The New Girlfriend by Sheryl Browne
Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 26th July 2020
Published: 3rd August 2020
★★★★★ 5 stars
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
Some secrets are more dangerous than others.
Cassie once did something so bad she’s never spoken about it since.
When her beloved son, Josh, dies suddenly in a tragic accident, Cassie is overcome with grief. And, as she cries on her husband’s shoulder, her phone lights up with a message that terrifies her.
I know what you did and I’m going to make you pay.
Somebody from Cassie’s past has found her and they want everyone to know just what kind of a woman she is.
As Cassie struggles to keep the message from her husband, someone knocks on the door of their perfect family home and Cassie discovers she isn’t the only person keeping secrets. Before her stands her son’s girlfriend – a girlfriend Cassie didn’t know about.
And when Cassie closes the door behind the new girlfriend, she has no idea who she has just let into her life. Her biggest secret is about to be revealed. And you won’t believe what Cassie does next…
A truly gripping page-turner that will keep you reading well into the night, The New Girlfriend is perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train, My Lovely Wife and Gone Girl.
MY REVIEW:
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Sheryl Browne's latest thriller THE NEW GIRLFRIEND.
I had one word to describe this book upon finishing it - WOW! What a ride! OK, so that's four, but WOW! was definitely the primary emotion...if it could be described as such. Honestly, this book has to be Sheryl's best by far. It is certainly the best I have read, of which have been the last four she's released. It puts her up there with the likes of Shalini Boland and Kim Slater, both of whom are my favourite go-to authors. But after this...so is Sheryl. But then again, I've always enjoyed her very twisted tales. I've just enjoyed this one so much more.
Cassie has a seemingly perfect life married to Adam but that illusion is shattered when a tragic incident occurs, resulting in her beloved son Josh's death. Now Cassie struggles with her grief, regrets and coming to terms with the events surrounding his death. Josh, whilst on the phone at the time, had fallen from a train platform but Cassie and Adam do not believe it was suicide, as the authorities had determined. Then at his funeral, Cassie catches a glimpse of a heavily pregnant woman at a distance but when she turns to speak to her, the woman has gone.
Four weeks later on the day of what would have been Josh's 24th birthday, Cassie opens the door to a young woman with striking red hair and a baby in her arms. Enter Kim and baby Samuel. The baby, Kim says, is their grandson. Cassie knows immediately that this is the woman she saw at Josh's funeral. But is the baby really Josh's? One look at baby Samuel gave them their answer as he was the spitting image of Josh at that age.
But who is Kim? And why have they never met her, let alone heard of her? If Josh was as serious about Kim as she says they were, surely he would have mentioned her to them. Despite there being a rift between Josh and his mother at the time, Josh surely would have confided in Adam as the two were incredibly close. Now Adam is worried that Kim may be after something or scamming them. After all, she is but a stranger. But Cassie doesn't agree. She is overjoyed that there is a tiny part of Josh left for her to care for.
Despite her husband's misgivings, they welcome Kim into their home and their lives. And that's when things begin to unravel. Cassie starts receiving threatening texts alluding to a secret from her past that, if exposed, would destroy her marriage and her world. Desperate to keep those skeletons locked firmly in her closet, Cassie attempts to hunt down the person she believes responsible. But what is she going to do when she tracks them down?
Pushing the past from her mind, Cassie focuses on baby Samuel and begins to buy up every baby item known to man to furnish their spare room with as well as the new cottage Kim has just moved into. With a few things in disrepair in her new place, Adam offers his services and building knowledge to fix all that needs repairing. But in the process, the gap between Cassie and Adam widens as the texts become more frequent and Cassie becomes consumed with obsession, paranoia and anxiety. She believes that Adam and Kim are becoming too close and that she can see Kim for what she really is, drawing Adam into her tangled web. But is Kim who she says she is? Or is Cassie just becoming paranoid? Is Kim the innocent victim she claims to be or is she a clever manipulator? With secrets and lies at stake and the two women vowing to protect them at all costs, who will become the biggest loser when all is revealed?
This addictive tale is written in the alternate narratives of Cassie and Kim - two complex women who are both strong willed and determined. Neither woman will back down in their own personal quests leaving the reader questioning their true motives. Are Cassie and Kim both who they appear to be? Or are they hiding deeper darker secrets? Both women are clearly unhinged, begging the question are they then responsible for their behaviour and, ultimately, their actions resulting from said behaviour? And what of Adam? Where did he fit into all this? Was he really the rare breed of man we don't often see, a genuine nice guy? Or was that just a facade as well? With a couple of chapters in Adam's voice and a few by a woman called Jemma, the reader is given pause to wonder how much of the picture are we actually being given? Are these just red herrings? Is everything a subterfuge? Is anyone who they appear to be in this book?
THE NEW GIRLFRIEND is compelling and addictive from start to finish. It is fast paced throughout, never letting up in this gripping tale of secrets, lies and maniuplation. The characters were brilliantly developed, even if unreliable as narrators but that just adds to the complexities of the story.
I cannot rave enough about this book, which I think is Sheryl's best so far to date (that I've read, mind you). From the shocking prologue to the startling end, THE NEW GIRLFRIEND is a psychological and domestic thriller like no other. It was completely addictive and I could not put it down!
If you haven't read Sheryl Browne before, I urge you to do so. Her tales have a twisted perspective and an array of unreliable characters, some of whom you love to hate. But this one takes the cake! THE NEW GIRLFRIEND puts Sheryl up there with the likes of domestic thriller queen of the killer twist Shalini Boland and Kim Slater.
Overall, a very very enjoyable read and very very highly recommended!
I would like to thank #SherylBrowne, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNewGirlfriend in exchange for an honest review.
I had one word to describe this book upon finishing it - WOW! What a ride! OK, so that's four, but WOW! was definitely the primary emotion...if it could be described as such. Honestly, this book has to be Sheryl's best by far. It is certainly the best I have read, of which have been the last four she's released. It puts her up there with the likes of Shalini Boland and Kim Slater, both of whom are my favourite go-to authors. But after this...so is Sheryl. But then again, I've always enjoyed her very twisted tales. I've just enjoyed this one so much more.
Cassie has a seemingly perfect life married to Adam but that illusion is shattered when a tragic incident occurs, resulting in her beloved son Josh's death. Now Cassie struggles with her grief, regrets and coming to terms with the events surrounding his death. Josh, whilst on the phone at the time, had fallen from a train platform but Cassie and Adam do not believe it was suicide, as the authorities had determined. Then at his funeral, Cassie catches a glimpse of a heavily pregnant woman at a distance but when she turns to speak to her, the woman has gone.
Four weeks later on the day of what would have been Josh's 24th birthday, Cassie opens the door to a young woman with striking red hair and a baby in her arms. Enter Kim and baby Samuel. The baby, Kim says, is their grandson. Cassie knows immediately that this is the woman she saw at Josh's funeral. But is the baby really Josh's? One look at baby Samuel gave them their answer as he was the spitting image of Josh at that age.
But who is Kim? And why have they never met her, let alone heard of her? If Josh was as serious about Kim as she says they were, surely he would have mentioned her to them. Despite there being a rift between Josh and his mother at the time, Josh surely would have confided in Adam as the two were incredibly close. Now Adam is worried that Kim may be after something or scamming them. After all, she is but a stranger. But Cassie doesn't agree. She is overjoyed that there is a tiny part of Josh left for her to care for.
Despite her husband's misgivings, they welcome Kim into their home and their lives. And that's when things begin to unravel. Cassie starts receiving threatening texts alluding to a secret from her past that, if exposed, would destroy her marriage and her world. Desperate to keep those skeletons locked firmly in her closet, Cassie attempts to hunt down the person she believes responsible. But what is she going to do when she tracks them down?
Pushing the past from her mind, Cassie focuses on baby Samuel and begins to buy up every baby item known to man to furnish their spare room with as well as the new cottage Kim has just moved into. With a few things in disrepair in her new place, Adam offers his services and building knowledge to fix all that needs repairing. But in the process, the gap between Cassie and Adam widens as the texts become more frequent and Cassie becomes consumed with obsession, paranoia and anxiety. She believes that Adam and Kim are becoming too close and that she can see Kim for what she really is, drawing Adam into her tangled web. But is Kim who she says she is? Or is Cassie just becoming paranoid? Is Kim the innocent victim she claims to be or is she a clever manipulator? With secrets and lies at stake and the two women vowing to protect them at all costs, who will become the biggest loser when all is revealed?
This addictive tale is written in the alternate narratives of Cassie and Kim - two complex women who are both strong willed and determined. Neither woman will back down in their own personal quests leaving the reader questioning their true motives. Are Cassie and Kim both who they appear to be? Or are they hiding deeper darker secrets? Both women are clearly unhinged, begging the question are they then responsible for their behaviour and, ultimately, their actions resulting from said behaviour? And what of Adam? Where did he fit into all this? Was he really the rare breed of man we don't often see, a genuine nice guy? Or was that just a facade as well? With a couple of chapters in Adam's voice and a few by a woman called Jemma, the reader is given pause to wonder how much of the picture are we actually being given? Are these just red herrings? Is everything a subterfuge? Is anyone who they appear to be in this book?
THE NEW GIRLFRIEND is compelling and addictive from start to finish. It is fast paced throughout, never letting up in this gripping tale of secrets, lies and maniuplation. The characters were brilliantly developed, even if unreliable as narrators but that just adds to the complexities of the story.
I cannot rave enough about this book, which I think is Sheryl's best so far to date (that I've read, mind you). From the shocking prologue to the startling end, THE NEW GIRLFRIEND is a psychological and domestic thriller like no other. It was completely addictive and I could not put it down!
If you haven't read Sheryl Browne before, I urge you to do so. Her tales have a twisted perspective and an array of unreliable characters, some of whom you love to hate. But this one takes the cake! THE NEW GIRLFRIEND puts Sheryl up there with the likes of domestic thriller queen of the killer twist Shalini Boland and Kim Slater.
Overall, a very very enjoyable read and very very highly recommended!
I would like to thank #SherylBrowne, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNewGirlfriend in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Sheryl Browne writes psychological thriller and edgy contemporary fiction. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Romantic Novelists’ Association and awarded a Red Ribbon by The Wishing Shelf Book Awards, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing.
To find out more about Sheryl's novels, go to:
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