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The Perfect Affair: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist
When Paige Nichols meets her husband’s glamorous new colleague at a faculty mixer, she instantly knows they’re having an affair. It’s the way he looks at her, like she’s the only woman in the world. Aaron used to look at her like that, too. And with her beautiful, knowing smile, Cara Morton seems to enjoy flaunting their romance right under her nose.
Paige believes Aaron when he says he’ll break things off. What else can she do when she’s determined to hold her family together? But then Cara makes a shocking accusation about Aaron that threatens to end his career as a college professor and shatter their barely patched up marriage. Paige stands by her husband, but doubts creep in. Is Cara telling the truth? Or is this all part of her dangerous game?
Then Cara Morton disappears without a trace.
Paige knows her husband can keep secrets. She’s keeping dark secrets of her own. But is he a killer? The police seem to think so. But they don’t know Cara. They don’t know about her past. They don’t know what she’s capable of…
A twisty and completely unputdownable page-turner that will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Wife Between Us.
Paige believes Aaron when he says he’ll break things off. What else can she do when she’s determined to hold her family together? But then Cara makes a shocking accusation about Aaron that threatens to end his career as a college professor and shatter their barely patched up marriage. Paige stands by her husband, but doubts creep in. Is Cara telling the truth? Or is this all part of her dangerous game?
Then Cara Morton disappears without a trace.
Paige knows her husband can keep secrets. She’s keeping dark secrets of her own. But is he a killer? The police seem to think so. But they don’t know Cara. They don’t know about her past. They don’t know what she’s capable of…
A twisty and completely unputdownable page-turner that will keep you up all night. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Wife Between Us.
336 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2024
5198 people are currently reading
4808 people want to read
About the author
Angela Henry
30 books289 followersAngela Henry is an Amazon Charts bestselling and award-winning author of twisty mysteries, thrillers, and urban fantasy. A retired library reference specialist, she’s the author of the Kendra Clayton mystery series and the Xavier Knight series, as well as the thrillers The Perfect Affair, Her Pretty Lies, The Family Lies, and The Paris Secret. She also writes middle-grade fiction as Angie Kelly. Angela lives in Ohio with her husband and their spoiled Chiweenie, Gidget.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 925 reviews
January 6, 2024
2.75 Stars
Great idea, but I had issues with the execution.
Once a respected professor, Aaron's life took a scandalous turn when he embarked on a forbidden romance with his colleague, Cara. When his wife, Paige, caught wind of their affair, she demanded that he end it. Aaron and Paige thought they could sweep it all under the rug and move on. That is, until Cara disappeared without a trace, and Aaron was suddenly the prime suspect. The police began digging deeper into his relationship with Cara, revealing a tangled web of secrets, and dragging Paige into the fray. Now, the question remains: can Paige trust her husband?
While the premise of the story was intriguing, the execution fell short. The flow of the story was disjointed, with frequent shifts in timelines that left me feeling disoriented. The number of characters and points of view was excessive, making it difficult to keep track of who was who and what their motivations were. The author seemed to be trying to do too much with the story, with numerous subplots and twists that made it feel cluttered and convoluted. Overall, while there were certainly some strong elements to the story, the weaknesses in its execution left me feeling underwhelmed.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Angela Henry, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Great idea, but I had issues with the execution.
Once a respected professor, Aaron's life took a scandalous turn when he embarked on a forbidden romance with his colleague, Cara. When his wife, Paige, caught wind of their affair, she demanded that he end it. Aaron and Paige thought they could sweep it all under the rug and move on. That is, until Cara disappeared without a trace, and Aaron was suddenly the prime suspect. The police began digging deeper into his relationship with Cara, revealing a tangled web of secrets, and dragging Paige into the fray. Now, the question remains: can Paige trust her husband?
While the premise of the story was intriguing, the execution fell short. The flow of the story was disjointed, with frequent shifts in timelines that left me feeling disoriented. The number of characters and points of view was excessive, making it difficult to keep track of who was who and what their motivations were. The author seemed to be trying to do too much with the story, with numerous subplots and twists that made it feel cluttered and convoluted. Overall, while there were certainly some strong elements to the story, the weaknesses in its execution left me feeling underwhelmed.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Angela Henry, and Dreamscape Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
January 16, 2024
I was pulled into this one from the start, it is a suspenseful story with lots of twists and I never saw the ending coming the way it did, it did keep me guessing and changing my mind many times as the clues the clues were uncovered.
Aaron is happily married to Paige and they have eight year old twins Bailey and Bryce, Aaron is a professor at the university and Paige a nurse, when Aaron is given a promotion the pressure is on, he is spending more time at work and Paige already has a stressful job she can feel them drifting apart and when she turns up to a faculty mixer she knows that Aaron is having an affair, with a colleague Dr. Cara Morton and Cara seems to be flaunting that she is.
When Paige insists that he end it Aaron agrees and Paige believes him, they need to save their marriage for their family, but it appears that Aaron is not strong enough and soon there are accusations from Cara and it appears Aaron may lose his job, Paige stands by her husband but when Cara goes missing and Aaron becomes the prime suspect, can she trust him to be truthful, after all she also holds secrets that no one knows herself, will they come through unscathed, what secrets will be uncovered and will they ever discover what really happened?
Both Aaron and Paige are determined to get to the truth and do a bit of investigating themselves and what they discover is shocking.
I do highly recommend this one there are many fabulous characters, good and bad and it is sure to keep any mystery, thriller reader turning the pages as all is uncovered and reveled, with a twist.
My thanks to the publisher Storm and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.
Aaron is happily married to Paige and they have eight year old twins Bailey and Bryce, Aaron is a professor at the university and Paige a nurse, when Aaron is given a promotion the pressure is on, he is spending more time at work and Paige already has a stressful job she can feel them drifting apart and when she turns up to a faculty mixer she knows that Aaron is having an affair, with a colleague Dr. Cara Morton and Cara seems to be flaunting that she is.
When Paige insists that he end it Aaron agrees and Paige believes him, they need to save their marriage for their family, but it appears that Aaron is not strong enough and soon there are accusations from Cara and it appears Aaron may lose his job, Paige stands by her husband but when Cara goes missing and Aaron becomes the prime suspect, can she trust him to be truthful, after all she also holds secrets that no one knows herself, will they come through unscathed, what secrets will be uncovered and will they ever discover what really happened?
Both Aaron and Paige are determined to get to the truth and do a bit of investigating themselves and what they discover is shocking.
I do highly recommend this one there are many fabulous characters, good and bad and it is sure to keep any mystery, thriller reader turning the pages as all is uncovered and reveled, with a twist.
My thanks to the publisher Storm and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.
January 31, 2024
Wow what a rollercoaster! This book kept me guessing the whole time and who could have predicted that ending?!?!
February 4, 2024
This thriller had many twists and turns that kept me interested even though I didn't like any of the characters. Because the characters were so unlikeable I didn't connect to any of them and wasn't able to fully immerse myself in the plot of betrayal, deception, and revenge. It was entertaining, but never gripped me. This was not a bad thriller, but it was not the thriller for me. 2.5 stars rounded to 3 stars. The narrator did an excellent job bringing the story to life. Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for my audiobook.
February 4, 2024
This story has an intriguing premise but it fell flat in execution. It's a clunky story that is rushed and glossed over in some places while slow and overly wordy in others. I skimmed and skipped through to finish.
November 15, 2025
“Marriage is messy and not always easy. Either you suck it up and deal with it, or you leave. You don’t betray your vows.”
― Angela Henry, The Perfect Affair
Have you ever read a book and started with a kind of admiring feeling ?
Then as the book goes on you just think to yourself it’s a little too much?
That’s how I felt with this book.
See, I did moderately enjoy it, but not all that much. I loved the beginning and I really felt it was gonna be an excellent experience, but it got more and more bizarre.
SPOILERS
The book did that one thing that I really don’t like in domestic thrillers. It threw in
twist after twist after twist after twist after twist after twist after twist.
I mean, I really didn’t expect it to be like that. The book revolves around a man who has an affair, and his wife finds out and all hell breaks loose, and the woman goes missing.
But as the book goes on, it seems more and more people reveal themselves to be bat —. Shit crazy.
By the end, there was so many twists I felt lost, and I started getting really confused with all the characters and who is doing what to whom, and who was crazier than the one before.
I mean, I wouldn’t not recommend it because the writing was really good. This is just the kind of plot that loses me and it’s happened with me with other domestic thrillers.
So basically what I’m saying is it’s not you it’s me. If you like a very twisty, psychological thriller, you will love this one, because the writing is really good and the characterizations are splendid and you’ll never be bored, not even for a minute . But at the end of the day, I really have to be careful what thrillers I choose because I’m just not a fan of this type of domestic mystery
― Angela Henry, The Perfect Affair
Have you ever read a book and started with a kind of admiring feeling ?
Then as the book goes on you just think to yourself it’s a little too much?
That’s how I felt with this book.
See, I did moderately enjoy it, but not all that much. I loved the beginning and I really felt it was gonna be an excellent experience, but it got more and more bizarre.
SPOILERS
The book did that one thing that I really don’t like in domestic thrillers. It threw in
twist after twist after twist after twist after twist after twist after twist.
I mean, I really didn’t expect it to be like that. The book revolves around a man who has an affair, and his wife finds out and all hell breaks loose, and the woman goes missing.
But as the book goes on, it seems more and more people reveal themselves to be bat —. Shit crazy.
By the end, there was so many twists I felt lost, and I started getting really confused with all the characters and who is doing what to whom, and who was crazier than the one before.
I mean, I wouldn’t not recommend it because the writing was really good. This is just the kind of plot that loses me and it’s happened with me with other domestic thrillers.
So basically what I’m saying is it’s not you it’s me. If you like a very twisty, psychological thriller, you will love this one, because the writing is really good and the characterizations are splendid and you’ll never be bored, not even for a minute . But at the end of the day, I really have to be careful what thrillers I choose because I’m just not a fan of this type of domestic mystery
February 8, 2025
It was exciting at first but then the male main character was the dumbest person alive, and there was like 5 too many twists
March 1, 2024
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Domestic Thrillers
Publication date : January 15, 2024
Narrated by: Rachel Handshaw
Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
THE PERFECT AFFAIR was one of those books that surprised me. There were dual POVs narrated by the husband Aaron and his wife Paige, and alternating timelines of "before" and "after" (which was confusing in the beginning), but the writing was so engaging and captivating that I was quickly drawn into the story.
Aaron and Paige faced personal challenges like career doubts, family issues, old secrets, so it was easy to symphatize with them. But if you think that the grass is greener on the other side, then perhaps you should think again. After reading this story, you'll probably think twice about having an affair because there is no such thing as The Perfect Affair! You only cause lots of unnecessary problems! Although cheating isn't my favorite topic, I still kept guessing how the characters can get themselves out of the mess they've gotten into, and I was surprised by the outcome. Well done!
This was my first Angela Henry book but I think it will not be my last.
Publication date : January 15, 2024
Narrated by: Rachel Handshaw
Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
THE PERFECT AFFAIR was one of those books that surprised me. There were dual POVs narrated by the husband Aaron and his wife Paige, and alternating timelines of "before" and "after" (which was confusing in the beginning), but the writing was so engaging and captivating that I was quickly drawn into the story.
Aaron and Paige faced personal challenges like career doubts, family issues, old secrets, so it was easy to symphatize with them. But if you think that the grass is greener on the other side, then perhaps you should think again. After reading this story, you'll probably think twice about having an affair because there is no such thing as The Perfect Affair! You only cause lots of unnecessary problems! Although cheating isn't my favorite topic, I still kept guessing how the characters can get themselves out of the mess they've gotten into, and I was surprised by the outcome. Well done!
This was my first Angela Henry book but I think it will not be my last.
May 21, 2024
There were way too many characters in the story who all apparently are cheaters. Way too many disjointed plot points. The premise was good and if it had just focused on Aaron and Cara, it would’ve been better.
November 7, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️4.2
This book certainly had me on the edge of my seat. Every time I thought I had it figured out,I was wrong.I have mixed feelings about this one,I loved the first one third of the book,the middle half felt a bit far fetched and unrealistic.I felt like the book had gone on for too long,but then it redeemed itself a bit in the last section of the book.Overall I’d recommend it to any psychological thriller book fan.
It was my first time reading a book by this author so I didn’t know what to expect, but this was one hell of a book. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books of hers.
⭐️4.2
This book certainly had me on the edge of my seat. Every time I thought I had it figured out,I was wrong.I have mixed feelings about this one,I loved the first one third of the book,the middle half felt a bit far fetched and unrealistic.I felt like the book had gone on for too long,but then it redeemed itself a bit in the last section of the book.Overall I’d recommend it to any psychological thriller book fan.
It was my first time reading a book by this author so I didn’t know what to expect, but this was one hell of a book. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books of hers.
June 5, 2024
I couldn’t put this book down. It was so good.
Paige’s husband, Aaron, has an affair with Cara. When ending the affair doesn’t go as planned and Cara goes after the family. As Cara is in the midst of going after Paige and Aaron, she goes missing. Of course, Aaron is a person of interest in the missing person case.
This book has quite a few different points of views going which help keep the book moving at a good pace. The ending was great. The twists and turns didn’t stop coming.
Paige’s husband, Aaron, has an affair with Cara. When ending the affair doesn’t go as planned and Cara goes after the family. As Cara is in the midst of going after Paige and Aaron, she goes missing. Of course, Aaron is a person of interest in the missing person case.
This book has quite a few different points of views going which help keep the book moving at a good pace. The ending was great. The twists and turns didn’t stop coming.
January 1, 2024
This is the first book I've read by this author. I went into it not knowing what to expect.
I liked the premise of the story. It just felt a little contrived to me. The couple involved in the affair just didn't ring true. They seemed like an unlikely match.
There are a lot of characters in this one. Some were not needed and added to the confusion of the story.
I felt for the wife in the situation but really couldn't connect with anyone very much.
This just wasn't a great one for me. Although plenty of others have really liked the book, so take my opinions with a grain of salt.
Thanks to netgalley and Storm publishing for the arc.
I liked the premise of the story. It just felt a little contrived to me. The couple involved in the affair just didn't ring true. They seemed like an unlikely match.
There are a lot of characters in this one. Some were not needed and added to the confusion of the story.
I felt for the wife in the situation but really couldn't connect with anyone very much.
This just wasn't a great one for me. Although plenty of others have really liked the book, so take my opinions with a grain of salt.
Thanks to netgalley and Storm publishing for the arc.
December 4, 2023
Aaron and Cara, are two colleagues embroiled in a steamy affair. But when Cara goes missing, Aaron finds himself the prime suspect. Will he be sent down for a murder he didn’t commit? And can he somehow save his marriage after everything he’s put his wife through?
I enjoyed this, but I found it a bit hard to follow in places. There is an awful lot going on, and lots to remember about who ties in to who and from where. It’s not a book you could put down and pick up again at a later date as I think you’d struggle to get back in to the rhythm of it.
I didn’t particularly warm to any of the characters enough and whilst there were plenty of twists, none of them left me open mouthed and shocked.
I felt the start was very strong and kept me turning the pages, but I wasn’t a fan of the ending, which is where it dropped a star for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.
I enjoyed this, but I found it a bit hard to follow in places. There is an awful lot going on, and lots to remember about who ties in to who and from where. It’s not a book you could put down and pick up again at a later date as I think you’d struggle to get back in to the rhythm of it.
I didn’t particularly warm to any of the characters enough and whilst there were plenty of twists, none of them left me open mouthed and shocked.
I felt the start was very strong and kept me turning the pages, but I wasn’t a fan of the ending, which is where it dropped a star for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.
January 20, 2024
"The Perfect Affair" is a quick, twisty thriller that's great for a plane ride or snowed-in afternoon where you want the pages to fly by fast. Set mostly in academia, Aaron Nichols has just been promoted to head of his department. Seeking support in his new role, he begins an affair with his colleague, Cara Morton. Shortly after his wife Paige discovers the affair, Cara goes missing, and Aaron is the number one suspect. The first-person narrative switches between Aaron, Paige, and the detective on the case.
This one won't be making my favorites list, because I found by the end that I simply didn't care about the characters and wasn't much bothered over what happened to them. Nonetheless, it certainly fit the bill for an entertaining listen. This was the first book by Angela Henry that I've read and I'd love to try some others.
I listened to this book on audio, and found the narration done well, though slightly harder to follow with just a single narrator. Because it is narrated by a female, I often missed the switch to Aaron's POV and would pick it up a little late based on context. Overall, though, no complaints!
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape, and Storm Publishing for providing an advance copy of this book; this review reflects my honest opinions.
This one won't be making my favorites list, because I found by the end that I simply didn't care about the characters and wasn't much bothered over what happened to them. Nonetheless, it certainly fit the bill for an entertaining listen. This was the first book by Angela Henry that I've read and I'd love to try some others.
I listened to this book on audio, and found the narration done well, though slightly harder to follow with just a single narrator. Because it is narrated by a female, I often missed the switch to Aaron's POV and would pick it up a little late based on context. Overall, though, no complaints!
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape, and Storm Publishing for providing an advance copy of this book; this review reflects my honest opinions.
December 6, 2023
This is my first book by Angela Henry but it won’t be my last. I finished it in four days and staying up late to finish it too. I thought I had figured everything out but oh boy I didn’t! I saw something happening but wasn’t sure what specifically outcome was. I went through a love and hate relationship with both the main characters as in one breath they’d make me feel sorry for them then in next breath I’d want to chuck the kindle in annoyance.
I loved some of the secondary characters but some I hated too, it’s hard to say much about this book without spoiling it. I’d recommend you read it but only if you have a few days to spare.
It’s out 15th January
Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an review and Angela for writing it.
I loved some of the secondary characters but some I hated too, it’s hard to say much about this book without spoiling it. I’d recommend you read it but only if you have a few days to spare.
It’s out 15th January
Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an review and Angela for writing it.
January 4, 2024
Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.
My 2024 resolution is to give myself permission to quit a book I'm not enjoying, so that I can move on and find others that I will enjoy reading or listening to. I gave this one up to 30% and found myself disliking the story line and characters so much, I actually felt ill. So I did not finish this one. Yet another book about an unhappy marriage and cheating, and it's really not for me. I'm sure there's an audience out there for this sort of book, but I'm not part of it.
1 star for 'did not like it'
My 2024 resolution is to give myself permission to quit a book I'm not enjoying, so that I can move on and find others that I will enjoy reading or listening to. I gave this one up to 30% and found myself disliking the story line and characters so much, I actually felt ill. So I did not finish this one. Yet another book about an unhappy marriage and cheating, and it's really not for me. I'm sure there's an audience out there for this sort of book, but I'm not part of it.
1 star for 'did not like it'
January 31, 2024
I was not a fan - I found the characters unlikable and that there were too many "subplots" that were very confusing to follow. I sort of guessed the ending but ultimately finished the book because I had invested so much brain power and was too far in to DNF.
I initially picked this one up because #KindleUnlimited and because I thought it would be like A Perfect Marriage or like a Freida McFadden novel and it underdelivered to me.
I initially picked this one up because #KindleUnlimited and because I thought it would be like A Perfect Marriage or like a Freida McFadden novel and it underdelivered to me.
November 2, 2025
This story is told through dual points of view, alternating between the present day and the day of the event. Paige and Aaron are a married couple whose relationship begins to unravel when Paige suspects her husband is having an affair with Cara, the woman he looked at the same way he once looked at her. Then Cara goes missing, and everything changes. This book was full of twists and turns and kept me hooked until the very end!
March 17, 2025
Drawn out- the title hypes it up. Not worth a read. Predictable.
June 5, 2024
The Perfect Affair
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Angela Henry
I requested an audio advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When Paige Nichols meets her husband’s glamorous new colleague at a faculty mixer, she instantly knows they’re having an affair. It’s the way he looks at her, like she’s the only woman in the world. Aaron used to look at her like that, too. And with her beautiful, knowing smile, Cara Morton seems to enjoy flaunting their romance right under her nose.
Paige believes Aaron when he says he’ll break things off. What else can she do when she’s determined to hold her family together? But then Cara makes a shocking accusation about Aaron that threatens to end his career as a college professor and shatter their barely patched up marriage. Paige stands by her husband, but doubts creep in. Is Cara telling the truth? Or is this all part of her dangerous game?
Then Cara Morton disappears without a trace.
Paige knows her husband can keep secrets. She’s keeping dark secrets of her own. But is he a killer? The police seem to think so. But they don’t know Cara. They don’t know about her past. They don’t know what she’s capable of…
My Thoughts: This was a creepy, twisty, compelling domestic thriller. When Paige meets her husband at a mixer his school is holding, she sees how Cara looks at her husband across the room and instantly knows he is having an affair. The way Aaron looks at Cara is the way he used to look at her. Paige confronts Aaron about the affair and he made her a promise that he would break it off. When he ultimately does break it off, Cara makes a shocking accusation that may end Aaron’s career and rock their marriage. Paige remains the devoted wife staying by her husband. Then Cara disappears. Will her disappearance be the death of their marriage? Or is Cara playing a dangerous game to get even with Aaron? No one knows what Cara is capable of. This follows a trope of whodunit.
The is narrated by Paige and Aaron, unreliable narrators, in their POV. The timeline was told in a present and past tense, each chapter was designated to either before Cara’s disappearance or afterwards. Paige is fiercely protective of her family and will do anything to protect them. Cara is very vindictive and manipulative and not a person you want to cross. Aaron, while devoted to his children, is not as solid as he should be in the marriage and strays. This dangerous cat and mouse game has an explosive ending. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, secrets, betrayal, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, twisty, compelling, and gripping.
The characters are built in a slow burn manner. The plot is delivered in twisty unpredictable layers. While I had some of the plot lines figured out, there were a few surprises along the way. Some of the plots had subplots, which I found to be interesting. Then the ending is unpredictable, explosive, and amazing.
This was my first Henry book and I do not think it will be my last. I had the audiobook on this one. The narrator, Rachel Handshaw, did an amazing job. She nailed the voice variation with great character distinction, especially when switching from female to male voices. Her voice was smooth with excellent pitch and flow, allowing me to listen at 2x speed with no issues in understanding and keeping up. This thriller kept me on my toes while going down a rollercoaster reading journey, and I would steal time to listen as I had to finish to find out who done it. I love the spin on the classic whodunit. I highly recommend picking up this thriller today.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Angela Henry
I requested an audio advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: When Paige Nichols meets her husband’s glamorous new colleague at a faculty mixer, she instantly knows they’re having an affair. It’s the way he looks at her, like she’s the only woman in the world. Aaron used to look at her like that, too. And with her beautiful, knowing smile, Cara Morton seems to enjoy flaunting their romance right under her nose.
Paige believes Aaron when he says he’ll break things off. What else can she do when she’s determined to hold her family together? But then Cara makes a shocking accusation about Aaron that threatens to end his career as a college professor and shatter their barely patched up marriage. Paige stands by her husband, but doubts creep in. Is Cara telling the truth? Or is this all part of her dangerous game?
Then Cara Morton disappears without a trace.
Paige knows her husband can keep secrets. She’s keeping dark secrets of her own. But is he a killer? The police seem to think so. But they don’t know Cara. They don’t know about her past. They don’t know what she’s capable of…
My Thoughts: This was a creepy, twisty, compelling domestic thriller. When Paige meets her husband at a mixer his school is holding, she sees how Cara looks at her husband across the room and instantly knows he is having an affair. The way Aaron looks at Cara is the way he used to look at her. Paige confronts Aaron about the affair and he made her a promise that he would break it off. When he ultimately does break it off, Cara makes a shocking accusation that may end Aaron’s career and rock their marriage. Paige remains the devoted wife staying by her husband. Then Cara disappears. Will her disappearance be the death of their marriage? Or is Cara playing a dangerous game to get even with Aaron? No one knows what Cara is capable of. This follows a trope of whodunit.
The is narrated by Paige and Aaron, unreliable narrators, in their POV. The timeline was told in a present and past tense, each chapter was designated to either before Cara’s disappearance or afterwards. Paige is fiercely protective of her family and will do anything to protect them. Cara is very vindictive and manipulative and not a person you want to cross. Aaron, while devoted to his children, is not as solid as he should be in the marriage and strays. This dangerous cat and mouse game has an explosive ending. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, secrets, betrayal, and were intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, twisty, compelling, and gripping.
The characters are built in a slow burn manner. The plot is delivered in twisty unpredictable layers. While I had some of the plot lines figured out, there were a few surprises along the way. Some of the plots had subplots, which I found to be interesting. Then the ending is unpredictable, explosive, and amazing.
This was my first Henry book and I do not think it will be my last. I had the audiobook on this one. The narrator, Rachel Handshaw, did an amazing job. She nailed the voice variation with great character distinction, especially when switching from female to male voices. Her voice was smooth with excellent pitch and flow, allowing me to listen at 2x speed with no issues in understanding and keeping up. This thriller kept me on my toes while going down a rollercoaster reading journey, and I would steal time to listen as I had to finish to find out who done it. I love the spin on the classic whodunit. I highly recommend picking up this thriller today.
February 13, 2024
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel Handshaw does a wonderful job with the narration on this book! All the characters voices fit perfectly and she was really able to bring them to life for me! The story is complex and interesting and has lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I’m always drawn to unreliable narrators and this book didn’t let me down! If you like psychological thrillers this book might be right up your alley!
Rachel Handshaw does a wonderful job with the narration on this book! All the characters voices fit perfectly and she was really able to bring them to life for me! The story is complex and interesting and has lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I’m always drawn to unreliable narrators and this book didn’t let me down! If you like psychological thrillers this book might be right up your alley!
May 26, 2024
This is my first Angela Henry book and I can definitely say it will not be my last. I absolutely loved the suspense from the very start It had me guessing the whole time. I also loved the dual timeline but at times it was a bit confusing. If you are looking for a great twisty mystery/suspense that is a fast read then this is for you!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
May 20, 2024
The start and middle was great meanwhile, the ending????
May 2, 2024
I absolutely loved the writing in this book. The author knows how to draw a reader in. It was the perfect balance of emotion, relatability and sass. The characters were well developed and came to life in the audio performance. The mystery kept me guessing with a powerful reveal at the end.
The story starts with a missing person investigation. The MC, a university professor, was having an affair with this missing woman who was also his new work colleague. He is a person of interest but claims to be innocent. The story is told using two perspectives - him and his wife - and in two timelines - before and after the missing person.
I had a difficult time pausing this audiobook as I was fully invested. As the story progressed, I became increasingly eager to listen and reluctant to put it down. I just wanted to keep going to know how it would end. My only complaint was that I wish there had been a male narrator for the MC’s perspective as it was at times confusing since he and his wife sounded so similar. Definitely recommend to readers looking for a domestic mystery.
Thank you #Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#ThePerfectAffair
The story starts with a missing person investigation. The MC, a university professor, was having an affair with this missing woman who was also his new work colleague. He is a person of interest but claims to be innocent. The story is told using two perspectives - him and his wife - and in two timelines - before and after the missing person.
I had a difficult time pausing this audiobook as I was fully invested. As the story progressed, I became increasingly eager to listen and reluctant to put it down. I just wanted to keep going to know how it would end. My only complaint was that I wish there had been a male narrator for the MC’s perspective as it was at times confusing since he and his wife sounded so similar. Definitely recommend to readers looking for a domestic mystery.
Thank you #Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#ThePerfectAffair
June 5, 2025
Moral of the story: Don't step out on your wife and all will be well. I bet Aaron did not think things would turn out the way they did after his affair with his coworker Cara Morton. Of course he becomes the prime suspect when Cara vanishes out of nowhere.
The premise of this story is very intriguing and is set in a timeline before and after the mistress disappears. Even though there were a good bit of characters involved and I thought I knew were things were going, the twists managed to really surprise me!
So happy that I finally read this book.
The premise of this story is very intriguing and is set in a timeline before and after the mistress disappears. Even though there were a good bit of characters involved and I thought I knew were things were going, the twists managed to really surprise me!
So happy that I finally read this book.
February 13, 2024
very Great Read
Definitely didn’t expect those chain of events and that ending was WOW!! I definitely recommend this book to anyone. It was really great and melt me opening the book for more and more trying to find out who did what.
Loved it ❤️
Definitely didn’t expect those chain of events and that ending was WOW!! I definitely recommend this book to anyone. It was really great and melt me opening the book for more and more trying to find out who did what.
Loved it ❤️
May 27, 2024
So many twists and the multiple POVs added to the storyline. Aaron made me mad how he brought his entire family in harms way. Smh. I enjoyed the ending but towards the middle it dragged on a bit.
February 25, 2025
3.5⭐️
This one was quite long and drawn out. Which is surprising because the affair was the shortest part of the story. I definitely feel like we could’ve wrapped it up in less than 355 pages.
There were a lot of smart people making dense decisions and trying to solve their own crimes?
This one was quite long and drawn out. Which is surprising because the affair was the shortest part of the story. I definitely feel like we could’ve wrapped it up in less than 355 pages.
There were a lot of smart people making dense decisions and trying to solve their own crimes?
January 5, 2024
Thank you to Angela Henry and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity for this book!
This one had soooo many twists and turns and plot twists it just kept me guessing! When I first started the book, I thought “okay, I know what’s going to happen, this is so predictable” and BOY was I wrong!! Just when I thought I had figured everything out, Angela threw another curveball. I really liked how she kept it interesting and kept you thinking, even in the epilogue! I also enjoyed how the chapters were told from different points of view, as well as being in the past and the present.
Aaron Nichols is a professor at Roberson University, and quickly becomes infatuated with his new co-worker, Cara Morton. He thinks he’s doing such a good job at being sneaky, but of course, women always know! Paige Nichols, Aaron’s wife, realizes he’s acting strange and learns of the affair. When Aaron tries to end the affair, Cara Morton suddenly goes missing. Aaron is the prime suspect, but did he do it? Paige, Aaron, and Cara all have secrets from their past that they don’t want getting out. What will they do to keep these secrets from coming out?
This book comes out on January 15th, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with crazy plot twists and characters trying to keep their past lives from ruining the present (and future).
This one had soooo many twists and turns and plot twists it just kept me guessing! When I first started the book, I thought “okay, I know what’s going to happen, this is so predictable” and BOY was I wrong!! Just when I thought I had figured everything out, Angela threw another curveball. I really liked how she kept it interesting and kept you thinking, even in the epilogue! I also enjoyed how the chapters were told from different points of view, as well as being in the past and the present.
Aaron Nichols is a professor at Roberson University, and quickly becomes infatuated with his new co-worker, Cara Morton. He thinks he’s doing such a good job at being sneaky, but of course, women always know! Paige Nichols, Aaron’s wife, realizes he’s acting strange and learns of the affair. When Aaron tries to end the affair, Cara Morton suddenly goes missing. Aaron is the prime suspect, but did he do it? Paige, Aaron, and Cara all have secrets from their past that they don’t want getting out. What will they do to keep these secrets from coming out?
This book comes out on January 15th, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with crazy plot twists and characters trying to keep their past lives from ruining the present (and future).
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