I am really enjoying Valerie Keogh books, they are fast paced with a good storyline and well thought out characters. This was a really good read, I found it hard to put it down and thank goodness for the slow cooker as tea was prepared whilst I was glued to this story!

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

A gleefully sociopathic read, featuring Hannah, our first person POV narrator, who is best described as a sort of female Mr Ripley, - as emotive as a lizard, for Hannah is as self-obsessed and calculating as she is stunningly beautiful.

Hannah’s curves, her glossy hair, her absolute focus, and her finely-tuned acting skills, coalesce to fabulously equip her, with very little effort, to attract men (all men, virtually, or any man, young or old). These skills have allowed Hannah, now pushing forty, to enjoy a life replete with luxuries. So much so that Hannah, in fact, has led her entire adult life with no other means of financial support - finding, using and discarding wealthy lovers, as needed, without the need to worry further.

All this, until the day Hannah finds herself on the receiving end of a violent encounter she is ill-prepared and helpless to control.

As Hannah, in response, finds herself retreating, seeking to relive a lost and memorable time with a former lover, Mark, who cherished her (a married man now, last encountered twenty years ago), it’s not at all clear if Hannah will find what she is looking for.

Meanwhile, a different POV, adding dimension to the intensifying plot, is provided by Susan, the dull and emotionally needy long-time wife of Mark. Susan, dealing with empty-nester syndrome as her son escapes to University, struggles to enact her belief that some marriages are worth fighting for. And some, perhaps are not.

A terrific read with a humdinger of an ending, I read this book in an easy afternoon, enjoying pretty much every minute of it (a reader’s inevitable annoyance with the clingy wet blanket who is Susan, in stark contrast with stonyhearted Hannah, in all her glorious amorality).

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

The Mistress had me hooked from the description alone and the story did not disappoint. It had plenty of twists and turns and a wow of an ending that I did not see coming at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

Wow, if you aren't happy with what you have then go after what you want no matter what.
Hannah is evil and she could have had a lot with who she was married to but it seems she is never happy. How she goes after an ex boyfriend and the wife suspects something is going on, I just wanted to throttle her.
I received the ebook from NetGalley for review,

3.5 stars. Definitely better than a 3 read for me, but can't quite bump it up to 4 stars. It was very engaging. The wife character is a tad bit annoying with her internal thinking. I still don't get why if you think your spouse is cheating that you don't confront them and get some answers rather than spending oodles of energy on all the wondering. Better the devil you know, I guess!! And the mistress...ahhh, she was rather a piece of work. Very hard to like or have sympathy for, which I guess is the point. The end I did not see coming or at least happening that way.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. This book really shows how deceptive some woman can be and how easily manipulated some men are. Not a whole lot surprised me but the story was well written and compelling, and I still read to the last page needing to have all the answers. As a mom myself that is preparing to have an empty nest, parts of this terrified me! I like to think most people are better than this and have the best intentions but I know there are still people out there that think like this. I would recommend to anyone that likes domestic and psychological thrillers!

The Mistress is a standalone psychological thriller full of desire and deception with a dual POV that takes us on a twisty ride through the intertwined stories of two women who are dealing with cheating partners.

We embark in a ride full of secrets, lies and revenge plans with a fast pace and such a dark atmosphere that made this story so addictive since the start. Keogh creates such additive stories. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t rest until I knew the full story.

Overall, this was perfectly done and is such a sheer escapism for the day-to-day life. And the twist at the end? It was so satisfying. The writing is sharp and engaging and made me dive completely into this wild ride of a book. I recommend it to fans of thrillers specially those who enjoys dark rides.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

This author never disappoints. Another roller-coaster of a story with unexpected twists and a gripping ending, I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one.
Many thanks to the NetGalley for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion

This is the first Valerie Keogh book I’ve read, and it’s told from the perspectives of two women, Hannah and Susan, both with their own set of baggage and problems. I would say the next major character is Mark, who is not lovable in any way, shape or form. I was entertained while reading, but I wasn’t wowed in any way. Unfortunately, I found it somewhat predictable - except for the last couple of chapters. It was such an abrupt and random ending, I found it almost odd? I felt like there could have been some real good twists thrown into the mix, but it read (for the most part) like a typical “cheating husband” trope.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this and lending me the ARC. Really good thriller, the end was for sure surprising. The reason I didn’t give it higher rating is because it seemed to make a rather abrupt jump from Susan killing Hannah to she was just picturing it but the characters were good, they had good back stories and I like the way they intertwined

This book kept me from doing what I needed to do. I was totally hooked. It earned 5 stars because of the twists and turns!

That ending!! Wow I was absolutely not expecting it. I thought maybe there would be a ‘backstabbing’ twist coming from Susan or Hannah and then I assumed everyone would get a relatively happy ending… nope! I’m still curious and want more specifics into Hannah’s dad and her mom but it doesn’t take away from the story at all. Would definitely recommend this book to others.

This is a book I picked up on the basis of having previously enjoyed a novel from author Valerie Keogh, - my last read from her ('The librarian') was utterly gripping, and I was delighted to discover the 'The Mistress' is cut from the same cloth (in terms off quality rather than plot!).

The story centres around the mysterious and enigmatic, Hannah, a beautiful woman and something of a trophy wife, who is unfortunately beaten-up by her thoroughly despicable sugar daddy husband on discovery of her continued use of the contraceptive pill. During her recuperation, Hannah comes across a photo of 'the one who got away', her university boyfriend, Mark. Not one to be put of by the small obstacle of a spouse, Hannah sets her sights on winning Mark back. Mark's wife Susan is feeling bereft following her sons fleeing of the nest to attend university in Glasgow and though aware of the signs that her husband may be playing away, is utterly unprepared to give him up without a fight... to the death!

The plot is fantastic, the characters fascinatingly alluring, and the writing is chef's kissly superb! This is a novel I would give 6+ stars to if I could!

My thanks to author, publisher and netGalley for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

The Mistress by Valerie Keogh

Hannah Parker is a woman who always gets what she wants.

When her current husband discovers she has been lying to him – again - she knows it’s time to move on and find someone who can give her the life she desires… The life she knows she deserves…

When her eye catches a glimpse of an old flame in a photograph, she’s sure it’s a sign. Mark Shepherd has always been in her thoughts – they’d been happy once, he’d adored her, but she’d made a mistake and let him get away. She won’t make the same mistake again.
Another brilliant book by this author.
Hannah had given up on her ex boyfriend Mark , over 20 years ago and gone on to marry but has always held a candle towards him..
She is married to wealthy Ivan and living a life she had always only dreamed of , that is until he discovers she has intentionally remained childless, without any any spoilers , something happens , and she feels even more pulled towards Mark.
The only problem Mark is married to Susan.

I love books about obsession so o had high hopes for this but it really wasn't for me. I just really didn't like any of the characters and didn't find this all that thrilling

Another great book from this talented author. Twists galore, and that ending !!!! Not what I was expecting !!
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC which I highly recommend

Overall I enjoyed the story.... I felt it dragged on in some places and went too quickly in others. Although I enjoyed the ending, it felt very abrupt.

The Mistress by Valerie Keogh was another excellent book from start to finish and I was gripped from the beginning till the end, I did not want it to finish............I loved it. Its full of twists and turns throughout and I loved the main character Hannah Parker and she is a woman who always gets want she wants and at No cost!

All of Valerie's book I have read have been a 5 star review The Mistress was no different.

I highly recommend this book and it is a great book for holidays.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Woah! Such an epic start, dark, violent and hooks you right in.

I went in thinking that this was the classic, man has an affair/woman scorned story, but this is so so much more.

The characters have so many traits which come together perfectly. Hannah is manipulative, Mark is stupid and Susan shows us her strength eventually. I really enjoy the characters the author creates, this is my favourite book so far.

If you are looking for a story which will keep you second guessing and on the edge of your seat, add this to your TBR

My first book by this author. I enjoyed it and kept reading to see what happened next. It was a very satisfying ending. I disliked every character in this book and thought their fate was perfect for them by the end of the book.