I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Sandrine is a lonely, socially awkward woman. She had an abusive upbringing and is plagued by a crippling hatred of her body. When she sees a distraught husband on television appealing for help after the disappearance of his wife, she is drawn to him and compelled to join a search for the woman. There she meets the man face to face, and as the wife is assumed dead their relationship develops. Sandrine is besotted and slips comfortably into life with "the man who cried" and his son, but when his wife is found, it becomes apparent that things are not as they seem.

This book is fascinating, tense and unputdownable. Mey is a master of conceal and reveal, with the truth of Sandrine's relationship being slowly exposed whilst the truth of what happened to the "first woman" coming clearer. This book is not an easy read, but a very authentic portrayal of an abusive situation and the reluctance to admit the truth of it to yourself or the outside world.

I really enjoyed this book, it's a noir thriller that retains a literary sensibility. It gives me vibes of Lullaby by Leïla Slimani, clearly there is something about French noir that hits the spot for me. I thought it was perfectly paced, and the characters feel very real and relatable. I wasn't keen on the extent of body criticism Sandrine levels at herself, but at the same time found it very telling that rarely does anyone around her mirror the things she thinks about herself and so it does show how her lack of self esteem led her into the situation in which she finds herself.

A gripping story that held me to the end. I'll definitely be looking out more translations of this author in future.

Exciting book that had you hooked from the off. The book was very well written. Great plot. Very exciting. Fast paced to get your heart racing. Loved this book

A fabulous story, made even better by the fact that it was part of a readalong event!! This book had my opinions split so many times as to whether the main character was telling the truth or it was all fantasy. Loved the ending and hope there can be a part two to see how the story continues.

This is such an interesting book & was read as a Pushkin Press read-along.

It's a bit unusual to read only up until an allocated point in the text & then 'meet up' online to leave your thoughts about certain elements.

The writing style of this book made me feel like it was going to be a slow starter, but there's also a feeling that we're being introduced to a very troubled woman. Serious issues like coercive control & manipulation are definitely strong topics but you also might find yourself questioning Sandrine. She's desperate to find some form of happiness but also doesn't think she deserves anything positive.

You might find yourself wondering if she has some unspoken plan but actually lives out a different one.
Her attraction to a neighbour when his wife vanishes is intense & also tense for all parties - a young 'step-son' is in the picture - but she somehow wiggles her way into this different life. The other woman is missing & presumed dead but nobody knows for sure if this is true.

There are twists all over the place in this one & you might not see the steps coming until they're already happening.

A very dark but very interesting read.

At times a difficult and thought provoking read, due to the subject matter. Domestic violence is a hard topic to approach within fiction, and I think Mey covers the ground with sensitivity whilst not shying away from the more harrowing side. The novel gradually unwinds and the tension builds, leaving the reader in a state of abject fury that’s aimed squarely at the injustice visited upon the characters.

Wow this was an intense psychological thriller. Sandrine just wants to be loved but the abuse that has done to her growing up has messed with her mind, and the events that she goes through keep making me wonder if this was reality or just a delusion in her mind. This story had me saying WTF many times, and I couldn't put it down, because I had to know the truth. The story is written so differently that you have no choice but to immerse yourself with Sandrine and man did it give me anxiety. It was defiantly a thrill ride.

I did not complete the book because it felt very triggering and sad to me. I am thankful to the publisher for a chance and I am also extremely sorry for not being able to properly review the book.

The writing did seem unique and we'll executed but there are extremely heavy things in the book because of which I did not finish it.

I recently took part in Pushkin Press first readalong of the second woman. Every thursday two questions where posted to the group and discussed. It was amazing to see everyone's point of view for the same questions being asked.
I went into this book blind not knowing much of the characters or author.
As I began reading I wasn't a fan of the second woman, i found her to be devious and manipulative to gain the attention of the woman's husband. As the story progressed I realised that all is not as it seems. She is this way due to her upbringing. Without giving any spoilers away the book is wrote in multiple POV and written cleverly showing different prospective. The book should come with several warnings such as rape and domestic violence.

A missing wife...an abusive man, a scared child. Sandrine has to have everything 'Just so' or her partner will be very upset with her and she does not want him to be upset with . That is the LAST thing she wants. She thought he was a heartbroken man when she saw him on TV after his wife went 'missing' and now, she is living in his home, taking care of him and his son but does she really know him?

As his wifes parents raise suspicions about him and as the detective on his wifes missing person case riases her suspicions too, Sandrine has to come up ways to find out the truth and keep herself and the child safe.

Then, something really strange happens and throws everything up in the air........

I really enjoyed this book, I was rooting for Sandrine from the very beginning.

Interesting but could not grab my attention fully. I felt the writing was not engaging to allow me to care about the situation or characters.

I took part in the Pushkin Press read along for this book, with an e-arc via NetGalley. I wanted to race through this book, as it really does hook you in and you become totally absorbed in Sandrine’s story. However, the read along encouraged me to slow my pace and it was interesting to discuss the book on a weekly basis and it definitely prompted many questions about the characters, themes and plot.

It’s a hard hitting, intense book with challenging and often uncomfortable themes. The author cleverly develops Sandrine into a character who you grow to care about as the book progresses. I thought she was a well drawn example of a woman who has grown up suffering abusive relationships, and a lot of research has clearly gone into this book.

All in all, a powerful psychological thriller that will grip you to the very last word.

The Second Woman .


I was truly gripped and unsettled by the Fren.ch domestic thriller, and it’s themes of control and coercion. The author truly understands this type of relationship and the psychological trauma that slowly trickles down to the rest of the family. Sandrine is our main character, a discreet, gentle and loving woman who doesn’t want much. She just wants a loving husband, someone who wants to go to bed with her every night and wake up with her every morning. She wants someone who shows his affection and holds her hand in front of others. She’s so concentrated in looking for this, that when Mr Langois appears on the horizon, he is going to be her ‘one’. Mr Langois does offer her some of what she wants. She now has a beautiful place to live, close to his son, which does show an element of trust. Yet this is a house where a woman went missing. His first wife was there and then she disappeared. In fact, she is presumed dead, and Sandrine, who is discreet, loving and oh so grateful, slips into the void left behind. She has been doing her best to bring back a smile to the grieving husband and little Mathias. However, he will never really be her stepson, and it's not really her man. In the back of her mind, she feels the woman who was there before, the one who made this house a home and belonged here in this family, Then suddenly the woman who’s been haunting Sandrine reappears. Alive. Sandrine's world crumbles and falls apart.

This book is both compelling to read, but also intelligent and profound. Whereas the first half is largely setting the scene, the second part becomes more and more chilling. We are treated to all the twists and turns related to the disappearance of the first woman as she infiltrates Sandrine’s life; and what follows is insidious or perhaps evil. It's very well written, with a brilliant depiction of Sandrine’s personality change from a woman who only wanted to be loved and to love in return, to an obsessive. The obsession is borne of her low self-esteem and could lead her straight into being a monster. The story is written with waves of the worst tension, and becomes unrelenting once Langois’ wife returns and begins manipulating. The author manages to scare us without a need for physical violence, something which doesn’t surprise as a survivor of coercive control. By the time I’d found the strength to leave, I didn’t really know who I was anymore. It took so long to try and put myself back together. This book has that strange quality of being fascinating yet repulsive at the same tune.I sort of felt the way I do when watching nature documentaries. It’s incredible to watch the ability of the beautiful creature at the top of the food chain, but also dreadful to watch the pain and fear of the animal being hunted. It’s horrible, but you can’t turn away. This is such an immersive read, you’ll look up from the page and wonder where you are.

This is an intense and emotional read. I didn't really warm to any of the characters which made it a slow burner for me. But the writing is great and it's really well translated.

I was part of the readalong and the questions were really thought provoking and I really enjoyed hearing other people's ideas about the characters.

Thank you Netgalley for the gifted copy.

I loved being part of the read-along for this book and at times, I desperately wanted to read to the end as I couldn't wait to hear what happened to Sandrine and her truly despicable husband. I made myself read only to the discussion questions and I am so glad that I did as I absolutely savoured the story. This is a brilliantly written book, full of twists, flawed characters and plenty of action to keep you turning the pages. I'm still shocked by some of the things that were mentioned in the book and would highly recommend this to anyone.

Huge thanks to Pushkin and Netgalley for the chance to read this.

Title - The Second Woman

Author - Louise Mey

Genre - Thriller/Mystery

Ever wondered what would happen if life was without any thrills? The writing community is always equally spiced up when thrillers work their charm and they add spice to our reading capacity. It's the same case with me as well when I look to add spice to my reading collection and this time I decided to pick up 'The Second Woman' by Louise May which came along with an exciting readalong with the publishers too.

Plot:

Sandrine's life was never perfect until she met the man who cried when his wife went missing. She became the second woman in his life taking care of him and his kid. Her life takes a serious turn when the First Woman comes back after going missing for years and it turns out what she chose to avoid and ignore wasn't just one off phenomenon but a horror that she must face bravely.

My Take on the Book:

When I picked up this book, the book pretty much gave me a vibe of a murder mystery or maybe a dark undertone on how the plot would unravel. I had a set notion in my mind on what will happen in the book but what came out to me was a book that surprised me with a plot that was pretty much not being talked about in a lot of places.

Sandrine undergoing domestic abuse is something we as a reader should discuss a lot about. From being harassed mentally by her father in the book to how her husband kept treating her is a topic that is avoided in a lot of circles. A person (in this case the protagonist) apparently thinks that they deserve such a treatment and how they get so accustomed to it at the cost of their mental health is pretty much horrifying and yet ignored.

Though the book initially did start pretty slow, as it reached its climax, I couldn't help but kept feeling anxious on the way the plot unravelled. Loved the story and how the author narrated the incidents that was hard-hitting and yet made the readers think that life is not as horrible as one should plan out to be but one needs to have a pinch of courage to change it.

'The Second Woman' was such a riveting read that points a spotlight on depression, domestic abuse, and the human psyche. We follow the life of Sandrine as she searches for happiness, and seemingly finds it in a man searching for companionship. They form a life with his son, and for a while Sandrine feels at peace. However, the discovery of the man's mystery partner changes Sandrine's life dramatically.

This story was very powerful, as it focuses on the effects of emotional abuse on a human being. This story was moving and dark, and the pacing kept me engaged in this tale of a woman struggling to discover serenity within herself. This novel certainly has an impact on me, and it stayed with me long after I finished!

**Thank you so much to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the gifted copy**

I took part in the Pushkin Press read-along for this title and it was very interesting to glean other reader's thoughts on the novel.

This was an intense story that was often uncomfortable to read. Nevertheless, I was engrossed in Sandrine's untenable situation. At first I found her constant self-denigration to be tedious, but as I came to know her better, I liked her a bit better and sympathized with her plight. By the end of the book, I loved Sandrine.

This is a disturbing portrait of spousal abuse. It is about coercive, manipulative, control over another person. Monsieur Langlois was a cruel egotist, a proprietorial man who was totally devoid of empathy. Sandrine learned to be obedient, silent, and aware of every nuance of HIS moods and mannerisms.

I loved the way Sandrine came to care for the small boy, and how she learned the limits of her own strength.

The ending was fitting, though some might consider it a tad ambiguous. In this instance, I believe the reader must decide for themselves certain aspects of the resolution. Your heart might be healthier that way.

"The Second Woman" was an remarkable read that will remain in my memory for some time. Highly recommended.

Hard hitting character driven psychological thriller in which the tension keeps building and building. Sandrine has been abused by her father and has such low self esteem often punishing herself and her body and so doesn’t understand that she is being further abused in her relationship with her man. She is just so desperate to have him and what she thinks is a good life with him.

Until something changes and then she realises. But it just gets worse and worse.

This book is quite shocking and lays bare how abusive a relationship can be at its worst, so not for the feint hearted. Makes for compelling reading for sure and it’s a page turner! So good.

Thanks to @pushkin_press and @tarammcevoy for my gifted copy and spot on the book tour.

A wonderful psychological thriller!

A woman is in front of a mirror, pleased with her looks form the first time in her life, which until recently she has spent in solitude hating her body and herself – no surprise as she was reared to think of herself as fat cow, stupid bitch and potential slut in a childhood of verbal, psychological and physical abuse. But now Sandrine is happy because she has found a man. The first time he saw him he was on TV with his little son Mathias, in tears because his wife had disappeared. Now no one is going to take this happiness away from her. But as she goes downstairs, she finds him stunned in front of TV – the amnesiac woman who is on the news is strikingly similar to his first wife.

There is much to like in this taut page turner on the theme domestic abuse by French feminist noir writer Louise Mey. The way it is told is unique: the novel is focalised through Sandrine’s point of view, rendering meticulously her internal voice and showing her desires, fears and her critical self telling he what to do in order to keep her dream alive. We don’t know her partner’s name as full focus is deliberately on her. This technique makes the novel truly engrossing because we keep testing her sanity and guessing what is going on, what is in her head, what is reality, fantasy or delusion, and if he or she or both may have a split personality. The way events are narrated is also reminiscent of fairy tales, like Bluebeard, Rumpelstitskin, Snow White, Cinderella.

I totally enjoyed discovering by myself how events unfold, so I am not going to spoil your reading. The author has certainly done her homework and the rendering of the dynamics of abuse and the psychology of victims is insightful, nuanced and compassionate.

I was thrilled to take part in a readalong organised by Pushkin Press and to be able to share opinions with wonderful readers! The novel is so engaging that it was hard not to read ahead. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.