This book is crazy, intense, and creepy, but in all of the best ways. While it did start off slow, once a certain point is reached the book turns in into a wild ride. Violence, kidnapping, stalking - The New Husband has it all. On the other side of the spectrum, there is also a lot of love in this book. The protagonist, Nina, and her children are all fantastic. I don’t have kids, but I imagine that is how family relations would be impacted during the events of this book. This book also shows what can happen when family and friends band together to solve and overcome problems. This book is an intense domestic thriller, so if you like that kind of story, give it a shot!

After the presumed death of her husband Glen out on the lake, Nina is ready to start over again with Simon. It's been a year and a half since the police knocked on her door and devastated her with the news of his death, but she feels like she can put the past behind her. Nina has fallen in love with Simon, a widower grieving the death of his first wife. As Simon and Nina begin to move into a new house, Nina wonders how her two teenage children will adapt to the new living arrangements. On the surface, Simon appears perfect and all Nina wants is to close the gap between everyone to create the family she's been looking for. However, is Simon as perfect as he appears or does something more sinister lie beneath the surface?

D.J. Palmer's The New Husband kept me on the edge of my seat! In the beginning, the small deliberate manipulations scream narcissist. The author does a good job of making you buy into a middle aged woman going along with some of the manipulations. There is a perfect amount of build up as we watch Nina slowly begin to lose herself. An elevated tension level permeates the pages as we can only look on at her downward spiral.
Some books keep things going long past what is believable for a modern character, but Palmer's plot and pacing kept me not only believing the story but turning page after page to see what happened. This is one of the better domestic thrillers I've read in a while, and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer.

When Simon entered Nina's life, he was exactly what she needed. Sensitive, kind, and attentive, he is the perfect balm to comfort her since her husband Glenn has mysteriously gone missing on his fishing excursion. Even though people are suspicious of their fast moving relationship, especially his daughter, Nina and Simon are perfectly content in their new life together.

But it doesn't take long until there are cracks in the facade. Simon doesn't want Nina to work, Simon calls her nonstop, Simon always seems to have surprise plans anytime Nina wants to go do something that doesn't involve him. Not only that, but now Glenn is slowly starting to reappear in her life too. What exactly is going on?

Okay, I mean, this is out there. Like, really out there. It was so frustrating everytime Nina ignored GLARING red flags, and especially infuriating because she's a social worker. There is precious little about the story that was believable, almost to the point of being silly. But it also took zero effort to reach the end, so yay for quarantine brain candy.

The New Husband is the sophomore thriller from author D.J. Palmer. After loving D.J. Palmer’s debut effort, Saving Meghan, I was quite looking forward to reading this one and thankfully it did not disappoint.

Two years ago wife and mother of two, Nina Garrity, got the news that her husband may have been involved in some kind of boating accident. Unfortunately for Nina and her kids though Glen’s body was not found in the lake where he had been out on their boat so the family was left in limbo as to what happened.

Shortly after Glen had disappeared though Nina had begun learning her husband was not the man she thought him to be. Finding their finances in turmoil and apparently an affair Nina began counting the days until she could legally divorce but in the meantime she met Simon Fitch who seemed to be everything Nina could want or need in a partner… or was he.

The New Husband was definitely a book that once picking up I found incredibly hard to put down to take a break. There was obvious turmoil in the new family being formed with Nina and Simon and the kids but you just know that the story would hold so much more which kept the pages turning. Definitely not a sophomore slump with this novel as I found it an incredibly addictive read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

About 1-1/2 years after her husband disappears off his fishing boat, and is thought to be dead, Nina moves in with Simon, a local teacher, bringing along her teenage son and middle school daughter. Her husband had left behind signs of a girlfriend and double life, and Simon seems perfect. Her son has bonded quickly with Simon, but her daughter Maggie is highly suspicious of him. Nina's friends aren't sure--is he perfect or too possessive? A few things bothered me regarding the characters--Nina seemed inconsistent to me and her daughter seemed a bit advanced for her age. I had to suspend my disbelief while reading this and go along for the Lifetime ride. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

The past eighteen months have been hell on Nina Garrity and her kids.  After her husband, Glen, mysteriously disappears from his boat early one morning, she feels like her life will never be the same again.  Then she meets Simon Fitch.  From the beginning, Simon is a lifesaver.  As a teacher, he's good with kids and used to dealing with all the problems that come with a couple of teens.  Plus, he's considerate, charming, and anticipates Nina's every need.  Finally, she thinks that things are going her way.  She couldn't be more wrong.  

Nina Garrity is a strong and competent woman.  She loves her kids and, despite all the things she's discovered about her missing husband, Glen, she still loves him, too.  Navigating her new life without Glen is tough on her and her kids, but she continues to push forward no matter what.  It's easy to see why she discounted all the signs that something wasn't quite right, even if it's clear to the reader.  However, it takes her way too long to see the truth of what's right in front of her.  I could have understood this if she was a struggling waitress or something, but as a trained social worker?  How did some of this not raise red flags sooner than it did?

Maggie Garrity is the true star of this story.  The victim of bullying due to things that come out after her dad disappears, she truly doesn't give a flip about her former friends or what other people think.  She's exceptionally strong and resilient for someone her age and, when she pairs up with her new friend, Ben, she becomes a force to be reckoned with. 

From the very beginning, The New Husband is a wild ride.  The reader sees so much that the characters don't, and for me, that amped up the tension!  I had to keep myself from yelling at Nina numerous times.  Things like, "Trust your instincts!" or "Listen to your kid!", because this book was just that insane.  I was grabbed from the first page and, even though the first half is a bit of a slow burn, when it picks up, it moves fast.

Many thanks to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for my advanced ecopy of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. This book was a true thriller in that there was an atmosphere throughout the whole book of something horrible about to happen. The book was told from three different perspectives and my favorite (how could it not be?) is Maggie, the younger of Nina's two children, who is clearly more attuned to the atmosphere than her mom is.

Nina's husband disappeared a couple years ago under mysterious circumstances. Through information learned during the investigation, there is some indication that her husband might have been having an affair and might possibly have staged his own disappearance to look like a murder. Because Nina had chosen to be a stay-at-home mom to the kids for the decade-plus prior to her husband's disappearance, she is not financially secure enough on her own to pay the bills on her family home. So when she gets involved with the seemingly perfect-for-her, Simon, she moves herself and her kids in with him perhaps faster than she would have had she not been so financially strapped.

Immediately, her teenage son, Connor loves him like the father his workaholic father never was. But Maggie, the younger daughter is not a fan. She is suspicious of the perfect timing Simon always seems to have and of how much influence he has over Nina. Maggie also really just wants her Dad back, so maybe her opinion of Simon is skewed.....

Ok, so while I was engrossed in this novel from start to finish, my bigger problem with it is that it really pushes that narrative of women making eternally bad choices in the name of love and security over their family, their friends, and their better judgement. Nina's friends do not like Simon and have warned her about several aspects of her relationship that are troubling to them. While Nina doesn't turn on them, she fully ignores their concerns. Maggie can't stand Simon and seems to be spiraling downward the further Nina gets into her relationship with Simon. Does that give Nina pause? No, she continues to ignore the emotional needs of her daughter to please her new man. And this might seem a small quibble, but it is just another example of a poorly written female: So for two years, Nina didn't look for a job in order to support her children, to the point that the reader is told that just prior to her moving in with Simon, she was about to have to move across the country to live with her parents, yet RIGHT after she moves her children in with the new boyfriend, she begins to hunt for a job, then refuses to give it up no matter how much Simon encourages her to do so. So her daughter being bullied and isolated at school and struggling emotionally with living with a new man before her dad's disappearance has been dealt with do not motivate Nina to show any resolve, but a brand new job is what does?

So while the author wrote a good thrill, he wrote an unlikable lead female, and I doubt that was intentional. It is probably just his impression of how women behave. So I would have given the book 4 stars if Nina had been a better character.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. I will review this title at a different date.

Normally I am a big thriller fan. This book took me a oddly longer time to read than normal. And I am going to say something really weird. I think this book would make a better movie (whether that is made for TV or the big screen) than it did a book. I think I have never said that before. Often I have said a great book would make a great movie but I don't think I have ever said it was a lesser book than a movie. Just for me it didn't really play out so well in a book.

Regardless, you have a husband that disappears and no body is found. The wife, Nina, that is left moves on with her life with a new man who happens to appear to be the perfect man. But she also finds out some things about her husband that she never knew. One child gets along well with the new man and the other, Maggie, doesn't trust him at all. All manner of things happen to Maggie, as well along the way. It just may not be good to not get along well with the new man of the house. It was a lot of crazy plot twist. Not super plausible but like a said maybe could have been interesting in a tv movie. It was just an very average book for me though.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for a review copy in exchange of an honest review.

How well do you really know the person you love?

I was hooked from the start of this one. I would give this a solid 4/4.5. About halfway through my jaw dropped and I ended up finishing the rest of the book the same night. It was pretty fast paced with plenty of action and creep factor. Plenty of drama and shocking events. The events seem to gradually increase in pace and intensity so that was an added bonus.

I found myself fully immersed in everything Simon did and everything Nina was doing. There were so many parts that I just wanted to yell at Nina to wake up! It was so hard to read everything happening while Nina just kind of let it. But I have to say there were some great twists with this one. I didn’t find it predictable at all. I had some theories but they didn’t pan out.

I wish there would have been a little more about Teresa and Bill to add to the plot. Also the whole Glen getting fired and blackballed just felt a little forced and out of place for me. Other than that it was catchy, kept me on the edge of my seat, and kept me begging to read what happened next.

Trigger Warnings: abuse, murder, kidnapping, stalkers, domestic violence, controlling relationships

I found The New Husband to be intriguing, curious and disturbing- in a good way. Nina's first husband is missing and presumed dead. She's now with her new man, who seems perfect but Nina's snarky (Spot on) teenage daughter sees a different side to Simon, the new man, but she can't convince anyone else of this. As the story unfolds, we see twists and turns to the story and are truly sucked in to the story. I was pulled in to the story from the start and was eager to see how it all turned out.

Nina’s husband Glen has gone missing. The authorities found his fishing boat with blood, lots of blood, but no body. It was close enough to shore that he’d maybe been able to make it, but there was no trace of him there either. Divers couldn’t find anything. Nina and her two children were devastated.

As the months go by, Nina leans more about Glen, about mistakes he had made, mistakes that cause his family difficulty in their recovery and leave them vulnerable. Nina thought she’d have to move in with her parents in Nebraska. And then she met Simon Fitch.

Technically, Nina had met Simon previously. He is a teacher at the high school, and her son had been in his history class. Simon is a kind and thoughtful man. He returns their dog Daisy, who had escaped the family home. He takes Nina out on dates, helping her to feel like she has a future again. He cooks her favorite foods, bonds with her son Connor over football and robotics, he makes Nina feel like a princess. And when he suggests they move in together, Nina knows that it’s her chance for a better future. It’s her chance to stay in their hometown, so her kids can stay in their schools and not have to give up any friends or favorite activities. Simon seems to be the perfect man at the perfect time.

Except that Maggie can’t stand him. Nina’s daughter can’t seem to accept the fact that her father has left them, or worse. She can’t accept Simon as a father figure. And she is miserable in the house with him. As Nina tries to move forward in her life, spending time with her best friends and getting a new job, she feels he chill of discouragement in her home. But is all of it coming from Maggie, or is some of it coming from somewhere else, somewhere Nina can’t quite pinpoint?

Told from Nina’s and Maggie’s perspectives, The New Husband is the latest novel from D.J. Palmer, who wrote last year’s Saving Meghan. This is another complicated family thriller, with twists that you won’t see coming and that you will need some time to recover from. It’s a twisty, twisted story of family members being ripped apart and trying to put themselves back together in the only way they know how. Their survival lies in being stronger together, but will they let life’s struggles push them apart instead?

I really enjoyed this book. There is darkness, but it’s handled with intelligence and grace, which not all thrillers can accomplish. This is a step up from your average family story, a tale of discernment and discovery that will eave you on the edge or your seat.

Galleys for The New Husband were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Having read D.J. Palmer's previous book, 'Saving Meghan', my expectations were set pretty high for his latest release. I was not disappointed. The New Husband is compelling reading. It is also frustratingly realistic in that the lead female character doesn't listen and is dismissive to the concerns of her daughter which happens all too often in real life. The twist is a stunner that I would have never gotten on my own.

5 out of 5 stars. Excellent reading.

This story captured my attention from the beginning. Soon after Nina’s husband goes missing amid a scandal, she meets the seemingly perfect man, Simon. It is clear from the beginning that he may not be as perfect as he looks. Her son Connor takes to him right away, however, her daughter Maggie has seen a glimpse of something she does not trust. The questions of who he really is, what happened to his previous wife and is her husband Glen alive or dead make it a fun mystery thriller that had me flying through the pages to get answers.

The New Husband didn’t work for me. I was really into it at the start and felt like it was a great premise. Nina’s husband Glenn’s boat is found floating with only the dog on board and some of his blood. No answers to what happened to Glenn - was it an accident? Did he go overboard? But as Nina starts to discover more - she wonders if maybe he did it intentionally to escape.

The timeline jumps ahead to two years later and we see Nina and her kids moving in with Simon. Who...isn’t her husband so I’m also not sure I understand the title of this book? But anyway - right from the start, Nina’s daughter Maggie is trying to tell her something isn’t right about Simon. Then one day - Maggie gets a message from someone who seems to be her dad and knows things only her dad would know.

At this point I was ALL IN. I thought this was a great setup and I wanted to see what would happen. Is Glenn alive? Is he actually reaching out to Maggie? Is Simon actually a good guy? What will the twists be?? SPOILERS AHEAD. Stop reading here if you don’t want to know.

No twists. None. We thought Simon was a bad guy from the start and he is. He’s been holding Glenn captive the whole time. So - the plot is just waiting and hoping Nina will figure it out in time? This was a quick read which is why I finished it - but unfortunately not a favorite for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

This book was terrifying, creepy, unputdownable, and all things that a good psychological thriller is! Nina is putting her life back together after her husband goes missing during a boating trip. She has started dating Simon and has found a new job that she loves. Then she starts wondering about some things that have to do with her husband's disappearance. Your jaw will drop in this book and things will happen that you never saw coming! Palmer does a wonderful job weaving a nightmare that will keep you guessing until you get to the last page.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Where to start? This was carefully researched, and thoughtfully and well written. This is a true psychological thriller and it was very well done. I was gnawing at my fingers reading this and texting my friends these horrendous updates about how I was doing (read: I was stressed and worried about the characters and had to finish). I started this over a month ago but not really until yesterday and at about 22% in, I was hooked and didn’t put it down for 5 hours. Maggie is magnificent and I was livid with Nina most of the book. This was SO WELL DONE. It probably deserves 5 stars but my stress levels demand a star from it. Phew. Read it if you don’t mind reading psychological abuse because there is some of that in there but it’s so good. I’m honestly impressed.

“The New Husband” begins with a startling discovery – a boat, a dog, and blood. This one event drives the whole book. Seventeen months later, readers meet social worker Nina Garrity, thirteen-year-old daughter Maggie, sixteen-year old son Connor, five-year-old golden retriever Daisy, and Simon Fitch, the new man in their lives. Glen is gone and will be declared officially “gone” in eight months.
Readers follow the natural disorder of this family. Their tale is told in alternating narratives from all sides so readers get a picture of what is going on from each person’s point of view, and includes the recounting of background events as well as personal explanations -- all the trauma and drama one could expect in a family who has lived through chaos.
Without giving away too much of the plot, the family’s new situation is tenuous at best, and at times volatile. The real issue, of course, is Glen, the husband who disappeared. Nina is in therapy, and as she discovers Glen’s affairs, mishandling of money, and general bad deeds, she reveals this information to the therapist and to readers. Nina struggles to provide stability for her family by keeping control and eliminating mistrust. In a first person narrative, daughter Maggie talks directly to readers. She is angry; she distrusts even hates Simon, and she just wants her “old” family back. The family faces a lot of trouble and a lot of mistrust. Insecurity escalates when Nina receives a message telling her that she is not safe.
“The New Husband” has a plot filled with twists, turns, and the unexpected. Daisy, the dog, is the hero. Do not worry, Daisy does not die, but other people do. I received a review copy of “The New Husband” from D. J. Palmer and St. Martin’s Press, and I was glued to the pages. I thought I knew what was coming, but then something else happened that I was not expecting. In the end, Daisy is “Dog of the Year.”

I really liked The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. Nina Garrity and her kids, Connor and Maggie have just moved in with her boyfriend, Simon Fitch. (Yes, it really bothered me that the title is The New Husband and they were not married.) Nina’s husband, Glen, took his dog out on his boat to fish and only the dog and boat were found. Nina has to wait a little while longer before Glen can be declared dead and she can remarry. But Maggie does not like Simon, and soon Nina begins to have her doubts as well.

Then Ms. Palmer reveals to the reader the whereabouts of Glen. I was a little surprised by the reveal. The events of the second half of the book were interesting if a little predictable. Overall, though, this was a good psychological thriller.

Thank you to #Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced e-copy.

We have a multitude of people that come into our lives. Friends, acquaintances and love interests to name a few. They become a part of the fabric that our lives our made of. How well do we know them though? What secrets are they keeping behind their shining smiles and caring words?

Nina's world is shattered when she not only learns of her husband's affair, but also loses him in a freak boating accident. Having no answers, no way to get them and children to take care of she tries to pick up the pieces as best she can.

When Simon enters her life she couldn't be more relieved. He seem so attuned to her likes and dislikes. He quickly embraces her children and does his best to step into the male figure role in their lives. Nina's daughter is the only one that doesn't seem to be fooled by all of the perfection.

An interesting and engaging story. Makes you question how well you really know those around you.