Quite a slow start told between the then and now. Lots of twists to keep the reader interested. A book well worth reading
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I enjoyed this book which was told over several time frames so flicked between present and some years before. Each one revealed trickles of information at a time. So the book was compelling to keep reading to see what happened.
Interesting characters but a couple I intensely disliked which I think was the point. No real clues although I had my thoughts whilst reading. No spoilers here though.
This was my first book written by this author and I will read more from her.
4 stars

The first husband by Elizabeth Carpenter and Elizabeth Bowen is a slow-burn of a thriller. There are two alternating timelines, both leading up to a wedding in the same location. The first marriage, to Callum ended with him going missing and presumed dead. After waiting the required amount of years for him to be officially called dead , a second wedding takes place to Matt, a former friend to Callum and it takes place in the exact spot that Callum went missing all those years ago.

The book's alternating timelines and multiple characters take a bit to keep straight, but the last 50 pages are so intense! This book is great for fans of Sheri Lapena, but like more of a backstory for the characters.

Thank you to Elizabeth Carpenter, Elizabeth Bowen and Bookouture for working with NetGalley. I received this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I definitely enjoyed the writing style and I overall enjoyed this book. The ending was a bit disappointing. I would have preferred that the reveal of the writer of the notes was more detailed and didn’t end so quick.

I have never come across this author before, even though 'The First Husband' is her eighth psychological thriller.

The main protagonists are Leah and Matt who are about to get married. The novel tells the story of the few days leading up to this event, in the present day sections. We are also taken back to the time eight years ago when Leah's first husband disappeared. The suspense builds because just before the wedding takes place strange things start to happen.

A very quick and agreeable read but not particularly stimulating. As a fan of psychological thrillers I personally found it lacked depth, but is probably a good introduction to newcomers to the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

This author seems to be a hit or miss with me. Unfortunately this one was a miss. It was far too slow , and I didnt enjoy the ending. At times I found it to be repetitive.

Lots of twists and turns with this story and I loved every second of this story. What a thrill ride for sure. A definite recommend

Thanks publisher and netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else

Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The First Husband is a slow burn melodrama with an unfortunate saggy middle and a somewhat disappointing ending.
Callum, Leah first husband has disappeared many years ago and has now been declared officially dead.
Leah and Matt are travelling to his parent’s cottage with their three year old son, Noah.
Where they will be finally married after the tragic past.
While celebrating with her brother, his girlfriend and her father a note appears at the door.
The note is from Callum…… hasn’t he just be announced deceased??
The premise came across interesting but the plot was jagged and the flashbacks had a lot of unnecessary words and repetition.
There’s a few loose storylines that don’t make sense and are, or not explained properly or totally irrelevant.
Good luck to those who choose to read and I hope you enjoy it more than I did.

The plot had me intrigued and only a few chapters in I was hooked. Pace was fast, pages kept turning, and it became such a great book to binge.

Dual timelines allowed me to build up a picture of the events leading up to and after Callum's disappearance. I had theories, did a bit of finger pointing, but each twist made me rethink.

Suspense and tension had me hanging off the edge of my seat, and when that ending hit I had to scrape my jaw off the floor.

Leah and Matt along with their 3-year-old son, Noah are heading to his parents’ vacation place, Lakeside Cottage. There, they will finally be married. Leah and Matt have been friends for many years when they first met in college. Leah eventually married his friend, Callum. But he disappeared 8 years ago when they were celebrating Leah’s birthday and it’s believed that he drowned in the lake at the vacation home. However, his body was never found and he was eventually declared dead.

The couple will meet up with Leah’s brother, Jake and his wife Katherine. In addition, Leah’s father will be there along with Matt’s parents.

When they get there, the friends start drinking. But a card is found outside the door and it’s signed from Callum saying he will them at the wedding. What is happening? Could he be alive?

This book was a headache. It’s tedious and repetitious. I was wondering how much of what was happening was due to the copious amount of alcohol being consumed by the characters. I stuck with it though hoping I would prove myself wrong and find that the story had some redeeming features. I’m sorry but this was rather a mess all the way through.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed reading it. The main character is fixing to remarry after the death of her first husband. Before she does she receives a letter from her " dead" husband. He disappered and was declared dead. However now it is obvious he is not and she must figure out what he wants and if her friends and family are in on whatever is going on.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for the chance to read this book!

Wow ok Lot to unpack in this book, but it's a good one. I ended up liking it. The story time lines go back and forth and get a bit confusing at times, Just because there is a couple people missing from one so it's a little hard to keep remembering who is in this one and not in the next. But overall pretty decent once you get through it. There were a few things left unexplained yes, but I'm not one that has to have a bow on things at the end, when it's over it's over so... But i was expecting to find out if a certain someone would get punished for being some kind of accomplice, even though it's vague on what she actually did to help out...

Many thanks to NetGalley, Elisabeth Carpenter, and Bookouture for the ebook. This fast-paced thriller is full of twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat with plenty to unpack.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheFirstHusband by #ElisabethCarpenter. Eight years ago, Leah’s husband, Callum went missing. Now she is marrying his best friend and father of her son, Matt. As the date nears closer, she starts receiving cards from her first husband. How can this be when he has been declared dead? Could he be alive? And if so, could I be in danger?

I’m a huge fan of Elizabeth Carpenter’s novels, I know I’m always going to be in the situation where I need to read one more chapter. In this novel the chapters are short but with each one moving between the past, in the hours leading up to Callum’s disappearance and the present, where Leah is due to get married, I couldn’t stop at just one more chapter. It is a long time since I have read a novel within a few hours.
Most of the characters appear in both time frames, it’s only parents who only feature in the present. All have suffered due to Callum, with his behaviour and anyone in this novel could have had a hand in his disappearance. I suspected all of them. Most of the detail about his abuse and manipulation is revealed in the past, but as the group are all together for the wedding emotions are raw, the level of trust is zero and the isolation increases. As well as the fear of exposure.
Whilst you could see the anger and resentment in the buildup to Callum’s disappearance it was the anxiety and fear in the modern day that I found most gripping. Not knowing who, if any, were responsible faded into significance compared to the threats from the text messages. I couldn’t even begin to think what the eventual outcome would be.
I like to analyse a novel for a few days after finishing and I can honestly say, within an hour of finishing this novel that it is my favourite so far. This was a nov

This book kept me on my toes the entire time! I love when a story keeps me guessing, and this one definitely delivered. The dual timelines worked really well, slowly unraveling the mystery while adding layers to the characters’ relationships. It was hard to know who to trust—just when I thought I had someone figured out, another detail would throw me off. And that’s exactly how I like my thrillers!
Leah was such a well-drawn character. Her emotions felt raw and real as she balanced the happiness of her future with Matt against the unsettling shadows of her past. The story had just the right mix of psychological depth and suspense, making it an engaging read from start to finish.
That said, I wish we had gotten to know more about Callum and Matt beyond just their roles in Leah’s life. Who were they as individuals? What really made them tick? Still, this was a gripping read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!

The First Husband by Elisabeth Carpenter is a masterfully crafted thriller that expertly weaves a suspenseful story with layers of twisted suspense.
A gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish.
All the unexpected twists, the simmering dark secrets, the way the tension is built up and up, kept me turning the pages well into the night. And, even when I thought there could not possibly be any more surprises, this author managed to surprise me yet again!

This was such a suspensful read, immediately I was hooked and couldn't put it down, especially with the great twists,

"The First Husband" by Elisabeth Carpenter is an enjoyable 4-star read! Leah returns to the house where her first husband, Callum, disappeared to prepare for her wedding to his former best friend, Matt. Nothing could possibly go wrong with a setup like that.

The story unfolds through two primary timelines: the present ("Now"), beginning two days before the wedding, and eight years ago, starting 32 hours before Callum’s disappearance. Flashbacks in the present-day chapters provide insight into Leah’s relationship with Callum. While the back-and-forth structure leads to some repetition, certain plot elements were introduced but never fully explored. However, the final twist caught me off guard—I wasn’t expecting that one!

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

Leah was at the lake house 8 years ago with her husband Callum when Callum disappeared only later to be declared dead. In the present day Leah is at the same lake house with her fiance Matt whom she is marrying in 2 days time at the lake house and their son. Everyone who was there the night Callum disappeared is all together again for Lean and Matt's wedding. Leah gets a note signed from her dead husband, however in order to find out what is happening now she needs to find out what may have happened in the past.
At times it seems all over the place with all the flash backs however it all comes together to makes sense at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.