This novel has a unique and ingenious theme which kept me reading into the early hours as I had to find out what happened. Samantha living in England writes to Dennis who is on death row for murder in USA. Recklessly she quits her job and travels across to Red River County to support him as a prison visitor. I confess I wouldn't like to live there with all that heat, flies, spiders and bears. I'll stick to the wet and windy shores of the UK. The intriguing thing about this book is that there are variations of trust from those who insist doggedly that he's a victim of a miscarriage of justice and have fought relentlessly for 21 years to get him exonerated. Others fluctuate about his innocence and some condemn him totally. The media and social media play a huge part in determining the case. Their impact is quite horrifying. We all know this happens but to see it played out in a specific context is more shocking. Honestly, do people have nothing better to do?! Sam meanwhile sees a side of Dennis that makes her loyalty and trust waver. This evokes her suspicion. That's when the fireworks really go off and the ending is nail-biting. I didn't particularly connect with Sam. I thought her foolish, misguided and shallow but it made a good story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read it. I shan't easily forget it. I shall post this review to Amazon, Facebook, GoodReads and my blog.

Dennis Danson is a convicted killer on Death Row - the Red River murderer - but widely and increasingly believed to be innocent. Documentaries are made about him, books written, celebrities espouse his cause. For Sam, a needy young woman in England, the case details and Dennis himself exert a deep fascination, and when she contacts him and subsequently travels to the US to visit him in prison, a relationship develops between them.

But is Dennis as innocent as Sam and others believe him to be? What really happened to the girls of Red River?

This is a tense and compelling psychological thriller - Amy Lloyd builds up the tension extremely well. While few of the characters are particularly likeable - out of everyone, I was most concerned about the cats - I was still desperate to find out what happened. The dysfunctional relationship between Dennis and Sam is very well drawn, wince-inducingly so at times, as things do not proceed quite as Sam had expected or hoped.

For me the name Dennis Danson immediately evoked the serial killer Dennis Nilsen - I don’t know whether this similarity was deliberate on the part of the author (there are other similarities too... so maybe) but it meant I was instinctively slightly predisposed against him! Whether guilty or not, Dennis is a difficult and complex character; the real man often at odds with the image of him created by others. The character of Sam, a somewhat obsessive and vulnerable young woman whose insecurities can at times overwhelm her - is very believable.

There are some insightful observations here on the social media landscape, particularly as experienced for the first time by Dennis - the strange world of Twitter is especially well depicted as Dennis’s - and Sam’s - story is served up for public consumption and, of course, everyone has an opinion.

An often disturbing but always readable journey into some dark places.... recommended.

I so wanted to like this book the subject matter was interesting and those stories of women who fall in love with prisoners on Death Row are always fascinating so I was looking forward to reading this book.Unfortunately I didn't connect with the main character and so didn't really care what happened to her.I also found the pace of the book to be very slow, and the writing style was for me at least very disjointed and hard to follow.I just struggled with this book I am sorry to say.I really did want to get into it the second half was faster and for me more interesting and it is worth a read we all like different styles and this may well be a better fit for some one else than it was for me.I really hope so.I would give it three and a half stars if I could.Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

A good topic however was a little disappointed with it. Got into it quite quickly however did find it not as exciting as it could have been

The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd

Dennis Danson has been on Death Row for over twenty years for the murder of the child Holly Michaels. Her mutilated body was found dumped in a swamp ten miles from her home in Red River County, Florida. Danson was himself just a teen at the time and the evidence was, to say the least, nebulous and so, with his movie star looks and charm, he has become the favourite of true crime documentary makers as well as fans who campaign for his release. When Mark shows his girlfriend Samantha, a school teacher in England, a documentary about Dennis Danson she becomes hooked on the man and on his case and soon she is lost in the online message boards and forums of his campaigners. She writes to him, he writes back. Samantha leaves her life in England behind to meet and then marry this convicted murderer.

And then the campaign succeeds. Dennis is released and now Samantha must make a life with a husband she barely knows. She has so much to learn…

The Innocent Wife has a fantastic premise and draws on that curious phenomenon of the lonely women who fall for men convicted of the worst of crimes. While the safety glass remains between the couple all is well, everything is managed and controlled, but when it is withdrawn and the convict is freed, suddenly trust becomes an issue. For them both, because we have much to learn about the motivations of Samantha as well as Dennis.

This is a dark psychological thriller that grips instantly and I read it all in half a day. It kept me up until well into the night because I simply had to know what was going to happen. Amy Lloyd expertly builds up the suspense and tension as Samantha learns more and more about the man that she has fallen in love with but hardly knows. And vice versa as well. Danson not only has to deal with freedom and life outside a prison for the first time in his adult life, he must also cope with the demands of a hungry media as well as living with Samantha. This raises all sorts of questions about what it is that makes couples compatible, the need for compromise and tolerance, and it is absolutely fascinating watching strangers marry. It’s the little things that often cause the arguments. But for Danson and Samantha there is so much more to contend with. It makes for a compelling read.

Samantha is ridiculously naive and compulsive and not at all easy to like. We see much of the story through her perspective and it does little to win us over to her, while it keeps Danson as an enigmatic and handsome stranger hidden in the shadows. But I did realise that these flaws in Samantha’s character are part of the point. She is lonely and isolated. She is susceptible and obsessive. And that’s why she flies across the ocean to Danson. But I didn’t care for her or Danson, although Danson’s predicament at times appears pitiable. The reader is an observer, detached yet incredulous of what we witness.

I did predict much of the plot. Some of the clues were a little too obvious and parts (particularly the beginning and the end) felt too rushed – all contributing to the rollercoaster pace of the novel – but that didn’t stop me gobbling it up. The speed did mean that this isn’t a book to dwell upon but for a holiday read An Innocent Wife did very well indeed.

Dennis Danson is on Death Row having been convicted the murder of a young girl in Florida’s Red River County.
Sam lilies in England and is a school teacher, she becomesinterested in his case after watching a documentary , she joins a forum group and writes to Dennis. Before long she is travelling to visit him on Death row. The story moves at a fast pace and it is not long until they are married , with the help of Dennis’s supporters and legal team who have new evidence to prove his innocence.
Dennis is released, they struggle with their relationship outside the prison, Dennis struggling with the outside world after being on death row for 20 years, Sam struggling with her trust issues and that Dennis seems to have many secrets.
This is a really good book until we get to the conclusion and for me that was a disappointing . 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Net Galley & Random House Uk cornerstone for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Samantha is lonely. Her boyfriend Mark didn't want commitment. Sam just thought he was spinning her a line, because isn't that what they all say?

Surely everybody wants to be with somebody they love? Right?

When Sam starts watching a true-crime documentary about dangerous US murderer, Dennis Danson with Mark she is caught up completely in the case and joins online forums dedicated to getting Dennis exonerated.

It isn't until she and Mark split that Sam plucks up the courage to write to Dennis in prison. She doesn't expect a reply from him, and she certainly doesn't expect to feel the way that she does when the reply comes.

Dennis Danson is charming, charismatic and definitely not a murdered. Sam is going to prove his innocence with the help of Carrie, maker of the documentary that she and Mark were glued to for months.

Sam makes a commitment to help free and get justice for Dennis. When she agrees to visit him for the first time she has no idea what to expect, but they are undeniably attracted to one another.

As the fight for justice continues Sam extends her stay in the US and agrees enthusiastically to Dennis' surprise proposal. But can even his future wife really know how to handle Dennis when he is finally released from prison and cleared of any wrongdoing.

The Innocent Wife is a novel that will have you asking yourself a lot of questions - not all of them will be answered, and the most intriguing of all 'what makes a woman fall in love with a serial killer'? Well you'll have to work that one out for yourself...

Women fascinated by men who are imprisoned for murder is a very interesting topic. When I read the description of this book I knew I had to read it. It started promising. We get to know Samantha, who gets infatuated with Dennis Danson. He is in prison for 20 years now and a lot of people fight for his release. There is no real evidence that he was involved in killing those girls. It looks like the local police was on a vendetta against him. There is also a documentary about Dennis on its way. He is getting famous through social media. It helps that he is handsome and charming. Sam starts to write to him and surprisingly he writes back. Finally, after lots and lots of letters and falling in love just by writing to each other, Sam decides to take a sabbatical and get on the next plane to meet Dennis in person. And then everything goes very quick.

The book started promising. The writing style was a bit rushed and it read more like a report than a novel. But it was interesting though. But then it somehow got boring. For some reason after Dennis’ release from prison the couple stays in Dennis’ old hometown in his father’s house. Sam does not understand why neither but somehow never questions him or make any attempts to leave or persuade Dennis to leave with her. She feels threatened by his former girlfriend and somebody is creeping around the house in the night. She is incredible passive. She is a very weird character and I got the feeling there was something wrong with her.

The story drags from this point. It started so promising but then it was all about the oh-so fascinating Dennis and the question if he is guilty or not. But the main problem is Sam. She is so whiny, so pathetic and such a drama queen. I am baffled that Dennis did not kill her on his first day out of prison.

When I started reading that book I was interested in what it was that women attracts to criminals. I think I got a hint of what it is. But it stayed at the surface. The initial crimes were just background noise and got never really explained. And I must admit I did not like where the story headed towards the end. Sam is not a very likable character and this conclusion was totally in character. But somehow I felt not comfortable with it.
I don’t like that the author put her exactly in that crazy corner that most of us think those women belong.
I liked the idea of the story but the flat characters ruined it. The start was very good, it is decently written but failed to keep this strong storytelling all the way to the end.

Samantha starts obsessing over Dennis, who is on death row. One day, she writes to him and this is where the story begins.

By the time Dennis is freed from prison due to a miscarriage of justice, he and Samantha and married.

But is everything what it seems?

A totally unputdownable book, with so many twists and underlying tension. Totally loved it.

The Innocent Wife was an intense and immersive read. Definitely a great book for all of those who enjoyed Making A Murderer.

There is Sam, a schoolteacher living in England who is obsessed with Dennis Danson. He is a convicted killer on death row in the US. Sam travels to see Dennis, falls in love with him and ends up marrying him. His prosecution finally overturned, he is released and Dennis becomes quite the celebrity. But Sam begins to see a different side to Dennis, and she starts to wonder if maybe he could be guilty of other killings.

Even none of the characters are all that likeable, the book is a total page-turner. You just want to know. The ending is great and fits well to the story.

Samantha becomes infatuated with Dennis Danson, a man who has been incarcerated for the murder of a young girl for twenty years. He claims he is innocent and has a large online following of supporters who strongly believe in his innocence, Samantha being one of them. She begins to correspond with him, then travels to America to visit him and shortly after marries him.

After a successful campaign for Dennis' release due to new evidence, Samantha is thrust into a new reality, having to begin her marriage in earnest to a man she doesn't know very well and whose unstable moods and shady behaviour soon has Samantha questioning her husband.

I have always found it difficult to comprehend the concept of women falling for and marrying a convicted killer. I was therefore intrigued as I read the blurb for this one, hoping it would give me a little more insight as to what would motivate a woman to become infatuated in that way.

To be honest, I still cannot grasp such infatuation, with the book leaving me even more baffled than I originally started out. I just cannot wrap my head around it! I found Samantha to be deluded, weak and pathetic. Needless to say, I wasn't a fan of the direction in which this book went, particularly the epilogue, although I can understand why the author decided to go that way given the personality types in the story.

I also found that the story started off strong, but became long winded and drawn out until around the 90% mark, at which point it built a nail biting amount of tension. Only to find I was let down by the plot holes and the unbelievable and sketchy explanation of the original crimes. How disappointing.

Sad to say, but this wasn't my cup of tea, although many reviewers seem to have enjoyed it, I am clearly in the minority here.

I would like to thank the author, Netgalley and Random House UK, Corner Century for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

I had no idea what to expect from this book , but I’m so glad I picked it up ! With a lonely believable female lead , and a convicted killer falling in love , this is an unbelievably gripping story with twists and turns from the start .

Samantha falls in love and marries Dennis who is on death row for murderers he says he didn't commit. After 20 years in prison, he is found innocent and released. Married life is not what Samantha expected - with Dennis's secrets as well as his. A great page turner that keeps you hanging in suspense.

Love Is Blind! Has Sam made the right decision to up root herself from United Kingdom to USA to be with her true found love Dennis? Dennis is in prison for 20 years and awaiting a reprieve for his crime.
A suspenseful and gripping read from start to end as you have doubts about Dennis throughout the book. You tend to create a virtual bubble of hope for Sam as she is an admirable character believing in Dennis’s innocence.

Will it be a happy ending or an ending with a twist,you will have to read it!

Really grabbed by the storyline. Thought I knew what to expect but how wrong I was. An excellent read focusing on a great subject I always wondered how women fall in love with someone who is in prison on serious charges. And to be honest I still don't understand but this book helps a little. Read it, you won't be disappointed.

Twenty years ago, Dennis Darson was convicted of a brutal murder in Florida and sentenced to death. A thousand miles away in Britain, Samantha follows Dennis's case. They exchange letters and subsequently meet when Samantha travels to Florida, and she finds him charming and sweet. She eventually marries him and works for his release from prison. She campaigns for him throughout the true crime documentary of which he is the subject that is designed to uncover the truth behind the murder and free an innocent and wrongfully convicted man. After the campaign is successful and Dennis is released, Samantha begins to discover new details about her new husband's life that suggest he may not be innocent after all.

The novel grabbed my attention immediately and remained fast-paced throughout the book. It was a good story with excellent writing, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a thriller. It kept me guessing--did he or didn't he?

Omg!!! So I’d never read anything from this author so wasn’t sure what to expect but I loved the blurb so off we went....

How glad am I that I found this book? Totally over the moon! It was a whopper of a book full of everything I love from a book, twists and turns, lies, who do I trust, characters you love and hate and in general just blew me away.

Totally unique I thought having never quite read anything like it. Sams a school teacher from the UK and she basically becomes involved (obsessed/fixated) and a guy called Dennis on death row in the USA for murder. There’s a TV program been made centered on trying to get him released as he says he’s been set up and Sam does all she can to make people see he’s innocent.

They fall in love and marry and Dennis is acquitted and released and from then on becomes some kind of celebrity, they the. Share a life together and Sam begins to wonder if she’s made a huge mistake!

I loved it and the ending, well, I had no idea what was coming but it wasn’t what I expected haha!

Fabulous book a proper gem, really enjoyed it and devoured it in one sitting! Well done a great read, hoping for more soon!!!

The writing style captivated me that I didn't realise I had been reading for 2 hours before taking a break. This very rarely happens.
Although I felt like I had read something similar to this before I still really enjoyed this. Certain things I saw coming, however I don't think they were plot twists so it didn't bother me too much.
I wish the run up to the ending started a little earlier. I felt like it was a little rushed the last 15%

A good debut novel from Amy Lloyd. Sam, recently single becomes obsessed with a Dennis Danson, a man who has been on Death Row for 20 years. Believing he is innocent, she gives up her life in England to help the cause to release him. A love develops, they marry and then he is released. The story develops, rather than a 'happy ever after' life becomes strained and difficult as they get to know each other. A slow build, rather than an exciting page turner but a well told, original story with a dramatic finale. My only criticism is that I found it a little far fetched on two counts. One that he was on Death Row with the flimsiest of evidence and secondly that Sam was crazy to marry a man before she even got to know him. I suppose it happens!

I really enjoyed this book - working in a legal criminal environment I'm very cynical about crime dramas/books (always comparing them to real life from my own point of view) but I found myself completely absorbed in this book. Such a compelling story that I couldn't read it fast enough. I am looking forward to more from Amy Lloyd in the near future.