The First Widows
- Judith D Collins
- Mar 23
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 28
By: S.E. Reed
Narrator: Caitlin Shannon
ISBN: 9781837001866
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Publication Date: 03/23/2026
Format: e-book & audio
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
Some people will do anything for family. Even kill for it…
When Sophia, a wealthy woman far from home, meets Rebecca, a struggling nurse and mother, at a paint-and-sip class in New York, their friendship unfolds just as you might expect.
The lonely outsider finds her place. The overwhelmed mother gets the help she desperately needs. The two women save each other.
But that’s only the beginning.
The first time Sophia reads Rebecca’s journal, it’s curiosity. The next time, it’s desperation.
Because she’s realized she’s not the only one in this house with secrets…
A dark, twisting domestic thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose, about the people we trust, and the ones who destroy us.
THE FIRST WIVES #1
THE FIRST WIDOWS #2
About the Author
I grew up believing in magic.
Every fairytale was real, palm readings were gospel and ghosts lurked in the space between twilight & dawn. Surrounded by the shimmer of Evergreen trees in a mossy Seattle suburb, I stitched costumes for the school play, edited the yearbook and wrote politically charged poetry for our student literary magazine.
As an adult, I've lived all over the United States which gives me a unique American perspective that flows into my writing. Many of my pieces have a strong Southern theme, but I also like to dabble in the strange, the bizarre and the fantastical.
I currently reside in Florida-- nestled between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. If I'm not writing, you can find me and the fam planning our next adventure. WEBSITE
My Review
THE FIRST WIDOWS by S.E. Reed is a twisty psychological domestic thriller focused on themes of toxic friendship, manipulation, and the secrets hidden within marriages. It acts as a follow-up to The First Wives, featuring the character Sophia.
Highlights...
The Initial Meeting:
Sophia, a wealthy woman (art dealer) and outsider, meets Rebecca, a struggling nurse, mother of two, and housewife, at a paint-and-sip class in New York. Originally from the author's previous book, The First Wives.
The Friendship:
The two women form a quick bond; Sophia offers support to the overwhelmed Rebecca, who feels trapped in a sham marriage with a cheating husband.
The Manipulation: Sophia consciously manipulates the friendship, infiltrating Rebecca's life, with a hidden, yet to be fully revealed, motive.
The Diaries:
Sophia finds and reads Rebecca’s journals, starting with curiosity but turning into desperation as she realizes Rebecca has dark secrets.
The Shift in Dynamics:
Rebecca becomes increasingly insecure and unhinged, while Sophia takes control of the situation.
Twists and Tension: The story escalates into a web of lies, featuring characters willing to kill to protect their family, culminating in shocking twists.
My thoughts...
THE FIRST WIDOWS is a fast-paced "unputdownable" thriller with "morally grey" characters and a satisfying, albeit twisty, ending.
The plot follows a dark, twisting friendship between two women that quickly turns toxic. A domestic thriller centered on the theme that some people will do anything for family—even kill for it. This sets a theme of distorted loyalty where the "safety" of the family unit justifies horrific actions.
The story explores the danger of letting a stranger into your most intimate spaces. It questions how quickly we can "trust" someone who appears to be exactly what we need, only for that trust to be used as a weapon.
In a dark and gritty atmosphere, the author masterfully portrays a world steeped in unsettling tension, where appearances can be deceiving and trust is a fragile concept. Sophia and Rebecca emerge as unreliable narrators, weaving their complex tales with chilling undertones that keep readers questioning the truth beneath their words. As their stories unfold, the sense of danger and uncertainty deepens, leaving a haunting impression that lingers long after the final page is turned.
Themes:
~The Facade of Trust
~Toxic Adult Friendships
~The Weight of Secrets
~Extreme Family Loyalty
~Identity and Manipulation
Special thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Mar 23, 2026
Audiobook Review
One Voice, Many Secrets: Why Caitlin Shannon is the Perfect Narrator for The First Widows
"If you prefer your thrillers with an extra layer of atmosphere, the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Shannon is a game-changer."
There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when a narrator truly "gets" the psychological weight of a thriller. In S.E. Reed’s latest, The First Widows, we are pulled back into a world where grief and suspicion are inextricably linked.
Narrated by the incredibly versatile Caitlin Shannon, this audiobook isn't just a reading—it’s a performance. Shannon expertly navigates the distinct, often brittle personalities of the widows, giving each a unique vocal thumbprint that makes the mounting tension feel deeply personal.
The audio adds that extra layer of "chilling" atmosphere or helps differentiate the characters in a way the page alone might not.
Whether she is delivering a quiet, chilling realization or a high-stakes confrontation, her pacing is masterfully tuned to the "slow-burn" energy of Reed’s writing.
If you’re looking for an audio experience that keeps you sitting in your car long after you’ve pulled into the driveway, this is it. Let’s dive into why this performance is a masterclass in domestic suspense.
What makes The First Widows such a standout in audio is how Caitlin Shannon balances the delicate interior lives of these women with an underlying sense of dread. She doesn't just read the story; she inhabits it.
Her ability to give each widow a distinctive vocal texture—shifting from brittle grief to sharp suspicion—makes the complex character dynamics feel incredibly intimate while her taut pacing ensures the suspense never loses its grip.
If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that feel claustrophobic and high-stakes, this is a must-listen. Shannon’s narration is masterfully nuanced. She captures the 'slow-burn' tension of S.E. Reed’s writing perfectly, using quiet, calculated pauses that make the eventual reveals feel earned. The character work is so versatile that you forget you’re listening to a single narrator.
Narrator Spotlight
Hear the Secrets for Yourself
If you want to hear exactly how Caitlin Shannon handles the shifting tension of
The First Widows, you can listen to a sample of the audiobook on Audible. Notice how she uses subtle shifts in tone to differentiate between Sophia and Rebecca—it’s a masterclass in building a "vocal identity" for a domestic thriller.
About the Narrator
Caitlin Shannon is a London-based actor, director, and writer with a massive portfolio in the thriller and women's fiction genres. If you enjoyed her performance here, I highly recommend checking out her other narrations.
You can find her full narrator portfolio on Audible or explore her broader creative work on her official website. OR Caitlinshannon.com
