Merciful Heavens but Carter Wilson knows how to tell a good creepy dark story! While the plot and characters in this one were not my favorites of his, I still found myself furiously flipping pages and racing through the story to see what was going to happen next... This one was less about figuring out who done it (in most instances - there is a pretty major reveal right at the end that I didn't see coming until it was nearly upon me), then about figuring out what was to be done in the aftermath of it... It made for an interesting twist on the thriller/suspense concept, and I really enjoyed watching it play out. If you enjoy reading about the darker side of human relationships, and human psyches, you can do no better than to pick up a Carter Wilson novel!

Carter Wilson’s The Dead Girl in 2A was my first read for 2020, and I adore it. Imagine how happy I am when @poisonedpress approved me for the e-arc of this book on NetGalley and happier when they sent me a finished copy! Thank you so much!

What I like about the author’s writing style is his ability to constantly change your mind about who is the villain in the story. The characters are very intriguing and interesting that even the “good ones” make you doubtful. And if you and you’re family is attached to a case that took place twenty years ago, what do you expect will happen when the detective finds out your husband died for unverified reasons and you’re an author who writes about stuff like these. I know, I was like, hmmm...what is going on here? Too many secrets to reveal, a past that continues to haunt you, and an unsure present and future. If you’re into suspenseful mystery read, grab this book!

Rose Yates fled her small town as soon as she was able and never intended to return to her controlling father and the secrets she left behind.
After her husband dies of an accidental overdose though, she is forced to return with her young son.
Detective Colin Pearson has been handed the cases of a retiring detective and the more he looks into Rose Yates, the more he feels she killed her husband. His biggest clues come from books she published under a pseudonym that lead him to believe that might not be the only secret she is hiding.
I had never heard of this author but I will be checking out his backlist. There is one scene in this book that was so shocking I had to put it down and come back to it.
There is an incident of a report of animal abuse but nothing graphic or upsetting to readers of thrillers/mysteries.
This was released this week and I highly recommend it. Thank you to # netgalley and the publisher for the ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fro my blog: Always With a Book:

I first discovered Carter Wilson when I read Mister Tender's Girl a few years ago, which I absolutely loved!!! I knew after reading that one I would be reading anything he wrote. I love how different each of his books are, proving that he doesn't right the same old thing each time.

This latest one is a dark, twisted story that really keeps you on edge all the way through. I loved how the book moved back and forth from the present day to the past, where something ominous happened, but you aren't quite sure what. Whatever it was that happened has been driving Rose in everything she does, and after the death of her husband, she feels she needs to lay these ghosts to rest finally. In addition to that, we also have the detective's point of view, in the present, who is investigating the death of Rose's husband because he just doesn't think things add up.

I loved how this book was laid out, slowly giving us pieces of information in both the present and the past to keep us hooked. And with Rose being a writer, she of course falls under suspicion, especially when it comes to be known that her books tend to mirror real life.

This book is full of secrets, crazy family drama and such dark undertones that it really hooks you right off the bat. It's an unsettling read for sure, but if you like a tense, twisted thriller, this is definitely the book for you!

A terrific “past comes back to haunt you” story which is as much about relationships as it is about the core mystery. Nothing is as it seems and the main character is so easy to empathise with that you can’t help feeling like part of the family - as dysfunctional as it is. People who don’t normally read mysteries should give this a try as it really is a work of fiction which focuses heavily on exploring relationships, understanding our impacts on one another and discovering what shapes the people we become.

I've read every one of Carter Wilson's books and he never disappoints! This book started out with some interesting characters that seemed normal; but I kept waiting for the creepiness to come. Because - Carter Wilson. His books ALWAYS have a creepiness factor! The writing is solid as always, the characters are believable, and the mystery is intriguing.

This is one of those books you can't put down until you've read the whole thing. I did guess a couple things but that didn't detract from the enjoyment of the answers unfolding.

Carter has another winner!!

The Dead Husband gives a whole new meaning to family drama.

Rose Yates is a mystery writer who begrudgingly moves back home to NH with her 11 year old son after her husband dies from an overdose. She moves back in with her dad who is about as warm and fuzzy as an undertaker and has to face her sister again for the first time in 9 years. Something happened between Rose, her sister Cora and their dad when the girls were teenagers that Rose has never been able to move past and she thinks coming home and facing it is her only way to move on. She also may or may not incorporate the incident into her newest book hoping writing about t would help but instead it sparks a lot of family drama.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat. It jumps back and forth a bit from present day, to the past incident, but then also to the POV of Detective Pearson who is investigating Rose so I needed to make sure I was paying attention but it was not hard to follow. There's a part of Detective Pearson's storyline that I thought was a bit unnecessary though I guess it helped him relate to Rose better.

I did figure out what I would say the main "twist" is pretty early on which is my only reason for giving this 4 instead of 5 stars. I very much enjoyed this read and will be looking out for more from Carter Wilson in the future.
Thank you Netgally for the wishlist grant and the opportunity to read this!

EXCERPT: I place the laptop on the side table, stand, and walk into the kitchen.

Slowly. Up the hardwood stairs, sixteen steps I've climbed thousands of times.

Second floor. The hallway stretches before me, shorter than I remember as a child, but long enough to still swallow all my courage in the middle of the night.

It was here.

This hallway.

The hallway, and then the stairs. It ended on the stairs.

I close my eyes, as if inviting the memories back, and they come.

That night.

His face.

His fear.

ABOUT 'THE DEAD HUSBAND': Twenty years ago an unspeakable tragedy rocked Rose Yates's small, affluent hometown... and only Rose and her family know the truth about what happened.

Haunted by guilt, Rose escaped into a new life. Now she seems to have it all: a marriage, a son, a career. And then her husband is found dead.

As far as Detective Colin Pearson is concerned, Rose is guilty. Her marriage wasn't as happy as she'd led everyone to believe, and worse, she's connected to a twenty-year-old cold case. She can play the part of the victim, but he won't let her or her family escape justice this time around.

Grieving her husband and struggling to make ends meet, Rose returns home, hoping to finally confront her domineering father and unstable sister. But memories of a horrific crime echo through the house, and Rose soon learns that she can't trust anyone, especially not the people closest to her.

MY THOUGHTS: I swear, it took a full twenty-four hours for my breathing to return to normal and my head to stop spinning after I finished The Dead Husband.

Tense, intense, suspenseful, gripping, addictive. Right up there with Mr Tender's Girl.

And that's all you're going to get from me. Just get a copy, clear the day (because, trust me, once you pick it up...), and read it.

⭐❤⭐❤⭐❤⭐❤⭐❤

#TheDeadHusband #NetGalley

I: @carterwilsonauthor @poisonedpenpress

T: @PPPress

#fivestarread #crime #familydrama #mystery #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Carter Wilson was born in New Mexico and grew up in Los Angeles before attending Cornell University. As a consultant and frequent lecturer, has journeyed the globe both for work and pleasure, and as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
Carter lives in Erie, Colorado in a Victorian house that is spooky but isn't haunted...yet.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dead Husband by Carter Wilson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Rose shouldn't have taken her son Max home to New Hampshire from Milwaukee but her husband Riley has died and it's time. Time for what? Her father Logan is a dreadful man and her sister Cora, well, you'll find out for yourself. Rose is a writer who publishes under a pen name and her latest, typical of her output, is a thinly veiled retelling of a 22 year old mystery involving Caleb, her classmate, when they were 16. Milwaukee detective Colin Pearson doesn't think things are quite right with Riley's suicide and he comes poking. No spoilers from me. This takes unexpected turns and amps up the tension quite nicely. Rose, well, you'll feel for her. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read.

Such an entertaining thriller!!! I am so glad NetGalley granted my wish and sent me this book a week before publication. This is twisted family drama at it's finest and messiest. Rose fled the Yates family long ago. But now her husband is dead, and she's back living with her father in her childhood home, a home that gives her nightmares. Daddy Yates has always stressed family first, no matter what, but that makes for some twisted and gruesome secrets in the Yates family.


"A murderer, a victim, and a witness... but no one in this house is innocent

Twenty years ago an unspeakable tragedy rocked Rose Yates's small, affluent hometown... and only Rose and her family know the truth about what happened.

Haunted by guilt, Rose escaped into a new life. Now she seems to have it all: a marriage, a son, a career. And then her husband is found dead.

As far as Detective Colin Pearson is concerned, Rose is guilty. Her marriage wasn't as happy as she'd led everyone to believe, and worse, she's connected to a twenty-year-old cold case. She can play the part of the victim, but he won't let her or her family escape justice this time around.

Grieving her husband and struggling to make ends meet, Rose returns home, hoping to finally confront her domineering father and unstable sister. But memories of a horrific crime echo through the house, and Rose soon learns that she can't trust anyone, especially not the people closest to her."

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 rounded up.

I really wanted to like this one. I love thrillers and this had a very intriguing blurb. But the story moved at a snail's pace and unfortunately didn't have the tension to sustain my interest. I found myself skipping pages to get past the "ordinary" stuff and back to the main plotline. I also found the Detective's decision to look into Rose's past because "writers write what they know" to be totally ridiculous. I just didn't buy it at all.

I also picked the "twist" within the first 20% of the book and was disappointed by that. I liked to be surprised by the ending of a thriller and this one didn't achieve that. However, I found the writing itself to be good and I would potentially read at another book by this author. Unfortunately this particular story wasn't my cup of tea and it felt a bit bloated with unnecessary details and interactions.

There are unlikable characters in books that you eagerly devour because you want to see if karma deals to them. There are also unlikeable character in stories that you don't connect with & you don't care what happens to them. For me, this was a case of the latter. I didn't care about anyone in this story, including supporting characters. I felt that the story was disjointed, and could have been cut down a lot.

This book held my interest and sucked me in. Kind of predictable but great, fun read.
Rose returns home - she left after high school and swore to never return. After the sudden death of her husband, Rose packs up her and her son, Max and leaves Wisconsin.
And the memories flood back. One night, when Rose was 15 changed her life. Tied her father, sister and Rose together.
Colin, a Milwaukee cop, can't dismiss Riley's death as accidental overdose. Especially after reading one of Rose's books.
Good read.

This is a thrilling and dark novel that I devoured in one day!!!!!!!!! This is my first by this author & I loved it!!!!!!!! It really makes you think about the kind of person you are and just how far you will go to protect your loved ones!!!! I highly recommend this book to thriller fans

Being a single mother of an autistic child I could relate to the mother/son relationship in this book, I think it is very well described especially since the writer is male.
All in all I liked the book, though I have to say it's very dark and violent, but that's probably what the author aimed to achieve.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead Husband is a buckle up you are in for a twisted at times horrifying ride.

The Yates family are like no other, (mine is not looking so bad now).

Tragedy seems to follow Rose everywhere and she is returning home after the death of her husband.

Some say his death is suspicious and what is the truth about the tragedy 20 years ago in Rose's hometown.

There are red herrings , twists and turns and nasty evil people in the town of Bury.

The lights stayed on as I raced to find out who could be so evil.

This is my first Carter Wilson book but it won't be my last.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a haunting, yet so good read.

The Dead Husband is the latest book by Carter Wilson. The Dead Husband is an excellent story in which Mr Carter keeps the reader guessing, did she or didn't she? Some edge of your seat moments. I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an early copy to review.

The Dead Husband is a twisted story of family and murder. Carter Wilson can certainly write a violent story and I really enjoyed it for the most part. Animal cruelty/death is something that really puts me off and that part of the storyline was hard to digest.

Rose and her young son return to Rose's childhood home of Bury after the apparent suicide of her husband. She never wanted to go back after her hellish upbringing, that she would rather not remember. But being back brings it all to the front again. She is now a published crime writer and Colin, a detective in on the case, believing that Rose had something to do with her husbands death, especially after how one of her characters dies.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for granting my wish on Netgalley for this book.

Death seems to cause ripples in one's life for years. The Dead Husband rippled to a dead end.

Rose has packed up her previous life in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, outside of Milwaukee. She's a recent widow after the apparent suicide of her husband, Riley.......hence, the ol' dead husband thing. She and her eleven year old son, Max, are headed back to Bury, New Hampshire to return to the home of her well-to-do father, Logan Yates. She dreads walking through those massive doors, once again, into the family abode that she willingly left long ago.

Carter Wilson leaves land mines that something happened twenty years ago that involved Rose, her father, and her sister, Cora. Wilson does create an uneasiness in Rose that is felt throughout the entire story. He adds the conflict of Detective Colin Pearson who is dogging Rose all the way from Milwaukee. Pearson believes that Rose is somehow involved in her husband's death. Strangely, with not a whiff of evidence, he gets the greenlight from his superiors to fly to New Hampshire. We're also given a ton of backstory on Pearson's personal life. (Somehow slotted in like the detective in Psycho)

The Dead Husband should have remained mum.Instead, the secret story unfolds far too quickly and we've got this one figured out fast. NOTE: Carter Wilson has a pervasive thread of suicide streaming through the thoughts of not one, but two central characters. One even relates death/suicide as biting through a rainbow. It was quite oppressive throughout. In addition, there is a brutal killing of an animal here as well. These incidents added nothing to the storyline but a dash of the macabre. Carter Wilson did more justice to his storyline in The Dead Girl in 2A. Maybe The Dead Wife is waiting in the wings.........

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Poison Pen Press and to Carter Wilson for the opportunity.

Rose Yates left home 20 years ago with no plans to return, However, her husband unexpectedly died from an overdose of alcohol and sleep medication and in the aftermath, she finds herself back in her father's house with her young son. Soon the tragedy from 20 years ago is brought front and center.

Although she never really got over this tragedy, she finds solace in writing about it in her soon to be published novel. When her father and sister find out about the upcoming novel, chaos ensues.

It's bad enough that there is a detective who thinks she murdered her husband, and followed her to her hometown to try and prove it.

Things are about to get very interesting.

This is a great read and I highly recommend it. Thank you to Net Galley for and the Publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book!