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S. J. Watson
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Second Life: A Novel Kindle Edition

by S. J. Watson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.5 out of 5 stars 4,635
See all formats and editions

From the New York Times bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep, a sensational new psychological thriller about a woman with a secret identity that threatens to destroy her.

How well can you really know another person? How far would you go to find the truth about someone you love?

When Julia learns that her sister has been violently murdered, she must uncover why. But Julia's quest quickly evolves into an alluring exploration of own darkest sensual desires. Becoming involved with a dangerous stranger online, she's losing herself . . . losing control . . . perhaps losing everything. Her search for answers will jeopardize her marriage, her family, and her life.

A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people lead—and the dark places in which they can find themselves—Second Life is a masterwork of suspense from the acclaimed S. J. Watson.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Harper
  5. Publication date
    June 9, 2015
  6. File size
    1434 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Another twisted thriller…from the author of 2011’s best-selling Before I Go to Sleep.” — Entertainment Weekly, “Must List”

“A discreetly sexy novel...of romantic suspense.” — New York Times Book Review

“This book kept me on the edge of my seat.” — Reese Witherspoon

“An erotic, psychological, and nuanced thriller whose end, I guarantee, you’ll never see coming.” — Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air

“The psychological thriller for readers pining of Fifty Shades of Gone Girl.” — Details

“A gripping read. . . . Ample proof that Watson is no mere one-hit wonder.” — Independent

“Watson’s many fans will be eager to pick this up.” — Booklist

“Watson’s second thriller (after the best-selling Before I Go To Sleep) offers an exciting mix of sex, murder, and mystery to please adrenaline junkies.” — Library Journal (Editor's' Pick)

“What a formidable presence Watson has as a writer: a star is confirmed.” — Daily Mail (London)

“An extraordinary psychological thriller. The suspense is brilliantly sustained until the shocking conclusion providing an exhilarating reading experience. Edgy and tightly constructed, the clever plot is timely and innovative. Impossible to put down.” — Fresh Fiction

From the Back Cover

From the New York Times bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep, a sensational new psychological thriller about a woman with a secret identity that threatens to destroy her

She knows what she's doing.
She's out of control.
She's innocent.
She's guilty as sin.
She's living two lives.
She may lose both.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00NEO38UI
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper; Reprint edition (June 9, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 9, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1434 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0062060589
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.5 out of 5 stars 4,635

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
S. J. Watson

S. J. Watson

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S J WATSON’s first novel, Before I Go To Sleep, became a phenomenal international success and has now sold over 6,000,000 copies worldwide. It won the Crime Writers’ Association Award for Best Debut Novel and the Galaxy National Book Award for Crime Thriller of the Year and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

The film of the book, starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong, and directed by Rowan Joffe, was released in September 2014.

S J Watson’s second novel, Second Life, a psychological thriller, was published to acclaim in 2015.

​

His new novel, Final Cut, is out now.

Subscribe to the S J Watson YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/sjwatsonbooks?sub_confirmation=1

Be the first to hear about exclusive news, books & events from S J Watson. Sign up to the mailing list: https://sjwatson.substack.com/about

If you’re an aspiring writer or someone who is looking to take the next step in their creative writing journey, come and join me and a community of like-minded wordsmiths at The Writers’ Lodge.

o Discover foolproof writing techniques

o Get regular homework and assignments

o Finish that novel you’ve been working on since forever…

o Learn how to submit your novel to an agent

Access to The Writer’s Lodge is £4.49 a month and you’ll get unrivalled support at every stage of the writing process.

Sign up to the mailing list: https://sjwatson.substack.com/p/welcome-to-s-j-watson-and-the-writers?s=w

Official Website: sjwatson-books.com

Twitter: twitter.com/SJ_Watson

Insta: instagram.com/SJ_Watson

Facebook: facebook.com/S.J.Watson.Writer

Customer reviews

3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5 out of 5
4,635 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Vicky
4.0 out of 5 stars No ending.
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2016
Verified Purchase
I would have given this book five stars if it had had an ending. I dislike when books are left up in the air. It feels like the author doesn't really know how to end it, so he leaves it up to the reader. I can make up my own ending, but I don't like to do that, because it's not my story. It's the author's story and it would be nice if the author brought the book to a final conclusion without leaving the reader to wonder. This book kept me reading throughout. I even woke up in the night and picked it up and read a few chapters before going back to sleep. To me, that's the sign of a well-written book--one that makes you want to continue to know what happens next. The main characters was not very sympathetic and she made me crazy with her poor choices, but it was her poor choices that made the book interesting, so the only thing that made me take away a star is the bad ending.
5 people found this helpful
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Diana Tate
5.0 out of 5 stars OMG Could put down!
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2021
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I read this brilliantly written, nail bitting book in 3-days! The mixture of psychological thriller & sexual romance made this book a top read! Loved every chapter!
One person found this helpful
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Leslie Lindsay
3.0 out of 5 stars Feels a Bit Like Harlan Coben
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2015
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Going for 3.5 total stars on this one. Like many, I was eagerly anticipating the second book from S.J. Watson, having devoured his first, BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. I'd be less-than honest if I said this book was just as great. It just isn't/wasn't. At least for me. And it seems many other reviewers feel similarly.

The writing is fast-paced and that kept me turning the pages, but isn't not exactly deep or laced with any meaning. And in some places, it's downright choppy. I like prose to have a little subtext. In that sense, it reminds me a bit of Harlan Coben--which may be a bit flattering for some. And then, the book got a little boring--not slow, just "what's this about--it seems different than what I was promised." [e.g. a woman having an affair--what does that have to do with the overall plot?].

Some twists I figured out well ahead of time...and then the end comes in a sort of haze, things aren't always what they seem...or are they...and then the last page totally left me dry.

Still, I will say there's a lot to be admired about SECOND LIFE: many of the plot-points are spot-on with the insurgence of the Internet, on-line dating, the dangers that lurk behind screens. It's a great beach read, but not nearly as psychologically-driven as I was hoping for.

Find all of my reviews, including author interviews at www.leslielindsay.com
7 people found this helpful
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Nanners72
2.0 out of 5 stars Terrible Ending and Annoying Protagonist (spoilers!!)
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2015
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I really wanted to like this book but the protagonist is such a dreadful, unsympathetic person that I had trouble feeling for her. She makes ridiculous decisions based on ridiculous notions. And the ending was terrible. After having to put up with the main character the ending left me even angrier at her. I won't go into the plot because that has been rehashed already here in the reviews. In the end Julia finds out who her sons real father is...and I KNOW there is no way she could have lived with that kid all that time and not sensed that his father was her husband all along!!! No woman is that stupid. Thankfully this was purchased through BookBub so I only wasted a couple bucks. Did I mention the ending was pretty bad? I hate to leave negative reviews, I blame Julia.
4 people found this helpful
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Helene Stephens
4.0 out of 5 stars When Obsession Takes Charge
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2015
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This book caught and held my interest. The main character is shocked by her sister's murder. And then she is even more surprised to learn about her sister's secret life, when she begins to investigate her death. As the plot moves forward, I could see the main character getting into a situation (yes, of her own making) in which she is in over her head -- and puts her life and her lifestyle at risk when the element of obsession takes hold. It was both frustrating and fascinating - I kept wanting to tell her to stop and re-focus. Then there were some twists and turns that surprised me so .... pleased to say I enjoyed this one.
One person found this helpful
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Sandra Glazer
1.0 out of 5 stars Ridiculous Ending - Ridiculous Pathetic Character
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2015
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Don't bother. SPOILERS: I guessed the end as they hinted constantly (he reminded me of Marcus when he turned around) whose son it really was. The character just kept getting more pathetic and Anna was also a give away, she was also obvious. Also, her lover, is supposed to be around 27, about a decade younger than her. Her son is 14. Would she really think he was the father! He would have been 13. And would a 13 year old dad be blackmailing someone to get his "son" back. Come'on, the math does not add up.

But the worst was the half-fast ending and the complete bull of who was "innocent" who "wasn't" and the whole charade. Please.
7 people found this helpful
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Jessica
5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing and highly addictive.
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2017
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I could not put this book down from start to finish and even once I read the very last sentence, I was still craving more. This is a book that will fully engulf you in the plot and characters and make you question everything you thought you once knew especially about technology. It will leave you feeling a bit concerned about what kind of pictures or videos are out there circulating and how could someone use them against you if they saw fit? How far would you go to save your family and your reputation?

But seriously, how can the author leave me hanging like thAt? I need to know what happened? Did she kill her sisters roomie or did she kill herself?! How can I go on not knowing?
7 people found this helpful
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Jennchilada619
3.0 out of 5 stars Cheesier Than Velveeta...
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2015
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This book tries so hard to be a gripping novel, but it never surpasses the "scary story by the campfire" level, despite a new plot twist at nearly every chapter. It's so implausible it makes Spanish novellas for television look like Shakespeare. It's hard to sympathize with the main character, Julia, as she is just so dumb. No woman would be that dumb to make the choices she did while having an affair unless she wanted it to be reported by Fox News?! The unlikelihood of her sister becoming pregnant by Julia's ex-lover and then over a decade later by mere fate becoming roommates with the sister of the ex-lover is so juvenile I expected this to become a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" book at any moment. Also, if the author is going to use foreign phrases such as trainers when referring to the converse shoes, the author should then call the sweater a jumper within the same sentence?! I feel like I've read a book written by an extremely talented student in a high-school creative writing class, but not a book worthy of being called one of "2015's Must Reads".
18 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Mindy
5.0 out of 5 stars Not wanting to put this book down
Reviewed in Canada on October 1, 2022
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Anjali Bhardwaj
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in India on July 1, 2021
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Although it was mentioned used book .... but the condition of the book was excellent...10/10
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Anjali Bhardwaj
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in India on July 1, 2021
Although it was mentioned used book .... but the condition of the book was excellent...10/10
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Zelda
3.0 out of 5 stars not bad !
Reviewed in France on October 25, 2016
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Terrific plot spoilt by a rather tedious first 200 pages. The second half is good reading and keeps you guessing until the end.
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chiara romanello
5.0 out of 5 stars Avvincente
Reviewed in Italy on May 1, 2016
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Trama un po' lenta all'inizio ma poi avvincente e ricca di suspence. Consiglio a chi ama i thriller. Scritto in un inglese di facile comprensione. Adatto per un livello medio/alto di conoscenza della lingua.
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dieflo
5.0 out of 5 stars great, scary ...
Reviewed in Germany on September 7, 2015
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ihre Schwester wird ermordet in Paris aufgefunden - es scheint eben ein Zufall zu sein, sie war zur falschen Zeit, am falschen Ort. Die Polizei findet keine Hinweise....

Das Leben muss und kann weitergehen, dass lebt Hugh ihr vor, aber wenn man sich immer um die kleine Schwester gekümmert hat, weil Vater und Mutter eben fehlten, wenn man seit sie vier Jahre alt war, immer alles wusste und tat, was ihr Herz glücklich macht. Dann soll man auf seine innere Stimme hören und die sagt: das stimmt etwas nicht

Sie macht sich auf die Suche nach dem Leben ihrer Schwester, sie erfährt Dinge über sie, die sie nie vermutet hätte und sie gerät immer tiefer in den Sog. Sie ist doch Mutter, Ehefrau und dann wird sie Geliebte und das wird ihr zum Verhängnis werden- kann sie sich befreien? Findet sie so den Mörder ihrer kleinen Schwester? Was passiert mit ihrem Sohn, der nicht ihr leibliches Kind ist - kann er und wird er verstehen, was passiert.

Ein spannender Thriller, der mich absolut überzeugt hat.
Fazit: absolute Leseemphehlung@dieflo
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