REVIEW: The Other Couple by Diane Jeffrey

The Other Couple by Diane Jeffrey

Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 6th May 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 14th June 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Two couples. A fatal accident. And a decision that changes everything…

Kirsten and Nick are enjoying a weekend away until, on their drive home, they accidentally run over and kill a man. They should call for help – but they have too much to lose, and no one can know the real reason they’re here. Instead, they make a split-second decision to conceal the accident.

Amy and Greg have just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary. Amy is expecting a baby, and they couldn’t be happier. So when Greg fails to come home from a dog walk one weekend, Amy knows the police are wrong to believe he left of his own accord. Someone must be behind Greg’s disappearance, and Amy won’t give up until she gets justice – or revenge.

If you had nothing left to lose, how far would you go to find the truth?

MY THOUGHTS:

They ruined your life...it's time to get revenge...

Just wow! This has got to be the best Diane Jeffrey book I have read to date! Oh my gosh...the adrenaline was pumping from start to finish. You just know who the villain is so how will it all end? Even I had no clue as to its direction until just before the final twist. And what a splendid twist it was. They say that revenge is a dish best served cold but Diane Jeffrey has dished this one up piping hot!! Where to begin?

THE OTHER COUPLE is about two couples - Nick and Kirsten...and Amy and Greg. And to make this thriller even more twisted, Nick is married to Edie and Kirsten is married to Jamie. They met five years previously when Kirsten, a high end real estate agent, sold Nick and his wife their stunning house. And a celebratory dinner ended up being a five year long affair. Never mind that Kirsten had a hubby and 8 year old daughter Lily at home. No. These two are the most selfish narcissistic self obsessed people that they cannot (and will not) see beyond their own selfish needs and desires...and to hell with everyone else. Not least their spouses...but also Amy and Greg Wood.

Nick and Kirsten have just enjoyed a dirty weekend at a flat they've rented on the North Devon coast. Far away from their busy lives in London...and anyone who would know them. But as their weekend comes to an end and they must return to London, they round a bend in the pouring rain and hit someone walking their dog...who turns out to be the owner of the very flat they have just rented this past weekend - Greg Wood. Panic sets in and the couple decide they have far too much to lose and bundle the body into the car along with the dog. They return to London where Nick "takes care of things" and Kirsten goes back to her life with a dog now in tow.

Back in Devon, Amy Wood has a roast lamb ready for carving and awaiting Greg to return from walking Rusty, their dog. When an hour turns into two, three and four, she begins to realise something has happened. She calls his parents and friends and no one has seen him. When she finally does call the police, they begin to work on the assumption that Greg has left of his own volition. But Amy knows that not to be true. They just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary the day before and were on the cusp of an exciting new chapter of their lives. Greg was excited. He did not leave her and take Rusty with him without a word.

But what happened to Greg? And if something did happen to him, then where is Rusty?

Told from the alternating perspectives of Amy and Kirsten, THE OTHER COUPLE begins as something of a domestic thriller but turns into something far twistier. 

Kirsten is wealthy with a stunning home in an affluent neighbourhood, a loving husband and an 8 year old daughter - she has it all...and still she isn't satisfied. She wants more. She wants Nick. And he is nothing but an abusive controlling narcissistic sociopath. He controls her by ghosting her for days and weeks on end and then love bombing her when they reunite. I honestly don't know what she saw in him. Frankly they deserved each other. 

Amy, on the hand, had all my sympathy. She had a loving husband that was taken away from her in an instant, lost her dreams and even her dog! This other couple took everything from her. My heart ached for her with the not knowing what happened to Greg. When the police fail to provide any results, Amy decides to do some digging of her own...and to find out the truth one way or another.

WOW! Despite knowing who was who and who did what, the tension in this book was so tight I thought I would snap from the sheer intensity of it all. I loved the letters peppered throughout the book that were tacked onto the end of selected chapters. They aren't signed and there is enough information for readers to glean that someone's in prison...but why? And how? And most of all, who? None of which become clear until just before the final reveal when everything begins to fall into perfect place. And oh what symmetry! That twist was just so delicious I just have to relish it, it's so perfect. I loved it!

Overall, THE OTHER COUPLE is an edge of your seat thriller that is addictive and compelling, despite knowing all the players and their roles, you still want to see how it all ends. It really is so good...too good to put down and I hated the times I had to because I just wanted to keep reading it! I loved it. A well deserved 5 stars!

I would like to thank #DianeJeffrey, #Netgalley and #HQStories for an ARC of #TheOtherCouple in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Diane Jeffrey was born in 1973 and grew up in the UK: in North Devon and Northern Ireland. She spent a lot of my childhood in the water: either in the swimming pool or the Atlantic Ocean,swimming competitively and also surf life saving for several years. Diane was actually the first female lifeguard to work on the beaches in the UK. 

After obtaining a BA joint honours degree in French and German from the University of Nottingham, Diane then decided to become a teacher. Though she felt she wasn't fluent enough in French or German to teach either subject, she moved to France, where she became an English teacher. 

Diane always wanted to be an author and started writing poems and short stories at about five years of age. After lots of rejection letters and emails over the years from agents and editors, her debut novel was published when she was 43.

Diane has written five psychological thrillers, all published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollins, and all bestselling ebooks: Those Who Lie (2017), He Will Find You (2018), The Guilty Mother (2019), a USA Today bestseller,  The Silent Friend (2020), A Karin Slaughter Killer Reads pick for ASDA, and The Couple at Causeway Cottage (2022). She is currently working on my sixth novel.

When she's not teaching or writing, she runs (a little) and swim (a lot). She devours chocolate, books and beer. She also love holidays and travelling. Above all, Diane enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

Diane now lives in Lyon with her husband and three children, black Labrador and cat.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: The Couple at Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey

The Couple at Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 5th September 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 18th August 2022

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

NEW START. OLD SECRETS.

Kat and Mark move to an island off the Northern Irish coast for a new beginning. Far away from their frantic life in London, it’s the perfect place to bring up the family they’re longing to start.

But as soon as they arrive, cracks begin to appear in their marriage. Mark is still texting his ex-wife. Kat is lying about a new friendship. And one of them is keeping an explosive secret about the past.

The couple in Causeway Cottage are hiding something – and the truth can be deadly…

A gripping page-turner with a shocking twist, perfect for fans of Lucy Clarke, Alice Feeney and Shari Lapena.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have only read one Diane Jeffrey book, "The Guilty Mother", the others seemingly to pass me by unnoticed (which of course I shall have to rectify). And I loved that one so much I suggested a follow-up for another backstory that remained unsolved to which the author pondered that maybe she should. I've no idea if she has or not but I sure hope so as it was an intriguing case.

Anyway, I digress. THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE is at the forefront in this supberb atmospheric thriller, and is of course the title. The chilling and remote setting of Rathlin Island is so completely atmospheric I could feel the isolation and the sea spray on my face as I was immersed within the pages. I found myself googling the island just to see it for myself, and what a setting! If it weren't for the tense atmosphere, I could almost see myself curled up in front of a fireplace alongside (my) Dexter.

What should have been a new start for Kat and Mark on the beautiful Rathlin Island off the north coast in Northern Ireland turns out to be something quite different from what they expected. Moving from the rat race of London to the idyllic locale of Rathlin Island had initially been to care for Mark's ailing mother who was suffering dementia and was now living in a care home in Ballycastle. Rathlin Island is just a short ferry ride from Ballycastle where they could commute as the need arises. 

The couple purchased Causeway Cottage on the island, with Mark having undertaken all the viewings and the legwork and Kat had thus far only seen photos and taken a virtual tour. As they journeyed from London to Belfast from there to Ballycastle and finally to the island itself, Kat was preparing herself to see their new home for the first time. With a very small population, they had already agreed that Rathlin Island would be the perfect place to raise the family they longed to have. Despite the distance, Mark would continue to commute to Belfast for work, sometimes staying overnight or week-long stays while Kat remained at home. Her own plans were to take her passion for photography to a professional level and Rathlin Island provided numerous opportunities for the perfect photo op. 

One of the first things she intends to do after settling is to capture the first peak of sunrise at Altacarry Head with Scotland's Mull of Kintyre in the background. And just as she was set for the perfect shot...she was bowled over by a very exuberant collie called Dexter. He is closely followed by his owner Darragh, and immediately Kat is assaulted by something that lingers in the dark recesses of her memory, but she dismisses it as a coincidence.

It is clear from the outset that this couple are headed for disaster. There are underlying problems that have yet to make their way to the surface and when they do, what will be the outcome? Both Kat and Mark are hiding secrets but the question is, which secret has the power to destroy? They were meant to be making a fresh start on the island and yet Mark is still texting his ex-wife Fiona, with whom he cheated on his now wife Kat just a year into their marriage. Who does that? And why is he still in contact with his ex? And keeping it from her when she queries them?

But Kat has her own secret struggles. A name from the past, a tragedy for which she blames herself - what could this mean for her? Is she at risk of her secret being exposed? And why does she always feel as if someone has been in her cottage whenever she returns from a run or a trip to the mainland? Items are moved, damaged, disappear and some even randomly appear that were never there before. And the figure she sees outside their cottage at night - is that just a trick of the light? Or was someone really there...watching them? Is she in danger?

The story unfolds solely through Kat's narrative but we have to wonder, is she reliable? Can we trust her version of events? Can we trust her at all? Added to that, she is a walking mass of conflicted behaviour. Should she, shouldn't she tell Mark? Should she, shouldn't she tell Darragh? Can she trust Mark? Can she trust Darragh? Can she trust anyone? Who's hiding secrets from whom and why? And is her own secret about to be uncovered?

To be honest, I'd guessed Mark's dark secret (he had two major ones) and in the end I didn't trust him or the story he was telling Kat. And I was never quite sure of Darragh either though he appeared friendly enough. But was that a ruse? Or as he genuine? Kat's second guessing herself and everyone around her made her appear an unreliable narrator and some of her actions were a tad questionable. And that ending! I watched and waited as it played out, expecting something else to happen...and when it did, it was chilling. And then it ended. I usually prefer my endings all tied up neatly with an explanation for everything but this one was somewhat apt in this case, I feel. It was creepy and chilling.

And as a side note, I must add that I am thrilled nothing happened to Dexter. And I chuckled immensely at his herding up a bunch of random sheep...lol

THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE is a definite page-turner but may not be for everyone. There are a lot of seemingly unanswered questions and some aspects of the story are a little vague as to actuality and plausibility. It is definitely a complex and intricate web that is expertly woven by all those involved so none of them are completely blameless, and their secrets and lies are endless.

With a brooding darkness that mirrors the location, THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE is a tense and atmospheric thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the final shocking end. Well worth the read.

I would like to thank #DianeJeffrey, #NetGalley and #HQStories for an ARC of #TheCoupleAtCausewayCottage in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Diane Jeffrey was born in 1973 and grew up in the UK: in North Devon and Northern Ireland. She spent a lot of my childhood in the water: either in the swimming pool or the Atlantic Ocean,swimming competitively and also surf life saving for several years. Diane was actually the first female lifeguard to work on the beaches in the UK. 

After obtaining a BA joint honours degree in French and German from the University of Nottingham, Diane then decided to become a teacher. Though she felt she wasn't fluent enough in French or German to teach either subject, she moved to France, where she became an English teacher. 

Diane always wanted to be an author and started writing poems and short stories at about five years of age. After lots of rejection letters and emails over the years from agents and editors, her debut novel was published when she was 43.

Diane has written five psychological thrillers, all published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollins, and all bestselling ebooks: Those Who Lie (2017), He Will Find You (2018), The Guilty Mother (2019), a USA Today bestseller,  The Silent Friend (2020), A Karin Slaughter Killer Reads pick for ASDA, and The Couple at Causeway Cottage (2022). She is currently working on my sixth novel.

When she's not teaching or writing, she runs (a little) and swim (a lot). She devours chocolate, books and beer. She also love holidays and travelling. Above all, Diane enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

Diane now lives in Lyon with her husband and three children, black Labrador and cat.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: The Guilty Mother by Diane Jeffrey (ARC)

The Guilty Mother by Diane Jeffrey

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 6th August 2019

Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 2nd August 2019)

★★★★ 4.5 stars

Although I have other books by Diane Jeffrey on my shelf, THE GUILTY MOTHER is the first of her's I have read. While it builds to an edge-of-your-seat thriller, it doesn't begin fast paced; more of a slow burn. But the tension does rise gradually and keeps you guessing throughout.

Somewhat different to what I expected - although I'm not sure what I did expect - THE GUILTY MOTHER is a crime story about a woman who was convicted for murdering one of her twin baby daughters. Even as the story unfolds, you find yourself asking - "did she or didn't she?"

Melissa Slade was in prison for killing her 3 month old baby daughter.

But her story doesn't begin there. Nor does it end there. It begins with her second marriage to Michael Slade and the birth of their twin girls - Ellie and Amber. But all is not well in the Slade household. Melissa has a teenage son - Callum - to her first husband, whilst Michael has a daughter - Bella - to his first. Melissa isn't coping with motherhood the second time around, possibly suffering post natal depression. A friend suggests a nanny. What they get is a French au pair, Clementine - young and barely out of her teens.

Clementine favours Ellie, a happy baby who is no trouble at all. Leaving Melissa trying to deal with and bond with Amber, who is always crying and colicky and never seems to settle. Why Clementine never sees to Amber is beyond Melissa, for it would be nice just to give her a break for once. After all, she was hired to "help" Melissa. And Melissa needs help with Amber. But she is left to see to her on her own. Despite the constant demands, Melissa adores both Ellie and Amber and would do anything for them. Of course, husband Michael is no help...leaving one to wonder, just what does he do?

When it is suggested they have a dinner party, Melissa isn't sure. She is still tired and Amber is still fractious. Still, it goes ahead with just a couple of close friends. Clementine has Ellie...but it's been ages since Melissa has heard a peep out of Amber, who would normally be screaming the place down by now. Concern filling her, she goes to check on her daughter. It is quiet. There is no sound from her cot. Amber lay there on her tummy - still, lifeless and cold. Melissa screams and the guests come running, but it's too late. Amber has been dead for a while.

But if Melissa thought her world had fallen apart then...it was about to get a whole lot worse. But what could be worse than finding one of your twins lifeless? A victim of cot death?

Just a few short weeks later Melissa would find out...when she discovers her second twin has suffered a similar fate. But this time, there are anomalies. Ellie was suffocated. And Melissa was arrested, charged and tried for her murder. And found guilty.

Now in prison, Melissa has one final chance at appealing her sentence when new evidence has come to light that had been concealed from the original investigation and subsequent trial. Evidence to suggest that the second post mortem was suspect...and which supports the findings to be in conjunction with those in Amber's death.

So what were the prosecution hiding? Did Ellie die from cot death as well as her sister?

That is the basis of Melissa's last ditch appeal and Jonathan Hunt, a journalist with the local paper, is tasked with uncovering the truth having been on the case 5 years before with the original investigation. But he is reluctant to do due to personal reasons, which are reveal in due course, but his editor is having none of it. Together with his protege, Kelly Fox - who, unbeknownst to her and everyone else, has a personal connection of her own to the case - they do some digging into the old case files, chase up family members and witnesses to try and piece the puzzle together and uncover the truth.

And then they receive Melissa's diary that she has been writing whilst in prison. But do they believe all that she has written? Is it the truth or her version of the truth? After all, these writings are based solely on her memories from five years ago.

Is Melissa Slade manipulating everyone? Or has she been the victim of a miscarriage of justice?

Slowly, chapter by chapter, pieces of the puzzle are revealed from the alternating perspectives of Melissa, Jonathan and then Kelly. Each had a personal connection and each had a tragedy that was triggered by the ensuing events. Each trapped in a whirlpool of secrets and personal tragedy, the secrets and stories uncovered in this story are simply chilling.

I enjoyed each of the characters and their perspectives of the story. Melissa was somewhat of an enigma and while it was difficult at times to connect with her, that was her role in the story. Still I found all three to be relate-able and well-developed and I loved delving into each of their personal stories. The relationship between Jonathan and Kelly was engaging and comfortable and I liked the way they worked together; they complemented each other. I was completely engaged from start to finish despite the long chapters.

But the question remained - was Melissa innocent or guilty? Did she kill one baby and not the other? Did she kill both babies? Or was she innocent altogether?

Throughout the story, I constantly changed my mind as to who may have been behind the death of one or both babies. There are some questionable and/or detestable characters throughout as well as some completely endearing ones too. It's hard to know which way to look...but I had my suspicions. Long before it became evident. Whilst I guessed correctly, I didn't foresee the motive...which, when it becomes clear, will just break your heart.

For me throughout the story, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the world-renowned case of Lindy Chamberlain and the disappearance of her 9 week old baby daughter Azaria in 1980 here in Australia. She said a dingo took her baby; yet everyone believed she had murdered her. As in this book, Lindy was found guilty in a trial by media. And as in this book, I believed Lindy to be innocent as I believed Melissa to be. Despite the overwhelming evidence, in my opinion, it was all circumstantial.

THE GUILTY MOTHER is so full of secrets and lies, you never knew what was going to happen next as each revelation keeps you on your toes throughout. It is easy to be held hostage to such an intriguing story and the twists delivered make it a compelling and thrilling read.

...and that Epilogue just took my breath away!

Also published as "The Appeal", THE GUILTY MOTHER will have you questioning who do you believe? Is she innocent or guilty? You be the judge as I encourage you to discover it for yourself. But I guarantee, in the end you will be left with jaw dropping revelations that will have you scratching your head. Not in confusion, but it was as simple as that.

I would like to thank #DianeJeffrey, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheGuiltyMother in exchange for an honest review.