What do you think?
Rate this book
The Second Wife
Alex is walking home along the seafront one evening when he smells smoke and realises his house is on fire. His wife, Natalie, has escaped, but his daughter, Jade, is still inside. She is rescued by a firefighter, but when she wakes, she tells her father that she was hiding when the fire began, because there was a man in their house.
Her words prompt Alex, already furious with his new wife for leaving Jade behind, to start asking questions, and as the narrative flicks back and forth between Alex and Natalie, and between past and present, it starts to become clear that there’s a lot she hasn’t told him about her past.
Her words prompt Alex, already furious with his new wife for leaving Jade behind, to start asking questions, and as the narrative flicks back and forth between Alex and Natalie, and between past and present, it starts to become clear that there’s a lot she hasn’t told him about her past.
384 pages, ebook
Published March 5, 2020
179 people are currently reading
4902 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Fleet
4 books221 followersRebecca Fleet was educated at Oxford and works in brand strategy. She lives in London. The House Swap was her US debut; The Second Wife, her second domestic thriller, is forthcoming from Pamela Dorman Books/Viking.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
May 22, 2024
writing: just what I needed (wonderful) | plot: more character driven | ending: tame
my opinion
FINALLY, I found a well-written book in May. It's been a struggle. However, taking into consideration the absolute diarrhea of a month I've had, I may have had "beer goggles" on while reading this and liked it more than I would've during a regular month.
I do NOT recommend this one with chest unless you enjoyed An Inconvenient Woman, Her Watchful Eye, Greenwich Park, or The Ex. More of a character driven suspense than a traditional thriller and the writing is atypical to that found in North American thrillers. I would describe it similar to Sharon Bolton, Louisa Scarr, and Dervla McTiernan (NOT her standalones—I'm convinced those were written by Freida McFadden).
As most reviewers said, things pop off pretty quickly. No long ass descriptions of mountain scenery and whatnot. I can see why readers felt the pace slowed tremendously and they became bored. Part 2 is where things shift from action-driven to character-driven. Are all the details necessary to the story? No, but I found it a compelling look at toxic relationships and how "love" can send you over the edge.
The twist was nothing crazy, but I like that it was subtly foreshadowed. Lots of seemingly innocuous tidbits dropped here and there that, upon reflection, added up to something bigger. I can't say anything more about the twist, but this type can be a bit dicey, and I think it was executed well. The ending was straight-forward, no corny action scenes or Scooby Doo soliloquies. If you're a fan of a big bang type ending, this will disappoint you.
Were there questionable moments? Most certainly. Was Alex a half-baked character compared to the FMC? Without a doubt. Buuuuuut the above-average writing carried me through this one and given my month, I kindly request that ya'll let me have this one. Thank you.
pros and cons
pros: well-written, thoughtful exploration of toxic relationships and being rotten to your core, quick read, simple ending (my fave), twist was properly foreshadowed, convinced me not to give up on reading forever
cons: unanswered questions about Alex, i'm sure there's other stuff but idc the writing wasn't elementary level and that's all I needed in this time of despair
__
Check out my YouTube
my opinion
FINALLY, I found a well-written book in May. It's been a struggle. However, taking into consideration the absolute diarrhea of a month I've had, I may have had "beer goggles" on while reading this and liked it more than I would've during a regular month.
I do NOT recommend this one with chest unless you enjoyed An Inconvenient Woman, Her Watchful Eye, Greenwich Park, or The Ex. More of a character driven suspense than a traditional thriller and the writing is atypical to that found in North American thrillers. I would describe it similar to Sharon Bolton, Louisa Scarr, and Dervla McTiernan (NOT her standalones—I'm convinced those were written by Freida McFadden).
As most reviewers said, things pop off pretty quickly. No long ass descriptions of mountain scenery and whatnot. I can see why readers felt the pace slowed tremendously and they became bored. Part 2 is where things shift from action-driven to character-driven. Are all the details necessary to the story? No, but I found it a compelling look at toxic relationships and how "love" can send you over the edge.
The twist was nothing crazy, but I like that it was subtly foreshadowed. Lots of seemingly innocuous tidbits dropped here and there that, upon reflection, added up to something bigger. I can't say anything more about the twist, but this type can be a bit dicey, and I think it was executed well. The ending was straight-forward, no corny action scenes or Scooby Doo soliloquies. If you're a fan of a big bang type ending, this will disappoint you.
Were there questionable moments? Most certainly. Was Alex a half-baked character compared to the FMC? Without a doubt. Buuuuuut the above-average writing carried me through this one and given my month, I kindly request that ya'll let me have this one. Thank you.
pros and cons
pros: well-written, thoughtful exploration of toxic relationships and being rotten to your core, quick read, simple ending (my fave), twist was properly foreshadowed, convinced me not to give up on reading forever
cons: unanswered questions about Alex, i'm sure there's other stuff but idc the writing wasn't elementary level and that's all I needed in this time of despair
__
Check out my YouTube
October 6, 2020
EXCERPT: 'What happened?' I ask quietly, but she just shakes her head and raises her hands in a strange, useless gesture, grasping at nothing as if she is looking for the answer in the air around us.
'What happened?' I say again, my tone rougher this time. 'I don't know,' she says at last. 'I don't know how it happened.'
The ambulance weaves on, and above our heads the strip lights are flickering, brightness ebbing and flowing like the aftermath of a camera flash. Next to me, Natalie shifts in her seat, leans forward and clasps her hands together, blinking fast, whispering to herself. I look at her profile, her clenched jaw. This woman with the trembling hands and tears drying in streaks . . . my wife, but not the mother of my child. Not the one who would have found her, no matter where she was.
ABOUT THE SECOND WIFE BY REBECCA FLEET: She's part of the family now. For better--and for worse . . .
When Alex met Natalie she changed his life. After the tragic death of his first wife, which left him a single parent to teenage daughter Jade, he was desperate to leave the pain of his past behind.
But his newfound hatppiness is shattered when the family home is gutted by fire and his loyalties are unexpectedly tested. Jade insists she saw a man in the house on the night of the fire; Natalie denies any knowledge of such an intruder.
One of them must be lying, but Alex is faced with an impossible choice: to believe his wife or his daughter. As Natalie's story unravels, Alex realizes that his wife has a past he had no idea about, a past that might yet catch up with her.
But this time, the past could be deadly . . .
MY THOUGHTS: The Second Wife is narrated over two timelines, the turn of this century, and 2017, mainly by both Alex and his second wife Natalie.
This read dragged for me and I seriously considered not finishing. The plot is slow and repetitive, with little suspense, and the twists were all rather predictable. I also felt that I was being 'told' what was happening, rather than experiencing it.
The characters are very one dimensional, and none of them aroused any emotion in me whatsoever. Personally, I need to love, hate, or relate to the characters somehow, but there was just nothing.
I was interested to read in the author's acknowledgments that she was convinced, after the first couple of drafts, that the book was 'finished', as good as she could make it, and was daunted and more than a little defensive when her editor suggested a major rethink of the structure. Fleet says that she was left with a much better book as a result. But me? I have to wonder. . .
All in all, The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet was a very average read.
😣😣.4
THE AUTHOR: Rebecca Fleet was educated at Oxford and works in brand strategy. She lives in London.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Black Swan via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CF-32SKAI...
and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'What happened?' I say again, my tone rougher this time. 'I don't know,' she says at last. 'I don't know how it happened.'
The ambulance weaves on, and above our heads the strip lights are flickering, brightness ebbing and flowing like the aftermath of a camera flash. Next to me, Natalie shifts in her seat, leans forward and clasps her hands together, blinking fast, whispering to herself. I look at her profile, her clenched jaw. This woman with the trembling hands and tears drying in streaks . . . my wife, but not the mother of my child. Not the one who would have found her, no matter where she was.
ABOUT THE SECOND WIFE BY REBECCA FLEET: She's part of the family now. For better--and for worse . . .
When Alex met Natalie she changed his life. After the tragic death of his first wife, which left him a single parent to teenage daughter Jade, he was desperate to leave the pain of his past behind.
But his newfound hatppiness is shattered when the family home is gutted by fire and his loyalties are unexpectedly tested. Jade insists she saw a man in the house on the night of the fire; Natalie denies any knowledge of such an intruder.
One of them must be lying, but Alex is faced with an impossible choice: to believe his wife or his daughter. As Natalie's story unravels, Alex realizes that his wife has a past he had no idea about, a past that might yet catch up with her.
But this time, the past could be deadly . . .
MY THOUGHTS: The Second Wife is narrated over two timelines, the turn of this century, and 2017, mainly by both Alex and his second wife Natalie.
This read dragged for me and I seriously considered not finishing. The plot is slow and repetitive, with little suspense, and the twists were all rather predictable. I also felt that I was being 'told' what was happening, rather than experiencing it.
The characters are very one dimensional, and none of them aroused any emotion in me whatsoever. Personally, I need to love, hate, or relate to the characters somehow, but there was just nothing.
I was interested to read in the author's acknowledgments that she was convinced, after the first couple of drafts, that the book was 'finished', as good as she could make it, and was daunted and more than a little defensive when her editor suggested a major rethink of the structure. Fleet says that she was left with a much better book as a result. But me? I have to wonder. . .
All in all, The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet was a very average read.
😣😣.4
THE AUTHOR: Rebecca Fleet was educated at Oxford and works in brand strategy. She lives in London.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Black Swan via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CF-32SKAI...
and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 22, 2020
Natalie is Alex Carmichael’s second wife, he has a daughter Jade from his first marriage to Heather who has died from cancer. Whilst he is out working late there is a serious fire at their house, Natalie escapes while Jade is trapped inside. She is rescued by fire officers and though Jade is injured it seems she will recover. From this point in the wheels start to come off all their lives and Alex finds that nothing is what it seems. The story is told from several perspectives including Natalie and Alex and there are two time frames, 1999 and 2017.
At the start of the book I can’t say that was very engaged with the storytelling as I think the writing is not terribly convincing at this point but then something seems to click into place and it all starts to come together and from then on it’s gripping and hard to put down. It’s almost like the author now knew her direction and warms to the theme - pardon the pun. The plot is good, the characters, though not very likeable are well portrayed and very easy to picture. None of them, even Alex, are entirely who they pretend to be as they’re all wearing either a thin veneer or a complete disguise if not a major revamp. This makes the novel very interesting. There are moments of tension and at times it’s dark and one character Kaspar Kashani is disturbed and disturbing. There are plenty of twists and surprises, some unsettling events, threats and the end is unexpected but you could argue that the second wife got her just deserts.
Overall, this turns out to be a good and enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC.
At the start of the book I can’t say that was very engaged with the storytelling as I think the writing is not terribly convincing at this point but then something seems to click into place and it all starts to come together and from then on it’s gripping and hard to put down. It’s almost like the author now knew her direction and warms to the theme - pardon the pun. The plot is good, the characters, though not very likeable are well portrayed and very easy to picture. None of them, even Alex, are entirely who they pretend to be as they’re all wearing either a thin veneer or a complete disguise if not a major revamp. This makes the novel very interesting. There are moments of tension and at times it’s dark and one character Kaspar Kashani is disturbed and disturbing. There are plenty of twists and surprises, some unsettling events, threats and the end is unexpected but you could argue that the second wife got her just deserts.
Overall, this turns out to be a good and enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC.
December 15, 2019
As soon as I had read the first page I knew I wouldn’t be getting any sleep until till I had finished this great gripping book!!
Natalie is Alex’s second wife, when Alex is out Natalie and his daughter Jade are at home when a fire breaks out, he comes home to find that Natalie has escaped but his daughter is still in the house, Jade is found and rushed to hospital. She says that before the fire started there was a man in the house but Natalie is adamant that it didn’t happen.
Alex wants to find out who the mystery man is and he soon discovers that Natalie is not who she says she is and has her own secrets.
This is such a great book full of twists, at one point I reread a sentence three times to make sure what I was reading was real. OMG I did not see that coming!! And there’s me thinking I’ve read so many books I’m not easily shocked!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Natalie is Alex’s second wife, when Alex is out Natalie and his daughter Jade are at home when a fire breaks out, he comes home to find that Natalie has escaped but his daughter is still in the house, Jade is found and rushed to hospital. She says that before the fire started there was a man in the house but Natalie is adamant that it didn’t happen.
Alex wants to find out who the mystery man is and he soon discovers that Natalie is not who she says she is and has her own secrets.
This is such a great book full of twists, at one point I reread a sentence three times to make sure what I was reading was real. OMG I did not see that coming!! And there’s me thinking I’ve read so many books I’m not easily shocked!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
February 27, 2020
Natalie and Jade are caught in a house fire. Natalie is Alex's second wife and Jade is his daughter. Jade thought she saw a man in the house just before the fire started. Natalie denies seeing anybody at the house. But this is just the beginning. It moves on to tell the rest of the story in two time frames.
What a twist filled and intriguing read. Alex does not think that Natalie is showing much concern or emotion over Jade and her injuries after they were rescued from the fire. The story is told in the past and present day from two sisters point of views. There's also Kas, the mysterious night club owner. Everyone is hiding something. The characters are not likable but they are believable. The story held my attention throughout
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and the author Rebecca Fleet for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a twist filled and intriguing read. Alex does not think that Natalie is showing much concern or emotion over Jade and her injuries after they were rescued from the fire. The story is told in the past and present day from two sisters point of views. There's also Kas, the mysterious night club owner. Everyone is hiding something. The characters are not likable but they are believable. The story held my attention throughout
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and the author Rebecca Fleet for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2020
The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet re-visits the old question of how well do you know the person you married and takes it to a spectacular level.
The book started in a dramatic way. Alex Carmichael comes back home to find a fire brigade doing their best to put the fire out and find his teenage daughter who is still inside. Alex's wife got out of the house and he can't help himself but think that her instinct for survival was stronger than her desire to save the stepdaughter. The girl ends up hospitalised. Alex is checking out the state of the house when he find a few objects in his wife's wardrobe that he can't explain. A brief conversation to his wife and Alex finds out how little he really knows about her past life. Unfortunately, her past seems to be the reason why all of them are in danger now.
I think the way the story is told both in the present and past and the alternating points of view was added to the tension and suspense. There are some shocking twists and it is only by the end of book that you see the real face of some of the characters.
Entertaining, compelling, dark and twisty, I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys the genre of domestic thriller.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
The book started in a dramatic way. Alex Carmichael comes back home to find a fire brigade doing their best to put the fire out and find his teenage daughter who is still inside. Alex's wife got out of the house and he can't help himself but think that her instinct for survival was stronger than her desire to save the stepdaughter. The girl ends up hospitalised. Alex is checking out the state of the house when he find a few objects in his wife's wardrobe that he can't explain. A brief conversation to his wife and Alex finds out how little he really knows about her past life. Unfortunately, her past seems to be the reason why all of them are in danger now.
I think the way the story is told both in the present and past and the alternating points of view was added to the tension and suspense. There are some shocking twists and it is only by the end of book that you see the real face of some of the characters.
Entertaining, compelling, dark and twisty, I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys the genre of domestic thriller.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2020
*Many thanks to Penguin, Edelweiss, and Rebecca Fleet for a DRC in exchange for an honest review!*
Natalie is Alex's second wife: he has been raising his teen daughter Jade as a single father since the tragic passing of his first wife, Heather. When Alex arrives home to find a deadly fire ablaze, he is told two conflicting stories: Jade is insistent a stranger broke into the home, Natalie claims that never happened. When Alex begins to question who is telling the truth, he finds a mysterious photograph, a clue that his 'perfect' wife might be hiding something...and her past might be back to haunt her.
The Second Wife's title alone is misleading in my opinion: the fact that Natalie is Alex's Second Wife has very little to do with the story. After a brief section set in the present, the book takes place almost entirely in Natalie's past. Unfortunately, much of the book is slow and repetitive. I didn't really feel much dramatic tension throughout, and I figured out every 'twist' long before it was revealed. I think all of the exposition would have been more exciting if it was told in smaller bits or shorter chapters, where the reader could guess what was going to happen rather than just being told.
Although this book didn't work for me, it might be more exciting to readers who are newer to the genre and I would give the author another try!
Natalie is Alex's second wife: he has been raising his teen daughter Jade as a single father since the tragic passing of his first wife, Heather. When Alex arrives home to find a deadly fire ablaze, he is told two conflicting stories: Jade is insistent a stranger broke into the home, Natalie claims that never happened. When Alex begins to question who is telling the truth, he finds a mysterious photograph, a clue that his 'perfect' wife might be hiding something...and her past might be back to haunt her.
The Second Wife's title alone is misleading in my opinion: the fact that Natalie is Alex's Second Wife has very little to do with the story. After a brief section set in the present, the book takes place almost entirely in Natalie's past. Unfortunately, much of the book is slow and repetitive. I didn't really feel much dramatic tension throughout, and I figured out every 'twist' long before it was revealed. I think all of the exposition would have been more exciting if it was told in smaller bits or shorter chapters, where the reader could guess what was going to happen rather than just being told.
Although this book didn't work for me, it might be more exciting to readers who are newer to the genre and I would give the author another try!
February 4, 2020
When Alex arrives home one evening he finds his house on fire, his wife Natalie is standing in the garden and his teenage daughter Jade is trapped inside.
His daughter is rescued and taken to hospital but Alex is concerned about his wife’s behaviour.
Natalie is Alex’s second wife and she is stepmother to Jade. Alex feels suspicious that Natalie got out of the house and left Jade inside.
A psychological thriller with lots of twist and turns
I enjoyed reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
His daughter is rescued and taken to hospital but Alex is concerned about his wife’s behaviour.
Natalie is Alex’s second wife and she is stepmother to Jade. Alex feels suspicious that Natalie got out of the house and left Jade inside.
A psychological thriller with lots of twist and turns
I enjoyed reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2022
I enjoyed this slightly more than Fleet's debut, but there's still something about her characterisations that don't really click with me.
The plot was actually slightly different to what I was expecting, which made for a pleasant surprise.
It centered around the fact of Alex returning home to find the house gutted by a fire.
His daughter from his first marriage until widowed Natalie claims there was an intruder in the house, whilst the aforementioned new wife Jade dinesis this.
The narrative jumps between two time periods as we learn more of Jade's past, whilst Alex is put in the difficult position of who trust in the aftermath of the blaze.
It certainly has an intriguing opening but the jumps between the two storylines wasn't distinct enough and found it a little slow going in places.
The plot was actually slightly different to what I was expecting, which made for a pleasant surprise.
It centered around the fact of Alex returning home to find the house gutted by a fire.
His daughter from his first marriage until widowed Natalie claims there was an intruder in the house, whilst the aforementioned new wife Jade dinesis this.
The narrative jumps between two time periods as we learn more of Jade's past, whilst Alex is put in the difficult position of who trust in the aftermath of the blaze.
It certainly has an intriguing opening but the jumps between the two storylines wasn't distinct enough and found it a little slow going in places.
February 28, 2020
A dark tale of secrets and lies mixed with a big dollop of ‘never believe what you see or are told’
It’s quite hard to review this without giving anything of the plot away ( but will try ) suffice to say it’s a story of trust, identity, obsession...100% obsession, cruel and unwavering
Told in the present and the past and by various characters, some to like, one to hate but all caught up in this noxious web of one persons ‘want’
The story is well told, shocking and brutally real and it’s a long time since a character’s single mindedness has shocked me ( and of course as a reader had me enthralled )
One of the ‘twists’ cleverly then led into the main thrust of the story so before you could get over that you were then into the ‘thriller’ part of this page turner
Undoubtedly a book I wont/cant forget with 1 character who will cause a shiver whenever think of her
Good, very good
10/10
5 Stars
February 27, 2020
Natalie and Jade were caught in a house fire. Natalie is Alex's wife and Jade is his daughter. Jade thought she saw a man in the house just before the fire started. Natalie denies seeing anybody at the house. But this is just the beginning. It moves on to tell the rest of the story in two time frames.
What a twist filled and intriguing read. Alex does ot think that Nztalie is showing enough concern or emotion over Jade and her injuries after they were rescued from the fire. The story is told from the past and present day from two sisters points of view. There's also Kas, the mysterious night club owner. Everyone I'd hiding something. The characters are ot very like le ut theybare believable. The story held my attention throughout
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and the author Revecca Fleet for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a twist filled and intriguing read. Alex does ot think that Nztalie is showing enough concern or emotion over Jade and her injuries after they were rescued from the fire. The story is told from the past and present day from two sisters points of view. There's also Kas, the mysterious night club owner. Everyone I'd hiding something. The characters are ot very like le ut theybare believable. The story held my attention throughout
I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and the author Revecca Fleet for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2020
A gripping tale that kept me one way then the other with the twists it enfolded within its pages. A domestic noir like no other where mirage and reality were merged like a chameleon.
Alex, wife Natalie, and daughter Jade lived a happy, stable life until a fire at home destroyed their apparent peace. Natalie came out without a scratch, and Jade was in hospital, insisting that she saw a man at home before the fire. Natalie called it hallucination. Whom did Alex believe, his child or his second wife? He went in search of answers.
My first book by author Rebecca Fleet, I was gripped from the first page with the scene of the fire. The whispers of doubt reached me as the pages turned. I searched for clues which ran subtly in the book. The author was pretty clever in hiding them.
Secrets seemed to be abounding in the hearts all the characters, their lives were upturned as the story moved on. Some were shocking, and that made it thrilling to read. As a reader I loved when they turned darker. Having an inkling to the reveal (you see, I did interpret the clues correctly) I was happy to be right and quite shocked at some others.
Swift paced, chameleon characters, secret lives, past stories, lies and final truth made this book a fantastic thriller.
Alex, wife Natalie, and daughter Jade lived a happy, stable life until a fire at home destroyed their apparent peace. Natalie came out without a scratch, and Jade was in hospital, insisting that she saw a man at home before the fire. Natalie called it hallucination. Whom did Alex believe, his child or his second wife? He went in search of answers.
My first book by author Rebecca Fleet, I was gripped from the first page with the scene of the fire. The whispers of doubt reached me as the pages turned. I searched for clues which ran subtly in the book. The author was pretty clever in hiding them.
Secrets seemed to be abounding in the hearts all the characters, their lives were upturned as the story moved on. Some were shocking, and that made it thrilling to read. As a reader I loved when they turned darker. Having an inkling to the reveal (you see, I did interpret the clues correctly) I was happy to be right and quite shocked at some others.
Swift paced, chameleon characters, secret lives, past stories, lies and final truth made this book a fantastic thriller.
January 26, 2020
Got a proof version. This book is a complete disappointment. Like WTH. The summary is very promising and interesting and I can't wait to start this book. But it's super slow-paced and 80% of the content is useless. Like why the hell I should care about those things? The whole story is "I am gonna tell you my past!! Oh, wait, maybe not. Or you wanna know? No I won't tell you haha!". What is that, a hide and seek game of truth?
And the "plot twist" is SUPER easy to predict, I can guess it in the first 100 pages. Also, wtf is the ending? What is that even mean? I don't care a single shit of any characters in this story, so whatever! I was almost DNF this book.
And the "plot twist" is SUPER easy to predict, I can guess it in the first 100 pages. Also, wtf is the ending? What is that even mean? I don't care a single shit of any characters in this story, so whatever! I was almost DNF this book.
August 21, 2020
Pretty good psychological thriller. Interesting premise with some surprising twists.
Alex returns from a business meeting to find his house on fire. His wife Natalie is outside, but his teen daughter is still inside. When she is rescued, Jade says that she saw a man in the house before the fire started--and she's seen the man before. Does he even exist? What secrets are the members of the household keeping from each other?
The chapters alternate between various characters for narration, and they go back and forth between the past and the present. I liked the present narration the best, because the past felt like an awful lot of telling and it was kind of unclear if the narrators were reliable or not or even if they were lying to themselves.
In the end, I found the resolution to be a bit too far-fetched and not very believable. I did like the book for the twists though, because they were definitely surprising.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Alex returns from a business meeting to find his house on fire. His wife Natalie is outside, but his teen daughter is still inside. When she is rescued, Jade says that she saw a man in the house before the fire started--and she's seen the man before. Does he even exist? What secrets are the members of the household keeping from each other?
The chapters alternate between various characters for narration, and they go back and forth between the past and the present. I liked the present narration the best, because the past felt like an awful lot of telling and it was kind of unclear if the narrators were reliable or not or even if they were lying to themselves.
In the end, I found the resolution to be a bit too far-fetched and not very believable. I did like the book for the twists though, because they were definitely surprising.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 29, 2022
Alex lost his first wife to cancer. Then he meets Natalie, someone to whom he has an instant attraction. She seems to fit right in with his daughter and their family life is great.
Then, Alex comes home one night to find that his house is on fire. Natalie seems completely shaken and his daughter is convinced she saw a man outside.
Alex then starts to learn that his wife has a complicated past that he knew nothing about.
This was an entertaining read. I did see the twists coming. And I thought that Alex was a bit of a dumbass. But I did enjoy the progression of the story and it kept me invested.
Then, Alex comes home one night to find that his house is on fire. Natalie seems completely shaken and his daughter is convinced she saw a man outside.
Alex then starts to learn that his wife has a complicated past that he knew nothing about.
This was an entertaining read. I did see the twists coming. And I thought that Alex was a bit of a dumbass. But I did enjoy the progression of the story and it kept me invested.
February 2, 2020
I enjoyed this plotting, mystery, twisted thriller. Really enjoyed it.
Natalie and her step daughter Jade are caught in a house fire and when Natalie's husband sees his wife after the rescue his first reaction is that she’s not very upset about poor Jade and her injuries causing her to be admitted to hospital. Are they victims or is there more to this than it seems?
Jade tells her Dad Alex later that she’s had seen a man in the house on the night of the fire and that she had seen him other times as well.
The story is told in the present and past from two sisters perspectives with tales from the very dark and mysterious nightclub and it’s owner Kas.
Everyone is hiding something in this book, everyone!
Lots of twists coming from all angles and the narration of the past and present was done very well indeed. You didn’t see the twists coming and they kept coming. Well done Rebecca Fleet. I’ll hope to be reading your novels again.
Thanks Net Galley for the advanced co
Natalie and her step daughter Jade are caught in a house fire and when Natalie's husband sees his wife after the rescue his first reaction is that she’s not very upset about poor Jade and her injuries causing her to be admitted to hospital. Are they victims or is there more to this than it seems?
Jade tells her Dad Alex later that she’s had seen a man in the house on the night of the fire and that she had seen him other times as well.
The story is told in the present and past from two sisters perspectives with tales from the very dark and mysterious nightclub and it’s owner Kas.
Everyone is hiding something in this book, everyone!
Lots of twists coming from all angles and the narration of the past and present was done very well indeed. You didn’t see the twists coming and they kept coming. Well done Rebecca Fleet. I’ll hope to be reading your novels again.
Thanks Net Galley for the advanced co
March 26, 2022
I nearly gave up reading this book a couple of times, it was quite slow to start with. Glad I persevered as then I could put it down. It’s the second book I have read by this author it’s a shame she only has two. A great read with a few good but not unpredictable twists.
December 12, 2020
This was a bit of an odd read for me. On the one hand, I whipped through it in less than a day, so it had enough to keep me turning the pages. But its plot and characters felt superficial and when I think about it, not a lot actually happened.
But there was that little somethin' somethin' that kept me reading (even though I predicted the big twist early on and the tension never quite got going). This is a quieter read set in two time lines, mainly narrated by Alex and his second wife Natalie and the back and forth between their POVs kept the pace up, but I would have appreciated more depth to the characters and I think not giving the nefarious KK a bigger role was a missed opportunity to ramp up the suspense.
It sounds like I didn't like the book, but it was a decent, lighter read. There are a couple of twists and some serendipitous connections that leave readers to question if anyone is who they say they are. But I wanted more tension and depth to the plot (and didn't buy into the idea that Alex was okay with his wife not telling him about her past) which greatly influenced how I felt about this book.
This was an okay read that was a bit farfetched. It had its good points, but the plot didn't provide the twists or darkness it had promised in its blurb.
But there was that little somethin' somethin' that kept me reading (even though I predicted the big twist early on and the tension never quite got going). This is a quieter read set in two time lines, mainly narrated by Alex and his second wife Natalie and the back and forth between their POVs kept the pace up, but I would have appreciated more depth to the characters and I think not giving the nefarious KK a bigger role was a missed opportunity to ramp up the suspense.
It sounds like I didn't like the book, but it was a decent, lighter read. There are a couple of twists and some serendipitous connections that leave readers to question if anyone is who they say they are. But I wanted more tension and depth to the plot (and didn't buy into the idea that Alex was okay with his wife not telling him about her past) which greatly influenced how I felt about this book.
This was an okay read that was a bit farfetched. It had its good points, but the plot didn't provide the twists or darkness it had promised in its blurb.
March 15, 2020
I was excited to read The Second Wife from the moment I read the blurb. It definitely has all of the right ingredients. A seemingly happy family, a woman with a secret, a fire...and a mysterious intruder. Sounds excellent, right?
Unfortunately, it just didn't really come together for me. I was never invested in the characters and definitely never bought Alex and Natalie as a couple or how they interacted (or didn't) with each other. Like how Alex would ask Natalie a seemingly benign question about her past and Natalie would brush him off and Alex would accept the brush off...and then run head long into danger to find out what Natalie didn't tell him, instead of going back to her and, I don't know, maybe actually demanding an answer? For most of the book, he had no reason to believe that she was hiding anything super terrible. Which made her refusal to talk about her past even less believable. She never got defensive or angry, she just...refused...to talk. And Alex let that go? Sorry, it just didn't work for me.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, it just didn't really come together for me. I was never invested in the characters and definitely never bought Alex and Natalie as a couple or how they interacted (or didn't) with each other. Like how Alex would ask Natalie a seemingly benign question about her past and Natalie would brush him off and Alex would accept the brush off...and then run head long into danger to find out what Natalie didn't tell him, instead of going back to her and, I don't know, maybe actually demanding an answer? For most of the book, he had no reason to believe that she was hiding anything super terrible. Which made her refusal to talk about her past even less believable. She never got defensive or angry, she just...refused...to talk. And Alex let that go? Sorry, it just didn't work for me.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2020
I really enjoyed Rebecca's first novel so was keen to get an early read of this one - thank you NetGalley.
Got totally hooked in the narrative very early, and the story went in a direction I didn't expect.
The interweaving of past and present, as well as mixing the narrators, was done very well. Cleverly leading the reader exactly where the author wanted !
Got totally hooked in the narrative very early, and the story went in a direction I didn't expect.
The interweaving of past and present, as well as mixing the narrators, was done very well. Cleverly leading the reader exactly where the author wanted !
May 31, 2020
Alex is walking home and is feeling no pain due to a few drinks after work. As he approaches his home, he soon recognizes there is a fire, and it is his house! His wife, his daughter! When Alex gets close enough he sees that his wife Natalie is relatively safe, but where is his daughter Jade? He spots an unconscious Jade in the arms of a fireman and while he has an incredible sense of relief, he gets a tingle of real annoyance that Natalie came out of the house without Jade.
They rush to the hospital and Jade's prognosis is grim. Later, when Natalie is awake and able to talk she tells Alex that she was hiding in a wardrobe at the time of the fire because there was a man in the house and she was terrified. That annoyance that Alex had toward Natalie begins to grow, and he begins to try and find out what happened, even questioning Natalie about certain things.
The story then shifts to the past and gives the point of view of Sadie and the shady past she experienced. Who was Sadie and what do her experiences have to do with Alex and Natalie? Well, this is where the story proves to be quite intriguing and more than a bit chilling.
Lies, motives, obsession and secrets, combined with duplicity, all play very dangerous roles in this compelling book by Rebecca Fleet. This incredible book has so many twists and turns and a major shocker that this book proved to be impossible for me to put down. I loved Alex in his role as a father with a teen daughter. Their relationship was strong and his protective nature shown through time and again.
Many thanks to Transworld Digital and to Edelweiss for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
They rush to the hospital and Jade's prognosis is grim. Later, when Natalie is awake and able to talk she tells Alex that she was hiding in a wardrobe at the time of the fire because there was a man in the house and she was terrified. That annoyance that Alex had toward Natalie begins to grow, and he begins to try and find out what happened, even questioning Natalie about certain things.
The story then shifts to the past and gives the point of view of Sadie and the shady past she experienced. Who was Sadie and what do her experiences have to do with Alex and Natalie? Well, this is where the story proves to be quite intriguing and more than a bit chilling.
Lies, motives, obsession and secrets, combined with duplicity, all play very dangerous roles in this compelling book by Rebecca Fleet. This incredible book has so many twists and turns and a major shocker that this book proved to be impossible for me to put down. I loved Alex in his role as a father with a teen daughter. Their relationship was strong and his protective nature shown through time and again.
Many thanks to Transworld Digital and to Edelweiss for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Read
August 21, 2020Dnf 38% BLAH 😫😫😫😫😫
February 10, 2022
Den neuerschienenen Thriller „Die Stiefmutter“ habe ich mit seit der neuen Vorschau des Goldmanns-Verlag vorgemerkt, da ich sowohl das Cover sowie den Klappentext als gelungen empfand.
In diesem Buch geht es um das Paar Alex und Nathalie. Nachdem Alex seine erste Frau verloren hat, traf Alex auf Nathalie. Sie half ihm den Verlust zu verkraften und ihm wieder auf die Beine zu kommen. Eines Abends bricht ein Feuer in deren gemeinsamen Wohnung aus – Alex Tochter Jade überlebt es nur knapp. Im Krankenhaus offenbart Jade, dass ein Mann an demselben Abend im Haus war. Nathalie bestreitet jedoch Jades Aussage. Was hat es mit diesem Mann auf sich und wem kann Alex mehr vertrauen?
Meine Erwartungen an dieses Buch wurden leider nur teilweise erfüllt. Das Buch beginnt gut, da es von Anfang an die nötige Spannung aufweist. Man lernt Nathalie sowie Alex auf der Basis ihrer Erzählperspektiven kennen. Dadurch kann man schon einzelne Vermutungen über den Brand sowie die Motive aufstellen. So war alles bis dato gut. Mich störte bei diesem Buch dann aber, dass die Kapitellängen ins unermessliche gezogen worden sind. Folglich kam es nicht zu knackig spannenden Kapiteln, sondern einzelne Szenen sowie Handlungen wurden sehr in die Länge gezogen. Dies hatte dann wiederum einen negativen Einfluss auf meinen Leseprozess.
Zu den Kapiteln wird das Buch dann wiederum von der Autorin in Teile aufgeteilt, welche als eine zeitliche Abgrenzung angesehen werden sollen. In einzelnen Teilen springt man als Leser*in die Vergangenheit und lernt Nathalie, ihr Umfeld sowie ihren Alltag kennen. Diese Rückblicke waren meiner Ansicht nach gut, umso einerseits Nathalie besser kennenzulernen sowie anderseits einen tieferen Input zu der Handlung zu erlangen.
Die Handlung entwickelte sich in meinen Augen sehr ruhig. Natürlich ist dies eine reine persönliche Sache, aber ich kann für mich sagen, dass die Geschichte mich von der Spannung her, nicht so begeistert hat, wie ich es mir zu Beginn an, erhofft habe. Je mehr man dem Schluss kam, desto klarer war es, in welche Richtung sich das Finale bewegen wird und welche Wendungen grob auftreten könnten. Aus diesem Grund fehlten mir einfach die unvorhersehbaren Momente, die mich schockieren würden. Darüber hinaus war für mich die Idee und die Auflösung des Buches nicht allzu neu, da ich schon mal Familienthriller gelesen habe, welche ähnlich ausgegangen sind.
Nichtsdestotrotz kann ich mir aber vorstellen, dass dieses Buch für den ein oder anderen neuen Leser in diesem Genre ein guter Einstieg in diesen Bereich ist. Für mich als hauptsächlichen Thriller-Leser war das Buch ok, aber keins, welches mich gnadenlos umgehauen hat.
Fazit: Der Thriller „Die Stiefmutter“ hat meine Erwartungen leider nur in kleinen Teilen erfüllt. Ich habe aufgrund des Klappentext mir ein sehr spannendes Buch mit einer Sog-Wirkung gewünscht. Dies blieb aber aus, da das Buch mich aufgrund der Spannungsentwicklung, des Verlaufs sowie des Endes einfach nicht umhauen konnte. Schweren Herzens kann ich das Buch leider nur mit zwei Sternen bewerten! Trotzdem ist dieses Buch meiner Meinung nach, ein guter Thriller, um in dieses Buch-Genre einzusteigen!
In diesem Buch geht es um das Paar Alex und Nathalie. Nachdem Alex seine erste Frau verloren hat, traf Alex auf Nathalie. Sie half ihm den Verlust zu verkraften und ihm wieder auf die Beine zu kommen. Eines Abends bricht ein Feuer in deren gemeinsamen Wohnung aus – Alex Tochter Jade überlebt es nur knapp. Im Krankenhaus offenbart Jade, dass ein Mann an demselben Abend im Haus war. Nathalie bestreitet jedoch Jades Aussage. Was hat es mit diesem Mann auf sich und wem kann Alex mehr vertrauen?
Meine Erwartungen an dieses Buch wurden leider nur teilweise erfüllt. Das Buch beginnt gut, da es von Anfang an die nötige Spannung aufweist. Man lernt Nathalie sowie Alex auf der Basis ihrer Erzählperspektiven kennen. Dadurch kann man schon einzelne Vermutungen über den Brand sowie die Motive aufstellen. So war alles bis dato gut. Mich störte bei diesem Buch dann aber, dass die Kapitellängen ins unermessliche gezogen worden sind. Folglich kam es nicht zu knackig spannenden Kapiteln, sondern einzelne Szenen sowie Handlungen wurden sehr in die Länge gezogen. Dies hatte dann wiederum einen negativen Einfluss auf meinen Leseprozess.
Zu den Kapiteln wird das Buch dann wiederum von der Autorin in Teile aufgeteilt, welche als eine zeitliche Abgrenzung angesehen werden sollen. In einzelnen Teilen springt man als Leser*in die Vergangenheit und lernt Nathalie, ihr Umfeld sowie ihren Alltag kennen. Diese Rückblicke waren meiner Ansicht nach gut, umso einerseits Nathalie besser kennenzulernen sowie anderseits einen tieferen Input zu der Handlung zu erlangen.
Die Handlung entwickelte sich in meinen Augen sehr ruhig. Natürlich ist dies eine reine persönliche Sache, aber ich kann für mich sagen, dass die Geschichte mich von der Spannung her, nicht so begeistert hat, wie ich es mir zu Beginn an, erhofft habe. Je mehr man dem Schluss kam, desto klarer war es, in welche Richtung sich das Finale bewegen wird und welche Wendungen grob auftreten könnten. Aus diesem Grund fehlten mir einfach die unvorhersehbaren Momente, die mich schockieren würden. Darüber hinaus war für mich die Idee und die Auflösung des Buches nicht allzu neu, da ich schon mal Familienthriller gelesen habe, welche ähnlich ausgegangen sind.
Nichtsdestotrotz kann ich mir aber vorstellen, dass dieses Buch für den ein oder anderen neuen Leser in diesem Genre ein guter Einstieg in diesen Bereich ist. Für mich als hauptsächlichen Thriller-Leser war das Buch ok, aber keins, welches mich gnadenlos umgehauen hat.
Fazit: Der Thriller „Die Stiefmutter“ hat meine Erwartungen leider nur in kleinen Teilen erfüllt. Ich habe aufgrund des Klappentext mir ein sehr spannendes Buch mit einer Sog-Wirkung gewünscht. Dies blieb aber aus, da das Buch mich aufgrund der Spannungsentwicklung, des Verlaufs sowie des Endes einfach nicht umhauen konnte. Schweren Herzens kann ich das Buch leider nur mit zwei Sternen bewerten! Trotzdem ist dieses Buch meiner Meinung nach, ein guter Thriller, um in dieses Buch-Genre einzusteigen!
March 22, 2021
1 star
At the end of this book, my jaw was dropped. I was absolutely stunned. I couldn't believe what had just happened. So why the 1-star review you ask? We'll come back to that. I hated this book. I started off with a good mindset, ready to get into a thriller. I came into it with an open mind. I wasn't expecting anything amazing, but boy did this book disappoint.
Where to start. How about the plot? Yawn. I was not yet 60 pages into this book and I already figured out the "twist". SIngular. There is only one twist in this book. Can you even call it a thriller? So here I am, reading through 250 more pages towards something I saw coming from 500 miles away. It's like watching the Titanic except instead of a ship, an iceberg, and the death of hundreds of people, it's just some little kid's paper boat hitting a rock and sinking. Am I supposed to care?
Not to mention the amount of random fluff added in to make the story longer. This could easily be 100 pages. The sheer amount of scenes added that do nothing for the plot is honestly stunning.
Then there are the characters themselves. They lack any depth or character development and can basically all be summed up in two words. That's it. Just a basic ass group of white people. It's annoying because all the background stories we get from the characters don't add anything to their personalities. It like, how many ways do you need to tell me Alex's whole narration was like "I trust this person, now I don't, now I'm gonna trust them again" like bitch I get it you're conflicted.
The twist was terrible yet the whole book was written as if its reveal would cause an earthquake scoring 9 on the Richter scale. And then there's the end. The author had the audacity to set up a sequel in the LAST PARAGRAPH of the book. It's a no from me.
September 30, 2020
After the tragic death of Alex’s wife years before, he, still wearing his wedding ring, didn’t expect to find love again until the night he met Natalie. They married, and Natalie became stepmother to teenage Jade. They lived together, seemingly happy, until the night Alex wasn’t home and fire destroyed their home with Jade and Natalie escaping with little else than their lives.
When the fire is ruled arson, Natalie comes forth with secrets she kept from Alex and an unbelievable story about a whole other life that Alex never knew about. Just who is Natalie? And what is true and what isn’t? Are they in danger because of her past life?
The story is told from various viewpoints - Alex, Natalie and the sister she always cleaned up after, and weaves from past and present as we gather more information about the incredible story of Natalie’s past and how it could affect their future.
Two sisters, raised together but so different. One is the care taker of her sister; the seemingly lost cause that’s constantly in trouble and seems to have no conscience. Are people like Sadie, just born damaged? How can they be so different?
This book was a two day read while on vacation. It kept my interest and kept me engaged. I did guess the surprises but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book. Very good read.
When the fire is ruled arson, Natalie comes forth with secrets she kept from Alex and an unbelievable story about a whole other life that Alex never knew about. Just who is Natalie? And what is true and what isn’t? Are they in danger because of her past life?
The story is told from various viewpoints - Alex, Natalie and the sister she always cleaned up after, and weaves from past and present as we gather more information about the incredible story of Natalie’s past and how it could affect their future.
Two sisters, raised together but so different. One is the care taker of her sister; the seemingly lost cause that’s constantly in trouble and seems to have no conscience. Are people like Sadie, just born damaged? How can they be so different?
This book was a two day read while on vacation. It kept my interest and kept me engaged. I did guess the surprises but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the book. Very good read.
January 24, 2021
When Heather, mother to Jade and wife to Alex tragically dies, her loved ones struggle to cope, especially Alex. Then Alex meets Natalie and his life is transformed. Believing he can put the past him, he marries Natalie and one evening he goes for a few beers with some clients from London. Walking down the street on his return he can smell burning; there's a house on fire and it's his own...
I loved this smart, twisty thriller which is my first read from Rebecca Fleet. Her writing style is fast-moving and engaging. The compelling story moved back and forth between the past (1999) and present (2017) gradually revealing Natalie's backstory. Twists bombarded me from all angles, and from a variety of sources and it seemed that everyone had a closet overflowing with secrets. With characters that were well-drawn and realistic, I found myself reading this late into the night. The grand finale was something of a surprise even after a raft of unsettling events and behaviour. I'm delighted to have read The Second Wife and I certainly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my request, from Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Black Swan via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I loved this smart, twisty thriller which is my first read from Rebecca Fleet. Her writing style is fast-moving and engaging. The compelling story moved back and forth between the past (1999) and present (2017) gradually revealing Natalie's backstory. Twists bombarded me from all angles, and from a variety of sources and it seemed that everyone had a closet overflowing with secrets. With characters that were well-drawn and realistic, I found myself reading this late into the night. The grand finale was something of a surprise even after a raft of unsettling events and behaviour. I'm delighted to have read The Second Wife and I certainly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel, at my request, from Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Black Swan via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
September 4, 2020
The writing is really bad, and the sex scenes are especially cringe-worthy. For example, a woman does not "sigh with relief" when a penis enters her vagina. There are many sounds she may make when a penis enters her vagina, and there are many emotions that cause these sounds, but she does not sigh and feel relief. Now, if the author was describing how she felt when she took off her bra at the end of a long day while stretching out on the couch, then sighing with relief is exactly right. But not while fucking.
Could not finish, hard pass.
Could not finish, hard pass.
August 5, 2020
3.5 stars. It was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I didn't absolutely love it, some parts were more exciting than others, but I did stick with it so it appealed to me to a certain extent. None of the characters were particularly likeable and it was a bit farfetched. I enjoyed her previous novel more but I will give any more books of hers a go too.
August 31, 2020
I could barely peel my eyes away from the juicy scandal. 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews