The Widow's Husband by Lesley Sanderson
Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 19th April 2022
Published: 21st April 2022
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
DESCRIPTION:
For seven years I believed my husband was dead – until the note arrived this morning…
The day her husband Tom disappeared, Rachel’s life fell apart. Childhood sweethearts with two young children, they’d done everything together. And then, suddenly, Tom was gone. Without a word, without a note, without a single sign of where he might be, leaving Rachel to survive alone.
Now, nearly seven years later, Rachel has come to terms with life as a single mother, caring for their children who still secretly long for their father’s miraculous return.
But in his absence, Tom’s hidden life started to emerge, and Rachel has discovered things a wife should never have to. A secret life that betrayed everything Rachel thought she knew. Not knowing where he’d gone was no longer the main worry keeping her awake at night – it seemed much more likely he’d been silenced. Forever.
Until today, when – with just one month until Tom is to be declared legally dead – Rachel receives a note in handwriting she recognises with dread:
My darling, I’ve missed you so much. Give me a chance to explain. I’m coming home.
The husband she’d lost is alive.
And so are all his secrets…
A totally addictive and suspenseful thriller that will have you reading late into the night, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, T.M. Logan and Lisa Jewell.
MY REVIEW:
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lesley Sanderson's addictive domestic thriller THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND.
A husband who disappears without a trace. A concerned wife. An even more frantic girlfriend. And a tangled mess that he's left behind. Where is he? Is he dead or alive? Or did he feel the pinch of keeping two women and two households and flee?
Another compelling Lesley Sanderson thriller that I was excited to sink my teeth into. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed...and I wasn't. The premise was certainly intriguing and there were enough thrills and chills and twists to keep me enthralled from beginning to end.
Seven years ago, Rachel's husband Tom disappeared without a trace and has not been seen since. But before he went missing, Tom had left her for a younger woman, Heidi. One afternoon Tom fails to return home from work and Heidi rings Rachel in a frantic mess wondering if she has seen or heard from him. And despite police investigations, Tom was never found.
Now seven years later, Rachel has single-handedly raised their two children Lara (12) and Josh (8) who have no recollection of their father. Despite him leaving her for another woman, Rachel has had to come to terms with the fact that Tom is not coming back. And now the time is approaching when she can declare him legally dead and inherit all he has left behind. And then the first note arrives.
"I want to come back to you."
Rachel is speechless. She would know Tom's distinctive writing anywhere. Has he been alive all this time? And if so, where has he been? And why now? Just when they were getting their lives back on track...why now? But before she can make any sense of it, Tom's girlfriend Heidi reinserts herself in their lives...and takes young Lara under her wing. Lara who has no friends and is incredibly sensitive warms to Heidi instantly. Should she be worried? Her sister seems to think so...as does Freddie, Tom's business partner who has been showing an interest in Rachel of late. But Rachel begins to wonder if she can trust any of them.
And then another note appears; this time it's more in depth with details that only Tom would know about. Rachel knows without a doubt that Tom must be alive. And yet still she questions why now? Why is he contacting her now? As the story unfolds it soon becomes clear that there is far more to Tom's disappearance. But how can Rachel move on with so many unanswered questions?
THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND is certainly an addictive thrill ride as the reader questions everything and everyone. Cleverly told through multiple narratives both seven years ago and in the present day, this intriguing domestic thriller is fast paced and a quick read that will entertain and intrigue. There are some tense moments but I easily unpicked the tangled mess to unravel most of it before the grand finale...and I enjoyed every minute of it.
One of my favourite Lesley Sanderson thrillers to date, THE WIDOW'S HUSBAND is filled with secrets and deception and plenty of twists to keep you engaged until the very last page.
I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheWidowsHusband in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
'The Orchid Girls' was her first psychological thriller followed by 'The Woman at 46 Heath Street' in 2019, The Leaving Party (2020), The Birthday Weekend (2020) and I Know You Lied (2020).
Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since and is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.
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