I thik the premise of this book is to never trust anyone. Not true, but wow I was not expecting the twists in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It shines a light on how someone else can completely control your life and the lives of others in such an easy way and how, sometimes, the ones we trust the most are the ones we should avoid.

This book is a masterclass in suspense, and I found myself suspicious of every character introduced—seriously, at one point, I was convinced her husband might not be dead after all!

Maggie, after years of being controlled by her husband Frank, finally emerges from her home to take small walks in her village, enjoying small interactions with people. During one of her outings, she sees a poster for a psychic event and decides to attend, hoping to make friends. However, the psychic reveals that Frank is back and has a message for her. As odd occurrences start happening, Maggie begins to question whether someone is targeting her or if Frank has somehow returned to her life.

Maggie, our protagonist, is the epitome of easygoing, though she’s not exactly the life of the party. She’s determined to embrace change, but just when she starts to find her footing, bizarre occurrences throw her off balance. I couldn’t help but put myself in her shoes, wondering how I would navigate such a tangled web of uncertainty.

There’s something undeniably frustrating about reading a book where the main character feels utterly helpless. You just want to reach through the pages, give them a good shake, and demand some answers! The story begins at a leisurely pace, but before long, it picks up speed, and I found myself racing to uncover the truth behind the chaos. The ending? Unexpected and oh-so-satisfying!

If you’re a fan of books that keep you questioning everything, where nothing is quite what it seems, and characters with layers as complex as an onion, then this one is for you. You’ll find yourself rooting for Maggie as she musters the courage to take charge of her life. It’s the perfect summer read for a rainy afternoon—just grab a cozy blanket and prepare for a delightful ride!

Thank you, Boldwood Books, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Maggie's husband Frank died and she finally became a free woman! I was so excited for her when she finally left her house and made a nice group of friends until strange things began happening in her house. Was Frank still alive? Was it a ghost? I became very scared for Maggie and then she fell in love with Gary and I thought all was good. The twists and turns in this book were so well done. I thought I had figured it out but when the end came I had only figured out half of it and was shocked.

Great book by Natasha Boydell. I will be checking out other reads from this author for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Boldwood Books for this ARC.

The Widow’s Husband completely pulled me in. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in—it sounded like a psychological thriller with a hint of the supernatural, and that’s exactly what it delivered… with a few surprises along the way.

Maggie’s story broke my heart. After years of being controlled and isolated by her husband Frank, her first steps toward freedom feel so fragile and brave. I found myself really rooting for her as she tried to reclaim her life and connect with the outside world again. Her vulnerability felt real and raw, and I think that’s what made the creepy moments so effective—I was right there with her, second-guessing every sound, every shadow, every friendly face.

The psychic angle was a clever twist. I don’t usually go for anything too paranormal, but the way it was handled here kept me on edge. Is Frank really haunting her, or is someone trying to mess with her mind? I honestly didn’t know what to believe until the very end.

Why four stars instead of five? A few parts felt a little drawn out in the middle, and I wish some of the secondary characters had been developed more—especially those in the village. But overall, it was a tense, twisty read with just the right blend of suspense and emotional depth.

If you enjoy thrillers with a slow build, strong female leads, and just a dash of the unsettling unknown, The Widow’s Husband is definitely worth picking up.

I came in ready for a page-turning mind game. What I got was more of a slow exhale. Not unpleasant, but not the thrill ride I was expecting either. “The Widow’s Husband” sets the stage for something sinister, then simmers there for a long time. Tension exists, but it’s stretched thin, less like a taut wire and more like a polite unease that doesn’t always know where it’s going.

Maggie’s husband, Frank, is dead. Or so we think. One year later, she’s finally finding her footing when a psychic drops a bombshell: Frank has a message. Suddenly her world, already fragile, starts to unravel. There’s a new man in her life who radiates comforting energy, a handful of seemingly warm new friends who may or may not be trustworthy, and that one psychic whose whole vibe screams chaos in an expensive scarf.

This isn’t an Agatha Christie puzzle box. If you're looking for a tight whodunit with locked rooms and shocking reveals, this isn’t it. The mystery here is quieter, focused less on twists and more on watching a woman reassemble herself while the past claws at the door. It’s a psychological spiral wrapped in grief and disorientation, not a murder board covered in red string.

Maggie doesn’t burst onto the page with high-octane energy, but that’s not the point. She’s cautious, guarded, and processing years of manipulation. Her slow steps toward autonomy feel intentional. You can sense how much effort it takes for her to trust herself, let alone anyone else. She’s not passive. She’s careful. And while that care makes sense for her arc, it sometimes slows the plot to a crawl.

That’s the thing with this book. The story has stakes, but they rarely feel urgent. There’s a foggy, drawn-out quality to the suspense, like we’re watching everything unfold through frosted glass. It works in some moments, especially when Maggie’s uncertainty starts to infect your own, but in others, it feels like you’re just waiting for something to snap and it never quite does.

There’s atmosphere for days, and the idea of a not-so-dead husband reentering the picture is deliciously unsettling. But by the time the reveals land, they don’t hit with the impact they’re aiming for. You can feel the emotional bruises this book wants to leave, but they fade too quickly to linger.

Three stars. This isn’t a thriller that grabs you by the throat. It’s the one that circles politely, offers you tea, and then quietly rearranges your furniture while you question your grip on reality. I didn’t hate it, but I was definitely bored for a solid hundred pages. The suspense whispered. I needed it to scream. The vibes were haunting, the pacing was not. I just kept waiting for it to snap, and instead, it sighed.

Whodunity Award: For Most Likely to Be Rewritten as a Decent Miniseries on Netflix

Huge thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I came for the mystery, stayed for the mild paranoia, and left wondering if psychics now take Venmo.

Okay, well, I definitely didn’t see that ending coming. If you’re looking for a book that you won’t want to put down once you start reading, this is definitely a book for you. Living a life as a prisoner takes a toll on a person, especially if you’re held prisoner by someone you love.

A woman who has lived in fear of her husband for years suddenly becomes a new woman when he passes away. She needs to find herself again—find friends, find a reason to find herself. When she decides to join in on a psychic dinner, she ends up with way more than she could have imagined. All of a sudden, she has friends, but weird things start to happen. Her house seems to become haunted by her dead husband.

This is a quick and easy thriller to read with a good twist that I didn’t see coming a mile away.

A decent psychological thriller but I found it lost its way about a third of the way through, there was just too much emphasis on the paranormal. It definitely picked up in the final third and there were twists that I did not see coming, along with the classic red herrings to make you think you had worked it all out. The over emphasis on the paranormal is just a personal view and shouldn’t detract from how you could see this being something that could happen and how complicated people’s lives are.

This book had hella plots twists and I loved every single one!

Maggie marries young and stays in a loveless, abusive relationship that takes a toll on her mind and soul. Her husband tragically died but is he really gone?! A visit with a psychic proves to be more eye opening than she could have imagined.

Thankful for friends, Maggie moves on despite feeling haunted by her past. But are the friends really in her corner? She has to learn who to trust and fast before she drives herself mad.

That ending had me in a chokehold! So, so good!!

i love books like this! they literally pull you in, sit you down, strap you in and dont let you go until the end. you know you need to put the book down, you know you need to end at this chapter. but then you get to that end of chapter and it leave you with "no way. no that didnt" or "wait what" moments that you need to keep reading, i never believed in one sitting books until i started finding book exactly like this one.
Maggie's husband is dead. and that makes her free. for decades he has destroyed her life and destroyed her. the abuse took everything from her, mostly her sense of self. and now she knows she can leave the house, she can have a job, she can go out and meet people. she was never allowed friends before. shes got her freedom but it doesnt come easy. and she still feels lost within herself and this new world presented to her. because he took everything and scraped it back to nothing. so how does she possibly get it back.
whilst on a brave walk outside she sees a flyer for a psychic supper at a pub nearby. she thinks this might just be what she could use to meet people. and this night does give her just that as she meets a new group of people.
but she still feels unsettled. strange things are happening. she doesnt feel alone. she is fearful her husband is back. but how can that be?
and more things start to happen. not least when she brings a friend into her life and home. is Frank angry with her. does she think she is breaking his rules?
a page turner indeed this was. it leaves you questioning everything. and you too find yourself questioning the sanity of our poor Main character. i felt so bad for her. noone at the end of abuse should then feel like they are going through it all over again, or might be. and i felt this was actually a really great depiction of how even if the victim flees. there is alot more to being free. if they ever can be. a book that was both gripping as it was thought provoking.

The Widow’s Husband by Natasha Boydell tells the haunting story of Maggie, a woman finally free after years of control and abuse by her late husband, Frank. After his death, Maggie begins to tentatively step back into the world, taking small walks and even attending a psychic evening at the local pub. Although sceptical, Maggie is drawn by a desperate hope to find connection and perhaps answers to the strange occurrences around her.

As Maggie makes new friends and starts rebuilding her life—with a dog for companionship and a tenant in her spare room—the unsettling events in her home escalate. Mysterious noises, broken objects, and the scent of Frank’s aftershave raise chilling questions. Is Frank’s presence truly supernatural, or is there someone else with darker intentions?

Boydell crafts an atmospheric and compelling tale of survival, fear, and the struggle to reclaim a life shattered by abuse. The story is an easy and absorbing read, with a good pace and enough suspense to keep the pages turning. It balances moments of warmth and friendship with genuine tension, making it a satisfying experience for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with emotional depth.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A thriller that will keep you up all night. Fantastic characters with twists and turns like a roller coaster. Loved it!

I was given an ARC to give an honest review. These are my words and opinion.

Maggie lived most of her adult life chasing the feeling she had when she first met Frank in the shoe store that she worked at. She immediately knew she loved him and hated when he left and did not return. The day he returned, she professed her love to him and he invited her to move to London with him. Everything changed after that. Frank for thirty years degraded Maggie, abused her, controlled what she did and made sure she felt like she was nothing. He locked her in the house when he left after accusing her of cheating, he would not let her leave alone and he isolated her. The day he died, she was free.

After Frank died however, Maggie continued to hid in the house. Eating way too much and believing all of the things that Frank has said about her. Finally however, she gets mad enough to leave the house and go for a walk. To embrace the freedom that she now has. On this walk, she sees a flyer for a Psychic Supper and decides maybe this would be a great way to meet people in her town. Maggie has another reason for attending too though, she feels like she is being watched, like Frank is still there in the house somehow. The psychic supper will either confirm this, or she will meet some new people. She does meet some new people in fact! She becomes friends with Beth, Alyssa and Gary while at the supper, where the psychic gives her an unnerving message.

The house hauntings are now getting worse. Smashed objects. The smell of Frank's cologne. Things getting moved around, and after she adopts a dog, the dog also seems to sense things. Maggie goes through all of these struggles with the support of her friends. Gary rents a room from her to help her feel safe, but to also get out of his sons and daughter-in-laws way after a new addition to the family. But as soon as Gary moves in, things get even worse at the cottage!

The Widow's Husband was a super quick read that I actually really enjoyed. I wish this has been made to read a little more scary then it was, as I had such potential to be a horror read, and I think I would have liked it even more then. Towards the end there are two rather big plot twists, but neither are all that surprising. If you are looking for a quick and easy read, this is for you!

(This books is set to be released on June 18, 2025. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read in exchange for my honest review.)

I’m always a fan of a thriller that makes me wonder “can a house really be haunted?”

Well if the answer is no then how else can Maggie explain the bizarre events that begin as soon as she tries to move on after the death of her husband? A key moving locations (that a psychic brought to Maggie’s attention!), bowls breaking, doors slamming, the scent of her deceased husband’s aftershave, sudden changes in temperature, doors left open, and her new rescue dog seemingly growling and barking at nothing - Maggie is certain that her abusive husband has come back to make her life miserable once again.

As Maggie tries to heal from her past and pave a way for her future, she relies on a small group of new friends she’s made in the village she’s lived in for three years. They all seem kind, supportive, and well intentioned but rumors abound in a small village making Maggie wonder if she is as stupid and useless as her husband always told her she was.

I’ve read almost all of Natasha Boydell’s books and I feel they continue to get better and better! This was another four star, thrilling, engaging, engrossing read that I had to finish once I started it! I sincerely was hooked from the prologue and the chills it gave me!

Thank you NetGalley, Natasha Boydell, and Boldwood Books for providing this edge-of-my-seat thriller in exchange for a review! This book is scheduled to release June 18, 2025.

The Widow’s Husband is a page turning psychological thriller. The prologue draws you in right away. The story is fast paced a little creepy at times with twists and turns and keeps you guessing.


Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

First, thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

I am a fan of Natasha Boydell since reading The Doll's House last year, so I did a little happy dance when being approved to read this title early, as well.

This time, we need Maggie, who finally managed to break free from her controlling husband Frank - that seems to be a trope used often in thriller stories, but really, I do not mind. Anyway, for a while, things are fine. But then a psychic tells Maggie that Frank found her. The peaceful times are over, and Maggie has to ask herself what could Frank do if it is really true that he has found her again....

Also I am not reading supernatural thrillers a lot - it is more a genre I enjoy when watching movies - but I did devour this book! Very well done again, Natasha! Highly recommended!

This was so freaking good everyone should read this!! I couldn’t put it down I needed to know what happened

The widows husband review - 18th June

This is the second book I have read by Natasha Boydell and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fast paced from the outset and I read it in one sitting. It kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. It is full of twists and turns aswell as shocks and surprises.
I found all the characters to be realistic and I liked them all. I really felt Maggie's anxiety throughout the book which added to the turmoil her character was really going through.

I also really liked the supernatural and paranormal build up in this. It gave me goosebumps at several points.

I would have put it at 5 stars but I felt the ending and the resolve was quite abrupt. I wanted a little bit more from it.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Natasha Boydell and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is due to be released on June 18, 2025.)

Maggie's controlling husband dies and she is finally free, she starts to take walks and venture out on her own. she finds things moved around at her house and thinks the ghost of her husband is haunting her. a real page turner.

OOOH CREEPY!!!
This book kept me glued all the way through.
I thought I had guessed what was happening who ? And why? I was wrong!!. This made the hairs on my arms stand up in parts, it gave me the chills!. First book by this author and now need to read her other books. I couldnt get enough of it and was sorry when it ended, Definitely worth a read .

A gripping thriller with twists and turns. Didn’t expect the ending. Love Natasha's writing and can't wait for more