Cover Image: The Doctor's Mistress (The Doctor's Wife Book 3)

The Doctor's Mistress (The Doctor's Wife Book 3)

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Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of The Doctor's Mistress in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book in The Doctor's Wife series and it did not disappoint. I could not wait to find out what Fern and Alice were up to. Fern is on the run and Alice is out of prison seeking revenge, each with a baby. The story is told from three different points of view -- Fern, Alice, and Tomlin the detective.

I could not put this one down. Each chapter had a cliffhanger at the end making it almost impossible to stop reading. I loved the way the series was wrapped up in a neat little bow, making it the perfect ending to a crazy ride. The book does give some backstory to help recap what has happened up to this point which I found helpful.
I love escaping into Daniel Hurst's books. I can always count on an entertaining, twisty psychological thriller that is full of drama and secrets.

Publication date: December 6, 2023

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Daniel Hurst, the king of thrills, returns following THE DOCTOR'S WIFE (#1), and THE DOCTOR'S WIDOW (#2), with THE DOCTOR'S MISTRESS (#3) — my favorite of the three, a gripping followup when the Mistress is obsessed with tracking down the Widow for revenge —to make her pay for having set her up for murder.

Presently, both women have babies, which adds to the complexity. Then we have a few more characters involved... Will motherhood win out in the end?

Daniel, Please, a #4, THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER! I would love to see how this works out! Can you imagine?!

Picking up from the previous books, Fern (Dr. Drew's wife/widow) has escaped all the murders and the police. She is hiding out in Cornwall, but of course, not the finest part because she is living under the radar with little money and changed her appearance. She is slumming it, unlike her previous life of glamour.

In the previous books, we all despised Fern (wife/widow) and felt sorry for Alice (mistress). However, in THE DOCTOR'S MISTRESS, the tables are turned. Fern turns out to be the nice one, a loving mother, and Alice is so driven by revenge after being set up for murder and spending time in prison she has no time, love, or patience for a baby or Tomlin. (the detective)

Poor Tomlin (the cop who arrested Alice) has now fallen for her, and they are in a relationship. Pretty much one-sided. He loves the little girl and thinks Alice will be happy if he can find Fern. The poor man works and takes care of the baby, while Alice goes off impulsively like a wild woman. She has no bond with the little girl.

Fern and Alice both have baby girls. Fern's baby is not Drew's (but Greg's), Drew's friend whom she murdered when he was getting too close to the truth. He was pretending to love her. Alice (has Drew's baby girl).

Told from POVs: Alice, Fern, and Tomlin, we get an action-packed scene at the beginning where someone's baby has been taken—but at this point, we do not know which one. This wraps up nicely at the end, where we find out.

Fern: Cornwall: Daughter: Cecilia. She has papers and documents and is going by another name. Funny story about how she got them. I will hand it to Fern; she is resourceful and a survivor. Then she has the horrible landlord and the crazy Victoria neighbor. (some funny scenes) Note: never transfer money in someone else's name! Even though Fern is a murderer, she is a lot of fun in this installment. Looking forward to seeing how Pierre turns out.

Alice: Arberness: Daughter: Evelyn. Now out of prison and living with Tomlin, she is selfish and self-centered, thinking of no one but herself (until the end). She is getting nowhere with her PI, but little does she know Tomlin has hired a PI, and they have picked up a trail for Fern. The baby reminds her of Drew, with whom she had an affair.

But when they pick up Fern's trail, she does not want to go to the cops; she wants to handle it herself and no place for a baby. What will Alice do? I was losing all patience with Alice and her revenge obsession and enjoyed Fern's connection with her daughter the most.

The showdown scene was well done, and I commend the author for writing it this way! Poor Tomlin cannot catch a break! When two mothers are pushed to the brim, you will be shocked at the twist of events when they put their babies first.

I enjoyed the Epilogue (5 years later), and the book wraps up nicely, but I hope this is not the end. I want to hear more from Fern and would like for the two baby girls to meet one another as teens. This would make for a juicy tale as THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER.

I was fortunate to have the e-book and the audiobook narrated by Luke R. Francis and Sarah Durham for a spine-chilling, action-packed, addictive performance!

I highly recommend reading the other two books before THE DOCTOR'S MISTRESS. It's a wicked, fun game of cat-and-mouse thriller and a lovely catchup with the characters. My favorite of the series!

Thanks to Bookouture for an ARC and ALC advanced review copy.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Dec 6, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
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The Doctor's Mistress is book 3 in the Doctor's Wife series by Daniel Hurst. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 books in the series, but wasn't as impressed with this book. The first third of the book is a rehashing of what happened in books 1 and 2 with very little new material. I kept waiting for new additions to the story, but there were few. The Doctor's Mistress finds Alice living with Detective Tomlin, the man who believed Fern Devlin and let her get away. Tomlin and Alice became close when she got out of prison and he realized that she'd been set-up by Fern. Alice has a new baby and is struggling with motherhood. Tomlin's help at home has been invaluable. Alice is determined to find Fern and has hired an investigator to help with that.

Fern is a woman on the run. She has cut her hair, colored her hair, changed her look by wearing much less make-up, and she no longer wears beautiful clothes. She chooses clothes that are baggy and plain. She wants to blend in and no longer look anything like her old self. It's imperative or else someone could recognize her and turn her in to the police. She is called the Black Widow in the press for killing her husband, Alice's husband Rory, Drew's friend who pretended to be her boyfriend, and for setting up Alice to take the fall. Everyone is looking for her, but they're looking for a single woman. Fern has a baby now as she got pregnant from her pretend boyfriend in book 2. He was really trying to get Fern to confess so that he could prove Alice had been set-up.

As the book progresses things get a bit more interesting, but this is a very average read. I was disappointed after the first 2 books. If you liked the first 2 books, give this one a go and maybe you'll like it more than I did. I rate The Doctor's Mistress 3 stars with an average rating. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of The Doctor's Mistress in exchange for a fair review. #TheDoctorsMistress

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Daniel totally redeemed himself with Book 3!!! I loved book 1, not really a fan of book 2 and didn't have high hopes with this one but I wanted to see how the saga ended and boy did it deliver!!!

Fern is on the run, Alice is out of prison and each have a baby in tow. Let the cat and mouse games begin! What will Alice do to get revenge and how far will Fern go to stay hidden.

Highly recommend and so happy with the ending!

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When I checked The Doctor’s Mistress on Netgalley, being a fan of psychological thrillers, it appeared to be a good choice to add to my December reads and reviews. I’d not read anything by Daniel Hurst before, but checking him out on Amazon, I could see he was not only a prolific writer, his books were also very popular. The Doctor’s Mistress was the third book in a trilogy, but could be read as a stand alone. That meant although I’d missed the first two, there would be backstory to keep me up to speed with what had been going on.
Unfortunately, most of the first third of the story was taken up with past events. Both women have had babies, Alice (the doctor’s mistress) isn’t coping and is living with Tomlin, the detective who was responsible for helping clear her name and getting her out of prison. Fern (the doctor’s wife responsible for murdering him) is lying low in Cornwall. This should make for an interesting read as Alice and Tomlin attempt to track her down and exact revenge for what she has done.
Once I’d passed the 35% mark, however, things upped a pace and I settled in to read. My final thoughts on The Doctor’s Mistress is that I’m not a fan of first person viewpoints and this book had three. However, I persevered, and began to immerse myself in the various twists and turns and, of course, the surprise ending. A bit of a false start but once I’d got into the rhythm of the read I quite enjoyed it.
I would like to thank Bookouture, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of The Doctor’s Mistress in exchange for an honest review.

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Daniel hurst never disappoints. The last book in the series highly anticiapated. Can be read as a stand alone novel as it is skillfully recapped. Told from differing points of view. This final installment gave a greater insight into both the women and the men in this saga. This pulls the story together and focuses more on relationships. Well written i felt so many emotions for the characters pity hate joy but mainly understanding. A simple plot which was brilliant to see unfold and full of action in ways i was not expecting.
The ending came too soon and was unexpected.. i felt happy for the characters but sad as a reader. .
Thank you to netgallery and publisher and author for a highly recommended 5 star read.

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The mistress. The one blamed for the death of Doctor Drew Devlin. The one put away for a crime she didn’t commit.
Alice wants revenge on Fern for getting her put away for murder. She’s now released from prison and has moved away to Cornwall but can’t stop thinking about how Fern has ruined her life. Shes desperate to find her and will do all she can to find her and get her locked up for good!
Another fantastic psychological thriller by Daniel Hurst in this series. Very engaging from the start and kept me hooked the whole way through. Full of suspense and page turning right to the very end

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

The third book picked up about a year after the second book finished but it carried on the story really well.

Switching between Alice and Ferns pov kept me on my toes throughout the book.

Daniel Hurst books are always easy fast paced reads and this was no exception.

The ending was so unexpected but it saw such a fantastic ending to Fern and Alice’s story.

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Well I did not predict that ending to the Doctors Wife series, all of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Dare I say never mind the circumstances family does come first. Lovers of Daniel Hurst books will love this story. I always enjoy a trilogy and was not disappointed. Perhaps there might be the chance of another book in the series though as the ending certainly provides that potential opening.

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The wife...the mistress...who will get their revenge?

One thing you know you're going to get when picking up a Daniel Hurst book is that it will be fast paced, entertaining and there is simply no chance you will fall asleep from boredom. Nor will you get what you would normally expect from this genre because Hurst will always outsmart his readers with an outlandish plot and a fiendish end to finish on. THE DOCTOR'S MISTRESS is the third in the Doctor's Wife series and I have to say I think it is probably the best of them all. Usually it's the first book that can't be outdone but in this case the first - "The Doctor's Wife" - was great, the second - "The Doctor's Widow" - dipped a little but was still a thrilling read, but this one...I don't know what it is but I really enjoyed this one. Maybe because we got closure with it. Either way, all three have been thrilling and entertaining reads from start to finish.

Those who have followed the exploits of Fern and journeyed with Alice will be familiar with their stories. Fern killed her husband Doctor Drew Devlin for cheating on her and then proceeded to frame Alice, the woman he was cheating on her with, with his murder. But not before she enlisted the help of Alice's husband and when he outlived his usefulness, she killed him too lest he reveal her part in the crime. All was going swimmingly for Fern until someone else had suspicions that she was not all she appeared to be and endeavoured to garner a confession from her about the part she played in the doctor's death. Unfortunately for Greg, who posed as boyfriend Roger, Fern got wind of what he was up to and killed him too. But not before, he'd managed to send the video of her confession to the police detective in charge of the case, thus freeing Alice from prison. (Note: these are not spoilers as these all took place in the first two books)

Which then brings us to book 3, leaving readers as well as Alice and the police, pondering where Fern is now.

Alice has been cleared of the crime for which she was tried, convicted and sentenced to prison for and has now given birth to Drew's child which was a surprise to say the least when she discovered she was pregnant. However, Alice is not finding motherhood at all easy. Evelyn is 8 months old and all she seems to do is scream...constantly. Alice is lucky to get 15 minutes shut-eye before she's wailing again. She is, however, thankful for the love and care of her boyfriend, Detective Tomlin, who does his best to ensure she gets at least some rest and reprieve while he tries to shoulder the load and see to Evelyn's demands. But this should be her job as Evelyn's mother but her whole life has been turned upside down, first by Drew and then by his murderous wife Fern. How is she supposed to relax and take care of a baby with that woman still out there somewhere? Despite her struggles, Alice's greatest desire to hunt down the woman who completely wrecked her life and seek revenge for doing so, thus bringing her to justice.

Meanwhile, Fern has undergone something of a transformation. While she fled to London to lose herself in the crowds at first, she then changed her identity and her appearance before moving to Cornwall where she now lives hand to mouth in a squalid bedsit flat with a three month old baby that came as something of a surprise whilst on the run. With her dwindling funds, Fern knows time is running out for her if she can't get her hands on some funds to keep them clothed and fed at least. She knows where she can get her hands on some money, but how much and how to access it is another problem. She's just lucky that baby Cecilia is such an easy contented baby, her smile lighting up her face and the room. But with time running out, Fern knows that life on the run can't last forever. But how long can she continue running?

This was a delightfully exceptional read and naturally I loved the setting in Cornwall, even if it was a squalid flat! I could picture the promenade and the seaside which made a lasting impression...particularly in the culmination to the climax.

While we know Fern is the baddie in this story and has been from the beginning. I didn't like her at all in the first two books but in this one we got a different Fern. Maybe she was mellowed by motherhood but I found myself actually rooting for her at times, reading on tenterhooks if she was going to escape the clutches of whoever may have been pursuing her at the time. This time it was Alice who irritated me and I could hear Evelyn's constant crying reverberate off the pages that even I found draining...lol I know Alice was the victim of circumstance and then the hormonal changes that come with having a baby, it was clear she wasn't coping. The only thing that seemed to brighten her mood was the promise of catching Fern...a new lead that gave her hope that soon this could all be over. But it didn't end quite the way you would expect...as you would naturally expect from a Hurst thriller. But I was quite satisfied with it even if you had to suspend belief a little.

I am never disappointed with a Daniel Hurst thriller and am always eagerly awaiting when I can pick up another. I have a backlog of many of his previous ones I have yet to devour, and some in between, because he is one prolific author who releases a new book before I can read the previous one!

Overall, an addictive read that I devoured in a day (it could have been one sitting if pesky real life didn't get in the way...lol) and I can't wait to pick up another because I know to always expect the unexpected and thensome. And above all, I will always be entertained!

I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDoctorsMistress in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

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I have loved this series, but this third book was a weak follow up. I was quite disappointed. I will read Hurst again.

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Thank you netgalley and Daniel Hurst for the ARC audio of The Doctor's Mistress, the 3rd installment of The Doctors wife series..

This continues the story of Fern and Alice. It's a wild ride from beginning to end. Ive read a fair few of Daniel Hurst series of books and they all have excellent plots and keep you guessing. This book can be read as a standalone but reading all 3 definitely gives a great all round experience to the reader.

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This is book number three in the Doctor’s Wife series and as with the previous two books it’s an absolute corker of a read. Right from the first chapter I was glued to my kindle as I was so invested in the story. Each chapter is mainly told from the point of view of the mistress (Alice ) and the wife (Fern). Every chapter was a page turner and although I didn’t want the book to end , I was excited to get to the final chapter to see what the outcome would be. To say the ending left me a little shocked wouldn’t be a lie but you’d need to read it to find out more. Whilst this book can be read as a standalone I thoroughly recommend reading the previous two books in this series as they are also excellent. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Fran is now on the run, but she has a sweet baby girl with her. Seems before she killed the father, she was with child
Alice is now released from prison on the account of being found innocent (Fran set her up) she also has a baby as well. And she's a woman scorned
While Fran is trying to figure out how to make ends meet, living poorly now, Alice's trying to figure out how to find Fran and make sure she goes to prison for the killing of former people that have gotten in her way
Will Fran get away yet again
Who will be murdered next

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Daniel Hurst books are always good fun and this one is no different. I believe this is the conclusion to the Doctors wife series, but the ending could be open to interpretation as far as a continuation of the series is concerned. His books are always solid, quick reads.

This one had 2 strong female main characters, and I loved the cat and mouse game between the 2 of them.

I highly recommend this series and all of his other books as well.

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Alice only has one motivation: get her revenge on Fern for doing something she got away with while Alice lived with the consequences.
This domestic thriller is book 3 in the Doctor's Wife series. There was too much backstory - which I guess is amazing if you are reading this as a standalone, but very redundant if you've read the entire series. Although it can be read as a standalone, if you intend to read the series, do start with book 1, otherwise many things will be spoiled for you in this one. The story is told in 3 POVs (Fern, Alice and Tomlin). You do have to suspend disbelief on this one, because there is no way Fern could've gotten away with what she did, not only once, but many times, when she seems to have no idea what she is doing. This one never quite grabbed my attention. Also, I don't think this story had to be a trilogy, I was quite content after book 1. Book 2 was entertaining. But I had very high hopes for this one, and I have read many fantastic reviews, so don't let my review deter you from reading it, it just wasn't for me.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a quick and exciting read. It tied up all the loose ends from the previous two books. The last quarter of the book was so gripping and I could not wait to see how it all ended. The dual perspectives were amazing and really made the story more exciting.

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Read this if you like:
multiple POVs
life as a new mom
Cornwall
revenge

This is the third book in the doctor’s wife series, which is all about revenge, cheating, deception and deceit.
I was really looking forward to seeing what would happen next with Fern as I really loved the previous 2 parts but unfortunately this one disappointed me a bit.
There was a lot of repetition of what happened in the previous books, which seems unnecessary since you're meant to have read those before. This ensures that the story starts slowly and there is very little action, of which there was a lot of in the previous parts and causes this one to fall into insignificance.
It continues to go like this throughout 60% of the storyline, after that it finally gets a bit more grip and action.
But despite the attempt to lift the story a bit it kept feeling flat and predictable.
I’m glad I was able to wrap up Fern and her revenge journey, but actually it would have been good if her story had stopped after the second book.

Thank you @netgalley & @bookouture for this ARC.

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Ah, the perfect way to close out The Doctor's Wife Series - a conclusion told mainly from the POV of Alice, The Mistress.
What a great ending! I’m so glad that I was able to finish this series and get some closure on the lives of Alice, the mistress, and Fern, the widow. The ongoing story of revenge, but who really gets the last laugh?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date: 6 Dec 2023

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After reading the first two books in this series, I was thrilled to get this ARC! I won’t go much into plot as there are a lot of spoilers for those that have not read the first two books. That being said, this book does a nice job of recapping what anyone missed, so you could read it as a stand alone, although I would not recommend it.

The Doctor’s Mistress is told from 3 POVs, Fern’s, Alice’s and Detective Tomlin’s. Fern is now on the run, and Alice has vowed revenge. This book, like Hurt’s others, moves very quickly and you’ll never be bored. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, and felt like the story was wrapped up well!

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