Day: June 28, 2022

The Ex-Husband by Samantha Hayes is a solid psych thriller that turned into a much deeper exploration of character than I could have imagined.

I probably need to explain that.

Not to go into too much detail, but I was in the middle of a Crime and Mental Disorders class while I was reading this book. And it just so happens that one of the mental disorders that we examined was sadism.

Now, people tend to think that sadism has to have a sexual aspect to it. Wrong. Everyday sadism describes people who like to torture others (physically, mentally, emotionally) for the sake of the torture. Nothing else.

They just like to make other people miserable through manipulation.

If you read the book, you know that this description fits “The Ex-Husband” perfectly.

So, while the book itself is really good (to that point in a minute) it actually became a perfect case study for the class! How is that for great timing?

It actually added depth to the characters, as I took the opportunity to explore their behaviors from a clinical perspective. I may or may not have even mentioned the book in a discussion post 😉

That’s not to say that you have to go that deep to enjoy The Ex-Husband. It is really a cracking good psych thriller.

You will absolutely squirm at Craig. There were times that I just had to stop reading because he was so disturbing. And you’ll feel for Leah, especially as everything around her starts to crumble, both literally and figuratively.

I thought Gillian could have had a slightly bigger role. And I’m not sure how I feel about Gabe.

Oh, and the author includes one of the most amazing twists in recent memory. I am soooo not going to give it away, but I guarantee that your jaw will drop. I’m not one for overstating things, but I literally gasped out loud and said, “OH, NO WAY!”

Fortunately, my husband is used to this occasionally happening. He just looked at me and said, “That good, huh?”

Yes, The Ex-Husband was that good. Samantha Hayes has written a creepy psych thriller that should be on your TBR!

P.S. I just looked at my review of The Trapped Wife. Apparently, this is a common reaction from me when it comes to this author’s books.

Author Bio:

Samantha Hayes grew up in a creative family where her love of writing began as a child. Samantha has written eight thrillers in total, including the bestselling Until You’re Mine. The Independent said “fantastically written and very tense” while Good Housekeeping said “Her believable psychological thrillers are completely gripping.” Samantha’s books are published in 22 languages at the last count.

When not writing, Samantha loves to cook, go to the gym, see friends and drink nice wine. She is also studying for a degree in psychotherapy. She has three grown-up children and lives in Warwickshire.