Overall it was a nice read, I couldn't figure out the plot and its a good plus but even this didn't play fully in its advantage, too much going on for me. The author wanted to put together a lot of twists and turns that it ended up not developing good enough the main story along with its main characters, i didn't feel connected to any of them. The writing style was good, a little to excessive on the details though.

I absolutely love this thriller. I was immediately drawn into the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened. Another winner by this author!

A big house, a rich older husband and a family that thinks you married for money and not love. Just as Tasmin is trying to get comfortable in her new life, her loving husband dies and that’s not even the biggest twist. As they go for the will reading an even bigger twist comes up and the family has to figure out how to deal with that and what’s to come. including what to do with Mia, their housekeeper. Tasmin married for love, but is she willing to die for it too?


I loved the storyline of this book and how the author kept it going with nothing too outrageous. There were plenty of twists in the book to keep you entertained and focused and you never really knew what was going to happen next. During the entire story you learn little facts about Mia, Tasmin and the rest of the family and the foreshadowing is impeccable.

If you’re looking for a thriller with twists that will keep you guessing, this is a good book to read. There are no huge “oh my gosh” moments, but overall the story is nice and it wraps up with no questions left.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Mia is a sort of starving violinist who lands a job as a cleaner at the home of Robin Featherstone, a well known composer. Following Robin’s stroke, they grow close, to the dismay of Robin’s second wife Tamsin. Then Robin is found dead and Robin’s recently changed will creates drama for the family.

3.5 stars.

This was a quick read but I felt like not all that much happened until about 75%. There was a lot about contesting the will but not much else for awhile. Then suspicious things started happening and the action picked up a bit. There were some interesting reveals at the end which is why I am rounding up to 4 instead of rounding down.

I have read many of Miranda's books and this has to be one of my favourite reads such a fast paced family drama which was so well written with good characters who I felt I got to know and I just loved it from the beginning until the end.

It was full of twists and turns and I thought I had sussed out who the murderer was but I hadn't and would never have guessed, it was such a brilliant book which I absolutely loved, just my type of read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for this fantastic ARC which I can thoroughly recommend and well done Miranda, a definite 5+ stars from me.

The beginning is quite slow with very little dialogue (I love dialogue) but it does tie up very nicely at the end. Once the story got going I did really enjoy it and was not expecting that ending.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Inkubator Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Fast paced but a bit lackadaisical and forced trying to explain how it happened.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an early copy of The Second Wife. It was a bit far fetched and the characters were not likable. Fast read but nothing exciting about the plot.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
It was hard to put this book down, I really enjoyed it.
A violinist, Mia, is having a hard time making ends meet until she finally gets a job as a cleaner in the sumptuous home of a famous composer. He has just married a younger, beautiful woman, when shortly thereafter he has a stroke. His new wife is having a hard time coping with his diminished capabilities and decides to fire the cleaner, who is getting close to her husband as they have music in common. When Mia comes back from a musical tour she finds out her previous employer has died from a fall and she is shocked to find she is his only inheritor. His wife, ex-wife and 2 children are furious and decide to contest the will.
The ending packs a good surprise and overall I found this a pleasure to read.

A man dies and leaves everything to his house cleaner. Did she kill him or the new wife, the bitter ex wife or the bitter adult children. The story is interesting but towards the end it seemed like it was forced, to try to explain everything

This story is a definite 'who dunnit' type of mystery. It's a good setting and plotline. Although there are parts to the story that is slow and doesn't contribute to the plotline, the ending is satisfactory. It's a signature of Miranda Rijks to have multiple twists to the end, and this story is the same. She did it beautifully, tying the ending all in a nice bow. Tamsin's character is lacking in all areas, from emotions to actions. David's character is odd, and he seems to be thrown into the story as an afterthought for suspense purposes. With that being said, I find that this story is subpar compared to her other books.

Thank you to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was a great mystery. I couldn’t have judged the murderer at all. The writing style was quite unique and I loved how the story was presented. The ending was one of the most satisfying ones I’ve ever read and it’s one of the best books of 2022 for sure

5 stars!!!

Overall, this is a decent thriller and worthy of 4 stars. The plot is intriguing and I definitely raced through it.
However, I’ve read all of Miranda Rijks books and this certainly isn’t one of my favourites.

A gripping read that was twisty, unpredictable, suspenseful and fast paced. I was kept guessing until the end and I couldn't put it down

Story very well written, amazing plot, unpredictable mystery & captivating characters.

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy I received free from NetGalley.

This starts off so strong and doesn’t let up the entirety of the book! Although, some of the twists were somewhat predictable, one of them did throw me for a loop and left my mouth wide open. Loved it!

Having read other fine works by this author, I regret to say that I was greatly disappointed by her latest novel. A predictable storyline, unlikeable characters, weak writing are a few of the contributing factors to what makes this a dull offering, in comparison to her other books such as The Influencer, The Only Child and The New Neighbour.

While flawed characters lend credibility to any story, the fact that they were so poorly written is what riles me. I wonder whether it was the author's intention to dumb down Tamsin's character. It would seem that any person with the kind of childhood experiences that Tamsin had, would be quite mature in her thought process, and yet Tamsin's POV sounded like that of a bimbo in a teen movie.

Thankfully, the two things that I did consider a mystery in the plot - how Mia got the maid job at Robin's house (cos the friend of a friend explanation simply wasn't cutting it) and why was a rich household not employing a maid through an agency/contract - were explained, even though the clarification was shoddily done. I also do wonder why Marek was left out of the will, since he was the only innocent in all of this.

The premise was compelling, sure, but the unimpressive writing is what put me off. Despite being tempted to DNF several times, I soldiered on in the hopes that it would get better at some point. 

Overall, a disappointment. Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more books by this author as I have enjoyed her previous works.

When Miranda Rijks releases a new book, I immediately drop everything and move it to the very front of my TBR queue, and I am, without fail, duly rewarded. The Second Wife proved to be no exception to this rule, and I devoured this one as I have all of its predecessors.

Robin Featherstone is a composer of some notoriety, and is enjoying life in his stately home in the company of his beautiful second wife, Tamsin. Mia Benton is a struggling musician who, in a bid to make ends meet, accepts a job in the household. When Robin meets a sudden and unfortunate end, Mia and Tamsin, along with Robin's adult children, find themselves in a battle for an inheritance that had, until recently, seemed a forgone conclusion. 4.5 stars

This is a pacey tale of secrets and simmering tensions, twists and revenge, and I was fully invested for the entirely compulsive ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

I thought this was going to be more thrilling, but it was not. The story focused more on a house keeper than the second wife. It was hard for me to care when it seemed like the second wife was an afterthought. I wasn’t expecting to be so disappointed when I read this book was supposed to great and everyone enjoyed the author. I think if the tile had been changed and marketed differently, I would have been more willing to accept the book. Also, the ending was very neat and made me upset. It wasn’t a thriller or shocking. It was just very packaged up well and then it was over. Very disappointed by this one. However, I would be willing to try this author again because the writing style was great.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator books for the digital review copy.

I’ve always loved Miranda‘s books, and this was no exception.

Absolutely loved it from start to finish, and I wasn’t expecting the outcome. Both Mia and Tamsin weren’t exactly likable, but in a good way, I thought that added to The plot.