3/5

Quick fast paced thriller. Had a solid story line. Similar plot line to many thrillers but overall was a good day read.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 3 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

this was a really quick and easy thriller to read. from the prologue, the story immediately hooks you in, and i found it hard to put the book down! there were no major twists, and i did find the story to be a little predictable, but i still enjoyed it all the same. the husband, lachlan, was such a red flag (if you read it, you'll know why). i do believe some things were left unanswered as i still had some questions at the end. overall, recommend if you're looking for a fast-paced thriller!

˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and Matt McGregor for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

This book was truly unputdownable and I finished it in one day. This book ticks every box for the perfect psychological thriller. Suspenseful, surprising, dark, and addicting.

Olivia thinks she’s met Mr. Perfect. Her life goes from rags to riches when she meets Lachlan. He’s handsome, kind, smart, rich, and has it all. Together, they seem to have it all. Until they don’t. Just who, exactly, did Olivia marry? What happened to his “ex-wife”? The answers are shocking!

This is a must read and I would love to even see this as a tv show or movie one day!

Psychological thriller? Sign me up!

Olivia is a waitress, struggling to pursue her love for painting. Suddenly meets the perfect man, or so she thinks.

Lots of secrets and twists.

I really enjoyed this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Inkubator Books and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Talk about addicting plot twists. I thought this was going to be a book I wouldn't be able to read after the first two or three chapters and I am SOOO glad that I kept going. It isn't as descriptive as I am used to some books being but it understood where Matt was going with the entire plot. I still cannot get over the resemblance between Olivia and Yasmin. Then there was the letter, the home videos, and Anya! The betrayal, the plot twists, all worth it.

📚 ARC Review: The Last Wife by Matt McGregor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

The Last Wife pulled me in from the very beginning and didn’t let go. I found myself flying through the pages, constantly trying to piece together the mystery and dying to know what would happen next!

The FMC was an absolute standout for me. I loved how she carried the story with her strength, intelligence, and determination. She wasn’t perfect, but she was real—and I was totally rooting for her the entire time.

This was my first book by Matt McGregor, and it definitely won’t be my last. If you’re a fan of thrillers that keep you on your toes with a smart, resilient female lead at the center, this one’s worth picking up!

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Matt McGregor’s The Last Wife is a dark, twist-filled psychological thriller that unfolds with the kind of cinematic intensity reminiscent of a gripping Lifetime drama or a tightly scripted suspense film. From the very beginning, the novel pulls the reader into a web of secrets, betrayals, and shocking revelations that refuse to let go.

What sets this story apart is its masterful pacing. McGregor builds suspense with care, layering tension scene by scene while punctuating the narrative with jaw-dropping moments that feel both unexpected and entirely earned. The twists are well-executed, striking the perfect balance between surprise and plausibility, ensuring that readers stay fully engaged throughout.

Atmospheric, dramatic, and relentlessly engaging, The Last Wife is a standout in the domestic thriller genre. McGregor’s ability to weave a story that feels both familiar and fresh makes for a truly entertaining read—one that delivers the kind of psychological punch that lingers long after the final chapter.

THE LAST WIFE BY MATT MCGREGOR.
Release date set for the 25th of May 2025.
4 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
Love the cover for this.
Oh this was a really good book.
I love the storyline and sailed through this book.
Great pacing.
Easy read.
This is my first time reading matts work and it won't be the last.

This book has the vibe of a Freida McFadden psychological thriller, from the cover of the book to the plot and the protagonist. We follow a struggling waitress from Iowa, Olivia, who dreamed of being an artist. She meets a rich handsome financier, Lachlan and is swept off her feet. Six months later after a whirlwind romance they are married and living in Rosford an affluent town with a Stepford feel. Olivia seemingly has it all, a handsome husband, time to paint and an affluent lifestyle but something is not right. Lachlan turns weird, he has some strange rules for his new wife for her hair color, the clothes she should wear and his desire to put her in the family way. And there is the troubling question of what happened to Lachlan's last wife, Yasmin, now deceased.
The book is a page turner and there are some twists along the way, similar to other thrillers of this ilk.
I want to thank NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.

i love psychological thrillers where the main character finds what she thinks is the perfect man but slowly but surely hole develop in his personality and hes not what he seems and this is the case here. lots of twists and turns and a definite recommend to anyone wholoves psychological thrillers..

thank you netgalley and publisher. all thoughts and opinions are my own

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the way the story develop. But it was addictive and very compelling to read, so I will give it that. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

Although the beginning story is a little far-fetched, it was a thrilling and fast-paced read. A bit predictable as to how it all was going to end but overall, I enjoyed the book. I look forward to reading other titles by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator for an ARC of this book.

wow. i started reading this and only stopped for toilet and hydration breaks. i havent done that for a thriller or book in a while. and the way it was paced and laid out made it easy for me to do this. and the plot made it a must.
the darkness to it filled with tension and questions and whats going to happen means you are bought in from the start right the way through to what eventually ends this book.
Olivia is a waitress. there she meets a charming man. the right man who seems to just do all the right things. haha first mistake luv. but Lachlan sweeps her off her feet. and although we can all judge this from the outside i doubt there is many a person who wouldnt fall for someone who treated them as if they were everything. come on this is how these guys do it!
Olivia does have dreams of her own though. she wants to be an artist. but thats ok this new man this new life, town, house could give her all that and more. right? nope. because very quickly they are married. and very quickly Olivia is feeling off. about everything including her husband.
i loved that for this one just as Olivia was finding out these things so was i. i didnt guess them or see what was coming or where it was going.
Matt has done his work well. this book is stunning.

Psychological Thrillers are my favorite genre and this one did not disappoint. This starts off with a chance meeting in a fancy restaurant where Olivia is a struggling artist who is working in a restaurant barely getting by and has a chance encounter with the dashing Lachlan. He sweeps her off her feet in a whirlwind romance and she thinks she has met the man of her dreams… fancy clothes, expensive jewelry, personal trainer, big house in a rich neighborhood. Until the dream starts to become a nightmare.

Little by little the newfound freedom Olivia was basking in starts to feel like a noose around her neck. Her Prince Charming is hiding a secret that everyone knows but her. As her perfect life starts to unravel she finds out that she isn’t as “free” as she thought she was. And that Prince Charming? He’s more the Villain. How far will he go to keep her locked away in his castle? What price will she pay to escape?

Make sure to look for this thrilling story to hit the shelves this coming May 25, 2025.

**Thank you NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review*

"The Last Wife" by Matt McGregor is a chilling psychological thriller that explores the darker side of relationships. The story follows Olivia, a waitress who meets charming, wealthy Lachlan Gibson, and everything seems perfect - until she realizes something isn't right beneath the surface.

Olivia is a down-on-her-luck waitress in an abusive relationship when she meets Lachlan. He seems perfect--handsome, wealthy, and charming. He offers her a new start in a beautiful home and the opportunity to pursue her passion for painting. But shortly after their marriage, she hears whisperings of how similar she is to his last wife who died in childbirth. As Olivia discovers his past, will she be able to escape with her life?

I was drawn in to this story from the first page. But what I think is happening in the first chapter is not actually what happened. Lachlan was too good to be true, and it annoyed me how easily Olivia allowed him to draw her in. But as she was already in an abusive relationship, I guess that was to be understood. I liked the quick pace and unexpected twists. Perfect for fans of Freida McFadden and BA Paris.

First off, I want to thank NetGalley, Inkubator Books, and the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review. This story is a domestic psychological thriller centered around Olivia, a waitress trying to make ends meet. She meets Lachlan in a restaurant, and he appears to be too good to be true. Lachlan showers Olivia with expensive gifts and offers her the dream life of being a stay-at-home trophy wife while pursuing her passion for art.

However, as their relationship develops, Lachlan's facade begins to crumble, revealing his true self—manipulative and attempting to mold her into the image of his deceased wife, whom he is still grieving. Olivia becomes increasingly frustrated with Lachlan’s behavior as he tries to reshape her into his former partner. In turn, Lachlan exhibits misogynistic views and displays anger towards her.

I initially thought this book would be predictable, but I found myself truly captivated and tense, eager to find out what would happen next. I appreciated how Olivia's character evolves throughout the story; she learns to find herself despite the hardships she faces. Ultimately, the narrative underscores the strength of motherhood and highlights how love can help you persevere through difficult times.

The themes of obsession, stalking, and Lachlan's attempts to mold Olivia into his ex-wife create a compelling plot. Overall, I rate this book a 4.25 out of 5. It is a fast-paced, intense, and unputdownable thriller. If you enjoy tense thrillers, I recommend picking up this book! Please note that there are brief mentions of domestic violence, misogyny, and assault.

This book teetered from thriller to pervasive as the main character's uterus became a constant focus and was literally under attack as her husband impregnates her without her consent after knowingly poking holes in his condoms and taking them off AGAIN without her consent. ICK.

What starts as a modern fairytale quickly spirals into a chilling psychological thriller in Matt McGregor’s intense and suspenseful novel. Olivia, a humble waitress with artistic dreams, believes she’s won the romantic lottery when she meets the charming and wealthy Lachlan Gibson. Swept off her feet by his attention and encouragement, Olivia is quickly immersed in a world of luxury, love and control.

After moving into Lachlan’s lavish home, the cracks in their whirlwind romance begin to show. Small, unsettling things begin to unravel: curious glances from locals, hushed whispers, and a name that Olivia can't escape - Yasmine Gibson. Yasmine, it turns out, was Lachlan’s first wife who died in childbirth just eight months earlier. This revelation alone is shocking, but what’s even more disturbing is how quickly Lachlan moved on—and how much Olivia is starting to resemble Yasmine in every aspect.

As Olivia digs deeper, her dream life turns into a nightmare. From dictated hair colors and fashion choices to a honeymoon eerily identical to Yasmine’s, Olivia realizes she’s not just a wife she’s a replacement. The psychological manipulation escalates when Olivia discovers that Lachlan has been sabotaging their contraception in a twisted attempt to trap her into motherhood. That’s when she decides enough is enough. But escaping Lachlan may not be so easy.

A letter hidden away by Yasmine reveals a terrifying truth: she, too, had tried to leave and Lachlan had locked her away. Could he have killed Yasmine? And is Olivia destined for the same fate?

Matt McGregor masterfully builds tension, creating a slow-burning sense of dread that grips the reader until the very last page. The character of Olivia is both relatable and resilient, a woman whose strength grows as she uncovers the dark truth behind Lachlan’s perfect façade. The themes of control, identity, and autonomy are explored with chilling realism.

What made this read even more special for me was discovering that Matt McGregor is a New Zealand author. As a Kiwi reader, it’s always exciting to support local talent, especially when the writing delivers such international-quality thrills.

If you're a fan of domestic noir or psychological thrillers in the vein of Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris or The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, you won’t want to miss this gripping tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

As others have noted, this was a quick and easy read—I finished it in a day. I enjoyed the story, though it felt familiar and reminded me of other books with similar themes. There weren’t any major twists, and the ending played out much as I expected.

Overall, it’s a nice choice for a fast, holiday read.