This was my first Valerie Keogh book but it certainly won’t be the last one. Are you a fan of friendship and secrets based thrillers that turn really dark and twisty? Well then this one is calling your name!

Four friends with their husband on a luxury Zanzibar cruise. Natasha got married recently but her introduction of her husband handsome, charming & wealthy husband Daniel seems to have stirred up all sorts of unrest among her friends!

The Wives was absolutely bingeable. This one takes diabolical characters to a whole new level. People behaving badly in a beautiful setting is definitely my cup of tea. And that ending! 🤯 Twists just kept coming at the end! Grab this one when you need an entertaining mind escape.

A huge thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of The Wives by Valerie Keogh
What a brilliantly written book about four friends and their husband's who take a relaxing cruise. The Lies and deceit that unfolds....and I didn't see the twists coming
This book was so much fun to read, awesome characters, great descriptions of places, loved the setting. The story got better and better as I read
The story is told by several characters, although not confusing,  the author did a great job introducing the characters in a memorable way.
This is a great, quick and easy read with lots of characters that you can love or hate, and some great twists at the end.

Fast paced thriller I didn't want to put down, great setting with interesting characters. Loved the plot, loved the ending, definitely one to read in one go. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Wow. Sooo good. I couldn’t put it down. Definitely a must read.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read it

Soo good! Short chapters and captured my attention from the beginning. I didn’t expect the twist at the end. The writing is very similar to Fredas.

I really enjoyed this book.

The story was fast paced and kept me engaged the whole way through. I would have liked more of the backstory of the friendship group, and maybe more of Daniel's backstory.

This was a quick read from an author that I love, I'd recommend to anyone that enjoys fast paced thrillers that are quick and easy to read.

I really wanted to love this one. But it was very mediocre. Very bland. I needed more flavour, more spice!! There was so much potential. Secrets could have been more juicer. I was wanting more from the wives and Daniel.

“When Natasha meets Daniel, she knows her life is made. Rich, handsome and charming, Daniel will make the perfect husband. Even if she won't make the perfect wife...
She is thrilled when Daniel suggests an all-expenses paid cruise for Natasha, her friends, Barbara, Tracy Ann and Michelle, and their husbands. What better way to show everyone that Natasha has finally made it?
But as the ship sets sail, she learns that far from being the perfect husband, Daniel has terrible secrets that are about to be revealed. And each of the wives has their own reasons for wanting him dead.”



Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a DRC. The Wives is available now.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of The Wives.

I started and finished this book withing a few hours, it was hard to walk away from the story, one more chapter after every chapter. I really enjoyed the story, although my initial feelings of the end is anticlimactic. However, as I'm writing the review and thinking more on it, i realise how much I LOVED the end!
Highly recommend

The main characters were very unlikeable. Daniel was the worst and if the author was trying to gain sympathy for him on his demise, it didn’t work. The other characters, once best friends, provided a great storyline but at times it was shocking how cruel they were to each other. Overall a decent story. Thanks NetGalley for the arc

Really good, kept me reading. I loved the characters and the pacing, Valerie never disappoints. I totally recommend it!

Another great read from tbia author, based upon a group of friends with one who has recently gotten a new love interest but doesn’t quite fit into the group. An eventful, all expenses trip goes horribly wrong- great characters who have a multitude of secrets which bring the story to life

For me the book was alright. It was a bit slow to start and I had to push myself to read it. About 3/4 of the way in is where it picked up for me and I got interested. Was about when they went off the boat to the excursion. I was surprised by the ending.

This was my first read by Valerie Keogh and I will be running to add additional books of hers to my want to read list. What an amazing read!!!

Natasha meets the man of her dreams, he is handsome, and he is rich. She has mostly been single and spends a lot of time with her close friends that are married and some have kids. Shortly after Natasha and Daniel get married, Daniel decides to book a cruise and invite Natashas friends Barbara, Tracy Ann and Michelle and their husbands with Daniel footing all of the bill. Natasha and her girlfriends had discussed doing a girls cruise, so this was perfect, and she was very excited! Little did she know, Daniel has been up to things, and not things that she is happy about. What has Daniel been up to? Just what is going on?

Grab this book and read it! You will not be sorry!

Valerie Keogh has a knack for keeping readers engaged and The Wives is a perfect example. Her writing kept me engaged throughout even though the characters never seemed realistic or likable. Four women, best friends for years, travel on a cruise together with their husbands, three of the couples having been invited by the new groom. As secrets are revealed division between the friends as well as their spouses continue to snowball until a death brings things to a head. Events are at times are seemingly implausible but Keogh’s writing kept me totally engaged.
Many thanks to talented Valerie Keogh, Boldwood Books Ltd, and Net Galley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of The Wives. Keogh’s writing style made this a four star read for me.

From the moment Natasha meets the enigmatic and charming Daniel, I was hooked. The intricate layers of their relationship unfold brilliantly, promising a gripping narrative that's impossible to put down. Daniel, with his allure of the perfect husband, brings an irresistible mix of suspense and charm to the story.

The real twist comes when Daniel proposes an all-expenses-paid cruise for Natasha and her friends, along with their husbands. What seems like the perfect getaway soon spirals into a web of secrets and deceptions. As the ship sails, each character's hidden motives come to light, painting a complex picture of desire, betrayal, and vengeance.

Natasha's journey, from her initial thrill of being with Daniel to the stark revelations about his true nature, is brilliantly depicted. The author masterfully balances suspense with deep, emotionally charged moments, making it a page-turner from start to finish. The tension on board the cruise ship is palpable, keeping you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover each character's secrets.

This book is a testament to the author's prowess in the psychological thriller genre. The plot twists are expertly crafted, leaving you guessing until the very end. It’s a dark, thrilling ride that explores the depths of human emotion and the lengths people will go to for love, revenge, and survival.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you guessing. It’s not just a story; it's an experience that will linger long after the final page is turned. An absolute must-read!

Four couples on a cruise, all expenses paid for by Natasha’s husband Daniel. What could go wrong?

In The Wives by Valerie Keogh, Natasha is thrilled when she falls in love with a charismatic and wealthy man, Daniel. Her friends are a little less than enthused but push their feelings to the side when Daniel offers to pay for all of them to go on a luxury cruise.

But soon Natasha learns that her new husband isn't what he seems and every couple has their own deep, dark secrets. But who wants one of them dead?

I‘ve’ read several of Valerie’s novels and have enjoyed them all. Her books are always suspenseful, entertaining, and quick reads.

Synopsis:

When Natasha meets Daniel, she knows her life is made. Rich, handsome and charming, Daniel will make the perfect husband. Even if she won’t make the perfect wife…

She is thrilled when Daniel suggests an all-expenses paid cruise for Natasha, her friends, Barbara, Tracy Ann and Michelle, and their husbands. What better way to show everyone that Natasha has finally made it?

But as the ship sets sail, she learns that far from being the perfect husband, Daniel has terrible secrets that are about to be revealed. And each of the wives has their own reasons for wanting him dead.

I was amazed these four women i the story had been friends for so long. They're not at all the people I'd have as my best friends! Natasha and Tracy Ann were very unlikeable. Michele had character, which I liked. Natasha, frankly, was selfish and self-centred. Their husbands were mostly likeable, apart from Daniel. The cruise setting is enjoyable and I enjoyed the plot, although at times I got the women mixed up, which was annoying. We understand early on who is going to die, the big question is, who did it? A fun book which kept me entertained.

Valerie Keogh, The Wives, Boldwood Books, November 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

What a clever novel this is, with its hints of being a domestic drama with familiar themes to becoming a thriller, with touches of comedy and a graphic punishment for the most heinous character in the book. The latter makes uncomfortable reading but also fulfills the desire to see the ‘villain’ suffer – all too often not given enough space for the reader who seeks imaginary revenge. Possibly deplorable of the reader but thank you Valerie Keogh for indulging this fault!

The wives are three, until Natasha meets Daniel who is charming, attractive, and wealthy. He provides a pleasant way out of Natsha’s increasing dissatisfaction with her work. She would like to retire, have children, and like her friends lead a more domesticated life. Daniel appears to be ideal husband material. He even approves Natasha’s married friends, dull though Natasha thinks they might be in comparison with her highflyer partner. Daniel and Natasha marry after a short courtship, and the four couples enjoy outings as couples, as well the men meeting when the wives pursue their outings at which Natasha was once the spinster friend. The highlight of this togetherness is the cruise for the four couples with Daniel footing the bill. At the same time, Daniel ensures that he and Natasha have superior accommodation and the diverse benefits that go with this.

Natahsa has been bemused by her women friends’ lack of enthusiasm, quickly masked, for the cruise. She is embarrassed about the huge suite she and Daniel share, although the cruise is clearly very upmarket for all of them. It surely is a holiday made in heaven? Alas, it is not, and what has begun as a possible domestic drama, with Daniel at its centre, but rumblings in the other marriages, becomes a thriller. Suspicion undermines the women’s friendships, the cracks that might have been there all along becoming more apparent as the days pass. One death is followed by another, and at the end of the book it is apparent that these will not be all.

There are some comic moments as well as the well written relationships around the marriages and between the women. Although the characters are not particularly likeable, they are people whose stories are absorbing. The storyline works well, as does the plotting around the deaths. There are no jarring notes with confected twists. Rather, Valerie Keogh’s novel is an engaging read, which seamlessly combines domestic drama and thriller.

I love this author but I find I need to be in a certain mood when I read her novels. I just did not care about these rich girls and their stupid husbands this time. Normally I gobble that up. I just can't imagine going on a fancy cruise with a bunch of fake friends right now.
Still love the author. This just is not my favorite book of hers.

This book is about 4 best friends and their husbands. Natasha is married to Daniel and the story focuses on their marriage and how he is as a person. I was really into the book and then it lost me about halfway through. I solved the mystery and just completed the rest of the book to see if I was correct. This is the first book I have read by the author and I was not very impressed. Was happy it was a quick read. Thanks to Netgally and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.