Have read Adele Parks from the very beginning.

Her psychological thrillers are well written and gripping
This was no exception I loved it

My thanks to HQ Publishers and NetGalley for a copy of “ First Wife’s Shadow “ for an honest review.

I’m a long time reader of Adele Parks and her books never fail to amaze me !
This book was addictive , with well written characters and a really suspenseful plot.Just when I thought I’d figured things out there was another twist in the tale.
Got to be one of my best reads of 2024 !

Amazing, amazing, amazing! It's got everything you'd expect from the author, it's well plotted out and transports you to the other side of the world along with the characters. It's all so perfectly brought to life and is so much more than just a thriller, it's got so many themes weaving through it and the characters are so perfect brought to life that I couldnt help but be so invested

Loved it! Everything you would expect from an Adele Parks - twisty, devious and addictive! Sure to be a bestseller!

Adele Parks seems to get better with every book. This one hooked me from page one - it’s a menacing, heart pounding thriller with escalating tension and some great twists. Brilliant.

Yet another brilliant thriller from Adele Parks. They just get better. A slow start but once it really gets started the twists keep coming.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Suspenseful twisty and lots of surprises. I have read all of this author's books and think this has to be her best yet. I loved it !
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review. Highly recommended

#FirstWifesShadow #NetGalley
Emma, a wealthy, independent, sensible CEO, has long put her chaotic childhood at the hands of alcoholic parents behind her. When she meets Matthew, a widower, gentle, interested and full of admiration for her success, they quickly fall into a serious relationship. Her best friends, Heidi and Gina, are initially delighted, but when Emma gets engaged after just three months, they panic. Matthew says the death of his first wife means he believes in seizing the day. And Emma says she's in love and that’s all that matters. And yet, Emma can’t shake the feeling that she is second best. Matthew would not be with her if his first wife was still alive. And so, she becomes obsessed, haunted by the memory of a woman she never met. Strange things start to happen. Emma feels watched. Objects are broken or disappear. And then an incident reveals Emma’s very life is in danger. Matthew thinks she’s drinking too much, like her father did. Heidi and Gina think Matthew is gaslighting her. Emma thinks she’s being haunted…or is she being hunted?
I loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.

A twist filled domestic thriller. I have read and enjoyed the authors previous novels but this one did not quite hit the mark, possibly because of the slow beginning.

Delicious Suspense..
Emma and Matthew. They appear to be the perfect couple. Emma, a wealthy woman and Matthew, a handsome widower but with few finances. Emma’s friends are concerned. Is Matthew really what he seems? It is not too long before Emma begins to wonder - particularly with the shadow of Matthew’s first wife hanging over them. A delicious suspense with a well crafted and credible cast of characters populating a pacy and entertaining plot with twists and surprises aplenty.

My favourite book of the year so far. Adele Parks is an incredible storyteller. Emma is a very successful businesswoman who is extremely regimented in her habits in order to maintain her commitment to her career. When she meets charismatic widower Matthew at a conference her usual common sense departs and she begins a flirty relationship that goes against everything she normally believes in. Their relationship becomes intense quite quickly and her best friends Heidi and Gina sensibly try to advise her to slow down as she is beginning to behave irrationally. As the story escalates an enormous twist changes everything and puts a totally different perspective on what we have come to believe. The twists keep coming and this wonderfully imaginative book weaves its way to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. It’s difficult to fully explain this book without spoilers but it is extremely clever, original and a definite page turner that will have you reading late into the night. With shocks aplenty I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Crisp, sharp narrative made this an engaging read. The storyline was intriguing and kept me invested to know more.
Emma was a strong woman but I felt that she was a bit desperate so did not follow her instincts enough. So I found it hard to like her character most of the time. Matthew was weak and easily led.
NO SPOILER ALERTS
At times I felt the plot was a bit implausible but overall it was a good story and well written book. Some of the twists I knew were coming, others were a bit of a surprise.
3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley, HQ and Adele Parks for the ARC of 'First Wife's Shadow' in return for an honest review.

I was delighted to receive this copy as I am a big fan of the author, having read most of her novels. It did not disappoint.

Emma is wealthy, having made her money debited her childhood upbringing and considers herself to be independant. When she meets Matthew she falls in love. He is a widower and before she knows it there is a marriage proposal.

Emma's friends are not convinced and strange things begin to happen.

Great read and recommended.

Adele Parks’ “First Wife’s Shadow” is an exciting psychological thriller that is well paced, full of suspense, mystery, twists and kept me guessing throughout.

Emma is a wealthy independent CEO who has made her fortune despite her turbulent childhood with alcoholic parents. Her life is thrown into a spin when she meets Matthew, a widower and they instantly fall in love which quickly escalates to a marriage proposal.

Emma struggles to come to terms with feeling second best to Matthew’s deceased wife as well as dealing with the concerns raised by her best friends, Heidi and Gina. They are concerned about how quick this has all happened as well as the age gap and fear Matthew is after her money.

As well as her friends concerns Emma starts to feel that she is being watched and experiences eerie occurrences when object start disappearing or breaking. Is Emma is being haunted by the memory of Matthew’s first wife or by a more sinister force.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and HQ for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A great plot idea and I enjoyed the unlikeable character idea. The plot became tedious and the twits weren’t surprising.
A easy holiday read.

Firstly the writing, its sharp and descriptive and full, no short chapters or missed words to hurry things along, I would say its impeccable and invigorating to read, this author uses words to our, the readers, advantage

This then goes a way towards negating the unbelievability aspects in the story, which so I don’t ruin the story wont say much about except that they are there and are enough to make you question the main character Emma and also the apparent benign village neighbours who miss nothing except vital information such as people’s surnames and weddings….

There are twists, some I saw, some I kinda wondered about and some threw me off completely

Never once did I even consider not finishing it, the writing on the whole ( if not the story ) is too inspiring for that

This is a great psychological thriller but is a tricky one to review as I don’t want to spoil various aspects of the overall story.
There’s lots going on in this book and I really did feel for Emma when things started happening to her in her home.
Her friends are a bit suspicious of her new boyfriend especially when he moves in so quickly and when Matthew proposes, Emma is also shocked.
I guessed some aspects of the story but this didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book as there were plenty of other surprises in store.
As with other books by this author, prepare for the unexpected at times.
This is a great book that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed this book by Adele Parks.

We meet Emma, who at an event meets Matt.

Very quickly their relationship gets serious and she starts to imagine a life where she has someone to spend her time with, which she hasn’t really thought about before.

But, her friends are not that happy with this development, especially as Emma is wealthy and they are worried that Matt isn’t who he seems.

Emma also has worries, that she’s not as good as Matt’s first wife.

Then, things begin to happen around her, making her think who could be behind them and whether it’s someone she knows who’s close to her.

Is Matt who he appears to be?

I recommend this book.

This book starts off a bit slow & does take a while to get into. However it is worth sticking with & is a good read.

"First Wife’s Shadow" by Adele Parks is a gripping thriller that delves into the complexities of relationships and trust.
The story follows Emma, a wealthy woman who falls for Matthew, a charming widower. As their relationship progresses rapidly, Emma’s friends voice concerns about Matthew’s intentions, fearing she might be exploited. Emma's own doubts grow as she feels overshadowed by Matthew's late wife. The plot picks up pace halfway through, introducing twists and turning darker as suspicion and jealousy take hold.Halfway we get the perspective of someone intent on unsettling Emma's life. Although the characters aren’t particularly likable, the story’s suspense and intrigue kept me invested. While some twists are predictable, the tension and well-crafted plot make it an engaging read.
Overall, it’s a compelling thriller with a slower paced build-up and a satisfying conclusion.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy, opinions are my own.