What His Wife Knew, Jo Jakeman

The perfect married couple. Now one of them is dead.
Beth Lomas thought she knew her husband Oscar but a one word note in their kitchen convinces the police that Oscar took his own life. As Beth begins to unravel his secrets she discovers a whole side of Oscar she didn’t know.

This is a comfortable thriller, flickering perspectives, narrators who don’t quite let everything slip and a victim who is easy to hate.
I worked this one out (I usually do) but it doesn’t mean the twist wasn’t a good one! (It just means I need to stop reading so many of the same genre in a row)

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Vintage for my copy of this one.

I loved this book!! I couldn't read it quick enough, there was twists and turns that I didn't see coming and loved how the story unfolded. Had me gripped from the off and I couldn't put it down, brilliantly written.

This was excellent! It also contains the most realistic hangover scene I've ever read, poor Molly I too have had that give me Lucozade now horror the morning after!
So Oscar Lomas is found dead after jumping/falling/being pushed to his death. His wife Beth is distraught at first but then strangely relieved as life goes on with her teenage children and she starts to blossom without the controlling behaviour of Oscar. I really liked her friendship with Molly and we find out what actually happened to them both in their teens. The one thing I wish is that people would speak to each other, if only they and Hattie had discussed the night of the party at the time, so many misunderstandings could have been avoided.
As someone who has a terror of rats, I did wonder why they kept being mentioned. I am glad to say they were there for a purpose and what a tool of revenge they made!
DC Lowry Endecott was a fantastic character, I have gone off police procedurals lately but her inclusion was great as she was interesting and quirky enough, but her presence didn't take over the whole story.
A lot of twists and red herrings and some real surprises, I also like how we get an epilogue as I do love all the lose ends being tied up.

Beth Lomas is stunned when her husband Oscar's body is found and it seems that he took his own life. She is convinced he would never do that and she has a feeling that he might have been murdered. She is determined to discover the truth, but in the course of her investigations she discovers that there was a lot she didn't know about her late husband, and it seems he was not the great person people believed him to be. I enjoyed the story, though I didn't warm to the main characters. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I really enjoyed this read about an assumed suicide but to his wife something doesn’t seem right and she is convinced he didn’t take his own life. As she discovers her husband was not the man she thought he was and that she can’t even trust those closest to her in life things take a dark and sinister turn.

Jo Jakeman's new novel, "What His Wife Knew" does not disappoint.
Essentially a murder mystery; was Oscar Lomas killed and if he was, who killed Oscar Lomas?

Themes from the author's previous books continue; women finding strength through adversity, the strong female bond and the unreliability of men. Always with a cutting edge, but also a wry sense of humour in there. Female characters dominate and are finely written. Events unfold at a rapid pace. The novel's structure, following the stages of grief, is a neat device for the story to organically unfurl.

The sensitive storyline of a man's suicide is handled with care. Even the unravelling of what the wife thought she knew only to find things are somehow else, is managed realistically without overwrought melodrama. The writing sometimes has some startling moments, "I woke to a scream. My own." This is clear, crisp, forwardly driving writing that is focussed upon telling a strong story that comes to an unpredictable but, ultimately satisfying ending. All in all, a page-turner. Well, isn't that the least you should expect from a book, the pages turn. But a great little read.

I look forward to reading it again when published in 2022 and then waiting for the next publication from this very reliable author who is one of the few I always have to order the new book from..

Well, you think you know someone don’t you?! This was an intriguing mystery - a dead body, but was it murder or suicide? Goodness me, the characters in this story all seem to be the world’s best liars, and there is no end to the buried secrets which are slowly revealed. You can’t trust any of them, and by the end I disliked them all! It was a very well written and plotted story line but I preferred the first half more than the second. The pieces of the puzzle started to fall together for me quite quickly and it became a bit predictable and over-the-top implausible. I was disappointed in the lack of detective work, and think that DC Lowry Endecott maybe chose the wrong profession! With that said, this was an enjoyable read even though it didn’t have me gripping the edge of my seat. I was hovering between 3 and 4 stars on this one but decided on 4 because I thought it was very clever how one person got their ‘just desserts’ (which will become clear when you read the book).
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and was gripped from page 1. I’ve not been able to put it down all day and had to finish it.
The plot is unique and intriguing. The story is emotional and the characters interesting.
There are so many twists and turns throughout which makes for the perfect thriller.
I’d definitely recommend it and it’s certainly worthy of 5 stars.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Oscar Lomas wrote sorry on the back of an envelope, left on his kitchen table and that was enough to convince the police that he had taken his own life. The police announce they are not looking for anyone else in connection with his death but his wife Beth is convinced that there is more to the story. She is determined to find out the truth which may mean she learns a lot more about her husband. Her search for the truth uncovers secrets some of which she may have wished had stayed hidden.

The novel is well plotted and full of interesting characters making this an interesting read.

A fantastic story with so much emotion invoved, yet so many twists and turns still to come. One that is impossible to put down while you wait for what is to come...

I had high expectations due to the previous reviews, however, the book was good but not amazing, and definitely not memorable. I didn’t like how Oscar took advantage of everyone and how the woman were all portrayed as weak and easily influenced.

What His Wife Knew is a tense psychological thriller. Beth’s husband Oscar is missing. A body is found, an apparent suicide. The crux of the story lies around. Was it suicide? Or was it murder? As the list of Oscar’s enemies grows, grieving widow Beth is compelled to search for the truth.

The book is well plotted and tense in parts but I found it difficult to find any sympathy for the characters. Oscar isn’t the nicest person. His morals are questionable. He’s controlling, manipulative and arrogant. Beth irritated the hell out of me. I wanted to give her to grow a backbone. Rather than confronting certain issues head on, she buries her head in the sand. On the plus side, seeing an abuser getting his comeuppance always makes for a satisfying read!

As the list of suspects grows, Jo Jakeman convinces the reader that every character is untrustworthy, that each one is hiding something that’s explosive. The tension ebbs and flows throughout as the mystery deepens and well buried secrets are deftly revealed.

When I read a psychological thriller, I look forward to an element of surprise. Unfortunately it never came! Maybe it’s because I have read so many books in this genre I’m able to work out the plot twist fairly on, and in this case I was spot on, so it slightly spoilt my enjoyment of this read. Don’t get me wrong, What His Wife Knew made for an enjoyable read, but guessing the big reveal, and my lack of connection with the characters stopped it from being an outstanding read.

My review will be left on Instagram, good reads and Amazon

The answer goes from not a lot to way too much.
There are a lot of characters in this book, both male and female, mostly within a small geographical area. I felt a spread sheet would have helped to identify who was related to, engaged to, friends, married to whom. Also which police officer fitted in where.
I got there in the end although, like Beth, I am not too sure which pussy is in the well.
There are so many twists across the years with specific triggers of underage sex/rape and the grief that can cause and be left by suicide.
Ultimately it is sad. Would it have been better for Hattie to discuss issues with Beth as teenagers and what of the new secret; are Beth, Mollie and Harvey being fair to the others?
Only you can tell.

Gripping, well written and completely unpredictable.
This book has pulled me in and been completely impossible to put down.

Jo Jakeman has done it again! Another phenomenal title from one of my favourite authors. Well-paced, tense and had me questioning until the end. Fantastic.

Definitely one of the best books I've read recently. It's so well written, the characters are so complex and real and there are just constantly new secrets and lies coming to light which I loved. It wasn't too predictable, it was all just "what if?!" enough to really make you feel uneasy about it and to make it all seem quite believable!!I just loved it, it really did keep me completely hooked and kept up the pace without having any filler chapters or bit dragging on just to add to the word count or having things thrown in that are then never mentioned again. I would definitely recommend giving this one a go if thrillers and domestic noir are your thing

Beth's husband Oscar is missing. A body is found, an apparently obvious suicide.

So begins this 'was it suicide or murder mystery', with grieving widow Beth compelled to search for the truth.

I've read a few books along similar lines, and this is one of the better ones. Depth of character, plenty of secrets and a community of characters (and suspects) with believable relationships and interactions.

There's plenty going on, I wish I'd had the opportunity to read it in one sitting rather over a few nights.

It ends strongly, though I have to say I was kept interested and intrigued rather than thrilled. If you love multi-layered character driven mysteries you'll enjoy this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Vintage.

I very much enjoyed reading this novel and trying to solve the mystery of Beth’s husband’s untimely death. There was definitely more than meets the eye to this mystery and I absolutely recommend it to those readers that enjoy a red herring or two!

this was such a gripping read I couldnt put it down, it was so well paced and so tense with dark and disturbing undertones that made it a perfect thriller to read as the nights are getting darker. It was twisty and vengeful and I loved it.

#WhatHisWifeKnew #NetGalley
Jo Jakeman has written an awesome psychological thriller.
Beth Lomas thought she knew her late husband. But this one small word, written on the back of a discarded envelope and left on their kitchen table convinces the police that Oscar took his own life. As the police announce they are not seeking anyone else in connection with Oscar's death, Beth is convinced that there is more to the story. As she sets out to discover what really happened, Beth uncovers shocking truths about the man she thought she knew better than anyone. In their small town it seems like every stone she turns hides an ugly secret and it's not long before her own dark past begins to rise to the surface.
I really liked the way the author has created the characters and reveals the suspense.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Vintage for giving me an advance copy of this book.