From the New York Times bestselling author of the Hello Sunshine Book Club pick The Other Woman, comes an addictively readable new domestic suspense about a wife, her husband, and the woman who is supposedly her best friend. THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house. HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that … beautiful house.
HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.
HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced . . .
The first mistake could be her last.
Praise for The Other Woman:
“One of the most twisted and entertaining plots.”–Reese Witherspoon
“A perfect beach read.”–Kristin Hannah
“Whiplash-inducing.”–New York Times Book Review
“Such fun you’ll cheer [Emily’s] chutzpah.”–PEOPLE
“This thriller will hit close to home.”–Refinery29
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Thought I had it all figured out…but no! Great surprise ending!!
What a suspenseful book! Just like the first book that Sandie Jones wrote “The Other Woman”, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, never seeing the twists and turns coming your way. It left me questioning “who can you really trust?”. There are three main characters focused on in this story, a wife/business owner, Alice, her second husband /business partner, Nathan, and her best friend, Beth.
Alice and her first husband, Tom, started a design company together. Tom passed away while on a ski trip leaving Alice to raise their daughter and manage the business alone. Alice met Nathan and he seemed to be an answer to her prayers. Nathan and Alice had a daughter together and he helped with the management and marketing side of Alice’s business. The company was successful and it provided a lavish lifestyle for the family. Beth was a single mother of a daughter and sometimes it was a struggle to maintain their lifestyle. Alice and Beth were best friends and Alice totally trusted Beth. When Alice had some doubts about Nathan, she confided in Beth. When Beth confided in Alice about her daughter’s father and her life prior to meeting Alice, there’s questions that arise in Alice’s mind. When Nathan proposes that he and Alice’s company take a giant leap to promote the business internationally, Alice hesitantly agrees. As Alice observes some questionable behaviors of Nathan, she confidently makes decisions that will be life changing for everyone involved. This was a fairly quick read, because once I picked it up and started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. There’s a bit of mystery, deceitfulness, evilness portrayed and at the same time you see a woman who regains her self-confidence, develops her strength and forgives part of the past. I enjoyed reading this, definitely should be on everyone’s summer read list. Thank-you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Sandie Jones for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review. Review posted to Goodreads, Amazon and Kobo
Storytelling at its best!
Wowza, what a great read to be introduced to a new author!
If you’re a fan of twisted psychological thrillers, this book is for you!
Gripping, twisted and exciting, I was on the edge of my seat enjoying the suspense of what was going to happen next in this story!
I had the pleasure of getting an advance copy of this book and it was just fun to read…especially at the beach!!
Thrilling, suspenseful, and edgy I was totally captivated by this story of ordinary people doing some extraordinary things.
The story was well written the plot flowed well and it was easy to follow.
A must read!
4.5 stars!
The First Mistake is wonderfully suspenseful read. I found Alice very relatable and I felt so much for her story! I would have never guessed the ending. I felt on edge waiting to see how it was going to end and what was going to happen!
Thank you to Minotaur Books for my advance copy for honest review
4.5* One of the best books I’ve read in awhile. I had my suspicions on what was happening but I was way off. Highly recommend this to everyone!
One of the brief side characters really hit home with me as she was suffering from Alzheimer’s and my mother recently passed away from the same disease.
Warning: this book will make you suspicious of everyone in your life. I’m literally giving my dog the side eye as I write this review? Who is she really?
This book is marketed as a psychological thriller. I found this book to be mind-numbing for the first thirty percent. Nothing really happens. The reader is lulled into numbness as we follow along with Alice’s mundane existence: work, marriage, kids, repeat. But that’s the whole point isn’t it? This setup highlights how easy it is, how necessary it is, to simply trust in the choices you’re making, trust in the people you’re choosing to share your world. Wake up, exist, sleep. Don’t question anything. Answers can hurt. Ignore the red flags because red is for bullfights, and who wants to be in a bullfight when they can instead be blissfully sitting atop a float during a holiday parade? Why be a fighter when you can be the princess? Your happiness is your own doing, so why rock the boat when you’ve got the honeymoon suite?
Similar to Sandie Jones’s “The Other Woman”, this book is a nothing-is-what-it-seems book. Is Alice’s second husband having an affair? Was her first husband the saint she remembers him as? Is her best friend really her most worthy foe? Are her kids real or aliens? When you reach the last 30-40 pages of this book, you won’t know what’s real anymore.
It’s really hard to review a book like this without dropping spoilers all over the place. So, without pulling off Santa’s beard, here’s what worked in the book:
1) Alice’s desperate need to maintain a normal existence was very accurately portrayed. After going through hell once already, it made complete sense that she clung to whatever she could to make her feel whole again;
2) Alice’s blissful ignorance – there were times when I personally understood her actions. Maybe others won’t, but I completely got it. It’s easier to trust someone. it’s a lot harder to be suspicious.
3) Alice’s kids provided the perfect motivation for Alice’s storyline.
4) The multiple big reveals. As I read the book, I kept thinking “well, how the hell is this gonna be explained away?” But it all worked.
5) This book is definitely timely. We’re bombarded with “Dirty John” stories and psychological terms like “gaslighting” and “narcissism” are the new normal in everyday vernacular, so this book fits right into today’s culture.
6) The author’s cute use of the film “The Other Woman”, a favorite of mine. Oh, Sandie Jones, I see what you did there
What didn’t work:
1) Alice not asking ANY questions whatsoever. Sure, I agree with a lot of her actions, reactions, and inaction, but there were certain things she did that drove me insane;
2) Alice not telling ANYBODY the big discovery she’s made. Doubtful;
3) The pace was a little too slow.
As I read this book, I planned to give it a solid 3 stars. I liked it, and I wanted to know what happened, but it wasn’t hitting me as hard as other psychological thrillers. But, after all the reveals, I gave it 4 stars, especially after I sat back and reflected on all the characters’ motivations. This story is whacked, but… it actually is pretty realistic.
Alice was married to Tom until he died. Then she married Nathan. But as we find out as we read this blockbuster novel, Alice may not be able to trust men, at all! She is devastated to find out that her beloved Tom may have had a mistress on the side, a woman named Beth whom she considers to be a good friend. Beth has one daughter and Alice has two. Are they step-siblings thanks to Tom’s infidelity? That is one of the questions that is revealed slowly in this book that is hard to put down. Nathan has become a valuable part of Alice’s design company and wants to expand to Japan. Although Alice is a little reluctant about this costly investment, she trusts Nathan to lead the company in a new and promising direction. Still reeling with the discovery of Beth and Tom’s disloyalty, Alice turns to Nathan as the one she can count on. The twists in this novel just don’t stop coming, all the way to the end that was absolutely so twisted that I had to read it twice. Fans of psychological suspense will fall in love with the story of Alice, Tom, Beth and Nathan…and it’s my bet that you won’t be able to guess the ending!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Minotaur Books. 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.”
I read this author’s debut book and was okay with it. It didn’t really spark anything strong with me. I was hoping to maybe a get a little more in her second book…
This author has a great imagination, giving some really inventive and unique stories. I cannot deny that. This one, like her first book, it a very unique storyline. I had no clue in the beginning where it would possibly take me.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I am going to be very vague when it comes to the characters. I wasn’t sure how I felt about them at first. The wife. The husband. The best friend. The supporting characters. If I am honest, by the middle of the book, I wasn’t a fan of any of them. They just didn’t have any real depth to them, which they need for this story.
I pretty much figured out the twist in the first few chapters. That in itself was a bit disappointing. It was blaringly obvious, so the rest of the book pretty much drug for me from there. To say I was underwhelmed would be accurate. I just, I don’t have a lot of words I can share since they will spoil this book. Not that it matters since the book is spoiled pretty early on.
This is the second book this year that I read where neither the title or cover have anything to do with the book. I sat after I finished it trying to correlate the title and cover with the story inside, and I am not connecting them. That is very frustrating. A title and cover are the first thing we know about a book. If you read this one, just ignore those two things going in.
Overall, this book was not one I will be recommending all over the place. It just wasn’t very interesting. It moved slow. It was written to confuse the reader and hide the fact that the twist was already given in the beginning. I was pretty disappointed in this one.
The First Mistake by Sandie Jones will take you on an unexpected ride full of twists and turns. Alice’s life was turned upside down when she lost her first husband. Sinking down a very dark path, Alice finds comfort, happiness and a second chance with her second husband, Nathan. But when he begins acting strange, she turns to her best friend, Beth. Suddenly she is not sure who to trust and so begins Alice’s journey full of suspense and mystery! I was captivated from start to finish!
Happy reading!
Sadie Jones brings another page turning thriller in her second book. You will spend a lot of time thinking you know what’s going on then being thrown for a loop.
There was a lot of frustration and saying “what the f is going on” because my guesses ended up being wrong until right up to the end. If you liked Jones’ first book, The Other Woman, you will enjoy this book. #TheFirstMistake
Having read Sandie Jones’ debut novel, The Other Woman and loved it, I was excited to read her new book, The First Mistake. This is a great book to take to the beach. Part I is told from the viewpoint of Alice who is re-married to Nathan after her first husband, Tom, passed away in a skiing accident. We meet her best friend, Beth. I could not put the book down. Part II goes back to nine years before and we hear from Beth. Part II slowed down for me and felt it could have used some editing. Part III returns to present day. This is where the story comes together with many twist and turns that will leave the reader guessing what is going to happen next. Just when you think you have it figured out, you are surprised. I definitely enjoyed Sandie Jones’ second novel. Thank you Bookish First and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a heck of a ride. From the slow beginning to the climatic ending it kept me turning pages.
Alice lost her true love. Her first husband, in a skiing accident. She didn’t think she was ever going to get over that loss and in lots of ways she may not have. She meets Nathan and gives him her heart anyway. He’s kind and caring and so good to her daughter from her marriage to Tom. They also have a daughter together and seem to have it all. But looks can be deceiving at times. Is Alice who she says she is? Is Nathan the man of her dreams or a player set on destruction?
Then we have Beth who is not all she claims to be either. She and Alice have been best friends for about three years. Confiding in each other and having a girls night each week. Talking about anything and everything. They are the best of friends. Or are they? Is Alice using Beth? Or is Beth using Alice? How does Nathan fit into this equation?
This book will take you for the ride of your life. It’s a page turner for sure and will keep you wondering who is who and what exactly is going on.
This is my second book by this author. The Other Woman being the first. Although I truly enjoyed this book to me it started out a bit slow and that is not good. If you are impatient you may miss out on a very good book if you don’t stick it out. It picks up rather quickly and you will be hooked.
The dramatic ending will have you holding your breathe for sure. It’s a very good book and has a lot of the feels you love in books. It had me on the edge in a few places and even a tear or two shed. I loved the dramatic ending. Well done.
Thank you to #NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my complete and honest review.
I gave it 4 stars. But only because it was a bit slow in the beginning. I highly recommend it.
Double lives? cheating husbands? money flowing perhaps in the wrong direction? twists, and surprises will greet the reader in THE FIRST MISTAKE.
We meet Nathan and Alice – in love and happy until odd things start to happen and Alice questions how happy they really are.
Alice had been married before to Tom, and Tom had died while on a skiing trip. Alice still loved Tom even though she was married to Nathan.
THE FIRST MISTAKE takes us on a roller coaster ride as Alice suffers with her mental problems, her doubts about her marriage, and her constant thoughts about Tom.
We follow Alice’s days and how she confides in her friend Beth about everything.
Revelation after revelation continues throughout the book as we find out the characters are connected in ways none of them had any idea. A few of them actually are not who they say they are.
If you enjoy not knowing what is coming next, THE FIRST MISTAKE is the summer read for you.
A bit slow at first, but the suspense and surprising events are non-stop as you continue reading.
Master sleuths will love this book, but you may be stumped. 4/5
This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher and BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.
The First Mistake by Sandie Jones is the first book of hers I read but it won’t be my last. Her debut novel, The Other Woman, was Reese Witherspoon’s book club pick so I expected The First Mistake to be good and I am happy to say it didn’t disappoint. I am not going to give a recap of the book because it’s a thriller and it’s best to go in only knowing what’s on the blurb, but I will say that this book is engrossing and nail-bitingly suspenseful. The were so many twists, it was giving me anxiety! I didn’t know who and what to believe, who would betrayed whom, and suspected every one of the characters to be a villain. Some twists I didn’t see coming and some twists I guessed easily but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. I highly recommend The First Mistake to any domestic suspense fans.
The First Mistake is a character-driven psychological suspense novel based on four characters: Alice, the wife (and main character), Nathan, her second husband, Beth, her best friend, and Tom, her first husband who disappeared on a ski trip and has been declared dead.
Alice never got over the shock and grief of losing Tom so unexpectedly. In her eyes, he was the love of her life, and things couldn’t have been more perfect – they had started a business together which was doing well, had a daughter, and were looking forward to a bright future together. His death sent Alice into a deep downward spiral. She was committed to a psychiatric hospital for acute depression for a few months until she pulled herself together and decided to live for her daughter.
Certain she’d never find love again, she is surprised when Nathan comes along and wants to fit into her life. Admittedly, she compares him to Tom all the time, but they have mesh well and marry. Nathan sticks by her through thick and thin, helping her deal with her anxieties and helping her grow her business. They have a good marriage, and have a daughter together. Again, life looks good. Until Nathan starts acting out of character which combined with intercepted text messages, hotel bills and several other things lead Alice to believe Nathan is having an affair. She finds herself doubting everything he says, though he denies it all. With additional work and child-related dramas being heaped on her, Alice finds herself getting anxious again.
Beth is Alice’s best friend, the one she shares everything with, losing Tom, raising her daughter as a single parent, dating again, finding Nathan; Beth knows everything about Alice. But Beth begins acting strangely as well, and when Alice finds out something about Beth’s past, she feels totally betrayed.
Can she trust anyone? Is anyone who she thought they were?
Sandi Jones has put together a very entertaining read that will keep you turning pages to find out what will happen next. There are several unexpected twists and turns, which I always enjoy. Pure escapism, but isn’t that exactly what we need at times? This book gets 3.5 stars from me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
After the death of her first husband, Tom, Alice has found happiness again with Nathan. When all the signs start pointing to him cheating on her, however, she naturally confides in her best friend, Beth… but was that a good decision?
“Trust is a funny thing; it takes such a long time to build, yet it’s broken in a second. She shouldn’t trust me–it will be her undoing.”
Even though I guessed the ending about 50 pages in, the ride there was so curvy and twisty that it definitely made me doubt my initial hunch! Normally, I’d be annoyed that the ending was so easily guessed, but in this case, there was something about the writing, the story, and/or my current mood that kept me intrigued all the way through… oh and also, I just had to see if I was correct after all. This fast-paced, suspenseful, domestic thriller would be perfect for a lazy day at the beach.
Lastly, I enjoyed this one much more than the author’s debut, The Other Woman (3 stars)!
Location: London, England and Japan
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The first mistake could be her last.
Fairly early on in this book, I assumed that Alice’s “first mistake” was her first husband, since when we meet her she’s already on her second marriage. Also, the manner in which her first husband died seemed like the perfect scenario for him to actually NOT be dead and to pop up later on. Makes sense, right?
Well….yes and no.
You may think you have things figured out. You don’t.
You may think you know who’s doing what to whom. You don’t.
You may think you know how it’s going to end. You don’t.
Several times throughout, my assumptions and theories were blown. Not all of them, mind you, because I was definitely right about a few things, but enough of them to make me say, “What? Wait. How?” That first big reveal? OMG WHAT.
I liked the alternating POVs from Alice and Beth. It helps to tell a complete story. However, I have to say that I did not like the character of Nathan at all, and was pretty quick to jump on the he’s-definitely-cheating-on-her train of thought. (Is he, though?)
I enjoyed the author’s first title, The Other Woman, very much, but I think I liked The First Mistake even more. Find out June 11th if you feel the same!
Thank you to BookishFirst and Minotaur Books / St. Martin’s Press for the gorgeous ARE!
The book started out very slow for me, similar to one I had read before, but then, BAM. The plot that I thought I had figured out was way off, and the twist at the end made it all worthwhile. I highly recommend The First Mistake to anyone that likes psychological thrillers! Congratulations to Sandi Jones for a hit! I received my copy from Minotaur Books.
A truly unbelievable tale of deception and deceit. You will never see what unfolds in the end coming. The author does a marvelous job of holding the secrets close and keeping the reader guessing. Alice and Beth are both led on a merry chase to untangle the mess that their lives have become. Only through the strength of their friendship are they able to figure things out and survive to stay alive. The characters are enigmatic and the story is poignant and highly emotional.
Thank you in advance to Minotaur Books for the ARC of this novel to read and review. This review is given without payment or incentive.
“The First Mistake”, a psychological thriller, is Sandie Jones’ second novel. It is a stand-alone read so if you haven’t read “The Other Woman” you won’t need to. The books are not part of a series.
Like her previous book, this one is also is written in United Kingdom (British) English with their spellings. As I had read another “Brit Chick Lit” book and “The Other Woman” prior to this, I caught on pretty quick.
Like her previous novel, Jones begins this will a chilling prologue from obviously the antagonist’s point of view – the person planning the evil that will come to the surface in the book.
Alice’s life could have been different had her first husband, Thomas Evans lived. She is now remarried with a second child. Nathan Davies, her second husband, seemingly has brought her happiness and life back together. Alice is also a successful business woman carrying on the company legacy of her first husband Tom, but she is battling inner demons that could sabotage her happiness and success.
However, it is a good time for Alice when she meets Beth – a true friend who doesn’t judge her. Someone to celebrate with, commiserate with, and talk to. A “mom” friend as well since Beth is a single mother to Millie who becomes Olivia’s friend.
The story is divided in three (3) parts:
#1) Present Day – Alice
#2) Nine Years Earlier – Beth
#3) Present Day – Alice & Beth
Alice soon discovers the truth about her first husband Tom (Sophia’s dad), Beth, and Nathan (Olivia’s dad). The truth threatens Alice’s marriage and her friendship with Beth. The truth can also impact the friendship between Olivia and Millie.
Alice has to now reconcile Tom’s “accident” with what she’s seeing on Facebook, in addition to a real estate “deal of a lifetime” that her husband Nathan thinks could be a turning point for her company, one that will put it on the map. But, Alice also has to wonder if Nathan is having an affair and motivated by other factors.
Then there is Beth’s agenda – revenge for what happened to her. Why doesn’t she want to meet Alice’s husband? In three years, Beth has yet to meet Nathan, who begins to wonder if Beth exists.
As usual, Jones weaves the tale in unimaginable turns and twists. Just when you think you know what is going on, you have to recalculate your assessment. Jones doesn’t have the big reveal until the last 20-30 pages of the novel – and it is usually different than what you think. It does keep you guessing.
The last page (which is about five to six sentences long) of the novel will leave you asking – what JUST happened?
I read it in the three parts (prologue/part one; part two; part three/epilogue) over four (4) days, skipping a day before reading the end of the book.
The previous book’s title – “The Other Woman” connected to the plot of that story. I am still left wondering what “The First Mistake” was and who it was referring to: Alice, Tom, Nathan, or Beth. Perhaps I missed it, but I didn’t see a connection between the title and plot.
This is definitely a book that requires paying attention. I honestly had to re-read the last chapter and epilogue over a few times. For some readers, it can be a complicated plot. I did find it interesting and original.
If you’re sitting on the fence with this one – borrow it from a friend or library first.
For the readers who enjoyed “The Other Woman”, they might enjoy this novel.