The Widow's Husband by Natasha Boydell was a great psychological thriller full of twists and turns throughout that will have you hooked from the very beginning till the very end. It was a book that I started and had to finish, I am so glad I had a chance to read it. I loved it.

Maggie has just started venturing out of her house at last. It has been years since she has walked out of her front door, today is the day! She was being held as a virtual prisoner by her controlling husband, Frank, Yes! she’s now free.
Little steps and Maggie starts to take little walks in the village, so much courage to do this as she smiles at strangers as she passes them and feeling overwhelmed when they smile back at her.

Then, on one of her walks, she finds herself drawn to a poster in the window of the local pub, it is advertising an evening with a psychic. Sadly Maggie doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but something is calling her and she decides it is the perfect place to finally meet some friends and move on to the next step of her new life.

When she see's the psychic she has news for Maggie. She tells her that Frank is back, and that he’s got a message for her.
Then, after she receives this message strange things starts to happen!
Now, Maggie can’t help but wonder. . . . . Does someone have it in for her?
Or
Could Frank have found a way to come back for her?

But, Maggie needs to remember Frank is dead!

This book was a superb read and I highly recommend it.

Amazing book and so many twists! I really enjoyed this and couldn’t put it. I’ve already recommended it to everyone I know that loves to read

The Widow’s Husband is a psychological thriller that will have you questioning if ghosts are real.

I found the book to be long and drawn out, with twists only occurring right at the very end. I didn’t seem to gel with the main character which made the book somewhat difficult to read, and resulting in me not really caring what happened to her. However, ironically, this may have been the authors intention as it feeds into the main characters low self esteem and paranoia.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by Natasha Boydell and she loves delivering stories with creepy themes. I loved the writing in this one too. The atmosphere was created well. A haunted house thrown in with paranormal theme did draw the backdrop very well. And Frank was a thoroughly devilish character. Even in his absence his presence was felt. I loved the bonding between Maggie and her friends. And I learnt something new about psychic dinners since I was not aware of that as a concept. While this was a good thriller, I was able to predict quite a few things correctly including the main subplot and hence I did not like this as much as my first read by the author - The Doll’s House. If you are in for reading a thriller set up in a small village with paranormal bits, you will enjoy this.

Well, that was not what I expected at all….
Maggie has finally escaped the trappings of her abusive husband Frank after
he dies from health complications. She has no confidence from the abuse Frank has given her for 30years of marriage so feels she isn’t worthy of anything or anyones time. One day Maggie decides enough is enough and she must try to get her life back so takes a wander into the village and greets other walkers, and signs up to a psychic event at the pub.
Not expecting anything from the psychic medium that evening Maggie is surprised when Frank comes through letting her know something only he would know, when she goes home she hunts for said item mentioned and finds it where Franks has stated, but this is only the beginning…… strange things start happening at her cottage leaving her unnerved and wanting to find out why Frank is messing with her, question is - how can a ghost do the things that are happening?

What is Franks problem with Maggie moving on???
Is his presence to blame or something more sinister

I love this author so of course I picked this up. It is a little tiny bit repetitive but it works for the story. I loved Maggie. She has been through it and now she is finally free, but is she?
The book was delightful and weird.

This book is about Maggie, a new widow who doesn’t believe her abusive and controlling husband Frank has actually gone. Maggie comes across as a vulnerable character and you wanted to give her a cuddle after everything she’s been through! I liked how she developed a friendship with Gary, Beth and Alyssa, who are all really supportive of her. This book kept me hooked and wanting to know what happened next. I really liked the chapters that spoke about Maggie’s past and what she was like before Frank. The twist at the end had me gobsmacked!! A great book which I would recommend!

📆 single non-linear timeline
👀 single POV
🐢 -🐇 fast paced
💬 "it's our challenges that make us stronger. They make us who we are"

Wow, this fast paced psychological thriller was exactly what I needed to read. Although starting it at 1am was not a good idea! I thought I had it all sussed out, but also thought I must be wrong as it felt so obvious, was I right or wrong? I'm not going to say, but the twists kept me guessing to the very end and the tension kept me on the edge of my seat.

I can't work out if Maggie's naivety was endearing, or infuriating. Maybe a bit of both. I thought that all the characters were well written and believable, or at least as believable as characters in a psychological thriller fiction ever are.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic read and I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author in future.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, Maggie is finally free from a controlling, coercive, abusive 30 year marriage after her husband Frank dies, she's finally free to start her life again, leave the shackles of being imprisoned in her own home by the man who was suppose to love and protect her but just as starts to begin her new life, makes new friends, even gets a job it all starts to go wrong, from the innocent enough message from the psychic, the feeling of being watched & followed, strange happenings in her home; they all point to the return of Frank, but Frank's dead; right?

I really liked Maggie and hated seeing her so helpless and scared, I found myself so frustrated on her behalf, the author did a great job with the supporting characters, I changed back & forth on how I felt about most of them, trusted them then suspected them and back again. There was a lot of suspense, surprises and red herrings throughout and I have to say I was very surprised by the twist at the end, it was definitely one I hadn't considered.

This was a very easy read that hooked me right from the beginning, great characters, lots of thrills and twists, a very engaging & compelling read.

This was a pretty easy, satisfying read. Maggie has been recently widowed. Her husband, Frank, was mentally abusive throughout their entire marriage. They married young, and very quickly. They did not know each other very well- for Maggie it was insta-love. Frank. not so much. He liked to control what she wore, if she worked- and then he got very mentally abusive. Maggie has been stuck in her house since is death about a year ago. She feels like he is still around, and there seems to be gaps in her short term memory (did she actually make 2 cups of coffee??)- or is she being haunted? One day, she suddenly decides to go out, and joins a psychic medium night at the local restaurant. There she meets Beth, Alyssa, and Gary. They form a friend group- and this is where the fun begins!

The story is well written, and although is starts a little slow at the beginning, I felt that this was the perfect approach for this story. We get to really know Maggie- then and now-, along with the other characters. As strange things keep happening, I began to suspect each of her friends, while also thinking Frank might still be alive. It kept my attention, and when it started amping up in pace, I was hooked. And the twist at the end? I was suspicious of one thing- but this caught me a little off guard!

I really liked Maggie. She confronts her demons, and decides to take control of her life and realize that nothing was her fault. However, I did find the change from agoraphobic to social butterfly a little head jolting. It happens in a day, with no setbacks. That is the only thing that truly bothered me.

Overall, this is a very good quick read thriller- perfect for a summer read! This is my 2nd Boydell book, and I enjoyed it as much as the first!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you Boldwood books and Netgalley for this ARC! After Maggie's abusive husband Frank dies she needs to get on with her life. After mustering the strength to finally leave her house after a few months, she sets out on a new life, finally making friends and getting a job. But does the departed Frank want her to get on with her life? Strange happenings start around the house and she can smell his aftershave around her. Can the dead still torture you from the great beyond? In this gripping story can Maggie finally set herself free? With a couple whiplash twists you won't be disappointed in this tale and the coming of age finally for Maggie!

Maggie is a character that comes alive from the telling of this story. After the death of frank she is a shell of a woman with no confidence. Through slow steps she gathers a group of friends not to mention Benji a devoted four legged friend. Despite this the house which should be her home does not feel safe and Maggie is constantly fearful of the presence of frank. The story starts slowly and builds. Are her friend her friends and will she ever be free of Frank. Thoroughly enjoyable read 💜

Natasha Boydell's "The Widow's Husband" is a suspenseful psychological thriller that masterfully combines mystery with a creepy touch of the supernatural. The novel follows Maggie, who is just released from her domineering husband, Frank, who has just passed away. Her freedom, however, is fleeting, as supernatural events haunt her house, and she wonders whether Frank has discovered a way to come back and torment her or if something else sinister is happening.

The writer weaves a suspenseful, quick-paced story that has people sitting on the edge of their seats. The feeling of apprehension hangs heavy as Maggie struggles with her own traumatic history and the mounting strange events. The writer is masterful at adding in surprising twists and turns that render it virtually impossible to guess the real perpetrator or the final outcome. While others may find the conclusion a bit jarring, the ride is certainly addictive, presenting a gripping and highly immersive read. Freida McFadden fans will probably inhale this twisty story.

Maggie is coming to terms with the death of her abusive husband. Alone and isolated in a small village, she decides she has no choice but to go out into the world to make connections with people. Soon she meets a nice group of friends and she feels that maybe things are looking up for her. The problem is her husband won't stay dead. He haunts her every waking moment and she has no peace.

I liked Maggie's character and how she kept trying to force herself out of her comfort zone to try new things and meet people, despite being terrified. Her inner monologue will resonate with anyone who has given themselves a pep talk!

We get to see the past and present from Maggie's pov and this worked really well at bringing the story together and building the tension.

The story pulled me in as I tried to figure out what was going on. The author did a great job of pulling it all together. It was well done and nicely paced.

Overall and enjoyable read.

The Widow’s Husband delivers a tense, twist-filled ride anchored by a vulnerable yet resilient heroine. Boydell blends domestic thriller tropes with a hint of supernatural intrigue to great effect. If you love psychological suspense with red herrings, emotional stakes, and a payoff you won’t see coming, this one is well worth your time—just brace for a few mid-story plateaus before the explosive finale.

“Go Maggie, go!!” was basically my inner monologue throughout this entire book. I absolutely loved The Widow’s Husband—especially Maggie, who I was rooting for the whole time. Her character development was so satisfying, and the story itself had just the right blend of suspense and heart.

It gave me Invisible Man vibes, but with a cozy British village twist and a cast of charming, memorable characters. I didn’t see the twist coming, and the tension steadily built in a way that kept me hooked.

The first half was a bit of a slow burn, but once it picked up, I flew through it. I’d definitely recommend this one to fans of slightly softer, supernatural thrillers with emotional depth.

This book messed with my head in the best way possible!!! I laughed, I gasped, I questioned every single character’s motive—and at one point, I was fully convinced the husband wasn’t even dead. That’s the level of paranoia we’re working with. Total thriller perfection, with twists for days.

The story follows Maggie, who’s finally rebuilding her life after escaping years with her controlling husband, Frank. She starts going out again, even attends a psychic night at the local pub... and then the unthinkable: the psychic insists Frank is back—and he’s got a message. Weird smells, strange noises, and impossible happenings start to pile up, and Maggie begins to wonder—did Frank somehow return, or is someone seriously messing with her?

The author knows exactly how to keep you second-guessing yourself (and everyone else), and I was hooked from the start. Every time someone new popped up, I thought: “It’s you. You did it.” Then five pages later: “Wait… was it me??”

Funny, sharp, and just twisted enough to keep you up way past your bedtime—yeah, this one is absolutely worth it. If you love thrillers that mess with your head and your heart, with a generous dose of dark humor, add this to your list immediately.

Recent widow Maggie is finally ready to step back into her life... or maybe to step into her life for the very first time. After the passing of her abusive husband, Maggie meets Alyssa, Beth, and Gary at a psychic supper and the four become fast friends. Maggie gets a job at the pub and adopts a dog. It seems her life is finally on the upswing... at least, it feels that way until strange happenings convince her she's being haunted by her husband's ghost.

This is my second time reading a Natasha Boydell book. I enthusiastically grabbed this ARC after loving The Doll's House. I devoured this book in two days, putting it down only to sleep and work. It was a quick read, super twisty, and well executed. The twists weren't so outlandish that you couldn't accept them, but they weren't expected either. I followed the author down every false trail she set, coming up with theories that seemed plausible at the time but could never have actually worked. The only ending for this book was the ending we got.

This book lacked some of the charm of The Doll's House, and I contemplated giving it 4 stars but couldn't. I needed to look at it as an individual. They were two different books. They weren't going to have the same feel. Both books were excellent and there's room for both to shine! Read It!

Note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

A great read full of suspense and gives off very creepy vibes.
Fast paced and a real page turner that keeps you reading, you have to find out what’s happening.
Lots of twists and turns, you’ll be suspecting everyone and doubting everything.
Whatever I thought was going on was blown out of the water.
Really enjoyable read.
Another author to add to my TBRs 😀

📱E-Book Review📱

The Widow's Husband
Natasha Boydell

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is an author that I've not read in a while, but I remembered reading Ask Natalie back in 2023 and being obsessed.
I just had to grab this new release and see if I felt the same!

I loved the cover with it's bright pop of colour and that tag line had me instantly intrigued.

I felt so much for our main character, Maggie, who has been virtually imprisoned for years by her controlling husband.
He's now dead and she making strides to get out and about again and maybe even make a friend or two in the process.

When she heads out to a night with a medium, she's shocked to be told that Frank is back with a message for her.
When strange things also start to happen, she becomes more and more convinced that this isn't just someone with a grudge, but it's actually her husband returned!

I loved the creepy atmosphere that this held and that is it or isn't it feel of something just a little paranormal going on!?
I honestly was hooked from the first page to the last and raced through this in just a couple of sittings!I also couldn't sleep after reading late one night!

The characters were well drawn and developed and this made me really invest in Maggie's story.
I had to know what on earth was going on.

Although I don't really believe in this sort of thing, I absolutely loved reading about it all.
And I was pretty sure my scientific brain had worked it all out - but the ending completely shocked me still!

A brilliant read and an author who I'll definitely be reading more of soon....