"One in Three" by Tess Stimson delves into the complexities of family dynamics, secrets, and the repercussions of a devastating betrayal. The novel follows the lives of three half-sisters as they grapple with the shocking revelation that one of them is not related by blood. Stimson skillfully navigates the emotional terrain, capturing the essence of the characters' struggles and the evolving relationships within the fractured family. The exploration of identity, trust, and the impact of long-buried truths adds depth to the narrative. While the premise is compelling, the execution occasionally feels formulaic, with some plot developments veering into predictable territory. Despite these limitations, "One in Three" offers a solid family drama with moments of emotional resonance.

3 stars

This is a very fast paced thriller that was twisty. A complete page turner with twists throughout.
A great book

You won’t regret picking this up! Once I started reading, I couldn’t put this down! So many twists and turns and unexpected happenings kept me wanting to read way past my bedtime. Absolutely fantastic!!

This book was just amazing. It’s like reading through your fingers as you don’t want to know but want to know what happens . So well written. An excellent thriller

It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. This book is told from various characters perspective as well as transcripts forum the police. The author reveals bits and pieces of clues to build up to the anniversary party. Recommended

Dark and twisted thriller. It kept me at the edge of my seat until the end.
The opening scene is so wild, I couldn't put the book down after that. Especially that you could totally understand both women - the ex-wife and the new one as well - since we are switching their point of views in each chapters. You can totally understand both of their reasons to kill their husband - but witch one of them did it acually? You have to wait for the answer until the end.
"Love him, hate him, it doesn't matter. They're the different sides of the same coin anyway."

I flew through this book, with a well-thought-out plot and really believable characters. would definitely recommend it!

Thank you for this book and apologies for the delay in reading - wish I'd read sooner!
This was the first book I've read by Tess Stimson and it won't be the last! It has definite wow factor and I
couldn't put it down. There were lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing right until the end. If you liked "Girl on a train" read this - definitely recommend.

Omg omg omg .......... this book was amazing I could not put it down I read every word on the edge of my seat I loved the story line, i loved the way the story just kept us guessing all the way threw I loved all the twists and turns and would defiantly recommend this book it was so believable and kept the reader engaged I love it

Great thriller which I could not put down. Brilliant characters, and twists and turns. Highly recommend to others!

Gripping and tense. At the start, we already know something terrible has happened and I was so intrigued as to what unfolded and who was responsible. Great twists at the end.

4.5/5

I had so many guesses about what was going to happen at the end of One In Three by Tess Stimson, and not once did I have it right! This is basically a domestic drama at its core, but it is also heartbreakingly full of hard subjects. I thought the mystery surrounding who killed Andrew (and why) was really well done, and this story is like peeling back the many layers of an onion. The viewpoints alternate through various characters which are also interspersed with police interviews. This was a great way to keep the reader wondering who was lying and who wasn't, and you don't want to read this book unless you are a fan of the unreliable narrator trope. I loved that I had no idea who to trust, and Stimson makes you question everyone and everything.

I think the audiobook is especially amazing as narrated by Bea Holland, Chris Dyer, Antonia Davies, Adam Bromley, Victoria Fox, Julie Maisey, & Joan Walker. I was thrilled to find out there was a full cast, and I liked every single one of the narrators which doesn't always happen. It was great to have different narrators for the police interviews especially, and I also loved the sound effects that were included! There wasn't a ton, but it was enough to add something extra to the audiobook and make me appreciate it even more. I was immediately drawn in by Stimson's writing, and I kind of can't believe this is my first time reading a book by her. I was fully engaged throughout the entire novel and I thought the pacing was steady as well. One In Three really held my attention and I finished it in just 2 sitting because I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait to read more from Stimson and I really hope she continues to write books like this!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Outstanding book full of twists and turns! I would highly recommend this book to anyone. This is my 1st book by this author and will certainly not be the last! Did not see that end coming

I love the cover of this novel and the inside. "One in Three" is an suspenseful novel by Tess Stimson. A page turner for sure.

A wonderfully written whodunnit with perfectly crafted characters! A fabulous writing style that draws you in from page one and unravels a tale so twisted that it keeps you gripped until the very end!!

This is a story that I could not put down. When I had to do something mundane, like make dinner or clean up, I would listen, when I could sit down, I would read. This story opens with the death of Andrew at a family party, the anniversary of his ex-in-laws. The story then goes back seven weeks before the party and through Louise and Caz, we learn the family's story, or do we. Each of the wives has their own version of the story and the reader has to figure out who is telling the truth, if either of them is. These POVs are interspersed with police interviews with other people who were at the anniversary party. This is a story of a woman scorned, a family torn apart by infidelity, unrequited love, secrets, lies and more. As the final twist was revealed, my jaw dropped. I definitely recommend this psychological thriller to anyone who enjoys this genre.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

One in three marriages end in divorce. This one ends in murder.

My first book by Tess Stimson was "Picture of Innocence" , published in the US as "A Mother's Secret", and I totally loved that book and thought it would be a tough one to beat...but ONE IN THREE comes pretty damn close! Oh. My. Gosh! What a twisted ride this was! I was hooked from the very first page in this twisted but addictive conflict between Louise and Caz that delivered shock after shock until the very end. Just WOW!

Introducing the cast of characters, we have:

Andrew, the husband
Caz, the current young wife
Louise, the ex-wife that can't quite move on.

All three will attend a family celebration but only two will survive.

The opening scenes are explosive with the murder of the charismatic hubby, Andrew Page, having been stabbed to death with both his wife Caz and his ex-wife Louise in a tussle beside the body covered in his blood. But the question remains - which one killed him? And why?

The story then rewinds to seven weeks before that fateful night, when all hell breaks loose when Louise discovers that her mother Celia has invited her ex-husband Andrew and his trophy wife Caz to their 50th wedding anniversary party to take place on the beautiful and secluded Burgh Island in Devon. How can Louise be expected to move on if her mother continues to include Andrew in their lives, despite the fact he left them to shack up with his mistress? Louise is livid as is her doctor sister-in-law Min, who married to Louise's brother Luke. Why would Celia even invite them knowing how it rip her daughter's heart out just seeing them together? But no amount of cajoling from Louise, Min or even Celia's husband Brian would make Celia change her mind. She loves Andrew as if he were her own son and like it or not he is still a part of the family, given that he fathered Louise's two children, Bella and Tolly.

Louise has never really gotten over Andrew leaving her for a younger model, his mistress no less with whom he was cheating on her throughout the last year of their marriage. But when Louise fell pregnant with Tolly, she thought they had a chance...and so he stayed. And they were happy. But then he left her one week after their son was born straight into Caz's arms, marrying her as soon as the divorce was final. That was four years ago. And yet still Louise holds on to the hope that he will come back to them.

A TV newsreader, Andrew is charismatic and charming, but he was not husband of the year. Despite walking out on Louise a week after Tolly's birth, she would always be the woman he loved and he made no secret of the fact that as his second wife Caz would therefore be second choice and second place - a consolation prize to the one he really wanted. Sharing children with Louise has kept him more involved with them than Caz is comfortable with, even after the birth of their son Kit.

And then the invitation arrives. Caz doesn't want to go and Louise definitely doesn't want either of them there. But Andrew insists the two women bury the hatchet...preferably not in each other's backs.

And so we watch as both women set out to destroy the other...

The events leading up to the party are told through the alternating narratives of Louise and Caz, both women are unreliable narrators, making it difficult to work out just who is telling the truth. Which one of them is lying...or is it neither of them? There is the odd chapter from sister in law Min's perspective as she outlays her growing worry over Louise and her mental health, leading readers to wonder just how much truth is there to Louise's narrative? The clever insertion of excerpts of police interviews in the wake of Andrew's death with various witnesses and family members only adds to the growing tension as bit by bit clues are gradually revealed. What exactly was going on? And which one of them is lying?

I have to say, I was totally Team Louise and sympathised with her far more than Caz who knew what she was doing when she got involved with Andrew. I've no sympathy for a woman who went in knowing full well that he was married and laid her claim on him anyway and yet expected sympathy and understanding when he kept running back to wife #1! What did she expect? She made her bed...as her mother wisely told her. The same mother she secreted away in a rambling council-run care home in Dagenham in Essex away from the perfect life she had built for herself. Caz had secrets, of that I was sure, and I'd no doubt they told a different tale than the one she portrayed to everyone else. I didn't trust her from the beginning...

Louise, however, I did sympathise with. To love someone so completely that you envision growing old together, with your grandchildren running around you someday. And then in the blink of an eye, it's over. He has left you for a younger trophy wife and your world falls apart. I could see Louise struggling with trying to move on, and she did make an effort to do so, but her mother constantly shoving Andrew in her face made it difficult. How was she to move on if her mother kept inviting him over? Yes, they shared children together but that should have been the extent of their involvement with one another. Of course, Louise wasn't perfect. But her war with Caz began out of one woman's jealousy of the other...until it culminated into who was going to one up the other. Despite this, my loyalty remained with Louise throughout.

The children are always the ones caught in the crossfire. Louise and Andrew failed to see the struggles going on with their 16 year old daughter but Caz did. But did that make her a good mother...or was it an opportunity she saw to get at Louise? Nothing these parents did benefited their children as they were caught up in their hate-fuelled war with one another with Andrew trying to calm the waters between the warring women. But when Louise did see Bella's pain, she halted any further sparring with Caz. Her daughter was more important. But Caz? She happily left her son in London with the neighbour with no further thought of him while she sat in their Brighton house fuming at Andrew being with Louise...and lying about it! Is she surprised? Once a cheater, always a cheater. But did her son's wellbeing not come first? No. In fact he didn't even factor in as she drew her final card to play against Louise.

While Andrew tries to diffuse the animosity between the two women and placate them...is he as blameless as he seems? Both women acted abhorrently at times, but it was Caz I found to be the most selfish. And yet she was surprised by her husband's behaviour. If a man cheats on one wife with another, chances are he will cheat on you too. Did Caz really think she was THAT special that he wouldn't stray from her?

ONE IN THREE is an addictive fast paced thriller that will have you questioning the reliability of each narrative. Neither woman is innocent but are they guilty of murder? And if so, which one? Who to believe?

The characters are well-developed and there are times you love to hate them as well as sympathise with them. I cannot imagine what Louise's mother was thinking forcing her daughter's ex-husband and his new trophy wife on her when her loyalty should have been with her daughter! And while Andrew appeared to be the good guy caught in the middle, was he really? Or was this battle a war of his own making? The only thing I would have loved to see, and didn't, would be a showdown with Caz's mother revealing everything to all.

I could rave about this book all day though it would be difficult not to reveal a spoiler or two. But it is THAT good! I despaired when I had to put the book down to go to sleep and at any time I was interrupted. I simply couldn't put it down! I relished every gory detail and each drama played out by one or the other woman and couldn't wait to see what was coming next. I began to suspect who was the murderer but even then it was too easy...until I grasped another suspect. Was I right? In the end, I was but...it felt a little flat when the motive was revealed...even if the opportunity was slightly unbelievable. There were three I would happily have seen as the murderer, and although one of them was, I would have been far happier if the one of the others had been. Not for any other reason than because it would have been a shocking twist that you would not see coming.

I will say that unfortunately there is a little animal abuse featured, though it wasn't gory or detailed it was enough to dampen the story a little. And for this reason I have deducted half a star. I wish authors would stop with the animal mutilation or abuse or graphic death of an animal. It is not needed and puts off a lot of readers. Had it been a dog, I would have been weeping buckets and probably would have found it difficult to continue.

Overall, though, ONE IN THREE is a brilliant domestic thriller that will leave you guessing right up to the end. Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Shalini Boland, K.L. Slater and Lisa Jewell.

I would like to thank #TessStimson, #Netgalley and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #OneInThree in exchange for an honest review.

Two wives but only one guavas who is killed. A gripping story told by both wives, but who killed Andrew. Absolutely loved this one. Very addictive reading.

This is a crazy thriller! Each chapter goes back in forth between the ex wife and with his current wife. Who killed Andrew is the question everyone is asking!!!

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I really enjoyed the story and it was a quick paced thriller which are my favorite! I will be recommending it to family and friends and will be looking for more from this author in the future. Thanks again for the opportunity to read this book.