Book Review: The Other Woman by Sandie Jones

A deliciously devious, psychological suspense novel that would be a great choice to have at the ready as you prepare yourself for the autumn and winter family holidays, British novelist Sandie Jones's crime fiction debut is not about what you might think........

Lust, deception, jealousy, rivalry, and retribution all make an appearance, but the title of this particular story does not refer to an extramarital affair. No. This "other woman" is someone else, entirely. If the title Mommie Dearest is synonymous with "bad" mothering, "Mommie-in-Law Dearest", while less nuanced than The Other Woman, could just as well have been this novel's title, and while reading, I promptly awarded the character of Pamela, or "Pammie", as she prefers to be called, with the moniker, "Pammie Dearest".

Protagonist and narrator Emily's romantic relationship with attractive Adam reads at first almost like Bridget Jonesesque "chick lit". While moments of levity and humor are sprinkled throughout, the tone of The Other Woman shifts, and takes a more serious turn, subtly at first, but then with increasing urgency as the novel progresses, starting with that inevitable day when Adam introduces Emily to his mum, Pammie. I dare you not to laugh out loud and shudder in equal measure as you read about the twisted, psychological "games" that Pammie Dearest plays in her apparent attempt to drive a wedge between her son and his otherwise likable girlfriend. Are Pammie D.'s sly schemes a bit exaggerated for dramatic effect? Possibly, but many readers will be able to relate to Emily's plight on some level, and may even experience feelings of catharsis or vindication as they read about how these two women navigate this, so often fraught, relationship with one another. The reader's need to know who ultimately comes out on top of this mother-in-law/daughter-in-law battle of wills becomes positively addictive, and keeps the pages turning!

While some experienced crime readers may suspect the direction of the novel's ultimate resolution, its denouement is suspenseful, and still holds several surprises that most readers are unlikely to guess successfully. Prepare for a fun, entertaining reading experience that never becomes too dark or too violent, if you are a reader who loves to cheer for an underdog, and who relishes reading about a devilishly manipulative, fictional villainess! #BewareOfPammie!

The Other Woman by Sandie Jones book cover image.jpg

Best for Crime Fiction Readers:

  • Who enjoy reading novels of psychological suspense.

  • Who enjoy reading domestic suspense.

  • Who don't mind, or enjoy, a touch of a "chick lit" tone in their crime fiction. This is mainly in the beginning section of the novel.

  • Who don't mind more than a bit of sexual content in their crime reads.

  • Who appreciate reading about cunningly manipulative characters that the reader "loves to hate".

  • Who, like me, think a big part of the enjoyment of reading British crime fiction is reading the British colloquialisms - the advanced copy of The Other Woman that I read had not been "Americanized" in editing.

Pages: 304 (Hardcover)

Length: 9 hrs. 39 mins. (Audio Book)

Publisher's Blurb:

The most twisty, addictive and gripping debut thriller you'll read this year.

HE LOVES YOU: Adam adores Emily. Emily thinks Adam’s perfect, the man she thought she’d never meet.

BUT SHE LOVES YOU NOT: Lurking in the shadows is a rival, a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

AND SHE'LL STOP AT NOTHING: Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

THE OTHER WOMAN will have you questioning her on every page, in Sandie Jones' chilling psychological thriller about a man, his new girlfriend, and the mother who will not let him go.

11/2/18 Update:

Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine have chosen The Other Woman by Sandie Jones to be their November 2018 choice for Reese’s Book Club on Audible!!

So if you have not yet read - or listened to - The Other Woman, join in the fun!

MINM Overall Rating for The Other Woman: 4/5 Stars