The Serial Killer’s Wife

Really enjoyed this book. The plot was good with a few twists and turns along the way and an ending that was fulfilling. Would reccomend this.

A very interesting and tense read!

Beth is a character with a lot of depth and I really loved seeing more and more of her as the book goes on. With Tom, it was good to have some insight into him and what made him tick.
The little twist at the end was very surprising and I did not expect it!

Highly recommend!

Excellent, Excellent Excellent. This was such a great read. Some terrific characters, brilliant voice and of course fantastic plot twist. Convincing and clever writing, I gobbled this up at speed. I can't recommend this highly enough. Thank you #Netgalley for the chance to read and review this.

What great thriller dialogue had me guessing who all were the murders. The twist ending has me wondering will there be another book.

This was amazing - different tidbits kept getting dropped which kept you guessing. I just started to read the book and thought it would just be an hour or so as was intrigued but had other books to read - stayed up to late as had to finish it.

No plot summaries as that would spoil it.

Very good character development and could just see a small village being like that which is why I moved to a city.

I was given an advance copy by Avon and netgalley but the review is my own.

Would you know if your husband was a serial killer?
Beth and Tom have a perfect marriage a beautiful three year old daughter Poppy a idealistic house in the perfect village location.
That is until one day when Tom is late home from work and just as Beth is starting to worry there is a Knock on the door and to her surprise two police officers are asking about Tom.
Shortly after they arrive Tom comes home and is asked to come down the station to answer a few questions about a missing person from Tom's past ex girlfriend Katie.
After several hours Tom arrives back home but insists that it was nothing and they would talk about it the following day, the problem is the following day Tom is back at the station again and this time it doesn't look like he's coming home.
Do you really know the person you're married too?

Loved this book. Once picked up I didn’t put it down. Read in one sitting.
Beth and Tom are happily married with there daughter Poppy. One evening Beth is waiting for her husband to return from work. He’s late. So she is shocked when she finds the police on her doorstep. Immediately she thinks the worst. He’s had a accident. But that isn’t it. He’s wanted for questioning in a murder investigation.
I don’t want to give away much as I don’t want to spoil this book for you. Just safe to say there are little twists along the book and then whopper at the end.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this Arc

I read The Serial Killer’s Wife over a couple of days and found it was a boo I could really get my teeth into. Although I did predict part of it and had an inclination of what the ending would be I still found it to be most enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

I really enjoyed this book. I was totally hooked from the beginning and wanting to know more. The writing style was really smooth and easily allowed you to read "one more page" until suddenly, like me you've finished it in 24 hours!
I guessed the big reveal, but honestly that was the only downside if you can call a good guess a negative! Really worth a read, especially if you like slow burn thrillers.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Addictive! Page turner that you can not put down! Absolutely consuming book for the ones who love the mysteries and thrillers! This book seriously was the definition of devour. It devours you while you devour it. The plot is so smooth, the character development is enticing and you connect and visualize the situations as if the images are right in your face on a tv screen. I’d love to see this come to life!

Plot wise- it’s so limited what can be revealed. You’re introduced to Beth who has a happy life married to Tom and they have a sweet three year old daughter named Poppy. It all comes crashing down when one evening police show up to question Tom in regards to a murder. From there things go downhill for the family as Beth tried to figure out the truth while trying to shield her daughter from damage. The story is told in both Beth and Tom’s POV and each page brings you closer and closer to the truth. There are no gaps. There are no over played scenes are unrequited information. You don’t even have time to start guessing because you’re completely enthralled in the story you just want to keep flipping to find out more!

Absolutely terrific read I highly recommend! Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Serial Killer’s wife is such an addictive read! Told from several perspectives (Tom suspected in the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, his wife Beth coping with the scandal and her new life in the spotlight, and his ex-girlfriend, Katie’s, viewpoint from several years previously) this book is a real mystery with plenty of twists.

Written in the first person, the casual tone of the character’s voices makes it seem like a friend is telling you their experiences and helps you to connect to them instantly. Particularly Beth as she tries to protect her young daughter from the inevitable pressures of local gossip and the tabloid press.

The chapters are told from alternating perspectives and are relatively short, helping to build the pace and suspense.
I love a story where there are clues dropped throughout, allowing you to play detective and try to piece together the mystery of what happed yourself and what other secrets the characters may be hiding.

Although some of the events may be a little unbelievable (no spoilers!), the author really delivers with a thriller of a tale that that I just couldn’t put down!

The ending also leaves things open for a potential sequel, which I would definitely be excited to read!

📚BOOK REVIEW📚⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#theserialkillerswife by #alicehunter @avon_books @netgalley

So once again I really enjoyed this book! I found it to be very fast paced and hardly put it down from start to finish. I felt like it was a well set out, easy to read and a straightforward thriller.

The author kept the pace, suspicion and tension up easily by swapping to different narrators often, short chapters with cliffhanger endings, changing of timelines and just enough information revealed at any one time. I really liked how the author managed to keep the book interesting while also allowing you the time to play detective and try and work out what was going on.

I thought the characters were well constructed and executed cleverly. Although the plot could be seen as a little predictable in some ways, as you were suspicious of the characters from the very start, I think this was the authors intention as in you knew not to trust them but you didn’t know why and that definitely takes to the final twist to all become clear.

I did feel all the characters were a little bit shallow and personally would have like a lot more things explored especially with Tom but this did not effect my overall enjoyment of the book, perhaps just a personal preference.

Overall an excellent and well executed thriller. Perfect for a quick and easy but thrilling read!

➡️for synopsis

With thanks to #alicehunter @samcarringtonauthor #avonbooks and #netgalley for sending us this exclusive read!

Out May 27th 🙃

-Emily

@the_book_girls_1

This book was intresting, loved the pace of it. So many twists i didnt see coming.
Im glad i was given a advanced copy of this book. Was well worth the read

Fast paced, plenty of suspense and shock revelations. This book definitely shows that a, seemingly, perfect husband and wife really aren’t as they appear and you really shouldn’t judge based on external appearances or take anything for granted. The way the story is narrated from different perspectives is ingenious and sometimes leads you deliberately along the wrong path.
My allegiances switched countless times during this story, I’m still not totally sure who to trust or who to feel sorry for. There were lots of twists and turns and shocks along the way. An excellent and chilling tale - recommend!

I don’t even know how to process what I just read! I had a feeling the ending was going to be a big twist but did not see that coming!

Alice Hunter did a phenomenal job. I could not put this book down. I had to know what happened! The story alternated POVs which I’m a big fan of. There were clues throughout the story that you kind of catch but when it all ties together in the end it’s just ✨perfection✨

I look forward to more by this author!

This book was so fast paced and there were so many plot twists! I loved it and couldn't put it down. I read it in 24 hours. I would definitely read more by this author. The plot was very interesting and not like anything I'd read before. I would definitely recommend as a fun fast read. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

What a great read. A did-he-didn’t-he story. The wife with the idyllic life. The life comes crashing down around her ears when her husband is arrested for the murder of his ex girlfriend who disappeared 8 years ago.
But no body has been found, so what evidence can they possibly have.
Written in the first person from both Beth and her husband, Tom’s, point of view.
She’s dealing with the aftermath of his arrest and the effect it’s having on her and her small daughter in the small village they live in
He’s dealing with the assertive questions the police have whilst maintaining his innocence, but is he, and how much does his wife know
400 pages gone in the blink of an eye

I very much enjoyed this story of a woman married to a suspected serial killer. How can one be married to such a man and not notice a thing? What are the dark truths we choose to hide from ourselves? Highly recommended!

The Serial Killer's Wife is an entertaining thriller about a woman who discovers, or thinks she discovers, that her husband has killed two women in the past. She needs to figure out how to extricate herself and her daughter from this situation in a way that will be least damaging to the two of them. It's difficult to talk about this novel without spoilers, but the second half of The Serial Killer's Wife has great twists and the ending packs a wallop. It's not often that a final twist surprises me as much as this one did!

Beth and Tom are happily married. But when Tom is arrested for murder and his deep dark secrets come to light, Beth is left wondering just how well does she really know her husband? As more questions are asked about him, it seems she’s about to find out!

A good suspenseful book with a nice twist at the end.

I received this book from Net Galley as an ARC and I am so happy to have been given the chance to read this. It was a fast paced and a page turner. Can't wait to read more by this author!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for a copy of "The Serial Killer's Wife" in exchange for my honest review.

This was definitely one of the best books of the year so far. I just wanted to keep turning pages to see what happens and I was not expecting the ending that I was faced with.

Beth Hardcastle, husband Tom and daughter Poppy live in Lower Tew in Banbury. The story is told in Beth's perspective "Now", Tom's perspective "Now", Katie and Tom's perspective "8 Years Ago", conversations between a man and a woman - they are not identified and it's up to the reader to figure out that mystery, Beth's perspective "4 months Later" and Beth "15 months ago".

Beth is worried about Tom being late by 2 hours coming home from his job in London. When he does get home there is no time to talk to him as DI Manning and DS Walters arrive to speak to Thomas Hardcastle about assisting them with a murder enquiry. He is taken the Banbury Police Station - Beth has a million questions when Tom is returned home who? what? where? why?

Tom has always insisted that Beth not have any friends, that they only need each other and no one else matters.

When Tom is taken to the police station again, he is arrested, finger-printed and a DNA sample taken. The police arrive with search warrants to seize and retain. Tom told Beth he was going to work but he was not at work and he’s nowhere to be found on CCTV. Where did Tom go in a suit with his briefcase at his usual time on Tuesday, if not to work? And why wasn’t he wearing his suit jacket when he came home?

Widower Adam Knight offers Beth support. He lost his wife Camilla a year ago to a severe anaphylaxis reaction to nuts. Would she really have been without her EpiPen? Or is that what really happened to her? The author casts doubt brilliantly.

Tom is charged with the murder of Katie Williams, his former girlfriend but he is confident that they will let him go because there can’t be a case without a body. If they don’t have a time of death, he doesn’t need an alibi. Beth will never turn against him. She loves him, she needs him.

Beth is given a very rough time in the village. “She must have known something” or “You can’t be married that long and not know” are the things she is overhearing from the villagers. Julia invites herself over, brings wine. Is she truly trying to be a friend or is she trying to get information out of Beth?

Then we learn about Phoebe Drake who drowned 15 years ago. How was she connected to Tom? A university sweatshirt figures prominently in this story. Whose sweatshirt was it really?

Tom soon realizes that Beth is cooperating with the police, but he doesn’t believe it because Beth would never sell him out, the police are lying to him about Beth.

When another body is found in Central London, will this be linked back to Tom as well. Is Beth married to a serial killer? What does she know and when did she know it?

Everything is explained in the end and the revelations are worth the wait. Ms. Hunter has written a brilliant mystery/thriller. I have been recommending this book to all my bookish friends. I will be looking forward to more from Ms. Hunter.

There are some editing errors in the book where paragraphs are missing. It took a bit away from the book but not enough to ruin the read.

**page 142 – the paragraph ends but on page 143 the 3 lines that appear at the top of the page don’t follow what was written on the previous page. Something is missing as it picks up mid-sentence.
**page 144 – you can’t tell if this part is Tom speaking.
**page 227-228 – paragraphs are broken here.
**page 277 – ends but page 278 starts in mid-sentence.
**page 297 – paragraph ends, and page 298 starts mid-sentence.

This is a great psychological thriller with plenty of twists throughout that kept me guessing,
This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last.
The ending is great and one that I definitely didn’t see coming.

Twists, twists, and more clever twists. What would you do if your husband and father of your child were accused of the murder of his former lover. Beth, a pottery cafe owner is left in a frenzy to hold her life together and safeguard her three year old daughter. While her husband, Tom , remains in custody evidence against him continues to mount. How well did Beth know her husband and how far will she go to protect the life that she has loved?

This is the first book I have read by Alice Hunter and The Serial Killers Wife had my interest from the synopsis alone.
On the face of it, Beth and Tom lead a charmed wife. Living away from the city with their daughter Poppy,
Tom is late home from work one night so when she hears a knock at the door she assumes it’s him and he had lost his keys.
Only it’s the police. Tom has been brought in for questioning about a murder.
Beth is left to deal with the Mums at the school gates gossiping and journalists outside their house.
I did enjoy this book, despite none of the characters being particularly likeable. I also figured out the twists in the story - that says more about me and the type of books I read as apposed to it being a negative about this book.
What I wasn’t sure about was the title of the book - The Serial Killers Wife......The title means you know that there’s more than one body and for me that took away some of the intrigue in the story.
Overall I enjoyed this one and I would recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a book! The twists were perfect and multiple times I shouted “what?!” at my screen. The only thing I didn’t like was the alternating first person POV, I feel like it would have been a lot stronger if it were put into third person. But that’s honestly my only complaint, as it was a perfect plot.

From start to finish this is a page turner. Not one moment this book slow down to allow you to catch your breath. This must be just a sliver of what Beth felt when the police came knocking on her door.

Sex, lies, betrayal…MURDER. But that’s not all..

This is one hell of a thriller!

Beth loves her husband. He passionately loves her and their young daughter. Then a cop knocks on the door. Upon investigating the possible disappearance and death of a girl from years ago, he becomes the prime suspect. As the town looks on and new friendships begin to grow as people show their support, everyone is watching Beth and wondering - how did she not know she was a serial killer’s wife?

Beth thinks her life is perfect. She owns a thriving business, lives in a beautiful town, has an amazing daughter, and Tom is the perfect husband. Then one day, the police show up to question Tom about a murder. Turns out her perfect husband may not be so perfect after all. The story explores Beth's new, oddly convenient friendships as she navigates the unfolding investigation into her husband. There are a few twists, some of which were brilliant and one that felt so unrealistic that I literally said, "Oh come on!" out loud. But, overall I found the story intriguing and fun. It's certainly not a pulse racing, action packed tale but more of a plausible, what would I do in this situation, twisty, intellectual story. I definitely recommend giving it a chance!

Thank you @netgalley and @avon_books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood everything is perfect - their married age, their house and their family. But when the police come knocking one evening, panic starts for Beth - is Tom dead, had there been an accident? No it’s much worse, Beth is the wife of a serial killer.

The book takes the reader on a lot of twists and turns as the evidence mounts up against Tom, whom it transpires has killed more than once, could it be multiple killings, did Beth know? What will happen to Poppy?

I read this book in just a few days and for me, the only missing bit j was looking forward to was the trail, the jury and the verdict, it felt slightly rushed. But an ending that I wasn’t expecting at all, hadn’t been lead towards and well, it certainly leaves the door open for a follow up!

This book was not what I was expecting, yet it stayed true to the psychological thriller genre. Was not expecting the twist at the end, the author did a good job of tying it all together

Easy to read and extremely juicy - this was an excellent read. When Beths husband is taken by the police on suspicion of murder - the small village (and the reader) want to know if she knew and kept it hidden!
Throughout the book, we find out exactly the kind of man poor Beth married, I knew there was more to this than meets the eye - so would often find myself trying to come up with exactly what had happened, but this didn’t take away my enjoyment - it just added to it.
I read this in a day and thoroughly enjoyed it.

4 Stars from me

Well well well, some people really know what they want in life don't they! And for sure, Beth Hardcastle is one determined lady. She's settled in to a small town community and established a thriving business, she's got a lovely little girl 'perfect Poppy' who is doing well at a local school, she employs staff and her business is at the heart of the community for functions - the perfect way to meet people and make friends. She has a loving, loyal, hard working husband. She is making friends and fast establishing herself into a tight knit world.

She's got it all. Hasn't she?

One night it all gets upended when the police arrive to talk to her husband about a murder. I found her reactions to this a little odd at the time - was that how I would react? Hard to tell I guess isn't it.

But as I read on I found things really didn't seem to sit right with how Beth was behaving... I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so this is tricky both Beth and Adam's behaviour didn't sit right for me.

I loved the boozy friend, felt a bit sorry for the solicitor (and the murder victims, obvs) and very sorry for Poppy... not sure the future bodes well for that one. She's the subject of a future book when she's all grown up I hope!

Overall, a light fast read, don't overthink it just enjoy the ride!

Beth and Tom Hardcastle live the perfect life, in an idyllic setting. However when the police knock on the door, Beth is relived it is not that Tom injured or worse, but to talk to Tom in connection of a missing, presumed dead ex-girlfriend. Beths world is turned upside down. Then she meets Adam and life is looking good again. But Beth is concerned everyone thinks she should have known about her husbands past.
A great storyline, told from different perspectives. With an nail biting twist. Loved it!!

I loved it! The Serial Killer’s Wife should be on everyone’s “Must Read” list this summer.. Alice Hunter has crafted a fast paced read that you won’t want to put down. It’s a perfect escape.!
Many thanks to Alice Hunter, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
It’s a 4.5

Tom and Beth have a beautiful life. Tom works in the city and commutes to his home. Beth runs her own pottery cafe and their precious 3 year old daughter, Poppy, brightens their life. All this comes crashing down when Tom is arrested for his involvement in the disappearance of his previous girlfriend, Kate. Soon Beth is trying to justify her findings and can she escape Tom’s lies!
Ah this was one of those sneaky books where you think you see what’s coming but then that soon changes! Really great read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

It's a great read with plenty of suspense and lots of twists and turns. The title is a giveaway to whether Tom is guilty or not but it doesn't prepare you for the enormity of the crimes the deceit and the lies.

When Beth's husband is taken into custody for questioning about a murder, her life turns upside down. Having been with him for 7yrs, she surely knows him, right? Maybe she does or maybe she doesn't, follow the twists and turns to figure it all out.

Buckle up because this is a long one! This being 400 pages is a little long for me personally. I did enjoy this read. The twists and turns were fascinating and I did not see some of them coming! The way the book ended I see another book to possibly extend the story. I would recommend this read if the length of the book doesn't scare you!

Thank you Alice Hunter, Avon Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

What would you do if your husband was arrested for murder?
This is not my usual read but damn this was a good book.
There is so much I wanna blurt out but if I do it will ruin things. I must not ruin this for others.

I recommend this book if your a fan of fiction crime books or if you are like myself and don't care for this genre because this book was so interesting. It gets straight to the point. You can't stop reading this train wreck.

I was given a copy through Netgalley for an honest review

Beth’s seemingly perfect life with her perfect husband comes crumbling down around her when he is accused of murder. Did he do it? And more importantly did she know?

I enjoyed this read, the way that snippets of information slotted into place throughout, building up a complete picture whilst also leading you to some false discoveries. My feelings towards the characters changed throughout, as who to trust and who is giving a true account is something that is only slowly revealed.

I would recommend to people looking for a twisting story with plenty of unreliable narrators with their own motives.

Beth’s world is turned upside down when her husband Tom is taken to the police station to help them with a missing person/murder investigation. Keen to keep their daughter Poppy in the dark, Beth struggles to make sense of what she learns.

I enjoyed this fast paced and gripping story. It wasn’t perfect- I felt Beth’s reactions at the start were off, especially in the light of revelations as the story progressed. I’m pretty sure the police would have reacted differently to some evidence too. However, I still very much enjoyed the read and I was keen at all times to discover the next piece of the puzzle. I guessed part of the ending, but not quite all of it!

I would definitely read more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Good story with great twists near the end but the start felt very unrealistic.
I just felt thrown out by her reactions to the situation.
However Im glad I stuck with it because the pace livens up, the different characters become vibrant and you start to question everything you thought.

This fast-moving thriller reminded me of Gone Girl, with secrets layered upon secrets. When someone knocks on the door, Beth’s life changes forever. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, what a brilliantly creepy page turner, I devoured this in a few hours. Jam packed with twists and turns, that ending! Would love a sequel.

This was a really good read for me . I raced through it trying to get to the end . There was a little twist that I had mused over but it wasn't a disappointment at all . Beth is happily married to Tom , they have a 3 year old and live in an idyllic village in the Cotswolds . They seem to have it all but one night the police come knocking for Tom and take him away for questioning . The village is awash with gossip with more than one of them suspecting that Beth knows more than she is letting on . Beth starts to lean on Adam a recent Widower who supports her whilst her life seemingly falls apart around her . Really would recommend this , loved the setting as its just up the road from me . 5 stars

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and this is my honest review.

Beth’s world is shattered when the police turn up one night and arrest her husband for a terrible crime. How could she not know the kind of man that she lived with?

The book mainly focuses on the perspectives of Beth and her husband Tom who has just been arrested. The story is good and it does get you thinking about what you would do in Beth’s situation and how you might react, especially if you were living in a small town with all eyes on you. There were a few things in the book that I didn’t see coming which was good, especially as it felt like the book did have a bit of a slow start. Definitely a solid book and I’ll be looking for more from this author.

One evening the police turn up to talk to Tom about the disappearance of his ex girlfriend, Katie. His wife, Beth, is in shock because Tom is the perfect husband........ or is he?

I loved this book. It has exactly the kind of plot that I enjoy with a few twists. Some I saw coming and others that took me by surprise. I enjoyed the swapping perspectives, the pace and the tone.

Things to be aware of
Sexual violence
Murder
Domestic Abuse
Strangulation

I read this in less than a day because I couldn't put it down. I will be keeping my eye open for anything else from Alice Hunter

The Serial Killer's Wife is a solid addition to the crowded thriller genre. A recommended purchase for collections where the genre is popular.

Great read! Once again another book I read in a day. Plenty of suspence, twists and turns and an ending I did not predict. One never knows what goes on behind closed doors and how do we ever know who we are really married to. What seems like the ideal family can indeed be very deceptive, secrets hidden and agendas that only each party is aware of, much to the detriment of the others. .The ending also leaves it wide open for a sequel. I will definitely read more of this authors work.Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this twisty little tale.

This is complex, head spinning, absolutely disturbing, twisty and truly delicious psychological thriller which introduces us a new debut author Alice Hunter!

As soon as I finished the book and I wanted to read her bio and I found out Ms. Hunter’s main job was interventions facilitator in prisons, working at rehabilitation programs to men serving sentences, especially working with prisoners who’d committed serious brutal crimes!

It really explains how she managed to portray the dangerous mind of a real criminal. Especially BDSM parts of the book and the narration parts explain the killer’s instinct, the motivation and the thirst of committing crimes are blood freezing, terrifyingly bleak but also realistic!

We have four narrators in this book:

Tom: a exemplary, great husband and father is arrested for killing his ex girlfriend...

Tom’s wife Beth who tries to adjust in her new life with their beautiful kid Poppy but after their reputation has been tarnished, she will have to learn to live as killer’s wife!

Katie: 8 years ago she’s met with Tom and she thought she was so lucky to be chosen by him. But later she starts seeing the real face of her controlling lover and she feels trapped in her relationship. What happened to Katie? Is she really dead? Could Tom act such a violent crime against her?

And the unknown narrator who is forced to have BDSM kind of sexual relationship with a man: we’re not sure it’s Tom! And the woman can be anybody! Is she still alive to give us her identity?

Beth and Tom’s perfect marriage will be destroyed after his conviction to kill his ex girlfriend. His loyal wife Beth does anything to protect their daughter but small townies don’t stop gossiping: how cannot she know what kind of monster she’s been married for 8 years! The press, the townies are suspicious about her acts. And Tom needs his wife’s support to be acquitted from the murder charge.

What does really Beth know? Will she help her husband to save him from prison? Does she keep important secrets which may change everything about their lives? And could her husband be a vicious killer?

Don’t worry! All your questions will be answered during this wild ride! I absolutely enjoyed this twisty, surprising, heart pounding reading!
It’s a fresh start and intriguing debut novel earned my four criminal minds, dysfunctional relationships, perfect couple stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I found this to be a fun and page turning book. the Serial Killer's Wife really asks the question, How well do you really know someone? The answers will surprise you. I read this book very quickly and couldn't put it down. It was a fun read and thought provoking. I was guessing all along and didn't guess right, so for me that is a win. The characters are rich and flawed and fantastic. You get a real feel for this little suburb and it is almost a character of it's own. The author described it so well I felt like I could picture it! The author also really gets you inside the minds of the characters, as we do read from a couple of points of view. I love the style of multiple narrators and it really works in this thriller with a great twist!

A knock on the door changes the family lives forever when two detectives haul Beth’s husband Tom away for questioning. They want to know about a young woman, who had been missing for several years. What begins for them as enquires soon spirals into the unthinkable. Beth has to face the community where they live and where she owns a small business that puts her directly in touch with the public daily. Then there is their daughter who is still in nursery and the effects it will have on her.


What a belting good story it is as it is told between a triangle of the central cast of players, Beth, Tom and the missing girl Katie. Katie had been a former girlfriend of Tom’s before he met Beth. I had to take some deep breathes to read some of these chapters as the relationship between Tom and Katie developed. All three of them have distinctive voices.

I would say to you to read this in a quiet environment to get the most out of it. It scared me to hell when I did, as every noise on the pages came to life. I wasn’t sure just who was a real friend or just curious to know if Beth knew what had gone on. Beth had never really had a friend, and now she needed one more than ever. The story unfolds as the past is revisited by the three of them. Brilliant characters, superbly written.


I wish to thank Net Galley for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

I would like thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It was such a good read with lots of twists and an ending that came out of nowhere, I would definitely recommend this book.

TW: murder, strangulation, violence, sexual violence, domestic abuse

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for granting my request to read The Serial Killer's Wife. It was definitely the title of this book that drew me in; I mean how can someone resist a title like that - it's definitely there to grip you and draw you in and make you intrigued about what's going to happen in the book.

I was definitely gripped throughout this; I picked it up and didn't put it down again until i'd finished reading it. It was fast paced and I was just able to race through this in one sitting. I felt like the plot and the writing was well done and well constructed; it was definitely easy to follow with enough mystery to keep you guessing. I had so many theories; some of which I was correct about and others I wasn't but I think Hunter did a good job of throwing in enough misdirects.

Aspects of my review have been removed as they contain spoilers!

Overall this was a really good and gripping read with a fleshed out plot. One i'd recommend!

This book blew me away.

Last year, one of my favourite reads was My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing and this felt very much in the same vein. The pacing was excellent and I consumed the book very quickly, eager to know what happened to Beth and how much she knew or was involved in her husband's crimes. Really well written. Loved it!

I very much enjoyed this read and will definitely read another Alice Hunter book. Will be recommending it to everyone.

Twists and turns even on the last page. Great read! Loved Hunter's writing style, very engaging and made for a hard-to-put-down story! Would love to read more from her!!

Wow. I enjoyed this one-very different keeps you interested all the way through with a very unexpected ending. I am hoping that there will be a follow-up book. Fingers crossed.

Beth and Tom live a perfect and successful life, a happy family with their three-year-old daughter. Until one evening when Tom doesn't come home in time and Beth worries that he has had an accident, especially when the police arrive at her door. But the police actually want to speak to Tom about one of their enquiries. Beth's life is about to get blown apart. Can she trust her husband?

This book was brilliant - the plot was thrilling, exciting, tense and full of twists and turns. I loved the range of characters, the style of writing, and the shocking ending. I really recommend this book and can't wait for Alice Hunter's next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

When the police knock on Beth Hardcastle’s door one night, she’s terrified her husband Tom, who hasn’t returned from work, has been involved in an accident. But the truth is much worse; the perfect marriage, the perfect husband, that Beth thought she had was an illusion. Tom is not a perfect husband or even a good man, if the police are to be believed; he’s a monster. Good, creepy fun

This was SO good! I haven’t read this author before but I loved this. The pacing was excellent and the writing was superb.

How does she not know? Isn’t that what everyone asks when someone is arrested?

This story asks this and then elaborates. There is also a twist that is a bit glaring because it’s something that is harped upon.

The ending kind of left it open for a sequel if the author so chooses. It ends but on a a question.

Read it!

The Serial Killer's Wife had me hooked instantly. I read it in two days. The last chapter totally got me. I didn't see it coming! I thought the wife was completely innocent all along. Turns out there is more to meet the eye in everyone.

What a brilliant read, the style of writing was fantastic and so easy to read. A page turner for sure and what an ending, i really did not see that one coming.

Before this one even starts, there is a paragraph in the front about Alice Hunter’s experience with the prison system and working as a nurse for the NHS and how she used those experiences to write “The Serial Killer’s Wife”, and boy, does it show!
The book centers on Beth Hardcastle, her husband Tom and their daughter Poppy. The Hardcastle’s seem to have the most perfect life until a knock on the door late one night changes everything. The hand on the other side of the knock belongs to a Detective leading up a murder investigation, an investigation where Tom is a person of interest.
This book is a page turner (I finished it in a day) and a complete mind fuck. You dive head first into the lives of a seemly perfect couple and as all of their secrets start to be revealed.. you are left opened mouthed, lipping “what the fuck”! There was one part in the book about 100 pages in where the story started to drag a little, but Hunter quickly recovered and pulled you right back to the town’s web of lies.
This book keeps the twists coming (until the VERY end) and sends you on a wide, fast paced ride of lies, betrayal, and what some people WILL do for their families!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!!!

Enjoyable read, told from multiple points of view. Beth thought she had the perfect life. A loving husband, adorable daughter, a successful coffee/pottery shop and a home in a picturesque village. Until her husband was arrested for the murder of a former girlfriend.
I enjoyed the way certain chapters were from different points of view, some of them baffling. Lots of twists and turns that keep the reader enthralled. Very perceptive.
It’s my first Alice Hunter book and won’t be my last. Well-written, well-paced and highly enjoyable. I would recommend it.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for my honest review.

We all dread a police officer knocking on our door as it often means bad news. But for Beth, the news is catastrophic. Her husband, Tom, is wanted for questioning in relation to a missing woman. And so the turmoil begins.

The setting of a village adds to the claustrophobic nature of the book. Although Beth and Tom have lived in Lower Tew for a couple of years, they haven't made many friends. Can Beth rely on the villagers' support? Added into the mix is their three year old daughter, Poppy. Surely people will be kind for her sake if nothing else?

This was a novel that I was immediately sucked into. The 'I'll just read for 10 minutes' quickly turned into much longer time periods. The narration of the story flicks between Beth and Tom, as well as past and present. Alice Hunter cleverly kept me on my toes as I was desperately trying to work it out. I really didn't know who to trust and there was a brilliant 'gasp' twist halfway in the book. The pace keeps up as Beth navigates her way through the police, journalists and local residents.

I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent psychological thriller and look forward to reading more from this author.

“The Serial Killer’s Wife” by Alice Hunter had me hooked from the start. Actually, it had me hooked by the title alone. But the interesting thing about this book is that there was no big drawn out lead up - it went straight for the kill. Literally. A story told from the separate perspectives of husband Tom and wife Beth, with a few interludes from the mysterious Katie, this book keeps you guessing. Whilst reading Tom’s perspective, I thought him guilty, but then switch over to Beth’s perspective and I change my mind. And on and on this continued! It kept me reading, it held my interest and is definitely one of those books where you just have to keep reading because you just have to find out if you’re right! I’d highly recommend this book to all fans of psychological thrillers. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Imagine a married couple with a young child. All seems wonderful to everyone who sees them. But then, the wife finds out her husband has been accused of murder. As the questioning continues, more secrets are revealed. This book was a good read, with a few unexpected twists!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book. I am so grateful for the opportunity.

I used to read this genre all of the time, until I became bored of everything being the same and stopped for quite a while.I very rarely pick up books like this nowadays however something screamed at me when I saw this one and just couldn't help myself.

I am very pleased that I picked it up. I actually really enjoyed it! Yes it was predictable at times, yes I kind of knew where the story was going but actually it was a fun read. I really like crime/thriller books written in the perspective of we already know the killer and actually what we are doing is finding out how and why they have committed the crimes that they have. This is exactly what The Serial Killer's Wife did and it worked!

The writing style is really engaging and I literally could not put the book down. The Serial Killer's Wife is definitely one of those books where you just want to read one more chapter and then something else is revealed and you need to carry on. Be prepared for a late night when you pick it up!

I was taken by surprise at the ending. Whilst I knew something along those lines were going to happen, I didn't expect it to be in the way that it was. I wont go into anymore details because spoilers. But it was surprising, it made sense but it made me want a little bit more detail about certain characters that I feel we could have had throughout the story. I feel like it was left in a position where we could be getting a sequel which I would welcome and I would definitely pick it up. Fingers crossed!

I'd definitely recommend.

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this fast paced quick read. Had me guessing from beginning to end!

Pub Date: 5/2021

Yes!!. This book was exciting from beginning to end. Great story, well developed and interesting characters. The best part of the book were the twists and turn that this book took me through and the end... was so good. Highly recommend this book.

Beth is a mother that likes her quiet life. She lives for her banker husband, her pottery painting business, her cottage, and most importantly - her daughter, Poppy. She finds herself annoyed one evening while tucking in her daughter - her prompt husband is late. She hears the door and runs down only to find...two detectives. They whisk her husband away to help them with "some questions", and by the next day, Tom is held for murder. The town gossip is ablaze; could Beth be so ignorant as to not know what her husband is accused of doing? How deep do his transgressions go? How will Beth cope? Does she really know as little as she says; is their marriage really the sweet and simple relationship that she says it is?

The Serial Killer's Wife is an interesting take on a psychological thriller; one that I don't think I've encountered before. This is a quick, entertaining, and light popcorn read - perfect for a rainy day or vacation read! There is a surprise twist ending that did bring a little shiver of excitement and question of "what comes next"?! I would definitely read anything else that Alice Hunter publishes in the future, as I found this to be an engaging and enjoyable read. Would recommend!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for giving me a chance to review this book! This review is based on my honest opinion.

The title itself sounds...fascinating. The Serial Killer's Wife and it seems to have a ring in it. And the plot also sounds interesting. Beth and Tom Hardcastle seemed to be living a happy life with their daughter Poppy until the police come and knock on their door one day and takes Tom for questioning. And it was questioning about the disappearance/murder of a woman named Katie, who was Tom's ex girlfriend, eight years ago.

The story is told from Beth's Tom's and Katie's point of view so it is interesting to see what really goes in their head. Though the book is fast paced, chilling and as a reader you question if Tom is really innocent or not, this book did not have much twists and turns but nonetheless the reader (that's me) became engrossed into the story--the writer did a good job drawing the reader to the story! The emotions and feelings that Beth faced when her husband was arrested for the murder seemed realistic but at the same time you question if those feelings Beth had towards Tom was realistic or if she was hiding something. The ending of the story was a bit unexpected.

Overall, this was really good! I couldn't really put the book down and so I enjoyed reading this thriller and definitely read in one go! Worth five stars in my opinion.

Wow what a book this book had me gripped for a whole day I Coulnt put it down as I was hooked from the 1st Page .

This book has amazing characters and wow what some twist this book has esp with the twist at the end

This book tells the story of Beth & Tom who live the perfect life but is all what it seems behind the door ?

With thanks to Netgalley & Avon books for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

I enjoyed this book. Beth and Tom seem to be the perfect couple with their young daughter and lovely home. But one evening the police come knocking and Tom is charged with the murder of an ex girlfriend. Surely Beth would know if her husband was a killer? This is a fast paced story which I think was a bit far fetched at times, especially the big twist at the end, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

This was a super fun read and was hard to put down. I really liked that the chapters were short because late at night when it was time to go to bed, I'd keep reading the next chapter, then the next, then the next, just because they were only several pages long.

The story itself kept rolling, and my mind was on overdrive the whole time, thinking, there's got to be some sort of twist here - maybe he wasn't the killer, maybe she was, or maybe the handsome widower is the one who did it and framed the husband. So many crazy ideas came to mind, which I loved. Very well written from many POVs. This is the kind of book I've been looking to read!

Gave 4 stars, but it's really a 4.5. I liked the twist at the end, but I sort of guessed that might be the case, so a little disappointed that there wasn't a bigger shocker.

The Serial Killer's Wife is the debut novel of Alice Hunter, who uses her experience of working with violent prisoners to give the book added authenticity.
Beth and Tom Hardcastle are a devoted couple who have moved from London to the small village of Lower Tew with their young daughter Poppy. Tom commutes to his high-flying job while Beth runs a small cafe. When the usually reliable Tom doesn't arrive back from work at the usual time Beth starts to worry,more so when the Police arrive before he eventually turns up. Tom is taken away and questioned about the death of a former girlfriend.
The story is told from the perspectives of the main characters and tells not only the story of the murders,, I don't do spoilers but the title kind of gives things away,but the effect they have on Beth and Poppy as Tom is taken away from them.
The book is very well written,the narrative flows making it a quick and easy read. There's not actually much tension as it's pretty obvious from the start what has been done and by who but there are a couple of good twists,though I suspect old hands at crime thrillers won't be entirely surprised at most of them.
I really enjoyed the book,it doesn't stretch the brain and is very entertaining. My only issue is with the title, which is basically a massive spoiler that takes away a lot of potential suspense from the tale ,I realise it's mostly Beth's story something less plot-revealing would have been much more preferable.

This. Was. GOOD! “The Serial Killer’s Wife” starts out with an apparently nice, normal couple, just living life, when suddenly one night the husband is late and the police show up at their door. The wife is startled thinking maybe he was involved in an accident, but turns out he can be involved in a murder… And everything pretty much goes downhill from that.

Plot: ★★★★★
Absolutely loved it! There were some great twists, only one of them I was expecting, but even that one was written in such a way that my head was spinning and I wanted to scream. I recently read a book with a similar premise but the plot played out completely different, loved them both. And the ending is just CRAZY, I love it when little clues are put into the story and you forget about them, just so the writer can come back and hit you in the face with it.

Structure: ★★★★★
Excellent pace, I took a while to pick it up but for other reasons, when I sat down to read it I read it all in one day, even slept late because I was just so close to finishing it! It is constructed with 4 POVs: the wife’s nowadays, the ex-girlfriend’s 8 years ago, the husband’s nowadays and 8 years ago and a mysterious woman’s, undated. They are all pretty exciting and alternated, my least favorite was probably the husband nowadays because it doesn’t add much, but they really are all very well written.

Characters: ★★★★
You can’t really trust anyone!! Maybe Poppy, but I wouldn’t vouch for her either. I liked how well Beth’s character was built, slowly and well-executed. With Tom you have different sides of him according to which POV is being presented at the moment, so at the end you can fully understand his essence. You don’t really get to know/understand a few other characters, but it isn’t an actual problem, and maybe too much information on everyone would just slow the story down.

4.7 ★

I wanted this ARC so much I went on twitter to bother Alice Hunter and ask for it, and I wasn’t let down AT ALL! Such exciting and impossible to put down suspense. Looking forward to any new things coming from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for this Advance Review Copy in exchange for my honest review!

I have to say, this didn't turn out the way I expected! The twist seems obvious in hindsight, but I had convinced myself this was going in another direction entirely!

Short chapters kept the pace moving, but some parts seemed to drag on with unnecessary information.

I expected the author to lean more into the media frenzy and gossip mongering this would create for the wife of a serial killer. While the media hounds certainly came for Beth, her reaction just seemed a little bland to it all. Especially the running of her own business! Like your manager is acting very odd towards you, like she doesn't want anything to do with you, but you hand over the running of the entire business to her? Didn't make much sense to me.

I don't know why, but I kept getting pretty creepy vibes off of Adam. Is he really Mr. Perfect?

Interested to read more from this author.

Thank you to Avon via NetGalley for providing a digital review copy.

Drew me right in a plot that kept me reading late into the night.Really well written so many twist and turns kept me guessing till the end.An author to follow,#netgalley#avonbooksuj

Great quick read....I was trying to guess the ending but I was way off, so that is good! I wish there was a bit more backstory on the main characters. Things were hinted at but not explained. Overall, I enjoyed it.

The Serial Killer’s Wife is a pacy and a totally addictive thriller by Alice Hunter. Whenever serial killers are reported on in the news, people often think about the killer’s family. How is it possible that they didn’t know what was going on right under their nose? If they did know, why didn’t they have the courage to come forward and tell the police? It’s what Alice Hunter explores in her novel as she tells it from the point of view of Beth, the wife of the killer, Tom Hardcastle. Beth and their daughter mean everything to Tom. At one time, Beth thought the same about him. But police arrest him following the discovery of new evidence in an old murder case, she begins to question everything she thought she knew. It also puts her in a very uncomfortable position as people begin to look at her in a different light than they did before.

I really wanted to know what the bigger picture was here. As more cases that are linked to Tom come to light, I wanted to know if Beth played any involvement at all in what happened. It made for really gripping reading as Sam explored her character further. I felt as though I couldn’t quite trust her as the story developed.

Tom is a really intriguing character as well. As the police come closer to uncovering the truth about him, we begin to see his true colours emerge. I thought Alice Hunter developed his character really well and Beth’s character too, as she comes to terms with what is happening around her. It makes for really tense reading as the narrative flicks between their viewpoints.

The tension in the book really turns up a notch as Alice Hunter reveals what is really going on. The characters kept me gripped and turning the pages faster and faster as I raced towards the end. Alice Hunter made me think about how I would react if I was in the same position as them.

The Serial Killer’s Wife is an addictive psychological thriller, and I was desperate to find out how things were going to pan out in the end. If you’re looking for a twisty read that will grip you right from the first page, I highly recommend it.

This was an interesting spin on the usual serial killer thriller and not what I was expecting. I had thought from the title that I would feel some sympathy for the ‘poor wife’ but I never quite took to Beth. I know I always wonder about how much wives or close family knew when someone is accused of murder and particularly so when the murder occurred some years ago. So how much did Beth know? I guess you need to read it yourself and find out.

I loved this fast paced book. It kept me guessing.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon UK publishing for a copy of the book for my honest opinion.

Suspense! Intrigue! Just when you think you know you have no idea.
A thriller that will keep you entertained for pages.

Really loved this book. Lots of suspense. Lots of red herrings and twist and turns. Well developed characters and great dialog. I was actually sorry to see this story end...it was quite an enjoyable read.Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

I flew through this novel in less than 24 hours. The Serial Killer's Wife is an engaging crime thriller that follows Beth Hardcastle after her husband, Tom, is taken into police custody for a suspected violent crime. Beth struggles to continue to run her business, take care of their young daughter, and navigate the media attention her husband's case has attracted throughout the story. Just when you think you understand what is happening, there is a new development in the case against Tom. The plot will keep you on your toes up until the very last page and thriller fiction lovers will enjoy reading this one.

The Serial Killer’s Wife Kindle Edition

by Alice Hunter  (Author)  Format: Kindle Edition

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary eARC. I am choosing to leave a fair and honest review.

This is a good initial book from Ms. Hunter. Centered around Beth, the wife of Tom, as she struggles to make sense of the news that he is being charged with the murder of his previous girlfriend, Katie. Filled with British cool, both in terms of attitude and style, the story moves at a decent clip as the story unfolds.

Set in the suburb of Lower Trew, the story is filled with interesting characters, who, for the most part, are unique but still tropes. This is managed admirably, most notably the put-together mom who really isn't perfect. It can also be seen in Tom, Beth's husband and the serial killer in the title.

Aside from a few formatting quirks, this is an easy but disturbing read. Ms. Hunter uses a strange convention for titling and timing chapters. Chapter after chapter repeats “Now” after the name of the narrator. There are also some difficult handling of texts with extra letters that make no sense. Beth and Tom and a mysterious third person pass the narration duties back and forth. They are fairly easy to separate if the reader loses track.

This is a book of small twists and a few zigs and a couple zag. Some make sense, other seem to come out of the blue with little warning. Think Gone Girl, but with less backfill.

The village of Lower Trew feels a lot like a 1980s/1990s American High School, where gossip is king and mean girls are queens. Even drenched in Early Gray and decorated with the charm of Paul Hollywood, the cliques form right away.

This is a strong first effort. With time, I foresee Ms. Hunter becoming quite the thriller writer.

4 stars out of 5

https://www.amazon.com/Serial-Killers-Wife-Alice-Hunter-ebook/dp/B08N5MQYJ5

Firstly, thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books for allowing me an advanced reader copy for an honest review in return 😊

I have not read a thriller in a while and this book reminded me how much I love them! It was such an exciting read and I always love different POV’s in a thriller book... it added to the tension well. Hunters writing style was great and I loved how certain chapters ended - I was flying through each page to find out more!

Due to the title of this book I was worried it was going to be a little predictable however there were definitely some twists and turns! It’s also true what they say... you never know what’s going on behind closed doors 👀

This is a quick and suspenseful read and if you’re a fan of thrillers like myself... I’d recommend picking this one up! It’s out 27th May, add it to your TBR! 😊👏🏻

Yes this book!
It was fantastic. Thank you! It was a book I needed to read before I even did it!
Can’t wait for people to enjoy this one

What a great book as debut. The basic storyline is a loving couple who appear to have life sorted. I could not wait to finish the book and there were many unexpected twists and turns and did not disappoint and I failed to guess the ending. Like other reviewers I raced through in a couple of days and I cannot wait for the next book by this author.

Absolutely fantastic! I finished this in two days because I couldn’t put it down. Well written and full of surprises. Keeps you on your toes the entire time!

I could not put this book down! The twists and turns are exciting, unexpected. I enjoyed how the author spoke through each person; the timing of each voice was impeccable. Although I found it disturbing, I could understand how manipulative a killer's mindset can be to avoid blame, playing on his wife's insecurity so that she too does what is necessary to protect their perfect family life. Understanding how deeply a mother loves and protects her child from living a hellish past, it doesn't take much to see the wife's motives for her behaviours. It was really enjoyable that the author chose a village setting for the family; nothing is hidden from the grapevine. It was also clever for the author to gradually show that everyone has a façade they hide behind - whether guilty or not. Having worked in a small rural town myself, I felt so many similarities of how everyone knows your every move, how you worry about optics, how you have to hide from prying eyes watching you. Does hiding make you guilty, or does it make you look guilty? I highly recommend this book for readers to find out.

The premise of this novel had me intrigued immediately and it did not disappoint. This is a fast-moving story that grips you right away - I read it in one day, having to know how it ended.
While relying on a few tried-and-true thriller tropes (which I won't detail to avoid spoilers), I found the plot was still exciting and felt fresh. It was easy to invest in the characters and I would definitely read a sequel to see how some of them fare in the aftermath.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the digital copy for review. All opinions are my own.

The Serial Killer’s Wife is the reason I love a good thriller so much- you think you’ve got it all figured out, then the author pulls you right back in until the last few pages. Alice Hunter has done just that with this novel, the perfect escapist read. I will definitely look to read another one of Hunter’s books in hopes of another twisted story that keeps me guessing and thinking even after I’ve finished the novel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Alice Hunter for the opportunity to receive and review this ARC.

Excellent psychological thriller, difficult to put down. Beth and Tom seem like the perfect loving couple with their beautiful daughter Poppy. When Tom is arrested on suspicion of murder their beautiful facade starts to crumble. As Beth tries to shield Poppy from the fallout of her dads arrest, she also must come to terms with what she knew about her husband prior to his arrest. Extremely fast paced page turner full of twists and turns.

First, thank you to NetGalley, Alice Hunter and Avon Books UK for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I very much enjoyed this book. It, like others have said, was a true page turner. I took my Kindle everywhere I went to even if I just had a few minutes to keep reading I did. Some reviewers said they saw things a mile away but not me. I was totally blown away by the ending and am truly hoping for a sequel. This was gripping and I will definitely be reading more of this author's works. I liked all the characters and the story progressed well. This was gripping and I will definitely be reading more of this author's works.

Brilliant! An easy read with lots of twists and turns. Beth's husband Tom is arrested for murder and everyone thinks Beth must have known - but your whole view point changes as you go through the book and more and more facts are revealed.

I liked the way the story was told from the view point of different key characters and at different times.

A really enjoyable read.

Loved this book, I devoured it within a few days. The narrative follows Beth and Tom who have an idyllic house/business in a perfect little village. The story starts from page one, Tom is under investigation by the police due to a missing persons case. I do not want to give too much away but this is worth a read, really good characters and I really warmed to Beth, she was easy to like and I enjoyed reading about her. There are a few twists along the way in this novel and I loved the twist at the end. Right up my street, thanks Alice Hunter I will be looking out for more of your books.

The Serial Killer’s Wife by Alice Hunter has an interesting plot. The characters are well developed but not sure I connected with them, and maybe that was point. The story did drag on in places, some of the repetitive details could have been edited out as it was also a bit long. I try to just enjoy books with twists without trying to hard to figure them out and this one was no different. The twists were fun, but the ending was a bit too open ended for me.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

4.5 Stars
Wow, I loved this book. The story was very engaging and intense. I loved the way it built and unfolded.
I've only given 4.5 stars as I did guess a couple of things but equally there were plenty of things I didn't guess.
I definitely think this is a book to keep an eye out for as I feel it will be a big hit when it's released. I've certainly mentioned to a few people already.

Wow what a complex twisty psychological thriller with a great twist at the end!
How well do we really know someone? What secrets are they keeping from us?
Beth and Tom seen to have the perfect life living in a rural idyll, a lovely cottage a gorgeous daughter but things are not as they seem!
When police come knocking at the door their lives change forever as secrets from Tom’s past are revealed, Beths worst fears are realised as she is implicated in the accusations as more grisly facts emerge! This book keeps the pace up and engages with you so that although you want to find out the surprising conclusion you don’t want the book to end!
Would highly recommend
Thank you net galley for this early read.

Beth had the perfect baking-mom kind of constructed life as little wifey to her adoring husband Tom, both dogs in their toddler Poppy.
One evening Tom misses bedtime story time because he is being questioned by the police.
Beth then finds it is in connection with a murder investigation into a mudding woman who was a former girlfriend if Tom's.
One would expect her to be the supportive, loyal wife but she is too vague to respond as their lawyer expects and cannot even bring herself to visit him.
She then becomes progressively more irritating and impractical. Or at least, that's what I was thought.But don't stop there because that's just when the fun starts.
I cannot describe more without revealing spoilers. but oh us it an unpredictable, bumpy ride.
I loved it, it's really clever though hi f I was the author's husband if be very uneasy!

Such an incredible book. Thankyou to Netgalley. Avon books UK and Alice Hunter. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Beth has the perfect life with her husband Tom and their daughter Poppy. Their lives get uplifted into turmoil, once Tom is brought down to the police station under suspicions of murder. Beth now, is viewed as the serial killers wife.

A book that jumps from character to charterer, and present and past. This book captives what it is like to live inside a criminal mind. Hearing their thoughts, and their next calculating move. How they can twist words, and actions to suit them. Preying on the weak and innocent. Alice Hunter really brings her expertise of her knowledge of psychology and the mind of a criminal into this book.
My favourite part of the book was the plot and the epilogue. I slowly was able to fit the pieces together of what was going to happen. In the epilogue there is a small cliffhanger, however there is enough information to complete the story but still lefted me wanting more.

I'm look forward to the future, to be able to read more from Alice Hunter.

Beth and Tom moved from London to the country to give their young daughter Poppy a happier childhood than they both had. This changes when the police arrive to speak to Tom about the disappearance of a former girlfriend 8 years previous. When he is charged with murder, Beth does all she can to protect Poppy. The story is told from 3 POV's, Beths, Toms and an unknown woman. All becomes clear as the book proceeds with an ending I didnt see coming.
A great debut novel from Alice. Look forward to reading more from her in the future
I received this book from Netgalley and Avon &Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own

I really enjoyed this book full of twists and turns. So many surprising hairpin turns! This book had that definite creep factor! Which is a huge plus for me. Great characters and plot line. Highly recommend.

I enjoyed this book. All the twisty turny suspicions that chop and change all the way through the book. Worth a read and I did recommend this to a friend so I must of liked it!

I enjoyed reading this novel from various POV's. Parts were told from Beth's POV and parts were told from her husband Tom's POV. Imagine getting a knock on the door, on an evening when your husband is late getting home from work, and you answer the door to find the police on your doorstep wanting to ask questions about your husband. This is the situation Beth finds herself in. Can one truly know their spouse?

There were so many twists and turns in this novel and I loved it. With a final huge twist at the end that I did not see coming! A definite must read if you haven't read this one yet!

The Serial Killer’s Wife by Alice Hunter is a thriller with lots of twists and turns you will not see coming.

Beth and Tom moved to a small town from busy London to raise their family. All is well until one night the police comes knocking on the door and brings Tom in for questioning for the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend. Beth's life suddenly turned upside down as her family becomes the talk of the town and the news. Slowly, Beth realizes her husband might not be who he seems.

The author does a great job in the alternation of narration. It leaves you clueless until the very end, and then the unpredictable ending hits you. There were a lot of plot twists, some which I thought I saw coming, but I end up being wrong.

I knocked a star off because I did not like the characters. Everyone was questionable and felt underdeveloped. There were a few plot holes that felt like there could be more to that storyline but the author does not mention it again. Perhaps, she means for it to be a red herring to throw the reader off, but nonetheless, it leaves me wondering about a certain character.

Thank you to Netgalley, author Alice Hunter, and publisher Avon Books UK, for providing me with an ARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Firstly a big thank you to Avon for my copy to review . I whizzed through this tonight.. what an amazing debut!

I was hooked instantly . Compelling and completely unpredictable.

A fantastic psychological thriller that will leave you wondering who’s telling the truth…

Fast paced with twists and turns aplenty. Perfect for fans of gripping thrillers and you won’t be disappointed.

Published 27th May and I look forward to reading more from Alice.

Wow. What a ride! Beth and Tom are the proud parents of 3 yr old Poppy. The police come to the door and want to speak to Tom about a missing woman he dated. As the story unfolds, there are a lot of secrets he has been keeping from those around him. Beth must come to terms with the man she married and what he may have done when more women are found dead. Beth must try to make a life for herself and Poppy when it looks like Tom will be sent to prison for life. But the twists and turns just keep coming all the way to the end. Don’t miss this one. Thanks to NetGalley and author Alice Hunter for an ARC for my unbiased opinion.

A great read, lots of twists and turns and an ending that left me feeling very satisfied and fulfilled.
Highly recommended for fans of thrillers and twisty dramas.

This was an excellent book that kept me guessing at every turn. I was unable to figure out the storyline, which is my favorite type of story.

Loved it !! Could not put it down because I just had to know what was happening ! Well written and a great mind tease and escape!

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon Books for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. This book had some crazy twists and turns. I wasn't sure what to expect as I started the first page, but it was so very well done. I don't want to give anything away, so this is shorter than my usual reviews, but trust me...don't pass this one up.

I so enjoyed reading this suspenseful, twisty psychological thriller. Disturbing, complicated, and unreliable narrators kept me on my toes wondering how much they aren't saying and what secrets are waiting to be revealed. I truly did not see the final twist coming.

Congrats to Alice Hunter on her debut novel. And thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

It was ok. I saw the first twist coming but not the second. Three and a half

Wasn't expecting that. This thriller had enough twists to leave me wondering what was next. Beth was both innocent and cunning and half way through the story I started to dislike her for some of the antics she pulled. The end ties in so well and leaves an opening for the story to continue. Entertaining from start to finish.

This was a fast-paced read, centered on married couple Beth and Tom, who seem to have the perfect marriage until Tom is accused of murdering an ex-girlfriend. The rest of the book alternates between Beth's and Tom's POVs, as the reader tries to piece together what really happened and who knew what.

The pacing of the book was fast, with short chapters and only a small number of primary characters. There were twists throughout, though I did see most of them coming, at least to some extent, and the book didn't provide a ton of mystery when recounting past events. Still, it was interesting to watch the story unfold and see the different pieces lock in to place, as well as determine what the characters were hiding and what they were already aware of. There was a brilliant twist at the end which didn't fully catch me off-guard, but was an interesting way to take the story.

I had a bit of a rough time connecting to the characters- we didn't get much background info on what made Tom the person he is today, and I was regularly frustrated with Beth for neglecting her work duties, pawning her daughter off on others, and over-sharing information with people who she wasn't sure she could trust.

Overall, this was a good read and I enjoyed it. I would have liked it better if I had connected more with the characters and been more surprised by the twists, but it was still a good book. I'd give it 3.5 stars and recommend it to those who like domestic suspense and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks netgalley and of course Alice Hunter for this very exciting read.
Tom has killed woman for sexual pleasure, he likes to hurt woman by strangulation.
His wife Beth is saved as he only does it with woman who enjoy it and does not want to destroy his family and daughter.
Tom is arrested for murder and Beth helps to put him in prison.
But Beth is not as innocent as you are led to believe, and I really did not guess the end of this book.
Really enjoyed it well done.

This book was a new Author to me, I absolutely loved it very early on.

Tom and Beth appear to have the perfect life, how far will you go to ensure that people never find out your dark dirty secrets?

This book was full of twists, the ending was not what I was expecting and I find predictability of the ending usually easy, this was a complete mystery !

The characters are relatable, the lies, the deception, they pull you in !

I was sad when this book ended, it was a very quick read for me!

Thank you for the chance to read this brilliant work of art!

Beth and Tom have the perfect marriage and the perfect child, Poppy. They have moved to a small town outside London to live their dream of a happy family, and Beth has inaugurated her coffee shop, where she also does her pottery. Everything seems to be perfect until, one night, Tom is taken by the police under suspicion of murder. Apparently, there is a link between the disappearance of Tom’s ex girlfriend, Katie, and Tom himself. And that is only the beginning...

I’ve enjoyed this book which starts off very quickly and, although there are a few parts when it seems to slow down, it manages to keep the tension going for most of the time. It’s not a “whodunnit” kind of crime book, but rather a psychological thriller which explores the reactions of a woman who realises to be the wife of a killer, and her sense of indirect responsibility towards the crimes. Overall a very enjoyable read, I’d recommend it. Out on May 27th.

•thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review•

Another favorite by a great author. The plot of the story was very well written. The author really draws the reader in as you read.

Without doubt one of my favourite reads this year, I absolutely had to read it in one sitting!

Beth has just finished putting her daughter Poppy to bed when two policemen appear at her door. Her husband Tom has been arrested as a suspect for the murder of his ex girlfriend, Katie.

The novel is predominantly told from Beth's perspective with other chapters presented from the point of view of Tom, Katie (8 years earlier) and an unknown narrator in a BDSM relationship with Tom.

It all comes as a huge shock for Beth and she confides in Adam, who has recently lost his wife Cassandra and has a daughter in Poppy's nursery class.

The author cleverly drip feeds information throughout the novel which keeps the reader guessing and I loved the reveals when we realise that not all is as it seems. The writing was engaging and I felt invested in Beth's experience.

I was surprised to read that this is a debut for Alice Hunter, as it is so well written. It would make a great TV drama.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the advance copy.

This is a real belter of a book. Dark, filled with tension and I could not put it down. I am pretty sure I held my breath through the whole second half of the story.

This is a very clever book which makes readers take a long look at the idea of the family dynamic. Of how much we really know about and understand the people will love, and how much we are willing to forgive. For Beth Hardcastle all of her belief in and loyalty towards her husband Tom, are about to be pushed to the limit when Tom is accused of a horrendous act many years before. In a small and close knit community it is hard for Beth to hide, or to escape the gossip and the suspicion that she must have known. That she might be, in some way, complicit. But nothing is ever that straightforward. It's psychological fiction after all.

Now as readers we are not kept in suspense for too long over what actually might have happened, and with the story told from the points of view of both Beth and Tom, and a third party whose narrative adds a very different spin in the story and starts to unlock the eventual truths that will stun the reader. Beth comes across as a very sympathetic character, someone who has been lied to as much as any other, whilst my feelings towards Tom fluctuated the further we got into the story. Guilty party or perfect patsy. It was interesting to see how the author played this, toying with. our emotions and certainly at the beginning making me wonder if the right person was standing accused. It's fair to say that in this book there is more than the odd obsessive character and there were not many, with the exception of the children, that I completely trusted.

This is a fairly quick book to read, and I finished it in just the two settings. With the point of view moving between. the characters quite quickly, it really moves the story on, although the lion's share of the attention falls on Beth and her struggle to come to terms with what is happening. And yet ... there were times, early on, where suspicion falls her way, and her hurried assertion of Tom's guilt made me wonder is it was a case of the lady protesting too much. Whether I was right or not, you will need to read to find out, but. I was not prepared for all of the revelations that emerged by the end of the novel.

This was an entertaining. read, full of complex and multi-faceted characters who i mostly loved and loathed in equal measure. The author has used her understanding of psychology well, exploring the motivations and behaviours of several of the characters, making readers question how they would have behaved in similar circumstances. We all like to think we would be better stronger, do the right thing. But would we? Let's hope we never have to find out. A great character led story than fans of psychological thrillers will love.

I would like to thank net galley and Avon for an advanced copy of The Serial Killer's Wife in exchange for my honest opinion.

Great debut novel by Alice Hunter. The Serial Killer's Wife is full of plot twists and turns. Honestly, I don't think I have ever read a book that was so full of unlikeable characters and yet still manages to be a fulfilling read. That speaks volumes to the actual substance of the story line and plot. That is what makes this book a success. I feel like every book I have read lately you see the plot twist coming a mile away. Not with this one! Enjoy!

This book was absolutely fantastic! I have not read a really great thriller in so long and this book blew me away. You’ll be completely tangled in this story and I promise you won’t want to put it down until the last page.

Synopsis:

Beth and Tom live a seemingly perfect life with their daughter in a quaint English village. Beth runs a successful pottery cafe and Tom is a well-paid banker.

Everything is perfect.... until the police show up at their doorstep and Tom is taken in to be questioned regarding his involvement in the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend. As the police investigate, Beth begins to question everything she thought she knew about her husband.

Pub date: May 27, 2021

My review:

This is my first Alice Hunter novel. I LOVED it. It was well written, but easy to follow. It held my attention throughout and I finished it in a few hours. I thought I had it figured out at one point, but Ms. Hunter cleverly inserted a few misdirects and I was COMPLETELY wrong! The twists kept coming until the very end. This was a page turner and I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Alice Hunter for the opportunity to review this ARC. This review and all opinions are my own.

What a fabulous read! I loved this story told mainly through the two main characters Beth and Tom who have the perfect marriage but do they ?The story is quite disturbing but a very good psychological thriller which had me gripped from the beginning.I didn't guess the ending I didn't see it coming at all ,as the ending was left open I do hope there will be a sequel to conclude this very good debut book .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review

<b>I’ll be keeping my eye out for the author’s future work. Ms. Hunter has fabricated a juicy psychological thriller brimming with disturbing fantasies, complex characters and complicated relationships!</b>

Does anyone really know their spouse? How long can you let yourself be deceived before you suspect you’ve been manipulated into believing their lies?

Beth and Tom have an enviable marriage until Tom is questioned about the disappearance of an old girlfriend. Before long, he’s arrested and charged with murder. I felt guilty, taking joy in reading about their crumbling marriage, as Beth is left to take care of their daughter—Poppy—and deal with the hostile backlash of being a serial killer’s wife! It’s hard to believe she’s been married to a monster all of these years, without knowing it.

I usually hate endings that don’t provide full closure, but I loved this twisty (and somewhat predictable) ending! Alice Hunter is on my radar for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alice Hunter and Avon Books UK for this free digital ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion!

<b>My Rating: </b> 4 ⭐️’s
<b>Published:</b> May 27th 2021 by Avon Books UK
<b>Pages:</b> 400
<b>Recommend:</b> Yes, but don’t expect a deep and realistic read.

#AliceHunter @AvonBooksUK @NetGalley
#FamilySuspense #NoRulesJustThrills #InExchangeForReview #BookReview #JustFinished #SerialKiller

They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew.
Loved the plot of this story. Well written and lots of twists and turns. A must read.

I enjoyed this book, I found myself completely engaged, invested and unable to put it down. It makes you really asses what you think you know and your preconceived ideas of situations. I would recommend this to anyone

The Serial Killer’s Wife by Alice Hunter Engrossing mystery, multitude of hidden desires, relationships, hidden clues throughout ending with an I didn't see that coming climax. Passages of Beth's POV get irritating at times as she seems so hesitant. Tom is expertly portrayed. Julia and Lucy are two very different kind of friends. DC Cooper is at times hard as nails and then we see a glimpse of a softer side. Then there is Adam.....

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

A typically twisted suspense piece as the truth unravels. The author did a fantastic job letting out the story bit by bit, while giving plenty of backstory and perspectives to build up your suspicions and intrigue. By the time a twist or secret was revealed, you had surely guessed it! While the twists were not necessarily shocking, the development of the characters completely MADE the story. Alice Hunter made so many intentional decisions about sequence and character when creating this story that you can't help but love it.

Definitely a story to add to your TBR if you like suspense & mystery.

I first read this book and thought what everyone is probably thinking, she knew her man was a killer. Then really thinking about it, I changed my mind. A killer would be a narcissistic person. He can act better than anything. A wife or husband would want to believe the best of that person.
I was given this book to read and review by the publisher. I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to whomever loves psychological thrillers.

This was a good book and I would read Alice Hunter again. The story of Beth and her her husband Tom's crumbling relationship starts with him being suspected of murder. The tale was told to us from differing points of views. It was pretty suspenseful and definitely flowed well. In addition, there was a few twists.... but I just did not feel any kind of "oomph" at the end of it all. The characters are unlikeable and some of the events that happen at the end did not seem believable to me. I would still recommend it as it was original in how it unfolded and I liked that.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood – they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family. When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now – what if he’s crashed his car? She fears the worst. But the worst is beyond imagining.

This is such an addictive book, you turn page after page consuming the book, it is easy for time to pass and read the book in very little settings. It is the perfect mystery and thriller. The plot keeps you guessing throughout and the character development keeps you hooked and enticed.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Beth has a happy life with her husband and young daughter. But when her husband is late home she worries something has happened to him as he is always back in time to say goodnight to their daughter. But it’s the police at the door wanting to question him. Her whole world is about to be torn apart.
I got really involved with the characters and rushed through the book

Such a great book! I read this in a day. The intrigue and intensity of the story builds with each page as you read. Beth and Tom are a married couple, living the perfect life. Or so it seems.....

I felt this book moved along quickly. I liked the short chapters and the volleying between character's story lines. And the ending was not a disappointment! I see a sequel coming, and if there isn't, there should be!

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

@rossyreads
👍🏼 b o o k r e v i e w 👍🏼

Super excited to get my hands on an #arc of The Serial Killer’s Wife by Alice Hunter (out 5/27)

Beth and Tom had the perfect marriage, perfect family, perfect life. Or so everybody thought. Beth, a mother and business owner, is surprised when her husband is late coming home from work. A knock at the door turns her life upside down as police are looking for Tom in connection in his ex/girlfriend’s disappearance. Readers follow Beth and her navigation of a new life without Tom, taking care of Poppy, taking care of her business, friendships and dealing with a whole lot of deceit.

This is a captivating story full of twists and turns causing readers to try to figure out what in the heck happened! Some parts were predictable and there are a couple twists that will blow. your. mind. 🤯

TW: abuse, alcoholism, violence, sexual assault/violent sex

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: thriller

#book #books #bookstagram #iowabookstagram #thriller #theserialkillerswife #alicehunter #netgalley #read #reader #booklover #bookreview #bookrecomendation #booknerd

I really enjoyed this book, it keeps you turning the page and guessing the extent of the titular wife's knowledge and involvement in her husbands crimes throughout.

This is a new author for me. The blurb sounded like the book was something a bit different. I’ve read a lot of thrillers and books featuring serial killers, but I don’t think I’ve read a book with the wife of a serial killer before so I was looking to forward to finding out where the story would go. Beth is a great character, she really come to life on the page and I enjoyed the way she developed across the book. I also enjoyed the use of a first person POV. I loved the pacing of the book Like all good thrillers, it’s full of twists, turns and misdirection that left me wondering what the truth was. The truth left me a bit stunned and I wonder if there will be a sequel?

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for this Advanced Copy of The Serial Killer's wife.

I am a huge fan of thrillers and there is something about a serial killer that chills you to your bone. The title of the book is what initially drew me to want to read this book and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed this book and the twists and turns along the way.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy thrillers

Great read! This twisty atmospheric thriller is driven by rich, believable characters and a well written crazy storyline. I was hooked from the first page! I figured out the big twist, but was thoroughly satisfied with the unexpected ending. A great beach or pool read!

Beth and Tom have the perfect marriage don't they? Even if Tom is a little controlling, he adores their daughter Poppy and provides a good life for them all. When Tom is arrested on suspicion of murdering an old girlfriend, Beth doesn't know what to think. People talk in their small village they live in, and Beth's world starts to unravel.
As more and more is revealed of Tom's character, Beth wonders if she really knew her husband at all! Who does really know someone else truly?
The other Mum's in the village like to gossip but widowed dad, Adam is there to listen to Beth and provide support and a good ear.
We follow the story through the murder charges and trial, until there was a brilliant twist at the end which was a great surprise. Very cleverly written.

I enjoyed this book when the ending came. I don’t mean that in a unforgiving way but when the ending came and the plot thickened, I felt somewhat pleased. I’ll tell you why.

The main protagonist throughout, the wife, is not only presented as annoyingly naive but she’s a bit of a lush. She moves on quick, she’s a wimp and just frustrating.

Without giving too much away, I am normally quick at solving the ‘Whodunnit’ scenario but I was surprisingly whipped off my feet with this.

It’s an progressively slow read and then BAM! Read it!

I very much enjoyed this book! It was suspenseful and had a twist I did not see coming!

The story is told from the perspectives of Beth and Tom Hardcastle. They are a married couple with a 3 year old daughter, Poppy. To the people outside they have a picture perfect life.

Everything comes crashing down when the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now. Before she knows what has happened Tom is being questioned for murder. Everything changes overnight. It makes you ask the question of how well do we really know anyone?

I enjoyed the storyline, the characters were well written and I would love to have a sequel!!

This kept me up reading all night! Was an intriguing idea and I did not see the ending coming at all. Loved this. Loved the characters, thought it was deliciously moreish and I couldn't put it down!

I received a complimentary copy of The Serial Killer’s Wife from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Excellent book! I read most of this one in one sitting...so glad I had the time as I did not want to put it down! Dealing with the fallout of her husband’s possible involvement in a murder, Beth is exceptionally strong for the sake of her young daughter, Poppy. Much of this novel deliciously delivered the expected and allowed me to believe I had discovered some pieces of the puzzle, but Alice Hunter also wove in some twists and turns that really kept me reading well beyond the limits of my spare time. This one is a “must read”!

Absolutely loved this book. Fast paced and with a final twist that I never saw coming.

Beth and Tom appear to be the ideal family...living in a village with their 3 year old daughter, Tom daily commutes for his banking job whilst Beth runs her pottery cafe.

Tom does not come home til very late one evening, where the police are waiting for him to question him regarding a historic murder with no body being found. He is released but 're arrested the following day where he is subsequently held with a charge of murder.

Beth has to battle through the following days, looking after her daughter and business whilst dodging the press as well as whispers from the neighbours.

As the book progresses, it becomes apparent that actually Beth did have some idea of her husband's wrong doings. Whilst she battles to protect her daughter, her morals and values are questioned with difficult decisions needing to be made

A must read of a book. Can't wait for more from this author.

Put yourself in Beth Hardcastle’s place. Your husband’s late for dinner and it’s time to put your three year old daughter Poppy to bed. You don’t know whether you are angry or worried when the doorbell rings. You open the door, expecting Tom. But it isn’t him, it’s the police.

And when Tom comes home, he’s taken in for questioning. His former girlfriend Katie is missing and he is a suspected of killing her. Of course, he says he is innocent. The next day, he’s arrested and their house is searched. Beth’s life becomes a nightmare as her friends alternate between kindness and suspicion. The press is a constant, annoying and intrusive presence. Beth is supported by Adam, a recent widower with a daughter Poppy’s age. As their relationship begins to grow, Tom is accused of another crime.

The Serial Killers Wife is a suspenseful, tension filled domestic thriller. You won’t be able to put it down and the final twist will leave you breathless. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Alice Hunter for this ARC.

Loved this! So good, so exciting, so gripping and great story. Can't wait to read more by this author - absolutely brilliant.

# The Serial Killers Wife # Netgalley

This is the first book I have read by this author, but I certainly know for sure it will definitely not be my last. When I first saw the title I thought it was about to tell a story of how the wife of a serial killers as coped before, during, after the trial etc, I thought actually you don’t see book on things like that as I imagine it would be extremely hard. Would people believe you didn’t know how will people treat you. Would they have to move away. However when I started the book it was nothing like I expected it was better. At no time did I see any of the things that were going to. Come, happily married and Tom absolutely adored his wife and daughter. So when the police came knocking and asked him to go to the station in relation to a murder he was so shocked on why they were asking him, his wife is in bits over it. From there on in I struggled to put the book down, the twist and turns in this nook take your through so many things expect the truth. The trust is a long time coming. When Tom is on remand Beth his wife visits him. As while he wax being questioned she was not allowed to see him. Still in shock he’s still no idea of what’s happening why him. Beth starts asking questions which you would think is only normal as she too doesn’t understand why they asked Tom To go to the station on a volunteer basis, no arrest it was to do with a ex girlfriend of Toms who had gone missing and believed to be dead. But he’s been happily married to Beth for over 8 years so why him it’s must be a good nine years since he’s seen her. Oh what a absolutely brilliant twist at the end. I don’t think anyone sees coming until we’ll I will advise you to read it as it would be the only way to find out what that twist is. I sat in bed with my jaw would have fallen to the floor had I not been in need. It certainly took me awhile to gather my thoughts and shake myself down as want of a better way to put bit. This book is definitely a must read

The Serial Killer's Wife is a surprising psychological thriller by a new author. I have read quite a few twisty psychological thrill that are popular right now and this one did not disappoint. Ms. Hunter works through how Beth finds out she is married to a Serial Killer. The story unfolds through several deaths. Beth and Poppy, the child, are likable people so you hope for the best for them as they eventually work towards a life without Tom and the stigma of being a serial killers wife in a small village. The story ties up nicely but there is an opening for a second book. I really hope that does not happen. I hope Ms. Hunter gives us more stories but this one can be done.

I would like to thank #NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I would also like to wish #AliceHunter the best in her writing career.

Do you ever start a book and know by the first page you are going to love it? Well that’s exactly what happened to me when I read the first page of The Serial Killers Wife. I was captivated. It’s a dark and twisty fast paced psychological thriller written by Alice Hunter

Beth Hardcastle is reading a bedtime story to her three year old daughter Poppy, when she hears a knock on her front door. She assumes it is her husband Tom, as he was expected home two hours ago from work. Beth had been sick with worry as Tom is never late so she opens the door in anticipated relief, but to her horror it is not Tom, but two inspectors standing at her door. In that moment Beth knows her life is about to change forever.

Beth and Tom appear to be the perfect couple. Happily married, successful careers, a beloved daughter and a cottage in a small village in England. From an outsider they have it all. But life isn’t always as it appears, people are not always who we think they are. Behind closed doors anything is possible.

The Serial Killers Wife involves missing women, lies, deception, abuse, manipulation, murder and plenty of plot twists. The last plot twist in the book was completely shocking and one I did not see coming. And based on the ending of the book I’m hopeful that a sequel is in the works!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advanced readers copy of The Serial Killers Wife. I am eagerly anticipating Alice Hunters next book.

Interesting book! Reminded me of You combined with the Silent Patient and a dash of the Power Couple. Good domestic thriller with just enough twists to keep you reading. The unreliable narrator always keeps a reader on their toes.

The Serial Killer’s Wife is a pretty decent novel. I believe it was classified as a thriller, but I’m not sure it entirely fits that category.
The story centers on Beth, who is blindsided when her husband is questioned and then arrested for murder. She deals with the fallout and tries to protect her daughter from the news.
The book switches POVs between Tom and Beth, and also switches points in time. It was not confusing to keep track of, but I didn’t think it added much to the story either. The writing was very good and it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. However there were no real twists in the story. Anymore, I really associate twisted endings with thrillers. Decent book, I just could see how it could have been better.

Oh I do like a good domestic drama! This was a great read, plenty of twists and the book totally went in a different direction to what I was expecting. I certainly couldn't put this book down and I will definitely read more from this author..

Beth is putting her daughter Poppy to bed when there is a knock at the door. Her husband Tom is late, Poppy wants her daddy, and Beth is infuriated that he must have forgotten his door key. If only it was Tom instead of the police who are looking for him. When he arrives home, the life Beth, Tom, and Poppy enjoyed will never be the same.
You see, Tom's girlfriend vanished eight years ago. The police seem to now believe that it is because Tom killed her. When he is arrested, Beth tries to put on a brave face for Poppy, but it isn't easy. All she wants is for her family to be together, making a lovely home for their daughter. Soon though, Beth has doubts about her husband and it appears she may know more than she has told the police. When the truth emerged, it certainly surprised me!
I had my suspicions about this couple, but I was convinced I was wrong about at least one of them. No spoilers, but you are in for a bumpy ride and the catalyst for Tom's arrest might surprise you. As the police look to Beth for answers, I kept wondering just how much she knew about her husband. Told through Beth, Tom, and an unknown narrator's POV, this one definitely kept me guessing.
My first book by this author and I pretty much flew through it. Oh, and that ending was just perfect!

A great book that had me turning the pages in an attempt to find out what has happened in the lives of Tom and Beth. Really enjoyed the style of writing which had me immersed from the first chapter. Interesting twists and turns throughout - really enjoyed this book and cant wait to read another from this author. 5*

I don't read a lot of thrillers but I've wanted to branch out a bit and I'm glad I did. The book started off so quick with Tom being arrested and Beth trying to figure out what to do. Beth surprised me a few times and I couldn't stop reading once a new storyline started. I was drawn to the characters because it seemed like a perfect little family to begin but looks are deceiving and it was very much the case with Beth's family. My stomach was in my throat for the last 50 pages and now I can't fall asleep because it was twisty!!!

I would recommend this book because it surprised me and was super twisty.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew.

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood – they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family.

When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now – what if he’s crashed his car? She fears the worst.

But the worst is beyond imagining.

As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

They’re husband and wife – till death do them part…

Very mild spoilers ahead…

Well…. What an interesting read that was!

These types of books are usually full of twists and turns so I’m always prepared but I definitely didn’t see that first major twist coming!

It was a little frustrating though in that there is no real detail to a lot of it, there’s no gaps filled in in places. You at least want to know what the evidence they have on Tom is but you don’t get to find that out til very late in the book. It was annoying to me that Beth wasn’t asking enough questions and just seemed to be accepting things as they were playing out. This becomes more evident why later on but you kind of just want to shake her and say ASK SOME QUESTIONS WOMAN!

What I found interesting was that she makes quite a lot of the characters seem very suspicious but then doesn’t follow through. This annoyed me at first but then I realised it was done to throw you off and to suspect everyone of having some kind of secret or ulterior motive. I found myself not trusting anyone in the book apart from Poppy!

I loved that you get to see inside quite a few characters heads but you don’t necessarily believe everything they are saying either.

I guessed the ending twist quite a few chapters beforehand but I still enjoyed how it played out. But that prologue really threw me. I just want to know what happens next…a sequel perhaps?

(Received an advanced copy from NetGalley and AvonBooks UK. All thoughts are my own).

A read that drew me right in with characters I connected to. The title alone is excellent--the premise is even better.

Beth is a character I feel like most people can relate to--but how many can relate to what she's dealing with? Few of us, and yet it makes us look at our husbands and wonder--could they be keeping a secret? The reality is that plenty of serial killers ARE hidden in plain sight, and this premise blew me a way. The twists throughout the book will keep you guessing.

Highly recommend!

I had originally passed on the idea of reading and reviewing this book, but when the publisher emailed me suggesting that I might like it considering other books I’d reviewed, I decided to take a chance. I’m glad I did.

We ALL keep secrets. Doesn’t matter how long we’ve been married. Beth and Tom Hardcastle are no exception.

Don’t skip over the author’s note prior to chapter 1. It gives readers a framework for the novel. Knowing the author’s background will help readers understand that Alice Hunter is using her experience to explore the psychology of the criminal mind. Instead of seeing Tom and Beth’s subconscious actions as irritating, we now see them differently. We are seeing how a calculating mind works to manipulate and rearrange events to fit a predetermined outcome.

I absolutely loved that I was dropped into the plot mid-action. No background info was given nor needed. The pace was quick and thrilling for the introduction and conclusion. The author expertly spoon feeds information and readers jump to conclusions only to discover that their gut reaction was wrong. The twist was fantastic. The characters were great. Having both perspectives made for a fantastic read as we soon find out they are unreliable. The epilogue suggests that the author might have a sequel in mind? Perhaps I’m wrong and it’s going to be part of her signature style to leave us wanting a neat and tidy ending.

Thank you to Alice Hunter, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this domestic thriller. I received my advance copy for free and was under no obligation to provide feedback.
Publishes May 27, 2021

The Serial Killers Wife by Alice Hunter
Publication date -27th May 2021.

Thank you to @netgalley and @avon_books for this advanced readers copy, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Synopsis
They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew.
Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood – they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family.

When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now – what if he’s crashed his car? She fears the worst.

But the worst is beyond imagining.

As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

They’re husband and wife – till death do them part…

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book, I liked that we followed not only Tom as the serial killer, but also his wife and how his actions affected her. Not that she didn’t have her own secrets to hide, the end was very unexpected!!!

I also liked that there were flash backs to all of Toms victims and we got to understand him as a character.

I recommend this to any thriller lover!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
#bookreview #theserialkillerswife #avonbooks #netgalley #netgalleyreview #netgalleyreads #bookblog #bookblogger #advancedreaderscopy #arc #ebook #ebookstagram #thriller

“We all hide behind closed doors for the majority of the time, don’t we? No one knows what happens; what a person’s life is really like once the door is locked…”

Knock…knock! Imagine opening the door to find the police on the other side. Your spouse is late coming home from work, so your mind immediately leaps to the worse-case scenario of them being in an accident. Your heart is pounding, and your mind is going in so many directions it’s hard to focus on what the officers are saying. But what if it’s something entirely different…something that will completely alter your life and that of your child’s…something that will shatter the perception of your perfect life…your picture-perfect family…what if your spouse is a serial killer…

This story is exactly what the title implies…Beth Hardcastle’s husband, Tom, has been arrested for the murder of his ex, Katie, who vanished eight years ago. Beth now must navigate being a single mom amidst the whispers of neighbors, questions from the media, and speculations from the police. After all, how could she have been married and living with a killer all this time and not know?

If you are looking for a let the bodies hit the floor Dexter-ish serial killer book, this isn’t it…the body count is measured a wee bit differently…but it will leave you questioning just how far would you be willing to go to protect the image of your perfect family…

This twisty tale was like watching a train wreck…I couldn’t look away! I couldn’t stop reading! Devoured it and applaud the author for tricking this reader at the end! Would recommend to fans of this genre!



**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Beth has a great life with her husband, Tom, and three year old daughter, Poppy. One night while Beth is tucking Poppy into bed, police knock on the door. They are looking for Tom as part of a murder inquiry; for whatever reason, they have begun to investigate the disappearance of Katie, Tom’s ex-girlfriend from years ago. Tom is eventually arrested and this kicks off A Serial Killer’s Wife.

I felt the plot was well-written and the book well-structured overall, although the middle of the book was a bit slow and could’ve used a pick-me-up. I was surprised with the ending, despite the spoilers revealed in the title and Beth’s hints throughout. Beth wasn’t a very likable character at all, but I wonder if that was deliberate.

Overall, I recommend this novel to anyone who has an appetite for psychological thrillers.

Firstly I would like to thank Alice and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited to read this book when I read the blurb, sounded right up my alley and boy, I was NOT wrong. Another great thriller that left me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. I couldn't stop reading or put it down, it had me gripped.

I love how Alice just dived straight in, not much of a background before the action started but it worked, and it worked very well.

Tremendous read, would highly recommend.

Great read - twists in the plot that keep you reading.
Beth & Tom appear to have the perfect marriage but this gets shattered when Tom is late one night and the Police come knocking on their door.
Little does Beth know who she is married to and her life as she knows it is shattered... or is it?

many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Thank you first and foremost to Netgalley and Avon Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion..

Beth and Tom and their little girl Poppy have a picture perfect life or so it seems. Tom is not just a husband and father but a serial killer. Told from Beth's and Tom's perspectives ...We the reader start to put the pieces together in a slow and detailed account. The ending had me rethinking who the real monster is...Will definitely read more from this author.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last. Great twisty thriller. Perfect escapist reading. 3.5-4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter was a very good read. The story follows Beth and Tom Hardcastle with their seemingly perfect marriage. But quickly at the beginning of the story, Tom is questioned about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Katie Williams who went missing several years ago before Tom and Beth married. How is Beth going to handle this and take care of her and her daughter. The author does a good job at making you feel sorry for Beth for a little bit at least. I don't want to say anymore. Definitely a good read.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. There were several twist and turns that I didn't see coming. And the ending?? That was the biggest twist of them all. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

I really liked this book.

When the police come to Beth's house to interview her husband Tom about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, her world is rocked. They had moved to a small village in England where Beth opened up a shop that doubled in coffee/painting ceramics. She is working on being accepted by the locals and is afraid of how they will react to her husband's arrest.

The book is mainly told from Beth's POV but it also has flashes back in time and also from Tom's POV. Beth finds support from a few villagers including a recently widowed gentleman but others wonder if she knew the whole time.

Great twist at the end.

This was an enjoyable book. I read it in just a couple of sittings. The plot moves forward quickly and I appreciated the attention to detail of the twist at the end. It's not scary or an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries!

Alice Hunter obviously knows what she is writing. She transmitted her vast experience on the subject to her book in a way that makes the book addiciting. It*s a heavy, dark, and twisted psychological thriller that will make you forget about the world around you for a couple of hours.

Warning this review contains spoilers! This one started out a little slowly--Tom being in police custody without facing murder charges sure drug out the first third of the book. I wish it had been edited down and more background into both Tom and Beth could have been explored--they were both diabolical and I think it would have been easy to develop why. I actually wanted Tom to be a more twisted/prolific serial killer. I also suspected Beth had something to do with Camilla's death as soon as she started to interact with Adam and I knew she had actually cast the suspicions about Katie's death onto Tom. It was pretty obvious that Beth had a plan through the whole book.

I enjoyed this book, it was quick reading and interesting take, from the start we know her husband is guilty but is she the innocent victim she wants us to believe There is the top layer of story and the underneath suspicious story, everyone is a possible culprit. worth the read

I believe this to be a debut novel and wow, what a hit!
I couldn't put the book down. While the characters, mainly Beth are a bit chatty, we see what she is thinking and going through. The author takes you to the small village and is right on in describing the nuisance's of the people.. How would you react if your husband was suddenly questioned by the police regarding an old girlfriend? How well do you know your spouse?
You know there are going to be twists and turns through the book, and the author doesn't disappoint the reader. I will certainly follow Alice Hunter as I hope she continues writing these psychological thrillers.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about Beth who is married to Tom. They have a 3 year old daughter called Poppy and Beth runs her own pottery cafe. Everything is ticking along until one night her husband is late home from work and the police are sat waiting for him. He is taken in for questioning by the police in connection with the disappearance of the girlfriend he had before meeting and marrying Beth.

I enjoyed this story overall. I was a bit worried before I read it that there might be apolice procedural but it definitely isn’t. The story is told from multiple POV. We mainly hear from Beth but we also have chapters from Tom and also Katie who is the ex girlfriend who disappeared. I had a theory not too far into this book as to what the ending was going to be. I was mainly correct but got the details wrong. This was a fast paced enjoyable read and would highly recommend it especially if you are new to the thriller genre.

The Serial Killer's wife is an intriguing mystery thriller with twists that kept me wanting to read more. The book is primarily from the perspective of Beth Hardcastle, the serial killer's wife, with a few sections from the perspective of her husband, Tom, and some flashbacks involving Tom's ex-girlfriend and an anonymous woman. With each flashback, we gain a little more into Tom's character, which I really liked.

The Serial Killer's Wife starts right off with Tom being questioned and taken into the station. We see how Beth handles the consequences of this as a mother, wife, and person of a small town. As revelations and twists are revealed, we gain further understanding into the death of Tom's ex-girlfriend, Katie, along with other unexpected details.

Beth is not a character you particularly like, but I found her very interesting. The fact that she could be married to a serial killer made me think early on that she must have some issues of her own. Even though she doesn't know Tom is a serial killer, I felt like she must not have the best intuition and judgement. I think because of that, anything that seemed like odd or annoying behavior from Beth made sense to me. My only complaint is that about halfway through the book, it started to feel a little slow and repetitive. With that said, I felt like it picked back up again and each twist made it so that I couldn't wait to see how everything would end. Speaking of the ending and twists... You learn new things all the way up to the very end and I loved it! I think Alice Hunter's experience as a psychologist who had worked with prisoners made for a very interesting read.

"𝑫𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏? 𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎? 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔?"

This was an addictive and well-paced page-turner that makes you question how well you really know the people close to you.
Beth Hardcastle's entire life comes crumbling down when her husband, Tom, is charged with the disappearance and possible murder of his ex-girlfriend. When cornered, she does what any good mother would do - protect and secure her daughter's future. How Beth deals with the fallout, ensuring justice prevails, is what the story is about...or is it??
Beth is shown to be a sweet, hard-working person whose world revolves around her daughter. Much of her actions come across as naive, hasty or questionable. Tom is portrayed as a serial killer with a heart??? I do feel that the author could have provided some kind of flashback for these characters to emphasise what made them the person/monster they are in the current time.
The twist in the climax was simply WOW. I am amazed at how cleverly these subtle clues were placed throughout the plot leading upto that final reveal.
Overall, a gripping domestic thriller that I greatly enjoyed.
A big thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book - I started thinking that this was a straightforward book, but I was so wrong. Beth's lifestyle is believable as are all the characters, but then the twists start appearing.

Would make a perfect book club read - would recommend.

Oh my goodness, this book! I just could not stop reading until the very end. Every time I thought I knew what would happen next, I was surprised! A must read for anyone who enjoys good suspense novel!

This was a proper edge-of-your-seat read. It starts as it means to go on with Beth opening the door to the police fearing the worst - her husband Tom has been in an accident. What's actually happened is beyond belief and her entire life spirals out of control. The story is told from various viewpoints Tom, Beth and the murder victims. There are lots of flashbacks which helps you really understand what all of the characters have been going through. It is jam packed with all the ingredients of a fantastic thriller: Twists, turns, surprises - nice and nasty - and of course, an unexpected ending!