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hannahmayg's review against another edition
5.0
This book really was incredible! Ended up tearing through it in only three days, I couldn’t put it down!
The format of the book pushed you to read on at each chapter, with them flicking between the present events and the year leading up to the present. Each of the chapters that are set in the past also count down, giving the reader the suspense of how things could go so wrong for the main characters Lea, Harry and Josh. I really liked the format, it left me on my toes, desperate to see what happens next and how it all pieces together.
The story is set in Bristol, which was lovely for me as it’s my hometown! Reading how the characters work near the harbour side (which is where I work) and go for drinks on King Street and Christmas Steps added an extra layer of immersion for me, as I could easily picture exactly where the action was taking place.
Georgina does a fantastic job of setting the scene, and describing the characters and action in such a way you can easily visualise it in your mind. I found myself really sympathising with Lea, wishing that she could get the help she needs.
The culmination of the action is what really makes this book stand out. I had throughout the story an idea in my mind of why everything was happening, but I was truly blown away by how the story actually ended. All of the little pieces of the puzzle were put together in a way I never would have thought of.
I would be interesting to read a sequel, to see how the characters are dealing with the events of the book. There is definitely scope for more action to be had!
As a final note……. There was no need to kill the dog!! 😭
The format of the book pushed you to read on at each chapter, with them flicking between the present events and the year leading up to the present. Each of the chapters that are set in the past also count down, giving the reader the suspense of how things could go so wrong for the main characters Lea, Harry and Josh. I really liked the format, it left me on my toes, desperate to see what happens next and how it all pieces together.
The story is set in Bristol, which was lovely for me as it’s my hometown! Reading how the characters work near the harbour side (which is where I work) and go for drinks on King Street and Christmas Steps added an extra layer of immersion for me, as I could easily picture exactly where the action was taking place.
Georgina does a fantastic job of setting the scene, and describing the characters and action in such a way you can easily visualise it in your mind. I found myself really sympathising with Lea, wishing that she could get the help she needs.
The culmination of the action is what really makes this book stand out. I had throughout the story an idea in my mind of why everything was happening, but I was truly blown away by how the story actually ended. All of the little pieces of the puzzle were put together in a way I never would have thought of.
I would be interesting to read a sequel, to see how the characters are dealing with the events of the book. There is definitely scope for more action to be had!
As a final note……. There was no need to kill the dog!! 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
bookswithruby's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
toriestories06's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
beaubooks's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This domestic thriller has a dual timeline with alternating chapters. We follow Lea in the present as she’s on the run with her son Josh after something violent took place involving her husband. The other timeline takes us back a year in the past and tells us more about Lea and Harry’s marriage and the events leading up to Lea running away. However, things aren’t what they seem…
This is the first book I’ve read from Georgina Lees and I’m interested in checking out her other work. There’s two things I look for in a thriller: I need to have fun, and I need to be surprised. I don’t think I’ll remember much about the plot of this book in a few months, but The Lost Wife was a fun and surprising read. This probably won’t be everyone’s all-time favourite thriller, but it is a decent story if you’re looking for a pleasant reading experience.
The book is rather slow-paced, especially at the beginning, which wasn’t a problem for me because I like that kind of story. Just know that you won’t get all the answers until you’re at the end of the book. The Lost Wife is neither plot- nor character-driven in my opinion, but offers a nice balance between the two. We spend a lot of time reading from one character’s perspective, which in this case means that the side characters in the flashback chapters aren’t discussed in depth. It’s probably also nice to know that Lea is not a likeable character (or a good mom).
Maybe it’s just me, but the plot twist took me by surprise. I usually either have a hunch or am thinking in the right direction… Not this time, which was nice. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is the ending. There is a whole chapter at the end dedicated to explaining what exactly happened and why it happened, while I would much rather be shown those things instead of having them told to me. This also made the end feel a little bit rushed. I wanted to know more about the reasoning behind certain characters’ actions, and I wanted to see how they gradually became the person they are.
I would definitely recommend this book to thriller readers, especially to those who enjoy reading about strange family dynamics or from the point of view of morally grey characters.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of a honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Violence
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