After He Died by Michael J Malone is so wonderfully written that you question whether this is a thriller, or whether it could actually be true…

The plot:

When Paula Gadd’s husband of almost thirty years dies, just days away from the seventh anniversary of their son’s death, her world falls apart. Grieving and bereft, she is stunned when a young woman approaches her at the funeral service and slips something into her pocket – a note suggesting that Paula’s husband was not all that he seemed…

When the two women eventually meet, a series of revelations challenges everything Paula thought she knew, and it becomes immediately clear that both women’s lives are in very real danger.

After He Died is a chilling reminder that the people we trust the most can harbour the deadliest secrets…

Sign me up for a film of this book, like now, please.

At the beginning, you feel like this may turn into a “oh he cheated, is that it?” vibe, but rest assured it doesn’t, and I’m sooooo happy about this.

After He Died took quite a while to get into, but there were lots of teasers and “oh my” moments along the way to keep you going. The last 40 odd pages really took a turn, and we got the plot twist we’d been waiting for.

Although a work of fiction, I’ve seen enough documentaries to know that stuff like this could actually be real, which made for a more gripping read. The manner in which it was written had you guessing along the way, and remained completely unpredictable throughout.

I can honestly see this being made into a film – with Nicole Kidman as Paula and all the sneaky things that go on throughout would make for perfect viewing. Sign me up for a film of After He Died, like now, please.

This book was a delightful read, despite being quite slow to get into. I really enjoyed the climax and the book ended beautifully.

Bookmark That approved. For fans of The Girl on the Train.

After He Died, Michael J Malone, RRP £8.99 (paperback); Book Depository 

Pages: 295

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Thriller