This book caused a serious case of sleep deprivation as it was nearly 1.30 and I was at 90% (according to my Kindle).
I had to end it as I was holding my breath and was on the edge.
I read the last 10% as fast as I could and read the rest very fast. To be honest I read it in one evening.
You can think I'm rambling but it's the best way I can find to talk about a twisty, fast paced, and compelling book.
There's a lot of surprises in this book and you never know what to expect.
There's an evolution in Josie's character arc and we meet some people from the past.
I loved how Josie and Noah faced a group of people who are full of secrets and everyone's got a hidden agenda.
I think it's the best I read in this series so far but I'm sure there will be more to come.
Loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this arc, all opinions are mine

Fantastic. I love this series, it gets better with each book. A fantastic storyline with a great set of characters. I look forward to reading more

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this excellent book

whenever you read a book of this high quality it is a joy read and lisa regan has done it again

this book captures the essence of what a book should be about, captivating, heart stopping and gut wrenching and all in 394 pages of adventures

you wont be able to put this book down....

so many lies and quite a few victims before all the truth comes out....and the twists and turns just dont stop

will be keeping an eye out for the next josie quinn book

The wife of a local TV personality is found brutally murdered in their home on their anniversary, a puzzle box clasped in her hand. No one can understand why anyone would kill this bright, beautiful woman. This tv couple seemed to have the perfect marriage, but was it all an act? When the husband's assistant turns up dead shortly after, it is clear that this charming husband is hiding some and he needs to come clean before more people get killed.

Josie Quinn is on the case again and this one had me guessing until the very end! I did not have any clue who was behind these murders. Is the husband bad or is he just a guy that's been in front of a camera too long? Another excellent addition to the Detective Josie Quinn Series.

Another 5 star Josie Quinn novel. Regan’s characterization continues to intrigue while the storyline and police procedural remain highly addictive.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #bookouture for the ARC of #TheInnocentWife which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

I was stoked to receive a copy for review purposes. Now at the time of submitting my request, I didn’t realise it was part of a series - much less the sixteenth book. Fortunately, I encountered no issues in following the story. After my experience with The Innocent Wife, I have a strong desire to read the previous books. In The Innocent Wife, Regan delivered a page turning edge of your seat read which keeps the reader guessing to the very end.

In the Innocent Wife introduces Claudia and Beau Collins. Claudia and Beau are ‘relationship experts’ who became famous after their book became a number one bestseller. Because of the fame, they now have their own television show and podcast. Things appear to be going great for this celebrity couple until someone murdered Claudia. The question on everyone lips centered around who would want to murder such a lovely lady. The thing that made the case intriguing was the calling card the murderer left behind, a puzzle box. 

Detective Josie Quinn and her husband Lieutenant Noah Fraley begin their investigation into murder and the significance of the puzzle box other murders occurred. The victims of these murders bore a connection to Claudia, and similar puzzle boxes were also found near the bodies.

As one goes deep into the story, one cannot help but wonder at the motive for the murders. Did it involve a disgruntled client, a jealous husband or did it have anything to do with the victims’ past? Throughout the investigation, events occurred which acted as a trigger for past trauma in Josie’s life. At this point, her vulnerabilities came to light. Also, her ex-fiancé assisting with the investigation provided insight into another aspect of her past.  

The Innocent Wife was a thrilling read from start to finish. Not an easy book to put down. There were so many questions and the need for answers kept the reader glued to the pages. With the presence of many suspects, lies told and plot twists, figuring out the identity of the murderer provided a challenge. One thing was for sure: revenge fueled the villain’s actions.

The story ended in a shocking but satisfying fashion. The fact that even after the story ended, I kept going over the events in my head showed how much of an impact it had on me. I truly enjoyed my introduction to the author’s work and look forward to reading more of her books.

The Innocent Wife is the sixteenth book in the Josie Quinn series by Lisa Regan. This is my favorite book in the series and that is saying something as I've loved each book! Lisa Regan does a masterful job of weaving together a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. There are many suspects as each body is found, but it is impossible to guess right with this one!

Beau and Claudia Collins are relationship experts who have many fans and have written books, have a practice seeing patients, and have a very popular tv show. They give people advice on how to make their relationships more intimate. They believe playing games to get closer to your partner is the way to go. Everyone thinks their marriage is one to envy, but is it? Are they as happy as they seem on tv? They are celebrating their anniversary with a big party at their house and the film crew is coming to tape it for their tv show. Everyone was supposed to show up at a certain time, but everyone is running late. Why? When Beau and his assistant arrive, the door to the house flies open, and Claudia's assistant runs out screaming and crying. She arrived and found the dining table decorated beautifully, the food ready, blood everywhere, and Claudia seated in one of the chairs at the table. Unfortunately, Claudia was covered in blood and very dead. Who would do this to such a beloved figure?
Beau us absolutely devastated at the sight of his wife and all of the blood. A puzzle box is found in Claudia's hand. What's the significance of that and what's inside the box? The puzzle box is something the Collins' couple use in a game to test the strength of your relationship.

As Josie, Noah, and the Denton police do their best to discover the killer, more bodies are turning up. They are all related to Beau Collins and the tv show. Why do Claudia's missing wedding rings end up on the hand of the second victim? Why did Claudia introduce herself to Josie using her maiden name? They met about a month before her murder while Josie was Christmas shopping. Josie really liked her as she put herself in harm's way to protect Josie's god son. At every turn, Josie and the team can't make sense of any of it. Everyone seems to have an alibi and the killer seems one step ahead.

This book is fantastic and will have you racing through it to see what happens next. I can't recommend The Innocent Wife highly enough. Get this book, put time aside, and enjoy every minute! I rate this book 5 stars and I put it in my top 3 books read in 2022! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review. #TheInnocentWifeJosieQuinnBook16 #NetGalley #Bookouture #LisaRegan

I love it when I don't know who or why. There were some red herrings here and I loved how it all fell into place towards the end. This story had me from the beginning, even not liking most of the characters had me enthralled...who would be next to fall?
The perfect couple in this story are perhaps not so perfect. Lies and secrets, all will be revealed.
This story is not the norm I think for this series, though I haven't read them all yet. I loved every moment though and read the book straight through this lazy Sunday afternoon.
Brilliant, I'm looking forward to the next story.

The Innocent Wife by Lisa Regan
Detective Josie Quinn #16

Excellent addition to the series focusing on the police procedural aspects rather than personal and romantic happenings of main and supporting characters. This book is standalone worthy but will definitely be richer and more interesting if you have read the previous books in the series.

What I liked:
* Josie: homicide detective, married, had a difficult childhood discussed in previous books, happily married to Noah, competent, professional, good at her job, someone I would like to call friend
* Noah: police lieutenant working with Josie and her husband, loving, kind, supportive, bright, protective, patient, perfect for Josie
* Getting to see how the people that work with Josie are doing
* The plot, pacing, writing and conclusion
* The twists, turns, red herrings, and ultimate determination of who the bad guy(s) were
* The introduction of Luke and K-9 Blue the bloodhound – see a future for them in the series
* Wondering what will happen next in the series – eager to find out
* Being able to truly dislike the evil doings and what they did

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that there are people who are as evil as those in this story

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

A fan of the series, this one was odd man out for me. Somehow it felt a bit rushed, word choice and phrasing off a bit, but the end was good. I like complicated messes as long as I can understand them and this mess made sense. Getting there, however, was a bit a struggle for me. Even the conversations between Josie and Noah felt weird. They felt like caricatures of themselves, as if that is even possible. Regardless, this series is still a favorite of mine. Hopefully the next one brings back all the energy and engagement I love!

The Innocent Wife by Lisa Regan begins with a flashback of a woman saving a little boy. Detective Josie Quinn remembers her when she turns up dead a few months later, but realizes she is not who she said she was when they first met. This book is very quick-paced and exciting. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers and I was left guessing as to who the perpetrator was. I have not read other Detective Josie Quinn books, but I'd read another! This book was 4-stars for me as it was not anything overly life-changing, but it was a solid read that I liked and would recommend to others. If you are searching for a good mystery read that will keep you engaged, pick up The Innocent Wife by Lisa Regan.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Regan, and Bookouture for an Advance Reader's Copy of this e-book. All opinions are mine alone.

The Innocent Wife by Lisa Regan is the sixteenth in the series and Josie Quinn keeps getting better and better, although the people in the town for which she is a homicide detective keep getting worse. This was a particularly gruesome serial killer who started off his killing spree with a wife preparing to celebrate her fifteenth wedding anniversary. The people involved with her were her husband, her personal assistant, and her receptionist, all of whom found themselves dead in the following days, apparently all by the same murderer. The dead woman and her husband were local TV personalities preparing to go national. They were counselors, primarily marriage counselors although Claudia was the only of the pair actually working as a counselor. Her husband, Beau, mostly managed their other enterprises: a book, a podcast, social media, et al. He had phoned. He was going to be late. In fact, all involved were late. That gave the killer the opportunity. But, it appeared the killer had moved her from the kill site: the kitchen, to a dining room chair. Nothing appeared to be missing except her wedding and engagement rings. The more Josie and Noah investigated, the more convoluted this perfect marriage became. The more Beau lied, the harder it got to follow the leads.

Luke, Josie’s former fiance, entered the picture. He has had a complicated life but is trying to rejoin society. He’ll never be a policeman again but he and his dog have been hired as consultants. His dog, Blue, was not only friendly, but could find any body, dead or alive. In fact his proved his worth moments after he was hired by finding a lost little boy. He proved very valuable in this murder case and Josie’s initial discomfort disappeared as she saw more of him. Her relationship with Noah is more solid than ever and at only one point, inside a dark cave, did any of her neuroses make an appearance. This crime and the investigation turned out to be brutal, with Josie only one of those hurt in the process. It was an exciting read, one for which the solution was so complicated, it had to be explained, rather than discovered. I love Josie Quinn.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Innocent Wife by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #LisaRegan #TheInnocentWife

This is one of those books that will keep you guessing as to not only what will happen next but also who is behind the killings - or the "game" as the killer calls it. There were so many surprises that even after a day my mind is still processing everything that happened.

It should be no surprise to anyone that the lives of people from a reality show aren't exactly as they are portrayed to be on their show. But how infuriating for the police when they realize that Beau is either lying to them or at a minimum not being entirely truthful. On a personal level, Josie and Noah have to deal with the fact that her ex-fiancée, Luke, has been hired as a consultant. His dog Blue has completed training in live finds and cadaver.

This story is a such a great addition to the series. If you love stories where you can't guess at the ending, this is the story for you. The only question is, where will the next story take Josie?

Talk show hosts Beau and Claudia Collins, give daily advise on relationships. The next airing will feature their 15th wedding anniversary dinner, but Claudia is found murdered sitting at the dinner table waiting, a puzzle box in her hand. Next day her assistants’ body is found also clutching a puzzle box.
Is this a targeted against their show? Their private couples counseling practice? Josie and her team race on to find the killer before he strikes again.
Another “hold on to your seat” installment, twist and turns you don’t expect.

Another 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 addition to the Josie Quinn series. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - if you like police procedurals with a strong female lead character and you haven’t read this series, you are seriously missing out!

Thank you #netgalley and #bookouture for another fantastic eARC.

Lisa Regan will blow you out of the water with this one! I don't know how she does it, but Josie Quinn keeps getting more intense and deeper! (and that's saying something... this Series is one of my all-time favorites!). Beau and Claudia Collins are local television personalities, hoping to be national soon. When their on-camera perfect marriage is shattered with Claudia's murder, Josie and her team know there's more than meets the eye. So many twists and clever turns that are typical with Ms. Regan's book, The Innocent Wife will have you up well past your bed time! This is a must read (if I haven't convinced you already). Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this book - the opinions expressed are my own.

A power couple sells their brand of therapy yet why is the wife dead on their 15th anniversary? Why will 2 more people also die who are associated with them? Jo Is in the thick Of the case, along with Noah and the crew. A former lover of Jo resurfaces to make things interesting as well.
I had my mental notepad open and scrawled notes furiously while Jo and Noah hunted down clues, canvassed Denton, and bounced ideas off each other.
Noah made a couple of comments that displayed his possessiveness towards Jo and his devotion that made me feel weak in the knees.
Their disastrous attempts at cooking made me laugh and was a lighthearted touch in a narrative full of deceit, lies, bluster, and scheming.
Each time I thought I had the perp narrowed down, Regan broadsided me with more clues and possible culprits.
There lots of pieces to this puzzle, but never fear, Denton’s finest cracked the case!!

Claudia Collins has been found dead by her husband Beau. For anybody looking in they were the perfect couple, yet Claudia was murdered and the murder was a violent one. More than that, as Detective Josie Quinn and her husband Lieutenant Noah Fraley begin their investigation one of the first things they realize is that Claudia is found holding a small wooden puzzle box in her hand.

Other murders take place in quick succession and those victims also are holding a similar wooden puzzle box in their hands as well. Will Josie and Noah be able to put these puzzle pieces together in order to solve these murders?

As the husband is always considered a suspect in a case like this, Josie had a lot of questions for Beau. This case is a bit different because Claudia and Beau were marriage counselors as well as television personalities. Could their brand of marital counseling be behind Claudia’s murder? In fact, while Josie is working hard on this investigation, personal trauma from her past tries to force its way through. To further cause Josie stress, hert former fiancé Luke joins the investigation and his presence opens another window into Josie‘s past.

Sixteen books in with this amazing series by Lisa Regan! With revenge being the backdrop for this installment, with more than one viable suspect and lies at every turn, this was an intense read from beginning to end. For a book that simply cannot be put down, look no further. The twists were intriguing and I was pulled in from the very start, and the intensity never let up. Factor in a sharp personal edge, and The Innocent Wife was a compelling read.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/ow0Klfzz5R8

A welcome return of Detective Josie Quinn in a case that had me baffled til the end. Beau and Connie are the golden tv couple who appear to have it all but when Connie is found brutally murdered on their anniversary, Josie finds things aren't always what they seem. With her usual dogged determination and the support of her dedicated team she peels away the layers of window dressing and gets to the reality beneath. Fast paced , multiple red herrings and a killer playing a deadly game with real lives as the pawns. Superb!

It should come as no surprise by now, but Lisa Regan has done it again. She masterfully weaves mystery, suspense, and heart into one pulse pounding roller coaster ride. This latest installment in the Detective Josie Quinn series is perfection.