Member Reviews
I have read a few Amanda Reynolds and I think this is my favourite. This was such a crazy book and I don’t think I will forget that ending for a very long time. I love a psychological thriller that’s centres around intense family and is exactly that. The plot and character development had me questioning everything and everyone. As we were slowly given pieces of the puzzle, I thought I knew the outcome but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I think this book is a wonderful mix of suspense, betrayal, secrets and lies. If you like being on the edge of your seat with a page turner thriller then this is perfect.
I have been a fan of Amanda and her work for a while now although I haven't quite caught up with everything that she has written. I just love the way in which she writes such twisty psychological thrillers. I read the synopsis of 'Her Husband's Lie' and it certainly sounded like just my kind of story. Well it was all that and so much more. I really enjoyed reading 'Her Husband's Lie' but more about that in a bit.
I have to be honest and say that it took me a while to get into 'Her Husband's Lie'. Part of the issue was that I was tired when I started to read and finding it hard to concentrate. Another reason was because I didn't immediately take to either of the main characters - Matthew and Nicole. It could just be that I have read too much crime fiction and I believe nobody and suspect everybody. However as the story continued I got to know them a bit better and I was intrigued to see in which direction the story was going to take me. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would still be sat there reading several chapters and an hour or so later. It's fair to say that I became addicted to the story and that I begrudged having to put it down for any length of time. I kept chopping and changing my mind as to what was going to happen so in that sense the story certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat. All too quickly I reached the end of 'Her Husband's Lie'. I found 'Her Husband's Lie' to be a gripping, tense and dramatic story.
'Her Husband's Lie' is extremely well written and then some. Amanda certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, the story hit the ground running and from then on it was mo re of a slow burn type of story in the sense that as the story continued, the pace quickened and gathered momentum and led to a rather tense conclusion. Amanda clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She describes them so well that they seem just as real as you and I. I also love the way in which Amanda makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway. Reading 'Her Husband's Lie' felt like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way.
In short, I really enjoyed reading 'Her Husband's Lie' and I would recommend it to other readers. I hope to read much more of Amanda's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
Now I’ve finally finished this one I have a couple of things to pick at. Police procedure. We do not get the ink out for fingerprints unless there is a power cut or other exceptional circumstances. We don’t turn up at a house and declare someone missing without even checking they are at home! However I was happy that an author actually made reference to Sergeants and Inspectors not doing the ground work for once though!
It was an ok read. I didn’t like any of the characters and was underwhelmed with the ending. The epilogue was good though but again, not a surprise. I will read more by this author because it wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t as gripping as I’d hoped it would be.
Thank you to @ajreynolds2 and @rachelsrandomresources for the gifted review copy.
I've read and enjoyed several of Reynolds books before now, so couldn't wait to immerse myself into the Delaney's life.
It's a fast paced thriller mystery where we join Nicole in her search for missing husband Matthew. There are multiple twists to throw you off kilter and the ending threw me, I didn't have a clue that was on the cards!
The characters were great, well developed and perfectly flawed, adding to their credibility throughout the story.
A brilliant read full of secrets, lies and the ultimate in betrayal.
I would wholeheartedly recommend both the book and the author.
This book was very gripping from the start, and it did exceed my expectations. I really enjoyed the writing and I'd love to read more from the author!
★ 4 Stars ★
I had to take a while to process this book before I could write my review. I wasn't prepared for the characters I found within the pages of "Her Husband's Lies." Dr. Matthew Delaney and his wife Nicole are complex, deceitful characters who are masters of secrets and lies. If you love twisted and untrustworthy characters, this book is a must-read. Don't expect a quick and easy read – this gripping story will keep you guessing until the very end!
Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing this ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.
Her Husband's Lie was quite an entertaining read. Although it didn't have as many twists and turns as I would have expected it did keep me guessing right to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.
A seemingly perfect family, but when her husband doesn’t arrive home for their daughter’s birthday party, Nicole discovers that everything wasn’t as perfect as it appeared.
As the story unravels we learn that Matthew wasn’t the perfect husband that we thought he was.
This book kept me guessing to the very end.
I will definitely read more by this author, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review.
This was a well written entertaining domestic thriller.
Nicole’s husband Matt, a gynecologist consultant is facing a tribunal for inappropriate behaviour. Matt tells Nicole he is innocent, but the staggering lawyers fees to defend his case have left them on the brink of bankruptcy. One evening Matt suggests selling their beautiful forever home in order to relieve some of the financial burden. Nicole refuses to consider this, then a few days later Matt disappears.
The author has a great writing style and this tale was full of secrets and lies. The characters were well drawn and all unlikeable which added to the suspense and tension. This was a gripping novel full of intrigue, twists and turns. I stayed up late into the night to finish it.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC
One happy couple, Nicole and Matthew. Middle class, in love, trusting each other. They have a beautiful house, a safe and predictable everyday life and a healthy and charming daughter. The perfect family picture for everyone to envy and emulate. And then suddenly, in just one week, Nicole´s world is getting upside down. Matthew disappears lefting Nicole with a huge riddle to solve: who is actually her husband to whom she gave her heart and full trust?
As in the case of previous books by Amanda Reynolds I had the chance to read and review, Her Husband´s Lie is advancing slowly but firmly towards a revelation towards the end of the book, and I really appreciated the ways in which the suspense is created through the pieces of smoking mirrors that are obliterating the truth.
Crime psychological thrillers evolving in a family environment may be a genre apart those days, and it´s justly so, as the everyday life may be the perfect unexpected source of surprises, as things are rarely indeed so glossy as they may look like at first sight.
In Her Husband´s Lie though, there is an unique game of emotions that are built through the story, which involves the reader into the story in a very direct and brutal way. You may encounter a lot of untrustworthy characters, hard to like, but they are actually the salt and pepper of the book. There are hardly likeable characters in this book and many of them do also act in a very unempathic egoistic way. But, how could you write a great thriller with good, likeable characters, after all?
Some of the characters, particularly Nic, may act so erratically at times, that it is very hard to show any solidarity towards her. As for Matt, it´s impossible to give him any excuse, as he seems the perfect soulless manipulator.
As the ways in which the story evolves from the very beginning - a relatively bourgeois family setting is shortly degenerating in a chain of deceit and lies - it was very hard to predict what will happen next. Thus, I felt compelled to follow up carefully every single detail of the events, hoping that somehow near the end, all those pieces will come up together to give the right key to solve the riddle.
For lovers of psychological thrillers, this is a very inspired choice for anyone looking to an eventful read, with many psychological turns and densely emotional as well. Once starting the book is very hard to put it down, as you are getting more and more curious to discover how far some characters went. Actually, very far.
Her Husband’s Lie is an excellent psychological crime thriller that left me open mouthed at times. Right from the very start I was gripped by this book and really thought I knew in what direction everything was going to go but then again I’m not always right ! I found this book to be a real page turner and I was so eager to discover how it would all end up. A book filled with suspense and intrigue and with people who really aren’t the nicest but I do love a book with nasty characters.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Nicole is married to Matthew, a successful OB/GYN. Their daughter is Lily and Nicole has been planning a big birthday party for her. Their home, Three Gables, is very beautiful as are the grounds.
Matthew sits with Nicole one night showing her piles of bills saying that they are in a financial mess and he blames a lot of it on Nicole’s shopping. He thinks they may need to sell their home which she is vehemently against. It turns out that an unhappy patient has filed a complaint against him and there will be a hearing soon which may result in him losing his job. But he tells her the he will disappear and she can get his $2 million insurance money. Then, later her he tells her not to worry about it because all will be well.
When he actually disappears, she learns that he had been having an affair with a beautiful and very rich patient, Deena Jensen. The police become involved and Matthew’s sister, Grace, who loves her brother dearly, is determined to find out what happened to her brother.
Nicole is left trying to figure out where Matthew went as well as trying to deal with Lily’s anger. She learns just how bad the accusation against Matthew is and wants to try and find him.
The story goes back and forth from Nicole and the police and their investigations. It seems they are at her home all the time. Lily hates Nicole and that causes more problems along with Grace’s insistence on being a part of the investigation.
This story drags on a bit too much and seems repetitive at times which a pet peeve of mine. The ending finally wraps up and left me not really liking any of the characters except for Grace’s long-suffering husband, Ed. But a fairly good story so enjoy.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This thriller was a slow burn, but worth hanging in there for a couple big twists. I'll read anything set in the UK and Reynolds' vivid descriptions of the area did not disappoint. An intriguing cast of characters and lots of layers led my fascination to see just how it was all going to unfold. I plan to seek out more of Reynolds' books, including one made into a tv series.
3.5 stars
Thanks to #NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.
I stuck with this book because I felt it had potential. The best part was the epilogue unfortunately.
It was so confusing in parts. Lots of mistakes and a few holes in the story. I think it could be a better read with time.
Thank you Boldwood books and Netgalleyand and Amanda Reynolds for this ARC of Her Husband's Lie.
I have loved this books from start to finish, I couldn't guess the ending till the last page, this is a brilliant story and I really cannot find fault with it.
It was brilliant and well paced. I highly recommend this book for any lovers of true crime, mysteries and suspense.
Great read with so many surprises and oh my gosh moments that I just couldn’t stop and reading it and loved the ending.
I’m an Amanda Reynolds super fan and will always pick up her latest book without even reading the blurb. Her style of writing and storytelling is very much my cup of tea as she really captures the drama of relationships and the secrets kept hidden behind the closed doors of “respectable” marriages! And be honest, we all get a frisson of smugness when we find out that all is not perfect behind the flawless and impeccably polished lives of those couples!
Nicola and Matt are one of “those” couples”. He is a dashing doctor and Nic keeps their beautiful home flawlessly styled and their intelligent teenage daughter happy and safe. But problems start rearing their ugly heads when Matt suggests selling the family house amid financial difficulties related to his reputation as a GP. And then Matt goes missing…
It was weird how my emotions were all over the place whilst reading this! Full of unlikeable and untrustworthy characters, I didn’t know who to believe and my thoughts on who to blame for the situation constantly fluctuated between every single one of them! Just how I like it!! There were so many twists and turns and plenty of shocking moments towards the end that kept me reading “just one more chapter” until the powerful moment everything came together.
I went into this book blind but I wasn’t disappointed as it was the great read I have come to expect from Amanda Reynolds. If you read and enjoyed Close to Me (which has a space on my bookshelf that’s reserved for my most favourite books EVER!) then you will love Her Husband’s Lie.
Many thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and the publisher Boldwood for my review copy of Her Husband’s Lie and my invite onto the blog tour. Check out what other bloggers think by following them on the schedule below.
I thought the writing style of this one was easy to read and it kept me interested enough however I did find the story quite predictable and a couple of things didn’t feel very realistic and it really pulled me out of the story however I do think the pacing will work really well for other people who might not guess things as early as I did.
Layers of lies is a great subtitle for this thriller. Matt, the husband, is inexplicably missing but did he really leave on his own accord?
Nic, the wife, knows more than she’s letting on and as the truths came out I kept sucking in my breath from disbelief.
I had no idea the book would take the directions it did because I felt the plot would certainly be playing a different tune. Shows you what I don’t know.
It’s a enthralling read and certain to keep readers interest until the last page.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review! Love this thriller! Easy light read but a roller coaster of twists and turns!!!!