Hey, it’s Diego.

I just finished reading His Other Woman by Valerie Keogh.

And it's about a marriage built on lies.

A marriage that looks perfect from the outside but is hiding something ugly is one of the big tropes in domestic thrillers.

Here are my top ones.

_{* This email contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you.}

Toxic Marriage Thrillers

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

Grace and Jack Angel seem like the picture-perfect couple. Beautiful home, charming husband, elegant wife. But behind closed doors, their reality is far from idyllic.

In Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris, we follow Grace as she tries to survive a marriage that is slowly suffocating her.

Eight Years of Lies by Lisa Hall

Claire's husband, Tom, heads out the door one morning and never comes back. When she starts digging, she discovers the man she has loved for eight years is not who she thought he was.

In Eight Years of Lies by Lisa Hall, we follow Claire as she uncovers her husband's double life, piece by piece.

The Cheating Husband by James Caine

Emma discovers her boyfriend is already married, and around the same time, his wife Karen discovers the affair. With both women piecing it all together and emotions running high, someone is about to end up dead.

The Cheating Husband by James Caine follows two women as they unravel the lies of the same man, which is exactly the kind of setup that keeps me reading.

And the newest addition to the list:

His Other Woman by Valerie Keogh

Fiona has never needed a man to make her life complete. Until she meets Richard, charming, sophisticated, and everything she ever wanted. She falls hard, consumed first by lust, then by a love that overwhelms her. The only problem? Richard already has a wife. Lydia has spent years building a home, raising two children, and being the perfect stay-at-home wife. She refuses to stand by and watch someone like Fiona take what is hers.

His Other Woman by Valerie Keogh is a domestic thriller.

Keogh's writing is natural and functional. Dialogue flows well, and the centrepiece of the story is the psychological descriptions of the characters, which are sublime.

We follow Fiona and Lydia in alternating chapters through a single timeline. The pace is steady throughout, which worked well for a story built entirely on the tension between two women and their mental state. Although there were no thrills, the back and forth provided an interesting plot.

Fiona is proactive and morally ambiguous, driving the story forward with her choices. Lydia is more reactive at first, the wronged wife processing what is happening, but once she decides she wants revenge, her chapters pick up. The story is all about the mind games between the characters, and even though the tone stays light, the psychological tension kept me engaged.

The theme of betrayal runs through every part of the story, and what it means to discover the person you love is not who you thought they were.

There is prominent romance, tied to the affair at the centre of the story. There are some intimate scenes, but nothing explicit. There is a lot of swearing, though. But there is no graphic violence.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers, obviously)

The ending wrapped the main thread nicely although it left the ending open, as such there is no denouement.

His Other Woman by Valerie Keogh is a fun domestic thriller around mind games between its characters. If you are into these kinds of thrillers, you'll enjoy this one.

Latest Updates

• The Drama, a psychological black comedy film starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, came out on April 3 and follows a happily engaged couple whose relationship is tested by an unexpected revelation during the week before their wedding.

That’s all for this week. See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

P.S. Let me know how I did today by replying to this email.

P.P.S. I would love to hear your recommendations for thrillers you loved. Reply to this email, and I’ll add them to my TBR list. Thanks!