Happy Publication Day!!
This was one of the fastest reads in recent times. The book started with Diane living her routine life as a housewife caring for her husband, child and maintaining her home. On the surface, it all seemed ideal, but Diane was different, there was a gap in her memory. She couldn’t remember a few months of her life, she had blackouts… Till she started hearing a child cry, and a mystery woman seemed to be stalking her. Was she remembering something or was she losing her mind?
Valerie Keogh’s writing has an enticing quality which pulled me in from the very beginning. There was this impending sense of something about to unravel which was weaved in the entire book. Certain parts of the plot were easy to guess, but it was the way the words were placed which made me continue with the story.
I didn’t like the main character Diane but I kept urging her from the sidelines to get to the bottom of the story. The few red herrings did their job of distracting me and taking me down the merry lane. Oh there were a few niggles, the main character took 2 tablets of antidepressants, 2 of painkillers, and a bottle of wine practically every single day and passed out on bed. They all felt repetitive. The whole book rested on her, and she was not dynamic. The other characters were equally unlikable.
All my love for this story is for Valerie’s writing because it was so addictive that it made me read the book in 3 hours flat.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!!
Review of Valerie’s first book can be read here
All my reviews can be found here
There’s no place like home” – that’s what I tell myself as I pull another flawless meal from the oven. This perfect house on a quiet street was supposed to be my sanctuary, a place to recover. But everything changed the moment I saw that woman in the charity shop. She triggered something dark, buried deep within my memory…
Now I’ve started forgetting small things, like locking the front door.
And bigger things, like remembering to pick my little girl up from nursery.
I feel terrified every time I pass through a particular spot in our living room.
And sometimes, when I’m alone, I’m sure I can hear a baby crying…
I think the woman in the shop knows what happened to me. But if I can’t trust myself to believe she’s real, who will?
Publication Date: 27th February 2019
Publisher: Bookouture
32 Responses
It says a lot when the book is so good you can’t put it down for 3 hours straight. Best of luck to Keogh on this new release!
Great review! I couldn’t stand her husband. I just wanted to throw something at his head 🙈
We could have thrown the entire furniture at him… 😂 He was so horrible
Unlikeable main character and husband. Hmm. Fortunately the writing was good or there would have been no point in reading the book.
I like mixing a good fast thriller in with my regular reads! Glad to see your review – I’ll keep an eye out for The Housewife!
It would go on a sale soon ❤️ thank you so much
As always, you have an amazing way of describing the story in your review and making readers want to check it out. You should write book blurbs for authors. 🙂 I enjoyed reading your review and look forward to the next one! Happy Wednesday, Shalini! 🙂
Happy mid week Leslie… I get nervous writing blurbs.. One author was rude after I wrote one for her…
Well, I, for one, value your opinion always! 🙂 🙂 🙂
You are pure of heart… You are different and I value and love you so much Lesley. A big hug to you. You are simply beautiful. I close my eyes and see your smiling face ❤️💖
Wow, this sounds terrific, Shalini! And it’s meaningful how quickly you were able to read it! Wonderful review!
Valerie’s writing has always pulled me in. It was one of my midnight reads
Sounds like one of those maddeningly paced tales that annoy me but I still can’t stop reading 😉 I totally get it
Exactly, those ones where you want to give the main character a finger snap to make her move, not drink!! 😂 😂
First let me say that I love that cover. There’s something about the stark red and blue that make me want to read it regardless! I’m worried about your niggles though, but it sounds good. 3 hours!?! Geesh. And I thought I was fast Shalini!!
It is good, unlikable main characters are the trend. Midnight reads are easy and fast!!
addictive writing…. i like that description. Some writers really do have that gift. It’s not so much what they are writing but the how.
Exactly!! I like GIFTS😂😂😂😂😂
And the gifts are back!! 🎊 🎁
Yeah baby… And you started it… Was that on purpose? You naughty girl!!
😜😜
Love your review! I will be reading this over the weekend!
Yayyy I hope you like it too ❤️
Oh I started reading this morning and I’m already dying to get back to it! I should finish today it will be on the blog on Sunday! So far I’m loving it💕💕
Yayyyy
The story sounds great, too bad characters felt flat! But your review is fantastic! x
A 3 hour read?? Wow this must be really good! Glad you enjoyed this ride! 👍🏼
Hey Jee, my midnight reads are generally fast. Rest of the day I am slow
oh groan. looks like you finding some less than stellar reads again. sorry ’bout dat! but again–just how fast DO you read?
I am not finding any such stellar reads… I have no idea.. I am quite shocked 😲 and everyone else has loved the book… I am stumped… 😳
If the book is good, I read very fast.. If not then I still try to finish but if it is too bad then I skim read to see if there are good parts somewhere down the line