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Other Women
A husband. A wife. A lover. Each has a secret they’d kill to protect . . .
From the author of Little Deaths, shortlisted for the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, comes the sensational Other Women. Mesmerising, haunting and utterly remarkable, Other Women is inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago. A devastating story of fantasy, obsession, and ultimately the lengths we will go to in order to save the ones we love.
Six years after the end of the Great War, the country is still in mourning. Thousands of husbands, fathers, sons and sweethearts were lost forever, and the sea of women they left behind must carry on without them.
But Beatrice Cade is not a wife, not a widow, not a mother. There are thousands of other women like her: nameless and invisible. Determined to carve out a richer and more fulfilling life for herself, Bea takes a job in the City and a room in a Bloomsbury ladies’ club. Then a fleeting encounter changes everything. Her emerging independence is destroyed when she falls in love for the first time.
Kate Ryan is a wife, a mother, and an accomplished liar. She has managed to build an enviable life with her husband and young daughter. To anyone looking in from the outside, they seem like a normal, happy family.
On the south coast of England, an anguished moment between lovers becomes a horrific murder. And two women who should never have met are connected forever.
Mesmerising, haunting and utterly remarkable, Other Women is inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago. A devastating story of fantasy, obsession, and ultimately the lengths we will go to in order to save the ones we love.
From the author of Little Deaths, shortlisted for the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, comes the sensational Other Women. Mesmerising, haunting and utterly remarkable, Other Women is inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago. A devastating story of fantasy, obsession, and ultimately the lengths we will go to in order to save the ones we love.
Six years after the end of the Great War, the country is still in mourning. Thousands of husbands, fathers, sons and sweethearts were lost forever, and the sea of women they left behind must carry on without them.
But Beatrice Cade is not a wife, not a widow, not a mother. There are thousands of other women like her: nameless and invisible. Determined to carve out a richer and more fulfilling life for herself, Bea takes a job in the City and a room in a Bloomsbury ladies’ club. Then a fleeting encounter changes everything. Her emerging independence is destroyed when she falls in love for the first time.
Kate Ryan is a wife, a mother, and an accomplished liar. She has managed to build an enviable life with her husband and young daughter. To anyone looking in from the outside, they seem like a normal, happy family.
On the south coast of England, an anguished moment between lovers becomes a horrific murder. And two women who should never have met are connected forever.
Mesmerising, haunting and utterly remarkable, Other Women is inspired by a murder that took place almost a hundred years ago. A devastating story of fantasy, obsession, and ultimately the lengths we will go to in order to save the ones we love.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 2023
127 people are currently reading
2574 people want to read
About the author
Emma Flint
2 books143 followersEmma Flint grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne in north east England. She studied English and History at the University of St Andrews and is a graduate of the Faber Academy Writing Program in London. Since childhood, Flint has read reports of real-life crimes, and over the years has developed an encyclopedic knowledge of murder cases and notorious historical figures, as well as a fascination with unconventional women - past, present, and fictional. Flint lives and works in London.
(Source: Piper Verlag)
(Source: Piper Verlag)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
December 6, 2022
It’s six years since the end of the Great War and the ladies in the typing pool eagerly anticipate the arrival of new employee Mr Thomas Ryan. As he walks in he smiles at Beatrice Cade and that smile sure does something to her! Beatrice is 37, unmarried and lives in a ladies club in Bloomsbury. Then there’s Kate Ryan, Thomas’ wife who presents a good face to the world of the state of their marriage, in particular to their daughter Judith. This is an extremely dramatic, well written story of a love triangle with the focus being on the impact of it on both women. It’s told in alternating perspectives by Beatrice in the third person and by Kate in the first which makes for a fascinating contrast.
This riveting read is based on a true story which seems to add an extra dimension. I love the way it’s written with the tone changing as the novel progresses as our understanding of events and both women deepens. At the beginning we view a trial and it’s drama is captured in sharp, staccato, snappy sentences matching the eager anticipation of those about to devour the proceedings. As the trial progresses the morality of the times clarifies and the position of women in the 1920’s is made transparent with male control especially seen in the all male jury. The tone here is judgemental and harsh though via Kate there are some small shoots of change. In the early sections of the book there’s plenty of colour but this changes as events unfold and things take a darker turn. This constantly changing tone keeps you interested and utterly absorbed making it a hard book to put down.
The contrasting points of view of the two females is gripping and both are emotional rollercoasters. Beatrice demonstrates the status and societies perception of unmarried women especially as they age and her reactions to Thomas are perhaps unsurprising although those feelings undergo changes. Conversely, Kate has growing despair and you really feel the emotional impact on her with her actions being understandable. Both are memorable characters and are exceptionally well portrayed.
The pace quickens towards the end with multiple twists as it builds to an inevitable but shocking conclusion.
Overall, I think this is a terrific book, a five star winner with an ever changing plot that keeps you absorbed. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This riveting read is based on a true story which seems to add an extra dimension. I love the way it’s written with the tone changing as the novel progresses as our understanding of events and both women deepens. At the beginning we view a trial and it’s drama is captured in sharp, staccato, snappy sentences matching the eager anticipation of those about to devour the proceedings. As the trial progresses the morality of the times clarifies and the position of women in the 1920’s is made transparent with male control especially seen in the all male jury. The tone here is judgemental and harsh though via Kate there are some small shoots of change. In the early sections of the book there’s plenty of colour but this changes as events unfold and things take a darker turn. This constantly changing tone keeps you interested and utterly absorbed making it a hard book to put down.
The contrasting points of view of the two females is gripping and both are emotional rollercoasters. Beatrice demonstrates the status and societies perception of unmarried women especially as they age and her reactions to Thomas are perhaps unsurprising although those feelings undergo changes. Conversely, Kate has growing despair and you really feel the emotional impact on her with her actions being understandable. Both are memorable characters and are exceptionally well portrayed.
The pace quickens towards the end with multiple twists as it builds to an inevitable but shocking conclusion.
Overall, I think this is a terrific book, a five star winner with an ever changing plot that keeps you absorbed. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
February 27, 2023
Other women gave Emma Flint's
"Other Women" 5-star reviews.
I did not.
WHY?
Perhaps my expectations were set too high.
In 2017, I read Emma Flint's "Little Deaths", a fictionalized true crime account of a New York waitress falsely accused of murdering her two young children in the 1960s.
"Little Deaths" was a riveting and emotionally traumatizing 10-star read.
Like its predecessor, "Other Women" was also a fictionalized account of a true crime.
"Other Women" was based on the 1924 grisly murder and dismembering of pregnant Emily Kaye in a Sussex bungalow by Patrick Mahon, a philandering husband.
It's interesting to note that in 1924, officers were not outfitted with gloves and were forced to retrieve Emily Kaye's dismembered remains for analysis with their bare hands. (Eew!!!)
After the Mahon murder investigation, rubber gloves became standard equipment at UK murder scenes.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK:
1) The book was based on an intriguing and gruesome crime.
2) I liked the way the book unfolded from the contrasting two POVs of the murdered lover and the murderer's wife.
3) The trial was compelling.
4) I enjoyed listening to the author's comments at the end of the book.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
1) The murdered lover's POV was very, very, very S-L-O-W and repetitive. How many times did readers have to listen to a woman lusting for a married man?????
2) The book FINALLY started to "pick up" at the 50% mark.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook and the narration was good but not great.
2 stars, rounded up.
"Other Women" 5-star reviews.
I did not.
WHY?
Perhaps my expectations were set too high.
In 2017, I read Emma Flint's "Little Deaths", a fictionalized true crime account of a New York waitress falsely accused of murdering her two young children in the 1960s.
"Little Deaths" was a riveting and emotionally traumatizing 10-star read.
Like its predecessor, "Other Women" was also a fictionalized account of a true crime.
"Other Women" was based on the 1924 grisly murder and dismembering of pregnant Emily Kaye in a Sussex bungalow by Patrick Mahon, a philandering husband.
It's interesting to note that in 1924, officers were not outfitted with gloves and were forced to retrieve Emily Kaye's dismembered remains for analysis with their bare hands. (Eew!!!)
After the Mahon murder investigation, rubber gloves became standard equipment at UK murder scenes.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK:
1) The book was based on an intriguing and gruesome crime.
2) I liked the way the book unfolded from the contrasting two POVs of the murdered lover and the murderer's wife.
3) The trial was compelling.
4) I enjoyed listening to the author's comments at the end of the book.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:
1) The murdered lover's POV was very, very, very S-L-O-W and repetitive. How many times did readers have to listen to a woman lusting for a married man?????
2) The book FINALLY started to "pick up" at the 50% mark.
I listened to the full-cast audiobook and the narration was good but not great.
2 stars, rounded up.
November 23, 2022
2.5 stars
A rather disappointing follow-up to Flint's brilliant Little Deaths (2017), this once again reconstructs in fiction a real-life crime, this time from the 1920s. Sadly, I felt that everything felt predictable and rather clichéd from the straightforward prose style to the way the story hits every expected milestone. There's a slow start, two alternating narratives from the POV of the two women in the story, a pretty lacklustre trial scene and an attempt to offer up some agency and a 'twist' towards the end.
Most of all, the vivid characterisation that made Little Deaths such a memorable book for me just isn't on show here. None of the characters are complicated and generally fit well-worn stereotypes: Bea is a thirty-seven year old lonely woman who feels invisible... until a charming lothario seduces her. Kate is the long-suffering wife who has turned a blind eye to her husband's wanderings... until she doesn't. And Tom just doesn't have the inner life to make us understand his actions: why, for example, does this slick and handsome charmer who attracts women's glances everywhere he goes, decide to set his sights on the quiet, anxious and older Bea who's a secretary in his office? Just because he can? The set-up feels like it needs more thought to make it credible. It almost feels like he's a chancer from another book who strings along an older woman in order to get his hands on her money... only Bea doesn't have any. So why does he choose her? For the unquestioned adoration?
And then, of course, into this rather puzzling scenario the inevitable happens.
There's only one section where the book feels coherent and gripping, and that's when Tom is first pursuing Bea and we feel her reluctant excitement - after that, it fades back into the expected trajectory. There's isn't even much feel for the time period, 1923/4.
Overall, I felt that this is too agenda-driven with a clear ideological urge to show Kate's agency in punishing the husband who seduced and abandoned Bea - a muted form of female solidarity against masculine violence and disdain. That's fine but it's like all the seams are showing and the characters just aren't given enough life to carry the story. This is fine as a commute book but unsatisfying as a follow-up to Flint's marvellous Little Deaths.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC via NetGalley
A rather disappointing follow-up to Flint's brilliant Little Deaths (2017), this once again reconstructs in fiction a real-life crime, this time from the 1920s. Sadly, I felt that everything felt predictable and rather clichéd from the straightforward prose style to the way the story hits every expected milestone. There's a slow start, two alternating narratives from the POV of the two women in the story, a pretty lacklustre trial scene and an attempt to offer up some agency and a 'twist' towards the end.
Most of all, the vivid characterisation that made Little Deaths such a memorable book for me just isn't on show here. None of the characters are complicated and generally fit well-worn stereotypes: Bea is a thirty-seven year old lonely woman who feels invisible... until a charming lothario seduces her. Kate is the long-suffering wife who has turned a blind eye to her husband's wanderings... until she doesn't. And Tom just doesn't have the inner life to make us understand his actions: why, for example, does this slick and handsome charmer who attracts women's glances everywhere he goes, decide to set his sights on the quiet, anxious and older Bea who's a secretary in his office? Just because he can? The set-up feels like it needs more thought to make it credible. It almost feels like he's a chancer from another book who strings along an older woman in order to get his hands on her money... only Bea doesn't have any. So why does he choose her? For the unquestioned adoration?
And then, of course, into this rather puzzling scenario the inevitable happens.
There's only one section where the book feels coherent and gripping, and that's when Tom is first pursuing Bea and we feel her reluctant excitement - after that, it fades back into the expected trajectory. There's isn't even much feel for the time period, 1923/4.
Overall, I felt that this is too agenda-driven with a clear ideological urge to show Kate's agency in punishing the husband who seduced and abandoned Bea - a muted form of female solidarity against masculine violence and disdain. That's fine but it's like all the seams are showing and the characters just aren't given enough life to carry the story. This is fine as a commute book but unsatisfying as a follow-up to Flint's marvellous Little Deaths.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC via NetGalley
December 25, 2023
This is the rather straightforward story of the murder of 37-year old Beatrice that occurred in London in 1924.
It was far too simple for my taste. I didn't get bored exactly - it is a murder mystery after all - and it reads very fast (also because of many unnecessary repetitions), but the story and the themes are conventional and without surprises.
From the Afterword it seems that the author is under the impression she discovered an amazing murder case which kept London in its grip, triggered innovative breakthroughs in investigation techniques and is very telling about the position of women in that era...But really it's nothing special (or maybe I have read too much true crime...).
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
It was far too simple for my taste. I didn't get bored exactly - it is a murder mystery after all - and it reads very fast (also because of many unnecessary repetitions), but the story and the themes are conventional and without surprises.
From the Afterword it seems that the author is under the impression she discovered an amazing murder case which kept London in its grip, triggered innovative breakthroughs in investigation techniques and is very telling about the position of women in that era...But really it's nothing special (or maybe I have read too much true crime...).
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
November 14, 2025
Based on a real events this focuses less on the perpetrator and more on the women his decisions impact. Not a fast read but a solid character - led delve into the heart of a marriage. Loved it
Read
December 14, 2022Other Women is compelling and twisty, and wonderfully suspenseful, and yet still full of empathy for the female characters.
June 5, 2023
London, 1923. The city is slowly rebuilding itself after the First World War. Beatrice Cade is part of this, having moved here after the deaths of her parents and brother. She’s a quiet and reserved woman, sharing a boarding house with others just like her - the middle aged invisible spinsters, unnoticed by men, passed over for the younger, prettier ones.
But Beatrice has her independence and a good job at Morleys, so there is much to be grateful for. Despite the younger workers there seeing her as stand-offish, she prefers to think of herself as diligent and professional. When a new employee, Mr Ryan, joins the ranks, she is as polite as ever, despite being unused to his charmingly suave manner. Mr Ryan breaks down her barriers and before long, they become friends. But as Beatrice starts to eagerly anticipate their meetings it becomes evident that feelings are growing stronger.
Then there is Kate. A wife and a mother. Living the 1920s dream. Isn’t that what every woman wants? But if you ripple the surface you will find things are far from perfect. And eventually the dream will become a nightmare as these two women become connected in a way they could never begin to imagine.
I read Little Deaths by this author several years ago and it has never left me. So I have waited very impatiently for her second novel. And let me tell you it didn’t disappoint. Emma Flint has an incredible talent of taking you back in time, in such an unbelievably authentic way. The attention to detail is outstanding. For the last few days I have been immersed in 1923 & ‘24, observing these characters and absorbing the time period, savouring every single word.
On top of that there’s a fascinating & very chilling plot, which is, astonishingly, based on a true story from that time. That in itself is remarkable, but what I also found riveting was the depiction of gender during that era. The way these women quickly became hypnotised by men, the desperation of these women to be loved by men - and then of course the arrogance of men to have such a position of power above women.
Other Women is truly magnificent. It’s immersive, thought provoking and compelling. I’ve held onto this proof for a while as I wanted the anticipation of reading it. Now I have to wait for novel number 3!
But Beatrice has her independence and a good job at Morleys, so there is much to be grateful for. Despite the younger workers there seeing her as stand-offish, she prefers to think of herself as diligent and professional. When a new employee, Mr Ryan, joins the ranks, she is as polite as ever, despite being unused to his charmingly suave manner. Mr Ryan breaks down her barriers and before long, they become friends. But as Beatrice starts to eagerly anticipate their meetings it becomes evident that feelings are growing stronger.
Then there is Kate. A wife and a mother. Living the 1920s dream. Isn’t that what every woman wants? But if you ripple the surface you will find things are far from perfect. And eventually the dream will become a nightmare as these two women become connected in a way they could never begin to imagine.
I read Little Deaths by this author several years ago and it has never left me. So I have waited very impatiently for her second novel. And let me tell you it didn’t disappoint. Emma Flint has an incredible talent of taking you back in time, in such an unbelievably authentic way. The attention to detail is outstanding. For the last few days I have been immersed in 1923 & ‘24, observing these characters and absorbing the time period, savouring every single word.
On top of that there’s a fascinating & very chilling plot, which is, astonishingly, based on a true story from that time. That in itself is remarkable, but what I also found riveting was the depiction of gender during that era. The way these women quickly became hypnotised by men, the desperation of these women to be loved by men - and then of course the arrogance of men to have such a position of power above women.
Other Women is truly magnificent. It’s immersive, thought provoking and compelling. I’ve held onto this proof for a while as I wanted the anticipation of reading it. Now I have to wait for novel number 3!
April 17, 2023
"Hadn't I known - hadn't I always known - that he had something terrible inside him, something that lay rotting under the smooth surface of our normal life? I saw glimpses of it sometimes. I thought of his face as he persuaded me, sweet-talked me, into doing things I did not want to do. I thought of how dirty, how shamed I felt afterwards."
4.5. stars
I really enjoyed this book. Based on a real-life murder that took place just after WWI, 'Other Women' tells the story of two women's lives and the fatal love triangle that consumed them. This is a meticuously well written historical crime thriller, that focuses on characterisation and gives a voice to ordinary and forgotten women from history.
I loved the way the story builds up tension by alternating perspectives between the wife, Kate - and the lover, Beatrice - slowly revealing to us the events of the crime that took place. Kate's perspective is told from the point the criminal trial is taking place, whilst Bea's persepective takes us back in time to the events leading up to the crime. Usually, I tend to dislike this style of writing (I groaned when I first saw the POV shifts), as it tends to take me out of the flow of the story, but here it worked perfectly and only added to my enjoyment of the story. The reveals along the way, and the characterisation was really well done. Through Kate and Bea's eyes, we experience both society's unfair treatment of single, aging, child-free women (Bea), as well as the expectations and assumptions placed on married women (Kate). I loved that my feelings about the characters kept changing as more was revealed - how it highlighted the vulnerability of both women - how both were victims of circumstance brought about by the actions of a man. It made me incredibly angry at points to see how both these women were treated. The trial scenes in particular were explosive and had me on the edge of my seat. The only criticism I have is that Tom's character (the husband and womaniser), was never really fleshed out - I understand that Flint was giving a voice to the women here - but I wanted to fully understand the motivations for his actions.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book - it did take me a little while to get into the story, but once i did I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed this combination of true crime and historical fiction (and researching the true crime case it's based on afterwards) - I'm looking forward to reading more by this author in future.
4.5. stars
I really enjoyed this book. Based on a real-life murder that took place just after WWI, 'Other Women' tells the story of two women's lives and the fatal love triangle that consumed them. This is a meticuously well written historical crime thriller, that focuses on characterisation and gives a voice to ordinary and forgotten women from history.
I loved the way the story builds up tension by alternating perspectives between the wife, Kate - and the lover, Beatrice - slowly revealing to us the events of the crime that took place. Kate's perspective is told from the point the criminal trial is taking place, whilst Bea's persepective takes us back in time to the events leading up to the crime. Usually, I tend to dislike this style of writing (I groaned when I first saw the POV shifts), as it tends to take me out of the flow of the story, but here it worked perfectly and only added to my enjoyment of the story. The reveals along the way, and the characterisation was really well done. Through Kate and Bea's eyes, we experience both society's unfair treatment of single, aging, child-free women (Bea), as well as the expectations and assumptions placed on married women (Kate). I loved that my feelings about the characters kept changing as more was revealed - how it highlighted the vulnerability of both women - how both were victims of circumstance brought about by the actions of a man. It made me incredibly angry at points to see how both these women were treated. The trial scenes in particular were explosive and had me on the edge of my seat. The only criticism I have is that Tom's character (the husband and womaniser), was never really fleshed out - I understand that Flint was giving a voice to the women here - but I wanted to fully understand the motivations for his actions.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book - it did take me a little while to get into the story, but once i did I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed this combination of true crime and historical fiction (and researching the true crime case it's based on afterwards) - I'm looking forward to reading more by this author in future.
February 12, 2024
Gripping historical fiction about the murder of a middle aged spinster in post WWI London. The cards were stacked against the truth and the women in this story (and most women of the time). Attitudes, beliefs, and systems all conspired to turn grown women into helpless little girls, and to step over the darkness lying beneath the surface of a charming, handsome man.
The author did an excellent job of bringing multifaceted female characters to life, moving the reader between states of intrigue, pity, and ire.
The author did an excellent job of bringing multifaceted female characters to life, moving the reader between states of intrigue, pity, and ire.
March 10, 2023
A fast paced plot, told in a hugely readable and compelling writing style, I raced through this one.
We follow the stories of Beatrice who is a single woman in her thirties who falls for the charms of a married man, and of Kate Thomas, his wife.
Set in the 1920s, we learn of the societal expectations women faced, what choices they had, how they were unfairly judged and treated… and the devastating effects that had.
The fact this is based on a real murder makes this all the more visceral a reading experience. You can’t help but think back to the real people these characters represent. The real experiences they had, and the reality of the horrors they faced.
Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review, and for hosting the Readalong - the discussions have been fantastic, and I adore how our perceptions and opinions of the characters shifted as the book went along.
Not quite the mystery plot I went into this expecting, but one for true-crime and courtroom drama fans for sure.
We follow the stories of Beatrice who is a single woman in her thirties who falls for the charms of a married man, and of Kate Thomas, his wife.
Set in the 1920s, we learn of the societal expectations women faced, what choices they had, how they were unfairly judged and treated… and the devastating effects that had.
The fact this is based on a real murder makes this all the more visceral a reading experience. You can’t help but think back to the real people these characters represent. The real experiences they had, and the reality of the horrors they faced.
Huge thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review, and for hosting the Readalong - the discussions have been fantastic, and I adore how our perceptions and opinions of the characters shifted as the book went along.
Not quite the mystery plot I went into this expecting, but one for true-crime and courtroom drama fans for sure.
May 3, 2024
Gripping retelling of the 1924 ‘Crumbles’ murder of Emily Kaye by her married lover Patrick Mahon. Tightly plotted, suspenseful and just incredibly sad for both women involved.
January 23, 2023
Way back in October 2017 I read and reviewed Emma Flint's debut novel, Little Deaths. It is an astounding novel and has remained a favourite of mine ever since. I have been waiting patiently for her next novel, and finally, at last, here it is. And what an absolute treat this book is, I devoured it over one weekend.
Based loosely on a real-life murder case from the 1920s, we are thrust into London six years after the end of the first world war.
The story is narrated in the main by the two lead female characters; Bea and Kate. Two very different women who have similar jobs but very different personal lives, yet they become connected in a tragic and horrific way. A way that the reader sees slowly unfold as the novel progresses, yet neither Bea or Kate can imagine the horror that their lives will become.
Bea is early thirties, unmarried and lives in a room in a Ladies Club in Bloomsbury. She works as a typist and is very aware that after the horrors of the war that have left a shortage of young men that she is facing life as a spinster. Well read and intelligent, she's a solitary figure, looked on with pity by the younger girls in her office, yet she has dreams and it becomes clear that she is passionate. When newly appointed salesman Tom arrives in the office for the first time, Bea feels something that she's never felt before, and Tom's knowing glint only encourages her. She falls in love.
Kate is also in her thirties and also works in an office. However, she's a proud mother and wife. Married for thirteen years, with a young daughter, Kate is proud of her family and her house in a middle class area of London.
And then Kate's life begins to crumble when the police knock on her door.
Emma Flint has cleverly structured this story so that the reader is aware of the murder trial from the beginning. Both Bea and Kate's voices are strong and readers will empathise with both of them. As Kate slowly allows herself to realise what she's been trying to hide for years, and Bea's delight and happiness begins to fade, the story becomes quite harrowing and utterly devastating.
The sense of place and the traditions of the era are done superbly. The treatment of women, especially unmarried women, and the almost film-star status given to a man purely because of his looks is wonderfully portrayed. Along with the tea rooms of London, the department stores and the mechanisms of the 1920s office environment, it's a joy to discover.
A novel that raises so many questions, populated by colourful and beautifully constructed characters. It is utterly brilliant. Twisting and full of tension, this is most certainly going to appear on my best books of the year list.
Based loosely on a real-life murder case from the 1920s, we are thrust into London six years after the end of the first world war.
The story is narrated in the main by the two lead female characters; Bea and Kate. Two very different women who have similar jobs but very different personal lives, yet they become connected in a tragic and horrific way. A way that the reader sees slowly unfold as the novel progresses, yet neither Bea or Kate can imagine the horror that their lives will become.
Bea is early thirties, unmarried and lives in a room in a Ladies Club in Bloomsbury. She works as a typist and is very aware that after the horrors of the war that have left a shortage of young men that she is facing life as a spinster. Well read and intelligent, she's a solitary figure, looked on with pity by the younger girls in her office, yet she has dreams and it becomes clear that she is passionate. When newly appointed salesman Tom arrives in the office for the first time, Bea feels something that she's never felt before, and Tom's knowing glint only encourages her. She falls in love.
Kate is also in her thirties and also works in an office. However, she's a proud mother and wife. Married for thirteen years, with a young daughter, Kate is proud of her family and her house in a middle class area of London.
And then Kate's life begins to crumble when the police knock on her door.
Emma Flint has cleverly structured this story so that the reader is aware of the murder trial from the beginning. Both Bea and Kate's voices are strong and readers will empathise with both of them. As Kate slowly allows herself to realise what she's been trying to hide for years, and Bea's delight and happiness begins to fade, the story becomes quite harrowing and utterly devastating.
The sense of place and the traditions of the era are done superbly. The treatment of women, especially unmarried women, and the almost film-star status given to a man purely because of his looks is wonderfully portrayed. Along with the tea rooms of London, the department stores and the mechanisms of the 1920s office environment, it's a joy to discover.
A novel that raises so many questions, populated by colourful and beautifully constructed characters. It is utterly brilliant. Twisting and full of tension, this is most certainly going to appear on my best books of the year list.
January 30, 2023
I was working all weekend, but every chance I got, I had my nose in this outstanding book, and finished it in 2 days. I found it fascinating. This is a purposely short review because I don’t want to give anything away.
Based on a true story, it tells the stories of two women in the life of handsome & dashing, Thomas Ryan - his wife, Kate, and his mistress, Bea. Alternating between the two, it is gripping, fast paced, and full of intrigue - you’ll not want to put it down. The tension that builds is palpitation-worthy.
Emma Flint is an absolute queen of the courtroom drama (her previous book, Little Deaths, is also excellent). In my view, this book is a masterpiece. I absolutely loved it!
Based on a true story, it tells the stories of two women in the life of handsome & dashing, Thomas Ryan - his wife, Kate, and his mistress, Bea. Alternating between the two, it is gripping, fast paced, and full of intrigue - you’ll not want to put it down. The tension that builds is palpitation-worthy.
Emma Flint is an absolute queen of the courtroom drama (her previous book, Little Deaths, is also excellent). In my view, this book is a masterpiece. I absolutely loved it!
October 28, 2025
I absolutely loved this one. The title made me think straight away and during the book about what sort of woman would I have been (or would have been pigeonholed as) at that time, would I have been one of those ‘other women’? There was so much judgement about women at this time, that I just wasn’t aware of. Set in post World War 1, I found it atmospheric and emotional. This was a very enjoyable, amazing book. It was also based on a true story which in my eyes makes it even better. Highly recommended
May 12, 2023
Recommended by a friend, what a great book it was, the story is told by Bea and Kate. The timeline starts in 1923 going through to 1924 Kate is married to Tom and he is also the lover of Bea.
The afterword is well worth reading too giving information on the origins of the story.
Highly recommended
The afterword is well worth reading too giving information on the origins of the story.
Highly recommended
April 5, 2024
A book inspired by real events, 100 years ago, when being murdered by your married lover would basically be your own fault if you were one of those “other women” and he a “respectable family man”. 1920s London so vividly described and the characters so skilfully crafted. Brilliant read and my first 5🌟 of the year.
July 13, 2025
This was a good read, even if a little predictable. Liked that it was based on a true story.
February 11, 2023
Beatrice is one of the women left in limbo after the First World War, when a lack of young men meant that many women were denied the status of marriage. Single, in her late thirties and plain, she works in an office and lives in a women’s club, so when she meets handsome Tom through work and he starts to pay her attention, she soon falls for his charms. He is open about being married but implies he is unhappy, and when they begin an affair, Beatrice imagines a future of love and happiness. Tom’s wife Kate tries to pretend all is well, ignoring his misdeeds and trying to keep up the pretence of happiness for the sake of their young daughter. but he is a seasoned predator and this is getting harder to ignore. This triangle will end in murder and a scandalous court case that will change the lives of everyone involved. The crime was based on a true story but I felt that it was one that is all too familiar and has been told many times before. What did set it apart was the telling of the story through the eyes of Beatrice and Kate, so that their feelings and motivations were clear and I felt empathy for them. I would have liked to have heard Tom’s voice as well, as he was portrayed as a cliched villain who preyed on older, unattractive women, presumably because they were susceptible to him, but that is just implied. The period feel was also done well, with a sense of a dingy, post-war London devoid of much beauty or pleasure., fitting well with story.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2025
Hovering between 4 and 5. Only giving it 4 as I raced through the final pages as i saw what the wife was going to do. I was pleased by the ending but also knew it was coming. Compelling and readable.
September 29, 2024
A work of fiction based in part on a true crime from the 1920’s
November 14, 2023
Having loved Emma Flint’s first novel, Little Deaths, I’m not quite sure why I missed Other Women when it was first published earlier this year, but I was delighted to happen upon a signed hardback in Foyles when I started my Christmas shopping.
As with Little Deaths, Flint has taken inspiration from a true crime case - the murder and dismemberment of Emily Beilby Kaye by Patrick Mahon in 1924. The facts of the case are presented as accurately as possible, but because Flint’s interest is in the internal lives of the murdered woman and of the murderer’s wife, and because we cannot know these from the court materials and newspaper reports, she has created her own characters, Bea Cade and Kate Ryan, and had them face the same appalling treatment from her character Tom Ryan.
The story is told in two timelines - one from 1923-24 in which we see Bea fall in love with Tom and ultimately be murdered, and one in 1924 from the point that the police turn up at the Ryans’ home and Kate becomes aware her husband is accused of murder. The timelines converge in an extremely clever way, so we have the result of the trial and its consequences for Kate but then end the novel with Bea’s death.
In historical fiction, we are always warned against anachronism, but in Other Women we have a shining example of an author re-examining events from a hundred years ago with today’s attitudes. She shines a light on the way women were perceived and often discredited, and the terrible things many wives had to thole in an era when divorce was not really an option. In Tom Ryan we see a predatory man who is able to see himself as a good guy even though he commits truly heinous acts.
I won’t say more for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that this is easily one of the best historical crime novels I’ve read this year.
Three Word Review: wife frees herself.
As with Little Deaths, Flint has taken inspiration from a true crime case - the murder and dismemberment of Emily Beilby Kaye by Patrick Mahon in 1924. The facts of the case are presented as accurately as possible, but because Flint’s interest is in the internal lives of the murdered woman and of the murderer’s wife, and because we cannot know these from the court materials and newspaper reports, she has created her own characters, Bea Cade and Kate Ryan, and had them face the same appalling treatment from her character Tom Ryan.
The story is told in two timelines - one from 1923-24 in which we see Bea fall in love with Tom and ultimately be murdered, and one in 1924 from the point that the police turn up at the Ryans’ home and Kate becomes aware her husband is accused of murder. The timelines converge in an extremely clever way, so we have the result of the trial and its consequences for Kate but then end the novel with Bea’s death.
In historical fiction, we are always warned against anachronism, but in Other Women we have a shining example of an author re-examining events from a hundred years ago with today’s attitudes. She shines a light on the way women were perceived and often discredited, and the terrible things many wives had to thole in an era when divorce was not really an option. In Tom Ryan we see a predatory man who is able to see himself as a good guy even though he commits truly heinous acts.
I won’t say more for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that this is easily one of the best historical crime novels I’ve read this year.
Three Word Review: wife frees herself.
March 3, 2023
Actual rating 3.5.
I’d seen so much hype for this brilliant book that when the lovely @bookbreakuk had a readalong going I jumped straight on board - except it turns out the book was too addictive to actually stick to the readalong with (but that’s a good sign right?!!) 🤣
Based on a true murder that took place almost a hundred years ago, this novel looks at things from the point of view of the women at the heart of the story - the victim and the wife of the accused. Both women are incredibly vulnerable and you can quickly see how they were led astray by the charming Tom - especially Bea, a woman so scared of the fact that she’s of a certain age and single and may soon find herself pushed out of her job for a younger model. Whilst I wouldn’t say she was especially likeable, it was certainly easy to understand her motivations and how she could fall for someone like Tom. I found Kate, his wife, a far more interesting character, whose only motivation was taking care of her daughter, but who could see through Tom. It all certainly made for a really interesting dynamic.
If you’re a woman, I have no doubt you will RAGE at so much of this story and the very limited ways women of this generation were pigeonholed. My blood pressure during the trial chapters must’ve gone through the roof! But it’s so brilliant to finally put real personalities and feelings to these women who were written off as one thing back then, and to give them a voice through this story.
I’d seen so much hype for this brilliant book that when the lovely @bookbreakuk had a readalong going I jumped straight on board - except it turns out the book was too addictive to actually stick to the readalong with (but that’s a good sign right?!!) 🤣
Based on a true murder that took place almost a hundred years ago, this novel looks at things from the point of view of the women at the heart of the story - the victim and the wife of the accused. Both women are incredibly vulnerable and you can quickly see how they were led astray by the charming Tom - especially Bea, a woman so scared of the fact that she’s of a certain age and single and may soon find herself pushed out of her job for a younger model. Whilst I wouldn’t say she was especially likeable, it was certainly easy to understand her motivations and how she could fall for someone like Tom. I found Kate, his wife, a far more interesting character, whose only motivation was taking care of her daughter, but who could see through Tom. It all certainly made for a really interesting dynamic.
If you’re a woman, I have no doubt you will RAGE at so much of this story and the very limited ways women of this generation were pigeonholed. My blood pressure during the trial chapters must’ve gone through the roof! But it’s so brilliant to finally put real personalities and feelings to these women who were written off as one thing back then, and to give them a voice through this story.
January 8, 2023
A triumph from start to finish. This is an exceptionally rendered version in the based on a true story vein. The story itself is, unsurprisingly, very compelling. But the things I loved most were the ways in which Emma Flint inhabited the characters, making them dance and twirl to their own rhythms throughout.
I was also completely swept along by how authentic the historical setting felt, without ever once questioning how it was being done, such was the lightness of touch. No spoilers, but I feel I can also say that this novel has the best use of an author's note I've ever seen. For two days now, this has been one of the first things I've thought about on waking.
This will surely soon be a major film or global TV series. Hopefully Kate Winslet it out there right now working on being Miss Cade.
With many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me see an advance copy of this book.
I was also completely swept along by how authentic the historical setting felt, without ever once questioning how it was being done, such was the lightness of touch. No spoilers, but I feel I can also say that this novel has the best use of an author's note I've ever seen. For two days now, this has been one of the first things I've thought about on waking.
This will surely soon be a major film or global TV series. Hopefully Kate Winslet it out there right now working on being Miss Cade.
With many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me see an advance copy of this book.
May 12, 2024
It was fine.
August 22, 2024
A good read, although one writing choice almost made me reduce the rating altogether. We follow the story of an affair and murder in mid 1920s London from the perspective of Bea, a single woman in her late 30s who falls in love with a charming rake, and Kate, the adulterous rake’s wife. It’s based on a real life murder that got a lot of attention at the time. Bea’s chapters are written in the third person while Kate’s are in the first, as if Kate was the real main character (the author even calls her “the real hero” of the story in the afterword). Only… she wasn’t. In fact, she was a complete nonentity and apart from the fact that Flint needed her perspective to show us the trial, I kept wondering why we even needed her viewpoint.
Too many times she apparently reaches some sort of insight into what kind of a scumbag her husband is and then by the next chapter she’s back to hoping he convinces the jury of his innocence. The detective at one point admiringly calls her determined, which is just a joke. So yeah, the first person perspective was a really bad writing choice and to be honest, I didn’t much care for the post murder chapters whatsoever. Especially because, if you read up on the real life case, Flint somehow managed to make it less realistic: the real life murderer was after his victim’s money while the reason for why the book character starts an affair with the victim is completely unclear, and the real life murder was actually way more terrible than the fictional one.
Why did I still enjoy this then? I loved Bea’s chapters. A single childless woman, not young anymore, who goes to London for a taste of independence only for it to end this way, it was just heartbreaking. The start of the affair is also very well written - you really want to believe she has managed to find true love, even though you obviously know from the start that it’s bound to end in tears.
Too many times she apparently reaches some sort of insight into what kind of a scumbag her husband is and then by the next chapter she’s back to hoping he convinces the jury of his innocence. The detective at one point admiringly calls her determined, which is just a joke. So yeah, the first person perspective was a really bad writing choice and to be honest, I didn’t much care for the post murder chapters whatsoever. Especially because, if you read up on the real life case, Flint somehow managed to make it less realistic: the real life murderer was after his victim’s money while the reason for why the book character starts an affair with the victim is completely unclear, and the real life murder was actually way more terrible than the fictional one.
Why did I still enjoy this then? I loved Bea’s chapters. A single childless woman, not young anymore, who goes to London for a taste of independence only for it to end this way, it was just heartbreaking. The start of the affair is also very well written - you really want to believe she has managed to find true love, even though you obviously know from the start that it’s bound to end in tears.
February 5, 2023
‘Other Women’ by Emma Flint is inspired by the true story of the murder of Emily Kaye in 1924. The narrative viewpoint moves between Bea, Tom Ryan’s lover, and the latter’s wife, Kate.
Post WW1 England does not provide women with the best of opportunities to build a fulfilling life. True, many are taking advantage of the relatively new office posts springing up in every town and city. However, ‘career girls’ are still regarded with suspicion and the main aim is to find a husband and become a mother. Enter Thomas Ryan, a charismatic man who provokes whispers and giggles amongst the young office staff. Nevertheless, it is 37-year-old typist Bea who gains his attention and they begin an affair with disastrous results.
Emma Flint’s portrayal of this determined, lonely woman is excellent. The reader appreciates both her vulnerability, given the power of Tom’s attraction over her, and her bravery as she resolutely stands up to this confident man in a way that no other woman has ever done. Ironically, it is this bravery which eventually inspires her rival to do the same. Kate comes to the conclusion that, whilst it suits the press and the public to see Bea as a seductress, ‘…she did not seduce Tom, any more than I seduced him when I was fifteen and green as grass. She is not capable of seducing anyone – but this is all anyone will know about her.’
This is an extremely well written fictionalised account of a notorious murder trial. Readers who enjoy courtroom scenes will particularly appreciate it. However, most memorable is Flint’s exploration of a hideous imbalance of power between men and women.
My thanks to NetGalley and Picador for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Post WW1 England does not provide women with the best of opportunities to build a fulfilling life. True, many are taking advantage of the relatively new office posts springing up in every town and city. However, ‘career girls’ are still regarded with suspicion and the main aim is to find a husband and become a mother. Enter Thomas Ryan, a charismatic man who provokes whispers and giggles amongst the young office staff. Nevertheless, it is 37-year-old typist Bea who gains his attention and they begin an affair with disastrous results.
Emma Flint’s portrayal of this determined, lonely woman is excellent. The reader appreciates both her vulnerability, given the power of Tom’s attraction over her, and her bravery as she resolutely stands up to this confident man in a way that no other woman has ever done. Ironically, it is this bravery which eventually inspires her rival to do the same. Kate comes to the conclusion that, whilst it suits the press and the public to see Bea as a seductress, ‘…she did not seduce Tom, any more than I seduced him when I was fifteen and green as grass. She is not capable of seducing anyone – but this is all anyone will know about her.’
This is an extremely well written fictionalised account of a notorious murder trial. Readers who enjoy courtroom scenes will particularly appreciate it. However, most memorable is Flint’s exploration of a hideous imbalance of power between men and women.
My thanks to NetGalley and Picador for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
March 5, 2024
I think overall, I enjoyed this book. I can agree with some other reviews that it was a little repetitive and I’ll be honest, I didn’t really like any of the main characters.
I thought Beatrice was too enamored by Tom and she gave up her freedom wayyyyy too fast. Her repetitive notions about how much she loved Tom when he was so obviously a douchbag became annoying :(
I had some initial reservations about Kate but by the end of the book, she was my favorite of the three. Her story was increasingly sad and I really felt for her. She mad many remarks throughout the book about women and how we are treated in society. I think her POV of the trial was fantastic and I set the book down to ponder over her words many times!
And lastly, Tom was a bastard who deserved his fate. Absolutely hated him from the get-go!
I also didn’t think this story was too much a mystery to me, I knew that he killed Beatrice from the beginning. I was honestly a little dissatisfied with the lack of a twist ending lol!
I’m going to give this book 4 stars for two reasons: 1. For Kate because she really was the true heroine of this book. Her character development was phenomenal and you could really see as she changed throughout the trial. She was no longer the devoted wife who lied for her husband, but instead now a woman who took charge of her fate and stood up for what was right. 2. I love a cliffhanger and the very, very end of this book was that! What did Bea start to say as she was murdered? How did she feel knowing she wanted her and her child to live so much as she was brutally murdered? I must know!!!!!
I thought Beatrice was too enamored by Tom and she gave up her freedom wayyyyy too fast. Her repetitive notions about how much she loved Tom when he was so obviously a douchbag became annoying :(
I had some initial reservations about Kate but by the end of the book, she was my favorite of the three. Her story was increasingly sad and I really felt for her. She mad many remarks throughout the book about women and how we are treated in society. I think her POV of the trial was fantastic and I set the book down to ponder over her words many times!
And lastly, Tom was a bastard who deserved his fate. Absolutely hated him from the get-go!
I also didn’t think this story was too much a mystery to me, I knew that he killed Beatrice from the beginning. I was honestly a little dissatisfied with the lack of a twist ending lol!
I’m going to give this book 4 stars for two reasons: 1. For Kate because she really was the true heroine of this book. Her character development was phenomenal and you could really see as she changed throughout the trial. She was no longer the devoted wife who lied for her husband, but instead now a woman who took charge of her fate and stood up for what was right. 2. I love a cliffhanger and the very, very end of this book was that! What did Bea start to say as she was murdered? How did she feel knowing she wanted her and her child to live so much as she was brutally murdered? I must know!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2023
A compelling read and a story that stayed in my mind long after finishing reading it. I loved Flint’s debut ‘Little Deaths’ and was really looking forward to this second novel, but there was always the question of whether this second novel would live up to the first. However I genuinely feel Flint has done it again with ‘Other Women’. Six years between novels and twenty-two drafts later, ‘Other Women’ is a compact and tightly woven construct. Based on a true case from 1924, Flint retells the murder of Emily Beilby Kaye and gives voice to her via the fictional Bea Cade, and interestingly via the perspective of her lover/murder’s wife, Kate Ryan. The story is shocking and harrowing (particularly after reading up on the actual case post-novel), but Flint focuses not on the more gruesome details, but on the betrayal experienced by both women at the hands of the charismatic, manipulative and dangerous Tom. Flint brings the forgotten victim of this heinous crime back to life and even though we know from the beginning how this story will end, the last few pages are heartbreaking. Thoroughly recommend.
October 16, 2023
Una vita come tante, in fondo, quella di Beatrice Cade, fatta di lavoro, solitudine e qualche acquisto nei negozi di una Londra che tenta di ricominciare dopo la prima guerra mondiale.
La nostra protagonista è segretaria in un’azienda londinese, vive in una piccola stanza di un convitto femminile e il suo unico legame familiare è rappresentato dalla sorella, sposata ad un uomo importante nel Kent.
Le due sorelle si vogliono bene, ma sicuramente fanno fatica a comprendersi: le loro vite e le loro aspirazioni sono a tal punto differenti da posizionarsi ai poli opposti in una possibile scala di gradazioni.
Beatrice, però, sa che la sua quotidianità non le basta, le va quasi stretta. Sente un vuoto nel petto, una voce che le sussurra che c’è qualcosa che manca, che lei ancora non conosce.
Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...
La nostra protagonista è segretaria in un’azienda londinese, vive in una piccola stanza di un convitto femminile e il suo unico legame familiare è rappresentato dalla sorella, sposata ad un uomo importante nel Kent.
Le due sorelle si vogliono bene, ma sicuramente fanno fatica a comprendersi: le loro vite e le loro aspirazioni sono a tal punto differenti da posizionarsi ai poli opposti in una possibile scala di gradazioni.
Beatrice, però, sa che la sua quotidianità non le basta, le va quasi stretta. Sente un vuoto nel petto, una voce che le sussurra che c’è qualcosa che manca, che lei ancora non conosce.
Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...
February 22, 2023
This was a fascinating novel about women in the 1920s, what choices they had, their vulnerability and what freedom really meant.
Based on a real murder of a woman by her married lover we follow the stories of Beatrice, a single woman in her late thirties who fell for the charming Ryan Thomas, and Kate Thomas, his wife.
This novel depicts the societal expectations and pressures placed on unattached women despite the rise of working women in the wake of WWI. Their lives of "freedom" we're still seen as unsatisfactory and they were vulnerable to judgement about their character and appearance.
I enjoyed this book - the characterisation was strong and following poor Beatrice to her tragic murder and reluctant heroine Kate was a thought-provoking journey.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
Based on a real murder of a woman by her married lover we follow the stories of Beatrice, a single woman in her late thirties who fell for the charming Ryan Thomas, and Kate Thomas, his wife.
This novel depicts the societal expectations and pressures placed on unattached women despite the rise of working women in the wake of WWI. Their lives of "freedom" we're still seen as unsatisfactory and they were vulnerable to judgement about their character and appearance.
I enjoyed this book - the characterisation was strong and following poor Beatrice to her tragic murder and reluctant heroine Kate was a thought-provoking journey.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
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