When I read the book description for The Innocent Wife I knew it was one I had to read. I’ve often wondered about the woman and men who write to prisoners on death row, and then go on to fall in love with them. I'm sure the reasons are complex and way beyond my comprehension, but intriguing never the less. If you are a fan of true crime documentaries then this is a book you won't want to miss, as it's a story which reads very much like a true crime story, which made this book an assured and compelling tale of obsession.

As you will see from the book description The Innocent Wife is a thriller about Samantha who strikes up a friendship with Dennis a prisoner on death row. What start’s out as a relationship based wholly on writing to each other, soon escalates into something far more intense. The author has created a very intriguing but flawed set of characters, I found myself sympathetic to Dennis’s predicament one minute, and then a couple of chapters later I found myself questioning his innocence and his motives for marrying Sam.You would think a character who has spent twenty years on death row would be the only flawed character, but no Sam is just as flawed, she's obsessive with HUGE trust issues, not a good combination and doesn't bode well for “a happy ever after”.

The Innocent Wife is told mostly in a documentary style, eye witness accounts and documents which gives the reader an in depth look into Dennis life and his personality. The plot is very much based on did he do it? Or not? So throughout the book has a sinister and threatening feel to it. I did think this book lacked any real drama or excitement, but then the focus is very much on the did he or didn't he? conundrum. The author kept me guessing right up until the last few chapters, which is always a bonus and guaranteed to heighten my enjoyment of a book. Twisted and compelling The Innocent Wife is well worth a read if your looking for an original thriller that will keep you guessing to the final chapter

The Innocent Wife is a story about Sam - an ordinary woman who starts writing letters to a man on death row - Dennis. Eventually she falls in love with him and they get married. Sam is campaigning for Dennis to be released from prison, believing in his innocence, as do many others. However when she gets her wish, things seem to change between them and Sam starts wondering about questions she's not sure she can ask. The Innocent Wife is a gripping story and a real page turner. I was up until ungodly hours reading this, literally unable to put it down. There were some parts that felt a bit drawn out. In those instances I wasn't sure where the story was going and was wishing it would hurry up a little, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Superb book with fantastic characters. You do get immersed in the book and Im glad I read it when I had the time to read it big chunks as this is a book you can't put down,

"She felt suddenly very alone, as though the person she married had never existed and she had woken up to a life she didn't recognise, in the middle of a story she didn't understand."

This is quite a timely book, considering the popularity of Making a Murderer. And the plot involves a similar premise, with a documentary crew making a film about Dennis Danson being convicted of murder at 18 on very little evidence. This really attracted my attention; I'm always a bit fascinated by these did he/didn't he crimes. I'm also fascinated by the men and women who write to criminals on death row and end up dedicating their life to them. So The Innocent Wife felt like a sure hit with me. But, while I did enjoy it, I thought it lost momentum in the middle and didn't delve as deep as I wanted it to.

I was hoping that The Innocent Wife would dive into the psychology behind Sam's obsession with a convicted murderer. But for me it felt rather shallow; insecure woman, feels ugly, bad luck with men, drinks for confidence, never really fits in etc, it doesn't really go much deeper than that into Sam's personality.

Also, Sam is not particularly likable; she's a bit pathetic with doormat qualities. I don't have to love a character to be invested but I did find her irritating and didn't feel there was enough to her to really connect.

Still, for the first third of the book I was gripped and the exchange of letters and their slightly awkward first meeting read well. Amy Lloyd is rather adept at writing an awkward scene, especially juxtaposing between Sam's romantic imaginings and the reality.

Dennis is an interesting character and I feel Lloyd tackled him well, not revealing too much and allowing his true personality to come through slowly. A little too slowly though. This is one of my issues with The Innocent Wife in that it starts off well but once Dennis is out of prison it really slows down and becomes a little boring. It follows Sam and Dennis going about their new lives with neither of them really knowing what to do and trying to connect. I get that Lloyd is trying to instill growing tension and uncertainty, but there is a bit too much waffle and it actually becomes pretty dull, only to then rush the ending. I did like the ending though, even though I guessed a few aspects.

Ultimately, I think there are some really great section in The Innocent Wife but that it doesn't quite get the pacing or depth of characters right. It's a really interesting read though, especially for those interested in true crime and prisoner relationships.

My Rating: 3 Stars

I received a copy of The Innocent Wife, via NetGalley, in return for an honest review. My thanks to the author and publisher.

Twenty years ago Dennis Danson was convicted of the murder of a young girl and is now on Death Row.
Over the years he has been imprisoned hundreds of supporters have crusaded to free him- believing him to be innocent of these crimes.
Sam is one of these Supporters and begins to write to Dennis in support. Over time and through many letters, they fall in love and she then marries him in prison.
What happens next is astonishing and nail biting.
I found the story riveting and could not wait to read it every evening, I highly recommend this to anyone who likes drama, suspense and a well written story.

An amazing and unique story. What goes on in someone's mind when they visit a notorious killer in prison, somehow form a relationship and end up marrying the. Battling for their innocence. But are they? Epic.

The description of this book made it impossible to resist reading it. I am always fascinated by stories of women writing to prisoners and then marrying them without having met them prior to their incarceration. Such is the case here and I felt like the narrative split neatly into before and after Dennis’ release. I’m not going to say I particularly liked Sam but I did feel sorry for her and at least she didn’t creep me out the way Dennis did. I was doing the reading equivalent of watching tv through my fingers at a few points. Note to self - shouting at the kindle has no effect on the characters’ behaviour!

Dennis Danson has spent 20 years in prison for a crime he denies, the murder of A young girl. A documentary is made backing up his claims and showing that much of the evidence against him is at best circumstantial, at worst faked. It gains him a notoriety around the world which is how Sam learns about him. She becomes obsessed with him and his case and begins exchanging letters with him. She goes to meet him after their relationship becomes romantic and they are soon married. Suddenly new evidence comes to light that completely clears him of the crime and he is released. But quickly Sam realises that the sweet man she wrote to is different on the outside. Is it just adjusting to his new found freedom or is there a more sinister explanation?

This promised great things and mostly delivers. On the good side it's a well plotted novel, enjoyable to read and hard to put down. On the not so good there's not one character you can root for - they are all equally punchable. There are a few lulls in the proceedings but ultimately not enough to ruin what is a very good read.

Good thriller ,found the main character very interesting ,she clearly had little self esteem and is quite needy my can see potential for her to become quite para and obsessive ,that may be another novel in itself.
The husband is clearly disturbed n only does anthing for his own gain n enjoyment , creepy fella hard and disturbing
The sense of dread I felt when he was in contact wit any animal was high
Thanks netgally for this dark thriller not exceptional but a quick page turning read

I loved this book! Sam, an English school teacher, becomes interested in the case of Dennis Danson, a man on death row. At first exchanging letters, and then declarations of love, Sam gives up her unsatisfactory life in England to visit him and fight for him to be freed. The problem is, how well does she really know him and how will she adapt to her new life? I found this book engrossing, as I have wondered before what makes a woman fall in love with a suspected killer, but Amy Lloyd builds up their love and dependence gradually and believably. It’s hard to say too much, without giving anything away, but I would definitely recommend The Innocent Wife (and indeed have!) and I would also suggest taking time to read the ending, as a lot happens all at once! A great read.

i really enjoyed this book, probably because I thought I had already made my mind up about how it would end! How wrong I was! There was very little predictability - and even when you think you know the direction it is taking you, it still manages to surprise you! Sam isn’t the most likeable of characters, and occasionally, I fleetingly hoped he would chop her up too! I found it hard to put down, and loved the rollercoaster effect it had on me.

Thoroughly enjoyed this gripping psychological thriller. It was truly disturbing but extremely enjoyable and had me hooked from the first page. I loved the whole idea behind the plot and couldn’t put it down. Would definitely recommend this book

This is an amazing book on many levels. The story is based on a convicted serial killer on death row, being contacted by a besotted English woman. After exploring a number of websites, she is convinced of his innocence and after meeting him face to face, falls in love.

The plot is breathtakingly convoluted and draws the reader into a nightmarish world of the US underclass.
I loved the way that the author built up the tension by well written vignettes, each of which could be interpreted a number of ways. The characters were quite believable but all had dysfunctional and creepy personalities, even the heroine.in whose eyes the plot unfolds. .

The book was very hard to put down, which is always a sign of a super read..

I was given a copy of this via Net Galley in return for an honest review.
I love a psychological thriller and this one did not disappoint. Towards the end I couldn't put it down and it's been a while since I read a book like that.
I thought it was unusual plot, with Sam marrying Dennis while he is on Death Row. The characters were excellent and I really didn't know how this would end.
I'd definitely recommend it.


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I enjoyed this book. We meet Sam who comes across Dennis Danson, a man on death row in America for killing teenage girls. Sam flies from the UK to America to see Dennis, and falls in love with him. When Dennis is exonerated for his crimes, Sam is worried, especially when their relationship isn't as conventional as she was hoping it would be.
We learn a lot about Dennis, Sam and their characters. Is Dennis innocent? Is Sam everything she appears? I enjoyed the twists the book provided.

This is another novel that deals with an innocent man on death row. Whilst very readable there wasn’t really anything that set this book apart from others. Sam an English girl is obsessed with Dennis who has been in prison for the murder of Holly for 20 years and is now on death row. A film company is making a documentary about him and there is a campaign for his real ease, his conviction is questionable as the evidence is scanty. Sam travels to America and marries Dennis before he is pardoned and released. Sam and Dennis have a difficult relationship. Dennis is charismatic and good looking, one minute he is charming and the next insufferable. Sam is needy and jealous and begins to question whether Dennis is indeed innocent. I found there were too many questions not answered by the book’s conclusion but perhaps this leaves room for a sequel.

I really enjoyed this book. At first I wondered where the story was going but it really caught my attention. Looking forward to reading more of Amy Lloyd's work.

A great read, not everything is always as it seems. A fight for justice

I actually bought this on Kindle before the Netgalley request came through and I literally read it in a day. It is amazing! It has you hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. Keeps you guessing and a great ending!

A different and interesting book. I have always wondered about the women who marry death row inmates. I did not think that this book really explored Sam's character. I thought the 'bad' thing she had done would be much worse.