This starts with a woman waking up in an all-white room, being called Mrs. Langdon. The woman talking to her, Mrs. Taylor, tells her she’s had a nervous breakdown at her house in London, so her husband, James Buchanan Langdon, brought her to their country home - the Dunstrafne Castle in Argyll, West Scotland. It turns out Mrs. Langdon has been there over a month, but she doesn’t remember anything, not even her husband.

Mrs. Taylor has to tell her everything over again every time she wakes up. Migraines leave Mrs. Langdon disoriented and unable to remember days at a time. She’s assured that this happens all the time and her memory always comes back, but it’s Groundhog Day waking up in the same white room, always covered in scratches and bruises, always being forced to eat disgusting food, then always being forced take a lot of pills. She remembers random quotes, facts and things from her past, but nothing from the last two years as the wife of Mr. Langdon.

Then one day, she wakes up and remembers…not much, but she remembers waking up the time before. She remembers where she is, and that’s she’s being drugged. She remembers very little, but she knows that something is very wrong. Why doesn’t her husband share a room with her? Why is her door always locked? Why is she only fed bland, nasty food? Why does she have to take so many pills? Why is the only thing in her closet white dressing gowns?

The book answers these questions in time, and overall this was a good read. My only complaint is that before the book was even halfway through, I had figured everything out - I don’t know if it was easy, or if I was just lucky, but knowing what the end was going to bring was a bit of a bummer. If I hadn’t figured it out already, it would’ve been a great twist! (There were also a few more smaller twists in the end that I didn’t know were coming, but if I figure out the BIG one, it’s a bit of a letdown). This was a good story though, whether you figure out the twist or not. There were a lot of questions to get answered, and there was a lot of suspense to unpack. I’m giving this 3.5 stars that probably would have been rounded up to four, had I not seen the ending coming.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Danielle Ramsay and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on March 11, 2024.)6 s Diane Dachota1,068 64

White room, white clothes, whiteboard. An unnamed woman keeps waking up in an all white room with no trace of personal effects. She is fed a few spoonfuls of soggy eggs and given a cup full of pills. She doesn't know who or where she is and is covered in bruises. With shades of "Jane Eyre "and "Rebecca," this story has one of my least favorite themes which is women being gaslighted and held hostage. Yet, the first person stream of consciousness writing has a mesmerizing effect. I felt a great deal of empathy for this poor woman who had amnesia but felt strongly that she was in danger. In reality she is Mrs. Langdon, wife of a Scottish Laird named James and being taken care of by his housekeeper Mrs. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor feeds her the pills and will only tell her to consult the whiteboard on the wall which has her name and the details of where she is and why she is sleeping all the time (migraines). Mrs. Langdon tries to escape but she is too ill and thin and she is often locked in her room. How will she ever get away?

There is a big twist in the book but I thought it was very obvious what was going on. I appreciated the fast pace and sense of danger in the book but I also thought the real story didn't match the conversations and actions of the other people involved. Everyone was mean to this woman even her doctor who kept repeating that she was a friend of the husbands. I didn't the ending and felt it was missing a big moment for the main character. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.1 Julie Lacey1,756 107

This is a good psychological thriller.
Waking up in a strange room, not being familiar with your surroundings, would be unsettling for anyone. When Mrs Langdon asks where she is a woman tells her she is in a castle in Scotland and is recovering from a migraine.
Mrs Taylor shows her the whiteboard in the room which has some questions and answers on it but Mrs Langdon can’t remember anything.
She takes her tablets but then the next thing she knows, three days have passed.
It’s hard to say much more without spoiling the story but as Mrs Langdon starts to explore the castle she doesn’t what she finds or what she overhears.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. 1 JK Joy (aka) Jody ?751 202

The pain which the leading character is supposed to suffer from is what makes the story catchy and fascinating. I saw the development of the plot quite soon, however, the author has managed to amaze me, and I d the story. The reader is blinded by obscurity. The cliffhanger was awesome and I was indeed on the edge of my seat. I read the whole book in no time. This book will sit well on the shelf of those who love the similar, though captivating mysteries.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.2024-cloak-and-dagger-challenge arc boldwood-books ...more1 Deb543 7

This book is watching and living through someone else’s nightmare.
Mrs Langdon is that person living through a truly horrific nightmare. One she cannot seem to wake up from because every time she wakes up the nightmare, fear, the unknown begins all over again.
Locked inside her all white, spartan bedroom by a husband she doesn’t remember and his housekeeper, Mrs Taylor, who she doesn’t know, in a place she doesn’t know, every morning is terrifying for her.
With her breakfast comes a little white paper cup of pills. Her medication for her extremely debilitating migraines she has been suffering from.
These are what is causing her memory loss and confusion. That is why there is a whiteboard on the wall next to the bed telling her who she is, who her husband is, where she is and how long she has been there and why.
Her husband Laird James Buchanan Langdon has taken his wife to his ancestral home Dunstrafne Castle in the Scottish countryside in the hopes that some peace and quite, away from the hustle and bustle of London will help his wife to recover more quickly.
The whiteboard says she has been at the castle for 46 days, but can a migraine really wipe your memory of that many days? How many more days or weeks are missing from her memory?
Why doesn’t she have any memories at all? Is it something to do with the pills she is being given? But why? Why would her husband and housekeeper what to keep her drugged in her bedroom?
As doubts begin to crowed Mrs Langdon’s mind she starts to suspect her husband of wanting to kill her. To rid himself of her, just he did his first wife.
But when you are imprisoned in a remote castle with all doors and windows locked, how will she escape the fate of the first wife?
Although I guessed the plot twist really early on I still really enjoyed reading the book.
It was being inside of Mrs Langdon’s mind as we are privy to what she is thinking and feeling and those feelings are a living, breathing nightmare.
The book is dark and hauntingly broody with a razor sharp atmosphere that sucks you in and keeps you glued to the page.
I will definitely be reading Danielle Ramsay’s next book!1 Louise Wilson3,078 1,661

What if the person lying to you is your husband, the man who claims to love you more than anything in the world?

Isolated in bis remote Scottish ancestral home on the pretext that you are psychologically fragile and recovering from a breakdown, this home has become a prison. As the days slip by in a haze of confusion and a cocktail of drugs administered by a local housekeeper, you begin to piece together the fragments of your life and stumble on a terrifying secret. What if you discover you weren't his first wife, nor will you be his last? That he plans to replace you, to make you disappear - just his first wife. Just how far would you go to save your life and prove your husband's a murderer?

Mrs Langdon is living her life in a horrendous nightmare. She's locked in her bedroom by her husband and housekeeper. Mrs Langdon is told she suffers from migraines and has also had a breakdown. The housekeeper gives her a daily handful of pills, allegedly to keep the migraines away. But she knows she has lived in the remote ancestral home for over forty days, as there is a white board with the all details of her stay on it in her room. The pace is on the slow side in this well-written, dark, and twisted read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Published 11th March

I would to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #DanielleRamsay for my ARC of #TheOtherWife in exchange for an honest review.13 s6 comments Kirsty (BookBlogger)1,350 46

The Other Wife by Danielle Ramsay

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

The wife is always the last to know... What if everything you believed was a lie? Your life...your marriage…your very existence.

What if the person lying to you is your husband, the man who claims to love you more than anything in the world?

Isolated in his remote Scottish ancestral home on the pretext that you are psychologically fragile and recovering from a breakdown, this home has become a prison. As the days slip by in a haze of confusion and a cocktail of drugs administered by a loyal housekeeper, you begin to piece together the fragments of your life and stumble on a terrifying secret.

What if you discover you weren't his first wife, and nor will you be the last? That he plans to replace you, to make you disappear - just the first wife. Just how far would you go to save your life and prove your husband's a murderer?

My Opinion

I couldn't tell you what it was about this book but it really appealed to me. I started reading this book when I really didn't have the time as it just jumped out at me as a a book I needed to read ASAP. This is such an enjoyable read and there are some great twists to keep you guessing. It is difficult to say much without giving away any spoilers, but this thriller is definitely worth reading.

Rating 4/52024-kindle netgalley read-in-2024 ...more Chitra Iyer289 63

The book begins with the protagonist not remembering where and why she is in her current state. As the story moves forward, she realises that she truly has no memory of her past. She struggles to piece together the bits of information fed to her by her caretaker, Mrs Taylor. And it is through Mrs Taylor that she realises that she doesn’t even remember her first name, only that she is Mrs Langdon. She tries to make sense of every information but it only creates doubts in her mind.

The story’s setting in a Scottish castle on a remote island gives it an eerie vibe that is enough to hold the reader’s attention. Add to that the protagonist’s memory loss and confusion, and you have the hook needed to be whisked away with the story.

I thought of making more notes but honestly, as I kept reading I simply didn’t want to stop. The entire narrative is mysterious with a gripping storyline. As a reader, you are thrown into a situation where you don’t know what to expect, and you don’t know whom to trust – just Mrs Langdon.

The writing is brilliant! The fantastic revelation bit by bit and the mental state of Mrs Langdon creates this mysterious aura and the reader is willingly swept into the story.

I can hardly stop telling you what a fantastic read this has been. I have not, in the recent time, read such a thrilling narrative by anyone. It is simply superb! If you love thrillers, The Other Wife should be on your TBR. Connie2,152 62

Dunstrafne Castle - Scotland

Laird James Buchanan Langdon was once married to a woman named Isabelle who disappeared without a trace. Now, he is married to another woman and he plans to make her disappear as well.

She wakes feeling groggy and cannot remember where she is. A woman named Mrs. Taylor, the housekeeper, watches over her and calls her Mrs. Langdon. Mrs. Taylor tells her that she suffers from migraines and is taking a cocktail of drugs for her pain. She does not want to take the medicine because she wants to know what is going on but Mrs. Taylor always insists. She finds the she is covered in bruises and the food she is forced to eat is disgusting. Each time she wakes, Mrs. Taylor is there ready to repeat the food and drugs. When she asks the housekeeper questions, she points to a whiteboard that answers questions she has posed before.

Oh, dear. This book was so disturbing. Seeing the perceived mistreatment of this woman was irritating as it was repeated over and over. It made me angry and I kept asking myself why I was pushing myself to finish it. I think it’s because I gave a book of this author just one star before. I felt that if I did a DNF, that would be unfair so I pushed through to the end. As it is, again I say disturbing is the only word I can say about this. No. Not for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. loopyloulaura978 20

A woman wakes, confused and disorientated. She doesn't now her name or recognise her surroundings. She is cared for by a housekeeper but has no mempory of her husband or home or even the last few years of her life. She believes she is being kept prisoner and finds evidence that her husband's first wife may have been murdered...
The Other Wife is an intense and uncomfortable psychological thriller.
The opening chapter had me intrigued but was difficult to comprehend. The timeline then goes back 5 days to show the events immediately before the crisis. Again, there was a lot of confusion due to the narrator's own mental state.
Initially I didn't this book. The woman's overwhelming fear and confusion was quite unpleasant. The big twist was easy to guess but I couldn't put the book down and d it much more once I'd finished it and could see the concept as a whole.
The writing style is vivid and I was utterly absorbed in the lives of the characters. It is written in the first person from a perspective that is very unreliable. There are strong echoes of 'mad wife' tropes from Rebecca and Jane Eyre but the book is very modern.
The Other Wife is vividly written but often uncomfortable, powerfully emotional but almost overwhelmingly so. Misfits farm1,875 81

A woman wakes up and finds herself in a strange room in what looks a castle. She sees a man with two dogs on the beach below who seems faintly recognisable. She knows she is his second wife, his other wife died and there are things around she knows belonged to the other wife. The housekeeper, who refers to her as Mrs Langdon, tells her she suffers from migraines and that for her not to remember things is quite normal and that she had a mental breakdown a while back. There are no mirrors and she feels as if she doesn't recognise herself- her hair is much shorter as she feels it and she is wary of taking the pills the housekeeper wants her to have.

This book begins as waking into a nightmare and is rather dark and twisty. It's a very descriptive read as much is about Mrs Langdon’s feelings and thoughts and that which is around her. I found myself racing through this, it's one of those reads that is quite unsettling in a way, as the reader doesn't know how she got there in the first place. A very different, chilling dark-ish read that had me enthralled.
For more please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog
----------------------------- Caitlin51

The writing in this book is utterly claustrophobic, and you can really feel the same sense of being trapped as the main character, both within the house and within her own mind. The entirety of the book mostly takes place in the same building, which added an extra layer of dread due to the proximity of all of the characters and the lack of control the main character has over the situation. The atmosphere of this book was exceptionally well-crafted.

some other reviewers, I guessed a certain plot point quite early on, but it did not really detract from my enjoyment of the book. Rather it painted the main character’s fears and struggles in a different, but no less interesting, light. I found the ending of the book a little underwhelming, though I thought that it was done well for the type of ending that the author wanted. Overall, fans of psychological thriller books that happen mostly within one’s own mind will find this a fast and fun read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

3/5 When you can’t trust your own thoughts, who can you trust? Morag Murray274 6

This story is seriously dark and twisty! Imagine waking up in a remote Scottish castle with precisely zero in the form of episodic memory - your very name eludes you....A woman proclaiming to be your housekeeper greets you with an unappetising breakfast and a handful of pills - allegedly to treat your migraines. You discover you are married and have spend 40+ days recuperating - though from what, you have no idea. You feel you are a prisoner in the castle but when your room is left unlocked, you are unable to stop yourself exploring - only to find a secret room that reveals your husband has a previous wife that mysteriously disappeared.....

This book was slower in pace than my preferred read, but honestly I was too intrigued to put it down! If dark, twisty and somewhat dystopian are your bag this is 100% the read for you!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.1 Hannah145 6

A wife wakes up confused and unsure if she should trust her husband or not, a husband she can’t remember. When she stumbles across a terrifying secret, she wasn’t the first wife and won’t be the last, will she be able to remember for long enough to work out what exactly is going on and how she can fix it before it becomes too late?

This was an interesting premise, although I have read a few similar plots to this one. The story is dark, creepy and intriguing. The main character, although well written, did irritate me at times and it all seemed a bit over the top but this did help to build the overall suspense. I guessed the twist very early on and found it fairly repetitive in places. Although the book did not completely enthral me, it was a quick read and I can definitely appreciate what the author was trying to achieve. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review. Sharon Valler414 13

Sinister, chilling and utterly gripping!

Mrs Langdon is locked away in her sparse bedroom in a remote Scottish castle, drugged and alone, except for the housekeeper.

Every day, Mrs Langdon wakes up remembering nothing and the housekeeper, Mrs Taylor, tells her who she is and why she is there, updating the white board in her bedroom, so she can be reminded. Mrs Langdon knows that the only way she can get her life back is to escape the drug hazed, beautiful prison and she then discovers portraits of her husband's beautiful first wife. Fuelled by jealousy and frightened for her life, she is determined to break free.

I really enjoyed this book - great writing style, strong character development and a twisty plot = ticks all the boxes for me! It reminded me of the movie "50 First Dates", but with a sinister vibe.

5 ?? Thanks to Netgalley, Danielle Ramsay and Boldwood for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Andrea A643 10

My thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood for allowing me to review this arc. I won't reiterate the plot because the description is accurate but I will share some thoughts.

The story had a lot of promise but fell very flat. The majority of the story was the self narration of the "wife" in the castle, thinking she was be drugged her husband had another wife , he was holding her prisoner , trying to kill her, and being starved. Aside from Mrs Taylor there was not much other character interaction.

My other issues are things I've seen before. Another wife , Jane Eyre, creepy housekeeper discussing first "wife", Rebecca, making the wife think she did certain things, Gaslight. I had so money questions. But that ending? Really? I saw that coming about the wife's identity but that reason? Bit of a letdown. Can't recommend.
1 Fee (Ebook Addicts)1,435 43

New fear unlocked! 

A woman wakes up in a stark white bedroom - everything is white down to the very clothes she wears, she has no idea who or where she is. A whiteboard in the corner of the room is the only thing that gives her any information. Another woman spoon feeds her soggy eggs and piles her with medication. Who is she why does she need all these pills? Who is the woman who is making her eat?

Being locked in her own mind she has no recollection that she is Mrs Langdon and the woman feeding her is Mrs Taylor the housekeeper. Every morning it is the same routine, frustratingly so for Mrs Langdon, and she fears she is being held in her room against her will, and she tries to escape on several occasions only to end up walking back up in her room the next day.


This was a brilliant read, I had an inkling what was truly happening to her, but still reading it all unfold you could really feel the panic and tension radiating from the pages.


4 starsarc netgalley read-in-2024 mo • lesmotsdemo394 15

Unfortunately, this novel was not for me. I’m fully convinced that objectively, it is well-written and some parts of the plot are actually very interesting. But I hated the way the main character is constantly talked to she was a four year-old. The other characters treated the main character in a way that was snobbish and smugly. I prefer when the dynamics between the characters are a little bit more balanced. It definitely makes the novel different from most books I’ve read, but I did not necessarily enjoy reading it. I have quickly guessed the plot twist but I truly d it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review. Lucy829 12

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for a gifted copy of this new release.

This new release had massive potential, but unfortunately, it was too predictable for my preferences. Despite this, I did enjoy the story's concept. Due to the easy-to-follow storyline, I read the whole book quickly. The main character was well-created and focused on her recovery and discovery of secrets. Although I didn't connect with her, she was still a notable protagonist.

If you're a fan of fast-flowing, thriller mysteries, this book is worth reading. Even if you do not expect to be blown away, it is an enjoyable read.

'The Other Wife' is out today!2024-mar-reads 2024-netgalley-reads Staceywh_172,503 19

This was such a brilliant, twisty read that kept you on your toes throughout, with the suspense palpable right up until the closing pages.

Everything is white; the room, your clothing - pretty much a psychiatric unit - but apparently this is what you wanted according to your husband...but can you trust him, what exactly happened to the first Mrs Langdon?

Dunstrafne Castle was the perfect setting, it was old, isolated and had an eerie atmosphere about it that worked its way under your skin.

The Other Wife is a well plotted thriller with unreliable narrators and a killer ending.

Definitely one to recommend. Joanne Lewis273 11

This is billed as a psychological suspense rather than a thriller and it’s an apt description. Told through the thoughts of the main character, Mrs Langdon, this is a claustrophobic account of her experiences as she struggles to unravel what is happening to her.

It’s hard to reveal much about the plot without giving away spoilers but it’s a cleverly written narrative that keeps you guessing about the motives of the different characters and I found myself constantly speculating as I read.

An intriguing read despite the difficult subject matter.

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour. Kerry KennedyAuthor 16 books179

ARC thank you to Boldwood books and Netgslley for the arc
Slow paced psychological thriller but enjoyable.
A quick read and keeps you turning pages to see if she's truly being cared for or abused.
The twist at the end is good and made me think wow, that's good.
It was a bit repetitive in places hence the 3 stars.
Nonetheless a good read
Very good liking to Daphne Dumauriers Rebecca february2 s Kayla Lynn64 2

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Image waking up in an all white room you don’t recognize and thinking you could be getting drugged. I enjoyed the book. There were a few long chapters but most were a decent length. There were times I found the story to be slow and repetitive but I did not guess the ending. Erin Meddings466 9

This just wasn’t for me. Seemed too tragic a story about an ill woman who was too confused to make heads or tails of anything in her life.
3 stars for me means while it wasn’t for me, I’m sure there are plenty of people who would enjoy this.
Personally I loved the other two books better. mystery-cozy-thriller-psychological Cheryl190 9

Such a dark and twisted psychological thriller. Loved the story and how it kept me entranced from start to finish.netgalley Christina (ChristinaBethReads)332 7

It was an interesting premise but I found it repetitive in places. I was able to guess the twist early on so that ruined it a little netgalley-arcs Shaz Mcdill117 10

Although this book was slow paced  and I  guessed the twist early on I still enjoyed it and will look up more of her books Stacey Crampton24

What a hauntingly tragic book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. It was gripping to hear Mrs Langdon’s frenzied thoughts and her development as a character. I would highly recommend! Janilyn Kocher4,065 93

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