Thank you to NetGalley, Inkubator books and the author for this eARC of The Last Wife in exchange for my review.

The last wife is about a struggling artist, Olivia, who is a full time waitress, trying to make it for herself when she comes across Lachlan, a rich man looking for love. She is swooped by him immediately and they are married within 6 months, then Lachlan gets weird…. He seems like he’s a raging control freak, is this the man Olivia fell in love with?

I breezed through this book in a day, it is a very easy read, in saying this it has a very similar plot line to many thrillers and you can tell how the book is going to play out by a few chapters in.

A perfect thriller with a great plot and amazing twists. I read this in one sit as I just couldn’t stop and had to finish it

Oh my goodness what an amazing book. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire thing. Easily giving this five stars and will be recommending to everyone!

Olivia's life is stuck in a rut waitressing and trying to make ends meet but when she meets Lachlan are things about to change for the better for her. He is a wealthy man and likes to show Olivia, they move in together and get married. This is the life that Olivia always dreamed of until now when Lachlan starts acting strangely and making Olivia obey some weird rules he has for her. As Lachlan starts to drag Olivia down, will she be able to escape but what Olivia does not realise is things are about to get a lot worse. Overall I think it was a good story, I did feel in parts that it dragged a bit, but I was invested in the story as I wanted to know where it would lead. The characters really made this story come alive, especially Lachlan acting all lovely at the start and then showing his true colours later on. It made me feel on edge, suspicious and hope that Olivia would be ok. I could not believe the ending. It was a good read.

This was a quick read about a wife and a controlling and abusive husband. The plot was pretty basic but felt unrealistic, especially towards the end. There were a few things I had questions about that were never explained, and the ending felt rushed. Despite these issues, the book was well written and kept me entertained. I definitely recommend for a quick and entertaining read.

First, thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for this ARC!

It was one of those fairytale beginning we knew from romantic movies when waitress Olivia meets Lachlan Gibson. Followed by a fairytale weedding. It all is a dream coming true for Olivia.... untli she has to wake up. Because Lachlan is not who she thinks he is...

Another very great read! Like, sure, the idea of the story is no new one. But I still did enjoy this twisty ride from start to finish and do very much recommend it!

Olivia meets Lachlan Gibson while she is in an abusive relationship. He removes her from the relationship and sweeps her off her feet.
He helps her reach her dream of being an artist.
After a whirlwind relationship, she marries him and they move to his family home, where she finds out exactly how controlling he is, and realises he has many secrets.


Good plot, and engrossing, although it is a typical psychological thriller about a controlling man. Every character has their secrets, Olivia is totally taken in by Lachlan. She has a very different plan for their future, but is a weak person who allows herself to be bullied.

3/5 stars from me.

Thank you Inkubator Books and NetGalley for an early copy of The Last Wife. I have never heard of this author and now I just want him to keep writing books!!!! My heart pounded at the end of nearly every chapter. This was PHENOMENAL, a GREAT read!!! The plot was Insane, Lachlan was one of the sickest characters I have ever read about. Could Not get enough of this story. Fantastic!. Also the cover was eye catching. Thank you again.

This book was really crazy I hated Lachlan the whole time reading this book he was a controlling narcissist man I really hated that he did these women the way he did and was able to get away with it because every character was in on the scam with him he was sick !! All that to say I loved every minute of it this is an easy 5 star read

This was a brilliant book!
As soon as I saw it listed I was hoping I would be accepted! Thank you for the ARC copy of this I really appreciate it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Review Title: The Perfect Husband… Until He Isn’t

Full Review:
This book snatched me right from the opening line with a promise of death—and delivered on that suspense in the best way.

The Last Wife is perfectly paced, with short, snappy chapters that kept me flipping pages like my life depended on it. McGregor’s use of cliffhangers is chef’s kiss, and the banter between Olivia and Lachlan? HILARIOUS. You think you’re walking into a romance? Nope—this is a psychological trap you won’t see coming.

Watching Olivia slowly uncover the truth about Yasmin, Lachlan’s dead wife, was so gripping. The twist that Olivia is becoming her without realizing it? Creepy, calculated, and brilliantly plotted. I genuinely loved how the characters were crafted—not a single one felt flat. They were mysterious and dynamic, each one pulling me further into this eerie small-town setup.

The only thing I wanted more of was insight into Lachlan’s neighbor and that sweet little boy—I would’ve loved even a glimpse into their heads. But honestly? The ending made up for it. Satisfying, twisty, and full-circle in a way I didn’t expect.

A dark domestic thriller that asks: What happens when Prince Charming is hiding a cage behind the castle gates?

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC!

3.5/5

The Last Wife started strong with a fast-paced opening that reminded me of authors like Freida McFadden and John Marrs -- immediate tension, quick character chemistry, and an intriguing setup. I was hooked early on.

However, the momentum didn't quite hold throughout. The middle and latter parts, especially when Olivia was held captive, felt overly drawn out. There were several chapters that repeated the same emotional beats, and while I understand the intent was to portray her fear and desperation, it slowed the pace down significantly and lost some of the suspense for me.

As a thriller fan, I was also hoping for a twist or reveal that would turn things on their head -- but the story unfolded in a pretty straightforward manner without any major surprises. That said, the writing itself was solid, and I can see how readers who enjoy simple, linear thrillers might still appreciate this one.

Overall, it's not a bad read, but it didn't quite deliver the level of psychological suspense I was hoping for.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
With the stellar reviews from other readers, I feel bad that I didn't enjoy the book.
The beginning was enjoyable, Olivia, a waitress, lives with her abusive boyfriend and serves a handsome man in the restaurant she works at and sparks fly. She ends up leaving her boyfriend and moves in with handsome, rich man who treats her like she's precious and they soon marry. That's when the book started to feel familiar, I just knew how it would end up and skipped through the rest to the end and I was right.

I absolutely flew through The Last Wife! From the first page, I was completely hooked and couldn’t put it down. It’s one of those books where you keep saying “just one more chapter” until suddenly it’s the middle of the night.

The story is gripping and twisty, with just the right amount of suspense. Even though you kind off know the bad guy in the story, there are still plenty of surprises that kept me on edge. I really liked how the characters felt real, and I was rooting for Olivia the whole way through.

If you enjoy fast-paced domestic thrillers, this one’s for you.

Olivia is a waitress, living with bare minimum wages and abusive boyfriend until he meets rich and handome Lachlan; her life takes a 360 degree turn after the quick and almost immediate wedding. Starting her life in Roseford she soon finds out deep and dark secrets of Lachlan and finds out her husband's past might be a threat to her sanity and her life.

I finished this book in 24 hours, it's the first book I finished so quickly. I was totally on the edge of my seat throughout the book.
We know the bad guy right from the starting; red flags all over but I loved how it was written, the way emotions were expressed throughout the book, coversation between the characters, everything was very well written
Waiting to read other books from the author.
A book about power, obsession and survival.
Thank you so much for giving me ARC to read this book!

OMG This book was SO good!!! I literally read it in one day. I could not put it down. The first page draws you in and it is non-stop pacing until the end. Even though you know from the start who the “bad guy” is…there were still twists you didn’t see coming. A few times I thought had some things figured out, but I was wrong.

The great part is, you might initially think the premise to be a bit unbelievable. Yet the way McGregor writes and weaves the story so successfully, it makes perfect sense, and you could absolutely see everything happening exactly the way that it does. I don’t want to give spoilers… but the characters were each fantastic. And each time I thought that Olivia’s situation couldn’t get any worse, McGregor deftly says, wanna bet? And then pushes the story to places I didn’t see coming.

This is my first time reading Matt McGregor, but it definitely won’t be my last. I absolutely recommend The Last Wife if you love a good domestic suspense thriller.

If you like a tightly plotted, clever story with razor sharp dialogue, characters that pop off the page, and a twist so chilling you’ll be reaching for a blanket to wrap yourself in, then this is a book for you!

I raced through it, it consumed me in its pages... A shocking conclusion which left me gobsmacked... Brilliant... HOOKS YOU FROM THE START. LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!’

It was delightful and thrilling read kept me hooked... I found myself glued to the book! I’d highly recommend this book!