Title: THE EX-WIFE
Author: JESS RYDER
ISBN: 9781786814050
Publisher: Bookouture
Pages: 340
Source: Review copy from Jonathan Ball Publishers
You’ve got everything she wants …
Newly married Natasha has the perfect house, a loving husband and a beautiful little girl called Emily. She’d have it all if it wasn’t for Jen, her husband’s ex-wife, who just won’t leave them alone …
Then Natasha returns home one day to find her husband and Emily gone without trace. Desperate to get her daughter back, Natasha will do anything, even if it means accepting an offer of help from Jen. But can she trust her? And do either of them really know the man they married?
Official Summary
15 January 2026
Firstly, a big thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for this review copy. You guys certainly spoiled me during December with all the wonderful reads. I truly appreciate the review copies, thank you!
The Ex-Wife completely pulled me in from the first chapter and did not let go until the very end. This is one of those psychological thrillers where you think you know what’s going on… and then realise you absolutely don’t.
Natasha appears to have the perfect life—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and her little girl, Emily. But the shadow of her husband’s ex-wife, Jen, looms large and immediately creates an atmosphere of unease. Jess Ryder expertly plays on that tension, making you question motives, loyalties, and truths right from the start. When Natasha comes home to find her husband and daughter gone without a trace, the story explodes into a heart-pounding race for answers.
What I loved most about this book was the constant sense of doubt. Just when I thought I had a handle on who to trust, the narrative shifted and proved me wrong. The dynamic between Natasha and Jen is brilliantly written—charged with suspicion, fear, and reluctant dependence. Their uneasy alliance kept me turning pages late into the night, needing to know who was telling the truth and who was hiding something far more sinister.
The twists are sharp, well-timed, and genuinely surprising without feeling forced. Jess Ryder has a real talent for building tension and delivering revelations that make you want to reread earlier chapters with fresh eyes. The pacing is spot on, the characters feel real and flawed, and the emotional stakes—especially where a missing child is involved—are incredibly effective.
If you enjoy dark, twisty psychological thrillers in the vein of Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, this one is an absolute must-read. The Ex-Wife is gripping, addictive, and cleverly plotted—an easy five-star read for me.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Jess Ryder is the pseudonym of Jan Page, author, screenwriter, playwright and award-winning television producer. After spending many years working in children’s television, she returned to writing novels and has written nine psychological thrillers to date. These include the e-bestseller The Ex Wife, which was adapted as a TV miniseries for Paramount Plus. She lives in London with her husband.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. I loved this book and could not flip the pages fast enough. I highly recommend you add this one to your TBR. Until Next time…. Happy Reading!
Definitely going to pick this one up. A lot of thrillers haven’t been so thrilling lately and have been kind of predictable. At least the ones I’ve read lately!