*All opinions are my own.*
Wife, Mother, Liar by Sue Watson is a compelling domestic thriller that expertly weaves together secrets, betrayal, and suspense. Jill and Wendy have been friends for over 20 years. Sharing milestone moments together such as new marriage, some tragedies and motherhood have bonded Jill and Wendy as well as their husbands Tim and Robert. When they both get pregnant within weeks of one another, Jill and Wendy hoped that their children would have a close bond as well. As they grow up together they become rather close and start a relationship. Wendy is thrilled her daughter Olivia has moved on from a bad boyfriend to find herself with Jill's son Leo. But Jill is less than pleased and tries to deter Leo from being with Olivia. Then on prom night tragedy strikes when Olivia and Leo go to prom together but only one child comes home. As some time passes, in a bid to resolve their differences of opinion as to what happened that night, Jill invites Wendy on a weekend getaway to a secluded Welsh cottage. As the women try to resolve their disagreement of what happened that night, their conversations and dialogue reveal the backstory of their friendship and the secrets each one hides. The alternating POV between Jill and Wendy really makes these characters real and fully fleshed out. By the end of this book you will be shocked at each new twist that comes as Watson effortlessly highlights how fragile friendship can truly be.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sue Watson, and Bookouture for this ARC. Expected publishing date is January 10th 2025.

Two unlikable leads ( which isn’t a bad thing) and a slow start ( which for me is always a bit difficult!) but the second half definitely had a lot of unexpected twists and kept me turning the pages ( well technically I was clicking the kindle remote ) pretty fast . A very unexpected ending as well - I definitely didn’t see all that coming. !

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jill has had a life full of loss-she’s lost both her parents, had several miscarriages and her husband is a serial cheater. Now that her husband is finally leaving her for someone else, she decides to leave town. Her best friend and neighbor, Wendy, is also having relationship trouble, so she decides to ask Wendy to come with her to escape to Wales for the weekend. But while they’re away, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy both of the women.
While there was a lot of “telling” there wasn’t a lot of “showing” until about 75% into the story. I could have used a little more excitement-after all both these women had a lot of stuff to deal with and a history between them, but most of the story was them talking about each other and to each other. Once the action got going, it was quick page turning to see what was going to happen.
It’s told from their alternating POV and the ending tied up the story well.
Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and Bookouture for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Wife, Mother, Liar
by Sue Watson
Release date January 10, 2025

We are taken on a white-knuckle ride through the unraveling life of a woman who appears to have it all: a devoted husband, a loving son, and a best friend who’s practically family. But beneath the surface of suburban perfection lies a simmering cauldron of deceit, obsession, and deadly secrets. This is a psychological thriller that grips you by the throat and refuses to let go.

From the opening pages, Watson weaves a web of tension that tightens with every chapter. The story is narrated by an unnamed protagonist, whose perspective shifts between her roles as a wife, mother, and, ultimately, a liar. This structural approach isn’t just clever—it’s disorienting in the best way possible, forcing readers to question their loyalties and assumptions at every turn.

What makes Wife, Mother, Liar so compelling is Watson’s ability to create characters who feel disturbingly real. The protagonist is deeply flawed—jealous, paranoid, and at times unlikable—but her humanity is undeniable. Her actions, no matter how extreme, stem from a place of love and fear, making her both relatable and terrifying.

If you’re a fan of domestic noir, untrustworthy narrators, and endings that leave you reeling, Wife, Mother, Liar is an absolute must-read. Watson doesn’t just tell a story; she constructs a psychological labyrinth that you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve turned the final page.

Susan Watson’s Wife, Mother, Liar is a gripping domestic thriller that expertly layers secrets, betrayal, and suspense. Told through the perspectives of a wife, a mother, and a liar, the story unravels a perfect life riddled with cracks that deepen as lies come to light.

The characters are complex and flawed, their hidden motives adding to the tension as the plot builds toward a shocking conclusion. Watson keeps you guessing with well-timed twists, though the pacing occasionally falters in parts. Still, the story’s emotional depth and dark revelations make it a compelling and satisfying read. A must for fans of domestic thrillers with a sinister edge!

#NetGalley #WifeMotherLiar

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

A Gripping Thriller Full of Secrets and Twists

Sue Watson delivers a captivating story with Wife, Mother, Liar, a psychological thriller brimming with intrigue, emotional intensity, and twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. The story follows Diane, a seemingly perfect wife and mother, whose life begins to unravel when an anonymous message brings buried secrets to light.

Watson does an excellent job of creating realistic and complex characters, particularly Diane, who faces tough moral dilemmas while trying to protect her family. Themes of trust, loyalty, and the ripple effects of lies are masterfully explored, making the story relatable and thought-provoking.

The pacing is fast, and the twists are effective, although some might feel slightly predictable for seasoned thriller readers. However, this doesn’t detract from the overall tension and suspense that keep you hooked until the very end.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with emotional depth and well-developed characters, Wife, Mother, Liar is a fantastic choice.

After recently finding my love for thrillers again I was so happy to be approved for this.
I loved this book, could not put it down! Kept me reading till well into the night.

Thank you!

A fun, twisty read! I enjoyed trying to figure out what exactly happened to Jill’s son, Leo, and how all the characters in the book fit into whatever it was that happened.

I didn’t expect the actual twist to be what it was, it was a great surprise! I did feel like the book kind of lacked some direction and felt like it dragged a bit.

Overall a good read! Worthy of a recommendation to thriller and suspense readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This gripping read explores a 25-year friendship between Jill and Wendy, two very different women. The story is dual timeline & mixes past and present, revealing the flaws in their bond when a child goes missing. As their friendship faces the strain of secrets and betrayal, the book delves into the complexities of trust, guilt, and loss. With emotional depth and surprising twists, it’s a thought-provoking and captivating read.

Wife, Mother, Liar describes the long time friendship between next door neighbors Jill and Wendy and their husbands Tim and Robert. Either woman one could be described as the wife, mother or liar in this psychological thriller. The story is narrated in alternating voices by both women and begins as the two, now estranged, begin a girls weekend in an isolated cottage in Wales. We know that something terrible has happened but we have no idea what. In the following pages, there is murder, attempted murder, adultery, more attempted murder and enough lies to confuse even the most attentive reader.

Sue Watson has delivered an unputdownable mystery/thriller. Wife, Mother, Liar cannot be described without spoilers but you will not know what happened or why until the final pages. Happy reading! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Sue Watson for this ARC.

Talk about a twisty thriller!! Full of lies, secrets, betrayal, heartbreak, and a plot twist I was NOT expecting near the end... Wow!!!

This was the second Sue Watson book I read, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one too!! Just when I thought I knew how the plot was going to go, twist after twist arise and left me guessing until the end!!

A very emotional story told through a dual POV: Jill and Wendy have been neighbours and friends for over 20 years, when their children, Leo and Olivia, go to prom together, and Leo never returns home.

You sympathise with both main characters, Jill wanting answers of what happened to her son, Wendy wanting to protect her daughter from blame. Full of drama, blame, and tension throughout!

Tropes/themes include:
Bad neighbours
Betrayal
Dark past
Deception
Family trauma
Fake friend
Forbidden love
Marriage
Murder
Plot twist
Revenge
Secrets
Suspense
Small town secrets
Tension
Trauma
Toxic friendships
Unreliable narrator
Whodunnit
Wrong place, wrong time

This was immediately an addictive read, I found myself needing to know the truth and it had me questioning who I should trust,

So much in life seems to be versions of what the individual needs, expects or experiences. And how different it can be from the other people in the same moments. And from reading this book how different it cam be from the reader! I was tossed backwards and forwards with each of these two woman's own versions of events. I did think I swayed towards one side but I don't want to give too much away by saying why.
This books is also about the fierce protection of a mother.
And also possibly how life in general changes us, changes how view things and then possibly who we align with. And sometimes that's ok.
It brought alot up to the surface me and offered great thinking points.
The plot wasn't shock after shock with a big crash. But it was the little moments of "oh!"that actuslly ended up having the most lasting effect on me.
Brilliant book.

Sue Watson, Wife, Mother, Liar, Bookouture, January 2025

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Sue Watson has combined a narrative of mysteries and twists with the development of relationships over almost twenty-five years of neighbourly friendships. There is also clever characterisation, provided though two friends’ recall of the past, their friendship and the flaws that are only glimpsed at the time, but become more apparent under the stress when a child goes missing. The picture of women having coffee and talking, each on her own back step symbolises the closeness, not only of their properties, but the ties they have woven through proximity and similar events in their lives. One that stands out and provides yet another vignette is the birth of Leo to Jill, and Olivia to Wendy. The two babies kick side by side, then go together to school, admired by doting mothers. The fathers have a presence, but it is seen through the eyes of the women, and quite often the men are absent.

Significantly, the four, although forming a foursome as neighbours and socially, are quite different. Wendy is attractive, flirtatious, and untidy. She is a hands-off parent. In contrast, Jill is depicted as plainer, a neat dresser with little flair, house proud and very much a hands-on parent. The men, Robert, Wendy’s husband, is a doctor who spends a great deal of time practising medicine overseas; Jill’s husband, Tim is also often away, at play rather than work: his affairs are a longstanding feature of their marriage.

The prologue establishes a sensational objective that Jill intends to pursue but is followed by the benign picture of a cottage in Wales where she and Wendy are to spend the weekend, a reminder of their past friendship, including friendly joking around their differences. There is even a recall of the friendly dinner shared by Jill and Tim, on what is to be their last night together before he joins his latest conquest. Wendy’s arrival at the cottage, late but another occasion for jokes and affection continues the friendly recall of events from the past – a mixture of small annoyances, overwhelming friendship, and appreciation for each other as best friends. What could go wrong?

As the narrative moves through past and present, Jill and Wendy’s stories showing the development their friendship and years of being neighbours, flaws in that friendship are examined. This is a particularly moving part of the book, strongly sitting side by side with the twists and mysteries. It raises the questions about the nature of friendship, the flaws that can be accepted in friends and relationships, and whether such acceptance can be sustained when a dramatic and damaging event occurs. As the women’s relationship plays out, through Jill’s inner thoughts and Wendy’s conversation, the loss that each experiences is integrated with anger, frustration, and dislike. This is a powerful combination, and as worthy of thought as that given to the very clever and devastating twists with which the book ends.

I thought that Wife, Mother, Liar was a not only an enjoyable read, but one worthy of thought. And certainly, worth reading in a day!

"Wife, Mother, Liar" by Sue Watson is a 4-star read! Jill and Wendy have been friends for 25 years—until tragedy strikes while their kids are at prom. In an effort to resolve their disagreement about that fateful night, Jill invites Wendy on a weekend getaway to a secluded Welsh cottage.

The story unfolds through alternating perspectives from Jill and Wendy. While the plot lacks much physical action—most of it revolves around the women’s conversations in the cottage—their dialogue and memories effectively reveal their backstories. This narrative style allows readers to deeply understand both women as mothers and wives.

Jill is an incredibly unlikable character, which makes it difficult to sympathize with her. However, the book is packed with twists, as nearly every character harbors a secret. These revelations are revealed in the final chapters, with one kept under wraps until the epilogue.

Although the first part of the book feels slow, I enjoyed the story overall and look forward to reading more from Sue Watson.

Thanks to Bookouture, Sue Watson, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

Wife, Mother, Liar is told in alternating POVs from two former friends and neighbours and focuses on the tragedy that befell Jill’s son, Leo. I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and the end – which gave me whiplash with all the twists and turns – but struggled a bit in the middle of the book. I didn’t warm to any of the main characters and felt the premise that the two women, who clearly loathed each other, would agree to go away together for the weekend, a little unbelievable. Having said that, Sue Watson’s books are always fast paced, well written and engaging. This novel is packed with secrets and shocks, and I recommend it.

Thank you to Sue Watson, Bookouture and Netgalley for my advance copy.

This book was a mixture of emotions for me.
I didn’t really see why Wendy or Jill were friends with each other as their past stories, so intertwined, are revealed. They really did live in a communally carnal neighborhood.
I figured out part of the big secret but not all of it.
One of the best parts was when Jill was incoherent and thinking snarky answers to those who were confessing to her since they thought she was a goner. I actually laughed at some of her retorts.
The ending was good and, although ethically it’s wrong, I cheered Jill’s actions.
Watson walloped me with this one!

Jill and Wendy have been firm friends since they became neighbours many years back. They would go on nights out together, with or without their husband's Tim and Robert, and even went on holidays together and, when they both fell pregnant within weeks of each other, they looked forward to their children having a close bond too. As Leo and Olivia grow up they are close but as they reach their teenage years they become rather closer than Jill would like and she tries to deter it, then tragedy strikes whilst at their school prom and life for these two families will never be the same again, one of these mothers is determined to uncover the truth of what happened that night, but she's got a secret of her own that she's been keeping all these years...

Wife, Mother, Liar is the latest thriller by Watson, told in alternate chapters by Jill and Wendy, this is a story full of twists and turns and highlights how fragile friendships, especially between neighbours, can be. As always with this author's books I picked this one up without even reading the blurb, because I know that I'm not going to be disappointed and sure enough this was another belter. Watson's stories are well crafted, with plots that draw you in from the off and keep you guessing throughout, this one had so many layers and as each layer was stripped back another secret or lie was revealed and oh boy, there were some huge ones coming out here, I was left wondering if any of these characters could be trusted! This is an intense, fast paced thriller which I found very relatable after having a very close neighbour friendship where I used to live which turned sour, thankfully there were no secrets or deaths involved, but the fall out hurt a lot and I was very happy when we decided to move house. Watson's books just keep getting better and, if you want an edge of your seat thriller with an unexpected ending, then I highly recommend this one. This is my first read of 2025 and certainly started the year with a bang.

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

3 🌟

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Whew, what a rollercoaster of a book! It was giving affairs, jealousy, murder, murder coverups, attempted murder, infertility and the search for being the perfect mother & spouse.

This book made me realize that all mothers really are trying their best to give their children the life they didn’t have as kids. Even the best mothers fail, but they are all doing the best with what they have.

This book was filled with drama. Perhaps too much drama bc I’m feeling a bit of whiplash. The story of the jealous friends (Wendy & Jill) and as a bit overdone for my taste. Why would you continue to be friends with someone you despise and you’re afraid your husband adores? That was a bit odd to me.

Also what happened to Wendy’s ex husband’s girlfriend? Did she never ask what happened to her man?

Overall, 3 ⭐️. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend to anyone.

My mum has been raving about Sue Watson for a while so I decided to give this ago. I found this to be quite slow paced and there was lots of jumping between present and past and was told from two points of view.

Jill invites her ex best friend Wendy on a weekend away to Wales with the ulterior motive of trying to find answers as to what happened 2 years earlier. The first few chapters were quite secretive and I think I realised there was a red herring. The pair reminisce over their friendship over the years whilst skimming the edges of the elephant in the room.

I found both characters unlikeable. They both had their faults but both thought they were perfect despite all the lies. At one point I was ready to give up but there was enough intrigue to keep me going but I found the ending predictable.