Suzy & Mike seem to have a almost perfect life, with Suzy just about to open her own Deli. Unfortunately with the loss of her mother things take a sinister turn for the worse.
The book follows the events that unfold once the deli is up & running, how will Suzy cope & where will it all end.
A good read, I didn't guess how the book was going to end, it had me gripped.

3.5 stars. was an enjoyable read with a good storyline. Only reason I didn’t give it 4 stars was as I found it a bit slow

The review is scheduled to be published on my blog (onemoreword.uk) - 14th March 2019


The wife’s shadow by Cath Weeks was a good read, it is another domestic thriller type family drama with a twisty ending.

The writing was good.

The story was good.

And I thought the characters were all portrayed very well. It was good.

Plus, I didn’t completely guess all the whys of the ending if I did guess the who. But I felt that the ending suited the story and although it might have been a touch far fetched at points it was a good journey to get there.

The pacing of the story was good, although maybe a tiny tad slow. I loved the little scenes in between chapters from the different timeline. I really enjoyed the whole build-up of the novel. I almost prefer a character-driven story, and in this case, I enjoyed following Suzy as she confronted her traumatic past and faced her rather terrifying present. Suzy was an easy character to like.

There were also some very creepy scenes. Moments in the plot that made me regret reading the book in the dark. Made me want to go and check my front door was securely locked. I love when a book sends shivers up your spine. And makes you pause.

The wife’s shadow by Cath Weeks was a solid read.

It kept me interested from the very first page and for me it was a fast read that I didn’t want to put down.

But if I’m being very honest the book just didn’t quite stand out from the pack. That is not a big criticism, The wife’s shadow by Cath Weeks delivered exactly what it should have, I think I’ve just read too many similar books of late. A change is needed.

The wife’s shadow by Cath Weeks will be published on 28th March 2019.

I received a copy of the The wife’s shadow by Cath Weeks from the publisher via NetGalley, the review is my own opinion.

Suzy and her mother left home 34 years ago under difficult circumstances. With a new name in a new town they disappeared.

After the death of her mother, happily married Suzy begins to find remnants of her past haunting her, and who is the bearded man who seems to be stalking her?

I finished the book and enjoyed it despite working out most of the plot; and that is why I could only rate it 3.5.

I was instantly captivated by this story. Suzy is a mum of two who has a devoted husband who supports her when Suzy opens are new deli. Then her mum dies and Suzy's world falls apart and she has to finally face her demons from her past.

I read this over two days and just could not stop reading it, each page made me wanted to carry on reading!

This has love, hope and mystery all wrapped up in one book with a good ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Oh MY! I never saw that ending! Well, I sort of had my suspicions but never had any evidence to back it all up, nor any motive for that matter. In fact, I pretty much had no clue where we would end up for the majority of the book. But, when we did get there, it was all so blooming obvious - gotta love a dollop of hindsight!
Suzy has a great life. She owns and manages her own Deli whilst her husband - retired through injury copper, and stay at home dad - looks after their two children. When we first meet her she has just moved and expanded her business, and her mother has just died so she is feeling a little stressed and suffering from grief. Is this why she then starts to see things in the shadows, starts to get forgetful, or is it the childhood secret she has kept hidden that is coming back to bite her?
And that's all I am saying about the story as it gets a bit frenetic quite quickly and to say much more might inject spoilers into my review and that's a big NoNo. Suffice to say that it hit the ground running and didn't let up until the very end, holding me well and truly captive throughout.
Oh how I felt for Suzy throughout, especially as more of her backstory was revealed. I did initially feel that maybe her fall from grace was a little over the top, being as how strong she has proved herself to be throughout her life, but then again, stress and grief can change a person 180 so, after pondering my feelings on the matter, I re-embraced her as a character. A good choice as things turned out!
In this book, like all good books of the genre, we have twists and turns aplenty, along with more than its fair share of duplicitous behaviour. We also have a supporting cast of suspicious characters with their own secrets and motives, and which did keep me on my toes throughout.
But when the whole truth did eventually come to light it was shocking and, as already mentioned, not something I saw coming. The eventual explanation / confession had me alternating between nodding and kicking myself, and then sitting back and applauding the author for a job well done.
This is a new author to me but one that I am looking forward to reading more from in the future. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

When I was invited to read The Wife's Shadow on Netgalley I'll admit to not knowing all that much about it. I was swayed by the gorgeous cover though and the premise of a perfect life being not quite as it seems. And actually, I was very pleasantly surprised, because The Wife's Shadow ended up being quite different to how I expected it, but in a good way.  

The book begins when Suzy starts to notice strange things linking to her childhood in a town many miles away - a packet of red cigarette papers, a leaflet for a local event and an old toy. All of them pretty mundane but incredibly significant to Suzy. Convinced someone is following her and trying to scare her, she sets off to find out what really happened all those years ago. But knowing the truth doesn't bring Suzy peace of mind as she starts to feel she is loosing control of her life and sanity. Is it the ghosts of the past who are haunting Suzy or is there something more sinister at play in her present. 

Right from the beginning, I was gripped by this book. I loved how an uneasy feeling was built as Suzy becomes increasingly confused by what's happening. The decline of Suzy's apparent mental stability is expertly done, as she transforms from  strong, controlled and assured to weak, anxious and uncertain. It's all very subtle and leaves the reader wondering what's really going on or is it all in Suzy's mind?

I thought the flashbacks to her past were very good, slowly building a picture of a troubled childhood and an impending sense of doom that something awful is going to happen. Cath Weeks tackles the difficult topic of domestic violence, and the impact on children who witness it, sensitively. The glimpses of her childhood also allow the reader to understand Suzy's actions and behavior in the present, making her easy to sympathise with, even while doubting her reliability. 

The cover and the synopsis scream psychological thriller, and yes there is a strong element of suspense. But this book isn't just about the big twists, it's is also a strong character study, of a woman who's suffered childhood trauma, manipulation, betrayal and is struggling to let go of her past. Suzy was a character I was really rooting for by the end. There's a lot packed into this book, and I wondered how all the threads were going to tie together and I wasn't disappointed when they did. If you like a more subtle psychological read with a strong lead character and complex layers, then I would recommend the wife's secret without hesitation.

Excellent psychological thriller which kept me gripped throughout. Loved the storyline and the characters. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I’m sorry to say I didn’t really enjoy this book. I personally found it a bit slow so I didn’t feel the tension build and the “twist” felt a bit cliche.

Draws you in very slowly, giving you little titbits of information to keep you guessing.
Then out of no where the truth of the story unravels.
Can you put it down - NO
Do you want to put it down - NO

This will definitely be one for the holiday read list.

Thank you netgalley, Cath Weeks and Platkus for allowing me to read and review this book.

Ooooh! This is a good book!
Suzy has a dream life, everything is ordered and as it should be, in fact so ordered that sometimes her friends are a little jealous of just how good Suzy’s life is.
But perhaps all is not what it seems to be....perhaps Suzy has a story to tell.....or a secret to keep....and what if someone knows that secret....what will Suzy do.....just how far will she go....

This is richly dark, thrilling, twisting, turning and never quite allowing you to see round the next corner. Almost, almost a glimpse and then it turns again

Read it!

Wow, this book left me reeling, what an emotional rollercoaster. The shocks come one after another; brilliant plotting. I couldn’t put this down. The children are particularly well written which makes the book draw you in.

Brilliant plot, excellent main characters that you invest in. I read this book in one sitting and I would highly recommend it.

The Wife's Shadow had a great storyline that had me hooked and unable to put my kindle down, I enjoyed it very much.

A very enjoyable read! I was very interested in getting my hands on this one after I read the blurb and I am pleased to say that I was not let down.

The story is written very well and the characters are interesting and jump off the page. I would recommend this read!

A good psychological thriller is a book that you read until you can no longer keep your eyes open and you find yourself, during the day, reading 'just one more chapter" . This book ticks all those boxes but it is so cleverly written. There is a main character, something is happening, it is serious, but interspersed with this story the author brings you to another place where something else is happening. Yes, I know, all very cryptic which is what makes this such a good book and a great read

With many thanks to Little Brown and Netgalley for ARC in return for an honest review

Throughly enjoyable read. A tale of family, death and so much more..
Great story and characters.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Littlebrownbookgroupuk for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

I enjoyed this very readable book.
The story is based around what appears to be a closely knit, loving family, until after the death of the wife's' mother.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! With a couple who seemed to not only have it all but had life worked out.
She was the breadwinner he was the stay at home Dad .
He did work in the Police force but was laid off through injury. She was happy working and then coming home to be wife and mother to her children who she adored.

Her mother died, she was grieving. She also was hiding a secret.
She needed medication to help.

Things started a downward spiral but not in the way I thought it was going to play out.
It took a new route that left a reader with a note of suspense, an eerie “sniff” for something ‘not quite right’ but you couldn’t put your finger on it.

I did kinda guess whom it might be, but not the whys, which kept me totally puzzled.

I’d highly recommend this read for thriller fans, domestic noir fans and those that love to scratch their heads in thought when reading such a book as this saying to yourself “ this is so good, I’m wondering where the author is going with this” and sit sweating until you get that REVEAL.

This was an absolutely fantastic read. One of the best psychological thrillers I have read in a long time.
The writing style was beautifully descriptive without being long winded and flowed well.
The plot was deliciously dark and definitely had some creepy, spine chilling moments. The twists to the plot were totally unexpected, as was the ending.
The characters were engaging, with plenty of backstory to the main character. The interaction between various parties was realistic and well thought out.
I was hooked from the beginning and didn't want to put it down. Everything about this book was unexpected and I loved it!