The New Wife: The BRAND NEW unputdownable domestic thriller from Gemma Rogers for 2026

by Gemma Rogers

When the man you marry isn’t who he claims to be…

After a whirlwind romance and a dream beachside wedding, Lucy Brightman returns home brimming with hope for her future. But as the honeymoon glow fades, small cracks begin to show. Life quickly shifts into something far darker, and Lucy finds herself trapped in a controlling, abusive marriage with her husband, David.

As the illusion of marital bliss crumbles, David tightens his grip using his wealth to control Lucy by funding the care of her critically ill mother, ensuring she cannot leave their marriage.

Then, one night, David fails to return home for an important dinner with a business partner - something utterly out of character. With his phone going straight to voicemail, Lucy reluctantly contacts his London workplace. What she learns shatters everything she thought she knew.

Was her marriage a lie from the very beginning?

Praise for Gemma

'Unputdownable. a nail-biting thriller that grips to the very last page' - Keri Beevis

‘A well-written and thoroughly entertaining thriller from a very talented author’ - John Nicholl

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller Suspense

Audible Audio

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Gemma Rogers is the bestselling author of gripping domestic thrillers that delve into dark secrets, twisted relationships, and shocking betrayals. Her books often explore the hidden dangers lurking behind closed doors in seemingly perfect families and communities.

Writing for Boldwood Books, Gemma has become known for her fast-paced plots, unpredictable twists, and relatable yet flawed characters. Her novels frequently chart in the psychological suspense and crime thriller categories on Amazon and have sold over six hundred and fifty thousand copies.

If you enjoy tense, emotionally-charged thrillers in the vein of Lisa Jewell, B.A. Paris, or K.L. Slater, you’ll feel right at home with Gemma’s books.

When she’s not plotting her next twist, Gemma enjoys include horror and thriller movies, country walks, swimming and anything involving cake.

Gemma is currently working on her latest book which will be out in August 2026.

All the below are standalone titles in publication order:

Stalker (2019)
The Secret (2020) *previously published as Payback*
The Teacher (2020) *previously published as Reckless*
The Mistake (2021) *previously published as Bad Girls*
The Babysitter (2021)
The Feud (2022)
The Neighbour (2023)
The Good Wife (2023)
The Flatmate (2023)
The Honeymoon (2024)
The Night Shift (2025)
The Stranger at No. 6 (2025)
The Girlfriend (2026)

Follow her on:

X/Twitter: gemmarogers79
Facebook & Instagram: GemmaRogersAuthor

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy has recently married David, an orthodontist, whom she met at the bakery shop where she worked, and where David called in for his daily Americana and freshly baked almond croissant. After a whirlwind romance, he’d whisked her off to the Maldives to be married, and life looked very good indeed. However, things soon changed!

David is charming, everyone would agree on that, but you know what I’m going to say don’t you? Yes, he may appear to be charming, but behind closed doors he’s controlling, cruel and manipulative.

However, Lucy can’t walk away from the marriage because her mother has stage-four Parkinson’s and requires full-time care. David is paying for her mother's stay at an excellent care home, Wyntham Manor.

Things go from bad to worse, and one evening David doesn’t come home at all. This is really strange because he’d given Lucy strict instructions to cook a special meal, having invited his business partner Torsten and his wife Erika over for dinner.

Well, without going into any detail, Lucy is in for a whole load of shocks the following day!
Who was this man she had married!

This is a well written thriller that had me wanting to read “ just one more chapter “! Plenty of twists await the reader, and it made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

14th book read by this author and love all of them,this has to be one of my favourites……

We meet Lucy who has been married to David for a few months,he was her ideal match when they ‘courted’ however on their honeymoon all this changed and the real David showed himself, cruel, exacting,controlling and manipulative and a nasty sexual appetite….all made Lucy’s life hell….of course to everyone else looking in he was charming and ‘hadn’t she done well’

When David suddenly dies it seems Lucy knew very little about him and other people close to David very little about her and she realises she stands to lose everything as…….well that would give the story away but as you read the treachery of David becomes more apparent

With a story of Lucys Mum who has Parkinsons thread into the main story more and more of Lucy’s life seems to be unravelling

And not everyone she trusts has her best interests at heart

A thrilling thriller,great pace and characters to love and loathe and a surprising ending made it another winner from this author

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read and I enjoyed it, though I found the protagonist very frustrating. The story centers on Lucy, who is married to a seemingly perfect guy named David after a whirlwind romance. When David fails to come home one night, Lucy's world is shattered, as she discovers all kinds of secrets and deceit in David's background. Were they ever even legally married? To make things worse, Lucy relies on David's money to keep her mother in a very expensive care home, and the future is shaky based on the things she has found out from David's past.

Lucy was a frustratingly naive character from the beginning- who even goes into a marriage that quickly and with that little information? While she does show a little chutzpah while investigating what happened to David, she also jumps to conclusions and doesn't recognize signs of concern that are right in front of her. I wanted to throttle her at times! This all being said, the story moves at a fast clip and Lucy finally catches on to what I already knew was happening in order to bring the story to resolution. While I did find the twists to be somewhat predictable, I questioned myself a couple times. The ending tied up loose ends cleanly and worked with the rest of the story.

Overall, while this book held my interest, I was frustrated with the main character and found the story to be a bit predictable. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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

The New Wife
By: Gemma Rogers
Pub Date: August 4, 2026
Publisher: Boldwood Books


This was my second novel by Rogers. I love a good psychological thriller and this is another fun one.

A quick marriage with a dark side coming WAY TOO soon. Lucy and David and they seemed happy.

Within the year she realizes she has no idea who she is married too.

She calls his office and realizes they thing David is a widower and is not married?

WHAT THE HECK!

That’s all I am saying because this has so many twist my head was spinning and one that I had to read in one sitting.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The New Wife by Gemma Rogers is a highly recommended soapy domestic psychological thriller for the right reader. This one throws everything, including the soapy kitchen sink, into the opera.

Lucy Davenport, 24, is a baker at “Crumbs Bakery" when she strikes up a relationship with a new customer named David Brightman, an orthodontist who is two decades older than her. What began as a friendly companionship soon grew into love and the two got married on a trip to the Maldives. After the marriage, David quickly turned into a controlling, abusive husband. Lucy feels stuck in the marriage, however, because her mother has stage-four Parkinson’s and requires full-time care. David is paying for her mother's stay at an excellent care home, Wyntham Manor.

When David doesn't come home for dinner, after giving her explicit instructions about the meal for the guests he is bringing, business partner Torsten and his wife Erika who are from Germany, she is unable to contact him. When she contacts his work place she learns that David was married before, told no one there about her, and that he died the day before from anaphylactic shock. No one contacted her because they didn't know about her. Now Lucy needs to collect the papers to prove they are married so she can handle the details. She in for a shock, however, as new details, secrets, people, opportunists, threats, and dangers emerge all seemingly targeting her.

This is a short, fast paced domestic psychological thriller with major soap opera sensibilities. Almost every plot point and twist you could think of happens to Lucy. I would list them but that would ruin the fun. Many of them felt familiar but they are used here to create the suspense, tension, and diversion this novel needed after a bit of a overly familiar opening.

Although several twists are predictable, I am glad I pushed on, kept reading, and did not set it aside. I almost went this direction when it was seemingly another woman in a bad marriage situation, especially when, very early in the plot, this was combined with Lucy unable to find her marriage certificate and she has no idea where it might be located. (She may be young, but, come on, she should have not only known where it was but I'm assuming in the UK she would have had to sign for a marriage license, file paperwork, and use it for updates to other personal information.) Thank goodness the narrative does get better and moves beyond this. 3.5 rounded up when needed.

Lucy can be an exasperating character, but she is tenacious as she attempts to uncover secrets and protect her mother. She has to endure numerous aggressive, manipulating, and potentially lethal actions against her. The situation David's death puts her in is stressful, especially because his money pays for the excellent care her mother is receiving.

The New Wife is a good choice for those who enjoy fast-paced domestic psychological thrillers with soap opera vibes. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...

[Jen Rooney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable with a weak female main character. Difficult to finish.

[Lauren Scott-Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5/5) rounded down for goodreads

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love it when a thriller leaves me questioning absolutely everyone... unfortunately, The New Wife had me saying, "Yep, I bet it's that," by around the 35% mark... and I was right. 😅
This was a super quick, easy read, and Gemma Rogers' writing kept the pages turning. I flew through it in no time, hoping I'd be completely thrown off by a jaw-dropping twist.
Sadly, that twist never really came. The main plot played out almost exactly as I'd predicted, which took away a lot of the suspense for me. I kept waiting for the story to pull the rug out from under me, but it never quite managed it.
That said, if you're after a fast-paced domestic thriller that's easy to binge over a weekend, this could still be worth picking up. It just didn't have the shocking reveals or edge-of-your-seat moments I was hoping for.
Overall, a fun enough read, but one that was a little too predictable for my taste. I wanted to be shocked... instead, I was just waiting for everyone else to catch up. 🤷🏻‍♀️📚

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so juicy that I wanted to read the synopsis again to see what I needed to leave out of my review…and it’s almost everything! So, in the interest of having no spoilers, here is my very held-back review about a damaged couple, Lucy and David.

Lucy is a baker in her early 20s who meets an older (late 30s) orthodontist named David. They weren’t together long before he proposed, and they got married on a trip to the Maldives. This book starts nine months into their marriage, and David’s charming facade has dropped. He’s controlling and abusive, but he knows Lucy won’t do anything about it, because he pays for her mother’s expensive care home.

One morning, David wasn’t answering his cell, so she called his office for the first time. When she tells the receptionist she’s his wife and she can’t get ahold of him, she gets a shocking response. She’s told David is a widow, and to never call the office with a horrible prank like that again.

This sends her into a spiral. David was married before her? Why didn’t he tell her that he had a wife who died? Why hasn’t he told his coworkers about his new wife? One of them is coming to their house for dinner that very night - does that person know he’s remarried? What is going on?

I’m not going to tell you what’s going on, but this is definitely a wild story with a lot of twists. I didn’t want to stop reading, because more and more kept coming out and I needed to know what the ending would bring! The ending itself reminded me of a movie I wont mention for spoiler reasons, but you’ll know it when you read it - and read it you must, if you like fast-paced and twisty domestic thrillers with a lot of mystery thrown in. 4.5 stars!

(Thank you to Boldwood Books and Gemma Roberts for the ARC in exchange for my review! This book is slated to be released on August 14, 2026.)

[Lyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars 🌟

I really enjoyed this book finding it gripping & twisty throughout with plenty going on & wanting to just keep reading.
I dropped half a star as found a few bits at the beginning a little unbelievable but can see why Lucy thought the things she did. Very well written & an easy read, I'd highly recommend this domestic thriller.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Meddings_Musings: Emlura M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welp - this confirms it. After reading ALL of Gemma Rogers books, she’s AH-mazing!

Once again, Gemma Rogers has delivered a plot that:
*is a thrilling FOUR STARS!
*is pulse pounding
*had me questioning everyone
*required me to flip page after page determined to find the nugget that would allow me to confidently declare “whodunnit”
*provided a twisty end I wasn’t quite expecting!

Gemma has a WONDERFUL catalogue of works to check out! And if you’re not a Kindle Unlimited member yet - you need to be!
*Note - I get absolutely nothing if someone signs up for KU or not.
As a member, I can just confirm that I have literally saved thousands of dollars by having a membership 😊

‘The Next Wife’ by Gemma Rogers is about a twenty five year old woman, Lucy, who enjoys her small circle of friends and her job at a local bakery where she can showcase her baking talents - something she’d like to expand upon soon!
But above everything else, Lucy is a daughter devoted to caring for her beloved mother who has developed early Parkinson’s.

While working her early morning baking shifts, a well put-together, slightly older, handsome man begins to come in at the same time every day and Lucy learns his name is David.

David is about fifteen years older than Lucy and works as an orthodontist. When David first asks Lucy to attend an event with him, he states he enjoys her company on a platonic level. It’s Lucy who assures him the age difference doesn’t bother her and is the first to initiate a kiss.

Within a few short months, Lucy’s world completely flips upside down! She’s now married to David whose mother’s inheritance left him quite wealthy. They’ve moved into the lavish home he was raised in, Lucy no longer needs to work, and most importantly, Lucy’s mother is placed in a phenomenal care home that David happily pays for.

But things are quite how Lucy thought they’d be. It turns out David isn’t as kind and generous within the confines of their home. Dishes in the sink, dinner not perfectly timed, or hair clogged in the drain show Lucy who David really is.

Always on pins and needles because of his cruel nature, Lucy’s emotions are all over the place when David, his business partner, and the wife of his business partner don’t arrive on time for the meal Lucy has painstakingly cooked and timed to perfection.

Swinging between annoyed, angry, worried, and frustrated Lucy eventually falls asleep when David doesn’t show up.

Waking up the next morning, Lucy phones his office. And she’s not prepared for what she’s told. David isn’t married.

Ummm WHAT?! David’s wife disappeared in the Maldives last year. The same place David took Lucy when they got married ten months ago.

What happens after this revelation, had me glued to the story!

This is scheduled to release August 14th which means you have a couple of weeks to delight in the work books from Gemma! You can’t go wrong by picking up any of them! They’re all four and five star reads!

Thank you NetGalley, Gemma Rogers, and Boldwood Books for gifting the ARC in exchange for a review. Twas a suspenseful delight 🤍✨

[Cindy Ossieur · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★☆☆

Well… this one was definitely a mixed bag for me! 😅

Thanks to NetGalley, I had the chance to read this book, although a little later than planned — by the time I finally picked it up, it was already available to buy.

We meet Lucy, a 25-year-old woman who works at her friend’s bakery and still lives with her mother in the house where she grew up. Her mother has health problems, so Lucy is also there to look after her.

Then David walks into the bakery. He’s in his forties, charming, successful and, according to Lucy, absolutely wonderful. He tells her that his mother has recently died and that he’s dealing with her estate. He also works at a shared dental practice. Before long, Lucy is completely head over heels for him.

And then things move very fast. After only a short time dating, David proposes to Lucy in the Maldives. They decide to get married there with only witnesses present. It sounds like a fairytale, right?

Well… we all know that when a thriller starts looking too much like a dream, something is probably about to go horribly wrong. 👀

Once they return home, David buys them a new house. Lucy’s mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and David pays for her care home. Lucy quits her job and becomes a full-time housewife.

But the dream quickly turns into a nightmare.

David is no longer the man Lucy thought she married. He becomes controlling, cruel and abusive, using both psychological and physical abuse to keep her under his control. He cuts her off from her friends and makes sure everything happens exactly the way he wants it to.

Lucy feels trapped, especially because David is paying for her mother’s care. Her mother is also getting increasingly ill and can no longer speak, making Lucy feel even more alone.

Then David suddenly dies.

And that’s when things really start to unravel. Secrets come out, Lucy discovers that she may not have known her husband at all, and suddenly her own life is in danger.

The premise was really good, and I genuinely wanted to know what was going on. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite work for me.

The biggest problem was the repetition. There was SO much of it. Things were explained, then explained again, and sometimes I felt like the book was reminding me of something I had literally just read a few pages earlier. And once I started noticing it, I couldn’t stop noticing it. 🙈

I also found the story surprisingly predictable. Even before I had figured out exactly how everything fitted together, I could already guess quite a few things that were coming. And for a thriller, that unfortunately takes away a lot of the tension.

Some events also felt a little unrealistic to me, and there were moments where I found myself thinking, “Really? Would that actually happen?” 😅

I did enjoy the short chapters, though. They made the book very easy to read and definitely helped keep the pace going.

So, overall: an interesting premise, short and easy chapters, but unfortunately too much repetition and not enough surprises for me.

A decent book to pick up when you want something easy and don’t feel like concentrating too hard — just don’t expect too many twists that will leave you completely shocked.

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE NEW WIFE BY GEMMA ROGERS.
4 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
Love myself a Gemma Rogers book.
Love the cover.
Gemma had a way of keeping you on your toes very early on till the end.
Great plot and I look forward to the next one ☺

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooooh, this was a good un! I couldn't put it down, but I did because I fell asleep, but not through boredom!

So what's it about I hear you ask... Well let me tell you.

Lucy thinks she's hit the jackpot. She's married the man of her dreams. He's absolutely minted, lives in a mansion she'll one day inherit, and drives what is essentially a James Bond car. Living the dream, right?

Haha...Wrong!

Very, very wrong.

When hubby dearest turns up dead (like... properly dead), although things were a bit bd for Lucy before that, it just goes on a downhill rollercoaster from there really. Lucy suddenly finds herself at the centre of a mystery full of lies, secrets, deceipt and all the confusions! But who would want good ol Dave dead? Hmmm... Has to be the ex-wife right? The money of course.

We follow Lucy as she tries to sort her life out and work out what the actual heck is going on.

I absolutely loved the writing. The whole story is from Lucy's POV and she felt like a real person rather than a generic thriller heroine. Her inner monologue was believable, witty and had me chuckling more than once. She was impossible not to root for.

Every character had a purpose too. Nobody was just there to fill a page, and everyone had enough backstory to make the world feel complete.


This is one of those books that's ridiculously easy to read. Fast-paced, loads going on, plenty of "oooh hang on a minute..." moments and enough tension to keep me turning the pages.

The themes centre around family drama, lies, betrayal, manipulation, deception and grief... although let's be honest, David wasn't exactly winning Husband of the Year. Without spoiling anything, he was a bit of a bum hole, so my sympathy levels were... limited.

Now, I did work out the main twist fairly early on. Normally that annoys me, but this one actually made sense. I'd much rather a believable reveal than one where the author's clearly inhaled three cans of Red Bull and decided the family hamster was secretly the mastermind.

My only slight criticism is the ending. It all wrapped up a bit quickly for me. It made perfect sense, but after spending so much time building the mystery, I'd have happily read another few chapters just to drag out the reveal a little longer.


Lucy's narration. She completely carried the story for me.

It takes you on a proper rollercoaster. One minute you're thinking, "Aw, that's sad..." and the next you're thinking, "...Actually, fair enough." It balances darker moments with enough humour that it never feels too heavy.

*Content warnings*

Domestic abuse, coercive control, emotional manipulation, death, grief... and one absolutely awful husband.


If you like domestic thrillers with believable twists, dysfunctional families, plenty of secrets and a main character you'll actually care about, give this one a go.

***Overall

A really enjoyable, fast-paced thriller that was incredibly well written. I flew through it, loved Lucy as a narrator and appreciated that the twist was believable rather than completely bonkers. I only knocked off a star because I wanted the ending to linger a little longer.

Would definitely recommend... especially if your taste in fictional husbands is considerably better than Lucy's.

[Mona Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *The New Wife* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

*The New Wife* is a tense domestic thriller about control, deception and the frightening realisation that the person you married may never have been who they claimed to be. After a whirlwind romance and a beautiful beachside wedding, Lucy Brightman returns home believing that she and her new husband, David, are beginning an exciting life together. However, the happiness of their honeymoon quickly fades as David’s behaviour becomes increasingly controlling and their marriage turns into something far darker.

David uses his wealth and Lucy’s concern for her critically ill mother to keep her trapped. By paying for her mother’s care, he ensures that leaving him would carry consequences Lucy cannot easily accept. This financial control was one of the strongest and most disturbing aspects of the novel because it shows how abuse can be disguised as generosity. David does not merely restrict Lucy through threats; he makes her feel indebted to him and gradually removes her ability to make independent choices.

The mystery develops when David fails to return home for an important dinner, which is completely out of character. When Lucy contacts his London workplace, she discovers information that makes her question everything she believed about her husband. Her search for answers forces her to reconsider their relationship from the beginning and recognise the warning signs she previously overlooked. The story effectively captures the fear of discovering that a marriage, however brief, may have been built upon deliberate lies.

Lucy is a sympathetic protagonist, particularly because she is placed in a situation where every available choice seems capable of harming someone she loves. Her vulnerability does not come from a lack of intelligence but from the emotional and financial pressure David has carefully created around her. At times, I found some of her decisions frustrating and wished she had sought help sooner, but her isolation and concern for her mother made her hesitation understandable.

The novel moves quickly, with short chapters and regular discoveries that kept me interested in learning the truth about David. Gemma Rogers creates a strong sense of unease as Lucy uncovers inconsistencies in his life and begins to wonder how many other people may have been deceived. There are several twists, although I anticipated some of them, and a few later developments required suspension of disbelief. Some supporting characters could also have been explored in greater depth to give the revelations more emotional impact.

Overall, *The New Wife* is an entertaining and unsettling psychological thriller about coercive control, false identities and the danger hidden beneath a seemingly perfect relationship. Although parts of the plot felt familiar and not every twist was completely convincing, the fast pacing and Lucy’s increasingly frightening situation made it an engaging read. It will appeal to readers who enjoy deceptive husbands, secret lives, controlling relationships and marriages that begin as dreams before becoming nightmares.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The New Wife
Author: Gemma Rogers
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre: Atmospheric Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: August 14, 2026
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Page: 280

Twenty-four-year-old Lucy Davenport is a baker at the popular “Crumbs Bakery”.
An attractive man who is nearly twenty years older visits the bakery daily and orders the same thing -an Americana and freshly baked almond croissant. Lucy didn’t think a lot about it as he was so much older. However, it appears he is interested in her when he starts to come in more often. She finds out that he is a successful orthodontist named David Brightman. They start going out and the attraction between them grows to love. Soon David proposed, and they get married on a trip their trip to the Maldives.

Story begins when Lucy and David have been married for nine months. David’s charming facade has dropped. He’s controlling and abusive, but he knows Lucy won’t do anything about it, because he pays for her mother’s expensive care. Her mother is in her early sixties has stage-four Parkinson’s that required around the clock full-time care.
Lucy is trapped because she cannot leave their marriage due to the cost at the Wyntham Manor care home.

Then, one day after Lucy spends most of the day preparing German dishes as per David instruction for a dinner party with a business partner Torsten and his wife Erika who are from Germany. However, David is late-which is out of character for him. She calls but his phone goes to voicemail. She calls his office and is told he is out but can take a message, the woman is then surprised when Lucy says tell him his wife called. She states the call must a joke as his is a widower, his wife died. Lucy replied “I am very much alive”!

In the meantime, the dinner is ruined; Lucy saves what she can then prepares to go to bed. The next day she finds out David died due to an allergic reaction. Lucy knew he was allergic to fish and carried an EpiPen.
Soon there will be more secrets about David-Including the status of their marriage.

I love psychological thrillers, but I have only read a few Gemma Rogers and although they were not wow reads,
I was sure she was going to work for me SO here I am again! Glad I did as I enjoyed this one!

Want to thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this invite e-Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 14, 2026.

[Spicydish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each morning on his way to work David, a handsome older man, stopped by The Crumbs Bakery and ordered the same thing, a coffee and a freshly baked almond croissant. Lucy worked there as a professional baker and cashier. The customer/baker relationship progressed from dinner at a jazz pub to several regular dates. There was a big gap in their ages, David was 43, Lucy, 24. During their evenings together they talked about any and everything. She learned that he was a co-owner of an orthodontist practice in central London, a very posh area in the British capital. He was unmarried and had no children. She was impressed by his intellect and worldliness.
In her eagerness to relieve her loneliness and to better her financial situation in order to pay for the $11,000 a month nursing home care for her mother who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, she became very attracted to David, gradually falling in love with him.
He had his flaws. His manner was brusque and no-nonsense. He rarely smiled. During their whirlwind courtship David masked his true self. Lucy didn’t learn until too late that he was controlling, cruel and physically abusive.

When he whisked her off to The Maldives she was very excited. Once there she married him. After returning to Britain they moved into his posh home in Sussex. It looked like a fairytale but it turned out to be a nightmare. She quit her job. Despite her best efforts to be the perfect housewife, Lucy always failed. When she displeased him he would berate her and beat her. Because of David’s jealousy, she drifted away from her friends. After the realization that David only wanted a housekeeper and occasional sexual partner, she planned to leave him. But if she did he would immediately stop paying for her mother’s around the clock care in the nursing home. Lucy was trapped in a loveless marriage a d very miserable.
Things took a drastic turn when David unexpectedly succumbed to anaphylactic shock by being exposed to seafood to which he was highly allergic.
Upon his death devastating secrets were unveiled including the fact that the marriage was invalid. He was already married. His wife, presumed to be dead after drowning in a boating accident in the ocean surrounding The Maldives, reappeared.

And that’s where the major twists and turns begin.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowsers i absolutely devoured this within days! Literally started it on a lunch time and i couldnt stop thinking i need to get back to my book. A very intriguing read and its just not what you think its going to be. The title sort of implies new wife you expect a new shiny wife to appear on the scene and take over, really not that straight forward.

Lucy is a very quiet character she lives a simple life and lives for her mum who is her pride and joy and she puts everything for her mum first, this i adored in this part of the book. The dedication to her mum is unwavering and you can imagine how life must be like for someone who needs care. It also has the financial implications for Lucy. But when Lucy meets a much older man , she doesn't have to worry about the financial burden as David has a budding career and is financially stable.

The whirlwind romance builds and they have an exotic marriage abroad on a beach , we can all dream. Accept life just isn't that dreamy is it as Davids behaviour is erratic at the best of times, he's nasty and controlling and Lucy is fading away fast. Although Lucy is miserable she doesn't ever imagine he would die at a young age and then he does, this then opens up a massive can of worms and this book had me feeling sick for Lucy, i was invested in this character . I kept thinking how is this women going to survive, i kept thinking of all these things she has to do. Its an anxious time for Lucy and everything just doesn’t seem to get sorted, one problem snowballs into ten more and then things keep appearing. Random people keep getting thrown into the mix although they are part of the past for the book.

There are alot of key elements to this book, coercive control plays a massive factor in this book , although Lucy can see her so called husband for what he is. And exactly how many lies did David tell Lucy, worrying as you like to think you would know your husband. The other elements focus on where Lucy wants to be in life in terms of her age and stages in her career. I loved the unbreakable bond between Lucy and her mum the love and affection is beautiful.

This is action packed and anyone who reads this it will only last you a few days ! Very consuming ! Thanks to netgalley for this advanced reader copy.

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy is the new wife for David, only she doesn’t know it yet.

This is the fourth book I have read from Gemma Rogers and it is far better than the other three. I think The New Wife is an OUTSTANDING 5 star read that will have your mind buzzing until the very end.

The New Wife is a psychological thriller told totally from Lucy’s point of view. A lovely linear time frame with no going back in time. Lucy is suddenly in such a dreadful mess, my heart went out to her. David is not the best of husbands, Lucy must do everything he demands. Lucy is the victim of an abusive, controlling relationship. But then suddenly David gets a big shock when he bites into his sandwich. Not such a shock for the reader as the red warning flag was raised earlier and I thought that detail would become important later on. However, there were lots and lots more surprises for Lucy to deal with every day.

Once again Gemma Rogers sets her novel around West Sussex and in The New Wife she features many, many real places around Horsham. She mentions the Cherry Tree Pub along the A264, which although is now closed, is still a landmark for drivers to turn into the minor unclassified road behind, just like Lucy did. Also mentioned is the Muffin Break in the Swan Walk Shopping Centre in Horsham if readers fancy a coffee and a cake. I just love it when authors use real locations in their novels, fiction with elements of truth adding realism to the story.

I loved the tension and stream of doubts running through The New Wife, both for Lucy and the reader. Who can Lucy trust and were the sub-plots stand-alone or integral to the story? Although this is mainly a psychological thriller, there is also plenty of drama with flashing blue lights. Not much action in the bedroom though, with only one paragraph to illustrate Lucy and David’s sex life.

The New Wife is Gemma’s 14th novel and I now consider myself a fan looking forward to another adventure based in West Sussex from her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Boldwood Books for passing me an ARC on the understanding that I post a review.

[Bo.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

After requesting this one on NetGalley without reading the synopsis, I soon realised it centred around a "who on earth did I marry?" mystery. My first thought was, oh no, here I go again. I've read quite a few domestic thrillers with similar premises lately, but thankfully this one still managed to keep me entertained.

Lucy meets David after he becomes a regular at the coffee shop where she works, and their relationship moves at a whirlwind pace. Just fourteen months later they're married, but it doesn't take long for the honeymoon period to unravel. As David's controlling behaviour becomes impossible to ignore, Lucy finds herself trapped in an abusive marriage. With her mother's Parkinson's disease requiring around-the-clock care that David funds, leaving him doesn't feel like an option. Then, when David suddenly disappears without explanation, Lucy is forced to uncover the truth for herself.

Lucy made for an interesting protagonist. She could be frustrating at times, but I also found it easy to sympathise with the impossible position she was in. David's financial control extends far beyond their marriage, and knowing what was at stake for her mother made many of Lucy's decisions feel understandable, even when I wanted her to stand up to him sooner.

Once David disappears, the story shifts into more of an investigation as Lucy uncovers the secrets he kept hidden. I appreciated that the plot took a few unexpected turns, and although I anticipated some of the bigger twists, I still enjoyed seeing the mystery become more layered before everything came together in the end.

At under 300 pages, this is a quick, entertaining domestic thriller that was easy to finish in a couple of sittings. Although the premise felt familiar to me, it still delivered an enjoyable mystery.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The New Wife is a tense and absorbing domestic thriller that pulls you in from the very first chapter. Gemma Rogers captures that intoxicating rush of a whirlwind romance so well that Lucy’s early happiness feels genuinely bright—making the slow, creeping shift into something darker all the more unsettling. The transition from newlywed bliss to a marriage built on control is handled with a subtle, believable tension that never feels exaggerated. Instead, it mirrors the kind of quiet erosion that can happen behind closed doors, and that realism makes Lucy’s situation incredibly compelling.

Lucy herself is a wonderfully sympathetic protagonist. Her vulnerability is layered—not just the emotional fallout of her marriage, but the heartbreaking responsibility of caring for her critically ill mother. Rogers uses this dynamic to great effect, showing how love, guilt, and fear can intertwine in ways that trap people long before they realise they’re trapped. It adds real emotional weight to the story and makes Lucy’s desperation feel painfully authentic.

When David suddenly fails to come home, the novel pivots into a sharper, more suspenseful gear. The mystery surrounding his disappearance is gripping, and the revelations that follow are both shocking and satisfying. Rogers balances emotional depth with twisty suspense beautifully, keeping the tension high without losing sight of the human story at the centre.

Overall, The New Wife is a well‑paced, atmospheric thriller that blends character‑driven storytelling with genuinely addictive suspense. It’s the kind of book you pick up for “just one more chapter” and suddenly realise you’ve read half of it. A gripping, unsettling, and ultimately rewarding read for fans of domestic thrillers.

with thanks to Gemma Rogers, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW The New Wife (Kindle Edition) by Gemma Rogers, a fast paced menacing domestic thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. This was my first time reading a thriller by Gemma.

Nineteen year old Lucy Brightman works as a barista who falls in love with one of her regular customers, David who is a lot older than Lucy. After a short courtship David takes Lucy overseas to get married.

Once they return to his affluent house which he inherited from his Mother, his true colours come to the surface, as he becomes abusive and controlling. Lucy's Mother who is suffering from Parkinsons disease has been placed in a state of the art care home and David uses this as leverage to get Lucy to stay with him in an abusive marriage, otherwise he will withdraw funding for her Mother's care.

Lucy has been informed by David to expect his business partner and his wife for dinner and to ensure everything goes to plan. David and his guests do not arrive and Lucy frantically tries to connect to David's phone but it only goes to voicemail. She phones his place of work and has been informed that David had died.

Lucy finds out that her marriage to David is a sham when she discovers there was no marriage certificate which she needed in order to receive David's assets.

Unbeknown to Lucy there is someone watching her every move and is prepared to go to any lengths to get David's money, rather than it going to Lucy.

There is emotional blackmail, coercive behaviour, lies, human slavery, revelation, a fairy-tale wedding which becomes a nightmare.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the whirlwind romance and a dream beachside wedding, Lucy Brightman returns home brimming with hope for the future. But as the honeymoon glow fades, small cracks begin to show. Life quickly shifts into something more darker, and Lucy finds herself trapped in a controlling abusive marriage with her husband David.

As the illusion of married bliss crumbles, David tightens his grip using his wealth to control Lucy by funding the care of her critically ill mother, ensuring she cannot leave their marriage. Then one night, david fails to return home for an important dinner with a business partner - something utterly out of character. with his phone going straight to voicemail, Lucy reluctantly contacts his London workplace. What she learns shatters everything she thought she knew.

Was her marriage a lie from the beginning?

What a predicament to be in. How was Lucy going to pay for the care home that was looking after her critically ill mother, and where would she live?

I thoroughly enjoyed this new book from the very talented Gemma Rogers. I could not put the book down. I needed to know just what was going on in this twisted read. The story is told from Lucy's perspective. The pace is fast but the story covers: emotional manipulation, death, domestic abuse and coercive control. David must be one of the worst kind of husband's. This is an easy, addictive and gripping read.

Published 14th August 2026

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and he author #GemmaRogers for my ARC of #TheNewWife in exchange for an honest review.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. From the very first chapter I was hooked, and there were quite a few moments where my heart was racing.

Lucy thinks she's found her happy ever after with David after a whirlwind romance and a dream beachside wedding. But when the honeymoon glow fades, cracks begin to appear, and she starts to realise the man she married isn't who she thought he was. Then David suddenly disappears, and what Lucy discovers changes everything.

Lucy definitely frustrated me at times and had me thinking, "Why are you doing that?" but I also admired how determined she was to uncover the truth and protect her mam, despite everything that was thrown at her.

David was one of those characters you just love to hate, and every time I thought I'd worked something out, another twist came along. Some of the twists were easier to guess than others, but that didn't take away from how gripping the story was. The tension kept building, and I couldn't wait to find out how it would all end.

Gemma Rogers has written another fast-paced psychological thriller packed with suspense, secrets and plenty of drama. It kept me turning the pages late into the night, and I was still surprised by the ending.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers with plenty of twists, unreliable characters and stories that keep you guessing, I'd definitely recommend this one.

A well-deserved 5 stars from me.

[Jess Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book explores the terrifying reality of when the person you trust most becomes the person you should fear. Gemma Rogers creates a tense and unsettling story that delves into the complexities of love, manipulation and the hidden truths that can exist behind a seemingly perfect marriage.

The gradual unraveling of Lucy’s marriage created a strong sense of unease, as small cracks turned into something much darker. Wealth and power was used to control which added another layer of complexity to the story, highlighting how difficult it can be to escape situations where someone has deliberately made you feel trapped.

The psychological tension throughout the book kept me invested, I constantly questioned what was real and what had been carefully constructed. Gemma Rogers does a great job of exploring themes of trust, identity and the lengths people will go to hide the truth.

The way that the first two chapters made me audibly gasp as I was sucked right in. I have never been sucked into a story so quickly! The book was really well paced, the story did not unravel too quickly leaving you questioning what the hell was happening. Suspense was built throughout the story leading you to guess the reveals right before the reveal which was clever. The ending provided closure to the story, tying up all loose ends without changing the tone.

A gripping and unsettling read that explores the darker side of relationships and the danger of believing you truly know someone.

[Bharath · Rating 3 out of 5]

A psychological suspense novel with a limited set of characters. Quite the usual for this genre with nothing striking.

Lucy is married to David since 9 months. David is an orthodontist and has a successful practice. It has not been easy for Lucy as David is very controlling, critical and at times nasty with her. Lucy puts up with this as her mother has advanced Parkinsons and the care is expensive. Lucy earlier worked at a bakery and is now a homemaker. David does not return one night. Lucy visits his workplace in London and meets David’s partner Torsten and others at work. She is shocked to learn that David has not mentioned her to any of his work colleagues. They only know about David’s ex-wife Victoria who is believed to have drowned the previous year.

The story is told from Lucy’s perspective. I liked how the story covers the situation she finds herself in when David does not return one night. With her constraints around her mother’s health, you can feel for her. There are many instances though where she gets hyper and jumps to conclusions (a very typical writing style for this genre). While I liked how the story ended, the run-up to that includes poorly tied up twists & conspiracies without inadequate context.

Overall, a quick read with interesting characters in Lucy, David & Victoria.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Boldwood Books and the author for a free electronic copy.

[Andrea Hulme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fast paced psychological thriller, full of twists and turns. I was hooked in right from the start.

After a whirlwind romance and a beautiful wedding, Lucy and David settle into married life. But all is not how it seems and the honeymoon period is over before we know it. Two great characters for us to unpick. Lucy was a frustrating figure at times, but you could see her motives related to making sure that her mother was looked after. But she had to deal with a lot! Then we've got David, one of those characters you love to hate...and quite honestly I enjoy characters like that. They really get into your head. The what happens behind closed doors storyline added so much suspense and so much emotion. When David disappears the shift in the story is so good.

There are so many themes addressed in the book, including coercive and controlling behaviour. For me this is part of the story that really kept me invested in the Lucy and wanting to see how she handled all of the lies and secrets.

It was a great domestic thriller. The multiple layers to the story kept the intrigue going as we unravel the mystery alongside Lucy. I loved that this was a quick read. Easy to read, entertaining and action packed.

Thank you to Boldwood and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy gets married to an older guy called David after a whirlwind romance. They get married on a trip the Maldives. She is happy until few months into the marriage when David becomes an abusive and very controlling, but she will not leave him because he is paying for her mother to live in an expensive care home. Her mother has Parkinsons disease.
When one evening Lucy has cooked for her husband and his work colleague but David doesn’t come home. When she rings his work place the next day, who he is one of the partners in the practice. The person says that his wife is dead and puts the phone down thinking it is a prank. Later on, Lucy finds out that David is dead and wonders if she knew her husband at all. As when she turns up to view his body. They said his wife has already been! If his wife is still alive Lucy knows that her marriage is null and void. She is worried about herself. She wonders what is going to happen to her mother. As she can’t afford to pay the care home fees on her own.
This is only the second book from Gemma Rodgers but the two books that I have read have got better. The storyline drew me in from the first page and didn’t let go to the very end. I got immersed in Lucy plight to figure out what was going on and the search for David’s first wife. And I certainly didn’t expect what happened at the end. 5 stars from me.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

​Marrying the wealthy man you love sounds like a dream come true, until the secrets start unravelling and the fairytale turns into a nightmare.

​An absolute one-sitting read!

​When wealthy David whisks Lucy away to The Maldives after a whirlwind romance, she believes she has married the man of her dreams. But the fairytale does not last long. When the cracks begin to show, followed closely by David's untimely death, Lucy is forced to confront a terrifying reality: her life is not at all what she thought it was.

​This is a dark, tense, and incredibly twisty domestic thriller. Gemma Rogers does a phenomenal job of dialling up the suspense, as the tension ramped up, I found myself practically screaming at Lucy to trust her instincts and look in the right place!

​Lucy is a fantastic protagonist. I loved her pure determination and resilience every time a dangerous new obstacle was thrown in her path. What starts as an unravelling mystery quickly escalates into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game that races toward a dramatic, brilliantly tied-up ending.

​If you are a fan of fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat domestic thrillers, put this one right at the top of your reading list!

My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading "The New Wife" by Gemma Rogers. Many thanks to NetGalley and BoldWood books for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows the mystery of a young woman who is married to a terrible man but needs to stay with him because he is taking care of the expenses surrounding her mothers stay in a long term care facility. One day, her husband mysteriously dies, which doesn't necessarily upset her or make her happy, but she is left with ALOT of questions, especially when she finds out that he was married previously and his former wife disappeared. Also, there is no record of her marriage anywhere....so she is struggling to find out the truth. In the meantime, her mother has been talking to a mysterious guest, and the first wife seems to have reappeared
The main character is likeable although I wish she had more of a backbone, and her dedication to her mother is commendable. The story follows at a quick clip with suprises everywhere.
I am not sure how I feel about her feelings towards a man who treated her awfully...but it does make the story more satisfying in the end.
A good drama with some suspense and characters and add to the tension and drama.
Happy Reading