Ok, so when I saw a quote by author CJ. Tudor referring to this book being “Dexter meets Gone Girl” I thought to myself that if done well it should be a twisted read! And bloomin’ ‘eck it certainly was!

So, what to tell you about this story…hmmm! It is about a family of Mum, Dad and two kids: one of each, nice house, both work and they all seem to muddle along quite nicely. Will that do? No! Oh, okay…

There is a killer at large and he is targeting women, to all intents and purposes this is the re-emergence of a serial killer that had been at large years ago. There is a certain amount of tension as the killer has got in touch with the media, as is the way of things nowadays everything is analysed under a microscope. This attention adds fuel to the psychological firestorm that is brewing. It’s effects are felt very close to home.

The author has used quick chapters and a back and forth style to create a fabulous domestic thriller, there are tensions from many aspects. The teenage children are exposed to an limitlessness torrent of news and media reports that have some unsettling consequences for the parents in this family.

The family from the outside look like your normal suburban family, but it is what goes on behind closed doors that counts, that’s when you get to see the real them! The mother seems a little too controlled and ordered and this gives her a slightly cold trait, but given her history it wasn’t that surprising. The dad, is a tennis coach and has a steady stream of clients, but he is not the main earner, that is the wife.

I feel I must apologise at this point for the really, really randomness of this review. There are so many things I want to tell you about this book and each time I start I have to stop as it would give away too many things.

This book is a psychological thriller of the domestic variety, it is a book that centrea around one particular family. It delves into their daily lives and tiptoes briefly back in time. It has quite a few surprises along the way and at one point in the story I did have an inkling and then thought nah, and brushed it aside and it lay forgotten about until I had that eureka moment of “OMG I was right” and was still shocked!

This is a clever and viciously twisted book, it had a certain amount of intrigue from the outset that just increased as the story unfolded. I did take a little longer to read this, I think three or four sittings, due to work and other boring but necessary stuff, but it is one of those books that kept niggling at me to pick it up and read it.

If you like a good domestic, psychological thriller then get a copy of this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

Enjoying this book felt like a guilty pleasure but the truth is that it got my attention and I finished reading it in 3 days.

It’s difficult for me to rate books like these. On one hand, I enjoyed reading it, and I think that’s all it should matter. You should have fun reading books, and they shouldn’t bore you to death. Well, “My Lovely Wife” didn’t fail to entertain. In fact, I’ve read the whole book in less than 3 days! Did I have fun? Yes! Does it mean that it’s a good book though?

Not necessarily.

But let’s start with what I thought was good about this book:

- The beginning. You don’t have much time to make an impression. The first paragraph was thought-provoking and straightforward. That was the hook.
- The writing and the first-person narrative. I’ve enjoyed the way the book was written and even when I didn’t feel I could connect or root for any of the characters, the fact I was “into the mind” of one of them definitely made everything much more entertaining.
- The fast pace. The silliest things would happen. But that’s the cool thing: There was always something happening. It wasn’t boring, it was fast and thrilling.

And now the bad:

- Some weird things happened. And not all of them made sense, though they were plot convenient. The hair / DNA threw me off a bit but I might have missed something?
- You can probably guess this by the synopsis, but the characters weren’t likable at all. And I don’t mean only the main characters. Pretty much everyone was a bit messed up in this book. So what happens when you can’t root for anyone? It just gets difficult to connect, care about them, or feel anything through the narrative. Even the reactions of their children were farfetched. But then again, this isn’t a book that is supposed to focus on character development.

Overall, call me crazy but I thought this was a pretty fun book. Of course, you can’t take it too seriously, but I secretly suspect that this was the idea of the author.

Brilliant read. Thought I knew which direction this story was heading but got blindsided in the end. Some humorous bits throughout which gave the story a bit more character

Definitely dark and disturbing, so prepare to be shocked. I didn't think this would be for me, but I really enjoyed it. Recommended.

This book was absolutely addictive! 𝐈𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫. ⁣
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From first hearing the plot of this one, it was one of my most anticipated of the year. And after hearing some excellent reviews I was even more intrigued. From the first page, I was OBSESSED. I just could not put this book down and finished it in one day, over just two sittings. Something about the writing was just so readable, accessible and fast paced and overall, just thrilling. It also felt very ‘Peter Swanson’ to me. ⁣
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Some reviews have mentioned that the characterisations were either underdone or overdone. I feel as though all character descriptions etc. furthered the plot, even if you didn’t know how until later in the book. The characters were well fleshed out and it didn’t seem like anyone was just in the story for the sake of it. Both children were actively involved, and we knew just enough about both Millicent and ‘Tobias’. ⁣
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There were some predictable plot points (which is fair, especially considering this is a debut) however, it didn’t affect my reading experience at all and I was completely hooked. The final page also made me smirk, it was just what I hoped it would be. ⁣
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I cannot wait to read more from Samantha Downing (including her next book - out summer 2020 *hint* Michael Joseph *hint*). I just feel like she will become a fast favourite author of mine and cannot wait to see what she writes next. A fantastic debut, with a gripping plot and overall, just a really fun thriller. ⁣

A psychological thriller in its genre however the bland delivery of the storyline just did nothing to grip me. Looking at previous reviews it seems to be a either love it or hate it book no in between. Sadly for me this book wasn’t for me.

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review..

My Lovely life is a boon full of twists and turns from the very first pages this book will have you on the edge of your seat.

Millicent and her husband live in an affluent area with their two children, both have mediocre jobs but a good life, and like to keep the spark in their marriage alive with a little killing here and there.

I really enjoyed this book! especially the way it is narrated, hearing from only the husband about what has happened in their marriage that has brought them to this point and what they have decided to do to re-ignite the relationship. whoever thought that would be murder?

A great read for sitting in your favourite chair and whiling away a few quiet hours.

I absolutely loved the way this book was written, the chapters were short and sweet and therefore very easy to read. I also loved that the storyline kept me hooked and there was a twist I wasn’t expecting. The ending also kept me guessing which I loved. Definitely one of the best psycho thrillers I’ve read so far!

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
Rating:****
An interesting, pacy thriller about a normal family living in the suburbs but as it turns out this is not a normal family. A case of “No one knows what goes on behind closed doors” comes to mind when I was reading this thriller. Also chillingly, you may be going through your day to day life, thinking you are relatively unnoticed until you come into the line of sight of a psychopath. Then be afraid, be very afraid.
Although a few scenes didn’t ring right it had quite a few twists and turns with a punchy, chilling climax.
Samantha Downing can certainly build her characters, flaws and all.
Worth reading.
Thanks to Samantha Downing, the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC for an honest and unbiased review, to which I have given.

A bored and unfulfilled couple living in suburbia with their 2 children have been married for 15 years, they try to keep up with the neighbours and the pretence that they are a normal family. Their boredom takes them to a very unusual fetish to keep things alive between them on their secret “date nights”. Fans of dark and twisted Psychological Thrillers will not be disappointed with this gorey tale, it is an addictive and shocking read which holds you in its grip until the very last page. That last sentence though !!

Thankyou to Samantha Downing for this sensational debut, and to Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

HOW WELL DO YOU REALLY KNOW THE ONE YOU LOVE THE MOST?

This is a story about a married couple. They met, fell in love, had two beautiful children. So far, so ordinary.

But they have a very dark secret.

It's a story with a twist. And then another. And another.

You might think you've read stories like this before.

You'd be wrong.

By the end of the first chapter you'll be hooked.

At page fifty you might not sleep until you finish.

And when you turn the last page, you'll ask yourself one question: How well do you really know the person you love most?

The twists in this book were jaw dropping. I was absolutely gobsmacked! I never saw that coming. I loved this book and would highly recommend to anybody. 5*

This was a bit of a slow burner for me but after a little while I was hooked. It is very dark and although it's not an action packed read, it draws you in and keeps you in suspense. I was fascinated by both of the main characters and their dark nature. The last line made me gasp!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although the story is dark, disturbing and more than a little unsettling. An outwardly normal family (what could be more normal than a real estate agent and a tennis coach) with some very dark secrets. It's cleverly written and has you empathising with the narrator even though he is a murderer. Full of twists and turns with a shocking ending. I couldn't put it down.

Fantastic read - a book one cannot put down. A normal family where the 2 parents appear to be serial killers - or is it the father with the wife playing along or vice-versa? The reader doesn't find out until the end. This is a gripping read.

I was strangely hooked on this book - I wanted to know how it was going to pan out but at the same time I found parts of it unenjoyable. It was a really clever concept even though it stretched the bounds of credulity at times. But I found both main characters deeply unlikeable and the sub story of Jenna’s issues with Owen felt a little over-exaggerated. That being said I did enjoy it mostly and had to read quickly to find out what was going on. Also that last line has me shook!!! Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Michael Joseph for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking forward to this one when i read the synopsis, but unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations. Nothing is really explained and the characters are a bit flat.

An excellent read. Really well written. Had me questioning myself throughout the book. It is a must read!

Good read! The description of Dexter meets Gone Girl is an accurate one, enjoyed this and it had a nice twist at the end - would recommend!

I devoured every page! This is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a long time! Very Fred and rose west esque! This book had me completely hooked from page one. I have bought a hard copy for my friend who I know will also love this book... and the ending.. just wow!