Twists and turns galore with this soapy thriller! This is my first Darby Kane book, and it was quite fun! The chapters are short, so I found myself flying through. When we first meet our protagonist, Addison, her loathed new husband has just died in what we assume is an accident. Soon after the funeral, investigation of the accident turns into a murder investigation.

Addison is the much younger new wife of renowned pediatric surgeon, Dr. Richmond Daugherty. She's his new wife but does not appear to care about him or his money. Richmond's ex-wife is very much in the picture, constantly dropping by the home and using her influence to make Addison into the town pariah and even siccing her children on Addison.

Despite being largely set in one place, a gigantic mansion, there is plenty of action and intrigue. I enjoyed Addison's narration because she was snarky but had a good heart despite her intentions with Richmond. Throughout the novel, we're trying to figure out their connection, what happened in Richmond's past, and who killed him. You have to suspend disbelief at times, but I found this to be a quick and fun read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Addison Dougherty is at her husband’s funeral, wondering who killed him before she had the chance to. Was it his ex-wife? A co-worker? One of his kids? Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a wealthy surgeon, had a dark past and secret that his wife, Addison, was about to expose, but someone killed him before she had the chance. It turns out Richmond had more secrets and enemies that she was aware of, and now she is the prime suspect for his murder. Can she figure out who did it before she is thrown behind bars, or worse, the next victim?
The opening alone had me hooked! The plot to this book was original and captivating, and I did not want to put this game of cat and mouse down. I also enjoyed that this was written with multiple POVs as well as a dual timeline, and the ending had a shocking twist that you won’t see coming.

This is well worth the read if you enjoy a good thriller with a lot of twists and turns!

Thank you to Darby Kane, NetGalley, and William Morrow Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the arc copy of this book. I enjoyed reading this book. It got a little slow in the middle but was for sure an enjoyable story. It was hard to pick who you think killed the husband. “It’s always the wife” but hard to decide who you think it is when there is two, not just one to be guilty. What actually happened in the end was so crazy it took me a few minutes after reading it to wrap my head around who did what!

📚✨ Just finished "What the Wife Knew" by Danny Kane, and wow, what a ride! This book is a masterclass in twisty, unhinged storytelling that keeps you guessing from start to finish.

The story revolves around the unraveling of a marriage after a shocking crime shakes a seemingly perfect community. Told through dual points of view and multiple timelines, it’s a deliciously tangled web of secrets and lies. The characters? So well crafted—some you'll love, others you’ll love to hate. The domestic drama is palpable, with themes of money and greed weaving throughout.

Short chapters make it impossible to put down—just when you think you have it figured out, Kane hits you with a jaw-dropping twist that flips everything on its head. The ending? Absolutely wild!

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that mess with your mind, this one’s for you. 4 stars for the intensity and sheer unpredictability! 🔍💥

What an interesting read. I loved the suspense of the wife. I couldn’t tell if I liked her or was against her. I also loved the short chapters. I sadly felt like this book was missing fluidity and the ending was just odd.

Thank you NetGalley, Darby Kane, and William Morrow publishing for the ARC!

Wow, that was quite the roller coaster ride!! I really enjoyed the back and forth. That ending had me stunned. Read it, you won’t be sorry!

Overall, the book was well written, captured my attention and I did really enjoy it. Thank you for this advance copy!

The opening scene of this novel is pretty hooking and great! It leaves you wondering what in the heck is going on and who is who. Addison is the wife of less than four month, and Kathryn the ex-wife who had been by Richmond's side since they were in high school and they both seem to have had motive to kill him. But who really did it and why, and who is more crazy! As we find out the secrets each one has over Richmond, we also find out that the past is also quite tangled in this web of deceit and murder and Richmond has many of his own secrets that needed to stay hidden. What was the real reason behind Addison and his hasty marriage and who would gain more by his death? I really enjoyed this one and really was not sure how it was all going to play out in the end. But this novel once again proves just how crazy and grudge holding women can be! Thriller Book Lovers was excited to get first look at another one of Kane's thrillers. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the complementary ebook. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

"What the Wife Knew" by Darby Kane is a psychological thriller that takes unexpected turns, some of which may be unforgettable. The book is engaging from the beginning, and even when you think you have predicted the plot, it surprises you. Richmond Dougherty, a celebrated pediatric surgeon and a national hero, meets his demise after a fall down the stairs. Suspicion falls on his new wife, Addison Dougherty, who was married to him for only ninety-seven days. Now wealthy, Addison attracts the attention of law enforcement, while Richmond's ex-wife and the mother of his children are determined to make her suffer. Despite the escalating tension, Addison's plans involving Richmond are far from over. The story unfolds gradually, leaving readers amazed and eager for more. It's a recommended read for fans of domestic thrillers, promising an experience that won't disappoint.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While I enjoyed the plot and overall story, this book was ruined by the ending. There were too many “twists,” the author attempted, but they all fell short. The big twist definitely caught me off guard which is why I’ll give the book 3 stars over 2.

Addison’s mom is a witch, that’s all. Also there are entirely too many characters, storylines, relationships, etc. parts of the book were hard to follow. Also hated how the chapters were titled HIM, HER, etc. I’d rather have just seen the characters name, or remove this context all together since it’s primarily told from Addison’s POV. Which, leads me to my next issue - Richmond’s POV was essentially wasted potential.

Overall a decent, easy, read. Read at your own risk, and stop around ch 65.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

Lots of spins and twists as this dramatic murder mystery comes to a surprising conclusion! Characters aren’t always what they seem as the layers of decades long deceit are revealed. A quick, easy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4.5 Stars

What The Wife Knew by Darby Kane was a cat and mouse, whodunit thriller. It was fast paced and pulled me right. I am a huge fan of the author and was not disappointed.

The book jumps between the past and present of Addison Dougherty and her doctor husband Richmond who is no longer with us. Richmond had a first wife Kathryn who is mother to his children and is none too please with his new, younger second wife. Richmond lawyer becomes Addison’s lawyer and confident. The police are looking to pin this on her. The twists and turn had me more than once reading what I just read because I was so shocked with what I just read.

I love this authors here is an author that can create engaging content and plot with good characters and that is very readable which a lot of thrillers nowdays don’t . This book was an interesting take on family dynamics and who done it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

"I'd never attended a funeral before, but I needed to be in the room for this one, mostly to make sure the jack*ss in the casket stayed dead."

From the first sentence (quoted above), I knew this one would be a wild ride. And Darby Kane did not disappoint!! Twists and turns were throughout this book- and my jaw finally just stayed on the floor. Dysfunctional families, webs of lies, revenge and spite, twists and turns, morally gray characters, dual POVs, flashbacks, horrid backstories- What the Wife Knew has it all!!

The story opens from Addison's POV. The new, younger mega rich widow of Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a renowned pediatric surgeon, an infamous tragedy survivor, and a national hero. She's at his funeral, and the whole town (PD included) thinks she murdered him and is trying to cover it up- but she is desperately trying to find the person that beat her to killing him. She uncovers motive after motive from almost everyone in his life as to why they were actively trying to ruin his life. But who was bold enough to end him?

Some parts were too OTT for my taste, and I couldn't connect with the characters, but still a 3.5-4 star read! Super twisty!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook ARC of Darby Kane’s “What The Wife Knew”. This is a domestic thriller with lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing …

Dr. Richmond Dougherty is a famous surgeon, beloved by his family and community. Recently divorced and newly remarried, he is also newly dead. And when his death is foundnot to be accidental, everyone’s suspicions focus on his new wife Addison - who doesn’t seem too terribly broken up at his death.

Was there more to their sudden marriage than a rich older man seeking a trophy wife? Did Addison have motives besides money to want Richmond dead? The community and police feel that they need look no further. But Addison and her unlikely ally, her late husband’s lawyer wonder: what about the ex? Or Richmond’s adult children, angry over their father’s remarriage? Who else might want have wanted the good doctor dead? Things get even more twisted when Addison’s estranged mother appears on the scene!

As someone who enjoys thrillers with tons of twists and turns, this is a winner! #NetGalley #WhatTheWifeKnew

One of the best parts about being apart of Thriller Book Promotions The Pulse is getting early access to some of the most anticipated thrillers. Honestly, I feel so lucky every time I see an email pop up with a new book, like What the Wife Knew. This one completely pulled me in with its twisted family drama, layers of lies, and clever plotting. Addison, the main character, is fascinating—dark and complicated, but still somehow relatable. You can’t help but root for her, even when you probably shouldn’t.

Synopsis-
Dr. Richmond Dougherty is a renowned pediatric surgeon, an infamous tragedy survivor, and a national hero. He’s also very dead—thanks to a fall down the stairs. His neighbors angrily point a finger at the newest Ms. Dougherty, Addison. The sudden marriage to the mysterious young woman only lasted ninety-seven days, and he’d had two suspicious “accidents” during that time. Now Addison is a very rich widow.

As law enforcement starts to circle in on Addison and people in town become increasingly hostile, sides are chosen with Kathryn, Richmond’s high school sweetheart, wife number one, and the mother of his children, leading the fray. Despite rising tensions, Addison is even more driven to forge ahead on the path she charted years ago…

Determined at all costs to unravel Richmond’s legacy, she soon becomes a target—with a shocking note left on her bedroom  You will pay. But it will take a lot more than faceless threats to stop Addison. Her plan to marry Richmond then ruin him may have been derailed by his unexpected death, but she’s not done with him yet.

Add this one to your tbr besties as it comes out December 10, 2024✨

This was another win from Darby! I was drawn to the premise of a wife wanting to kill her husband and someone beating her to it. This was an 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙜 and 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 book with a dysfunctional family at its best!

We get to know the victim, Dr. Dougherty throughout the chapters and he’s nothing more than a scheming narcissistic manipulator which is always a fun character! As a survivor of a school shooting he’s hailed as a hero for stopping his brother and saving fellow students.

Enter his young widow who knows he’s not the local hero everyone believes him to be. She hated her husband and had been manipulated into marrying him and although she wanted to kill him and show everyone who he really was…. She says she didn’t do it.

This was a delicious game of cat and mouse with his young widow racing to prove it wasn’t her before she’s thrown behind bars.

This book had amazing pacing and the plot was well executed.

Read this if you like:

-killer twists
-lies
-revenge
-a fast pace
-stellar writing

Thank you to @thrillerbookloversthepulse and @williammorrowbooks for my gifted copy!

What the wife knew is a suspenseful page-turner, filled with twists and layered characters that keep readers guessing. It had me hooked and questioning who I thought the “real” killer was. The stakes build steadily leaving readers questioning who is truly guilty—and who might be hiding behind a façade of innocence. Everyone has secrets in this book and everything is so twisted up. Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers, this novel explores how the past can haunt, manipulate, and ultimately shape a future filled with secrets and lies. Oh, and also a very manipulative upbringing so be careful of that.

I was excited to dive into this book and thrilled when I got the approval to read it. Overall, it didn’t disappoint. The author clearly intended for it to be a slow burn, and while the early chapters took a little while to pick up, the tension and suspense eventually built in a way that kept me hooked. Some tighter editing in the beginning might make it even stronger, but by the time I reached the last few chapters, I couldn't put it down—I devoured them in one sitting! I’m eager to read more from Darby Kane in the future.

This was your standard alternating POV thriller in which you think you know what’s going down until you realize you have no idea. We learn early on that Addison’s husband of only a few short months is dead, and she is under scrutiny and there are suspicions she was involved in his demise. We also learn very early that their marriage was not one born of love, but it takes a long time and a lot of unraveling to understand the why and the how. I don’t want to reveal more because the story is one revelation after another, and I don’t want to spoil it for other readers. I was surprised by some of the ending and while I wish there was a little more excitement and thrill in this book, it was an enjoyable domestic thriller that I would recommend. Thank you NetGalley for early access to this ebook! 3.5⭐️