This book screamed “Ripped from the headlines” or “Tonight on Dateline…” to me! The constant twists and subtle breadcrumbs kept me guessing where the ending would lead us. Elisa had the perfect life with the perfect family- until her future sister-in-law disappears! With one dead wife and a missing fiancé Elisa is positive her brother-in-law is a murder. Finding the truth means Elisa must dig in places she isn’t ready to explore.

2.5 stars
Honestly, I'm a little stuck with this one. I couldn't decide between two and three stars, so we'll split the difference here. The premise is what got me - wives keep mysteriously dying or disappearing when they're linked with the same man? Count me in!
I was so hooked on this book until the last 1/4. As Harry Bosch says, there is no such thing as coincidences. The end of this book seemed to contain a TON of them. There's nothing I dislike more than a trapdoor ending and that's basically what this was. I also felt like Elisa deserved more than the ending gave her. I am super disappointed in this book, as I loved Darby Kane's first novel so much.
I would not recommend this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

I loved Darby Kane’s first novel and I couldn’t wait to read this one. Unfortunately this book dragged on. I couldn’t stand any of the characters and Elisa just got on my nerves. Sorry this was a miss for me.

Ah, I sure did enjoy this!
Elisa thinks her brother in law, Josh, is a killer. He has a dead wife and a missing fiancé, and you’ll never believe this, a new girlfriend? She has plans to get to the bottom of this before anything happens to Rachel, the unsuspecting girlfriend. Get ready for manipulation, gaslighting, family drama and anxiety.

Elisa, the narrator ( an unreliable one at that 👀) went through a traumatic experience herself, and now suffers from anxiety which makes this book even more interesting

Although the ending wasn’t as groundbreaking as I hoped, it still had those “oh my god” moments and kept me intrigued. Keep this on your radar!

I was interested in the premise because I love these types of thrillers but ultimately, this book wasn't for me. It was far too slow and felt like nothing really happened other than repeated gaslighting. Speaking of, gaslighting happens throughout most of the book, which is fine but the main character had no other characteristics other than being mentally fragile. I didn't connect with her or any other characters. Finally, the ending was unsatisfying.

Although this book wasn't for me, I would love to read more from this author.

Elisa is convinced her brother in law John’s is a murderer, with one dead wife, a missing fiancée - and he now has a new girlfriend. That’s the setup for The Replacement Wife, a rollicking, twisty thriller that hooks you from page one and doesn’t let go. As Elisa learns more about Josh, the suspense ratchets up with each new detail, throwing the reader into a frenzy as things get murkier. Literally couldn’t put this one down until I finished. Quite a ride, five full stars! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

This was a fast paced read that kept me guessing. I enjoyed it!

This book is the exact definition of gaslighting. It was so good, so smooth and effortless, that I was astounded. I read from the author that this book was inspired by the true crime documentary, The Staircase, and how fitting. The twist is what really got me; Darby Kane is masterful with her twists. It’s an easy one day read - even if you have a busy toddler or a migraine - and I highly recommend it.

What an interesting psychological thriller! I can't say much without ruining the book for those who have yet to read it. Every little thing that happens in the story leads to the ending. The characters were fully developed and the pace was spot on. The most amazing thing is how submerged I am while reading this book. I can see the character's movements as well as their facial expressions; as if, there's a movie playing in my head. Hmm..that sounds a little psychotic. It's the way Darby Kane writes these dialogues that brings these characters to life. There's something very alluring about the way she writes. There are no over descriptions that help propel the story. It's just the pure dialogues and actions that help move along the story. A definite must-read.

Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First you think it is one person, then you think it is another, and then you second guess all of your thoughts.

I liked this book for the back and forth of trying to figure out who is narrating a few of the chapters, but I didn't feel connected enough to the characters to really care. I continued reading just to find out who the "bad guy" really was in the storyline.

For me, this was an okay book. I have read much better thrillers with more of a wow factor, but this will keep those who like a little thrill happy.

This was a good psych thriller! It was mostly hard to put down, although there was a middle section that felt a bit repetitive and drawn out. And I am getting slightly burnt out with the theme of women questioning themselves and their mental health and fortitude. But there were some definite twists and unexpected moments, and the ending was strong and satisfying. I actually liked it better than Pretty Little Wife!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I would definitely recommend "The Replacement Wife". The author had me guessing 'is he guilty or not?" Elisa Wright is convinced her brother-in law, Josh, killed his fiancée. As Elisa continues to build up evidence against Josh she finds out many other shocking things. The book had lots of drama and a very shocking ending. Please read!

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elisa's brother in law Josh is a widower whose fiancee Abby, a friend of Elisa's, has mysteriously gone missing. Josh claims she got cold feet and left, but there is no trace of her. Now Josh is dating Rachel. Elisa always liked Josh, but now she is questioning why all of the women he is involved with die or disappear.

I liked the premise of this book, but it was slow for me in the beginning. Then around 60% I got more interested. Then the end wasn't as exciting as I had hoped it would be. I don't have a lot to say about this one. I liked her first novel better. For some reason I just didn't connect with this one.

The Replacement Wife jumps right into the action, which immediately grabbed my attention. While this hook could have been an advantage, after about the first 25%, the plot felt repetitive and dragged out. About halfway through, I gave up and skipped to the ending. Unfortunately, this ended up being a good decision as I don't feel like I missed out on much.

I have really been loving the domestic thriller as of late and The Replacement Wife added so well to that craving! Kane has a talent of keeping us just on the edge of our seat until the very end. The pacing of the plot moved at perfect speed. Kane is on auto read for me!

I ignored my job quite a bit to read this book, just to feel like I read the same part three times over. I loved the story, loved the twists it all had. That was awesome. Just…very repetitive

If you're a fan of the unreliable narrator, you will likely enjoy this book. There's a lot of stuff going on that makes you ask a lot of questions. At times, it felt like too much going on, and some of it was a bit unbelievable. There were a few unexpected twists, as well as a few things that made me chuckle. The ending, however, fell a bit short for me.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I may check out her other books.

I was so excited to get an ARC of The Replacement Wife since I loved Darby Kane's Pretty Little Wife. This book was really good and I got through is pretty fast! The narrator Elisa was unreliable and you were kept guessing the entire time wondering if what she was saying was actually happening. The writing style was engaging and full of twists that I did not see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

The Replacement Wife is a "killer" story, forgive my pun. A page turning thriller that will have you glued to your seat until you finish. Will be purchasing for the library's collection.

A year ago, Elisa Wright had a picture perfect life. A loving and supportive husband, a wonderful child, and a brother in law engaged to one of her good friends. But after the fiancee Abby vanishes without a trace, Elisa is left wondering why she's the only one who seems to suspect anything is amiss. Josh, the brother in law, is convinced Abby leaving was merely a dramatic way to break up with him. But surely she wouldn't abandon her friends and the rest of her life too, would she? It never quite sat right with Elisa, but the police investigation didn't turn up anything. It's not until she finds some suspicious items Abby left behind, and Josh shows up with a serious girlfriend that seems to have appeared out of nowhere that Elisa starts to suspect Josh may in fact be a murderer. After all, Abby wasn’t the first woman in his life who is no longer with us…

This was a hard one for me to read and review. I really enjoyed Darby Kane's debut and despite a few problems with it, I was looking forward to her next book. So much so in fact that I glossed over the mentions of panic attacks and a breakdown in the blurb. That is my own fault and I own that. If you are like me and do not enjoy "maybe crazy" unreliable female characters and those who gaslight them, I cannot recommend this. I was hoping this would be more about a woman slowly uncovering a mystery and less a fairly one-note main character (does she have a personality that isn't trauma survivor?) wading through panic attacks and possibly on pills she doesn't remember taking.

Reading this felt like I was underwater. And I'll give credit where it's due for that. Kane did in fact very effectively evoke strong feelings of panic, confusion, and self-doubt. This reader simply isn't one who enjoys that. I also don't enjoy characters whose actions don't make sense or bond villain style expository monologues. So I want to be fair and acknowledge that a lot of my problems stemmed from simply being the wrong reader for the book.

I found the whole thing to be predictable, repetitive, and frustrating to read. If it wasn't an ARC, I would not have finished it. Other people seem to have enjoyed it much more than me, so I'd urge you to check out their reviews as a counterpoint.

Available December 28, 2021.

I do want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the opportunity to review this title. Hopefully the next one will be a better fit!