The Girlfriend

By: K. L. Slater

ASIN: ‎ B0B9C385CR

Publisher: Bookouture

Pub Date: 10/27/2022

Format: e-book

My Rating: 3 Stars (ARC)

My husband’s dead. She’s at my door. She owns my home…

When the doorbell rings, just days after my beloved husband’s sudden death, I don’t recognise the woman on our doorstep, with buttery blonde highlights and a diamond bracelet identical to my own.

My world implodes when she tells me that she is my husband’s girlfriend, that the baby in her arms is his son, and that she owns our cherished family home.

But she doesn’t want to throw me and my children out on the street. She says she’s no monster, that she wants her baby to grow up with brothers and sisters. With no family, no money and no home, I have no choice but to accept her offer.

Now her food is in my fridge and her beautiful clothes are in the wardrobe in our master bedroom, yet as she helps me with chores and plays games with my little daughter, there’s a part of me that’s glad I’m not on my own. And as we sip wine at the kitchen table, I wonder if we could even become friends…

But when I find a phone hidden in her underwear drawer, I discover her terrible secret. Could she have had a hand in my husband’s death? And what exactly does she want from me?

An utterly gripping psychological thriller from the number one bestselling author of The Marriage. If you like Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train, and Lisa Jewell then you will be hooked on The Girlfriend.

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#TheGirlfriend

My Review

K. L. Slater returns with her latest psychological thriller, THE GIRLFRIEND —a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse and a web of lies, secrets, revenge, manipulation, and MURDER.

Set in Nottinghamshire, a husband leads a double life, leaving the wife with the fallout. The sins of the father will come back to haunt his family.

Cole Fincham is married to Jennifer with two children, Miller and Sylvie. As the book opens, they are hosting a big October Halloween party.

Cole is called away when everything in his life is about to disintegrate. Then there is an accident. Cole is dead.

While Jennifer is still dealing with the loss, a woman shows up at her door with a baby boy.

The woman's name is Sara, and she says she claims she is Cole's girlfriend and this is his son Rory. She also explains that she owns their home, cars, and everything due to loans she provided for Cole.

She is moving in. So they all are supposed to live together. Which, of course, does not work!

But there is much more to the story with a complex behind the scenes —Sara is just a pawn in this game.

Also, Sara has mental health issues, and Cole's other affair years earlier ended with suicide. Things are not right at the company he works for and the employees. Someone is also blackmailing him. He has financial problems, and Jennifer does not have a clue.

The Girlfriend is told from Jennifer’s perspective, primarily, but also highlights Sara.

Things get wacky and crazy. I normally enjoy Slater's books, and the description sounded good, but unfortunately, I could not suspend my disbelief with THE GIRLFRIEND. The premise of the book was too outrageous and unbelievable. No likable characters. Not my favorite by the author. However, I have enjoyed the author's work for years and will pick up her next book.

In addition, the e-ARC provided by Bookouture was in all italics after the table of contents, making it difficult to read.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

My Rating: 3 Stars

Pub Date: Oct 27, 2022

About the Author

Kim is the number one bestselling author of sixteen psychological crime thrillers. She has sold over two million copies of her books worldwide. She has also written four Carnegie-nominated Young Adult novels as Kim Slater for Macmillan Children’s Books. Kim has an MA in Creative Writing and lives with her husband in a small Nottinghamshire village. WEBSITE

My writing journey . . .

After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, I went back to university at the age of 40 where I gained a first-class honours degree in English & Creative Writing and an MA in Creative Writing .

Although I also had a day job during the five years I studied at university, the courses gave me the time and space to try different writing and increased my confidence and belief in my writing. Before I graduated from my MA, I had secured representation at the Darley Anderson Literacy, TV and Film Agency who got me my first book deal. My literary agent is Camilla Bolton.

My first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture, ‘Safe with Me’, actually started life as my dissertation on my English & Creative Writing degree in 2010.

The creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent… she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away. I’m so glad I listened!

Please take a look at my ‘Books’ page for the full list of my titles.

I first became published writing Young Adult fiction for Macmillan Children’s Books under the name Kim Slater. My award-winning YA debut, SMART, started life as a short story for my MA in Creative Writing in 2012.

I am a full-time writer and live with my husband in a small Nottinghamshire village.

Order of publication:

SAFE WITH ME (2016)

BLINK (2017)

LIAR (2017)

THE MISTAKE (2017)

THE VISITOR (2018)

THE SECRET (2018)

CLOSER (2018)

FINDING GRACE (2019)

THE SILENT ONES (2019)

SINGLE (2019)