This book was a great read, it started when Pippa calls off her wedding at the alter, her Fiancée didn’t seem that heartbroken by the announcement, and it soon comes to light that he has been having an affair! Pippa decides to continue with the honeymoon and goes alone to the Maldives, perfect chance to clear her head however when she gets there she meets 2 other couples. Pippa meets another man who is investigating a case involving one of these couples. He layers recruits Pippa to help him work undercover and the story unfolds.

I absolutely loved this booked, I was hooked right from the beginning, I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who loves to read psychological thrillers. This is my type of book and I loved it!

Thankyou @netgalley and @bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Just wonderful. Thrilling. Absorbing. Transporting. Suspenseful. A great read. Pageturning and pacy. Do read this one.

This one got me with the double twist, but it oddly gave the twist in the middle of the book so you know who the villain is halfway through the book. The rest is all just chase… That puts this closer to a 3.5 for me, great premise, great writing, plenty of intrigue, just slightly weird placement with the mystery more or less being solved in the first half of the book. I still can’t wait to read everything else by Alison James though.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, but my opinions are all mine.

Some great locations and some great characters make this mystery thriller one to read.

On her wedding day Pippa decides that she is making a big mistake and calls off her wedding. So as to not waste the honeymoon she travels to Mauritius on her own. But on arrival she realises that the majority of the other guests at the resort are newlyweds. She does however see a rather attractive man sitting on his own and tries to make conversation. It turns out that the man, James Cardle, is a private detective. Whilst they are sitting having a drink there is suddenly a couple of screams ………. One of the newlyweds is dead ? Who could have killed them and why ?

Upon her return to London Pippa finds herself working with Cardle to investigate the circumstances of the death in Mauritius, but will they discover the truth ?

The book takes us to Mauritius, Australia, Thailand and London, you will feel jet lagged just reading about it !! This is a great mystery thriller that will keep you guessing as to what happened and why. Pippa and Cardle are great characters that you will find yourself routing for.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Pippa gets cold feet the day of her wedding and calls it off. She decides to go on to the honeymoon by herself.
But there, a woman is found dead...
The Guilty Wife was an enjoyable read with many unexpected twists..

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this book I found to be very slow. I almost gave up at the 25% mark but decided to give it until 30. I am so glad I did! It really picked up and the story got a lot more interesting. I enjoyed this one and would recommend but caution to have patience, it’s worth it.

The Guilty Wife was definitely a good entry point into the novels of Alison James.

The twists and turns within this 'whodunnit' kept me enthralled as I read on and on and on to find the next piece of the puzzle. All whilst trying desperately to discover the guilty party and their motivation for their alleged crimes.

For me, the story became more interesting after Part One. In hindsight I'm not really sure what purpose the initial part served as it didn't particularly add anything to the overall story. It did however link all the characters together.

As I leave The Guilty Wife behind, I hope there will be more to come from Pippa and Jim.

EXCERPT: 'Welcome to paradise!'

The newly weds are each handed a drink by a smiling member of the reception team: a blush-coloured glass of fruit punch, adorned with a flower. 'By choosing to stay with us, you have made the perfect choice for your honeymoon.'

This remark is addressed to another attractive, well-heeled couple who have also just arrived and been greeted with a drink. So they're not the only honeymoon couple staying at the resort. Which isn't surprising, given the place really is as close to paradise as you're likely to find. Swaying coconut palms, azure sea, shimmering white sand. Discreet villas with their own private gardens and pools. Perfect for an intimate, romantic holiday alone with your loved one. Perfect in every way, in fact, offering everything you could want.

Unless you wished your spouse was dead.

ABOUT 'THE GUILTY WIFE': At a luxury resort in the Maldives, two newlywed couples are on honeymoon. On the surface, they seem to have it all. But behind the filtered photos and fake smiles is the truth…

Tansy isn’t really in love.
Daniel is trying to escape the biggest mistake of his life.
Nikki’s past is catching up with her.
Arne’s heart is about to be broken.

They all have secrets. And before the honeymoon is over, their happiness will be shattered.

Because one of them is going to die…

MY THOUGHTS: Despite the fact that I didn't find The Guilty Wife particularly dark, I enjoyed this quick, easy and engaging read.

I loved the characters! - even the ones I loved to hate. Alison James has created some spectacular characters, particularly in Pippa - who isn't afraid to pull out of her marriage at the last moment when she knows that she is about to make a huge mistake, and Jim Cardle, a not very self-aware P.I. Tansy is an absolute nightmare, but the sort of person who, unfortunately, is becoming more common and more revered. Despite all his faults and stupidity, I felt sorry for Daniel; as I did for Nikki and Arne, whose marital bliss is short-lived.

I enjoyed the developing relationship between Jim and Pippa - It's reminiscent of Cormoran Strike and Robin, and I hope that this partnership is going to continue on in a series.

Pippa is a strong and determined character and really, although he tries hard, Jim is no match for her.

The plot moves from love and romance to murder, financial fraud on several fronts, blackmail and PTSD. The settings are gorgeous - who doesn't want to be holidaying in Mauritius? - except for Daniel. This is a wonderful book for armchair travellers as it flits between Mauritius, London, Australia, and Thailand....

While I would have liked a little more suspense, I really did enjoy this read. I have enjoyed this author in the past, and The Guilty Wife certainly didn't disappoint.

The Guilty Wife was previously titled Happily Ever After.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TheGuiltyWife #NetGalley

I: #alisonjames @bookouture

T: @AlisonJbooks @Bookouture

#contemporaryfiction #crime #murdermystery

THE AUTHOR: I was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Guilty Wife by Alison James for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I love Alison Jame’s books and this was no exception
With the setting of the Maldives and 4 people with secrets on honeymoon it is a tense,dark,exciting psychological thriller that had me enthralled
Well written and good characters once again the author weaves a great spell for readers

9/10
5 Stars

Camera, Set, Action!

This book has quite the cast of characters and several exotic locations giving it major motion picture potential.

As a reading experience, it’s fun and a bit like a vacation without leaving your house.

Six people meet at a couples resort and one of them dies. The death was ruled an accident by the local police but there is more than meets the eye and the ensuing investigation involves all participants in various ways.

Each protagonist is worth mentioning, but debased social media magnate Tansy was the one I loved to hate. Deliciously vile while remaining (slightly) inbound of the law, an indubitable wish for her comeuppance took hold from the beginning of the book through the entirety. Will karma intercede to deliver her just deserts?

Her spineless husband Daniel wasn’t much improved with his own problems as a shifty real estate developer - what a pair they made!

It’s always a treat when a book exceeds expectations. I had forgotten that I’d read another of the author’s books, The Man She Married and loved it. My reading tastes seem to match up with Allison James so I’ll make more of an effort to be on the lookout for her books.

Thank you to NetGalley UK, Bookouture, and author Allison James for my advance electronic copy set to publish June 22 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Guilty Wife by Alison James.

Pippa calls off her wedding to Alistair just hours before they were due at the Registry Office, and not wanting to face the music, she goes on their honeymoon to Mauritius, on her own, just to escape. She realises that there is another person on their own and she makes the acquaintance of Jim Cardle. Meanwhile, Tansy and Dan and Nikki and Arne are also on their honeymoon at the same resort, and over the next few days, their lives become mysteriously intertwined.

Alison James takes the reader all around the world, travelling from London to Australia, Mauritius and Thailand, describing all these locations in such great detail that I almost believed I was there. The story briefly covers the Tsunami in Thailand on Boxing Day 2004 and, knowing someone that was caught up in the disaster (but thankfully survived), it was quite harrowing to read those parts.

I found the story fairly slow, to begin with, although not off-putting, as James introduces the characters and explains their back-stories. Most of them were easy to connect with and only one was actually a pain in the proverbial and I just wanted to throw her off a cliff!

There were lots of twists and turns in the plot. Whilst at one point I was convinced I knew what was coming, the story moved in a completely different direction and kept me guessing until the end. The story includes murder, bereavement, grief, greed and just a little bit of love and made for a great read. I would recommend The Guilty Wife to anyone who enjoys a mysterious thriller with no gory bits!

I loved The Guilty Wife by Alison James.
When I first read the description I was intrigued but once I started reading I was hooked. I enjoyed all the characters and I loved how the story was told by the different characters with all the storylines intertwining for an ending I did not see coming.
I highly recommend this one and will be looking for more books by Alison James.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

I loved this book.
It’s a great mystery thriller which starts off in a honeymoon location with two couples plus Pippa, who ends up on her honeymoon alone.
It soon turns nasty as a body is found and whilst it’s deemed to be an accident, a few people disagree.
Back in the UK Pippa deals with her ex fiancé and starts the hunt for somewhere to live.
She then tracks down a man she met in Mauritius as she knows he’s a private detective, and asks if she can help.
Pippa and Cardle start to look into the death in Mauritius on behalf of the widow and more and more comes to light about these two couples on their honeymoon.
I loved the way the investigation was carried out and also the chemistry between Pippa and Cardle.
A great read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Pippa has cancelled her wedding. She then decides to take her honeymoon alone. Surrounded and isolated by the other people at the resort who are all honeymooners, Pippa starts to think something isn’t right.
Enter James a man similarly out of place in the resort who shares Pippa’s view of the honeymooners not seeming quite right.

Fast paced, across multiple location this book thrills. Completely absorbing and a spectacular thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "The Guilty Wife" in exchange for my honest review. I'm not sure why the title was changed, the original one of "Happily Ever After" made more sense.

The story is a bit confusing and hard to follow. There is a lot of switching back and forth from different points of view and there are some chapters that are simply flashbacks. The prologue has talk of a honeymoon in paradise where one spouse is wishing the other was dead.

The story starts with Pippa Bryant changing her mind about getting married literally minutes before she is due at the registry office. With a wedding that never happened, she decides to go to Mauritius solo for her 'honeymoon' since her parents have paid for it.

At the resort we meet Daniel Halligan who hates his wife Tansy. Their honeymoon was paid for by one of her sponsors. She spends the entire trip with her entourage - makeup, wardrobe - so that she can post every day.

The other couple at the resort is Danish. Arne Lindgren and his wife Nikki. We learn that her past is about the catch up with her.

Jim Cardle is a private investigator and he's there looking into one of the guests.

Basically everyone is on their honeymoon and everyone is unhappy.

This book should have been a good read. It had all the elements if the synopsis is to be believed. And yet, it falls flat. I don’t even think the book knows what direction it’s going in at times. And there really wasn’t much of a mystery. No jaw dropping reveal. The reveal didn’t even make a lot of sense. And without giving anything away or spoiling it for anyone, that’s all I can say about that. I did finish, but it was slow going. Which is rather surprising considering I am a fan of Alison James.. Maybe I was expecting too much as he synopsis was intriguing and I couldn’t wait to read the novel. The synopsis however, does not match the book itself. The only thing that was accurate was how much you will dislike the extremely vapid character “Tansy”. But even there, I had a hard time trying to believe that such a deplorable character actually exists in real life. Yes I know it’s fiction, but the fiction has to at least be believable. Lastly, much of the book just goes off into left field. Hate to be such a picky reviewer, but this was not one of James’ better works. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre for my ARC nonetheless.

Well..... I have a new favourite book of the year. This story was utterly brilliant.

On the day of her marriage Pippa suddenly gets cold feet and calls the whole thing off but there's still the matter of a very expensive, already paid for honeymoon to consider in Mauritius. So she decides to go on it anyway on her own and enjoy a little rest and relaxation. When she arrives many of the guests are hiding secrets and when one gets murdered she ends up teaming me with the other single man at the resort who happens to be a private investigator to find out who killed the guest and more importantly why.

I absolutely loved this book right from the start. The setting at the beginning in Mauritius was really descriptive and I could completely imagine exactly what I was reading. I really liked Pippa and was very invested in her and I really disliked Tansy and Daniel, especially Tansy, what an awful woman! I also really enjoyed that the story went from place to place, Mauritius, London, Thailand, with the descriptions I felt I was right there with the characters. It took me a week to read this book because I actually found myself reading slower near the end and not wanting it to end at all. There were definitely a few moments where I was surprised at what was happening and the ultimate twist was really great and I did not see it coming.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes thrillers or psychological thrillers and I'm really looking forward to reading more books by Alison James. First class!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Alison James for my advanced reading copy. Due out 22nd June 2021.

I loveddd this book! It had suspense, fame, fortune, a love story and such lovable characters! I read it so quickly because I couldn’t put it down. It was a perfect beach read and I’m currently looking up all the authors other books because I enjoyed it so much! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the pre-release in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, I realised the killer as a possible but if you read as many books of this genre as I do you get used to the twists. However that did not detract from my enjoyment and the full outcome was not what i was expecting at all.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

At a luxury resort in the Maldives, two newlywed couples are on honeymoon. On the surface, they seem to have it all. But behind the filtered photos and fake smiles is the truth. Transy isn't really in love. Daniel is trying to escape the biggest mistake of his life. Nikki's past is catching up with her. Arne heart is about to be broken. They all have secrets. And before the honeymoon is over, their happiness will be shattered.

Pippa had called off her wedding but decided to go on her honeymoon to Mauritius, alone. But she was bored, until someone was murdered. Another guest, Jim Cardl, is a private investigator and Pippa helps him to investigate the murder.

The story is told from multiple points of view. The characters were a mixed bunch, some likeable, others not so much. They all had secrets. It's told in flashbacks with multiple locations. Filled with twists, a good plotline and a steady pace, this book kept me turning the pages. Another good read by the author.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #AlisonJames for my ARC of #TheGuiltyWife in exchange for an honest review.