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The Ex-Husband

The perfect thriller to escape with this year

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About this listen

 She's safe from him, a thousand miles from harm. Or so she thought.

'Immediately gripping. Once I started I couldn't stop' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ REAL READER REVIEW

'Perfect holiday reading' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ REAL READER REVIEW

'Absolutely brilliant. Can't put it down!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ REAL READER REVIEW

'A gripping, luxurious thriller - the perfect summer read' - Laura Marshall

'An irresistible slice of summer escapism' TM Logan

'Full of twists and turns, it will keep you furiously turning the pages...' Sarah Pearse

'The perfect summer read - pacy, exciting and unpredictable.' Charlotte Duckworth

'An addictive page-turner, pulsing with threat. Thrillingly sinister!' Lucy Clarke

He's missing, presumed dead. But she still can't escape.

Charlotte and Sam were partners. In life, and in crime. They never stole from anyone who couldn't afford it. Wealthy clients, luxury cruise ships. It was easy money, and harmless. At least, that's what Charlotte told herself, until the world caved in on her.

But now, years after she tried to put that past life behind her, it comes rushing back when her estranged ex-husband Sam suddenly goes missing - and someone threatens to expose what they did.

Desperate to escape whoever is tormenting her, Charlotte takes a job as events planner for an engagement party onboard a superyacht in the Caribbean. For a while, her plan seems to have worked, nothing but open ocean and clear skies ahead. Until it becomes clear that she's no longer a thousand miles away from harm.

Because whoever is behind it all is onboard too. And now there's nowhere left to run.

Praise for Karen Hamilton:

'Fabulously dark' Harriet Tyce
'Wonderfully twisted' C J Tudor
'Karen Hamilton has a rare gift for character' Fiona Cummins
'Compelling, absorbing and highly entertaining.' Allie Reynolds
'Sizzles with tension, desire, and a forever-escalating sense of menace. A must-have summer read.' Jack Jordan
'A dark and addictive thriller with superb characters and a shocking conclusion.' Jenny Quintana
'Dazzling, dangerous and addictive. The perfect combination for a twisty exotic thriller.' Lauren North
'Completely addictive, fantastically paced. I was absolutely immersed in The Ex-Husband.' L V Matthews
'Let this supremely enjoyable thriller whisk you up, up and away.' Sunday Mirror
'Grippingly unpredictable' Daily Express
'Be prepared to put your life on hold for The Perfect Girlfriend' Good Housekeeping
'Taut and tense from the first page to the closing paragraphs' Sun
'Fast-moving and fun' Observer©2021 Karen Hamilton Crime Thrillers Family Life Genre Fiction Psychological Thriller Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Suspense

Critic reviews

A gripping, luxurious thriller - the perfect summer read
An irresistible slice of summer escapism, with double-dealing and deadly secrets lying just beneath the surface of a luxury Caribbean cruise.
The Ex-Husband is the perfect page-turning beach read - pure escapism from the first page to the last. Full of twists and turns, it will keep you furiously turning the pages...
The perfect summer read - pacy, exciting and unpredictable.
An addictive page-turner, pulsing with threat. Thrillingly sinister!
Sizzles with tension, desire, and a forever-escalating sense of menace. A must-have summer read.
A dark and addictive thriller with superb characters and a shocking conclusion.
Dazzling, dangerous and addictive. The perfect combination for a twisty exotic thriller.
Completely addictive, fantastically paced. I was absolutely immersed in The Ex-Husband.
Gripping and twisty - perfect escapism.
A fast moving thriller, and an intense and addictive read.
A fabulous escape like no other!
Twisty, thrilling & luxurious. I absolutely loved The Ex-Husband.
The Ex-Husband is gripping and full of deliciously devious characters. You won't be able to put it down.
This had me gripped from the very first page.
A superior slice of escapist fiction - compulsive summer reading to keep you on edge of your deckchair.
Let this escapist romp whisk you away to its world of dark and deadly glamour.
We couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
Thrilling.
Compelling, absorbing and highly entertaining.
All stars
Most relevant
For those who would love an exotic adventure or fancy a cruise, this one is for you.

I have to be honest, this is a 5 star read for those unable to travel and perhaps a 4 star for those days when a dollop of sun and sand was not so much of an impossible dream.

It was a good stalker plot, I guessed some but not all of it quite early on but it did not diminish my enjoyment by any means.
I loved the locations - though in fairness a huge amount more could have been made of the beaches, Caribbean cruises and luxe private yachting for those longing for an exotic escape.

I did not care for the main characters - Sam seemed like a bit of a lightweight and no real allure for anyone to be drawn into his thrall. Equally the protagonist was not very attractive, weak willed, lacking a moral compass and flip-flopped throughout.

However despite this it was a grand adventure and sun- baked luxury, white sand beaches and bottomless cocktails vibe made it a delicious escape for those with Covid thwarted wanderlust.

Narration was good but not exceptional due to a few embarrassing mispronunciations - but generally it suited the protagonist very well.

The promise of a sequel was evident in the ending and I would 100% sign on for that but hopefully the main character will get off the fence and decide if she is a guilty good girl seeking redemption or a black hearted adventuress instead of coming across as mislead and wishy-washy.

Just one star off being fabulous - but still very enjoyable - high hopes for book 2

Joyous escape plus guilty pleasures galore

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Trying for minimum spoilers here but sorry, some are a bit inevitable - in my view, if wrong-doing goes unpunished in fiction, the wrong-doer has to be utterly compelling for it to work (Tom Ripley) or someone the reader vastly prefers to the other characters (Becky Sharp). Otherwise, I’m personally just left with a vague queasiness. Twisty story though, good use of Then and Now. Could have made more of the luxury-yacht-claustrophobia, maybe? Thinking of The Woman in Cabin 10, for great use of that particular trope (if trope is the word I want!). A solid three, elevated by the narration.

Needed a more attractive villain

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Enjoyed it, kept me guessing and changing my mind about what was going on. Like the narrator too.

Kept me guessing

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Never leave reviews but the low rating on this made me. It is a fantastic read with lots of suspense and a peak into how the other half live. Loved it.

Perfect escapism

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Compelling mystery. I love Karen's writing style. The Last Wife remains my favourite, but this book also comes highly recommended.

Excellent book

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