Unfortunately this book was not for me - I have tried to read it and can't get into it - I even waited and bought the audiobook from Audible but I still can't get into it.  Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it.

What is the Perfect Widow? Is the woman who sobs uncontrollably, can’t put one foot in front of the other or is it the woman who seems controlled, void of emotion?

Castle challenged the reader to think about what made a perfect widow, our preconceptions, the life behind the public seemingly happy facade. She Ali questioned our views of the haves and the have nots, how far we might personally go to gain both financial and personal stability, security.

Both of the main characters lacked something in their lives both in the past and the present. Louise, The Perfect Widow was the most complex, a woman who brought herself up as she watched her mum drown in drugs, alcohol and the wrong men. Did I like her? You had to admire her determination and tenacity to hide her past, to push herself out of poverty to get the life she felt she deserved. The other part of me found her cold, even callous as she used those around her, those who taught her how to behave, how to dress, how to be a parent. There was one thing I was certain of and that was the love she had for her children, the need to protect and nurture and give them everything she never had. You did wonder if a different upbringing would have brought about an alternative outcome, and if the perfection she strove towards was just too perfect.

Becca, on the other hand, had a mum who cared and nurtured, but put her down, left her feeling inadequate, less confident. I loved that she was the polar opposite of Louise, a comfort eater, a less than slim body, but both shared that feisty determination and tenacity to achieve. Her obsession to uncover Louise’s supposed crime drove her on, and you could see her gain confidence, fight off the self doubt that had so plagued her.

Their alternating voices gave the novel a wonderful balance, the pursuer versus the perused, who would be victorious, or was that really the point? To some extent yes, after all this was a crime novel and we all wanted to know if Louise was guilty, but it was also about what you would do to protect your children, to fight for the life that you had and did not want to lose. I loved reading the way in which Louise and in particular, Becca’s characters developed, the confidence Becca found, the respect she craved from her peers within her grasp.

The plot was intricate, what you read never superficial, always another layer to be peeled back as the truth or what you thought to be the truth slowly emerged. It definitely wasn’t driven by action, but by a glorious cast of characters driven by their need to succeed and I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher HQ Digital for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

The Perfect Widow follows the story of Louise Bridges and her two children, when her husband is killed the police officer on duty that gives Louise the news feels like something isn’t quite right and that Louise didn’t act like the usual widows given the news that their husband has been killed in an unfortunate accident. The police officer Becca is unable to let it go and selves into her own investigation to find out what had happened.

This isn’t like other thrillers in the fact that it isn’t very thrilling. There are bits throughout that kept you intrigued enough to finish but it wasn’t an edge of your seat story like I am used to reading. I really enjoyed the premise I must say, it was an interesting take on a mystery book when you find out pretty early on that she did in fact kill her husband but the mystery element is why.

There was quite a few mistakes in the arc copy which I found a bit distracting and the ending really annoyed me, it didn’t feel satisfying at all.

Well written thriller drew me in kept me turning the pages late into the night,An author I will be recommending.#netgalley#hqdigital,

Louise Bridges has the perfect life.
A loving husband, Patrick. Two adorable children. A comfortable home.
So when PC Becca Holt arrives to break the news that Patrick has been killed in an accident, she thinks Louise’s perfect world is about to collapse around her.
But Louise doesn’t react in the way Becca would expect her to on hearing of her husband’s death. And there are only three plates set out for dinner, as if Louise already knew Patrick wouldn’t be home that night…
The more Becca digs, the more secrets she uncovers in the Bridges’ marriage – and the more she wonders just how far Louise would go to get what she wants…
Is Louise a loving wife – or a cold-hearted killer?

This is a wonderful thrilling new read!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of what the author brings out.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.  This is my own honest voluntary review.

I enjoyed this page turning book. It was well written. Glad that I read it. Will be checking other books by this author.

The Perfect Widow was one of those books you just keep reading because you hope it will get better. Well written but, honestly, not a favorite.

Don’t Dig Too Deeply.....
Enjoyable psychological suspense. When Louise  doesn’t react in the ‘expected’ manner to the news of her husband’s death PC Becca Holt becomes suspicious and begins digging deeper into the life of this seemingly ‘perfect widow’. A slow burn but compelling and cleverly constructed.

While the story line is not original, A M Castle gave it a nudge into a memorable book.  The tension between the two main characters builds slowly as the past unravels the present.  Start with a policeman notifying a wife that her husband has been killed in an accident and it opens all sorts of opportunities for the story to turn.  Told in alternating views and timelines, readers should pay close attention or you will miss the clues.  A good read for me.

The premise of this book sounded so exciting! Exactly what I look for in my domestic thrillers.  Unfortunately I struggled throughout.  I disliked the characters and the storyline failed to grab me.  It moved at a pace that was too slow to be ‘thrilling’.
I was left very disappointed.  Perhaps a I am not the right reader for this book.  As there are many positive  reviews.  

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The Perfect Widow is quite a slow paced read. Enjoyed the fact the story is built and told around two people. But the pace was just that too slow and dragged. Not quite enough to keep me hooked.

*Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* At first I found the different perspectives in the book a little confusing, as I tried to recall from whose perspective each chapter was written, but as the novel unfolded, I became accustomed to the style. The book focusses on two women who, from the outside, seem to lead very different lives. One, a life of luxury and privilege and the other, one of drudgery. However, all is not as it seems on the surface. Louise Bridges is a devoted wife and mother whose world comes crashing down when she is told that her husband Patrick has been killed in a tragic accident. PC Becca Holt suspects that something is not right with how Louise reacts to the news of her husband's death and is intent on digging further. An enjoyable and intriguing book, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing.

Told from two main points of view and two timelines, past and present. Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery/psychological thriller. Could be a bit slow going at times but overall it was definitely worth a read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a free ARC in return for an honest review.

A dual POV that is slow paced and dragged a bit. I was excited for this book but it did not meet my expectations. I expected a stronger start at least.

Intriguing portrait of a woman then and now, where she came from and why she made the choices she did. A young female police officer suspects her of murdering her husband, but did she do it or is the cop simply jealous of a rich and beautiful grieving widow? I wasn't sure until almost the end of the book.

Intriguing book which definitely held my interest.  Two very different main characters, a wealthy housewife, Louise,  and a pc, Becca, both tell the story in the past and present.  Louise’s  husband has died in a fire at his office and when Becca arrives to tell her about his demise she is puzzled by Louise’s reaction.  She proceeds to dig into her background against orders to let it go while Louise continues to live her life.  Both characters seemed too stereotypical for much of the book.  It was too repetitive reading about Louise’s obsession with Patrick but then too little time spent on their subsequent marriage, other than a few glimpses to justify Louise’s actions.  Becca’s obsession with Louise was again too repetitive.  There were so many sub plots (childhood neglect, obsession, marital problems, living a lie) crossing and intersecting which actually worked to hold my interest.  Many thanks to A.M. Castle, HQ Digital and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read this recently published book.

The premise of a woman newly widowed and a police officer’s suspicions based on little other than a feeling intrigued me. The opening was compelling, in that Louise explained – repeatedly – of her overriding obsession to put her bad childhood and Mother issues behind her, improve her life and get the man of her dreams. Becca, the detective, who also had Mother issues, was obsessed with no one getting away with murder. If it was murder.
Louise became obsessed with Patrick at first sight, seeing him as her perfect man, but at the same time can see his flaws. Firstly, that he’s a ‘player’ and also that he has a superficial view of her and cannot see she is not what she pretends to be. Thus, when the cracks appear in their relationship Louise seems both surprised and shocked when Patrick conformed to type.
Once betrayed, Louise goes to war, ingeniously so, which is when I started rooting for her.  Any man who cheats on a new, breastfeeding mother deserves no respect! 
Policewoman Becca judges Louise’s beautiful house, two perfect kids and her thin thighs and working on instinct alone, is determined that she’s a wrong ‘un, and she’s going to prove it. Becca is single, has a weight problem an overbearing mother and longs for financial independence. All the things Louise has, but while she reinvented herself, worked tirelessly and got them, Becca is in a rut, and sits in her car outside Louise’s house brooding, so in my book she gets no credit.
For me, the storyline was twice as long as it needed to be. I skipped chapters hoping to get past what Louise thought, said, compared it to, analysed, fantasised, and what Becca ate next.
A lot was unexplained until right at the end – like the fire that killed Patrick and how Louise continues the same lifestyle when no income/insurance/inheritance is mentioned, that is, until Becca decides money is a motive?
Maybe the author wanted the facts to come out slowly to change the reader’s perception of the characters, to make us think - like what did happen to Jane? Then there was Louise’s very odd book collection.
Saying that, this is a well written novel which would appeal to someone less impatient than I am. I also felt it was more a journal of a doomed relationship than a suspense.

3 for neutral!  I was so excited for this book, big every time I tried to get into it, I just couldn’t.  Something was off, maybe the writing was a bit different than I’m used to or at least for my moods on the occasions I tried.  Will update, it able to enjoy at a later date!

I wasn't too sure about this book at first. Some of the metaphors and similes were a little obvious and overstated for me. However, once I got into the story I really enjoyed it. A different and unexpected storyline, with plenty of twists and turns. Recommended.

I really wanted to like this book but just could not resonate with the characters.   They just did not come to life for me.  The overall story and writing were ok it just did not grasp me like other books of this type have.