Wow.
I've read Valerie Keogh's books before, and enjoyed them.
But this book... its something else entirely
Wow. It starts off really well, enticing the reader into the story But as the story moves on, it takes you somewhere you just couldn't have foreseen.
The plot is so fast-paced, you fly through it. The twists are unreal.
Fascinating characters really helps this book appeal to every thriller reader. There's the character development as well as the gripping plot.
Amazing.

I love a gore fest thriller like anybody else but sometimes a twisting psychological tale calls out to be read. The Widow presses all the right buttons.

A cast of characters who gradually reveal their true traits through short chapters makes this an easy read although I did hold my breath on occasions.
I’m not going to repeat the blurb - what’s the point?

✰✰✰✰.5
In Ms. Keogh’s latest thriller, we’re introduced to Allison who appears to be an ordinary accountant. However, when she meets Peter, a wealthy lawyer, she decides to spice up her appearance and evolve into the woman he longs to marry. But secrets surrounding her childhood are kept hidden from everyone and Peter is no different.

After just a few months of marriage, Peter is killed in a terrible accident and we are taken down a rabbit hole of chilling twists! I was blown away as the horrific secrets of Allison’s past are slowly revealed. Complicated characters make for one warped psychological tale!

Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced reading copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

#TheWidow #ValerieKeogh #psychologicalthiller #justfinishedreading #boldwoodbooks #rachelsrandomresources #booktour #blogtourhost #bookreviewer #honestreview #crimeandcocktailsbookcrew #mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #lovebooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecommendations #readingintherockies #mustread #justfinishedreading #thrillerfiction #coloradoreader #blogtour #newrelease

When Allison’s husband dies, not all is as it seems. Secrets about her husband are coming to light but she must continue to keep her own hidden.

This was a page-turning novel with several twists that you do not see coming. Keogh gives us a gripping narrative that is intense; with several storylines running through this novel, however, they come together at the end very well.

I found each character intriguing and couldn’t wait to read the next chapter. This is a book I would highly recommend and an author I will easily pick up again.

I love these type of thriller/suspense books. They keep you guessing and so many twists and turns you can get dizzy!! I stopped trying to guess the ending early on in the book and just enjoyed the read. Allison wants to marry for money and not for love. Sometimes this means she has to change herself to make her more appealing, which she doesn’t mind doing because it will be a short term change. She does not expect the marriage to last long.

There are a few main stories within this book and they are tied together very well. This is a quick read and I’m glad because I didn’t want to put it down. There is a lot going on in this book and it makes an enjoyable read.

I read The Lodger by Valerie Keogh earlier this year and loved it, so I was keen to read the latest novel from the same author – The Widow.
It begins introducing John and Eve, who are the parents of Allison, Beth and Cassie. We then follow Allison’s story, how she met her husband Peter at a party and how their relationship develops.
We soon learn that Allison is rather a hard, selfish and manipulative woman, though we see her vulnerability too and sympathise with her. She decides to pursue Peter as a husband, because he is good looking, charming and rich. Allison has a secret in her past, which she is determined to keep hidden from Peter. Is all the deception worth it? When she sees Peter’s house, she decides it is…
Some time later, Allison makes an online friend called Jo. Allison doesn’t have many friends, so is keen to meet Jo when she says she has a meeting in London. But is this all as innocent as it seems?
Wow, this one is an intriguing story, full of twists and turns, power play and revenge – and definitely a page turner, because you want to find out what happens. It is really unpredictable, you can’t tell which way it’s going to go and I love that kind of book. It isn’t over complicated though, I didn’t get confused at all.
It all builds up, going one way then another, as you try to work out who has done what and why. It’s tense and exciting. I just hope people aren’t as bad in real life as they are in this book, or I’m going to be questioning everyone’s motives that I know!!!
But – an excellent read!

The Widow is a tense and extremely gripping psychological suspense thriller that had me gripped from the very beginning. This was such a tense read and one I found difficult to put down as I was so engrossed in the story. With a cast of excellent characters all very unpleasant in their own way you honestly won’t know who you can trust as you read this book. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and based on what I’ve read it certainly won’t be my last.

I previously read The Lodger by the same author and thought it was really well written, so twisty and shocking how things were revealed, and this was no different.

There are 5 characters in this book, all are liars, all have secrets and all are connected. As the story progresses and the twists come along thick and fast, it makes you carry on turning the page and getting to the end to find out what is going on. Who is who, who did that, why did that happen - it’s just endless.

I read this in a day, just gripped from the start by the boring accountant and their quest for a new life with a perfect marriage. Just brilliant, if you like psychological thrillers and haven’t read this author before, you best start now!

The Widow by Valerie Keogh is a totally gripping contemporary psychological thriller that I could not put down.
As the novel opens we ‘hear’ the perpetrator but do not know who it is. Throughout the novel this voice is interspersed with the narrative. We learn of the motivation for past actions as we cling on to the roller coaster ride into the future.
We witness the damage and devastation that ambition can do. It is a terrible master. When pound signs dangle in front of eyes, actions will never be good.
There is the motif of prisons. Many characters, though physically free, have been imprisoned mentally for years. They walled themselves up brick by brick.
On the opposite side of the coin, there is love. The book is ultimately a search to be loved and to belong. Isolation may protect but love is far better.
There were scenes of menacing and fear as Valerie Keogh perfectly drove our emotional responses with her words.
Throughout life, we will come to crossroads where decisions need to be made. Will we choose the right or the wrong path? As I followed a character, I was willing them on to choose correctly – but would they? I found myself totally invested in the character as I held on for the ride.
All the characters were incredibly well drawn. Valerie Keogh has a talent for eliciting varying, and sometimes surprising, responses from me to the characters.
The Widow was a tense read but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was Valerie Keogh twenty second novel, but only my first by her – I shall definitely be hunting out more, more, more!
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

What an intriguing psychological thriller this proved to be
Starting with three sisters - A, B and C.
With flashbacks sharing the young girls' fates
And news of the present also percolates.

A story which shares Alison's life
Her childhood, friendships, troubles and strife.
Lots of secrets currently kept safely concealed
Are slowly to be fully revealed.

There are twists galore as the story unfolds
Leaving you guessing wanting more to be told.
There's lots to learn about Alison, Peter and Jo
But never assume its the truth that you know!

A dark, thrilling read, I'm sure you'll agree
Filled with murder, mystery and past history.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
A page-turner read, this is my honest review.

There's something unusual about Allison and even though we are drawn into her seemingly perfect relationship with her new husband Peter there's a definite hint of something consequential in Allison's past. Just as Allison and Peter are about to celebrate their three month wedding anniversary Peter is found dead in unusual circumstances, leaving Allison a widow. With no close family Allison is supported by her friend Portia, and also by Jo, a woman she met via social media, both of these unusual friendships have a far reaching impact on the story going forward.

The Widow is a highly charged psychological thriller which hits the ground running and is definitely one of those stories which you find your self saying 'just one more chapter' and before you know it you'll have read the book, like I did, in one sitting. The characterisation is absolutely spot on and even though the characters are quite dislikeable, there is something about them which makes them irresistible. I'm not going to give any spoilers away as this is definitely one of those books you should read with no idea where the story will take you, that way when the surprises come, and believe me there are many, it will shock you into disbelief.

Beautifully written, The Widow is an accomplished psychological thriller by a writer who knows how to keep the reader engrossed from start to finish.

Brilliantly Amazing.............

Valerie Keogh with her new book The Widow hits the right mark for the mystery lovers. The readers are going to just keep guessing what happens next, but the author has something else in her mind. With just five characters in the whole story, the plot is spun like a web. And the characters come across each other's lives brilliantly. As a reader, you are going to enjoy a rollercoaster ride with these characters. The twists and turns are utterly brilliant, keeping you in awe. But, truly my words fall short for the praise.

Definitely 5 stars for the book, although it looks too less. Thanks to Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

It is Allison and husband Peter's 3 month wedding anniversary. Allison wants to make the evening special, and insists he leaves work at 5pm to come home so they can celebrate. When the police knock at her door hours later, Allison realises that celebration will not be taking place. However, is Peter all he seemed? Indeed, is Allison? A book full of twists and turns, and characters full of secrets.

I've read many Valerie Keigh books, and although this one is not one of my favourites, it was still a page turning, entertaining read. I love the characterisation, not just of Allison and Peter, but of Jo, Portia and Stuart - are they too as they seem?

Grieving or guilty?

When Allison’s wealthy and charming husband Peter is found dead, she appears distraught, devastated…delighted?

Because despite an apparently picture-perfect marriage, Allison knows it was all built on a bed of lies. And as the truth regarding Peter’s life and death are revealed, Allison must try to keep her own dark past buried.

Because if Peter was keeping secrets, then his widow is too….

This was my first Valerie Keogh book but it’s definitely not going to be my last! The plot twists in this proper page-turner are unreal, one after another…a constant barrage of surprises that left me questioning everyone.

I’m not going to ruin any of them with spoilers, but suffice to say no one is as they seem!

The only thing that kept this from being a five star for me was one of the ending points. I felt very strongly that a couple of people got off far too lightly, I would have preferred a more brutal ending for them (I can’t be alone in wanting to see certain people suffer HARD, surely?!)

But that’s just my personal preference, and it certainly didn’t detract from a fabulously dark and twisted psychological thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to anyone who enjoys fast paced reads with a bunch of screwed up characters 🤪

Thank you so much @bookandtonic and @rachelsrandomresources for my ARC of The Widow 🙏🏻

I recently read and loved The Lodger so I jumped at the chance to read a new Valerie Keogh book! This was equally as intense, absorbing, thrilling, the writing twists and turns so much I just can't figure out where it's going to end up, which is wonderfully infuriating! I'm not sure how much I liked Allison as a character at first, though I felt so fearful for her at times that I couldn't help warming to her. The pov from Allison and Jo helped keep it interesting. I felt it had a definite dark shift to it a few chapters in, from then I

There are definitely a lot of twists and turns in this plot and it’s definitely a page-turner. It reminded me of a good horror story to be shared around a camp fire or at a spend-the-night party. Or maybe even one of those times when one person started the story and then someone else picked up one of the threads, advancing the plot and then another person and another person.

It was really heavy on twists that didn’t really seem plausible and also heavy on personality changes of the characters.

If you can read it and overlook really glaring inconsistencies, you’ll enjoy it. Lotsa twists and turns and very dark.

An ARC of this book was provided for me by NetGalley and the publisher, Boldwood Books, in exchange for an honest review. Publication date was November 1st.

I would suggest running to get this book! I gave it 5stars because that was the most I could but it is easily 10 stars! You will not be able to put this one down!!

Another thrilling novel from Keogh, reading this book was like putting on a pan of water to boil. It starts off slowly, but then gathers momentum and energy before spilling over at boiling point. Although I thought the book took a while to get going, I really enjoyed the thrills and revelations in this narrative.

When the Widow is first introduced, you know there is something amiss with Allison’s character. She is portrayed as manipulative and calculating, which is reinforced by her attitude towards Peter. Dissatisfied with her life, she sees Peter as the opportunity to get more, even if she has to compromise her true feelings. The news of his sudden death causes Allison’s world to turn upside down and, even though she knew she was never completely honest with her husband, it would seem there were even more secrets being kept from her.

With the arrival of Jo, Allison can no longer vouch for her own security. Jo seems to know more about Allison than she realises and becomes a burden. On the other hand, Keogh switches the narrative perspective to indicate to readers that Jo is also hiding secrets and has an obsession with Allison. Keogh does not reveal the motives behind Jo’s behaviour, but it is pretty clear there is something sinister going on with both women.

I loved the revelations that Keogh kept throwing into the narrative, making it an unpredictable read at all times. Whilst I had guessed some of the plot developments, this was not enough to lose my attention and there were plenty of times where I found myself gasping out loud in disbelief. The escape scene was pretty intense and I could not turn the pages quick enough because the atmosphere was so thick. This is when Keogh’s writing really came to play and shows just how much of a brilliant writer she is.

The ending was a surprise… and by ‘ending’, I mean the very final paragraphs. I had thought the story would conclude in a different way but I think the open-endedness added to the power of the conclusion. It was more haunting and I relished in the uncertainty that was portrayed. It reflected the nature of the book itself where trust can never be guaranteed.

Another enjoyable read from Keogh that I could not put down. Aided by such short chapters, this was a pacey thriller that kept me intrigued until the very end.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second outing with Valerie Keogh this year and I was not disappointed. Told from two viewpoints – Allison and Jo’s it’s a compulsive read that kept me hooked from start to finish.
Central character Allison meets handsome, charming Peter Fellowes when he gate-crashes a party. Although Allison has always determined marriage would never be for her, Peter sweeps her off her feet. He’s single, wealthy and works as a Lawyer. She soon feels having a husband is a compromise she could make, especially with a man like Peter. Within months they are married. Unfortunately, Allison soon finds out her dream relationship is not all she thought it would be.
From the beginning it’s clear Jo is on a mission. Allison is part of her past. A part that for some reason warrants her taking revenge. Jo contacts Allison through social media and they meet, but it does not work well and it’s clear Allison doesn’t want to continue keeping in touch.
On the evening Allison and Peter are due to celebrate their third month of marriage tragedy strikes. He has been involved in a fatal accident at Kings Cross station and she suddenly finds herself a widow.
Allison has one close friend, affluent Portia Strong who lives with her husband in Kensington. Portia provides much needed support in the days after Peter’s death. And then quite unexpectedly, Jo turns up…
That is the moment things really start to happen. All three women aren't quite what they seem,. and although I kind of guessed what was going on between Allison and Jo, Portia was a complete surprise…
Highly recommended.
My thanks to Valerie Keogh, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an ARC of The Widow in exchange for an honest review.

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

This is an intricately complex psychological thriller that has me scratching my head still, even after I've finished it. I'm still wondering what the hell happened...lol

Set in London, THE WIDOW is cleverly plotted with intricate threads that are all woven together to complete the tangled web which has become Allison's life. She has had a sad childhood, a shocking past and a somewhat surprising outcome...one has to wonder, what does the future hold for her?

A loner throughout life, Allison works as a senior accountant in a city firm - boring job and a boring life. Every day is the same. She has no social life, no friends, no family...no one. That is, until one evening at a colleague's birthday she relented and agreed to attend she meets Peter, the handsome, charming wealthy solicitor who actually seems to be interested in her. They go out on a few dates and suddenly after only a couple of months they marry and move into his £3m Victorian house. She wants for nothing as Peter showers her with a new wardrobe and expensive gifts.

After everything she went through as a child, at last Allison has everything she wants. What more could she want? And suddenly, Allison doesn't seem to be as happy as she thought she would be. She is even more shocked when her eccentric friend Portia has noticed that not all is as it should be. But Allison is quick to dismiss her concerns. She is even quicker to rid herself of the disturbing sensation Portia's creepy husband leaves her with...something akin to making her skin crawl.

The day of what is essentially their three month anniversary since their impromptu wedding, Allison intends on meeting up with a women she has befriended online. Jo has followed Allison on Facebook and Instagram and the two women seem to have so much in common...more than either of them think. But that first meeting gives Allison vibes of something she can't quite identify. All she knows is she doesn't want to see Jo again. But Jo has other ideas.

Allison returns home that evening to prepare for their celebrations. She pours the wine, puts on some music and waits for her husband to return home. Six o'clock comes and goes - no Peter. By half six, she's getting impatient and almost angry. Then there is a knock at the door and she opens it to find two police standing there. Peter has been killed in an accident on the tube that afternoon. Allison is speechless.

And it doesn't end there...her seemingly perfect life is about to fall apart.

THE WIDOW is one of those books that keeps you guessing and second guessing throughout. It makes you think you know what's going to happen but then it doesn't. There are some rather big twists that come literally out of nowhere and leave you thinking...what the...?

This is a very different psychological thriller and it certainly wasn't what I expected. Did I enjoy it? Yes, I did. Did it keep me guessing? Yes, it did. And just when you think you know what's going to happen BAM! something out of left field knocks everything out of the ball park and you're left scratching your head wondering where the hell that came from. I loved the interspersed chapters from child Allison's POV as well. It gives the reader some perspective into adult Allison. It's clear she has secrets...a big one especially, and while we can sort of guess what, we don't discover exactly the full picture or the ramifications of it until nearer the end.

I did guess a couple of the twists early on regarding Peter and who Jo was, but that was about all. It seems Allison or Jo weren't the only one hiding secrets...Peter was too. And I didn't see that coming either. Nor the biggest shock of them all.

OK, so the story was a tad far fetched but it was entertaining enough to keep me turning the pages with all its twists and secrets being uncovered. And then, that ending!

I would like to thank #ValerieKeogh, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheWidow in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.