The Woman Who Wasn't There: The fast-paced, twisting and turning psychological thriller

by William Hussey

Bestselling crime author Marian Lane is surrounded by adoring readers when she learns that her husband Dane is dead.

Marian returns home in shock to discover a stranger on her doorstep. A woman who not only claims she's Marian's biggest fan but says that she comforted Dane in his final moments.

At first, this woman, Mary, is a source of comfort. Until she admits Dane confessed a secret. One she can't quite remember; one Marian is desperate to learn.

But Mary is a storyteller too. And though Marian knows every twist in the genre, she won't see this one coming . . .

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 23, 2026

About the author

William Hussey is the award-winning author of over a dozen novels, spanning almost every genre of fiction — from Young Adult thrillers to gripping whodunnits. His critically acclaimed books include the Crime Fest award-nominated Hideous Beauty, The Outrage, and Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts. Born the son of a travelling showman, he has spent a lifetime absorbing the history, folklore and culture of fairground people, knowledge he has put to work in his Scott Jericho thrillers.
With over a decade of experience in schools, William is passionate about reading and creative writing, regularly running events and workshops for young people.
William lives in the seaside town of Skegness with his dog Bucky and a vivid imagination.

Reviews

[Beachcomber · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars rounded down. Ideal for those who love mysteries with twists and turns, where you spend all your time guessing who is good or bad, what they’re hiding, and how everything ties in together. Hussey has a talent for creating a good mystery here, and I think it would appeal to those who like to keep guessing - it certainly means you read this quickly. I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable, but I think this helped to keep me suspecting everyone!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

[Aisha Faisal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for providing me with an ARC of The Woman Who Wasn’t There.

A dead husband, a woman in pearls, and a mystery that refuses to stay buried.

I’m going to be completely honest: it took me a little while to fully settle into the story at first. The switching between timelines, POVs, and the slow unravelling of the mystery had me easing into it rather than being instantly hooked. But once it got its claws into me, I was absolutely gripped. From that point on, I genuinely could not put it down.

The Premise.
Marian Lane is at the top of her game as the bestselling author of the Maddie Malone "dinner lady detective" series. While greeting fans at the Danesgate Crime Writing Festival, her world is shattered by news of her husband, Dane’s, death in a tragic house fire.

The tragedy quickly turns bizarre when Mary Anne Hannigan appears at Marian’s door. Adorned in pearls and bearing a striking resemblance to a young Miss Marple, Mary claims she was with Dane in his final moments. While she quickly becomes an indispensable source of comfort for Marian, it’s clear that Mary, and perhaps Marian herself, is harboring secrets that stretch back decades.

What Makes This a Standout Read.
A "Slow-Burn" Magic: I’ll be honest: it took a little while for the shifting POVs and time jumps to fully click for me. But once they did? I was gripped. I ended up flying through the final of the book in a single day. Stick with it, the payoff is immense.

The "Agatha Christie" Romp: This feels like a cozy crime thriller on a "thrilling roller coaster." There are numerous nods to the Queen of Crime, and Hussey captures that classic Christie essence with a clever, briskly-paced plot and a "whiplash" inducing series of twists.

Atmospheric & Local Flair: Being from the area, I loved the sections set in Skegness! Seeing familiar landmarks I grew up with added such a personal, exciting layer to the reading experience. Hussey’s ability to build a sense of place is, as always, top-notch.

Characters with Facades: Every character feels fleshed out and real, though many are "wolves in sheep's clothing." The dynamic between Marian and the mysterious Mary Anne Hannigan is a highlight. I spent the entire book asking myself what Mary’s "game" was.

The Twists & The Ending
William Hussey has always had a knack for keeping me guessing, but the ending of this one... wow. I actually dropped my Kindle in shock. Just when you think you’ve sieved through the clues and found the heart of the mystery, the story takes an unpredictable turn. It is an incredibly satisfying, well-wrapped-up conclusion that still leaves you wanting to go back to the beginning to find all the hidden breadcrumbs you missed.

Quick Breakdown.
Vibe: A "cozy-ish" psychological thriller with a Miss Marple twist.

Tropes: Secrets from the past, unreliable narrators, and a "story-within-a-story" feel.

Perfect for: Fans of classic mysteries who want a modern, twisty edge.

Final Verdict: The ending was so satisfying, too. Everything was wrapped up in a way that felt clever, shocking, and genuinely well thought out, with no loose ends left hanging. This is absolutely the kind of book I’d reread just to catch all the clues I missed the first time around, and for me, that’s always a sign of a truly great read.

If you love twisty cosy crime thrillers, layered characters, and endings that leave you staring at your Kindle in shock, this one is definitely for you. An absolute pleasure to read early. It’s atmospheric, clever, and features one of the best "jaw-drop" endings I’ve encountered this year. William Hussey has another bestseller on his hands!

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marian Lane is a best selling crime author of the critically acclaimed Maddie Malone series, starring the dinner lady detective. Marian is currently meeting her fans at the Danesgate Crime Writing Festival (a thinly disguised Harrogate!) when she gets the terrible news of the death of her husband Dane in a house fire. His death becomes increasingly mysterious and could possibly link to incidents in their past. However, it gets a whole lot stranger when Mary Anne Hannigan turns up at her door, who, it has to be said, bears are passing resemblance to a young Miss Marple, pearls and all. Not only does Mary claim to be a big fan of Marian but she also says she comforts Dane as he lay dying. Initially, Marian finds solace in this strange stranger who becomes indispensable. However, Mary is withholding something from Marian, but is she the only one harbourIng secrets?

This novel doesn’t initially fully grab me but then it seems to work some sort of magic and I find myself immersed. I guess you could describe this as a cozy crime thriller as it’s an Agatha Christie style romp and so it’s very appealing. There are numerous references to the Queen of the cosy crime genre and just like her books, this has a clever plot which is full of twisty twists which keep on coming until the well thought out and unpredictable end. There’s tension, the pace is brisk and I enjoy how it goes back-and-forth in time, allowing the truth to peak through.

The characters are very well drawn, they have connected lives, most are not what they seem, in fact, there are a few wolves garbed in sheep’s clothing. Many have facades and it’s fun trying to sift out the clues to get to the heart of the real them. Mary Anne Hannigan is a real pearl of a mystery and many, many times I ask myself what her game is. The dynamics between characters are good, particularly those between Mary and Marian.

Overall, William Hussey is a very good writer, I like his Jericho series and I like this. As with those books, he creates a really good atmosphere throughout the novel. I hope he has another best seller on his hands.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bonnier Books for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

[Ryan (Empire of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of Wills since day one, devouring everything since the days of his debut YA book, WITCHFINDER: DAWN OF THE DEMONTIDE. I have thoroughly loved watching him go from strength to strength. From WITCHFINDER to HIDEOUS BEAUTY, to THE OUTRAGE, to JERICHO and now with THE WOMAN WHO WASN'T THERE I can confidently say he has well and truly done it again.

Right from the off I was hooked by the premise and desperate to find out what was actually going on. The fact that the book had sections set in Skegness (a mere 30-45 mins from my home) made it all the more exciting. There were landmarks I recognised, ones I have grown up on and I just loved the little details.

As for the twists, my god, the twists. Will has always had this knack with his crime novels of keeping me guessing to the very end and this one is no different. I didn't see the ending coming at all, so much so that when I read it I actually dropped my Kindle in shock before I grabbed it back up and had to check that I had actually just read what I thought I had.

It was an absolute pleasure to be able to read this so early ahead of publication and I cannot wait to see what Mr. Hussey has up his sleeve next. I just don't know how he does it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier books for my e-arc!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of ‘The Woman Who Wasn’t There’ by William Hussey, due to be published on 23 July 2026 by Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre.

Bestselling author Marian Lane is taking part in a presentation at a literary festival with her best friend Iris and niece Ari, when she receives the shocking news that her husband Dane has been found dead. 

Marian is approached a few days later by a local, Mary Hannigan, who says that she was with Dane when he took his last breath, speaking to him through the door - she hasn’t told the police as she has her own reasons for wishing to stay anonymous, giving reasons that are accepted by Marian.  But just what did happened, who has secrets they are wishing to protect and how far will they go to keep them hidden.

The characters are well written and developed giving you a tantalising glimpse across the pages of who they may, or may not, be. The storyline is both engaging and immersive. 

Wow! What a rollercoaster ride this book is. It’s dark, it’s tense, it has you spinning with all the twists and turns it delivers and holds you in its claws until the last word on the very last page.  The final explosive twist was exquisite.  An exceptional psychological thriller.

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything by William Hussey, and it definitely won’t be my last. The Woman Who Wasn’t There completely pulled me in from the start. It’s packed with twists and turns that keep you on your toes throughout. I always enjoy trying to guess where a story is heading, but this one caught me out more than once. The characters are well written and really engaging, especially Marian. I loved the way the story moves backwards and forwards through her life, from her early years to her university days, slowly revealing pieces of the puzzle. It added an extra layer of intrigue and kept the tension building as the story unfolded. There are also little touches of humour peppered throughout, which give the story a nice balance and make the characters feel even more real. Just when I thought I might have worked things out, the ending completely surprised me. I really, really didn’t see it coming — William Hussey absolutely knocked it out of the park with that final twist. A gripping, twist-filled read with great characters, a clever plot, and an ending that will stay with you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marian Lane is the best of the best. She is a beloved writer of a top selling mystery series that also has a successful tv series based on her novels. And on this day, she is surrounded by adoring fans. What could go wrong? Oh, yeah. While there, she receives word that her husband, Dane, has surprisingly died.

In short time, Marian meets a young lady by the name of Mary. Mary has a strange claim. She states that she was there when Dane died. And she knows his last words. That is if you believe her. Was she really there? If so, what did he say. Or is she just making things up so she can get closer to Marian.

I have to say, I misread the cover, blurb, and title of this book. I thought it was going to be this intense psychological thriller. I wasn’t prepared for the quirkiness and how funny moments in this book. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a laugh out loud book. But it does have some funny moments to it. And the twists, oh boy. This novel delivers! Down to the last word in the book.

I absolutely loved this novel and will definitely check out future books by this author.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Mags Schofield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm in the minority with my feedback for this book I'm afraid.
I felt that I couldn't identify with any of the characters and there were huge plot holes in the story.
After reading the synopsis, I was expecting something different, so maybe my expectations were wrong.
Towards the end, Marion, who hasn't driven in a long time, jumps into her dead husband's powerful BMW, still in the clothes she wore for his funeral, with an injured foot, and no mention of taking anything with her. After rescuing Mary, they spend a couple of days driving around the country, buying fuel and food, but no mention of clothes (though Marion does have an eyebrow pencil!) eventually ending up at the posh home of Iris and Gile, surely rather bedraggled.
This part was so far fetched that I almost gave up reading, and I really didn't care about the final twists when they came.
Sorry, but this book just wasn't for me I'm afraid.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC via Netgalley*

The Woman Who Wasn't There is an addictive story that had me guessing until the very end.

Starting with the death of her husband, the story follows Marian as she and Mary, the woman claiming to have spoken to her husband just before he died, find themselves mixed up in multiple secrets and lies.

It took me a little while to become really invested in the story. I liked the multiple pov but struggled at first with the changing of timelines. I also found the first half of the story to be quite slow which made me a little impatient to get to the part when things came together. The second half, particularly the last 25% was brilliant. At one point I was fairly confident that I had figured one of the secrets out but I was completely wrong. The reveals at the end of this story completely took me by surprise. The plot and the twists are incredibly clever and the ending blew me away. Readers looking for a book with slower pacing and a lot of mystery will love this.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

S

Marian Lane is a very successful author and speaking at a Literary Festival when she gets news that her husband Dane has been killed in a fire at their home. As she tries to come to terms with his death she is approached by a local woman, Mary Ann, who tells her that she spoke to Dane on the night he died and he'd given her a message to pass on to Marian. Unsure of whether to believe her especially as Mary Ann says she has memory problems and can't remember everything Dane said, Marian nevertheless befriends her and they try to discover who could have a grudge against Dane and who may have set the fire, As the story progresses we learn about Marian and her sister Grace's childhood and her time as a student when she first meets Dane. There's also a tragedy when one of her fellow students is murdered. This was an enjoyable read with many twists and turns, some of which I anticipated but the final twist was unexpected to say the least. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity of reading an ARC of this book.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me this free advance copy, and I’m writing this review honestly and without bias.
I went into this book totally blind and although it wasn't quite what I was expecting it was a really enjoyable story. I normally avoid the cozy mystery genre as they are mostly a copy and paste of Agatha Christie. If you are going to do Christie then do it well and go it with originality and William Hussey has achieved both in abundance. It did take me a while to get into the book, but once in it became an addictive read. None of the characters are what they seem in true Christie style and it's hard to work out everyone's end game which adds to the suspense. Sadie was a revelation and provides some quite sublime funny moments. The plot is cleverly throughout with an absolutely knock out ending. Well worth sticking with the first few chapters as the pay off is brilliant.

[Just_wanttoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for this ARC.

I was very excited to get approved for this book, I absolutely love the Jericho series by William Hussey and couldn’t wait to read this.

Marian Lane is a celebrated crime writer whose husband dies while she is away and she is quickly befriended by the strange Mary who claims she was with him when he died. How much can Marian trust what she says?

It took me a little while to get into the story, as we switch between the present day and flashbacks to Marian’s childhood in Skegness, but once I did I raced through this. It was well written with lots of twists and turns leading to a satisfying ending, I’m sure this will soon be a big hit as a perfect summer read.

[Mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This meta-thriller lands with an uncomfortable weight in an era of parasocial obsession and curated identities. Marian Lane, a crime writer who loses her husband only to find a "super-fan" on her doorstep claiming to hold his final secrets, is a protagonist who actually carries weight. She isn't a trope; she is sharp, grieving, and entirely suspicious. Her skepticism is a professional hazard, a trait forged in the business of building mysteries, which leaves her uniquely vulnerable when a real one refuses to follow a three-act structure.

Hussey plays a deliberate game here. He knows we recognize the mechanics of the genre, so he pivots to the art of storytelling itself. The stranger, Mary, acts as a distorted mirror to Marian. Both are architects of fiction, but Mary’s "truth" is a moving target that never quite settles. The pacing is relentless but avoids the breathless, manufactured urgency common in domestic noir. Instead, the tension comes from a slow-burning psychological invasion; a realization that the walls between a private life and a public persona have become dangerously thin.

The narrative explores a specific modern anxiety: the gap between the people we love and the versions of them we project. Hussey’s prose has an intellectual sharpness that avoids the usual genre padding. He explores the transactional nature of trauma, the way we package personal loss for an audience until the persona eventually cannibalizes the individual. Marian’s struggle isn't just with an intruder; it’s with the possibility that her marriage was just as much of a construction as her novels.

There is a cynical, lean quality to how this book examines the stories we tell to survive, and the ones that eventually become our cages. Hussey moves past the "unreliable narrator" cliché, offering instead a grounded study of how perspective is manipulated by those who know exactly how to pull the strings. It is a reminder that in a culture of constant self-curation, the truth is often the first thing edited out to serve the hook. We have all become curators, yet we rarely calculate the cost of the collection.

In the end, Hussey suggests that the most dangerous fictions aren't the ones we read, but the ones we live in to avoid the silence of an empty house.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pulled me in straight away, it’s such an intriguing idea. Marian, a crime writer, is grieving her husband when a woman she’s never met turns up claiming she was with him when he died. At first it feels like she might have answers, but it doesn’t take long before things start to feel off.

I liked how the tension builds quite quietly. You’re never completely sure what’s going on or who to believe, and that sense of unease runs all the way through. The fact Marian is a writer herself adds an extra layer as she understands how stories work in theory!

A solid psychological thriller, unsettling, a bit different, and one that kept me guessing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Chris Scotland · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy from start to finish, in what I thought was maybe going to be a wonderful Christie pastiche combined with a modern take on book festivals.... And while yes, it's a bit of both (and some wonderful Easter eggs for those familiar with the latter!), William Hussey embarks on a murderously fun tail of Marian Lane, cosy crime best-selling author, who is suddenly faced with a death rather too close to home. While everyone around her seems to behave outrageously (I adored Sadie, in particular, and better not say who she reminded me of), Marian manages to remain just Marian. Oh, apart from the stalker who wants to be her best friend and whom, bizarrely, Marian lets in, and leads us thus to see a quite different side to the much-loved crime writer.... The challenge here was to decide who was using whom!

Very different from the author's series of Jericho novels, don't be fooled by the more lighthearted take on criminality; while I could tell how much fun William Hussey had writing this, and also how much fun I had looking for clues along the way, there's also a not so little pathos amongst the humour.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a crime author's husband dies unexpectedly while she is at an event, the last thing she expects is to return home to find an unknown woman waiting for her on her doorstep. Even stranger is the fact that this woman tells Marian that she witnessed her husband Dane's last moments.

This creates an odd sense of intimacy between the two of them, but is the story that Mary tells Marian and accurate account of what has taken place? Or is Mary the one telling stories to a professional storyteller?

This is a gripping story, and one that will keep the reader guessing throughout. Worth checking out.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of all of William Hussey’s previous books, but with this new one being a change of writing style for him (being a classic whodunnit) I wondered if I would enjoy it ….of course I should have realised that my enjoyment was a foregone conclusion! It reads as an expertly crafted homage to Agatha Christie’s oeuvre and I’m sure Ms Christie would have enjoyed this twisty, suspenseful story, feeling the admiration for her own books that is apparent throughout. I just loved the Easter egg mention of my favourite of Hussey’s previous characters, Scott Jericho and I didn’t guess any of the shocking secrets revealed at the end. Bravo indeed, another winner!

[Liz (this_scorpioreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really intrigued by the premise of The Woman Who Wasn’t There by William Hussey and went in expecting a gripping psychological thriller.

I found the core idea really interesting, particularly the way it plays with identity and the versions of ourselves we show to others.

Unfortunately I didn’t fully connect with Marian and ended up putting this down just under halfway, but I can see this working well for readers who enjoy slower burn, character-driven thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy for review

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

On returning home after an interview with her close friend, Marian discovers her husband dead.
A strange woman named Mary befriends Marian and worms her way into her life by proclaiming that she was with her husband as he lay dying.
This goes backwards and forwards to when Marian was growing up and then right through her uni days.
I can't say I really enjoyed this, to be honest.
I thought there were too many twists at the end, which, for me, made this unbelievable.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK/ Zaffre for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Catherine]

What a treat this was! I’m a fan of William Hussey from his Jericho series, set in the Showman community. This new one is a departure from that milieu - although there is a caravan park setting! - and it’s confirmed for me that this author is a firm favourite. I loved the fun references in this to the Harrogate crime writing festival, the life of a bestselling author, and the business of cosy crime. And the twists…! Utterly fabulous!!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I read a lot of thrillers and so can often guess where the book is going but this one kept me guessing.

I liked how fast paced the book was and how the twists and turns were drip-fed throughout.

The characters felt real and believable, and I enjoyed how their lives were interconnected through the years. the multiple point of views/timelines was also interesting and helped tell the story well.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and would read others by this author!

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant story told in two timelines and several POV .The characters are well written and most are not what they seem. Plenty of twists and turns ,plenty of tension ,fast paced and compelling everything you need for a fabulous read. I liked this Author's Jerico series so I knew I would enjoy this book .The ending was exceptional and completely unexpected .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

[Misty Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
This is slightly less 'dark' than the Jericho series and may suit a wider audience, especially fans of Agatha Christie et al.
It has more twists and turns than the Hampton Court maze and each time I was 'sure' of what was going on there was yet another U-turn, although I eventually came back almost to where I'd started from...
A great read for all fans of the genre

[Sharon Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What appears to start out as a cosy tale about successful author Marian soon turns dark and full of twists and turns. Definitely a case of keeping your friends close but your enemies closer. Loved this book for the roller coaster ride of emotions mixed with repulsion at times.

[Sarah Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman who wasn’t there - William Hussey - 9/10
This was an accessible, easy read. A twisty murder mystery that had me guessing up to the last few chapters. Marian Lane is an acclaimed author and speaking at a literary festival when she receives news of her husband’s death. The twists and turns begin. She is befriended by a local woman with a bad reputation who seems to have an agenda of her own but the twists in this tale keep coming. I had worked out part of the twist, but was some way off the final twist. I enjoyed this novel as I have others by William, he writes consistently entertaining reads.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman Who Wasn’t There is a sleek, unsettling psychological thriller that plays beautifully with perception, grief, and the slipperiness of truth. From the moment bestselling crime author Marian Lane learns of her husband’s death—while surrounded by fans, no less—the story tilts into a tense, disorienting spiral that never quite lets the reader regain their footing.

The arrival of Mary, the stranger who claims to have comforted Dane in his final moments, is where the novel truly sharpens. At first she feels like a balm: gentle, sympathetic, eager to help. But the cracks appear quickly, and the unease builds with delicious subtlety. Her insistence that Dane confessed a secret—one she conveniently can’t remember—sets off a chain of doubt that Marian, with all her genre expertise, still can’t untangle.

The dynamic between the two women is the book’s greatest strength. Marian’s grief and desperation make her vulnerable, while Mary’s soft-spoken ambiguity keeps the tension humming. The story leans into the idea that storytellers are unreliable by nature, and watching Marian—who knows every twist and trope—struggle to see what’s right in front of her is both compelling and deeply ironic.

The pacing is tight, the atmosphere quietly claustrophobic, and the final reveals land with the kind of precision that makes you want to flip back through earlier chapters to catch the clues you missed. It’s a clever, character-driven thriller that understands exactly how to keep readers off balance.

A smart, twisty, and deeply absorbing read—perfect for anyone who loves psychological suspense that toys with trust, obsession, and the stories we tell ourselves.

With thanks to William Hussey, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC