I made a small error, not realizing this was book 2, and diving in blind. I'll have to go back and read the first one now.

Surprisingly, that didn't make this one any less intriguing or captivating. It didn't take me long to get caught up in the story.

Stacie Jones, recovering from radical brain surgery and with little to no memory has returned from a life in Paris to her father's home. He is overprotective and overbearing but, as a doctor, the perfect person to care for Stacie as she recovers.

All the while, the mysterious murder of Kylie Gillingham has caught the nations interest. The intrigue is only heightened by scandal; Kylie was a bigamist...and her husbands didn't know. Secrets and lies abound. The husbands are suspect, her boys are left reeling and can't accept her death and her best friend has slipped easily into her roll as wife and mother.

As the two stories converge, the intensity and twist amp up. At times it was maybe a bit over the top in its premise but the action kept moving in such a way that it somehow worked. While this could be considered a detective novel, I'd say DCI Clemens actually plays a secondary roll in the story but that, too, works.

The strength to this one is its structure. Written from multiple POV's and as an imploding mystery, the plot line is well crafted and the pacing carries the story well. It builds on itself well and, while the reader might guess some of the twists, the ride to get to the conclusion is well worth it.

I can get behind a thriller where it's hard to decide who the villain is or, more correctly, when you start to understand and empathize with an unlikeable character. Kylie is that. You wouldn't think you could root for a a bigamist who lied to take advantage of two men and two innocent kids...but I did. And here we are.

I'd read more of her story.

As someone who enjoys psychological thrillers, Two Dead Wives by Adele Parks was a decent read, though not quite as gripping as I’d hoped. The premise is intriguing, and there are some clever twists, but the pacing felt uneven—especially in the middle—and I found it hard to stay fully invested in some of the characters. I also didn't know this was the follow up to a previously written story which could have also influenced by overall thoughts.

That said, Parks does a good job layering secrets and shifting perspectives, which kept me guessing. While it didn’t blow me away, it was intriguing and I had a fine time.

Overall, it's a solid thriller, though probably not one I'd rush to recommend. Worth picking up if you’re a fan of domestic dramas with a dark edge.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Maybe I should have read the prequel and I did not know that there was a book before this one... But I will say this book was definitely twisty and attention grabbing type and it got me hooked from start to end.

I have tried multiple times to get through this one. I even bought the audio to see if that helped. I couldn’t get into it maybe because of the large cast of characters introduced in the beginning, and I’ve never read the first installment.

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loved by the right audience.

I didn't realize this was the second book in a series but that didn't make it confusing or anything, I really enjoyed this! A little slow at some points but overall an enjoyable thriller and I think my favorite Adele Parks yet.

Kylie/Leigh/Kai is missing and presumed dead, with her second husband, Daan, as the prime suspect. Police discover she was held captive for a long time in an empty apartment in their building. The case is particularly shocking because she was married to both Daan and her first husband, Mark, at the same time—making her a bigamist.
Things get more complicated when Kylie’s best friend, Fiona, unknowingly starts dating Daan, not realizing he is married to Kylie. After Kylie’s disappearance, Fiona moves in with Mark, helping him care for his sons—and perhaps getting closer to him in other ways.
As the story unfolds, we meet Kylie’s husbands, her stepchildren, Fiona, and the detectives on the case. Meanwhile, a new character, Sadie Jones, emerges. Recently treated for brain cancer, she is left with temporary amnesia and struggles to remember her past while living with her father.
For some time, Sadie’s story seems unrelated to Kylie’s. However, as the narrative develops, connections begin to emerge, leading to a more sinister and complex truth than initially anticipated.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This novel had me gripped and guessing the whole way through to the every end. An enjoyable read that I recommend.

Couldn't get into this one. DNF I couldn't understand the character motivations. It was unrealistic. I didn't realize it was a sequel. I also found it repetitive.

I just couldn't get into this one for some reason. It needed a more engaging hook, but alas you cannot win them all.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Kylie Gillingham is a bigamist, and her husbands do not know about eachother. Her first husband Mark, has 2 children Oli and Seb. Her second husband Daan lives a more luxurious lifestyle. Kylie goes missing and ya know that saying, it’s always the husband? Well what happens when you have two?

Then we have Stacie who is recovering with her father from recent brain surgery. Stacie cannot remember anything before her surgery and is heavily reliant on her father while she tries to regain her memories.

Two Dead Wives has multiple narrators, but is very well done. A lot of them don’t get added until later on in the book when the characters are already well developed.

I did find this book incredibly predictable which was kind of a bummer. Also I just don’t enjoy reading about covid lockdown. I felt the covid and bigamy issues were overdone. every time they were mentioned I found myself thinking “we get it already jeez!”

although it seemed to drag a little bit, I did enjoy once the action started. I just found the explanation for everything a bit juvenile and far fetched.

thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I'm not gonna lie, I put off reading this book for quite some time. I think mostly because after I downloaded it I realized it is somewhat of a sequel (it is unique in that it COULD be read as a standalone, but really is best read after "Woman Last Seen"). I don't generally love series or police procedural novels at that, BUT I am going to have to make an exception for this series. I enjoyed both books more than I anticipated and read each one quite quickly. The author did a good job with character development that left me wanting to know more and needing finality in the story. I am rating "Two Dead Wives" the same as its predecessor- 4 stars!

This was my first book by Adele Parks and I enjoyed it! I love her writing style and how the book pulled me in. Flew through it! 4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I normally love this author. I have read all her books this one I couldn’t get into. The characters and plot fell flat and dragged on. Just didn’t enjoy it

Queen of suspense Adele Parks delivers another fast and entertaining psychological thriller. A polygamist is missing and presumed dead. Meanwhile, a woman recovering from illness resides with her overprotective father. Readers will find out how these 2 storylines relate in an astounding turn of events. For fans of Sally Hepworth and B. A. Paris.

Very brief synopsis: Lost. Missing. Murdered? How do you find a woman who didn’t exist?
It's a case that has gripped a nation: A woman with a shocking secret is missing, presumed dead. And her two husbands are suspects in her murder.

My thoughts: First off, I loved the title, but somehow I missed that this was book 2 of a series. Sadly, I hadnt read book 1 prior to picking this up. With spoilers to book 1 in this book, I am not sure that I will now. Two Dead Wives has several points-of-view (DC Clements, both of Kyle’s husbands, Kylie’s stepson, and Stacie.), it feels like you are in the middle trying to decipher the case. The timeline is relevant today, with there references to the lockdown in the UK, and mask-wearing throughout the book. Stacie’s story is puzzling and strange, but it makes more sense as the story progresses.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing a thriller that wraps up with a good ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Adele Parks for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

@adele_parks 🌻
@netgalley
@htpbooks

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The country is rapt with the scandalous case of murdered bigamist Kylie Gillingham. Her husbands, sons, and best friend are left dealing with a confused mix of emotions. None of them are able to put their lives back together while suspicion of her death hangs over at one of the husbands. Kylie’s two sons won’t accept she is dead and gone. They set out to search for her despite the evidence.

It is a British psychological thriller and for those who love a good slown burn it’s worth the wait be patient! I really enjoyed this one!! She sets the tone for you to be completely blindsided 🤯 and surprised. I loved the twists, multiple povs, and characters were very strong. I saw in other reviews that others didn’t like that it mentioned Covid, It fit the storyline and I didn’t mind it. The only criticism I had was I did prefer this book as an audiobook. I have read other books by her and this one was my favorite! I look forward to reading more of her books!

#twodeadwives #netgalley #htpbooks #read #bookishlove #bookstagram #booklover #books #threads #thriller #adeleparks #bookworms #booknow #tbr

Thank you for the ARC!

Didn’t know this was a sequel to another book but it was still good even though I didn’t read the first one !
Definitely kept me interested and couldn’t put it down ! Definitely recommend !

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.