An enjoyable book, with a difficult lead character who proves herself to have a good heart, even though she’s experienced trauma that’s made her unpleasant in her interactions with most people.

I didn’t care for the ending—it felt rushed. I would have liked to see a more well paced end to the story, even if the outcome was the same.

It was wonderful to read a book about an older woman. There aren’t a lot of fiction books that examine the lives of seniors, especially women. Thanks for sharing this galley with me. Kudos to the author!

A beautifully written and uplifting book. I read this in a couple of days, as I was drawn in by the story and really wanted to find out what would happen to the characters. I’ll look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance reader copy.

Thanks for the ARC copy of this book via Netgalley. This is not my typical genre of reading, but I enjoyed it. I liked the blend of the present and past memories to explain the person Edna Watson has become. I could not put this book down! I am glad that I became aware of the different sides to this character that everyone was not aware of.









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I received this book from NetGalley.

The blurb wasn't super descriptive but the name sounded good so I thought I'd give it a try!

However, after reading 32% of the book not much has happened. I'm enjoying the bits from the journal but that's all we really know so far. Just bits and bobs about the upcoming funeral and the people looking to buy the house. I feel like there are just a lot of loose bits hanging about. Also, there is so much focus on Edna eating. Every second page seems to have her munching on something - in a movie that's fine but in a book? I don't need to hear every time she eats a custard cream.

There is so much backwards and forwards in this book that sometimes it's difficult to tell when Edna comes back to reality and when she's reminiscing. I also think there is too much. If it was a book about her life then these anecdotes would be great. But the main part of the book seems to be the people trying to buy her house so it doesn't feel like it fits.

The end of this book was a let down. She just...died?! There was no point in the people trying to buy her house. It wasn't necessary and the book could have done without it. Honestly, this book had too much going on for me.

I generally like senior citizens with snappy/cantankerous attitudes, and this one didn't disappoint in that sense. Edna had a handful of good one-liners and she wasn't afraid to stand her ground. I hesitate to downplay the "big tragedy" that happened to her when she was five, but I didn't quite get why her aunt and uncle thought it would be so funny to leave her outside the gates (in the first place) which then resulted in her [near miss] really awful experience. It seemed like a lifetime of hatred and general waste of energy over something that almost happened but didn't; I am having a hard time with that as the premise that drove the entirety of the character's life choices. I fully understand that I am fortunate not to have personal experience to compare to in that regard. However, I do have personal experience with being adopted and found that portion of the story intriguing but not parallel.

I loved this story. Throughout the story your emotions towards Edna change with almost every page turn. This is a story of complicated family and the scars of childhood and the lasting effects it can have on people. I thought Edna was a comlex character, she was both loveable and cantankerous. But you find yourself cheering her on thoughout the book either way. In some ways I thought that Edna was a relatable character, she dealt with situations in a very realistic and human way. This book is very powerful and bittersweet, from Edna suffering love and hate, loss and pain. I found this book a very easy unputdownable read. It was very well written. I'd definitely read a book by Jackie Racke again.

This book was not for me. I couldn’t through it and I didn’t like the writing style but would be willing to read another book though!

"That Terrible Woman" offers readers a deeply engaging and emotionally complex journey through the tangled web of family dynamics, personal trauma, and the quest for redemption. Centered on Edna Watson, a character as layered as she is enigmatic, the novel deftly explores themes of love, hate, and the shadows cast by our past.

Edna Watson, the eponymous "terrible woman," is portrayed with a compelling blend of cantankerousness and compassion. Her complexity as a character makes her both intriguing and frustrating—someone readers will find themselves loving even as they grapple with their own judgments of her flaws. The story begins with Edna receiving a call about her father's death, a moment that stirs up a whirlwind of unresolved emotions and repressed memories from her childhood.

The narrative cleverly interweaves Edna’s past and present, unraveling the dark incident from her youth that has shaped her entire life. This incident, which is gradually revealed through the course of the novel, is the key to understanding her insecurities and the driving force behind her strained relationships. As Edna returns to her hometown for her uncle’s funeral, she is forced to confront these painful memories head-on. The setting of a small English village adds a layer of intimacy and isolation, amplifying the emotional intensity of Edna’s internal struggle.

"That Terrible Woman" is a powerful narrative that shines a light on the corrosive effects of long-held grudges and the potential for healing through forgiveness. The novel’s portrayal of Edna is both empathetic and unflinching, making it a deeply resonant read. It’s a story that challenges readers to confront their own pasts and the people who have shaped them, ultimately offering a hopeful message about the possibility of redemption and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry to the author and to the publisher, but I couldn't finish this book.
I very much did not connect to the author's writing or her narrative.
I usually don't mind unlikable characters, but this one didn't speak to me.

Not my usual genre but have t say that even thought the main character is not very likeable I really enjoyed this book and flew through it.

Thank you for the opportunity to review

Everybody is sure that Edna is a terrible woman. Why is she so rude? Why does she judge everybody?
This novel takes us back in her childhood and the life of her mother.
The story is credible, even if the end is a bit sudden and not quite relatable.

I received an ARC of this book, thank you for the opportunity to review. A death in a family causes the main character to discover a family secret that she wasn't suppose to know and blows things out of the water. A stranger is insisting to buy her family home, and bullies her to try to buy it. I recommend reading this book, it is very intriguing and will keep you glue to the pages.

Edna Watson, the protagonist of Jacki Racke's "That Terrible Woman", is portrayed as a woman who struggled due to a traumatic childhood is often perceived as difficult or dismissive from others. However, behind her wolfish exterior lies a kind and generous soul. When her uncle passed away, it unearths long-buried family secrets, propelling Edna into a journey of self-discovery, delving into her mother's journal, reading unread letters from her mother's former lover's son, finding out that she was adopted, grappling with her unresolved family tension – all while battling cancer and fending off land developers from attempts to oust her from her estate.

The story begins with a witty portrayal of Edna's typical day, however, as the narrative progresses, the connection between the various plotlines fails to coalesce with each other and some parts are anti-climactic. While Racke's novel offers an intriguing premise and a complex main character, Edna’s character was well-crafted and the overarching theme of forgiveness and seeking your inner peace amidst life’s chaos.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well written story. Edna is a complex interesting character and the story was poignant and heart wrenching. The detailed story is filled with secrets and heartbreak. This novel is of resentment and redemption after years of holding in all the pain of the past and finally forgiveness. I recommend this book as it is a real page turner and a must read! I would love to be able to meet this author one day!

Edna's father has died and now someone she doesn't know wants to 'desperately; buy her house.. while looking through some things she comes across a box belonging to her mother and she discovers a secret that could explode.

I love family dramas. The secrets they have. The way they could destroy others lives and the way they, at times, don;t care about the consequences.

This is an amazing read. It has everything and more that a book of this genre could offer a reader to keep them gripped and intrigued.

I loved it

This was a beautifully done novel, it had everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the idea of this novel from the description. It was overall a strong story and had characters that worked with the story being told. It was a strong story and that the characters were realistic and it was a bittersweet story. Jacki Racke has a great writing style and am excited to read more from the author.

This is a terrific story with amazing characters, not the least of which is the terrible woman. I loved the way the author described the lasting impact of events over time and how different perspectives can be. Most poignant of all, I enjoyed the way she described different ways of grieving through many different relationships and characters in the book. While parts of it are a little overdone and the dialogue is at times a bit unnatural, with excessive descriptions, it is a terrifically moving story which I very much enjoyed,