Having read other fine works by this author, I regret to say that I was greatly disappointed by her latest novel. A predictable storyline, unlikeable characters, weak writing are a few of the contributing factors to what makes this a dull offering, in comparison to her other books such as The Influencer, The Only Child and The New Neighbour.

While flawed characters lend credibility to any story, the fact that they were so poorly written is what riles me. I wonder whether it was the author's intention to dumb down Tamsin's character. It would seem that any person with the kind of childhood experiences that Tamsin had, would be quite mature in her thought process, and yet Tamsin's POV sounded like that of a bimbo in a teen movie.

Thankfully, the two things that I did consider a mystery in the plot - how Mia got the maid job at Robin's house (cos the friend of a friend explanation simply wasn't cutting it) and why was a rich household not employing a maid through an agency/contract - were explained, even though the clarification was shoddily done. I also do wonder why Marek was left out of the will, since he was the only innocent in all of this.

The premise was compelling, sure, but the unimpressive writing is what put me off. Despite being tempted to DNF several times, I soldiered on in the hopes that it would get better at some point. 

Overall, a disappointment. Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more books by this author as I have enjoyed her previous works.

When Miranda Rijks releases a new book, I immediately drop everything and move it to the very front of my TBR queue, and I am, without fail, duly rewarded. The Second Wife proved to be no exception to this rule, and I devoured this one as I have all of its predecessors.

Robin Featherstone is a composer of some notoriety, and is enjoying life in his stately home in the company of his beautiful second wife, Tamsin. Mia Benton is a struggling musician who, in a bid to make ends meet, accepts a job in the household. When Robin meets a sudden and unfortunate end, Mia and Tamsin, along with Robin's adult children, find themselves in a battle for an inheritance that had, until recently, seemed a forgone conclusion. 4.5 stars

This is a pacey tale of secrets and simmering tensions, twists and revenge, and I was fully invested for the entirely compulsive ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

I thought this was going to be more thrilling, but it was not. The story focused more on a house keeper than the second wife. It was hard for me to care when it seemed like the second wife was an afterthought. I wasn’t expecting to be so disappointed when I read this book was supposed to great and everyone enjoyed the author. I think if the tile had been changed and marketed differently, I would have been more willing to accept the book. Also, the ending was very neat and made me upset. It wasn’t a thriller or shocking. It was just very packaged up well and then it was over. Very disappointed by this one. However, I would be willing to try this author again because the writing style was great.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator books for the digital review copy.

I’ve always loved Miranda‘s books, and this was no exception.

Absolutely loved it from start to finish, and I wasn’t expecting the outcome. Both Mia and Tamsin weren’t exactly likable, but in a good way, I thought that added to The plot.

Tensions Abound..
Mia has a lifelong dream of becoming a professional musician. To make ends meets she takes a job as a cleaner to renowned composer Robin Featherstone. When Robin has an unexpected stroke Mia becomes his assistant, despite Tamsin, his new and much younger wife, being perfectly capable. It soon becomes clear that tensions abound in their magnificent home, not least caused by bitterness from Robin’s ex wife and his grown children. Is there more to these arrangements than meets the eye? Everyone, it seems, wants a part of Robin and his extreme wealth but nothing is quite as it seems. Immersive psychological suspense with an undercurrent of menace throughout leading to a satisfying denouement.

This book was very disappointing, overall, due to the fact that it ends with a definite fizzle instead of a bang.

The story follows Tamsin, the second wife of a famous composer, and Mia, a violinist who works as a maid in the composer's house. When he dies under somewhat suspicious circumstances, he leaves all of his money to Mia, leaving Tamsin and his two grown children with absolutely nothing. This sets up an interesting premise and while I applaud the author for having both characters be very much less than perfect, it takes far too long for the two of them to start combining their knowledge which leaves a lot of circling around the drain before the action kicks into gear.

I won't go into detail on the ending because that would include spoilers, but I was very disappointed with how the mystery wraps up. It doesn't feel very earned and it's also not a very big moment in the grand scheme of things. The additional add on to the end does not help matters either - it's all very convenient and not very exciting.

This also may be a bit of nit pick but the book is called The Second Wife but all of the biggest moments happen to Mia, not Tamsin, who feels like an afterthought somewhat in most of the book.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked from the beginning and kept me hooked until the very end. While I did not care for most of the characters other than Tamsin(even Robin was terrible IMO and I was not that upset about his passing), that did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. The pacing of the story was really good and I never felt like it was dragging on unnecessarily. I also liked that all the loose ends and were tied up in the end and that the reader was not left with a bunch of unanswered questions. While that may not be super realistic, that's the kind of ending I personally prefer.

“All I know is that despite living in opulence at Stave House, there’s something very sorely missing in this household. I can’t put my finger on it, but I will.”

I was so excited to read my first Miranda Rijks book! A couple of fellow reviewers always rave about her books and now I know what they are talking about. I LOVED it. I didn’t know what direction the plot was going in, the twists came out of nowhere, the family was deplorable, and the knowledge that there was a secret about to be discovered kept me on my toes.

After marrying a wealthy, erudite man, 25 years her senior, Tamsin Featherstone struts into Stave House oblivious of the family drama her arrival will cause. You see, Tamsin is the second Mrs. Featherstone. Not only does she have to contend with the first Mrs. Featherstone, there are also the avaricious and entitled adult children to deal with, the nosey and snobbish housekeeper, Pavla and her family who live on the property, and Mia Benton, her husband’s latest assistant. Did I mention that her husband, 58-year-old Robin Featherstone, is a renowned composer with assets and a bank account to match? There’s A LOT at stake here.

When Robin’s sudden death pits family members against each other, readers see these capricious, gold-digging opportunists for what they really are! Who killed him? Who has the most to gain?

Just when you think you have it figured out, a long-buried secret surfaces and tips the precarious balance of family relations.

Like being on a roller coaster for the first time, I buckled up and prepared myself for a journey that I knew would be tension-filled, twisty and satisfying. Rijks delivered. I’m now hooked on her fast-paced domestic thrillers.

I was gifted this advance copy by Miranda Rijks, Inkubator Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Good book! What a crazy story! So many twists and turns! This book had suspense, intrigue, and a great who done it! The storyline was interesting and flowed nicely, it had a few crazy twists! I definitely enjoyed reading this book! I will recommend reading this one! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

#TheSecondWife #NetGalley
Awesome.
Tamsin has recently married renowned composer Robin Featherstone. Robin is much older, but Tamsin doesn’t care - she’s in love.
And she knows Robin loves her too, even if he is very close to another young woman – his assistant, Mia. But Robin’s ex-wife and grown children aren’t happy – they’re sure Tamsin is a gold-digger and Mia is an opportunist. Then, when Robin dies suddenly, the family’s worst fears are realised - Tamsin stands to inherit everything. But when the will is read, its contents are beyond shocking. As Mia and Tamsin are pitted against each other, only one thing is clear. The family will go to any lengths to stop either of them inheriting even a part of Robin’s estate.
Isolated in the family mansion, fearing for their lives and distrustful of each other, Tamsin and Mia are determined to stand their ground. But then a dark family secret is revealed which may engulf them all…