As someone who loves a twisty, fast-paced thriller to unwind with over the weekend, I was quick to pick up Alice Feeney’s My Husband’s Wife after it came popular on Goodreads and social media. I must say, it did not dissapoint one bit.
The story opens with Eden Fox, an artist moving into an old house called Spyglass in Hope Falls, Cornwall. On the morning of her first art exhibition, she goes for a run, but when she returns, her key doesn’t fit the lock.
Inside the house is a woman who looks almost exactly like her, and her husband insists that this stranger is his wife. Eden finds herself treated as an impostor as she desperately tries to prove her identity.
Alongside Eden’s harrowing ordeal is a parallel timeline following Olivia Bird, a reclusive Londoner with a life‑changing diagnosis who has inherited Spyglass from a grandmother she barely knew. As Birdy investigates secrets tied to the house and a strange clinic that predicts people’s dates of death, her path gradually intersects with Eden’s mystery.
I finished this book in just two sittings, even though it’s over 300 pages, because I simply couldn’t put it down: almost every chapter ended on a cliffhanger. Unlike writers like Freida McFadden, who often save twists for the very end, this novel delivers twists and unexpected revelations throughout, which keeps the story constantly unpredictable.
I also loved the eerie setting of the British Hope Falls, near Cornwall. The cliffs, sea, and beaches all contributed to the novel’s unsettling mood, as I could vividly imagine crashing waves, driving rain, wind, and pervasive gloom, which perfectly mirrors the dark and suspenseful tone of the story.
What was also rather unexpected for me was the character development in the story, which I usually don’t see in thrillers. Olivia’s introspectiveness, bossiness, and sharpness is only a mask for her frailty and affection amid a terminal illness. Her sharp wit made me laugh on several occasions, especially during her banter with the junior detective. This makes this book both funny, romantic, but also gloomy and unsettling.
Usually confident in predicting outcomes, I thought I had considered every possible scenario, but this thriller unfolded in ways so shocking, I was left staring at the wall, mouth agape. It’s a masterclass in suspense that will keep even seasoned readers guessing until the very last page.
Other books by Alice Feeney include His & Hers, which was recently adapted into a series for Netflix in January 2026, and Rock Paper Scissors, which I’m planning to start reading soon.
Definitely worth a read if you enjoy suspense, and twists, with a romantic subplot!
The novel was published on 27 January 2026 and is available in bookstores as a physical edition, as well as online and in e-book format.
