What The Wife Knew by Darby Kane was unputdownable! From the very first page, the author pulled you in to the drama that is this dysfunctional family. My first read by this author and surely not my last.

The story was filled with lies, betrayal and plot twists.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Captivating read with numerous plot twists. I found Addison very likable and her sarcastic wisecracks endearing. The book has a really good pacing at the start, but does slow down at the end. It piles on the twists a bit heavy-handedly, where it starts to lose its believability. The author's writing style and easy dialogs make up for some of that. I definitely enjoyed that book, found it engaging overall, and would recommend "whodunit" genre lovers add it to their reading lists. I will definitely be seeking out other books by this author.

This is an easily readable domestic thriller. The wife of a prominent doctor tries to figure out who killed her husband. Not that she minds — she was planning on killing him anyway. But who else wants him dead? And what to do about the fact that she now looks guilty?
Lots of unreliable and unlikeable characters make this a frustratingly entertaining book!

3.5 Stars

The recipe for Kane’s latest domestic thriller includes a generous pinch of dysfunctional familial dynamics, a heaping helping of detestable characters, a dash of homicidal secrets, and a pungent vendetta straight out of hell.

For me, the novel started out strong and ensnared me in its grip. But because I prefer a faster pace, an inconvenient ending, and slimy antagonists who ooze off the page, I gradually became less interested.

That’s not to say that twists and turns don’t abound. But one in particular is certain to exasperate diehard thriller fans. And although the frequent redundancy slows down the plot, the novel ends with the reason behind Lizzie’s hold on Addison frustratingly murky, which is perplexing as it seems the catalyst for the story.

A slow burn, WHAT THE WIFE KNEW will appeal to most Darby Kane fans, as well as to those who like their mysteries cozy and borderline predictable.

What amazing book!! The characters are amazing the plot is unique . You will never find out ! I strongly recommend this book .

This is a good, fast paced, who- done – it book. It switches between timelines and POV’s, that is usually difficult to pull off and at times I felt a little lost, but the author did pretty good for those transitions. I felt it had your typical thriller/mystery, but the author added more to the characters to make them come alive!

When a wealthy man dies while married to wife #2 in the first 90 days of their marriage - she becomes the most likely suspect. Wife #1 is quite insistent about it. And unbeknownst to everyone wife #2 actually did have plans to take advantage of him - but did she actually kill him?

A good who-done-it that will surprise you and keep you reading long into the night

Addison is wife number 2 for Richmond Dougherty, acclaimed pediatric surgeon and hero reputation. When Richmond is killed Addison becomes the prime suspect. The short lived marriage was based on Addison’s blackmail of Richmond. Lots of secrets and lies and fights for money. I like Addison’s sarcastic comebacks. It did get pretty outrageous at the end but it kept my attention and continued reading to find who did it.

Thank you NetGalley! This author does not disappoint. Each chapter has you on edge wondering what will happen next. I loved how it switched back and forth between timelines and characters

I enjoyed this book, however I’m having some difficulty in writing my review. Not your typical thriller/suspense novel in that it did have plot twists and thrills, but also subcategories of family dysfunction, narcissism, emotional abuse, etc. I believe these only added to the book and made the plot seem more authentic. The reader is actually pulling for the supposed villain, Addison, to win in her blackmail scheme because of the evil she is trying to expose. It also brings to the forefront the theme of making judgments before you know the whole story, as appears in this book. Having money and privilege doesn’t always mean that you are a good and valued member of society, as we see with the Dougherty family.

I loved the ending as there were some hinted at (but still thrilling!!) twists and secrets revealed. Also, Addison is able to use her newly found courage and strength to finally stand up for herself in an ending scene that many readers may personally relate to. I also loved the character, Elias, a conservative, well-mannered, and eloquent attorney. As Addison’s supposed attorney whom the reader never knows if they can trust, Elias manages to always make an appearance in all the crucial scenes and Addison begins to rely on his assistance (a shock to her!). There are actually some comical exchanges between he and Addison that make the book feel a little lighter at times.
I want to thank William Morrow Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read and review the ARC of What the Wife Knew.
#WilliamMorrowBooks #NetGalley #WhatTheWifeKnew #DarbyKane

Darby Kane's What the Wife Knew is a fast paced, psychological thriller that is unable to be put down once you start reading! This book is so full of twist and turns the reader is very likely to get whiplash if proper precautions aren't taken. If you like to be kept guessing throughout the book, and held at the edge of your seat, be sure to read What the Wife Knew, you won't have any clue what's in store for you, even when you're sure you've figured everything out!!

I was overly excited when I got the chance to read an advance release of this Darby Kane thriller, until I started it. Written from the perspective of the wife in the present and the wife in the past, the chapters are all titled with “HER”, which was quite confusing when just looking at the chapter list. It is about a woman who finds out a secret about a man and she decides to extort him, marries him, and plots to kill him. Then the husband ends up murdered and the investigation into the current wife being the murderer begins. I found this book boring and predictable. I just did not like it. #WhattheWifeKnew #NetGalley

I LOVED this author's writing style. There was a Her and Him narrative but the majority of the book was told from Her perspective, the main character, Addison. Addison was hilarious. Her sarcasm made this book come to life and I wonder if all of Kane's books are like this. I feel like I know Addison really well. The story was interesting too. I don't think I got that shock factor but there definitely were some surprised sprinkled in there, some of which were quite gross. I was sucked in quickly and could not stop reading. The ending got a little crazy but I still enjoyed every minute of this book. I've read one other book by Kane that I enjoyed but now I'm going to get all her other books too. I do recommend this one for my suspense fans.

Twisted tale of family relationships, revenge killing, fake marriage, and unsuspecting characters. Main character was "groomed" without her knowledge, to do the bidding of important person in her life. I have issues on why she never asked what was going on, and why no one asked the right questions. It was like no one really wanted to know the truth because of what it might uncover.

When Kathryn’s, recently acquired husband, has a fall down the stairs and ends up dead all eyes look to her as the culprit. Sure Kathryn has her reasons for wanting him dead but someone else beat her to the punch and now she must figure out who is setting her up before she ends up behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit.

Darby Kane is a mastermind with psychological thrillers. I have loved all her books and this one just adds to the list of books I’ve loved. Highly recommend this book!

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane published by Harper Collins is a must read for those who love psychological thrillers. Once I began reading it was difficult to put it down. Dr. Richmond Dougherty’s sudden divorce and marriage to a mysterious young woman has all the town gossiping. Within the three months of his sudden marriage he has had two suspicious accidents and then his death. His new wife is now a rich widow. Fingers begin pointing to her then as Dr. Dougherty’s past secrets become known, family members become suspects. The end is quite a surprise!

Great mystery story! It was a quick read full of twists that you won’t expect coming! You won’t see the end coming!

I have read another book by this author, so I knew I was in for a good ride. And boy, was I right! "What the Wife Knew" by Darby Kan is a twisty family drama that won't let you even consider putting the book down.

The book follows Addison, who married Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a renowned pediatric surgeon, for her own agenda. The story takes place in Rye, New York. Pretty soon, the reader becomes aware that their marriage is a sham, and the reasons appear as the story unfolds. Dr. Richmond Dougherty is considered a hero due to an infamous childhood tragedy. When he is found suddenly dead, the town suspects Addison is the one who killed him, and she becomes the town pariah.

The first wife does her best to encourage the rumors about Addison and to kick her out of town. The irony is Addison did intend to kill Dr. Dougherty, but someone beat her to the punch. Or so she claims... The plot thickens as Richmond’s legacy starts to unravel, causing upheaval in the lives of the people around him. Dr. Richmond Dougherty was a narcissistic, deceitful, infidel, controlling man with many skeletons in his closet, and someone will go to any lengths to conceal it, even murder.

The story is told in the first person and alternates between the perspectives of the two main characters, Addison and Richmond, with flashbacks to the past. The more we learn about Addison's history and her toxic relationship with her mother, the more I felt for her and liked her, though she was irritating at times. I am not convinced she couldn't have made other choices, contrary to what she claims, but that is neither here nor there.

The author managed to explore the reach and power of dysfunctional family and mother-daughter relationships without losing the edge of the thriller. It is a revenge story unlike any you've seen, and one you must read to find out more about. I liked the dynamics between the characters and the cynical retorts of the heroine. The tension was palpable from the first page until the conclusion of the book.

The story is captivating, thrilling, and totally engrossing. It could have been tightened up a bit, especially the chapters from Richmond's perspective, but it didn't hurt my enjoyment of the book. The combination of unexpected plot twists, colorful characters, and a twisty ending has made this book a really enjoyable read for me. I loved the book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys revenge tales with a bite.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

So many twists and turns! No one has family drama like the Doungherty’s. The patriarch of the family is a real piece of work. A famous pediatric surgeon with secrets and a past that will shock you. Little does he know, someone else knows and they plan to use it as blackmail. With a dual POV and timelines, this book gives us all the tea.

Another awesome read by Darby Kane! I thought I had things figured out and then there were twists and turns that threw me off! And there was a reveal that I NEVER would have guessed! This is the perfect page turner to pick up for your summer vacation!