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Happily Ever After
Nobody told her that marriage would be murder...
Ned Wheeler was devoted to his family. He was also convicted and jailed for murder.
After spending three decades in prison, Ned's up for parole. But this is not his story. It's about Joan, the wife who was fooled by his good looks and charm; Cass, the daughter who wants nothing more to do with him; and Florence, the woman who wants the world to know she's saved him.
Moving seamlessly between contemporary London, the hedonistic hippy summer of 1970 and the small world of 1980s Isle of Wight, Mary Horlock has delivered an utterly gripping and moving thriller about love, loss and the lies we tell ourselves in order to survive.
- GenresSummer
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 3, 2025
Ned Wheeler has been in jail for thirty years, having been found guilty of murdering a young man and raping and murdering a young woman. Now he’s up for parole and is expecting to get it, especially since he’s become “born again” and has found a nice woman who’s willing to marry him and provide a home. The story isn’t about Ned, though – it’s about the three women who will be most affected by his release: his ex-wife, Joanie, his daughter, Cass, and Florence, the woman who tells her social media followers that she has fallen in love with Ned. And it’s about another death – a young girl, Hannah, whom everyone assumes Ned murdered too, though there was never enough evidence to charge him with that one.
Mary Horlock is new to me and, although she seems to have several previous books to her name, I think she’s new to this genre too (though I may be wrong). I admit it – it was the cover that first attracted me to this one, but I was intrigued by the blurb too. On starting reading, it took me a while to warm up to it, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though the story is dark enough, there’s a vein of humour running through the voices of the three women who take turns as first-person narrators. The crimes, after all, were thirty years ago, so there’s none of the rawness of first grief that so much contemporary crime fiction forces on us.
Horlock shows us the impact on Cass and Joanie of having been related to a notorious killer – Cass with mental health problems that have left her in the hands of counsellors for most of her life, and Joanie drowning her sorrows in drink until she finally managed to turn her life around. But they are both survivors in the strong sense of that word – they have both made new lives for themselves and are more than coping, they are thriving. Florence is more ambiguous. Why is she attracted to a murderer? It’s part of the wider question of why convicted murderers so often seem to attract women. Is it the appeal of the bad boy? Or in Florence’s case, could it possibly be to boost her social media profile? Surely not!
It’s not a dual timeline in the sense that we are firmly in the present in the days leading up to Ned’s release. But the narratives of the three women take us back to those long ago days of the 1970s, when young hippy Joanie went to the big music festival on the Isle of Wight, fell in love with Ned and never left. She tells us of her relationship with the husband she adored, and we see too her love for her daughter, although her hippy lifestyle made her a somewhat casual mother, leaving Ned’s mother to do the hard work of child care while she drank and drugged and partied. We hear about her reaction to Ned’s conviction, and her spiral into addiction which led eventually to the estrangement of mother and daughter. And we learn about her recovery and her life now. Joanie’s narrative is presented as a series of letters explaining all of this to Cass. I loved Joanie’s voice, and I loved the humour in her narrative – here’s a woman who has undoubtedly grown as life’s experiences have battered her, and who can now look back with some self-deprecating amusement at her younger self.
Cass I found harder to like, although I sympathised with her most, as the real innocent among them all. She’s brittle and bitter – both hardly surprising under the circumstances – but she has also found a man she loves who loves her too, and they have two children. Cass has changed her name though we never learn her new name, and she really doesn’t want any contact with her father even if he is, as he claims, a changed man. She also doesn’t want to hear from the mother whose drinking made her adolescence a time of worry and embarrassment. She’s not willing to believe that her mother may have changed either. Her narrative reads like her private thoughts or perhaps a journal – for her eyes only.
Florence, on the other hand, we hear through her podcasts, as she tells not just the reader but the whole world about her new love and her plans to marry a rapist and murderer. We hear her react to the comments she receives – the heart emoji brigade declaring this some kind of new version of Romeo and Juliet, the genuinely concerned people who feel she’s making a mistake and worry for her, and the trolls, abusing her in the usual sexualised misogynistic terms. But what is driving Florence? She doesn’t seem naive or stupid – can she really be in love? Even if she is, can she really believe love is enough in this situation? Or does she believe, as she claims, that it is her Christian duty to forgive? Even her Christian followers seem to think there’s a pretty big gulf between forgiving a murderer and marrying him...
The mystery that holds the story together is the death of Hannah, and as Joanie and Cass go over their old memories they begin to see things they didn’t spot as relevant at the time. The ending goes quite far over the top, but the strain of humour that runs through the book means that it works. And avoiding spoilers, I’ll just say I loved how it was left, though I feel the very end may prove to be divisive. A very enjoyable read, and I’ll certainly be keeping an eye open for Horlock’s next book!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, John Murray via NetGalley.
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Mary Horlock is new to me and, although she seems to have several previous books to her name, I think she’s new to this genre too (though I may be wrong). I admit it – it was the cover that first attracted me to this one, but I was intrigued by the blurb too. On starting reading, it took me a while to warm up to it, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though the story is dark enough, there’s a vein of humour running through the voices of the three women who take turns as first-person narrators. The crimes, after all, were thirty years ago, so there’s none of the rawness of first grief that so much contemporary crime fiction forces on us.
Horlock shows us the impact on Cass and Joanie of having been related to a notorious killer – Cass with mental health problems that have left her in the hands of counsellors for most of her life, and Joanie drowning her sorrows in drink until she finally managed to turn her life around. But they are both survivors in the strong sense of that word – they have both made new lives for themselves and are more than coping, they are thriving. Florence is more ambiguous. Why is she attracted to a murderer? It’s part of the wider question of why convicted murderers so often seem to attract women. Is it the appeal of the bad boy? Or in Florence’s case, could it possibly be to boost her social media profile? Surely not!
It’s not a dual timeline in the sense that we are firmly in the present in the days leading up to Ned’s release. But the narratives of the three women take us back to those long ago days of the 1970s, when young hippy Joanie went to the big music festival on the Isle of Wight, fell in love with Ned and never left. She tells us of her relationship with the husband she adored, and we see too her love for her daughter, although her hippy lifestyle made her a somewhat casual mother, leaving Ned’s mother to do the hard work of child care while she drank and drugged and partied. We hear about her reaction to Ned’s conviction, and her spiral into addiction which led eventually to the estrangement of mother and daughter. And we learn about her recovery and her life now. Joanie’s narrative is presented as a series of letters explaining all of this to Cass. I loved Joanie’s voice, and I loved the humour in her narrative – here’s a woman who has undoubtedly grown as life’s experiences have battered her, and who can now look back with some self-deprecating amusement at her younger self.
Cass I found harder to like, although I sympathised with her most, as the real innocent among them all. She’s brittle and bitter – both hardly surprising under the circumstances – but she has also found a man she loves who loves her too, and they have two children. Cass has changed her name though we never learn her new name, and she really doesn’t want any contact with her father even if he is, as he claims, a changed man. She also doesn’t want to hear from the mother whose drinking made her adolescence a time of worry and embarrassment. She’s not willing to believe that her mother may have changed either. Her narrative reads like her private thoughts or perhaps a journal – for her eyes only.
Florence, on the other hand, we hear through her podcasts, as she tells not just the reader but the whole world about her new love and her plans to marry a rapist and murderer. We hear her react to the comments she receives – the heart emoji brigade declaring this some kind of new version of Romeo and Juliet, the genuinely concerned people who feel she’s making a mistake and worry for her, and the trolls, abusing her in the usual sexualised misogynistic terms. But what is driving Florence? She doesn’t seem naive or stupid – can she really be in love? Even if she is, can she really believe love is enough in this situation? Or does she believe, as she claims, that it is her Christian duty to forgive? Even her Christian followers seem to think there’s a pretty big gulf between forgiving a murderer and marrying him...
The mystery that holds the story together is the death of Hannah, and as Joanie and Cass go over their old memories they begin to see things they didn’t spot as relevant at the time. The ending goes quite far over the top, but the strain of humour that runs through the book means that it works. And avoiding spoilers, I’ll just say I loved how it was left, though I feel the very end may prove to be divisive. A very enjoyable read, and I’ll certainly be keeping an eye open for Horlock’s next book!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, John Murray via NetGalley.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
May 5, 2026
"I hate him so much it discounts any love I used to feel. Unfortunately hate is still a feeling."
- Happily Ever After by @maryhorlock
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Welcome to my stop on the Happily Ever After tour.
This book was SO clever. Happily Ever After tells the story of three women in the wake of Ned Wheeler's 1970s murders and is set thirty years after the murders take place. There's embittered ex- wife Joanie, estranged daughter Cass, and podcaster fiancé, Florence. You THINK you know who they are and how it is going to go, but you really don't, and that's why I am writing this review super tired after staying up late to read it- I could NOT put it down.
I loved the multiple POV of the different women. Horlock manages to write characters with such distinctive voices that I found myself feeling really strongly about each of them. I grew to love Joanie, who was such a hot mess but y'know, who wouldn't be if they'd accidentally married a murderer and had his baby? I also really enjoyed how the story unravelled. It was so clever- I was kind of expecting a bit of an anticlimactic ending, but the way it all came together was so good it had me turning the pages late into the night, desperate to see how it turns out.
Overall, if you like feminine rage, stories about what happens to families after the crimes take place, and a dedication to justice in all forms, this book is a twisty and satisfying read.
Thank you @maryhorlock and @randomthingstours
For the #gifted copy of the book and a spot on the tour.
Happily Ever After is available now!
QOTD: what would it take for you to hate someone you once loved?
#happilyeverafter #bookstagram #thrillerbooks #booktour
- Happily Ever After by @maryhorlock
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Welcome to my stop on the Happily Ever After tour.
This book was SO clever. Happily Ever After tells the story of three women in the wake of Ned Wheeler's 1970s murders and is set thirty years after the murders take place. There's embittered ex- wife Joanie, estranged daughter Cass, and podcaster fiancé, Florence. You THINK you know who they are and how it is going to go, but you really don't, and that's why I am writing this review super tired after staying up late to read it- I could NOT put it down.
I loved the multiple POV of the different women. Horlock manages to write characters with such distinctive voices that I found myself feeling really strongly about each of them. I grew to love Joanie, who was such a hot mess but y'know, who wouldn't be if they'd accidentally married a murderer and had his baby? I also really enjoyed how the story unravelled. It was so clever- I was kind of expecting a bit of an anticlimactic ending, but the way it all came together was so good it had me turning the pages late into the night, desperate to see how it turns out.
Overall, if you like feminine rage, stories about what happens to families after the crimes take place, and a dedication to justice in all forms, this book is a twisty and satisfying read.
Thank you @maryhorlock and @randomthingstours
For the #gifted copy of the book and a spot on the tour.
Happily Ever After is available now!
QOTD: what would it take for you to hate someone you once loved?
#happilyeverafter #bookstagram #thrillerbooks #booktour
April 30, 2026
Convicted serial killer, Ned Wheeler, has spent over thirty years in prison. Now he’s finally about to be released. Waiting on the outside is religious podcaster Florence Watkins, who despite public reservation, has recently married Ned.
In contrast, two people who will be doing their upmost to avoid him are his ex-wife Joan and their daughter, Cass. These three women are all ultimately searching for their happy ever afters, but, is there more to Ned’s past than they know about - and is that past about to come hurtling into the present?
Relayed in different formats (podcasts, transcripts etc) from each character’s pov this was an engaging read from the very beginning. Each character brings a fresh perspective to the story and I can easily say that my personal favourite was Florence. The dark humour within her personality is the perfect contrast to the severity of the storyline and despite this being a tale involving death and murder, I found her highly amusing.
The timeline moves back and forth between the past and the present until it all comes together unexpectedly and cleverly. It’s unusual in the way that although this story is essentially about Ned’s crimes, it doesn’t feel that much about him at all. It’s more about the impact his crimes have caused on others, which gives it more of a unique feel. My first book by this author but I’d definitely try her again.
In contrast, two people who will be doing their upmost to avoid him are his ex-wife Joan and their daughter, Cass. These three women are all ultimately searching for their happy ever afters, but, is there more to Ned’s past than they know about - and is that past about to come hurtling into the present?
Relayed in different formats (podcasts, transcripts etc) from each character’s pov this was an engaging read from the very beginning. Each character brings a fresh perspective to the story and I can easily say that my personal favourite was Florence. The dark humour within her personality is the perfect contrast to the severity of the storyline and despite this being a tale involving death and murder, I found her highly amusing.
The timeline moves back and forth between the past and the present until it all comes together unexpectedly and cleverly. It’s unusual in the way that although this story is essentially about Ned’s crimes, it doesn’t feel that much about him at all. It’s more about the impact his crimes have caused on others, which gives it more of a unique feel. My first book by this author but I’d definitely try her again.
July 9, 2025
‘Happily Ever After’, Mary Horlock’s latest novel, has a heavily ironic title. Over the course of the novel we are asked to think about various fairy stories and legends, and consider what they tell us about human nature and how the happy endings come about. Just so in Horlock’s story – but can there actually be satisfaction for someone who supposes at the beginning of the novel, ‘Let’s say he didn’t kill her. Let’s say he married her instead’?
The novel is told from three different perspectives: Joan, ex-wife of serial killer Ned Wheeler, his daughter, Cass, and his fiancée Florence Watkins. Florence is a prison visitor and her religious beliefs chime with Ned’s born-again religiosity. In her podcasts, she explains that everyone needs a second chance and how she will help him adjust to the outside world when his parole board review is successful. There are plenty who think she’s deluded, not least Cass and her estranged mother.
Middle-aged Joan has finally overcome her alcohol addiction. She lives alone, back on the Isle of Wight, and runs a craft shop. She is determined to ensure that Ned never leaves prison and has been engaging in some amateur sleuthing to try to link some cold case murders to Ned. Looking back, she recognises that she was deluded in her love for him, often stoned or drunk, and certainly a less than ideal mother. She would love to be reunited with Cass; the scripts of recorded tapes to her daughter make up much of this narrative.
Cass just wants to live a quiet life with her husband, Peter, and two children. She’s making quite sure that the latter are not left to their own devices, as she was. However, when her grandmother dies and Cass is a benefactor of her will, she knows she will have to face the past.
This novel focuses on how three very different women try to find their ‘happily ever after’. The reader becomes well acquainted with them and there are several sections which are psychologically really plausible. However, whilst the end of the novel is suitably twisted and an amusing homage to one fairy tale in particular, it does take the narrative from the plausible to the extremely far-fetched!
My thanks to NetGalley John Murray Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
The novel is told from three different perspectives: Joan, ex-wife of serial killer Ned Wheeler, his daughter, Cass, and his fiancée Florence Watkins. Florence is a prison visitor and her religious beliefs chime with Ned’s born-again religiosity. In her podcasts, she explains that everyone needs a second chance and how she will help him adjust to the outside world when his parole board review is successful. There are plenty who think she’s deluded, not least Cass and her estranged mother.
Middle-aged Joan has finally overcome her alcohol addiction. She lives alone, back on the Isle of Wight, and runs a craft shop. She is determined to ensure that Ned never leaves prison and has been engaging in some amateur sleuthing to try to link some cold case murders to Ned. Looking back, she recognises that she was deluded in her love for him, often stoned or drunk, and certainly a less than ideal mother. She would love to be reunited with Cass; the scripts of recorded tapes to her daughter make up much of this narrative.
Cass just wants to live a quiet life with her husband, Peter, and two children. She’s making quite sure that the latter are not left to their own devices, as she was. However, when her grandmother dies and Cass is a benefactor of her will, she knows she will have to face the past.
This novel focuses on how three very different women try to find their ‘happily ever after’. The reader becomes well acquainted with them and there are several sections which are psychologically really plausible. However, whilst the end of the novel is suitably twisted and an amusing homage to one fairy tale in particular, it does take the narrative from the plausible to the extremely far-fetched!
My thanks to NetGalley John Murray Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
May 6, 2026
There were three things that initially drew me to this book. That incredible cover - it has such a 1970s hippy vibe to it, I love it. Then there's the strapline; 'Nobody told her that marriage would be murder...' - I mean, who can resist that one? And finally, Mary Horlock is a new author to me, whilst this is not her first book, I've not read her before and I love to discover new authors.
I have not been disappointed. Whilst this novel is most definitely a mystery tale, it is, first and foremost, the story of a family. A family that is shattered into many pieces when Ned Wheeler; husband to Joan and father to Cass, is imprisoned for murder.
We are introduced to Joan, Cass, and Ned's fiancee Florence thirty years later. Ned is about to be released and the impact of that on each of these women is profound.
Cleverly structured, the author takes her readers back to the hedonistic days of festivals and fun, when Ned and Joan met first, fell in love and married. This is told though Joan's voice, in her writings to her daughter Cass. Cass and Joan have been estranged for many years and Joan dearly wishes to see her again.
Cass has had a life of therapy and unease. She's married to a man who adores her and she is determined that she will never see her mother, or her father again. She's finding it difficult to deal with the thought of him being free again.
We come to know Florence through her podcasts. Deeply religious, she was drawn to Ned when he became 'born again'. She broadcasts her hopes about their future. Some listeners applaud and some scorn her.
There are glorious twists that thrill, there's a hint of sardonic humour and there are links to the fairy tales that we are all familiar with. The novel has the grip of a thriller and the emotional depth of a tragic family story. Recommended by me.
I have not been disappointed. Whilst this novel is most definitely a mystery tale, it is, first and foremost, the story of a family. A family that is shattered into many pieces when Ned Wheeler; husband to Joan and father to Cass, is imprisoned for murder.
We are introduced to Joan, Cass, and Ned's fiancee Florence thirty years later. Ned is about to be released and the impact of that on each of these women is profound.
Cleverly structured, the author takes her readers back to the hedonistic days of festivals and fun, when Ned and Joan met first, fell in love and married. This is told though Joan's voice, in her writings to her daughter Cass. Cass and Joan have been estranged for many years and Joan dearly wishes to see her again.
Cass has had a life of therapy and unease. She's married to a man who adores her and she is determined that she will never see her mother, or her father again. She's finding it difficult to deal with the thought of him being free again.
We come to know Florence through her podcasts. Deeply religious, she was drawn to Ned when he became 'born again'. She broadcasts her hopes about their future. Some listeners applaud and some scorn her.
There are glorious twists that thrill, there's a hint of sardonic humour and there are links to the fairy tales that we are all familiar with. The novel has the grip of a thriller and the emotional depth of a tragic family story. Recommended by me.
May 5, 2026
My Thoughts: what a wild ride this book is, at first you get the initial feeling that the cover does not match the story, it’s whimsical and happy but this book is dark! A lot darker than I was expecting, completely my own fault though I went in blind like I do most of my thrillers, I just find that the shocks, the twists and the turns hit harder when you don’t know anything!
This story is told by 3 women, all of whom have a connection to our main male character Ned, we have his ex wife Joan, his daughter Cass and his current love interest Florence!
I really enjoy when a book is told through mixed media, so the fact that this one was told through podcasts and interview transcripts has well as normal story telling made this one easy to devour, I was hooked from the beginning.
The story was told through the past and present so we got a well rounded view of Ned & his life before and after the crimes he committed although we never really hear from him. It kind of felt like although the story was about him and his crimes and how all that affected the 3 women in the book it felt like he was a side character which was an aspect of the book that I really appreciated!
Despite the darkness of the book as a whole there was humour very cleverly woven into the writing which stopped it from ever really feeling too much or too heavy.
A really enjoyable read that kept me on edge of my seat all the way through.
This story is told by 3 women, all of whom have a connection to our main male character Ned, we have his ex wife Joan, his daughter Cass and his current love interest Florence!
I really enjoy when a book is told through mixed media, so the fact that this one was told through podcasts and interview transcripts has well as normal story telling made this one easy to devour, I was hooked from the beginning.
The story was told through the past and present so we got a well rounded view of Ned & his life before and after the crimes he committed although we never really hear from him. It kind of felt like although the story was about him and his crimes and how all that affected the 3 women in the book it felt like he was a side character which was an aspect of the book that I really appreciated!
Despite the darkness of the book as a whole there was humour very cleverly woven into the writing which stopped it from ever really feeling too much or too heavy.
A really enjoyable read that kept me on edge of my seat all the way through.
April 26, 2026
Happily Ever After is a cleverly told mystery, with engaging characters and twists you won't see coming.
After 30 years in prison having been convicted for rape and murder, Ned Wheeler is up for parole. We learn his story entirely through three women in his life - ex-wife Joan, daughter Cass and prison visitor and podcaster Florence. Joan and Cass have both struggled with the stigma of being related to Ned - never the greatest mother, Joan spiralled into addiction and she and Cass became estranged. Cass has rebuilt her own life, with a loving husband and two children - but wants nothing to do with either of her parents. And Florence has apparently fallen in love with Ned, believing she can be the one to save him.
Each woman's voice is shared through a different medium - Florence through her podcast, Joan through tapes recorded for her daughter in an attempt to reconnect and Cass through a more personal narrative.All of them are seeking their happily ever after and the author does a good job of bringing each of them to life. The story takes some unexpected twists as Joan and Cass revisit the past and realise things may not entirely be as they always believed. There is a certain amount of dark humour that runs throughout the book which culminates in a wonderfully unexpected denouement.
After 30 years in prison having been convicted for rape and murder, Ned Wheeler is up for parole. We learn his story entirely through three women in his life - ex-wife Joan, daughter Cass and prison visitor and podcaster Florence. Joan and Cass have both struggled with the stigma of being related to Ned - never the greatest mother, Joan spiralled into addiction and she and Cass became estranged. Cass has rebuilt her own life, with a loving husband and two children - but wants nothing to do with either of her parents. And Florence has apparently fallen in love with Ned, believing she can be the one to save him.
Each woman's voice is shared through a different medium - Florence through her podcast, Joan through tapes recorded for her daughter in an attempt to reconnect and Cass through a more personal narrative.All of them are seeking their happily ever after and the author does a good job of bringing each of them to life. The story takes some unexpected twists as Joan and Cass revisit the past and realise things may not entirely be as they always believed. There is a certain amount of dark humour that runs throughout the book which culminates in a wonderfully unexpected denouement.
August 9, 2025
After The Book Of Lies (based in Guernsey) and The Stranger’s Companion (based on Sark), Mary Horlock has now completed her Island Trilogy with Happily Ever After (based on the Isle of Wight). What happens when a man could possibly be released on parole after serving 3 decades in prison for rape and murder? How will this affect the people he left behind when convicted? The story is told by three very different women. His ex-wife was initially taken in by his charm and charisma but, realising the truth was instrumental in bringing him to justice. His daughter was traumatised by the realisation that her loving father was not what she believed, and now wants nothing more to do with either him or her mother. The third woman whose voice we hear, is a potter and a podcaster who is also a prison visitor. She believes Ned Wheeler has been “born again” and redeemed. She has married him in prison and into her care he could be released. The story unfolds with unexpected twists which keep you gripped right to the very last page. A wonderful and satisfying read.
May 9, 2026
I loved how this book was told through a blend of podcasts, audio recordings, flashbacks and newspaper reports, it gave the story a real sense of depth and immediacy. It reminded me of the character driven thrillers by famous author Minette Walters, whose layered storytelling I’ve always enjoyed.
Mary Horlock has crafted a brilliantly addictive psychological thriller, laying out the central premise within the opening pages before skilfully unravelling the past through a series of twists and turns.
Most of the characters felt unreliable and untrustworthy, which only added to the intrigue. I really enjoyed reading their differing versions of events, as well as following the more recent characters at the heart of the story as they attempted to unravel a crime dating back to 1987.
The denouement threw in a couple of dark, unguessable curveballs that caught me completely off guard. Yet somehow, they felt perfectly crafted, culminating in a chilling final act that echoed a classic ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ twist - thought provoking but utterly satisfying.
#HappilyEverAfter - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mary Horlock has crafted a brilliantly addictive psychological thriller, laying out the central premise within the opening pages before skilfully unravelling the past through a series of twists and turns.
Most of the characters felt unreliable and untrustworthy, which only added to the intrigue. I really enjoyed reading their differing versions of events, as well as following the more recent characters at the heart of the story as they attempted to unravel a crime dating back to 1987.
The denouement threw in a couple of dark, unguessable curveballs that caught me completely off guard. Yet somehow, they felt perfectly crafted, culminating in a chilling final act that echoed a classic ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ twist - thought provoking but utterly satisfying.
#HappilyEverAfter - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 30, 2026
Well this was a bit different and completely compelling, there are loads of excellent books about serial killers, murders and survival etc but this one is about those closest to a killer who is up for parole.
Three women all very different you may like them, dislike or be suspicious of them but I was gripped by their stories, this book is written well and the flow and pace is good too.
A new author to me but I will definitely pick up further books to read.
Three women all very different you may like them, dislike or be suspicious of them but I was gripped by their stories, this book is written well and the flow and pace is good too.
A new author to me but I will definitely pick up further books to read.
May 8, 2026
I loved this book, from the cover right through to the end!
The creativeness between the then and now and the twists as we go through the story are perfect and definitely unexpected.
The author writes like the times across the past and now, it’s clear where you are and the emotions and the atmosphere really do change!
I’d really recommend this, I couldn’t put it down and would read it again!
The creativeness between the then and now and the twists as we go through the story are perfect and definitely unexpected.
The author writes like the times across the past and now, it’s clear where you are and the emotions and the atmosphere really do change!
I’d really recommend this, I couldn’t put it down and would read it again!
May 9, 2026
Horlock is a new-to-me author and on the basis of this book alone I'm already wanting to devour her back catalogue.
I'm an Island girl. A born and bred Caulkhead. So to read a book that was set in the place I called home for fifty years was everything. Reminiscent and familiar.
I love the cover image, it captures the hedonism of a festival perfectly.
Interspersed with podcasts and transcripts the story is narrated from the POV of three women all with a connection to Ned Wheeler and takes place across a dual timeline.
Dark in places and emotive in others, Happily Ever After is a compelling story of families, a haunting past, and the depths of love.
A firm favourite.
I'm an Island girl. A born and bred Caulkhead. So to read a book that was set in the place I called home for fifty years was everything. Reminiscent and familiar.
I love the cover image, it captures the hedonism of a festival perfectly.
Interspersed with podcasts and transcripts the story is narrated from the POV of three women all with a connection to Ned Wheeler and takes place across a dual timeline.
Dark in places and emotive in others, Happily Ever After is a compelling story of families, a haunting past, and the depths of love.
A firm favourite.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews