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His Last Wife
“Do not go in there, Anna. Never go in there.” The words ring in my head as I pick the lock to the only room in the house that the man I love tells me I’m not allowed to enter. Trembling as I step inside, I’m about to finally find out what happened to his last wife…
Everyone thinks my life is bliss. The love of my life, Cary, and I live in our dream home and we have a beautiful little girl, Harper. I may not have given birth to her, but I’m her mommy now. But there’s one thing we never talk about…Cary’s wife before me, Presley, was perfect in every way. But she went missing a long time ago. Cary was distraught when he told me how she was abducted from her car, leaving behind a pool of blood. No one saw a thing.
The neighbors are always gossiping about Presley. I try to ignore them, but one day I hear something that makes my stomach flip. Presley was abducted from her home. The home I now live in. Cary lied to me about the car. But why?
As I search our beautiful home for answers, I stumble across Presley’s diary. My heart thunders in my chest as I discover the Cary had something to do with his wife’s disappearance. And I’m terrified I might be next.
But Cary doesn’t know that I have a secret too. He doesn’t know how far I’ve gone to get this perfect life, and how much further I’ll go to keep it…An unbelievably gripping psychological thriller, His Last Wife will have you flipping the pages until you reach the final, breathtaking twist. Fans of Don’t Let Her Stay, The Housemaid and The Perfect Marriage won’t be able to put this jaw-dropping read down!
Everyone thinks my life is bliss. The love of my life, Cary, and I live in our dream home and we have a beautiful little girl, Harper. I may not have given birth to her, but I’m her mommy now. But there’s one thing we never talk about…Cary’s wife before me, Presley, was perfect in every way. But she went missing a long time ago. Cary was distraught when he told me how she was abducted from her car, leaving behind a pool of blood. No one saw a thing.
The neighbors are always gossiping about Presley. I try to ignore them, but one day I hear something that makes my stomach flip. Presley was abducted from her home. The home I now live in. Cary lied to me about the car. But why?
As I search our beautiful home for answers, I stumble across Presley’s diary. My heart thunders in my chest as I discover the Cary had something to do with his wife’s disappearance. And I’m terrified I might be next.
But Cary doesn’t know that I have a secret too. He doesn’t know how far I’ve gone to get this perfect life, and how much further I’ll go to keep it…An unbelievably gripping psychological thriller, His Last Wife will have you flipping the pages until you reach the final, breathtaking twist. Fans of Don’t Let Her Stay, The Housemaid and The Perfect Marriage won’t be able to put this jaw-dropping read down!
355 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2024
592 people are currently reading
500 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
May 1, 2024
I never saw that coming! After the first big twist, I thought I knew where the story was going. It was similar to one of my all-time favorite thrillers, so I assumed it was going in that predictable direction. I couldn't have been more wrong. I was completely hooked as the plot unfolded with all of the shocking twists and turns. This thriller is original, entertaining, and full of jaw-dropping moments. The narration added a layer of intrigue as the plot was masterfully brought to life. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for my audiobook.
April 1, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
A good escapism thriller. Suspend disbelief necessary. I'll try this author's standalone work again, even though I haven't finished one of her PP books after the first.
A bit of a gaffe to start, miscalculation on timing (see my 8% update). Recovered well.
This seems to follow a usual story line for this genre and it was feeling all too familiar to start off with. I was still engaged but worried where it would go. It differentiated itself eventually and I was certainly surprised by the final twists. It was done well, IMO.
Would recommend to thriller readers who want a fun and basic escapism read, provided they don't mind suspending disbelief.
Please check TWs online.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
A good escapism thriller. Suspend disbelief necessary. I'll try this author's standalone work again, even though I haven't finished one of her PP books after the first.
A bit of a gaffe to start, miscalculation on timing (see my 8% update). Recovered well.
This seems to follow a usual story line for this genre and it was feeling all too familiar to start off with. I was still engaged but worried where it would go. It differentiated itself eventually and I was certainly surprised by the final twists. It was done well, IMO.
Would recommend to thriller readers who want a fun and basic escapism read, provided they don't mind suspending disbelief.
Please check TWs online.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 27, 2024
For the first half of this book I didn’t dislike it, I just thought it was quite average but for the latter half the ‘twists’ started and I felt like there were too many back to back, some of them really made no sense, some would have been better if they had had some time spend on them and others happened so fast in attempt to tie the story off that they lasted a page.
This really wasn’t for me and I wouldn’t read another of her books
This really wasn’t for me and I wouldn’t read another of her books
April 17, 2024
This high quality audio sets the senses on fire with hus binge liaten as i desperately wanted to know who was who. The story was so much than it appeared and tge ending raped it all togwrher. Full of suspense. I enjoyed every second.
The cover appeared generic but as story developed i understood rhe red door as the late wife room. The parts were a good hook. And the way they came rogether. Bing listen. 5 star highly recommended.
Thank you netgallery and publisher and author and narrator
The cover appeared generic but as story developed i understood rhe red door as the late wife room. The parts were a good hook. And the way they came rogether. Bing listen. 5 star highly recommended.
Thank you netgallery and publisher and author and narrator
April 27, 2024
Meeting Cary soon finds Anna thinking she might just be about to live an idyllic life. Things start off from friendship, but they soon marry. Everything is indeed perfect, and this includes Anna becoming the stepmother of Cary’s daughter, Presley.
However, that perfect life that Anna is now living? Well, there are missing pieces to this puzzle, pieces that slowly become apparent. For one thing, after Cary confesses that his first wife Presley disappeared. Then there is one room in the house that Anna is not allowed to enter. Despite her beginning to feel a bit uncertain, Anna finds that she falls more in love with Harper every day so she tries to ignore her shaky feelings. As the days progress, Anna realizes that she really needs answers, even if whatever secrets there are destroy the strong love she has formed for Cary and even for Harper.
What a wild ride! This book by Ruhi Choudhary kept me on my toes! It was a sharp, crisp read full of tension and with excellent pacing. While Anna is the primary protagonist, the chapters in this thrilling read are peppered with chapters narrated by an unknown “watchter”. These chapters, as well as Anna’s growing ordeal, made His Last Wife an excellent read from start to finish.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
However, that perfect life that Anna is now living? Well, there are missing pieces to this puzzle, pieces that slowly become apparent. For one thing, after Cary confesses that his first wife Presley disappeared. Then there is one room in the house that Anna is not allowed to enter. Despite her beginning to feel a bit uncertain, Anna finds that she falls more in love with Harper every day so she tries to ignore her shaky feelings. As the days progress, Anna realizes that she really needs answers, even if whatever secrets there are destroy the strong love she has formed for Cary and even for Harper.
What a wild ride! This book by Ruhi Choudhary kept me on my toes! It was a sharp, crisp read full of tension and with excellent pacing. While Anna is the primary protagonist, the chapters in this thrilling read are peppered with chapters narrated by an unknown “watchter”. These chapters, as well as Anna’s growing ordeal, made His Last Wife an excellent read from start to finish.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
May 8, 2024
His Last Wife follows a woman who discovers her new beau has a missing wife… once she moves into the home that he and his last wife shared, Anna becomes more and more suspicious, not only of her new partner but of all of her new neighbors as secrets start to unfold. This one is super twisty and will have you guessing from beginning to end.
April 20, 2024
After setting her sights on Cary, Anna believes she has found an ideal partner. His wife disappeared a year earlier, believed dead, and he has a young daughter, Harper, who quickly adapts to her new "mommy". Anna moved into Cary's home, but his first wife, Presley's mother also lives there. She is not happy and does everyting she can to sabotage Anna being accepted in the community. Anna is having a hard time living in the shadow of perfect Presley, but wins over Harper easily. All seems to be going well, until Anna finds Presley's diary and begins to suspect that Cary is not what he seems.
As I began reading His Last Wife, I thought I knew where this story was going, but boy was I wrong. Ruhi Choudhary has added several twists that took me on a roller coaster ride to find out what happened to Presley, as well as what secrets Anna was hiding. I felt bad for Anna, the newbie to the neighbourhood, always compared to Presley, talked about behind her back, and not included in the many things the women did together. She wanted to keep some of her own identity, but Cary wanted to turn her into the "perfect" wife. I loved little Harper. I know she was young, but she had her own character traits. She seemed to accept Anna quickly as her new mother, but it had been a year, and Anna was devoted to her. This is a story full of lies, secrets, deceit, jealousy, desire, manipulation and twists. The ending was very satisfying with all ends tied up and left me with a smile on my face. Yes, you will need to suspend belief, but I just went with it. Several reviewers have commented on the generic cover, but as you read this one, you will understand the significance of the red door. I was fortunate to have both the audiobook and ebook, to do a read listen. The narration by Penelope Rawlins & Kelly Burke was excellent. I liked that the major female characters each had their own voice, and the ages of the characters came through in the performance. Although, this is the first time I have heard Kelly Burke, I have enjoyed Penelope Rawlins' performances in the past. I recommend this book in whatever format you are comfortable with.
As I began reading His Last Wife, I thought I knew where this story was going, but boy was I wrong. Ruhi Choudhary has added several twists that took me on a roller coaster ride to find out what happened to Presley, as well as what secrets Anna was hiding. I felt bad for Anna, the newbie to the neighbourhood, always compared to Presley, talked about behind her back, and not included in the many things the women did together. She wanted to keep some of her own identity, but Cary wanted to turn her into the "perfect" wife. I loved little Harper. I know she was young, but she had her own character traits. She seemed to accept Anna quickly as her new mother, but it had been a year, and Anna was devoted to her. This is a story full of lies, secrets, deceit, jealousy, desire, manipulation and twists. The ending was very satisfying with all ends tied up and left me with a smile on my face. Yes, you will need to suspend belief, but I just went with it. Several reviewers have commented on the generic cover, but as you read this one, you will understand the significance of the red door. I was fortunate to have both the audiobook and ebook, to do a read listen. The narration by Penelope Rawlins & Kelly Burke was excellent. I liked that the major female characters each had their own voice, and the ages of the characters came through in the performance. Although, this is the first time I have heard Kelly Burke, I have enjoyed Penelope Rawlins' performances in the past. I recommend this book in whatever format you are comfortable with.
March 16, 2024
His Last Wife initially seems to follow a predictable thriller storyline but takes an unexpected twist that kept me turning the pages. Anna believes she has found an ideal partner in Cary and a daughter in Harper but struggles to live in the shadow of his supposedly perfect former wife, Presley, who disappeared a year prior. As the story progresses, Anna realizes Cary may not be as flawless as she thought, and Presley may not be as deceased as she believed. I enjoyed the significant twist ending and minor surprises throughout this worthwhile read, which subverts the expectations set by the blurb.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
March 18, 2024
This was my first Ruhi Choudhary novel so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect. The first chapter was intriguing and I will say that it continued to keep my interest throughout. I often forget that most thriller novels require the reader to exhibit at least some level of suspended belief and this one was no different. Most of the book just had a few things here or there that felt far-fetched but the ending (which came together in a way that allowed for a perfect bow on top in the last few chapters) stepped it up a notch or two. The characters were each difficult to like for their own reasons but I enjoyed that they did all feel fairly thoughtout.
Having completed the novel, I'm genuinely confused by the choice of cover art. I questioned it several times while reading and thought it was going to come out somehow but it just feels misleading and honestly, generic.
Thanks to Ruhi Choudhary, NetGalley, and Bookouture for the ARC.
Having completed the novel, I'm genuinely confused by the choice of cover art. I questioned it several times while reading and thought it was going to come out somehow but it just feels misleading and honestly, generic.
Thanks to Ruhi Choudhary, NetGalley, and Bookouture for the ARC.
April 25, 2024
WHOA! What did I just read?! This book was CRAZY…in the best way possible! I was completely captivated by this audiobook. The characters are well developed, but unreliable. I thought I had them all figured out, but I was wrong. The ending wrapped this story together perfectly. I had to re-listen to the big reveal to make sure I heard correctly! My mouth was wide open and I gasped so loud I scared my daughter. There were twists all throughout the book that were unexpected, and the ending definitely didn’t disappoint.
This book was masterfully written, and the plot was delivered in a way that kept you wanting more and needing to know what was going to happen. I just knew I had the Watcher figured out. This was a book full of mystery, lies, secrets, and betrayal. I am definitely a new fan of Rudi Choudhary!!
Penelope Rawlins, Kelly Burke did a great job with the narration and really bought this book to life!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this great ALC in exchange for my honest review!
This book was masterfully written, and the plot was delivered in a way that kept you wanting more and needing to know what was going to happen. I just knew I had the Watcher figured out. This was a book full of mystery, lies, secrets, and betrayal. I am definitely a new fan of Rudi Choudhary!!
Penelope Rawlins, Kelly Burke did a great job with the narration and really bought this book to life!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this great ALC in exchange for my honest review!
April 23, 2024
My mind was absolutely blown away by this book!! The twists were well worth the wait! I did not see any of them happening!!! They were all unexpected and epic!!!
Anna meets the man of her dreams Cary. He's recently widowed and has a young child. Anna is swept away into a fabulous rich life with Cary. She's now living in a big beautiful home with Cary, his daughter and his mother in law. All thr neighbors were close with Cary and Presley so Anna has a lot of work ahead to fit into her new life. But this fancy life is not as great as she had expected. I don't dare say more because I don't want to give any spoilers!
Slightly slow to get going but once all the characters are built and the story really starts to unravel it is AMAZING!!
If you love a jaw dropping twist, this is the book for you.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for this advanced audiobook. The narrators were amazing!
Anna meets the man of her dreams Cary. He's recently widowed and has a young child. Anna is swept away into a fabulous rich life with Cary. She's now living in a big beautiful home with Cary, his daughter and his mother in law. All thr neighbors were close with Cary and Presley so Anna has a lot of work ahead to fit into her new life. But this fancy life is not as great as she had expected. I don't dare say more because I don't want to give any spoilers!
Slightly slow to get going but once all the characters are built and the story really starts to unravel it is AMAZING!!
If you love a jaw dropping twist, this is the book for you.
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for this advanced audiobook. The narrators were amazing!
April 13, 2024
I would consider this to be your typical domestic thriller. We have Anna, who meets Cary while working at a therapist's office. Cary is a patient who has just lost his wife after she was abducted from her car. She hasn't been found yet and is presumed to be dead.
Anna is attracted to Cary but doesn't want to get too close for a number of reasons, however, after meeting his daughter, Harper, she finds herself instantly falling in love with the little girl and wanting to care for her, like a mother would. Cary and Anna get close, with Anna moving into Cary's lavish home, being part of his lavish lifestyle, and ultimately, a mother figure to Harper.
While staying at Cary's home (which is actually his missing wife, Presley's childhood home), things start getting a little weird for Anna. Neighbors are whispering, Cary is showing signs of abusive behavior, and Presley's mother, Juliet, treats Anna terribly. She believes she can never replace her daughter, Presley.
One day, Anna finds herself wandering into Presley's old room and finds her diary. In this diary, she describes the awful ways in which Cary has treated her. It causes Anna to wonder - Did Cary kill his wife? But most importantly, if the cops searched this room already, how has this diary, one that is in clear view, not already been found?
To top it all off, now Anna's neighbors are being murdered, one being a cop who seemed skeptical of Cary to begin with. What is really going on??
This thriller was good, but I'd say it wasn't much different from your average domestic thriller. We have a wealthy family, wealthy neighbors, jealousy, abusive husband, obsessed wife/ lover, nosey neighbors, super involved mother-in-law, and of course murder and planting of evidence. The plot twists towards the end were good, however, it is your stereotypical trauma response ending to a domestic thriller.
A solid 3 star read!
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Ruhi Choudhary for this ARC!
Anna is attracted to Cary but doesn't want to get too close for a number of reasons, however, after meeting his daughter, Harper, she finds herself instantly falling in love with the little girl and wanting to care for her, like a mother would. Cary and Anna get close, with Anna moving into Cary's lavish home, being part of his lavish lifestyle, and ultimately, a mother figure to Harper.
While staying at Cary's home (which is actually his missing wife, Presley's childhood home), things start getting a little weird for Anna. Neighbors are whispering, Cary is showing signs of abusive behavior, and Presley's mother, Juliet, treats Anna terribly. She believes she can never replace her daughter, Presley.
One day, Anna finds herself wandering into Presley's old room and finds her diary. In this diary, she describes the awful ways in which Cary has treated her. It causes Anna to wonder - Did Cary kill his wife? But most importantly, if the cops searched this room already, how has this diary, one that is in clear view, not already been found?
To top it all off, now Anna's neighbors are being murdered, one being a cop who seemed skeptical of Cary to begin with. What is really going on??
This thriller was good, but I'd say it wasn't much different from your average domestic thriller. We have a wealthy family, wealthy neighbors, jealousy, abusive husband, obsessed wife/ lover, nosey neighbors, super involved mother-in-law, and of course murder and planting of evidence. The plot twists towards the end were good, however, it is your stereotypical trauma response ending to a domestic thriller.
A solid 3 star read!
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Ruhi Choudhary for this ARC!
April 24, 2024
His last wife bye Ruhie Choudhary That starts with Anna who meets carry a surgeon and also a single father to 10 month old Harper, who Anna instantly falls in love with. If only their love story wasn’t mard by his first wife who went missing from their palatial home. The same home Carrie moves Anna into which he finally decides to be a family with him and Harper and oh yes his missing wife’s mother Juliet also lives there. They only reason I upped the rating to three stars is because of the ending at many points from the beginning I would’ve packed my things moved out of the house baby or no baby but she stays and is treated like trash from Juliet most of the neighbors but the longer she stays the more clues she finds by the end you will ask yourself is she staying because she wants justice or is she just biding her time until it’s her move? They have many twists and turns in this domestic thriller buy an author I have never read before and there is nothing more I’d like in a thriller then good twist there were some eye rolling moments but despite that I still recommended it for the ending if anything. This is a twisty piece of work I want to thank Bookoucher audio for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
March 14, 2024
OMG this is such a complex story and this left my head spinning. I was confused in the best possible way, constantly wondering who this person was. I was wrecking my brain, because I was provided with a lots of puzzle pieces, but I did not see which slots I had to fit them in.
I always like it when what comes around goes around,and those who have treated others badly get what they deserve.
If you want your plan to come together, you have to be patient and go over every little detail, but even then there might be a factor you did not take into account, to turn the tables.
Would you like to find out what Anna is hiding and what happened to Presley? There is only one way to see everything unfold. I can assure you, it's a book worth reading.
I was shocked by the plot. Lies, deceit, manipulation, jealousy are a few of the emotions the author uses as bricks to build the story. This is a well thought out and well written book I found hard to put down. 5 stars
Thank you
I always like it when what comes around goes around,and those who have treated others badly get what they deserve.
If you want your plan to come together, you have to be patient and go over every little detail, but even then there might be a factor you did not take into account, to turn the tables.
Would you like to find out what Anna is hiding and what happened to Presley? There is only one way to see everything unfold. I can assure you, it's a book worth reading.
I was shocked by the plot. Lies, deceit, manipulation, jealousy are a few of the emotions the author uses as bricks to build the story. This is a well thought out and well written book I found hard to put down. 5 stars
Thank you
April 19, 2024
I love this trope - young naive woman moves in with handsome man whose wife is presumed dead - it’s such a bonkers fantasy and so many disastrous things could happen! Love it
So, Anna is young and charmed by the wealthy Dr Cary who comes with a ready-made adorable toddler. Meanwhile, there’s a missing wife and a bunch of wealthy, gossiping neighbors!
The front cover didn’t feel as fun as the book actually was (is there even a red door?!)
I would have liked to get a bit more intimate with the neighbors. There were a lot of secrets being kept and it would have been nice to have more than Anna’s POV
Up until the end, the pace was steady with a constant state of “what’s really going on” but when we finally got to the end, I got whiplash with all the reveals. I wanted justice but don’t feel everyone that should have got it, did
I enjoyed the audiobook and narrators, and would definitely recommend listening or reading this authors first standalone thriller
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
So, Anna is young and charmed by the wealthy Dr Cary who comes with a ready-made adorable toddler. Meanwhile, there’s a missing wife and a bunch of wealthy, gossiping neighbors!
The front cover didn’t feel as fun as the book actually was (is there even a red door?!)
I would have liked to get a bit more intimate with the neighbors. There were a lot of secrets being kept and it would have been nice to have more than Anna’s POV
Up until the end, the pace was steady with a constant state of “what’s really going on” but when we finally got to the end, I got whiplash with all the reveals. I wanted justice but don’t feel everyone that should have got it, did
I enjoyed the audiobook and narrators, and would definitely recommend listening or reading this authors first standalone thriller
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
April 26, 2024
Wow! This is a must read! This book reminds me of the wife upstairs mixed with a tiny amount of behind closed doors (but not that extreme). I stayed intrigued in this book the whole time, I never knew what was going to happen. The twists kept coming and were leaving me feeling baffled. I read a lot of books, and I never guessed the ending to this one. Highly recommend, and don’t let the trigger warnings scare you off, this one was mild imo compared to others.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an ARC audiobook. These narrator’s did an amazing job telling the story. Their voices for the characters were great! It was easy to follow.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an ARC audiobook. These narrator’s did an amazing job telling the story. Their voices for the characters were great! It was easy to follow.
April 30, 2024
The twists and turns!!! I could not put this book down! It gave McFadden vibes in parts but Choudhary definitely made this their own. Looking forward to more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review
April 26, 2024
Oops I’m late!!
His Last Wife is a mysterious thriller involving secrets, lies, and more secrets! Captivating writing and realistic characters make this book easy to devour.
Anna starts to fall for Cary before finding out that his wife has gone missing and she recognizes the story from the news. She’s already fallen for his daughter and wants to stay in their lives. She finds out details from the missing wife’s disappearance are not what she was told and the wife’s mother is not going to make anything about this relationship easy. Anna has a secret of her own though. This was such a gripping story I could NOT put it down and read it in under 24 hours. I screamed at the twists and was totally blown away!!
The narrators Kelly Burke and Penelope Rawlins did an amazing job. I was so hooked from the beginning and loved their ability to express each character.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ruhi Choudhary, and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I hope others enjoy this too on April 25th.
His Last Wife is a mysterious thriller involving secrets, lies, and more secrets! Captivating writing and realistic characters make this book easy to devour.
Anna starts to fall for Cary before finding out that his wife has gone missing and she recognizes the story from the news. She’s already fallen for his daughter and wants to stay in their lives. She finds out details from the missing wife’s disappearance are not what she was told and the wife’s mother is not going to make anything about this relationship easy. Anna has a secret of her own though. This was such a gripping story I could NOT put it down and read it in under 24 hours. I screamed at the twists and was totally blown away!!
The narrators Kelly Burke and Penelope Rawlins did an amazing job. I was so hooked from the beginning and loved their ability to express each character.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ruhi Choudhary, and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I hope others enjoy this too on April 25th.
April 16, 2024
His Last Wife (audio)
2⭐️
This is one of those books that you won’t be able to guess the ending. Twists are almost complete new storylines that are explained afterwards vs building off clues. There are 4 parts. The parts felt clunky and very different from each other. It felt like the author wasn’t sure what storyline/twists to choose prior to writing and forced them all in. It felt disconnected.
Part 1 focused on Anna becoming the girlfriend of Cary, a man whose wife mysteriously disappeared. They move quickly and suddenly Anna is living in his house and raising his infant daughter who calls her mom. Part 2 begins with a major twist and Anna feels like a whole new character. I strongly disliked her victim blaming and selfishness. She comes off as severely insecure, hateful, spiteful whereas she didn’t seem like that to me during part one. Part 3 now has new character voices and Part 4 is full of twists completely out of left field that would only work if characters were completely blind.
Things that bothered me: How was there not more in the media regarding Presley’s disappearance? How was Cary able to stay out of the media scrutiny and live such a normal life after his wife was taken leaving a bloody crime scene in his home? And as a surgeon husband? He would have been blasted all over the news as the #1 suspect.
I was very confused on the passing of time. By Anna’s account everything seems to be moving slowly, day-to-day, but Harper starts as a 10 mo old when Anna meets her and eventually sounds/acts like a 4 year old, only to find out 18 months pass from meeting to the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date 25 Apr 2024
2⭐️
This is one of those books that you won’t be able to guess the ending. Twists are almost complete new storylines that are explained afterwards vs building off clues. There are 4 parts. The parts felt clunky and very different from each other. It felt like the author wasn’t sure what storyline/twists to choose prior to writing and forced them all in. It felt disconnected.
Part 1 focused on Anna becoming the girlfriend of Cary, a man whose wife mysteriously disappeared. They move quickly and suddenly Anna is living in his house and raising his infant daughter who calls her mom. Part 2 begins with a major twist and Anna feels like a whole new character. I strongly disliked her victim blaming and selfishness. She comes off as severely insecure, hateful, spiteful whereas she didn’t seem like that to me during part one. Part 3 now has new character voices and Part 4 is full of twists completely out of left field that would only work if characters were completely blind.
Things that bothered me: How was there not more in the media regarding Presley’s disappearance? How was Cary able to stay out of the media scrutiny and live such a normal life after his wife was taken leaving a bloody crime scene in his home? And as a surgeon husband? He would have been blasted all over the news as the #1 suspect.
I was very confused on the passing of time. By Anna’s account everything seems to be moving slowly, day-to-day, but Harper starts as a 10 mo old when Anna meets her and eventually sounds/acts like a 4 year old, only to find out 18 months pass from meeting to the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date 25 Apr 2024
July 2, 2024
Imagine meeting a single father, widowed under suspicious circumstances, and falling in love. Now you’re moving into his world- his expensive house, his high society friends, being mother to his daughter. Seems too good to be true, right?
His last wife is a story about a woman, Anna, who falls in love with a successful doctor, widow, & single dad, while managing a therapist office. After a few dates, she moves into his house away from the city and takes an active part in raising his 8 month old daughter. Shortly thereafter, Anna starts to question everything after finding his missing wife’s journal. How come her disappearance wasn’t solved? What really happened to her? Could he be responsible?
This story has twists that cannot be predicted from the information provided in the story. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the constant distracting clues, but it was still an enjoyable listen. If you can read the story without trying to figure out the ending, you’ll love it! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
His last wife is a story about a woman, Anna, who falls in love with a successful doctor, widow, & single dad, while managing a therapist office. After a few dates, she moves into his house away from the city and takes an active part in raising his 8 month old daughter. Shortly thereafter, Anna starts to question everything after finding his missing wife’s journal. How come her disappearance wasn’t solved? What really happened to her? Could he be responsible?
This story has twists that cannot be predicted from the information provided in the story. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the constant distracting clues, but it was still an enjoyable listen. If you can read the story without trying to figure out the ending, you’ll love it! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
April 17, 2024
My favorite part of this book is that Ruhi Choudhary ties up all the major loose ends. TW for domestic and sexual abuse. This is the kind of story in which you root for a character you know has been hurt, but the problem is that the character has been so severely hurt that they cannot (realistically) survive. This is also the kind of story with many moving parts and each part keeps you wondering about what is happening and who you should be cheering for. It is the kind of story that, once you pick it up, you cannot put down until the final, satisfying, line. - AMC
May 2, 2024
His Last Wife written by Ruhi Choudhary and narrated by Penelope Rawlins & Kelly Burke was utterly outstanding!
It was so good, I left a temporary review 3/4 of the way through listening to say just how much I was enjoying it and then holey moley if it didn't go up another gear after that! A tornado of twists and turns that make a corckscrew look like a straight line. Did. Not. See. that. coming!!
Okedoke, first off, the narration is brilliant. The story is told from dual POVs and the contrast is sublime. Both very good narrators and balanced so well. The perfect team for this audiobook
Anna has fallen on her feet. Working as a receptionist in a therapists office, she sees the enigmatic Cary regularly when he attends for therapy following the disappearance and assumed unaliving of his wife (Presley), leaving him with a baby daughter (Harper) and a bitter MiL (Juliet)
A chance meeting in the rain starts off a friendship between Anna and Cary which builds into a relationship and they decide to move out of Boston to his old house in a gated community, a house with a room that Anna is warned she must never enter, ever. The wierd thing is, Cary told Anna that Presley was abducted from her car, leaving behind a pool of blood, so why is Juliet telling her it was from the room?
The community is a typical affluent community, material wealth, gossip and status are everything. As Anna strives to fit in, things start to go awry. Cary begins to get controlling and possessive, always apologising with gifts and flowers after each instance of DA. This and the misinformation leads Anna to start looking deeper into Presley's disappearance, and the first thing she finds, is Presley's diary.
The thing is, is anybody who they say they are? Or is it all a facade?
This book is so cleverly written and I had no hope in predicting the outcome. It is really quite different from any thriller I have read and I applaud it wholeheartedly. Brilliant!
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, the author Ruhi Choudhary and narrators Penelope Rawlins & Kelly Burke for this incredible ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
It was so good, I left a temporary review 3/4 of the way through listening to say just how much I was enjoying it and then holey moley if it didn't go up another gear after that! A tornado of twists and turns that make a corckscrew look like a straight line. Did. Not. See. that. coming!!
Okedoke, first off, the narration is brilliant. The story is told from dual POVs and the contrast is sublime. Both very good narrators and balanced so well. The perfect team for this audiobook
Anna has fallen on her feet. Working as a receptionist in a therapists office, she sees the enigmatic Cary regularly when he attends for therapy following the disappearance and assumed unaliving of his wife (Presley), leaving him with a baby daughter (Harper) and a bitter MiL (Juliet)
A chance meeting in the rain starts off a friendship between Anna and Cary which builds into a relationship and they decide to move out of Boston to his old house in a gated community, a house with a room that Anna is warned she must never enter, ever. The wierd thing is, Cary told Anna that Presley was abducted from her car, leaving behind a pool of blood, so why is Juliet telling her it was from the room?
The community is a typical affluent community, material wealth, gossip and status are everything. As Anna strives to fit in, things start to go awry. Cary begins to get controlling and possessive, always apologising with gifts and flowers after each instance of DA. This and the misinformation leads Anna to start looking deeper into Presley's disappearance, and the first thing she finds, is Presley's diary.
The thing is, is anybody who they say they are? Or is it all a facade?
This book is so cleverly written and I had no hope in predicting the outcome. It is really quite different from any thriller I have read and I applaud it wholeheartedly. Brilliant!
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, the author Ruhi Choudhary and narrators Penelope Rawlins & Kelly Burke for this incredible ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
March 22, 2024
Book Title: His Last Wife
Author: Rihi Choudhary
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: April 25, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars!
Pages: 250
Anna is Cary’s present wife. Cary’s last wife Presley, was abducted from her car and never found thus is still missing. Cary and Presley had a baby daughter Harper who now calls Anna Mama. However, living under the shadow of the perfect wife in the same house is difficult for Anna. Additionally Juliet, Presley’s mother is not at all pleased with Anna taking her daughter’s place.
One day Anna overhears something that makes her realize that Cary is not all that perfect. She discovers Presley was abducted from her house – not her car as Cary told her.
Anna cannot help but wonder why he would lie about that?
This was my first Ruhi Choudhary novel and although this wasn’t the Wow I was expecting - I will give her another try.
I am a big fan of thrillers so the first part totally had me. I liked Anna and soon thought
"Oh No " what has she gotten herself in.
It was good just not great,
Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 25, 2024.
Author: Rihi Choudhary
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: April 25, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars!
Pages: 250
Anna is Cary’s present wife. Cary’s last wife Presley, was abducted from her car and never found thus is still missing. Cary and Presley had a baby daughter Harper who now calls Anna Mama. However, living under the shadow of the perfect wife in the same house is difficult for Anna. Additionally Juliet, Presley’s mother is not at all pleased with Anna taking her daughter’s place.
One day Anna overhears something that makes her realize that Cary is not all that perfect. She discovers Presley was abducted from her house – not her car as Cary told her.
Anna cannot help but wonder why he would lie about that?
This was my first Ruhi Choudhary novel and although this wasn’t the Wow I was expecting - I will give her another try.
I am a big fan of thrillers so the first part totally had me. I liked Anna and soon thought
"Oh No " what has she gotten herself in.
It was good just not great,
Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 25, 2024.
May 1, 2024
Book Review - His Last Wife by Ruhi Choudhary
When lonely, grieving single father, Cary befriends Anna, the administrative assistant where he goes for counseling sessions, a beautiful friendship ensues. Slowly, over time, their friendship evolves into more, especially when he sees how maternal and nurturing she is to his little girl, Harper. This fast-paced thriller hooked me right from the start as I grew to really enjoy and understand each character.
What a ride, and what a twist as the story unfolds. My allegiances swayed throughout the story; the story is told through several voices, primarily Anna’s and Juliette’s, Cary’s grieving mother in law. The main problem? No one knows what happened to Presley, Harper’s mom and Cary’s beloved wife, who disappeared one day without a trace, leaving a trail of blood behind as well as her husband and young daughter, Harper.. I truly loved Anna and Cary, but then hated them; my feelings were all over the place! The narrators, Kelly Burke and Penelope Rawlins did a beautiful job giving voice to each of the characters, making me feel as though I knew each character personally.
There were times in which I was frustrated with the characters’ words and actions which left me conflicted but it did all work out in the end. I did not see the twist coming at all and though I had several predictions as to who the watcher was, I was ultimately incorrect!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ruhi Choudhary, and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When lonely, grieving single father, Cary befriends Anna, the administrative assistant where he goes for counseling sessions, a beautiful friendship ensues. Slowly, over time, their friendship evolves into more, especially when he sees how maternal and nurturing she is to his little girl, Harper. This fast-paced thriller hooked me right from the start as I grew to really enjoy and understand each character.
What a ride, and what a twist as the story unfolds. My allegiances swayed throughout the story; the story is told through several voices, primarily Anna’s and Juliette’s, Cary’s grieving mother in law. The main problem? No one knows what happened to Presley, Harper’s mom and Cary’s beloved wife, who disappeared one day without a trace, leaving a trail of blood behind as well as her husband and young daughter, Harper.. I truly loved Anna and Cary, but then hated them; my feelings were all over the place! The narrators, Kelly Burke and Penelope Rawlins did a beautiful job giving voice to each of the characters, making me feel as though I knew each character personally.
There were times in which I was frustrated with the characters’ words and actions which left me conflicted but it did all work out in the end. I did not see the twist coming at all and though I had several predictions as to who the watcher was, I was ultimately incorrect!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ruhi Choudhary, and Bookouture Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2024
"His Last Wife" by Ruhi Choudhary is a very twisty thriller. When I finished the book, I was dizzy from all the twists. Yes, you can have too many. And... they were not really all believable.
The other issue I had was that I kept falling asleep every time I listened to this audiobook. It happened like 4 times. Eventually, I realized that it was the narrator's soft and whispery voice that lulled me. I'm not sure which one voiced Anna, but the book was narrated by Penelope Rollins and Kelly Burke. Despite different narrators, I had trouble telling apart the female voices and got confused a few times.
You should be aware of the trigger warnings - domestic abuse, gaslighting, arson, murder, choking, bludgeoning, and blood. Other than that and the title, it's better not to know much about the plot ahead of time.
I didn't like any of the characters, which made it hard to relate to them. The book is told from a few different time periods and several points of view, one of which is a mystery.
Characters - 3/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 2/5
Enjoyment - 2/5
Narration - 3/5
Cover - 2/5
Overall - 23/8 = 2 7/8 rounded up to 3
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Ruhi Choudhary for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
The other issue I had was that I kept falling asleep every time I listened to this audiobook. It happened like 4 times. Eventually, I realized that it was the narrator's soft and whispery voice that lulled me. I'm not sure which one voiced Anna, but the book was narrated by Penelope Rollins and Kelly Burke. Despite different narrators, I had trouble telling apart the female voices and got confused a few times.
You should be aware of the trigger warnings - domestic abuse, gaslighting, arson, murder, choking, bludgeoning, and blood. Other than that and the title, it's better not to know much about the plot ahead of time.
I didn't like any of the characters, which made it hard to relate to them. The book is told from a few different time periods and several points of view, one of which is a mystery.
Characters - 3/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 2/5
Enjoyment - 2/5
Narration - 3/5
Cover - 2/5
Overall - 23/8 = 2 7/8 rounded up to 3
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture Audio, and Ruhi Choudhary for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
April 25, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for the ARC of this fun domestic thriller with an unexpected twist
Anna is moving in with the love of her life. Cary is handsome, rich and has an adorable daughter, Harper. After Cary’s wife, Presley, was abducted some time ago, Anna takes on the role as Harper’s mother. However this new ratchets to riches lifestyle is more complicated than Anna imagined. Not only does she has to handle Presley’s mother, who has a strong dislike for her, she also has to impress her new neighbours with dinner parties and get togethers. All of this would be fine if she hadn’t found Presley’d diary one day. A diary where she confesses that Cary is abusive. With a locked room she’s not allowed to enter and the dark secrets from the diary, Anna starts to winder if she really knows the man she’s fallen in love with.
We all know the set up for a domestic thriller; There’s usually a sketchy husband, a naive woman and lots of secrets. Yet I found this thriller surprising and well-executed. We mostly gets Anna’s point of view, but in between we get snippets from “the watcher”, which was a nice element to keep the suspense. Further into the novel we also get a new point of view that changes up the pace and the character dynamic.
I thought I knew where the plot was going, and though I predicted one of the twist I was surprised by others and shocked by the ending. The more we learn about Presley’s disappearance, the more complicated the mystery gets. What drives the novel is the lies and secrets both from Cary, the neighbour, the diary, but also from Anna herself. She has her own secrets that always leave the reader a bit in the dark, which I love.
I enjoyed the novel and would recommend it if you’re looking for a new and suspenseful domestic thriller.
3,75 ⭐️
Anna is moving in with the love of her life. Cary is handsome, rich and has an adorable daughter, Harper. After Cary’s wife, Presley, was abducted some time ago, Anna takes on the role as Harper’s mother. However this new ratchets to riches lifestyle is more complicated than Anna imagined. Not only does she has to handle Presley’s mother, who has a strong dislike for her, she also has to impress her new neighbours with dinner parties and get togethers. All of this would be fine if she hadn’t found Presley’d diary one day. A diary where she confesses that Cary is abusive. With a locked room she’s not allowed to enter and the dark secrets from the diary, Anna starts to winder if she really knows the man she’s fallen in love with.
We all know the set up for a domestic thriller; There’s usually a sketchy husband, a naive woman and lots of secrets. Yet I found this thriller surprising and well-executed. We mostly gets Anna’s point of view, but in between we get snippets from “the watcher”, which was a nice element to keep the suspense. Further into the novel we also get a new point of view that changes up the pace and the character dynamic.
I thought I knew where the plot was going, and though I predicted one of the twist I was surprised by others and shocked by the ending. The more we learn about Presley’s disappearance, the more complicated the mystery gets. What drives the novel is the lies and secrets both from Cary, the neighbour, the diary, but also from Anna herself. She has her own secrets that always leave the reader a bit in the dark, which I love.
I enjoyed the novel and would recommend it if you’re looking for a new and suspenseful domestic thriller.
3,75 ⭐️
April 26, 2024
An almost perfect 4 stars,
His Last Wife
went in a lot of directions, but I liked it!
At its surface, the story is about Anna, the new girlfriend of the wealthy and respected Doctor Cary, and about the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Presley, but really, we get way more than we bargain for, and even though there were a lot of subplots that in the end did come together, the book didn't feel convoluted.
Written in first person, we read from Anna's and someone else's point of view (not divulging anything more because spoilers!) But let's just say that I honestly didn't predict anything. Brilliant!
Obsession with motherhood takes the spotlight in this book. Even as a childfree person, I really liked seeing this theme throughout the book, and the feelings of desperation and love for a child felt so real. The author did a great job at making the reader feel what Anna was feeling at all times.
My only issue with the book is that the character I was rooting for didn't get their happy ending, so, less stars because of that.
Do note that there are depictions of spousal abuse and a kind of gritty/shocking element in a plot twist, so be prepared.
At its surface, the story is about Anna, the new girlfriend of the wealthy and respected Doctor Cary, and about the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Presley, but really, we get way more than we bargain for, and even though there were a lot of subplots that in the end did come together, the book didn't feel convoluted.
Written in first person, we read from Anna's and someone else's point of view (not divulging anything more because spoilers!) But let's just say that I honestly didn't predict anything. Brilliant!
Obsession with motherhood takes the spotlight in this book. Even as a childfree person, I really liked seeing this theme throughout the book, and the feelings of desperation and love for a child felt so real. The author did a great job at making the reader feel what Anna was feeling at all times.
My only issue with the book is that the character I was rooting for didn't get their happy ending, so, less stars because of that.
Do note that there are depictions of spousal abuse and a kind of gritty/shocking element in a plot twist, so be prepared.
March 13, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of His Last Wife by Ruhi Choudhary due to be published April 25, 2024.
Cary’s wife, Presley, disappeared and is still missing after being abducted from her car. Anna now lives in Cary and Presley’s fabulous house and the baby, Harper, calls her mama. Anna has to put up with Presley’s snooty mother, Juliet, and the neighbors’ gossip about Presley. One day Anna overhears something frightening – Presley was abducted from her house – not her car as Cary said. Did he have something to do with her disappearance?
Wow – this book! You really got to know the characters well. Or did you? You never knew who was going to be the “bad guy” (or girl). I just thought I knew the plot until all the roller coaster of a ride happened. And the ending – be prepared for a shock!
This was a new-to-me author – I will be looking for more of her books!
#NetGalley #RuhiChoudhary #Bookouture #HisLastWife
Cary’s wife, Presley, disappeared and is still missing after being abducted from her car. Anna now lives in Cary and Presley’s fabulous house and the baby, Harper, calls her mama. Anna has to put up with Presley’s snooty mother, Juliet, and the neighbors’ gossip about Presley. One day Anna overhears something frightening – Presley was abducted from her house – not her car as Cary said. Did he have something to do with her disappearance?
Wow – this book! You really got to know the characters well. Or did you? You never knew who was going to be the “bad guy” (or girl). I just thought I knew the plot until all the roller coaster of a ride happened. And the ending – be prepared for a shock!
This was a new-to-me author – I will be looking for more of her books!
#NetGalley #RuhiChoudhary #Bookouture #HisLastWife
April 16, 2024
3.75/4⭐️
As this was my first Ruhi Choudhary novel so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, but I can confirm i will be reading more of Ruhi’s books!! I was completely hooked from the start which continued throughout. I did find a times it was bit far fetched but at the end of the day this is a story made to catch attention. Do have to say I loved the ending and how everything tied nicely together. I did not expect how many twists and had me shocked at the ending few chapters.
Overall this was a great suspense thriller that had me wanting to find out more. I would 100% recommend this book to all readers.
Thanks to Ruhi Choudhary, NetGalley, and Bookouture for the ARC.
As this was my first Ruhi Choudhary novel so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, but I can confirm i will be reading more of Ruhi’s books!! I was completely hooked from the start which continued throughout. I did find a times it was bit far fetched but at the end of the day this is a story made to catch attention. Do have to say I loved the ending and how everything tied nicely together. I did not expect how many twists and had me shocked at the ending few chapters.
Overall this was a great suspense thriller that had me wanting to find out more. I would 100% recommend this book to all readers.
Thanks to Ruhi Choudhary, NetGalley, and Bookouture for the ARC.
May 23, 2024
Firstly, I want to send a huge Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoture Audio for an advanced copy of this suspenseful thriller!
4.5 Stars rounded up!!!
If you're a fan of Freida McFadden, you have GOT to read this book! After the first big twist of the book, I rolled my eyes and thought, not this twist again. But it turned out that wasn't the true big twist of the book! There were tons of insane twists to come that you'd never expect. They were all done so well and I just absolutely loved this book and recommend all thriller lovers check this out as soon as possible!
4.5 Stars rounded up!!!
If you're a fan of Freida McFadden, you have GOT to read this book! After the first big twist of the book, I rolled my eyes and thought, not this twist again. But it turned out that wasn't the true big twist of the book! There were tons of insane twists to come that you'd never expect. They were all done so well and I just absolutely loved this book and recommend all thriller lovers check this out as soon as possible!
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