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The Widows’ Club
There’s a murderer in their midst…
@thewidowsclub
In response to unprecedented media interest, we confirm that the murder victim was a member of our group. We will not be commenting further.
When April joins a support group for young widows, she’s looking for answers after her husband’s sudden death. What she finds instead is a group in turmoil.
Set up by well-meaning amateurs, the founders are tussling for control of the group, and everyone’s on edge. Added to that, secret relationships springing up between members and another new member, Nick, seems more than a little bit shady…
But the most dangerous secret of all? Not all members are who they seem to be. And they’ll go to any lengths to hide the truth…
@thewidowsclub
In response to unprecedented media interest, we confirm that the murder victim was a member of our group. We will not be commenting further.
When April joins a support group for young widows, she’s looking for answers after her husband’s sudden death. What she finds instead is a group in turmoil.
Set up by well-meaning amateurs, the founders are tussling for control of the group, and everyone’s on edge. Added to that, secret relationships springing up between members and another new member, Nick, seems more than a little bit shady…
But the most dangerous secret of all? Not all members are who they seem to be. And they’ll go to any lengths to hide the truth…
416 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2019
36 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Brooke
32 books277 followersAmanda Brooke lives in Liverpool with her teenage daughter, Jessica. When her three-year-old son died from cancer, Amanda was determined that his legacy would be one of inspiration. Yesterday's Sun is inspired by her experiences of motherhood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
February 8, 2020
This was a really good book. It mainly involved the stories of April, Tara and Faith who are in a support group for widows. I thought the book was really well written and kept me hooked throughout. I knew what was going on throughout so there weren’t any surprises or twists that I didn’t know. The characters were all really interesting and they each added their own uniqueness to the story. Overall a great book and I definitely recommend it.
January 12, 2020
I have never read an Amanda Brooke book before, but after reading such good reviews, I was very excited to start this.
April is struggling to cope after the death of her husband Jason. She joins the Widows Club where she befriends other widows, coming together to support one another. The group is not perfect, we have a new member Nick who may not be who he says he is and a battle of control between 2 women.
April soon befriends Tara and Faith who listens to her when she tells them she thinks Jason was having an affair before his death. April goes searching for the truth.
In between chapters we see tweets from social media talking about a death in the club. I thought this was a clever way of keeping you gripped as you don’t know who the murderer is or the victim!!!
I did find it slow to begin with but the tension soon starts to build until the explosive ending. Just when I thought I had it all worked out there was another twist, reeling me in leaving me unable to put this book down.
I will definitely be looking out for Amanda Brooke’s other books.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
April is struggling to cope after the death of her husband Jason. She joins the Widows Club where she befriends other widows, coming together to support one another. The group is not perfect, we have a new member Nick who may not be who he says he is and a battle of control between 2 women.
April soon befriends Tara and Faith who listens to her when she tells them she thinks Jason was having an affair before his death. April goes searching for the truth.
In between chapters we see tweets from social media talking about a death in the club. I thought this was a clever way of keeping you gripped as you don’t know who the murderer is or the victim!!!
I did find it slow to begin with but the tension soon starts to build until the explosive ending. Just when I thought I had it all worked out there was another twist, reeling me in leaving me unable to put this book down.
I will definitely be looking out for Amanda Brooke’s other books.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
February 22, 2020
Self Help
April joins a Surviving Spouse Support group by invitation of one of the current members.
An intriguing plot includes new friendships, a shady new person, dysfunctional group dynamics, and suspecting her deceased husband of shenanigans before his demise. Then a member of their small circle dies.
I enjoyed the mystery with some nice twists and several redeeming characters. However, at 402 pages, there was a lot to sift through before arriving at an interesting conclusion.
April joins a Surviving Spouse Support group by invitation of one of the current members.
An intriguing plot includes new friendships, a shady new person, dysfunctional group dynamics, and suspecting her deceased husband of shenanigans before his demise. Then a member of their small circle dies.
I enjoyed the mystery with some nice twists and several redeeming characters. However, at 402 pages, there was a lot to sift through before arriving at an interesting conclusion.
March 23, 2020
I got bored. It took way way too long for this to be suspenseful and exciting. This was almost a dnf for me but again I’m a sucker for suspense/thrillers. The three characters felt interchangeable to me. Glad I’m finally free from this reading experience.
December 11, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! Every twist led to more secrets, more betrayel - who was the one who really had something hide. The answer to that is unexpected, shocking and yet makes perfect sense. It's a gripping story that shows how people can lie and cheat, even the ones who you never thought would.
Even as a story it actually had parts that felt so real, I LOVED the character development of April, this shy, heartbroken woman who turned into a fierce, protective friend who stopped at nothing for the truth. Tara is a character that mothers may be able to relate to (??), she loses her temper sometimes, has doubts on her parenting but loves her child and stepchild fiercely. Her character showed how people can be flawed, how parents sometimes need the help of their children too, and also learned the lesson of how children can grieve in their own ways without anyone realising until it gets too much. Those were two main characters who really made the story so amazing and feel so real.
If you like a book that has secrets, betrayal, friendship, lies, mystery, thrill and murder - this is definitely the book for you.
Even as a story it actually had parts that felt so real, I LOVED the character development of April, this shy, heartbroken woman who turned into a fierce, protective friend who stopped at nothing for the truth. Tara is a character that mothers may be able to relate to (??), she loses her temper sometimes, has doubts on her parenting but loves her child and stepchild fiercely. Her character showed how people can be flawed, how parents sometimes need the help of their children too, and also learned the lesson of how children can grieve in their own ways without anyone realising until it gets too much. Those were two main characters who really made the story so amazing and feel so real.
If you like a book that has secrets, betrayal, friendship, lies, mystery, thrill and murder - this is definitely the book for you.
February 15, 2020
Good characters with a twist at the end. Good read.
February 11, 2020
When I picked up this book, I was expecting plenty of twists and turns, betrayals and surprises. What I wasn’t expecting was the INTENSE NOSTALGIA TRIP it also took me on, because it’s set not just in Liverpool but in the suburb where my mum grew up, where my granny lived, and where I spent many, many days as a child. My granny lived on Camphill Road, between Hunts Cross and Woolton, and we often walked through Woolton Park to the village (and on one memorable occasion, when I was about seven, I did it by myself and my mum thought I’d been kidnapped). One of the characters lives in Woolton, another in Hunts Cross, and there are trips to Sefton Park (one of my cousins still lives there). This strange mix of familiar nostalgia contrasted with the mistrust and anxiety of a thriller, which worked perfectly for a story where the people you know and trust could be the very ones who betrayed you.
The story follows three widows – April, Faith and Tara – all at different stages in their grief, and united as a group of friends within a support group for widows and widowers who lost their spouse under the age of 40. April is the newest and youngest member, having been widowed less than a year, alongside Nick, a handsome, apparently wealthy man who is eleven years older than her. Tara, founder of the group, takes April under her wing, but is also struggling to run the group and deal with the pressures of combining two bereaved families as she moves in with her new partner – a fellow member of the widows’ group – and handle their respective daughters’ emotions on the upheaval. Faith is Tara’s friend, and everything you’d want from a glamorous, wealthy widow. Stylish, self-controlled, perfectly content with her life and not looking for another man. I took to Faith immediately, she was a character I really enjoyed.
I took a little time to warm up to April, but I became really hooked when it was revealed she suspected her late husband of cheating on her. That side plot really grabbed me, and I felt gave her character real depth and interest. I was actually disappointed it didn’t play a bigger part in the main narrative. It explained some of April’s motivations, but is resolved about halfway through the book, when I found it one of the more compelling strands – which surprised me because I initially thought April was a bit wet in comparison to Faith.
The great thing about books like this is the way they make you question how candid the characters have been even in their internal monologues, and make you doubt what you think you know. It begs the question ‘how candid is too candid?’. When does openness become over-sharing, and how can we accept honesty simply because details are easily given? It’s perhaps very similar to the core plot in Pride and Prejudice – everyone trusts Wickham because he shares without ceremony, and tells everything, even if it appears unflattering to himself; meanwhile Darcy is seen as distrustful because he shares nothing, and appears as if he is avoiding discussion (isn’t it great how I can pull everything back to Pride and Prejudice eventually? Yes, yes it is). Who do we trust in this book? Is it the character who is giving people all the details and information? The one who takes us into their confidence early on, making us feel as though we are trusted with a secret? Who warns us about the dysfunctions in the group to protect and prepare us? Are they trying to help us, are they trusting us, or are they simply trying to control the narrative before there’s a chance for someone else to offer an alternative perspective? By giving the impression of sharing a deep secret, they inspire loyalty and intimacy with their chosen group, create an ‘us and them’ divide which means other people will do their work for them should their honesty be called into question.
It’s the sort of masterful manipulation which can only be done by someone who becomes close to you, becomes part of your intimate life and can direct you without you even realising. It’s the sort of thing many people have encountered and it’s all the more sinister viewing it from the outside and realising that you’ve still been taken in. These kind of betrayals are so personal and hurtful, their process so insidious, they can really make your skin crawl as a reader. For me personally, against the backdrop of so many wonderful, safe memories, I imagine I came close to the betrayal felt by the characters, that so-jarring realisation that something you thought was safe and reliable was actually the very opposite.
This was the perfect read for the long, cold winter evenings as well, being set from September to early Spring, and really atmospheric. You snuggled down and hoped for the best, even though you knew things would turn out badly for at least one person.
Briefly:
An engaging and relatable thriller, dealing with betrayal on a personal level, and manipulation of people who are already vulnerable with grief and who are looking for someone to trust.
Set in Liverpool, which is a city I love, and which delighted me perhaps more than was entirely necessary, but it made me very very happy.
I grew to enjoy April’s character more as the book went on, but I wish there had been more exploration of her personal plotline, to see her really establishing herself too.
Rating: 4/5 – This was a great easy read, perfect for helping beat the January blues, but I bet it would make a brilliant holiday read as well.
The story follows three widows – April, Faith and Tara – all at different stages in their grief, and united as a group of friends within a support group for widows and widowers who lost their spouse under the age of 40. April is the newest and youngest member, having been widowed less than a year, alongside Nick, a handsome, apparently wealthy man who is eleven years older than her. Tara, founder of the group, takes April under her wing, but is also struggling to run the group and deal with the pressures of combining two bereaved families as she moves in with her new partner – a fellow member of the widows’ group – and handle their respective daughters’ emotions on the upheaval. Faith is Tara’s friend, and everything you’d want from a glamorous, wealthy widow. Stylish, self-controlled, perfectly content with her life and not looking for another man. I took to Faith immediately, she was a character I really enjoyed.
I took a little time to warm up to April, but I became really hooked when it was revealed she suspected her late husband of cheating on her. That side plot really grabbed me, and I felt gave her character real depth and interest. I was actually disappointed it didn’t play a bigger part in the main narrative. It explained some of April’s motivations, but is resolved about halfway through the book, when I found it one of the more compelling strands – which surprised me because I initially thought April was a bit wet in comparison to Faith.
The great thing about books like this is the way they make you question how candid the characters have been even in their internal monologues, and make you doubt what you think you know. It begs the question ‘how candid is too candid?’. When does openness become over-sharing, and how can we accept honesty simply because details are easily given? It’s perhaps very similar to the core plot in Pride and Prejudice – everyone trusts Wickham because he shares without ceremony, and tells everything, even if it appears unflattering to himself; meanwhile Darcy is seen as distrustful because he shares nothing, and appears as if he is avoiding discussion (isn’t it great how I can pull everything back to Pride and Prejudice eventually? Yes, yes it is). Who do we trust in this book? Is it the character who is giving people all the details and information? The one who takes us into their confidence early on, making us feel as though we are trusted with a secret? Who warns us about the dysfunctions in the group to protect and prepare us? Are they trying to help us, are they trusting us, or are they simply trying to control the narrative before there’s a chance for someone else to offer an alternative perspective? By giving the impression of sharing a deep secret, they inspire loyalty and intimacy with their chosen group, create an ‘us and them’ divide which means other people will do their work for them should their honesty be called into question.
It’s the sort of masterful manipulation which can only be done by someone who becomes close to you, becomes part of your intimate life and can direct you without you even realising. It’s the sort of thing many people have encountered and it’s all the more sinister viewing it from the outside and realising that you’ve still been taken in. These kind of betrayals are so personal and hurtful, their process so insidious, they can really make your skin crawl as a reader. For me personally, against the backdrop of so many wonderful, safe memories, I imagine I came close to the betrayal felt by the characters, that so-jarring realisation that something you thought was safe and reliable was actually the very opposite.
This was the perfect read for the long, cold winter evenings as well, being set from September to early Spring, and really atmospheric. You snuggled down and hoped for the best, even though you knew things would turn out badly for at least one person.
Briefly:
An engaging and relatable thriller, dealing with betrayal on a personal level, and manipulation of people who are already vulnerable with grief and who are looking for someone to trust.
Set in Liverpool, which is a city I love, and which delighted me perhaps more than was entirely necessary, but it made me very very happy.
I grew to enjoy April’s character more as the book went on, but I wish there had been more exploration of her personal plotline, to see her really establishing herself too.
Rating: 4/5 – This was a great easy read, perfect for helping beat the January blues, but I bet it would make a brilliant holiday read as well.
February 19, 2020
Amazing!!!
February 5, 2021
A suspense, drama about loss, how differently people deal with it, and the concequences of believing people on face value.
I was hooked after the first chapter, I think it was the complex characters. Plus Tara sounds just like an old friend of mine so it was like I was reading about someone I knew.
Really enjoyable, entertaining read I would recommend.
I was hooked after the first chapter, I think it was the complex characters. Plus Tara sounds just like an old friend of mine so it was like I was reading about someone I knew.
Really enjoyable, entertaining read I would recommend.
October 18, 2025
An enjoyable book that took me a while to get into. I liked the characters and although as things progressed you could guess what was going to happen I did enjoy the story
November 14, 2019
Finding it hard to cope since the sudden death of her young husband, April seeks solace with the widows' club: a support group for the young and bereaved. But the group itself is struggling - its leadership is in question and its members are at odds. It soon becomes clear that not everyone is who they say they are, and shocking secrets are revealed... but who will pay the ultimate price for their silence?
For me, this was just a really odd one. It started off as a standard domestic drama, with April struggling with how to deal with her grief and her uncertainty around elements of her and her husbands' relationship. Then, through the form of tweets interspersed between chapters, we get a glimpse into the future, and begin to see another side to the group. Why is the group being so heavily criticised on social media, and why are reporters so desperate to talk to members of the group? Eventually, it is revealed that there has been a murder, but the mystery remains - who is the killer, and who is the victim?
Personally, I found the use of tweets between chapters irritating. It does build a certain level of suspense, but I have to admit it’s a trick that I’m not particularly keen on. I’m not sure why, I just find it affects the pacing of the book and it seems like a lazy way to build up tension. In this case, it felt even more artificial, as there was just a complete lack of tension. You know a murder is coming based on the tweets, but there’s no real sense of impending disaster. It just sort of plods along very slowly, with some little arguments between the group here and there, but no big build up. It was just a very long and dragged out tale where not much happened until the end. There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the plot, it just took forever to get to where it wanted to go, and for me it read as dullness rather than suspense. I skimmed a significant chunk of the book, and was quite relieved to finally reach the end.
It might also be that I wasn't a fan because I just didn’t really connect with any of the characters. April's quest to find out the truth about her husband was predictable, and was dragged out for half the book then wrapped up as soon as the drama needed to be elsewhere. Faith was irritating, Tara was ok, and I can't even remember anyone else in the group as the only information you really got was gender, how long since bereavement, and cause of death.
Honestly, I was disappointed in this one. Yes, the ending was a departure from what you normally get in this genre, but again, it was quite predictable. The twist? You could see it from space. The writing was quite clumsy, very much telling not showing, and the characters were dull and lifeless. The basic idea for the plot is solid, but for me, it just doesn't life up to its potential.
Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
For me, this was just a really odd one. It started off as a standard domestic drama, with April struggling with how to deal with her grief and her uncertainty around elements of her and her husbands' relationship. Then, through the form of tweets interspersed between chapters, we get a glimpse into the future, and begin to see another side to the group. Why is the group being so heavily criticised on social media, and why are reporters so desperate to talk to members of the group? Eventually, it is revealed that there has been a murder, but the mystery remains - who is the killer, and who is the victim?
Personally, I found the use of tweets between chapters irritating. It does build a certain level of suspense, but I have to admit it’s a trick that I’m not particularly keen on. I’m not sure why, I just find it affects the pacing of the book and it seems like a lazy way to build up tension. In this case, it felt even more artificial, as there was just a complete lack of tension. You know a murder is coming based on the tweets, but there’s no real sense of impending disaster. It just sort of plods along very slowly, with some little arguments between the group here and there, but no big build up. It was just a very long and dragged out tale where not much happened until the end. There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the plot, it just took forever to get to where it wanted to go, and for me it read as dullness rather than suspense. I skimmed a significant chunk of the book, and was quite relieved to finally reach the end.
It might also be that I wasn't a fan because I just didn’t really connect with any of the characters. April's quest to find out the truth about her husband was predictable, and was dragged out for half the book then wrapped up as soon as the drama needed to be elsewhere. Faith was irritating, Tara was ok, and I can't even remember anyone else in the group as the only information you really got was gender, how long since bereavement, and cause of death.
Honestly, I was disappointed in this one. Yes, the ending was a departure from what you normally get in this genre, but again, it was quite predictable. The twist? You could see it from space. The writing was quite clumsy, very much telling not showing, and the characters were dull and lifeless. The basic idea for the plot is solid, but for me, it just doesn't life up to its potential.
Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.
July 20, 2020
The Widows’ Club is the latest novel written by Amanda Brooke, an author based in Liverpool, England. It is also the first one I’ve stumbled across. Now having finished it, however, I can say I’m ready for more.
The story is told by three different women: April, Faith, and Tara. All three women are widows who belong to the same support group, the Widows’ Club. They all joined at different times but have become quite close with one another in particular. When a new club member stirs up a bit of trouble, the women quickly take matters into their own hands. But then…someone ends up dead and the Widow’s Club becomes the focus of attention as the murder investigation mounts.
The Widows’ Club is a fast-paced and suspenseful mystery. The format was fairly unique, which I loved! The chapters alternated in point-of-view between the three main characters; this is always a favorite of mine. Furthermore, interspersed throughout the novel, were social media tidbits where either the Widows’ Club was issuing a statement or commenters were responding. This created an enjoyable reading experience because it allowed the story to unfold in a past/present style without the author having to label each chapter as such...as a reader, you'll just know.
The story is told by three different women: April, Faith, and Tara. All three women are widows who belong to the same support group, the Widows’ Club. They all joined at different times but have become quite close with one another in particular. When a new club member stirs up a bit of trouble, the women quickly take matters into their own hands. But then…someone ends up dead and the Widow’s Club becomes the focus of attention as the murder investigation mounts.
The Widows’ Club is a fast-paced and suspenseful mystery. The format was fairly unique, which I loved! The chapters alternated in point-of-view between the three main characters; this is always a favorite of mine. Furthermore, interspersed throughout the novel, were social media tidbits where either the Widows’ Club was issuing a statement or commenters were responding. This created an enjoyable reading experience because it allowed the story to unfold in a past/present style without the author having to label each chapter as such...as a reader, you'll just know.
November 19, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A gripping, twisty psychological thriller that demands to be read.
As soon as I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. When my wishes came true, thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins, I was thrilled. "The Widows Club" lived up to my expectations and then some. Yes, it is a slow burner, but in my opinion it was all the more rewarding for the gradual build up in tension... and then... it explodes. The premise of the novel is is relatively straight forward: April, our main protagonist joins a support group for young widows but gets more than she bargained for as she gradually learns that certain members of the fractious group are not who they purport to be. As a plot device, Brooke peppers the main narrative with fictional tweets and social media comments about the support group. These take on a distinctly darker hue as the story moves on, so much so that we learn that a murder has taken place. What we are unaware of is who the victim is, let alone the killer. The use of social media was particularly ingenious by the author. As well as giving the narrative more texture and depth by deploying a different form of discourse from the usual prose-style, it ramps up the tension to an unbearable degree. At numerous points I thought I knew where the story was going but I was proved totally wrong. There is not one twist to this book but several, each more jaw-dropping than the next. The denouement lived up to my ever increasing expectations of this book and with a deftness of touch in her writing, Amanda Brooke reveals all in stunning fashion.
Often heart-breaking, always intriguing, this is a stunningly original work from Amanda Brooke.
Summary:
There’s a murderer in their midst…
When April joins a support group for young widows, she’s looking for answers after her husband’s sudden death. What she finds instead is a group in turmoil.
Set up by well-meaning amateurs, the founders are tussling for control of the group, and everyone’s on edge. Added to that, secret relationships springing up between members and another new member, Nick, seems more than a little bit shady…
But the most dangerous secret of all? Not all members are who they seem to be. And they’ll go to any lengths to hide the truth…
A gripping, twisty psychological thriller that demands to be read.
As soon as I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. When my wishes came true, thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins, I was thrilled. "The Widows Club" lived up to my expectations and then some. Yes, it is a slow burner, but in my opinion it was all the more rewarding for the gradual build up in tension... and then... it explodes. The premise of the novel is is relatively straight forward: April, our main protagonist joins a support group for young widows but gets more than she bargained for as she gradually learns that certain members of the fractious group are not who they purport to be. As a plot device, Brooke peppers the main narrative with fictional tweets and social media comments about the support group. These take on a distinctly darker hue as the story moves on, so much so that we learn that a murder has taken place. What we are unaware of is who the victim is, let alone the killer. The use of social media was particularly ingenious by the author. As well as giving the narrative more texture and depth by deploying a different form of discourse from the usual prose-style, it ramps up the tension to an unbearable degree. At numerous points I thought I knew where the story was going but I was proved totally wrong. There is not one twist to this book but several, each more jaw-dropping than the next. The denouement lived up to my ever increasing expectations of this book and with a deftness of touch in her writing, Amanda Brooke reveals all in stunning fashion.
Often heart-breaking, always intriguing, this is a stunningly original work from Amanda Brooke.
Summary:
There’s a murderer in their midst…
When April joins a support group for young widows, she’s looking for answers after her husband’s sudden death. What she finds instead is a group in turmoil.
Set up by well-meaning amateurs, the founders are tussling for control of the group, and everyone’s on edge. Added to that, secret relationships springing up between members and another new member, Nick, seems more than a little bit shady…
But the most dangerous secret of all? Not all members are who they seem to be. And they’ll go to any lengths to hide the truth…
February 2, 2020
When April joins a support group for young widows, she’s looking for answers after her husband’s sudden death. What she finds instead is a group in turmoil. Set up by well-meaning amateurs, the founders are tussling for control of the group, and everyone’s on edge. Added to that, secret relationships springing up between members and another new member, Nick, seems more than a little bit shady. But the most dangerous secret of all? Not all members are who they seem to be. And they’ll go to any lengths to hide the truth.
This is a desperately sad read, especially at the beginning, the book really tugged at my heartstrings and I felt so much for April and the despair she was going through. Then the book slowly turns into a thriller, we lose the raw emotion and gain a feistier main character, determined to seek the truth. I adored this balance of desperation and fierceness, it made for compelling reading and really pulled me in. The characters really make this read, without them it would not be anywhere near as strong.
Back to the plot and this read descends into a twisting nightmare. We know from the beginning someone has died, but who and who killed them? Brooke includes multiple red herrings throughout this, ultimately the plot is perhaps a little obvious but I did not mind and still found the read to be exciting and intense. The sense of danger builds throughout the book and Brooke brings it all to a deafening crescendo and an impact that will last a long time.
I return now to the characters and I cannot stress enough how much I loved getting to know them. We begin with them at their weakest and it was a joy to see them learn to live again and get back a sense of who they were before their losses. April and Tara are my favourite characters in this, their friendship quickly turns very strong and I enjoyed following them as they support each other and as they realise everyone around them is perhaps not as they seem.
'The Widows' Club' is an emotional, intense read, full of twists and full of lies. This is a read I could not put down and highly recommend.
This is a desperately sad read, especially at the beginning, the book really tugged at my heartstrings and I felt so much for April and the despair she was going through. Then the book slowly turns into a thriller, we lose the raw emotion and gain a feistier main character, determined to seek the truth. I adored this balance of desperation and fierceness, it made for compelling reading and really pulled me in. The characters really make this read, without them it would not be anywhere near as strong.
Back to the plot and this read descends into a twisting nightmare. We know from the beginning someone has died, but who and who killed them? Brooke includes multiple red herrings throughout this, ultimately the plot is perhaps a little obvious but I did not mind and still found the read to be exciting and intense. The sense of danger builds throughout the book and Brooke brings it all to a deafening crescendo and an impact that will last a long time.
I return now to the characters and I cannot stress enough how much I loved getting to know them. We begin with them at their weakest and it was a joy to see them learn to live again and get back a sense of who they were before their losses. April and Tara are my favourite characters in this, their friendship quickly turns very strong and I enjoyed following them as they support each other and as they realise everyone around them is perhaps not as they seem.
'The Widows' Club' is an emotional, intense read, full of twists and full of lies. This is a read I could not put down and highly recommend.
November 12, 2019
When April loses her husband in sudden and tragic circumstances, she joins a local grief support group known as the Widows' Club in order to try and process her feelings in a supportive environment. But with several group members tussling for control, a new member who may not be exactly who or what he says he is, and an increasing certainty that her husband was cheating on her prior to his sudden death, April may find a lot more than she was originally looking for....
I'm going to be honest and say that it took me a good while to get into this book. For some reason, I didn't gel with the writing style straight away, and I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable. I've started getting a lot more ruthless with my reading habits, and almost stopped reading this one when I was about a quarter in and still not feeling pulled into the story. But I persisted a little longer, and I am SO glad I did. Once it gets going (which for me, was when the central characters started to develop connections with each other), it really gets going, and I truly got sucked into the story.
I liked that this was a different premise for a thriller (I read a lot of them, so am always a fan of an original and well-thought out-premise!), and I loved the sense of distrust the reader has for certain characters (I won't name names because spoilers). I thought I knew what was going on, and then the rug was pulled from under me - not once but several times. I also loved the twist/reveal, and the last paragraph was KILLER.
This is definitely one of those books that you need to give a little time - but believe me when I say that investment will pay off in spades.
A clever, twisty thriller with an original angle - I loved it and will definitely read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to be honest and say that it took me a good while to get into this book. For some reason, I didn't gel with the writing style straight away, and I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable. I've started getting a lot more ruthless with my reading habits, and almost stopped reading this one when I was about a quarter in and still not feeling pulled into the story. But I persisted a little longer, and I am SO glad I did. Once it gets going (which for me, was when the central characters started to develop connections with each other), it really gets going, and I truly got sucked into the story.
I liked that this was a different premise for a thriller (I read a lot of them, so am always a fan of an original and well-thought out-premise!), and I loved the sense of distrust the reader has for certain characters (I won't name names because spoilers). I thought I knew what was going on, and then the rug was pulled from under me - not once but several times. I also loved the twist/reveal, and the last paragraph was KILLER.
This is definitely one of those books that you need to give a little time - but believe me when I say that investment will pay off in spades.
A clever, twisty thriller with an original angle - I loved it and will definitely read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2021
After losing her husband April joins a support group for young widows. She’s looking for support and answers but finds herself embarking on a journey where the truth can be dangerous. Told in the third person with future tweets revealed alongside present day events, this book explores friendship, truth and justice.
I would say this is an average book, it started ok the author built the characters up nicely and set the scene well. I thought the widows club whilst slightly depressing was an original backdrop. But then there was a large portion of the story in the middle that just dragged,the murder doesn’t take place until near the end. It was really just April being supported for a couple of hundred pages, the only interesting thing was April’s husbands potential deceit and in the end that just fizzled out having had nothing to do with the main plot line. Eventually though the book found pace and the suspense was good, it kept me picking the book up. I was slightly disappointed by the end though, I find it annoying when everyone just believes what they are told instantly even if they have only just met the person in question. Tara and April created the end in their own heads without once fact checking.
It’s a readable book but there’s better suspense books out there. I felt the murder needed to take place earlier with more of a who dunnit element.
I would say this is an average book, it started ok the author built the characters up nicely and set the scene well. I thought the widows club whilst slightly depressing was an original backdrop. But then there was a large portion of the story in the middle that just dragged,the murder doesn’t take place until near the end. It was really just April being supported for a couple of hundred pages, the only interesting thing was April’s husbands potential deceit and in the end that just fizzled out having had nothing to do with the main plot line. Eventually though the book found pace and the suspense was good, it kept me picking the book up. I was slightly disappointed by the end though, I find it annoying when everyone just believes what they are told instantly even if they have only just met the person in question. Tara and April created the end in their own heads without once fact checking.
It’s a readable book but there’s better suspense books out there. I felt the murder needed to take place earlier with more of a who dunnit element.
May 15, 2022
💔The Widows' Club💔
By Amanda Brooke
4🌹/5🌹
**spoilers**
This novel was thrilling, heart wrenching and enthralling. The characters were developed very well and I connected with each if them.
The widows' club is for young-ish men and women that a grieving the loss of their partner. Tara and Justine facilitate the meetings and offer support to members outside meetings. When April joins the group after a chance encounter with Tara, she finally finds the support she's needed to grieve and look into her late husband's strange behavior before he died.
She discovers that her husband may have been unfaithful and she's determined to uncover the truth.
Meanwhile, another new member Nick becomes the focus of Tara's and April's attention when they don't trust his intentions with their fellow member and friend Faith.
Between Tara's efforts of blending family, April's discoveries and uncovered truths about Nick's relationship with his lost love, Faith struggles to maintain her lavish lifestyle.
As you near the end you will question everyone's intentions and examine what is truth and what is well practiced fiction.
This novel reveals how relationships can differ along with how people grieve and how these differences should not be judged but embraced.
I really enjoyed this novel and recommend!
By Amanda Brooke
4🌹/5🌹
**spoilers**
This novel was thrilling, heart wrenching and enthralling. The characters were developed very well and I connected with each if them.
The widows' club is for young-ish men and women that a grieving the loss of their partner. Tara and Justine facilitate the meetings and offer support to members outside meetings. When April joins the group after a chance encounter with Tara, she finally finds the support she's needed to grieve and look into her late husband's strange behavior before he died.
She discovers that her husband may have been unfaithful and she's determined to uncover the truth.
Meanwhile, another new member Nick becomes the focus of Tara's and April's attention when they don't trust his intentions with their fellow member and friend Faith.
Between Tara's efforts of blending family, April's discoveries and uncovered truths about Nick's relationship with his lost love, Faith struggles to maintain her lavish lifestyle.
As you near the end you will question everyone's intentions and examine what is truth and what is well practiced fiction.
This novel reveals how relationships can differ along with how people grieve and how these differences should not be judged but embraced.
I really enjoyed this novel and recommend!
December 23, 2020
I binge read 'The Widows' Club' within two days as I just could not put it down! When I had to do other things the book was still on my mind.
Set in Hale, Liverpool, the book is about a club put together for widow's and widowers under 50 to talk about their experiences, when two new members join it sets of a series of events which end in murder. The book was written so well with interesting character development and twists and turns that were unexpected.
**SPOILER** - I love that the murder happened towards the end of the book, and found this to be a really fresh and new perspective! I didn't expect it to be the person who committed the crime and the secrets that came out after..
I highly recommend this book!
Set in Hale, Liverpool, the book is about a club put together for widow's and widowers under 50 to talk about their experiences, when two new members join it sets of a series of events which end in murder. The book was written so well with interesting character development and twists and turns that were unexpected.
**SPOILER** - I love that the murder happened towards the end of the book, and found this to be a really fresh and new perspective! I didn't expect it to be the person who committed the crime and the secrets that came out after..
I highly recommend this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2021
2.5 stars!
At the start of this book I was excited and thought it was going to be good. I liked the tweets that were at the start too. Although they soon died out.
The blurb of the book is a bit misleading as you assume it will be a murder mystery throughout when in reality a murder occurred at the last minute in the book. I felt like the book dragged and dragged for the majority with pointless details.
I started to understand April at the start and enjoyed her hunt into her deceased husbands life but that went quick and she found out what she needed and the author just stopped with that storyline.
I wasn’t surprised with the ending either.
It’s took me a long time to finish this because I just didn’t want to pick it up!
At the start of this book I was excited and thought it was going to be good. I liked the tweets that were at the start too. Although they soon died out.
The blurb of the book is a bit misleading as you assume it will be a murder mystery throughout when in reality a murder occurred at the last minute in the book. I felt like the book dragged and dragged for the majority with pointless details.
I started to understand April at the start and enjoyed her hunt into her deceased husbands life but that went quick and she found out what she needed and the author just stopped with that storyline.
I wasn’t surprised with the ending either.
It’s took me a long time to finish this because I just didn’t want to pick it up!
June 16, 2022
I was so excited that I loved this book as much as I wanted to! My parents are from Liverpool and I read the book with scouse accents the entire time which just made it so much more real for me. The characters were great and so was the story. I love that it took place in Liverpool and in areas I've been many times as well as heard about my whole life in stories my parents tell me. I've already started reading "Don't Turn Around" and am happy that it also takes place in Liverpool and even mentioned Huyton where my dad was born.
This story captured how truly seedy some people can be - feeding off of the vulnerability that comes with grief, the deceit, such a great story that managed to make me laugh and get angry and sad all within the span of a chapter.
Ta Amanda!
This story captured how truly seedy some people can be - feeding off of the vulnerability that comes with grief, the deceit, such a great story that managed to make me laugh and get angry and sad all within the span of a chapter.
Ta Amanda!
November 11, 2019
The widows club tackles the sensitive distressing topic of losing your loved one,the members meet up to help and support each other through this time of loss and grief! However things aren’t quite as they seem the group is struggling and not really managing and those attending are not quite what they seem! As friendships forge and relationships develop we see unexpected twists and turns develop that demonstrate that we don’t always think clearly in times of grief and those that are our friends are sometimes not who we think they are!
A tense emotional rollercoaster of a read!
Thank you net galley for this early read.
A tense emotional rollercoaster of a read!
Thank you net galley for this early read.
March 21, 2020
I love a book that leaves me smiling. Just finished The Widows Club by Amanda Brooke and I loved it. A clever story, told well, it leads you along thinking you know what’s happening but it mirrors real life in terms of the way things unfold. I don’t want to say much about the story because I’d be in danger of spoiling it for you but if you want an enjoyable holiday read that pulls you along and that is well written, this is it. I also loved that I knew the places that popped up in the story with it being based near Liverpool. And do I felt like I knew the voices of the main characters. Thank you Amanda. A bloomin’ good read.
May 2, 2020
This is another book that leaves you hanging for the majority of the book! You know from hints written in the style of messages that someone has been murdered, but you have no idea who the victim is. You are slowly introduced to the characters, watch them deal with their grief and anger over the loss of their partners, and you know that there are some dodgy people up to no good, but it’s like standing on a precipice just waiting for this death to occur. This book is just brilliant and the twists and turns in the last quarter were masterly executed. I give this a 4.5⭐️ but can’t quite bring myself to bring it up to a 5.
July 4, 2024
9/10
I really enjoyed this book. It flowed well. Interesting and unique characters that all had their own story to tell...and my goodness they did it well! Grief can effect everyone in different ways, it can befuddle your mind, so what better way is there to find support and unload your fears, anxiety and loss with people in similar circumstances....The Widows' Club.
It's quite a compelling read, not gritty, not complex just very intriguing. The plot is put together well. The pages turned easily because I wanted to know ' how well is that going to turn out!...blimey!'
An easy and satisfying read, very entertaining.
I really enjoyed this book. It flowed well. Interesting and unique characters that all had their own story to tell...and my goodness they did it well! Grief can effect everyone in different ways, it can befuddle your mind, so what better way is there to find support and unload your fears, anxiety and loss with people in similar circumstances....The Widows' Club.
It's quite a compelling read, not gritty, not complex just very intriguing. The plot is put together well. The pages turned easily because I wanted to know ' how well is that going to turn out!...blimey!'
An easy and satisfying read, very entertaining.
April 26, 2022
When April joins a support group, altruistically manned by amateurs grieving their own losses, she hopes to find companionship and peace from the nagging doubt that her husband was not all he seemed. But joining the widows' club sets a cascade of events into motion that can only end in tragedy. This is a slowish thriller that accelerates to an unlikely ending but the suspense is well handled and the smattering of Facebook comments from the club members breaks up the story well and makes for an enjoyable read.
January 20, 2020
I’ve read a few books by this author, this one is by far the best, sat up all night reading it. What starts out as a bereavement group leads into the characters personal stories, with some unexpected twists along the way, really gripping storyline. The bereavement group itself is dealt with in a very pragmatic manner. I have personal experience of this and felt that it formed a really good base for the story as a whole.
February 10, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It felt like sinking into a soapy drama. Really easy to read and very engaging. I am definitely going to read more from this author. My only issue was that although it was a book about a grief group, it felt like there was a lot of clunky references to handling grief and dialogue about it between characters that felt a bit cheesy. That being said I enjoyed the premise and it kept me guessing until right near the end.
March 5, 2020
The story follows three widows - April, Faith and Tara - all at different stages in their grief, united as a group of friends within a support group for widows and widowers who lost their spouses under the age of 40. Slow to begin with, the tension builds taking us to an explosive ending. Each character has their own story and the twists, although they were expected, makes this a good and gripping read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
April 14, 2020
This is the first book I think I've read by this author. I thought the premise sounded good, and it was an intriguing read from start to finish. It sets up the characters well, revealing plenty to get you involved in their lives before it starts to unravel the mystery of who died and how/why. I enjoyed the author's writing style, and how the story followed the different characters. I thought the twist of the death was interesting, and it kept me hooked up until the last page. I'd recommend it.
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