The plot had me intrigued and only a few chapters in I was hooked. Pace was fast, pages kept turning, and it became such a great book to binge.

Dual timelines allowed me to build up a picture of the events leading up to and after Callum's disappearance. I had theories, did a bit of finger pointing, but each twist made me rethink.

Suspense and tension had me hanging off the edge of my seat, and when that ending hit I had to scrape my jaw off the floor.

Leah and Matt along with their 3-year-old son, Noah are heading to his parents’ vacation place, Lakeside Cottage. There, they will finally be married. Leah and Matt have been friends for many years when they first met in college. Leah eventually married his friend, Callum. But he disappeared 8 years ago when they were celebrating Leah’s birthday and it’s believed that he drowned in the lake at the vacation home. However, his body was never found and he was eventually declared dead.

The couple will meet up with Leah’s brother, Jake and his wife Katherine. In addition, Leah’s father will be there along with Matt’s parents.

When they get there, the friends start drinking. But a card is found outside the door and it’s signed from Callum saying he will them at the wedding. What is happening? Could he be alive?

This book was a headache. It’s tedious and repetitious. I was wondering how much of what was happening was due to the copious amount of alcohol being consumed by the characters. I stuck with it though hoping I would prove myself wrong and find that the story had some redeeming features. I’m sorry but this was rather a mess all the way through.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed reading it. The main character is fixing to remarry after the death of her first husband. Before she does she receives a letter from her " dead" husband. He disappered and was declared dead. However now it is obvious he is not and she must figure out what he wants and if her friends and family are in on whatever is going on.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for the chance to read this book!

Wow ok Lot to unpack in this book, but it's a good one. I ended up liking it. The story time lines go back and forth and get a bit confusing at times, Just because there is a couple people missing from one so it's a little hard to keep remembering who is in this one and not in the next. But overall pretty decent once you get through it. There were a few things left unexplained yes, but I'm not one that has to have a bow on things at the end, when it's over it's over so... But i was expecting to find out if a certain someone would get punished for being some kind of accomplice, even though it's vague on what she actually did to help out...

Many thanks to NetGalley, Elisabeth Carpenter, and Bookouture for the ebook. This fast-paced thriller is full of twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat with plenty to unpack.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheFirstHusband by #ElisabethCarpenter. Eight years ago, Leah’s husband, Callum went missing. Now she is marrying his best friend and father of her son, Matt. As the date nears closer, she starts receiving cards from her first husband. How can this be when he has been declared dead? Could he be alive? And if so, could I be in danger?

I’m a huge fan of Elizabeth Carpenter’s novels, I know I’m always going to be in the situation where I need to read one more chapter. In this novel the chapters are short but with each one moving between the past, in the hours leading up to Callum’s disappearance and the present, where Leah is due to get married, I couldn’t stop at just one more chapter. It is a long time since I have read a novel within a few hours.
Most of the characters appear in both time frames, it’s only parents who only feature in the present. All have suffered due to Callum, with his behaviour and anyone in this novel could have had a hand in his disappearance. I suspected all of them. Most of the detail about his abuse and manipulation is revealed in the past, but as the group are all together for the wedding emotions are raw, the level of trust is zero and the isolation increases. As well as the fear of exposure.
Whilst you could see the anger and resentment in the buildup to Callum’s disappearance it was the anxiety and fear in the modern day that I found most gripping. Not knowing who, if any, were responsible faded into significance compared to the threats from the text messages. I couldn’t even begin to think what the eventual outcome would be.
I like to analyse a novel for a few days after finishing and I can honestly say, within an hour of finishing this novel that it is my favourite so far. This was a nov

This book kept me on my toes the entire time! I love when a story keeps me guessing, and this one definitely delivered. The dual timelines worked really well, slowly unraveling the mystery while adding layers to the characters’ relationships. It was hard to know who to trust—just when I thought I had someone figured out, another detail would throw me off. And that’s exactly how I like my thrillers!
Leah was such a well-drawn character. Her emotions felt raw and real as she balanced the happiness of her future with Matt against the unsettling shadows of her past. The story had just the right mix of psychological depth and suspense, making it an engaging read from start to finish.
That said, I wish we had gotten to know more about Callum and Matt beyond just their roles in Leah’s life. Who were they as individuals? What really made them tick? Still, this was a gripping read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride!

The First Husband by Elisabeth Carpenter is a masterfully crafted thriller that expertly weaves a suspenseful story with layers of twisted suspense.
A gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish.
All the unexpected twists, the simmering dark secrets, the way the tension is built up and up, kept me turning the pages well into the night. And, even when I thought there could not possibly be any more surprises, this author managed to surprise me yet again!

This was such a suspensful read, immediately I was hooked and couldn't put it down, especially with the great twists,

"The First Husband" by Elisabeth Carpenter is an enjoyable 4-star read! Leah returns to the house where her first husband, Callum, disappeared to prepare for her wedding to his former best friend, Matt. Nothing could possibly go wrong with a setup like that.

The story unfolds through two primary timelines: the present ("Now"), beginning two days before the wedding, and eight years ago, starting 32 hours before Callum’s disappearance. Flashbacks in the present-day chapters provide insight into Leah’s relationship with Callum. While the back-and-forth structure leads to some repetition, certain plot elements were introduced but never fully explored. However, the final twist caught me off guard—I wasn’t expecting that one!

Thanks to Bookouture, Elisabeth Carpenter, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

Leah was at the lake house 8 years ago with her husband Callum when Callum disappeared only later to be declared dead. In the present day Leah is at the same lake house with her fiance Matt whom she is marrying in 2 days time at the lake house and their son. Everyone who was there the night Callum disappeared is all together again for Lean and Matt's wedding. Leah gets a note signed from her dead husband, however in order to find out what is happening now she needs to find out what may have happened in the past.
At times it seems all over the place with all the flash backs however it all comes together to makes sense at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow—what a great read! This book had me hooked from the very first page, keeping me completely engrossed with its twists and surprises. I couldn’t put it down!

The First Husband by Elisabeth Carpenter is a psychological thriller packed with suspense and buried secrets. Leah is preparing for her second marriage, but the past refuses to stay buried. Her best friend, Matt, was also her first husband Callum’s closest confidant. Callum vanished without a trace eight years ago and has now been officially declared dead—but his disappearance still lingers like a ghost in the very home where it all began.

I was captivated by the eerie atmosphere, the expertly woven dual timeline, and the slow-burning tension that builds toward an explosive conclusion. I loved how easy it was for Leah to assume it could have been any of her close friends. The storytelling kept me guessing until the very end, and I’m eager to read more from Elisabeth Carpenter!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

Wow, what an amazing read this is! very highly recommended! So very suspenseful and gripping. I love this author and this book is just wonderful!

The First Husband by Elisabeth Carpenter is a suspenseful and intense novel where there are twists and turns and secrets. Leah is getting married for the second time. Matt has been Leah's friend for years but he is also her first husband's best friend. Her first husband Callum disappeared 8 years ago and has recently been declared dead. Now, in the same house where Callum had mysteriously disappeared, there is a constant reminder of him. And also a reminder of all the secrets there are to hide. When the note first arrives claiming to be from Callum, Leah tries to brush it off as a cruel prank. But when her and Matt's little boy is threatened in the next note Leah knows she must revisit that night 8 years ago to find out what really happened. Definitely a twisty read! I especially liked the tension of being in the same location as before and with a dual timeline you get to piece what really happened together to create a great ending. My first read by Carpenter but definitely not my last.
Thank you to NetGalley, Elisabeth Carpenter, and Bookouture for this ARC. Expected release day is February 4th 2025.

THE FIRST HUSBAND by Elisabeth Carpenter is a highly recommended psychological thriller, offering a unique blend of suspense and emotional depth that sets it apart from other books in the genre!

Leah is happy to get married to Matt. The location of the wedding is the same where her first husband and Matt’s best friend, Callum, drowned 8 years ago while celebrating her birthday. Today, on her wedding day, she receives a card from Callum, and everybody who was there when Callum disappeared is also present today to celebrate her wedding. Who is sending her these notes? Is Callum dead?

The story is told with dual timelines, balancing Leah’s present happiness with Matt and the haunting uncertainties of her past. The book flows nicely; it is fast-paced and twisty, with palpable tension. And fear not, the ending is not just good, it's great, tying up all loose ends and leaving you with a sense of contentment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. This book is my first one by Elisabeth Carpenter, but it will not be my last!

There were plenty of things about this book that gave me pause. First of all the premise of getting married in the same place where your husband disappeared years ago and was presumed dead. Then there was the way the MC reacted to the notes. Instead of going to the police right away, it almost seemed like she had to be convinced to go to the police. And even when the threats kept coming, she did not consider moving the wedding to a different location. The whole story arch with Jennie was so weird as well, and how no one seemed to mind her just inserting herself into an intimate family gathering. It was so obvious that she was the one leaving the notes. Which leads me to the next gripe. It was painfully predictable what was going to happen, which is the opposite of what you want to happen in a thriller.

However with that said, there were some redeeming qualities as well. There were several attempts at misdirection and the emotions the MC felt when her son went missing were truly heartfelt and painful to read in a good way. It was short enough to get through in a relatively fast pace and the pacing was good.

Red flags jumped out at me immediately.
Why would you get married at the very same place where your first husband d disappeared?
Four people who had been couples and who had an intertwined history with each other.
I knew some people had to be liars but the question was who and why.
The ending was very satisfying to me and I totally agree with what one character did because the recipient deserved it.

Leah arrives at a holiday house by a lake ready for her upcoming wedding in a couple of days time. Later on she receives a card from Callum, her first husband who went missing and was presumed dead years ago. Is someone trying to sabotage the wedding and does someone know more than they are letting on?

This is my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. I enjoyed the dual aspect part of this story, with the past timeframe building a solid backstory. The atmosphere was well created and felt creepy and intense at times. The pacing was fairly steady and flowed nicely, I was interested to see how it would all pan out. I enjoyed discovering all the secrets and there was a solid mystery to be solved.

The characters were developed well, however some of their actions were questionable and unbelievable. Even though there were no major twists, I enjoyed the turns to story took and the build up to the ending. This is a good book to pick up if you’re look for an easy to read, entertaining mystery. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Leah and Matt are building up to their big day but the past is sure to interfere! Twisty and heart stopping …. You won’t want to put this book down. Read in 2 sittings as couldn’t stay awake!

Out Feb - get it on your list!