This was a very twisty read, full of red herrings and leading the reader up different alleyways and getting it wrong. I loved this story and couldn’t put it down.I haven’t read many of Valerie’s books but, I certainly will in the future. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This story holds your attention right from the beginning and you would not see the end coming. Great dark and twisty plot.Thank you @netgalley and Boldwood Books for the digital ARC

His prized possession....his greatest mistake?
From the moment I saw Ann, I knew she was perfect for me.
Her beauty and her social connections would make my miserable life so much better. It didn’t matter that I didn’t love her. I would give her the lifestyle she craved, and she would give me the life I deserved...
But soon my marriage vows were a noose around my neck.
I longed to escape my beautiful, horrible wife.
And then I saw her and I knew there was only one way out…

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Brilliant and Twisty............................


Amazing characters, amazing plot and amazing climax, these are the super ingredients of the book. The story will grab your attention right from the beginning and you would not be able to take your eyes off it. Till the climax it was a ride full of twists and turns. But, the final twist is the cherry on the top. Superbly narrated and Valerie Keogh is just awesome. I think the book is going to be one of the best for this year. About characters, Jake Mitchell is the star. Is he a villain or a victim, it is for the reader to ascertain. But words are less to write about this book.

Definitely, grand 5 stars for the book. Thanks to Boldwood Books for giving me an opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

The Trophy Wife by Valerie Keogh was another brilliant book by this author. It's a great psychological thriller full of
twists and turns throughout that just has you sitting on the edge of your seat. Which had me gripped from the beginning till the end. This was a book I found hard to put down the ending was Brilliant. I loved it.

I have read books by Valerie Keogh before and this was just as mind-bending as her other books. I enjoyed her writing style which is engaging and intriguing. I did not like any of the characters but I think it was intentional on the part of the author.

However, it would have been a five star read if the narrative would not have dragged on in certain places because the story picks up pace in the last 20% with a couple of surprises and the ending definitely made sense.

I recommend this to thriller lovers. Thank you @netgalley and Boldwood Books for the digital ARC. The book is out now.

Bane Of Life..
A trophy wife becomes the bane of life in this slow burn psychological suspense. With the overriding of thread of greed, the reader learns the backstory and the present of Jake who has clearly made some irreversible mistakes. Compellingly drawn characters populate a plot with a final twist in the tale. Money certainly does not buy anyone happiness.

This was such a dark and addictive book! It’s salacious, scary, menacing, thought provoking, at times funny and harrowing at other times. I’ll definitely read more from this author.

A riveting thriller about success, the challenges it brings. and the breath-taking lengths taken to achieve it.
Jake comes from a poor background. He applies for Oxford and runs away from home. He becomes friends with Adam and his wealthy circle. He falls deeply in love with an unavailable woman and then takes a path with devastating consequences.
This is a powerful novel that focuses on expectations and definitions of success. A must for all psychological thriller fans!

Having been invited to read this arc by boldwood books, i thank you, another author on my list to read previous books. It was well written, lots of twists and turns and alot of'' "i didnt see that coming moments" highley recommend

I did wonder where this story was going. Jake Mitchell was a not unlikeable character , he became extremely successful and rich, but something was still missing in his life . I often felt sorry for Jake.throughout the book. The book did keep me turning the pages to find out what the outcome would be

I was excited to read this book by Valerie Keogh as I remember my friend loved one of her previous novels. I think I might have picked the wrong one to read as although this book was decent, I wouldn't say it was wow. The story was slower paced than I enjoy in my thrillers and read more like a monologue from one point of view. I'm still glad I read it though and I did enjoy the few twists that were thrown in.

Leaving his childhood home behind after securing a place at Oxford, Jake reinvents his life, befriended by Adam and his family he wants the extravagant life Adam has, as well as Adams girlfriend. Making a successful career in finance he has almost everything he wants, including a Trophy Wife, Ann, Adams sister. But it's still not enough for Jake and his life unravels in a way he could never imagine.
A story of reminding us to be careful what we wish for, I found Jake a fickle unlikeable character and this shows what a storyteller Valerie is to evoke such feelings from a book character. It's a great read

Another thrilling book that had me on the edge of my seat.

I found it a bit slow to begin with and was not sure where it was going but 20 minutes in and I have to say I just did not want to stop reading. Unfortunately life always gets in the way and all good things have to come to an end.

Nice short chapters and plenty of intrigue and suspense.

Recommended 4 stars from me.

Thank you to netgalley and Boldwood Books for this advance read.
I have to admit, it took me a while to fully get into this book, and I didn't find the main character (Jake) very likeable. However, it was interesting following him through his life and lies and at around 80% the book practically exploded with several twists and an unexpected ending that I definitely didn't expect.
All in all, this was an enjoyable and recommended read.

Jake Mitchell was thrilled when he learned he had won a full scholarship to Oxford University. An only child, his parents simply wanted him to work at the same factory as his father and couldn’t see him going to university. So, one day, he simply left and never heard from them again. He studied hard and met and became good friends with Adam Brett, from a posh family. He spent lots of time at their family home and loved being a part of them.

When they left university, Jake got a great job at a top notch investment bank and Adam became a teacher. When Adam and Jake both met Jane, Jake missed out on her as she and Adam quickly became a couple. Jake never got over his love of her.

Jake had met Adam’s sister, Ann, a haughty young woman who always seemed to test him. It was when Jake was so successful and wealthy that Ann came onto him and Jake married her thinking that he would now have a beautiful trophy wife to match his beautiful home. Oh, but perfect plans don’t always come to fruition as we hoped do they?

I liked Adam and Jane. Both great characters. Ann and Jake deserved each other. Poor Jake was living the high life and his comment “My life was supposed to be perfect” showed how clueless and shallow he truly was. This is a good book and I enjoyed it much. Great twists.

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

The story begins slowly building up the scenarios and the characters - some you may love, some you may hate! Then about half way through we are hit with a massive piece of information which has the ripple effect throughout the rest of the book with an ending that was not foreseen. The Trophy Wife has its basis in reality as we know that there are many women who do become this for the lifestyle and prestige which goes along with it - but at what cost, not only financially but also emotionally and mentally. A good "be careful what you wish for" tale.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Another thrilling read by Valerie Keogh, I found The Trophy Wife to be well-written, with enough twists and turns to keep you reading.

I do, however, agree with some of the other reviewers, the ending was a bit of a disappointment, but it didn't take away the fact the book was a good read.

If you do get a chance to read any of Valerie's books, I recommend her if you like a good thriller.

Jake escapes his boring parents and against their wishes takes up the offer of studying at a prestigious Oxford college. Leaving his working class roots far behind him, Jake finds that, after university, and with financial success offered to him, he is set on the path to the perfect life he always dreamed off. However, material success, financial security and a beautiful wife, proves to be not enough to satisfy Jake, and that’s when his life starts to go disastrously wrong.

I’ve read this author’s work before and I really enjoy how she turns her rather flawed characters into people you start to believe in and although I found Jake unlikable I was thoroughly invested in his story. The Trophy Wife, takes the idea of social and financial success and shows how shallow this lifestyle can be without the right attitude and with unrealistic dreams.

This drama filled domestic noir story was just what I needed to read in that lull between Christmas and New Year. Perfect escapism with a clever, quirky plot, a seriously flawed protagonist and a set of peripheral characters who really helped to turn this into a drama filled read.

Valerie Keogh returns following The Widow and The Lodger with her latest Gatsby-vibe, moody, gripping, and thought-provoking literary, psychological thriller, THE TROPHY WIFE — one man's tragic journey and cautionary tale.

The "IFs" in life—missed opportunities, extraordinary lives almost lived, and regrets. A life—of lies, secrets, greed, regret, and loss.

A man desperately trying to understand precisely where it went wrong, to pinpoint the moment: when he left home? When he met Adam? Jane? Ann? Or when he discovered the truth about his parents.

Thanks to him, three people have died.

Meet Mr. Jake Mitchell. He grew up in a small and dreary town with small minds and few expectations, including his parent's views.

He applied for a scholarship to the University of Oxford without consulting his parents and forging their names. He was accepted! His future and his dreams suddenly became attainable. He would study business and economics. He would achieve success.

Of course, his parents were not overjoyed and thought he should stay there and work in the factory. He wanted more. He did not desire a life like his parents, with every spark crushed by dull grinding monotony.

His parents even said the day he was leaving—maybe they needed to visit Cornwall, but he knew they would never visit. He would escape. His freedom awaits him, and he leaves without a backward glance.

The hand of fate? Destiny? Where did he go wrong?

Phase One: Parents
Phase Two: Oxford University
Phase Three: Adam
Phase Four: Jane
Phase Five: Ann
Phase Six: The discovery
Phase Seven: Financial ruin | Failing marriage
Phase Eight: Joyce
Phase Nine: Plot to murder wife
Phase Ten: Final Reality

He was on a train to Oxford to get his education—where he met Adam. He wanted everything he had. Adam came from money and privilege. Jake had come to Oxford to find endless possibilities and would not saddle himself with his past. Truth or lie? He chose lies.

He took the metaphorical knife and sliced away his past, saying his parents had died a few years earlier in a car crash and both killed instantly. He did not realize then that his life would become intertwined with Adams— and he would be forced to live a lie forever.

What 18 yr-old thinks of the consequences of his actions? He even believed his own story for a while.

Immersed in his friendship with Adam and taken under the wing of the wealthy parents, Giles and Clara, with old money and class. He even met Adam's sister, the beautiful Ann, that attended Cambridge. She regarded everyone as prey. Not a lot of substance, but beauty.

After a while, it was too late, to tell the truth—he had too much to lose.

After university, not yet thirty, he was hired as a consultant fund manager for one of London's investment banks, making more money than he had thought possible. He was rich. He thought that was enough until he met Jane.

Adam was mesmerized by Jane, a woman he had overlooked. Now it was too late. Adam would soon marry the girl he loved. He made a mistake. He would be happy for his best friend. He would one day be his best man even though he is envious. Just as well—he would need to tell her his secret and that he could not.

He would buy the mansion, the Porche, the designer clothes. Money did make the world go round. Elgin Crescent—Everyone would be envious and give him the needed status. Ten million dollars? He was a fraud.

But then he needed a wife. So he may as well settle with Ann. She is beautiful, and Adam/Jane would be his brother/sister-in-law, and their parents would welcome him. However, Ann was manipulative and scheming and she loved to spend money. He did not love her.

He could be happy, couldn't he? No matter how rich he became, there was his past. If he had confessed, his life might have ended differently.

He does not tell anyone but decides to visit his parent in Bristol after all these years. But when he arrives, things do not go as he planned. He receives a shock that would alter his life. His parents no longer live at 24 Primrose Terrace. It had been seventeen years. He had no idea what had happened after he left. He only sent annual Christmas cards and never heard back.

When faced with this reality, it is more than he can bear. But he cannot discuss this with anyone since he has lied about his past. A loveless marriage and two children later, he made a terrible mistake.

He was a sitting duck for what was to follow.

The economy. A falling marriage. Children are taken care of by nannies. His job and position would soon be ending. His money would be gone. His family would leave.

A ride on the Tube to Charing Cross. A mysterious woman at a table outside Paul's cafe. Her name is Joyce—an artist. He stopped. Now his life would forever change.

A plan to escape. A plan to kill his wife. Uxoricide. The act of killing one's wife. Stealing from his client's funds. He changed his mind. Too late. They planned to leave. Now she is gone. Nothing is as it appears.

What happens next will BLOW YOUR MIND! How will Jake's life end?

WOW!!! I have so much to say about this book. I had no clue I would love this book so much, but there are pros and cons. My thoughts:

Pros:
~Firstly, I enjoy the author's writing style. I have recently discovered Valerie Keogh, and this is my fifth book by the author I have read. I appreciate how she leaves readers with something to ponder at the end of each chapter or a summary. I like this and find it very engaging and refreshing. She is also a skilled writer and master storyteller and her books are thought-provoking even though thrillers.

~This was a great story that I enjoyed reading about the life of Jake, as a cautionary tale with lots of plot twists, especially the last part - murder plot, Charing Cross, and after—brilliant!

~The author's writing is very good, and engaging—it lends itself to a more literary feel. By eliminating the current title, cover, and sex scenes, you strip down to the real story.

~The entire time I read, I thought of The Great Gatsby. Jake reminded me so much of Jay Gatsby. His origin, the lies about his past, parents, greed for money, status, secrets, the need for the big house, and the desire for a woman he could not have. Jake, like Jay Gatsby's story, is tragic, and there is much beneath the surface.

I think this book is targeted at the wrong reader. Here is why.

This book could most definitely be labeled as a literary, psychological suspense (my favorite genre); however, there are a few things that keep this from being 5 stars and fitting into this genre. Some of this has nothing to do with the author and her writing and is more with the publisher's marketing team, which is too bad.

Cons
~THE COVER and TITLE:
The Barbie doll image and the title for me lend the book to more rom-com, chick-lit, or Desperate Housewives. (not a genre I am interested in). Covers matter, and being a web designer for authors and on several panels for publishers to select covers —is a big deal. I almost did not read this book due to the cover and title. They do not do the book justice.

The title also lends itself to this other target audience. The Trophy Wife differs from what this book is truly about. It is just one part of Jake's journey. This book is much deeper below the surface.

~I could envision a title about Jake's life. The lies (Lives) of Jake Mitchell or something along this line. For the cover, I could see a man's silhouette headshot side view, maybe double exposure that gives you that intriguing, mysterious look and feel.

I realize this book's original title was Exit Five From Charing Cross (which is better than Trophy Wife) but still, it is only one part of Jake's journey. Also, that cover did not work either, as outdated and did not fit.

~I would eliminate all the sex scenes. This also goes back to the Barbie doll (title and cover). These scenes added nothing to the book and took away from the story.

In summary, I hope this book gets into the right hands and a reader who appreciates the story and not just another trophy wife book. Otherwise, this book would have been 5 stars. I urge readers to return to the first chapter after reading the book, which is key.

Looking forward to seeing what is next from this author. I am enjoying reading her backlist!

Thank you to #BoldwoodBooks and #Netgalley for a gifted ARC.

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 2, 2023
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
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