SPOILERS AHEAD!



DON'T READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO SEE SPOILERS!



I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't get along with it. The intro was good enough, but as the book developed it lost its way. Firstly, the writing wasn't very good. I hate to say it, but dialogue in particular is clearly something Hunter struggles with, as no one in real life talks in such a stilted and unnatural manner. Plus, none of the characters really felt fully developed, and their interactions were awkward and flat.

I really wanted the husband to be a creepy psychopath, but the reality was underwhelming and it felt like he was far creepier in the flashbacks than he was in the present day. It felt like the author wanted there to be questions over Tom's guilt, until she revealed the truth in a 'shocking' flashback. But even then, it felt like the author was holding back from really committing to Tom's darkness, and he might just be the blandest serial killer I've ever read about. Then there's a second reveal, that Beth already knew about Tom's murderous habits, which just made everything even more ridiculous and beyond the realm of possibility. Finally, you have the reveal that Beth herself is a murderer, having murdered someone via a tainted cookie (yep, I'm serious) for quite possibly the most idiotic reason I've ever read.

A great premise that fell victim to poor writing, weak character development, and underwhelming plot twists combine to create a poor reading experience and a book that is mundane at best. All in all, just not at all what I wanted or expected, and sadly not one I would recommend.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

I wanted so badly to love this book, it had everything I thought it should be but it just fell a little flat for me. I wanted MORE, I felt like the Husband was constantly trying to explain and justify his thoughts rather than allowing the evil to creep in and if the Wife referred to her daughter as her little Poppy Poppet once more I was going to throw the book through the window, although I do understand why the author did this and I suppose in the end it helps build the picture of her own obsessions.

In saying that the book was an easy read and for reader who don't like too much blood, gore or husbands with psychopathic tendencies this book would definitely appeal! A pretty disappointing 2.5/5 from me as I found the book not too good but not too bad either.

thank you so much to Netgalley and the author for an ARC of the book in exchange for the honest review,

This book was a new Author to me, I absolutely loved it very early on.

Tom and Beth appear to have the perfect life, how far will you go to ensure that people never find out your dark dirty secrets?

This book was full of twists, the ending was not what I was expecting and I find predictability of the ending usually easy, this was a complete mystery !

The characters are relatable, the lies, the deception, they pull you in !

I was sad when this book ended, it was a very quick read for me!

Thank you for the chance to read this brilliant work of art!

I have so many thoughts about this one. It was interesting and the suspense was good while we had it, but instead of the plot wrapping up, it started to unravel in my opinion.

Beth’s motivations didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. She made a lot of weird decisions that were questionable at the time but made even less sense in hindsight.

I wanted more from Tom, he was most interesting (in a totally messed up way) in the flashbacks. We didn’t get a whole lot of his motivations and the few that we did get didn’t exactly jive with a fairly big twist at the end.

The epilogue made me feel even more unsatisfied as we realize so much was left on the table where Tom was concerned.

All of that being said, It was decent. I did get some enjoyment from it, but from an author with a psych degree and a background working with violent criminals we got surprisingly little of that.

I thought it was a good storyline, with some clever twists, and kept you wondering to almost the end. But for me, it needed to have more guts and feel more real. I thought the style of narrative almost sanitised at times, so that something which was descriptively awful, was told in quite an ordinary way, without enough build up. A good book, but could have been amazing.

Thank you to the publishers & NetGalley for the advanced eARC of The Serial Killer’s Wife in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book as I enjoy crime fiction, and the idea of a spouse not knowing their husband is a serial killer is intriguing. I did not enjoy the writing style - each chapter is told by a character, but there would be a new chapter starting by the same character and it didn’t seem necessary, it seemed choppy.

I found the story to be drawn out and repetitive, I did not like or feel connected to any of the characters. There is a twist at the end that I didn’t necessarily see coming, but it didn’t add to the book for me. It took me quite awhile to read as I kind of dreaded picking it back up.

Three stars because the idea for the book was something I’m interested in, but it fell flat for me.

Beth and Tom have the perfect marriage and the perfect child, Poppy. They have moved to a small town outside London to live their dream of a happy family, and Beth has inaugurated her coffee shop, where she also does her pottery. Everything seems to be perfect until, one night, Tom is taken by the police under suspicion of murder. Apparently, there is a link between the disappearance of Tom’s ex girlfriend, Katie, and Tom himself. And that is only the beginning...

I’ve enjoyed this book which starts off very quickly and, although there are a few parts when it seems to slow down, it manages to keep the tension going for most of the time. It’s not a “whodunnit” kind of crime book, but rather a psychological thriller which explores the reactions of a woman who realises to be the wife of a killer, and her sense of indirect responsibility towards the crimes. Overall a very enjoyable read, I’d recommend it. Out on May 27th.

•thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review•

There were enough twists and turns to keep a reader interested in the story. I didn't find myself sympathising with Beth, the main character, much even in the beginning, but as the story unravelled, I did understand her a little bit more. By the end, I felt like I knew reasons for her actions throughout, but still didn't have much sympathy for her and her actions. It was a story that kept revealing itself right until the end which was interesting, but I didn't feel the story was tense enough. A readable book though, kept me wanting to know more.

Another favorite by a great author. The plot of the story was very well written. The author really draws the reader in as you read.

Without doubt one of my favourite reads this year, I absolutely had to read it in one sitting!

Beth has just finished putting her daughter Poppy to bed when two policemen appear at her door. Her husband Tom has been arrested as a suspect for the murder of his ex girlfriend, Katie.

The novel is predominantly told from Beth's perspective with other chapters presented from the point of view of Tom, Katie (8 years earlier) and an unknown narrator in a BDSM relationship with Tom.

It all comes as a huge shock for Beth and she confides in Adam, who has recently lost his wife Cassandra and has a daughter in Poppy's nursery class.

The author cleverly drip feeds information throughout the novel which keeps the reader guessing and I loved the reveals when we realise that not all is as it seems. The writing was engaging and I felt invested in Beth's experience.

I was surprised to read that this is a debut for Alice Hunter, as it is so well written. It would make a great TV drama.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the advance copy.

This is a real belter of a book. Dark, filled with tension and I could not put it down. I am pretty sure I held my breath through the whole second half of the story.

This is a very clever book which makes readers take a long look at the idea of the family dynamic. Of how much we really know about and understand the people will love, and how much we are willing to forgive. For Beth Hardcastle all of her belief in and loyalty towards her husband Tom, are about to be pushed to the limit when Tom is accused of a horrendous act many years before. In a small and close knit community it is hard for Beth to hide, or to escape the gossip and the suspicion that she must have known. That she might be, in some way, complicit. But nothing is ever that straightforward. It's psychological fiction after all.

Now as readers we are not kept in suspense for too long over what actually might have happened, and with the story told from the points of view of both Beth and Tom, and a third party whose narrative adds a very different spin in the story and starts to unlock the eventual truths that will stun the reader. Beth comes across as a very sympathetic character, someone who has been lied to as much as any other, whilst my feelings towards Tom fluctuated the further we got into the story. Guilty party or perfect patsy. It was interesting to see how the author played this, toying with. our emotions and certainly at the beginning making me wonder if the right person was standing accused. It's fair to say that in this book there is more than the odd obsessive character and there were not many, with the exception of the children, that I completely trusted.

This is a fairly quick book to read, and I finished it in just the two settings. With the point of view moving between. the characters quite quickly, it really moves the story on, although the lion's share of the attention falls on Beth and her struggle to come to terms with what is happening. And yet ... there were times, early on, where suspicion falls her way, and her hurried assertion of Tom's guilt made me wonder is it was a case of the lady protesting too much. Whether I was right or not, you will need to read to find out, but. I was not prepared for all of the revelations that emerged by the end of the novel.

This was an entertaining. read, full of complex and multi-faceted characters who i mostly loved and loathed in equal measure. The author has used her understanding of psychology well, exploring the motivations and behaviours of several of the characters, making readers question how they would have behaved in similar circumstances. We all like to think we would be better stronger, do the right thing. But would we? Let's hope we never have to find out. A great character led story than fans of psychological thrillers will love.

I would like to thank net galley and Avon for an advanced copy of The Serial Killer's Wife in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great debut novel by Alice Hunter. The Serial Killer's Wife is full of plot twists and turns. Honestly, I don't think I have ever read a book that was so full of unlikeable characters and yet still manages to be a fulfilling read. That speaks volumes to the actual substance of the story line and plot. That is what makes this book a success. I feel like every book I have read lately you see the plot twist coming a mile away. Not with this one! Enjoy!

This book was absolutely fantastic! I have not read a really great thriller in so long and this book blew me away. You’ll be completely tangled in this story and I promise you won’t want to put it down until the last page.

Synopsis:

Beth and Tom live a seemingly perfect life with their daughter in a quaint English village. Beth runs a successful pottery cafe and Tom is a well-paid banker.

Everything is perfect.... until the police show up at their doorstep and Tom is taken in to be questioned regarding his involvement in the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend. As the police investigate, Beth begins to question everything she thought she knew about her husband.

Pub date: May 27, 2021

My review:

This is my first Alice Hunter novel. I LOVED it. It was well written, but easy to follow. It held my attention throughout and I finished it in a few hours. I thought I had it figured out at one point, but Ms. Hunter cleverly inserted a few misdirects and I was COMPLETELY wrong! The twists kept coming until the very end. This was a page turner and I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Alice Hunter for the opportunity to review this ARC. This review and all opinions are my own.

What a fabulous read! I loved this story told mainly through the two main characters Beth and Tom who have the perfect marriage but do they ?The story is quite disturbing but a very good psychological thriller which had me gripped from the beginning.I didn't guess the ending I didn't see it coming at all ,as the ending was left open I do hope there will be a sequel to conclude this very good debut book .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review

This was an enjoyable thriller read. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives and the short chapters kept me engaged. The story itself was gripping although I did find it a bit predictable at times. The characters were well written but could"ve been developed a bit further. Enjoyable read!

The premise of the story was a good one and there is the inevitable twist at the end, sadly the execution of this story is somewhat lacking.
None of the characters feel fully formed, I couldn't find myself connecting with any of them, they lack depth and personality and they don't behave or interact with one another in a realistic way, they also make strange decisions.
The main character Beth is constantly questioning her own decisions, she comes across as wholy unsure of herself and the constant referring to doing what's best for her daughter becomes repetitive and annoying.
Whilst I didn't struggle to read this book, it never sucked me in, like a good story can.
Nonsensical at best, I give this 2.5 stars.

With thanks to Netgalley & Avon books for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

<b>I’ll be keeping my eye out for the author’s future work. Ms. Hunter has fabricated a juicy psychological thriller brimming with disturbing fantasies, complex characters and complicated relationships!</b>

Does anyone really know their spouse? How long can you let yourself be deceived before you suspect you’ve been manipulated into believing their lies?

Beth and Tom have an enviable marriage until Tom is questioned about the disappearance of an old girlfriend. Before long, he’s arrested and charged with murder. I felt guilty, taking joy in reading about their crumbling marriage, as Beth is left to take care of their daughter—Poppy—and deal with the hostile backlash of being a serial killer’s wife! It’s hard to believe she’s been married to a monster all of these years, without knowing it.

I usually hate endings that don’t provide full closure, but I loved this twisty (and somewhat predictable) ending! Alice Hunter is on my radar for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alice Hunter and Avon Books UK for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!

<b>My Rating: </b> 4 ⭐️’s
<b>Published:</b> May 27th 2021 by Avon Books UK
<b>Pages:</b> 400
<b>Recommend:</b> Yes, but don’t expect a deep and realistic read.

#AliceHunter @AvonBooksUK @NetGalley
#FamilySuspense #NoRulesJustThrills #InExchangeForReview #BookReview #JustFinished #SerialKiller

Enjoyable if somewhat silly story. The guts of a good book is in there somewhere.

Beth and Tom have a great marriage. Having bought a cottage in the country a couple of years ago after the arrival of their first child, Beth runs a local coffee shop and Tom still commutes to London for his job.
When Tom doesn’t arrive home from work one evening, Beth becomes worried something may have happened to him. When the police knock on the door she thinks her worst fears have been realised. Tom must have been in an accident.
The police are there concerning Tom alright, but not for the reasons Beth thinks. He has been arrested for the murder of an ex girlfriend. Beths world seems to be falling apart. How could she not know she was living with a potential killer? Was she as unknowing as she appears or did she know more than she’s letting on?

You really have to suspend disbelief with this one. Beth especially makes some odd choices continuously throughout the book but they are somewhat explained later on. A rather forced feeling friendship feels like a clunky plot device and it does end up being just that, rather predictably.

There are parts of this that are very good and the writing in parts is also very good. It’s a very easy read and is entertaining to a point but it just becomes too fantastical and silly for its own good. The ending, while predictable from a long way out was horrendous and completely ruined the book for me.

The book itself for all its faults was decent enough to a point. It just felt that it could have been much more than it was.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.