The Widow by K.L. Slater

My husband was not a monster. No matter what they say…

The day my husband, Michael, stepped in front of a lorry after being questioned by the police, my world fell apart. He was devoted to me and our six-year-old daughter. But they’d connected him to the disappearance of a young mother from our tiny village.

Now I stand at Michael’s funeral, clutching my little girl’s hand, with tears in my eyes as I insist to all our friends that he died an innocent man. Yet the questions have started, and nothing I say will stop them digging for the truth.

But none of them can read the secrets in my heart, or know about the phone I found hidden in his toolbox…

I’m determined that my daughter will not remember her father as a monster. I will erase any hint of wrongdoing in this house whatever the cost.

Because to keep my daughter safe, the last thing I need is for people to start looking at me…

MY REVIEW

This was my first time listening to an audio book, and I didn’t know quite what to expect when I began listening, but I very much enjoyed the experience. I’ve been really into thrillers and true crime podcasts lately, so this story was perfect for me.

I found this book to be absolutely gripping from the start to the very last sentence. At various points during the story, I thought I had it all figured out, but I didn’t – not even close. There were so many twists, especially toward the end, I was on the edge of my seat, resentful of anyone or anything that interrupted my obsessive listening to this audiobook.

I found Kate to be a sympathetic character, though at times I wanted to slap her for some of her decision-making. I had my mind made-up about some of the other characters, judging them very harshly, but some of my assumptions turned out to be wrong, while some turned out to be right on the money.

My only complaint about the book, and it isn’t really a complaint about the story itself, more a personal hangup about the narration itself, is that the narrator’s voice sometimes got on my nerves when she switched to her “little girl” voice when she was reading the dialogue for Tansy.

Overall, though, this was a 5-star experience for me. I looked forward to picking up my headphones and popping them in to listen to this book. Every second I was away from the story, I was wondering what was going to happen next. I wonder if I would have had the same reaction to it if I’d read it in Kindle or paperback form, but I’m fairly positive the answer would be a strong YES. As such, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book in any format! I’m definitely going to seek out more books by K.L. Slater!