Fun, twisty story with a spooky element! Maggie is around 50 years old and has recently lost her husband. She lives in a small English village but has never been able to get to know her neighbors. Her husband locked her in the cottage every day and was abusive, mean and very controlling. Now that he was gone it might be her chance to finally have a life. Or is it? Maggie starts by going for a simple walk and sees a sign for a psychic dinner to be held at a local pub. Going to the dinner creates the means for Maggie to finally get a new life but it may also be unleashing something evil.

I enjoyed reading about shy, sensitive Maggie and was happy that she quickly made friends with young mother Alyssa and fellow widow Beth. In time she adopts a sweet dog named Benji and even gets a job at the local pub. She also meets Gary, a nice, solid man who is feeling like a third wheel in the house he shares with his son and daughter in-law. Maggie thinks her life is going well except for the strange things happening at her cottage. She smells her dead husband's after shave, things are moved or broken and the poor dog is constantly on edge. Is this something supernatural or is something else going on?

I liked the twists and turns and didn't guess all of them as I flew through the pages of this book. I really enjoyed this one. Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

The Widow’s Husband
I devoured this twisted thriller in one day!
A very captivating mystery with the paranormal thrown in and a surprise ending I did not see coming!
5 stars

Natasha Boydell does it again! Maggie is newly widowed and is dealing with the loss of her husband, Frank. The author starts at a moderate pace, introducing the background of various characters. The conclusion of this book was shocking because when you think you have it figured out, you don't. If you like British thrillers, you should read this. It's a page-turner with fleshed-out characters. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Boydell.

that make you not want to put the book down, if you love twisty psychological books. then this one is for you,

Thaknks netgalley and boldwood books. all thougts are my own

I’d rate this one 3.5 stars. I really liked the main theme of a possible haunted house. Is the house haunted? Is Maggie crazy? Is someone out to get her? I had so many questions. I liked Maggie’s character, she was easy to route for and it was nice seeing her grow as a person and make some new friends. The book did go at a slower pace than I prefer and some stuff felt repetitive. That very last twist got me. I did not see that coming at all. I love when you think it’s over and one more thing comes flying out of no where.

The Widow's Husband by Natasha Boydell is a tense and captivating thriller.
This was a very good read it’s has plenty of twists and throughout that make you not want to put the book down. The story itself was suspenseful and enjoyable, The characters were great and the style of writing was perfect.
Boydell masterfully creates an atmosphere of tension and unease, making you question everything and everyone. If you're a fan of twisty, edge-of-your-seat thrillers, this book is a must-read.

The Widow's Husband by Natasha Boydell was a great psychological thriller full of twists and turns throughout that will have you hooked from the very beginning till the very end. It was a book that I started and had to finish, I am so glad I had a chance to read it. I loved it.

Maggie has just started venturing out of her house at last. It has been years since she has walked out of her front door, today is the day! She was being held as a virtual prisoner by her controlling husband, Frank, Yes! she’s now free.
Little steps and Maggie starts to take little walks in the village, so much courage to do this as she smiles at strangers as she passes them and feeling overwhelmed when they smile back at her.

Then, on one of her walks, she finds herself drawn to a poster in the window of the local pub, it is advertising an evening with a psychic. Sadly Maggie doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but something is calling her and she decides it is the perfect place to finally meet some friends and move on to the next step of her new life.

When she see's the psychic she has news for Maggie. She tells her that Frank is back, and that he’s got a message for her.
Then, after she receives this message strange things starts to happen!
Now, Maggie can’t help but wonder. . . . . Does someone have it in for her?
Or
Could Frank have found a way to come back for her?

But, Maggie needs to remember Frank is dead!

This book was a superb read and I highly recommend it.

Amazing book and so many twists! I really enjoyed this and couldn’t put it. I’ve already recommended it to everyone I know that loves to read

The Widow’s Husband is a psychological thriller that will have you questioning if ghosts are real.

I found the book to be long and drawn out, with twists only occurring right at the very end. I didn’t seem to gel with the main character which made the book somewhat difficult to read, and resulting in me not really caring what happened to her. However, ironically, this may have been the authors intention as it feeds into the main characters low self esteem and paranoia.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by Natasha Boydell and she loves delivering stories with creepy themes. I loved the writing in this one too. The atmosphere was created well. A haunted house thrown in with paranormal theme did draw the backdrop very well. And Frank was a thoroughly devilish character. Even in his absence his presence was felt. I loved the bonding between Maggie and her friends. And I learnt something new about psychic dinners since I was not aware of that as a concept. While this was a good thriller, I was able to predict quite a few things correctly including the main subplot and hence I did not like this as much as my first read by the author - The Doll’s House. If you are in for reading a thriller set up in a small village with paranormal bits, you will enjoy this.

Well, that was not what I expected at all….
Maggie has finally escaped the trappings of her abusive husband Frank after
he dies from health complications. She has no confidence from the abuse Frank has given her for 30years of marriage so feels she isn’t worthy of anything or anyones time. One day Maggie decides enough is enough and she must try to get her life back so takes a wander into the village and greets other walkers, and signs up to a psychic event at the pub.
Not expecting anything from the psychic medium that evening Maggie is surprised when Frank comes through letting her know something only he would know, when she goes home she hunts for said item mentioned and finds it where Franks has stated, but this is only the beginning…… strange things start happening at her cottage leaving her unnerved and wanting to find out why Frank is messing with her, question is - how can a ghost do the things that are happening?

What is Franks problem with Maggie moving on???
Is his presence to blame or something more sinister

I love this author so of course I picked this up. It is a little tiny bit repetitive but it works for the story. I loved Maggie. She has been through it and now she is finally free, but is she?
The book was delightful and weird.

This book is about Maggie, a new widow who doesn’t believe her abusive and controlling husband Frank has actually gone. Maggie comes across as a vulnerable character and you wanted to give her a cuddle after everything she’s been through! I liked how she developed a friendship with Gary, Beth and Alyssa, who are all really supportive of her. This book kept me hooked and wanting to know what happened next. I really liked the chapters that spoke about Maggie’s past and what she was like before Frank. The twist at the end had me gobsmacked!! A great book which I would recommend!

📆 single non-linear timeline
👀 single POV
🐢 -🐇 fast paced
💬 "it's our challenges that make us stronger. They make us who we are"

Wow, this fast paced psychological thriller was exactly what I needed to read. Although starting it at 1am was not a good idea! I thought I had it all sussed out, but also thought I must be wrong as it felt so obvious, was I right or wrong? I'm not going to say, but the twists kept me guessing to the very end and the tension kept me on the edge of my seat.

I can't work out if Maggie's naivety was endearing, or infuriating. Maybe a bit of both. I thought that all the characters were well written and believable, or at least as believable as characters in a psychological thriller fiction ever are.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic read and I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author in future.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, Maggie is finally free from a controlling, coercive, abusive 30 year marriage after her husband Frank dies, she's finally free to start her life again, leave the shackles of being imprisoned in her own home by the man who was suppose to love and protect her but just as starts to begin her new life, makes new friends, even gets a job it all starts to go wrong, from the innocent enough message from the psychic, the feeling of being watched & followed, strange happenings in her home; they all point to the return of Frank, but Frank's dead; right?

I really liked Maggie and hated seeing her so helpless and scared, I found myself so frustrated on her behalf, the author did a great job with the supporting characters, I changed back & forth on how I felt about most of them, trusted them then suspected them and back again. There was a lot of suspense, surprises and red herrings throughout and I have to say I was very surprised by the twist at the end, it was definitely one I hadn't considered.

This was a very easy read that hooked me right from the beginning, great characters, lots of thrills and twists, a very engaging & compelling read.

This was a pretty easy, satisfying read. Maggie has been recently widowed. Her husband, Frank, was mentally abusive throughout their entire marriage. They married young, and very quickly. They did not know each other very well- for Maggie it was insta-love. Frank. not so much. He liked to control what she wore, if she worked- and then he got very mentally abusive. Maggie has been stuck in her house since is death about a year ago. She feels like he is still around, and there seems to be gaps in her short term memory (did she actually make 2 cups of coffee??)- or is she being haunted? One day, she suddenly decides to go out, and joins a psychic medium night at the local restaurant. There she meets Beth, Alyssa, and Gary. They form a friend group- and this is where the fun begins!

The story is well written, and although is starts a little slow at the beginning, I felt that this was the perfect approach for this story. We get to really know Maggie- then and now-, along with the other characters. As strange things keep happening, I began to suspect each of her friends, while also thinking Frank might still be alive. It kept my attention, and when it started amping up in pace, I was hooked. And the twist at the end? I was suspicious of one thing- but this caught me a little off guard!

I really liked Maggie. She confronts her demons, and decides to take control of her life and realize that nothing was her fault. However, I did find the change from agoraphobic to social butterfly a little head jolting. It happens in a day, with no setbacks. That is the only thing that truly bothered me.

Overall, this is a very good quick read thriller- perfect for a summer read! This is my 2nd Boydell book, and I enjoyed it as much as the first!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you Boldwood books and Netgalley for this ARC! After Maggie's abusive husband Frank dies she needs to get on with her life. After mustering the strength to finally leave her house after a few months, she sets out on a new life, finally making friends and getting a job. But does the departed Frank want her to get on with her life? Strange happenings start around the house and she can smell his aftershave around her. Can the dead still torture you from the great beyond? In this gripping story can Maggie finally set herself free? With a couple whiplash twists you won't be disappointed in this tale and the coming of age finally for Maggie!

Maggie is a character that comes alive from the telling of this story. After the death of frank she is a shell of a woman with no confidence. Through slow steps she gathers a group of friends not to mention Benji a devoted four legged friend. Despite this the house which should be her home does not feel safe and Maggie is constantly fearful of the presence of frank. The story starts slowly and builds. Are her friend her friends and will she ever be free of Frank. Thoroughly enjoyable read 💜

Natasha Boydell's "The Widow's Husband" is a suspenseful psychological thriller that masterfully combines mystery with a creepy touch of the supernatural. The novel follows Maggie, who is just released from her domineering husband, Frank, who has just passed away. Her freedom, however, is fleeting, as supernatural events haunt her house, and she wonders whether Frank has discovered a way to come back and torment her or if something else sinister is happening.

The writer weaves a suspenseful, quick-paced story that has people sitting on the edge of their seats. The feeling of apprehension hangs heavy as Maggie struggles with her own traumatic history and the mounting strange events. The writer is masterful at adding in surprising twists and turns that render it virtually impossible to guess the real perpetrator or the final outcome. While others may find the conclusion a bit jarring, the ride is certainly addictive, presenting a gripping and highly immersive read. Freida McFadden fans will probably inhale this twisty story.

Maggie is coming to terms with the death of her abusive husband. Alone and isolated in a small village, she decides she has no choice but to go out into the world to make connections with people. Soon she meets a nice group of friends and she feels that maybe things are looking up for her. The problem is her husband won't stay dead. He haunts her every waking moment and she has no peace.

I liked Maggie's character and how she kept trying to force herself out of her comfort zone to try new things and meet people, despite being terrified. Her inner monologue will resonate with anyone who has given themselves a pep talk!

We get to see the past and present from Maggie's pov and this worked really well at bringing the story together and building the tension.

The story pulled me in as I tried to figure out what was going on. The author did a great job of pulling it all together. It was well done and nicely paced.

Overall and enjoyable read.