ShortBookandScribes #PublicationDay #BookReview – What the Wife Knew by Lia Middleton
What the Wife Knew by Lia Middleton is published by Penguin Michael Joseph and is out today. Happy publication day!
My thanks to the publishers for the proof copy.
You can read my reviews of two of Lia’s other books by clicking the titles: Your Word or Mine and The Confession Room.
THE TWIST-A-MINUTE NEW THRILLER FROM LIA MIDDLETON THAT ASKS HOW WELL YOU REALLY KNOW THE PERSON YOU’RE MARRIED TO . . .
‘A suspenseful blend of legal and psychological thriller’ Sunday Times
‘Twisty and gripping with a stunning denouement. Dame Agatha herself would be proud of it’ Daily Mail
‘Written with unobtrusive skill by a criminal barrister’ Literary Review
ONE MARRIAGE. ONE LIE. TWO SIDES TO THE STORY…
FRANK is standing trial for violently murdering his wife, Linda. His defence? She killed herself.
HARRY is Frank’s defence lawyer. Whether he believes Frank or not, it’s the biggest case of his career and he has to prove he can win.
PIERA is Harry’s wife. She’s hiding a secret that could destroy the case, and her life with Harry entirely.
What do you do when the biggest threat to your marriage is the truth?
I can never resist a legal thriller but What the Wife Knew combines the legal world and the buzz of a trial with a domestic drama going on behind the scenes. I felt this mixed it up quite nicely and offered a fresh addition to the psychological thriller genre.
Francis Joseph is on trial for murdering his wife. His defence? She did it to herself. In a last minute change of representation, barrister Harry takes on the job of defending Frank at his trial. Waiting at home for Harry is Piera, his wife, a barrister herself but who is on maternity leave. What Harry doesn’t know is that Piera has a secret and it could ruin everything.
I found this to be a very fast-paced read. The first section is all from Harry’s point of view as he undertakes to try and get Frank acquitted. I particularly enjoyed following the trial (written with great skill from an author who really knows what she is talking about), knowing that the outcome would shape the next section which is from Piera’s point of view and addresses what she’s hiding.
It all unfolds in a quite exhilarating way and I flew through the pages. What the Wife Knew is easy to read yet full of tension and mystery until eventually I did indeed find out what the wife knew. I thought it was an excellent read.
Lia Middleton is a barrister who specialises in crime and prison law. You can find her on X @liamiddlet0n and on Instagram @liamiddletonauthor. She is the author of When They Find Her, Your Word or Mine and The Confession Room.