A spinster, Bea, desperate for love, a put-upon wife and mother, Kate, and a travelling salesman, Tom, husband of the latter. A classic love triangle which starts when he, Tom, walks into the office where Bea works as a typist. It is 1923 and the battlefields of the Great War have left the UK with a surplus of young women such as Bea, now 37 and languishing “on the shelf”. Tom, is mid-to-late thirties, soldierly erect, with film star looks (think Rudolph Valentino, John Barrymore) and he slowly, almost languidly, seduces her. He has been appointed to his new post on the recommendation of his Kate, who works in a different office of the company. An impression is given that her recommendation might have been embellished, or even redacted , and that at least part of her motive was to give her some oversight of his movements. Bea lives in a Ladies Club in Bloomsbury, fashionable, but no longer the place it was since the Bloomsbury Set had gone. Nevertheless, she is something of a “blue stocking”, educated, intelligent, well-read, but naïve. Smitten, she plans her future life with Tom, who will surely leave his dowdy and boring wife. Tom and Kate live in Richmond, up-market, middle class, London suburb. There is a consequent feeling that they are affluent, but in fact they and their eleven-year-old daughter lodge in, rather than own, their house. Kate has long known of his philandering ways, but believes he loves her and his daughter to the exclusion of all others.
The story is based on a true crime of the period and is written from the POV of the two women; crucially with Bea’s sections being third person while Kate’s are in first. Both are handled very well, particularly Bea’s as she falls in love; overwhelming all of her history, beliefs and judgement. It is also very good as a recreation of the times – post-war changes in the actions and expectations of women, and their increased freedom both socially and economically. Although this is clearly a crime court drama it is not, in any sense, a mystery. The courtroom scenes are all seen from Kate’s perspective, so they don’t have the sort of tension that such scenes often have when seen from that of counsel or the accused, but they work well. The author confirms that much of this is derived from the court records of the case on which the story is based. Overall, it is fairly well balanced.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A fantastic thriller full of twists and turns that kept me up until late at night because I wanted to know what happened next. The sinuously sinister relationships between the women that provide the plot for this pacey thriller are well-drawn and believable and the writing style allows an excellent insight into the character interactions. I would definitely highly recommend that our readers should put it on their tbr pile.

Based on a real life crime in the 1920s. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This was a creative and absorbing tale! Definitely recommend this one!

This is one of the best books I've read for some time and is sure to be on all of the prize lists this year. Absolutely beautiful writing - evocative, tender and powerful.

I loved Emma Flint's debut Little Deaths, and this was worth the wait. Other Women is a beautifully written and heartbreaking story about how women are seen and judged even when they find themselves the victim of a crime. Based on a true murder, Emma Flint gets into the mind of the victim and the wife's of the alleged murderer bringing both women to life against the back drop of the 1920s. This is an immersive read, and you can see that the era has been carefully research and brought to life. Highly recommended!

This is a powerful story told in the voices of two very different women in 1920s London: women who might not have had a voice at the time.
Beatrice is an orphan, a young and innocent woman.
Kate is a wife and mother with an apparently enviable life.
But a crime brings them together in a terrible way.
This novel was a real tension-builder, and the story and atmosphere had me hooked.
It’s beautifully written and I found myself compulsively reading the last third to find out what really happened.
Recommended: an intelligent and well-written novel about the betrayal of two women.

Beatrice is one of the women left in limbo after the First World War, when a lack of young men meant that many women were denied the status of marriage. Single, in her late thirties and plain, she works in an office and lives in a women’s club, so when she meets handsome Tom through work and he starts to pay her attention, she soon falls for his charms. He is open about being married but implies he is unhappy, and when they begin an affair, Beatrice imagines a future of love and happiness. Tom’s wife Kate tries to pretend all is well, ignoring his misdeeds and trying to keep up the pretence of happiness for the sake of their young daughter. but he is a seasoned predator and this is getting harder to ignore. This triangle will end in murder and a scandalous court case that will change the lives of everyone involved. The crime was based on a true story but I felt that it was one that is all too familiar and has been told many times before. What did set it apart was the telling of the story through the eyes of Beatrice and Kate, so that their feelings and motivations were clear and I felt empathy for them. I would have liked to have heard Tom’s voice as well, as he was portrayed as a cliched villain who preyed on older, unattractive women, presumably because they were susceptible to him, but that is just implied. The period feel was also done well, with a sense of a dingy, post-war London devoid of much beauty or pleasure., fitting well with story.

‘Other Women’ by Emma Flint is inspired by the true story of the murder of Emily Kaye in 1924. The narrative viewpoint moves between Bea, Tom Ryan’s lover, and the latter’s wife, Kate.
Post WW1 England does not provide women with the best of opportunities to build a fulfilling life. True, many are taking advantage of the relatively new office posts springing up in every town and city. However, ‘career girls’ are still regarded with suspicion and the main aim is to find a husband and become a mother. Enter Thomas Ryan, a charismatic man who provokes whispers and giggles amongst the young office staff. Nevertheless, it is 37-year-old typist Bea who gains his attention and they begin an affair with disastrous results.
Emma Flint’s portrayal of this determined, lonely woman is excellent. The reader appreciates both her vulnerability, given the power of Tom’s attraction over her, and her bravery as she resolutely stands up to this confident man in a way that no other woman has ever done. Ironically, it is this bravery which eventually inspires her rival to do the same. Kate comes to the conclusion that, whilst it suits the press and the public to see Bea as a seductress, ‘…she did not seduce Tom, any more than I seduced him when I was fifteen and green as grass. She is not capable of seducing anyone – but this is all anyone will know about her.’
This is an extremely well written fictionalised account of a notorious murder trial. Readers who enjoy courtroom scenes will particularly appreciate it. However, most memorable is Flint’s exploration of a hideous imbalance of power between men and women.
My thanks to NetGalley and Picador for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

This was a very disturbing but good read. The author is amazing

Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and could not put down.

True crime of women living in a men times. Very sad and real.

This is the first book I have read by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. Part thriller and part of a court case. The book is set in the 1920s and as I later found out that it is based loosely on a factual case. Tom Ryan effectively has a roving eye and the story centres round his wife and other women. Each chapter relates to each of the main characters. No spoilers though. I cannot wait to read more from this author as she has an easy style but carefully creates each individual and the relevant scenes. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

Set in London in the 1920s, this was a well written and interesting book about an affair, a murder, and a court case. I really liked the sound of it from the book description, and was keen to read and review it as I love historical fiction - particularly books set in the early 20th century. I wasn't disappointed in either the quality of the writing, the characterizations or with the reveals along the way, which were really well done. There was appropriate tension and intrigue, and I was compelled to keep turning the pages.
To read a book from the point of view of the women involved was fascinating and well done. Both women were relatable, despite being of their time. I will be recommending this book.

I was lucky enough to get an early copy from #NetGalley, but there were deliberate issues with the formatting - particularly the removal of dates and the lack of the first two letters in words starting with 'th' which really impacted on my enjoyment. This is very rare with Kindle ARCs from NetGalley, so I was really disappointed. I would very much like the publisher to reconsider doing this again, as there is no doubt it impacts on the enjoyment of the book and potentially the reviewers rating. I won't include this paragraph in any reviews of the book published on social media or retailer sites, but needed to mention it here.

DNF

Attempted to get to 30% of the book but there are emojis used throughout in the middle of words. I'm not sure if this is deliberate but if it is I'm not sure why, there are mouse emojis, angel emojis, cheese emojis and all on nearly every page.

I'm happy to re-review if a better file is uploaded but at the moment, I just could not get passed seeing a mouse on nearly every page.

A triumph from start to finish. This is an exceptionally rendered version in the based on a true story vein. The story itself is, unsurprisingly, very compelling. But the things I loved most were the ways in which Emma Flint inhabited the characters, making them dance and twirl to their own rhythms throughout.

I was also completely swept along by how authentic the historical setting felt, without ever once questioning how it was being done, such was the lightness of touch. No spoilers, but I feel I can also say that this novel has the best use of an author's note I've ever seen. For two days now, this has been one of the first things I've thought about on waking.

This will surely soon be a major film or global TV series. Hopefully Kate Winslet it out there right now working on being Miss Cade.

With many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me see an advance copy of this book.

Other Women is a stunning and immersive piece of writing that I read in 2 sittings and felt breathless and bereft by the end.
It is set in 1924 and based on a real life murder case. Beatrice Cade is in her late 30s and living an independent life, working in a London office and living at a Ladies Club in Bloomsbury. Kate Ryan is a mother and married to the handsome and charismatic Thomas Ryan. When Bea meets Thomas the lives of the two women are changed forever.
The novel starts off at a fairly slow pace but there's an underlying suffocating tension present, for me this reflected the position and social attitude to Bea and many other women in her position in the inter war years. The novel soon picks up the pace and I was completely drawn into the lives of the two women. The author skilfully portrays the social attitudes of the time as well as the atmosphere of the period.
This is without doubt one of the most impressive novels I've read for a while and I'm sure it will be one of my favourite books of the year. It's a heart breaking, emotional and beautifully written novel that I cannot recommend highly enough.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

A cracking read. Have read Little Deaths by this author and was very much looking forward to this. Once again the author has based her novel on real life events. In this case it is a court case and newspaper reports from the 1920s in London and Sussex. This tells the story of a travelling salesman, Tom Ryan, from the points of view of his long suffering wife and mother of his daughter, Kate… and an unmarried woman employed by Ryan’s company who is entranced by him from the firsts time they meet.
It is also a great insight into working womens lives in the 1920s and societal attitudes to single women.
Really pacey, great storytelling and I’d highly recommend.

A well-written psychological thriller. As the title says the book is about other women, this implies, as is the case that a happily married man finds that he enjoys the company of other women. The story is told from the point of view of one of the other women and the man's wife.
It is clearly the story of a husband doing what he shouldn't be doing, but is it a crime?
The book builds up the tension from the start. As each of the characters are introduced they are shown to be likeable straightforward characters (or are they).
Emma Flint's style of writing in this book reminds me of Georges Simenon.
Although Georges Simenon is known as a crime writer , he is is often considered to be a writer of psychological thrillers. He is my favourite writer of this genre.
I will now also be looking out for Emma Flint as she has done an excellent job with this book, with just the right amount of suspense, great characters and good settings.
Well done Emma. Thank you for an enthralling read, I am looking forward to more in the future.
My thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy for honest review.

Other Women is an intriguing story based on real-life events which took place in the 1920s. It is written from the points of view of drab Beatrice in the typing pool who falls for the charms of fellow employee Thomas Ryan, and his wife Kate who pretends that all is well with her marriage, I found it an entertaining and gripping story. For many the attitudes towards women during this period, a mere hundred years ago, will come as a shock. Highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and Picador for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absorbing and unique historical fiction. Like Flint's previous book LITTLE DEATHS, OTHER WOMEN is based on a real case from 1920s London and revolves around how society treats (and tramples on) women. The writing is detailed and beautiful at a line level, with the two narratives of Bea and Kate woven together in a compelling way.

It’s six years since the end of the Great War and the ladies in the typing pool eagerly anticipate the arrival of new employee Mr Thomas Ryan. As he walks in he smiles at Beatrice Cade and that smile sure does something to her! Beatrice is 37, unmarried and lives in a ladies club in Bloomsbury. Then there’s Kate Ryan, Thomas’ wife who presents a good face to the world of the state of their marriage, in particular to their daughter Judith. This is an extremely dramatic, well written story of a love triangle with the focus being on the impact of it on both women. It’s told in alternating perspectives by Beatrice in the third person and by Kate in the first which makes for a fascinating contrast.

This riveting read is based on a true story which seems to add an extra dimension. I love the way it’s written with the tone changing as the novel progresses as our understanding of events and both women deepens. At the beginning we view a trial and it’s drama is captured in sharp, staccato, snappy sentences matching the eager anticipation of those about to devour the proceedings. As the trial progresses the morality of the times clarifies and the position of women in the 1920’s is made transparent with male control especially seen in the all male jury. The tone here is judgemental and harsh though via Kate there are some small shoots of change. In the early sections of the book there’s plenty of colour but this changes as events unfold and things take a darker turn. This constantly changing tone keeps you interested and utterly absorbed making it a hard book to put down.

The contrasting points of view of the two females is gripping and both are emotional rollercoasters. Beatrice demonstrates the status and societies perception of unmarried women especially as they age and her reactions to Thomas are perhaps unsurprising although those feelings undergo changes. Conversely, Kate has growing despair and you really feel the emotional impact on her with her actions being understandable. Both are memorable characters and are exceptionally well portrayed.

The pace quickens towards the end with multiple twists as it builds to an inevitable but shocking conclusion.

Overall, I think this is a terrific book, a five star winner with an ever changing plot that keeps you absorbed. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Other Women is a compelling historical crime novel based on a real case from the 1920s.

In many ways the narrative follows the expected trajectory, alternating between the two women's perspectives, and there is not much of a mystery. However, while Flint sticks closely to the facts of the original case, she also allows space for a rich imaginative world of the two women she writes about. It's their character development that makes this novel engaging, and their agency (or lack of) that drives the narrative.

Flint is a smart storyteller, and Other Women makes a compelling read.