REVIEW: Wife Mother Liar by Sue Watson

Wife Mother Liar by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 4th February 2025

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 10th January 2025

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

She’s perfect. Too perfect…

Wife: For twenty-five years, my husband and I have been the ideal couple. I’m shy, but he’s always been the life and soul of the party, a charmer, so I didn’t worry the first time I caught him a little too close to my best friend, Wendy.

Mother: Then our darling son says he’s taking Wendy’s daughter to prom, the girl I never trusted because she’s too much like her mother. As I snap photos of them, I have a smile plastered on my face, but inside my head I’m screaming at him to stay away from her.

Liar: As flashing lights slice the darkness around our home, my worst nightmare comes true with the shocking news that one of our children is dead. And I can tell my husband and my best friend are both lying about where they were. But none of their secrets compares to mine.

And nobody knows just how far I’d go to protect my family…

MY THOUGHTS:

Someone is lying. Someone knows the truth. Someone is going to pay...

This latest thriller by Sue Watson reads almost like a slightly longer Daniel Hurst thriller. Very few characters who are equally unreliable, the entire tale rehashing old ground in the space of a few days, keeps the reader guessing and even that final twist at the very end that most probably never saw coming. I admit to suspecting it but then I forgot about it with everything else going on. And what a tangled web it was!

Jill and Wendy have been neighbours and best friends for two decades. They were new wives together, new mums together and were even pregnant together! Their respective son and daughter - Leo and Olivia - were born just two weeks apart and grew up together, best friends like their mothers were. But then they hit their teens and suddenly Leo was seeing Olivia in a new light and the pair began dating. Jill was far from thrilled and did her best to dissuade the romance while Wendy thought Leo was a far better catch than bad boy Rory whom Olivia had been seeing beforehand.

Everything was going well until prom night. Leo and Olivia dressed in their finery, Wendy even hiring a photographer to capture the moment in time, and the hired limo taking them to the school. Jill had asked her husband Tim to collect the pair at the end of the night but he texted to say he was detained and wouldn't be able to. Little did Jill know that what started out as a perfect night would end in tragedy. Jill and Wendy's two children would  go off to the prom but only one would return.

Almost two years later, Jill and Wendy are catching up for girls weekend away in Wales. Leo had told his mum of this beautiful place that was so completely dark that you could truly see the stars in all their brilliance. Jill wanted to share this with her friend, hoping to rekindle something of their friendship after the tragedy that had ripped them apart two years before. What ensues is a tennis match of "she said/she said" and mud-slinging on both parts. But will the truth about prom night ever come to light?

And just when you thought you'd heard it all, along comes the coup de grace which brings the entire tale full circle and saves what essentially was a story that seemed to drag on just a little too long. The one-way conversations were enlightening to say the least and the saving grace of this tale, with the final reveal coming not a minute too soon in Daniel-Hurst-like fashion...enough to give you whiplash and leave you thinking how very clever.

The story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of Jill and Wendy, best friends for over two decades, as we witness their mud-slinging tennis match of she said/she said and getting precisely nowhere. The reader even grows tired of their animosity; Wendy's constant denials (me thinketh she protest too much, maybe?) and Jill's manic behaviour. Wendy an incorrigable flirt and Jill who took helicopter parenting to a whole new level. These two were complete maniacs, they were insane! And then there were their husbands. Wendy's Robert was blase about just about everything while Tim would get his leg over anything with a pulse. Nobody was in the least bit likeable and this wasn't Watson's best thriller but that final twist just made it all the more sweeter. Well done!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT, THE NURSERY, THE WEDDING DAY, THE LODGE and YOU ME HER.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

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REVIEW: You Me Her by Sue Watson

 

You Me Her by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 15th June 2024

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 3rd June 2024

★★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Three people. One marriage. One murder.

YOU: My handsome husband Tom. You’ve given me everything – our beautiful son and our perfect new seaside home. I want to trust you, but I know you haven’t been honest about why you really wanted to move here. I haven’t been honest with you either…

ME: I make a secret promise as Tom kisses me and pours a glass of ice-cold wine to toast the first night in our dream house: I’m going to forget about his past. For the sake of our son, I’ll keep this family together, no matter what.

HER: Chloe is the only friend I’ve made since the move. I love our long lunches, even though she asks prying questions about my marriage. Tom hates me spending time with her, but I ignore his warning to stay away. I’ve seen the way he looks at her. It’s better to keep your enemies close…

You may think you know what’s going on in my marriage, but you’ll be wrong. Only three things are true: Someone is a liar. Someone is in danger. Someone is a killer.

Fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train will love this absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller. With twist after twist, you won’t be able to put this book down!

MY THOUGHTS:

One marriage...three people...one murder...

YOU ME HER...how do I count the ways?

YOU must read this twisted tale of domestic suspense and delicious deception.

If you ask ME, this has to be one of Sue Watson's best thrillers to date! And I'm in a reading slump and finding it difficult to connect with any book!

But when I read about HER, I didn't know which of them to trust. Which HER is the unreliable one here?

First of all, the setting is the best part of the book. Cornwall, though never having visited except on TV and books (since I'm in Australia...lol) is one of my most favourite settings for any tale - thriller, historical, you name it. So I was thrilled to discover Sue takes us back to the sweeping atmospheric setting although it does play very little part this time round. But I still love it.

So we meet Rachel, who has packed up her life and her four year old son Sam, and is heading from the dirty grimy Manchester (sorry, Mancurians) to the beautiful rugged Cornwall. With her inheritance from her father, she and husband Tom have purchased a sprawling home that was in dire need of fixing up. Whilst she packed up and sold their flat up north, Tom was busy renovating their new home and making it theirs. 

But what Rachel didn't know was the surprise he had in store for her. In the form of a hidden swimming pool in the walled garden. She had envisioned a secret garden for her little boy to play in. Instead she got the stuff of her worst nightmare...But Tom mean well. He wanted to help her overcome her fear of the water and for her to enjoy splashing about with him and Sam.

And then on her first night in her new home, a stranger walks in all smiles and light and laughter. Chloe was their estate agent who sold them the house and helped Tom with the plans for renovating. So why is she just waltzing into her home uninvited? Chloe claims not to know that anyone was there. But still...

Despite their first meeting, Rachel and Chloe hit it off and become fast friends. Tom warned Rachel off befriending the young woman citing her gossipy nature and loose relationship with the truth. But Rachel can't help it. Chloe is fun. Until she's not.

Strange things begin happening. Shadows in the garden. Sounds in the night. Sam seeing a stranger swimming in their pool. Odd happenings. Things going missing and then turning up again. Random deliveries of a creepy nature. And then things ramp up a notch when a fire is set in their garden whilst Rachel and Sam were inside. Rachel begins to wonder the lengths to which this woman will go. what does she want? Her life?

There is so much that is intense going on in this twisted tale but despite my slump I was still able to guess the twist long before it came and I turned the final page. A totally brilliant read by Sue!

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT, THE NURSERY, THE WEDDING DAY, THE LODGE and YOU ME HER.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

SPOTLIGHT: You Me Her by Sue Watson

You Me Her by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 3rd June 2024

** Due to a change in circumstances I have had to drop out and relinquish my tour/review obligations until further notice. I will publish my review and thoughts after reading **

DESCRIPTION:

Three people. One marriage. One murder.

YOU: My handsome husband Tom. You’ve given me everything – our beautiful son and our perfect new seaside home. I want to trust you, but I know you haven’t been honest about why you really wanted to move here. I haven’t been honest with you either…

ME: I make a secret promise as Tom kisses me and pours a glass of ice-cold wine to toast the first night in our dream house: I’m going to forget about his past. For the sake of our son, I’ll keep this family together, no matter what.

HER: Chloe is the only friend I’ve made since the move. I love our long lunches, even though she asks prying questions about my marriage. Tom hates me spending time with her, but I ignore his warning to stay away. I’ve seen the way he looks at her. It’s better to keep your enemies close…

You may think you know what’s going on in my marriage, but you’ll be wrong. Only three things are true: Someone is a liar. Someone is in danger. Someone is a killer.

Fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train will love this absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller. With twist after twist, you won’t be able to put this book down!

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT, THE NURSERY, THE WEDDING DAY, THE LODGE and YOU ME HER.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Lodge by Sue Watson

The Lodge by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 26th October 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 24th October 2023

★★★★ 4.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

‘Please – someone – help us. We’re at The Lodge, the snow is everywhere. We’re trapped. There was an argument last night… things got out of hand. Someone went missing in the middle of the night. We think they might be dead…’

Two days ago the Wilson family checked into the imposing, glass-fronted Lodge, surrounded by snow and perched perilously on the edge of a cliff looking out to a grey sea. Not everyone was looking forward to the family get-together. But mother-in-law Angela insisted the winter trip would help heal their rifts…

Danni: The new wife who feels like an imposter. She doesn’t trust anyone – even her husband. But is she trustworthy herself?

Fiona: The ex-wife who feels that all eyes are on her. She’s here for the sake of her children, but she fails to hide her seething jealousy towards her ex-husband’s new family…

Angela: The mother-in-law who can’t help but interfere. She planned the family holiday to get everyone together, but does she really want to keep the peace?

Scott: The husband torn between his ex-wife and his new wife. He says he wants to do right by his family, but he’s been telling lies to them all. Now his darkest secret is about to be revealed.

After a night of arguments, morning breaks with a single scream. Not everyone came to The Lodge to play happy families. Someone came to get revenge…

A completely gripping, utterly twisted thriller that will leave your jaw on the floor. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train. 

MY THOUGHTS:

One family...one holiday...one chance for murder...

One wife, one ex-wife, the husband, his mother, his two teenage/adult by said ex-wife, a 12 month old baby by now current wife and a personal chef with a possible hidden agenda. What could possibly go wrong?? This dysfunctional family are the stars of this locked room thriller set in the beautiful and picturesque Cornwall that is snowed in for this tale. Sue Watson does family drama on a whole other scale here right up to the barely convoluted end.

Fiona is just getting her life back on track after her husband Scott threw a grenade into their marriage by sleeping with a colleague and then marrying her. She's tried the dating life and discovered it's not for her so it settling back into her own rhythm when she receives an invite from family matriarch Angela to join them all on a family holiday to a secluded lodge in Cornwall to celebrate her 75th birthday. And she does mean...everyone. Including Scott's new wife Danni and their bouncing baby Olivia. Fiona really doesn't want to play happy families with her ex and the newer model he traded her in for, but her former mother-in-law hinted that it may be her last birthday. So Fiona felt she could hardly refuse.

From the moment everyone arrived, tensions were high. It was clear from the outset that no one was comfortable with the arrangement but were here for Angela. Even the birthday cake was a bone of contention as both Fiona and Danni had made one specially because Angela always said "that it wasn't my birthday without Fiona/Danni's cake!" Really? Talk about awkward. And then came the sabotage. Who was really guilty there?

Honestly, I think Angela was winding everyone up by inviting them all to the lodge for "a nice family holiday". How on earth did she think it would go? The entire weekend was doomed from the start. And then she announces their own personal chef in the form of former lab assistant from Scott's school, Jenna! How did she go from lab assistant to waitress to cordon bleu chef in a matter of months?

And then the police arrive one evening to announce a hit and run on the road leading to their lodge the evening of everyone's arrival. They seem to think one of them guilty! And when one of them disappears in the early hours of the morning, everyone is on tenterhooks as to what happened...and more importantly, why?

Let's talk about the characters...or not. There really isn't much to like about many of them. First of all, Danni. She got on my nerves from the off. Her irritating annoying little snipes at everyone made me want to slap her. Jenna? She was annoying on another level, sidling up to "Scottie" and trying to be the centre of his attention at every opportunity...even in front of his wife. Both of them! Fiona? I liked her but some of her decisions were questionable. Scott? Simply put, he was a tool. He'd have a shiny toy that he had been happy with until an even shinier one came along and then he decided he wanted that one instead...and so he risked everything by being an absolute idiot. And he didn't stop there. Georgia was incredibly insecure and anxious about just about everything. Sam seemed a little cagey...what was he hiding. Even baby Olivia got on my nerves with her constant screaming and wailing...and I couldn't even hear her! And then there was Angela. I really think she was winding everyone up by inviting them all to the lodge because what did she honestly think was going to happen? But then she did want one last birthday with them all. One last birthday that she could enjoy as Angela. And therein lies the conundrum.

There was so much cattiness and bitchiness going on with Danni being the main instigator and Jenna being a little more subtle in her approach. I really didn't like any of the characters but Fiona and Angela were the lesser of the evils I think. I guess I found a little sympathy for Angela in her case which is maybe why I was relatively okay with her.

The ending was somewhat convoluted with an epilogue that seemed to go on forever. But held within those pages were the answers we were all seeking. What really happened in Kynance Cove in Cornwall?

This atmospheric thriller is the perfect locked room mystery that will have even the reader on edge being locked up with all these characters for company. But what a fun read it was. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with with Sue once again and once again in Cornwall, always an atmospheric setting.

Tightly plotted, well written, tense, chilling and a thoroughly entertaining read.

I would like to thank #SueWatson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLodge in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT, THE NURSERY, THE WEDDING DAY and THE LODGE.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Wedding Day by Sue Watson

The Wedding Day by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 13th May 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 17th May 2023

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

The blushing bride. The handsome groom. A secret one of them will kill for…

It’s the day I’ve been dreaming about my whole life. As I glide down the flower-strewn aisle overlooking the Greek orange groves, in my pearl-encrusted ivory gown, I finally see my fiancé Nik. We look like the perfect couple, but not all fairy tales have happy endings…

Today is supposed to be the day of my dreams.

But I don’t see a single friend or family member. I’m surrounded by strangers.

I have been so excited to finally meet my fiancé’s family.

Then why do they turn their heads away as I walk down the aisle?

Now, as I say my vows, I gaze longingly into Nik’s eyes.

But instead of love, he looks through me, as if he can’t wait for this day to end…

And I suddenly have an awful feeling that I don’t know my fiancé at all.

But then again, he doesn’t truly know me either.

And by the time he finds out who I really am, it will be far too late. There’s only room for one happily-ever-after on this wedding day, and I’m determined to make it mine…

MY THOUGHTS:

The blushing bride...The handsome groom...A secret one of them will kill for...

First of all, forget the description premise - that doesn't even take place till about halfway through the book and there is so much more to come before the illustrious wedding. Secondly, this is one messed up train wreck of a story! Our narrator is so unreliable readers can't even trust her let alone anyone else. And then there's all the other pieces of the puzzle that are literally littered all over the place with no rhyme or reason. I say again, train wreck!

I'm a big fan of Sue Watson and am always eager to read what she has next in store for us. THE WEDDING DAY, again, is something a little different. OK, so it's a lot different and I'm still getting my head around how someone can be so naive to make such stupid ill-conceived decisions. But one thing that didn't slip by was the big reveals. I knew exactly what was going on (or thereabouts) and was neither wowed or shocked when the reveals came. Maybe I am just too seasoned to be shocked and know exactly where to look...but hey, it was still an entertaining read watching Alice make some stupid decisions. 

We meet Alice on her way home from work one evening stopping by the Tesco Express for another bottle or two to drown her sorrows on this Valentines Day where her Decree Absolute has become final. She spends as much of the time choosing the wines as she does ruminating over past failures as a wife/ mother/person when she spots a familiar figure in the aisle. Her ex-husband Dan...and he's not alone. And she's pregnant. Very pregnant. Devastated, Alice flees covered with the spattered drops of wine, only stopping when she stumbles onto the train home. In her ragged state, commuters believe her to be homeless as does the ticket inspector who demands to see her ticket or payment for one but without her bag - which she left back in Tesco - she is bundled off the train at the next stop.

Poor Alice. She hasn't had much luck in recent years. After failed attempts at IVF, to now discover her ex has soon impregnated a fast replacement only adds salt to the wound. But now Dan is in hospital with a fractured skull after taking a smack to the head with a wine bottle and the police are looking to her for answers. Instead of using common sense, Alice packs her bags and boards a plane to the beautiful Greek island of Corfu. I don't blame her, I'd probably prefer the sun drenched shores of the island myself.

There she meets Sylvie who quickly becomes her new best friend. The two women share so much in common and neither have been lucky in love so what better way than to drown the past in Cosmopolitans?! No thank you, but each to their own. Alice has taken a long term rental there with no return date for the UK booked and the more she hears from her sister Heather back home, the less likely she is to return. Can things get any worse?

And then she meets Nik. Beautiful Greek god adonis Nik. Owner and manager of Kouris Wineries in the rural Greek mountainside. He's handsome, he's rich and he's interested in Alice. Can her luck finally be changing? After a whirlwind romance, the couple marry at his vineyard destined to spend their lives happily ever after. Until Nik is arrested on their wedding day.

When I started reading THE WEDDING DAY, like most readers, I was thinking "where's the wedding?" Ok, so that comes later. Much later, as it happens. But before that is a whole lot of other stuff that I found quite confusing. Alice's blackouts...even her reasoning behind them were somewhat vague that I doubt anyone would have believed her had she told them. It seemed a little wishy-washy just out of reach that it was hard to connect anything that she was saying to what was happening. Even her references to the disappearances in Corfu were vague. She claimed her and her sister were true crime fans and followed the case online but that didn't wash with me. Both Alice and Heather seemed a little too personally involved. They knew something but they weren't sharing. I just didn't get why these women were so important to Alice when she didn't know any of them...or did she? She didn't seem to and she certainly never admitted to doing so. It was just so confusing that I didn't know what her role in it that mystery was...because she was sooooo stuck on it. She's like a dog with a bone and wasn't giving up.

BUT...everything starts to make sense towards the end, trust me. But it is a long time getting there. The pace is a little slow to begin with, slower than Watson's previous thrillers, but it does pick up at the wedding and following that. Alice still, however, continues to make stupid decisions throughout. I was shouting at her at every major decision to STOP! NO! DON'T DO IT! Because I knew it was only going to end in tears. No good was going to come of it, I felt sure. My skin was crawling, my nerves were tingling...something most definitely was not right. But like all stupid lovesick idiots, she failed to heed my warnings...or that of her sister, with whom she was in direct contact (as opposed to me, a humble reader to her happenings). Really, Alice ignored just about every red flag waved in her direction. Either that or she was just blind to them completely, I'm not quite sure. 

The question is, do you know what is happening or will you be as shocked as Alice when all is revealed? Or are you a seasoned reader of this genre like me and can pick a predictable path to the end? Either way, there is one twist that had my jaw dropping because it was most certainly something I wasn't expecting. And what a twist it was.

Overall, THE WEDDING DAY was an entertaining thriller that did drag a little but picked up as the threads were woven into place to a satisfying end.

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

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT and THE NURSERY.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

REVIEW: The Nursery by Sue Watson

The Nursery by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Domestic thriller, Suspense

Read: 19th October 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

Australia

UK

US

Listen to Sample

Published: 20th October 2022

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

Then: Morning light shines into the nursery, casting shadows across the pale pink walls and wooden cot in the middle of the room. She opens the door expecting to hear the soft coo of her daughter Sofia stretching herself awake. But the room is silent. The cot is empty. Her little girl has vanished…

Now: Twelve years have passed, but Emily will never forget the night her life changed forever and she’s happy to have her daughter back beside her. A teenager now, Sofia – who was once a star student – is getting into trouble at school and she’s started asking questions about when she was a baby, but Emily can’t tell her what really happened the night she went missing. Nobody would understand why Emily did what she did, and if anyone ever found out, she could lose her daughter forever.

But when Emily catches Sofia messaging a stranger online, her heart pounds in her chest as she reads the last message received.

Your mother isn’t who you think she is.

Days later, Emily returns home to find the house silent. She checks every room but Sofia has vanished, again. She shudders as she remembers that night in the nursery. Has her past finally caught up with her? And is she already too late to save her precious daughter?

A completely gripping, utterly twisted thriller that will leave your jaw on the floor. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Wife Between Us and The Woman in the Window.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Sue Watson's tense domestic thriller THE NURSERY.

I'm a huge fan of Sue Watson and always eagerly await her next exciting thriller. She loves to write in a character that really gets under my skin though no one really stood out this time. Of course the teenager was a tad bratty (but then, aren't they all at that age? lol) but aside from that, no one really got under my skin as in some of her previous thrillers. I have to say the title, cover and premise intrigued me as I love missing/stolen children tropes so I was excited at the prospect of beginning this one. But...as I started it and got further in, I'm wondering am I reading the right book? I double check...yep, Sue Watson - check. The Nursery - check. So, where's the nursery? Where's the missing baby? The story the premise told seemed to be completely different. The only thing bearing any resemblance were the names. Ok, so what's going on here?

Emily and her teenage daughter Sofia live a quiet life in the small Devon town of Sidmouth. A place to which Emily fled some twelve years ago to escape a past, a husband and a secret she did not want coming out. They found refuge in the church on a rainy night where the vicar and his wife took them in. They introduced Emily to Mr and  Mrs Woods who then took them in and gave them a place to rent for as long as they needed and Emily a job in their perfume shop. Twelve years later, Mrs Woods has passed on leaving her husband the fatherly task of caring for Emily and the now grown Sofia as if they were his own kin. Life is good now.

But beneath the surface something is bubbling. Emily senses that she is being watched and is shocked to discover empty strawberry milk cartons and chocolate wrappers in her yard. Then one night someone breaks into their flat, taking nothing but leaving an ominous note and a cryptic clue behind. Emily is frantic. Had the person from whom she fled caught up with her? Are she and Sofia in danger? 

Things take an ominous turn when Emily discovers that her daughter has been messaging with a stranger online...and even more frightening is the message she catches a glimpse of before Sofia tucks her phone away from her mother's prying eyes:

"Your mother is a liar. She isn't who you think she is."

Who is doing this to her? Her ex? An online stalker? Or someone with more sinister intentions? And then Sofia disappears and Emily knows the secrets of the past will soon collide with the present.

So...that's all good and typically tense and interesting but where is the nursery in all that? As it is something of a key feature, I thought the nursery might be a prominent aspect but it doesn't appear till well over halfway through the book! And as it is a key factor, I felt it should have featured a little more in the story throughout...particularly the prologue, maybe? I understand the prologue as it was, but given that the nursery was an important part of the story, I feel that it should have featured there instead making the rest of the story a little more mysterious because the prologue as it was was more obvious to the story from the start. I also think maybe cryptic flashbacks of some kind throughout featuring the nursery would have added to the tension and the mystery too.

I honestly had a hard time getting into this book as it was something of a slow build that left me somewhat mystified as to where this nursery was. However, when it does make its appearance it is with such a bang it only reiterated my belief that it should have been given more prominence throughout. It is important, yes, and it is key to the story which is why I feel its presence should have been peppered throughout via cryptic flashbacks or nuances. Something to give readers a sense of its importance from the beginning while still keeping its true value a secret.

I am a big fan of Sue Watson's but this wasn't my favourite of hers. Parts of it dragged and while the story did pick up and became more interesting I feel it was a little too late. But what was delicious was the final twist at the end. I had already guessed it but it was still a delicious twist that left a far better taste. The other reveals, as they came, were also nice touches and I felt brought the story together more. There was only one aspect I felt didn't fit with Emily's private revelation about the mobile - the first cryptic clue left for her. How was it even possible?

And the premise? The depiction of one thing that is really another and in the end doesn't make any sense. No one was tucked in...why allude to that if it didn't happen?

THE NURSERY is certainly not what I expected and though I did end up enjoying it, it took a while to get there. It ended up a good read but it could have been a spectacular read! It was certainly a different avenue I'd not expected from one of my favourite authors and while not my favourite, I still enjoyed the ride...even if I was puzzled for most of it.

None of the characters are entirely likeable which probably didn't help. Emily is a mass of contradictions. Sofia is bratty. Nancy is a selfish cow. Oliver is too smooth. Cerys is psychotic. Only Mr Woods is likeable but who is he really? One thing is for certain...trust no one! I certainly didn't.

Best part about the book is that ending. WOW! Twisted. Delicious. Thank you Sue Watson.

"Be careful what you wish for".

I would like to thank #SueWatson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNursery in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE, THE RESORT and THE NURSERY.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

EXTRACT: The Resort by Sue Watson

 

The Resort by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 17th June 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

UK

US

Audio:

Listen to Sample

Published: 24th June 2022

DESCRIPTION:

When a dream trip becomes your worst nightmare…

You’ve been excited about this getaway for months – at last, a chance to reconnect with your husband at a secluded island resort. But when he unexpectedly calls you from the beach, you hear the urgency in his voice. Something is very wrong.

The beautiful waitress from the restaurant last night has been found lying dead in the sand. And the police want to question your husband about it.

Sure, you saw him glance at her over dinner a few times, but you know he didn’t have anything to do with the poor girl’s death. So why is he asking you to lie to the police that he was with you all night? And where did he go in those missing hours?

When he returns to your beautiful sea-view suite, things get heated and he accuses you of being jealous, just like he always does. Yes, the waitress was overly flirtatious with your husband, but you didn’t actually wish her any harm. Not really.

Can you trust the man you married… or are you the one who can’t be trusted?

A completely gripping, utterly twisted thriller that will have you turning the pages all night long! Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Hunting Party and The Girl on the Train.

EXTRACT:

PROLOGUE

As I step onto the boat, a sudden breeze catches my hat and though I try to grab it, I’m not quick enough. With tears in my eyes, I watch the beautiful Gucci boater tied with grosgrain ribbon, as it oats further and further away. I try not to cry as I take my seat on deck, opposite a woman with searching eyes and alarm in her voice.

‘Oh no, is that your hat?’ she asks.

I nod, avoiding her searching eyes.

‘Was it expensive?’

‘Very,’ I reply, wishing she’d shut up.

I take my phone from my bag in an attempt to avoid speaking to her. I’m surprised to see a signal. We’ve been shut off from the rest of the UK for the past few weeks, and it feels strange now, almost scary to be able to speak to the outside world. I don’t know what to say. What can I say? Impulsively, I decide to call my sister; I’m tired and tearful, I need to hear a familiar voice.

‘Hey, you,’ she says. ‘Are you okay? I heard what happened, it was in all the newspapers. Are you finally coming home?’

I’m moved by my sister’s voice, and the sound of home, but  her words are like a hammer in my head – a reminder of how life was before this trip. ‘Are you there, are you okay?’ my sister’s saying, and a wave of huge, loud sobs emerge from somewhere deep inside me. The woman opposite is staring at me. 

‘No, to be honest, I’m not okay.’ 

‘What? What is it?’ My sister’s voice has turned to panic. 

‘Sis, can you do me a favour?’ I say. ‘My signal’s dying. Will you call the police and ask them to meet me on the mainland? I have something to tell them.’ 

Still clutching the phone to my ear, I move further down the deck, so I can’t see my departing hat, or the woman’s beady eyes. I stand alone at the far end of the boat, surrounded by the ocean for the last time. I allow the salty sea breeze to ruffle my hair, and cool my cheeks. It has been the hottest summer the UK had ever known. As the mercury rose, and storms rolled in, secrets were spilled and lives were lost in that beautiful white palace over‐ looking a turquoise sea. And as the boat cuts through the now choppy waters, I see Fitzgerald’s grow smaller and smaller in the distance, until it looks like a glittering diamond standing proud in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Only then do I turn to see the mainland, where an uncertain future awaits. I pull my shawl around me and brace myself for what happens now. 

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE and THE RESORT.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: The Resort by Sue Watson

The Resort by Sue Watson

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 17th June 2022

Goodreads

Amazon

UK

US

Audio:

Listen to Sample

Published: 24th June 2022

★★★ 3 stars 

DESCRIPTION:

When a dream trip becomes your worst nightmare…

You’ve been excited about this getaway for months – at last, a chance to reconnect with your husband at a secluded island resort. But when he unexpectedly calls you from the beach, you hear the urgency in his voice. Something is very wrong.

The beautiful waitress from the restaurant last night has been found lying dead in the sand. And the police want to question your husband about it.

Sure, you saw him glance at her over dinner a few times, but you know he didn’t have anything to do with the poor girl’s death. So why is he asking you to lie to the police that he was with you all night? And where did he go in those missing hours?

When he returns to your beautiful sea-view suite, things get heated and he accuses you of being jealous, just like he always does. Yes, the waitress was overly flirtatious with your husband, but you didn’t actually wish her any harm. Not really.

Can you trust the man you married… or are you the one who can’t be trusted?

A completely gripping, utterly twisted thriller that will have you turning the pages all night long! Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Hunting Party and The Girl on the Train.

MY THOUGHTS:

Sue Watson is one of my favourite authors. Not only are her thrillers fast, pacy and exciting but she is an absolute hoot to chat with! So naturally I had high hopes for her latest thriller set in an art deco hotel on a remote island off the coast of Devon. It had all the hallmarks of the Queen of Crime herself, Agatha Christie. Secluded island, an isolated beach, rugged cliff edges and a handful of suspects. In fact, the very setting for this mysterious thriller is inspired by none other than Burgh Island just off the coast of Devon...the very inspiration for Ms Christie herself and where she wrote both "And Then There Were None" and "Evil Under the Sun" - both of which were the two books I was reminded of whilst reading THE RESORT. And it did indeed have a little modern-day Christie-esque feel to it all although it lacked her climatic endings where the suspects were gathered having to endure all possible scenarios before the villain is finally revealed. To step into the shadow of Ms Christie and walk where she had once done so, Sue Watson gave herself some very big shoes to fill.

The prologue opens the way for an intriguing tale to be told as the unnamed narrator watches the island and its majestic hotel disappear from the boat as they make their way to the mainland. It leaves the reader wondering from what was she escaping and what really happened there?

The story then dives into that of three couples - Sam and David, Daisy and Tom, Becky and Josh - each who are respectively introduced through the narratives of the wives. Each of them find themselves at the exclusive island resort, Fitzgerald's, for various reasons - a honeymoon, for healing and to celebrate an anniversary. But not all is well with these couples as they each begin to crumble in the privacy of their rooms whilst maintaining a facade for everyone else.

The couples inevitably become friends - well, the women do and the men basically tolerate the new-found friendships - and end up spending quite a lot of time together in the bar or around the pool. But each of the women also have their insecurities and systematically accuse their husbands of flirting with the friendly and very pretty waitress/barmaid/yoga instructor. None of them women trust their husbands very much either as each of them watch and wonder what their men are really up to.

Then one morning, Daisy is searching for a decent signal to make some phone calls with Sam in tow, and they wander further up the beach in the hope of gaining the longed-for mobile reception. But instead the women discover more than they bargained for when they stumble across the battered body of Stella, their young, friendly and pretty waitress/barmaid/yoga instructor.

All at once, Sam is hysterical while Daisy calls for help. The police arrive and set up a crime scene and question the guests as they endeavour to uncover the truth about what happened the night before when Stella met her untimely death. Was it a suicide? Murder? Or a tragic accident? Rumours begin to fly around and fingers are pointed. Each of the women begin to doubt their husbands, none of whom were with them at the time of the murder. And each of the husbands begin to act suspiciously by all accounts. It's difficult to know who is lying and who is telling the truth.

A very different style of thriller for Ms Watson, in the vein of Agatha Christie but without the same impact, THE RESORT focused more on the marriages and relationships of the three couples than the mystery itself. In fact, Stella's death was more of a subplot to the main one in which the wives spent most of the time suspecting their husbands of something to do with it without the sense of doom or spine-tingling chills. I was more irritated with them more than anything. Sam, a hairdresser who, after a whirlwind romance, married a charming handsome and rich man who constantly puts her down; Daisy, the beautiful and successful magazine art director grieving the death of her unborn child with her younger husband; and Becky, the quiet 40 year old mother who has come to the island with her husband, who controls everything she does and eats, to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary. Each of these women are irritating. Sam is incredibly naive but stupid. Daisy continues to push her husband away when they should be reconnecting. And Becky appears to be weak at the hand of her controlling husband. And then men are equally irritating. Except David. He is the most arrogant, rude, self-absorbed, conceited manipulative prig who is so far up his own...well, you get the picture.

As the story goes, the dialogue is heavy as is the to-ing and fro-ing of arguements between the couples. He said, she said, he gets drunk, she storms off. Too much conversation about their respective love and sex lives than the impending sense of doom or palpable tension I was looking forward to as in many other Ms Watson's previous thrillers. And while the action does pick up a little towards the end, the twists and reveals come out of nowhere as there really were no clues or hints peppered throughout to lead the reader to any sort of conclusion. To say I was hoodwinked is an understatement...there was nothing to really lead me in any direction except to the bedroom to partake in another sexual marathon with Sam and David, who seems to fix everything with a bit of "how's your father".

The concept was clever, the promise of it was intriguing, but the execution failed and I really hate to say that because I love Sue and her thrillers. And I feel awful saying that I was a little disappointed with this one. I would really have preferred more thrills, more clues and more tension and suspense and less drama and monologuing between the couples. Even by the end, I was still left with more questions than answers as everything wrapped up with lightning speed, it seemed, and one character just sort of disappeared into the ether with a vague explanation in passing but after the song and dance they had caused throughout, I felt they deserved a bit more of an ending rather than a passing mention. 

I normally love and thoroughly enjoy Sue Watson's thrillers but sadly THE RESORT was not a favourite. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

However many have loved it where I have not, and you might just enjoy it more than I did.

I would like to thank #SueWatson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheResort in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written sixteen novels (many involving cake), and many have been translated into several languages. Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her latest thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST, THE SISTER-IN-LAW, FIRST DATE, THE FOREVER HOME, THE NEW WIFE and THE RESORT.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram