Two women's lives collide in this suspenseful novel. The author wrote a brilliant book that has a well developed plot and characters. Definitely recommend!

Earlier this year I read and reviewed All The Little Children by Jo Furniss and really enjoyed the clever slice of dystopian fiction. Her latest novel, The Trailing Spouse is different in both tone and style and could be described as a domestic thriller. Set in Singapore it explores the lives of two women; Amanda and Camille, who are both British expats. Amanda is married to Edward and lives with him and his teenage daughter Josie, in a beautiful apartment. When their maid commits suicide their perfectly balanced life is unsettled with the visit of Camille who is sent to visit the family as part of the investigations. She recognises Edward and thinks that he may be able to shed light on the events in her childhood that have haunted her into adulthood but she is unsure if he is all that he seems.

This is a book that is led by two strong female protagonists who were at first glance very different; career woman Camille versus kept wife Amanda, but in reality they are very similar. They have both had difficult paths which have motivated their futures and the choices they have made in life. I really liked both of them and found them to be well drawn and realistic. I also found that Amanda’s relationship with her step-daughter was brilliantly written – Josie is a typical prickly teenage girl who is full of secrets. Her mother is dead and Amanda is an interloper into the world she and her dad have created. I loved the way the dance between these two was depicted with missteps and boundaries being both respected and crossed.

I think for me, the part I found most terrifying, was the erosion of power if you are a trailing spouse in Singapore. Amanda is deemed to be a dependent who does not have any rights and her days are spent in the gilded cage of their apartment or meeting with other women who are also trailing spouses. Facebook groups are filled with wives who gossip and snark at one another and for whom life is one long game of one-upmanship; the right clothes, the right shoes, the right brands and being seen in the right bars and restaurants. This glimpse into a world which appears to be beautiful and envy inducing is, when you scratch the surface, rotten. Amanda knows how precarious her situation is so turns a blind eye to Edward’s suspicious behaviour, but is this the right thing to do?

The death of their maid is a catalyst for the unravelling of Amanda’s life. A postmortem reveals that the maid was pregnant, Amanda discovers condoms in her husband’s washbag, prescription pills belonging to him in the maid’s belongings and when she sees a photo of him on the Facebook group dancing with a woman in a strip club she starts to put together a picture of Edward that she doesn’t really like. Once she starts to pick she finds out more and more about his life and she wonders if he is linked to some heinous crimes. Is he capable of those things? How well does she know him really?

I really can’t tell you anymore than this as it will spoil what is a great read and an accomplished thriller. I loved the setting of the book as it was so different and I really felt like I was there in Singapore. It also had the benefit of disorientating me so when the shocks came I was totally blindsided. This is an excellently plotted and paced book with lots going on and I found it to be a clever and insightful piece of fiction which ticked lots of boxes for me.

I have never been to Singapore nor been part of the expat community there but having read The Trailing Spouse by Jo Furniss it really feels as though I have. The author describes the setting of the book- the heat, the frustrations with bureaucracy, the back-biting – so evocatively and with such great insight that it almost becomes a character in its own right.
The story itself twists and turns quickly, leaving the reader breathless and desperate to work out who is telling the truth and who cannot be trusted. A fascinating read.

Oh how I do love it when a domestic thriller surprises me. I was expecting the typical story as there has been an abundance lately in the thriller world but nope! Here's something a little bit different that will surprise and please thriller lovers everywhere.

What I loved was the expat life and the different rules that apply when living overseas. Coming from a military family and having expat friends all over the world, I all too well know how this can go so it's fascinating and fun to see in a novel.

This story bounces between Amanda and Camille - Amanda, a "trailing spouse" (I actually just learned this terminology and it is SO FITTING), having marital and reproduction problems, whose maid just committed suicide by drinking bleach (I'm not sure I can think of much worst ways to kill yourself) and Camille, obsessed with what happened with her parents. Both in Singapore, their paths cross and will change their lives irrevocably.

I honestly didn't see that ending coming. I knew there was something weird.. I KNEW IT... but yeah, THAT wasn't quite what I was expecting though I had an inkling. Am I losing you yet? Read the book so you know what I'm saying!

This moves at a great pace and you end up being just as confused and misdirected as the characters - personally, I love that.

I would like to thank the author and Lake Union Publishing for the review copy which I won in a giveaway through Jo Furniss’ Facebook page. I was supplied the NetGalley link by the author. I give my honest opinion in this review.

It’s my first by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Told mostly in alternating chapters by Amanda and Camille. I found the story and background information very interesting. The expat community seems very tight knit. I have relatives who’ve lived in these kind of areas, working for the Foreign Office and in the private sector, with the domestic staff provided. I now realise that two of my relatives were the trailing spouse. I think I would struggle with the lack of independence if it wasn’t me with the work permit, but the rich trappings Amanda had would definitely help big-time.
Cleverly told and eloquently written. The scenes around Singapore were so well described that I felt I was there.
Well-paced and kept me hooked, I thoroughly recommend this book

The stories of two women intertwine and lead to a smashing climax in Jo Furniss’ latest, The Trailing Spouse. Furniss does a phenomenal job of keeping the mystery going and the reader interested. A perfect read for fans of Chris Bohjalian.

4 Singapore Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A “trailing spouse“ is someone who follows their significant other to another country for work... this was a compelling domestic thriller... but I really enjoyed learning about the ex-pat life in Singapore.... in Singapore if you are the significant other you are considered a “dependent“ and you basically have no rights... can’t imagine being an independent successful woman and moving to Singapore for your husband’s job where all the sudden you are considered a second-class citizen, that would be tough!

In this book our trailing spouse is Amanda... Amanda appears to have it all a loving husband, a darling stepdaughter, and a beautiful high-rise apartment.... she’s got Prada... she’s got Gucci... she’s got Louis Vuitton... but what she doesn’t have is a child of her own.... I really found Amanda a very empathetic character, her plight for a baby was so powerful....

This Book is told from dual points of view... Amanda of course, and Camille... Camille is obsessed with her past and what really happened to her parents.... after meeting Ed Amanda‘s husband, Camille is convinced he is the key to her past... camille’s character wasn’t quite as interesting to me, admittedly I did enjoy Amanda story more in this book.... but I can see where someone else would see it completely differently.... also both of these characters were very essential to the story....

The story starts out with Ed and Amanda’s “helper“ taking her life by swallowing bleach.... I really cannot imagine a worse way to go and this was a very impactful start to the story.... Camille volunteers for an agency who looks out for immigrant workers and that’s what brings her into the lives of Ed and Amanda.... that is really all I’m going to say about the plot.... you really need to read the book to find out what happens... was this really suicide? Or something more sinister? this sure was a book filled with secrets and misdirection.... not only were we the readers misdirected but so were the characters... I was convinced the story was going one way and then... BAM this book took a crazy turn and then kept turning until it came to an unbelievable end! Great book, spectacular ending!

Absolutely recommend to fans of a well-done domestic thriller with the added bonus of the ex-pat Singapore culture....

*** many thanks to Lake Union for my copy of this book ***

It took me a little bit to get into this book but when I did, it was with a rush! I was taken on a trip to Singapore in a suspense/mystery that twisted and turned in ways I sure didn't expect. The main character, Amanda, had me guessing the plot and I sure didn't get it right. I like being surprised and this book had the surprises! This is a great book for readers who like a suspense/mystery/murder story. Just when you think you have it figured out....nope.....try again. There are multiple story lines that start out in the book and soon they become intertwined and connected. I enjoyed this book and I want to thank Netgalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read it.

I read All The Little Children earlier on this year and really enjoyed it although I found it very difficult to work out which genre to file it under. The Trailing Spouse is much easier to pigeonhole as a domestic thriller but don’t expect your usual run of the mill drama as it definitely brings something very special to the genre!

Told from the viewpoint of two women living in Singapore, the expat community is perfectly explored through their eyes. Amanda is enjoying a wonderful lifestyle married to the very generous Edward, and being stepmother to his teenage daughter Josie. They have a maid but it’s the suicide of this young woman that sets in motion a series of events to threaten Amanda’s idyllic existence. Is her perfect husband hiding something from her? Camille is also investigating Edward after recognising his face from her past and as the two women search for answers there are some shocking twists that threaten to change their lives forever.

I could not put this book down for one minute! As I read it until the early hours of the morning, I was desperate to discover the secrets that hid behind the glamorous and often bitchy expat lifestyle in Singapore. I thought it was a detailed and realistic portrayal of English speaking women abroad who often take second place to their husbands jobs and the related social networking. And don’t get me started on their finances!! The fact that they had maids as well meant that they even more time on their hands to fill their boring lives. Amanda wasn’t always an incredibly likeable character (in fact I don’t think many of them were!) but I did get behind her as she tried to get to the bottom of her maids supposed suicide. Camille was much more sympathetic in my opinion and helped to balance out the exceptional characterisation that drove The Trailing Spouse. There were some gasp-out-loud twists for me as this dark and oppressive drama built up to its climax.

Jo Furniss has definitely found her niche here as this book showed off her exquisitely crafted storylines and well written narrative to perfection. It surprised me which doesn’t happen very often and is one of those books that will stay with me long after I have finished reading it.

Highly recommended by me!

ooh-ooh- read this one if you're looking for a thriller that will surprise you! The story starts wth the suicide of Amanda's maid- a critical person to the expat Singapore household, and rockets on from there. What happened? Amanda's stepdaughter Josie is deeply affected and she starts to spin, Amanda thinks, into a dark place. And what about her husband Edward? There's something odd there. At the same time, Camille, now an employee of the British government, is looking for her parents, still after they disappeared 15 years before. How these two strands come together will surprise you. They did me and I'm an inveterate reader of this genre. Furniss has captured the expat wife experience, the thriller, the golly, lots of other stuff in this terrific read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC>. This is a page turner!

I thoroughly enjoyed Jo Furniss's first novel, All the Little Children, so I was eager to read this, her second book. The Trailing Spouse was a delightful surprise: It's as well written as the first book, but had a starkly different voice, a different, exotic setting, and wildly different themes -- all of them engrossing.

Some of my favorite bits: Furniss created male characters as compelling as the two female leads, Amanda and Camille. I was equally intrigued with Amanda's step-daughter and her mother. As a former American expat and military wife, I strongly identified with the dependency forced on the women who follow their husbands to other cultures. (It's all true, folks!) And the multi-layered culture shock, alien-ness and glamour of Singapore carried the story while the mystery (mysteries?) slowly developed. Then in final 20%, the book took off, with one fully-plausible shock after another.

I can't stop thinking about the issues woven through the story: domestic workers are exploited, yes -- but so are husbands and wives, by each other.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. (

One man and so many questions. Amanda questions whether she really knew her husband, Edward. Camille has questions about her parents, and a chance encounter leaves her with a memory that leads her to believe Edward may have the answers. A twisting story set in the ex-Pat community in Singapore that will keep you wondering until the very end. The author paints an interesting picture of a country and community that I was not previously familiar with, and found intriguing in its differences. The descriptions and detail added to the depth of the story and combine with the complexity of the characters and an interesting story line to create a story that kept me unexpectedly captivated.
#TheTrailingSpouse

This mesmerising character driven drama is the twisty tale of two women's obsessive search for the truth. For Amanda the answers to her questions could result in the lose of everything. For Camille it's the key to all that she lost years ago.

The chapters are written in varying lengths and alternate between Amanda and Camille.Amanda's perfect ex pat life in her high rise condo starts to unravel when her helper Awmi dies in an apparent suicide.Some prescription drugs belonging to Amanda's husband Edward are found in the maids room and then Amanda is informed that Awmi was pregnant. Amanda begins to have doubts about her handsome husband. If he can't resist temptation under their own roof then what does he get up to when he is away on his travels for work. When she starts to uncover the possibility that Edward might be involved in a series of terrifying crimes,Amanda finds herself feeling more and more isolated. Trapped in her luxurious apartment with its stunning views of the ships in the harbour,she is like a bird trapped in a gilded cage. As a trailing wife she has no rights and can't even get access to her own money. She also doesn't want to leave her seventeen year old step daughter Josie. The poor girl has had enough trauma in her life,her mother committed suicide three years ago and now their maid has just killed herself. It's no wonder that the poor girl's behaviour has suddenly gone off the rails. With her father always away,she needs to know that she has the support of at least one of her parents. Our second protagonist Camille is a press officer who works for the British High Commission as well as being a volunteer at HELP,an organisation that campaigned for the rights of foreign domestic workers.Camille grew up in Singapore but was sent away to boarding school after her parents mysteriously disappeared when she was ten years old.She has just returned after fifteen years and is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her parents all those years ago. When Camille is sent to Amanda and Ed`s apartment after Ahmi`s body is discovered,she is shocked to discover that she recognises Ed. She is certain that he knew her parents and therefore has the answers to some of the questions that have plagued her for so many years.Although I had mixed feelings about her character and didn't like her at times,Amanda's chapters were my favourite parts of the story. Ed certainly had issues but was he really capable of committing the crimes that Amanda suspected him of committing? What was the significance of the mysterious countdown on Josie`s blog? So much mystery and intrigue whereas I wasn't drawn into Camille`s story. I enjoyed her parts of the story enough that I wasn't tempted to skim read or skip any of her chapters,I just didn't care what the outcome of her story was going to be.

This is a well written,character driven,twisty,thought provoking drama that culminates in a conclusion that is shocking and intense. Although I personally enjoyed some parts more than others,I did enjoy this book and would gladly recommend it to other thriller readers.

Amanda Bonham doesn't trust her husband. He travels too much and she is left alone with little to occupy her thoughts and her time. When their maid dies in tragic circumstances Amanda is set on a path of discovery that cannot be reversed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me hooked from start to finish. Jo Furniss takes the reader to Singapore and immerses them fully in the expat community with all of its frills and flaws. Like Amanda we are unfamiliar with these surroundings and the book cleverly wrong foots the reader from the outset.

The author writes very well, there are some lovely phrases and the novel rattles along at a great pace never losing its way. I will be recommending this as a most enjoyable read and would definitely pick up another Jo Furniss book.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks also to Jo Furniss and the Publisher.

Thank you for this ARC!

What a delightful surprise this book was. The fact that it was a "Read Now" made me go in with low expectations. I was blown away!

I love a domestic thriller but this was next level! Action packed and the ending will really catch you off guard.

Singapore can be a dream destination for many. For expatriate workers too, life can seem to be an endless round of relaxation and parties and the very good life. For the blue collar workers it may not be so.

Wives who are not working in Singapore are there at the mercy of their husbands. If the husbands visa is revoked, they have thirty days grace to get out of Singapore. Amanda lives a luxurious life with her husband and their step daughter. It is not an ideal relationship but Amanda tries to make it work. Their maid is Filipina and very pleasant with no signs of any dissent. When an apparent suicide takes place and her husband's medication is found in the maid's room, Amanda is left questioning her husband's past and present.

We have Camille working for the British High Commission but whose sole purpose is to find out what happened to her parents when she was a child in Singapore. They disappeared and were never found. Camille is very sure they are alive. Somehow Edward Bonham Amanda's husband seems to be the link and little memories that were hidden now keep popping up.

How Edward's secrets of so long ago are going to be an unexploded bomb in both Camille and Amanda's lives and the secrets of the maid's life are all innocently explained away but far too late for all of them.

The story unravels slowly and though you think it is a huge conspiracy there is a simple explanation for it all. Unfortunately too late for many of the people in the story.

Very well told and very descriptive of life in Singapore amongst the expat community.

This is a first-rate thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. Full of false starts, wrong beliefs, and, towards the end, a downright psychopath, the book tells the fascinating story of Amanda Bonham, a British expat living in Singapore with her husband and his daughter, and the parallel story of Camille, also a British expat, who is determined to find out what happened to her parents who disappeared when she as ten years old. The common denominator for these three women is Edward, who turns out to be the key to the many mysteries that swirl around brilliantly until the very end.

Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
This is my favorite read of the year so far, I loved it.
Amanda has left her life behind in England to marry her dream husband, Ed. They live in Singapore in a luxurious apartment, complete with a live-in 'helper' (maid) and Ed's teenage daughter, Josie. Ed travels an enormous amount for business and always brings back expensive presents for Amanda. Life is perfect until their helper Ahmi commits suicide and it turns out she was pregnant. This is the start of the nightmare that becomes Amanda's life.
Camille grew up in Singapore until she was 10, when her parents went missing and she and her brother returned to England. The next 15 years her life was miserable, she couldn't get over the mystery of her parent's disappearance, so returns to Singapore, determined to find answers. Her job at the British High Commission means she ends up at Amanda's and Ed's apartment after Ahmi's suicide where, on meeting Ed, she instinctively knows she's met Ed before...Was it with her parents?
As an expat brat (in Mumbai), I was riveted from the very start of the book. The descriptions of the life of the expats are slightly unnerving, especially in regard to the 'trailing' wives. Legally they have no rights without their husband's o.k., and even though Singapore is the safest city in the world, I couldn't shake a feeling of dread that accelerated as the story continued. As an adult looking back to my happy childhood in India I realized the atmosphere (and cloying heat) was the same, but I lived in the innocent bubble of childhood and the selfish teenage years; totally unaware of the realities of life around me.
The characterizations were excellent, the two women and their obsessions understandable even though they make you cringe at times. I did find Amanda annoying at times, she was so caught up in her obsessions, she made thoughtless fatal
mistakes, teetering on the edge of sanity. Camille was more sympathetic to me, trying to find the closure she's sought for so long.
The ending was a shocker, wow! This is such a great book, I would love to give it more than 5 stars, so I give it 5+++, highly recommended!

Loved this book, even when I was not reading it I kept thinking about it and couldn’t wait to pick it up again, hence I finished it in a day. Would definitely recommend to others and can’t wait to read other titles from this author.

I was drawn to this book by the cover, and taking a chance on it paid off big time!

While at the core this is a solid mystery/triller, it's a beautiful novel with a lot going on. Amanda and Edward are expatriates living in Singapore. She gave up her life in England to be with him and live a life of luxury. Edward's daughter from his first marriage is with them as well, harboring some complicated feelings about her mother's death and father's remarriage. When the family maid commits suicide, Amanda begins to scramble to put together pieces of a much larger puzzle.

Furniss weaves a great story here, exploring issues of marriage, family, trust, loyalty. The characters are all fascinating in wonderful and horrible ways. The setting of expat life in Singapore is vivid, I could feel Amanda's isolation and desperation.

I appreciate a story that still has me guessing at 90% in, and The Trailing Spouse did for sure!