Member Reviews

LOVED this book. From start to finish, it kept me hooked and the gut-punching twist at the end shocked me to my core.

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Valerie does it again! I always love a thriller set on a tropical island so there was that but also the fact I really had no clear idea just who was the bad guy here. I had my suspicions but was never quite sure. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing and the end - wow. Inhaled this one and now I have the long wait until her next masterpiece. I wish I read slower!

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After reading several 5 star books in a row. I didn't expect The Wives to be anything but a quick. Fun. Easy to read book. Which it was. But it was also much more devious than I anticipated. It's the first book by this author I've read. But definitely won't be my last. I'd compare her writing to May Cobb's better novels like The Hunting Wives. On the surface, Natasha's married friends seem like full, boring women. But looks can be deceiving. I promise no spoilers. I encourage you to read this book if you enjoy fun books about friends traveling together with unexpected twists.

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The Wives was kinda a slow paced thriller. I did keep reading it to find out what was going to happen. I really didn’t care for any of the characters, but there were a few twists I didn’t predict which I enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

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Newly-wed Natasha feels that she has found her perfect match with Daniel. When Daniel books an expensive cruise and invites her 3 friends and their husbands it seems like a trip of a lifetime. During the trip secrets and lies are revealed and Natasha starts to question her marriage. This is a well-written page-turner with lots of twists. The cruise added to the claustrophobia and tensions. A recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC of this book.
All of the characters were very hard to like. They were all very self obsessed with little or no feelings for their "friends ". I found the whole story very flat with little to draw the reader in. Obviously we all knew he had been murdered but I wasn't very interested in who did it because he deserved it.
Not for me at all I'm afraid.

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Natasha marries Daniel. He is a successful businessman, and she will be able to give up her job which has sucked the soul right out of her.
Daniel invites Natasha's friends and their husbands on a cruise, but each of them has something to hide. Each woman wants Daniel, but also wants him dead.

I was hooked from the first page of this psychological thriller! Valerie Keogh knows how to write books that keep the readers glued to the pages!
Daniel was a particularly nasty piece of work, and Natasha's friends were no better! Twists galore to keep your head spinning!

I recommend. 4/5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

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It took me until a quarter of the way into this book to feel invested in the story; and even then it never really drew me in. I could easily put the book down at night and wasn’t overly eager to pick it back up again.
After the death on the ship is when things truly became interesting, and by then the story was nearly finished.
Thankfully, the book finished strongly and made up for a weak beginning

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This was a super fun read, and I really enjoyed myself. Normally I’m not a fan of locked-room thrillers- this one took place on a cruise ship but I was too invested in the juicy mysteries behind each character to really care.

The book follows Natasha, her new seemingly too good to be true husband, Daniel, and her three best girlfriends and their husbands. Daniel and Natasha invite the three couples to join them on a cruise, and all hell breaks loose shortly after the embark on their trip together.

I have some whiplash from reading this-in the best way.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for the advanced reader copy (ARC) of this fun and well done mystery thriller.

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Oh my! This one definitely is a super fast fun read. I went knowing who did it, to, everyone did it....in about 5 minutes. The ending was good, but dang I wanted more. Can we have a part 2? I'm invested in these characters now.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for this great read.

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WOW The Wives (Kindle Edition) by Valerie Keogh was an absolutely amazing thriller. Release date 6th November 2024.

Natasha a practice manager is tired of her job and mundane way of life then out of the blue comes along her very own James Bond, Daniel who sweeps her off her feet and after a short time proposes to her and she became Mrs Vickery Orme.

Not long after they are married Daniel suggests that Natasha invite her three married girlfriends and their husbands to go on a cruise to Zanzibar on an all expense trip paid for by Daniel.

Unbeknown to Natasha and her friends they are all going to be taken in by Daniel who has an ulterior motive on his mind from the beginning.

Natasha is going to learn that Daniel and her three girlfriends are keeping secrets and all three want him dead.

This thriller is a 'Whodunnit' story which will leave the reader guessing until the very end.

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I found this a little too unbelievable in places. I’m sure there are people out there who act like this but with people who they call their friends? I did guess who it was half way through. Also think maybe the cover should be on a boat and not a swimming pool…

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Fun, fast paced mystery thriller. While I didn't find the twists too surprising, it was still an enjoyable read and had me flipping the pages right until the end. I will say that I did not like any of these characters but was still interested enough to keep reading so I guess that's saying something.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Gripping book that, once it got its hooks into me, was difficult to put down. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in excahnge for an honest review.

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I have read many of author Valerie Keogh's novels and always love her writing style and the stories. The Wives was great, not her best personally, but still a very good read.

The novel is told through many different characters point of views and really held my attention.

We meet characters Natasha, Barbara, Tracy Ann and Michelle, all very good friends and have many get togethers with each other and their spouses.

Natasha has recently married Daniel, he is very charming and rich and not what he appears to be.

Daniel suggests going on a fabulous cruise with them all and off they go. Many secrets are revealed the very first evening of their trip, and things really go from bad to worse and we learn of who Daniel really is and each woman has their own secret that we get to hear about.

Really great writing, again, and I loved the setting on the cruise ship.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This book had me gripped from the first paragraph. A group of university friends, Natasha, Barbara, Michelle and Tracy -Ann, a tight knit group who's husbands all get along well. The only singleton is Natasha, who, whilst her friends got married and had children, devoted herself to her nursing career. Now facing exhaustion and burn out, she meets charismatic, charming and rich, Daniel,who seems like the answer to her problems. Marrying him allows her to give up nursing and she can look forward to having children and being like her friends. However, her friends are reticent about Daniel at first, though seemingly more accepting following their marriage. Natasha is thrilled when Daniel suggests inviting her friends and their husbands on an all expenses paid cruise. She's surprised at their initial lack of enthusiasm but eventually they all agree. However, being in close proximity, cracks begin to show in the friendships and each one seems to be harbouring secrets. What follows is a twisting, many headed monster of a plot with red herrings a plenty leading us in several directions before the brilliant denouement which I didn't foresee. Fast paced, intelligent, brilliant storytelling.

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Thanks to NetGalley, Valerie Keogh, and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Wives in the return of an honest review. I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a book where I ended up not caring at all about who actually committed the crime. The chapters alternate through the perspectives of four women, but they all feel very similar personality wise. Each chapter ends in a sort of question as to what will happen or who did what in the past. No one was likeable and there was no big plot twist to keep things interesting. It did make me want to go on another cruise though, so I guess that is something.

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Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

So many twists and turns amongst this small friend group, especially with Natasha brings her new relationship into the mix. She is so happy, jumps in quickly and marries Daniel, much to her friends surprise. When they all go on a cruise together, things begin to unravel. Each wife has their own secret involving Daniel. Though not a fast paced thriller, it was a good read with a who done it vibe,

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Explosive thriller.
Best friends,perfect marriages, a holiday to die for....
There's no such thing as a perfect husband.
Daniel Vickery-Orme has terrible secrets that are about to be revealed, along with wife Natasha, a cruise on the Dutchess Mary all expenses payed for by Daniel for all these friends turns into a gruesome nightmare.
Absolutely brilliant thriller that you won't be able to put down.
It's a mind blowing twisted story with clever characters bringing the enjoyment of reading leaving you with your mouth wide open.
Oh I loved this book.

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A group of friends go on a cruise paid for by one of the husbands, Daniel. Friends they may be however there is a lot more bubbling under the surface than just the calming waves of the sea. There are several secrets, many of which centre around Daniel whose wife Natasha has not long given up work to be at his beck and call so it seems, and she’s no longer sure of the life she wants or even the friends surrounding her. Who is telling the truth and what is really going on?

Valerie is a master at compelling plotlines and keeping the reader in for “ just one more chapter” that turns into more and more. An array of characters that you are uncertain as to whom to believe or even like makes for interesting reading, not sure what is coming next even though there is a hint or two along the way. A plot I invested in and thoroughly enjoyed. Clever, thrilling and captivating. Bring on the next one!

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