This was my first book by this author and it was good. I tend to read a ton of thrillers, so there wasn’t really a huge surprise, but it was a great book and I enjoyed it.

Not one of my favourite Of Kathryns books
But I read all
Did not have me hooked
But would read more from this author
Thanks NetGalley

This was so good! I loved everything about it and would absolutely read more from this author! Amazing!

I enjoyed this but thought the story was just okay. The ending was good, and the characters were just okay for me. It was not super twisty or thrilling.

Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!

“I am a wife a mother a friend but now I am also a murder”, when a book starts with those opening lines you know you are in for a thrilling ride! The lying wife hold me in instantly as the tension was building. Talli lives her life in constant fear, her fears lead to secrets, lies secrets and ultimately murder. This book kept me reading way past my bedtime until I finished it. It brought out emotions of frustration and apprehension as Kelly navigated her life running from her past. The final twist was absolutely jaw-dropping. It’s twisty for sure, unpredictable and extremely entertaining. I love the two books I’ve read from this author and I can’t wait to read her next one!

This domestic thriller fell a little flat for me while the twist at the end was unexpected I had a hard time remaining engaged the entire time. Callie falls in love with James a widow but when moving in together after getting married James boys reject Callie saying she’s not good enough for their dad and she will never compare to their mom. This story follows Callie in the present as she is talking to the police and flashes back to give more details about the story. Throughout the story we find out more about Callie’s lies and how she has ended up in this predicament.

As I said earlier this story fell a little flat to me at points the characters actions really just did not make sense to me. I found myself becoming frustrated with them and generally not liking anyone in this book. I also found it annoying how they used the unreliable narrator troupe to make you question Callie throughout. I will say the twist at the end was unexpected but it didn’t necessarily fit in the characters action. I will admit that a lot of my complaints are personal preference. The book over all was very well written and I feel like fans of unreliable narrators may really enjoy this book. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for an opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley, Canelo and Kathryn Croft for free e-ARC of The Lying Wife in return of my honest review.

At first I found the novel dragging. I despised the protagonist, Callie, because of her weaknesses until I learned the truth about that character. I think the author did a pretty amazing job in terms of building Callie. No matter what I felt towards her as a “literary person” she did came alive and bold in the book. She was imperfect, she was paranoid, jealous, afraid - all characteristics of living people. She was also compassionate and understanding, she was trying really hard to be a part of the family, even though she made so many mistakes. In the process of the novel, the author always puts her into position of making excuses for her behavior, thoughts and decision-making - the end though make it all clear and worth it.

Special thanks to the publisher - my galley got crashed and I had to option to download it again, and per my request send me a new galley. Many thanks.

And yes, I got blown away by the ending m. Dis not see that coming at all!

This poor woman was in a no-win situation. To have stepchildren who truly hate you and want you out of their lives. I know it probably happens in real life, but this was brutal. She had the support of her husband - at least he wasn't blind to what the kids were up to, but it really is an impossible situation. With that said, the characters frustrated me to no end...decisions, thought processes, actions...it was all beyond frustrating. I enjoyed the story and the twists, and it left me feeling anxious throughout the whole time reading, which is, I guess, the point of a thriller!!

This book a fantastic read I enjoyed every min of it.

The plot is probably something we can all relate to.

Wow!!!!! This book was amazing!

Imagine being so happy as you have married the man of your dreams. He is a widow and has two boys and you are getting the family you have always dreamed of. Not being able to have children of your own, makes this so much more special. The problem is the boys can't stand you. You try everything and nothing works. As your husband is busy with work and not home much, you spend your days feeling unwanted.

That is until your stepsons 17 year old friend comes around and becomes the only person who sees you and treats you well. And this is where things go south.......

No spoiler here--but believe me--read this book!!!!! I loved it down to the last sentence.

The Lying Wife is an excellent psychological thriller with a twist that I didn’t see coming at the end. Callie lives with her husband, James, and his two sons. She is a stepmother to Dillon and Luke, and they never let her forget it. Callie tries everything to be a good stepmother and wife, but things spiral out of control. Callie lives her entire life fearful of what others think about her and what they may find out. Callie is hiding secrets from James. When she is finally arrested for murder, her secrets are exposed. I couldn’t put this book down and will read other novels from this author. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“I am a wife. A mother. A friend. But now I am also a murderer.” When a book starts with those opening lines, you know you are in for a thrilling treat! The Lying Wife pulled me in instantly as the tension was building. Callie lives her life in constant fear. “It is fear, that’s what it is. Fear of even your best friends knowing who you really are.” Callie’s fear leads to secrets, lies, and ultimately murder. This book kept me reading way past my bedtime. It brought out emotions of frustration and apprehension as Callie navigated her life running from her past. The final twist was jaw-dropping. It’s twisty, unpredictable and extremely entertaining. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for my copy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story started a little slow at first but it starts to pick up very quickly till the end. I went into this story blind and was hooked onto the plot. The twist at the end really got me!

We see Callie in the beginning of the story confessing to murder so we know from the get-go how she ended up but how did she get there? Callie is married to James who is much older and has two sons who absolutely hates her and makes her life a living hell. They tried to sabotage her at every opportunity and have caused a strain in Callie and James’s marriage. This is not the blissful life she had hoped for. She kept trying to fix the underlying issues but she found herself losing her grip. Something caused her to make a split second decision that would cause her life to spiral out of control and lose everything she holds dear.

I was so frustrated while reading this mainly because of the choices Callie made. Yes, her life has not been smooth and I can see her make an effort to make something out of it but it really doesn’t excuse her actions. At first, I felt really bad for her. She tries to be a good mother to both the kids and it’s understandable that she loses it when the boys went too far but goodness, she had many opportunities to put her foot down or leave but she chose to do something reckless. I wanted to slap some sense into her!

This is the kind of story where the characters are unlikeable (I wasn’t rooting for any of them and I was even kind of glad for the murder) but the plot is the redeeming factor here and the twist at the end really made up for it.

Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for the arc.

This psychological thriller is very twisty and my reactions towards Callie changed as the plot changes. A little too contrived for my liking but still a compelling read.

I love that Croft opens this with Callie confessing to murder. It means there'll be no obvious game-playing. We know (kinda) how things turn out so the fun is finding out how we get there.

We quickly learn that Callie's married James who's older and widowed with two teenage boys. Though the couple were together for several years, James sprung Callie on his sons who reject her despite now living together for eight months.

She's surprisingly fragile when it comes to the boys. James usually backs her but she's fearful of continuing to run to him with her problems.

Initially we readers are sympathetic, understanding that the boys must miss their mother and hate the imposter who's trying to take her place. However... we soon learn they're actually quite devious and doing all they can to sabotage Callie's place in the family. In many ways their behaviour seemed naive and childish - which of course makes sense cos they're kids - with no consideration given to the fact that if not Callie it would be someone else and it doesn't seem to be her (specifically) they hate. Just the fact she's intruded on their world.

Our sympathy for Callie is compounded by the fact she's hiding the existence of her father and his mental illness from her new family - paranoid (!!!) that James will fear her mental health will also disintegrate.

However... Callie then makes a series of VERY BAD DECISIONS! We see them coming but are powerless to stop her so we know this will only end badly.

Which is does.

I suspect I'm unfair to Croft here in marking this down a little because Callie frustrated me so much, as it means she's done a good job in making me want to give her creation a very good shake.

There are a few twists here and I enjoyed the direction it takes. I read this in a sitting and liked the way Croft paces some of the surprises, keeping some up her sleeve until the end.

3.5 stars

Wow what did I just read!? The Lying Wife by Kathryn Croft was a grippingly intense, heart stopping read. If you are looking for a book that will get your adrenaline pumping and your brain thinking, then you definitely need to read The Lying Wife.

This is my first book by Kathryn Croft and I think I have found a new to me favourite author. I have truly been missing out. I love her writing style which is full of intensity, drama and suspense.

In the first chapter the reader is introduced to Callie. She has just been arrested for murder and is the prime suspect. During her interrogation Callie recounts her past, her storyline jumping between now and then.

Callie has had a sad and troubling past but thinks her luck has changed when she meets James. James is widower with two teenage sons, and they have also dealt with great sadness. James and Callie marry and shortly after, Callie’s happily-ever-after is threatened by James’ two sons, Dillion and Luke. They make Callie’s life miserable and will stop at nothing to drive a wedge between their dad and Callie. Desperate, Callie makes a huge mistake, one she cannot make right, a mistake that will cost her her marriage and her freedom.

What an amazing book. And the mind blowing plot twist at the end completely caught me off guard. . A big thank you to NetGalley, Kathryn Croft and Canelo for my arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book had such sadness in it matched only by the frustration with the main character Callie who in the opening line admits she is a murderer.  
   We meet her as a newly married woman to a widower with two teenage boys who hate her and do all that they can to sabotage her. They lie to their dad and anyone who will listen, including the snoopy, next door lady who believes every word. All this with the hope that their dad will see she isn’t wanted and that she will leave. How they connive and conspire against her would make anyone leave. She wades through this always hoping it will end. It doesn’t. They get worse.
   Callie also has a big secret (one of many) she hasn’t shared with her husband. Her father is a schizophrenic and she lives in mortal fear that it will happen to her as well. She visits him every week to check on him and he often has outbursts that result in screaming and throwing things, accuses her of not visiting, doesn’t take his meds regularly; a mental health issue she is trying to deal with under the radar.
   Close to breaking, she finds solace with the best friend of one of her sons. He’s seventeen, kind, concerned, actually acknowledges her existence and you guessed it………she has an affair with the kid. When she finally wakes up to what she is doing, she tries to break if off but is met with threats of exposure by the young man.
   All Callie wanted was a family to love, that she could take care of.  She was finally able to do that but not without a tortuous ride for her.
   The ending brings it all into reality for her. This was a page turner, for sure.

This is a fast paced book that kept me hooked till the end. Infact, it was one of those rare books where I had no inkling of the twist that awaited me. Throughout the book I felt bad for Callie and wondered why she didn’t just walk away. I would definitely recommend this one. Thank You.

Wow! what an excellent read, thoroughly enjoyed this one and did not see the end coming in a million years!
Callie is a character with so much depth, I found myself thinking 'what the heck are you doing!!' but then started to realise the answers, truly a character who is good, gone bad, then back again.
Very well written and captivating read.