What would you do if you believed a member of your family was a killer? Maybe even a serial killer?

This is the nightmare Elisa is living. But no one will take her concerns seriously.

I absolutely loved this book with all the twists and suspense. I loved that I wasn’t fully sure who the “bad guy” was until the end because it kept pointing to a few different characters. This was my first Darby Lane book and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

This domestic thriller was ok for me. I'm not a big fan of gaslighting thrillers, and even more so when the main character (and therefore the reader) is AWARE of being gaslit. It lends a lot of unwanted frustration rather than just stress and anxiety and foreboding that a thriller should have. All in all, a solid thriller with a good but predictable twist at the end, but nothing that stands out too much to recommend.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Elisa doesn't trust her brother in law Josh. She thinks her murdered his previous wife and fiance. She doesn't want to take any chances. I enjoyed this book.

Darby Kane can do no wrong! I love her writing and how she pulls me in and never lets go! I never know what is coming next and her plots are rich and unpredictable! She is an automatic author read for me now!

Whoa! My mind is so dizzy! It’s spinning so fast! I feel the ground move under my feet! What a wild- action packed- crazy ride: filled with manipulation, gaslighting, schemes, lies, delusions!

Possible trigger warnings: gaslighting, knife violence, trauma, pills, death, missing persons, drowning.

Picture this: Suburban mom of an active son and trophy wife to a husband who attempts to keep her daily life as normal as possible while internally wanting to stay isolated from the world after a tragic incident that happened a year ago. She has been questioning her own mind when it comes to taking medications and digging up information to find out what happened to her best friend who went missing-- because she keeps circling back to the theory that her brother-in-law is involved. Add insult to injury: her brother-in-law just walked in with a new girlfriend.

This book kept me on my toes from the very beginning. Within the first half of the book I was thinking this needs to be adapted into a movie! I enjoyed the twists and turns and "oh my goodnesses" that were said out loud more than once. First time reader of this author and definitely running to pick up the rest from the shelves.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for allowing me to receive this ARC for an honest opinion. I look forward to more books by this author!

This book had my head spinning with an unreliable narrator (protagonist) and deception and schemes throughout the book. I really enjoyed the multiple layers and the deep dive into the characters and their weaknesses. Elisa Wright suspects that her brother-in-law is a serial wife killer but has no proof. Add to that the fact that she may be delusional since she suffers from PTSD, this book was hard to put down. I can’t say that any of the characters were particularly likable but all were mysterious and magnetically creepy. I did not know what was going to happen next because so many clues were given, some of them red herrings. This is a domestic suspense book that should not be missed by those who enjoy the genre. It was slow paced for me at first, but the pace picked up, as did the action and the suspicions and my own deductions (many of them incorrect). The author is a master of weaving a complex tale and having the reader wonder where she is taking you. In this case, it was a dark and mystifying ride down a winding road and ending with a satisfying ah-ha conclusion.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Elisa Wright is a mom and wife with a triggering past. After a tragic experience, she's on edge and is currently convinced that her brother-in-law, Josh, is a murderer. When Josh's fiancee "runs away" and he starts dating someone new, Elisa is suspicious and learns more about his past relationships.

It was very hard for me to invest myself in The Replacement Wife at first but as the story progressed it got interesting and I loved reading in the POV of Elisa. I ended up binging the middle to end. I was very frustrated with the characters surrounding her because no one believed her and thought she was crazy. The end was a little predictable but I'm glad we ended up with some closure.

If you love a tale with an unreliable narrator this one is for you!

In this novel the main character, Elisa, is convinced that her brother in law is a killer. Women go disappearing around him....and no one seems to suspect anything but her. Is she on to something? Or is she unwell and on the verge of some kind of breakdown as her family seems to suggest?

This novel messes with your mind as you read, in the best kind of way. It keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out who is dangerous, who is lying, and what is real.

How many people can go missing before someone notices? Elisa is convinced that her brother-in-law is a murderer. His first wife slipped on the steps after being in the pool and she died. Now he has a fiancee that has gone missing and doesn't seem too worried about it - days later he rented a storage unit to put her things in...odd, right?

Her husband doesn't seem as concerned, or not concerned at all. She is determined to prove she is right, no matter what it takes. This was well written and kept teasing of things to come which was really great. You probably won't guess all the little twists you are in store for if you read it.

Elisa believes her brother-in-law is a murderer. She now believes that the dead wife in his past and missing fiancée in the more recent past are to be blamed on Josh. Her husband Harris and Josh's older brother seems ready to support Josh. Not only is Elisa recovering from a violent incident at work, but now she finds herself feeling nauseated and dizzy more frequently and her life seems totally out of control. Is she headed for a breakdown as her husband seems to suspect? As she attempts to unravel the facts regarding the two women who are gone from their family, she discovers more complicated facts and confusing allies. There are some great aha moments in this book as well as twists and turns in the plot. The pacing seemed off, however, and the whole workplace thing seemed to be a distraction rather than a help to the narrative. I did not enjoy this one as much as Pretty Little Wife, but I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book from Darby Kane.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

How do you go form loving your brother in law as your own brother to thinking he is a murderer? Elisa, our main character does just that. She becomes suspicious after her good friend and Josh's girlfriend goes missing without a trace. She cannot believe she would leave without talking to her. Josh already has a new women on the scene and there seems to be something not quite right with her. However, when you are suffering from PTSD and on medication for it, it seems as if your allegations can become easily discredited. Elisa will not give up on her suspicions which lead to a climatic scene. I loved this one--5 stars for me!

Kane really messes with the reader’s mind with this new thriller. Sometimes I questioned my own mind, based on what I was reading. Elisa is determined to discover just what has happened to her brother-in-law’s women, who seem to keep disappearing. Now some new women have appeared. Elisa has her own demons to battle as well. It’s an absorbing read and will make readers question every single character.

Elisa and Harris are both a little painful, but I've read worse (and recently). The larger problem is that the plot alone doesn't have enough oomph to get the reader past the mediocrity of the characters.

Now this is my kind of domestic suspense novel!

Elisa Wright is your typical suburban mom and wife living a nice, quiet life. But due to an incident that put her life in danger at her previous job, she’s been more anxious and on edge as of late. To make matters worse, her brother-in-law’s fiancée has gone missing without a trace and Elisa now suspects Josh might know more about her disappearance than he’s letting on.

When Josh starts dating someone new, Elisa digs deeper into Josh’s past while befriending his new girlfriend. What she finds is that her husband and brother-in-law haven’t been as forthcoming about Josh’s former relationships as she thought ,and she is convinced now more than ever that he is a murderer.

The suspense factor in this book was dead on and paced so perfectly that it kept my attention until the very end. Once I started picking up on hints of where the the story was going, I became more and more impressed with how the plot was laid out. I have to admit, the author kept me in the dark on one major secret, and I was so blown away that she kept it hidden so well until the very last chapter. Well played Ms. Kane!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4194941298

Sometimes you just need some light, escapist fun that pushes the limits on suspending your disbelief. I was ready for a book that you just accept and don’t over analyze whether or not it’s realistic. In my opinion, I could believe that our main character suspects her brother-in-law, Josh, of being a serial killer. It’s not been an easy time for Elisa, she misses her friend, Abby, who is also Josh’s girlfriend. Elisa just can’t believe that Abby would disappear without a trace and without saying goodbye. Her husband, Harris and her son, Nathan, are the lights of her world, but a devastating incident the previous year already has Elisa on edge and self-confined to her small family bubble. As she tries to decide if she’s overthinking things or if she should upend her family by getting the police to look more closely, secrets are coming to light which make the situation even more dangerous. But is Elisa’s instinct correct or is she losing her mind?

Elisa Wright is recovering from a tragedy when her brother in law Josh starts dating Rachel. She is concerned. Rachel seems nice enough, but Josh has a history of partners who disappear. Or die.

This book was pretty darn suspenseful, as you believe the main character the entire time but no one else does. Everyone thinks she’s crazy and she barely has any support. It’s hard to read at times. As the secrets emerge, you become more and more wise to what’s going on until it peaks at the end. While I did suspect the reveal, it didn’t curb my enjoyment at all. This was a quick and entertaining read… great for the holidays if you want a page turner.

“Fair? He couldn’t possibly understand what that word meant or he wouldn’t use it. The dead women had a right to talk about fairness.”

The Replacement Wife comes out 12/28.

Where do I even begin with this book? "The Replacement Wife" leaves you questioning whether the narrator, Elisa, or the people around her are unreliable. She's overcoming a traumatic event and believes that her brother-in-law is not who he seems (newsflash: he's not). As she struggles to get those around her to listen, she finds herself unable to trust herself, her judgments, and even the love of her husband.

The ending was a twist that I didn't expect. Part of it was a little predictable, but I am amazed at how Kane ended the story. The characters are all questionable (except for Shelby). I practically devoured the book in nearly one sitting.

Dark and twisted. A fast paced domestic thriller with an unreliable narrator. This book was an entertaining read that kept me guessing.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my e arc in exchange for an honest review. THE REPLACEMENT WIFE comes out December 28 2021!

TW: gaslighting, past trauma surrounding a shooting, emotional/mental abuse, knife violence (stabbing), death of spouse, murder, drowning

This was my first book from this author and I really enjoyed it! (Cue me going to my bookshelf and picking up Pretty Little Wife now). It was full of suspense, so many twists and lies… not to mention a dead wife!

You are made to feel bad for the main character, Elisa. At least, that’s how I felt. She has just gone through a traumatic experience, and now suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and doesn’t like to leave her house. Now, her brother in law is messing with her, making her seem paranoid and that she can’t be trusted. While I’m not a fan of a women’s mental health/break being the “twist” on a thriller, the author doesn’t do that here. She highlights just how wrong it is to take advantage of a person’s mental state just to cover up your own lies/mistakes. Elisa wants to move on from the traumatic experience she went through, but also find out what happened to her friend. She should not be made out to be crazy. By the end of the book, she fully takes accepts that it’s okay to ask for help (therapy), and that she shouldn’t be allowed to be taken advantage of. She stands up for herself, and shows how strong she really is!

The only really complaint I have, is that the book ended with loose ties… meaning we are left to wonder what happened to certain characters. Sometimes I like loose ends, other times I like things tied up in a nice bow… this was a time who would have liked all the questions answered.

Still a great read, fast paced and will leave you on the edge of your seat at the end! So intense the last few chapter!! I highly recommend this book and this author!