The Missing Wife

By: Sheila O'Flanagan

Narrated by: Aoife McMahon

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Fans of Marian Keyes, Lisa Jewell and Santa Montefiore will love Sunday Times best-selling author Sheila O'Flanagan's The Missing Wife.

Have you ever wanted to disappear?

When Imogen Naughton vanishes, everyone who knows her is shocked. She has a perfect marriage. Her handsome husband treats her like a princess. She's always said how lucky she is. So why has she left? And how will she survive without Vince?

What goes on behind closed doors is often a surprise, and Imogen surprises herself by taking the leap she knows she must. But as she begins her journey to find the woman she once was, Imogen's past is right behind her....

Will it catch up with her? And will she be ready to face it if it does?

©2016 Sheila O'Flanagan (P)2016 Headline Digital

Fantastic

This was an amazing story. Anyone who has been in a relationship like Imogen will be amazed by the accuracy of the dread and it was written so well, makes me think the author may have been or knows someone close who has experienced this. I couldn't put it down!!! Great, definitely the best Sheila oflanagan book I have read....

Sheila O'Flanagan, back to near her best

Any additional comments?

I did not enjoy the previous couple of books by this author but The Missing Wife is a big improvement on them. Trapped in an increasingly loveless marriage with a controlling husband Imogen fears that her only option is to disappear before he finally manages to reduce her confidence to zero and the only place that she thinks might be safe is the Basque area of France where she was happy as a child. We follow her as she tries to re-establish herself as an individual, managing to find work and a place to live whilst relishing the beauty of the area and the people she meets, some new and some old friends. Meanwhile we also get an insight into the mind of her husband, the unpleasant Vince, as he tries to find out where she is, fully intending to "punish" her for humiliating him in such a manner.

The manipulative husband

Would you consider the audio edition of The Missing Wife to be better than the print version?

No idea never read it but I always think of audio books as a play not a book, wonderful invention.

What other book might you compare The Missing Wife to, and why?

Blimey, A place to call home. Carol Mathews

Which character – as performed by Aoife McMahon – was your favourite?

Honor

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I didn't but I could easily have done so

Any additional comments?

Veronica Henry, love her books and Aoife McMahon read beautifully.

underwhelming

I was enjoying the listen but the longer it went on the less believable many of the characters became and I found all the details of Imogen's childhood back story tiresome. I was more interested in the story of Imogen and Vince and to this end I found the (eventual) climax to that story arc particularly unsatisfying. All in all I wanted it to be more interesting, more surprising and with more tension.

A Good Holiday Read

The narrator was very good and the story came to life. compelled throughout. A weak ending.

fabulous book.

really enjoyed this book, I will definitely read another of her books. very good story wanted to keep reading top book.

Wonderful, then spoiled by the final chapter!

Any additional comments?

I loved this book, wonderful characters, with a story that romped along. Unfortunately, it was badly let down in the final chapter. Everything was tied-up in a very twee way. All of the events at the end could happily have been there, but not so quickly and easily. Without risking a spoiler, the character of the husband, with the personality portrayed, would not have given-up so easily. What had been a compulsive read that I could hardly put down, became a disappointment. What a shame. The narration however, was excellent.

Brilliant

Great story would definately recommend would buy from this author again truly excellent 5* to her

Excellent

Really enjoyable, kept guessing right to the end. I couldn't wait for the husband to get his comeuppance.

Really not bad but.....

This was a good story and although I did find my mind occasionally wondering at points, I did enjoy it. I've listened to several books narrated by Aoife McMahon and usually can't fault her, but I found the way she constantly switched between French and Irish accents when voicing the same character distracting and also a little confusing when there were several people in a scene. I'd personally have preferred it if she'd chosen one for each person and stuck to it for the sake of flow.