I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Celadon Books curates and publishes an amazing collection of stories that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. The Woman Inside is one of those stories.

Author M.T. Edvardsson has a way of jumping from character to character and situation to situation that keeps you just enough off balance so that you don’t know who is truthful and who is lying, who is being open and who is hiding something, who is guilty and who is innocent. Turns out they are all lying and they are all hiding something and they can’t all be innocent, but that doesn’t get you any closer to knowing who the murderer is. You’ll just have to keep reading for that.

And also as always, Edvardsson presents people who have dual natures: a combination of good and bad, strong and weak, welcoming and bitter. And they are all connected in some weird way we struggle to understand. Just like real people. In The Woman Inside there’s Bill, who has recently lost his wife Miranda and is raising his daughter Sally alone. Devastated, struggling financially, but is he really only a victim of circumstance, nothing is his fault? Lodger Karla is a student and a housekeeper – and also a thief and a liar. Jennica was a friend of Miranda’s until the betrayal and she’s not over it. There’s a lot under the surface with this one. Including her relationship with Steve. Of the Steve & Regina couple, the wealthy doctor and his mysteriously ill wealthy wife. I guess we can figure out why he told Jennica that Regina was dead, but what did Jennica do when she discovered the truth? Karla just happens to be their housekeeper, and Bill’s lodger. What else? Everything and everyone is confoundingly connected, a spider web of crossovers and discoveries. Which still leaves us guessing page after page after page who murdered Steve and Regina? They all had motive. They all seem good, then bad, then back to good, then . . . .

Thanks to Celadon Books for providing an advance copy of The Woman Inside to me as a Celadon Reader via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. This book was an amazing read by an amazing author and I can’t wait to see what Celadon might send my way next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

The Woman Inside comes out today June 13, 2023 4⭐️

I was really intrigued by this book, it was a slow character driven story that really started coming together halfway through. I really enjoyed flipping back and forth between multiple POV’s, police investigation reports, and news articles.

Bill is a widower struggling to raise his eight year daughter Sally. They have come into hard times and decide to take in a lodger. At first I felt sorry for Bill but his relationship with his daughter seems to be his only redeemable quality.

Karla is a law student and aspiring judge, she rents a room from Bill and works as a housecleaner for a wealthy couple the Rytters. She in my opinion is the only likable character, she wants to help but doesn’t go about it like an aspiring judge. Hmm

Steven And Regina Rytter are a wealthy couple who hire Karla and are keeping some pretty dark secrets.

Jennica is also a student, has a cat for a roommate and is dating Steven, yep you heard me right.

When the Rytters wind up dead everyone is suspect, but are any of them capable of such a grissly crime?

A whodunnit that keeps you guessing to the very end, and leaves you wondering what we are all capable of doing given the right circumstances.

If you haven't gotten this yet you should. While it took me a second to get the hang of the set up...different chapters of point of views and then random newspaper articles and police interviews....it really sucked you in. People that have had terrible lives just trying to get through, work, grow, date, pay bills...until things go wrong and stuff starts spiraling out of control.

Secrets...lies...cover ups...a twisty fantastic thriller

The Woman Inside starts with the discovery of two dead bodies in a posh neighborhood. Who killed the couple and why? The murder mystery opens with a cast of characters with motives to kill Dr. Steven Rytter and his wife, Regina.

Bill needs money for his gambling habit and to care for his daughter Sally after his wife Miranda dies. Karla, the couple’s housekeeper, rents a room from Bill and wants to help him. Jennica, a former friend of Miranda, is Steven’s secret lover until she finds out his secret. Their connections and unscrupulous actions determine the couple’s fate.

What’s interesting is the setting in Sweden and the characters’ ties and interactions with the couple. Simply written, suspenseful with many plot twists motivate the reader to solve this who-done-it. But the novel wraps with a shocking and unpredictable ending. I thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read and review The Woman Inside. #NetGalley #WomanInside #MurderMystery #Thriller

3.5⭐️ The story is told through multiple POVs and police interviews which I love. I did find the pacing to be a bit slow, but it was still an enjoyable read. The ending was definitely unexpected and is the perfect thriller to pick up of you’re just getting into thrillers.

The Woman Inside was a captivating and suspenseful read. You start the book knowing who has died and then it takes you back through the past to slowly reveal the killer. I loved the multi POV that kept the mystery throughout. The chapters of police interrogations break up the narration nicely. The major twist at the end managed to surprise me and then kept the drama unfolding to the end.

I will be posting this review on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctb5XLhrfkJ/?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5367418644

And Amazon.

This is a Nordic thriller with head-spinning twists as the story meanders to a well-crafted conclusion. I thought the book was a slow burn but it was also totally intriguing, with various characters all having secrets and the point of view changing as different characters were highlighted. The mystery revolves around the death of wealthy and arrogant pediatrician Stephen Rytter and his bedridden wife Regina. There are a lot of suspects to this murder and reading the details of why they are suspicious and a possible motivation for them was engrossing. I enjoyed getting to know the characters although none was particularly likable. They were all well-developed and remarkably believable. My favorite character was the innocent child Sally, a young girl who has lost her mother and who just wants life to be happy for all. My least favorite was a vamp-type woman named Jennica who works as a telemarketer of sorts. Her personality is grating and it really bothered me that she named her cat “dog.” That showed how perverse she was and was a clue to her all-around nature.Both the characters and the plot are complex but are woven together well so that the story flows in a compelling and clever way. The characters are dynamic, flawed and original with complicated personalities. This is one of the best Nordic thrillers that I have read, keeping me engaged and guessing all the way until the brilliant ending.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This is a twisty story where the chapters move from Karla, who moves in with Bill and his daughter, the Rytters, whose home Karla cleans, and Jennica, a single woman who lives with her cat and is looking for love. When Jennica meets the man of her dreams, Steven, she can't believe her luck. As these stories overlap and we learn more about their lives, the anticipation of what's to come increases. I really enjoyed reading this one until reading was just not fast enough and I switched to the audio version. The different voices and accerating climax was so well done, I could not put this one down. I'm glad I started off reading it because the different people could be hard to keep straight. Fans of his other book, 'A Nearly Normal Family,' will also enjoy this one. A lot of the words translated into english arent exactly apples to apples but, easy to figure out anyway.

So many interesting characters all woven together beautifully! We have Windower, Bill, and his young daughter, Sally, for whom money is tight and he has a bit of a bad habit he really needs to break if he wants to make things right again. Then we have Karla, a smart student aspiring to be a judge, who has taken great strides to get away from her less-than-perfect past. Karla responds to Bill's ad looking for a lodger to help with the rent and seems to fit in quite well, befriending Sally and becoming almost "part of the family" in her own way. Karla takes a housecleaning job with Steven and Regina Rytter, a wealthy couple that have their own personal issues -- until they turn up dead, that is, and everyone has a motive. Lastly, we have Jennica, who is unknowingly having an affair with Steven, when he claims to be a widow, meanwhile, his sickly wife is at home thinking her Dr husband is just working hard... and Jennica knows BIll through his deceased wife - so the circle is now complete. While I found myself not personally liking many of the characters, they were all well-developed, with detailed histories. I was drawn into their stories and just had to know how it was all connected. Told through multiple POVs, and some chapters were excerpts from police interviews. Loved the twisty ending - highly recommended read!

The Woman Inside by M. T. Edvardsson is my first book by this awesome author. This is a well written, nicely paced unique story. The characters are well developed but oh so flawed. You will love some but others not so much. This one is filled with murder, mystery, many secrets and drama. It is told in multiple point of views. This mystery thriller had me on the edge of my seat with the pages turning very fast. I look forward to reading more from this author, I really like her writing style.

Thank you NetGalley, Celadon Books and M.T. Edvardsson for allowing me to read this intriguing book early. The opinions expressed are my own.
#netgalley. #celadonbooks. #mtedvardsson. #thewomaninside #arc. #celadonbooksinfluencer

“Money can always make more money, and when you’ve got a lot of it, it’s easy to become blind to its value.”

In this page-turning domestic thriller, a wealthy couple ends up murdered in the nicest part of town. Although every character in The Woman Inside is hiding something, could any of them really have been driven to kill?

“It’s been years since I’ve broken down. I’ve been living like a goddamn brick house. A wall, a facade. Humans aren’t built to survive earthquakes and hurricanes. I’m about to come crumbling down.”

3.5 stars rounded up! Ok so…I almost put this book down. It started off kind of slow for a thriller and with multiple POV I was struggling to follow along with who was who and how they were all connected. But once it got going?! What a ride! The chapters are very short which I LOVE and I find helps to keep the story flowing quickly. There are a lot of moving parts with this one but they tie up nicely and believably.

The audiobook has three narrators which helped tremendously in keeping each POV straight and being able to follow along with each character. Once the book really got going I was very invested in each one and couldn’t wait to find out what happened and who did it! And let me tell you I did not see that ending coming.

Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of this story sounded very intriguing. Unfortunately, I found parts a tad boring. I think there were too many unimportant details that took away from the overall story. The story had potential but just wasn't for me.

The Woman Inside is a captivating thriller with several compelling characters. Karla, a determined law student with an addict mother, aspires to become a judge. She rents a room from Bill, a widower struggling to make ends meet while caring for his young daughter. Additionally, Karla works as a housekeeper for the affluent Rytter couple. However, their lives take a dramatic turn when the Rytters are found murdered, prompting a police investigation and a search for answers.

The author unveils the characters' backstories, peeling back the layers to allow the reader in. The mystery surrounding the Rytters' murders will keep you guessing!

This book was Intense and the characters carry the story. The book offers multiple points of view, both before and after the murders, interwoven with police interviews, creating a great narrative.

With lies, unexpected twists, infidelity, murder, and shadowy pasts, this book grabbed me and kept me engaged to the very last word!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books and MacMillan Audio for both an ARC and ALC of this one in exchange for my honest review!

Widower Bill Olsson is having a hard time providing for his daughter Sally. Struggling to pay rent, he takes on a lodger, karla, who is studying at the University to become a judge, and also works part time cleaning the house of Dr. Rytter and his wife. An incredibly wealthy couple who seem to be hiding something, he claims she has been ill for over a year and warns Karla not to talk to his wife. His wife keeps trying to engage with her though, and she seems very confused and lethargic.. Kayla worries that the pills that the doctor has been giving her are what is keeping her so sick. When the Rytters wind up dead, everyone's secrets, past and present, are going to come out.
This book was really good. It was told in the alternating viewpoints of Bill, Karla and Jennica. Also interspersed among the chapters are interviews by the police. The farther you get into the story, the more secrets that are revealed. Every primary character is hiding something, and it isn't until almost the very end that you find out who actually killed the Rytters. This is perfect for anyone who loves a good mystery.

A murder story translated from the Swedish, M.T. Edvardsson's second novel published in the US contains short chapters and multiple points of view. As the story of a dead couple evolves, the pediatrician and his heiress wife's secrets mix with those of a single father, the young student and cleaner renting a room from him, and the woman dating the older doctor.

I enjoyed the short chapters and the multiple POVs, but I found the story slow to start. The final quarter of the book, as the all the threads finally came together was very good, but the connections were almost too much. (And I struggle some with the ending.) While not my favorite crime fiction, it may hit other readers differently.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for my advanced review copy.

THE WOMAN INSIDE by M.T. Edvardsson and read by a cast was a fantastic domestic suspense in both digital and audio!

Bill Olsson is struggling with moving on after his wife's death, but he has to figure something out for his young daughter Sally. He takes on a lodger, Karla, who works for a cleaning service and currently has a high profile job with a Pediatrician and his suspiciously ailing wife. Then he sees an old friend of his wife's in an ad for a fortune teller and can't help but reconnect, but not for positive reasons.

When the wealthy couple are discovered dead, questions begin to be raised and every character has something to hide.

This was a bit of a slow burn suspense. The beginning opens up with the couple being found by police. We then go back and forth with the lead up and the current investigation with pieces of police information and chat rooms as well. I enjoyed this multi-format style. It has been a while since I read something with this type of variation and I felt like it made the story move forward in an interesting way. Short chapters also encouraged me to keep wanting to see what was next!

I felt the characters were not necessarily likeable and all felt like they had unreliable aspects. This worked in this story. The way all the main voices came together toward the end made the anticipation worth it. I was surprised by the final chapters and that bumped this one up for me!

The cast audio was a great way to engage this novel. Because it is translated, having the audio helps me hear the correct pronunciation of these Swedish names and places. The writing helps me see the spelling and all together it becomes a great experience in translated fiction. The cast all did a fantastic job and made the changes of perspective easy to follow.

Thank you to @netgalley @celadonbooks & @macmillan.audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this advanced copy and share my thoughts! This title will be available on June 13th!

The Woman Inside was a fast paced novel the intertwined the lives of several characters. I enjoyed watching each character develop and how they’re related to each other . I would recommend this novel to library book clubs and fans of mysteries and thrillers. Excellent writing and pacing. 5 out of 5 stars!

I enjoyed the style and different POVs mixed with the transcripts. This was a fun read that kept me interested. The ending was a little predictable, but still a good read. This definitely could have been much shorter to keep it engaging.

This book sounded like everything I love in a thriller, domestic drama, a sneaky maid, a murder and multiple points of view but it really fell short for me. The first 40 percent was entertaining and I couldn’t wait to see where the story went but after that, the story got really predictable and I just felt like the characters had no depth. I kept pushing though, hoping the ending would blow me away but it was pretty lacklustre and missing a shocking twist that a thriller like this needs! It wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read and I can see someone new to thrillers really enjoying it but for someone that reads them all the time, I felt really underwhelmed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

🚨Pub Date: June 13th, 2023

Dr. Steven Rytter and his wife are found dead in their home. The mystery is of course how it happened.

Through a series of police interrogation excerpts, the story reveals the three main characters and their possible roles in the deaths. Bill is a widower with a young daughter and he’s constantly struggling financially. Karla is a law student who comes to rent a room from Bill. She also cleans the Rytter’s house. Jennica, who is now dating Steven Rytter, was a friend of Bill’s wife.

The character development was very good, delving into the dark side and motivations we all can have. Their stories are all intricately entwined, and at times it was a bit confusing to keep up with. However, it definitely kept me guessing until the very end.

Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2