Omg what?! .. I need a sequel already!
Wizzed through the second half in half a day! I had to keep saying “just one more chapter” .. all of a sudden I had finished and was left stunned!

Sue Watson knows exactly how to keep you reading without even realising you’re turning the pages. Another gripping read. A definite go to author of mine.

The New Wife had me hooked right away. The story had a lot of twists and turns along the way. Georgie is the mother of a newly married man, whose wide dies just months into their marriage. Was it an accident or was she murdered? And if she was murdered, who did it and why? Georgie is the narrator and your perceptions of people depend on how she sees them at the moment.

I did eventually guess the culprit but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The narrator of the audiobook, Tamsin Kennard, did a great job and kept me entertained on a long plane flight.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book and listen to an advance copy of the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

A psychological thriller where the finger of suspicion shifts as the book unfolds. An easy read but one where you are intrigued to get to the ending to discover what had happened.

Geogie is a single mum to Sam who is marrying his childhood sweetheart Lauren,whose parents Tim and Helen are Geogie’s best friends.Throw into the mix Sadie,Lauren’s best friend who Tim and Helen have helped over the years with financial support and you have a great thriller once again by Sue Watson.With the secrets and lies coming thick and fast it had me gripped from the first chapter and as you get further into the story you realise all is not how it seems to the outside world.And with a great ending The New Wife ticks all the boxes for me.A 5 star read for me.

This is a totally addictive whodunnit with a chatty conversational feel. The main character was overly naive and trusting while the others were shady and suspect. There were a lot of secrets to be shared.

Sam and Lauren grew up together and now they are married. Their parents couldn’t be happier. Sam’s mum is Georgie, a single mother. Lauren’s parents are Helen and Tim. The wedding was lovely and everyone had fun. The newlyweds have moved into a remote cottage on the moors. Lauren admits that with Sam’s long hours at work, she feels lonely and scared.

Just three months into their marriage and Lauren is dead after a fall down their spiral staircase. Everyone is devastated and planning her funeral has been a nightmare. Georgie has always been best friends with Helen and Tim, but even before Lauren died, they have acted rather aloof to her, leaving her puzzled. And now, the police are calling Lauren’s death a murder and Sam has been arrested and charged. He claims he is innocent but is sent to prison to await trial. Now, Georgie is determined to find who really killed Lauren because she knows it couldn’t be her son.

This is a very twisty story with many characters all with some sort of baggage. Helen is so well-written with her alcoholism and its effect on her family and friends. I really liked Georgie as she is a strong, determined mother who will do anything to protect her son and care for her friends. I think you will like these characters and the parts they contribute to this compelling mystery.

Copy provided by the NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Credit where credit’s due: Sue Watson has thrown everything at this murder mystery cum family drama. Young bride, Lauren, dead just two month’s into her marriage — did she fall or was she pushed? Grief-stricken husband, Sam — but what’s he hiding? And mother-in-law, Georgie, determined to prove her son’s innocence regardless of the risk to her own safety.

Throw in a tangled web of family secrets and a creepy, isolated setting in the wilds of Dartmoor, and you’ve got yourself all the ingredients for a cracking good read.

And by and large it was.

It’s certainly not an easy book to put down. Watson’s narrative is fluid and suspenseful; the plot a spaghetti soup of jaw-dropping twists and turns that throw you off balance every time you think you’ve got it sussed.

The pacing, too, is perfectly on point: repeatedly rising and falling, before building to a frenetic crescendo that made me almost giddy trying to keep up with the barrage of explosive revelations.

So why did it leave me feeling frustrated?

Bottom line: I just can’t forgive careless inconsistencies and far-fetched notions. And here, there are too many to ignore. I don’t want to have to suspend disbelief when reading a thriller. I want it to be chillingly, scarily authentic. Totally, unquestionably plausible. And this, I’m afraid, just wasn’t. Yes, it ticked a lot of boxes, but not the most important one of all .

Having read another Sue Watson novel, The Sister-in-Law, I had some idea what to expect from this one, The New Wife and I wasn't wrong as, from the outset, it was a wonderful read for me.

About the Book:
You can never truly know what goes on behind closed doors…

My darling son, Sam, is marrying his childhood sweetheart and I couldn’t be prouder of the man he’s grown into. Walking out on his abusive father all those years ago was the best thing I ever did. And today he stands, tall and handsome, saying ‘I do’ to my dream daughter-in-law. If I hadn’t pushed them together all those years ago, he might never have found a girl as perfect as Lauren. It’s true what they say, mother always knows best.

But weeks later, Lauren is dead and police cars fill the driveway of their idyllic countryside home. As they question Sam, I sense he’s hiding something. Why won’t he look me in the eye? And who does he rush off to meet as soon as the police are gone?

Desperate, I do what every good mother would do: I let myself into Sam and Lauren’s bedroom. What I see, I will never be able to forget. My son’s beautiful new wife was hiding a dangerous secret. Can I clear my son’s name? And could my life be in danger now too?

A completely gripping, utterly twisted thriller that will leave your jaw on the floor. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us and The Woman in the Window.

My Thoughts:
I loved The New Wife, a fantastic, juicy, domestic thriller and an engrossing story by Sue Watson! It was a thoroughly riveting and compulsive story with a sound plot, good pacing, and this talented author's writing style suited me well. I appreciated the way Sue Watson created a subtle feeling of oppression surreptitiously notching up the tension until everything eventually reached breakpoint. Relationship dynamics and bonds were deftly described and the characters were so well-drawn and portrayed with an interesting, authentic cluster of layers.

The New Wife was a tale of secrets, trust issues, duplicity, betrayal, questionable loyalty, deception, and toxicity to name but a few. There was absolutely no room for boredom and I was held in its thrall from the very first page. This was an excellent and exhilarating novel, complete with a surprising, shocking resolution. Very highly recommended and well worth reading.

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

Georgie has done her job. She really wanted her son Sam to marry with hopes of one day making her a grandmother. Lauren is indeed the perfect daughter-in-law. But a few months later everything changed in the most horrendous of ways. Lauren was found dead and the police are looking at Sam as the killer.

Sam was the one who found Lauren’s body but is he the killer? Georgie just has to know. Of course she offers him 100% of support when he claims his innocence, but seeds of doubt begin to take root. Georgie cannot help herself. One day she wanders over to their remote cottage to look around. Perhaps she will find a clue that the police did not?

As if this thrilling book could not get any better with regard to the level of suspense, then factor in the audiobook narration by Tamsin Kennard. Her approach to this book was spot on, which further kept my interest as to the possible identity of the killer.

At one point, both sets of parents were in perfect harmony. Now they are at loggerheads. What really happened to Lauren? With secrets and lies becoming clearer and clearer, Sam’s innocence begins to look doubtful. But with perfect misdirection, the reader is also doubtful. Excellent job as always Sue Watson.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I listened to the audio version of this book, I loved the narrator’s voice! The storyline itself started out strong but I kind of lost interest halfway through. I did listen through to the end and the ending was really good!

I listened to this book rather than read it - Now I love Sue Watson's books and am gripped by all of them. I just wonder if this one wasn't the best to make into an audiobook. I found Georgie irritating and submissive - she seemed to feel that she was not as good as Tim and Helen, she let Helen speak to her like dirt. I found no real mystery and when it kept alluding to a terrible secret found in the bedroom I must have missed it! Having said that the ending was good and I look forward to the next book by Sue.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The New Wife' by Sue Watson.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sue Watson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 19th November 2021.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'First Date' and 'The Forever Home' which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us and The Woman in the Window.' I am a huge fan of 'Gone Girl' and 'The Wife Between Us' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Sue and if this is half as good as 'First Date' or 'The Forever Home' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 41 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in Devon, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 , UK 🇬🇧. I always seem to get on with books that are set in the UK better as I am from Wales and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book. I have in fact visited and been on holidays to England several times including in Devon so hopefully it will make it easier to picture the settings.

This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Georgie. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.

OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT HAVE I JUST READ!?!?!? Sue Watson you are a writing legend!!!

This book is fantastically written with vivid descriptions that absolutely grip the readers attention and puts them right in the middle of it all making your heart pound and you constantly second guessing.

Another huge success by Sue!!! This book has got to be the most heart racing books I've read in a long time, if not ever!!! It had be hook, line and sinker from the first page and I could not put it down!!! Every time I said one more chapter it ended on a cliffhanger and I just had to know what was going on!!! If you are going to read this then clear your day because it is truly unputdownable. I started this yesterday afternoon and finished it at approx 2am, read it in one sitting and although I'm knackered today it was 1000000% worth it!!! I loved that you got to meet so many different characters and that there was such a a mix of personalities and so many suspects!!! It keeps you constantly guessing who did what!! It really does make you think how life can change so quickly and different decisions can change a life. It also makes you think how looks can be deceiving. It is filled with friendship, romance, lies, murder, secrets, twists, turns and everything you could want from a psychological thriller along with some MASSIVE BOMBSHELLS which will leave you absolutely shocked!!! I for one was NOT expecting that at all!!! I also loved how the book ended. This book would make a fantastic movie!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

As previously mentioned there is such a large mix of characters which makes it a realistic read. All the characters were strong and realistic as well as hiding their own secrets. I really liked Georgie from the start and along with Sam, Lauren, Sadie, Helen and Tim, all the characters were realistic, well developed and had strong characteristics and personalities. I bece completely invested in George's story and felt like she was telling me it from across the table over a cup of tea. I did absolutely NOT expect that humongous bombshell at all. What an absolute twist!!! I can hand on my heart say that I cannot remember when I was so gobsmacked by a book twist but Sue you have done just that!!! This book is rammed with suspense and tension and will keep you biting your nails, on the edge of your seat with your heart pounding while your flipping the pages because you just cant stop.

If you read one book on your life, make sure it is this!!!! I would love to see this turned into a movie and Sue I really hope you are working on your next psychological thriller at this moment because this book will go far!!! A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS on what promises to be a MASSIVE success!!!

Overall an absolutely heart racing, nail biting, unputdownable psychological thriller with a bomb shell you will not see coming!!!


Genres covered in this novel include Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Noir Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction and Domestic Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Gone Girl', 'The Wife Between Us', 'The Woman in the Window' and anyone who loves a book filled with suspense and surprises!!


354 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Oh wow, what a great book. A thriller that kept me guessing all the way through the book and some humorous one liners that made me smile. While this isn’t a comedy, I just loved coming across those lines and smiling.

It makes you think about how well do you know your family and those around you. After Georgie’s son Sam marries his childhood sweetheart, he calls to tell her she was murdered. The book is told from Georgie’s view and her defending her son at all costs because he is her everything.

I kept changing my mind all throughout my read, trying to figure out who killed Lauren. While the cast of the book is pretty small, I suspected all but Georgie, multiple times. And one point even wondered if maybe she was unreliable and misleading us. You are limited to Georgie’s knowledge as you progress and with many of the others keeping secrets of their own, they weren’t always honest with her.

This is not a quick paced book, but character driven. You keep learning a little more about each of the characters as Georgie works to clear her son’s name.

I could not put this one down. I think domestic thriller lovers will really like this one.

I just love a Sue Watson book and this one doesn’t disappoint. Full of great, believable characters with mixed up lives . It shows how we will do anything to cover for our family but it inevitably backfires . Full of the twists and turns I love with an extra twist at the end . Definitely one of the best books I’ve read for a long time . A 5 star read from me

Well, I didn't see THAT coming!

As soon as Sam and Lauren's family ride up though the moors to see their recently acquired cottage, the sense of foreboding kicks in. Although the surroundings sound lovely and peaceful, the house is secluded and so far from Sam's mum and Lauren's parents and sister. And then the question is raised of whether Lauren really wanted to move there....or was she pressured by Sam so that he could isolate her? Did Sam really fall in love with the marble staircase for their aesthetics...or did he have ulterior motives?

It's author Watson's wonderful ability to set up questions in the reader's mind so that by the time the time you start to have doubts, it's too late. Sadie's best friend has stories that paint Lauren as far from the angelic daughter her parents imagined. And Helen and Tim, Lauren's parents, have their own secrets. As Georgie races to save her son from suspicion in her daughter-in-law's presumed murder, can she find out the truth in time? You'll just have to read The New Wife to find out the answer - and you'll be glad you did!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader's copy.

4.5 Stars

Tensions run high in Sue Watson’s chilling and terrifying new thriller, The New Wife.

Georgie couldn’t be more thrilled that her son Sam is about to marry his childhood sweetheart, Lauren. Sam and Lauren had met at school and Georgie had known from the moment the two of them were in their school uniforms that they were absolutely perfect for one another. Georgie and Sam’s home life had once been far from idyllic, but Georgie had found the strength to leave her abusive husband behind. Building a new life for herself and her boy had been the best thing she had ever done, but Georgie couldn’t be prouder of the man Sam has become and seeing the smile on his face as he says ‘I do’ to his perfect bride is just the cherry on the cake. But the ink isn’t even dry on their marriage certificate when a terrible tragedy occurs that turns everybody’s world on its axis.

Weeks later, police cars roar up the driveway of their idyllic country home when Lauren is found dead. Naturally, Georgie is shocked to her very core, but even more shocking is the fact that she is positive that Sam is hiding something. Georgie had always believed that her son was a good man, but what dark secrets is he keeping close to his chest? And worse, who does he rush off to meet as soon as the police are gone? With more questions than answers, Georgie makes a shocking decision: if she wants to discover what really happened to Lauren, then she must make her own enquiries – starting with Sam and Lauren’s bedroom. However, is Georgie prepared for the earth-shattering bombshell she is about to uncover?

Lauren was a woman with plenty of skeletons in her closet. With her son’s freedom and reputation in jeopardy, Georgie must do whatever it takes to save Sam. But with her own life in danger, will she manage to clear her son’s name? Or is there someone willing to do whatever it takes to keep her from uncovering the truth?

Sue Watson’s The New Wife will keep readers up all night as they will simply not be able to put this creepy and shocking thriller down. A nail-biting chiller that lifts the lid on the darkness hidden behind the doors of the most exquisite homes and exclusive addresses, The New Wife is a creepy tale about how far a mother would go for her son, devastating betrayals and fragile trust full of twists and turns that will leave readers with their jaws on the floor.

A top-notch domestic thriller that kept me guessing, Sue Watson’s unmissable new novel The New Wife is a must-read.

Sam and Lauren appear to be the perfect couple - childhood sweethearts starting out on the next stage of their adventure together as husband and wife. Within weeks, Lauren is dead and Sam becomes a suspect.

Told in the first person POV by Georgie, Sam’s mum, this is a fast paced, gripping thriller which had me hooked from the beginning and desperate to know what had happened in their seemingly perfect life to result in this heart-breaking outcome.

Highly recommend this title.

Many thanks to Sue Watson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the review copy.

Wow! What a thriller this book was! I couldn’t put it down and it is one of my favorite reads this year! I highly recommend it and when you do start make sure you have time to not stop!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A very well written thriller with a good set of characters. But the pace was a bit slow and it lacked intensity leading up to the end of the book.
Not a bad read, but just wanted more.
3.5 stars

The new wife by Sue Watson.
A good read with good characters. I didn't have any favourite characters. I liked the cover. 4*.