Right from the start of this book, I was suspicious – can any relationship be as perfect as Gemma would have us believe? With no signs of Danny ever having even been in Bristol, I must admit the old grey matter was working overtime coming up with questions and possible answers as to what was really going on.

I enjoyed the writing style of alternating between Gemma telling her story in the first person and the police investigation being unveiled in the third person. For me this switching back and forth really helped me to build an image of Gemma and had me wondering how much her account could be trusted, and at times whether she even knew the answer to that herself.

The Perfect Couple is an intricately woven story that keeps building and building as more and more discoveries about a supposedly perfect relationship are made. It is my favourite type of psychological thriller – I thought I had it all worked out and knew exactly where the story was going, but my goodness, I was wide of the mark! I would love to know if other people found themselves in the same boat.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for sending me an advanced e-copy of 'A Perfect Couple' in exchange for an honest review.

My first book by Jackie Kabler and surely not the last. This book is a fast-paced thriller which is full of twists and turns. I was able to read it through in two sittings because I really couldn’t put it down.

The Perfect Couple is about Gemma and Danny who is a happily married couple. Things go wrong when Gemma returns from a work-trip and finds Danny missing. When she reports about Danny's disappearance to police, a lot of secrets are revealed. There is a serial killer on the loose whose victims have a striking resemblance to Danny. The Police refuse to believe anything Gemma says because nobody but Emma has seen Danny since they've moved to their new place. There are so many hidden secrets and lies than meets the eyes.

The Perfect Couple is an engaging dark thriller. It has almost all the elements that can keep a thriller fan (like me) glued to the book until the very end. The author has done a great job in throwing suspense at the right place and that's what makes this book a page-turner.

All the characters are presented well. They seem realistic in their roles. The story is told in alternating narratives of Gemma and the detectives which is something I've started enjoying recently. It adds depth and complexity to the characters and their simultaneous reactions to the same event.

A fantastic psychological thriller which is fast-paced and well written. A highly recommended read for a fan of mystery, suspense, police procedural and psychological thriller.

The perfect couple - wow this was an absolute beauty! I loved this one and I was gripped from the first chapter. Trying to find out what had happened to Gemma’s missing husband, then discovering there was a serial killer on the loose. At one point I suspected every character and I really enjoyed the way I was kept guessing right until the end. I particularly loved the police part of the story and how they worked together to solve the crime! I would definitely recommend this, 5 stars from me!

I highly recommend this book.

This book had so many twists and turns. It kept me guessing thought. I found it to be a very unique story line.

I knew I was hooked when I was on the exercise bike for over an hour and my knee began to hurt. If I am exercising I don’t feel guilty for taking the time to read leisurely.

My only complaint on this book was having to listen to Gemma’s ruminating thoughts. Her “monkey mind” is worse than mine.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

Wow! I'm exhausted after reading 47 chapters of this chilling, edge-of-your-seat psychological crime thriller.

Gemma O'Connor's life is about to change. Her husband, Danny, is missing and there is a serial killer on the loose who is murdering men who have an uncanny resemblance to Danny. Unfortunately, circumstantial evidence points to Gemma, and with time running out, she frantically rushes to prove her innocence. But what she finds is so much worse.

Told from Gemma's perspective and from the perspectives of detectives investigating the case, the author does a fantastic job building the momentum of the case and drawing the reader in. I admire Gemma's strength and determination trying to prove her innocence in a hopeless situation where all the cards are stacked against her. The detectives, on the other hand, could have handled the case better, but I understand the pressure to solve the murders and the evidence is damning.

I can't recommend this crime thriller enough. I cringed at the injustice and was frightened of the outcome. This fast-paced book will grab you from the start and when every shocking piece unravels, it will blow you away. It would make an awesome motion picture. Recommend highly!

Thank you to Ms. Kabler for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This story immediately drew me in, and kept me wondering what had really happened to Danny until the truth came out. At that point, there were moments that me go ...'Er, but ...' a few times. I n particular, I felt to Helena, the DCI in charge was a tad too focused on Gemma being responsible for Danny's disappearance / death (although his dead body hadn't been found). When it came to questioning others, especially Quinn, Danny's cousin, Helena seemed too happy to take any "evidence" that put Gemma in the hot seat. She disputed why he might put himself on the radar, yet never gave the same consideration to Gemma. 

The nature of the story did involve a lot of repetition as stories were told and retold, but that didn't detract from the pace or the suspense. If any, it set me - the reader - up for some clever misdirection. 

As expected, the ending proved to be a great twist - who'da thunk it? Once revealed, the killer could really only ever have been that individual. It makes perfect sense now. 

Well written, with an easy to follow style, this story really does deliver in terms of the many twists and turns, and once you're sucked in you won't want to stop until you know what really happened. 

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

Set in Bristol this is yet another of those crime novels that writes alternative chapters from two different perspectives (at least until that gets a bit messy at the end.)

A husband goes missing - a wife is distraught, or was he ever there in the first place. Meantime, two lookalike bodies are found locally. The story is intriguing and rattled along. However, the police are incredibly incompetent - unforgivably so from the victim perspective and that detracts a bit from the overall construct. Worth a read in the lockdown sunshine but probably don’t interrogate the plot too forensically.

Four stars. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the script in exchange for a fair review.

Once in a while I love to get fully surprised with a story and linger at the edge of my seat not knowing if my thought process and theories are right or not, and what the hell is going to happen next. Most of the time, when I feel the need to go on that kind of rollercoaster ride, I look for Thrillers. This time, I didn't look for it, I just joined a blog tour, and... oh boy!... was it an exciting one.

In this book we get to follow two POV, Gemma's up close and personal view, and the detectives view. Personally I loved that concept, because partly it was what made me wonder if my instincts were right or not.

As we follow the disappearance of Gemma's husband, Danny, side by side with the murders of various men, victims of a serial killer, we are taken on an adventure, trying to discover the truth.

The characters were absolutely amazing, complex and well developed. And the fact that they felt real, made me believe even more in the storytelling and the events that were happening. Kind of like I was transported into the pages of the book, and was living beside Gemma.

It was the kind of story that I couldn't put down, I was even reading it while eating. It was such an exciting and mind blowing story, that grabbed my attention from page one. Although I had lot of suspicions and theories, and I was right about some of the things I thought, I was so wrong in others, and right until the last page I was not expecting what happened.

It was definitely one of the more thrilling books I read this month, one that made me jump, doubt and think about all the little details that were introduced. I absolutely love when a story makes my mind turn and be confused and exhilarated, and this novel truly did that for me.

Overall, if you like Psychological Thriller, you probably are going to like this one. It was the kind of book that had surprises until the very end. And who doesn't like that?

This book ticked all the boxes for me - fast paced, good plot twists, and characters that were engaging despite not always being fully likeable. I cared what happened to them and struggled to put the book down when I found a little spare time to read. The ending was both satisfying and somewhat unsettling....it was a good place to end it but I could easily have kept on reading if it had been written as a much longer story that carried on from the point that the author chose to end it.

After terrifying her readers with Am I Guilty? last year, Jackie Kabler is back with a shocking new thriller with twists and turns galore: The Perfect Couple. A brilliantly written chiller that explores the darker side of relationships and what really goes on behind closed doors, The Perfect Couple continues to cement Jackie Kabler’s standing as a force to be reckoned with in the thriller field.

Gemma and Danny’s relationship was like something out of a romantic novel. They met a year and a half ago and since then their relationship has thrived and blossomed. Theirs is a love affair that seems absolutely perfect until one Friday evening when Gemma returns home and Danny is nowhere to be found. After forty-eight hours, a panicked Gemma finds herself calling the police worried out of her mind. Her worries escalate when she discovers that there is a serial killer on the loose stalking, torturing and killing victims who look just like Danny. A terrified Gemma worries that Danny could be the twisted killer’s next victim, but as things get darker and far more terrifying, it is not just a serial killer she needs to worry about.

Gemma’s story fails to convince the police who are adamant that there is something far more sinister going on than meets the eye. As they begin their investigation, the police find themselves taken aback to discover that nobody has seen or heard from Danny for weeks. As they dig deeper, they are completely stunned when they do not find a single trace of Danny in the flat he shares with his wife. Why does Danny seem to be completely absent from his own house? Why isn’t there a single thing that ties him to the house he lives in with Gemma? Is Gemma the worried wife she makes out to be? Or is she hiding something from them? Something which could shatter the image of the perfect couple she and Danny purport to be?

What really happened to Danny? Is Gemma telling the truth? Or is she the one who holds the key to the mystery of her husband’s disappearance?

Jackie Kabler writes spine-tingling thrillers that hold readers absolutely spellbound – even if they are jumping out of their skin – and she is on top form with The Perfect Couple. Brilliantly tense, densely plotted, fiendishly creepy and sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats completely enthralled by this story, The Perfect Couple is a hair-raising read about the secrets we keep, the lies we tell ourselves and the desperate lengths we go to to protect ourselves that is an absolute struggle to put down.

The Perfect Couple is a solid police/crime/thriller book. 3.5 🌟
Gemma has just relocated to Bristol with her husband, Danny. They have had a whirlwind romance and are living the dream and preparing for the future until Danny fails to come home one Friday night after work. Gemma is at a loss at what to do and after 48 hours has no choice but to report him to the police as missing. What Gemma doesn’t realise is that there has already been two murders in Bristol and these others look very much like her husband.
This book had a lot of well thought out twists and it was a good read, I did feel at times it was a little slow moving and I think had these parts been tweaked with a little it would have been a more fluid read. I did though enjoy this book and liked Gemma which always helps.
I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperImpulse and Killer Reads for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A suspense-filled read that keeps you guessing all the way to the end!

A well-written novel, that captures your attention with plenty of twists, turns, and red herrings to keep you on your toes. Some of them I guessed, others made my jaw-drop. The characters are clever, manipulative and you don't know who to trust.

It just missed out on 5⭐ because I felt the chilling ending was just a tad far fetched for me.

Overall, it was an intriguing page-turner, packed with twists well worth a read for psychological thriller fans.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

3.5 stars

When Gemma’s husband Danny goes missing without a word, she is adamant he wouldn’t disappear without explanation, he loved her. So something awful must have happened to him. It’s the only explanation. After all they were the perfect couple, They might have had a whirlwind romance and only been married almost a year, but she knew him. Didn’t she? And when his similarity to recent murder victims comes to light, the police begin to wonder if he has fallen victim to a serial killer.

We hear the story from Gemma’s point of view and from the police. I felt sorry for Gemma throughout the book. She is beside herself with worry about Danny. She is in a new place with no real friends, no support. And she truly loves Danny, that comes through clearly. The police officers I found difficult to connect with. I just didn’t feel for any of them, and I didn’t feel their relationships and team working were true to life. That didnt however ruin the book as a whole for me.

The story itself was an interesting one. As the police investigation continues, the author drops in information to keep us guessing about what has happened to Danny. I definitely wanted to know what happened to him. Sadly however, I just felt that the ending didn’t work. I don’t want a book where I can spot the ending way before it arrives. However, I do want to read the ending and think that facts dropped in previously now make sense. That for me let the book down.

This was a brilliant psychological, crime thriller. So many false leads with lots of twists and turns. really good characters that pushed the story along. A very fast climb to the climax ,, which in itself was totally unexpected. Well done.

Gemma and Danny are moving from London to Bristol. Danny has a job lined up in IT and Gemma will continue with her freelance journalism.
3 weeks after their move Gemma has a night away for work. On her return Danny is not home. Finally Gemma reports him as a missing person to the police.
2 bodies have been found on 2 separate occasions in Bristol and there appears a possible link physically between them and Danny.
When 2 further bodies are found in London plus Danny's blood found in their old London flat, Gemma is arrested for these murders, despite pleading her innocence.
A further attempted murder in London suddenly sheds a different light on the whole case.
This book was very easy to read and although quite slow to get going initially, the second half was pacy with twists I never saw coming. Well worth a read.

I had such high hopes for this book. The Perfect Couple had me at the synopsis. An unsuspecting wife, Gemma O'Connor is married to the man of her dreams, Danny O'Connor. Gemma returns home from a work trip and Danny is nowhere to be found.

Then the author takes us down a rabbit hole of the police chasing a serial killer and suspecting Gemma of doing something to her husband after she reports him missing. I will admit I was sort of skeptical of Gemma and was thinking how could this woman be so clueless? The author went on endlessly describing the same things over and over again. I was so confused about why it took over 46 chapters to wrap up this story. The police in this story were the biggest bunch of bumbling idiots. I don't know how it's done in the UK but American police usually don't have "tea" with suspects in their homes. The police had tunnel vision and just seemed clueless as to how to handle the investigation. When circumstantial evidence started piling up against Gemma I figured out what was going on and had a theory about the crime.

The story just dragged on and by the end, I pretty much did not care about the outcome. I struggled to finish this one. I have been spoiled by much faster-paced intriguing suspense novels and I expected the same from this unknown author. I was sadly disappointed with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

this book is a must read twisty addictive and you wont want to stop reading till the end a must read

How well do you know the person sleeping beside you? That question is one Gemma is asking herself when her husband of barely a year is missing-without a trace. When similar looking men are turning up murdered, the quiet village of Bristol is concerned there is a link and a possible serial killer on the loose. Then, when Genna reports her husband Danny missing and they discover how he resembles the recent victims, their concern is piqued. Later, with Danny still missing, suspicion turns to Gemma. Why can't anyone recall Danny moving with her to Bristol? Why isn't there a record of him (texts, emails, bank activity) since January? Most of all-why is Gemma the only one who can validate he was with her in Bristol? As the answers are closer than anyone realizes, so is the danger.

I enjoyed The Perfect Couple by Jackie Kabler-it held my interest, there are enough twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged along with sufficient character development. With some startling revelations at the end this is a great book if you are looking for a quick, suspenseful read that is well-developed and will keep you guessing!

Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Overall this book in the middle for me. Half the book I felt like nothing was going on. And it seemed like the police did nothing and at times I felt, why include them. I predicted "who did" 1/4 of the way into the book.

Gripping from the very first line!

Gemma and Danny have been married for almost a year and have just moved from London to Bristol. They have a gorgeous new home that they’ve barely settled into, in fact Danny’s hardly even lived there as he had to finish up his job in London first before he was able to move and start his new job. But Gemma didn’t mind as it gave her a chance to get the house sorted out so that by the time he arrived, she’d made it into a home for the two of them.

So when she gets back from an overnight work trip, she’s looking forward to the dinner and bubbly that Danny promised her when they chatted just the night before. Instead, she’s puzzled to arrive home to an empty house. She’s sure he’s just working late. But as the hours tick by, it becomes clear that this isn’t the case. Gemma doesn’t know what to do, or where to turn. When she really thinks carefully about things, were she and Danny really the perfect couple she imagined they were?

Meanwhile DCI Helena Dickens and team are dealing with a new case … or is that two?Two murdered men; bodies found in close proximity to each other, bearing a striking resemblance to one another. But that’s where the similarities end. They have absolutely nothing in common and the police can find nothing to tie the two cases together. So what are they actually dealing with?

And then Gemma arrives at the police station to report her husband Danny missing and when they see a photo of him they wonder if they have another victim on their hands. Because Danny looks uncannily like the two murder victims. Only this time, there’s no body.

Told in alternate chapters, from the points of view of Gemma and the police investigation, this is a twisty (and twisted) suspense-filled read that keeps you guessing all the way through. Even when you think you know exactly where it’s heading, I can guarantee you’ll be wrong!

Strong characters and a well-paced plot make for an unputdownable 4-star read! Highly recommended!