A serial killer is murdering men on a small island. Stella has a passion for solving crimes and teams up with a policeman friend to give insight on the crime scenes. Things go crazy when she starts to suspect maybe her husband could be the killer. Decent enough book but had so many things thrown in...a little hollow.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Stella, a true crime fan, has found the man of her dreams. She is married to David, who she finds to be the perfect match for her. Soon he begins to be a little controlling, especially after they learn that she is pregnant. This becomes a little unsettling to Stella, and she begins to wonder how well she knows her husband.

What is also unsettling is that men close to Stella are being murdered. Stella has a way of talking herself into being at the crime scenes due to her friendship with one of the investigators. I get that she is a true crime fan and loves trying to figure out whodunit, but I had a hard time with the believability on this. How is she allowed to be at crime scenes? How is she allowed to see the dead bodies? How is she able to tag along? Why does no one else on the scene have an issue with this? What about the possibility of damaging evidence? There are times when I can overlook certain things in books, but this just seemed implausible.

This was a mixed bag for me. The husband, David, is controlling and secretive and gives off an untrustworthy vibe, and Stella has no trouble manipulating her way into a murder scene but doesn't push her husband on things that matter. I found myself shaking my head way too many times while reading this book.

This book did have drama and a shocking reveal that I did not see coming at all. That was a shocker.

Overall, an okay read that had me shaking my head too many times. Many are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.

When I first started reading this book i thought it was kinda slow to start. Once it got about half way through to started to pick up.
It is about a controlling husband who i thought def gave a vibe of Something to hide. I thought i had it figured out but didnt after it picked up.

Good Read and def worth it.

I did not enjoy this writing style, it just wasn't for me. It sounded as though the author was trying too hard to sound 'intelligent'. Some of the vocabulary did not seem natural. I also found it was a bit predictable and was not completely surprised by the ending.

This book is a thriller about a controlling husband who definitely gives off "I'm hiding something" vibes. At the same time, a serial killer is on the loose and in Stella's mind, all signs point to the killer being the husband.

I'm really sick of the 'police involve a member of the general public in a murder investigation' troupe, but it was over the top ridiculous in this book. There are men being brutally murdered and the lead detective is letting the main character see the crime scenes and go talk to witnesses with him? If it happened once or twice maybe I could have let it slide, but it was with every single victim, so it was hard for me to overlook.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it was just a bit too ridiculous for me.

If you enjoy serial killer reads…. this one is for you! This book had all kinds of twists & turns. I had no clue who the killer was until closer to the end & a few times I totally gasped! The author pulls you in from the beginning & you don’t want to put the book down finished.

Totally recommend!

At first I thought that this book was a bit predictable and that I had figured the ending out early. However, this author delivers thrilling and shocking blows that left me spinning. As per usual, this author always delivers and never disappoints.

I really struggled with this book about half way through it was a bit far fetched but I didnt give up and carried on and I'm glad I did once I carried on I got into it. I got it completely wrong it was too focused on David and Dalton and I think that's why I struggled and it was the parts where Stella could go and visit a crime scene of a murder I was thinking we'll that would never happen.. it was a good story in the end and glad I finished it.

4 stars

The Hollow Husband is full of suspense which kept me wanting to read on, I really enjoyed it, can't wait to read more by this author

This is the second book I read from this author and I loved it ! Told from Stella's POV throughout, I thought I had it figured out since the beginning as the victims start piling up. But wow, I didn't see the twist at the end ! It broke my heart and at the same time, it was a great ending. Thanks for the dad's comment about pregnancy, that made me LOL. Totally recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

My inner devious child peeked out this week and I got a bit jealous ! Whoa! I would love to say that is unlike me but who am I kidding. I can be a jealous brat 🤗

So, I saw “The Hollow Husband”, literally break bookstagram this week and of course I didn’t want to feel left out so I requested it on Netgalley .

Cue the little magic ding ding in my inbox and I see my big ole eyes get wide as I stare at my approval ! Yay ! I’m still a cool kid !

Now, who has a punching bag for me to borrow ? I want to murder David! You bad bad boy ! You weren’t spanked enough as a child .

This is a book with character you love to hate! Filled with twists and turns at every corner the amount of suspense kept me on edge the entire time ! I flippin’ loved this book!

So, what did I do ? I ordered a copy of The Hollow Husband . This little firecracker of an author sure does know how to write one hell of a suspenseful thriller .

Five Stars, duh ! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Teaser :

Stella has finally met her dream man. But is David too good to be true?

Stella Greene has finally met her dream man. David is wealthy, successful, polished, and seductive. He’s got her back when an angry ex comes to call. He shares her taste in everything from wine to music. Her parents love him.

The couple are thrilled when Stella falls pregnant. David has always been attentive, but now that Stella is carrying his child, he becomes downright controlling. He claims he’s only worried about her and the baby. But Stella becomes fearful. How well does she really know her husband?

Meanwhile, there’s a serial killer loose in their small resort town, murdering young, attractive men. A fan of true crime stories, Stella takes a keen interest in the killings and soon finds herself drawn into a darker world than she ever imagined.

When men linked to Stella are the next victims, she begins to fear that someone close to her might be the killer. Could it be her beloved husband?

Her doubts only grow when she sees a sketch of the killer. He looks a lot like David.

Shocked and disbelieving, she hides her fears from David. As she goes hunting for the truth, she begins to suspect David more and more. Will Stella’s worst fears be realized? Is she married to a serial killer and carrying his child?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book overall! It had elements of suspense and tension that kept me fully immersed all the way until the end.

Omg omg omg!! I love Cole baxter so always have high hopes but this one just blew me away. What a book! It's your typical thriller with twists and turns as expected. It's got a good pace and the characters are just so real! It has this really unnerving tension built up throughout that kept me hooked. Its got a few layers and multiple plotlines which was also interesting and I just loved every second. I did have questions about why Stella would be allowed into a police investigation and onto crime scenes etc but who cares, its a fiction and made for an amazing story!

Stella and Dave fall in love with both thinking they have found the perfect partner. Once Stella becomes pregnant, Dave begins to unwind and grows more sinister as time goes on.

Add a serial killer, an ex who is a stalker and Stella's need to be an amateur sleuth and you get a book that is an edge of your seat thriller.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hollow Husband by Cole Baxter was a thriller packed with nail-biting suspense! I loved it! It kept me hucked from the beginning to the very end and made me constantly guess - who was behind all this? Once I started I could not put down until the very end!

I loved the main character Stella - ambitious, clever, logical, and self-aware. She knows what she wants and is not taking things just because they come. She is successful in her marketing career and advanced in her hobby - trying to sort out cold crime cases, but this time is an active case and a serial kiIIer is out there! Stella is keen to help but will this put her in danger?
Her husband David is supportive at the same time Stella struggles to separate the line between caring and controlling. Things get complicated when dark secrets from his past come out and Stella must question everything.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for this book! I enjoyed it so much!

**ARC received from NetGalley** This book completely had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the twists and turns and I felt that it was beautifully written. The only things that I would add would potentially be a dual POV as it would have been so interesting to see it from the husband's perspective, but otherwise this read was great! I am definitely going to look into other potential books from this author!

This was a fun read about a young wife with an obsession for amateur crime sleuth who gets involved with a serial killer case whilst trying to deal with her on going pregnancy and the early stages of her marriage. As secrets and lies start to become clearer can she trust those closest to her?

Rating: ★★★★☆

"The Hollow Husband" is a gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a rollercoaster of suspense and uncertainty. Stella Greene believes she has found her dream man in David – wealthy, successful, charming, and attentive. However, as their relationship progresses and Stella becomes pregnant, the facade begins to crumble, revealing a controlling and increasingly sinister side to David.

The character development in this novel is exceptional. Stella's journey from blissful happiness to growing fear and suspicion is portrayed convincingly. The transformation of David from a seemingly perfect partner to a controlling and potentially dangerous individual adds layers of complexity to the story. The author skillfully explores the theme of trust and the idea that the person you think you know best might be the one you know the least.

The inclusion of a serial killer subplot in their small resort town adds an extra layer of tension and intrigue to the narrative. Stella's fascination with true crime stories draws her into this dark world, blurring the lines between her reality and the chilling events happening around her.

The pacing is well-structured, keeping the reader engaged and eager to uncover the truth. The story's climax is particularly intense and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The doubt and suspense surrounding David's potential involvement in the serial killings create a sense of unease that lingers throughout the book.

While the concept is compelling and the execution is solid, some readers might find certain elements of the plot a bit predictable or reliant on familiar thriller tropes. Nonetheless, the overall narrative is well-crafted and satisfying.

In conclusion, "The Hollow Husband" is a thrilling psychological thriller that delivers on suspense and intrigue. It's a story of love, doubt, and the sinister secrets that can lurk beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect relationship. Fans of authors like Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, and K.L. Slater will find this book to be an engaging and suspenseful addition to the genre.

This book was very easy to read.

There was a lot going on (a stalker ex boyfriend, a serial killer on the loose, a mystery around David’s Dad and Stella's best friends abusive ex just to name a few!) but it was still really easy to follow and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. Everything that was going on all tied up in the end with some unexpected twists and turns.

I'd recommend this to anyone that enjoys a fast paced thriller.

This is the third book for me by Cole Baxter and this is definitely the last.

The book "I will find you" by Cole Baxter is almost identical to this one so the same review applies.

The characters are superficial, the story is superficial. There is really nothing likeable about this book unless you are into shallow and superficial books with undeveloped characters and random events. I wish the author stopped writing from the first point of view when the main character lacks intelligence and there is nothing more painful than reading stupid person's inner thoughts (sorry for my French!). The author tried really hard to tell us how smart and talented the character was but someone who has written so many books by now should know that it is not about tell but show.

The story really does not make much sense, there is no mystery, only random sadistic crimes thrown at you. They were really unnecessary for a good mystery book unless you are a sick person. Nowadays, writers seem to be compelled to give you trigger warnings over smallest things abut not gruesome crimes.... interesting.

The ending is predictable - of course she gets all his money and lives happily ever after. And please, can we stop with the usage of "sweetheart" and "baby" by a husband. What grown up person in a mature relationship speaks like that? .

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange of an honest review.