The Stranger's Wife: A totally gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist

Anna-Lou Weatherley

Jan 2020 · Bookouture

About this ebook

Beth and Cath are leaving their husbands.

This is a story about two very different women.

One is wealthy and having an affair with a man who gives her the kind of love that her cold, detached husband does not.

One is living hand to mouth, suffering at the hands of a violent partner who would rather see her dead than leave him.

You may think you know these women already and how their lives will unfold.  

Beth will live happily ever after with her little girl and her soulmate.

Cath will go back to her abusive husband.

And these two women will never cross paths. 

But you will be wrong.

On the 3.15pm train from London to Bristol, Beth and Cath are about to meet and discover they share one shocking thing in common.

A clever, engrossing and absolutely unputdownable page-turner of a read about what really lies beneath the surface of a marriage. Fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be hooked on The Stranger’s Wife. 

Read what everyone is saying about The Stranger’s Wife:

‘Wow!! What an incredible and disturbing page-turner. I thought this book was brilliant and it caught me on page 1 and I didn’t stop reading until I was finished!! I got lost in this book in the best way possible. Five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars!!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Oh, I loved this!!! This couldn’t have been more up my street if it was my next-door neighbour! I read this in one sitting – feeling resentful when actual real life such as food/family/laundry got in the way… I am literally chomping at the bit for the next one! Outstanding, faultless and well written – if it’s not on your shelf yet – sort that out!’ NetGalley Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘A terrific book. Anna-Lou Weatherley never lets me down, and this one was worth the wait. A suspenseful read I read in one sitting.’ Meanderings and Muses

‘Absolutely gripping from page one…full of twists, turns, shocks, chills, thrills and much more! Well written, original, and sure to blow your mind! Grab your copy today! This is one you do not want to miss!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Had me gripped from the start, lots of suspense, and a lot of plots and twists in the story to keep you page turning until the very end. I finished this within 24hrs. A 5 Star read from me!’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘The Stranger's Wife is a gripping story, fascinating and unputdownable.’ KDRBCK ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘This psychological thriller with murders aplenty had me reading all night once again in my book fuelled addiction to know exactly what had happened… A gripping and compelling read.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Such a captivating and heart-breaking story. I totally adored it from the beginning till the end. I was sucked into the story and I kept on turning the pages, eager to find out what would be coming next. A brilliant story, without a doubt.’ B for Bookreview ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘A clever, precise, dark and moving story with more twists and turns than most, they keep coming and it keeps you on your toes… a tense exciting and unique story.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Amazing book. Had my attention from start to finish and I finished it in a matter of hours.’

Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘This was the first book I read by Anna-Lou Weatherley and I am hooked.  This book took me a on a rollercoaster ride. Just when I thought I knew everything the plot turned… A definite page turner of a book.’ Goodreads Reviewer

Ratings and reviews

The story follows two abused women; Beth's suffering is largely psychological, bestowed by her cold, uncaring but wealthy husband and father of their young daughter. For love, she turns to an affair with a man who isn't shy about showing affection to her or her daughter. Catherine's abuse is both psychological and physical, the latter often turning so violent that she ends up in the hospital. In part because her husband threatens to kill her if she leaves - and in part because she has no clue what she would do even if she did - she stays in the marriage but fears the worst. Ultimately, Beth tells her husband Evan that she's found a new love and wants a divorce; he shows little emotion even then, but there's a not-so-thinly-veiled threat that he'll use his money and power to discredit Beth and gain custody of their daughter (at the very least). Riley gets involved early on when the couple's nanny and Beth's dear friend Marta goes missing and Beth calls in the police. Marta's disappearance remains a mystery that stymies the police, but then "things" happen to other key characters in both women's worlds that require further police investigation. The "aha" moment, if you will, comes when Beth and Catherine actually meet; at that point it's clear (or at least it was to me) how the story would progress. The only question is specifically how it will end for the two women. Of course, I won't divulge anything except to say there are a couple of twists. Although a few parts seemed a bit repetitive and I've read variations on this plot before, overall this is an easy-to-read, fast-paced and attention-holding book. In fact, I was grateful for the holiday lull in regular TV programming that allowed me to finish the remaining quarter without stopping - simply because I couldn't wait to get to the end. Well done, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

The Stranger's Wife is a book that has it all: twist, turns, secrets, lies, love, revenge, murder just to name a few. This is the 3rd book in the Detective Dan Riley series but it is certainly a book that can be read as a standalone . Cath and Beth meet on the train and realize they are both suffering from some type of abuse. Then they plot, or Beth does. Ingenious I must say. This book starts out strongly , the pages continue to fly by and the light stays on for just one more chapter.(or two). Don't miss The Stranger's Wife; like me if you havent read the first 2 you soon will be adding them to your TBR list. Cant wait to read the first two and will be waiting for book3. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read The Stranger's Wife.

Two women are poles apart in their lives. One is extremely wealthy, has everything anyone could want. The one thing she lacks is a loving husband, so she has an affair. The other woman is living in near-poverty with an abusive husband. These women are destined to meet and when they do, they find they have a lot in common... and their lives will forever change. Although well written, this plot has been done again and again over the years. It seemed to drag in places, maybe because I knew what was coming. The suspense is well paced leading to a not so surprising conclusion. Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.