4.5/5 stars - dark and twisty! I loved it so much I bought a hard copy for my personal library.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

“I am thirty-nine, in excellent shape with a full head of hair and a deep set of dimples, and my suit fits better than any glove. That’s why she looked at me, why she smiled, why she is happy I have come over to join her. I am the man she has in mind. I slide my phone across the bar toward her. It displays a message. Hello. My name is Tobias.”

“Tobias”, not his real name, is the narrator of this novel. He’s married to Millicent and they have a peculiar way that makes them feel closer to one another. They happen to be serial killers. No one would know this of course because Millicent is a successful career woman and he teaches tennis classes at a country club. They have two children and friends but when they need to liven things up they go on a hunt.

Tobias finds the victim and slowly gains her trust and soon Millicent takes over and makes the bodies disappear. These two are very devoted to each other but and have always been very careful about how they will hide their dark side but then a body is discovered and they have to find a way to make sure this doesn’t come back to them. Their new plan will be a test to just how well they know each other and just how much they are willing to trust one another.

Is this story kind of crazy and creepy, yes, but I also wasn’t expecting some of the twists in this one. I found myself anxious to find out how this was going to be resolved and surprised in the end.

I did enjoy reading this but wasn't grabbed by it and compelled to finish it. I'd still recommend it for people who like thrillers - I wasn't able to predict the ending, which is always a big plus.

Totally creepy! The storyline is highly suspenseful. A married couple that, on the surface, seems to have it all. But they are hiding a huge secret -- they have murdered several young women. Told in first person by the husband, we watch as their whole lives unravel. There are multiple points for a lively book club discussion. Unfortunately, the writing is just OK, and the ending (once it comes) is actually pretty predictable. I was hoping for "Gone Girl", and there are some similarities, but the twists and turns are not all that surprising. Plus, I didn't really care for any of the characters -- even the children are pretty unlikeable. On the positive side, it is a compulsive read -- I couldn't put it down. If you're looking for a quick read that will make you cringe, or if you're a fan of Dexter & the like, this is it.

I read this on vacation and could not put it down. I've told all my book buddies about it. The perfect couple who seem to have it all are not quite what they seem and they are really enjoying their double life until things go awry. I loved all the twists and turns and the utter evilness of this couple.

Did not finish and therefore. I will not be reviewing on any platforms due to not finishing this book.

I will rate 1 star for the purpose of this feedback, but will not be rating this book on any social media platforms or our blog.

This book and the characters didn't grab me at all, and sadly I couldn't finish.

I want to thank you for the opportunity to review.

A thoroughly engaging read... very fast-paced and horrifyingly real. This book is not for the "faint-of-heart" for realistic mystery genres. Characters were very well-developed and believable- to the point that this reviewer now questions EVERYONE she comes in contact with. If you like a realistic mystery, set in the quick-paced life of the 21st century, this is the mystery for you!

What a Thrillers!!!

Just go get it and start reading. It is unputdownable and will stay with you for a long time.

Samantha Downing has taken the genre by storm with this 2019 book. I think of Dexter and all the tv show references I have enjoyed and she has brought it to a new level with a book. I have read her second book, He started it and I look forward to book number 3. She is talented and knows how to entertain the reader.

This novel that the author has created is a novel of suspense, deceit, crime, murder, and mayhem. Ah, the things we do for love… In My Lovely Wife we meet Millicent, Husband, and their two children Rory and Jenna. This seems like the perfect family. The mom who insists on organic whenever possible, nothing but natural sugar such as fruit as often as they can, highly organized, and the “perfect mom.” The wife and husband team are highly successful, long ago investing in themselves when they had the chance, and she is a successful real estate agent in a nice, expensive community, and husband is a tennis coach to the wealthy. What more could you ask for? This is also a couple who are truly in love and would do anything and go to any lengths to make each other happy. But could that cost be too much? This novel is a scary look at the points someone could go to for the affections and pleasures of another. And in the end, does it end happily ever after? I guess as with beauty, that is in the eye of the beholder… to the very last sentence. Get ready for a book you will not be able to put down! Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!!! This novel was superb! It kept you guessing and was very surprising. I loved it and have recommended it to all my fellow readers. My first Samantha Downing novel, but definitely not my last.

This book was just not for me. I didn't feel anything for the main characters. Even though I like dark novels - this one just didn't catch my attention.

The synopsis isn't wrong when it describes this book as Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith.  Holy mackerel, on this book and the twisted minds of Millicent and her husband....and you know, I can't even remember if we ever know his name since he is the narrator.  How do you find someone that has a hobby that is like yours?  Was this something they just fell into by accident?  We find out how this started (no spoilers here!) and near the end of the book you really find out more about how this really all came to be for this couple.  It is so hard to not share more because it would spoil the story!

This couple has two teenage children and it makes one wonder how they could keep all of this a secret.  Their son Rory suspects something, but nothing to this magnitude.  He just thinks dad is cheating on mom and decides to blackmail his father.  If he only knew what was going on and why his dad was leaving the house.  I think the narrator was somewhat weak because why not tell Millicent about Rory's blackmail?  She knows why he is going out at night...to hunt for their next victim.  Granted, he did cheat on her and sleep with one or two of the potential victims, but does she need to know that part of it?  Rory just suspects and by dad giving in it just confirms his suspicions.

I enjoyed the story that was woven with demented characters but the narrator somewhat redeems himself in the end.  I don't think he was the strong one of the two because when some facts came to light about the murdered women he was quite surprised.  But I have to admire his veracity in getting to the truth of the situations.  I think this story kept me up a night or two wondering what twisted path it could take next.  I was surprised as some facts were revealed but it seems to make sense when I reevaluated my perception of what was the truth.

We give this book 4 paws up and if you like psychological thrillers this is a good one to read.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be an early reader.

This is such a unique & crazy fun book. It is slick, sharp & so enjoyable! I'm a big Samantha Downing fan & I can't wait to read more from her!

This book keeps the reader thinking they know what is going only to realize in the end, they didn’t really know after all. The plot is one that keeps the reader thinking about what could have been a fairy tale life that turns deadly. I recommend this book and would also recommend watching this author for future novels.

This is one titillating twisted tale that kept me on the edge of my seat in sweet anticipation of what laid next. I am both shocked and sadden that this is the debut novel by the author, I am in awe over the level of skill the author shows through her plot and character development and sadden that there are not a ton more books for me to devour by the author.

I absolutely loved this fun, twisty book!

I usually don't gravitate towards domestic thrillers as a sub genre, but this was such a good one! What I loved most was the contrast between Milicent and her husband's regular, family life and their calculated, diabolical life as serial killers. They would go from having a family dinner, to talking about finding a woman to abduct. Both of their characters had such dimension, and I wasn't quite sure if I should be rooting for them to get away with it or hoping they get caught. There was definitely a love/hate relationship going on for me!

This was one of those books that you stay up all night reading. I just had to know how it all was going to pan out. I was hanging on to every word, from the first to the very last! This book is a must read for thriller lovers. My only regret is that I didn't read it sooner!

An interesting and suspenseful read with plenty of twists and turns. Downing sure knows how to put the knife in and twist it, shocking her readers.

This was such a secretive and conniving story. My Lovely Wife was one of my favorite thrillers of 2019! It was such a refreshing take on the devious couple storyline and I loved that it didn’t feel like a cookie cutter domestic thriller. Millicent and her husband are a twisted and eccentric couple who take date night to a whole new level! Let’s just say they have a unique way of keeping the spark alive. This is one book I could not put down!

As someone who has read my fair share of thrillers, they can start to blend together and lose their excitement. For this reason, I always try to read a different genre in between any thrillers and mysteries. However, My Lovely Wife was different—in all the best ways—from most of the thrillers I’ve read. I have never seen Dexter or Mr. and Mrs. Smith but, if they are similar to this book, I’m thinking I would probably love them!

I loved the super short chapters that made this so easy to keep reading! I also loved that the content was so engaging and gripping that I could basically read it anywhere and with anyone around and had no problem focusing on the story! The story is, surprisingly, solely told from the husband’s point of view, which I wasn’t expecting. However, I feel like it really worked well! With all the twists you could want in a thriller, My Lovely Wife is surely a memorable one! I would love to see this made into a movie.

Pick this one up ASAP because the hype is legit!