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!

I loved this one! Darby Kane did a great job with character development and writing some truly delicious storylines Addison, despite her flaws, is an intensely likeable character you can’t help but root for. I really enjoyed this book although I wish we could have read an epilogue to bring some closure and finality to the relationship between Addison and Elias and also Addison and the kids. That would have made it a 5 star read for me. As it is, 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and William Morrow publishing for the advance reader copy. Publication date Dec 10, 2024.

3.5/5 ⭐️
What did I just read? The characters in this novel are so well written, my favorite being Allison, very straight forward, wouldn’t want her as my enemy lol. This book grabs you from page one and has such a fast paced. Thank you NetGally and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this ARC which comes out December 2024

Another twisty and addicting thriller from Darby Kane!!! I loved it! The family dynamic can definitely go SO many ways, in this story it is unhinged! I read this throughout one day because I just could not put it down! I wanted to know what little morsel was around the next corner! I had so much fun reading and speculating where this story was going to go! This main character was so likable and you will definitely be rooting for her to not be unalived before she uncovers all of the truth in this one!!!

Oh, this book was so much fun. The book revolves around Addison, a woman who has blackmailed Richmond into marrying her. Richmond has turned up dead, but Addison is not the one that killed him. We eventually do find out who killed him, and we do find out what she knew about him to blackmail him. There are a bunch of crazy reveals at the end. There are some really good characters, admittedly, many of them were kinda one- dimensional, but others have motivations that you learn more about as the story unfolds. This takes place in Rye, New York, and in the home of a pediatric surgeon. Pay a lot of attention as you read the last 50 pages, it gets pretty crazy. Overall, I enjoyed the dialogue, the reveals, and didn’t really guess the mystery. This was a lot of fun. Thank you too NetGalley and Harper Collins for the arc

I was really excited with how this book started, but as I got further in everything fell apart for me. I thought the twists were absurd, and too far fetched for my liking. On a positive note, I thought the book was fast paced, and I did enjoy learning about the characters. I enjoy the writing style of this author, this book was just not for me.

Darby Kane's "What the Wife Knew" is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This novel is a rollercoaster of suspense, packed with twists and turns that leave you questioning everything you think you know about the characters and their motives. Kane masterfully builds suspense, leading readers through a maze of deceit and betrayal. The pacing of the book is relentless, making it difficult to put down.

The ending of the book is particularly noteworthy. It is both confusing and thought-provoking, leaving readers with more questions than answers. This ambiguous conclusion is likely to spark debates and discussions, making it a perfect choice for book clubs and readers who enjoy dissecting and interpreting intricate narratives.

This book started strong for me, but I slowly lost interest despite all of the twists and turns throughout. However, I will say that the author kept readers on their toes as I did not expect this ending.

Overall, 3.5 stars. I think the story will appeal to most mystery/suspense fans.

4.5 stars!
This turned out to be an excellent book! So well written. The details made it so captivating and easy to follow along. When I first started reading I ended up putting it down for a while. I just didn't like the main female character. It was hard to understand why she was in this situation, and hard to feel sorry for her. That is the only part I would change. However, I recognize that it could have just been me and others may not feel that way at all! Either way, keep reading because it is worth it! I will be reading more from this author!

I felt like this book was good! It definitely slowed down to a snail's pace at times, but overall a great read.

Thanks NetGalley for arc. I felt like this took way too long to get through. Definitely was intrigued at first but the book just took too long to get to the twist and when it finally did, it was very lackluster. The author adding twist after twist after twist just didn’t have the shock value that I was looking for.

This book was full of twists and turns in the perfect way. Addison has finally achieved her goal of marriage to Richmond Dougherty. However, before she can enact her plan, someone tried to kill him twice and succeeded on the third try. Fingers quickly point to Addison, but only her and the killer knows she’s innocent.
I really enjoyed this book. I love it when I think I’ve figured all mysteries only to find out how wrong I am.

I tell you, all of us over at @thrillerbookloversthepulse get THE best books to read and review!

This was my first Darby Kane book, and I'm hooked! Luckily, I have a few of her blacklist titles sitting on my bookshelf!

I had such a great time reading this one! It was fast-paced, and I loved all of the twists and turns! They just kept on coming, especially near the end. I love a book that keeps me constantly guessing, and this did just that! I thought that Addison was a great character, and I felt bad for who she had as a mom!

Make sure to add this one to your TBR!!

Thank you, @Netgalley and @williammorrowbooks, for the #gifted e-arc of this book!

Mind. Blown. 🤯 Did NOT see that coming. Twist after twist. A bunch of unlikeable characters. Everyone has a secret. Some secrets crazier than others. This story is told in past and present. Mostly from Addison’s perspective but a few chapters from Richmond’s. The past perspectives aren’t in chronological order. They jump from time to time, going as far back as 27 years. I found it interesting as things were revealed in the present, the next chapter would be in the past explaining how things came to that point. There were plenty of characters to try and throw you off on what actually happened. I felt like there was good pacing and it kept me wanting to read ‘just one more chapter’. That turned into many more chapters until I couldn’t keep my eyes open! My first read by this author but definitely going to read the others.

I really wanted to love this book. It started out strong, but fizzled quickly.
I felt the story was choppy and jumped around a lot. I just struggled to get into it and was happy to be done with it.
Overall, the story was good. But the execution did not work for me.
Thank you

Thank you to @thrillerbookloversthepulse, @williammorrowbooks for the #gifted copy of the book.

I love a good domestic thriller and this one fit the bill. Addison sets her sights on Dr. Richmond Dougherty, She is determined for the world to see him for who he really is and that isn't the renouned pediatric surgeon. He is a liar and a murderer. Addison plans to take everything from him and watch his fall from grace. Unfortunately, after they are married he is murdered before she can see the full fruits of her labor so she has to do things a bit differently. Someone is targeting her. Will the truth come out? Who can Addison trust? Her mom? Her deceased husbands attorney Elias? Don't miss this one!!

Check out what everyone @thrillerbookloversthepulse is raving about! This book is fire! #pulsepoint #thepulse

💭 Dysfunction at its finest! I’ve now read several of Ms. Kane’s books and she delivers a twisty, addicting, unputdownable book each time! This of course was no exception! In fact, I think this one is my favorite by her to date! Two women, lots of lies, conniving behavior, and evilness at its core is what made this book impossible to set aside. This book is simply insane with the level of deception rooted in these characters! It’s the type of characters you just love to hate! I just love an ultimate revenge plot and this one was delivered dripping in madness! Make sure to check this one out later this year when it’s published in December.

I almost gave up at 40% but decided to push through…it just wasn’t my favorite type of thriller. None of the characters were really likable and it made me suspicious of everyone, even ones who were innocent in the whole thing.
Addison married the man she hates…the man she was actually groomed to destroy. When he turns up dead, she needs to find out who actually killed him to clear her name. Overall a decent thriller, but again, just not my type. Plenty of twists towards the end that will keep you guessing!

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.