Title: The Housewife
Author: Valerie Keogh
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5★)
Synopsis
Diane appears to have the perfect life, a loving husband, a beautiful daughter and a comfortable home. But after a recent mental health episode that left her hospitalized, she’s trying to rebuild her routine and get back to normal.
When she takes a part-time job at a charity shop, she meets a woman who seems to know her… and her past. A past Diane can’t fully remember.
As strange things begin to happen, Diane starts to question everything, her memories, her reality, and whether she can even trust herself.
My Thoughts
This was an okay afternoon read.
I didn’t realize at first that this is a re-release, originally published in 2019, but it still works well as a quick, easy thriller.
We follow Diane, who seems to have the perfect life on the surface, but very early on you realize things are not as stable as they look. She’s just come out of a mental health episode and is trying to get back into her daily routine, which already adds a layer of tension to the story.
Things start to shift when she begins working at a charity shop and meets a woman who seems to know her past, a past Diane herself doesn’t fully remember. From that moment, everything slowly starts to unravel.
I did enjoy the unreliable narrator aspect. Because of Diane’s memory gaps and recent struggles, you’re constantly questioning what’s real and what isn’t, which adds a good amount of tension throughout the book.
That said, I did find the story quite predictable overall.
What frustrated me the most, though, was Diane herself. It’s very clear she needs help and support, yet she keeps refusing it. And the mix of alcohol, painkillers, sleep deprivation, and sleeping pills… that was honestly frustrating to read, especially considering she has a young child and is also trying to figure out what is actually happening around her.
I understand this was meant to build suspense, but at times it felt more irritating than tense.
The story itself is quite sad. Even though things are resolved in the end, it doesn’t feel like a happy resolution, more like justice, but at a cost.
Final Thoughts
Overall, not a bad read by any means, just a bit predictable for my taste.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators and a steady unraveling of secrets, this could still be worth picking up, especially if you’re looking for something quick and easy to get through.
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the widget. All opinions are my own.
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