Finished in one day! Loved it.
Very gripping, zero “fluff”, all action!
So many hateable characters… possibly a record setting amount. However, the lead is super clever and endearing. You definitely root for her to overcome the “bad guys” in the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An unusual domestic thriller in that the protagonist Addison forces Dr. Richard Dougherty to marry her through blackmail and the desire for revenge. The marriage only lasts a couple of months, but in that time there are two "accidents" that threaten Dougherty life before the last and fatal incident.

Addison isn't upset about his death, what she is concerned about is that she wanted to destroy him herself, and now she is a suspect for something she didn't do, and now someone is now targeting her. Can Addison reveal the secrets of Dougherty's life, discover who actually killed him, and make sure the world knows what a sham Richard Dougherty really was?

Although far-fetched, the plot held my attention until about half way when Addison opens the door to anyone who comes to call, including the ex-wife who would love to pin the murder on Addison. She can't seem to turn anyone away. A woman who can go through with a fake marriage for revenge, seems too willing to give everyone a hearing.

Interesting twists, but maybe a little too long in the latter part of the novel.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this advance reader copy of What the Wife Knew!

Fast paced and kept me guessing until the end! I’ll be looking for other books by Darby Kane!

This book had such a strong first half and I would even say the ending was satisfying in some ways but there are a few too many twists that had me feeling whiplash.

Addison is a character that has a sarcastic wit and a troubled past. She’s playing a long game to seek revenge on Richmond Daughtery. The story weaves all over the place

First half 4.5 stars
Middle 1/4 2.5 stars
End 3 stars.

As I said, it’s hard to land on a proper rating because I liked/loved most of it. I would recommend it but you just need keep in mind we get to a satisfying ending even if it’s a bumpy ride.

I loved the entire tone this book sets from the very first sentence to the last. It grips you and pulls you in having you go round and round. in a merry-go-around wanting to know what lurks behind the next page. A domestic suspenseful thriller dripping with sarcasm, attitude, and secrets will have you guessing the outcome of the many different events that take place. I am rating this 5 stars because this is not your average domestic thriller, and again with a tone unlike most books and a plot that is so twisted you'll want to read cover to cover in one night.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks for this ARC for review. This was a fun twisty thriller as expected from Darby Kane. Dr Richmond Dougherty is a renowned surgeon and very dead. He had just married a new, young woman, Addison, so all things point to her as the murderer as she is now the rich new widow. But there is also the previous Mrs. Dougherty who hates Addison. And Addison had a plan to marry Dr Dougherty and then ruin him, not kill him.... Now Addison needs to find out what really happened before she gets blamed.

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane is about a wife wondering who tried to kill her husband twice before finally succeeding because that was supposed to be her job. 

The story wasn't as page-turning as I was expecting. There were some slow parts in the middle. The flashbacks got a bit tedious to deal with. Plus, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and the story just never connected for me.

Overall, What the Wife Knew was just an okay read for me. It never really resonated nor left an impression; it was just an average read.

#WhattheWifeKnew #NetGalley @WmMorrowBooks

I’ve liked almost all of Darby Kanes book. Her first one was by far my favorite but this was had some good twists and kept me engaged. The switching of His/Her and timelines was a good way to keep the story going.

What The Wife Knew is a revenge thriller with a cast of characters so ruthless we'll be glad they're fictional. One is more contemptible than the next. The story is told primarily by Addison, an antagonist determined to ruin the man she marries for reasons made clear as the story unfolds. One can only describe Addison as single minded in her quest to destroy her target. The woman is all hard edges and isn't afraid to use them. She learned detachment from her cold, narcissistic mother. There are a few scenes where Addison shows a modicum of vulnerability, and these are especially sweet because we learn she's caring at her core. But revenge takes its toll on a person. Especially when plotting murder.

Readers will need to suspend disbelief from the first chapter to the last in this twisty thriller set in a community of the ultra-rich. The story is high drama all the way. Fans of HelenKay Dimon might enjoy reading this novel by her alter-ego, Darby Kane.

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

Thanks NetGalley for the free ARC! Honestly, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a clever storyline.! Lots of surprises, twists and turns, and revenge at its finest. I would definitely recommend for an engaging read.

4.5 stars.

✨This was my first book by Darby Kane, and it did not disappoint. I’ve already been busy adding her backlist titles to my TBR.

✨I loved the main character who is layered and flawed with a soft heart in spite of herself – and completely likeable. She’s snarky and entertaining, and I couldn’t help but root her. The remaining cast of characters are those you love to hate. A nasty crew, that one.

✨Oh the scheming! And the scandalous, shocking twists and turns! I was glued to the pages.

✨This was a fast-paced rollercoaster ride, and I was thoroughly entertained.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Domestic thrillers
✨Multiple timelines
✨Jaw-dropping reveals
✨Dysfunctional family drama

"What the Wife Knew" by Darby Kane is an engrossing puzzle of a read mostly told from the point of view of Addison, a young woman who married an older man. We get a few flashback scenes from his POV, and from the beginning it's clear that they bear murderous levels of animosity toward each other. So of course when Richmond, the husband, is murdered, Addison becomes the prime suspect in the eyes of the whole town that had idolized Richmond and despised his newcomer, homewrecker wife. The only thing is, not only did Addison not do it, she's also now in danger herself.

Bit by bit Darby Kane dribbles out clues to how and why this mismatched pair was together in the first place, and what role their pasts--and their family members--play in this tense mystery. The story is an enjoyable page-turner. I especially appreciated getting to know the enigmatic Addison, who at first seems cold and heartless.

The only thing that did not work very well for me was the writing of the last bit of the book. Whereas the rest of the story moved along nicely, the ending seemed a bit mired in navel gazing and exposition. Still, I gobbled the story up and would rate it 4.5 (rounded to 5) stars...and will probably look for more Darby Kane stories to read!

Thanks very much to the author and publisher for the advance copy on which I based this honest review.

I usually read everything Darby Kane writes and love it. This one was just ok to me. The ending felt rushed. It was a fast read.

This book started off very good. I really liked the main character Addison. I found some of her humor funny and yet I felt sorry for the life that she endured with her mother.

Addison is rushed into a marriage in name only with a man who is an outstanding pediatric surgeon and very wealthy. There are a lot of questions surrounding this quick marriage and his divorce from his wife that he has been with since high school. When her husband ends up dead naturally, all eyes turn to her pointing the finger did she kill him…

The storyline is very well developed. I felt the end of the book was a bit rushed, and I was very disappointed that there wasn’t an epilogue giving us an insight as to where the characters were a year or two down the road. I would have liked to know they were all in a better place. Of course, I am a sucker for a happy ending!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Willian Morrow for an advanced copy of this book.

Wow! What a wild ride! Hold on to your seat as Darby Kand takes you on an adventure full of murder, deception, and family dysfunction. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was a twist! Put this one on the top of your list!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: December 10, 2024
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

I love a fast paced thriller that makes your heart race and your mind run and this did that for me. This will take you by the collar and pull you through page by page. A doctor mysteriously dies and his wife is being framed but by who is the question. The ex-wife is out to find this answer out as is Addison our FMC (the wife).

Twists, turns and secrets will keep you on edge the entire time. Can Addison figure out who was behind this and all the other things that happen along this story before it’s too late and they get to her next. Definitely a great domestic thriller and I can say that I love everything about our authors writing. Loved this!

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Domestic Thriller, Fast Paced, Who-Did-It Mystery, Dual POV, Dual Timelines, Family Drama, Revenge.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was really fast paced and the suspense had me invested. All the plots and surprises in the book had me gasping however towards the end, I felt the creativity died. Like the aurthor lost motivation and just wanted to end the story. With that being said, the ending felt cut off too short. I read the ending not knowing it was the ending. The FMC was just thrown off by a surprise and you'd think it'll continue a little longer but then it just ends. You would think since the FMC was set on exposing the bad guys that she would throw everyone involved into the fire but she doesn't. Which is a tad disappointing. If she wants to sever the ties with her mom, then turn her in to the police. But nope she writes her off like it'll solve everything. Don't get me started on the detective. He was so dead set on the FMC being the perpetrator and then as soon as something major took a turn, he's all for the FMC? Even covering up evidence? Like what was his reasoning for helping her? So the the real MRS. couldn't get the money? It felt like no one was actually doing the digging and investigation. Like the characters just took whatever they could find and ran with it. It just sounds like a whole bunch of bs to me. The beginning was really a good start, it build the story up and was going somewhere. I was hoping that all these plots and what not had a good explanation behind it but it kind of just fell through.

What a great book. I absolutely loved it. Full of surprises and shocking moments! Would definitely recommend this to everyone

Addison wanted her husband dead, just not before she had a chance to ruin his life. dead or not, she still plans to ruin his spotless reputation; just after she figures out who’s trying to frame and more importantly are they after her next? the more Addison digs, the more she finds that she may not have been the only person to want Dr. Richmond Dougherty dead. will the cops see that or is she doomed to go down for his murder?

I loved this book! It had me hooked from the first chapter. I felt it was so well written with so much to untangle to keep you engaged and wanting to learn more. Could you maybe guess the end? Probably but there are so many ways it could go, you might also be wrong! 5/5⭐️ from me!