Great story, compelling twists, gobsmacked in the end! Thank you Netgalley, St. Martins Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was the first book I've read by D.J. Palmer and it definitely won't be my last! It was a really enjoyable thriller that kept me guessing right up until the end. Mike Hart and his wife Natalie have big plans for a fun weekend in New York City with their young son and daughter - an opportunity to blow off some steam and reconnect with the family. Natalie has been stressed and suffering from terrible insomnia, which has recently put a strain on the marriage. After checking into the hotel, Mike runs out to pick up pizza for dinner, but when he returns, his wife and kids are missing. He quickly learns from hotel security footage that Natalie took the kids and jetted under her own free will. She won't answer any of his calls and he is stunned to realize that she has been planning her escape for some time. Over the course of the book, we slowly uncover both Mike and Natalie's backgrounds and her motivation for leaving. The end twists and turns in directions that I never saw coming.

I thought the inclusion of insomnia was a great device - it's hard to guess if Natalie is a reliable narrator or if her lack of sleep is clouding her judgement. I liked her character a lot as she wrestled with some tough decisions and risked everything to keep her kids safe. I loved the starting setting of the Marriott Marquis. I stayed there a few years ago so I enjoyed envisioning the characters there for the book's opening. I thought the pacing was great and I like the alternating POV and timelines.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance copy of the book - all opinions are my own.

4.25 stars
This entry by Palmer is definitely a solid suspense read.
We meet the Hart family on the day every thing changes and journey with them as the tale unravels.

My Wife is Missing is a plot driven story, so the character development more or less skims the surface (it works here) and with the set up of the story there is always a question element. Did we really see what we thought we saw….

Told in dual point of view, getting to see inside both Michael and Natalie as the story unfolds adds to the complexity. Mr Palmer also uses flashbacks and memories very well so that the why’s start to make more sense as the real time action takes place.

I was kept guessing as this story happened. Each time I thought I knew something is was wrong (at least partially). The thing that kept this from being a 5 star read for me was the secondary character, Kennet, his back story and involvement just never fully gelled for me. He’s a great vehicle for the story, but he was also a bit of a thorn in my paw.

Overall, this is a unique read that would keep a reader engrossed and entertained.

He’s done it again-another ballpark home run! D.J., Your books are so cleverly researched and well written! I thoroughly enjoyed this read! Thank you to St Martins Press, D.J. And NetGalley for the review copy!

Michael, his wife and two kids head to New York for a vacation. Naturally the kiddos are hungry and tired after their trip so, off goes Daddy to grab some pizzas. Surprise, when Daddy-Michael returns, his wife and kiddos are gone. They’re suitcases also gone with his son, Bryce’s teddy bear left outside in the hallway. His only clue. Why would his wife disappear on him? Has her insomnia truly gotten the best of her mentally?

I did not see the ending coming, it completely left my jaw on the floor! I love love love D.J.’s ability to lead you down a cutoff only to find out you were meant to continue down the road. Suspenseful, well written and I didn’t figure out whodunnit until the end..as it should be! Five stars for this gem!

Unfortunately I tried a couple times to get into this but nothing clicked. The writing seemed a bit off and also this seemed very long.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book! I've been looking forward to this title for awhile now and this one did not disappoint! I really enjoyed it and could not flip through the pages fast enough! Can't wait to read what Palmer comes out with next! :)

My Wife is Missing is the third book I’ve read by DJ Palmer and I swear, he gets me every time!

I was fortunate enough to be able to read and listen to this and the audiobook really ramped up the tension for me because I became thoroughly invested in Natalie’s plight and really sus of the motives of some characters that I should have been trusting.

As usual, Mr. Palmer jumps right into the action and it just doesn’t let up. Michael’s wife is missing but is she really? As the story moves on it becomes clear that Michael’s wife Natalie has her reasons for wanting to disappear but are they valid? If you ask Michael, she’s suffering from delusional Insomnia but then again, Michael isn’t known for his honesty these days.

What follows is a twisty journey of cat and mouse that I really enjoyed. Yes, some is a bit unbelievable and takes a bit of a leap but this is exactly why I read fiction! I want to be entertained and entertained I was! I loved the twists at the end and I felt fully vindicated by one that I actually figured out! Go me!

Narration: Karissa Vacker narrates and she is becoming a favorite of mine. She has a melodic voice and I’m amazed at how smoothly she transitions to other characters. Bonus? He child voices don’t grate and that is saying something! Well done!

My thanks to @MacMillan.Audio and @StMartinsPress for the gifted ALC and DRC for review.

D.J. Palmer has written another first-rate domestic/psychological thriller to be devoured by readers.The adage "things are never what they seem to be" surely hits home in this book as we follow Natalie on a fear-ridden escape from her husband....who she has become deathly afraid of. Natalie and Michael plan a get-away vacation with their two children to New York, where Michael feels they will be able to work on fixing trouble-spots in their marriage. But New York is where Natalie begins her escape-plan with children in tow. The twists and turns from when we find out why Natalie is so afraid of her husband that she can no longer sleep at night....to the tumultuous ending where everything she has learned becomes topsy-turvy brings non-stop action and discoveries will make
readers finding the book hard to put down. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #MyWifeIsMissing #NetGalley.

Secrets, lies, adultery, murder, insomnia, hallucinations, LGBT content. A woman running away from her husband with her two kids because she believes that her husband is a killer. A husband looking for his wife that ran away with his kids, believing that she's hallucinating due to insomnia. A dead girl, lots of secrets, lots of guessing, and an unexpected but weird ending.

I did not like the ending at all. It was an intriguing book that kept me guessing the whole time but that ending wasn't good. I expected something more reasonable. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a story! If you like psychological thrillers, this one is for you.
Michaels wife and children are gone? Where are they? This two point of view narrative takes us through their past and present.
Great read!

DJ Palmer can really twist and turn a story so much that you can’t put it down. Michael and his family take a trip to New York. Michael was very surprised when his wife Natalie suggested it, as she has been suffering from insomnia that has left her barely able to function. When Michael returns from picking up pizza, Natalie and the children are gone, and he is frantic. The story is told from alternating points of view from Natalie and Michael. Their stories are vastly different and leaves the reader wondering who is telling the truth. This story pulled me in almost immediately and kept me interested until the surprising ending.

Also reviewed on B&N under 1IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

The publisher provides the blurb, I give my opinion as I don’t want to spoil the book for anyone.
D. J. Palmer has done it again. He has written a psychological thriller that grabs the reader from the start. There are many twists and turns leaving the reader to wonder what’s next and what’s real.
Now, after reading My Wife is Missing, Saving Megan and The Perfect Husband, I am a D. J. Palmer fan. His style of writing, his characters draw the reader in and gets them invested.
I highly recommend this book as I do those I have read before. As I said I am a fan because of his writing, story telling and characters.
Thank you #Netgalley and #StMartinpress for approving my request. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

I thank St. Martins Press for sending me the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’d been reading a lot of psychological thrillers when I received this copy in the mail and I took a break for. The genre before starting this one. And it was worth it.

Michael while on vacation with his family, finds that his wife is missing from the hotel room along with their children. The search leads to conclusion that she may have left willingly.

Natalie with her insomnia result in hallucinations and difficulty in distinguishing between reality and imagination. Michael has his own secret that made Natalie escape, but what’s the reality?

Extremely convoluted that will keep you on toes and probably make you finish in one sitting, this is an amazing book written by the author.

***4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account***

"Natalie took one more look in the mirror, noticing how the dye from her hair had bled onto her scalp. To her eyes, it looked like a prelude to her murder."

Whew! It has been awhile since a thriller has stressed me out with its intense chapter cliffhangers and divisive relationships but My Wife Is Missing by creative calculating thriller author D.J. Palmer is a primary example on how to do it right.

The premise is on vacation to NYC Michael comes back to the hotel room from getting pizza to find his wife, Natalie, their two young kids, and their luggage gone. All that remains is Teddy, his son's beloved raggedy teddy bear.

The police say it looks like she left on her own but Michael does not understand why until he is back home and finds the note to Natalie about his affair. Still why run? Why not fight? Kick him out? Go to counseling? Oh no! Unless she find out about his past, his secrets, and who he really is to the world.

Natalie is unhinged. For months she has suffered from insomnia. She is forgetting things, has tremors, and a bit paranoid. Something is going on with Michael. She just knows he's cheating but when she follows him she realizes the cheating isn't the worse of it. She needs to take the kids and disappear.

One of my favorite narrators @karissavacker
made this story more real for me. Natalie's fear and panic was understandable rather than whiny and Michael's worry for his kids and wife completely sincere.

I know you think you know where this story is going and you would be wrong. Michael isn't who he says but he is not who you think he is either. It won't take long to get to the end, to the whole truth. You just may need to remember to keep breathing between the chapters.

I received a free copy of this book and audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

D.J. Palmer's thriller, My Wife is Missing, gets five stars from me based on one simple fact. I lost an entire day of chores, work, etc. because I HAD to finish the book to find who did what to whom. My familiarity with this genre is limited, and I may set the bar rather low. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and never came close to guessing the resolution. I did find the wrap-up a little slick and a bit too good to be true.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. Despite losing precious work hours, it was a pleasure.

My Wife Is Missing is the exciting new thriller from D.J. Palmer. The plot moves quickly as the story is alternately told by Michael and Natalie. Michael thinks he is on a family vacation to New York with his wife Natalie and their young children Addie and Bryce. When Michael returns to the hotel room with pizza for his family he is stunned to discover they are gone. From viewing hotel CCTV Michael learns that Natalie took the children and was picked up by a driver at the hotel. Natalie is protecting her children from Michael and the horrible crimes she believes he has committed. Natalie has been suffering from insomnia for months-can her thought process be trusted? Michael admits he is keeping secrets from Natalie, but doesn't understand why she is running from him. This novel is filled with great characters and interesting twists. A definite must read!

okay wow this book was a roller coaster I had no idea what was happening the entire time

I went into this one blind (highly recommended) & all I knew was that … michael’s wife was going to go missing lmao 😅

what progressed in the plot line was a typical secret life I don’t know who I married type of story, except it kept me so intrigued! I wanted to know who would get away with their secrets and whose past life would get blown into pieces!!

and then it all came to such a satisfying conclusion … and then I noticed I was only 85% through the book LOLOLOL I WAS FOOLED FOLKS

I knew it couldn’t be too easy, and I was right - I won’t give any spoilers but it’s definitely not over until it’s over with this one!! so so well written!

this was my first book by palmer and it certainly won’t be my last!! such an intriguing domestic thriller!!

thank you to st martins press and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out now!!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: finger lakes cabernet franc

This was a decent thriller. It centers on a family that includes father Michael, Natalie the insomniac mother, and their two children. Their marriage is sadly on the rocks, so the family takes quick vacation to NYC in an attempt to mend it. Natalie has been suffering with terrible insomnia which is one of the obstacles they are facing (it becomes a little repetitive how many times it is mentioned). Natalie and the children disappear from the hotel room but eventually it is revealed that she left of her own volition. Michael, obviously, is then determined to find them and also find out where & why they are gone. The story has a lot twists in it and as each is revealed, the turns changed my allegiance to Natalie from Michael, where it was initially. There was quite a bit to follow and the book is very long too, but when it finally ends, the outcome is a little bit unexpected. Not enough to make it an outstanding thriller, but all together a good story.

The Hart family heads to New York for Spring Break. The father, Michael, leaves to grab dinner for everyone. When he returns, his wife and two young children have disappeared. But they weren’t kidnapped. Why did his wife leave without him? Where is she going?

Hooked from the beginning, the mix of dual timelines and dual POVs kept the story moving for me. There is a bit of repetition around the wife’s insomnia and its impact on her, but it wasn’t enough to bother me.

My Wife Is Missing is full of characters hiding something, revelations related to secrets — old and new, and a battle with insomnia. This fast-paced, twisty psychological thriller kept me engaged and guessing throughout. I enjoyed this one and recommend it to those who enjoy surprising twists and an entertaining, suspense-filled read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this voluntary review are my own.

I spent the beginning part of the story thinking I was so darned smart and that I had it all figured out. To the point of being just a tad bored to be honest. But then, things started twisting and turning and taking deep lefts instead of rights and once again, I thought I figured it out. In the end, there were some great twists that although I may have pinpointed a person of interest, I never saw the actuality of it coming. THAT is the mark of a good thriller. The epilogue left me a bit perplexed but all in all a good twisted thriller.