The First Wife

I moved closer to the little girl, afraid that our voices would be caught by the monitor. ‘What happened to you, Lucy? Can you tell me?’ When Sophie’s life falls apart, she accepts an invitation from a childhood friend, Caroline, to visit her family’s beautiful beach house, situated at the mouth of an isolated cove, miles from the nearest town. The silence is broken only by the rhythmic crash of the waves against the jagged black rocks below. But when Sophie arrives, she finds her friend much changed. Caroline – who used to be so warm and confident – is secretive and on-edge, spending long, unexplained hours away from her family. And then there’s Caroline’s little daughter Lucy – who stopped speaking soon after they moved in. Caroline assures Sophie that it’s only a phase, but Sophie thinks Lucy looks a little uncared for, a little afraid… Then one night Sophie is woken by a scream and runs to find Lucy, out of bed and at the attic window, staring in terror at the view below. When Sophie goes to look, her blood runs cold… What secrets hide behind closed doors in this isolated house by the sea? A compelling domestic drama from the USA Today bestselling author of Gracie’s Secret. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and The Couple Next Door. What readers are saying about Jill Childs: ¿¿¿¿¿‘Left me speechless… Don't hesitate, just read this. Immediately.’ Goodreads Reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿‘An absolutely brilliant emotional roller-coaster of a novel, beautifully written…. The final chapters were so touching I was close to tears and I didn’t want it to end… it will stay in my thoughts for a long time.’ NetGalley Reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿‘This book was so amazing. It was thought-provoking and wonderfully well-written… I will spend many days thinking about this book… so good!’ Goodreads Reviewer ¿¿¿¿‘I love Jill Childs’ books and this one might be my favorite. I couldn't put it down… I read it in less than 24 hours.’ Goodreads Reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿‘What an amazing read. This was a brilliant fast-paced domestic drama!… I LOVED the first page until the last… the ending blew me to pieces.’ Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿‘This was truly an amazing drama. The storyline flowed, the characters were engaging and I could barely tear myself away from this book. Highly recommended! Very emotional, too.’ Goodreads reviewer ¿¿¿¿¿‘Jill Childs is a good storyteller and she also writes beautifully... A great story – read over 24 hours. Recommended.’ Goodreads Reviewer