4.5 stars rounded up.

Mary is the woman in the cabin int he Scottish highlands with her devoted husband Cal, it all seems picture perfect, living off the grid in a 1950's martial set up, until memories start coming back to Mary that this isn't where she belongs, and isn't her choice to be this isolated, her fears are confirmed when she finds letters from the previous Mary addressed 'to the next woman', these events are exacerbated by Cal noticing Mary getting a few wrinkles and no longer being the 'perfect' wife.

Mary then tries to initiate a plan for her escape.

This book had me gripped, it's a fast paced thriller, which keeps you guessing and hooked

Trigger warning: contains physical and mental abuse, manipulation and sexual assault.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

There were times when I just couldn’t get over cal and the things he did to his “wives”. I feel like what he did and how he acted overshadowed how good the story could have been. Overall it’s not a bad thriller just not one I would reach for again.

I also think they need to add a trigger warning. This story contains physical and mental abuse, manipulation and SA. It does not have any descriptive scenes of SA but SA is mentioned in the story.

This psychological thriller totally swept me off my feet! 🌟 Set in the eerie Scottish Highlands, it follows Mary, who seems to be living the perfect 1950s housewife life with her husband, Cal. But, like, if everything's so perfect, why does she feel so trapped? The tension builds as you discover Mary's hidden struggles, and wow, the themes of manipulation and gaslighting are so compelling.

I was, like, glued to the pages! The characters are really well-developed, and Mary’s journey is both heartbreaking and empowering. The plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, especially as I learned about Cal’s dark side. I literally couldn’t stand him! 😡 But that just made rooting for Mary even more satisfying.

While some parts felt a bit predictable, the atmosphere is creepy and engaging, drawing you deeper into Mary’s psyche. I felt every emotion she went through, and the writing was super polished, making it an engrossing read from start to finish. If you’re into thrillers that explore toxic relationships and have a dark twist, this book is totally for you!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! 💫📚

An antagonist I hated with every fiber of my being, Ugh! I wanted to jump through those pages, clobber him and help Mary every step of the way.
Lots of twisted that kept me on my toes guessing what in the world could happen that hadn’t already.

The pace was a slower at the beginning but near the end it felt very rushed. A bit off balance for me but a great read nonetheless.
I will be looking for more from this author!
Thanks to Netgalley and Embla Books for the advanced copy.

Thank you @netgalley for the advance copy of this book! Once I was able to get through certain scenes, I could focus on the story at hand and eventually get sucked in. The subject matter is dark and upsetting, so I hope the final copy of this book includes a trigger warning. I’ll admit that, at first, I thought this was going to be like other books of a similar subject matter. However, the more I read, the more I wanted to read. It got to the point where I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I wish I could say more about what it was that hooked me, but I haven’t quite figured out how to do so without spoilers. While there were many times when I facepalmed at some things Mary did, I was still caught up in rooting for her, while also wondering how she got there and what she was going to do next. I love twists, so when things happened towards the end that I didn't expect, it made me happy.

This psychological thriller grabs you by the collar and doesn’t loosen its grip. The suspense is palpable, the twists razor-sharp, and the cabin? Let’s just say it’s far from the idyllic getaway you'd find on Airbnb.

The protagonist is wonderfully relatable in that "stuck-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-with-danger-lurking" way, making her unraveling feel all too real. Sure, she makes some head-scratching choices but the tension keeps escalating, and before you know it, you’re too hooked to put the book down.

The pacing is generally strong, though there are a few slow patches—like waiting for a plot twist and instead getting another round of introspection. Still, it’s worth the wait, as the payoff is satisfying. If you're a fan of thrillers that leave you on edge and make you seriously reconsider that next cabin retreat, this book is definitely for you!

Locked room psychological thriller. Enjoyed overall but it did drag a bit in the middle - became a little repetitive and I was just waiting for something to happen. I think this made the ending seem rushed? The pacing was a bit off…

In saying that, I was eager to find out what would happen and read the book in a day - so I was hooked enough to carry on reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review. 3.5-4 stars for this one!

I was so honored to receive this arc for a review! I kept seeing this around goodreads and decided to give it a try. Phenomenal writing, great plot!

Mary lives in an isolated cabin in the Scottish Highlands with her husband, Cal, She never leaves the place and nor does he ever want her to leave the house. Mary tries to be the perfect wife; who keeps the house clean and orderly, prepare warm meals and welcomes him home with a smile.

Mary follows his rules to a top notch. But it quickly becomes clear that something is off. Yes that’s true because Mary discovers she wasn't the first wife, and she may not be the last.

I loved this and was glued to the book right up to the end. The book is written primarily from Mary's perspective, At first, I thought Mary was so naive and stupid for putting herself in this situation. But as the plot unfolded, I came to know of her courage and determination.

The book has some topics like manipulation, gaslighting, controlling and toxic relationships, emotional and physical abuse, and mother-child relationships. Overall, I was impressed with the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. I liked the pacing, it kept me hooked and it was a fast read. I don’t want to give anything away so won’t say too much. I’ve read some didn’t like the ending, but I did. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!

Another unputdownable thriller by Becca Day! This book follows Mary, who lives with her husband in a secluded cabin in Scotland… sounds idyllic, except that she can’t leave…. and who is she, really?

I absolutely devoured this book! I loved the setting of an isolated cabin by a loch, and the tone was really set well by the author. Each chapter left me anxious to know what was going to happen next. I did find parts of the book slightly repetitive due to the nature of the book, and the ending was a slight let down, but overall, I loved this novel! If you like locked room thrillers, this is for you.

4/5 stars ⭐️

Many thanks to Netgalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. I liked the characters! Great writing style and I liked the storyline. This book kept me guessing. I finished it in one sitting.

Mary and her husband, Cal, live in the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands. She lives a quaint, self sufficient, life as a traditional 1950s style housewife. But if it really is so idyllic, why does Mary want to leave so much?

I’ve enjoyed Becca’s previous work and was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I picked it up, I put it down, it just didn’t have me gripped and took over 2 weeks to read (which is a super long time for me).

Mary is annoyingly stupid, naive and weak for the most part and I found the story quite repetitive.

Having said that, Cal really stirred up some emotions for me. I’m not sure I’ve ever hated a character that much! There are some suspenseful scenes and some good little twists along the way as well.

3.5, generously rounded up to 4. It wouldn’t put me off reading another of Becca’s book in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for my advanced copy.

This book was super intense and although I thought I knew where some things were going, it stressed me out the whole time just the same. I stayed up way too late finishing this one!

Mary is a traditional wife of Cal, living in the middle of nowhere in the Scottish highlands. At first she seems to enjoy the quiet countryside, her gardening, and housework, but then little bits of her past start surfacing. When Mary ends up pregnant, things start to change and she knows she needs to get out.

Fast paced and intense. I would recommend!

The Woman in the Cabin
by Becca Day
Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A new author for me. Just to be clear, it might have been helpful to list triggers that will occur.
This psychological thriller is a gripping, fast-paced read that captivated me from start to finish. The characters are well developed, the plot is compelling, and the storytelling is great. I found it impossible to put down. The book masterfully explores themes of manipulation, gaslighting, control, and abuse, offering a darkly twisted narrative with expertly crafted twists and turns.

I'm new to Becca Day but I am definitely a convert. "The Woman in the Cabin" definitely is a tense read and a page-turner. If you can set aside a few hours, you won't regret reading this in one sitting. Nothing like bingeing on someone else's misfortune, in this case "Mary" who lives with her husband Cal in a very isolated cabin in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. Turns out she wasn't his first "wife" to be kept there, and maybe not the last too. Tense, very tense.

This was a fantastic psychological thriller which I could not put down. It drew me in from the first page until the very last there was many twists and turns which I did not see coming. It was definitely a fast paced thriller with a such well developed and interesting characters. I loved the writing style and can’t wait to recommend this to everyone. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.

Cal has a secluded cabin in Scotland where he and his 'wife' live. However, his wife is a kidnapped victim he renamed Mary who has been trapped at the cabin for years. Mary lives on eggshells trying to not rock the boat and keep Cal's mood at an even keel while secretly plotting escape plans. The plot twists when Cal brings another woman, 'Mary Two,' into their orbit.

I wanted to like this book, but the characters fell flat for me and parts of the plot were a bit too far fetched. I found myself quickly skimming through a couple of sections just to finish. Had I connected with the characters (especially Mary One) better, I would have enjoyed the book more.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A new author for me and a great novel. A fast paced psychological thriller that had me hooked from the start. It features manipulation, control and abuse wrapped up with some twists and turns along the way to completely captivate you. Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books and the author for the chance to review.

I started reading this and am convinced the plot is very similar to another book but can’t remember which one, which made me think I’ve read this before, but I can’t have!
Loved reading it though, thanks for the advance copy.