The Woman at 46 Heath Street
by
Lesley Sanderson
Today I am thrilled to review The Woman at 46 Heath Street by Lesley Sanderson a brand new psychological thriller. Thank you to Kim at Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of the book, which I reviewed honestly.
Description
The last letter is addressed to me. No stamp, swirly handwriting in black ink. I pull out a piece of paper, stiffening when I read the message. Hands trembling, the note slides to the floor.
Your husband is having an affair.
Six words written in neat block letters.
Six words slipped through her letterbox, destroying her marriage, exposing Ella’s perfect life as perfect lies.
But Ella has a plan: Alice is the answer to her problems. A lodger, to help keep her afloat, a friend, to keep the loneliness at bay.
Only Alice has her own reasons for wanting to live at 46 Heath Street…
If you loved The Wife Between Us, The Girl on The Train and The Secret Mother, you will be totally hooked by this twisty and gripping read about family secrets, marriage betrayal and the dark side of love.
Purchase Link
My Thoughts
First of all, What A Prologue!. It was so enticing I defy anyone not to want to jump straight into The Woman at 46 Heath Street. I did and I was still there many hours later. Make sure that you feed the cat, empty the dishwasher and settle down with plenty of snacks because you won’t want to leave this book once you get started.
Ella is devastated when her marriage ends suddenly after she receives a note, stating that her husband Chris is having an affair. Not only that, he gives her just a few weeks to move out of their shared home. The home in question is 46 Heath Street, a house previously owned by Chris’ mother who recently passed away. It was the only real home that Ella had ever known. She grew up in care, being passed around foster families, and her childhood had left her feeling fragile and insecure.
She comes up with a plan to rent out part of the house to Alice, someone she hardly knows. They become friends but there is something about Alice, a feeling that she can’t be trusted.
The book alternates between the narration of both Ella and Alice with an interesting past timeline interspersed between the chapters. The writer of these diary entries becomes clear as the book progresses. There are some scenes of domestic violence and something which I found upsetting and wasn’t hugely significant to the storyline.
There is no doubt that 46 Heath Street holds many secrets and there is an aura of suspense throughout the book as to what these secrets are. It is well written with believable characters and a storyline which just pulls you in. I’m sure that fans of psychological thrillers will have fun trying to unravel the plot, but be careful because all is not what it seems!
About the Author
Lesley attended the Curtis Brown Creative 6 month novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 The Orchid Girls (then On The Edge) was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.
The Orchid Girls is her first psychological thriller.
Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and works as a librarian. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has been hooked on psychological thrillers ever since. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.
