I absolutely adored The Married Man. I have read a lot of books by K.L Slater and all have been fantastic.

The Married Man was packed full of twists and turns, secrets and lies and I just could not put it down, so I didn't, and it kept me up reading late into the night.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

The Married Man is about Richard Askew and his wife Olivia/Liv. He becomes friends with a rich investor who is living the life he wants. When he gets himself in over his head, he has to come up with a plan so that he doesn't have to let his wife know how much financial trouble they are in.
SPOILER ALERT
Rich turns out to be Daniel, who is remarried with a new baby on the way. When he loses a piece of paper with crucial info on it, this leads his new wife to discover his past life.
The pieces started falling into place for me midway through, but it is still worth the listen. Overall, the narrator does a decent job with the main character voices.

Everyone thinks my husband is dead. Just like we planned...

Nothing like a good solid fast paced read from a go-to author to keep you entertained on a quiet Sunday afternoon. And Kim packs a punch with a few twists thrown in that will make your head spin! Seriously, you will think you have this one figured out but you don't. For once, Ms Slater has hoodwinked me. Nicely played.

The story begins with a slow build that soon picks up pace as things begin to go awry. Eleven years ago, Liv's husband Rich disappeared while out with their three year old son Maddox, having taken him to nearby Frog Hill to fly his recently acquired kite from his birthday. At first Liv isn't concerned. But then when they still haven't returned after several hours, she tries calling but it goes straight to voicemail. She isn't completely surprised as the area has notoriously bad mobile signal. So she decides to head up there and take a look for them herself. But upon pulling into the deserted car park the only thing she could see is Rich's locked Mercedes and a fog rolling in with the coming storm. Returning home, she calls Rich's mum Shannon who tells her not to worry they'll turn up before calling the police to report them missing. After a brief search, Maddox is located hiding in a cave but Rich is never found.

Over a decade later, Liv awaits the day she and Rich planned for almost twelve years ago. A day when hers and Maddox's lives will change for the better. But when that day comes and goes bringing nothing with it, Liv begins to wonder if her husband has double crossed her. She has been going out of her mind with worry and Maddox has suddenly grown sullen, slamming himself out of the house at all hours and not telling her where he's going. And when the police come knocking asking for Maddox, Liv wonders what has her son gotten himself mixed up in?

Maddox has always accepted the story his mother told him of his father's disappearance all those years ago. But more recently, his snooping and a chance encounter leads him to wonder if his mum only been lying to him all these years. What he discovers rocks his world and puts him on a path to something far more dangerous than he could imagine.

Across town Kait, who has been married to Daniel for the past couple of years, is beginning to suspect her husband is cheating on her. Cryptic notes he dismisses with a wave of his hand, late nights out, snippets of a phone call caught on their doorbell camera all lead Kait to suspect Daniel is being less that truthful with her. Possibly cheating. Pregnant with their first child, Kait thinks only of her unborn child when Daniel begins being secretive. Before Daniel threw the cryptic note she found out she snapped a photo of it on her phone. And now she calls on her sister to help her unravel the string of numbers and abbreviated message. And it leads her right to Liv and Maddox. What exactly is Daniel hiding? And why does Liv pale when she saw a photo of him?

The story unfolds in the past and present through the various narratives of Liv, Maddox, Rich, Kait and the return of the Nottinghamshire police in DI Helena Price and her sidekick DS Kane Brewster.

This book is my umpteenth I've read by the author (I've lost count...lol) and it is full to the brim with a vast array of characters that each play a part in the past and present stories. Slater has penned yet another entertaining and intriguing fast paced read that had me devouring every page in one afternoon. So many secrets, lies and deception and many twists to give you whiplash.

A cracking read that was entertaining from beginning to end.

I would like to thank #KLSlater, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMarriedMan in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Kim has long been a favorite of mine and with this one she shines!

How would you handle it if your husband suddenly disappears leaving just you and your little boy to fend for yourselves. Eleven years later, you find out he has a new wife and is living very close to you. Or is he?

This story was filled with so many twists and turns that I never saw coming. The details in the writing were very purposefully placed to ensure a really crazy ride while reading. I enjoyed this story and found it easy to read. The characters were well described and easy to remember which contributed greatly to the story. A definite 4️⃣⭐️ read❗️

This book had a really interesting premise: a husband and dad disappears after he takes his son out to fly a kite, never to be seen from again.

Years later, we discover that the wife may know more than she's ever let on, and her secrets could bring harm not only to herself but also a woman she's never met and her own son.

I liked the concept of this book and I found myself dying to know how everything would tie together. However, I also really struggled with the characters themselves. None of them felt likable, and the entire story felt a little Lifetime movie-esque. I couldn't really understand how either of the main women in this book ended up in the positions they were in and it all felt just a bit convoluted to me.

The ending was... sort of satisfying, I guess? But not nearly as good as I'd hoped it would be.

Mind Completely Blown!

This book left me SPEECHLESS!

Thank you NetGallary for an early review copy of The Married Man!

This book is absolutely outstanding! I was on pins and needles during the entire book!

I absolutely Loved this book! It’s full of suspense and edge of your seat moments!
I must admit I didn’t see the twists coming. Phenomenal character development! This was an amazing read that I could not put down.

This book has it all! Suspense, lies, betrayal, mystery, twists and turns!

Rich and Liv’s story takes you on a journey you will not forget!

No spoilers with my review! This is a must read!

If I could give more than 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I would!

There are so many twists and turns in this book from the opening page to the closing g of the book. What a brilliant author. One man striving to make a future for himself with one unfortunate white lie who would have thought of the wheels that would put in motion and the consequences it would have for him, his family and others. This book is absolutely full to bursting KL slater could not have crammed more in. Brilliant

I loved this thriller. I couldn't figure out the ending. So many twists and turns. Brilliant writing. Definitely recommend!

Loved this book! It was full of secrets, lies, twists and turns! It starts a little slow and then it revs up. I love K. l Slater; she never disappoints. I love how she keeps you on edge and engaged. If you love cliffhangers and short chapters this is the book for you.

THE MARRIED MAN is a standalone psychological mystery thriller novel by bestselling author K.L. Slater. Having read and enjoyed her previous novels, I was anxious to start her new novel.by K.L. Slater.

Her Novels Include:
Safe With Me (2016)
Blink (2017)
Liar (2017)
The Mistake (2017)
The Visitor (2018)
The Secret (2018)
Closer (2018)
Finding Grace (2019)
The Silent Ones (2019)
Single (2019)
The Apartment (2020)
Little Whispers (2020)
The Girl She Wanted (2020)
The Marriage (2021)
The Evidence (2021)
The Widow (2021)
Missing (2022)
The Girlfriend (2022)
The Narrator (2023)
The Bedroom Window (2023)
Husband and Wife (2023)
Message Deleted (2024)
The Married Man (2024)
The Lucky Winners (2025)

This is my review of The Married Man.

Liv’s husband, Rich disappeared eleven years ago, after taking their three-year-old son, Maddox to the park to fly his kite. Now eleven years later he was presumed dead. Liv had waited these long hard years, her heart breaking for their son, who didn’t know his father was coming back.

But now Liv learns that her husband has a new wife. This wasn’t part of their plan.

Her husband made a terrible mistake and she had sacrificed everything to help him fix it. But now he’s put her son and her in danger again.

He had broken the rules and gone against their plan. But Liv and Rich are both hiding a secret.

The story is told from different POV’s in different time frames that gives us more depth into the intention of the main key players.

This is a well-written fast-paced novel with intense descriptions that heighten the suspense level, and give depth to the characters. The tension builds slowly with twists and turns to a satisfactory conclusion. This suspenseful thriller that kept me hooked until the very end…and an ending I didn’t see coming. A great read!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.

The Married Man by K.L. Slater is a psychological thriller that offers an intriguing premise, though it doesn’t quite live up to its full potential. The story centers around a woman who becomes entangled with a married man, only to find herself caught in a web of lies, deception, and unexpected twists. Slater’s writing is clear and easy to follow, and the pacing is decent, with the story moving at a steady clip.

The main strength of the book lies in its premise, which taps into the complexities of relationships, infidelity, and the dark sides of human nature. The tension between the characters is palpable, and the book does a good job of keeping readers curious about what will happen next. The psychological elements of the story—particularly the manipulation and emotional games played by the characters—are compelling and provide an engaging backdrop for the plot.

However, despite the strong premise, The Married Man ultimately falls short in some areas. The characters, while intriguing, lack depth and emotional complexity. Their motivations sometimes feel one-dimensional, making it difficult to fully connect with them or understand their actions. The twists, while unexpected, can feel contrived at times, and the overall resolution didn’t have the impact I was hoping for. There were moments when the story felt a bit repetitive or predictable, and I found myself wishing for more nuance or originality in the narrative.

Overall, The Married Man is a solid, if somewhat average, psychological thriller. While it has its moments and offers an engaging read, it doesn’t quite deliver on the tension and complexity I was hoping for. It’s a 3/5 star read for me—entertaining but not as gripping or impactful as it could have been. Fans of the genre may still enjoy it, but it’s not a standout in the crowded field of psychological thrillers. I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

My Thoughts: this one is definitely a book that will have you hooked instantly, Rich goes missing after doing out with his 3 year old son Maddox, who is later found by the police but he has no recollection of where his daddy went..

We quickly learn that the disappearance was planned, rich was in trouble and had to disappear but he’s coming back, Liv just has to wait it out… it will be worth it in the end, won’t it?

Fast forward 11 years, Liv had changed her name and moved away and Maddox is now 14 & getting into all sorts of trouble, he lands himself a job with the local drug dealer and finds out that everything he’s been told growing up may be a lie which then in turn causes him to lash out!

We’re also following Kait and her husband Daniel, who are conveniently both keeping secrets from each other that could bring their whole world crashing down if it’s revealed.

This was so cleverly done, 2 seemingly separate storylines both thoroughly gripping on their own become tangled together so intricately that you’re left doubting everything you’ve believed so far!

I didn’t see half the twists coming, this book honestly kept me guessing and on my toes the whole way through.

Definitely one that needs to be added to everyone’s TBR.

Our MC is Liv. Both her husband and son went missing one day when they were flying a kite. Eleven years later, Rich is declared dead and Liv has been waiting for her money. But the money didn't come as promised. Has Rich betrayed her and living a double life somewhere else?

The premise of the book is very interesting. However, this book didn't captivate me as I had hoped. It began well, lost some momentum in the middle, and then became so unrealistic towards the end. While it wasn't terrible, I never really felt a connection to the story.

There are a few red herrings, which I felt slightly poorly written. It became somewhat confusing at times. There are also multiple twists and turns which I love as I did not see them coming.

The other bummer is the ending. I feel that this could have been a better thriller if the ending wasn't rushed.
𝓜𝔂 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you NetGalley @netgalley and Bookouture @bookouture for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant book with several twists and turns.
I enjoyed this book which had good strong characters and kept me guessing.
Sad ending which I didn't see coming.

Really enjoyed this book. I love this author as always fast paced full of twists and a brilliant read. I’d highly recommend reading everything by this author.

I found the book readable and enjoyable. I really appreciated the twists and suspenseful elements, but some feel the characters lack depth. I didn’t find them particularly interesting.
I really like KL Slaters books, they are quick enjoyable reads

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

Eleven years ago her husband disappeared, Liv rebuilds her life but her "missing" husband Rich isn't dead he has a whole other life.
A great fast paced read that will keep you glued from page to page

From the first page, I was hooked by the relentless pace and mystery that unfolded with every turn. The unexpected twists kept me on the edge of my seat, making it impossible to predict what would happen next. By the end, I was left desperately sad it had ended. KL Slater does it again with her absolute corkers she produces time after time, never gets boring or samey they are all just fab!!

This author is so masterful, her plotting out of this world. Every book astounds with its brilliant twists that keep you guessing. This one is no different. Loved it.

I'm a big fan of K L Slater, but this one, unfortunately didn't hit the mark for me. I began to lose interest at times. I didn't really connect with the characters. The ending was really lackluster and changed my rating. Nevertheless I will always read her books no matter what.