I moved closer to the little girl, afraid that our voices would be caught by the monitor.
‘What happened to you, Lucy? Can you tell me?’
When Sophie’s life falls apart, she accepts an invitation from a childhood friend, Caroline, to visit her family’s beautiful beach house, situated at the mouth of an isolated cove, miles from the nearest town. The silence is broken only by the rhythmic crash of the waves against the jagged black rocks below.
But when Sophie arrives, she finds her friend much changed. Caroline – who used to be so warm and confident – is secretive and on-edge, spending long, unexplained hours away from her family. And then there’s Caroline’s little daughter Lucy – who stopped speaking soon after they moved in. Caroline assures Sophie that it’s only a phase, but Sophie thinks Lucy looks a little uncared for, a little afraid…
Then one night Sophie is woken by a scream and runs to find Lucy, out of bed and at the attic window, staring in terror at the view below. When Sophie goes to look, her blood runs cold…
What secrets hide behind closed doors in this isolated house by the sea? A compelling domestic drama from the USA Today bestselling author of Gracie’s Secret. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and The Couple Next Door.
What readers are saying about The First Wife:
‘I loved this book! From the moment I started, I couldn't stop reading it… The author did an amazing job… Kept me guessing until the very end… I loved it!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘The First Wife is a stunning page-turner I did not want to put down… The ending is so twisted and fascinating... Just WOW! Unbelievably fantastic read. This is the best book I’ve read so far in 2020. Worth more than 5 stars to me.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘What an amazing book by Jill Childs… This story had me hooked from the first chapter and I read it practically in one sitting!... I never saw the twist at the end coming! I cannot wait to recommend this book to all!’ NetGalley reviewer
‘The story draws you in from page one and as soon as the two friends are reunited, it's clear that it's a far from happy household… The writing is both descriptive and atmospheric and just as you think you have the whole thing worked out, there's a totally unexpected twist which I didn't see coming. A great read and highly recommended - in fact if I could give it more than five stars I would!’ Jo Lambert Books Blog, 5 stars
‘A gripping read.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘A chilling, edge-of-your-seat read that will knock the life right out of you!! A must read!! Another brilliant author that keeps you entertained from the very first page!!’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Love all books from this author and this was a brilliant read… It was definitely a page-turner and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, all with interesting characters and I can certainly recommend. Well done Jill I look forward to your next read.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘The First Wife has an unbelievable twist that I just didn’t see coming!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘Dark, creepy with a dash of gothic charm I was gripped from the beginning. The relationship built between Sophie and Lucy was beautiful and as mentioned the ending shocked me! The perfect thriller / mystery.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘A brilliant mystery/thriller with a lot of awesome characters and a strong domestic plot line! Intriguing and twisty! Does not disappoint!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘This was an amazing book. Everything from Jill goes above and beyond. This is one of the best. Thought-provoking and wonderfully well-written. The final chapters were so heart-wrenching I was close to tears. Didn't want it to end.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
