This is a scandalous story about a wife who’s husband was killed and it was made to look like an accident. The wife is trying to figure out who did it because she was supposed to do it. I was on the edge of my seat in suspense. This story is full of shocking twists. If you like edge of your seat suspense, this is a must read.

Darby Kane has done it again with What the Wife Knew, a gripping, dark domestic thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. This time, Kane spins a web of deceit, mystery, and revenge as we follow Addison Dougherty—a young widow who is determined to uncover who killed her husband... because she thought that was her job.

Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a celebrated surgeon and national hero, dies under suspicious circumstances, falling to his death in what is just the latest of several mysterious accidents. Accusations swirl around Addison, Richmond's new wife of just 97 days, especially as she inherits his wealth. But it’s not only law enforcement closing in on Addison. Richmond’s first wife, Kathryn, is on the warpath, stirring up hostility in their small town.

Addison, though, is no fragile widow. She is driven by a plan she concocted long before her husband’s unexpected demise, determined to destroy the legacy he left behind. But as threats mount and her own life becomes a target, Addison will stop at nothing to complete what she started—even if it means unmasking the killer who beat her to it.

Kane masterfully combines suspense and psychological tension in this twisted tale of betrayal and survival. If you love fast-paced, intricately plotted domestic thrillers, What the Wife Knew will keep you hooked until the very last page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ – A wickedly entertaining read!

A twisty story that is probably better if you just believe these crazy twists. It read easily, and one of those few books where you root for an unscrupulous person! It had multiple storylines and different points of view that helped move the story along. There are many unlikeable characters, but they just added to this soap opera! Based on this book, I would read more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy of thos book!

This book started off very strong, kept me interested about halfway through I started getting slightly bored there could hvw been many chapters cut off and still came to the same conclusion. Overall I enjoyed reading this book 3.5 stars

I’ve read this author before and her latest didn’t disappoint. It’s a family dynamic like you’ve never seen and wouldn’t wish on anyone. It’s a revenge plot taken to extremes beyond any I’ve ever read. Addison has been living under the radar and hiding from her crazy mom most if her life. The plot has a snappy dialog full of sarcasm, irony and dark humor. It’s a twisted family drama with sharp turns every time you think you’ve figured it out. Allison has a marriage of convenience or terror, depending on who’s side you take. There’s some alternating between characters and time frames. I wasn’t immediately sure I’d like the format and speech structure but I soon fell into the plot and began cheering for Allison. The newlyweds are anything but blissful, each trying to torture and one-up the other, including planned murder. There’s accidents, falls, near-misses, separate bedrooms, blackmail and outright hatred. Of course there’s step-kids and the prominent first Mrs. thrown into the mix. Oh, there’s also a ton of money at stake. Allison’s mom is extremely unlikable. She’s brow beaten Allison, belittled, destroyed her self-worth and held things over her head her entire life. The whole sordid affair will come to a twisted end. It was a juicy tale that I couldn’t read fast enough.
William Morrow Paperbacks (via NetGalley) provided an Advance Reader Copy of “What the Wife Knew” by Darby Kane. Publication expected 12/10/2024. These honest personal thoughts and opinions are mine, given voluntarily without compensation.

In this twisty thriller, Addison is suspected of killing her husband. Everyone believes she wanted him dead for his money. She wants to know who killed him because she was supposed to kill him, but she didn’t. Now that he’s gone, she needs to figure out who else it could have been before they come for her, too.

Darby Kane’s thrillers are always full of surprises and unexpected twists. I always enjoy suspending my disbelief and enjoying the wild ride. I liked the dual his/her perspectives and past/present narratives. She really creates unlikable characters in this book and the revenge story is juicy, wild, and unbelievable. It was close to a five star read for me if not for a bit of ick-factor (spoilers- I can’t say more but happy to message about it if you want to know specifics) and a few too many characters involved in the scheming. I also liked the cleverness of the title in relation to the plot as well as how the reader gets insight into both Addison and Richmond’s heads. Overall, it was fun and entertaining!

Thank you to Darby Kane and William Morrow Books for the arc and opportunity to be an early reader and reviewer.

Wow! What a complex and intriguing story. Addison has been manipulated all of her life by her mother. She marries Richmond Daugherty to expose "what she knew". After his murder, she is accused of the crime, attacked by several different people and spun around in circles. There were so many twists and turns. I truly liked the fact that deep down, Addison was a hurt individual and a really kind person. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

4.5 stars out of 5.

Wow, what a twisted, convoluted story! The lengths people will go for money is crazy. I was immediately drawn into the story and could not put the book down. I liked the short chapters and getting different point of views. None of the characters were likable (with the exception of Portia) but that really made the story better IMO. The ending tied everything up nicely but the last twist was predictable. Overall, I would recommend to anyone looking for a thriller with a lot of family drama.

In What the Wife Knew, Addison just married the famous Dr Richmond Doughtery, but not for the right reasons. Richmond turns up dead only months after his marriage to Addison which leaves her as the main suspect. It seems Addison is now being targeted too but everyone thinks she is a killer. Then the real reason for Addison's marriage comes to light and everything starts falling apart.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this is a very advanced review (coming Dec 2024) for a twisty thriller with lots of lessons of family disfunction. Addison marries Dr Dougherty, who she is determined to destroy, but everyone’s motivations aren’t quite what they seem. Someone else has killed her husband and now she’s being framed for it. I loved that even with all the betrayal and lies there were still come redeeming characters throughout. The twists along with the villains were unexpected. While the main whodunit was a bit predictable, you’ll still be in for a ride with the other twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

What the heck did I just read 😂 The ending of this book was wild, and not in a good way. The beginning was very fast paced and I was enjoying it. Then I found out that none of the characters had any redeeming qualities. They were all horrible and did horrible things. It also just got to be a bit confusing with all the things that were going on. I gave it two stars because I did enjoy the beginning. I just did not enjoy the middle or the end,

I love Darby Kane’s marital suspense thrillers - What the Wife Knew is no exception!

This one was a bit different as our MC is mainly on the defensive, reacting to the aftermath of her husband’s death. I appreciated the jumps between the past and present to get a better sense of Addison and her goals with the marriage. I thought she was an extremely likable character - in stark contrast to the many unlikable side characters. While I wish the story itself showed more plotting on her part, I enjoyed reading all the twists and turns and seeing how everything tied together. Overall, a quick and engaging read!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT THE WIFE KNEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. What a twisty, domestic thriller, page turner of a novel! Addison is married to a rich surgeon, who she plans to kill. Except, someone beat her to it! Now she is being blamed for his death, with his ex wife and kids on her tail, and a media shitstorm, she must find out who beat her to the kill 59 save herself. This was a great domestic thriller, with short addictive chapters to keep you wanting to know more. I did jaw drop at one moment, but then at one turn felt it got a bit over the top. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was my first novel by this author, so I had no expectations going into it. The story started off strong and right in the middle of the action. I was engaged right away. After awhile, I started to wonder how much was left because the story just kept going. There were so many minor characters with secrets, and lots of twists and turns, that it just got a little overwhelming at times. I think that a few chapters could have been taken off and the book would still have the same effect.

Overall, it was a strong book that keeps the reader on their toes through multiple POVs and time jumps I will be checking out this author a little more. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was SO very excited to be approved for this novel by Darby Kane! I went into this anticipating the plot. However, right away for some reason, I just was not invested in the characters. The story itself was very far fetched. IDK what is happening to my favorite genre of thrillers. They each keep becoming a copycat of something else or just not engrossing me like they used to. I had high hopes for this, but it just fell flat for me. I struggled with it, honestly, but wanted to love it. 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for choosing me to receive an arc of What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane. I was so excited to read this one. My expectations may have been a little too high for it though. I'm giving it a 3.5 star but rounding to a 4.

Dr. Richmond Doughtery, renowned pediatric surgeon, an infamous tragedy survivor, and a national hero is dead, very dead. His new wife Addison is immediately guilty, they were only married for 97 days.
The town quickly chooses sides. Wife Number 1 Kathryn, the 1st Mrs. Doughtery, the mother to Richmond's children and his high school sweetheart, or Addison, wife 2.
Addison had a plan to unravel Richmond's legacy but his dying slowed her process. Even having death threats sent to her she knows she must continue her plan.

The beginning of this book came out swinging hard and I was glued to the pages. A little past mid-way, I was starting to wonder when the book would wrap up and tell me what happened. Overall it was a good read with a great writing style, I just wish it was shorter.

I’ve read so many books by this author and this is for sure my favorite. I’ve had a great time reading and following the characters through the story. One of the most interesting thriller/mystery books I’ve read thus far.

First book by this author, received as an ARC. This book was okay. I liked that the author used different perspectives & I was pleased with the ending. Writing and suspense were average, but I would be willing to give this author another go.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for this ARC!!!


I was so excited when I was approved this novel, as I have read every one of this author’s books. The Perfect Wife is still my top one, but this is a close second!! Literally hooked from the start and the twists never stop until the acknowledgment page. I absolutely could not put this down.

This author has been historically hit or miss for me. But this one I enjoyed. It was a creative unique take on the murdered husband and I enjoyed the ride it took us on. The twist was a little obvious but overall, this was a good thriller read. The protagonist was fun too.

This book was truly unexpected and quite unique. It is a captivating page-turner filled with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Richmond's first wife, Addison, is determined to unravel his legacy despite facing threats and obstacles. She remains focused on her mission to marry Richmond and ruin him, even though she has been derailed by unforeseen events. Addison is relentless in her pursuit of revenge and will not be stopped easily.

The characters in the book are mostly likeable, although there are a few exceptions. The main character is particularly compelling, and you can't help but root for Addison throughout the story. The ending is truly gut-wrenching, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.

The writing style is upbeat and engaging, typical of Darby's work, with multiple timelines that add depth to the story. The reveals towards the end are completely unexpected, and I can guarantee that you won't be able to guess them, no matter how hard you try. All of these elements come together to create a truly enjoyable read.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers, multiple timelines, and family drama with unexpected outcomes, then this book is perfect for you. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy and diving into this thrilling story.

Thank you, William Morrow for a digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.