obvious book. And so everyone go around playing their games, lying and manipulating those around them, only the men are made out to be the deviant, while the women are helpless damsels who are just kind of waking up to their circumstances. The fact that one of them wakes up all the way (the other one makes some efforts, but essentially just rolls over and waits to be rescued) and gets in a mood for revenge is one of the best aspects of the novel, but it just isn’t enough to elevate the estrogen saturated (very much so, in fact the author also writes women’s fiction under a different name) triteness of the plot. So depending on how you like your suspense thrillers this may or may not work for you. If your expectations, need for clever twists and originality are all set to low and you don’t mind spending time with a bunch of not especially likeable liars and cheats…go for it. The writing itself is decent enough, very readable. It’s pop fiction, essentially, the psychological darkness of the genre (one of my favorite things about it) isn’t really all that dark. There is some demented behavior and some genuinely sh*tty mother figures for a book so obsessed with motherhood, but not enough, the bulk still rests with the helpless clueless women being manipulated by their evil, evil men. And if that wasn’t simplistic enough, the final twist, the reason someone gets found out, is so amateurishly dumb, especially after creating and executing such an elaborate plan, that it’s just…laughable. So yeah, mediocre at best, something like a mindless beach read. Very easy read, but not exactly intellectually or otherwise thrilling. Your mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.
August 23, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.
Suzi is married and pregnant, but not sure if it's her husband's baby or the baby of the man she had an affair with. Now a new neighbor has moved in. A widow who she befriends. Then things start to happen. Her dog goes missing, her house locks her out of it, temperature changes that make no sense. On top of it, she tries to find the man whom she thinks she loves but finds out a terrible truth.
So I gave this book 3-stars because it did keep my attention enough to enjoy it, but it was in no way a heart pounder. The end came and went and I felt fine. It wasn't thrilling or suspenseful but the plot was itself interesting but a bit predictable. There really isn't much else to say as I didn't really connect with the characters. It was just an ok read.
Suzi is married and pregnant, but not sure if it's her husband's baby or the baby of the man she had an affair with. Now a new neighbor has moved in. A widow who she befriends. Then things start to happen. Her dog goes missing, her house locks her out of it, temperature changes that make no sense. On top of it, she tries to find the man whom she thinks she loves but finds out a terrible truth.
So I gave this book 3-stars because it did keep my attention enough to enjoy it, but it was in no way a heart pounder. The end came and went and I felt fine. It wasn't thrilling or suspenseful but the plot was itself interesting but a bit predictable. There really isn't much else to say as I didn't really connect with the characters. It was just an ok read.
October 12, 2023
Slow-burn and convoluted.
This 2019 book reminded me of Alice Feeney's "Good Bad Girl"(2023)
For the first half of the book, the book was very disjointed; leaving readers clueless about the connection between the three female protagonists.
Both books were penned by talented writers and shared a "mother/daughter" theme.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karen Cass.
Although Karen Cass did a superb job with the narration, the book would have benefited from multiple narrators since it unfolded from multiple POVs.
Characters shifted without an introduction and many times it was difficult to discern who was saying what.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
This 2019 book reminded me of Alice Feeney's "Good Bad Girl"(2023)
For the first half of the book, the book was very disjointed; leaving readers clueless about the connection between the three female protagonists.
Both books were penned by talented writers and shared a "mother/daughter" theme.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karen Cass.
Although Karen Cass did a superb job with the narration, the book would have benefited from multiple narrators since it unfolded from multiple POVs.
Characters shifted without an introduction and many times it was difficult to discern who was saying what.
2.5 stars, rounded up.
June 3, 2021
It was very easy to finish, thou I felt I have read similar plot before.
I have got nothing much to say, its gona be one time read for me.
I din hate it neither loved it.
I have got nothing much to say, its gona be one time read for me.
I din hate it neither loved it.
October 11, 2019
The Other Wife is the first book by Claire McGowan that I have had the pleasure to read. This book defiantly kept me on edge and turning the pages. There were twists and turns, some of them, I did figure out, but some I was totally blindsided by.
The Other Wife is full of lies, deceit, betrayal and lots and lots of secrets. Most, if not all, of the characters in this book, I disliked in the best way possible. I believe that Ms. McGowan’s goal was for the reader to find most of the characters abhorrent, and in my opinion, she achieved this goal.
The Other Wife is well thought out, the writing was solid and flowed well. Unfortunately, there were some implausible parts to this book, and I felt this distracted from the overall believability, but you will have to decide for yourself.
This story is told from different timelines and multiple points of view, all expressed by the female characters, Suzi, Elle, Nora, and Eleanor, that this story revolved around. Hearing from all these different characters could get a bit confusing. But maybe that was the intent of the author, to keep us on our proverbial toes. However, there were times I wanted to shake these women and say, “Really, what is wrong with you.�
Elle is the perfect wife with the ideal husband to go along with the quintessential life. However, things are not always what they seem to be on the surface. On the other hand, Suzi’s life is a mess, most of which, in my opinion, was her own doing. Her husband, Nick, is controlling, selfish, and belittling.
Under the guise of working on their troubled marriage, Nick moves them out of London to a remote cottage in the country. Suzi is feeling very isolated and unhappy, but as luck would have it, Nora moves into the cottage next door, and they develop a friendship of sorts. This is when the book gets interesting, but that is where I will have to end my review. No spoilers for my review.
The Other Wife is a bit of a slow burn. Ms. McGowan sets the scene thoroughly for this domestic thriller, and her character development is utterly devious. Overall, I did enjoy reading this book. I feel that I must mention there is an element of spousal abuse in this book, so if this is a problem for you, steer clear of this book.
*** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***
The Other Wife is full of lies, deceit, betrayal and lots and lots of secrets. Most, if not all, of the characters in this book, I disliked in the best way possible. I believe that Ms. McGowan’s goal was for the reader to find most of the characters abhorrent, and in my opinion, she achieved this goal.
The Other Wife is well thought out, the writing was solid and flowed well. Unfortunately, there were some implausible parts to this book, and I felt this distracted from the overall believability, but you will have to decide for yourself.
This story is told from different timelines and multiple points of view, all expressed by the female characters, Suzi, Elle, Nora, and Eleanor, that this story revolved around. Hearing from all these different characters could get a bit confusing. But maybe that was the intent of the author, to keep us on our proverbial toes. However, there were times I wanted to shake these women and say, “Really, what is wrong with you.�
Elle is the perfect wife with the ideal husband to go along with the quintessential life. However, things are not always what they seem to be on the surface. On the other hand, Suzi’s life is a mess, most of which, in my opinion, was her own doing. Her husband, Nick, is controlling, selfish, and belittling.
Under the guise of working on their troubled marriage, Nick moves them out of London to a remote cottage in the country. Suzi is feeling very isolated and unhappy, but as luck would have it, Nora moves into the cottage next door, and they develop a friendship of sorts. This is when the book gets interesting, but that is where I will have to end my review. No spoilers for my review.
The Other Wife is a bit of a slow burn. Ms. McGowan sets the scene thoroughly for this domestic thriller, and her character development is utterly devious. Overall, I did enjoy reading this book. I feel that I must mention there is an element of spousal abuse in this book, so if this is a problem for you, steer clear of this book.
*** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***
October 7, 2019
The Other Wife by Claire McGowan is a multi-layered novel of secrets, deceit, abuse, and plenty of twists, all coming together in a suspenseful read that will have you turning pages late into the night. For me, the buildup was slow but the tension only ratchets up as the story progresses, and patience will be duly rewarded.
Told from the alternating perspectives of three women, Suzi, Elle, and Nora, it is immediately apparent that all is not as it seems in the lives of these three women. Suzi, the most fully fleshed out character, is pregnant and living in fear in a remote cottage where she is the victim of domestic abuse. Nora, coincidentally or not, takes up residence in a cottage of her own across the street, and might just be the salvation that Suzi is seeking. Or will Nora's secrets, in fact, be the undoing of them all?
This is a read that picks up steam as it progresses. There are lightbulb moments when individual stories shift into focus, and the twists will have you glad to have stayed the course.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.
Told from the alternating perspectives of three women, Suzi, Elle, and Nora, it is immediately apparent that all is not as it seems in the lives of these three women. Suzi, the most fully fleshed out character, is pregnant and living in fear in a remote cottage where she is the victim of domestic abuse. Nora, coincidentally or not, takes up residence in a cottage of her own across the street, and might just be the salvation that Suzi is seeking. Or will Nora's secrets, in fact, be the undoing of them all?
This is a read that picks up steam as it progresses. There are lightbulb moments when individual stories shift into focus, and the twists will have you glad to have stayed the course.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC.
November 20, 2019
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Susan gave it five stars with an amazing review that says it all. I found it free on Kindle Unlimited earlier this month - and Amazon offered to add the audio for only $1.99 (I love it when they do that - Dita thank you for turning me on to this!). I will add only that the obligatory pschopaths/sociopaths reign supreme with controlling cheating husbands, sympathetic-ish cheating wife, murders galore, some fun twists, and a delicious ending for those of you who like tidy little packages. I am in withdrawal waiting for Shari Lapena's next adventure and this was a great fix. Now what?
October 13, 2019
I found the characters unlikable and found myself wanting to skip through chapters and wanting to just find out how it ended. I did like the multiple points of view and how they twisted together, and predicted some twists, but not all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review .
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review .
August 13, 2021
Predictable, but fast paced and addictive.
I had actually never heard of this book and only came across it by chance when I was looking at free ebooks on kindle unlimited, and it was a pleasant surprise!
The Other Wife is a suspenseful, domestic thriller which follows the perspectives of three different women, Suzi, Nora, and Elle. They each have a story to tell, but just how closely are these three women actually connected?
This was a pretty great thriller! While the relationship between the three main characters was fairly obvious to me from pretty early on, I still enjoyed the drama and suspense of it all and all the twists and turns!
The fact that I predicted all the twists in this book didn’t massively affect my enjoyment of the story and it was still a fast paced thriller that was hard to put down! Although slightly predictable, the twists were still done really well and suspense in this book was amazing, every scene felt so intense especially towards the end of the book.
One thing I really enjoyed the three different perspectives we got in this book and how we learned how they were all connected in some twisted way, joining up the dots and working out how exactly they were all connected was so much fun!
This book kind of gave me isolated thriller vibes too, which I love! Even though this isn’t technically an isolated thriller, there were some aspects, like the fact it was mainly set in the middle of nowhere with a high chance of being snowed in at any point, it kind of gave me No Exit vibes at points!
While this wasn’t the best thriller I’ve ever read, and I think the predictably might ruin the reading experience for some people, overall I really enjoyed this book and it was a fun, quick read for me and I would recommend to thriller fans!
I had actually never heard of this book and only came across it by chance when I was looking at free ebooks on kindle unlimited, and it was a pleasant surprise!
The Other Wife is a suspenseful, domestic thriller which follows the perspectives of three different women, Suzi, Nora, and Elle. They each have a story to tell, but just how closely are these three women actually connected?
This was a pretty great thriller! While the relationship between the three main characters was fairly obvious to me from pretty early on, I still enjoyed the drama and suspense of it all and all the twists and turns!
The fact that I predicted all the twists in this book didn’t massively affect my enjoyment of the story and it was still a fast paced thriller that was hard to put down! Although slightly predictable, the twists were still done really well and suspense in this book was amazing, every scene felt so intense especially towards the end of the book.
One thing I really enjoyed the three different perspectives we got in this book and how we learned how they were all connected in some twisted way, joining up the dots and working out how exactly they were all connected was so much fun!
This book kind of gave me isolated thriller vibes too, which I love! Even though this isn’t technically an isolated thriller, there were some aspects, like the fact it was mainly set in the middle of nowhere with a high chance of being snowed in at any point, it kind of gave me No Exit vibes at points!
While this wasn’t the best thriller I’ve ever read, and I think the predictably might ruin the reading experience for some people, overall I really enjoyed this book and it was a fun, quick read for me and I would recommend to thriller fans!
September 19, 2019
Great twists You are on the edge of your seat reading The Other Wife. Suzi and her husband Nick move to a secluded area. They have one neighbor named Elle Unbeknownst to Suzi, Elle is watching her. Secrets and lies
November 5, 2019
The story begins with three different female perspectives: Nora, newly widowed, completely broke, and trying to start over. Suzy, unhappily married to a controlling man and pregnant, potentially with her lover’s baby. And Elle, married to a doctor who she constantly worries is having an affair.
I really do not like to write negative reviews. In fact, I try to avoid it by DNFing books that I won’t be able to give a positive boost to but sometimes mistakes are made. I don’t enjoy insulting someone’s work. I try to find redeeming qualities in everything to highlight along the way. I cannot seem to do that here. I really did not like this book.
As far as readability goes, it had some level of intrigue and moved at a reasonable pace. With the exception of a few drawn out parts, I was rarely bored. Maybe those are redeeming qualities?
I told myself throughout the story that it would get better and that the twists would be worth it. When I reached the first big “twist� I almost called it quits, as I thought this was glaringly obvious all along. It was a poorly executed attempt to fool the reader.
I persevered, deluding myself into believing that it might get better. It was a book built on lies so perhaps I just fell victim to the story line when I told that lie to myself.
The story seemed absurd to me and the plot holes were enormous. I felt like the women were made out to be so silly. I want to say so much more than that; I want to specifically tell you what drove me mad. But I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone who does choose to read it. I also don’t want to write a five page review and there was a lot that drove me mad.
Maybe if you haven’t read very many thrillers and you don’t really care if there is any level of plausibility to the story, you will enjoy this more than I did. There are definitely people who have liked it. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ tells me so.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer for a digital review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really do not like to write negative reviews. In fact, I try to avoid it by DNFing books that I won’t be able to give a positive boost to but sometimes mistakes are made. I don’t enjoy insulting someone’s work. I try to find redeeming qualities in everything to highlight along the way. I cannot seem to do that here. I really did not like this book.
As far as readability goes, it had some level of intrigue and moved at a reasonable pace. With the exception of a few drawn out parts, I was rarely bored. Maybe those are redeeming qualities?
I told myself throughout the story that it would get better and that the twists would be worth it. When I reached the first big “twist� I almost called it quits, as I thought this was glaringly obvious all along. It was a poorly executed attempt to fool the reader.
I persevered, deluding myself into believing that it might get better. It was a book built on lies so perhaps I just fell victim to the story line when I told that lie to myself.
The story seemed absurd to me and the plot holes were enormous. I felt like the women were made out to be so silly. I want to say so much more than that; I want to specifically tell you what drove me mad. But I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone who does choose to read it. I also don’t want to write a five page review and there was a lot that drove me mad.
Maybe if you haven’t read very many thrillers and you don’t really care if there is any level of plausibility to the story, you will enjoy this more than I did. There are definitely people who have liked it. Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ tells me so.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer for a digital review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 27, 2019
I expected a full-blown family drama from given the title called "The Other Wife", but this was more mellow and what lacked in the fast-paced action department was made up in the suspense department. The Other Wife is a great book to curl up with on a quiet weekend. It's suspenseful, twisty and keeps you hooked till the very end.
When Suzi and Nick move into a quiet neighborhood, having moved from a bustling city pregnant and having quit her job Suzi finds it challenging to settle down in the countryside. However, things between Suzi and Nick are not fine at all. Suzi hides a terrible secret from her husband Nick and Nick is a controlling partner, who watches Suzi like a hawk. So when Nora moves to the neighboring cottage, Suzi is happy and looking forward to some company. But there's more to Nora than what Suzie knows. Will Suzie share her terrible secret with Nora?
Meanwhile, Elle spends her days in her perfect home, fixated on keeping up appearances. But when her husband betrays her, it unravels a secret going all the way back to her childhood. She’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to him, even if that means murder. After all, she’s done it before� Caught up in their own secrets and lies, these strangers will soon realize they have more in common than they could ever have imagined. When a shocking event brings them together, their lives will never be the same again.
The characters of this book were great and the plot was good too. It moved a tad bit slow from what I like, but the story and twists were really good. There seemed to be a lot of chapters on Suzie and Nora too, Elle had a smaller share and I'd have loved to know more about the incidents from her past and what shaped her to be the person she was. The ending was fantastic. But there too, I'd have loved to more about how it came to be.
Thank you, NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Claire McGowan for an arc!
When Suzi and Nick move into a quiet neighborhood, having moved from a bustling city pregnant and having quit her job Suzi finds it challenging to settle down in the countryside. However, things between Suzi and Nick are not fine at all. Suzi hides a terrible secret from her husband Nick and Nick is a controlling partner, who watches Suzi like a hawk. So when Nora moves to the neighboring cottage, Suzi is happy and looking forward to some company. But there's more to Nora than what Suzie knows. Will Suzie share her terrible secret with Nora?
Meanwhile, Elle spends her days in her perfect home, fixated on keeping up appearances. But when her husband betrays her, it unravels a secret going all the way back to her childhood. She’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to him, even if that means murder. After all, she’s done it before� Caught up in their own secrets and lies, these strangers will soon realize they have more in common than they could ever have imagined. When a shocking event brings them together, their lives will never be the same again.
The characters of this book were great and the plot was good too. It moved a tad bit slow from what I like, but the story and twists were really good. There seemed to be a lot of chapters on Suzie and Nora too, Elle had a smaller share and I'd have loved to know more about the incidents from her past and what shaped her to be the person she was. The ending was fantastic. But there too, I'd have loved to more about how it came to be.
Thank you, NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Claire McGowan for an arc!
December 11, 2019
One wife is looking for the woman that took everything away from her. The other is looking for the that finally made her happy. Neither really knows who they should be looking for.
Claire McGowan has written another book that I enjoyed. The twists and suspense at the level I require to keep me thoroughly entertained.
Claire McGowan has written another book that I enjoyed. The twists and suspense at the level I require to keep me thoroughly entertained.
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