This book was an ok read I found. Not very exciting but it did keep me reading till the end. The main character was likeable and I enjoyed the description of the scenery. Sorry I couldn't be more positive about the book.

I did not finish this book. I had a hard time getting into it and staying engaged after 30% :( I kept reading thinking it was more of a slow start for me, but I just couldn’t get into it. I’m sorry!

Twisty thriller set in the shadow of Mount Etna in Sicily. The author said this was inspired by the novel "Rebecca" and it has a touch of that story about a wife that hovers over the life of the new woman on the scene. Sophie is British and arrived in Sicily to teach art after the death of her husband. Sophie is very naive and also paranoid at times which sometimes made it hard to root for her. Once she see volcanology professor Emilio, it is love at first sight and despite her neighbor Abbi's request for caution, she goes all in on a romance with the handsome Emilio. Emilio is intelligent and sweet, but also hard to pin down and often late or missing for dates. When he takes Sophie to his luxury home for a date, she finds out he is still married and his annoying sister in-law is hanging out in the house, ready to cause trouble. Emilio's wife Gina is away studying volcanos in Hawaii but Sophie sees her everywhere as the house is filled with her portrait lining the walls and her perfume fills every room. Emilio tells Sophie he and Gina are divorcing but she won't return home to sign the papers.

The mystery portion starts with a strange person smoking on a balcony across from Sophie and the feeling she is being followed, and the fact that Gina appears to be missing Gina sister implies that Emilio did something to her sister in order to inherit her fortune. . Sophie doesn't know who to believe as she tries to navigate her new relationship with Emilio even as he is treated like a suspect by the police and those around her. I found the interplay between the various characters interesting but the best part of the book was the descriptions of Sicily and the volcano as a backdrop. I especially enjoyed the scenes in Taormina with the ash, grayness and stillness are everywhere, making Sophie feel trapped. . The ending surprised me! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for review.

Quick, gripping thriller set in beautiful Sicily. I enjoyed this ride, though I wanted to smack some sense into the characters multiple times. The plot kept me guessing and wondering how the threads would come together at the end and I was not disappointed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Well this captured my interest right at the beginning and reeled me in like fish flapping about in all different directions of thoughts. When I landed on firm soil I couldn’t breath, this was a crazy good utterly brilliantly thought out thriller.

I thought the author planned the plot like the character planned their thrilling parts they took.
I thought Emilio was quite an evasive character anyway so I thought aha maybe he’s hiding stuff, then there was his first wife’s sister, what a woman! These characters were so well known to me by the end that I thought I had figured it out. Nope, some very amusing scenes in this too if you have a warped mind like mine

Quick entertaining read brilliant dialect and clear.

This is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller!!
Absolutely loved the characters, the plot, the tension - impossible to put it down.
Certainly recommended

Dnf for me at 55%. Very slow, very boring... The story didn't impress me at all.... I wanted something to happen.... But no

Another great read from Sue Watson. A fast paced thriller with lots of twists and a great ending. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is an author I love for her domestic suspense novels. This fits in the popcorn thriller genre where it is quick paced and short.

I didn't like the characters, but that isn't always a deal breaker in a thriller. I was always wanting to smack Sophie around as she was quite naive at times and made so many terrible decisions, but I wanted to know a little more about what was going on with her new beau. He almost seemed too obvious to be that bad of a character, but then I'd think maybe not.

This one kept me on my toes and I breezed through it.

Polly Edsell is a new to me narrator, but she did a great job bringing the right vibe and atmosphere to this twisty suspense novel.

His First Wife is a psychological thriller by Sue Watson.

A glorious summer teaching job quickly turns into a romantic Sicilian escape where secrets, suspicion, and unsettling truths are afoot. Sophie, falls for the charming, enigmatic Emilio at for awhile everything is perfect. Emilio seems to know how to treat a woman and is attentive to Sophie’s every need.

But the romance is followed by unease and cracks begin to show in their love affair made in heaven. Sophie senses that she is being watched and whispered rumours, and an ominous disappearance add to the unease. There is a dark cloud hanging over their relationship with the mystery of Emilio’s missing first wife and there is also a lack of trust seeping into it.

This is a fast paced page turner that I would rate 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is another fabulous thriller by Sue Watson. I was transported to Sicily and connected quickly with the characters. I enjoyed the various twists and the ending was fantastic. A worthy 5 star read.

Sue Watson delivers a gripping psychological thriller in His First Wife, a story packed with twists, secrets, and unexpected turns that keep readers guessing until the very last page. From the opening chapters, the tension builds steadily, drawing the reader into a tangled web of deception and suspense.

Watson’s storytelling is sharp and deliberate, with each character crafted in vivid detail. As the mystery unfolds, suspicion shifts constantly, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, another revelation changes everything. The pacing is tight, the dialogue compelling, and the emotional undercurrents run deep, making for an immersive reading experience.

The strength of this novel lies not only in its twisty plot but also in the way each character plays a crucial role in the unfolding drama. The narrative remains unpredictable throughout, yet every surprise feels earned. By the time the final pages arrive, the payoff is both satisfying and shocking.

His First Wife is a standout in the domestic suspense genre—smartly written, psychologically intense, and thoroughly addictive.

Another great read from Sue Watson. Twists galore and an ending I wasnt expecting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC in return for an honest review

Sophie has moved to Sicily to restart her life after her husband's passing. She sees a man, Emilio, who takes her breath away and she is determined to find out more about him. When they finally meet Sophie and Emilio hit it off but there are more and more things that seem to be getting in their way. That is until Emilio is offered a yearlong position away from all the chaos and drama. But the question remains, what happened to his first wife?

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!

A women falls in love with the man of her dreams.. But he’s married.. and his wife is missing.. Can she really trust him??

Well! This book was a real experience for all the sense. I could practically feel the sun on my skin and smell the pasta in my bowl.

Perfect company on any sun lounger the beginning was spent slowly building the emotion and tension all to the back drop of Sicily in the sunshine. The character were all instantly dislikeable and definetly brought out some strong feelings in me which is always a good sign in a book 😆

Then the thriller aspects kicked in in the later half. I loved the drama! The end of chapter reveals that read exactly like a soap opera. I could practically hear the DUH DUH DUUUHHHHHHHH sound effect in my head 😆 The end came together perfectly and was satisfying and somewhat unexpected which I LOVED.

Overall a sizzling hot, drama filled relationship thriller that would make PERFECT summer holiday reading. THANK YOU for the early copy 🖤

i was right there in this book. as the location is where my family is visiting at the moment. it made it more real and more eerie. and when my family showed me pictures of their own location as was blurring lines deliciously ha ha.
this is another brilliant thriller though from Sue Watson. she managed to completely take you into her plot and atmosphere. like she is whispering in your ear how to feel and where to get suspicious and anxious.
the pace is quick and its a short enough read that you sweep through it with extra ease.
Sophie my dear, just stop though. stop and think. but i guess thats always easy from the outside looking in. and i did also on the flip side feel for her. her vulnerabilities were making her vulnerable. and its only the bad people that are to blame for taking that as an in. she was an intriguing character in herself. you were never quite sure...
Abby has me hooked. i wanted to know where her place in the story would be.
a thriller like this eis brilliant when the suspense is so fuelled by your emotions both in people and plot.
just who is innocent in this book. what about the wife? who is following who? who is keeping what from whom? is it all we think. nope. and you'll love it when you are surprised.
clever books make fab read.

Thank you to @tandemcollectiveuk for having me on this readalong.

From the beginning this book will grip you and you won't be able to put it down.

Sophie has come to Italy away from the UK to escape her past that we are not 100 % certainly of what has happened. She falls for a guy called Emilio who she falls for very quickly but things are not as simple as she thinks. He is married. her friend abbi is a little strange and warns her off Emilio but does she take any notice. A lot of spooky things then start happening to her and she thinks she is being followed and watched by someone in an apartment over the road. As time moves on are people who we really think they are. Where is Gina Emilios wife and why is sabrina her sister always around and who is out to ruin Sophie life???

I got half way though and could not put it down I felt nearly everyone was suspect and could not work out who to belive but I did not see the ending coming.

At the beginning, I struggled to connect with the story. I was annoyed and a tad bit angered at how main character Sophie was so blind to red flags, so easy to fall in love and how she quickly made decisions not in her best interest. Her character was portrayed as insecure, lonely, and emotionally dependent which made it hard for me to like her.

When Sophie meets Emilio, she immediately becomes smitten with him and their relationship progresses fast. I found the character development of Emilio was not very strong but I think this is to keep him mysterious. As a result, I didn’t get to know him very well and found his personality was dull. I really didn’t feel the spark between the two of them and it annoyed me when she ditched her only friend looking out for her over this new whirlwind relationship.

As the book progressed, I found myself becoming more invested. I couldn’t look away. The mystery element was gripping, and I was eager to see how everything would unfold. The plot kept me engaged and the author’s writing style made the journey worthwhile.

Another engrossing read by this author. I've read a few of her books and always enjoy her cast of characters. The setting for this one was great and the twisted storyline had me flipping the pages to find out what was going on.

His First Wife by Sue Watson was another excellent psychological thriller, from start to finish. I just love the way Sue writs and every book I have read by her has been a 5 ⭐️ review and this one was no different. His First Wife was full of twists and turns I found it hard to put it done and I ended up reading it till the very end! Superb read.

I highly recommend this latest book by Sue. A great holiday read. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Read.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Thomas & Mercer for my ARC.