This twisty and electrifying debut novel about a young woman who goes missing in Lagos, Nigeria, and her estranged auntie who will stop at nothing to find the truth is perfect for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer and The Last Thing He Told Me.

Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of glittering Lagos, Nigeria, and a glamorous group of friends. She left gloomy London and a dark family past behind for sunny, moneyed Lagos, becoming part of a community of expat wives.

But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her Auntie Claudine decides to take matters into her own hands. Armed with only a cell phone and a plane ticket to Nigeria, she digs into her niece’s life and uncovers a hidden side filled with dark secrets, isolation, and even violence. But the more she discovers about her niece, the more Claudine’s own buried history threatens to come to light.

An inventively told and keenly observant thriller where nothing is as it seems, The Lagos Wife is a razor-sharp look at the bonds of family, the echoing consequences of secrets, and whether we can ever truly outrun our past.

The Lagos Wife transports the reader to a world of privilege, excitement and warmth . . . A gripping mystery, a portrait of an exhilarating but perilous city and a nuanced examination of clashing cultures ― Financial Times

An excellent novel . . . Beautifully written, immersive, thought-provoking. I recommend it very highly — Marian Keyes

‘A brilliantly original novel about family, motherhood, identity and diaspora, with a crime thriller twist’ – Afua Hirsh

‘Richly layered and deeply thoughtful, this is another excellent read that holds you in suspense until its shocking conclusion’ ― Observer

‘An excellent read’ ― Guardian

‘In this superb thriller with a devastating conclusion, Vanessa Walters finally fulfils her precocious talent. One of my books of the year’ ― Alex  Wheatle

‘Explores the ways a set of ex-pat women in Nigeria exchange autonomy for comfort. But it’s a raw, and potentially fatal deal. A murderously good read!’ ― Sarah Langan

‘A thrillingly suspenseful novel that reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose, while exposing the imprisoning dynamics inside transactional relationships of patriarchal power. I was hooked right through to the shocking end’ – Bernardine Evaristo

‘The search for a missing woman, set against the backdrop of glamour and wealth, is utterly captivating. Lush, poignant and gripping with a killer ending to boot . . . Vanessa Walters is one to watch’ – Mary Kubica

‘Dark secrets seethe beneath the glamorous lives of Nigeria’s uber rich. A propulsive and complex tale of passion and betrayal. Electrifying ‘ – Liv Constantine