Scarlet is only eight but is involved in all sorts of illegal crimes through her mother. Her mother is finally caught and Scarlet ends up in foster care which has good and bad consequences for her.
Vikki is an aromatherapist with a history. She was once a prison governor, with a wealthy husband and expecting a child. Now she is alone suffering regular epileptic fits.
Helen decided that she wants Vikkis ex and what Helen wants, Helen gets - but who is Helen?
Jacqui worked with Vikki in the prison where it all went wrong.
David is the ex and has gone missing!
This is a real page turner which will keep you guessing right to the end.

This was a riveting book which kept me interested all the way through. There are a number of twists and turns and the writer is careful to reveal information slowly to the reader to add to the suspense, although in some places it is obvious that sections have been worded carefully to make the reader think one way when something else is true. There were subtle hints throughout which could lead a reader to the correct conclusion but, although I was able to work out certain smaller twists before they happened, it was only towards the end of the novel that everything slotted into place for me and I was able to predict the final outcome. I'd recommend this to people who enjoy psychological thrillers in the vein of Louise Jensen, Darren O'Sullivan and Gillian Flynn.

What a wonderful book , a slow build leading up to a fantastic conclusion with a few twists and turns at the end . I would highly recommend this book and will be looking for more from this author

I was given an Arc from NetGalley in exchange of an independent review.
I liked this book, without loving it. A fairly good storyline although it did take some while to get into it. For me the best bit was the strong characters and the way they developed.
3 stars

A gripping book, with lots of twists and an interesting background in prison life. - the last section could have been tightenrf up.

Another great read from Jane Corry. Really enjoyed this. Great characters. Great page turner. Great holiday read.

It look me a while to get into the book but definitely an excellent book with some clever twists and unforeseen actions. Takes the fairly typical approach of alternate chapters for the 2 main characters. The story line is a new one for me and is cleverly covered with just the right amount of detail. Didn't give it 5 stars as I was hoping for a 'wow I really didn't expect that ending' but that was not the case. Nevertheless I wholeheartedly recommend the book to lovers of thriller/mystery/murder/twisty books

Wow! This book was brilliant. It's not often I will give a book 5 stars but this one couldnt be more deserving. It was quite a slow burner in the beginning but by the end I was frantically turning pages trying to find out what happened. There were so many twists and turns and every time I thought I knew what was happening something happened which made me think again. I can't wait to read the other books by this author, one of which (Blood Sisters) I have had on my shelf for a few months. Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me a free e copy to review.

I found the characters a bit much to begin with, felt like I was being introduced to too many at once, but once the story began to flow, it all came together very well and everything was explained, a great read

Fabulous beach read. Enough intrigue to propel you forward, but not too scary for a lighthearted read. Perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows Vicki, whose husband David once promised to love her in sickness and in health. But after a brutal attack left her suffering with epilepsy, he ran away with his mistress. So when Vicki gets a call one day to say he's missing, her first thought is 'good riddance'. But then the police find evidence suggesting that David is dead. And they think Vicki had something to do with it. What really happened on the night of David's disappearance? And how can Vicki prove her innocence, when she's not even sure of it herself?
Even though this one wasn't as good as this author's previous book, 'Blood Sisters', I still enjoyed this one. I was constantly guessing throughout the whole book as the story progresses telling the story of Vicki and also of a girl named Scarlet Darling, whose relevance to the story is a complete mystery for most of the book.
I loved Jane Corry's writing in this one, there was no rushing through the reveal or the ending, the whole book was written at the perfect pace that kept me engrossed and guessing the whole way through. The twists and turns and the two stories came together extremely well, and the reveal was very cleverly-written.
Although the ending didn't fully satisfy me, I definitely enjoyed this one and am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

She never lets her readers down does Jane Corry, every book is a gem to be cherished, and this one was no different. At every level you get a surprise, reading The Dead Ex was a bit like peeling an onion, (without the crying and smelly hands), layer upon layer came away until the heart of the issue was revealed. There were elements of the nature/nurture argument in there, murder, mystery and mayhem. A thoroughly well executed and thrilling read that I'm delighted to recommend. 5 full stars from me.

This book was something of a curate's egg for me - good in parts.Very elaborate, confusing and more than a little bit strange with some really really great ideas in the middle. I have still to work out why the heroine's (Vikki) past profession was such a great secret - I just don't understand. I confess to getting muddled up a little with the names until all became clear and the trial felt a bit hasty on the part of the police and the PPS . The characters are well drawn and fully developed and once you get past all the name changes it becomes easier to read.

Vikki suffers from epilepsy and for reasons unknown is very ashamed of this . It feels clunky and old fashioned however the descriptions of the seizures themselves are scary and I assume based on real reports of the condition.

For all of that I read it with enthusiasm and finished it in pretty much one go.

I always look forward to a new Jane Corry book, and i’ve yet to be disappointed. This book is well written and complex. The characters are, as always, brilliant. It’s a true test of good characters when you can actively dislike them and there’s a few to dislike here.. The detail around the prison is great, due to the level of knowledge of the writer. There is nothing in the book that has not been fully researched. I am starting to see a pattern in Jane’s books where parallel story lines are unfurled slowly alongside the main story. The gradual uncovering of a character plot is an element of suspense in itself: you can’t immediately see the fit. However, the story’s do always fit seamlessly. I’m not going to give too much away on this one because it needs to be read and enjoyed. Suffice to say it’s another good read from Jane Corry.

I came close to giving up on this book as, more than a third of the way into it, the story was a mass of confusion and introspection concerning the main character. It dragged on with very little actually happening, but lots of flashbacks. It introduced another much younger character, as a child, which made little sense at this point. At about 40% in, the story finally began to develop, more characters were introduced, and the story began to move forward. There were still too many ‘mysterious’ details about the central character’s past which the reader was not privy to. The second half of the book was much better, and I wanted to find out what happened. And more importantly, who was who!
This would have been a much more enjoyable read if the author had got on with the plot line sooner, rather than allowing it to drag on for so long, and risking losing the reader’s interest and attention in the process.

A fantastic revenge story. The main story revolves around Vicki. She is divorced from David her ex husband who has recently gone missing. She is the prime suspect and her behaviour does not help when she is arrested for the murder of David's current wife.
Vicki has a lot of baggage, she is still in love with her ex husband, lost her baby, an epileptic and has many other secrets. The other characters are vital to the story and come together in thrilling finish.
An enjoyable read and storyline.

I was all set to give up on this book as the first half was slow and I personally didn’t enjoy the child POV. I’m so glad I didn’t as the second half blew me away and I finished it in a few hours. All the characters interlink and things started to make sense, or so I thought. Then the final chapter hits you with twist after twist and I was left open mouthed with shock.

An enjoyable read that keeps you involved to the end. The story told from different viewpoints moves at a swift pace and is full of great detail. I particularly enjoyed the unpredictable twists and turns in the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this - it kept me guessing right to the end, even though hints and possibilities were there as the story unfolded. Sometimes I am not fond of books which shift the plot's timeline backwards and forwards, but it was needed here. Will definitely read more from this author.

A very difficult read, felt like giving up at times as the story was confusing not certain if sometimes despite different names you were actually reading about the same character at different times in their lives. However persevered to the end to find that the ending was as confusing as beginning !