Talk about a dysfunctional marriage! Michael and Natalie aren’t on the same page in the slightest. Natalie is suffering from insomnia, and Michael is using it as an excuse to cheat on her with one of her coworkers.

The POV alternates between Michael and Natalie. Clearly one of these narrators is unreliable, but the reader can’t tell if it’s Natalie’s insomnia driving her crazy or Michael gaslighting her. I was hooked right away by the premise, and couldn’t wait to figure out who the liar was.

The beginning and end were well-paced, but the middle dragged a little bit. I think maybe one less misdirection from Natalie would’ve been the sweet spot. The author also talked about Natalie’s insomnia constantly, and I think some show-don’t-tell could have been implemented here.

I was very satisfied by the big reveal. The ending made the journey worth it! I will say that a few threads were tied up a little too simply (a few things were unrealistic), but I liked where the author took the story in the end.

I have read three out of DJ Palmer’s four books and enjoyed them all. I would say My Wife Is Missing ranks second after The New Husband, and I will certainly be looking out for others by him in the future!

I have been so fortunate to read all of D. J. Palmer’s books as an early reviewer. Palmer is one of those authors that is going to be around for a long time because his stories have that page-turning, need-to-know quality that suspense readers love.

My Wife is Missing is no exception. From page one, the main character is plunged into a situation that makes the reader feel desperate and saddened.

Of course, the story unfolds slowly and the main character, as well as the reader, learns much more and that’s when it becomes more insidious and crazy.

I loved the multiple points of view and how we never really can trust any of the characters due to several underlying circumstances.

I did guess correctly on one murder suspect, but was way off on two other big things!

This was a fun read!

Absolutely phenomenal book. So many twists toy can't see coming a total nail bitter of a roast coaster read. The Plot was so well crafted with pulse pounding action you can't help but be emersed in this book and trying to figure out what is going on

Honestly, I was quite bored by this. It's a stereotypical domestic thriller about (you guessed it) a missing wife with an unreliable narrator. it is a super slow burn... as in nothing happens until about 50% through and the ending was not enough to make up for the first half. Tried to be like "Gone Girl" but did not succeed.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Decent twists in the end but took forever to get there.

This book starts off with a bang. Michael returns to the New York City hotel after getting a pizza for his family after a long day of travel. Things have been difficult lately because his wife Natalie has intense insomnia and rarely sleeps, leading to many other issues. They have decided to take their two young children, Addie and Bryce, on a vacation to get away. When he arrives at the hotel, Natalie and the kids, along with all of their belongings are gone. Michael is sure they have been abducted, but the more that he and the authorities look into the situation, it appears that Natalie has taken the kids and run. Why would she do this? There are hidden secrets from all angles, who is telling the truth?

We flash back and forth between the past and present, and learn about the different things each of them are hiding. My main problems with this book have to do with its length and the unlikable characters. We never know until nearly the end if Michael is actually guilty of everything Natalie thinks or if she is just sleep deprived and paranoid--or if it's somewhere in between. That actually would have been ok had there been something in between to bolster the story rather than endless speculation and paranoia, but the storyline just circles and circles for a long time before actually going anywhere.

The chasing and chasing gets SO old, Natalie on the run is just tedious and got very boring to listen to/read after a while. At a certain point I just honestly didn't care whether or not Michael had cheated, because Natalie was so whiny and annoying (and I hate hate hate cheating in books so this is a big deal for me to not care!) Michael wasn't a saint of a character either, but he didn't bother me as much as Natalie.

Overall, when the twists are revealed, I did figure out one of them ahead of time, but they were still decent. This isn't my favorite book by this author, but it wasn't terrible either. I listened to this partially as an audiobook and Karissa Vacker did a good job with her narration. It wasn't nearly as whispery as some of the more recent books I've listened to her narrate.

If you're looking for a thriller and can handle unlikable characters and a bunch of repetition, this one does have some redeeming qualities in the end.

My Wife is Missing is a twisty (and twisted!) new read from DJ Palmer, author of thrillers extraordinaire. This one had me turning pages at warp speed to figure out what exactly had happened to make a seemingly happy wife run away in terror from her husband. Five stars!

This book hooked me from the very beginning! I knew that nothing was going to be as it seemed but I had NO idea what was coming! When Michael can't find his wife and kids on their vacation, his world starts spinning out of control. Did she run away? Was she taken? Or worse?

I loved how easy this book was to read/listen to as a I did some of each. The pacing was great and I never found myself bored or wanting it to be over (rare for me with thrillers). The last 25% or so of the book was just twist after twist after twist!

I enjoyed most of the twists but some of them were a little over the top for me. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this one as a quick and fun read to satisfy your thriller fix!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this book prior to release. This will be available for purchase on 5/10.

Finding the Truth

This book has more twists and turns than a winding country road. Just when you think you have it figured out..you don't. Do we really know someone..a good friend..a loved one? What secrets are kept and what lies are told?

This book is exciting and suspenseful throughout the book. You start reading and you won't be able to put it down. It moves at a fast pace from the start and keeps you wondering until the end and then it really throws you a twist.

A family vacation, a missing family and a man determined to find them no matter what. Michael goes for pizza and returns to an empty hotel room with everything gone, his family and all their luggage. Then the search begins. The hotel footage shows Natalie leaving with the children. Why would she leave him and where did she go? Does she know his darkest secret?

Natalie, plans the escape from her husband. She has found out a horrible secret he has kept from her and is now frightened of him. She is running away to keep her children safe. What is really the truth? Is Michael really guilty or is it her imagination brought on by her insomnia?

The story is told from Natalie and from Michael's viewpoints, and Natalie goes back and forth from before she left to present time. It is very easy to follow.

I enjoyed reading this suspenseful escape and I would recommend it.

Thanks to J.D. Palmer for writing a great mystery, to St. Martin's Press for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me to read and review. All thoughts and comments in the review are my own.

My Wife Is Missing is a very suspenseful read. A couple with 2 kids goes on vacation to NY and everything gets turned upside down. The husband returns from picking up pizza to find his wife and kids have vanished. Their luggage is also gone, but the son's favorite teddy bear is laying in the hall by the hotel room door.

The wife is suffering from severe insomnia and hasn't been herself. The husband is worried that she's not thinking clearly or that they've all been kidnapped.

As the story unfolds and you find out details leading up to the disappearance you won't be able to stop reading this book. I had to know what happened and why. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Palmer's writing style. I'd like to thank Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for giving me an advanced copy of this gripping book! (less)

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Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced e-copy of this book.

This is a psychological family thriller. I love these books and I enjoy D.J. Palmer as an author.

Michael and Natalie Hart are having some marital issues. They have two children and both work full time. Michael has a convoluted past, one that he tried to erase and it seems to be coming back to haunt him. While he tries to keep secrets, his wife is conveniently dealing with severe insomnia. This fact is repeated quite often throughout the book so she becomes a very unreliable narrator of sorts. The book is written from both Michael and Natalie's perspectives, so that is nice, but makes it hard to really like Natalie because her insomnia makes her behave oddly.
This book does take the reader on quite a twisty ride. In my opinion everyone acts suspicious. That is a good way to throw the reader off of what is really happening. So while I figured out who didn't do it, I was shocked by some of the twists this book took. I will say it w as a long read, but it went by fast.

I didn't like the repetitive part of some things, like the insomnia for one. Some of it just seemed a little far fetched for me. However, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PUBLICATION DAY: May 10, 2022

Natalie is missing, along with her children Addie and Bryce. Her husband Michael is frantic with worry, he knows she’s been having trouble sleeping, but what could possibly have prompted her to leave? Michael cooperates with the police, doing his best to find her…but has he been honest about everything? Or is there something in his past that he’s been hiding at all costs? And what caused Natalie to run?

PROS and CONS:
It’s not you…it’s me. I just don’t care for books where the narrator is frustratingly unreliable…and Natalie, with her much described case of sleep deprivation, is a difficult heroine to get on board with. Having said that, there are lots of twists and turns and an ending that is very satisfactory.

READ IT?
Plenty of psychological thriller fans will love this one!!

4 Stars

Michael Hart returns back to his hotel room with take out, only to find his wife Natalie and his children, Addison and Bryce, missing. At first he thinks they are just exploring the hotel, then discovers their luggage is gone. His son's teddy is found and Michael worries they have been kidnapped. We learn that Natalie had planned to leave Michael for sometime, but why?? Told in alternating chapters before she disappeared and present day, we get a look at Natalie and Michael's point of view.

This was one of those books that once you start, you have a hard time putting down. I was highly invested right from the beginning and when you get to the reason why Natalie left, you will be surprised! This was definitely a page turner for me and I would highly recommend MY WIFE IS MISSING.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book but I dnf’d at 25% .

Neither the writing, characters, or plot were for me.

Since I did not finish the book, I will not be reviewing it on social media

I love fast paced books and My Wife Is Missing by D.J. Palmer is just that!!

Natalie and Michaels marriage is in trouble. Natalie suffers from insomnia and the affects from having little to no sleep for weeks on end is starting to take its toll on her and her marriage. Sex is non existent and Natalie is positive that Michael has had an affair. Natalie decides they all need a vacation and off to New York they go. She sends Michael out for pizza and when he returns Natalie and the kids are gone. The only thing he finds is Bryce's teddy bear.

Michael initially thinks his wife and kids have been kidnapped and eventually calls the police. The police show him the video tape of his wife and kids willingly leaving on their own. So Michael has to face the facts that his wife has left him. But why has she left? Is it the affair she is certain that he has had or is it something more??

What follows is a roller coaster ride with all of its ups and downs and twists and turns. Yes, it can be a little annoying being told so many times that Natalie has insomnia, but I think that you are supposed to be annoyed...just like Natalie is annoyed that no one believes her, that she is delusional. I think the author wanted you to feel what Natalie is feeling!

I will say I figured out most of the book pretty early... I knew the who but not the why or the how, so it was pretty exciting to watch this book unfold! So exciting that I finished this book in a day! 4⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and D.J. Palmer for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ughh. This was not it. I'm probably being generous with three stars to be honest.

I really had high expectations going in based on the 5 star reviews, but it quickly became apparent that it was not going to be one for me. I was bored. There was no edge of the seat, nail biting, turning the page quickly moments. It was long, drawn out and repetitive. The main character has insomnia making her an unreliable source. That doesn't always bother me, but it did this time. It was focused on so much throughout the book.

The book felt very predictable while reading. Also, various scenarios felt too farfetched to be believeable for me. I will say, however, the huge plot twist at the end was not predictable and I wasn't expecting it to the end the way it did. I would have liked more plot twists throughout the book to keep my interest though.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

A family vacation turns into a nightmare for Michael Hart when he discovers his wife and two children have disappeared from their New York City hotel room. Horrified, he fears they've been kidnapped. Are her fears about Michael valid or a symptom of her condition? But who can she trust when she can't even trust herself?
This is a well written, fast paced story. The novel alternates between Michael and Natalie's POVs. Secrets and a tangled web are revealed. I have read DJ Palmer's other book and have enjoyed it too. I can't wait to see what DJ Palmer comes out with next. If you love thrillers, then you will love this book. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy for an honest review.

This is my fourth book by Mr. Palmer, and each story he writes is unique and fascinating in its own way. My Wife is Missing was very intriguing to me, because as a mother and wife myself, I was very curious as to why a wife would suddenly disappear with her children the way Natalie does in this story. What could the circumstances be that would cause someone to make such a drastic decision?

I was drawn into this story right away, not sure whether I felt more sympathy for Natalie and what she was going through, or for Michael who was grappling with this sudden gaping hole in his family and not understanding what exactly was going on.

I could empathize with Natalie to a certain degree, but at the same time she made a lot of questionable decisions that had the potential to do more harm than good to her children. And Michael certainly had a ton of secrets that I was dying to see uncovered and worried the closer we got to the end of the book that we wouldn't get them. But we do eventually get them, after so many things go wrong because of incorrect assumptions, lack of communication, and huge trust issues within their marriage.

My ideas about what had really happened and what all the secrets were completely ping ponged back and forth the more I read. The guesses I was making fell in the vicinity of the eventual truth, but way on the outside of it, so I was at least heading in the right direction.

I felt satisfied and happy with the conclusion of Natalie and Michael's story, and deeply grateful to Mr. Palmer for the included epilogue that answered my most burning question throughout the book. Being the greedy reader I am, I really wanted a certain aspect of that question to be included in the epilogue, but I feel confident that resolution I wanted is going to take place as the events in the epilogue continue off the page.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I loved this book! Domestic thrillers are my favorite sub-genre, and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed the twists throughout and it had me guessing up until the very end. I also liked how the author gave the different perspectives with the husband and wife and different time periods. I highly recommend this book to all my fellow thriller lovers!

Hot damn! This book kept me up all night. I couldn’t put it down! I also couldn’t figure out which way was up. I couldn’t decide what to believe, who to believe, what was true or not. I didn’t see the end coming and admit I found it rather disappointing, but everything up until then was terrific. DJ Palmer is one of if not my most favorite author in the domestic psych thriller genre.

Book Review: My Wife Is Missing by D.J. Palmer
Published by St. Martin's Press, May 10, 2022

★★★★☆ (4.0 Stars)
Mixed

Evidently influenced by his father, medical thriller novelist cum physician Michael S. Palmer, M.D. (deceased), author Daniel James Palmer regaled his readers with heavy-hitting five-star gems in "Saving Megan" (2019) and "The Perfect Daughter" (2021), both gripping psychological thrillers based on extraordinary medical conditions: the former, "Munchausen syndrome by proxy" buttressed by a shock ER scene which singlehandedly set the tone; and the latter, "dissociative identity disorder" equally brilliant with an unforgettable courtroom finale.

Enter highly anticipated "My Wife is Missing" (2022).

A man with a past carries a piping hot Broadway pizza back to his Times Square hotel - and finds an empty room. His insomniac wife and two children had vanished...

No medical mystery this time, but as intermittent first person voices walk us through flashbacks and aftermaths pre- and post the "escape from New York", we find a trail of love, infidelity, deceit, intrigue, inanity, topped up with crimes of passion - decades apart.

Complex. Twisty. Buttered up a bit over the top. A wholly unexpected ending but far from seismic.

Not at its best vintage but still good to the last drop.

Review based on an advanced reading copy courtesy of St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.