I know when I pick up one of Daniel Hurst’s books, I am in for a fast-paced twisty ride, so imagine my surprise when he lulled me into a slow burn marital drama instead of a twisty thriller. But don’t worry, it all picked up part way through and kept me on my toes. I’ve read quite a few of his books and I liked this change of pace. While I saw the very last twist coming, there were a few that caught me off guard. I have to say I’ve read a few books lately that you don’t have to wait for the twist at the end. You never know where they might happen and I think that’s a plus.

You don’t read his books for the loving characters, so don’t get put off by the unlikeable couple at the center of this. Once things start to happen, you are invested to know the outcome. Not too many details here so as to not spoil anything but trust me you’ll want to know. Their dual narration allows you to know both sides of their marital woes. And at times it seems like Fern is telling you the story as a friend.

I was both listening and reading the book, as time permitted, and I thought both Sarah Durham and David Wayman did an excellent job bringing Fern and Drew to life.

I think of the author’s books as part of the popcorn thriller genre that aren’t too long, move quickly and keep you guessing. If you love that in a book, you should pick this one up.

The Doctor's Wife feels more like a domestic drama/suspense than the gripping psychological thriller it's made out to be in the blurb. There's really way too much given away in the blurb for it to be considered a suspense novel as well - maybe suspense adjacent? That said, I still enjoyed this look behind the curtain, so to speak. It has that kind of vibe for me. It feels a little like being given an inside scoop on what the neighbors are up to, and these neighbors are up to no good.
The story is told from the alternating points of view of Drew and Fern, the doctor and his wife, and you may as well prepare yourself from the beginning because these are not likable people. At the same time, I wouldn't call either of them an unreliable narrator because they're both narcissistic to the point of bragging about things most people would want to keep secret. It's not hard to figure out where things are going, but it all plays out.
The narration is done by Sarah Durham and David Wayman, and while both were new to me, I enjoyed their performances and would listen to them again without any reservations. I feel like they both did a good job with the nuance and tone of the story. I even caught myself rolling my eyes a time or two, much like I would if someone in real life were talking the same way these characters do. That "I'm the smartest person in the room" attitude comes through loud and clear, and it's exactly how I'd think Drew and Fern would sound.
So, The Doctor's Wife isn't exactly what I expected, but I still liked it and enjoyed the listen. If you like a bit of domestic drama, something akin to a Lifetime movie, then I'd suggest giving this one a go.

I loved this book - could be the narrators, could be the plot, could just be that it was so well written with all the twists and turns! All I know for certain is I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the sequel. Thank you to Netgalley and Book Outure Audio for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this amazing audiobook.

The book is about a couple who move out of the city to the countryside to liven on the beach and enjoy a quiet life. Only the deception hasn't even started to happen with this move.

Not even really sure where to begin! I enjoyed the writing style and narrators. I also really like how the reveals occurred throughout the book. I was able to figure out a large part of the twist early on however it was very well written!

Fern was an interesting character and I am not sure whether I liked her or not I definitely respected her! Drew was a total douche. Alice too. Rory also ends up being a douchy bastard.

I found the overall plot to be quite far fetched. Especially the epilogue. Honestly, the epilogue could’ve been left out entirely.

I give this 3 stars. Not 4 due to an outlandish plot and twist predictability.

EXCERPT: As the woman at the window watched the activity on the beach, she knew the body on the sand was going to be the event that turned this quiet seaside village into a hive of activity for several days to come. This isolated place was usually only frequented by local residents, delivery drivers from the nearby towns and the occasional tourist passing in and out of Scotland. Now it would be teeming with forensic experts, journalists and bystanders harbouring a morbid curiosity.
That was the thing about the appearance of a body in an unexpected place.
It demanded attention.
And it always got it.

ABOUT 'THE DOCTOR'S WIFE': He thinks his secret is safe. But she knows the truth…

My husband is a doctor. He’s smart and charming and everybody trusts him. Except me.

On the surface, it looks like I have it all – the perfect marriage, the perfect husband, the perfect life. But it’s far from the truth.

Doctor Drew Devlin is not the respectable figure he makes out to be. The reason we moved to this beautiful, old property with a gorgeous view of the sea was because we needed to put our past behind us. It should’ve been a fresh start for us both.

Except I’ve discovered my husband has been lying to me again. He’s using the power he has in his job to mess with people’s lives, and to get exactly what he wants – no matter who it hurts.

But he’s underestimated me. I’ve had plenty of time, in this big, isolated house, to think about all of his mistakes.

And my husband has no idea what’s about to happen next…

MY THOUGHTS: Which character did I dislike the most? I honestly don't know!

I initially felt sorry for Fern, until she started to reveal her true colours. I disliked Drew throughout. I could have felt sorry for Alice, but I don't. I do feel sorry for Rory. He was the true victim in all of this. He was easily manipulated by Fern, who is diabolically clever, and cold-hearted.

The story is told from the points of view of both Fern and Drew, covering both the present and the couple's past in Manchester.

Don't come into The Doctor's Wife looking for a mystery, or a 'whodunit' - you know who's doing what. The big question is, are they going to get away with it?

There are multiple twists and turns in this quick, entertaining read. There's no depth to the characters, but in this case, it really doesn't matter. I always finish Daniel Hurst's books with a smile on my face, and I certainly did with The Doctor's Wife, which ended with a bit of a cliffhanger. Normally I don't particularly like cliffhanger endings, but in this case it was the perfect way to end and leaves the reader to decide whether or not the killer gets the comeuppance they deserve.

I was lucky enough to have both an audio and a digital ARC of The Doctor's Wife for review and chopped and changed between the two media, enjoying both equally. One small point I don't understand about the audiobook narrator's roles is why David Wayman doesn't narrate all the male voices as Sarah Durham's rendition of male voices isn't at all convincing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#TheDoctorsWife #Bookouture

I: @danielhurstbooks @bookouture

T: @dhurstbooks @Bookouture

THE AUTHOR: Writer/wanderer.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing both an audio and digital ARC of The Doctor's Wife, written by Daniel Hurst and narrated by Sarah Durham and David Wayman, for review. All opinions expressed in the review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my profile page on Goodreads.com or the about page on Sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also posted on Twitter, Instagram, Amazon and my webpage

This was a brilliant story. I just love this author as he creates such atmospheric and tension filled novels. This book sure didn't disappoint. From the start, I was completely engrossed. I tried desperately to stay up late to finish this book but only managed until 1 am 2 hours from finishing it. It was extremely difficult to put down. The characters were brilliant with their stories intertwined. They were realistic and easy to connect with. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrators, especially the male voice. I loved how the story passed through the different characters' points of view and switched back to the past. It really cranked up the tension. You knew that the doctor was going to die, but when? How ? And by who ? Was the greatest mystery. That was the fun of the story. I was certainly surprised. The ending was brilliant, and it has left me wondering if the truth will ever come out or if there will be a sequel. I am hoping so.

So much praise goes out to the author, narrators, and publishers for creating such an edge of your seat, page turning novel. I just can't wait to read more from this fantastic author.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog today https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/the-doctor-s-wife-by-daniel-hurst-bookouture-4-stars under my name ladyreading365

This was a really good book. It pulled me in and had me wondering what was going to happen next. The twists and turns were great. They kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a thriller that anyone could enjoy! I would definitely recommend this book to my friends! Thanks for the opportunity to read/listen to it!

On the outside, Fern is happily married to her husband who is a doctor in Manchester. When he suddenly suggests a move from the big city to a much smaller village, she readily agrees. But she knows his secrets, both past and present, and she knows that he’s lying to her. Again. He sees Fern as a simple pushover who is easily fooled; little does he know that he’s pushing her towards a breaking point and things may just get messy.

This book was okay overall. The plot wasn’t too surprising, and it was a very slow build to any real action. Unfortunately, the prologue gave away a major occurrence of the book that didn’t happen until much later, reducing any real tension or surprise that could have been there. There were several things that felt unbelievable to me, from plot points and twists to characters deviating from their established morals/roles, which was a little frustrating. I did like the open-ended conclusion of this work though.

The story was also told from multiple POVs that were filled with redundancy; when one thing would happen in Fern’s chapter, the next chapter would be Drew’s and it would retell the same events without much new information added before getting on with the story. This repetitiveness was present throughout the work and got old quickly. It was also a little difficult to like any of the characters. This work was a good example of flawed characters (they were each doing things that were morally wrong for various reasons), which I enjoyed, but they were all rather bland. There wasn’t much personality or development to them, other than them each having their one drive/flaw, which became their whole personality.

If you’re looking for a quick, easy read that doesn’t require much thought or focus, this could be a good one to pick up. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Doctor’s Wife

Thank you Bookouture for inviting me on this Blog Tour.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook and Audiobook
Date Published: 1/31/23
Author: Daniel Hurst
Publisher: Bookouture
GR: 4.18

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bookouture and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This is a perfect psychological thriller. Gripping, captivating, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Hurst has a way of pulling you into the book and not putting it down until the last page. His storytelling abilities are absolutely amazing. Looking from the outside, Drew and Fern appear to have the perfect marriage. He is a doctor, while she is the stay-at-home wife. Drew has a secret that he believes no one else knows about. Fern has her husband’s ticket as she knows his secret. I do not want to give to much away and even cut out some of what Goodreads put in the synopsis. The narrators are really top notch, they immerse you into the storyline and you feel like you are right there in Scotland with Fern and Drew.

The story is narrated in a dual POV by Fern and her husband, Drew, I loved this aspect. Drew is manipulative, charming, and selfish. Where Fern, is the good wife, stays in the background, does things quietly. The quiet types are the ones to look out for. The characters were well developed with depth, were secretive, and creatively blended into the story. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, and just brilliant. The story starts with character building, delivers the plot in different twists, and the ending is just amazing.

I devoured this story in under 48 hours, the audiobook was truly amazing. I found this story to be less of a mystery and more of a domestic drama mixed with thriller. Still a fantastic read that I very much enjoyed. If you like Shari Lapena’s Not a Happy Family, you will love this one; while different premises, same concept of domestic thriller. I highly recommend this book in audio format to get the true effect of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the advance copy of this audiobook for review.
Daniel Hurst never disappoints. His twisty writing style always keeps you hooked and this was no different. Fern is a dedicated doctor’s wife who follows her husband to a small village with his promise of a simpler life and a new start for them. He fails to mention that this is where his former mistress has moved with her husband. This read keeps you on the edge of your seat as Fern navigates through her emotions and the news that her husband is still in touch with Alice, his mistress. The narration and writing is excellent. I would recommend this to my fellow readers.

This story has a dual POV, Doctor Drew Devlin who's having an affair with a woman named Alice, and Fern, his wife who he thinks is oblivious to the affair.

Unlike other affair stories, this book starts with Fern already knowing the affair and her husband convincing her to move to Aberness so he can follow his mistress. Unbeknownst to Drew, Fern is aware of his plans and is out to test him.

Fern was hopeful that her husband would finally put a stop to his affair. However, it seems that Drew and his mistress Alice just can't stay away from each other. They restart their affair and it is then that Fern learns that there is no turning back and decides that she has to put a stop to all of it.

Engaging, fast-paced, and entertaining, I couldn't help to find out what would happen in the end. To me, everything was ok until Drew's friend, Roger or Greg, showed up at the bar and started flirting with Fern. I don't find that part believable at all. I mean, what are the chances, right?

The two narrators are superb though and I loved listening to them.

*Thanks to Daniel Hurst, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley for my audio copy in exchange for an honest review.*

#TheDoctorsWife #NetGalley

This book is fantastic! The plot twists are epic. It’s the kind of book that sticks with you & I’ve been thinking about it since I finished it. Fern is incredibly clever & such a great character! This was my first Daniel Hurst book & it won’t be the last!

Both narrators were just so absorbing and really helped add to the thrilling nature of the book. I truly didn't see all the different twists and turns coming making this book even more interesting because every action and character was so unpredictable. I also loved the mix of small town and big city life - for me it added a uniqueness to the story.
Another aspect I really enjoyed was has the characters are. all at least minimally. morally grey with love as a motive yet Hurst skilfully leads the reader into rooting for Fern and wanting her to get justice for herself. His writing is very masterful and lets you think a lot about the psychological aspects of his characters and makes the plot stick with you. I highly recommend this if you want a good, quick mystery thriller.

Fern is a proud doctor's wife. She loves her husband Drew. and when he wants to take a step back from the busy life of a city doctor and take things at a slower pace as a small village doctor, she agrees and they move to a small village near Scotland. While she is getting acclimated to this new town and making new friends, she discovers that another younger couple had recently moved to town, also from Manchester. The only problem is, this move wasn't to find an easier life for Drew. He was chasing the woman he was having an affair with in Manchester, and SHOCKER, his mistress is the woman who has just moved up from Manchester... How will these relationships survive with all these secrets and lies.
WOW...Its really hard to like these characters. They are selfish and obtuse, and you just want to them to get caught. There were twists and it was nice to see everyone get what they had coming to them in the end. It is a dirty cheating husband, mousy (who is actually crazy) wife finds out and seeks revenge.

What a twisty story through and through!
Meet Drew and Fern, a doctor and his wife who move from Manchester to the countryside. Supposedly to enjoy a quiet life. We soon learn, that Drew has something completely different on his mind. But Fern has some "interesting" task too.
I really enjoyed not liking the main characters at all!! This might sound crazy, but it made me like this story so much: crazy and never boring at all!
Sarah Durham and David Wayman did a great job in narrating this book!
Thanks a lot #NetGalley #Bookouture Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook

I was addicted to the Doctor’s Wife! You couldn’t help but dislike Drew. He really had no redeeming qualities about him. I listened to this audio in one day because I had to know how this whole situation was going to play out! And then at the very end when you think all is good, another twist you don’t see coming hits you!

Great book, fun to listen to and I liked the storyline.

***Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

When Dr Drew Devlin suggests to his wife, Fern that they move from Manchester to a Scottish village, Aberness, to enjoy a quieter pace of life, she decides it would be a good move for them. However, Drew doesn’t know that Fern knows his secret and the real motive for the upheaval. Fern and Drew befriend another Manchester born couple, Alice and Rory.
The book is told from different peoples viewpoint and soon escalates into something a bit more dark and sinister then you first expect. A really gripping plot that you will want to consume in one sitting!

Wow revenge is sweet in this novel about a husbands affair and the repercussions when his wife finds out he has moved her to the middle of nowhere just to be nearer to his other woman. This really is a twisted story but a great listen however I really didn’t like the wife or the husband as characters at all but maybe that was the point but it was hard to feel any sympathy for either of them.

Daniel Hurst is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. In this new novel, we meet Fern and Drew. They have recently moved to a remote area for Drew to practice medicine. Fern is excited and happy because she does not have to work and enjoys her status as The Doctor's Wife. Through narration from Fern and Drew, we quickly learn that nothing is at it seems.

We open with a woman looking out of her window as the body of a dead man washes up on shore. Alternating from past to present with Fern and Drew as narrators, we find out who that dead body is and how he ended up dead. This is quick read with short chapters and a predictable plot, but just enough twists and turns to not be over the top and I loved every bit of it! Excellent narration!

Secrets and lies! Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Daniel Hurst has done it again! He knocked my socks off with this gripping and well written book. I devoured this book as I did not want to put it down. I was fully invested in the plot and swiping those pages as fast as I could.

Doctor Drew Devlin and his wife Fern, appear to be the perfect happily married couple. But looks can be deceiving, can't they? The couple has recently moved from Manchester to village of Arberdeen on the coast. When the good doctor suggested the move, he said he was looking for a quieter lifestyle, or was he looking for something else?

Oh, là là - Things are about to get juicy!

Drew has a secret, or does he? Fern knows that her husband has been lying to her AGAIN. He thinks he is so smooth, so smart but perhaps he is not as smart as he thinks.

WOWZA! I really enjoyed this book. I found it hard to put down and I couldn't read this fast enough to see how things were going to turn out. This book was very entertaining, and I loved how devious the characters were. There is a nice amount of tension flowing throughout the book.

This book played out like a moving in my mind. I loved the descriptions of the setting and characters. Speaking of the characters, they were ones I loved to hate. This was such a fun read/listen. I had both the book and the audiobook. The narrators did a fantastic job and added to my enjoyment of the book.

Hurst has become a go-to author for me. I know that I am in for a gripping and rewarding ride. This book was a gripping page turner which was so entertaining and fun.

Gripping, tense and a riveting page turner!