I love domestic thrillers and What the Wife knew did not disappoint! I liked the multiple timelines and I loved our feisty main character. I thought the plot line was fun and enjoyed all the twists along the way. I flew through this and thoroughly enjoyed it, and don’t want to say anything that may give it away. Although it’s not nice to say, it sounded like her husband definitely reaped what he sowed. This was my first from Darby Kane but I will certainly be back for more. Many thanks William Morrow books for my eARC. What the Wife Knew will be published December 10th.

“They weren’t totally wrong. I wanted to kill him. Someone beat me to it.”

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane is a creative domestic thriller where the husband wasn’t the hero everyone thought he was – and the new wife knew and was planning to take him down for it. But Addison wanted revenge, not necessarily for him to die, though she isn’t disappointed with the outcome. Unfortunately, being the new, much younger wife, it appears that Addison has been set up for his murder. And dealing with Richmond’s perfect ex-wife, and his two children, now is proving its own problems for Addison. The truth is you can never actually escape your past, and what happens when it all catches up to you?

There was A LOT going on in this novel with a lot of twists and turns as well. I’m not sure if any of the characters were actually likable, and the storyline from the past was a stretch. As an attorney, I kept worrying that Richmond’s attorney had a conflict of interest representing Addison (yes, conflicts can be waived but Richmond is now dead) but I enjoyed the attorney the most in this book!

I think this is worth the read to find out “What the Wife Knew!” Because let’s be clear, it’s a doozy! If I could convince someone to marry me based simply on what I knew to keep me quiet – I think that speaks volumes – though probably not a safe relationship! This book kept my attention and was a fast read. I liked the new approach to a psychological thriller but felt like there was just something out of reach, missing here. The book peaked in the middle at 5-stars, but then couldn’t keep up the suspense and momentum (the original Mrs. Dougherty is a little much).

This was my first book by Kane and I will be definitely reading Pretty Little Wife. As a trial attorney myself, I love how this author is now pursuing her dream of writing – and I hope to do the same someday! I would recommend this novel and after the book I read immediately prior to this one - this one was a breath of fresh air - 3.6 stars rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley for this crazy domestic mystery arc! All opinions are my own!

“YOU WILL PAY.”

The tagline on the cover, “Who Murdered the Husband She Planned to Kill?,” succinctly sums up this thriller. “She” is 27 year old newlywed Addison; “the Husband” is 44 year old pediatric surgeon (and sociopathic narcissist) Dr. Richmond Dougherty.

The timeline jumps around, but we know immediately that Dr.Dougherty died in an “accident” after quickly divorcing Kathryn and marrying Addison 97 days ago. We also know through Addison’s flashbacks that their marriage was built on a blackmail of some sorts and Addison knows that the incident that made Richmond a local hero, a school shooting when he was 18, wasn’t what it seemed. We also know that even though Addison has her own nasty plans, someone else beat her to unalive-ing her snake of a husband.

The first person POVs are limited to Addison and, at the halfway point, we get the doomed doctor’s POV. Having the main protagonist be a morally gray character can be often off-putting, but in this case Addison is almost a saint among the horrible people that surround her. Elias, her lawyer, is ethically conflicted, as well, and it’s hard to determine whose side he’s on, but he grows on you, too. The author has the skill to get us to actually root for Addison early on as we learn more about her background and all the toxic family relationships that surround her. The ending was thought-provoking and thrilling. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Eye colors are not really mentioned.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO But autumn mums in heavy decorative pots have other purposes.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I got to listen to Darby Kane speak on a panel last year at the Las Vegas book festival and she was funny, entertaining, and fascinating - I loved hearing her talk about her process and how she came up with ideas for some of her books.

So I’ve been trying to read more of her work this year and plan to continue into next year. If you are looking for a fun thriller, I highly recommend this or any Darby Kane novel!! She’s definitely an author you should check out if you haven’t already!

Darby Kane’s novel, “What the Wife Knew”, follows 27-year old Addison, newly wed but also newly widowed. The story starts off with a bang, absorbing the reader into Addisons scheme of blackmailing millionaire Richmond Dougherty, and the following investigation into his murder. While Addison planned to be the one responsible for his demise, someone has beat her to it, but who?
There were facets of this story that were entertaining and I was curious to find out the end game, but overall, the characters were quite terrible people (with the exception of Portia) and I found the explanation of the whole sequence of events to be drawn out and a bit outlandish.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for an advanced reader copy of “What the Wife Knew” in exchange for an honest review. - 2.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Darby Kane for an ARC of What the Wife Knew! The book was solid from the start and knew I was in for a wild ride. Addison’s no care attitude had me sold for her story. The twists also did not stop coming. I honestly had no idea where this book was going to go or how this could possibly end. I liked how the timelines would go back and forth and from his and hers. If you’re looking for a book you can’t put down and already hooked from the first page - you’ve came to the right place. This is my second book of Darby’s and solidifies my continuing of reading her books!

I'd give this a 3.5. It was good, but I definitely wasn’t wowed by it. It started off hot, and I enjoyed the plot, but ultimately didn't find myself reaching for my Kindle any chance I got.

This. Book. Was. Phenomenal.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was instantly hooked, and I’m pretty sure I have whiplash from all of the twists and turns. @hkdimon did an absolutely phenomenal job of keeping me on my toes and feeding me just enough information to think I had Richmond’s murderer pegged.

Who is Addison, exactly? Where did she get the dirt she has on the renowned surgeon, Mr. Richmond Dougherty. And what lengths is she willing to take to wreck his reputation? All fair questions that were completely destroyed when Richmond wound up dead. Murdered, actually. The story is a mess, in the best kind of way.

You should definitely pre-order it! It publishes December 10, just in time for you to snag it as a Christmas gift for yourself and your thriller loving booksties. :)

Thank you so much to the author and @williammorrowbooks for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. I am so thankful!

Darby Kane has an incredible knack for crafting antagonist characters you can’t help but root for, and this book is no exception. Right from the opening scene, I was hooked—not by a fancy opening line but by the larger-than-life presence of Addison. She’s complex, with layers that kept me interested, although, at a certain point, her character stopped evolving. That being said, the plot is what kept driving everything forward.

As usual with Kane’s work, there were plenty of twists—some I saw coming, while others totally took me by surprise. Then there’s Elias, a character who was fascinating but felt a bit underdeveloped by the end. I couldn’t shake the feeling there was so much more to him than we got to see.

Overall, this book delivers the twists and suspense Kane’s fans have come to expect. If you’re in the mood for a thriller that keeps you guessing with complex, morally gray characters, this one’s worth the read.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to William Morrow and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book as it pulls you in right away and keeps you invested in the story. It has the right balance between characters you love to hate and characters you are rooting for. I also liked the family drama and dynamic and of course the nonstops curve balls just when I knew… it changes and I don’t know what to believe and that’s what you want in a thriller.

Great book!

This was a fast read, and the beginning especially caught my interest. The story follows a quickie marriage filled with shocking twists and turns.

*The Good:*

- Intriguing premise
- Some unexpected twists

*The Not-So-Good:*

- Underdeveloped characters
- Predictable plot points
- Lackluster writing style
- Unsatisfying ending

The characters' motivations felt shallow, and their actions often seemed implausible. The writing did allow for tension and suspense, but the story just became more and more implausible the further I read.

Thank you to NetGalley for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

This was a really good thriller. Lots of twists and turns. I didn't see the end coming. I really enjoyed and read it rather quickly. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Good easy read. Writing was so descent, this was my first read by this author. I tend to find a lot of new authors in netgalley.

Absolutely addictive thriller full of drama, twists and suspense. I fell in love with this story from the very beginning. I knew there was more than meets the eye and not was I right. Addison was a fantastic character and watching her grow and transform throughout this story of lies and betrayal was amazing.

Man, I always love a good Darby Kane book - they are dependably solid thrillers, and this was no exception. It kept me guessing until the end, and threw me for a loop too.

This was a Dastardly good mystery. The story moves along quickly despite jumping back and forth from Present Day to past and being from 2 different POV. I didn't realize until I was a quarter of the way in that it was 2 different POV, which you need in order to get the full stories and why certain things are happening. The 2nd wife, Addison, was written great and in comparison to the the 1st wife , Kathryn, appears to be a good person who's being played by her own mother. While they are battling after Richmond is murdered it's quite the story to figure out who murdered him and why all the other mysterious things are happening and who in the world is behind it. If you like a fast moving mystery that will keep you guessing for sure pick up this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I am so sad to give this 2 stars but I truly forced myself to finish this novel. I have loved all of Darby Kanes other novels and was soooo excited to read this one. Unfortunately, there was way too much banter for me, the twist wasn’t as twisty as her usuals and I guessed pretty early on who the murderer was and what the plot was.

Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks for an advanced readers copy of this title via NetGalley.

A prominent doctor is dead. Was it an accident or was it murder? If murder, was it his wife? And, if so, which wife? Kathryn is his first wife. High school sweetheart. Beloved by the community. And the second wife? That would be Addison. The classic younger woman. But is she really the young woman who caused Richmond to divorce the beloved Kathryn to go for a fling?

In this well-written book, the author takes us through twists and turns. All we read might not be quite right. The characters are well-developed. I loved Addison's dry wit. The ending was unpredictable. I really enjoyed this book.

What the Wife Knew is a bombshell! I inhaled this book, because I simply could not stop binging the short chapters. This book was intelligent, and so messed up. I did not see the twist coming. Oh, I thought I did, but I was so, so wrong. The true villain wasn’t the dead husband, no. Or even the wife scorned. You’ll be surprised who was.

I love that with every thriller, Darby Kane’s past as a lawyer infiltrates the book and the characters. It adds an element that is irresistible. It makes her thrillers seem more than a story. It’s like a live action drama playing out before your eyes. So few authors are capable of crafting a movie-like book like that for me, and it’s honestly what makes Darby Kane one of my auto buy authors.

Thank you so much to William Morrow for the gifted copy!

Addison's marriage to Dr. Richmond Dougherty is about revenge and grudges. Addison is furious when Dr. Dougherty dies unexpectedly and is eager to figure out who prematurely ended his life and thwarted her plans for revenge. This book is TRULY twisted and there were so many parts I did not see coming. Thank you to the author and published for this pre-publication copy.