The Good Mistress
On sale
5th March 2026
Price: £9.99
‘An absorbing, propulsive novel’ Irish Times
The affair is over – so what does she have to lose?
‘I was drawn in from the first page … tender, raw and moving’ Sinead Moriarty
Juliet never planned to be the other woman. She was sure Rory would leave his annoyingly perfect wife for her.
Then he died. So what is she supposed to do next?
Erica’s not sure who she is now that her husband Rory, keeper of her secrets, is dead. As she struggles to grieve a man it seems she never really knew, she forms an unlikely connection with someone from his past.
Rory’s childhood friend Maeve appears to have it all. But she’s eager for an escape – from the pressures of her career, her exasperating family and her ailing mother – and finds herself tempted by the attention of an attractive stranger.
As three women’s lives collide, they must reconcile the realities of love, betrayal, and the limits of forgiveness. Because what does it truly mean to be ‘good’, anyway?
‘Juliet, Maeve and Erica stole my heart … I was hooked’ Edel Coffey
The affair is over – so what does she have to lose?
‘I was drawn in from the first page … tender, raw and moving’ Sinead Moriarty
Juliet never planned to be the other woman. She was sure Rory would leave his annoyingly perfect wife for her.
Then he died. So what is she supposed to do next?
Erica’s not sure who she is now that her husband Rory, keeper of her secrets, is dead. As she struggles to grieve a man it seems she never really knew, she forms an unlikely connection with someone from his past.
Rory’s childhood friend Maeve appears to have it all. But she’s eager for an escape – from the pressures of her career, her exasperating family and her ailing mother – and finds herself tempted by the attention of an attractive stranger.
As three women’s lives collide, they must reconcile the realities of love, betrayal, and the limits of forgiveness. Because what does it truly mean to be ‘good’, anyway?
‘Juliet, Maeve and Erica stole my heart … I was hooked’ Edel Coffey
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
I was drawn in from the first page. A tender, raw and moving story about characters you grow to care about and get to truly understand as their layers and complicated history are peeled back, chapter by chapter
I loved The Good Mistress. Juliet, Maeve and Erica all stole my heart in different ways and they will steal yours too. Anne Tiernan's characters feel like friends, they draw you in and don't let go and you care very deeply about what happens to them. I was hooked and adored these characters. This is also such an accurate portrayal of the midlife female experience, complete with guilt and exhaustion and frustration and renewal. It is a hugely uplifting read. It's also emotionally gripping, filled with secrets and tension and betrayal. This book is beautifully written and is a really emotional read. Anne is a skilful, emotional and really funny writer. This is a wonderfully balanced novel - funny and sad in equal measure, and about the very relatable and painful process of women losing and rediscovering themselves in midlife. I loved this. Perfect for fans of Meg Mason
Absorbing, propulsive novel ... Anne Tiernan ... is a gifted writer - her voice is as fresh as Meg Mason's and as spiky and humorous as Zoe Heller's ... The Good Mistress is full of humour and pathos