Allison has married for money not love. When her husband dies, she has mixed emotions but could she also be hiding a terrible secret…?
The Widow is a psychological thriller set in London.
The majority of the book is set in present day London from Allison’s thrid person perspective. Allison is desperate to improve her life and marry for money. Peter sweeps her off her feet with champagne and expensive dinners. Their marriage is perfect to the outside world but she resents his behaviour. His sudden death brings relief but also fresh problems.
Other parts of the book are also set in the present but show us Jo’s point of view. She wants revenge on Allison for something in their past. She carefully plans to inveigle herself into Allison’s life but her exact motive and intention remains unclear. This raises the tension as we imagine the link between the two women.
Both women are compelling and convincing. I really didn’t know who to trust as both are unpredictable and untrustworthy narrators. In the final third of the book there is a situation which unites them in an extraordinary way and I had no idea how the shocking circumstance would resolve itself.
Some chapters also show a first person view of the past and a dreadful childhood trauma. This has a huge emotional hold on me as we see a child suffer at the hands of their own actions but also bullying by other children. I did feel that the ending and explanation of the relationship between the women was easy to predict but this did not spoil my enjoyment at all. There were twists right up until the final page so read and enjoy!
The Widow is a tense and twisty thriller that I loved!
Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound. She originally comes from Dublin but now livesin Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years. Her first thriller for Boldwood was published in August 2022.