This is my first book from this author. It was an interesting, engaging story but very long.'; there were too many twists and turns. Throughout the story, there were so many scenes with question marks and weaves into making everyone a suspect.. I did not like the son who seemed aloof who keeps everything from mom and just when you think the pieces to the mystery fit, it changes again. I read through to the end wanting to know who did it but by the end not sure any of it makes any sense, it felt forced and disjointed Long time friends yet how do you not know people who you have been friends for so long?
I am not sure if this is the usual way this writer composes story, and will read more to see. For a first read happy got through it.

What a ride!! I've read several other books by Sue Watson and this one is just as fantastic as the others! She does an amazing job describing the setting , you almost feel like you're right there with the characters. And so much info about all the characters, you get to know them quite well and intimately. This one had so many twists, my head was spinning! I could not finish this fast enough! Highly recommend!

I am speechless.... I honestly do not know what to say as I am still trying to process all that I have just read.

WOW, okay, that was absolutely amazing. I feel like I just put my feet on the ground after going on an upside down gut wrenching roller coaster. I am still a bit dizy from that wild ride, but here we go!

Everyone has secrets, skeletons in their closet as they call it.

Sam is going to be marrying his high school sweetheart. Given his upbringing and living with an abusive father as a child, no one could be more proud of how far he has come as his own mother is.

Sam's fiance, Lauren, was just found murdered.

No one truly knows what happens behind closed doors.

What happened to Lauren? Is Sam responsible? How far will a mother go to protect her son?

The New Wife, is one of those books that once you pick it up, you can not put it down. I finished this book in one sitting and I was left with a major book hangover. I highly recommend The New Wife, to anyone who enjoys domestic psychological thrillers.

If you havent already pre-ordered your copy of The New Wife, you need to do so now. Due out November 19, 2021! You do not want to miss this one!

Wow, wow, wow! Sue Watson knocked this one out of the ballpark! Not only did she write a book with fantastic book with characters you feel like you know. She also gave us an ending that will leave you spinning!

I have mixed thoughts of this book. I liked the many twists and turns - though I thought there were one too many. The twists got a little redundant after a while and I just expected them.
I thought the storyline was good but it also dragged out for a long time.
I got a bit bored and almost didn’t finish, but I read so much already I thought to myself, I may as well finish.
I’ve enjoyed other books by the author, but this one just wasn’t for me.

An easy to read, light thriller that’s entertaining and well written.

After reading quite a few intense and complex thrillers, this book came as a much needed and very welcome light relief for me!

Sue Watson’ writing style is eloquent and so easy to read that I found myself whizzing through the chapters. Told from the first person, the story itself doesn’t break any new ground in stylistic terms. What you are presented with is as described on the back, mother finds out daughter in law is dead and son is arrested. Mother then goes on one woman mission to investigate and track down the real killer.

Whilst this book does suffer from the inevitable repetitive inner monologue… the way in which Sue Watson tackles it has (in my opinion) been done to the exact level required to maintain pace and intrigue. Whilst most books would whittle one for pages and pages going over things we covered in every previous chapter… this book just selects the bits we need to analyse and then goes about deconstructing them, rearranging them and analysing them - exactly how you would inside your own head. So whilst it is a huge bug-bear of mine this book narrowly avoided activating my ‘skim-read’ function to hold my interest.

I liked the narrative between characters, Sue has a superb writing style in that sense. Creating a narrative that just feels real and honest. Out of all the characters I thought James was the most well developed as a character and poor Kate was just shoved into a cupboard until she was deemed necessary.

Fabulously easy reading, perfect for fans of crime fiction that don’t like their reads too gory, complex or police procedural focused. Hugely entertaining, gripping but a bit obvious towards the end.

Thank to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is one that's received rave comments from other reviewers, including some that I know, and I can see why. For starters, Sue Watson has done a wonderful job of choosing and describing her setting. The scene of much of the story is an isolated house on Dartmoor - somewhere that can feels almost heavenly on a warm summer's day but bleak, desolate and almost frightening on a dark and wet winter's night. There are no long and wordy descriptions to describe it, but the words that are used are enough to make me see, and feel the location in my own mind.

Then there's the fact that the story had me hooked, if not from the first page then certainly from the end of the first chapter. Narrated in the first person by Georgie, it starts with the wedding of her son Sam to his childhood sweetheart Lauren, who has felt like the daughter that Georgie never had ever since she met Sam on their first day at school together. But just a few days after that wonderful day, Lauren is dead, having been found at the bottom of the spiral staircase in her and Sam's remote Dartmoor cottage.

The sense of not only grief but helplessness in the aftermath of such an event leaps out of the next few pages, as the families aren't even able to lay Lauren to rest until the police have concluded their investigation. From there, the story becomes one of how well do you know your family, and best friends? What might be going on in their lives that they don't let you see? How reliable is Georgie's narrative? How reliable, indeed, is your own perception of your own best friends' or relatives' lives?

These questions, together with the various twists and turns in the storyline were enough to have me absolutely racing to the end of the book. So why, despite having absolutely devoured it, was I left feeling a little cold after I had finished? Why was I left thinking 'oh. Um...' instead of 'oh, wow'? What's wrong with it?

Well firstly, there's the admittedly minor point that the publisher's description of the book as "a totally gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won't see coming" is kind of a case of 'two out of three ain't bad'. It's certainly a totally gripping psychological thriller, and it has a twist. A big one, that almost turns the whole story on its head. But it's one that I did see coming. Because there is a clue. And given that I'm normally so hopeless at spotting clues that I rarely even try, I can only assume that it must be fairly blatant.

This doesn't really matter all that much, especially as the reason why is one that I never even came close to guessing. A bigger problem for me was that the structure of some of the chapters, and as a result the pace of the book as a whole, felt a bit all over the place.

Without wanting to give away any spoilers, what essentially happens is that Sam becomes the main suspect in a murder investigation, leaving his mum to play amateur detective in an effort to clear his name. But there are repeated instances where Georgie backs off from questioning other characters because she doesn't feel she can push them any further. As a reader, I wanted answers and wished that she would just keep on at them. Without this, these chapters seemed to drag a bit more than was necessary.

Also, some of the characterisation felt a bit too simplistic - there are three characters in particular who are either portrayed so positively or so negatively that you just know there'll be a big revelation that changes your perception of them, and so it proves to be. And finally there's the point that in one part of the book, we're left thinking that Sam and Lauren are having doubts about their future even before the wedding, only for the true solution, when its revealed to stem from something that happened afterwards. I was left feeling a little confused.

Overall, dare I say that it felt as though an early draft had been submitted late and that as a result, the book had been rushed into publication before it was completely finished. There's some absolutely great writing, and almost a great story there. But I couldn't help thinking that it could have been reviewed and polished some more to improve it still further.

This isn't necessarily meant as a criticism of the author, because Sue is one of several authors who has two new books published every year by Bookouture. And given that several of my favourite books over the last couple of years have also been published by Bookouture, perhaps there's something to be said for this. But I've often wondered how on earth they do it in the time. Particularly when the book in question is a stand-alone psychological thriller, which means that new characters and a new setting, as well as a new plot have to be thought of in each and every case. Is it any wonder that once in a while, an author isn't able to spend as much time on a book as he or she might like? However, the trouble here is that a book lasts for an awful lot longer than a reader's memory of a publication date.

My final conclusion then, is one that I'm more than happy to apologise for if it's the wrong one. But Sue Watson is forgiven this time. Bookouture, however, just need to be careful that they don't become known for quantity over quality.

My thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

(3.5 stars)

In UK psychological thriller The New Wife, Georgie’s son Sam and his one true love Lauren are getting married, joining not just them but also their families, who have been friends since Sam and Lauren met as youngsters. But the unthinkable happens not long after the wedding when Lauren has a fatal fall inside their remote cottage. What is worse, the police conclude she was murdered, and Sam is their prime suspect. The two families are falling apart with grief and distrust. Georgie has the sense that Sam is hiding something. Her best friends are disintegrating and distancing themselves. Two other family friends and even Lauren’s sister, all seem to have different versions of the truth. And Lauren herself was living a lie. It’s on Georgie to clear her son and uncover the true killer. The New Wife was an enjoyable read and for those who like just one more twist, the ending will please.

Wow, wow, wow. I loved this book! It is slow-burn suspense that quickly transforms into a creepy, fast-paced thriller! Sue Watson is great at what she does. I've read several of her books and so far, this one is my absolute favorite! Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced read!

Before I start, I need to address how well the author portrays a families grief over losing someone too soon. The raw emotions, how each we all feel different, how grief can often cause rifts and resentment rather than finding comfort in each other. I have been here, actually in the position of the character of Kate and this hit me hard. For the author to recreate those first minutes, days and weeks so well I can only imagine she too has been in this truly awful situation herself in the past.
Back to the twists and turns of the thriller, so many thrillers promise this yet do not fulfil this promise, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed here. You are pulled in all directions, she drops subtle clues for the reader to pick up on, think you have it solved and then Bang! Yet another little plot twist is thrown into the mix. It was just so clever and really refreshing to read a thriller that does exactly what it says on the tin.
I loved the nod to Tim having 2 wife’s being repeated with Sam. Also, the clue that was dropped about the actual killer. I’m pleased to say I did pick up on this before Georgie did, however my mind had gone all over before that.
I can honestly say I’m going to be reading more from this author and can see her becoming a new top favourite.
#NetGalley #TheNewWife #SueWatsson

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I felt this book had everything you would expect in a psychological thriller-- surprises that you don't see coming, secrets and lies and lots of intrigue to hook your attention! Loved everything about this book and can't wait to read more by this author!

This was deserving of its 5 stars!! Quite the slow burner, it starts with the death of Lauren and we are introduced to her family and Husband Sams family by Sam’s mum Georgie. Taking us back in time she uncovers some pretty shady secrets about both families whilst trying to uncover what happened to Lauren! Well written, relatable and extremely juicy - it was the perfect Sunday night read!

Sue has done it again with another Thriller that will have you gripped from start to finish. Sue’s characters, storyline and writing style are all wonderful but the extra treat in her books are the locations! Sue will transport you to the bare clifftops of Cornwall (The Forever Home), or, in this case, the desolate bleakness of the Moors and it’s almost like you are truly there.

This latest publication from Sue Watson is slow to begin with and almost lulls the reader into a false sense of security. But Sue is the Queen of the twist – spining a story in the completely opposite direction to what you would expect. She will pull the metaphorical rug from under your feet as she throws curveballs to keep the story fresh and the characters in a constant state of fear! You will find yourself flipping pages to get to that chilling conclusion to unravel all of the very well built up secrets. Trust no one!

What an absolutely gripping read! The beginning was slightly a slow start but soon enough I was sucked in through the rest of the book and spit back out at the end with quite satisfaction! There isn’t much I am able to tell without ruining the fun spiral of doubt created in this book so it’s best to just dive into this one clear headed and with as little information to truly enjoy it. It’s one of those that halfway through you think it’s done and it’s all figured out, how can there possible be more to the story? And gloriously there is!

Sam and Lauren have known eachother since toddlers. They grow up fall in love and marry. What is supposed to be their happily ever after ends quickly into disaster as Sam comes home late one evening and finds Lauren dead. His mom is Georgie and best friends with Lauren’s parents and together they have to navigate through the grief of losing Lauren and how/why she died. So many secrets! So many winding turns! Such a captivating read and one I highly recommend!

Thank you to Bookouture and netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

So good. Starts a bit slow, but gains momentum and keeps you guessing. Lauren and Sam are the perfect couple and starting their perfect life when Lauren ends up dead and Sam in jail. Only Sam’s mom believes he didn’t do it, but no one else seems to believe her. Through a series of twists and turns, little info reveals and nobody being who you think they are you keep guessing what really happened to Lauren until the very end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Sue Watson and Bookouture for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

My Review:
Sue Watson you are the Queen of Suspense!!!!! This book kept me guessing from the very first page to the very last page. I could not put this one down for the life of me nor did I want to. I had to find out the truth and find out what happened to Sam’s wife Lauren. They were young and newly married but was her fall really an accident. What secrets could the newly married couple be hiding and were they worth dying for? The whole book was Sam’s mother trying to piece together what really happened to her daughter in law. She devoted her whole life to her son and did not want her son to suffer one ounce of pain. She decided she wanted answers so they could all move on from this awful tragedy and put it behind them. As a mother myself I would do the exact same thing. I would never want to see my son hurt so I would do anything and everything in my power to help my son be happy again even if it means playing detective to find the real killer of my son’s wife. Sam’s mother in my opinion was a very relatable character due to this and that’s why I loved her so much. Now let’s talk about that shocking ending. That very last page, wow. I’m still trying to get over it. Every character in this book had secrets and boy they were all big ones. I would love a sequel to this book to find out what happens to everyone. I really got invested in all the characters and want to know if any of them found true happiness in the end. Sue Watson’s books are the best and I can’t wait for her next book.

Lastly, the characters, plot, and the ending of this book made this an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend this book and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love Sue Watson! The New Wife was a spectacularly twisty book I could not put down. Lauren, Sam, and their respective families have known each other forever. Shortly after Lauren and Sam are married, tragedy befalls the seemingly happy group. As Georgie, Sam’s mom tries to piece together all the clues, family secrets are revealed that I never saw coming. The author does an amazing job creating characters with depth, and motive for murder. This book kept me guessing! I do think the title is a little misleading and not entirely relevant to the book, but regardless, this is a book I will be recommending to all my family/friends.

The New Wife by Sue Watson is an unforgettable, shocking, & complicated thriller that I devoured in 2 days time. What I loved most was how the story was so easy to read & how the characters had a complex past. The whole time I was guessing “who killed her?!” and was surprised by the ending.

Another excellent novel from one of my favourite authors! A story well written around a family tragedy and how it affects the various relationships.

It’s fabulously twisty with a strong storyline to give you the creeps. A stalker thriller will always be atmospheric and I loved the cliffhanger at the end of chapter one as it certainly set that mentality for the rest of the novel.

One thing I’ve always loved about Sue Watson’s books is how accurately she describes her locations. They invite visually, beautiful and detailed descriptions of the surroundings that you can put yourself in the place and see them in your minds eye, like watching a movie. Having lived in Devon in my younger years, she got the Dartmoor surroundings accurate as well as the feeling of being alone in the countryside.

The characters were written equally as well. All well formed with their own unique personalities and traits that you may not like but which ring true in the situations they are in.

Another five star hit for me!

This book had an interesting plot with a more interesting conclusion. I definitely didn't see the ending coming - not the who or the why. It was a thriller with different twists at every corner.