The New Husband by D.J. Palmer is the perfect example of 'don't judge a book by its cover'. Ah, but I'm not talking about the actual book here, rather the new husband, Simon. He is good looking, well-groomed, and seems to be perfect in all ways, always knowing exactly what to do to impress Nina, his 'cover' seems too good to be true. In reading The New Husband, you will find out just how much Simon actually strays from being the ideal husband, his 'book' is not as good as one would expect. There were a lot of twists and turns in this story that kept me wondering what would happen next. Maggie, Nina's daughter, is a spunky fun character that I especially enjoyed. Be prepared for a lot of creep factor to this book and do not expect to know what the biggest twist is, it sure surprised me!

I always find it difficult to review mystery novels, because I live in fear or the spoiler, and I know mystery lovers like myself will be able to read between the lines and pick up on clues that may spoil the experience for them as well. So this is why I just leave vague feelings of the book and hope it helps a little.
Pretty predictable, with a few twists I didn't see coming, though in hindsight I should have. However, I enjoyed the writing very much and I liked several of the characters. Not overly gratuitous in the love scenes or the violent scenes so readers averse to overly graphic descriptions of either will be pleased.
All in all I will read more of this author as they do have a nice style, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for something more than a cozy but not some gritty thriller.

Twists and turns. I love psychological thrillers. Enjoyed every page. I'm excited for D.J Palmer to write more!!

After her husband disappears one morning while fishing and a body is never found, Nina learns that he’s been hiding secrets from her. As her world is falling apart, a teacher from her daughter’s school sweeps her off her feet, and Nina quickly finds herself in a new relationship with Simon, much to her daughter Maggie’s dismay. I loved that part of the story was told from 13 year old Maggie’s perspective.

This is a great domestic thriller- my favorite genre of books. While parts of it may seem farfetched, which will bother some readers, it kept me engaged from the beginning and had me on the edge of my seat at the end.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for a copy to review via Netgalley.

Simon: *walking red flag*

Nina: What a great guy.



It took me forever to read this book. I was just never excited to pick it up and finish. The first half is incredibly slow, that by the time something finally happens it's just a let down.

Nina is a single mother - who lost her husband when he mysteriously disappeared. About a year and a half later she meets one of the teachers in her daughter Maggie's - Simon Finch, the two hit it off. They move in together Maggie just has this feeling about him - could she be right?

I was really looking forward to this one, but it was just okay to me. The premise is familiar, but one that I love so it didn't bother me. It was very much a slow burn and had a ton of build up to the ending...which I guessed about halfway through the book. I was bummed to find out I was right. Someone who doesn't read a ton of thrillers would probably love this one, but more experienced readers might be better off moving to something else.

This is a slow burn. Took a bit to really get going. But i feel like there was always something just at the edge that i couldn’t help but be intrigued. The second half was a bit intense and i was gripping the edge of my seat! I had to know what happened next! How did they not suspect anything of Mr Fitch? His character bugged me to no end! I loved this one! Super thrilling and exciting!

This book crushed my spirits. It makes you second guess everything in your own life. In some instances, that is good in a book. In this case, not so much. I didn't like the way it messes with your mind and makes you doubt things. I also was not fond of the characters in this book.

Sometimes when I read a book where we know what is happening and we're just waiting for the characters to find out, it can be extremely frustrating. In this book, however, it was thrilling and kept me turning the page, on the edge of my seat! I am definitely purchasing this book for my library. Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read and review this.

This book started out slowly and it took a lot for me to stick with it. However, it did pick up later in the book. My biggest complaint is that chapters are narrated from the POV of two characters…Nina and Maggie…but there was no indication at the beginning of each chapter to let you know whose view was being expressed. You would be part of the way through each chapter before you figured out who was “talking.”

This is a true domestic drama and I imagine there will be plenty of readers who will enjoy the book immensely. That just wasn’t me. I was so irritated at Nina at the end of the book when she continues making bad decisions. And she knows that she’s doing it! That’s kind of a negative aspect of a book to me.

But I loved Daisy! I cheered for her!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

He was the answer to her prayers, or so she thought.

Nina, finds herself abandoned by her husband Glen. And she and Glen were so happily married, or so we thought.

Alone, single and broke the fearless Nina keeps on trucking even when she finds herself deserted with two children, with no husband, with no income and lastly no plan B. Stage right, move the curtains - now entering the story is Simon Fitch.

Simon Fitch was her knight in shining armor, he was her Superman. Yes kids, Simon was the answer to her prayers. Or was he?

Remember, in life we all have our own hidden personal kryptonite, with that said; was Simon her’s?

Simon flew into Nina’a life at the speed of light. Dressed as a modern day Superman, Simon swooped in to save the day.

Yet, is Simon, Superman? Or is he Superman’s nemesis, the one and only, Lex Luthor? You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out. 5 stars❤️❤️

The New Husband is the perfect reminder that if someone seems too good to be true, he probably is. And that you should probably listen if your child tells you something is wrong. After the bewildering disappearance of her husband, and the subsequent revelation of his secret life, Nina is understandably reeling, with no clear idea what her next steps should be. Enter Simon Fitch, a teacher who is everything she could possibly want in a boyfriend/second husband. To the casual observer, Nina has hit the jackpot of partners, but to her friends and her own daughter, Simon is something far more threatening. As he subtly begins to manipulate their life together, Nina loses more and more of her freedom, and manages to convince herself time and again that everything is fine. By the time, she starts to question his motivations, it's all but too late. Palmer masterfully builds tension throughout this book, and by the end, I was exhausted (in a good way!) from the emotions coursing through the pages. Definitely a great thriller!

I had mixed thoughts with this book, because I really enjoyed it but found some aspects very predictable. I felt it was an average, every day type thriller, and while there was a really good twist, I was hoping for a little more out of it. I was still a good read, and I enjoyed Palmer's writing style. I was in a bit of a reading slump when reading this, so my mindset may not have been completely into this book. I did speed through the second half of this book, as it was high action compared to the first half.

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer is a crazy psychological thriller. I have enjoyed some books in this genre in the past and some not as much because they just seem so unbelievable. This book blew me away. I think it was worth the initial effort of getting into the book because the end was so so good! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This story is a prime example of gaslighting in a relationship. However, I didn't feel like it was a unique story - it was quite ordinary. I feel like I've read a hundred of these stories in the past few years. Also, it is important to note that this is definitely more of a family drama than a fast paced thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The New Husband was better than I expected. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming, and others that I did. The main character, Nina, was frustrating at times, but the moral of the story is not too judge others as you don't know what you would do in a similar situation. Some parts of the story were slow, but overall it was good suspense thriller.

4 very harrowing stars! This book had me on edge right from the start, but what was interesting about it was that you pretty much know what’s going on the whole time. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing!

This is one of those “does what it says on the tin” books, and you know what? I didn’t mind at all! The fun and thrill came not from some giant mystery or crazy twist, but from the psychological fear and uncertainty you feel with and for the family, because obviously, THEY don’t know what’s going on. Instead of thinking, ‘I wonder what’s really going on here,’ I was thinking, ‘How are they possibly going to get out of and survive this mess?!’

Great story telling, and lots of suspense, despite not packing a huge surprise twist. Well done!!

This book has GREAT reviews, so I know I'm in the minority. I did not enjoy this one and ended up DNF. I found all the characters lacking in personality and the plot was very predictable.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The New Husband
By: D. J. Palmer

REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I always think I can figure out who did what, but I'm always wrong. The New Husband is not a predictable story. I mean that in a good way, though. It's a psychological thriller with more twists than I imagined, and it certainly kept me interested. For a good suspenseful read, I recommend this book.