The first book I have read by this author - but if the others are of this quality then it won't be my last.
My advice is to go into this one as blindly as possible and enjoy the ride, as the tale that has been so cleverly crafted unfolds.
Huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.

When Astrid Webb's car is found crashed and apparently abandoned, with blood spots in the interior, everyone fears the worst. Astrid's husband, a former police officer, seems to have been devoted to his wife and was also her caretaker.

But although she was unwell, and rarely ventured out, Astrid has been known to disappear of her own accord before this. So is this just one more incident of that nature? Or is something more serious going on here?

Because the truth is, despite his law-enforcement background Astrid's husband Bryan has been less than forthcoming with the authorities. He hasn't provided them with critical information - including the threats that his wife had been receiving prior to her disappearance.

But since the husband is very frequently the key suspect in such cases, why would Bryan withhold information that might definitively clear him and point to someone else having taken Astrid?

This is a gripping story, well conceived and delivered. The writer has come up with an intriguing and unusual take on a familiar trope: the missing wife. This one will be appreciated by seasoned thriller addicts. It gets 3.5 stars.

A good read and full of twists! I definitely enjoyed this book but didn't connect fully with the plot or characters.

An unusual police procedural, The Wreckage of Us (2024) by Dan Malakin is focused on the before and after of a missing woman. A police search is conducted when Astrid Webb’s crashed car is discovered in nearby woods. Her husband directs a charity foundation and is a former police sergeant, happily married and caring for his ailing wife. The narrative also features a second couple, Celine and Seth, and their relationship isn’t connected with the police investigation, which tends to be more in the background. Astrid’s and Brian’s lives before her disappearance are gradually revealed with each having their secrets and the marriage not all it seems to be. An intriguing crime mystery and psychologically tense build-up to the car accident and missing wife, with a four stars read rating. With thanks to Serpent's Tail and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

When I say I love reading thrillers, this is what I mean. It grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let go. It's dark, twisted, and full of suspense. This book was impossible to put down. It had me sitting there jaw clenched, anxiety ridden from the anguish the characters go through.

Dan malakin's narrative and character development are exceptional. He creates an atmosphere so thick it's almost tangible. His characters feel real.

I know this is going to be one of my favourite reads this year. I can not give it enough praise.
If you're a sucker for a well written psychological thriller that really takes hold of you, it makes you think and stays in your head. Then I urge you to give this book a read.

Synopsis.
This is a psychological thriller with multi POVs, set over different timelines.
When a crashed car is found along a roadside, abandoned, door open, blood inside. The woman whose car it is, Astrid, is nowhere to been seen. A woman who rarely leaves her house due to being sick is now missing. Her husband, Bryan, is frantic to find her. With the police searching for her, in an investigation like this, the husband is always the prime suspect!

Thank you, Netgalley and Viper, for this DRC copy.
My opinions are my own.

Told from multiple points of view and different timelines this is a complex read that plays with your mind right from the start and just never gives up till the sensation ending and I loved it. What I liked about the read was that it just crept up on me wheedling its way into my thoughts slowly till I realised even when not reading I was thinking about what was happening in the story and who was the perpetrator.
The characters were very well written and mainly so damn dislikable and for me that’s also a big plus there nothing so good as characters that you love to hate !
The plot was so dark and intense and superbly done it kept me guessing throughout, I loved The Box by this author but I loved this one more it just had that little bit of something special making it a wonderful 5 star read and one not to be missed, many thanks to Dan Malakin and roll on the next!
My thanks also to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books / for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Astrid Webb is missing. The police have found her car crashed near the woods, the driver's door open, the seat spotted with blood. But there's no sign of Astrid herself. Her husband Brandon is sure that she's alive - after all, this isn't the first time she's vanished, only to reappear without explanation.

This sets the scene for a very good book but I really think it is best if you go into this book blind. There are so many layers that continue to build as the book progresses, not only in regard to the plot but also the way the characters develop. This is a very captivating read and just when you think you know where it is going something else happens that changes your thought processes. You really have no idea who to trust or who is completely innocent, great twists that keep your mind reeling.

I had not read Dan Malakin's first book but I will definitely do so now, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and read it in an afternoon. The ending is satisfying after such a great story. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, all opinions expressed are my own. Five stars.

Fantastic character development. Great suspense novel! I didn’t want to put it down. Highly recommend

The wreckage of us is well written. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes guessing who is capable of what.

I was slightly disappointed in the big reveal. Some parts are so intricately plotted and thought out that I was expecting something other than the obvious but I guessed the majority of the twist early and some parts felt unnecessary.

The comparison of dependency of drug users was an interesting concept that I liked.

Overall I think I lacked any emotional connection with the characters to make me care about what happened to them.

It is a good book however not one I would return to.

This is a smart, well written thriller, by an author that is new to me. Taut and twisty, it really grabs you by the throat. A complex thriller that is worthy of success!

My first read by this author and it was really really good,filled with tension and twists.I was left feeling I could'nt trust anyone but it all came together very nicely, I did have a soft spot for Brandon which was down to the writing style which was great.
Looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and Viper B9oks for the ARC.

I haven’t read any of the author’s previous novels and knew very little about The Wreckage of Us when I requested it after a Twitter recommendation. It’s an excellent twisty and compelling thriller that I was completely immersed in over the course of 24 hours.
I won’t say much about the plot as I think it’s worth coming to this novel fresh and with no expectations.
It’s definitely one of the best novels I’ve read for a while, and I was completely caught up in Bryan, Astrid and Celine’s stories. It all comes together slowly and satisfyingly. I did not know who to trust throughout the novel and the author does a brilliant job of making certain characters very believable.
Superb and highly recommended.
4.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Weirdly I picked up this book because it was published by Viper, they have such a solid record for great books.
Now adding this one to the list.
It has plenty of twists to keep you happy, and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the two stories fit together (I got there shortly before the plot did).
Definitely a book where you could suspect anyone and everyone.
Hard to say much more without spoilers.
So accept that it's worth a few hours of your time, and some of your pennies .

Wow - what a thrilling read!

The author has a knack of drawing you in and keep you wondering what the hell you have just read. The unreliable narrator and slow unfolding of new events as each chapter progresses lead to a fabulously twisty read that will keep you guessing.

I found myself feeling really sorry for Brandon - the trauma and heartbreak of your wife going missing seemed to really take its toll on him, and the police gave him such a hard time.

A surprising twist in the last few chapters took us down the path to a very satisfying conclusion - just like we have come to expect from this author.

Fabulous!