Never Trust the Husband by Jessica Payne. Thanks to @bookotoure for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You look happy in your wedding pictures despite ignoring warning signs. Now you’re dead but I won’t stop until you’re avenged.

I read this in two days and lost count of all the twists! I enjoyed the back and forth between POV and timelines. Jessica Payne keeps me guessing and always has my full attention!

“Because they will not get to continue walking free while you will never walk this earth again.”

I will read anything that Payne writes, even if it was a grocery list on the back of a receipt!

This is such a fun domestic thriller that will keep you turning the pages to find out the murderer. Payne knows how to lead a reader astray while sprinkling a few breadcrumbs throughout as clues. Payne is the queen of red herrings! I did catch on to the one clue later on but it was such an enjoyable read that still had me gasping at the reveals. So many unexpected twist and turns that will leave you wondering how did I miss this!

****Many thanks to Bookouture, Jessica Payne, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this book, with my honest review below*

This was such a great thriller with many twists and turns! None of the characters are especially likeable but that kept the tension up. We follow dual perspectives of Madeline and Rebecca, past and present respectively, and both were intriguing, sharing just enough to keep you guessing throughout the novel. The plot focuses on what - and who - led to Madeline’s disappearance in the past and suspected death. While this is a tale of revenge it’s also a who dunnit, and I loved the ride! I recommend this for anyone who wants a thriller they won’t be able to completely guess the end of.

This was a twisty, fun read and a new author for me.

I loved the book was based in Seattle, and some of the characters just weren’t likable. There was a dual POV with Rebecca and Maddie and their different experiences. It’s a medium paced thriller but there is always a lot going on . With so many twists & turns you never know who are you going to believe. I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by this author but I’m definitely checking out her other books.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Jessica Payne for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for a review. Never Trust the Husband is released on March 5th, 2024.

What an amazing, chilling, delicious psychological suspenseful thriller! What a wild ride!

This story hooked me from the very first sentence to the very last one. A newly married woman goes on a hiking trip with her husband and friends and it ends with her getting killed. Why? Is he a monster behind the facade of the seemingly perfect man or is there something more at stake? Who wanted to hurt Madeline and why? The reveal is more chilling and shocking than you'll ever imagine and it just goes to show you can only ever trust yourself.

Thank goodness something a bit different! This read certainly kept me on my toe's. Twists and turns galore and i really didn't guess the end. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy. Big five stars from me.

3 years ago, social media influencer Madeline Hughes died while on her honeymoon - an outdoor backpacking adventure with her new husband and closest friends. Did she really fall or was she pushed? Hmmmm…. 🤔 “With friends like you, who needs enemies?”

Now - her husband and best friend are engaged and someone from Madeline’s past is back to seek revenge. Told in 2 POV’s and timelines between Madeline 3+ years ago (her love story with Benji 💕) and Rebecca, who will do anything to find the truth and avenge Madeline’s death.

I’m torn with how to rate this book. It was a good story and definitely one of the better domestic thrillers I’ve read, but I was disappointed to have guessed some of the major twists long before they happened. It felt like the main protagonist was wearing a large neon sign over their head flashing ‘it’s me!’ 😬 Maybe I’ve just read too many similar style stories to give this one it’s just due. I really think most people will like it, which will play a part in my rating. Also, I genuinely DID like it, but it was never a can’t put down thriller for me. 😔

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up - I really do think most people will love this book, but for me it missed the mark. I’m not gonna completely penalize it for that 🤷‍♀️ Also, it was well written and the chapters were short and easy, fast reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

If my first read of the year is anything to go by, 2024 is going to be such good reading year! And after reading and loving The Good Doctor and now Never trust the husband, this will also be the year I dive into Jessica Payne’s backlist.

Madeline had it all - money, looks, friends and finally love with handsome, charming Benjamin. Except instead of a happy ending, her story tragically got cut short on her honeymoon. Now 4 years later, Benjamin is engaged to Maddy’s best friend Gwyn. And someone is determined to infiltrate their lives and find out what really happened to Maddy on that mountain.

If you love cat & mouse style tales (and I most certainly do, especially when half the time it’s not clear who’s the cat & who the mouse) you will want to get your hands on Never Trust the Husband. I loved the dual timelines, complicated past & current friendships, revenge driven plot and Puget Sound descriptions that made me want to visit Seattle. Did I guess a few things? Sure (inevitable when you consume a lot of thrillers) Did I still have a blast reading this story? 💯

This is the kind of read you’ll want in your beach bag or on a cold winter day curled up on a couch for some uninterrupted mind escape time! All I can say is @jessicapayne.writer you keep writing them & I’ll most certainly continue to read them because I’m most certainly a fan!

A huge thank you to @thrillerbookloverspromotions @bookouture & @netgalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book started out with a bang, It gripped me right away and had me struggling to put it down. However, it got a little long in the middle and the twist was a step too clever and super unbelievable. Overall, the premise was interesting, but I wish the pacing had been a little better.

I enjoyed this book really well.
From the beginning when the death takes place and then alternative chapters from two characters telling one story from past and one from future.
Only that past story seemed a bit more than required when I was reading but maybe it would have been a clue to the final reveal.
Though I understood the final reveal when the first suspense was revealed maybe author wanted it to be revealed who knows.
But still liked this book
It kept me on toes.
It's a good book.
Many creative ideas in story.
Would definitely love to read more from the author.

Thanks to Netgally and Bookouture publishing, I was given the opportunity to read this book before it was released to the public. This one absolutely kept me on the edge of my seat and I was in a constant battle trying to figure out who was writing the story. I love books like this that keep me guessing and pull me in from the start. The characters were suspicious and charming so my mind was in a continuous battle with which team I was rooting for. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last.

This book was jaw dropping. I could not put it down. I was sucked in from the beginning. There are so many shocks in the story that made me want to continue reading. Definitely a five-star read! This is definitely a new favorite author of mine! I cannot wait to dive into more by this author.

Thanks netgalley for this terrific story really enjoyed it.
Madeline thought she had married the perfect husband, but he was not perfect at all and he got away with her murder,


Benjamin and Gwyn lived in her house she watched from the shadows and wanted revenge and was determined saw was going to get it.
Never guessed the ending of this book it was terrific.

I absolutely loved this book. I choose many mystery books via Netgalley that has many starting or new authors and it is rare when you come across a book that gets you so involved.

Great writing, great twists. If you love mysteries and who has done it, this is an excellent choice. The author knows how to build the suspense every single chapter and it is such a great built up. I didn't see the twist although I read a lot of mystery books and often can see through the story, but not this one. So I was very pleasantly surprised that the author managed to fool me.

Thank you Netgalley for introducing me to this author and for a free copy in exchange of an honesty review. I cannot wait to discover what else this author has written. Thank you!

This story sucked me in right from the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I wasn't expecting that many twists and turns but I enjoyed them a lot! Great book!

Great suspense book. The writing kept me engaged. I feel that there was a little too much Gwyn when ultimately she didn’t matter to the end of the story. I was surprised my most of the twists.

Wow! Never Trust The Husband is a thoroughly entertaining and compelling read. The writing is stellar, the pacing is perfect, and the characters are interesting, whether they're likeable or not. I became totally invested in the protagonist's quest to find Madeline's killer and enact revenge. This strong and determined woman isn't squeamish in her quest for vigilante justice and doesn't back down. I liked that she has guts and unshakable determination and I rooted for her in every scene.

I love reading about strong women, even when I need to suspend my disbelief and put my personal moral code on pause for a story. After all, this novel is written for entertainment. And entertaining, it is! No spoilers here, so you'll have to read the book to discover the twists, turns, red herrings and mystery solution. Never Trust The Husband is well crafted and would make a great movie. Don't miss this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

A quick and enjoyable read full of twists that’s hard to put down. The book is written in the perspectives of two characters - Madeline (4 years ago) who was murdered days after her wedding day and Rebecca (now) who desperately is trying to figure out who the killer was. Her main suspects - Benjamin, Madeline’s husband and Gwen her best friend who are now engaged to each other.
I thought I had figured out a few twists early on however I’ll happily admit I didn’t have it all figured out.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a psychological thriller and I look forward to reading more from the author.

This was a good book- very addictive and easy to get swept up in. I absolutely loved the short chapters and alternating timelines. It was a bit of of slow burn until about 60%, and then it took off but in a great way. My only issue was that I was able to predict the first twist at the 60% mark- and then the twist after that at about 85/90%.
Still, it was quite fun and kept me entertained.
Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wealthy social media influencer Madeline Hughes was pushed off a cliff just days after her marriage to the handsome and seemingly perfect winery owner Benjamin. But looks can be deceiving, and maybe Benji isn’t as on the up-and-up as he looked, considering he’s now engaged to Madeline’s former bestie Gwyn. Although no one was ever arrested for what happened to Madeline, a mysterious woman named Rebecca is convinced that Benjamin or Gwyn had something to do with it, and she’s keeping them under very close surveillance. After all, you know what they say when a woman meets up with foul play, right? It’s always the husband.

The talented Jessica Payne takes the revenge thriller and turns it on its head! Who is Rebecca and what does she want? What secrets was Benji hiding? Who might have wanted Madeline dead? This twisty tale is fast paced and chock full of red herrings and misdirection to keep you guessing. The secret to Rebecca’s identity is a stunner, but Payne doesn’t stop there – she keeps bringing the action with even more twists to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end!

Perfect for fans of The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding and If You See Me by Audra McElyea! Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for providing me an advance copy of this book.