Thanks to #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Our main character Sophie falls for a man - Emilio who clearly has a hidden agenda and a very mysterious first wife and a seemingly somewhat unusual relationship with his former sister in law. This was another well written and captivating read by Sue Watson. I found myself unsure of who to believe and trust and with that anticipation of waiting for everything to be revealed with each chapter.
The person viewing into her apartment from their own balcony in the dark had me feeling quite unnerved for her. Another hypnotic thriller from Sue Watson. #hisfirstwife #suewatson #netgalley #thomasandmercer #goodreads #thestorygraph #getlitsy #fable #bookqueen #bookstagram #thriller #tea_sipping_bookworm

I received a complimentary copy of this book "His First Wife" and all opinions expressed are my own. This story is very slow going. I am not crazy about the characters, Sophie and Emilio. This was a miss for me and hopefully others will enjoy it.

Sophie wasn’t expecting to find love in Sicily. But then she sees him: Emilio, a professor who works at the university where she is teaching for the summer. He’s kind, intelligent, funny, exciting and deliriously unpredictable…

…maybe perfect.

But paradise quickly turns to purgatory as she uncovers the haunting disappearance of Emilio’s first wife. And when she senses a shadowy character following her, watching her every move, Sophie starts to question her grip on reality. Is she being paranoid, or is nothing about her new life really what it seems?

As further shocking revelations about Emilio’s past surface, Sophie knows one thing for certain: someone is trying to warn her away from him. But is that someone just jealous, or is Sophie caught in a lethal trap?

When I read the blurb for His First Wife, I thought it was going to be a typical psychological thriller but I was very wrong! Firstly, the Italian setting made it the perfect summer thriller. Secondly, by making Emilio (one of the main characters) a volcanology professor, it allowed certain things to happen in the story that I had never seen in other thrillers, it gave it a really unique edge. Finally, I really didn't go into this expecting the 'Rebecca' links, I'm a huge fan of that book and the references and foreshadowing are spot on. There are actually some really creepy moments in the story as Sophie begins to feel like someone is watching her, and the twists were brilliant. I kept thinking I had worked it out, knew how things would end and every time I was mistaken. This story was a lot of fun and really entertaining.

I really enjoyed this book and loved the setting of Sicily!

Sophie is an art teacher in Italy and has only one friend, the overbearing and nosy Abbi. Seeing Emilio, a fellow teacher (and professor of volcanoes), Sophie is immediately attracted and starts spending time with him instead of Abbi.

A warning from a strange woman keeps repeating in Sophie's head, but she pushes it to the side and becomes involved with Emilio. She learns he is married but separated, but why is his wife's sister, Sabrina, constantly lurking around? Who is following Sophie? Why does she feel like she's being watched? Maybe it's Abbi?

As Sophie becomes more involved with Emilio, she worries about his ex-wife who keeps posting with her wedding ring on Instagram. But no one has really heard from her... is she missing? What's going on with her? And is the warning from the strange woman coming to fruition?

I remained glued to the pages until the end of the story. I sort of had it figured out, but I enjoyed the book and thought it was a fun and suspenseful read.

This book was an ok read I found. Not very exciting but it did keep me reading till the end. The main character was likeable and I enjoyed the description of the scenery. Sorry I couldn't be more positive about the book.

I did not finish this book. I had a hard time getting into it and staying engaged after 30% :( I kept reading thinking it was more of a slow start for me, but I just couldn’t get into it. I’m sorry!

Twisty thriller set in the shadow of Mount Etna in Sicily. The author said this was inspired by the novel "Rebecca" and it has a touch of that story about a wife that hovers over the life of the new woman on the scene. Sophie is British and arrived in Sicily to teach art after the death of her husband. Sophie is very naive and also paranoid at times which sometimes made it hard to root for her. Once she see volcanology professor Emilio, it is love at first sight and despite her neighbor Abbi's request for caution, she goes all in on a romance with the handsome Emilio. Emilio is intelligent and sweet, but also hard to pin down and often late or missing for dates. When he takes Sophie to his luxury home for a date, she finds out he is still married and his annoying sister in-law is hanging out in the house, ready to cause trouble. Emilio's wife Gina is away studying volcanos in Hawaii but Sophie sees her everywhere as the house is filled with her portrait lining the walls and her perfume fills every room. Emilio tells Sophie he and Gina are divorcing but she won't return home to sign the papers.

The mystery portion starts with a strange person smoking on a balcony across from Sophie and the feeling she is being followed, and the fact that Gina appears to be missing Gina sister implies that Emilio did something to her sister in order to inherit her fortune. . Sophie doesn't know who to believe as she tries to navigate her new relationship with Emilio even as he is treated like a suspect by the police and those around her. I found the interplay between the various characters interesting but the best part of the book was the descriptions of Sicily and the volcano as a backdrop. I especially enjoyed the scenes in Taormina with the ash, grayness and stillness are everywhere, making Sophie feel trapped. . The ending surprised me! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.

Quick, gripping thriller set in beautiful Sicily. I enjoyed this ride, though I wanted to smack some sense into the characters multiple times. The plot kept me guessing and wondering how the threads would come together at the end and I was not disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Well this captured my interest right at the beginning and reeled me in like fish flapping about in all different directions of thoughts. When I landed on firm soil I couldn’t breath, this was a crazy good utterly brilliantly thought out thriller.

I thought the author planned the plot like the character planned their thrilling parts they took.
I thought Emilio was quite an evasive character anyway so I thought aha maybe he’s hiding stuff, then there was his first wife’s sister, what a woman! These characters were so well known to me by the end that I thought I had figured it out. Nope, some very amusing scenes in this too if you have a warped mind like mine

Quick entertaining read brilliant dialect and clear.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended

Dnf for me at 55%. Very slow, very boring... The story didn't impress me at all.... I wanted something to happen.... But no

Another great read from Sue Watson. A fast paced thriller with lots of twists and a great ending. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is an author I love for her domestic suspense novels. This fits in the popcorn thriller genre where it is quick paced and short.

I didn't like the characters, but that isn't always a deal breaker in a thriller. I was always wanting to smack Sophie around as she was quite naive at times and made so many terrible decisions, but I wanted to know a little more about what was going on with her new beau. He almost seemed too obvious to be that bad of a character, but then I'd think maybe not.

This one kept me on my toes and I breezed through it.

Polly Edsell is a new to me narrator, but she did a great job bringing the right vibe and atmosphere to this twisty suspense novel.

His First Wife is a psychological thriller by Sue Watson.

A glorious summer teaching job quickly turns into a romantic Sicilian escape where secrets, suspicion, and unsettling truths are afoot. Sophie, falls for the charming, enigmatic Emilio at for awhile everything is perfect. Emilio seems to know how to treat a woman and is attentive to Sophie’s every need.

But the romance is followed by unease and cracks begin to show in their love affair made in heaven. Sophie senses that she is being watched and whispered rumours, and an ominous disappearance add to the unease. There is a dark cloud hanging over their relationship with the mystery of Emilio’s missing first wife and there is also a lack of trust seeping into it.

This is a fast paced page turner that I would rate 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

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

This is another fabulous thriller by Sue Watson. I was transported to Sicily and connected quickly with the characters. I enjoyed the various twists and the ending was fantastic. A worthy 5 star read.

Sue Watson delivers a gripping psychological thriller in His First Wife, a story packed with twists, secrets, and unexpected turns that keep readers guessing until the very last page. From the opening chapters, the tension builds steadily, drawing the reader into a tangled web of deception and suspense.

Watson’s storytelling is sharp and deliberate, with each character crafted in vivid detail. As the mystery unfolds, suspicion shifts constantly, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, another revelation changes everything. The pacing is tight, the dialogue compelling, and the emotional undercurrents run deep, making for an immersive reading experience.

The strength of this novel lies not only in its twisty plot but also in the way each character plays a crucial role in the unfolding drama. The narrative remains unpredictable throughout, yet every surprise feels earned. By the time the final pages arrive, the payoff is both satisfying and shocking.

His First Wife is a standout in the domestic suspense genre—smartly written, psychologically intense, and thoroughly addictive.

Another great read from Sue Watson. Twists galore and an ending I wasnt expecting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC in return for an honest review

Sophie has moved to Sicily to restart her life after her husband's passing. She sees a man, Emilio, who takes her breath away and she is determined to find out more about him. When they finally meet Sophie and Emilio hit it off but there are more and more things that seem to be getting in their way. That is until Emilio is offered a yearlong position away from all the chaos and drama. But the question remains, what happened to his first wife?

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!

A women falls in love with the man of her dreams.. But he’s married.. and his wife is missing.. Can she really trust him??

Well! This book was a real experience for all the sense. I could practically feel the sun on my skin and smell the pasta in my bowl.

Perfect company on any sun lounger the beginning was spent slowly building the emotion and tension all to the back drop of Sicily in the sunshine. The character were all instantly dislikeable and definetly brought out some strong feelings in me which is always a good sign in a book 😆

Then the thriller aspects kicked in in the later half. I loved the drama! The end of chapter reveals that read exactly like a soap opera. I could practically hear the DUH DUH DUUUHHHHHHHH sound effect in my head 😆 The end came together perfectly and was satisfying and somewhat unexpected which I LOVED.

Overall a sizzling hot, drama filled relationship thriller that would make PERFECT summer holiday reading. THANK YOU for the early copy 🖤