Wow, this one kept me guessing. The mystery of what happened to Aaron will keep you turning the pages quickly to find out. Definitely a thriller and I was immersed in the story so much. Will definitely recommend, this would be a good movie too.

It was well written, but had a few editing errors. Overall I enjoyed it. I would recommend it to others if they like mysteries.

Picked this book up and then couldn’t put it back down! Kept me guessing until the very end. The new clues and information the author provided were perfectly spread out to hold the suspense and add twists through the story. If you like a good thriller- this book is perfect for you!

Credit to NetGalley for the early version access

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

I received an eARC of Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane from HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
5 stars!!! Wow- this was a fantastic domestic thriller! Perfect Lila thought she executed the perfect plan and knew exactly where she left her dead husband until he turns up missing. The story and characters are more than meet the eye- so many twists. Darby Kane is the new go-to name when it comes to thrillers! Definitely recommend this book.

Did Lila really kill her husband Aaron? If she did, then where is his body? This is basically the premise of this twisty thriller. It will appeal to thriller fans who are looking for a juicy, quick read.

I started to love this story from early on, with the internal monologue of the main character, Lila Ridgefield. A housewife stuck in an unhappy marriage, to a philanderer who sounds like a real peach. This story excels at grabbing and holding attention. I sped right through it. It does have a way of sneaking up and surprising you. Early on the perception is that the main storyline will revolve around an investigation into Lila’s husband vanishing into thin air, with Lila front and center as a viable suspect. It evolves so much further beyond that. I didn’t realize this was a debut novel until I read that in the Goodreads description, so I was a little surprised. This is a strong showing as a debut. If I have one small criticism, it is that some of the intersecting storylines and characters are introduced without much background, so it does feel a little disorganized, but it doesn’t really hurt the story overall. Review posted to Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Litsy, LibraryThing

3.5 stars!
This book took me a while to get into however I didn’t really want to DNF It because I had heard good things and I thought I would enjoy this book. It took me about halfway or a little more to really get sucked in and after that point it was very hard to put down. I did really overall enjoy the book because the second half did make up for it however that first half was just very difficult to get through. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the second half and find the piecing in the second have to be really good. One of the biggest things that mean to pick this back up was that it was available through book of the month and that it takes place in Ithaca New York which is very close to where I live so I felt as though I needed to read it and I loved seeing the New York atmosphere described here and felt it was accurate. I know this author has another thriller coming out under the pseudonym later this year and I will most likely be checking it out.

I struggled to get into this one... the author is great but storyline was just a bit slow. Overall it was a good read, that is very loved by many readers so I think I’m an outlier with this one.

This book was a DNF for me. It did not hold my interest and I am one that loves psychological thrillers. I tried very hard getting into it but it was so long and drawn out and nothing recalling thrilling happening. I am not one to give up on a book but unfortunately this one I could not continue.

The premise of this book was quite intriguing, but sadly, that was the best part for me. I found the characters largely unlikable and not particularly well developed, and I felt the book dragged in many places. At first I was blaming myself, thinking I was too distracted and didn't read in large enough chunks to really get into it, but I have to keep reminding myself that if after a half page I think, "Hey! I wonder what's new on Twitter," I'm really just not that into the book. If it kept my interest, I wouldn't be thinking of excuses to do something else. It did pick up at the end, but not necessarily in a good way. It was one of those books where all the reveals are dumped into a few pages with that "time to wrap this up" feeling, and also it was so dark, disturbing, and just kind of sick, that I felt kind of bad about myself for reading it. I see this book was actually quite well received so I'm in the minority, but I wasn't a fan.

A fan of Ms. Dimon, when I found her new pen name and a brand new book by her, I had to pick it up. Pretty Little Wife completely blows my mind. I can honestly see this book as a movie that will keep people at the edge of their seat. Nothing is as it seems in this book.


Lila is a "trophy" wife who is in a loveless marriage. She is a woman who has been surprised by a man who cannot handle a wife who is better than he is and... when she finds out his dirty little secret, this is the last straw for her. This story has more layers than an onion. It is so well crafted that at each point as new information comes to light, I'm shocked and I want to learn more. It is rare that an author can catch me off guard. There are little hints here and there which allows me to guess at least 1 thing correct about two third of the way through the book. For the most of it, I'm along for this hellish ride Lila's being put through.


Sadly, Lila represents all too many women who are in abusive relationships where there is no physical altercations, but the words, the gaslighting, the deriding attitude all chip away at her. I feel badly for Lila and I want to kick her "perfectly charming" husband that everyone loves in the nuts. If anyone deserves to be gutted and shoved into a deep hole, he does.


I am hesitant to reveal much about this story because it is the element of surprise which makes it so good. I enjoy how many supporting characters are not what they first seem. And that Lila is not infallible. Ms. Kane/Dimon does a great job of keeping the reader questioning what will happen next and what next reveal will send Lila reeling. Using public sentiment and showing how easily the wind changes helped make the story feel more real. The different connections in this story which all come together at the end is marvelous. I felt stimulated the entire time I read this book. I highly recommend this thriller to readers looking for something different and like surprises.

FINALLY got around to reading this digital ARC I’ve been wanting to read for months and I’m glad I did! It was a quick, twisty read that, while not blowing my mind, did keep me entertained. This time I loved how much I disliked the characters. I wasn’t sure who to trust or what to believe until the end, and even then I still wasn’t completely sure. I love that! Excited to read more by the author.

Mystery was really well done! Full of intrigue, twists, turns, deception, and suspense. I cannot wait to see what else this author publishes in the future!

This is one twisted story. It's full of ups and downs. Ins and outs. It has so much going on and was so much fun to read. It really was.

This is the story of Lila. Lila is married too Aaron. Aaron is the high school teacher that everyone loves. He is missing and it seems he went missing twice. You will know from the start who did something to Aaron, but not the why or what exactly. There are lots of things happening. Several missing people. Mostly young women but the the main person that is looked for here is Aaron. The beloved high school teacher and girls field hockey coach.

Lila came from a horrible childhood as did Aaron. Seems like they were made for each other. But as in most books, looks, feelings, thoughts, actions, marriages, can be deceiving. Aaron's brother, Jared, plays a huge role in this story also. He wants to know what happened to his brother. He stands by Lila when the police detective starts questioning her. Ginny is a smart detective and has a theory as to what happened but can't quite prove it. Yet!

This book has so much going on that if you are not careful you can get lost. Most likely if you love a good thriller you will find it easy to follow though. There is just so much. Between the husband, wife, brother-in-law, best friend, school principle, college professor, everyone involved looks guilty of something in one way or the other.

While I did figure out who did what in one way I still absolutely loved and enjoyed this book. All the things that led up to the big showdown were great. It was well written and the imagery was done in such a way as to make you feel you was there. I didn't really like any of the characters until close to the ending. Then I did like Lila. I rooted for her throughout the book but didn't really like her until the end. I felt bad for her from the start almost. I like Ginny somewhat as she was very good at her job. But she still lacked something. I just haven't yet figured out what.

You will enjoy trying to figure this one out. I promise.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #DarbyKane, #HarperCollinsPublishers & #WilliamMorrowPaperbacks for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

I gave it a big 5/5 stars and a high recommendation.

The inscrutable Lila Ridgefield is uncharacteristically furious with her husband when she gets a glimpse of his secret life in Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane. Kane is a pseudonym for a well-established romance author, but there is little sentiment to be found in this departure toward domestic thrillers. Lila is cold, clever and resourceful. Her character has been formed from a traumatic past that molded her into a pragmatic creature who makes decisions based on calculation rather than emotion. Even her marriage is one of convenience and functions by the maintenance of respectful distance. It is an arrangement that suits her needs, but Lila soon discovers how it also serves her husband, Aaron, as well. Their lack of connection allows him to engage in some heinous activities while maintaining the facade of a perfect husband and teacher. When Aaron goes missing, Lila is naturally the prime suspect. She is baffled as well, since she thought she had set up the perfect suicide scene for him when she killed him. This is all revealed at the start of the novel, which then pivots to the mystery of Aaron’s whereabouts and the clues left behind in taunting messages left for Lila. Ginny is the detective assigned to the case, and she is not fooled by Lila’s demeanor and unflappability. As a former lawyer, Lila knows and manipulates the system well, but Ginny uses her instincts to bore through Lila’s story. As Aarons misdeeds are exposed, his brother (Jared) and Lila’s former colleague (Tobias) come to protect Lila, but this is a woman who does not need rescuing. Hitting on themes of misogyny, teen exploitation, sociopathic tendencies and vigilantism, Pretty Little Wife takes a decidedly feminist view. While its male characters are either ineffectual or banally inhuman, the female characters are finely tuned and nuanced. Lila is someone who should wisely be both admired and feared, and Ginny is her match in intelligence and provides ethical insight and perspective. Kane has done an admirable job here, producing a novel of suspense that is nicely paced and unpredictable. Her existing followers and new admirers will also be glad to know that she has another upcoming novel, The Replacement Wife, expected to release by the end of 2021.


Thanks to the author,William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.

Pretty Little Wife is a thriller. It’s a great escape book to read this winter. Darby Kane writes so many twists and turns I didn’t know how this story would end.

This book grabbed me from the very first page. I loved how the author showed us different parts of Lila, slowing revealing little pieces of information that kept me changing my thoughts on where Lila's husband could be.. there were several curves along the road that lead to a thrilling and satisfying ending. I now have another author to add to my must read list.

An interesting twist of a mystery that does not quite end as one would expect. The author makes a fantastic effort to lead the story in one direction all while it is actually heading in another. The main character, Lila, seems fragile at first but there is more than meets the eye. Her situation and supporting cast of characters sets up quite the bewitching read. This is one to savor!

Nothing is quite what it seems in this suspenseful thriller from Darby Kane aka Helen Kay Dimon.

When a well-liked teacher goes missing, there's the possibility the disappearance is related to missing students. The cops are looking for any lead that might link these situations together

And then there's Lila, who knows more than she wants to say and has secrets of her own. There's so much to uncover in this story.

I love crime dramas to see how they unravel the crime and the motives, and Pretty Life Wife is complicated. But what I loved most about this story is the suspense -- that edge of the seat feeling that makes you either put the book down because it's too intense or stay up all night reading because you want to see what happens next. I like lots of twists too. Pretty Little Wife did both for me.