I finished this book in one sitting! It's the first book I have read by this author but won't be the last. It was full of suspense and was fast paced and kept me on my toes! I would definitely recommend!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Going into this book I didn't realize that it was book three of a series. This can be read as a stand alone novel, but if you are like me, and really enjoy this book and the characters, you will absolutely want to go back and read the first two.

This is a tale of two women and their abusive husbands. The abuse is not the same for both of them but it is abuse regardless. Cath is being physically abused and wants to leave her husband while Beth is having an affair after months of emotional abuse. Their chance meeting will lead to acts that leave you shocked as you read along to figure out the ending. I rarely like to give too much of the plot away in books like this, but it checks all the marks for a thriller.

Fabulous read. Anna-Lou Weatherley certainly knows how to draw the reader in from the first few pages. The book tackles the difficult subject of domestic abuse. It shows that it doesn’t just take the form of physical abuse. It also touches all walks of life. Tackled in a very sensitive way. The book also has a very big dilemma. What would you do if you were detective Dan Riley.

This is the first book I've read by Anna-Lou Weatherly but I will definitely search out more. Well developed characters, fast paced plot and intriguing twists made it a thoroughly enjoyable read. Strongly recommended.

This was a terrific book. Anna-Lou Weatherley never lets me down, and this one was worth the wait. A suspenseful read I read in one sitting

I was so excited when I saw Anna Lou Weatherley had a new book out, I had previously read books of hers years ago and she had seemed to stop writing.
So this for me was a real pleasure in itself coming across it on Netgalley!.

I don't know what I was expecting with "The Strangers Wife", as by the time I started reading it, I had completely forgotten about the blurb and what it was going to be about, and going back to the blurb now, the storyline doesn't just jump in with Beth & Cath as might be suggested, on reflection it was done every slowly but at the perfect time all the same.
I loved how the story starts off about Marta (the missing nanny/housekeeper/best friend), but then gradually turns into another whole plot, then in turn that plot turns into another plot and so on until the storyline comes full circle and ties in with one another. VERY CLEVER!!.

I did get to one part in the story and I'm sure everyone will have their own personal views at this point but at Chapter 43, I was actually agreeable with Woods and was getting agitated with the fact that Detective Riley wasn't listening to what Woods was proposing. It seemed to me, completely fair that the case should be closed there and then as suggested and it made me mad that Dan Riley wanted to still arrest his suspect!.
By the time I got to the epilogue I had forgiven Detective Riley, and loved him all the more for it!.

The Strangers Wife had me gripped from the start, lots of suspense, and alot of plots and twists in the story to keep you page turning until the very end.
I finished this within 24hrs and it was my first read of 2020.
Well done Anna Lou Weatherly.
A 5 Star read from me!

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Stranger’s Wife has a dark feel similar to Girl on a Train (though I enjoyed this far more). Starting with the disappearance of her nanny and close friend, Beth seems to be a magnet for disaster as the police turn up on her doorstep yet again only to unravel an unbelievable string of events.

Though I had figured out much of the ending, I did enjoy it and found it to be more satisfying that something like Girl on a Train or Gone Girl.

This is a new author for me and I am always love to try new authors. Thank you to Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for this advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.

Description 🔖

Beth is a wealthy woman whom on the surface, appears to have it all; a successful husband, a beautiful daughter and a gorgeous home. Cath is on the opposite end of the spectrum; living on the breadline with a violent boyfriend and a child that was taken into care. The two women’s lives couldn’t be further apart, however a chance meeting soon reveals to them both that they have more in common than either of them would like.

General Thoughts 🤔

Firstly, I did not know that this book was the third in a series until I got till the very end. Although it read well as a standalone, I would have liked the previous 2 first as in retrospect, I feel like there were certain things I would have understood more if I had.

The book delivered what I expected in terms of twists and turns and a successful mesh of two character’s stories. Although I was completely surprised by the result of the story, I don’t think I was supposed to be and I wasn’t mad at that. The lead up to the end of the story was the important part.

There are some pretty heavy subject matters in this book but I think that they were all covered well. Domestic violence comes in many shapes and forms and I liked that the book delves into different kinds.

Characters 👫👭👬

The obvious characters to discuss are Beth and Cath, but I was also interested in other characters in the book. Beth’s husband Evan and their daughter Lily had a very interesting relationship. It was scary to read how Evan treated Lily as a pawn between himself and Beth and what effect that would have on a six year old.

I did think that the book explored Beth’s storyline a lot more than Cath’s and I would have liked to have known more about Cath. I kind of felt like her storyline just dropped off pretty abruptly, with no real conclusion.

Writing Style ✍🏽

I always like authors that write from multiple character’s perspective and Anna-Lou Weatherley has been successful in this. I knew that the stories were going to intertwine at some point, but didn’t see it coming and my interest was peaked up until that point.

As mentioned above, there are some sensitive subjects covered in this book and I think Anna-Lou Weatherley has done a fantastic job at writing them into a story in a respectful manner whilst still having an impact on the reader.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I enjoyed this book and enjoyed my first experience of this author. I would have liked to have read the previous two books in the series, but hopefully there will be more of Dan Riley in the future that I can dive into.

Another page turner by this author. Though the events are somewhat predictable that does not make the book boring due to the author’s skill. I almost wanted the detective to turn the other way, but the conclusion the author has given is a win- win for everyone and I liked it. Recommended read.

The Stranger's Wife by Anna-Lou Weatherley is a stand alone, contemporary romance with thriller elements, told in a multiple pov.
Beth Lawler is a young wife and mother to an adorable little girl. Everything begins when her nanny and friend simply vanishes. Beth gets sucked in a swamp of darkness. On her journey she meets travel companios, friends, enemies and evil so evil I have no words to describe it.
I started reading and was who are all these people and what are they doing in Beth and Evan's story. But in thze end ever came together rather nicely and fitting.
The Stranger's Wife is a gripping story, fascinating and unputdownable once I started reading. A fast paced thriller who greatly enjoyed reading. 4,5 Stars.

This third book in the Detective Dan Riley series feels to me like it could be read as a stand alone. I never read the first two titles but I didn't feel like I was missing to much. I am sure there were things that would have been better if I would have read the first two books but overall I liked how this one played out. The mystery surrounding this title was one that the reader didn't know the answers to and I loved how the whole thing unfolded.

Beth and Cath were two great characters. I loved how Weatherley played the characters right until the end. Everyone had voice and stayed true to themselves. This one kind of reminded me of Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris and I think that if you loved that that one that this one will be up your alley. And I am excited to check out the first two titles soon.


Go Into This One Knowing: Slightly Predictable, Great Ending, Wonderful Characters

This was an interesting read that moved at a fast pace. Though it's described as being a story of both Beth and Cath, the former leaving her disengaged/cold husband for a new love, and the latter trying to escape from an abusive husband, I really felt like it was Beth's story, with the detective Dan Riley being the secondary character. Cath's plight is required to pull the story together but I personally felt like she was only a tertiary character.

I liked the characters in this story (with the obvious exception of the 2 bad husbands), and particularly liked the detective. I hadn't realized that this was part of a series until some of his past struck a memory in me and I realized I had previously read another book in the series. Even though you can figure out where it's going partway through the story, it was interesting to get there and to read into the details that take you through Beth's actions. There were some parts of the story that seemed a bit unrealistic to me, but I felt that for the most part, people acted in a way that made sense, and much of what occurs seems plausible in real life. There were also some minor editing errors (Marta being referred to twice as "Martha" and the daughter being referred to once as "Lily Evans" rather than "Lily Lawler").

Overall, I enjoyed the read and am definitely planning on reading other books by this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Reading The Stranger's Wife by Anna-Lou Weatherley will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Beth is distraught when her nanny/friend Marta disappears. Her husband, Evan, doesn't seem too worried and believes that maybe she just went off with a boyfriend. Beth knows Marta would never be so irresponsible. Beth has a secret that will shake up her life and not for the better.

Cath is a woman is who horribly abused by her partner. Her sad tale is truly awful. She has lost everything that has ever mattered to her. She makes one last, final desperate attempt to leave her abuser behind but her life changes drastically when she meets Beth.

Then there is the homicide detective. Dan Riley is investigating Beth's husband's murder. Very few clues and very few answers. He himself is on the brink of a new life and he wants to protect his budding family.

These two women have very little in common, yet their lives will soon intersect. No spoilers here. The only drawback is the changing points of view. I was instantly hooked on the story, but the author took a little long in tying the parts together. Once she does, the story moves along almost too quickly. Characters are realistic and sympathetic. The author did a really good job of building the puzzle pieces to the mysteries of this story.

This was the first book I read by Anna-Lou Weatherley and I am hooked. This book took me a on a rollercoaster ride. Just when I thought I knew everything the plot turned. Two woman who have very different lives both in terrible marriages. Both planning to leave their husbands but how? A chance encounter changes everything in their lives. Will they both get what they want? And at what expense? A definite page turner of a book. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star rating is that while I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the twist and ending, the ending really was not all that realistic for a psychological thriller.

This book was a pleasant surprise! Even though the "twist" wasn't all that much of a surprise, I was captivated by the characters and the slow progression of character development. Like others, this was my first in this "series" but I did not feel like I was missing out not reading the first two - that being said, I'm excited to check them out.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really good read , I finished it in a day . Beth is in a cold loveless marriage , she tells her husband she want's a divorce and leaves to start a new life with Nick . Her husband has other ideas and will stop at nothing to prevent this . Catherine lives hand to mouth with an abusive drug addict . When there paths meet on a train they hatch a plan that will have far reaching consequences for all of them . I really liked the character of Dan Riley the policeman with a hunch that just won't give up no matter the consequences , would love more books that feature him . All in all a fast paced , great read

Excellent read, My second book by this author and I really love her work. Interesting story with a big twist near the end. Had real empathy for the two women due to the great writing. Highly recommended!

I really enjoyed The Stranger’s Wife. It’s the third book in the Detective Dan Riley series and although I haven’t read the first two, I felt I hadn’t missed out on anything.

The book follows the story of Beth and Cath. Two women who are leaving their husbands for different reasons. One is wealthy and having an affair, the other lives hand to mouth in an abusive relationship. But one day they meet by chance. What follows is a novel you get easily drawn into. It has twists and turns and you’ll find it hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Didn't realize this was one In a series.
Was overall an ok read, none of the characters really drew me in. Felt myself waiting to just be finished with this.
Won't be reading anymore in the series if there is any more.

Overall, this book was just ok. I liked the writing, and the book itself was pretty fast-paced. No big surprises or twists, and I found it to be fairly predictable, but that didn't really detract me from the story. There is no real history or backstory given on most of the characters, and the book is written mostly in the present POV. I didn't realize there were other books in the series, but I didn't feel like I was missing vital information due to not reading them.