The Guilty Wife

Nina Manning

Description

'Heart-stopping, pacy and tension filled. Highly recommended.' Claire Allan, USA Today Bestseller

'A must read! My mind is blown.' 5* Reader Review

One woman's past could cost her everything...

Frankie Keegan is struggling.While she tries to make strides in her career, life at home is slowly unravelling as she is haunted by the secrets of her past.

Someone else remembers...
As the dark nights draw in, the anniversary of the loss of her brother looms and Frankie is drawn back to the memories of that fateful night 20 years previously. As she descends into a guilt-ridden state, she begins to suspect that someone else is also remembering that night and they are determined to terrify her...

Can she confront her past before it's too late?

From the international bestselling author of The Daughter In Law, a gripping psychological thriller about family, secrecy and grief - with a twist you won't see coming. Perfect for fans of K L Slater, Shalini Boland and Lisa Jewell.

What readers are saying about The Guilty Wife:

'A dark and twisty thriller that does not disappoint'

'What a mind blowing thriller. My first by Nina and she blew my mind. Twists and turns and suspense. Nina is a brilliant writer.'

'I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down till I found out how it ended'

'I absolutely loved this book'

'A perfect book for those who love suspense, mystery, and intrigue as this was certainly a captivating read'

'A dark and creepy thrill ride.'

'Another good book by Nina Manning. Did not see the twist coming at the end! Can’t wait for her 3rd book.'

Highly recommended for dark psychological thriller fans'

'I definitely didn't see the twist at the end'

'This book was great to read. I was hooked almost from the word go.'

'Thrilling. Keeping me on the edge of my seat.'

'That ending!!!'

'I really enjoyed this story! This is a first for me by this author but, definitely worth a read!'

'I was sucked in and my heart was in my throat about 70% into the book then BAM! That twist! I never saw it coming and it veered into a whole different direction than I thought it would! Definitely recommend and I'm definitely going to check out more from this author!'

'Her Darkest Fear tricked me. It has some fantastic red herrings and you’re going to be left thinking you’ve figured it all out but I can promise...you haven’t!'

Praise for Nina Manning:

'Compelling and claustrophobic, Nina is an exciting new voice and definitely one to watch' Phoebe Morgan, author of The Girl Next Door

'Chilling and creepy. An atmospheric and addictive debut.' Diane Jeffrey, author of The Guilty Mother

'Totally addictive. I couldn't put it down!' Darren O'Sullivan, author of Closer Than You Think

'A claustrophobic, nail-biting thriller that draws you in and doesn't let go.' Naomi Joy, author of The Liars

‘Clever, emotionally draining and totally gripping. I absolutely loved this book!’ D E White, author of The Forgotten Child

Sujets

• Policier & Thriller
• Thriller
• Policier
• Vie de famille
• Parentalité et Éducation des Enfants
• Relations familiales
• Mashups
• Psychological
• Siblings
• Thrillers
• Women
• Motherhood
• Idioma inglés
• Coming of Age
• Suspenso
• Inglaterra
• Friendship
• Psychological thriller
• Domestic
• Sibling
• Psychological pricing
• General officer
• Parenting
• Woman
• Psychology
• Organized crime
• Espionage
• English
• The Women
• City Life
• General
• Crime
• Family Life
• England
• Suspense
• Noir
• Fiction
• Anglais

Informations

• Publié par: Boldwood Books
• Date de parution: 26 mars 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 7
• EAN13: 9781838891923
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE GUILTY WIFE


NINA MANNING
For Chris
CONTENTS



Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Epilogue


Acknowledgments

Book Club Questions

More from Nina Manning

About the Author

The Murder List

About Boldwood Books
PROLOGUE

I stood at the top of the stairs and held my breath as my anxiety spiked and my heart pounded in my throat. But I could no longer hear the noise that had drawn me there. As I stood, my foot perched ready to take the first step, I wondered if perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me. Maybe the events of the last few days had finally caught up with me. But faces were hovering in front of me. Those people I had trusted. And those who I had hurt.
All those years ago I was trying so hard to make a difference in any way I could. But I was young. And I was foolish. I knew the past would never be able to bury itself, and I had not been able to rest for twenty years because the horrors of that day would stay with me until I took my final breath.
But now it was time to face the past head on. I tightened my grip on my weapon and began the descent to the kitchen. I knew I was now in grave danger. I knew that I had to protect my children and face the person who had found their way into my home.
1
JULY 1998

I slumped in the corner of the pub as the Barenaked Ladies’ ‘One Week’ pounded out of the speaker right above me. I leaned my head against the wall. The landlord had rung for last orders twenty minutes ago and had cruelly put the house lights on. The pub was still rammed full of punters, all soaking up the last precious minutes of the atmosphere, knowing there was nowhere better to be than here, right now.
I looked round at the motley crew of faces that surrounded me; friends I had known for a few years and who were my whole world. We were an odd bunch, brought together by the same sense of humour and the same hopeful outlook on life. The local pub, the Chambers, was where we all began to frequent when the park just didn’t offer the same appeal anymore. The landlord and bouncer turned a blind eye to our age and we became part of the furniture. But we weren’t lager louts. On the whole, we had always behaved ourselves.
I was just sixteen. I was liked by everyone, especially by all the lads – Minty, Dave, and of course my brother, Kiefer, who always had one eye on me, always checking. He was nearly four years older than me, just passed his driving test that summer. His responsibility for me was by choice; the lack of interest our parents paid to us created some innate paternal protection on his part, meaning I was always in the back of his mind. Is Frankie okay? Who’s with Frankie? Is Frankie getting home okay? I always felt an aura of protection around me that I took for granted; my brother, the protector.
I had nudged myself right up against the corner of the booth, ready to fall asleep but too tired to make a move to walk the ten minutes home by myself, knowing Kiefer would be spending the night at Reese’s folks’ place.
‘Alright, Francesca’ came a voice. There was only one person who had taken to calling me by my full name recently. I looked up and suddenly the room, which had been stark and bright, became rosier and hazier round the edges. A smile exploded across my face and I felt every part inside my body light up as well. I sat up and focused on the familiar sight of Todd in front of me. He had been on the other side of the pub most of the night. He was older than me, like most of the crew here. He was even older than Kiefer by a couple of years and I really liked the feeling that a bloke who wasn’t my brother took an interest in me. I knew him as Martha’s older brother, a girl I knew from the pub, and he had always known me as Kiefer’s little sister. But since I had turned sixteen, I had been placed in a different light as the lads had started looking at me with a glint in their eye. As if only now I had something extra to offer.
Todd pulled out a bag of tobacco and rizla papers.
I knew he would roll one for me.
Todd had long messy straw-like hair, and a fuzzy beard. It suited him, and I liked it. He wore green army combat trousers and Timberland boots. His skin was permanently tanned from the snowboarding trips his parents took him on over the winter. Last year me and my best mate, Nancy, were really into making friendship bracelets and I noticed how he still wore the three, which were now grubby and frayed, that I had given him, making my heart swell every time I saw them.
I knew that Todd had just got back from Glastonbury, where they had managed to jump the gates. I was quietly envious as I had listened to him at the bar casually boasting about seeing the Chemical Brothers and Blur and how he bumped into Robbie Williams. He had turned to me and quietly said: ‘He was dressed like a chav and was acting like a right wanker.’ And I had smiled, privileged to be the only receiver of that information.
‘You’ll have to come with me next year to a few big festivals, reckon you’re old enough,’ he said now with a small smile as his tongue slipped out under his hairy top lip and licked the top of the rizla paper.
I nodded in agreement, even though I wasn’t sure how I felt about being alone with Todd away from the others. How would he feel if he just saw the rawness of me away from the safety net of our group?
The barmaid came over and collected the empty glasses from the table, clinking four in one hand at once.
‘One more for the road!’ shouted Martha, who had just arrived and had somehow sneaked herself in past last orders and was now chucking money at the juke box. She chose Mousse T., ‘Horny’, and the song blared through the speakers. Martha started dropping some choice moves and I watched with amusement as she moved around the pool table, causing a ripple of interest from the lads. I looked across the pub and saw that the bar staff had started dancing as they cleared and washed glasses. I even noticed Todd’s foot tapping under the table and I felt a wave of affection for him.
I could see Kiefer stood on the corner of the bar with Reese and her friends; every now and then he would shoot me a glance. Dave, Minty, Nancy and a lad I didn’t know were deep into a game of doubles at the pool table. Occasionally I would hear Nancy whoop with joy as she or Minty hit a pocket.
Even with the stark lights of the pub revealing the cracks in the walls and those punters who had had one too many and were looking the worse for wear, it was the only place I wanted to be. Our group was the best. The peak of Cool Britannia, Labour in power, everything felt right and good.
But little did I know that I should have appreciated those times more because in just a few months’ time our lives would be completely altered forever.
2
NOW

I could feel a dull buzz in my head, and my mouth was a little dry. I had been feeling a bit stressed about the interview last night, so at least I had that excuse, this time, for another night of drinking alone. I didn’t let on to Damian in the morning, though. He had gone to bed early, having fallen asleep reading to Pixie.
The last bottle of wine kept creeping into my mind and threatening to ruin the morning. But I wasn’t going to let it. I was made of sterner stuff and I had been through worse.
I had entered the office suite on the fifth floor where Bliss was situated. It was an opulent building in the city centre and I entered with the firm intention of getting the job I was about to be interviewed for. But I had arrived feeling jittery and I was struggling to shake off the sensation. I could have put it down to nervous energy, because I was about to meet Mason Valentine, one of the most renowned businessmen in town. But it felt like more than that. I kept thinking about the corner of Bridgewater Way which I passed to get here. I had tried not to look but I had rubber-necked the whole way and I couldn’t deny I was hoping to see a glimpse of the person from my past. The memories were flooding in fast and I needed to focus on my interview.



* * *
I looked out of the window and saw the sun was already falling low in the sky. It was only just after 3 p.m. and in a few weeks’ time it would be starting to get dark at this time. Then the hardest day of the year would be upon me once more. Only this year it would be even worse, signifying twenty years of loss. He would have been forty this year. I blinked back the tears that seemed to appear from nowhere and distracted myself by wandering over to the water cooler and filling up a plastic cup. I took a long drink and sat back down.
Thoughts of the journey here filtered through my mind and I tried to push them away. I needed to focus on the impending interview. But flashes of a sturdy figure kept entering my mind’s eye. The face of the person I had never been able to truly forget about. He was a part of my past. Yet here he was, in my present, hiding in the shadows; pulling me back to that fateful night. I had known he was residing close to the Bliss offices. I had always av