The story set just before the Great War and during the war centers around the Paxton family, once gentry now impoverished. We have Hugh who only knows the life of a gentleman and is confused and troubled how to live any other way. His wife who is the owner of the Grange, refuses to sell out of a sense of belonging. There is a young daughter Kate who is pivotal to the story.

The discovery of a mistress of Hugh, the former maid sends Millicent over the edge, but the actual beginning of the story starts years later, with a murder and we go backwards and forwards with the story both leading to the murder, and then after the murder.

Very intense, very well told, the reader is left to analyse the emotions involved as events are set out as it happens, very precise, very clinical. Unusual but very good reading.

This story that draws you in
This was and intriguing story, it kept me involved and waiting for the final ending, not sure how it would come about. What can I say, what an ending, I am still trying to come to terms with it.loved the book it had me hooked from the start a great easy to read book

One day in 1940, Kate witnessed her mother murdering a woman. From then on, Kate questioned her mother’s motives. Kate is a likable character. She is very persistent in trying to uncover the truth. However, I loved her mother more. She was a very strong character.

Overall, this novel was slow and boring. It parallels with Kate Morton’s, the Secret Keeper. Still, I thought it was more of a character driven novel than a mystery. I highly recommend this to Kate Morton fans.

The Murderess is a new novel by historical author Jennifer Wells. The story begins in Missensham in 1931. Kate is being sent away to boarding school by her mother, Millicent Bewsey. It was a last minute decision by Millicent. They are on the train platform, and Kate notices her mum talking to another lady. The next moment Millicent shoves the woman onto the tracks in front of inbound train. Millicent then refuses to say one word. Nine years have passed since that day and Kate’s life has changed considerably (for the worse). Kate happens to be at the train station on the anniversary of the incident and notices a disheveled man leaving behind red peonies on the exact spot where Millicent committed her crime. Kate gets a closer look and there is a card attached that reads “For Rosalie”. Who is Rosalie? Is that the name of the victim? After all these years, the woman’s identity is still a mystery. The man looks like the one that attacked her mother in their walled garden about a fortnight before the terrible train incident. Kate’s father, Arthur receives a letter stating Millicent is up for parole and he wants Kate to write a statement to the parole board. This starts Kate on a quest to get answers. She starts reviewing the details of the case and delving into her mother’s past. What secrets will Kate uncover? Join Kate on her search for the truth in The Murderess.

The Murderess contains good writing and a steady pace in the first half of the book. I thought the second part of the story dragged (it needed a faster pace). The story is told from Kate’s (1940) and Millicent’s (1915) perspective. It alternates between them. I thought the characters were bland, and Kate was unlikeable. The main problem with The Murderess is that it was predictable. Early on I was able to accurately predict how the rest of the novel would play out. The ending, though, may surprise many readers. The Murderess is an interesting story, but it needed a more complicated mystery along with a compelling main character. I give The Murderess 3 out of 5 stars.

Review: I really looked forward to reading this book from reading the blurb. I was not disappointed upon reading the book, it was amazing. Full of many emotions it really pulls at your heart-strings. A brilliant read.

This is the first book I have read from Jennifer Wells and I will be looking out for other books by her.
The Murderess is a complex story - partly a psychological thriller and partly a historical novel.

I was drawn in from the start to the emotional family relationships. The dynamic twists and turns kept my interest right to the end of the book. Beautifully written with a sense of mystery and intrigue throughout. I found the ending shocking as I didn't see it coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

1931 - Kate witnesses her mother, Millicent push a woman in front of a train. Kate is fifteen. She doesn't know who the woman was or why her mother did it.

1940 - Kate's mother will possibly be out on parole within a year. She was spared her life despite taking another's.

Kate has to face up to what her mother has done.

On the ninth anniversary of the tragic events, Kate sees a man on the station holding flowers, her memory is jogged and she is determined to find out the truth behind the event which has shaped her life, that of her father and family ever since.

The book is told from the point of view of both mother and daughter. Kate's tale is told during the 1940 and Millicent's in 1915 and up to the conclusion of events on that tragic day in 1931. Two women who are caught in world wars with very different experiences and lives but bound by the fact that they are mother and daughter.

It took awhile for me to get into the two 'voices' of the story initially but once I had found them, I let myself be swept along by the story. As I read there is one more story to tell that of the woman who was sadly pushed in front of the train. What part did she play and was I going to get her side of the story.

I was not expecting what I got from this book. Initially I thought it was going to be of the wartime saga variety which I love to read but this was much richer and deeper and had more realism. Starting the book with someone being pushed in front of a train is certainly going to get your attention.

As I read the pieces all started to come together, but whilst some may say it was obvious what was going to happen, I let it all unfold as I read and took each twist as it came and when I reached the end of the book - I was shocked. Inevitable perhaps but my experience of historical sagas has never been like this book - and I am hooked.

I am going to go and read this authors first novel, she clearly has the storytelling gene and it encompasses history within a saga setting and a bit of crime - a perfect combination for me.

Fifteen-year-old Kate witnesses her mother kill a strange woman by pushing her under an oncoming train - no warning and no reason.

Nine years later Kate’s mother is due for parole and Kate takes it upon herself to finally find the truth and the reason why her mother murdered this woman.

A thriller set in both 1931 and 1941, this book is perfect for fans of family intrigue.

This book was very well written but unfortunately, it was just so predictable. I guessed the entire story within the first 4 chapters and just read the rest of the book to prove myself right. I even worked out the ending!

I am sorry for starting with a negative, but I cannot find anything positive to say. The characters were unlikeable; the story predictable and the story had huge gaps in the plausibility.

I am sure other readers will love this book but unfortunately, it was not up to my standard of thriller and murder.

Shesat.

Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review.

A year ago I read and enjoyed The Liar by Jennifer Wells, a story that, sadly, I haven't been able to discuss with anyone, but it was featured in my BEST OF 2016 list. The second book by Wells, The Murderess, is also a twisty historical mystery featuring two different narrators and dual timelines.

To be honest, I haven't read many books like this one. They're like domestic/psychological thrillers but set in the past, this time during the 10s, 30s and 40s. This detail gives The Murderess a bit of a "historical saga" feel, which I obviously love. But the mystery is the most important part of this novel.

This is the story of Kate, a young 25-year-old girl whose mother was convicted of the murder of an unknown woman. Kate doesn't know why her mother did this, but she knows what she saw that day back then when she was fifteen years old. The book follows Kate's investigation as well as Millicent's life prior to the incident. And believe me, their tales are full of secrets and betrayal.

I read some reviews that stated that it was predictable, and although I certainly predicted a couple of things, I believe the novel had plenty of twists and turns and it was a really good mystery book. The first twist was my favorite because I honestly didn't expect that at all and I felt kind of dumb for not having thought of that. I agree that the ending was a great one and it made up for a slower middle section.

In the end, I think this is a smart, well-written mystery and more people should be reading Jennifer's books. She's definitely underrated. After some thinking, I must say I prefer The Liar because I still recall a particular shocking scene that I will never get out of my mind, but this one was equally enjoyable and I will definitely read the author's next novel.

I really enjoyed this book. Excellent storyline and great main characters. I would recommend this book.

In her second novel, The Murderess, author Jennifer Wells deftly blends secrets, passions and betrayal in a gripping and engrossing historical novel set in the earlier part of the 20th Century guaranteed to hold readers spellbound.

In 1931, fifteen year old Kate had been absolutely shocked when she had witnessed her mother Millicent push a complete stranger from a platform straight onto the path of an oncoming train. This cruel and vengeful action had been undertaken without any thought, reason or warning. But what was even more shocking was the fact that Millicent had shown absolutely no remorse when she committed this scandalous and evil act. What was Millicent’s reason for committing murder? What was her relationship to the stranger she pushed under a train? And why did Millicent feel such a strong compulsion to kill?

Nine years later in 1940, Kate is still haunted by her mother’s actions. With the family estate in ruins and their name in tatters, Kate’s life has been blighted not just by that fateful day, but by the Second World War which has ravaged Great Britain. One day, she returns to the train station where the murder occured and is utterly shocked when she spots a tramp putting flowers on the exact place the stranger her mother killed died. With the identity of the stranger still shrouded in mystery, Kate finds herself drawn into uncovering the truth behind that fateful day. With nothing to lose, she begins to dig deep and begins to unearth and discover deceptions and untruths that go back to the Great War.

Will Kate manage to solve this baffling mystery? Is she prepared for the shocking truth? Or was she better off not knowing the real reason behind her mother’s act of madness?

Lesley Pearse fans, meet your new favourite author: Jennifer Wells! An addictive and engrossing tale rich in period detail, mystery, suspense, intrigue, drama and emotion, The Murderess draws readers in from the very first page and keeps them riveted until the final denouement. Packed with jaw-dropping twists and turns and spine-tingling thrills, this is the perfect book to lose oneself into and one which will linger in the mind long after the last page is turned.

A stellar read from a writer with a very bright future ahead of her, The Murderess is a compulsively readable tale that is impossible to resist.

This book was really very good and it ticked all the right boxes for me and it is definitely one of the best books of it's genre that I've read this year!!

It was extremely well written and such a compelling story, I thought it was a real page turner and I loved how the book moved from 1931 to 1940 as the story progressed.  I am a massive fab of historical fiction and crime fiction so this book, being a combination of the two was excellent for me!

I thought that the characters were great and they worked so well together to carry the storyline forward.  It was well thought out and the whole thing was really well put together - 5 stars from me!!!

Perfect for fans of historical fiction and mysteries, as Wells combines the two in this tale of a woman who is trying to unravel what happened to her mother to cause her to commit murder. Kate's search for answers- who was the man, why did her mother do it- takes place in that hard spot in UK history, 1940, but the secrets go back further. Well written, not too twisty, and ultimately a rewarding read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

In May 1931, fifteen year old Kate Bewsey watches her mother Millicent push a woman, a stranger from the station platform at Missensham into the path of an oncoming train. She gives no reason at her trial but as she grows up Kate tries to discover the truth.
An interesting mystery, well-written, and kept my interest.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Melanie from Aria for arranging the blog tour and allowing me to be part of it.

It’s 1931 and 15 year old Kate sees her mother push a lady from a station platform into the path of an oncoming train. Kate had never seen this lady before and had no idea what possessed her mother to do such a terrible thing. 9 years later, on the anniversary of when this happened, Kate returns to the station. She sees a stranger, who looks like a tramp, leaving flowers on the spot where the lady had died. Kate decides to question her father as to what actually happened that day. On further digging she begins to uncover family secrets that had long since been buried. Can Kate find out why her mother did what she did, and who was the lady who died?

My first Jennifer Wells book, and going on the reviews for her previous book, The Liar, this looked to be a riveting story. The story is told mainly from two timescales – the first being 1940. Exactly 9 years on from her mother committing murder, and Kate wants to know who the lady was that her mother pushed under the train, and more importantly why? Her mother was convicted of murder, and Kate’s father is old now and he wants to forget it ever happened, but with Kate keeping on questioning, old family secrets start to become uncovered. The second timescale was from 1915, and is told from the point of view of Millicent, Kate’s mother. The story from both timescales begins quite slowly, and it does take some time to get into it. Once you get past the first few chapters, you begin to get into the story, and whilst I worked out quite early on what was going to happen, it didn’t detract from the story at all. It’s a story of family, love and relationships, all set with the backdrop of both World Wars. As the book moves on you realise what connects the three women and why.

The most important part of the story, for me, was the end. Definitely read this book until the very last word, as it will be so worth it! Shocking, but riveting! Overall, an emotional family saga which was hard to put down until you had finished it. Well recommended.

Four stars

A thrilling novel where Kate observes her mother push a stranger into the path of a train for no apparent reason.
Kate eventually learns about her mother’s past, but there is a unbelievable ending to the novel.

I enjoyed Ms Wells ‘The Liar’ and this book was just as well written, also intriguing in that at first, I couldn’t tell where the story was going.. The author left me guessing as to which character I was supposed to feel empathy with. The betrayed Millicent whose only wish was to bear her husband’s child, Kate, who had been lied to for so long that when the secrets started to unravel, as they always do, was left to make sense of it all.
Or was Rosalie the one who deserved pity, the one who betrayed and was eventually betrayed? Halfway through the story I had a sense of inevitability which even though it played out, did not detract from the impact of the story.
Ms Wells certainly has a knack for portraying women whose obsession for motherhood changes their personalities and in some cases is used as justification for the things they do.

Hand's up first off, I read the Liar and just loved it, so I was interested to see what number 2 would be like, could the magic formula be repeated?
it turns out that yes it can and The Murderess is even better.
It's a story of three women, connected in ways that only become truly apparent as you travel through the book. the setting is vivid, the characters rounded and the ending - wow!
It's a thumbs up - three words - Engrossing, un-put-downable and heartwrenching!