Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Darby Kane for an ARC of What the Wife Knew! The book was solid from the start and knew I was in for a wild ride. Addison’s no care attitude had me sold for her story. The twists also did not stop coming. I honestly had no idea where this book was going to go or how this could possibly end. I liked how the timelines would go back and forth and from his and hers. If you’re looking for a book you can’t put down and already hooked from the first page - you’ve came to the right place. This is my second book of Darby’s and solidifies my continuing of reading her books!

I'd give this a 3.5. It was good, but I definitely wasn’t wowed by it. It started off hot, and I enjoyed the plot, but ultimately didn't find myself reaching for my Kindle any chance I got.

This. Book. Was. Phenomenal.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was instantly hooked, and I’m pretty sure I have whiplash from all of the twists and turns. @hkdimon did an absolutely phenomenal job of keeping me on my toes and feeding me just enough information to think I had Richmond’s murderer pegged.

Who is Addison, exactly? Where did she get the dirt she has on the renowned surgeon, Mr. Richmond Dougherty. And what lengths is she willing to take to wreck his reputation? All fair questions that were completely destroyed when Richmond wound up dead. Murdered, actually. The story is a mess, in the best kind of way.

You should definitely pre-order it! It publishes December 10, just in time for you to snag it as a Christmas gift for yourself and your thriller loving booksties. :)

Thank you so much to the author and @williammorrowbooks for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. I am so thankful!

Darby Kane has an incredible knack for crafting antagonist characters you can’t help but root for, and this book is no exception. Right from the opening scene, I was hooked—not by a fancy opening line but by the larger-than-life presence of Addison. She’s complex, with layers that kept me interested, although, at a certain point, her character stopped evolving. That being said, the plot is what kept driving everything forward.

As usual with Kane’s work, there were plenty of twists—some I saw coming, while others totally took me by surprise. Then there’s Elias, a character who was fascinating but felt a bit underdeveloped by the end. I couldn’t shake the feeling there was so much more to him than we got to see.

Overall, this book delivers the twists and suspense Kane’s fans have come to expect. If you’re in the mood for a thriller that keeps you guessing with complex, morally gray characters, this one’s worth the read.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to William Morrow and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book as it pulls you in right away and keeps you invested in the story. It has the right balance between characters you love to hate and characters you are rooting for. I also liked the family drama and dynamic and of course the nonstops curve balls just when I knew… it changes and I don’t know what to believe and that’s what you want in a thriller.

Great book!

This was a fast read, and the beginning especially caught my interest. The story follows a quickie marriage filled with shocking twists and turns.

*The Good:*

- Intriguing premise
- Some unexpected twists

*The Not-So-Good:*

- Underdeveloped characters
- Predictable plot points
- Lackluster writing style
- Unsatisfying ending

The characters' motivations felt shallow, and their actions often seemed implausible. The writing did allow for tension and suspense, but the story just became more and more implausible the further I read.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

This was a really good thriller. Lots of twists and turns. I didn't see the end coming. I really enjoyed and read it rather quickly. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Good easy read. Writing was so descent, this was my first read by this author. I tend to find a lot of new authors in netgalley.

Absolutely addictive thriller full of drama, twists and suspense. I fell in love with this story from the very beginning. I knew there was more than meets the eye and not was I right. Addison was a fantastic character and watching her grow and transform throughout this story of lies and betrayal was amazing.

Man, I always love a good Darby Kane book - they are dependably solid thrillers, and this was no exception. It kept me guessing until the end, and threw me for a loop too.

This was a Dastardly good mystery. The story moves along quickly despite jumping back and forth from Present Day to past and being from 2 different POV. I didn't realize until I was a quarter of the way in that it was 2 different POV, which you need in order to get the full stories and why certain things are happening. The 2nd wife, Addison, was written great and in comparison to the the 1st wife , Kathryn, appears to be a good person who's being played by her own mother. While they are battling after Richmond is murdered it's quite the story to figure out who murdered him and why all the other mysterious things are happening and who in the world is behind it. If you like a fast moving mystery that will keep you guessing for sure pick up this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I am so sad to give this 2 stars but I truly forced myself to finish this novel. I have loved all of Darby Kanes other novels and was soooo excited to read this one. Unfortunately, there was way too much banter for me, the twist wasn’t as twisty as her usuals and I guessed pretty early on who the murderer was and what the plot was.

Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks for an advanced readers copy of this title via NetGalley.

A prominent doctor is dead. Was it an accident or was it murder? If murder, was it his wife? And, if so, which wife? Kathryn is his first wife. High school sweetheart. Beloved by the community. And the second wife? That would be Addison. The classic younger woman. But is she really the young woman who caused Richmond to divorce the beloved Kathryn to go for a fling?

In this well-written book, the author takes us through twists and turns. All we read might not be quite right. The characters are well-developed. I loved Addison's dry wit. The ending was unpredictable. I really enjoyed this book.

What the Wife Knew is a bombshell! I inhaled this book, because I simply could not stop binging the short chapters. This book was intelligent, and so messed up. I did not see the twist coming. Oh, I thought I did, but I was so, so wrong. The true villain wasn’t the dead husband, no. Or even the wife scorned. You’ll be surprised who was.

I love that with every thriller, Darby Kane’s past as a lawyer infiltrates the book and the characters. It adds an element that is irresistible. It makes her thrillers seem more than a story. It’s like a live action drama playing out before your eyes. So few authors are capable of crafting a movie-like book like that for me, and it’s honestly what makes Darby Kane one of my auto buy authors.

Thank you so much to William Morrow for the gifted copy!

Addison's marriage to Dr. Richmond Dougherty is about revenge and grudges. Addison is furious when Dr. Dougherty dies unexpectedly and is eager to figure out who prematurely ended his life and thwarted her plans for revenge. This book is TRULY twisted and there were so many parts I did not see coming. Thank you to the author and published for this pre-publication copy.

This book is so freaking twisted and when you don't think it could be twisted anymore, Darby throws in another twist that will blow your mind! All of us at @thrillerbookloversthepulse cannot stop talking about this book. Thank you @netgalley @hkdimon
And @williammorrowbooks for the ebook and this is my honest opinion.

Dr Richmond Dougherty is a renowned pediatric surgeon, a national hero and a narcissist that has many secrets. Addison has been planning on ruining and killing Richmond for years. But someone has beaten her to it. Addison is now the number one suspect in her husband's death. But the real killer is leaving her threatening notes. I think Richmond got what he deserved. His ex-wife Kathryn only wants back what Addison took from her and is not beyond using her children Wyatt and Portia to get what she wants. Kathryn isn't the only one manipulating her children. Addison's mother makes mommy dearest look like a saint. She has been manipulating Addison all her life and she won't leave until she gets what she deserves from the Dougherty family. Elias was Richmond's lawyer and is now Addison's. Besides the children, he was the only character I really liked. But I wasn't sure he could be trusted.

This story is told in dual POV going from present to past and 97 days ago. There are several characters that I suspected of killing Richmond but I was so wrong. This dysfunctional family is so twisted. I could not read this book fast enough to find out who was the killer. Every twist is jaw dropping. Preorder this book now! Make sure you feed your family and lock the door because you are not going to want to put this one down!

It’s always the spouse, or is it? A classic who done it story that kept me coming back. I wanted to read this and longed for more time to do so each day.

The book grabs your attention early on. Following the aftermath of a tragic death newlywed with a twist Addison finds herself in the middle of turmoil as investigators work to solve the death of her husband. While I jumped to conclusions that were correct there were moments I didn’t see coming.

I’m sure this will be a popular read in December and January 2025.

Thank you William Morrow, the author, and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

"What the Wife Knew" is a thriller that makes readers question what they really think about trust, betrayal, and how far people go to get what they want. Addison is the young widow of Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a famous pediatric surgeon who dies under suspicious circumstances. The tension between Addison and Richmond’s first wife, Kathryn, is really well-written and at first it's hard to decide if it's the much younger second wife you should be sympathizing with, or the more "age-appropriate" first wife.

I thought the author did a really great job of blending the suspense with her character's development. Overall, "What the Wife Knew" is a thriller that really pulls you in and keeps you on your toes!

The premise is interesting but it felt poorly executed.

1. The twists were somewhat predictable, This is not a bad thing per se. There were many twists, and I enjoyed some of them more than others.
2. The writing was choppy at times. There were a few sentences in particular that really threw me off. It felt like the author was trying to reveal too much information in just one sentence, to the point where they felt unnatural and weird, especially when it was part of dialogue.
3. I didn't like the alternating POVs. I think it would've been more interesting to stick with just Addison's motivations, leaving some of the mystery about Richmond unsaid.
4, Even after finishing the book, I'm still not sure I fully understand Addison's motivations. I think the psychological part of the book felt a little weak. It was also strange how she became friends with the lawyer. I'm also surprised that the kids took to Addison so well.

Overall, this was a quick and easy read, so it was worthwhile for me.

This book starts out with a bang, throwing you right into an insane situation.

What The Wife Knew follows Addison in the aftermath of her new husbands murder, someone who killed him before she had the chance to.

This book was a lot of fun and I couldn’t help but like Addison. The reason for Addisons revenge is a little silly and far fetched. The twists weren’t particularly shocking but I still had a lot of fun reading it.

3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!