THE PERFECT FAMILY Sheila O’Rourke has always known her husband isn’t perfect. Who is? But things have been better since they moved to Seattle to make a fresh start. So much so that when sixteen-year-old Eden turns up, claiming to be Dylan’s child by another woman, Sheila tries to be welcoming. CAN BECOME At first, Sheila feels sympathy for the girl. Eden’s mother recently fell to her death in … mother recently fell to her death in an incident with unsettling parallels to Sheila’s past. Still, Eden is a difficult house guest, sowing discord among the family. Sheila has already been on edge for weeks, receiving anonymous texts, noticing odd noises coming from the house next door. And that’s just the start.
A PERFECT NIGHTMARE
Sheila wants to trust Dylan. She wants to feel safe in her own home. But no one can hurt you more easily than the ones closest to you . . . the ones you keep believing until it’s too late . . .
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White knuckle action! Kevin O’Brien takes the reader deep into the darkest corners of the human mind, where one woman’s past threatens to wipe out her future.
Fast-forward to Scary as Hell! Read this page-turner with the lights on!
I can always count on Kevin O’Brien to deliver a juicy thriller, and he does not disappoint with his latest, The Betrayed Wife. This book has it all¬—a not-so-perfect marriage, illicit affairs, dark family secrets, suspicious deaths, and an illegitimate child.
Shelia O’Rouke has had to overlook a number of her husband’s indiscretions, so when sixteen-year-old Eden shows up claiming to be his daughter, Shelia tries to make the best of it. She welcomes the girl into her home and encourages her three children to do the same. But Eden has an insolent attitude and a creepy boyfriend. It isn’t long before things start to go horribly wrong. Someone tampers with the breaks on Shelia’s car, rigs her washer so that she is almost electrocuted, and tries to poison her. An obnoxious tenant moves into the house next door, and an anonymous caller starts sending Shelia and her teenage son, Steve, mysterious texts. O’Brien has a knack for writing teenagers, and he juggles several successfully in this novel.
As usual, the deftly-orchestrated plot serves up plenty of misdirection to keep the reader guessing. Although I did (eventually) decipher the ending and motive prior to the conclusion, I followed several false trails before putting the pieces together. There are characters to hate, characters to love, and a multi-layered mystery that ties up neatly at the end. Riveting from start to finish, the book works as a psychological thriller, domestic thriller, and page-turning suspense novel. Finished in two sittings and highly recommended!
Wow!! First time I have read Kevin O’Brien. I will definitely be looking for more of his books.
I am exhausted today because I might’ve stayed up well past my bedtime to binge on this addictive book last night.
Long-suffering Sheila has been making excuses for and putting up with Dylan’s infidelity for years but everything comes to a head when his “maybe daughter”, Eden, shows up on their doorstep. At the same time, Sheila begins receiving sinister texts and wonders if she is being followed.
Out of a sense of loyalty and a desire to right past wrongs, Dylan invites Eden into their home and lives and then the crazy REALLY starts. I don’t want to say much more but the secrets, twists, stalking, craziness and obsessiveness are delicious and make for a book that, as I alluded to earlier, was impossible to put down.
This is another great thriller by Kevin O’Brian, one of my favorite authors! Excellent psychological thriller!! Keeps you turning the pages and the ending was a big surprise to me! Interesting plot and well developed characters.
I highly recommend this book to those who love a great, fast paced mystery!!
Another roller coaster and can’t put this book down read by Kevin O’Brien
Sheila knows Dylan isn’t perfect and when his daughter that he didn’t know about moves into the family home you know trouble for the family is not far behind.
Dylan is quite charming, doesn’t make him nice or likeable.
Sheila is receiving anonymous texts, threatening in fact.
Then there is Dylan’s daughter Eden.
Who can trust ?
The pages fly by with twists and turns.
Buckley up your seat belt because with Kevin O’ Brien’s books you know you are in for quite a ride.
Clear you calendar, hide from the family so you can find out what happens.
Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read The Betrayed Wife.
Can’t wait to get my copy for my bookshelves.
Don’t miss this great read
Great series I loved both books. Full of intrigue and suspense
Have read several books by this author. All have similar plot — cheating husband, mysterious anonymous phone calls, unknown intruders in the home. And unknown person watching and spying on main character. The writing is adequate, just would like a change in the story line
Excellent novel. I’ve been reading this authors novels from the very first one and love them all
Interesting book with lots of twists. Good right up to the end.
While a bit long (454 pages!), this was still a good psychological thriller. Dylan is a philandering husband, more than you could imagine. He has a wife, Sheila, and 3 children. When a young girl, Eden, shows up, and claims to be his daughter, he admits to an affair from 17 years earlier.
Once Eden lives in their home, things start happening to Sheila, and Sheila also begins receiving strange texts.
As people start to get hurt, Sheila suspects Eden. Eden denies it, but things continue to happen.
The story tries to get you to suspect various people. Some of the story is a bit over the top. The ending is one that tries to get your jaw to drop, but I wasn’t really surprised by it – as there were clues throughout the book of the possibility.
#TheBetrayedWife #KevinOBrien
Philandering husband + complacent wife + illegitimate daughter = disaster!
This book has all the ingredients for a suspenseful novel. I have read most of Kevin O’Brien’s novels and have enjoyed them all. I feel this one was missing something. This one could have been so much more. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, I did but wanted more. I feel like the characters could have been so much more intense … more dimensional … stronger.
3.5/5
Thank you #netgalley and #kensington for the eARC.
This is a suspense thriller, with the emphasis on suspense. Shelia O’Rourke has a real problem with her playboy husband Dylan. Although they move to Seattle to get a new start, Dylan is still up to his old habits and is chasing a woman that he met at the gym. Meanwhile, Shelia feels that she is being stalked and is getting some really weird text messages. The action ramps up when Eden, Dylan’s illegitimate daughter, shows up desiring to live with the family since her mom died and she has no one else to turn to. The really weird things begin to happen after sixteen year-old Eden’s appearance. Is she bringing trouble to the house or was the household already being threatened because of Dylan’s constant philandering? This is the question that kept me reading. There was not as much suspense in this book as I am accustomed to in O’Brien’s books, but the read was satisfactory and twisted enough for his fans to enjoy it. The plot is twisted and addictive and with a real surprise at the end.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Kevin O’Brien’s latest novel, The Betrayed Wife, is one of his most suspenseful and compelling. Disturbing and sometimes life-threatening things start happening to Sheila O’Rourke around the same time 16-year-old Eden appears. Eden claims to be the daughter of Sheila’s husband from a long ago affair, and she’s hostile to Sheila. But how can Sheila refuse to let the girl stay when Eden’s mother died in a tragic accident. Or was it murder? Sheila is one of O’Brien’s most complex protagonists, adding layers to the suspense. A fast, engaging read.
Great nook-kept you questing till the end love his books don’t disappoint
Most ebooks I read lately tend to lose their charm toward the last quarter, they just peter out or keep going and going and you just want it to end. This one kept me interested and guessing up to the last few pages. Then it ended with a twist. I appreciate that and for that reason will recommend this book.
What happens when you have a husband who is the ultimate philanderer and a wife who just lets him get away with it?
While I typically LOVE Kevin O’Brien’s books, this one felt like it was missing something. There were definitely twists and turns. But I think the fact that husband was such a wimp and too willing to hop into the sack with other women turned me off. There were crazy and evil characters, which is characteristic of the author’s books. And you will be left guessing you is behind all of chaos that is wreaking havoc on Sheila and her family.
And the end of the book just left me with my jaw hanging down in shock. Not sure I really liked the ending, but it was one of those shocking end-of-the-book moments.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A perfect family may not be so perfect, with a husband that cheats and a wife who just been accepting of it for so many years. When something traggic happens in their old home town brings some things to light that they never knew. Mystery texts received with hints of a hidden past turns their world upside down!
This were so many OMG and WTF moments through out this book! Making me not want to put the book down until I finished! Fantastic Book!