Member Reviews

Reading in Between the Wines book review #113/130 for 2024:
Rating: 2 🍷🍷
Book: The Wife
Author: John Nicholl
Available now!!!

Sipping thoughts: I don’t think the sequel was needed. It recapped the ending of The Doctor towards the end of the book. It followed Cynthia Galbraith and her journey to become the wife, or should I say prisoner of Doctor Galbraith. It was unbelievable how someone that seemed as strong as she did made such a turn into a weak woman. The tagline is “What drives a woman to murder?” After what Cynthia discovered and how the doctor treated her before and during that moment, the bigger question is how could a woman not murder in those circumstances?!

Cheers and thank you @BoldwoodBooks and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheWife.

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John Nicholl delivers a dark, gripping psychological thriller with The Wife. From the first chapter, you’re drawn into a chilling world of manipulation and deceit. The story follows Eva, a wife trapped in an increasingly dangerous marriage, but there’s more to her than meets the eye.
Twists, tension, and chilling secrets – Nicholl knows how to keep you guessing until the very last page. It’s a fast-paced, emotionally intense read that will have you questioning every character’s motives. If you’re a fan of thrillers that keep you on edge, this one’s for you!

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*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

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T hi a is book 2 in a series and I recommend reading them in order. This is a beautifully written fictional memoir. The story is told in a dual timeline. The pacing was slightly off and at times it was a hard slog. It is worth keep going though.

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I was really wrapped into this as soon as it started but as the story went on I found myself losing interest because it didn't feel like the story was moving along at a good pace. I did find the ending to be satisfying but it didn't totally save this one for me. I did love the POV from prison and thought that voice was very intriguing though. I liked the way she developed her character through story telling of the past and how she ended up where she was. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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5☆ Another Fab book by John Nicholls

This time we are exploring Cynthia's journal and life and her lead up to prison and her story whilst in prison. We also get a very detailed look into her life growing up to adulthood.

It's a raw and emotional account of how she sees herself, her emotional scars, how even though her abusive sick husband is no longer alive he is still in her head abusing her after years of torment and abuse.
Will she ever be free!!!

The story really gets gritty about 40% in.
I think it's here I was hooked. It's often a  dark account but well written.
A story that has to be told!

This isn't a standalone story but it does clear up alot of unanswered questions about how a wife can literally be so clueless of her husband's sadistic desires. Or is she clueless... all will be revealed!!

John has written another fabulous book. He has become one of my favourite Authors. This book is very different to the other books but it's equally as harrowing.
Stick with it it does get better!

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White is the Coldest Colour introduced us to the evil Doctor John Galbraith. As a psychiatrist and happily married man, he looked the epitome of respectability. Galbraith used his position of power to groom and abuse young boys in his care. Married to Cynthia, we only got a glimpse of her life and the kind of domestic abuse she was subjected to. This is the follow up book, that concentrates on Cynthia and her experiences with a cold evil pedophile

.
This is a great accompaniment to book one. It answers that question of how people like Cynthia get drawn into unhealthy and damaging relationships. It shows how evil men can get their kicks from manipulating those around them. So often we assume that Cynthia, or those in her position, are guilty by association or that she must have known what was going on. How could she not know the kind of man she was married to? We might blame her or misunderstand her behaviour. We might fail to see, that she is as much a victim as the boys her husband preyed on.

John Nicholls beautifully sets the record straight about Cynthia. We get clever insight into the cruel behaviour she endured with Galbraith and how he tried to psychologically break her. Her thoughts and recollections quickly reveal much about the survivor she has become. She is a very believable woman, who is unfortunate enough to encounter a monster.

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“The Wife” was completely different from your regular psychological thriller. John Nicholl takes you into a jail where you meet Cynthia who is serving life for murder. We all wonder what drives people to murder and in this story as Cynthia writes in a journal, we get a glimpse into the why. What can happen to a person that can bring a person to this point. We get to learn about things Cynthia hasn’t told anyone, and what haunts her dreams. This was very well written and had great character development. This is a great book for anyone that is a fan of psychological thrillers.

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After reading the first book in this series the doctor which I thought was okay, I was surprised that I absolutely loved this one. Cynthia is serving life behind bars and is missing her two daughters. Before reading this one I do recommend reading the first book as it will help you get a better understanding of the storyline. I found this one gripping from start to finish and I still have the chills. I particularly enjoyed the story of her life behind the bars and how it is. It gives you a look into what it is like in a jail. Although I have no idea if it realistic. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommend. Now I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. The Father.

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I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Wife by John Nicholl from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I will admit I did not read the first book and feel that it would be in your best interest to read that before you start this one. However, I did enjoy this and will for sure go back and read book number 1 so I have a better understanding of what I just read.

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And Breathe!!!!! The Wife by John Nicholl is the second book in this fantastic Dr David Galbraith, series and this book was just wow.......Brilliant from start to finish, it made my hairs on my arm stand on end like they did on the last book The Doctor - which is a must read,

What drives any woman to kill?

Cynthia Galbraith who is twenty- nine years is serving a life sentence for murder, of her husband Dr David Galbraith and she is also struggling with her traumatic past that put her behind bars. She had to kill him as he would of killed her and the young boy called Anthony. But, did she do the right thing? As she lies in her cell so many questions are going through her mind! What if? Is my 2 daughters ok?

Her prison counsellor suggests Cynthia to write a personal journal exploring the events that drove her to murder, what has she too loose? This has to help her understand why this all happened to her and she figures out its time to tell everyone what the real Doctor David Galbraith was really Like! He was a gentleman who met him and worked with him and a great a consultant child psychiatrist! But behind closed doors he was an evil sadistic, predatory paedophile. He has already murdered one child in their soundproofed cellar below the South Wales Georgian townhouse he shared with his wife and two young daughters.

As she begins to writes her pen does not stop! Cynthia reveals secrets of their life and that will haunt her for the rest of her life and the truth of what he was really like to live with!

Previously published as When Evil Calls Your Name*

WoW i highly recommend this series.....Amazing from start to finish.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Great thriller with some disturbing abuse. I honestly enjoyed it a lot.
I wouldn’t mind this as an audiobook as well.

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Holy cow! First book read by this author...I am a fan. This story disturbed me and kept me up at night....but it's so good.

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What a page turner I couldn’t put this book down .. difficult reading at times as delicate subject but fair to say I have now ordered The Doctor and the to be released The Father . The Wife is the second in the series but can be read stand alone - I loved the writing style . The story of Cynthia writing a journal whilst serving a prison sentence will not disappoint and is an addictive read

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

Unfortunately, I did not read the first two books in this series. I wish I had, as this book would have made more sense. Saying that a great read.

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3.5 stars.

At first I didn't mind the diary style of writing where every thought is written down but eventually it got old. The strongest parts of the book are the flashbacks and the story telling and at that point there was no need to go back to the present for such an extent because it was so distracting that I started to skip pages. So I wish the author focused on the actual events of what happened and developed the story more. Instead, the book was all over, in the past and the present, so a bit of a mess.

I wish the characters were more developed and the complexity of the human behaviour better explained. It is not enough just to say someone is psycho. Most people are not psychopaths but many can still commit evil deeds. I wish we were shown more rather than told. Also I wish the author didn't give all away from the beginning but slowly built and revealed. There was no suspense or much surprise throughout the book and towards the end I was not even sure of the point of the book and the ending was flat without a clear purpose.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.

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What drives a woman to kill?
Twenty-nine-year-old Cynthia Galbraith is serving a life sentence for murder, and struggling with the traumatic past that put her behind bars.
When the prison counsellor suggests Cynthia write a personal journal exploring the events that drove her to murder, she figures she has all the time in the world and very little, if anything, to lose. So she begins to write, revealing the secrets that haunt her and the truths she’s never dared tell.
A note from the author: The Wife, while fictional, was inspired by true events. As a police officer and social worker, the I was faced with case after case that left me incredulous as to the harm sexual predators chose to inflict on their victims. The story reflects that reality.
****The book contains content that some readers will find upsetting from the start.*****

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary

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I did not realize this was the 2nd in a series, so I recommend that you read the first one if you haven't already. This could be read as a stand alone, however I found it a little confusing not knowing the context. Additionally, the writing style was difficult for me to get into. Eventually, I was hooked so I am glad I stuck with it. This seemed like a study of psychology for me and I'm always fascinated by the inner workings of a person's mind (even if the character is fictional!)

I would absolutely read more by John Nicholl.

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I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this book because I wasn't a huge fan of "The Doctor", but I liked this one quite a bit more. Cynthia Galbraith met her husband (Dr. Galbraith of The Doctor) when she was young and impressionable, and he transformed her from a confident young woman studying the law to his cowering wife. The Wife tells Cynthia's story from her own perspective, written as a journal upon the suggestions of her counselor at the prison where she is serving a life sentence for murder. Reading The Doctor first puts this book into a bigger perspective, otherwise the reader might be a bit lost. For me, it answered questions I had in reading The Doctor about how his wife could behave the way she did.

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OMG. This is one of those books that you'll either love or hate. I loved it. Tinged with a very authentic feel throughout, this book dredged various emotions from me from deep-seated anger, to abject despair to grief and heart throbbing empathy.
Suffice it to say that Nicholl, in his follow up to The Doctor has left me gobsmacked again.
Not for the feint hearted, but a useful social commentary that doesn't romantices or skim over the hard truths of life.
I loved the way the author chose to allow the narrative to unfold through a journal kept by the main character, Cynthia. This made it really in your face and although we can't be certain of her reliability as a narrator, it served to underscore the horror of her life and raises many pertinent social questions.
This series of books is best read in order for maximum effect.

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