This book was just ok for me. The conversations between characters were redundant and just took too long. I found myself skimming through a lot of it. Nothing different about this book stood out for me either.

This book gripped me from the first page and never let go! It is really two stories in one and the author skillfully weaves them together. The characters are very well written and I found I was actually rooting for one of the murderers to get away with it! There's lots of abuse in this story, both physical and emotional. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. I strongly recommend and it is definitely five stars for me.

Thanks Net Galley for this ARC.

I liked this book but felt that it was uneven. I think part of it was because the chapters jumped between character perspective and time. Due to the back and forth, I felt that I never got a flow of the plot. That’s not to say that it wasn’t enjoyable. Something was satisfying about the resolutions; it just took a convoluted path to get there. I’d still recommend it because the concept was interesting. Rounded from 3.5 to 4.0 for a satisfying end to a nasty character. For more thoughts, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.

I read and enjoyed The Couple on Cedar Close last year and this another great story featuring Dectective Dan Riley, both books could definitely be read as a standalones as he is not the main focus of the stories.

The Stranger's Wife is a gripping novel with dark elements and unexpected turns that will pull you in from the first page and have you eager to find out what happens. Beth and Cath were interesting characters, it's a well-written and intruiging story which moved along at a good pace. I really enjoyed it and I love the way the author writes.
Looking forward to reading more.

Outwardly Beth Lawler seems to have it all- a nice house, beautiful child, no money worries, However looks can be deceptive. Her husband Evan is cold, emotionless & controlling. After meeting gardener Nick she realises that there is a better life out there. However, Evan is not going to let anyone take what belongs to him- not without a fight & he is prepared to fight dirty!

Cath is on the poverty line. She is in an abusive relationship. Saul, her lowlife partner knocks her about. The latest kicking killed her unborn child. She has no money & it seems like every attempt to escape is doomed to failure.

A chance meeting changes their lives.

This is the third in a series. I hadn't read the earlier ones but this works perfectly as a standalone. I thought all the characters were well written and the narrative was engaging. Like others who have reviewed this book it got four stars rather than five because the 'twist' was so predictable. However it was a good read & look forward to reading more in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

The Stranger’s Wife...Anna-Lou Weatherley

Beth....a woman in a loveless marriage decides to leave her husband the day her nanny goes missing. Cath....a woman married to a very abusive, drug addicted low life tries to get away. 2 women, 1 chance meeting 2 murders. 1 detective Dan trying to find a killer.

I didn’t realize when I received this book it was part of a series, but honestly it could be a stand alone book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I usually don’t like when books go back and forth from past to present....but this one was written very well and not confusing like others. I felt like I was reading two different stories until the author tied it all together in a delicate little package and presents it to you and you have that Ah-ha moment! I would have liked to have more chapters on Cath though, her story was gripping. But overall a great book!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Anna-Lou Weatherley writes a hugely engrossing and entertaining, gripping drama that contains issues of revenge, abuse, lies, loss and grief.

Even though The Stranger's Wife is part of a series featuring Detective Dan Riley and his partner-in-crime DS Lucy Davis, the focus of the story is very much on Beth Lawler and Catherine “Cath” Patterson.

Beth and Cath are two very different women but share one thing in common; they are both in relationships with men from whom they wish to be free. Told through the eyes of Beth and Cath, with contributions from Riley, Anna-Lou Weatherley delivers this unrestrained and exuberant story of drama in a toxic concoction of mental and physical abuse, trauma, grief and loss of a child. Beth and Cath are well fleshed out, multi-dimensional characters whose backgrounds are totally different, though they have many things in common, such as, vulnerability, a loveless relationship, heartache and sadness. Anna-Lou Weatherley draws out feelings of protection in the reader, even though these women display inner strength in ways that couldn't be imagined. Detective Dan Riley is experiencing troubles of his own, in a relationship that is still in its infancy and with a new baby on the way. He has great integrity and believes in justice, whatever the circumstances.

The Stranger's Wife is a compelling and cracking story and a book that I revelled in all the way through, that had me reading well into the night. It brought no disappointments and everything was beautifully finished in the fabulous and satisfying denouement. I would love to read more from this gifted story-teller and I am delighted to recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

First, thank you to Net Galley for providing the advanced copy of this book. I honestly tried to like the book, I always want to give authors new to me a fair shot. I just could not enjoy this book. The characters never grabbed me, the foundation is just confusing, in my opinion, and there were moments where I noticed things that did not make sense (she didn’t want to wake the baby but then started yelling the name of the nanny and then left the nursery) which I tended to focus on. Coupled with what read like cliche jargon and I just did not care for this book at all.

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I read the first two books in the series and I am a massive fan of both Detective Dan and Anna-Lou. While this is the third book you could read it as a standalone.

Anna-Lou's detective series is a little different from others. While you get to see the detective and police procedural side you also get to see things from a psychological standpoint. Anna-Lou makes you part of the story by adding in POVs for other key characters who are somehow involved or related to the crime. This time we get to see the POV os Detective Dan, Beth and Cath. It is interesting how the story unfolds and how Beth and Cath have intertwined stories.

Anna-Lou does an excellent job of building suspense and layering the story. As each layer is peeled back there are more and more of them.

As I have already said I love Detective Dan. Not only is he a hottie he also does the right thing. He's a good detective and he keeps his promises. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next in the world of Detective Dan!

This one kept me guessing throughout. As an avid thriller reader for 40+ years, this is hard to do. Told from 3 POV's, this is not a light story. There is dark subject matter, mainly abuse. I really enjoyed this and would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to Anna-Lou Weatherley, Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC.

First, I want to thank Anna-Lou Weatherley, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

The turn of events in Anna-Lou Weatherley’s The Stranger’s Wife is more shocking than something ripped from the headlines. It was totally gripping that sucked me in from the prologue. However, throughout the whole book I am dying to know what the heck happened to Marta! I think I must have yelled at the book a few times saying when will we find out! Of course, she saves the best for last.

This is an incredibly intense book that features a lot of subjects that are taboo-but need to be talked about more in books. If you are looking for a light read this is not one of them.

There is one particular scene where I had a very hard time getting through reading it. Anna wrote that scene with incredible emotion and passion for a very difficult issue. I commend her for writing about how bad domestic abuse can get. However, the outcome of one part of this story had me bawling in tears for this character and the loss that she suffered. I needed not wanted to jump into this book and hug her to console her. Anna-Lou goes above and beyond with this topic that no other author has. This part of the book however may trigger some readers if you have gone through something like this. Please keep this in mind if you choose to read this book.

I did get upset with one storyline where the couple was divorcing and the father used the daughter to falsely accuse his separated wife’s boyfriend of sexual abuse. Bribing a kid to come between the two parents in my book is so wrong. As an adult child of divorced parents, I kind of put through that. Trust me it was not fun nor fair. However, it was relevant to the story.

This book was so good!! I could not put it down!! Bookouture really knows how to pick some of the best Authors and best storylines!! Really is a fantastic thriller!!

Thank you Ann-Lou Weatherley and Netgalley for this book!
Before I give me review, I think it's important that this is a standalone book and the 2 Detective Dan Riley novels that come before aren't needed for this story to make sense.

I've been in the mood for thrillers and this book hit the spot for sure. There are a few parts that I saw coming (I chalk that up to being an avid reader) for the most part, I was kept on the edge of my seat, dying to know what was happening next.

Beth and Catherine need each other more than they know prior to their meeting. Both want and out from their lives. But how far will they go to get their happily ever after? At what cost?

I won't share much more but will say, this is a must read if you enjoy other novels like Girl on the Train or Gone Girl. Not as good but very close in my opinion.

I read a lot of thrillers and this one had me from the first chapter. Well written and engrossing! I give this one a 5 star! Will recommend to friends. Thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC.

Really well written and cleverly thought out. This story has some great characters in it and some of them are totally unlikeable. There are clever twists in the plot and suspense right up until the end. This book is definitely worth reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

**A MUST-READ BOOK!!** This book was amazing! The stories of these two women and their marriages really pulls you in makes you feel for the characters. Then when they are finally brought together and you see how they can help each other...OMG. If you are a fan of domestic thrillers, I definitely recommend reading this book!!

Beth Lawlor’s nanny Marta disappears suddenly , leaving little Lily behind.. Beth tells police that she was at the gym but she lied.
Beth asks her husband Evan for a divorce and the nightmare begins.
The story suddenly switches to Cath who is in labour with her dead baby. She is in an abusive relationship with Saul who has caused the baby’s death.
Fast forward to an autopsy of a man who has been found shot in a North London apartment..
Detective Dan Riley and his team are called in to investigate this murder.
This is a fast paced, well written thriller following the deaths of 2 men Saul and Evan - in different cities with seemingly no connection between them.
Dan is convinced that Beth has killed her husband but she has a watertight alibi.
This book is about abuse, cruelty and despair until the tables are turned on the abusers.
Dan Riley is an interesting policeman. He has a complicated personal life but is a determined detective and wants to bring the guilty party to justice..
This is a book you cannot put down and requires the reader to pay attention to a complicated story.
I loved it- the writing, the characters and the pace - even though you know half way through who is responsible you want to keep reading to find out if they are caught.

Detective Dan Riley #3

This is a story about two women who have different backgrounds. Beth is in a loveless marriage while Cath is in an abusive relationship. Both women would like to escape their situations. The story begins with the disappearance of Beth's Nanny. It then move on to Bet and Caths stories giving us the reasons why these women desperately wanted to leave their husbands.

The story is told from Cath, Beth and Dan's point of views. My heart went out to both women who were controlled y their husbands. From a out the 60% mark, I k we where the story was going ut there were still some things I didn't guess. I don't mind if I guess where a book is going, it doesn't spoil my enjoyment. The pace is fast and there is a few twists to keep your interest. There is some trigger warnings such as domestic abuse and the loss of a baby. I read this book I one sitting. I do recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Jo Spain for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beth and Cath are leaving their husbands.

This is a story about two very different women.

One is wealthy and having an affair with a man who gives her the kind of love that her cold, detached husband does not.

One is living hand to mouth, suffering at the hands of a violent partner who would rather see her dead than leave him.

You may think you know these women already and how their lives will unfold.

Beth will live happily ever after with her little girl and her soulmate.

Cath will go back to her abusive husband.

And these two women will never cross paths.

But you will be wrong.

On the 3.15pm train from London to Bristol, Beth and Cath are about to meet and discover they share one shocking thing in common.

This is a story of two women, whose lives are so different but, at the same time, so similar and, after a chance meeting on a train to Bristol, realise that their situations can be eradicated because of this. Its a tale of physical and mental abuse that has far reaching consequences on the lives of more people in this story than Beth and Cath, but is the only way they can escape from the hell they have lived with all these years.

The plot is so cleverly crafted and so realistic, I felt the pain and anguish that these two were experiencing. It's a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout and praying that justice is done in the end. I know when I pick up a book by a Bookouture author that it's going to be a good one, and this one didn't disappoint, it's the first I've read by this author and I didn't know till after I'd finished it that it's the third in the Detective Riley series, so I'm going to have to read the others now too.

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval and will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

I normally don't like detective/cop books but this one was different. I line how the other switched between the main characters POVs. This one definitely had me guessing and had quite a few twists/surprises. I would definitely recommend this book to thriller lovers.