WHAT HIS WIFE KNEW

SORRY

The only word scribbled on a note from Beth's husband before he disappeared.

The police believe that Oscar took his own life and this last apology was his way of saying goodbye to his wife. But Beth knows there is more to the story. As disturbing secrets about his life emerge, and the lies of those closest to her begin to unravel, she realises she never really knew her husband at all.

But someone doesn't want her to discover the truth.

And they'll do anything to stop her.

What His Wife Knew is a gripping suspense which is not what it first seems. It is a tale of revenge and betrayal but also of family and loyalty, with a final showdown you won't easily forget.

What His Wife Knew

Inspiration behind What His Wife Knew

When I started writing What His Wife Knew the Peak District was right on my doorstep. Beautiful and imposing in equal measure. I took a lot of inspiration from the landscape and also from a story I heard about a woman who refused to believe her husband had died by suicide. Denial can be a part of the grief process.

But what if she was right?

What if there was more to his death?

The setting

The Peak District was one of Britain's first national parks. It covers five counties and 555 sq miles. HUGE! Plenty of space to explore and get lost in. And when I lived nearby I really didn't make enough of it! However, it's the perfect place to set a mystery - just enough isolation and a potentially dodgy mobile phone reception.

Throw in some small town secrets and you've got a ready-made mystery.

Responses to What His Wife Knew

'Twisty, dark and hugely gripping' - Karen Hamilton

'Impossible to predict with clever twists and gripping turns' - Nicola Moriarty

'This is a cracker of a thriller...you will absolutely be up way past your bedtime' - Joanna Cannon

'I raced through this dark, tightly-plotted and satisfying thriller. Loved it!' - Roz Watkins

What's coming next

The next book, One Bad Apple, is set in a prestigious boys' school in Cornwall. The much-loved Headmaster is murdered in his office. No one was seen entering or leaving his office despite an assistant seated outside his door and cricket match being played under his window. If everyone loved him, why is he dead? And how did it happen without anyone noticing?

I was looking forward to Jo's latest book so much that I pre-ordered it months ago. And it didn't disappoint. Assured prose, clever plotting, and enough intrigue to keep you guessing to the end. Loved the characters too, especially the so-relatable Molly, DC Lowry Endecott and complex Beth, who seems so easy to understand at first. The kids feel real too. Can't wait for Jo's next book.

Amazon reviewer