The Cheat

by Miranda Rijks

Genres: Thriller

35 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2025

About the author

Miranda Rijks is the bestselling author of 29 psychological thrillers, with over one MILLION copies sold. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband and black Labrador.

Her fast-paced, twisty thrillers are inspired by scary things that have happened to her or places she has visited.

Miranda turned to writing after recovering from Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She's so grateful that she's now a full-time author and living the dream!

Visit www.mirandarijks.com to get her FREE novella, The Cheat, and the chance to name characters in her books.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books are made for a single evening before bed when you want something sharp, twisty, and impossible to put down. The Cheat is exactly that.

Gabby Higgins is looking forward to celebrating her wedding anniversary with her husband Jonathan until a mysterious suitcase arrives at her workplace addressed to her maiden name. From that small but unsettling detail, Miranda Rijks expertly pulls the thread, revealing the secrets and betrayals hidden beneath the surface of an ordinary relationship.

For a free novella, The Cheat packs a lot into a short space. It is fast-paced, tense, and genuinely twisty without relying on cheap shocks. It may not redefine the psychological thriller, but it delivers exactly what this format should: a gripping, satisfying read that keeps you turning pages until the end. Perfect for when you want a quick thriller with plenty of bite.

[Nicki Thoirs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely was not this! This short story was jammed with twists and turns. The story was excellently paced, and the ending was so smooth and paced perfectly! Will definitely be looking into other works from this author.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wicked novella!

[Ieva Valentinavičiūtė · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the fast pacing and the twists in this!

[Eva Edge · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cheat by Miranda Rijks is a fast-paced, tense, and genuinely twisty novella that delivers a compact dose of psychological suspense, though its short format occasionally cuts corners at the reader's expense.

The story establishes a high-stakes premise that feels strong enough to sustain a full-length novel, immediately pulling the reader into a web of deceit where conversations and motivations pack plenty of bite. Miranda Rijks structure relies on well-executed time jumps to give quick insight into how certain threads unfold, a practical formatting choice that keeps the pacing lightning-fast without ever bogging down the plot in unnecessary filler. It acts as a highly efficient, bite-sized thriller that is perfect for a quick reading session, keeping you turning the pages rapidly from start to finish without relying on cheap shocks to maintain its underlying sense of danger.

However, the real frustration lies in the central twist, which ultimately lives up to the book's title in a less-than-satisfying way. Because of the novella's restricted length, the massive final reveal relies on information that feels completely disconnected from how the narrative was presented from the very beginning. While the author's clever game is clear, the shortcut makes the resolution feel less like an earned, brilliant piece of misdirection and more like a deliberate cheat on the audience. It is an incredibly quick read that you can excel through in a blink of an eye, but the narrative shortcuts mean it has to settle for 3 cheating stars.

[Lu thrillskillsandchills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gabby and Jonathan Higgins are meant to be celebrating their wedding anniversary when a mysterious suitcase arrives at Gabby’s workplace. At first glance, it looks like the start of a surprise getaway — until she spots the luggage tag addressed to her maiden name. From there, the day spirals into a mess of secrets, betrayals and the slow realisation that this anniversary is going to be nothing like what she imagined.

This is a fast-paced little novella, exactly what you’d expect from something this length, and it delivers plenty of drama in a short space of time. After recently finishing One Little Mistake and falling in love with Miranda Rijks’ writing style, I jumped on this free novella the moment it went up on her website.

There were elements I definitely wanted more from — mostly because the setup is strong enough to carry a full-length novel, but I also appreciate the compact nature of a novella. The time jumps worked well, giving insight into how certain threads unfolded without slowing the pace.

Quick, dramatic, and very easy to inhale in one sitting.

[Supriya K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you cheat on your wife? 👀💍

📖 The Cheat: A Novella by @mirandarijksauthor

🌟🌟🌟🌟

On Jonathan and Gabby's wedding anniversary, Jonathan shocks her in the worst possible way he ends their marriage, locks her out of their home, and leaves all her belongings, including her wedding ring, in a suitcase.

Then Gabby discovers there's another woman in Jonathan's life... Vicky.

What follows is a mind-boggling game of manipulation, lies, and deception. My mouth literally dropped as each twist unfolded I never saw the truth coming! That ending was incredibly satisfying.

A short novella packed with suspense, twists, and psychological drama. It's the perfect tea-time psychological thriller that you can finish in one sitting.

My 8th Miranda Rijks book😍😌, and this novella is available for free on Miranda Rijks' website.

#TheCheat #MirandaRijks #BookReview #PsychologicalThriller #Bookstagram

[Christian Domenicci · Rating 4 out of 5]

​I devoured this short story in one sitting! It’s a gripping reminder that there are secrets that, sooner or later, always come to light.
​I really enjoyed the story and how the plot developed from start to finish. The ending completely caught me off guard—I didn't see that Plot Twist coming at all, which I loved.
​This was my first time reading Miranda Rijks, and it was a great introduction to her work.
​Final Verdict: 4/5 stars. A perfect, quick read for anyone who loves a good mystery with a surprising twist!

[Meli · Rating 5 out of 5]

We start off with it being Gabby and Jonathan's anniversary when Gabby receives the shock of her life. or did she?
I really enjoyed reading this because Gabby was such a good actress that I doubted what the twists would be. Gabby is the epitome of f*ck around and find out. Gabby's decisions might be dark but in the end you're left wondering if she would change anything and if she had any remorse.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is SO good! I was instantly hooked! The twist caught me by surprise and gave serious Poe vibes. "The Cheat" is a fantastic short read.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this short book has more twists in it than Chubby Checker - very clever!!
Enjoyed it - and so will you!!

[Barbara Tsipouras · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an entertaining little story about a betrayed wife's revenge, but there are too many holes that can't be overlooked.

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a pretty decent novella. It kept me hooked and the story was good especially for the length of it. I definitely thought it was entertaining !

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short story.

[meghin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way my jaw dropped! I love it when a thriller gets to me like this one did.

[Pheadra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisty novella. Page-turner. Enjoyable! 4 stars