The Last Mrs Sinclair

by T.J. Emerson

Preorder the BRAND NEW addictive psychological thriller from T.J. Emerson.

What would you give for the perfect life?

Leah Williams knows exactly what she wants from life – comfort, luxury and security. All the things she would have had if her childhood hadn’t been derailed by her father’s bad decisions. And then she meets Miles Sinclair. After the death of his wife last year, Miles is ready to start living his life again, and Leah knows just how to help him… what could be so wrong with that?

When Miles takes Leah to his chateau in the French countryside, she's excited to get a taste of the life she deserves, even if it means enduring the presence of Miles’ cousin Vivienne, who seems determined to insert the memory of his dead wife into every conversation.

But the Chateau Clairvallon has a history, not least as the place where the last Mrs Sinclair died. And as Leah discovers more about the accident that took her predecessor's life, she begins to realise that the family she's set her sights on isn't quite what it seems.

What happened that summer?

Was it really an accident?

And is Leah in danger?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Relationships, Audiobook, Summer

394 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2025

About the author

This author is also published under Tracey Emerson.

Tracey’s latest psychological thriller, The Perfect Holiday, is published by Boldwood Books. Before writing fiction, she worked in theatre and community arts. As well as acting, she ran drama workshops in healthcare settings, focusing on adults with mental health issues. Her short stories have been widely published in anthologies and literary magazines, and her feature writing has appeared in Stella magazine, Woman’s Own and The Sydney Morning Herald. Her first psychological thriller, She Chose Me, was published by Legend Press in 2018.
She has a PhD in Creative Writing from The University of Edinburgh and works as a literary consultant and writing tutor. She is also the Creative Director of The Bridge Awards, a philanthropic organisation that provides micro-funding for art and community projects.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't like any of the characters but loved all the shenanigans.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick read with short chapters. Although I didn't like the characters very much the story was good and very twisty and creepy. The ending was surprising as well. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Lisa Aiello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one way too much. I love a good grifter grifting a grifter kind of stories. There were plenty of twists. Some you can see coming and others just kind of hit you (which are the best kind). Unlikeable characters that you can root for and an ending that I found satisfying. All in all, this is well worth spending the hours you have saved up for thrillery reads on!!

[Stephanie Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite suspense book this year! The beginning of the book you can begin to see the odd relationship between Miles and Vivienne, BUT I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE TURNS TO FOLLOW!!! I think we after we read a few suspense books you can spot the upcoming plot twists, while I did see a few they were not the most jarring ones. By the end of the book, I really did not know which way the author would take the ending, but I was pleasantly surprised with the choice.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys suspense. It was a easy read and I finished within two days.

Thank you T.J. Emerson, Boldwood Books, and Netgalley for the eARC. I look forward to more books by this author!

[Diane Dachota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some people just want the finer things in life. This is a twisty, fun thriller than starts off like a typical "Rebecca" story, but then goes off the rails into another story all together. Four stars for an original story that had unlikeable characters but a interesting plot. Leah Williams had long been told by her mother to go after money and not love. Leah spends her time in expensive hotel bars hoping to find a rich husband and one day meets Miles Sinclair. Miles is a widower and is attractive but Leah is only attracted to his money. After a short courtship he invites her to the French Chateau owned by his family and currently occupied by his cousin Vivienne who is helping out as a housekeeper. Vivienne isn't very pleasant to Leah, after all there is more than a 20 year age difference-but this family and this house contains many secrets, secrets which may prove deadly.

After the couple get engaged, Leah finds herself rather isolated in the country and she becomes obsessed with the mystery of how Miles first wife died from a fall from this very Chateau. If this sounds familiar, be assured this is just the tip of the iceberg and lots of twists ands surprises are in store in this novel. I finished this one in 24 hours and even though I initially hated Leah, I came to enjoy her as a main character. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

[Eva Edge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Mrs Sinclair by T.J. Emerson is an addictive, fast-paced and twisty psychological thriller that grabbed my attention from chapter one! Oh wow!

I struggled to connect with the previous 2 books I finished and thought probably the problem was me but NO! This book grabbed my attention straight away! I loved the storyline, loved the characters, loved how the story unfolded and I absolutely adore the ending! That was a proper WOW moment!

Leah knows what she wants from life and she is going for it! No lovy-dovy love-stories, no deep connections - comfort, wealth, security and status!
Miles lost his wife a year ago and felt an instant connection with Leah... yes, they have a 30+ year age gap but they feel so comfortable with each other.
Miles’ cousin Vivienne will meet both at his chateau in the French countryside and Leah will feel that she is not welcome. at the same time, Vivienne is not the one who dictates the rules so Leah is ready to stand for what could be hers...

Sounds like some love drama? Oh well, believe me, there will be so many heart-pounding moments that you will forget to let out that breath that you didn't realise you were holding!

Absolutely recommend it if you need a fast-paced, read-in-one-sitting thriller!

Thank you NetGalley for this copy!

[Becca Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh feeling savage again.. didn’t hate it but didn’t love it .. 2.5 stars

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Okay this was such a good thriller, sucks you right into the drama; and the twists and turns kept coming! I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were fantastic!

[Erica★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun thriller about money, deception, s*x and lies when Leah wants to live a life of luxury she will do whatever it takes to get there. The atmosphere of this book I feel would be perfect as a summer read or on a vacation. I did not see the very last twist at the end coming in the epilogue.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC

[Corinne Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty-four year old Leah is on a mission to find herself a rich man. She regularly frequents bars in her quest to find this man, when she stumbles upon 54 year old Miles who seems to have an interest in her. A relationship begins and she meets his cousin Vivienne, who seems to have her own agenda. As the story unfolds, we come to find that everyone has an agenda. This story was fast-paced & entertaining and kept me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for an advanced eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant read. It has deranged and totally unlikeable characters, with red flags for me from the beginning but is superbly twisty and one of those addictive ‘want to read at every opportunity’ books. Looking out now for other books by this author.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so hard to put down because I didn't like any of the characters at all. I chose this book due to the name as I am a Sinclair from my mother and thankfully we are nothing like these people lol. A surprising twist at the very end but I really wanted the main female character to get her comeuppance. A very good summer read.

[Lape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gosh, The Last Mrs Sinclair completely reeled me in from the very beginningMoody, atmospheric, and dripping with an underlying tone of menace threaded throughout, this book was giving Rebecca vibes with a modern twist, and I’m here for it!!

Twenty-four-year-old Leah is on a mission: she wants a wealthy man who’ll spoil her and give her the luxurious life she dreams of. When she meets 54-year-old Miles Sinclair, he seems like the perfect catch, and when he invites her to stay at his chateau in France, Leah jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the beginning of something wonderful, but things quickly take a darker turn.

This was my first read by this author, and I’m definitely going to be reading more of their work.

Many thanks to the author and Boldwood books for the gifted earc copy via netgalley.

[Line · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very different from what I expected it to be. After reading the synopsis I thought this would be just your run of the mill thriller, but it ended up being a lot more about interpersonal drama within the family.

I liked a lot of things about this book. The writing style was very original and kept me hooked throughout the book. This book has a lot of horrible characters, so you'll find yourself rooting against everyone, which is a fun experience.

I did feel like parts of this book dragged a little, the beginning was difficult for me to get through, and the middle part felt very 'slice of life' which isn't something you normally get in thrillers.

It left me feeling very eerie and a little on edge, so it did a good job at that. But this isn't a thriller that's really trying to scare you, it's more about giving you that eerie, anxious feeling. The final conflict did feel satisfactory but I felt like there were too many twists. What made the book so good for me was that it felt real, like something that could happen in real life, and adding such a big amount of twists took away from that realism. I was shocked at some of the twists, which isn't something that happens often for me in thrillers. I also felt like the book was a bit too long, and had some side-plots going on that didn't really end up mattering. So cutting some of those out would have helped with the pacing and the length.

Overall I did like this book. I found myself thinking about it quite a lot the next day, which isn't something I can say about most of the thrillers that I've read. I would recommend this book if you're into thrillers that lean into family drama.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC for this book.

-> 3.5 rounded up

[Abbie Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this! A twisty psychological thriller all about money, s*x, secrets, and lies. I'd love to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

[Leona · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Mrs Sinclair is an excellent psychological thriller . I found it to be a fast paced read with lots of twists and turns. The main character Leah is determined to meet a wealthy man that will spoil her and give her a life of luxury . When she meets Miles Sinclair she thinks she’s found her man and when he invites her to go and stay in his chateau in France she jumps at the chance and feels this could be the start of something wonderful or is it ? Wow this book was one of those that reeled me right in and I just loved all the twists that came about as I progressed through the book . The characters are all horrible but I do love those type of characters and I was really engrossed in them all . This book is the first I’ve read by this author but I’ll certainly be reading more in the future .

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Last Mrs. Sinclair" by T.J. Emerson is about Leah Williams who struggles with her identity and her past. She wants comfort, luxury and security in life and is prepared to do whatever it takes to get it.

I appreciate how the author explores themes of love, betrayal, power, money, sex and self-discovery. The story is both gripping and thought-provoking, a real page-turner with an unexpected resolution.

Thank you Netgallery for the ARC.

[Sarah Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this domestic thriller with twist after twist! I was as very anxious to figure out exactly what was happening and then another surprise would turn up.

Leah is playing a game in her attempt to marry Miles after the death of his previous wife. Little does she know she is being played also!

Thank you net Galley and publisher for the advanced eARC copy of this book!

[Lauren Speringo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ahhh! I hate these kind of books. Starts off good and sucks you in…then goes downhill. Now that I have a kindle, it’s hard to gauge just how lengthy a book will be. This was way too long! Started to get boring in the middle and then it picked up towards the end which dragged out forever. Had a lot of potential but it was too long and too dragged out.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

super quick read. rich British people in the French countryside with secrets and trauma, creating more secrets and trauma. twisty!

as money-hungry as she was, I actually liked Leah. But everyone else had some isssuuuuues...

would recommend, a lil eerie and had pretty good twists, but check trigger warnings!

tw. for d*ath/dying (one page) and r*pe (memories)

[Maddie Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Last Mrs. Sinclair" by T.J. Emerson is about a young woman in her 20s, Leah Williams, who continues to be haunted by her past and actions of her parents. Leah has her eye on the finer things in life and is determined to create a life of comfort and security for herself no matter what it may take to get her there. While part one was a little slow, it gave us insight into Leah's background, authentic personality, and suspense/mystery of the story. Each part that followed continued to bring on more gripping twists and insightful character development. I enjoyed the authors takes on themes of love, power, money, and self-discovery through this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

[Hilary Robart · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 but that epilogue was 5/5 I knew something like that happened!!!

[Vanessa Hernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love The Last Mrs. Sinclair, especially because I received it as an ARC from NetGalley and was excited to dive into something new. But unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

I typically fly through thrillers in a day or two, but this book took me forever to finish. The plot felt all over the place — jumping timelines, too many twists that didn’t feel earned, and characters I struggled to connect with. I found myself confused more often than intrigued, and by the time things started making sense, I had already checked out emotionally.

There were glimmers of a good story buried underneath it all, and I think with a tighter structure, it could have been a solid domestic thriller. But for me, it just missed the mark.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of The Last Mrs Sinclair by T.J Emerson.

This mystery/thriller was a great read and marked my first introduction to T.J. Emerson's work.

The story follows Leah, a woman determined to find an older, wealthy man to settle down with for the sake of financial security. Enter Miles—a rich, widowed businessman who seems equally eager for companionship. The two spend the summer at his French chateau, accompanied by Miles’ eccentric cousin, Vivienne. What starts as a seemingly straightforward setup quickly spirals into a web of twists and surprises that had me exclaiming “No way!” more times than I can count. I genuinely struggled to put the book down.

I’ll admit, during the first third of the novel, Leah had me rolling my eyes. I tend to gravitate toward strong female leads, and her willful ignorance of the glaring red flags around Miles was frustrating. But everything changed once Part Two began. The first major twist landed—and I was hooked. From that point on, I found myself rooting for Leah and side-eying a few other characters (whose names I won’t mention to avoid spoilers). Every time I thought I had the plot figured out, another curveball hit, and out came another “No way!”

It was, pun intended, absolutely thrilling.

[Cynthia Rodrigues · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twenty-four-year-old Leah Rose Williams is beautiful and she knows it. Stuck in a boring job, while living in a cramped apartment, she focuses on attracting rich, older men, hoping that a relationship will be her ticket to a better life. She has just dumped Nick, a married man she had been seeing, after he suggested going serious with the relationship.
Leah’s mother has taught her to believe that “All relationships are based on power, not love.” That she must “Step up and claim your power and, once you’ve got it, never ever give it away.” That “You are the prize, Leah. Always remember that.”
In just six weeks, Leah gets into a relationship with Miles Sinclair, 30 years her senior, who whisks her off to his family home in Chateau Clairvallon in France for a short vacation, and then proposes to her there. Soon he fixes up the wedding day in August.
Leah believes that finally she will have the life she was born to. The life she lost after her dad squandered her mom’s inheritance and deserted them.
Leah is thrilled beyond measure.
Though she does not love Miles, she is looking forward to the wealth that will soon be hers. For the sake of the wealth, she puts up with Miles’ age and the fact that he is still grieving the loss of his wife, Riley, who fell down to her death from the roof of Chateau Clairvallon.
At the chateau, Leah meets Miles’ cousin, Vivienne, who is mourning the death of her husband, Dom. Vivienne is now acting as Miles’ housekeeper at the chateau.
Excited about her turn of fortune, Leah prepares for her new life. But she cannot shake away the shadow of what happened to Riley? Was her death an accident or was it murder? And if it was murder, as the rumours in the village say, is she in danger too?

The book reminded me of Rebecca with Chateau Clairvallon being Manderley. At first I thought it was a retelling of Rebecca, but while the basic premise is similar, this one is different. The book is written in four parts, in the present tense PoV of Leah and Vivienne. It starts in May of an unnamed year, then continues up to July in two parts. The third and fourth parts pick up the story from August until the end.

The ‘last’ Mrs Sinclair has dual connotations, and the narrative does a good job of keeping us hooked on the stories of both Mrs Sinclairs.

The Prologue and the Epilogue were both done very well; the former grabbed my attention and pulled me into the story. While the book began on an exciting note, the middle, an extended section, lost steam, dragging the pace.
The chapters are dated only by month. It would have been better to date them too, so we would have some kind of countdown to the wedding, which is a critical point in the story.
The plot perked up at the 81% mark and then things began to happen in rapid succession. The final third was a huge improvement on the middle.

I didn’t like Leah, nor any of the characters. But they were real and relatable. In the end, though, I did feel a sense of pity for one of the characters.

There are themes like love, sex, incest, greed, wealth and power addressed in the book. There are some overly explicit sex scenes in the story, making this book unsuitable for younger readers.

We don’t know the year in which the book is set, only the month. But it seems to be a contemporary time, given that people have mobile phones and Internet, so Leah’s references (twice) to “freshening up between my legs”, instead of showering, sound weird, gross and unnecessary.

There are lots of proofing errors. Vivienne is referred to as Miles’ mother in one sentence.

A good thriller in spite of the issues.
My rating is 3 and a half.

(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of writing this review. Thanks to the author and publisher.)

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leah Williams is a woman on a mission. Tired of dead-end jobs that do not pay, Leah is determined to find herself a rich man who will be able to provide her with safety, love and a secure environment in which to live but also hopefully with the funds to provide her with a lavish lifestyle. Leah was the product of an alcoholic mother and an absent father and suffered a miserable childhood. She is a very attractive woman so she dresses herself up and sits in high class bars where hopefully she will meet the man who will fulfill all her dreams. Soon, as she had hoped, along comes Miles Sinclair.

Miles is a man 30 years her senior but one that meets all her criteria and lives in a French chateau in the countryside, an enormous home that has been in his family for years, but also one with skeletons in the closet. Miles lost his first wife Riley, another younger woman who suffered a tragic accident at the chateau where Miles will take Leah six weeks after their first meeting. But Miles’s cousin Vivienne is also a resident and her history with Miles goes back to childhood, they are incredibly close.

Leah is determined to have Miles marry her and for her it is more about power than love and if Vivienne is also part of this deal, she will pretend, for now, that everything is fine. But once Leah moves in, she finds herself questioning more and more what lead to Riley’s death and becomes quite obsessed about this. How did Riley really die and was anyone responsible for this or was it a terrible accident.

The book is split into four sections with different POVS throughout ad this works well. Section two will open doors in the storyline ad soon the excitement begins. I really liked Leah, some may see her as a gold digger, but she is very honest and authentic, and this adds a lot to the story. Themes throughout the book focus on power, betrayal and deception and it was a quick and very enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All relationships are based on power, not love."

Such a quirky statement coming from the deceased mother of Leah Williams that proves right as I read more into the book. Leah is a young woman that most people will quickly label a gold digger, as she is looking for a rich man to marry to get the financial stable life she used to live in her childhood. While she may not have the brightest past, I find it hard to dislike her because of her realistic intention, albeit the unconventional journey that most society might deem unethical. She gets lucky attracting a recently widowed Miles Sinclair, who immediately whisks her away to his fascinating chateau in Paris. There she meets Vivienne, a bitter cousin of Miles, who experiences similar grief and shows instant distaste towards Leah by constantly comparing her to Riley, the late Mrs. Sinclair. This invokes Leah's curiosity about Riley as she also hear rumors that Riley's departure might not be an accident as reported.

The book is divided into four parts. At first, I thought this would be an easy predictable read with a few suspense here and there. After a twist at the start of the second part, I was kinda hoping that the author might offer more intricate plot, in spite of the limited number of characters introduced. The progress is slowing down until the end of the third part where the conflict thickens. I won't tell more about the ending, but I can say that it is worth it to read until the very end *wink

I will recommend this book to readers looking for a light mystery read that can be concluded in one or two sittings.

Special thanks to Boldwood Books for providing digital copy of this book for me via NetGalley to review. All opinions are honestly my own! :)

[Ceri Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟 Review 🌟

I love T J Emerson and I wasn't expecting this to top my previous fave by her, The Perfect Holiday, but it's definitely up there as one of her best.

There's an intriguing premise to this book. A man whose wife died in suspicious circumstances moves on so fast and there's all sorts of questions raised about why, and what he gets out of this new relationship.

Add into the mix an idealised setting that quickly becomes anything but, a very strange and over bearing cousin, and a lot of nosy or at the very least concerned locals, especially the notorious Jacques, and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.

Riley was the last Mrs Sinclair before Leah, but will she be the last Mrs Sinclair, as her and Miles sail away into the sunset and live happily ever after? Or is there a darker side to this man, despite his seemingly loving and generous ways?

The beginning of the book builds up slowly. In some ways it was painfully slow, but only because you had this uncomfortable feeling that something was going to blow, or at least twist and turn.

From about 40% in, there are so many new twists and turns that the book became quite addictive. I HAD to know what happened. I also loved that sometimes Emerson would throw in something that you think will be a huge twist or a big bombshell, and then it would turn out to be quite insignificant. It surely kept me on the edge of my seat!

Leah's fear, uncertainty and anxiety is palpable at times and this really added to the book. Though told through multiple perspectives, Leah's feelings came through extremely strongly.

Ultimately, this book was twisty, very clever in its unpeeling of layers of deceit and danger, and is an excellent choice for any thriller fans!

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

[Julie (JuJu) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve got to confess that I picked up "The Last Mrs. Sinclair" because of its eye-catching cover, and honestly, I was bracing myself for another cliched plot. But holy cow, this juicy domestic thriller packs some real surprises that turn the usual plot on its head! And trust me, the big twist doesn’t drop until later, but when it does—mind blown!

Leah is done chasing after the perfect fairy tale. After a bad breakup, she’s about securing a wealthy and luxurious life with a decent man who will treat her right. That’s where Miles comes in! He seems to tick all the right boxes and whisks her away to his beautiful French chateau, making it a dream come true. But hang on—there’s a twist! There's always a twist, right?

The chateau has its secrets, as it’s the site where Miles’s first wife fell to her death in what he claims was a tragic accident. But was it really just an accident? Plus, there's his peculiar cousin temporarily living there as a caretaker, adding to the intrigue!

After chatting with some locals and secretly poking around the chateau, Leah starts to think Miles and his cousin are hiding some pretty dark secrets. Things are definitely not what they seem, and this story turns into an exciting rollercoaster ride!

Thanks to the author, Boldwood Books, and Rachel's Random Resources for providing this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

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[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Mrs Sinclair by T. J. Emerson was an addictive psychological thriller and I loved it! This book was excellent especially as it was fast paced from the start to the very end. It was about money, deception, s*x, lies and lots of lies. It was full of brilliant twists and turns that had me wanting more.

Now. . . . . . . What would you give for the perfect life?

Leah Williams knows exactly what she wants from life. She only wants the BEST! She wants comfort, luxury and security. These are all the things she would have had if her childhood hadn’t been derailed by her father’s bad decisions.
Then Leah meets Miles Sinclair. After the death of his wife last year, Miles is ready to start living his life again, and Leah knows just how to help him…

Now, what could be so wrong with that?

Miles takes Leah to his chateau in the French countryside, she's excited to get a taste of the life she deserves, even if it means enduring the presence of Miles’ cousin Vivienne, who seems determined to insert the memory of his dead wife into every conversation.

But the Chateau Clairvallon has a history and lots of it, this was the place where the last Mrs Sinclair died.
Leah discovers more about the accident that took her predecessor's life, and she begins to realise that the family she's set her sights on isn't quite what it seems.

What happened that summer?

Was it really an accident?

And is Leah in danger?

But, Leah, will do anything to have this luxury life she deserves!

I highly recommend this book. A great holiday read,

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.