In The Mistress Next Door, Lesley Sanderson weaved a steady paced tale of infidelity, secrets and revenge, which will have readers guessing with each page turn.
I know what you did. You destroyed my life. Now I’m going to take everything from you, starting with your husband. I’m your worst nightmare, and I’m closer than you think. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: The Mistress Next Door
Author(s): Lesley Sanderson
Published by Bookouture on February 15, 2023
Pages: 364
Genre(s): Suspense, Thriller
Source: Netgalley
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating: 
Oliver, my husband and the father of our three little girls, used to be my rock. But recently he’s been behaving strangely, staying out late, working weekends and emotionally absent even when home. Now as I clutch a receipt for a hotel room and champagne for two, hidden away in his coat pocket, I’m devastated. What else can I assume other than he’s cheating?
I’ve risked everything for the life I have now, a life that’s a million miles from… before. Not that Oliver would know anything about that. I would do anything to hold on to the perfect future I so dearly long for. A future that is now about to come crashing down.
Because Oliver’s cheating isn’t the only threat to my family. This morning I received an anonymous note. One that changes everything. The past isn’t just haunting me, it’s coming back to destroy me. It seems that someone in our close-knit community of Prospect Close knows my secret. Someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get their revenge. They’ve already stolen my husband. How much further will they go? And what can I do to stop them…?
An astonishing, compelling page-turner with a jaw-dropping twist, if you love Lisa Jewell, K. L. Slater and Jackie Kabler, you’ll love The Mistress Next Door.
The Mistress Next Door introduces Oliver and Harriett. The story, which was told mainly in the present with flashbacks in 2006, intrigued from the beginning. Several questions came to mind while reading this tale:
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Who kidnapped Oliver and Harriett’s daughter?
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Who is Oliver’s mistress?
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What happened in Harriett’s past?
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Who seeks revenge against her for said past?
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Who is sending her threatening notes?
I figured out from early the identity of the mistress and the ending confirmed my suspicions. Now, in relation to the events from Harriett’s past, that information slowly unfolded through the chapters dedicated to the flashbacks in 2006. As this information slowly came to light, the motivation for revenge became clear, but how did it connect to the mistress?
Oliver is a jerk. Not only is he cheating, he refused to provide Harriett with emotional support when their daughter went missing. Granted, he was unavailable when the incident occurred, but after returning from his ‘business trip, he didn’t show concern. Harriett’s guilt over her past and fear of it being revealed led to her not informing anyone of the notes. I am not sure how she thought she would have figured out what was going on her own, because honestly, she did nothing besides panicking, entertaining paranoid thoughts, and confronting persons without any real evidence. Doing all this while trying to protect her children proved overwhelming for her.
Despite not being a fan of most of the characters, I wanted to see how the story would unfold. Even though I knew the identity of the mistress, the twist at the end took me by surprise. I can imagine the look on Oliver’s face at that revelation, priceless I am sure. All I can say is Karma. I am happy with how it all turned out in the end as everyone got what they richly deserved.
Overall, The Mistress Next Door was an interesting tale. It shows that not everyone in your circle is necessarily a friend, a truth Harriett will discover in this suspenseful tale by Lesley Sanderson. So grab your copy of The Mistress Next Door and prepare for an intriguing ride.
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About Lesley Sanderson
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. 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.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
