I previously read this over 3 years ago, and now I am re-reading it for discussion with my U3A Crime Fiction group.

I think now that, when I read it earlier, I seriously under-estimated the clever plot construct that the author builds in. I had forgotten the nature of this twist and began making notes because I actually thought the author had slipped up. And then of course I discovered that he hadn't!

This is an Australian story, set on an island off the coast of Victoria, a popular summer holiday destination, connected to the mainland by a ferry.

What would you do to protect your children? Something happened to John Keddie as a rebellious teenager that would stay with him for the rest of his life - affecting his mental health, giving him nightmares, and memories he can never escape. Eventually the dam overflows. ( )

If you've not read THE WIFE AND THE WIDOW yet then you're in for an absolute treat - but stay away from too many spoiler's and see if you can pick the twist before it slaps you over the head like it did this reader.

https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/wife-and-widow-christian-white-0 ( )

A thriller told from two perspectives: Kate, a widow whose grief is compounded by what she learns about her dead husband's secret life; and Abby, an island local whose world is turned upside down when she's forced to confront the evidence of her husband's guilt. Only when these women come together can they discover the whole story about the men in their lives.

The characters were well-developed and believable. They kept me wanting to keep reading. There was a big twist that made me re-think what had happened throughout the book. At the end, I was a bit disappointed as I didn’t think the killer had a strong enough motive. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and will look for others by this author. ( )

Fantastic conclusion to the trilogy. Soooo good. I need to own these books so I can reread them. ( )

The wife and the widow are Kate and Abby. Abby is a local whose husband Ray runs a business looking after the summer holiday houses and gardens when they are shut up over the winter. Kate is on the island looking for her husband John who is missing since telling her he was going to a conference in London. Kate and John own a holiday house on the island passed down to them by John's parents so Kate decided to check if he was there since he has been visiting it since he was a boy. What happened on the island will change both families forever. This is a well written, well-paced mystery. The author's ability to misdirect his unsuspecting readers works brilliantly and the twisty climax ties it all up well. ( )