I really liked this book, but struggled to understand how the main character could do so much having a
broken leg. However, lots of twists and turns and an interesting ending.

This thriller was slightly above mediocre for me. Though the premise is tired and cliché at best, it does include a bit of novelty when compared to others with similar plotlines.

As described in the synopsis, Ella awakes in the hospital after a hit and run only to find a man, Jacob, claiming to be her husband. She is forced to play along with the charade due to reasons unknown to the reader. By chapter five I could easily predict the twists in this story although the path to getting to the reveal was much more dramatic and brutal than expected.

Though this book wasn't exactly my cup of triple mocha latte, I don't discourage others from picking it up, especially fans of Samantha Hayes. It is a well written and gripping story despite it's predictability.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, excuse me while I go and pick up my jaw off the floor. Flabbergasted, baffled, shocked, astonished... I can keep on stacking one synonym on top of the other, but I think you got the idea. The Liar's Wife surprised me. Blew me away. I literally couldn't believe my eyes as I tore through the pages, my brain screaming 'do not compute!' over and over again. Oh yes, this one is a shocker indeed. It will also grab you from the start and won't let go, so make sure to free up your schedule before you start reading The Liar's Wife. One of the most original and twisted psychological thriller plots I've seen in a while... And it get's better. It was my first experience with Samantha Hayes' writing, and it definitely won't be my last. Because I was completely hooked by her writing style, pacing and way of constructing her plot and plot twists. The Liar's Wife mixes chapters set in the past and present, always dangling that wanted carrot in front of you without actually revealing the information you are dying to discover. This development of the suspense and the use of plot twist and the dual time line is simply spot on. The Liar's Wife has quite a few shocking surprises in store for you, and you won't believe the ending! Any psychological thriller fan should add The Liar's Wife to their wishlist. Trust me, it's worth it. Just bear in mind a few trigger warnings are in place for abuse, rape and some graphic scenes.

I have mixed feelings about The Liar’s Wife by Samantha Hayes. I was very intrigued by the story line and it should have been a wonderful book. Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out like that. It took me forever to finish the. Ok, not because I wasn’t interested, but I was just so bored with the characters. I really didn’t care much what happened to them, I just wanted to know what happened at the end. Find out the ending is not that great either so overall I wouldn’t recommend this book.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for letting me read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review. 2 stars

Ella wakes up in the hospital after a hit and run to discover a "get well soon" card from her loving husband - which is a problem because she isn't married. She's lived a reclusive lifestyle for the past 10 years trying to outrun her past. She recognized her "husband" as someone from her past and is forced to go home with him in fear of him revealing her secrets to everyone.
This book switches back and forth between past and present and was a fairly good story. It was predictable and forgettable, however. Not a bad read but not on a "must read" list either.
Thank you to Samantha Hayes, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was really stressful. I mean this in a really good way as I felt involved with the story, anxious for the character, and rooting for a resolution. A fast paced thriller which I would definitely recommend.

Average thriller to be honest! Could have been cut down a lot more as I found myself getting bored and skimming over parts of it. I found the twist predictable, The Liars Wife wasn't the worst book I've read but from the blurb I was expecting it to be one of the best.

For the past ten years, since a tragic fire, Ella Sinclair has isolated herself. Fearful of questions that might reveal her role in the tragedy, Ella refuses to become close to anyone, finding solace in her work, eat, sleep routine.

One night, she is biking home and a van hits her when it unsafely enters a roundabout. Days later, she wakes from a coma with a broken arm and leg. Her nurse assures her that her loving husband has been by her side. But Ella has never been married. Who could this stranger be? When she sees his face, she recoils in horror and wants to escape but “Jacob” was there the night of the fire and has a video tape implicating Ella in the events leading up to it.

She feels she has no choice but to let him take her home with him and pose as his wife. As he did a decade ago, Jacob beats Ella, forbids her from leaving the house, and watches her with video tapes installed throughout the dwelling. Having one leg in a cast and one arm broken makes escape even more elusive. Still, she has just moved from one prison, the one of isolation, to another, physical cell. Inquisitive and trying-to-be-helpful neighbors create a minefield Ella must navigate.

As the narrative barrels to the inevitable confrontation between Ella and Jacob, Samantha Hayes inserts a number of characters from Ella’s past that could be Jacob. Usually, I don't figure out mysteries very quickly, but I guessed Jacob’s identity early on. Because Hayes has to keep all the options for these characters open, occasionally she has to do narrative acrobatics. Additionally, Liam, a co-worker of Ella’s, has a handful of point of view chapters, and he’s presented as a counterpoint to Jacob. Unfortunately, I found his character rather problematic as he constantly transgressed borders, even if it was out of concern for Ella.

Despite being held prisoner, having a difficult time with mobility, and being given an unexpected responsibility, Ella is determined to escape. Her perseverance in the face of pain reminded me of Uma Thurman’s Kill Bill character. Ella’s achievements are in private; she fears revealing her goals to Jacob in case he retaliates or limits her further. Perhaps the driving force around the narrative relates not to what will happen but how and if Ella can ever start developing relationships with others.

The Liar’s Wife was an enjoyable if not lasting thriller, and Ella’s broken leg and consequent immobility added a unusual dimension. The pace of the book, though, was a little off for me; it didn't ever really grab me. Some of the peripheral characters, such as Ella’s college roommate, were to my mind stereotypical. And there was a plot strand that was unexpectedly resolved when in this case, it would have been better to leave as an open mystery.

Review will be posted on www.aimeedars.com on the book's publication date.

This book was very dark and intense. It was quite different from a lot of books I’ve read, but it was intriguing and I liked it!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Wow! What an insanely psychological thriller by Samantha Hayes. The short blurb for this book got my attention, but what we get in this read is so much more than what I ever expected. I love how Samantha Hayes drags you in a little bit and then suddenly grabs your full attention and keeps it until the very end.

This story is told alternately in the present and ten years previous. I thought that this was well done because it gave us the background that we needed to understand what all was going on. Very well written and put together! We meet Ella and learn that she is just a young lady going about her life and minding her own business. Ella has no desire to socialize with anyone, especially her colleagues. Ella does have a colleague that works with her, Liam, that tries and tries to get Ella to go out with them. Liam is very curious about Ella and really wants to get to know her a little better. Ella's whole world is turned upside down one day while she is cycling home and is hit by a van.

Ella wakes up in the hospital with a broken leg and wrist. She is going to have a long road ahead of her with recovery. Ella's nurse informs her that her loving husband has been by her side the whole time she was in a medically induced coma and is expected back at any moment. Ella is confused, is it from the accident or is someone playing a mean trick on her? She has never been married. When her supposed husband walks back into the room, she recognizes him, but is having a hard time believing what her eyes are seeing. How can it be??

Jacob is part of Ella's past and she knows that she has to do what he says because he knows too many of her secrets and will get her in trouble if he tells what he knows. Ella has to go along with his pretend married life that he has created for her.

This read kept me wondering where it was all going and I could not wait until the end to find out. Samantha Hayes did such a good job with this one and I look forward to reading more from her. If you love mysteries that keep you guessing as to what is going on and how things are going to end, this one is for you! You will not regret picking this one up!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Great book!! Takes you on a great adventure between the past and now. Was such a great read!
Can't wait to read more from this author




Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an early release of this book

Wow! Edge of your seat suspense. This book was fantastic. When a young woman who keeps to herself is involved in a hit and run accident and is terribly injured, her life spins out of control. This is my first Samantha Hayes book but it will not be my last. The timeline of this book moves seamlessly between Ella’s life ten years ago and the terror she is facing today. Well written and very difficult to put down, excellent book.

The Liar's Wife by Samantha Hayes started out pretty well. but then it veered off in to all too familiar territory, a woman (of course) wakes up in the hospital, not quite remembering, and then lo and behold she has a husband. But wait, he should be dead, right? Ugh...frustrating, and couldn't finish this book. Been there, done that. Not interesting or interested.

I really struggled with this book. The plot is very far fetched which meant I couldn’t really engage with it. I finished it but the ending was so ridiculous that it has me off reading any further books by this author.

The Liars Wife. Samantha Hayes

Samantha Hayes has a way of writing that gets the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, and has me turning the lights on at the first hint of darkness.

Imagine being in a desperately abusive relationship and finally having the courage to escape. That is what happened to Ella, and now she is building a new life.

Having dodged the dreaded works night out she is on her way home when she’s involved in a hit and run that leaves her in an induced coma in hospital.

When she wakes up she’s told how lucky she is to have such a wonderful husband as the man that’s been by her side since just after she arrived in hospital. The only thing is she has no recollection of being married, until she sees him. Her ex has the hospital staff wrapped around his little finger and is going to take Ella home and look after her.

If she tries to escape, or raise the alarm, he has a video of something from her past which he will give to the Police. She’s trapped.

All that in the first few chapters, and what follows is a fast paced psychological thriller of the finest order.

Ella needs to get away, her ex isn’t going to let her and if she does he’s going to ruin her. There’s one ray of hope. Liam, a person she has been working with in her new life, is missing her. But if he pokes around too much is he going to put himself and Ella in danger.

The story of what is happening now, is interspersed with events that lead up to what is captured on the video that Ella is being threatened with. Both make compelling stories on their own but woven together they are chillingly good.

Pages: 372
Publisher: Bookouture
Publishing Date: 22nd November 2018.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Liar’s Wife’ by Samantha Hayes in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Ella wakes up in hospital with a broken leg and arm after being knocked off her bike. When she regains consciousness she finds that a man she recognises has been visiting her every day and bringing her gifts. He tells the nurses that Ella is his wife but he’s lying as she’s always lived a quiet life alone in her small flat with no friends. The man has a hold over her and Ella knows she must do what he says and pretend to be married to him or he’ll reveal her secret to the police.

‘The Liar’s Wife’ is a gripping psychological thriller with a riveting plot although I found the characters a bit unbelievable and was unable to emphathise with them. Some of the time I felt like shaking Ella when she had the opportunity to tell the truth and get away from this obnoxious man who had an overwhelming hold over her for what happened in the past. There was a twist at the end where her ‘husband’ was revealed which took me by surprise but I liked the ending which I thought rounded off the story nicely.

In The Liar's Wife, author Samantha Hayes, takes the reader back and forth from 10 years ago to now. While reading The Liar's Wife there were times I wanted to give our "heroine" Ella a good swift kick because she wasn't doing what I wanted her to do. Twists and turns and some edge of your seat moments make this an excellent read. I was given an early copy to review.

Great mystery! Quick read, excellent story that I enjoyed so much! Lots of twists and turns and a real page turner. I loved the main character, and was rooting for her to escape and have a better life. I was surprised by the vilian, and happy that she had a good person who cared for her in her life.

This was a superb book, a real page turner it had me gripped. There were great characters and I was completely with Ella throughout.

Absolutely loved this book I didn’t see any of the twists coming at all I couldn’t figure out what was happening so stayed up to read it in two days I would definitely recommend this book as I would all Samantha Hayes books