A creepy psychological thriller that brings together the lives of the characters in unexpected ways with revenge, relationships, stalking, coercive control and more.

In the early chapters of this book we are introduced to Nora, Suzi, and Elle.  Each woman has a distinct voice, and they all have intriguing stories to tell.  Liz McGowan creates a lot of hooks for the reader that hint at secrets, troubled lives and hidden pasts and I was immediately drawn in by this.  The connection between the women is slowly revealed in a way that keeps the story wrapped up in suspense and tension and at times I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what would happen next. 

I formed lots of hypotheses as I was reading and guessed a few of the plot twists, but was still left surprised by others.  There are unexpected events as intentions of characters change, and the connection between the women shifts and takes a different angle towards the end of the novel.  The desolate country setting in the depths of winter adds to the sense of the characters being trapped, whether that is physically or emotionally.  

A few chapters are written from a police officer’s point of view, and I didn’t think this added much to the book.  While satisfying, the ending felt a bit flat compared with the rest of the book.

Overall a great read and I recommend this to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with dark characters and a story that keeps you turning the pages.  Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my personal review.   #TheOtherWife #NetGalley

I was absolutely engrossed in this book. Read Well into the night in order to find out what happened next. This was the first book I've read by this author but hope that there will be more

#TheOtherWife #NetGalley 
The Other Wife is a beautifully written domestic thriller. There's a couple, and a newly arrived widow living in cottages. Well all is not what it seems. All of them have secrets. Written from three Women's POV, it will keep you engagrd until you turn its last page. 
Claire McGowan has done it again after her succesful thrillers. 
Its a good thriller. Everyone will like it whether they're fans of Claire or not. 
A good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed that.  There is so much going on in this book; the story just  rolls off the pages at you and you find yourself keeping reading until it is finished.

Between nutty Nora, nasty Nick and slippery Sean it is all going on.... poor Suzie!!.  Highly recommended read!

The Other Wife by Claire McGowan is a page-turner and an entertaining ride. I enjoyed the story line and the characters too. Parts of the book felt awkward but overall it was an enjoyable read.

The Other Wife has given my hope back for domestic thrillers. I am almost always disappointed with them, but not with The Other Wife, it blew me away and I haven't shut up about it since I've finished it.

I loved every minute of this story, told from the perspectives of Suzi, Nora, and Elle, the multiple points of view made the pacing just right, constantly leaving you hanging and wanting more. I adore the way Claire McGowan plants seeds and leaves breadcrumbs through the entire book, as well as the way she made me second guess myself and my own detective skills until the end. 

The twists in this book were some of my favorites, some I saw coming (and I was very proud of myself for) and some I never guessed at all and left me shocked (in the best way, of course). With themes of adultery, gaslighting, and being trapped, paired with unreliable narrators, this story grew into pieces of my worst nightmare. 

I can't recommend this book enough, I enjoyed every moment of it.

After reading The Other Wife by Claire McGowan, I can't help but wonder about my neighbors and their intentions. Are they watching me? Do they know who I am and what I've done? Worse, do they have hidden agendas for me?

I honestly loved this novel. Friendship, trust, change of heart - they're all part of the plot, and each is hugely important. Throughout this book, disconnection between the characters and their interactions with one another allows for a unique perspective. Just when it seems that everything is lining up perfectly and the suspect is certain, a major twist is introduced and everything goes up in shambles. The uncertainty coupled with a sense of extreme discomfort builds a tense atmosphere that is perfect for a mystery. 

Feeling alone in a broken marriage, Suzi is happy to meet her new neighbor, Nora. Though she is afraid of sharing her past digressions with the older woman, Suzi feels strangely compelled to voice her story. Both woman are grief-stricken, but neither knows the whole truth about the other. Secrets are kept, hidden deep beneath layers of friendly smiles and open arms. As is a usual occurrence in a suspense novel, these secrets send out a beacon for danger.

With trouble lurking on the horizon and fear settling in the hearts of both woman, it seems that nobody is to be trusted. When it comes out, however, that the true enemy isn't the suspect, will the two be able to carry each other through the hardships?

The Other Wife by Claire McGowan is a thriller about a couple and a woman who lives next door. Nora moves in next door to a pregnant Suzi and her husband Nick, in a neighborhood hidden away from the city. Soon both Nora and Suzi realizes they both hold secrets they don't want the other to know, and their lives are more connected than they think.

The story is written with several narrations: Nora, Suzi, Elle, and detective Allison. In the beginning, I wondered how these characters relate to each other. But I saw the twist coming from a mile away. I'm not sure if the author intended to make it obvious. However, towards 3/4 of the book, came the twists I did not expect. There is a lot going on in the book. The book has a "Gone Girl" similarity to it. I just wish the twists have a more "omg" factor it, because I wasn't shocked. 

Overall, I thought it was a good read. Thank you to Netgalley, Claire McGowan, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This story definitely kept me interested, which is why it's earned 4 stars.  I don't feel that the plot was incredibly amazing or anything special, but it was a fast and easy - even fun! - read.  I liked how strong Suzi was.  She wasn't the typical simpering "oh poor me" character that you often find in these thrillers.  I recommend it as an easy and quick read on a rainy weekend or at the beach/pool.

Found this book amazing! Would love to read more of books from this author
5**** from me
Would definitely recommend this to others

Thank you Net Galley and Amazon for an early release of The Other Wife.  Claire McGowan does it again, Intriguing!!!  Loved it, got a bit confusing at the end and I don't understand the title BUT a very good read. I never wanted to put it down.

The Other Wife i'm sorry to say was not for me,i just couldn't get into the story of Suzi,her controlling husband Nick and their neighbour Nora who moves in to spy on Suzi after she discovers what Suzi had done to her.Suzi confides in Nora about what she did not knowing that she already knows her secrets and lies,I just found the whole book dragged on and on with no real purpose and off putting from the first page with it jumping from one character to the next without really explaining what was happening and it was a little confusing at times,i always try to give a book a while before i lose interest but this was hard work but i like to finish them and i did, but this really is not a book which i will recommend.I may be in the minority with my review and others may love it.But sorry it just wasn't for me.A 2 star read at best..

A page turner that will keep you awake late into the night. Though I could guess the first twist, the others were a surprise. The women are very gullible for someone who are professionals in their fields and survivors. Otherwise a gripping read.

I really enjoyed most of this book. I found the interplay between characters interesting and thought it well written. For me , however, the ending was a little week and unbelievable.

“The Other Wife” is the story of three wives, each with a secret. 

Suzi cheated on her husband Nick and now she’s pregnant. The two have moved to the countryside at Nick’s insistence, but as his need for control increases, so does Suzi’s desperation.

Nora is widowed, and has just moved in next door to Nick and Suzi. Nora’s husband wasn’t exactly who she thought he was...but then, Nora’s not being honest about who she is either.

And lastly there’s Elle, a former concert pianist married to a doctor. On the outside Elle seems to have the perfect life, but she’s miserable. Convinced her husband is having an affair, Elle will go to desperate measures to keep her perfect life intact....

This is a novel about mistakes and secrets, and MAN, are there a lot of them! But the author manages to weave a deft and intricate story without it ever feeling too complex or heavy handed. I do enjoy a split narrative, but was a bit worried when the third voice came in as I thought it might be a bit too much. Thankfully, we are in capable hands, and it’s beautifully managed, with each character speaking in a distinctive and singular voice so that keeping track of each story is easy. The writing is skilful, and I loved the characters - each had a past and each had made mistakes, but I found myself quietly rooting for each of them in turn - I hate when a character is written as a complete saint or total sinner, I just find it unrealistic and irritating. These characters were flawed but they had real heart, and I connected with all three women. .  

There are some excellent twists in this novel, and it’s perfectly paced, with the tension ratcheted right up towards the end. I loved it - it’s absolutely one of my top thrillers of the year so far (and I read a lot of thrillers!). I can’t wait to see what else this author comes up with - a really fresh and exciting voice. 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other Wife is a thriller about as original as its title. Which is to say not at all. It’s very similar to a great many women authors women driven thrillers that seem to be all the rage nowadays, it diligently works the formula, but doesn’t go out of its way to offer readers something new or exciting. So here you have the traditional split narratives, which do eventually narrow down via a twist so (from miles away) easily predictable, it barely seems like a twist at all. But essentially it is a story of two marriages, both crappy, with wives in both being the victims of coercive control. In fact, this is laid on so thickly, it can be a coercive control PSA. Which is, of course, a terrible thing, but also very much one of those two to tango scenarios. So before you go pitying the wives, consider this…they made choices, they made stupid choices and stuck with them and continue to do so on daily basis through personal weaknesses or self delusion. And also…they are not the naïve innocents in all of this. In fact, they are criminals, liars or both. Obviously, the wives are connected in some way and obviously it’s through a man, this is, after all, a very obvious book. And so everyone go around playing their games, lying and manipulating those around them, only the men are made out to be the deviant, while the women are helpless damsels who are just kind of waking up to their circumstances. The fact that one of them wakes up all the way (the other one makes some efforts, but essentially just rolls over and waits to be rescued) and gets in a mood for revenge is one of the best aspects of the novel, but it just isn’t enough to elevate the estrogen saturated (very much so, in fact the author also writes women’s fiction under a different name) triteness of the plot. So depending on how you like your suspense thrillers this may or may not work for you. If your expectations, need for clever twists and originality are all set to low and you don’t mind spending time with a bunch of not especially likeable liars and cheats…go for it. The writing itself is decent enough, very readable. It’s pop fiction, essentially, the psychological darkness of the genre (one of my favorite things about it) isn’t really all that dark. There is some demented behavior and some genuinely sh*tty mother figures for a book so obsessed with motherhood, but not enough, the bulk still rests with the helpless clueless women being manipulated by their evil, evil men. And if that wasn’t simplistic enough, the final twist, the reason someone gets found out, is so amateurishly dumb, especially after creating and executing such an elaborate plan, that it’s just…laughable. So yeah, mediocre at best, something like a mindless beach read. Very easy read, but not exactly intellectually or otherwise thrilling. Your mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.

This is my first Claire McGowan book. I found the story very slow and quite unbelievable at times. I didn't particularly like the characters enough to care what happened! Not a book I would recommend.

One word sums the other wife up, clever it's really really clever and genuinely keeps you guessing until the very last page.  Keep your wits about you and trust nobody.

Brilliant book.  I couldn’t put it down.  It was complicated to decide who was the villain in the story. I thoroughly recommend this book

This was a fun read - it drew me in right away with the alternating points of view as a new neighbor, Nora, moves into a cottage in a remote and isolated area.  We see it from her point of view and also from Suzi's, who lives across the street with her husband Nick, and appears anxious and edgy about every little thing.  Sure, she's pregnant and a bit scatterbrained, but there's much more to it.  The women meet and become friends, as much as they can be with the secrets they're both keeping, that is.  We also meet Elle, another anxious wife who dotes on her husband and never quite believes that their marriage is as perfect as it seems.  She's right, of course.

I can't say that any of the twists were exactly mind blowing and you will probably see them coming, but that doesn't mean you won't enjoy this story as it unfolds.  The female characters are likable, although Suzi is a little too extreme with her nervousness and constant unease.  It would have been nice to see her with a bit more backbone and less self-pitying remorse about her past.  The male characters are almost all deplorable narcissistic jerks except of course the one that helps to save the day.  Male readers may be a bit turned off by this!

Even though I felt like I've read this tale many times before, the author keeps it fresh and the story flows easily as the lies are exposed and everything starts to unravel for the women.  I found myself turning page after page, impatient to see who survives and at what cost. I wasn't disappointed!