Welcome to the mysterious world of Georgina Lees' revelatory novel, 'The Lost Wife.' A sinister tale of secrets, betrayal, and obsession, this gripping psychological thriller will have you flipping through the pages at the speed of light. In this review, we'll discuss what makes this novel so enticing while exploring the intricacies of the plot and its flawed, yet relatable characters. So, grab your favourite reading snacks, put your feet up, and get ready to delve into the twisted world of 'The Lost Wife.'

Beginning with a shadowy, unsettling scene of a desperate woman and child fleeing into the night, 'The Lost Wife' tugs at your curiosity right from the start. Written with an impressive chilling tone, the story is enthralling as it takes you on a roller coaster of unexpected twists and turns. The author smoothly transitions between timelines, providing an intriguing juxtaposition of how the past informs the fractured present.

The characters in 'The Lost Wife' are what truly draw you into the story. Our protagonist is a flawed, yet utterly relatable woman, whose life has been turned upside down by her husband's secret. As the story develops, it becomes evident that each of them is trapped within their own emotional turmoil, struggling against the grim reality of their lives. Watching these characters navigate the treacherous webs of deception adds a layer of tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The pacing of the novel deserves applause as well, as the slow-build tension grips you and refuses to let go. Lees masterfully reveals snippets of information, like tantalizing breadcrumbs leading you deeper and deeper into the darkness that surrounds her characters. The vivid descriptions and immersive setting within the Peak District further envelopes the reader in a sinister atmosphere that will have you double-checking your locks at night.

On the other hand, the novel has its shortcomings, primarily in the conclusion. The letter, intended to clarify and tie up loose ends, may leave some readers feeling unsatisfied. Instead of providing the hoped-for resolution, the letter's explanatory nature detracts from the story. The loose ends have already been tied up and we didn’t need any further explanation, it felt unnecessary when readers had already formed their own conclusions from what had gone before, which provided a much more fitting end for the story.

Despite this, 'The Lost Wife' remains a thrilling read, wherein Georgina Lees masterfully weaves a tale of secrets and lies that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the characters. Readers searching for a psychological thriller that challenges them to wrestle with the complexities of human deceit and betrayal will find this novel a satisfying addition to their library.

'The Lost Wife' by Georgina Lees is a haunting exploration of secrets, betrayal, and the devastating impact they have on the lives of those left to pick up the pieces. With its richly drawn characters, nail-biting twists, and slow-building tension, readers will find themselves gripped by this chilling psychological thriller. Though the ending may leave something to be desired, the sheer intensity of the journey makes it well worth the read. So, if you're looking for a thrilling, immersive novel to lose yourself in, give 'The Lost Wife' a try – you won't be disappointed.

The book is set over two timelines, jumping back and forth between a year ago and present day. The mystery of what had actually happened to Harry was the thing that kept me reading but it was all a bit of a let down to be honest.

This was a very slow story and I just felt it was all extremely unbelievable and clumsy. There were so many holes in the story and the characters weren’t very interesting or likeable.

There was no real foreshadowing and the story being told in the first person for two people meant there was the need for the letter from Emma at the end explaining the story. I felt that this was yet another indication that the story hadn’t been well told.

Obviously just not for me sorry.

Thank you One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the ARC

This book has a slow build up to the main event. It is told in different time periods, leading up to Lea's wedding with Harry and after the wedding in a holiday cottage in the Peak district. Strange things start happening in the run up to the wedding and the relationship between Harry and Lea (and acquaintances) is not right. After the wedding, their young son is in the house with a womean who you presume is his mother. Josh seems to have a strange relationship with his mother and some of the events in the Peak district house are really quite nasty, which makes for uncomfortable reading. Lea also seems to have little bonding with her own son.
Late in the story, there are twists which do make some sense of the present day story, but I was past caring about most of the characters (except Josh and Brenda) by then .
Not the book for me I am afraid , despite being short, it felt too drawn out
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is the second book I have read by this author & I did enjoy as it is dark and has twists and turns which makes it interesting to read and see what happens next This book is told from between past and present it moves pretty quickly which i liked. There’s some surprise twists I didn’t see coming. I would recommend this book if your into dark thrillers. Thanks to Net galley & harper collins for sending me this arc in exchange for my hinest review.

I enjoyed this book and didn’t see the twists coming at all - in fact I couldn’t work out where it was going at all and was pleasantly surprised by the ending (which sounds strange, but I thought it was going one way that was a bit difficult to believe whereas the twist brought it all back together). Recommended.

The lost wife was a quick thrill read. I did enjoy it. Told from between past and present it moved pretty quick for me. Lea and Harry relationship is finally moving forward toward marriage but there’s secrets. Some really good twists I didn’t see coming. There is a trigger warning for animal violence.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Lost Wife by Georgina Lees, published by Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter
I enjoyed this novel, well written, characters well described and introduced at good intervals, good dynamic between the characters
Story is told in the present and past, starting a year ago and working towards present day. I like how the author slowly unfolds the story in the past, so the present starts to make more and more sense and then the twist that I didn't see coming
Lea is running, she needs to get away from the bad people that are after her and her son. Her son Josh is upset, he just wants his dad Harry, but that won't happen, they have arrived at the cottage and she can buy them a few days to figure out what to do next.
Great psychological thriller, well written, great plot!
I previously read The Girl Upstairs by Georgina Lees and really enjoyed it as well. I will watch for her next novel. Can't wait!

Aaliyah has been wanting to be married to Harry for very long time they have a four-year-old son and a nice life in Bristol England. At least they did until after the night he asked her to be his wife, since then Harry has been standoffish and secretive and Aaliyah doesn’t know what to make of it her best friend Meg and her mom try to be there for Aaliyah but like her new fiancé she to keep secrets and pretend as if everything is OK. When we meet Aaliyah she is on the run with her four-year-old son Mark and it’s because something tragic has happened but why into zoom isn’t told until further in the book and when the secrets do eventually come out there’s a couple of WoW moments but for the most part by then I was so over Aaliyah and her shady fiancé and her four-year-old son who strangely acts much older. Most of the books seemed unrealistic not only with how her son acted but the fact that her husband left their engagement party and she didn’t even ask him why? The head other things I found unbelievable and I don’t mind books that suspend belief but when they suspend the least common sense and other normal emotions it just gets to be a bit much. Even before we knew his secret and she was just wondering about it I got tired of listening to her inner thoughts and kept thinking well I ask him, but I know that wouldn’t make for a good thriller it just irritated me I will say I finish the book because I wanted to know and once I did I still found it all just a tad bit too much. I received this book from NetGalley and Berkeley publishing but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read the electronic arc. This is one of those books that starts off really well – but then you start to question things and realise that it’s one of those that is going to have a really silly plot. It was very well written, but all the characters were stupid and awful people and I wanted to cry for poor little Josh all the way through. I know I’m in the minority, and apologies to the author, but this book did absolutely nothing for me.

#TheLostWife #NetGalley
You always underestimated me and I always overestimated you.
Maybe that was our problem.
A woman and a child arrive at a cottage in the Peak District in the dead of night. Alone. Desperate. Hunted. She knows they’re coming for her. It’s only a matter of time. Because her husband kept a secret from her. Until he was ready to destroy her. Now, it’s her turn.
Nice book with good twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy.

First book I've read by this author and suspect it won't be the last.
Really decent thriller with a fair few twists along the way and certainly didn't see the outcome coming.
All in a very good and easy read to while away a winter's evening
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC

Wow! I did not see that coming!
A brand new wife, a bloody veil, a child who is ripped away from his Father and an isolated cottage in the Peaks is a fantastic mix for this thriller.Jjumping between the now and the build up to the wedding and the aftermath is a clever way to keep the reader on their toes and keep the intrigue levels high and rising!
A great read with a wholly unexpected ending.

A woman and a child arrive at a cottage in the Peak District in the dead of night and on her wedding day. They are alone and are being hunted. She is covered in blood.
Why did her husband do what he did over the years?

She is ready for revenge.

This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be! I wanted something different and this book really delivered!

Wow I loved this book so much I finished it within a day! An incredibly fast moving, confusing book. I didn’t see how it was going to end. I love Georgina’s books and this didn’t disappoint. Thank you for letting me have this opportunity!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book was a page turner that kept me interested from the start. Secrets have a way of destroying individuals. A must read.

This is one of the best reads of the year. It is a captivating read with a totally unexpected ending. Hiding out in a cottage in the Peak District it is only a matter of time before the woman and child who are staying there will be found. It is an intense read, gripping from the first to last page. Georgina Rees has become one of my favourite authors, she never disappoints and I cannot wait for her next thrilling ride.

I found this book easy to get into and I was intrigued by the characters mystery. There were a couple of parts in the story that annoyed my so I rated it a 3.5 / 4 out of five.

The story didn’t end how I expected but it was an interesting twist. There were things in the letter in the last chapter that I thought were odd, but can’t really say any specifics without spoilers.

Overall I enjoy Georgina Lees books. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Uk for the advanced reading copy.

This book really should come with a warning that you should clear your schedule for the day before starting to read it! I started it this morning and just had to keep reading to find out what was going on.

This mysterious thriller has a dual timeline to it showing us what is happening now as well as what happened to cause the current situation. I had many theories about what might be going on but the author still managed to throw a very well plotted surprise ending at me which was a pleasure to read.

Having read this one, I'm going to have to hunt down the other books by the author and keep an eye out for any future releases too, I enjoyed the experience that much.

This domestic thriller has a dual timeline with alternating chapters. We follow Lea in the present as she’s on the run with her son Josh after something violent took place involving her husband. The other timeline takes us back a year in the past and tells us more about Lea and Harry’s marriage and the events leading up to Lea running away. However, things aren’t what they seem…

This is the first book I’ve read from Georgina Lees and I’m interested in checking out her other work. There’s two things I look for in a thriller: I need to have fun, and I need to be surprised. I don’t think I’ll remember much about the plot of this book in a few months, but The Lost Wife was a fun and surprising read. This probably won’t be everyone’s all-time favourite thriller, but it is a decent story if you’re looking for a pleasant reading experience.

The book is rather slow-paced, especially at the beginning, which wasn’t a problem for me because I like that kind of story. Just know that you won’t get all the answers until you’re at the end of the book. The Lost Wife is neither plot- nor character-driven in my opinion, but offers a nice balance between the two. We spend a lot of time reading from one character’s perspective, which in this case means that the side characters in the flashback chapters aren’t discussed in depth. It’s probably also nice to know that Lea is not a likeable character (or a good mom).

Maybe it’s just me, but the plot twist took me by surprise. I usually either have a hunch or am thinking in the right direction… Not this time, which was nice. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is the ending. There is a whole chapter at the end dedicated to explaining what exactly happened and why it happened, while I would much rather be shown those things instead of having them told to me. This also made the end feel a little bit rushed. I wanted to know more about the reasoning behind certain characters’ actions, and I wanted to see how they gradually became the person they are.

I would definitely recommend this book to thriller readers, especially to those who enjoy reading about strange family dynamics or from the point of view of morally grey characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of a honest review.