Rose Yates is a writer. Now a single parent to Max because her husband died of suicide. To her better judgement, Rose is moving back to her childhood hometown after being away for twenty plus years!

The plot of this book is good but I think there are parts that dragged me. I can’t hold on to it and found my self skipping to rush. It has a lot of repeats that were getting tiresome. Everybody seem to be guilty, and the end did not surprise me. 3-stars for the characters!

Thanks you Netgalley for the widget I was gifted in exchange of an honest review.

Fun mystery thriller, the writing is fast paced and clips along well. An interesting entry to the genre

I kind of have mixed feelings about The Dead Husband. There are quite a few twists and turns in the story. I love when books keep you guessing and you end up being wrong. Not only that but I loved how the book ended while figuring out some of the twists. My only issue is that a good chunk of the book is pretty slow. I lost interest a couple of times and wished the book would pick up a little.
Maybe that is just me though. I would still suggest readers to check it out. Who knows it might not be as slow to you as it was to me in certain areas..

This book started out so strong and had so much potential, but unfortunately didn’t hold me long enough before I was bored. The audiobook was a good listen and I liked the narrator. The characterization was also super underwhelming and disappointing. I preferred the first half of the book a lot more. I wish the ending wasn’t so dull and rushed.

Okay, let’s talk about this one!

I listening to the audio version of this book, and I admit that I usually tend to drift away, miss key moments and characters, which makes me disinterested in the book versus reading the physical copy where I pay 100% attention. However, this one took me by surprise!

I was at the edge of my seat the entire time! Talk about nail-biting, heart pumping, edge-of-your seat unputdownable book.

The story is about a dysfunctional family, and you can expect an action-packed story full of questions, crazy twists and surprises!

Told in two perspectives, this audiobook is initially quite engaging! It opens with Rose, a mystery author, leaving her home in Wisconsin with her son to return to her New Hampshire childhood home in the wake of her husband's sudden death. But the circumstances of his death incites a new Milwaukee detective to dig a bit deeper while dealing with troubles in his own family that caused him to relocate from Madison. Rose must also confront the memories of her past that she left when she ran from New Hampshire. Living under the same roof as her father and struggling to reconnect with her sister, Rose flounders for human connection. None of the characters are particularly likable - and the plot follows some rather predictable paths as it unfolds. However, there are still some genuinely shocking turns. But more than a thriller, this feels like an intimate portrait of two families and all of the tragedy and ugliness that can happen behind closed doors.

The ending, unfortunately, is truly what spoiled this one a bit for me. It feels so completely inconclusive. I really and truly felt that this ended so abruptly that I was missing a last chapter or two (or three). Deeply unsatisfying, this really colored my overall opinions of this one. However, the audio performance is quite well done. I did enjoy listening - and for the most part, felt like I was eager to always keep listening on. But leaving every character's arc so unresolved is something that I just can't abide. I am sure, however, that this will spark lively discussions amongst readers and listeners alike who can speculate together over what happens next.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of the audiobook as a book seller.

The story follows a mystery writer who's husband dies - in a manner similar to a death written in one of her books. As a result she begrudgingly moves back home to her rich fathers house, who stopped supporting her when she got married. Her father and sister are quite cold, and it is clearly not a great environment for her and her child.

We shortly learn that there is some childhood trauma after an event that happened at the house she moved back to. Her newest book, yet to be published, writes a fictionalize version of what occurred. This puts her family at risk, as a detective is already investigating her for the death of her husband.

I quite enjoyed the book. The story was well written, the pace was good, and the main character was well developed. That said I found that some of the secondary and supporting characters we under-developed, or there were characters that just were not needed. I have to also admit that I saw the big plot twist coming - in all fairness there were a few things I did not see coming.

And a heads up, if you are someone who doesnt like books that leave a cliffhanger at the end (with no sequel planned), this may not be the book for you. If you can handle it, and are looking for a good thriller, I do recommend.

Rose Yates moves back home with her young son after the unexpected death of her husband to a drug overdose. Since she is a mystery author, Rose figures she can live anywhere and perhaps it's time that her family gets to know her son, Max. But soon after she arrives, she starts to wonder what ever possessed her to make this decision. Her father is still the wealthy tyrant who expects everyone in the family to obey him at all times while her sister is still cruel and cutting as is her daughter, Max's new playmate. Rose had run from this home years ago after a family tragedy and she knows in her gut that coming home was a mistake.
It turns out to be more of a mistake than she could have expected. The tendrils of the long ago tragedy seem to be coming to life while Rose has captured the attention of a detective from her old hometown. Detective Colin Pearson becomes suspicious of Rose after reading her most recent mystery. In it, the husband in the story is murdered while his wife, the murderer, is able to pass the death off as an overdose. Did Rose write the book as a subconscious confession? Is this what happened to her husband?

Colin decides he needs to interview Rose. She is initially willing to talk to him but as he returns again and again, Rose cuts him off. This makes his suspicions grow and as things back home go badly he becomes more and more determined to use Rose to make his career a success. Rose decides to leave the town again but things spin rapidly out of control. Will the truth emerge this time?

Carter Wilson is known for writing compelling psychological thrillers. In this novel, the reader is drawn into Rose's life and the way she keeps fighting back against the blows life constantly throws in her existence. I listened to this novel and the narrator was perfect, conveying the increasing tension as old traumas emerge to demand attention. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

This proves you can never tell how evil someone can truly be. I was fortunate enough to receive the audiobook from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. The audiobook added an extra layer of intrigue and suspense that kept me entertained until the very end. The story had twists throughout and captured me at the very beginning. All is not as it appears. Is there really no place like home?

Rose’s husband committed suicide. However, a new detective questions that ruling. Rose is forced to move back into the house where she grew up. This brings her back into the tepid relationships she has with her father and sister. Her son Max is having problems accepting the death of his father and recedes into himself. While dealing with all these changes, Det. Colin Pearson begins poking into her entire life.

This story is suspense and intriguing. It becomes apparent who did it about a third way in, but the thrilling writing and plots twists keep you listening intently while getting to it. I read this in two days. I kept turning it on to listen to “just a bit more.” I genuinely enjoyed this story every step of the way. People are often not what they appear but many times we don’t realize how evil some can be. Add that to everyday choices and life is just a disaster waiting to happen.

The narrator is entertaining and easy to understand. She made a good book even better.


I received an ARC from Dreamscape Media through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

Rose Yates never expected to come back to her hometown, but finds herself on her father's doorstep with her son Max in tow. The problem is that the issues of the past have yet to come to rest, so will Rose be able to move forward despite it all? Will the questions of her husband's death, the reason for going back to her childhood home, bring trouble to her family?

Having read many mystery thrillers, aspects of this novel just did not surprise me. I spent much of the book waiting to see if my predictions would bear fruit, as they did. The ending aside, parts of the novel were drawn out and repetitive. The aspects of the novel that included the detective seemed implausible in a lot of ways and also unnecessary. Overall, I was not really a fan of the characters or the story in general.

That being said, the opportunity I was given was to listen to the audio version of The Dead Husband, narrated by Erin DeWard. The book itself is well presented, with great inflection and emotion at the appropriate times. The narrator gave life to a book that I might not have finished if reading the printed word. I would not hesitate to recommend this version of the book to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an advanced copy of the audiobook for The Dead Husband by NetGalley and the publisher, Dreamscape Media. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

Twisted page-turner! I was taken in many directions trying to put this one together, right up until the very end.

Part family drama, part suspense. Secrets all round! Did she or didn't she kill her husband. What secrets are her family hiding?

My favorite genre is thrillers. I obviously loved this book and it was so hard to put it down. The twist at the end was just fantastic. Highly recommend to anyone who’s looking for a good thriller or an audiobook that will suck you into it.

Thank you Dreamscape Media, Netgalley, and Carter Wilson for this audio in exchange for my honest review. The narration was really good, I enjoyed her way of speak. The plot kept me interested all the way through the end. The ending, though felt abrupt and I felt it would have been better with an epilogue as I felt that it was left as a loose end. Also, I did not like how animals were killed in the story. I did feel the story kept my interest peaked and the writing was good but it lost a couple of stars due to the animals getting killed and how it ended. 🌟🌟🌟 stars from me.

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

This book hooked me right away. I've been enjoying this genre of suspense books recently and if the book hooks me immediately it's a good sign and for the most part The Dead Husband did not disappoint.
I did have an issue with the title -The Dead Husband- as I felt like the dead husband was more of the secondary story in this novel. In some ways the death of the husband was really just a plot device to allow the other story to come to light. The majority of the book ended up being about Rose's family and the story from their past. I kept waiting for the dead husband to be more relevant but I never really felt like that happened.
I didn't really like any of the characters and I think that may have been by design. The police officer Colin was probably the most likable.
I listened to an ARC audiobook version of this novel and I didn't live the narration. I had to speed it up because she was reading so slowly. I think too that some of my dislike of the characters may have been affected by the narration.
Overall, I did like this novel and I gave it 4 stars. It's a great summer read especially for anyone who like suspense stories.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Worth the read, didnt want to put it down. would recommend! loved the twist at the end!

The Dead Husband is a story about deception, hereditary sin, and what we’ll do to protect our own. What you have is a dead husband, a family, a secret, a crime series, and a detective.
Twenty years ago Rose’s life was forever altered by a secret that continued to haunt her. This secret drove her away from her home in Barry, New Hampshire. She thought she’d never return to her hometown, but all that changed when her husband died leaving her a widow at thirty-seven. Rose moved back into the home she grew up in with her father. Her return brought back all the nightmares that have haunted her all these years. Rose became a crime novelist because of her past, yet her return put her family at risk.

On top of all of this, there’s a detective whose investigating the death of her husband. He’s not convinced it was an accident after reading her crime series. Her writing aroused suspicion where life imitates art.

The story’s comprised of three parts. There’s several moving parts propelling this story forward. It’s an unpredictable original concept. This is not an investigative story where police procedure is prevalent.
Carter Wilson is an American novelist and short fiction writer. He’s best known for his domestic and psychological thrillers. This is my first time experiencing a Carter Wilson novel. I’m pleasantly surprised to have found a male novelist that writes about female characters in a non derogatory way. I’m also pleased to find no sex in this novel. I am surprised by the third person perspective of a female lead character written by a male writer.
This is a smartly written psychological thriller. I quite liked Carter’s writing voice. I usually respond better to a female writers voice, so to find a male writing voice that appeals to me is surprising yet wonderful. It’s fascinating having a male writer telling a females story.
In order to pull off this type of outcome takes a skilled writer. The language has to be executed in a deliberate way to lead the reader in the direction that maintains the focus on the Yates family dynamic.

Narrator:
Erin DeWard is the female voice performer artist. She is an Audie Award–winning audiobook narrator and a classically trained stage actor. Erin has been working in the field of Audio Description (media accessibility for people who are blind) as a writer, voice talent, advocate, and trainer for over a decade. It’s no surprise that with Erin’s talent as a voice performer she was chosen for this story.

Erin’s interpretation of Logan’s gruff voice and Peter’s well-mannered voice was okay. I prefer a male narrator to perform the male characters voices for believability. As it stands one narrator was selected so I’ll make do.
This Audiobook is 11 hours and 4 minutes long. I listened to the English version at 1.75x speed. This is an unabridged version.
The only disappointment with listening to audiobooks is the inability to highlight key points in a story and the inability to search previous information.
Several times I wanted to rewind and re-listen to scenes but that’s not an easy option.
Suspenseful thrillers in my opinion are best received in audiobook format. It’s an easy listen with Erin’s performance being clear and concise. She alters her tone and sound according to the words providing the best performance for the emotions written. She brought this story to life.

The Netgalley app causes a distorted sound while listening to audiobooks. There’s an echo of sound that can be heard during certain pitches of sound. I prefer using Audible. This app is what’s offered when requesting a free audiobook.

Great story full of twisted secrets that haunted a family for their entire lives. Rose returns home with her son after the unexpected death of her husband. She never thought she’d return home but her nightmares have been getting worse and what better way to deal with her demons than face them head on. But does Rose really want to uncover all the secrets?!