This was a bit like Mr and Mrs. Smith. It was riveting and I stayed up way too late reading, but it was so worth it! I sometimes feel that all thrillers seem to sound alike but this book didn’t feel that way at all it was fresh and new.

"My Lovely Wife" by Samantha Downing takes the reader on a wild ride of a married suburban couple who find murder their special thing to share. Narrated by the husband, the story delves into their relationship history, their families, and their careers. They are the average suburban couple, with two kids and busy lives. And they enjoy getting away with murder. Slowly, he realizes his wife hasn't told him everything, just as he hasn't been up front with her about some of the women they've researched meticulously, abducted, and killed. And their games start to affect others in their lives in ways they never saw coming. Twisty and dark, this novel is well written and edgy, will keep you guessing to (almost) the end (although some of the plot points I did see coming, I wasn't as clear on the end game at first). Recommended for fans of Gillian Flynn, Lisa Unger, Paula Hawkins, Ruth Ware and other deeply psychological thrillers, particularly those focusing on relationships.

THIS BOOK! WOW!!
We learn early on that our main characters are NOT your ordinary married couple. As the story builds, we realize just how NOT ordinary they are and just how much they were screwing up their family. Oh yes...they have a family!
And then....the twists! OH, the twists.
When all is revealed you realize just how dang twisty, turny this one is!
I'm entirely sure I liked either of main characters, at all. I'm not sure readers are supposed to like either of the main characters.
This one will keep readers of psychological thrillers entertained.

This edge of your seat debut novel by Samantha Downing is a total crowd pleaser. Fast-paced and compulsive to read, My Lovely Wife is a story about a bored husband and wife who decide to shake things up to keep it interesting. I won’t get too into the summary of the story- you get the gist from the blurb. I love that the book was written from the husband’s point of view. His inner monologue is written in such a way that keeps you turning pages way past your bed time.

Downing has an interesting way of being creepy and disturbing without being graphic or gritty. The implications woven throughout the story are enough to paint quite a picture of this devious couple. She shares just enough detail to hook you but leaves so much up to the imagination. And even though this is a debut, Downing makes a splash with not only her story telling, but also with her quality of writing. She writes a great story. I didn’t particularly care for either the husband or the wife- but that’s also one of my favorite characteristics of the best psychological thrillers. These characters are messed up, twisted, and completely deplorable. Not only did I feel like I knew this husband and wife (they’re you neighbors, tennis partners, your realtors, your kids’ friends’ parents) but their kids added just enough drama and intrigue to add complex layers that seemed to jump right off the page.

I have to mention the ending. I LOVED it. It was perfect. I didn’t see it coming and make sure you read to the very last line of the story. It just might make the little hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention. I’m definitely looking forward to more from Samantha Downing because while this is a fantastic debut, I can tell she’s only going to get better from here!

I've seen the book described as Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith. And I have to agree with that description.

My Lovely Wife is deliciously creepy and has an unusual premise: a seemingly normal couple has a completely abnormal way to spice up their marriage--- murder. I can't divulge much more without spoiling the book, but I will say that while the premise is unusual, some of the twists were a little predictable. However, I read this book over a two day span, so that bit of predictability did nothing to distract from the story.

A super fun and fast-paced read.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I did not read what this book was about before I started it. I would recommend you do the same. I do not think a review can summarize or prepare you for the darkness of this story. To me, that was what made it so great and addictive to finish. This is a fantastic debut novel that is for fans of the ‘Gone Girl’ or ‘Baby Teeth’ readalikes

There were no characters that I particularly liked but our narrator held my sympathies because he was MAYBE not as bad as his wife. Maybe... Not really. Oh, well...

Get ready for murder, lies, revenge, and disturbing content! Oh, and more about eye drops then any other book I have read. After finishing this book, it hit me that anyone can be this terrible, which is the scariest and maybe the best part of this book. It is so believable.

I CAN’T WAIT TO READ THE AUTHOR’S FOLLOWUP!

Move over Gone Girl! Samantha Downing has written a gripping psychological thriller that will have you reading until the very last wicked sentence. A story of love, murder, and betrayal, told from the point of view of one of the alleged murders. Has a suburban couple found a new hobby to spice up their love life, or does something more sinister lurk?

This book is crazy and so much fun to read.

'My Lovely Wife' was totally unexpected, and did I mention crazy? The husband and wife are a nice, normal couple living with their two children in a nice, normal suburb. They are successful in their careers, they have a happy marriage, and the kids are well-adjusted. But look below the surface of this perfect life, and there is something very sinister going on.

It turns out the that most perfect marriage can be very, very flawed.

First of all, this book is really well-written. It is funny, unpredictable, and suspenseful. The narrator is completely unlikable, but I wanted to like him anyway. I even wanted to like Millicent and I don't know how the author pulled that off, because she is a monster. The ending was perfect and terrible at the same time--terrible only because (spoiler alert) not everyone who should have been held responsible for what happened actually was held responsible...but really, it was a great ending.

I hope this becomes a huge hit, and gets made into a movie, because it would make a fantastic movie. I would recommend this to everyone.

My Lovely Wife is about a couple with an unusual hobby, killing young women. The book explores the effects their hobby has on their children and their lives in general. It's an unusual premise and I was excited to read it. I was involved and enjoying the book but found myself disappointed by the book's resolution. Character motivations made little sense and the ending only further confused things.

A dark, twisted and compulsively readable tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The seemingly perfect couple next door are anything but in this debut thriller by Samantha Downing,

Wow!! This book is fantastic! I have to say it may be in my top 5. It is twisted, dark, and will leave you speechless. I honestly could not put it down. The shocks and twists and turns... I can't say enough. I am not easily surprised and was very surprised and loved every minute of this story. The characters, the story, everything! I am not easily excited and I have to see I will definitely be stalking Samantha Downing to read anything she writes in the future!
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I don't know how the author did it, but she made this suburban married serial killer couple likable. A huge twist at the end was the icing on the cake. I read this book straight through till the end.

This is a wonderful and very quick read! The various twists were great. A definite 3am read! It had my attention from the very first page!

I didn’t care for this book. The characters were very unlikable and It was obvious what was going to happen.

If the secret to a successful marriage is sharing common interests, then Millicent and her husband are sure heading down the road to celebrating their golden anniversary. Unfortunately, their common interest involves a deadly secret: they will kill for each other, and indeed, they have. Fast-paced and full of twists, this debut novel satisfies.

A little far fetched and over the top but in a strange way intriguing. It's like you can't help but be interested in the blatant made up story...

Great book. The story of a serial killer living a normal family life in a nice neighborhood. The narrative is from the husband’s point of view, there are lots of twists and turns. I loved the ending, I can’t stop thinking about it. I am eagerly awaiting her next book.

I couldn't finish this. I enjoyed 'Dexter', so I thought I would this as well, but the whole premise actually made me feel ill. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review it. I won't be reviewing it elsewhere.

The feeling I got while reading this reminded me of how I felt when reading Koch's "The Dinner"--very uncomfortable, not sure if I should be enjoying this. In a few words, this book is what happens when crazy meets crazier and they come up with a plan. The story is all from the husband's point of view, and while he seems "normal", he's really not. Nothing in this book is normal. I almost gave the book 3.5 stars, not 4--there were a few grammatical errors that really threw me out of the book. I know it's an ARC, but some of them were egregious in my mind. Hopefully, they are fixed when the actual book is released.

If you're looking for a thriller that's going to make you question relationships and people and life in general, you might want to read this.

One of the most intriguing reads of 2019, My Lovely Wife, has it all...engrossing plot and great characters. Pick up a copy!