Please let me preface this review by saying that I am 43, I have read a lot of books. There are only so many plots and ideas out there, I get that. I have read a lot of books and seen a lot of movies. All that to say, this book was just too familiar. How many times can I read or watch about a girl who falls in love with someone that is pure evil but she doesn't see it. Her kids see it, her friends see it, but she is in love. I found myself wanting to hit my head against the wall and just pull her out of this love affair. Ugh!! It wasn't a bad story, it just wasn't great. If you are new to suspense or young, this will be GREAT. I enjoyed D.J Palmers last book, "Saving Meghan" much better.

This book was not interesting at all. I honestly tried to give it a good go, but the story fell flat for me. This is a DNF. Thank you for the chance to read and review.

Very good read. Each character had a specific role that worked well in the story. Was hooked from the first page and happy all explained in the end.

Search for the following strings of words that I think are typos:

What good what that do

Did his drug addiction made him impulsive...

She'd  be in the one in trouble

Simon had at last had gotten

He's had such hard life

The same kind gulf

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reading.
I almost don’t know where to start with this book.
It begins with a roar and keeps on moving. When Nina’s husband (main character) goes missing and is presumed dead it begins a series of twists and turns that will take you on a ride. There are some excellent parts of the book but the ending was not one of them. I thought the book overall was a good one but the ending just wrapped up a little too neatly and quickly.
Everything was just so predictable and fast.
I thought that the details lacked focus sometimes. A good example was the 3 amigos having Tea, Chai and Latte and on the next page the wrong person is drinking the latte.
I also thought that attacking the therapist rather than going to see her was WAY over the top.
I will say on a very positive note that the story was interwoven nicely and using the voices and multiple perspectives was a really effective way to write the story. I would definitely read another book by this author and overall really enjoyed his book.

SPOILER INCLUDED....( NOT ‘the’ *major* spoiler - but...’a’ spoiler)....
I can’t resist ...
I don’t drop spoiler-bombshells - often in reviews- but I was ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING ... when discussing this book with my husband, Paul.
It’s amazing how fun & alive books become with buddy/chats.

This wasn’t the first time I’ve laughed ( inappropriately actually) - when reading a domestic-psychological thriller book.
The uncontrollable laughter happened to me at the end of the book, “The Couple Next Door”, by Shari Lapena, too.

So... in D.J. Palmer’s, “The New Husband”.....I/we laughed silly about scenes in this book.
We are a sick human beings in this house.

HERE’S A SPOILER:
A ‘therapist’ gets murdered in this story. ( you’ll get details when you read the entire book)...
Paul and I were cracking up & cracking jokes -
“REALLY?”......”the *therapist* has to die?”. What did she do that was so bad?

THIS IS A FUN BOOK TO DISCUSS... whether you like it or don’t.... whether you find fault with it or not....
Whether you like the characters or not.

“Lying takes effort…because eventually everyone gets tripped up in their deceit… because secrets don’t stay hidden forever”.
The above excerpt epitomizes my over all feelings about “The New Husband”.....(a domestic psychological thriller).

The first half of this book was both ‘readable’ - page turning interesting ‘and’ a little boring...( not awful boring)...
but familiar -in storytelling...( “Sleeping With The Enemy”?).... and familiar dialogue: yada, yada, yada... with typical teenage-issues & attitudes - typical ‘mom’ denials: a story that started out sounding like many other stories we’ve read or seen in movies.
But... this book kept getting better - more original in time.
By around 50% into this book - things became much more sinister-twisty.

Honestly, I saw problems...
a few odd sentences...a little too repetitive...a little draggy at times...could be classified as a young adult book...
but ....overall it was mindless-puzzling-intense in parts-entertaining reading.

This will be a popular book for twisty-psychological thriller readers.
It’s good. It’s creepy. It possibly lowers our intelligence... ( by that I mean ... SUSPEND DISBELIEF)... ha...ha ...🤨...
....it’s got that adrenaline addictive thing going on. ( especially towards the end).

A few more details: BUT NO MORE SPOILERS...

Chapter 1…
The beginning....
“It was a chilly predawn morning when Anthony Strauss eased ‘Sweet Caroline’, his seventeen-foot-Boston whaler, from the trailer into the water so dark it was indistinguishable from the sky.”
“Anthony thought he was alone on the water, but then saw another boat with only a dog on board.
A sickening realization set in when he saw the amount of blood that covered the deck”.

NOTE: Do not get hung up on the name Anthony Strauss.
He’s only a name-drop character.

Chapter 2....
*Seventeen* months later:
We are introduced to Nina Garrity and her 13-year-old daughter, Maggie...(“a middle school aged tennis player with unmistakable
hostility”)....
MAGGIE NEVER PLAYS TENNIS ONCE IN THIS STORY...
She played lacrosse until needing to wear a ‘boo-boo’ cast-boot on her leg from an accident for a few weeks or longer.
Maggie was wise beyond her years - but no tennis matches are in this novel...
...unless.... you think of tennis as symbolically reflecting relationships. Hm?🎾

Nina’s other offspring is 16-year old son, Conner ( a High School football player:not hostile like his sister)
NOTE: don’t expect much football playing either).

Conner ‘might’ be wisest character in this tale ( I’m kinda kidding - and kinda not), — [*13-*YEAR OLD **MAGGIE**is the wisest character]...
Conner is not in the story very much.
Yet....he was cool, calm, and collective....
He disconnected from the emotional-heat taking place in his family every day. Smart guy!

Daisy, the golden retriever, was easy to feel neutral about. Nothing not to love about her!

*Simon Finch*: he was the new man in Nina’s life. YIKES...
Keep your eye on this guy...
Super good cook? Yes
Super secretive? Yes
Super lier? Yes
Super controlling and manipulative? YES!
Super CREEPY? Yes!!!
Super DISTURBING? YES, YES, YES!!!

Maggie ( superstar character)....had many reasons to be angry.
“Nina was partly to blame because she had opened her heart and soul to another man –– a man who was not her daughter‘s father”....
Nina was hooking up with Maggie’s social studies teacher from her middle school.

Nina’s divorce was not finalized yet with Glen, (the missing husband/seventeen months earlier), ...when only his bloody boat was found.
However...
She was planning on saying ‘yes’ to the marriage proposal from Simon, soon.
In the meantime Nina, Simon, Maggie, Conner, and Daisy, moved into a new house....
in Seabury, New Hampshire, ....
a few miles away from where Nina and her kids had lived before... with Glen.

Nina was no longer living near her two very close friends Susanna Garston and Ginny Cowling.
However... Susanna and Ginny were great supporting characters... women I enjoyed. They contributed feelings of normalcy.... in a story that was everything but!

A favorite supporting character - another 13 year old: is Ben: ( friend to Maggie)

Nina ( the character I often felt the most exhausting heartache for even with her blindspots and naïvely), was dealing with a lot!!!
Her husband, Glen, was missing. She was filled with confusion, anger, and shock....
....she was moving on pretty fast. She was often in ‘hope’... but not awake to her potential disasters.
Nina discovered Glen hadn’t been working for two years.
She discovered his lies and secrets. Readers will learn as the story unfolds.

Nina was an opening to receiving the sweet talk-support- that Simon was dishing out...but less an opening to believing he was dangerous or a lier.

With so many lies - secrets - betrayals - and downright frightening/ unsettling situations going on in this book...from everyone...
in the very end....
It’s
**Maggie** whom I’d most like to see again in another novel.
I loved this young mature pre-teen!

If D. J. Palmer writes another book about Maggie, I’ll jump right in!

In the meantime... I’m happy with my old husband!

Thank you, Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and D.J. Palmer

This was a quick read that kept me not wanting to put it down. Predictable- yes - but still well written. I was kind of hoping the end would take an unpredictable turn but will read this author again.

I love a thriller that actually has an intelligent victim. Unfortunately for the wife of The New Husband, she's not the one I'm referring to; rather, 13 year-old, clever daughter Maggie wins the prize.

When Nina's husband Glen disappears and news of his infidelity and dire financial straits comes out, the Garrity family is devastated. Their knight in shining armor comes in the form of resident social studies teacher Mr. Simon Fitch, who finds their lost dog, Daisy, and slowly insinuates himself into the Garrity household. He wins Nina's broken heart over with romantic overtures and guarantees of loyalty; he wins 15 year old Connor over by spending time playing football and listening, something Glen apparently did not do.

The only hold out is Maggie, keenly sensitive and wise to Simon's antics. She does not trust him, and rightfully so.

The rest of the thriller unfolds at a quick and entertaining pace as we find out what happened to Glen, what's happening with Simon, and what will happen to the Garrity clan. As is not unusual with thrillers, some of the events are completely outlandish but keep you reading nonetheless. Most of the loose ends were tied up nicely, and some - like Glen's job/financial situation and daily life before he disappeared - could use more explanation.

Three cheers for smart kids like Maggie; I can definitely see her as a future heroine in a follow-up story of her own.

Thank you Netgalley for this preview!

Excellent story, I enjoyed reading this book just as much as Saving Meghan and I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next.

“Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you know them.”
•
Nina’s husband Glen is missing, presumably drowned while fishing on his boat. After he disappeared she learned that he had been leading a double life with another woman.
A year and a half later, she considers herself a widow and find love again with Simon, a teacher from her daughter’s middle school. But her daughter sees a dark side to this new man in their lives. Nina must be sure that she is not making another terrible choice in a man.
This book started a little slow, but once I was engaged it was unputdownable.
The New Husband is a twisty, intense and dark psychological thriller that kept me glued to my seat. I loved it.
•
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
•
The New Husband releases April 14, 2020.
•
“I guess when you shine light into the dark, you see it for what it really is, and it loses all power over you.”

Thank you to #netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy of The New Husband by D. J. Palmer.

Ok I really liked this one. It was twisted and dark and creepy and great! How well do we really know the people in our lives? Even the people we live with? Nina Garrity' s first husband has gone missing. It's been over a year, and she believes him to be dead, after having an affair and losing his job. It was tough on her and the kids but she's found herself a new man- Simon. He's smart - a teacher, he's great with her son - her daughter is not a fan though. He's supportive and warm and loving. They all move in together and things start to unwind.

Nina's daughter Maggie doesn't trust Simon, but why? He's been nothing but friendly to her. Daisy, the dog seems to like him. Nina keeps telling herself Maggie is still having a hard time dealing with the loss of her father.

This was a great thriller, if you enjoy a creepy and twisted read you will live love this book. The characters are well developed and likable. It's well written and paced. I did figure out "the twist" but it was still thoroughly enjoyable. I'm looking forward to D.J. Palmer's next book already!.
4.5 stars

While this book started slowly, it quickly became a book I couldn't put down. It was suspenseful and had lots of twists and turns. Another lesson that you never quite know who you let into your life.

This was a great book! It kept my attention from the beginning and was hard to put down. This was the best book I've read in a while.

Great book! Loved the storyline and it was very engaging. There was a twist I didn’t see coming, but it was perfect to keep my attention. Characters are believable. I’m sure many of my friends will need to add this to their list of books to read!

I can't resist secret lives books even when they seem like they might be hokey--check out that cover-- it's a fascinating topic for me as someone who is overwhelmed caring for my own family. It was very well paced and full of twists and turns. The perfect vacation thriller.

This is the story of Nina, she’s a wife and mother living in New Hampshire. Her husband Glens boat is found, abandoned on the lake where he fishes every weekend. Blood, and the family’s dog, the only things on the boat.
The police seem to think he’s drowned. And things come to light about Glen, and secrets he’s been keeping. Nina feels betrayed.
Almost two years later and Nina has moved on and is moving in with a new man. The seemingly perfect Simon Fitch. But all is not what it seems. Maggie, Nina’s daughter seems to think there is something sinister about her new, soon to be step-dad. But her mom doesn’t believe her.
This was a good story. And I did enjoy it. But the main character Nina.. seemed weak and I didn’t really like it sympathize with her for most of the book. She completely ignored her daughters concerns, wording more about her own happiness and that of Simon.
She multiple times, let Simon make her feel like she was wrong. When given clean evidence that she was being manipulated, she made excuses and reasons why they were wrong. It took almost the entire book for her to realize the true and believe her daughter.
But the character of Maggie and Ben, I loved. Both were strong characters and smart kids.
The book was written well, and was a page turner, but I definitely wanted to strangle Nina several times.

Wow, this one grabs you from the beginning! Nina has discovered that her husband was not the man that she thought he was.. One and 1/2 years later she is ready for a new relationship-enter Simon, the complete opposite of Glen-but is he. Son Conner is sold, but daughter Maggie is not. Things are not what they seem! Lots of unanswered question surface and hold your attention until the last page! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Review of uncorrected digital galley

Glen Garrity, missing for some eighteen months, deserted his family, presumably for a life with another woman. But since so much time has passed, the lack of a body has not stopped his wife, Nina, from considering him dead. After all, his fishing boat, with a great deal of blood on its deck, was floating on the lake with only the family dog, Daisy, on board. Everyone believes Glen fell overboard and drowned.

Despite her children’s misgivings, Nina has moved on. Her relationship with middle school teacher Simon Fitch seems headed toward marriage. They’ve bought a house together and the four of them are living there. Connor seems to accept Simon, but Maggie does not. She’s certain her father will return.

Nina, looking forward, resumes her social work career. But Simon is unhappy with this decision and, as Nina strives to please the new man in her life, she soon discovers that Simon’s apparent devotion hides something more dangerous. Nevertheless, she’s determined to find a way to make things work.

But what will happen when Nina discovers the sinister secrets Simon holds? What happens when everything she though she knew turns out to be a lie?

Well-developed, believable characters populate this story of closely-held secrets and deception and, although there are moments when Nina makes some cringe-worthy decisions, this top-notch thriller is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The plot, with its revelations readers simply won’t see coming, takes readers in unexpected directions and the unfolding of this twisted tale is sure to keep the pages turning as fast as possible.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheNewHusband #NetGalley

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This was an outstanding mystery. The villain was exposed early in the book, leading the reader to try to solve the why and how of the plot. A husband is missing from his fishing boat and his family tries to understand why and what happened to him . A demented protagonist plays psychological tricks on the family to try to win them over. Once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down.

This is certainly one of the best books I have read this year! It is a thriller, unputdownable, terrifying, keeps you on the edge of your seat and will keep you up way past your bedtime reading. Nina’s husband, Glen, has disappeared, thought to have drowned while out fishing. She also learns that Glen had an affair and had lost his job. Nina meets and becomes close to Simon and eventually they move in together. Nina’s son, Connor likes Simon and they get on well. But Nina’s daughter Maggie despises Simon. I thought I had it all worked out, who the bad guy was and what was going to happen next. From this point the story became a nightmare of terror with twists I never saw coming.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Middle of the road

This had a good premise, writings and characters. It was a quick easy read that kept me entertained. Nina could be a bit selfish (moving in with a man she barely knew to avoid having to leave a town she loved) and she did make some additional foolish decisions.

It had some decent twists and there was a feeling of great suspense at times. Was it a bit over the top? Yeah, it got a bit crazy and coincidental. The reasoning for all the drama was silly and how it was orchestrated (one talented, lucky psycho). And what’s with the cop/detective that can’t hit the side of a barn in the time that he’s shot 3 times. The money too?? Just no.

Really it was much better than I’m making it sound!! If you like Hallmark movies then you will enjoy this! Kept me busy on a cold dreary day. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for a review.