I just found this confusing, jumping between the past and present.
It left me unsure about the characters and not really caring.

Vicki has been left deeply hurt by the end of her marriage to David, couple this with an attack that has left her suffering with epilepsy and it is clear that she lives a difficult life where she is trying to move on, but sadly struggling to do so. When the police arrive on her doorstep to tell her that her ex is missing Vicki is devastated but quickly finds herself the prime suspect. With secrets in her past and a memory affected by her medication will Vicki be able to prove she had nothing to do with his disappearance? As events take an even more sinister turn and the evidence continues to stack up against her Vicki is desperate to find out the truth and get her life back.

This has all the ingredients for a great book, there is mystery, suspense and some painfully flawed characters, and it is a good novel - but for me it falls short of being great. The story is written from different points of view and with differing timelines which works to an extent but it doesn’t always flow well and at times can be a little choppy. That said I forged on as I was intrigued to discover the outcome which, to be fair, was unexpected. What I will say about the ending though is that it was a little drawn out. I kept thinking, ok that’s it, then there would be another little chapter tagged to the end which didn’t always feel necessary.

I do recommend this book despite the above negative points. It is a complex novel and would be great to read on holiday where you have no distractions. Like I say it is a good read, it just didn’t blow me away. It would be a four star review if it wasn’t for the slightly bumpy writing style.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Penguin for a copy of #TheDeadEx in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book slow to start and quite confusing in parts but I stuck with it and enjoyed the second half. 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review this book.

What a very complex tale,full of surprises. Characters who had their own complicated stories and a happy ending.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, then afterwards it seemed to lose its sparkle. However, all the characters are believable and you can connect to each with interest and can feel for each of their situations.. REcommended, just not quite as good as some of the authors previous books.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I’d hoped. It was at times confusing as told from different perspectives.
I didn’t particularly like Vicki, neither did I particularly dislike her.
It was an ok read but at times I couldn’t wait to finish it, although I did not quite consider giving up.

A bit of a slow starter, almost a tutorial on aromatherapy interspersed with visits from the police. What did Vicki know of her ex husband's disappearance? Anyway, the pace soon hots up and we find ourselves in almost a different story. It's skilfully brought back on target by the 'slow reveal'. Frankly, I was very impressed with novelty of the story. Even half way through it I couldn't have come close to guessing the outcome. I didn't want to be a plot spoiler so I've kept my critique to the reading experience. If you like more twists than an alpine pass then this is the book for you.

Having read “ Blood sisters” I was pleased that netgalley gave me a copy in exchange for a review.

The chapters alternate between Vicki whose ex husband David has gone missing and Scarlet a child exploited by her mother. The police suspect Vicki of harming David, but not remembering because of memory loss due to epilepsy. When Scarlet’s Mother is sent to prison her story becomes a depressing circle of foster homes and not knowing who to trust.

As the story develops we uncover the link between Vicki and Scarlet and new character Helen who is desperate to get close to David. There are many twists with a dramatic ending which won’t disappoint.

Vicki is an aromatherapist just trying to make her living after years of hardship. Then her ex, David, goes missing and suspicion soon turns to Vicki and we follow the investigation as they investigate what has happened.

I so wanted to enjoy this after enjoying Corry's previous offerings. Sadly I just could not get into this. I did not start off bored with this but boredom soon ensued, confusion set in and I was muddled as to who was who and just what was going on. Like I said, initially I was into this but it did not last and I could easily have put this down. Eventually, the book sparked some interest for me and towards the end there are some twists that definitely grabbed my attention but it was too little too late and I had already lost interest. 

Now, the characters are very interesting and I enjoyed getting to know them and their different backstories. The reader definitely feels sympathetic towards the characters and the sympathy only grows the more we learn about them. The characters have all been through a lot but I felt little connection to them despite the tiny spark of sympathy. Corry does write about some very sensitive subjects in 'The Dead Ex' and does so very sensitively.

This could have been so great but suffers in the deliverance and I got bored and lost interest in the plot. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for an advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I have previously read other titles by Jane Corry and have enjoyed them. This book started off with a lot of promise and I was engrossed. However, as the story unravels, I found it becoming more and more unconvincingly fanciful and everything appeared too contrived and convenient. The ending was also disappointing and predictable.

It wasn't an awful read. It was very well written and engaging but I couldn't see these events happening in reality and this is what lets the story down.

This is a story of three separate lives that will keep you gripped as you try and work out the connection between them. It can be a bit confusing but stick with it as it is a fantastic read.
Vicki comes under police suspicion when her ex husband David, disappears. He left Vicki when she was diagnosed with epilepsy. The police suggest that she has been stalking David and knows something about his disappearance. Vicki knows she is not involved but is struggling to prove her innocence as the epilepsy affects her memory. Then there is Scarlet’s story, who was 8 years old in 2007 and when her mum is arrested for dealing in drugs she is sent to a number of foster homes and we follow her into adulthood. The third character Helen, is introduced later in the book, she has her sights set on David and usually gets what she wants.
There are so many elements to this book. So many different characters, sub plots and twists that you will wonder how all their lives can be linked. This book will have you gripped from the start with a big surprise ending. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book
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I had high hopes for this one from the synopsis but was disappointed. It was well-written, even if the different characters got a little confusing at points. Unfortunately it was basically a book about female characters being horrible to each other, doing underhanded things, and basically pandering to a man who is obviously not worth it. Disappointing.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Penguin Books UK, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

The Dead Ex was a good read, in my opinion it wasn’t as good as Jane Corry’s last novel, my husbands wife but still a solid read.
The book is split into three parts, the first part is Vikki and Scarlett, the second and third part is Helen and Vikki.
Vikki receives a phone call to tell her that her ex husband is missing and that the police think she is involved in this somewhere, Vikki is a character that the more I got to know the more I related to her. The book moves over several time periods and does become quite a complex and involved novel and had me halfway through the second part wondering if these women were ever going to tie in together or was I barking up the wrong tree? But after a few twists and turns it is only in the final chapters that you are allowed all the pieces of the jigsaw and I have to say it all fitted together exceptionally well.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Original and very enjoyable. I did keep getting the women /wives/girlfriends confused but nonetheless less a very good read. Every twist and turn leads you to a compelling climax.

I found it really hard to get into this book. I did persevere and eventually I finished it. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed it more if it had been the finished layout but as it was an ARC it was quite hard to read especially at the end of Sarah's paragraphs.

That said it was quite a good story and there was an interesting twist at the end.

I have given it 3 stars but it may have been 4 had the layout been easier to follow.

Jane Corry's previous novels have both been absoulute crackers and 'the Dead Ex' is no exception. Infact I think it may be my favourite so far!

Vicki, Scarlet and Helen (who we meet slightly later) are our three narrators, each of their lives linked somehow, but this doesn’t become clear until much nearer to the novel's conclusion.

Vicki is an aromatherapist with her own business, living a solitary but successful life in Cornwall after splitting from her husband David. The separation wasn’t her decision, and David has since remarried his P.A.; Tanya, with whom he was having an affair whilst married to Vicki.

When David goes missing, Vicki is one of the first people that the police question. Their suspicions ramp up as David is presumed dead. But Vicki needs to find out what’s happened to David, despite her lawyers advice to not go meddling, and instead keep her distance and prove her innocence.

Scarlet is an 8 year old girl, caught in a dangerous “game” with her Mother. This comes to an end when her Mother is sent to prison. Scarlet is bundled from one foster home to another with no knowledge of her Mother’s actions, until she discovers the truth and it changes her life forever.

Helen is perhaps the most intriguing of our characters. We are told little about her, though some very subtle clues are dropped. When she starts working for David, it’s clear she has an ulterior motive, but we don’t know what.

Three separate lives that will be keep you gripped as you struggle to work out their connection.

Three separate lives that are all changed forever by different events.

I can’t say too much more without giving anything away, but The Dead Ex is a very clever novel and I can’t wait for Jane Corry’s next!

This is the second book I have read by Jane Corry, the first being Blood Sisters. If I'm being completely honest I think I enjoyed the earlier book slightly more.

This book is a story about Vicki, a woman who is obsessed by her ex husband. When the philandering toe-rag goes missing Vicki comes under suspicion of having had something to do with it. A twisty plot but very far fetched. Extremely addictive nevertheless.

This rollercoaster read had me gripped although it did take me a while to connect to the characters once I did I was page turning to find out what was going to happen next.

This story was told from the perspective of each character. Vicki is left reeling when her husband David abandons her after she starts suffering from epilepsy. He runs away and marries his mistress something she struggles with because she still loves him.

Scarlett Darling and Helen Evans characters were interwoven throughout and at first I found this confusing but as the story unfolds all the prices of the jigsaw puzzle came together.

The plot centres around David’s disappearance and everything points to Vicki’s guilt. Then when David’s wife is found dead after Vicki had visited her, the plot thickens. Is Vicki a murder? It’s hard to tell when she doesn’t remember herself.

Parts of the book were disturbing especially Scarlett’s early life but I found it very enjoyable once all the layers of the story unfolded.

I thoroughly recommend this book and am glad I didn’t give up on the breathtaking plot which really came together beautifully.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this fantastic book.

I loved Jane Corry's last book, Blood Sisters, but I have to say that I think The Dead Ex is even better. I loved it and found it gripping throughout. It's also a really easy read so that despite its 400+ pages, I flew through it.

We have three protagonists. For much of the book, there is Vicki's story (told in the first person) and Scarlet's story (in the third person). There is no clue as to how they are connected but it didn't feel as though they were disjointed in any way, just that they were leading up to something. I enjoyed both stories and really felt for Scarlet, the 8 year old whose mother used her in her dodgy dealings. And then there's Vicki, a woman suffering from severe epilepsy and whose ex-husband has gone missing. Why do they think Vicki has anything to do with it when they have been divorced for years?

Well, therein lies the story. I can't say much more as there is so much that is hidden in this book and I don't want to spoil it. It came together so well and I didn't see most of it coming at all. It's plotted perfectly and kept me turning those pages as fast as I could to find out what was going to happen next.

The third protagonist is a woman called Helen. Again, it's not clear where she fits in at first and her place in the story doesn't come into play until the final third. Like the other two she's a complex character and I think the author excels in creating strong and complicated female leads.

Vicki is unreliable, both in that she is telling her own story so can be as honest or dishonest as she wishes, but also because her epilepsy medication causes memory loss so she even doubts herself sometimes. I love this kind of narrator as it makes for such a fabulously thrilling read with endless ups and downs.

Vicki is an aromatherapist and I really liked the little bits of information about blending oils and what each oil can do. She also uses them to try and help manage her epilepsy, which is a central part of the storyline.

The Dead Ex is brilliant. It's a story of lies, duplicity, revenge and it is full of tense cliffhangers. I found it absolutely compelling reading. Jane Corry is becoming one of those authors whose books I would pick up without even reading what they're about. She's a very talented writer and she writes intriguing psychological thrillers with a stellar cast of characters. Erm....I loved it, can you tell?

Scarlett lives with her Mother and she leads a very dysfunctional life which is unbeknown to her.
This life includes her Mother using Scarlett to play a game to help her make money and feed her addiction. One day the Police turn up during the game and Scarlett's life is changed forever.
Vicki is an Aromatherapist living in Cornwall and it appears that she is hiding from something. One day the Police then turn up on her doorstep to say her Ex Husband David has been reported missing by his wife Tanya and Vicki becomes a suspect.
This book has many different stories weaved into one. The individual stories make you want to keep on reading and Jane's Character development is in-depth and meaningful. My favourite part of the book was how the author twists the stories to bring in further important characters who when first introduced you question why, however all the characters have an important part of shocking conclusion. A really great read.