Whilst this was an enjoyable thriller, I am not sure it was entirely memorable. It dealt a lot with science, conspiracies and of course deception. It was fast paced and would still recommend it, but not sure it stood out to me as a 'top thriller of the year'

First off I want to say huge thank you to the publisher BooksGoSocial, the author Julienne Brouwers , and to NetGalley for letting me read it as well as review it.I do have to say that it does start off with a ban and that its non stop from the very start of it, its the kind of book that makes you set and read as well make you ask the question do we really know anyone as well as we think we do.Its full of twist and turns that also keeps you wanting to know more about the characters as well as finding out who done it and why , or if Jennifer really did have something to do with the murder of her husband . Plus it also makes you question just how good is use of forensics and are there ways to make it better, so if you like a who done it, then you need to cheek this out for yourselves.

I enjoyed this book, for the most part. It centers on Jennifer, whose husband Oliver is killed in what looks like a tragic accident while they are on holiday together, trying to respark their marriage. Jennifer thinks that his death is suspicious, but the police say it was pretty straightforward and refuse to investigate further. More events unfold, including some things Jennifer discovers that just don't seem right at her husband's law firm, but the deeper she digs, the more the people around her think she is losing the plot and just having a hard time getting over her husband's death.

The author did a good job at throwing out a lot of red herrings so I honestly could not figure out who to trust and who not to trust. The doubts were expertly weaved throughout the book, making me question everyone's intentions. Unfortunately, I didn't think there was as much set-up done around the real villain as the red herrings, which made the ending of the book seem rather abrupt after a solid build-up.

I struggled in connecting with Jennifer, though- I think the things that she chose to tell or not tell the police, and some of the situations she got herself into, seemed like bad choices, some causing me to suspend my disbelief. Also, she left her young son with her parents constantly while she did her own investigation, went out with her friends, and went on dates, which seemed seemed like poor parenting, especially after the trauma of losing his father.

Overall, the mystery in this book was solid and the storyline itself, when the scam was uncovered, felt plausible, though Jennifer herself made some questionable decisions. I was very impressed that the author wrote this book in English after having written her previous books in Dutch. I'd recommend this book to those who are interested in legal/crime thrillers as as well as mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Smits is determined to find out who killed her husband. But she is barely hanging on to reality by a thread herself. Even her friends are stepping back from her. She has a young son to raise and a job to maintain, but when she questions the police on things, they act like she is the one who killed her husband! Can she get the answers she is seeking or will that thread finally snap? I would like to thank NetGalley for a copy of this book that I voluntarily read and reviewed.

Double Deceit by Julienne Brouwers is a thriller at its heart, but also a really meaty whodunit, set in Amsterdam.

Oliver Smits is a lawyer at a prestigious law firm, Mason & McGant and married to Jennifer. The couple have a young son, Tim and one day Oliver is found dead at a holiday park during a much needed family weekend getaway. The police are satisfied that Oliver's death is an accident, yet Jennifer has her doubts, believing that the police have failed in their investigation. She embarks on a desperate quest for the truth - but as she digs she becomes embroiled in a web of lies.

A cracking read, I had misgivings about every character involved. I thought I had everything sussed from quite early on, but no... I was barking up the wrong tree. Unexpected twists put me on a roundabout of doubt in an impeccably crafted plot that was compelling and jam-packed with surprises and reveals. The Amsterdam setting was a real bonus and the main reason I chose to read this compulsive thriller. The snippets of romance added a further layer to the story.

Overall, a fantastic, totally absorbing, razor-sharp mystery-thriller that I recommend very highly.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Good book with plenty of twists and turns. Good book that keeps you in anticipation of what is going to happen next.

Jennifer and Oliver, along with their toddler Tim, go on vacation to try to refresh their lackluster marriage. They get in a tiff over Oliver's negligence that lead to Tim wandering away for a bit, and Oliver decides to take a walk to "cool off". But he doesn't come back. This had the beginning of everyone's vacation fear - a kidnapping or murder away from home. And of course, he is found dead.

But the story veers off here when one of the circumstances of his death leads Jennifer to some secrets in Oliver's past. Secrets Jennifer is determined to get to the bottom of. There were a lot of red flags in Jennifer's investigation of her husband's death, and she becomes so impassioned about his death being suspicious that her friends are frustrated with her attitude, and her work colleagues believe she is under too much pressure.

To make matters worse, when Jennifer brings her suspicions to the police, they shrug them off.

While some of the situations Jennifer got herself into stretched the imagination, the author maintained the suspense throughout. Even though the ending was a bit rushed, I did find myself tearing up a bit...nothing like being that invested in a book! I also appreciated the fact that this was the author's first book in English and that it was so well executed, as she previously wrote in Dutch.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advanced reader's copy for review.

Overall I enjoyed Double Deceit. After a woman finds our her husband has died unexpectedly, she discovers unexpected things he has been involved in, which leads to a myriad of other discoveries. She cannot leave it alone and soon finds herself thrust headfirst into a mystery. It leads to tension between herself and her family and friends, which leads to unexpected allies.

I debated between 3 and 4 stars for this book. It was well written and easy to follow. However, after the twists and turns, I expected a much more intense ending. I felt like the ending was a little lackluster after the build up. Based on what was happening, I expected something much more exciting. The ending was okay, but there was really so much more I thought the author could do with it.

I recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

While on vacation with her husband and toddler, Jennifer Smits is stunned when her husband goes missing and then shortly turns up dead. His death seems suspicious to her, but she can’t convince anyone else to agree with her. Dealing with her grief, she begins going through his belongings only to find that he was having an affair during the time of his death. Along with finding some cryptic work papers, Jennifer is convinced something sinister is going on and caused her husbands death. Teaming up with her husbands mistress and a handsome lawyer, Jennifer puts everything on the line to get to the bottom of what exactly happened to her husband.
I give this read 3.5 stars, not exactly fast paced but I also wouldn’t consider this a slow read. There were some predictable elements, but still enough mystery to keep you reading. I sympathized with Jennifer and was cheering her on during the whole book. Even so, I did get frustrated with her for certain parenting decisions she made- I was yelling “Come on, Jennifer! You’re better than this!”.
I do wish we had learned a little more about Dan, he had me guessing the ENTIRE time. I’m very pleased with how the book wrapped up, even though it seemed a bit sudden. Overall, I recommend this book to those who may want to start dipping their toe into the suspense/thriller genre. It may not be as thrilling as seasoned thriller readers may be used to, but it’s a great break and a simmering suspense.

Double Deceit by Julienne Brouwers is a great psychological thriller. The characters are well-developed even if some are unreliable. The twists and turns were not obvious or overtly predicable, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

An intriguing thriller describing the story of a woman whose husband is killed during a weekend getaway, and her desperate search for the truth, no matter the cost.

I thought this book had a lot of promise but 1) the ending was way too fast. Quite a bit of build-up for a very fast and unsatisfying ending and 2) the book felt clumsy overall. It started strong but then became too messy with what felt like unnecessary characters and plot points. Good premise but bad execution.

2 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This thriller delved into a rocky marriage, betrayal, and layers of secrets. I loved how the female characters were smart and real. Many times obvious conclusions are overlooked in books which makes it to easy to predict the ending. Usually, I'm like...Hello?! I figured that out 100 pages ago! But every time I reached a conclusion in this story, so did the characters. So refreshing!! This made it harder to predict the ending and I feel it makes it more enjoyable for the reader.

I do feel the ending was rushed and wish a little more time had been spent there,  but overall a great rollercoaster of a thriller.

***some spoilers/ish***
Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and Head of Zeus publishing for the advanced readers copy.
This book was quite an unexpected ending! I was really intrigued towards the last third of the book particularly, I have to admit I did trail of a little in the middle of the book but that last third really brought me back to the edge of my seat.
This is the story of Jennifer Smits, a mother and doctor, who's husband unexpectedly dies from an 'unlucky' fall when they are weekend-holidaying away from home. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until she find out about her husband's affair.
When delving deeper (with her husband's mistress) into the law firm which her husband worked at she discovers some well-kept secrets that leave her with many more questions!
Despite her friends, family and colleagues worrying about her state of mind, and doubting her instincts, she digs deeper...but now its getting dangerous, with her husband's mistress dying suspiciously close after her own husband's death and her now receiving numerous threats.......what was to happen next?!?!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Jennifer Smits is trying to find out who murdered her husband. She does not know who she can trust. This book kept me on the edge of my seat at times.

A high profile lawyer and his doctor wife, along with their two year old son take a small vacation from their life in Amsterdam. It is mainly to fix their once-perfect to ambiguous and boring married life. But things don’t go as planned, do they? Jennifer soon finds that her husband Oliver is missing and all her fears come true when he’s found dead. But is it just an accident like the police say? What secrets did her husband keep hidden?

The plot is typical for a psychological thriller where a spouse dies and the partner is left to grapple with all the secrets and unpleasantness that comes to the surface. The book handles the elements of mystery well enough, though the basic premise and the story idea are fairly predictable. But where the author wins is in details - especially the grief that Jennifer goes through due to Oliver’s death and all the horrors that appear after. Infidelity. Secrets. Blackmail. Scams. Poor woman!

But Jennifer keeps a strong front and fights for the truth. Even when she’s crumbling inside. In the process, she finds a lot more to finally give her acceptance. I loved how the story pushes her as a woman suffering yet ready to keep her head. The writing is clear and engaging. The characters are really well developed.

The few things that didn’t work for me are the been-there-seen-that plot (honestly, it’s not unique at all) and twists, and how some situations seem way too convenient. But hey, three cheers for the leading lady!

P.S. Jennifer, you are awesome! But please don’t believe that infidelity is “just a blip” in your marriage. You deserve better! But you are golden, because you fought for justice for Oliver anyway❤️

During lockdown #1 I became hooked on mystery/thriller/cosy murder books, and now I can’t enough of them!

This novel is set in Amsterdam, where Jennifer and Oliver, and their toddler son Tim, have gone away to a holiday park for the weekend. The little boy briefly goes missing and his parents are panic-stricken, then when he’s found Jennifer is so relieved that she unleashes her anger on Oliver, blaming him for not watching Tim properly. Oliver then goes off for a walk to calm down but he doesn’t return.

Oliver’s body is found nearby but the police aren’t doing enough for Jennifer’s liking, so she starts digging and ends up finding out too much. She has a sort of friendship with Sandra along the way, and that’s all linked in with the reason for Oliver’s death.

A brilliant, well-written story that I didn’t want to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Double deceit is a crime/thriller novel written by Julienne Brouwers. The novel follows the story of Jennifer Smits, when tragedy strikes on a family weekend away. Oliver, her husband dies in a terrible accident leaving Jennifer and her 2 year old son Tim to pick up the pieces back at home. The police are putting it down to a tragic accident but not everything is as it seems.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Double Deceit. It kept me intrigued and had enough twists and turns in the storyline to keep me wanting to know more. What really happened to Oliver, was it an accident or was something sinister at play.

Thank you Netgalley, BooksGoSocial and author Julienne Brouwers for the ARC.

My first review was that I could only read the first chapter, so I was then sent a copy from the publishing company. I finished it in just a few days and I loved it! I know I like a book when it's hard for me to put down.

The story and the characters were well written, and there was a perfect amount of twists and turns in it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book!

You can find my other review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3655144367

The story follows Jennifer and her husband, who's marriage is in dire straits. Very early on in the book Jennifer's husband tragically dies, which leads to a series of suspenseful events. I loved how this book somehow combined a thriller with novel-aspects into one, making it highly entertaining and thrilling with lots of twists and turns, yet leaving sufficient room to describe how the main character is feeling as her life is falling apart.
Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy.