Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: The Widow: An absolutely unputdownable and gripping psychological thriller

Top positive review

Gripping

Reviewed in Australia on 19 November 2021

I had my suspicions.
I was correct about one person in the story but not quite overall.
Great mystery. Great Author!
Don’t miss out on this one.

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Nana Mez

Not a Psychological Thriller to me

Reviewed in Australia on 24 February 2022

I started this and thought it would be a good start to KL Slater's books but was disappointed. I had been told the end is exciting so kept reading thinking it must be different to what I had thought I had figured out.
I also thought that the daughter Tansy was portrayed as a lot older than her 6 years - more like 11 or 12 to me.
I have a couple more of her books as samples and will maybe try another one later but despite a good plot not well executed. Being her 1st her others may improve.

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From Australia

Gripping

Reviewed in Australia on 19 November 2021

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I had my suspicions.
I was correct about one person in the story but not quite overall.
Great mystery. Great Author!
Don’t miss out on this one.

One person found this helpful

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diane woods

Great read

Reviewed in Australia on 8 December 2021

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First book by this Author I will get more. It was a good story line and not ending the way you would think

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Gill Brown

Really good

Reviewed in Australia on 6 February 2022

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A really good mystery, I enjoyed it.

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Fast Paced and Tense Domestic Thriller with a touch of "Whodunnit"

Reviewed in Australia on 5 December 2021

I've long been a fan of Kim's work and am always eagerly anticipating her next. With psychological and domestic suspense entwined with a bit of a "whodunnit", THE WIDOW is a little bit different with a real mystery at the heart of this thriller. An intriguing tale, as readers we are left with wanting to know more as Kim skillfully dangles clues in our quest for the truth.

The story opens with an excavation of a field on the Wadebridge estate as Kate Shaw surveys the police activity in front of her. Behind her reporters bustle for her attention, calling out to her, but she ignores them. On the public footpath that cuts through the woods beside the estate, villagers gather and watch the foray whilst Kate can feel the weight of their icy glares in her direction. They blame her, she knows. Her husband Michael had worked this estate for over twenty years and as land and property manager knew the estate inside out. He was certainly in a position to dispose of anything or anyone under a blanket of darkness while the rest of the village slept. And now there are questions relating to the disappearance of a Polish woman with whom Michael had had daily contact. Kate knows the village believes she knows something. But what? She only knows that she has lost the love of her life to a tragic accident leaving her a widow and her 6 year old daughter fatherless.

Kate, Michael and their daughter Tansy live in the close-knit village of Lynwick in Nottinghamshire. And up until recently, their lives there had been happy. But then Suzy Baros moves into the village with her young son Aleks, taking up residence in one of the cottages on the Wadebridge estate thanks to Irene Wadebridge, owner and matriarch of the estate. Kate tries to befriend Suzy but the young Polish woman is skittish and appearingly afraid of her own shadow.

Things are not helped with Kate's best friend Donna's husband's roving eye is caught by the beautiful woman. Paul Thatcher is known for his infidelities and try and Kate might, Donna wouldn't have a cross word said about him, taking him back after each slight. But this time Paul is intent on gaining Suzy's attentions.

But then at the early Christmas lights event, Suzy Baros disappears leaving her young son scared and distraught. Kate immediately takes him in placating the young boy with the hope of finding his mother. But Suzy is not found...and then the police come knocking wanting to ask Michael some questions about the missing woman. Kate at once becomes suspicious when Michael lies to the police about knowing another missing person from Poland and she begins to wonder why. But her ponderings are cut short when she receives the devastating news that Michael has been killed after stepping out in front of a lorry on his way home from being questioned by the police. Was it an accident? Or was it suicide?

And then Kate receives a troubling letter. The villagers want her out. They want her to come clean about what she knows about her husband and then to leave their pristine village. Kate has seen this type of bullying tactic before by the village, hiding behind the facade of a letter or a legality or whatever, but in the end the result is always the same. The villagers get what they want...and ultimately win.

But what has Kate got to hide? Michael was innocent, surely? But the fact that Suzy was not the first person to go missing in Lynwick brings the one common denominator between them to the forefront of the police investigation. Michael. But that's just coincidence, surely? Or is it? Whatever the case may be, Kate finds herself the focus of blame by those she had once laughed and chatted with; those she had passed in the street and shared a smile; some of those she had called friends. Now she is ostracised and the only one on her side is Donna.

THE WIDOW is a thrilling tale as Kim takes us on a journey from Poland to Nottinghamshire through the eyes of various narrators, though primarily Kate. It certainly is a different story to those offered to us previously but still an enjoyable tale. There were a couple of unanswered questions by the end, most notably the discovery of two sets of remains found nearby but without an explanation as to why as neither story interconnected. The ending didn't pack that usual K.L. Slater punch, but it was still satisfactory.

I had my usual theories throughout, some of them often changing, but by the end I had guessed correctly...even the twist that was thrown in seemingly out of left field. But I couldn't be hoodwinked this time as I knew to look where others failed to...and pondered on my own suspicions. THE WIDOW is still full of secrets, lies, and twists to keep it moving along at a steady pace throughout. It is still a good solid read by Kim that was engaging and enjoyable.

The story is dominated with strong female characters, though not too strong. I liked the investigating officer, DI Helena Price and her offsider DS Brewster, who brought the whodunnit aspect to the forefront. I liked Kate but I did wonder why she was quick to defend Michael when she also found evidence that should have left her questioning him. Donna's denial of her husband's infidelities and disregard of her drove me mad. How could she not see her husband's blatant roving eye? Everyone else could and he shamelessly did it front of her!

Overall, THE WIDOW is an enjoyable and intriguing tale that will have you turning the pages in anticipation of the truth. What happened to Suzy Baros? To Jakub Jasinski? And is the disappearance of a teenage girl twenty three years ago connected? A thrilling read that does not disappoint even if some loose ends were left dangling by the end.

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Mrs V J Chamberlain

Fast paced, tense domestic thriller

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2021

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I absolutely love K L Slater's books and this one is no exception. I powered through it in just two days, unable to put it down.

The story centres around Kate, a contented wife to Michael and mother to Tansy. After another young mother in their village disappears suddenly, Kate's husband Michael becomes the prime suspect, shattering Kate's world and everything she believes in. Secrets and lies are exposed and Kate no longer knows who she can trust.

I love the author's style of writing and found this to be a fast paced story with multiple layers and twists and turns. I found the characterisations believable and I especially warmed to Kate and the way she clearly wanted to believe the best about Michael, despite the overwhelmingly evidence against him.

Although the clues were there, I did not figure out the ending or guess whodunit, which is always another plus for me.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed the author's previous books, and, to anyone who hasn't previously read one, this is as good a place as any to start! I'm eagerly awaiting K L Slater's next book.

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

11 people found this helpful

Ginger

Good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 November 2021

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The story revolves around a village, the big house and surrounding community. Michael is a family man who has worked at the estate since boyhood and his wife helps out by visiting the elderly owner who is a widow and suffers from ill health. A young girl had disappeared many years earlier leaving a sadness in the village but especially for her sister Donna, then another young woman goes missing and the story takes off for real. Easy to get into and with a few good twists, not the type of thriller to keep you awake at night but worth a read.

3 people found this helpful

The Cat's Mother

Good domestic thriller

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 March 2022

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I love a good domestic or psychological thriller and this book definitely falls into the good domestic thriller category. It has well defined characters, some more likeable than others, and is set in a typical English village which I could well imagine. I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as ‘unputdownable’ or ‘gripping’, it didn’t keep me awake at night wanting to read just one more chapter, but it certainly held my attention, wasn’t boring and I really enjoyed it. But for me there were a few unanswered ‘why’ scenarios, which I can’t really mention without giving spoilers, hence only four stars. It would make a good TV drama.

I have read and enjoyed several books by this author and will continue to read more.

sylvia

A good read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2021

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If the girl and the polish thug were murdered at different times by different people, how come they were buried in the same spot??? But I did enjoy the book.

3 people found this helpful

A page turner

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2022

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This was an enjoyable read and I finished this book in one sitting. Village life and behaviour is described accurately and also how easy some of us wrongly doubt those we know and love whereas others turn a blind eye in spite of overwhelming evidence.

Gail Redmore

A must read x we'll written x good twist xxx

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2022

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Worth reading good suspense x equal parts happy sad exciting x good story xxx I will read K L Slater 's book more now xxx

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