Having read and enjoyed some of Samantha Hayes's earlier novels I couldn't wait to read this latest offering.
It is a compelling read that had plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep me guessing, although I did figure it out at about 70%.
Some of the situations were a little far fetched and implausible, but at the end of the day it is a work of fiction, so if you don't mind this type of escapism then give this book a go, you won't be disappointed.

A really good book had me up all night till I finished it couldn't put it down highly recommend it. If anyone wants to find a good suspense book to read this is it

This book was a fantastic, psychological that right from the beginning it grabs you and doesn't let go till the end. Elle is a quiet girl who works as a film editor. hardly socializes and keeps to herself. Then one day, she leaves work on her bicycle and it is raining and everything goes back. She wakes up in a hospital, with a broken leg and is told that her husband has been waiting everyday for her to wake up. Elle panics but doesn't say anything to anyone but to herself she says I don't have a husband. In comes Jacob into her room and tells her that it took him all these years to find her and by her being hit by a hit and run driver. it was all over the news. She is extremely distraught but has no options but upon her release to go home with Jacob because he has proof of something she did ten years ago. This book goes and forth from present past till the unbelievable conclusion. This book has many twists and turns right up to the end of this book. I received this book from net galley.com as an ARC for an honest review. I would like to then them for this fantastic, thrilling book.

The Liar's Wife was not a hit for me. I found the first half of the book to be very slow. While the pace picked up for the second half of the book, I was frustrated with all of the implausible things that happen to Ella and the way she reacted to her situation. Additionally, the big "twist" was pretty obvious from early on in the story.

Ella comes across as a bit of a loner, she doesn’t interact much with her work colleagues and prefers to keep herself to herself. After avoiding an evening out to celebrate a colleague’s engagement, Ella is cycling home when she is hit by a van. She wakes up in hospital where a nurse tells her that her husband Jacob has been visiting her. The only thing is, Ella doesn’t have a husband….

The blurb on this book was just crying out ‘Read Me’! How weird and creepy is it that Ella wakes up from a bad accident and is told her husband has been visiting her when she isn’t even married! It’s obvious from the beginning of the book that Ella is hiding something, but you have no idea what it is. She definitely likes to keep interaction with her colleagues to a minimum, avoiding any after work meet-ups by pretending to work late and obviously isolating herself at home. Her routine is work, home, sleep.

As soon as “husband” Jacob comes on the scene the book, for me, turns up the dial and the whole situation becomes a little bit sinister and very un-nerving. I was just willing Ella to tell a nurse he wasn’t who he says he was, but something holds her back from doing this. By this point, I was flying through the pages to find out what on earth was going on. The chapters are interspersed with flashbacks from Ella where the story is slowly revealed to show what is going on in the present day.

This book is deliciously dark and dangerous, and I found myself being gripped by the storyline as the book moved on. It had plenty of twists and turns and the suspense and tension were just the right amount to keep me turning the pages until I’d finished. It is a chilling read and I honestly thought I had it all worked out, until the author proved me wrong! Would definitely recommend.

Flew through this book,loved it & what an ending. Although Ella did annoy me a bit I had to keep reading to find out what happened next. Would recommend to anyone.

Ella Sinclair is hoping to avoid an after work get together to celebrate a co-worker’s engagement. She has been working there for years, but always keeps to herself. She’s been intent on editing a film on fire safety in schools because something just doesn’t seem right.

As she cycles home in the rain, a van hits her and crushes her leg. Waking up in the hospital, the nurse tells her that her “husband”, Jacob, has been to see her several times. When Ella sees him, she doesn’t know who he is because she’s never been married. He then threatens her with a video he has. He tells the nurses that he’s so worried about Ella and acting loving. But, Ella knows he’s dangerous. He has inserted himself by making the nurses believe he’s a loving husband when he is not. When released from the hospital, she has no choice but to go home with him. At Jacob’s home, Ella finds herself a virtual prisoner.

An office friend, Liam, is concerned about Ella but cannot get information on her until he sneaks into the human resources offices one night to find out more about her. What he finds is shocking, dangerous, and life threatening. What is going on and why is Ella in this predicament.

A pretty good thriller that was frustrating in that Ella did not seem to try to save herself. I couldn’t stop asking myself what could Ella have done to allow herself to be treating so badly. In addition, I was not happy with how an element of her hit-and-run injury was glossed over in the end.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was very captivating. I was hooked from the first chapter. Five starts. I enjoyed the characters and the story so very much.

This was a really good thriller and anyone that is looking a book that is like a roller coaster ride this is it. The only problem I have was the way Ella just went with Jacob went she knew he was creepy in the hospital. I just couldn't accept that part of the story. I tried to go along with that but it was too much for me tape or no tape.

Dark and entrancing, Samantha Hayes’ The Liar’s Wife is like reading someone’s worst nightmare unfold on the pages! I couldn’t believe what was happening to Ella, and I couldn’t wait to find out if she’d ever get herself out of this situation. And then expect a few really great twists that really bring home the ending! But before I say more, let’s talk about the plot of this book…

About the Book

Work, home, sleep.

Ella Sinclair lives her life with the goal of not being noticed. Ella enjoys her job in film editing, but in her nine years she’s never once accepted an invite from her coworkers to go to the pub. Every day, Ella rides her bike to work, dressed in non-descript clothing, does her job, rides her bike home, has a meal for one, and goes to bed. Every day is the same.

Work, accident, coma.

Until one day Ella’s routine is completely broken. She leaves work as she always does on her bike, until she is hit by a can and thrown. When she next awakens, days have passed and Ella is in the hospital. They had to put her into a coma while the swelling in her brain reduced. And that isn’t the worst of it… Ella’s nurse soon informs Ella that her husband Jacob has barely left her side. What a lucky girl Ella is! Except for one thing—Ella doesn’t have a husband.

Wake, nightmare, sleep.

Ella is trapped. She must sit by and watch her life derail. She must pretend to be married to this man who she knows from her past, but that she isn’t married to. Because if she doesn’t go along with is, he’ll reveal a terrible secret. A secret that Ella has crafted a routine, anonymous life to avoid. And Ella knows that having that secret come out will be the only thing worse than the situation she’s in…

Reflection

This book is CREEPY! Jacob is a truly fantastic villain. The way Hayes writes Jacob is so vivid, I could completely picture him and the way he said things. I could envision is sing-song voice saying “Ella-Bella” and the way he’d look at her, as though I were watching a film. And truly, I couldn’t look away! It felt like I was reading this book with my eyes partly covered, the way I’d watch a scary movie.

I always find stories where someone is trapped to be particularly fascinating. Here, it isn’t just that Ella is physically trapped in the house, Ella is also trapped in her own life and mind. Even before the accident, Ella has enclosed herself into a tiny box, where she does the exact same thing over and over. Ella years to go out just once and socialize, but she won’t let herself. Ella’s secret was her captor long before Jacob was.

And then we have other obstacles Ella faces—she is badly injured and wheelchair bound from the accident. Even if she wanted to run, she really can’t. Ella also doesn’t really have any friends that might be looking for her. And then there is another twist that occurs that I refuse to spoil, but its another brilliant plot element that contributes to the horror of Ella’s situation.

Truly, this book is not for the faint of heart! Hayes does not shy away from some of the more uncomfortable elements to abuse. And that actually adds a lot to the book, because I could feel the horror of Ella’s situation even more acutely.

The back and forth between Ella’s college days—the days leading up to her secret ten years ago—and the present were captivating. I needed to know what Ella’s secret was! What could possibly lead someone to have the life Ella chose, or to stay with her captor despite the horror of the situation?
The reveals are fantastic—readers will not be disappointed with this one!

Thank you to Bookouture for a copy of this book to review.

Ermmmmmm, where do I even begin with this one?! Part of me just wants to sit here with my mouth gaping open, yet the other part of me wants to shout out 'OMFG WHAT THE F.......'! However I can't really do either as 1) my mouth gaping open isn't a pretty sight, and 2) you can't really class either of the above as a review!

I am going to have to be so careful with my review here as the risk of spoilers is incredibly high. So, let me start by saying this...and I mean this is a lovely way and not at all negatively; THIS IS BLOOOOOOOOOOMING TWISTED! It is! I would love to be a fly on the wall in Samantha Hayes' mind - can you just imagine what goes through the mind of this author when she comes out with storylines so disturbing as this? Again, weirdly I don't mean that negatively! Usually the word 'disturbing' isn't a positive thing, yet with authors who write books such as this one, it is indeed a compliment!

Ella hasn't had an easy life, and, judging by the path her present and future is currently on, I can only assume that her life won't be getting any easier anytime soon! At work, Ella keeps herself to herself - she has a routine, and she likes to stick to it. However, thanks to a 'little' accident, Ella's routine goes completely out of the window and the life she once knew is now no more. Imagine a puppet. Bear with me here....

Are you imagining it? Right. Now Put a name to the puppet and call it Ella. Done? Good. Now, imagine that Ella's life is being governed by someone/something which is do dark and disturbing, it's enough to make Ella want to snip the puppet strings once and for all. Catch my drift? Ella cannot move without the puppet strings being controlled. Her life is no longer her own. Her decisions aren't...you guessed it, hers. 'So why can't she remove herself from the situation?', I hear you ask. Well, don't you think that if it was as easy as that she would have done it already? It isn't, and it's a life or death situation.

I've said it once already (or maybe twice) but I'll say it again - 'The Liars Wife' is the type of disturbing which makes your stomach roll yet you can't take your eyes off the paper. It's the type of read which is so gritty, you'll end up making your own eyes gritty trying to stay up until goodness what time to finish reading it (trust me, I was that person). What a fast paced, thrilling, highly addictive, and turbulent read which left me gasping for air! Hand on heart, I have never read anything like this before, but Samantha Hayes has certainly set the bar incredibly high for herself with her next book! Geeeeeeez!!!

Work, home, sleep. That has been Ella’s routine for ten years until she’s cycling home one day from work and is hit by a van. She wakes up in hospital dazed and confused with a broken arm and leg. A friendly nurse reassures her that her husband Jacob will be back soon.

Ella is sure that she had never been married. Who is this man and what does he want from her?

So this is the first psychological thriller I’ve read by Samantha Hayes and I can safely say it won’t be my last! I love her writing style, it so intense in all the right places I couldn’t sleep until I finished it.

I have to be honest I’ve been struggling to write this review because this is one of these books I don’t want to say too much, just because I don’t want to give away any spoilers or ruin the book for you!

The book is told from the perspectives of Ella and Liam, interspersed with chapters from ten years previously when Ella was a student at Durham university. Ella has managed to isolate herself, rebuffing invites from her work colleagues, even the sweet Liam. We know very early on something traumatic has happened to her. Something she’d been keeping a secret for ten years but what could be so bad that a promising young student with the world at her feet would hide herself away?

I enjoyed the fact that the characters were so realistic, I really cared what happened to them.

I have to be honest I read quite a lot of psychological thrillers and the ending didn’t totally shock or surprise me but the author certainly did keep me on my toes! There were also certain aspects of the story line that I didn’t find all that believable but that of course is just my opinion.

The Liars Wife is a taut thriller with plenty of intrigue, nail biting scenes and a heart pounding ending.

Firstly, I have to say, as a domestic violence survivor to physical and emotional abuse, I found this book very hard to read.

It is the first by Samantha Hayes I have read and I have to say it is medicore at best. THE LIAR'S WIFE, whilst in the synopsis sounded enthralling, in my opinion failed to live up to the hype.

A slow burning psychological thriller THE LIAR'S WIFE seemed to take a long time to get to the point. In the end, I felt I was reading just to find out what happened. BUT, having said that, I'm glad I did because there was a real twist near the end that turned everything on its head and even I was left with an "OMG!" feeling that left me slightly reeling. I didn't see what one coming, that's for sure.

Ella Sinclair is a woman who liked to keep to herself, is very private, revealing nothing about herself and avoids socialising. Her mantra - work, home sleep - is her routine that keeps her feeling safe. She knows where she is with "work, home, sleep". But one rainy night cycling on her way home from work, she ends up being hit and is left to all but die in the road.

Waking up in hospital with only vague memories Ella struggles to remember what happened. A friendly nurse taking care of her explains she has been in a coma and suffered various fractures in her arm, wrist, leg and ribs. But that her lovely husband has barely left her side throughout.

There is only one problem. Ella is not married.

However, as soon as Ella sees him walk into her room she is terrified. Because she knows exactly who he is...and he is NOT her husband. But she realises she must play along if she wants to survive. Because this man, who calls himself Jacob Sinclair, knows a secret from her past - the dark secret she has been hiding for the past 10 years - that could destroy her.

When she is discharged from hospital Jacob takes her straight to their "new" home, where he keeps her prisoner under lock and key, surveillance cameras and a quiet but posh gated community. Ella realises escaping is going to take longer than she had at first anticipated...especially as she is confined to a wheelchair for the next 3 months and therefore totally at his mercy. He makes her food for the day that he insists she must eat, and if she doesn't, there will be hell to pay. It doesn't take her long to discover why he leaves crusty bowls of porridge in the fridge or any other type of food for her. She is being drugged. Packs of 10mg of diazepam is enough to tranquilise her for hours...that way maintaining a level of control over her as she sleeps while he is at work.

But Jacob and Ella soon find they have a very persistent neighbour in Liz from the close, who won't be turned away or give up in her quest to help Ella in her recovery from the accident. But Ella knows that with every visit, there will be a price to pay.

However, as a domestic violence survivor to physical and emotional abuse, I found THE LIAR'S WIFE very hard to read. The amount of control Jacob reigned over Ella made me both sick and angry. How can anyone claim they love someone and treat them like that? Like a prisoner? No freedom. No choice. No nothing. Punching them in the head when they dare to cross them. As this was the scene for a good portion of the book I found it difficult to read, my anger so visceral, and wanted to put it down several times.

Being a slow burn thriller, THE LIAR'S WIFE was in danger of losing my attention several times though I admit I was curious to discover just what would happen...so I stumbled on. Much of it was predicatable with a few little shocks along the way but the killer twist at the end I have to say was worth the wait and saved it for me in the end - though still only rating 3.5 stars as the domestic abuse and Jacob was just so hateful.

Thank you to #SamanathaHayes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLiarsWife in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was ok, but it took me a long time to read it. It just didn't grip me. I liked Ella, the main character, but to be honest I thought the plot was really weak. The constant 'Ella Bella' this and 'Ella Bella' that really grated on my nerves. It was ok though, but that's as good as I can say about it.

The Liar’s Wife certainly has an interesting premise. In the first chapter, Ella has an accident. She wakes up in the hospital only to be told that her husband has been visiting. The thing is; Ella doesn’t have a husband. Naturally, I had so many questions. Did Ella suffer a brain injury that caused her to forget her husband? Who was this man?

The story is narrated by Ella in alternating chapters that feature past and present timelines. For me, the past timeline was the most intriguing because I knew that was where the answers lay. There were hints about a fire and lots of secrets. I couldn’t wait to unravel the mystery. I like the fact that I couldn’t guess anything. I was also curious to know how Ella would get out of her current predicament.

There are a few events that seemed a little implausible. That and the slow pace impeded on my total enjoyment of this narrative. Nevertheless, there was still enough to keep me turning the pages (albeit slowly) to the last page.In the end, this was a good read even though not my favorite book by Hayes.

Interestingly , I read it a few days ago but I am still thinking about some of the scenes, in particular, the night of the fire. The story is well-written and I love it when authors paint such vivid pictures with their words. Certain scenes really sucked me into the story. I felt like I was standing in the same room with the characters watching events unfold.

If you enjoy slow burner thrillers, this one might be for you.

I realize fiction isn't always very realistic, but this book is plain stupid. In addition, there are long and winding descriptions that are totally unnecessary for the story. Not even a pleasant waste of time.

Having enjoyed some of Samantha Hayes's earlier novels I thought this would be a light, easy read just as those were, but unfortunately it was another day, another family drama based around the idea that you never know someone as well as you think you do, and I feel this is a concept that's wearing very thin these days for me. As often is the case with these books it claims to be a thriller but in reality, it's a family drama or domestic noir only. I don't usually have a problem with a book that's a little less than believable, but here credulity was seriously strained. There is a difference in terms of improbable happenings and impossible ones, and in The Liars Wife, it was very much fixated on the latter.

That said, it is well written and engaging, but there is just one "twist" which was foreseeable from the beginning, so it didn't take long to become tedious and I found myself wanting to place it down numerous times. The characters came across as most gullible and behaved in odd ways that didn't feel authentic or the way in which a regular person may act in the same situation. You simply cannot relate to any of them. If you're someone who appreciates fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled stories then you may be wise to stay away from this slow-burning character-driven novel. I'm hoping Hayes's future works return to being exciting and unpredictable.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

I’m so happy when I start a new book and it pulls me in right away. Such is the case with The Liar’s Wife by Samantha Hayes. I stayed up very late to finish this novel because I HAD TO KNOW what was going to happen.

Ella has been living a very solitary life. She goes to work, comes home and goes to bed and starts all over again. She keeps to herself even though she works in an office full of people who invite her out for drinks and show interest in getting to know her, especially her coworker, Liam. Something terrible happened in her past and she fears getting close to new people.

One day while bicycling home from work in the rain, she gets hit by a van and ends up in critical care. Awakening from a medically induced coma, she is told her husband has been to there see her. Only Ella doesn’t have a husband. The handsome man who has been keeping vigil next to her bedside is none other than someone from her past, someone she thought had died…

Zach insists on moving wheelchair bound Ella to their new home where he promises to take care of her. He keeps her locked in the house all day, with multiple cameras watching her every move. When he comes home with a baby, telling her their family is complete, she knows Zach is insane. She has a broken arm and leg so she physically cannot leave. And if she tries, Zach threatens that he will go to the police and tell them about the crime she committed, the crime she assumed Zach died from.

This book had me turning pages, gripped with fear for Ella and the baby. Chapters switch from past to present, keeping the reader totally engaged.

Here is the official synopsis:

When Ella wakes up in a hospital following a hit-and-run incident, she is scared and confused. Close to tears, her eyes fall on a get-well-soon card on the window sill and the nurse reassures her that her loving husband will be back soon…

But Ella has never been married. In fact, she has lived alone her whole adult life; working hard, rarely socialising, quietly harbouring a terrible secret from her past. Fear sweeps through Ella when she instantly recognises the man who enters the ward. He is not her husband, but she knows that she must do as he says and play the part of dutiful wife.

What choice does she have? He was there the night of the fire, he knows her secret too…

If you enjoy psychological thrillers, you must get your hands on this book. You will probably read it in one day!

I’m a huge fan of Samantha Hayes and she never fails to surprise me with her domestic psychological thrillers that give her readers an insight into their worst nightmares by asking “what if?” Her move to Bookouture seems to have breathed an even bigger shock factor into her books and The Liars Wife really will leave you with your jaw firmly dropped onto the floor!

I purposefully don’t want to rehash any of the plot here in my review as I’m terrified of giving something away! But basically, Ella awakes in hospital after an accident to a loving husband by her bedside. How sweet, you all say! And I would have agreed….apart from the rather small problem in that Ella actually isn’t married!!! And there you go. But from that simple plot point radiates a storyline full of shocking twists and turns that defy the readers attention. I wanted to applaud by the last page and hold the book up as the perfect example of how to plot and deliver a psychological thriller. Ms Hayes really does go from strength to strength and is one of the few authors where I will preorder their books without even reading the blurb.

The Liars Wife is a dark, disturbing and tension filled shocker that completely overwhelmed me whilst I was engrossed in it. I have to say that I followed the almost invisible trail of breadcrumbs and did come to a conclusion quite quickly about where the book was going but that’s my thing! For me psychological thrillers aren’t all about “the twist” or I would have stopped reading them years ago! No, I want that suspense, the “I can’t believe she just did that!” and to truly believe that this is happening to the characters and could, one day, just as easily happen to me…..or even YOU!!

Top marks once again for Samantha Hayes!

I devoured this book in 2 sittings. Something I rarely have time to do but it was impossible to put down.
Plot twists and turns throughout which kept me guessing. The perfect book for any fan of this genre. Fantastic!