The description of this book made it impossible to resist reading it. I am always fascinated by stories of women writing to prisoners and then marrying them without having met them prior to their incarceration. Such is the case here and I felt like the narrative split neatly into before and after Dennis’ release. I’m not going to say I particularly liked Sam but I did feel sorry for her and at least she didn’t creep me out the way Dennis did. I was doing the reading equivalent of watching tv through my fingers at a few points. Note to self - shouting at the kindle has no effect on the characters’ behaviour!

Dennis Danson has spent 20 years in prison for a crime he denies, the murder of A young girl. A documentary is made backing up his claims and showing that much of the evidence against him is at best circumstantial, at worst faked. It gains him a notoriety around the world which is how Sam learns about him. She becomes obsessed with him and his case and begins exchanging letters with him. She goes to meet him after their relationship becomes romantic and they are soon married. Suddenly new evidence comes to light that completely clears him of the crime and he is released. But quickly Sam realises that the sweet man she wrote to is different on the outside. Is it just adjusting to his new found freedom or is there a more sinister explanation?

This promised great things and mostly delivers. On the good side it's a well plotted novel, enjoyable to read and hard to put down. On the not so good there's not one character you can root for - they are all equally punchable. There are a few lulls in the proceedings but ultimately not enough to ruin what is a very good read.

Good thriller ,found the main character very interesting ,she clearly had little self esteem and is quite needy my can see potential for her to become quite para and obsessive ,that may be another novel in itself.
The husband is clearly disturbed n only does anthing for his own gain n enjoyment , creepy fella hard and disturbing
The sense of dread I felt when he was in contact wit any animal was high
Thanks netgally for this dark thriller not exceptional but a quick page turning read

I loved this book! Sam, an English school teacher, becomes interested in the case of Dennis Danson, a man on death row. At first exchanging letters, and then declarations of love, Sam gives up her unsatisfactory life in England to visit him and fight for him to be freed. The problem is, how well does she really know him and how will she adapt to her new life? I found this book engrossing, as I have wondered before what makes a woman fall in love with a suspected killer, but Amy Lloyd builds up their love and dependence gradually and believably. It’s hard to say too much, without giving anything away, but I would definitely recommend The Innocent Wife (and indeed have!) and I would also suggest taking time to read the ending, as a lot happens all at once! A great read.

i really enjoyed this book, probably because I thought I had already made my mind up about how it would end! How wrong I was! There was very little predictability - and even when you think you know the direction it is taking you, it still manages to surprise you! Sam isn’t the most likeable of characters, and occasionally, I fleetingly hoped he would chop her up too! I found it hard to put down, and loved the rollercoaster effect it had on me.

Thoroughly enjoyed this gripping psychological thriller. It was truly disturbing but extremely enjoyable and had me hooked from the first page. I loved the whole idea behind the plot and couldn’t put it down. Would definitely recommend this book

This is an amazing book on many levels. The story is based on a convicted serial killer on death row, being contacted by a besotted English woman. After exploring a number of websites, she is convinced of his innocence and after meeting him face to face, falls in love.

The plot is breathtakingly convoluted and draws the reader into a nightmarish world of the US underclass.
I loved the way that the author built up the tension by well written vignettes, each of which could be interpreted a number of ways. The characters were quite believable but all had dysfunctional and creepy personalities, even the heroine.in whose eyes the plot unfolds. .

The book was very hard to put down, which is always a sign of a super read..

I was given a copy of this via Net Galley in return for an honest review.
I love a psychological thriller and this one did not disappoint. Towards the end I couldn't put it down and it's been a while since I read a book like that.
I thought it was unusual plot, with Sam marrying Dennis while he is on Death Row. The characters were excellent and I really didn't know how this would end.
I'd definitely recommend it.


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I enjoyed this book. We meet Sam who comes across Dennis Danson, a man on death row in America for killing teenage girls. Sam flies from the UK to America to see Dennis, and falls in love with him. When Dennis is exonerated for his crimes, Sam is worried, especially when their relationship isn't as conventional as she was hoping it would be.
We learn a lot about Dennis, Sam and their characters. Is Dennis innocent? Is Sam everything she appears? I enjoyed the twists the book provided.

This is another novel that deals with an innocent man on death row. Whilst very readable there wasn’t really anything that set this book apart from others. Sam an English girl is obsessed with Dennis who has been in prison for the murder of Holly for 20 years and is now on death row. A film company is making a documentary about him and there is a campaign for his real ease, his conviction is questionable as the evidence is scanty. Sam travels to America and marries Dennis before he is pardoned and released. Sam and Dennis have a difficult relationship. Dennis is charismatic and good looking, one minute he is charming and the next insufferable. Sam is needy and jealous and begins to question whether Dennis is indeed innocent. I found there were too many questions not answered by the book’s conclusion but perhaps this leaves room for a sequel.

I really enjoyed this book. At first I wondered where the story was going but it really caught my attention. Looking forward to reading more of Amy Lloyd's work.

A great read, not everything is always as it seems. A fight for justice

I actually bought this on Kindle before the Netgalley request came through and I literally read it in a day. It is amazing! It has you hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. Keeps you guessing and a great ending!

A different and interesting book. I have always wondered about the women who marry death row inmates. I did not think that this book really explored Sam's character. I thought the 'bad' thing she had done would be much worse.

I wanted to read this one as the synopsis sounded so intriguing, especially after the success of the TV series, Making a Murderer. What would you do if you gradually came to suspect the man you thought was innocent of horrendous crimes may in fact be guilty?

I enjoyed the majority of this book and it was an engrossing read. There was a nice ratcheting up of tension throughout most of the book, but then the ending kind of fizzles out after all that build up. It lost a star for that ending as I don't feel it did the rest of the book justice. Character-wise, I found Samantha sympathetic at first but as time went on, her neediness began to grate a little. Dennis was an enigma, still not totally sure what was going on there.

One additional thing I will mention is that although there was nothing too graphic, I would advise people that there are a few mentions of animal abuse/killing. It's something that I prefer to be warned about in advance.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers Random House UK/Cornerstone for the opportunity to review an ARC.

We've all read about women who become involved with men on death row and wonder why they do it. This is the story of one of them - Samantha (from Bristol, UK) - who becomes increasingly fascinated and obsessed with the plight of Dennis Danson, the subject of a campaign and film regarding a possible serious miscarriage of justice some 20 years ago.

Samantha travels to America and visits Dennis in prison, and after a few weeks they become close and marry. Soon after, his innocence in the murder of teenager Holly Michaels is proven and he is released. But as they start their new life in the public glare Sam begins to wonder if Dennis is entirely innocent, and what about the other teenage girls who went missing around the same time?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it showcased some excellent atmospheric writing, with real characters (none of them particularly likeable!) However I did have trouble picturing Samantha - physically, she was not described well and I became frustrated with her mood swings, her ability to change opinions about everything and her vacillating relationships with some of the characters, especially Lindsay. Perhaps that was deliberate as she came across as needy, obsessive and a bit unstable. Dennis too had sudden mood swings and could switch on the charm or show his temper instantaneously.

I did 'get' the ending, which was fairly satisfying - the role(s) played in the incidents of 20 years ago were there if you cared to look for them. I was left wondering which character turned out to be the most manipulative and devious in the end.

I do recommend this book to suspense / thriller readers. It is one that will stay with me for a while.

4.0 out of 5 starsInteresting premise and worth a read

Format: Kindle Edition
I was unsure at first and would like to thank NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book. It took some interesting turns and I am glad that I read it right to the end. Infatuated school teacher and death row prisoner is not unheard of and the story of this obsession and the events that unfold is well worth a read

This book is about Samantha, a teacher from England, who marries a man on death row. The story is well told and the tension gets tighter and tighter towards the end. I wanted to understand why Samantha stuck with him, when Dennis was clearly not a likeable person from early on, hence not 5 stars. So, although there were flaws in her character, and the usual 'don't go there on your own!' moments. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book grabbed me and I was determined to read it. I was gripped from the outset and the story was quite slow until the latter half of the book, when the real drama kicks things up a notch.

The book is well written and there were a variety of characters who were all colourful in their own ways. I was a little confused at the inclusion of certain characters, who's actual place in the story was not discussed as much as I would have liked. I would have liked more of a back story on a couple of Dennis's friendships.

All in all, a great read and I am looking forward to more from this writer.

I enjoyed this book very much, it kept pulling me back to reading it, always a sign of a good book.
I have often wondered about women who fall in love with prisoners on death row and this went some way to explaining it. A really good story that twisted and turned.