Nicki`s Life of Crime : BLOG TOUR,BOOK REVIEW - The First Wife by Jill Childs

Sophie had reached a crossroads in her life,she had recently buried her beloved Father and had spent the last few months dealing with solicitors,estate agents and removal men. So when she receives an email from her best friend from her school days practically begging her to come and stay, she jumps at the chance to spend some time with her friend and finally meet Caroline's husband Dominic and their three year old daughter Lucy.

But almost from the moment that she arrives at their secluded mansion situated on the cliffs overlooking the sea, Sophie begins to get the uneasy feeling that there is something not right hiding behind the perfect picture that they are trying to convey. Caroline seems different,snappy and irritable, Dominic was aloof and patronising and little Lucy was mute and very withdrawn.Sophie can't ignore her concerns and when she discovers a clue, she begins to wonder if her friend who used to love reading Agatha Christie mysteries want Sophie to channel her inner Miss Marple and solve the mystery of what is really going on at The Conifers. But by trying to help her friend, is she putting her own life in danger?

The chapters alternated between the perspectives of Sophie and Caroline with Sophie's chapters being set in the present day and Caroline's being set in the past. During Sophie's chapters we are taken through her arrival at the train station were she shocked to discover that Caroline isn't there to meet her. Her first sighting of the gothic house standing on the cliff top, her increasing feelings of unease and growing attachment to Lucy as the days passed. Her discovery of the old beach house and the clues that might assist her in uncovering the shocking truth. We were also given insights into her past, her impoverished but loving upbringing, her interactions with younger Caroline. As the story unfolded I got the distinct impression that the friendship meant more to Sophie than it did to Caroline. I really liked Sophie, her chapters were packed with mystery and intrigue and were my favourite parts of the story.

Caroline's chapters took the reader through the early days of her relationship with Dominic, their lavish wedding and lives as expats in Hong Kong. Caroline's anxieties about her mental health, her disappearing memories, lapses in time and her fears that Dominic was not the man that he pretends to be. Her obvious love for her young daughter,her decision to move back to the UK and discovery of the isolated mansion overlooking the sea. I couldn't help feeling a lot of empathy for Caroline during her struggles with her mental health,her paranoia,fears and anxieties over her crumbling marriage and burning desire to get their relationship back on track. Were mental issues the cause of the vast differences between the Caroline we encountered in her chapters and the Caroline who eventually met Sophie at the train station? Or was something more sinister going on? Why is poor little Lucy's bedroom in the cold attic right at the top of the house just like The Little Princess in the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett? My heart went out to poor little Lucy, the descriptions of the way she was treated and her demeanour at times were heart breaking. I didn't like Dominic at all for various reasons.

I loved the isolated setting for this book, it could have been transported straight from an Agatha Christie mystety. The gothic style mansion perched on the cliff top with the waves crashing onto the rocks below. The trails through the surrounding trees and cliffs, the beach house that had so many secrets hidden within its walls.

The First Wife is a enthralling mystery/ domestic drama that keeps the reader guessing and constantly on edge with fears for poor little Lucy's wellbeing and safety. There was a few unexpected twists and turns and a very intense, heart pounding final confrontation. The closing chapter was very emotional and seriously pulled at the readers heart strings. This is a very well written,enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more books written by this author of the future.

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