Member Reviews
This is book 4 in the "The Doctor's Wife" series.
I absolutely adored the first book, it was one of my favourites of 2023. I've read every book of this series as it came out and I'm sad its finished.
I think the story got wrapped up very nicely in this final book, It has moved away from the original story a little bit but it still felt cohesive.
As always i loved the dual timeline and multiple POVs, it really makes the story so much better.
I'm actually going to miss these characters a lot, especially Fern. She was always my favourite.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
This is before in The Doctor's Wife book series and it's called The Doctor's Child. I received a copy from Bookouture via Netgalley. Today is also publication day for this book!
Now we follow both daughters as they have grown up and are adults now. One of them lives in France and one lives in England and both can't wait to leave their small villages and see the world.
Alice and her daughter Evelyn still live in England but Evelyn isn't speaking to Alice anymore. She blames her for everything.
Fern, after having fled from England to France, is there to say goodbye to her daughter Cecilia who is moving to Paris.
I won't tell any more about the story as I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
I absolutely enjoyed the stories of Alice and Fern and each time the author surprised me with the next book and with the focus on different characters. The author manages well to describe the characters in such a way that they're likable and that you understand their reasonings. This would be an absolute perfect conclusion to this book series although I would love to read another part of course!
The series is an absolute recommendation and you should definitely start with reading The Doctor's Wife.
5/5 ⭐
I had my doubts at first how the original book could turn into a full blown series...but here we are on the fourth (and final, sobs) 'episode' already.
Advancing on eighteen years from where we finished The Doctor's Mistress, the children are now into adulthood and it's time for their mothers to meet.
I've been on board since the first book and have absolutely loved this series. They're fast paced, highly addictive and full of more twists than I could ever handle on a roller-coaster.
Hurst has firmly cemented his place as one of my go to authors for a shot of suspense and thrill.
I would wholeheartedly recommend both the Doctor's series and the author.
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
The past can't stay hidden forever...the truth will always come out...
He's back! This time with the fourth and final book in The Doctor's Wife series, concluding the tale that has spanned some two decades. When we left off in the previous book "The Doctor's Mistress" , Alice had been hell-bent on seeing Fern behind bars once and for all whilst battling her post natal depression after Evelyn's birth. But that chapter ended somewhat surprisingly when Alice let Fern go after saving her little girl's life on a Cornwall clifftop. And now they are all back...and Evelyn and Cecilia are now on the cusp on adulthood. So how does it all end?
It's been eighteen years since Alice and Fern were last face to face. Now their daughters have grown and life hasn't quite turned out the way they may have expected it to. For Fern, life on the run has been fraught with danger and looking over her shoulder but her life took a surprising turn when she fell in love with Pierre, a doctor no less, and the couple married in a small and private ceremony in the little French village in which they lived. Her life has been quiet and near perfect but she is forever keeping watch to ensure her secrets stay buried and that her husband and daughter never find out the truth.
But now Cecilia is about to turn 18 and is moving to Paris with her best friend Antoinette where the girls will live their best lives. Fern worries her daughter may be tempted to travel further afield and venture back to England and seek out her roots but Fern must do everything to ensure she never does that for fear that the truth will out.
While life has been kind to her arch enemy since their face-off eighteen years before, Alice has not been so lucky. Her daughter Evelyn> has grown up with constant bullying over being the infamous doctor's child as everyone in Aberness knows who they are and their roles in the most famous story to happen in the northern village. Alice never hid the truth from her daughter and now Evelyn is making her mother pay for letting Fern go all those years ago. She cannot understand why she did and has never forgiven her for it. In the meantime, the man at the centre of where it all began - Doctor Drew Devlin - has risen in status to practically sainthood in his daughter's eyes, though she never knew him. And for that she blames Fern and her mother for letting her get away with it.
Now at 18, Evelyn has plans to travel Europe and cut herself off from her mother and hopefully make some friends along the way. Because life has been incredibly lonely in Arbeness with no friends at all, not with everyone knowing exactly who you are. And as the day she leaves arrives, her answers to her mother's questions are monosyllabic at best and her impatience to get away evident.
But Evelyn finds her travels aren't all what she expected to be. She makes no new friends as everyone in the hostels are travelling together and have no need for a third wheel and her desire to seek out new experiences and new friends falls flat. Until she arrives in Paris. There she makes two new friends - Cecilia and Antoinette. And it's only a matter of time before the fireworks begin...
OK so this one was a little more predictable than the previous three and yet it still holds the Hurst factor throughout. It was always going to end some way or another, it was just a matter of when and how. It's like two trains on a collision course. You know what's going to happen and you wait with baited breath to see it play out in slow motion as the two collide, unable to stop it happening. As the reader, we know the full story and we watch as the truth is revealed to the unsuspecting passengers in Cecilia and Evelyn.
It was interesting to see how the two women's lives had played out in the two decades since they last met. Fern was actually likeable now. She'd built a life for herself and Cecilia, which is what Alice told her to do. On the other hand, Alice has had to live with the choice she made in letting Fern go because she saved her little girl that day. But no matter how much she tried explaining it to Evelyn, her daughter refused to understand why. Evelyn looked at what Fern took away from her with rose tinted glasses in that she robbed her of her father, one that was a philandering womaniser who was not a very nice man and who I doubt would have had much interest in a child he'd fathered with his mistress. Evelyn's attitude grated on me throughout and she behaved like a spoilt child in some instances, blaming her mother who had done everything to protect her. Whilst Cecilia, on the other hand, lived a charmed life in France in total oblivion to her own mother's past crimes.
This tale is one of redemption as the story comes full circle with even something of a sad end in the case of one of the characters I had come to love in previous books. I do hope this is the last in the series as I believe the story has gone as far as it could go and really it has come full circle anyway.
THE DOCTOR'S CHILD can be read as a standalone but I do recommend that you read the series in order to appreciate the story in its entirety from the start.
1. The Doctor's Wife
2. The Doctor's Widow
3. The Doctor's Mistress
4. The Doctor's Child
Another stellar read from Daniel Hurst, unfolding through the various narratives and timelines to paint a fuller picture for the reader as only Hurst does.
I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDoctorsChild in exchange for an honest review.,/b>
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
When I requested this ARC.based on the title. I wasn't aware it was book #4 of a series. But I made sure the books are standalones. I quickly understood the premise that Alice had an affair with Dr Drew and got pregnant. Fern murdered her husband for cheating and fled to the countryside in France where she raised her daughter Cecilia with her new husband, also a doctor., Pierre. I'm expecting the book to be explosive & unpredictable but unfortunately I'm finding it very predictable regarding the two daughters who are both traveling in Paris & the U K. I do not care about any of these flawed characters, particularly Alice & Fern. While books jumping back & forth between past & present is extremely popular, I do not feel it's working in this book. 35% into the book there have been at least 4 deaths already and I've had enough. I'm DNFing to read a book I enjoy much more. Needless to say, I won't be reading the 3 other previous books in this series. I am curious if what I think happens, does, but not curious enough to read the next 65%
Wow, what a great book!! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read it How many people can a person kill and get away with it? Plenty in this series! The story was leading up to a restaurant scene about halfway through, and I felt it coming. I both anticipated eagerly and dreaded getting to it. When everyone was on the way to the restaurant, I had to put the book down for a day. Haha
I'm sorry if this is the end of the series, as I have loved each book about this doctor and those who have played a part in his or his widow's life.
If you are looking for a griping, page turner with a satisfying ending, this is the book for you! The Doctor’s Child is the fourth book in The Doctor’s Wife series. While it can be read as a stand alone book, reading the other three books in this series first is recommended! With a minimum of four POV with alternating chapters as well as “flashbacks” to the past this book is captivating and leaves no stone unturned! While there are some twists and turns as you would find in a thriller, I found them to be predictable and craved a shocking moment. For this reason I’m giving this book 4⭐️. Overall I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by this author!
Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for providing an ARC of The Doctor’s Child by Daniel Hurst for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The Doctor’s Child is the fourth and what I think is the final book in this series. For anyone who hasn’t yet read this series the books are in order; The Doctor’s Wife, The Doctor’s Widow, The Doctor’s Mistress . Whilst this one can be read as standalone the previous books I’ve mentioned are also excellent reads and well worth reading. So back to The Doctor’s Child. Again Hurst has written a fast paced and thrilling page turner. My only very slight problem was there was a lot of moving back and forward between past and present, this usually isn’t a problem for me but there were times I had to think to what person the chapter was referring to , now this wasn’t a major problem and it did state at the start of every chapter. Apart from this it certainly didn’t take away my enjoyment from this roller coaster of a read. If you enjoy fast paced and gripping thrillers this is one I would really recommend
I absolutely loved this series. While I'm really sad for the ending, I wish it ended differently for one of the characters even if I probably am in the minority there.. It was nice to see how both children turned out and how their mothers' past had affected them.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Daniel does it again with the concluding part of The Doctor's Wife series. A very satisfactory end to a thoroughly enjoyable series. It was great to go back and see what became of these unlikeable characters (I did like Cecila and Evelyn though). With a few twists and turns and naturally a few more deaths, I feel like I got the closure I needed. Can't wait to read many more books from this wonderful author.
Daniel Hurst continues Fern Devlin’s story and ohhhh how it plays out!
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this fourth installment of the Doctor’s Wife series but I think this one is my favourite. For me, this was a fast, one day, guilty pleasure read.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Daniel Hurst for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.
I've enjoyed reading about the deranged adventures of Fern Devlin, but I wish it wasn't over! Boy, she does some insane stuff! And even though she does some really bad things, I was rooting for her the whole way. I loved the adult introduction of Cecelia (Fern's daughter), Evelyn (Alice's daughter) and Pierre (Fern's French doctor husband). I did see the "major twist" in the middle coming, but I was still entertained by the details and happenings around it. This series is full of craziness, off-the-wall thinking and rationalizations, but Fern isn't the only nutty one. Perhaps Hurst could continue with Alice's experiences next as she seems to be good at getting herself into sticky situations. Or maybe the next generation of stories can continue with Cecelia and Evelyn. In any case, I found The Doctor's Child, as well as the entire series, amusing and entertaining. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC.
NOTE: This is the fourth and last book in The Doctor's Wife series. I recommend reading them in order.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheDoctorsChild by #DanielHurst. The final book in the Doctors series, is wrapped up nice and neat in this book. I enjoyed this book as much as o have enjoyed the other ones in this series. There is a lot of drama, death and finality and I was on edge the whole time. Was justice served? Did everybody get what was coming to them?
The saga continues with the doctor who died three books ago. Fern and Alice both have a storied past, but have settled into their new lives. Fern is a little less worried about anyone finding out her real identity. Alice's relationship with her daughter is not good. Evelyn wants revenge on the woman who took her father's life. She is just a broody young lady who has no real friends.
This was not my favorite of the four books because I missed the psychological warfare that I have grown accustomed to in this series, but it was still hard to put down. There were times that the pace was a little slow for me, but the ending was almost perfect. I really do not like any of the characters in this series, but I guess that is by design. You do not have to read the previous three books, as you get a history lesson in this book as the time rolls from the past to the present, but I recommend that you read them in order. It will be well worth your time.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Daniel Hurst, the king of revenge plots, returns with his famous Doctor's Wife series explosive finale with #4, THE DOCTOR'S CHILD.
Fans have anxiously followed the journey of the doctor's wife and mistress throughout the series, leading up to their explosive meeting with the two daughters. Get ready for some fireworks in this twisty suspense thriller. SCANDALOUS!
Two mothers will do anything to keep their daughters safe.
The Doctor's Wife Series:
My Reviews
The Doctor's Wife #1
The Doctor's Widow #2
The Doctor's Mistress #3
The Doctor's Child #4
As we learn from previous books, Doctor Drew Devlin and his mistress, Alice Richardson, have an affair. It was widely known nationwide for its crime documentaries and news articles.
A child was born out of this fateful affair, a daughter, Evelyn. Drew, the doctor/father, was murdered by Fern, the wife, due to the affair. Then, she goes on to murder more people to hide her secrets.
At present, the focus is the grown teen daughter, Evelyn. The doctor's child.
Surrounding the murder- the players:
Fern Devlin—The doctor's wife (Drew). The black widow.
Cecilia—Fern's daughter with Greg (dead)
Doctor Drew Devlin—(dead)
Alice— Drew's Mistress
Evelyn—(Alice & Drew's daughter from the affair).
Tomlin—The detective
Tomlin is still haunted. He could not catch Fern several times and initially charged the wrong woman. He is now sick. Will Fern be caught before he reaches the end?
Fern Devlin, the infamous doctor's wife, is still on the run. Every time Fern is involved, there are deaths and bodies to follow. She seems to outsmart everyone. Manipulative, intelligent, evil, wicked, clever and devious.
Revenge is a powerful motivator. Motherhood is also powerful.
Fern Devlin is the doctor's widow, the woman who every police officer in the UK is still on the lookout for.
She has changed her name and appearance. She is known as an ex-at who left England and moved to a small French village, seamlessly blending into life in her new country. No one knows the true Fern. None know her as a murderer. She has lived almost eighteen years without anyone knowing who she is.
Now almost sixty, she is marrying an older doctor, Pierre, and her lovely daughter, Cecilia, is eighteen.
Greg is the father and the man she murdered while trying to uncover her lies and murder. She also had been involved in more murders— Rory, her accomplice in Drew's murder back in Arberness, and Greg, her daughter's father. She gave birth to her daughter in Cornwall and fled with her overseas. Before this book is over, she will murder someone else when they find out who she is and threaten to expose her.
Fern also keeps her secrets from her husband and her daughter. No one can ever find out, or she will be in prison for the rest of her life. Her daughter would also hate her. She can never know the real Fern.
Motherhood has changed Fern, and she would do anything for her. However, she does not know how this will be tested. She can never go back to England.
Alice's child, Evelyn, is around eighteen-nineteen and a little older than Cecilia.
The last time Fern saw Alice was on a clifftop in Cornwall. Alice allowed Fern to escape despite spending so much time trying to catch her. Fern had also set up Alice, sending her to prison to take the fall until they proved she was innocent.
Told from POVs: Alice, Fern, Evelyn, and Cecilia (past and present).
Someone is trying to blackmail Fern, and she is worried that someone is on to her and that she will be on the run again.
Before attending university, her daughter decided to travel to Paris with friends, get jobs, and live there. Fern is worried about her, but she has to let her go.
But little does she know along the way, she will meet Alice's daughter, and when the parents visit, she will come face to face with the woman she set up and murdered.
How will her daughter react when she discovers the truth? When her daughter discovers who she is and what she has done, will she turn herself in?
💥What happens in Paris is EXPLOSIVE! Hurst gives his fans their money's worth in the grand finale showdown, THE DOCTOR'S CHILD!
I had guessed this book would follow (or hope so) the last book so the characters could come full circle where it all began. It's a big world out there, but this is fiction. You know the two mothers and daughters had to meet (fate) and everything to be unraveled, but you do not know how it will be unveiled and who will be collateral damage.
Even though the author provides a lot of background, I highly recommend reading all the books in the series to fully understand the characters. I have certainly enjoyed this series, and no one does it better than Daniel Hurst.
Who knew one man's affair could cause this powerful and complex domino effect? I appreciated how the author chose to end the book. You almost feel sorry for Fern—from murderer, motherhood, and a road to redemption.
I enjoy this author's writing—both his series and standalones. I'm not sure how he cranks out all these books. His writing is crisp and clear, with short chapters, twisty plots, fast-paced suspense, and well-developed characters. He is my go-to author for dark humor, psychological thrillers, and domestic suspense.
I turned on the audio feature of the e-book and listened in one day!
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 1, 2024
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Daniel Hurst does it again! This series includes my favorite books by him, and this 4th and final installment in The Doctor’s Wife series did not disappoint! It gave everything I needed it to give. Fern and Alice are back and they each have a daughter. As their daughters turn 18, they want to go out and explore the world. Yet, thy are unaware of how their worlds are about to collide and be upended!
While this can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the previous 3 books in the series for background information. This was the best book in the series! Hurst wrapped things up in a way that can leave no questions. I will miss these characters. I truly felt connected to them while reading this series. The author did a great job developing these characters and making you feel as though you knew them.
The plot develops in true Daniel Hurst fashion - fast paced, action packed, short chapters that leave you wanting more, and a plethora of drama. He keeps the twists and turns coming at you furiously in this one, and I found myself on the edge of my seat, anxious for the outcome. I devoured this in one sitting. I will miss these characters and their antics, but I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to this series!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
An amazing fourth book in the series by Daniel Hurst. Here we are taken forward 17 years from the last book. The 1 year old girls are now adults and venturing out on their own. While each had been living in different countries we are taken on an anxiety filled journey wondering when their paths will cross and what the results will be.
I found the book to be fast paced from the very first page and I just couldn’t stop reading. The only negative I have was that I felt a little disappointed by the ending which I don’t know if it’s because the series was coming to an end or if I had my own expectations of how I wanted it to end and it didn’t happen. Or it could be a mixture of both. But overall an amazing story.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Doctor's Child by Daniel Hurst is the fourth (and hopefully the last) book in The Doctor's Wife series. This book broke my heart and even though I gave 5 stars I wish I would stop on book 3.
This is a really good wrap-up, seriously, but not for me! Looks like I loved the wrong characters.
I can't say anything else without giving up some details so here you are 5 stars and broken heart!
Finally settled and happy Fern lives in South France with her husband Pierre, and her daughter, Cecilia. Cecilia is ready for her big life in Paris and Fern must deal with broken nest syndrome.
Alice is still single; unfortunately, her relationship with her daughter Evelyn is complicated. Evelyn is hurt and bitter and ready to leave for the best.
The paths are crossed and events take unbelievable turns.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for this copy!
I was so excited for book 4 in The Doctor’s Wife series by Daniel Hurst.
The whole series is full of suspense and will keep you guessing until the very end.
We’ve been through 3 other stories and now we are meeting the Doctor’s daughter. I loved the different characters’ POVs.
In this fitting finale to The Doctor’s Wife series, Hurst skillfully weaves together the lives of Fern, Alice, and their daughters, Cecilia and Evelyn. As the young women forge their own paths, the legacy of their parents’ tangled history continues to shape their destinies.
Hurst masterfully constructs a web of secrets, lies, and hidden motives that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Hurst’s prose is sharp, evoking the claustrophobic atmosphere of small-town life and the weight of secrets buried deep. The pacing is relentless, with revelations dropping like well-placed breadcrumbs. And that ending—oh, that ending!
Another fantastic read in the Doctor's Wife series! In book four, we have The Doctor's Child out for revenge. Well put together and a satisfying read. There are surprises upon surprises and nicely concludes the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!