I enjoyed this book by Lesley Sanderson, a psychological suspense thriller that is fast paced and will have you turning the pages until you reach the end. Lara is near to reaching the 7 years it takes before she can declare her missing husband Tom legally dead. This will give her some closure on a time of deep sadness and confusion as before Tom disappeared they were separated as he left her for a younger woman, Heidi. Yet soon before the 7 year mark ,notes from Tom arrive to Lara and Heidi stating he wants to come home. A brilliant plot, leaving you doubting everyone, trusting no one and second guessing it all. Totally readable.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Widow's Husband' by Lesley Sanderson.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lesley Sanderson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 21st April 2022.

This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'Every Little Lie' which I would highly recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. I am a huge fan of Lesley and if this is half as good as 'Every Little Lie' it is guaranteed to be a page turner. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally addictive and suspenseful thriller that will have you reading late into the night, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, T.M. Logan and Lisa Jewell.' I am a huge fan of all three of those authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. 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 and 44 chapters. 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 based in the UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Rachel, Tom and Heidi. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

Well done Lesley on yet another fantastic page turner!!! What an absolutely gripping heart racing story!!!

This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions leaving your heart racing and hands sweating while your standing by Rachel, Tom and Heidi throughout!!! The cover, synopsis and title suit the book perfectly.

The storyline is absolutely captivating and evocative!! It is filled with lies, love, secrets, family, tension and suspense from the first page until the last. Once I started this I just could not put it down and couldn't go to sleep until I had finished it!! It all starts with a note through the door and the events explode from there. I had my suspicions about what may be going on but I certainly didn't expect what had actually happened!!! I won't say too much as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. It is truly captivating and page turning so if you are about to start this book make sure you clear your schedule as once you've start you won't be able to stop. Every chapter makes you want to start the next one and then the next as each ends on the perfect spot to make you want to carry on. This book would make an absolutely amazing movie!!!


It is set over/includes 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.

The characters are all vivid, strong and realistic and I became invested in each of them as each move every one made left you on edge. I really felt for Rachel as she struggled with everything that was going on in the present and what had happened in the past, as a mother of three myself it must have been so hard for her especially with a tween to look after too. I couldn't stand Heidi from the moment I met her and found her to be truly selfish and despicable. My heart truly went out to Laura and Josh who were just innocent children caught up in an adults world. Tom doesn't get any sympathy from me as he was absolutely dispicable although I will admit that he did look after his family when many wouldn't but then again why should a father get praise for something he should do anyway? However I don't think he deserved what happened to him. The other main character is Freddie but I won't say anything about him or anymore on the others as I don't want to give too much away so you'll just have to pick up a copy and let me know your thoughts. Regardless of whether you love or hate the characters they all come together perfectly to make this storyline as addictive as it is.

Congratulations Leslie on yet another absolutely amazing book which I can guarantee will be a HUGE success. This is why your in my favourite author list. I am looking forward to reading more of your previous and have added them all onto my wish list!!! Here's to more future successes 🥂!!

Overall a very fast pace, gripping, unputdownable psychological thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat with a pounding heart!!!


Genres covered in this book include Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction and Domestic Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of K.L. Slater, T.M. Logan, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell.


277 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon 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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EXCERPT: Weakness was what had got him involved with her in the first place. He'd come to logical conclusions after a lot of soul searching; he'd even got as far as preparing a speech and getting the words clear in his head, exactly how he planned to say them. He was determined not to drink, to harden himself to her charms. He needed to - take that last time he'd been so determined to leave her, and all it had taken was a look from those eyes, a brush of her red lips against his cheek, a word whispered in his ear, and he'd been ripping her clothes off, his earlier resolve discarded on the floor along with her dress.

But he'd made the right decision about will. She couldn't take that away from him - nobody could.

ABOUT 'THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND': For seven years I believed my husband was dead – until the note arrived this morning…

The day her husband Tom disappeared, Rachel’s life fell apart. Childhood sweethearts with two young children, they’d done everything together. And then, suddenly, Tom was gone. Without a word, without a note, without a single sign of where he might be, leaving Rachel to survive alone.

Now, nearly seven years later, Rachel has come to terms with life as a single mother, caring for their children who still secretly long for their father’s miraculous return.

But in his absence, Tom’s hidden life started to emerge, and Rachel has discovered things a wife should never have to. A secret life that betrayed everything Rachel thought she knew. Not knowing where he’d gone was no longer the main worry keeping her awake at night – it seemed much more likely he’d been silenced. Forever.

Until today, when – with just one month until Tom is to be declared legally dead – Rachel receives a note in handwriting she recognises with dread:

My darling, I’ve missed you so much. Give me a chance to explain. I’m coming home.

The husband she’d lost is alive.

And so are all his secrets…

MY THOUGHTS: The Widow's Husband is a quick and easy read that kept me on the edge of my seat. And yet, it was entirely plausible, and all the more enjoyable because of that.

The story is as old as time itself; hard working married man with two children has his head turned by younger, prettier, sexier woman and leaves his family for her. Idiot. Because Tom soon comes to realise that the grass may have looked greener on the other side of the fence, but maybe he should have just stayed home and taken better care of the grass he had. And that's when he disappears. Just vanishes. Without trace.

So where has Tom gone? Has he run off with yet another woman? Has he just run off, away from all his responsibilities? Or has something happened to him?

Then just as Rachel is steeling herself to have Tom declared legally dead and move on with her life, a note, in Tom's handwriting appears on her doormat saying he wants to come home . . .

The story is told mainly from Rachel's viewpoint and mainly in the present with relevant flashbacks to when Tom left. There are also occasional chapters written from Tom's and Heidi's viewpoints so that the reader sees the complete picture.

I liked Rachel. Lesley Sanderson has depicted the swinging emotional responses that anyone would feel in this situation realistically yet with empathy. Lara, their twelve year old daughter is a lost soul. My heart ached for this shy and lonely child who barely remembers her father, but desperately wants him back in her life. Josh, at eight, doesn't remember Tom at all, and is sporty, happy and outgoing, the perfect foil for Lara's introversion. Heidi. . . the girlfriend, she's also received a note from Tom (is he hedging his bets?) and it is these notes which brings Rachel and Heidi together to try and figure out just what happened seven years earlier.

Lesley Sanderson had me all over the place trying to decide if Tom was indeed alive and remorseful, or if someone was playing a cruel trick on these two women. Freddie, old time family friend and Tom's business partner supports Rachel, but Rachel has mixed feelings about the timing of his reappearance in her life.

This was a satisfying, suspenseful read that had me completely bamboozled as to Tom's fate until the reveal. My only comment is that I would have ended the book with chapter 42. I didn't think that the ensuing chapters added any value to the story and for me, personally, actually detracted from it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#TheWidowsHusband #NetGalley

I: @lesleysandersonauthor @bookouture

T: @LSandersonbooks @Bookouture

#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #mystery #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and also works as a librarian in a multicultural school. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area, and she loves languages.

She attended the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.

Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has since been hooked on psychological thrillers. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Widow's Husband by Lesley Sanderson. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

The title alone is what brought me in. I love a good domestic thriller. Rachel's husband has been missing but right before he's declared dead things happen ! Well this book was so good ! The author's writing was so good I want to go and read the other book ! Thank you NetGalley for this arc !

The Widow's Husband is a twisted, suspenseful, domestic thriller.

The story begins with Rachel counting off the days until she can finally put an end legally to declare her missing husband deceased. As she is going about her day a letter is found by her son on the front doormat. Rachel's name is on the front of the envelope. She opens it to find written in her husband's handwriting "I want to come back to you." Trying to hide her emotions from her children she helps her daughter with her homework. She can't concentrate and her mind wanders about what this means and if it could be true. Rachel and her children's lives have never been the same since Tom disappeared with no notice or warning. Everyday they wanted to know what happened. Now, almost seven years later, Rachel was hoping she could finally move one but still hoping for his return. Rachel quietly asks questions of Tom's former business partner and the woman he left her for. But another letter turns up adding more questions than answers.

There are many twists and turns while Rachel begins to suspect everyone and everything she believed was true about her husband. A loved one will turn up missing as this escalates to a thrilling conclusion.

This was a wonderful story. A fast read for an afternoon.

Reading Between the Wines book review #29/135 for 2022:
Rating: 3 ½ 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 📱: The Widow’s Husband
Author: Lesley Sanderson
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Available now!

Sipping thoughts: This book had me pulled in from the beginning. I suspected everyone and trusted no one! I was reading and yelling at some of the characters actions because I wanted them to say and do something different. I enjoyed the reveal and thrills. I can’t put my finger on what made me score this book 3.5 stars rather than 4 but it was still enjoyable.

Cheers and thank you to @Bookouture and @NetGalley for an advanced copy of @TheWidowsHusband.

#TheWidowsHusband #LesleySanderson #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

I just raced through this book! I enjoyed the different points of view and the insights that gave to the story. I couldn’t wait to find out the truth about Tom’s disappearance and the truth about Heidi - was she what she seemed to be?
Great title as well. I will certainly read more by this author.

A mystery and a psychological thriller all rolled in to one !! Definitely one bit to be missed.

Rachel’s life fell apart seven years ago when her husband, Tom, disappeared without a trace. There has been no sign of Tom until now. Rachel had received a note through the door and it is Tom’s handwriting. The note states he wants to come home but is it genuine, and if so, why now ?

Rachel is on the verge of being able to declare her husband dead, as he has been missing for coming up to seven years but does this note mean he is still alive somewhere ? Does he really want to come home ? Does Rachel want him to come home ? What will her two children think ? They were only small when Tom went missing.

Rachel becomes friends with someone from the past but is everything quite as it seems ? Who can Rachel trust ? And will she finally discover the truth about why Tom disappeared ?

This is a great mystery psychological thriller. There are plenty of twists to keep you engaged with the story. I really loved the characters, which always helps, especially Rachel. Definitely one not to be missed.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Rachel is the mother of Lana and Josh. The children’s father, Tom, disappeared 7 years ago. He had been having an affair with Heidi and was living with her when he vanished. In a short time, Rachel will be able to have Tom declared dead which means she will be able to access his life insurance money to help care for herself and the children.

Tom’s partner in their business has kept up with Rachel and been her friend. She’s not sure if she wants more from the relationship.

Heidi is back in their lives because she is good with math and is helping Lana who is struggling with it.

But now, Rachel has received a note in what appears to be Tom’s handwriting saying he wants to come home to her. Could he be alive?

This book kept me unsure of what’s going on and how it will end. I suspected several characters and was partially right. The ending is tense and scary. All in all, a well-written story by an author whose books I have enjoyed before.

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

A heart poundingly suspenseful book that kept me awake late into the night. Loved this one so much. Wonderfully good. Do read this one.

2.9⭐️

A husband has an affair, leaves his wife and kids for his mistress and just when he believes his “perfect” life will begin, he vanishes.

I wasn't the biggest fan of this book. However, it did have a fantastic plot idea. Throughout the book, I kept on wondering, "Where can he possibly be" or "What had happened to him," but as the book went on, the plot became easily predictable, which caused me not to enjoy it as much as I wish I could have. The different POVs were nice to see since I'm a sucker for them, but I was initially confused since the characters weren't introduced well. The main character, Rachel's personality, was a bit questionable at the time since she often dumped her kids off on other moms. However, it was nice to see the love and attachment for her children at times of their trouble. I'm not a big fan of infidelity, which is when I read a particular part as much as the other character deserved it, it made me lose interest. Overall, the book was okay, and the writing was well-done, but I just wished there was a bit more suspense and the thriller aspect since it felt bits and pieces were missing throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on April 21, 2022.

I absolutely loved The Widow's Husband. The description grabbed me immediately and the story drew me in with all its twists and turns. I just could not put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Rachel's husband, Tom disappeared seven years ago and she has learned to live her life without her childhood sweetheart and true love. Then she receives a note, the handwriting recognisable to her...

The Widow's Husband is certainly an addictive read; the reader is soon questioning everything. Told using multiple narratives going back seven years and returning to the present day, this intriguing domestic thriller is rapidly paced. There are some tense moments and large doses of doubt, deception and suspicion. The characters vary between lovesome and loathsome and I enjoyed the gratifying ending. Engaging right to the last.

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

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lesley Sanderson's addictive domestic thriller THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND.

A husband who disappears without a trace. A concerned wife. An even more frantic girlfriend. And a tangled mess that he's left behind. Where is he? Is he dead or alive? Or did he feel the pinch of keeping two women and two households and flee?

Another compelling Lesley Sanderson thriller that I was excited to sink my teeth into. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed...and I wasn't. The premise was certainly intriguing and there were enough thrills and chills and twists to keep me enthralled from beginning to end.

Seven years ago, Rachel's husband Tom disappeared without a trace and has not been seen since. But before he went missing, Tom had left her for a younger woman, Heidi. One afternoon Tom fails to return home from work and Heidi rings Rachel in a frantic mess wondering if she has seen or heard from him. And despite police investigations, Tom was never found.

Now seven years later, Rachel has single-handedly raised their two children Lara (12) and Josh (8) who have no recollection of their father. Despite him leaving her for another woman, Rachel has had to come to terms with the fact that Tom is not coming back. And now the time is approaching when she can declare him legally dead and inherit all he has left behind. And then the first note arrives.

,i>"I want to come back to you."

Rachel is speechless. She would know Tom's distinctive writing anywhere. Has he been alive all this time? And if so, where has he been? And why now? Just when they were getting their lives back on track...why now? But before she can make any sense of it, Tom's girlfriend Heidi reinserts herself in their lives...and takes young Lara under her wing. Lara who has no friends and is incredibly sensitive warms to Heidi instantly. Should she be worried? Her sister seems to think so...as does Freddie, Tom's business partner who has been showing an interest in Rachel of late. But Rachel begins to wonder if she can trust any of them.

And then another note appears; this time it's more in depth with details that only Tom would know about. Rachel knows without a doubt that Tom must be alive. And yet still she questions why now? Why is he contacting her now? As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear that there is far more to Tom's disappearance. But how can Rachel move on with so many unanswered questions?

THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND is certainly an addictive thrill ride as the reader questions everything and everyone. Cleverly told through multiple narratives both seven years ago and in the present day, this intriguing domestic thriller is fast paced and a quick read that will entertain and intrigue. There are some tense moments but I easily unpicked the tangled mess to unravel most of it before the grand finale...and I enjoyed every minute of it.

One of my favourite Lesley Sanderson thrillers to date, THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND is filled with secrets and deception and plenty of twists to keep you engaged until the very last page.

I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWidowsHusband in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The Widow’s Husband is an intense psychological thriller that I really enjoyed. It’s full of twists and turns and a few red herrings thrown in which kept me alert throughout the story. The story is told in duel timeline and both timelines really kept my interest as I tried to figure out who I could and couldn’t trust.

Seven years ago, Rachel’s husband, Tom, left her and their two children for another woman. Months later, he disappeared out of the blue with no clue about where he went or if he was still alive. Now with just a month left until Rachel can declare her husband legally dead, a note Rachel is certain is in Tom’s handwriting arrives at her doorstep. As Rachel begins investigating her husband’s original disappearance, secrets begin to emerge.

Lesley Sanderson’s writing caught my attention from the beginning. I found myself intrigued to know who wrote the note left at Rachel’s door. Because I found some of the twists and turns predictable, I rated it 3 stars instead of 4. My favorite part of the book was the ending. I feel like that was very well written and action-packed. It tied up all the loose ends and left me satisfied.

Rachel’s husband Tom disappeared nearly seven years ago. She has since rebuilt a new life for her and her two children. Tom was having an affair when he left and had abandoned the marital home. When the next anniversary of his death comes around, Rachel will be able to have him certified as dead. She then feels she can truly get on with her life. But as the story begins, a mysterious envelope is posted through the letterbox. Inside is a note which appears to have come from Tom.
Written between present day and just before Tom went missing, the story moves back and forth, enabling the reader to see the run up to Tom’s disappearance as well as how Rachel deals with the mysterious note. Pitched into this strange situation, she finds the line between friends and foe are blurred. Like Rachel, I wasn’t sure who was trustworthy and who wasn’t. It’s an easy read, with a storyline that is full of twists and turns and keeps you hooked. Recommended.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture and Lesley Sanderson for an ARC of The Widow’s Husband in exchange for an honest review.

Warning ~ spoilers

3.5 ⭐ rounded up

This story line is similar to ones I've read many a time, with predictably galore, however Lesley made it her own and I did enjoy it. Mostly told by Rachel, but we get some chapters told by Tom and Heidi that go back and forth between the present and the past. I like this form of writing style because it still keeps a bit of mystery to the story.

Rachel’s husband, Tom, disappeared close to 7 years ago. At the time of his disappearance he was shacking up with Heidi, who he recently left Rachel and his 2 children, Lara and Josh, for. Since they are still married, Rachel is close to being able to officially declare him dead when she gets a note from him saying he wants to come home to her.

I'd like to know how Rachel is able to continue being a stay at home mom long after Tom leaves her ~ where does she get the money from? And then when she does come into some loot she puts it into fixing up her house, craziness.

Heidi, Heidi, Heidi ~ I could see her involvement from a kilometre away. Not quite sure in what universe she thought she would be entitled to anything after only putting in a few months with Tom.

Now onto Lara, who is 12. 12!! I have a 14 year old, so I'm not too far off from remembering this age ~ my child was certainly not telling me she was going to the cinema and will be home by 9:30pm. Thank you very much little ma'am, but you will be home and in bed by 8pm, maybe 8:30 if I'm being nice! And Rachel doesn't even know who she's going with and how she'll get home ~ ummm, what? I don't know what happens over the pond, but 12 is way too young to be out and about at that time of night over here in the states. Maybe I'm a Smother.
Josh seems like a delightful boy at age 8. I love that he was very passionate about drama club. Does Rachel ever have to lead the carpool though? I'm still not quite sure why she had such a late appointment and needed Heidi to pick him up that one time ~ don't you plan your appointments when the kids are at school when you're a SAHM and single at that?

I'm still not too sure how I feel about Freddie. It for sure was weird he contacted her after so many years have gone by. And only 2 months later for their happily ever after - eh.

This was a fast paced, quick read that definitely has some thrilling elements. Although mostly predictable for me I did find the how and what happened to Tom to be a surprise. Though, duh, looking back the title is quite revealing.

Trigger warning ~ cheating

*Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

I couldn’t really get into this one. Maybe it was the wrong time for me to read it. I loved the plot and concept though. I’ll revisit it at a later time.

2.5 stars

Fantastic plot idea, but unfortunately the story just fell flat for me. The first half of the book just seemed to be "Is this note really from him, or no? Is he alive or dead? Do I WANT him to be alive or dead?" either the main character thinking to herself, or discussing with others. The characters aren't introduced well, as the first chapter or two I couldn't figure out what name went with who - but I had it figured out around Chapter 3 I think. The transitions from one scene to the next seemed abrupt to me. Like "Oh, suddenly we're in a new location." The kids don't act their age - I might be able to believe the 12-year-old has a cell phone, but the 8-year-old?? Both kids seem to act older than their ages are supposed to be. Lara for instance, acts more like 15-16 than a 12-year-old. I can understand why Rachel never drives her son anywhere (so she can do other things in the story), but really, she seems to dump her kid off on other moms (including her own) a lot, haha.

All that being said, I did like the ending and how everything came together.