I have always been a huge fan of J P Delaney is this book is another superb one. In some ways it feels a little different to other, recent books of theirs, however this is no disadvantage, You trust the author to deliver and the book had me gripped throughout. A wonderful read.

Finn and his sister Jess aren't heartbroken when they find out that their father Jimmy has passed away. They haven't spoken to their abusive father since their left the rundown farmhouse in Mallorca. The title had been transferred to them both by their father as part of their parents' divorce agreement.

The siblings make the decision that Finn should travel to their former childhood home to wrap up the sale. On arrival, Finn is astonished to discover that the finca has had a beautiful makeover. The work has been completed by his father's third wife, Rusena, and her daughter Roze, who both welcomed him with open arms.

I would rather not say anything further to avoid giving away any spoiler. I totally got drawn into Rusena and Roze explanations when the police questioned the death of Finn's father. You are never sure who is the bad and who is good. We find out more about Finn & Jess childhood, the backstories of Rusena and Roze, and the circumstances of Jimmy's death. There are some very clever twists, and I certainly didn't see the end coming.

The author brought the story alive with the vivid description of the Mediterranean landscape, and it certainly enhanced the atmosphere of the story.

‘The New Wife’ is a cleverly, well paced, suspenseful thriller and a perfect summer read.

This is my first book by JP Delaney, and I will have to add all his other books to my ever growing TBR list.

Many thanks to @netgalley, @quercusbooks, and the author JP Delaney, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Puplication Date 20.07.2023

Finn Hensen gets a call from his sister to say their father Jimmy has died. Finn decides to go to Mallorca to take possession of their inheritance, the house from Jimmy’s widow and stepdaughter who are living there. However, the police believe that Jimmy’s death is suspicious…

This is such a fast paced thriller but the action didn’t happen until around the 70% mark. I really liked how it didn’t give you all of the action at once, it was spoon fed to you bit by bit which made me invested in seeing how the story would end. It definitely focussed more on the setting of the book rather than the characters but the descriptions were so vivid that I could picture it in my mind. Although, it goes give you information about the characters so you to get to know them, flaws included but I would have liked to get to know them more. Whilst what happened to some of the characters and how they were treated was awful, I really didn’t feel much for them.

The ambiguity of the ending will definitely live in my head rent free for a while. Although, I do prefer when books answer all of my questions and this one didn’t due to the ambiguous ending. It’s a book where not everything is as it seems, which I love books like that. I do think that the last chapter wasn’t necessarily needed, although it did clear up some questions I had.

⚠️ CWs: derogatory language and slur, grief, death, blood, death by suicide, prostitution, human trafficking, sexual coercion, child death, sexual abuse, vomiting, misogyny, toxic masculinity, profanity, mentions alcohol and drug use, gun use, animal hunting, person with substance use disorder, arranged marriage, harassment, stalking, overdose, rape, grooming ⚠️

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to read this book!

I had no idea where this book was headed! Totally gripped and had me hooked. It's .full of twists and there is a creepy undertone running through it. You're never quite sure who is good and who is bad. Who is telling the tuth and who is lying. Some very clever twists made it really interesting. Well worth a read. Finn is quite the character and Roze is a character you really want to know more about. So good! Set in Mallorca, which is described beautifully in the book you can almost smell and taste the food and wine they are enjoying. Perfect book to take on hols this summer!

This is a fast paced, edge of your seat psychological Thriller. This is my first J P Delaney book, and I finished in one day which is saying something. We follow siblings Jess and Finn after the suspicious death of their father leaves them having to sort out his property in Mallorca. The catch is that his most recent wife and step daughter are still there and have a complex past, and the police now want answers. Finn travels over to Mallorca in the hops of selling the property, but soon finds himself infatuated with his step-sister Roze (Have to admit this is a bit weird!), making it hard for him to sell when there are possibilities to stay on at the farm. Over the course of the book we watch as Finn spirals out of control with his want to help, and his sinister past comes to light. But Roze and Ru are also not who they say they are.
The pacing in the book was pretty good until the end, when the book just seemed to derail and got incredibly confusing. The ending also felt slightly rushed.
All in all this is a solid psychological thriller, that will have readers guessing until the end.

JP Delaney has always been one of those authors that I will automatically buy anything they release so when I was able to get early access to the new novel thanks to Netgalley and Quercus I jumped at the chance and completely devoured this novel!

Initially The New Wife read a little differently to Delaney’s previous releases but it certainly picked up pace and I ended up flying through it to get to the end, intrigued to see what Delaneys shock plot twist would be this time.

Without any spoilers, to me it seemed like the relationship between Finn and Roze was a bit of a stretch and I was even questioning the writing at one stage but it all made sense in the end and although the ending wasn’t my favourite, it was a great read all in all!

Jess an Finn inherit a Mallorcan Finca when their father dies. Finn travels there to sort out the details and find his fathers third wife, Albanian born Ruensa and her daughter Roze are living there.
Finn and Roze develop a relationship but everything is not what it seems.
Will they marry? Will Jess intervene to prevent it? Who is the guilty party?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of one of my go to Author's new releases.

5 ⭐ Now listen to me....This was GREAT! Could not put it down cos that thriller gal in me kept trying to second guess what was going to happen , but.....BAM that 80% twist blew it all out of the water. Dod not see that coming at all Ms Delaney!

Bravo it was a great quick PERFECT summer read 🌞 👏🏼

Thank you netgalley and JP Delaney for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I apologize in advance for any misspelled words or error in my grammar, since english isn't my first language.

This book seemed really good, and I think it's a very good start for someone who is initiating this genre. Overall it was a good book, but I think it lack something, maybe more thriller and suspense.

I really didn't connect with the characters, but nevertheless it's as good read, maybe a little slow for my taste.

Not what I expectwd from this author. I have read previous books and got me hooked from the beginning. This one, however, is very slow and did not gripped me as expected. I found no thrill on it. The setting description is quite good, though.

When Finn Hensen's sister, Jess, calls to tell him their father has died, he is not heartbroken - neither is she. Their parents were never the traditional parents and didn't look after them. But he must visit the place where he grew up and his father lived, as it now belongs to Finn and his sister. The only problem is his father's new wife is living there and he needs to break it to her. 

As he makes his way home to Mallorca, the police also want to meet with Finn about his father's death and questions about the way he was found surface. To further complicate things, the new wife, Ruensa, has her 27 year old daughter, Roze, also living with her. 

This was such an intriguing novel, with the backstory of Finn and Jess's childhood, the new wife and daughter and the circumstances around his father's death. As we go on, the author weaves a deceptive story that really makes you question almost all of the characters. This one did get a little unhinged towards the end but it was another enjoyable novel by the author.

A little slow for me, not quite what I expected from J.P. Delaney

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

This is the first book that I read by this author. I have multiple books by them on my bookshelf however, I just haven’t got around to reading their books yet so this was a perfect excuse.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fast paced, short and easy read with lots of curveballs.

I suspect the obvious culprits from the beginning however, I’ve never imagined the twists happen towards the end of the book.
The ending of this book was very much open to interpretation of the reader , and I would’ve liked it to be clearer as I like certainty of ending.

But overall, fab book & really enjoyable. I’ll definitely be recommending this author.

Another good read.

I've read all this author has written so far. There's just something about his books which grabs you. Would this one live up to expectations? It was fabulously intriguing and fast-moving right from the start, and seemed like it was going to be another good book from JP Delaney.

Jess and Finn’s father had just died. He had been living in Mallorca with his 3rd wife. Why were the police calling? Why did they think their father had died in 'avoidable circumstances'? Is all as it seems? Is Ruensa the loving wife who got their dad back on the straight and narrow? It was very good, quick reading, an intertwining and intriguing book. It kept me guessing and questioning everything. Who was telling the truth?

It’s a great book, then, for me, just went a bit wayward on the last 10% or so. I did read the author's note at the end which explains his thinking a bit-but I prefer more resolution, and loose ends to tie up a bit better. But sometimes they just don't in real life, and we never know the real circumstances.

This is a phenomenal read!! I have been quite split over JP Delaney books over the years, absolutely loving the first book and then feeling more of a disconnect with subsequent reads, but I am SO GLAD I picked up this one!

The plot is based around, and largely told from the perspective of, Finn, a man who, alongside sister Jess, grew up in a unstable environment in Mallorca - parents subscribed to a hippy type lifestyle and both were glad to escape to England during their teens.

Finn doesn't shed a tear when receiving the news that his father has passed away, but does hop on a flight to claim his inheritance - the 'finca' he grew up on, which is currently been inhabited by his fathers 3rd wife, whom (on the instruction of Jess) he intends to evict. Finn quickly learns that a mother and daughter are residing in the finca, and he is instantly attracted to the daughter. Both mother and daughter have fled from Albania and are seeking refuge in Spain. Attachments quickly form and Finn finds that not only is he not evicting the women but also his stay has much extended. How will Finns obsession pan out?, and are the women to be trusted?! All is revealed in quite spectacular fashion!

This is an excellent original story, told with such intelligence that I am utterly in awe, and definitely converted back to this author!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

‘The New Wife’ by J.P Delaney is a psychological thriller that seems to split reviewers. I enjoyed it and although I can understand some of the concerns other reviews have mentioned I actually enjoyed it. The novel is about family dynamics, unexpected inheritances, and a web of suspenseful intrigue. The story is well told with interesting characters and lots of twists and turns. I don’t take the story to seriously and I am willing to forgive some of the hard to believe moments for the sake of the entertainment.

The story centres around Finn Hensen and his sister, Jess, who inherit their father’s picturesque but rundown farmhouse in Mallorca following his recent passing. As they set their sights on claiming their rightful inheritance, they encounter an unexpected obstacle in the form of their father’s new wife, Ruensa, and her enigmatic daughter, Roze. The farmhouse is now transformed into a luxurious Mediterranean retreat and it raises suspicions about Jimmy’s death, prompting the Spanish police to dig deeper.

The author builds the suspense throughout and blurs the lines between victim and villain. The characters are interesting and it can be difficult to read their true intentions which just adds to the suspense. Ruensa and Roze are especially difficult to read and they had me questioning whether they are innocent victims or possess a hidden agenda.

The story is set in Mallorca and for me this enhanced the atmosphere in the sun-soaked Mediterranean landscape. The author gives good descriptions of the surroundings which just fed my imagination more and made the read more satisfying.

‘The New Wife’ is well paced and the author drip feeds the twists throughout, with Delaney unravelling the mysteries surrounding Jimmy’s death and the true nature of Ruensa and Roze’s involvement. I found this novel a page turner and because of that was a quick read.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Quercus Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

#TheNewWife #NetGalley
Waste of time. It's not even a thriller.
When Finn Hensen gets a call from his sister Jess to say their father has died, neither is heartbroken. Their parents divorced many years ago, after which their father, Jimmy, continued to live a bohemian lifestyle in sun-soaked Mallorca. Ownership of his beautiful but dilapidated farmhouse in the mountains now passes to Finn and his sister. The only problem is that Jimmy recently remarried and his new wife, Ruensa, is still living there. The pair agree that Finn should go to Mallorca and tactfully take possession of their inheritance. When he arrives, however, Finn is surprised to find that Finca Siquia has been completely transformed into a chic Mediterranean bolthole by Ruensa and her twenty-seven-year-old daughter, Roze. The Spanish police, meanwhile, are asking awkward questions about Jimmy's death . . .
Are Ruensa and Roze the helpless victims of circumstance? Or will they stop at nothing to get Finca Siquia for themselves?
Don't waste your time in it
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for giving me an advance copy.

ARC review

The New Wife by JP Delaney release date 20th July.


When Finn Hensen gets a call from his sister Jess to say their father has died, neither is heartbroken. Their parents divorced many years ago, after which their father, Jimmy, continued to live a bohemian lifestyle in sun-soaked Mallorca, while his family returned to the UK.

Ownership of his home, a beautiful but dilapidated farmhouse in the mountains, now passes to Finn and his sister. The only problem is that Jimmy recently remarried for the third time, and his new wife, Ruensa, is still living there.

The pair agree that Finn should go to Mallorca and tactfully take possession of their inheritance. When he arrives, however, Finn is surprised to find that Finca Siquia has been completely transformed into a chic Mediterranean bolthole by Ruensa - along with her twenty-seven-year-old daughter, Roze. The Spanish police, meanwhile, are asking awkward questions about Jimmy's death . . . Are Ruensa and Roze the helpless victims of circumstance? Or will they stop at nothing to get Finca Siquia for themselves?


I’m usually a huge JP Delaney fan and he’s an automatic must buy author for me.
Unfortunately this just fell flat. It draws heavy parallels to the classic My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier it lacks the draw and atmospheric thrill.
The first 50/60% of the book is a slow steady build to what you hope is a shocking twist but unfortunately the last third of the book lacks direction and becomes erratic and confusing with no real clarity at the end.

A real shame as there isn’t anything JP has written that I hadn’t enjoyed, until now.

2* for the build but not a recco from me.

A huge thank you as always to the publisher for giving me the chance to post an honest review.

I enjoyed this but not as much as the girl before ,it was still good but I remember making a point of looking at what percent I was at when I felt nothing much had happened ,it was 73% .I mean yes was drawn in and yes appreciate a build up as there was a wonderful shift and I suspect was a purpose move for It to be a slow burn ,but sometimes it was just slow .
However I was involved with the charcters , their storys ….the hopes and dreams the fantasy’s and the idea of love but not always the true experience ,I liked the women in it and hoped I wasn’t wrong ,the lead Man U feel for and hope he’s not walking into a trap .
The last quarter is good and worth the slow bits so thanks to this author who I will always be intrigued to read and netgalley ,publishers .

The New Wife by JP Delaney is a gripping thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. The story follows Finn Hensen, a man who travels to Mallorca to claim his inheritance after his father's death. However, when he arrives, he finds that his father's new wife, Ruensa, is not who she seems.

Ruensa is a beautiful and charming woman, but Finn can't help but feel that she is hiding something.

The New Wife is a well-written and suspenseful thriller. Delaney does a great job of creating a sense of unease and dread.

If you are looking for a good thriller to read, I highly recommend The New Wife. It is a fast-paced and suspenseful read that will keep you guessing until the very end.