The Hollow Husband is one of the best books by Cole Baxter that I've read yet! This book is such a twisty turney read that kept me on my toes until the very end.
We follow Stella, who's madly in love with her husband David, but is he too good to be true? Stella's best friend tries isn't convinced he's as good as he seems, but Stella won't hear a negative word. When Stella becomes pregnant, David begins to change, but not in a good way. When a serial killer begins targeting good-looking men, including men, that Stella knows alarm bells start ringing. Especially when footage of someone who looks just like David appears on the news! Secrets begin to unfold, and nothing is what you expect! This was such a good read and kept me hooked from chapter one.

This was a decent read. A few pieces were a little *unbelievable* (like a detective letting a friend look through a crime scene before CSI got there, and sharing details about an active serial killer case), but it was an enjoyable read. A bit graphic at times, but I feel like it was necessary to draw a full picture of just how gruesome these murders were. Stella and David are married, David has a twin brother Dalton. David doesn’t want to talk about his past, his dad is voluntary in an asylum, and his mother was murdered. When their little town starts having a few gruesome murders, Stella starts to do some amateur sleuthing and try to get to the bottom of it. People around her start going missing, or end up dead, and she starts to wonder if her husband or brother-in-law may be involved. Her suspicion grows once she finds out she is pregnant, and David starts to go overboard with controlling her every movement.

Absolutely love this author now and really has me wanting to read more and more. Absolutely brilliant author.

I really wanted to like this book. There were some good elements such as a twinship (who doesn't like a book with twins in it?), a serial murderer, and an amateur sleuth. But the dialogue was stilted and there were sometimes too many details that seemed like they were just there to flesh out the book. It was a quick read with some interesting twists, just not as tight as I would have liked.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance reader's copy.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #InkubatorBooks for the ARC #TheHallowHusband by #ColeBaxter. I found this book very intriguing and captivating with the murders, the coincidences and the ending I didn’t see coming a mile away. Highly recommend.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Unfortunately, I DNFed around chapter 6. (Anyone who finished this, let me know who the killer was, I have my hunch and I wanna see if I’m right).

I’ll start by saying I wanted to like this book. It sounded so interesting. I love a good murder mystery, and the dynamic between two closely intertwined characters when one is suspicious and untrustworthy. (I’m looking at you, Scream (1996)).
Pretty early on, I could tell this wasn’t the book for me. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a new favorite for someone else. The writing style wasn’t gripping me the way I hoped it would, which made it hard to get invested as I read.
I think the second or third chapter would have been a more gripping opening for the novel, still allowing for plenty of introduction to our characters and their inner workings and the world Baxter built. Maybe there’s good reason we start the novel in the spot we do, with David keeping a loving hand on the small of Stella’s back, as a metaphorical leash, or the introduction to specific characters becomes important later. I wanted to keep reading to see if that was true, but I was not feeling invested in the story itself so much as I wanted to understand the writing mechanics Baxter used and what made it work or not. Going through the first handful of chapters, I honestly just think this may have come out a lot smoother, and more enticing as a thriller, with another few rounds of edits.

The hallow husband by Cole Baxter.
Stella has finally found her dream man or has she? A killer is on the loose. Could the killer be close to Stella?
A brilliant read. I do love this author. Another cracker of a read. What a twist. Didn't see that coming. I did like Stella. 5*.

This is a typical "popcorn" thriller - nothing too dark or exciting, but one that's sure to be a hit with the mainstream. It was pretty predictable and the author was very clearly pointing you in one direction in an attempt to mislead you. I found a few things very implausible....What kind of person doesn't Google their new amore in this day and age? And a detective letting a civilian into an active crime scene? Sorry, not buying it. And the MC did some things that just didn't strike me as natural within the storyline. Overall it was ok, but I kept rolling my eyes while reading.

Stella is succeeding in life. She has a great job in marketing and a new husband she is completely in love with. She also likes to investigate murders along with her friend Alan, who is on the police force. This book is a great mix of Stella’s professional successes and her hobby. The twists are incredible and keeps the pace of the book going strong. A great book to read if you like domestic thrillers with unexpected characters.

This was my first Cole Baxter novel and I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely devoured this. I love a book that keeps you guessing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. Told from Stella’s point of view, she thinks she married the man of her dreams after leaving a relationship with a cheater. Once Stella learns she is pregnant, David becomes a controlling. Stella tells herself he is just being protective of the baby, but he might be taking things too far. At the same time a serial killer is loose in their small town. Stella is a huge true crime fan; she is friends with one of the detectives in her town who lets her look in on the crime scenes. He finds her input very helpful. Soon Stella realizes the men being murdered are all somehow connected to her. She is starting to have thoughts her husband could be involved. Can she really trust him?

Stella meets Dave and they quickly fall for each other but once Stella falls pregnant Dave grows more menacing by the second.
Throw in a serial killer, a stalker and Stella's true crime leanings and this is a good twisty tale, I though it was going one way but it veered off in another direction - great thriller.

Stella has met her dream man, David. The two are married and expecting their first child. David has always been great, but he becomes somewhat controlling once Stella falls pregnant. She understands he is just trying to be cautious, but it all seems a bit far.

While all of this is happening, a serial killer is on a rampage in the small town where Stella and David live. Stella is a huge fan of true crime stories. She is quickly sucked into these murders, trying to figure out what is going on. Stella is friends with one of the police officers on the case, who lets her in on the investigations. As more men are murdered, it seems they all have a connection to Stella. Stella begins to doubt her husband. Can she really trust him?

I have read a few books from this author. I find they are typically a safe bet for a solid thriller. Overall, this one hits the mark as well!

I enjoyed the plot of this novel. We get a domestic thriller incorporated with a serial killer storyline. Overall, this made for a super exciting and thrilling novel. It is a quick and easy read. Cole Baxter did an excellent job with character development. The ending tied up the various different plot lines quite nicely.

Some parts are a bit unbelievable. For instance, Stella is allowed to attend the gruesome crime scenes. How? This would never be allowed in real life. This is the main reason why I docked a star.

Thank you Inkubator Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest revie.w

Stella has met her dream man, David. And whilst they have only known each other a short while, things feel right. David always has Stella’s back and when her ex comes looking for her, he’s quick to have a word and cause him to back off.

All happy families, Stella finds out she’s pregnant, but then things on the island start to change- there’s a serial killer at large. Stella is a sucker for anything true crime and ends up seeing a few of the bodies with insight into from her detective friend Alan. But then David seems to take a huge interest in these cases. His controlling ways surface and Stella starts to question David’s motives. Can she really trust her husband?

I love when I think I have a book figured out and it just goes in some wild direction I didn’t see coming. I assumed this book was about an abusive husband and Stella would be getting out from under his thumb by the end of the book. Nope! This book went in some surprising directions. I really enjoyed this one and it was hard to put down. I hated one part of the ending and wish it didn’t happen. With all the unbelievable parts of the book, a happier ending would have been preferred but over all it was a great, fast paced story with a lot of twists and turns.

"The Hollow Husband" by Cole Baxter is a gripping psychological thriller that introduces us to Stella Greene, who believes she has found her dream man in David. He is charming, successful, and seemingly perfect in every way. However, as their relationship progresses and Stella becomes pregnant, David's behavior takes a dark turn, becoming controlling and possessive.

As if the strain within their relationship wasn't enough, a series of murders occur in their small resort town, targeting young and attractive men. Fascinated by true crime stories, Stella becomes consumed with the killings, only to discover unsettling connections between the victims and her own life. Doubts and suspicions start to form in her mind, particularly when she sees a sketch of the killer that bears a striking resemblance to David.

Baxter skillfully builds tension and suspense as Stella grapples with her growing fear and doubt about her husband. The story takes readers on a rollercoaster of emotions as they follow Stella's relentless pursuit of the truth, despite the potential risks it poses to her and her unborn child.

"The Hollow Husband" delves into the complexities of trust, the dark secrets that can lie beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect relationship, and the fine line between love and fear. Baxter's writing keeps the readers on the edge of their seats, turning pages to uncover the chilling truth behind David and the murders that haunt their town.

With its well-crafted plot, intriguing characters, and a sense of constant unease, "The Hollow Husband" is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep fans of the genre hooked until the very end. Brace yourself for a thrilling and suspenseful ride as Stella's worst fears come to light, revealing disturbing truths about her husband and the dangerous world she finds herself in.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I wanted so badly to like this! Unfortunately, it just didn't grip me, and the pacing seemed uneven in that it would be very slow, and then much too fast.

THE HOLLOW HUSBAND

Hmm, this book was a mix for me.

It was intriguing, though. The perfect husband, the suspicious ex, the “smart” and savvy working wife.

Those ingredients work, but it also gave a little TDTL vibes for Stella. She made some moves that didn’t feel believable.

The suspicious flashes of things in the husband’s eyes was a bit much too. Like, Stella is a crime junkie but can muster any 🧐 when her husband has flashing moments of weird expressions?

Ultimately, it’s worth reading and was different than other things I’ve read, but you have to muster through the beginning to get there.

3.7, rounded.

This book just didn't do anything for me I found it slow and as I read on I just didn't care what happened at all.Having read and enjoyed some of the authors other
books I was dissapointed by this one but you can't like them all.
Thanks to Inkubator Books and Netgalley for the ARC

Wow! Never saw that coming.

The Hollow Husband, takes off like a runaway rollercoaster for newlywed and true crime buff Stella Greene. Having a friend in law enforcement gets her front and center will some pretty grisly crime scenes and allows her insights to uncover who the killer is. The twists and turns keep coming up to the last minute, with an ending that makes it all feel just right.