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.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with this arc!

Wife, Mother, Liar by Sue Watson is a psychological thriller novel set in the UK. We have a dual POV following Wendy and Jill, two next door neighbors, who seemingly both have life figured out. From the white picket fence houses, to the most hansome husbands and smartest children, Wendy and Jill seem to have it all. Until one day, their kids go to prom and only one of them comes back home.

The setting of the book is tense and suspenseful from the get go and it had me hooked for hours. The mystery surrounding the abrupt death of one of the teenagers is well written and the author hints from the beginning that it wasn't just an accident. The idea was interesting and the start and middle of the book were gripping too, but in my opinion, as shocking and unexpected the plot twist was, I just didn't care enough at the end since it dragged out too much. About the characters, I think they were well-crafted, but nothing out of the ordinary for a thriller novel. Without spoiling too much, our protagonist Jill does something at the end of the book that, in my opinion, isn't handled well (or at all for that matter) and makes you think you believe she is right, when in reality I believe all of our characters are quite nuanced and none of them are truly good people. Except Tim. He is just evil and I don't like him at all.

Wendy Jones, our second protagonists, deserves a few sentences of her own, because she was the most interesting out of the whole crew. She is described as beautiful, cunning, and a bit superficial. She loves her children fiercely and when Jill invites her to spend a weekend at a cottage in Wales, she instantly accepts, even though they haven't been in touch for months because she misses her friend. I think her character is very raw and real and I personally understand all of her choices throughout the book and why she makes them.

On a more positive note, Sue Watson's writing is quick, sharp and easily digestible, which reminded me of Freida McFadden's novels, so for any fans of hers, I believe Wife, Mother, Liar will be thrill to read! The plot twists at the end were one of the only ones I couldn't have predicted at all, and I have been reading a lot of thrillers recently

Thank you to Sue Watson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion. Set to publish January 10, 2025.

As flashing police lights slice the darkness around my house, my worst nightmare becomes a reality, and my perfect world comes crashing down. Can I trust anyone at all? My husband hasn’t been truthful, my best friend has been hiding something from me, and my son isn’t as innocent as I thought. But none of their secrets compares to the one I’ve been keeping.....It started with a lie. It will end in murder…

This is my second book from Sue Watson and after reading "You, Me, Her", I wasn't sure if that was just a one-time phenomenal book or if this author is simply a master of the psychological thriller craft. I quickly came to realize that this author is an automatic read from here on out. I don't need to read the synopsis or tagline. Simply seeing that she wrote a new book is enough for me to jump in head first without a single bit of hesitation. Her new book, "Wife, Mother, Liar" is another thrilling masterpiece that did not disappoint. I finished this book in 2 days because it is the definition of "unputdownable".

This book is told through 2 POVs. Jill and Wendy are neighbors, who have turned friends, until years later when a tragedy rocks their relationship, leaving their friendship hanging on by the smallest of threads. What happens next is a story, wonderfully and intentionally woven, full of mother's instincts, lies, betrayal, obsession, grudges, accusations, and secrets. It can only be compared to a rollercoaster ride. Sue Watson has a talent for misleading the reader. As the rollercoaster slowly and tensely approaches the peak and you feel like you have it all figured out, then the ride plummets, causing so many jaw dropping, head spinning, and shocking moments that you realize everything you thought you knew was wrong and the truth is something you never expected. I love that she uses unreliable narrators and the end of each chapter, with its cliffhangers, makes it impossible to walk away. This is a "just one more chapter" type of books.

Which mother is ultimately telling the truth? Are they both lying or is their perception of reality both correct? You'll have to read this dark and twisty book to find out the truth for yourself. Trust no one and hold on for a wild ride. EVERYONE who is a fan of quick paced, shocking, and brilliant psychological thrillers should be diving into this story. I'd give it 10 stars if they would let me.

Only 3 days into the new year and it could easily be a top 5 read for 2025. Now excuse me while I head to purchase more of Watson's previous books.

JIll and Wendy were neighbours when they were newly married, and were close with their husbands and children until a tragedy derailed all their lives. Jill is still looking for answers and invited Wendy to an isolated cottage in Wales for the weekend ostensibly in a bid to reconnect their friendship.
The book is written in alternate chapters by the two women, the book title could apply to either or both of them. Secretly they both dislike one another, they are both unpleasant, particularly Jill.
Despite this, I kept reading as their secrets were revealed, and their actions got stranger as the story progressed.
Good writing.

Sue Watson has done it again with such a twisty psychological thriller it will stay in your mind long after you have read it.

Two friends, neighbours, both pregnant at the same time, their children growing up together. Go to prom as a couple, to later that night, one dying which leaves the friendship in tatters.

The grieving mother knows people are hiding things from her and wants to get to the bottom of it, inviting her now ex-neighbour to a secluded cottage in Wales for a girly weekend away, on the pretence of reconnecting, but she wants answers.

I was glued to this book, it was full of twists and left me in complete shock at one point.
The storyline was great, it flowed well, with plenty of red herrings along the way.

I loved it!

I have to admit, this book just didn’t work for me. The story felt rushed, and none of the characters were developed enough for me to connect with them. Jill, in particular, was tough to get through. She’s written as a victim, but I found her so unlikable that I couldn’t muster any good emotions toward her.

The plot itself was slow to develop, and for about 75% of the book, it just went in circles. When I finally reached the ending, I was incredibly disappointed. In fact, it made me dislike Jill even more than I did at the start. I usually love Sue Watson’s books, but this one missed the mark for me. Honestly, I wish I had skipped it. If you’re a fan of hers like I am, you might want to think twice about picking this one up.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Bookouture and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

While this started off strong, it seemed to drag out for me a bit. I lost interest until the big plot twist at the end. And the very very end just seemed a little flat. Wasn’t what I was expecting but still enjoyed the read