I’ve read better writing than this by children. Flat, repetitive, stiff, confused, and boring. The author wrote like she was dragging out ten or twenty pages of material to meet a word count. I’d say more but the book isn’t even worth the effort of critiquing it.

I hate to give this book a mediocre rating, but it just wasn’t for me. Kane is a former trial attorney and her experience radiated from every page of Pretty Little Wife, which I loved. I was so excited to read her newest novel, but unfortunately it was a lackluster followup to one of my favorite reads of 2021.

The plot felt like Groundhog Day. Unlikely discovery of random piece of information -> meek attempt at confrontation -> gaslighting -> self doubt -> righteous indignation-> lather -> rinse -> repeat for 400 pages. And the worst part? The tired trope of the engineered confession. I saw another reviewer refer to it as the “Scooby Doo confessional” and that’s a perfect description.

And the title? The Replacement Wife - she’s not like the others. This book really wasn’t about a replacement wife. It was about Elisa, and her efforts to uncover the truth about the women in her brother in law’s life.

The ending left much to be desired. Without spoiling anything, the final exchange made no sense.

I honestly can’t believe Darby Kane wrote this book. I’ll still jump at the chance to read anything she publishes in the future, but this one definitely missed the mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow & Custom House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Elisa has been struggling since something unimaginable happened at her job. When someone she cares about disappears, she starts her own investigation but is she finding out the truth or what people people want her to believe? Josh has been like a brother to her for years but she’s starting to question all she knows. Is Josh really hiding things?

I would have given this one maybe another star if it didn’t mention “gaslighting” what felt like the entire time. Before the first time it was mentioned the author did such a good job at describing the way our main character, Elisa, was being manipulated by her brother-in-law, Josh. Like so good that it was getting in your own head as you were reading, but then the term was I would have given this one maybe another star if it didn’t mention “gaslighting” what felt like the entire time. Before the first time it was mentioned the author did such a good job at describing the way our main character, Elisa, was being manipulated by her brother-in-law, Josh. Like so good that it was getting in your own head as you were reading, but then the term was used, and then at least 8 times more. This has become a thing with the recent books that have been published I’ve noticed. And while I appreciate an important topic being written about, I don’t like it being thrown in my face while reading a fiction book.

Other than that, this book was a decent thriller. I enjoyed the story of a brother-in-law having a questionable past with women and being a possible wife killer in the eyes of his sister-in-law. It wasn’t too twisty, but just good enough to keep me guessing the entire time. and then at least 8 times more. This has become a thing with the recent books that have been published I’ve noticed. And while I appreciate an important topic being written about, I don’t like it being thrown in my face while reading a fiction book.

Other than that, this book was a decent thriller. I enjoyed the story of a brother-in-law having a questionable past with women and being a possible wife killer in the eyes of his sister-in-law. It wasn’t too twisty, but just good enough to keep me guessing the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This is the first Darby Kane book I have read, and it will not be the last! It was super fast-paced and kept me intrigued until the very last page because I just had to know how it was going to turn out. There were tons of twists and turns, quite a few that caught me off guard--which is the very best kind!

Elisa knows her brother-in-law Josh is a killer. She just knows it. And the fact that he doesn't seem to care at all that his fiancée has gone missing is strange--and then he shows up with a new girlfriend. Elisa's husband seems to blow everything off with his brother as if his behavior is normal. And then, odd things begin happening to Elisa and she starts to think someone is trying to make her believe she is crazy.

This book was so darn good and I cannot wait to read more from Darby Kane!!

I received this book as an advanced copy from NetGalley

Elisa Wright is a mom and wife who lives in a small town. She has been wondering if her brother in law is a murdered as he has one wife who is dead, and a fiancee who went missing, and now he has a new girlfriend. Elisa feels that his new girlfriend is in danger and she is wanting to know what happened to his missing fiancee.

She becomes friends with his new girlfriend and starts searching for answers. It is very interesting what happens and keeps you guessing. This is a good story and well written. I will be looking for more books from this author!

This was just meh. It was a fun, quick read with lots of twists and turns, but it was also silly and quite unbelievable. There were characters that played no purpose, but were given prominence resulting in the most basic of red herrings.

I hate the “crazy lady” trope and I guessed main parts of this story from the first few chapters, so it was unimpressive at best.

For me it was very meh. There was a lot of blatant gaslighting and I really felt bad for the main character. It was a little slow at times, but a clever enough plot line to keep the book moving. I do think that Darby Kane is a good writer, and if you like thrillers, you should still give this one a shot!

The Replacement Wife was my first Darby Kane book and it did not disappoint. I got sucked into this book on page one. I just loved the premise of this book. I debated the entire book if I thought the narrator was unreliable or not. We are supposed to question the sanity of the MC and I was contemplating this the entire time. Elisa was un-relentless in searching for the truth about her missing friend and uncovering Josh's involvement. I questioned the motives of many of the characters all throughout the book. This book was really suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat especially the last fourth of the book The pacing was great. There were many plot twists even right up to the very end. The entire book I was questioning who I thought was telling the truth and how I interpreted the reveals. I really enjoyed this one. There were some cryptic hints in this book that I completely missed. I finally put it together after I finished. I loved the narrator's voice, @Karissa Vacker in the audiobook. I usually include more details but I don't want to give away anything that would take away the enjoyment of this one. I loved this one.

Thank you @WilliamMorrowbooks and @NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Kane's previous book, so I was very excited to read this one. This book had me hooked from page one! My favorite part of reading this genre is when there are unexpected twists and turns, and Kane delivered. Would definitely recommend!

Elisa suspects that her brother in law is a murderer but doesn't have proof. The closer she gets to finding out the truth the scarier the possibilities get. I really enjoyed this wonderfully suspenseful novel that kept me guessing till the very end. Excellent.

Sandy M’s review of The Replacement Wife by Darby Kane
Domestic Suspense Thriller published by William Morrow Paperbacks 28 Dec 21

I have anxiously awaited this book ever since I read Ms. Kane’s Pretty Little Wife in December of last year. She has a great knack for keeping a reader on the edge of their seat with every chapter. Here we meet Elisa Wright and her husband Harrison. They’re happily married with an active five-year-old son. It’s Elisa’s brother-in-law who now has her doubting him after years of looking at the man as a brother, and she’s beginning to doubt herself as she tries to solve her best friend’s disappearance.


Josh was engaged to that missing BFF. But she’s been missing since about a week before the planned wedding, and the fact that Josh now has a new girlfriend so quickly is not sitting well with Elisa. Then she discovers some of Abby’s things hidden where they shouldn’t be. More and more the clues she finds just don’t add up and Elisa’s suspicions grow by the day. The last straw is when information about a previous wife she knew nothing about is revealed, along with the fact that wife, wife No. 1, also died just like wife No. 2. Elisa doesn’t believe in coincidence, especially when no one bothered to share this info with her when she married into the family. As far as she’s now concerned, Josh is a murderer, no doubt about it. Of course, proving it is another matter entirely.

But Elisa does her best, despite all the strange things that begin to happen to her. We learn she has a horrible incident in her past that leaves her paralyzed and paranoid. Even her husband begins to suspect all is not right with her instead of his brother. Harrison raised Josh after their parents were killed. He did his best, but Josh is selfish, self-centered, lazy, and a host of other negatives. Then there’s Rachel, the new girlfriend. Elisa can’t decide if she’s friend or foe. She’s as nice as can be, but when Elisa overhears conversations between Josh and Rachel, that niceness flies out the window. Oh, and how about another girlfriend showing up out of the blue? One Josh was seeing at the same time he was engaged to Abby. The hits just keep on coming, and Elisa is finally pushed to get some outside help from someone who will hopefully get some answers Elisa can’t find.

Another terrific page-turner from Ms. Kane. Just when you think – even know – you’ve figured it all out, she tosses your hypothesis out the window with Rachel’s niceness. Even amid all the turmoil Elisa is going through, along with her doubts, especially about Harrison, I enjoyed their relationship. And all the interactions with their son, fun as well as tense, are wonderfully done. And Josh is just plain ole sleezy.

If you’ve not started reading Darby Kane, pick up PLW and this one as soon as you can. Well worth it!

Grade: A

Elisa has the perfect life until a gunman shoots into a crowd, killing a woman next to her. As she is dealing with the trauma, other things start to come to light. Harris and Josh were orphaned as teenagers, leaving the older, Harris, to raise the younger brother, Josh. Elisa has been around long enough to know how Josh is. Or does she? Elisa was friendly enough with his longtime girlfriend, Abby. She was saddened to hear that Josh and Abby went different ways. Except did they go their own ways, or is Abby really missing? Elisa begins her own investigation. Could Josh really have that much bad luck? His first wife died tragically and now the girlfriend he was going to marry is missing. And the weirdest part, Josh doesn't seemed concerned. Harris will defend his brother at all costs, even going against Elisa. How is Elisa going to prove all of her suspicions? And then as if Josh can't help himself, he introduces a new girlfriend, Rachel. How is Elisa going to protect and warn her?
Overall, The Replacement Wife by Darby Kane was an average read. You definitely have to immerse yourself into this book because really, does this much bad come from one person without someone besides the sister in law being suspicious? No, police would have caught on.....the brother would not be able to look past of the coincidences and he definitely would not continue to fool all of these women. So, into the world of make-believe you go. I felt for Elisa. I think her world of PTSD could have been used a little more for the plot to thicken but that girl has some serious issues to now overcome. I enjoyed the easy read enough to read it to the end and I actually like the ending a lot. The middle could just use some more thrilling details or actions. If someone was looking for a general easy book to read, I would recommend The Replacement Wife. I am not sure I could sell it as a thriller or suspenseful read like it was intended to be but maybe more of women's fiction. Special thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House, and Darby Kane for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars for me
#TheReplacementWife #NetGalley

This book is the typical domestic thriller that seems to be popular now - a woman who is caught up in something sinister and her husband treats her like she is crazy. I found this book to be quite predictable. The author tries to throw you off at times, but the ending is unsurprising.
I did not like the men in this book and they way they treated the main character, Elisa. Her husband's dismissal of everything was annoying. Some people may think her behavior was weak, but women in gaslighting situations such as she was do behave that way.
The book wasn't terrible, but I don't think it is one I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Replacement Wife by author Darby Kane was a very entertaining and interesting read as it kept me guessing the entire way through. It’s a domestic thriller that I just couldn’t completely figure out. It’s about a woman named Eliza who is happily married and has a young son. She also has a younger brother-in-law that she believes might be a murderer. As the story progresses you learn that Josh has 2 dead wives, a missing fiancé and a new girlfriend that he soon marries. Is he really just unlucky in love or is he a murderer like Eliza suspects? It’s a story that I couldn’t figure out until the very end. I had my ideas, but as usual they were all wrong. This is a book I would recommend to anyone who likes to read thrillers where the plot is so twisted you can’t predict what will happen. I’d like to thank Scene of the Crime Early Reads, Sam Glatt, marketing assistant at HarperCollins Publishers/William Morrow and NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. I’m giving this a 4 star rating!

Well this was a wild ride. I can't say that I didn't see a lot of it coming, but I was still anxiety ridden. I didn't love it as much as Darby's first book, but it was a solid thriller none the less.
Elisa has such a great life, she lives in a great town with her loving husband Harris and their son Nathan, but unfortunatly, she suspects her brother in law to be a cold blooded killer and she can't go on anymore pretending.
Josh's fiance, and her best friend, went missing 7 months ago and she fears that Josh knows what happened and isn't saying, oh, and he has a new girlfriend already.
Elisa is trying to get to the bottom of this, but each thing she finds draws her closer to even more secrets she unburies and she still hasn't found her friend. It doesn't help that Josh discredits her with every breath and her husband thinks she is having another PTSD episode.
Honestly, I didn't love Elisa, but I pushed through this because I needed to know what happened. I had lots of theories and while some of them did turn out correct, there were few nuggets of information I didn't see coming. This book had it all, and I kind of felt like I was going a little mad too. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Darby Kane, Netgalley and William Morrow for an early copy.

This is a fun, dark, unputdownable thriller!

Elisa knows that her brother in law Josh is a murderer. After his wife died tragically and his girlfriend went missing, she is convinced there can be no other explanation. When he introduces his new girlfriend to her, she knows she must act quickly to find out the truth behind what happened. Meanwhile, Elisa is suffering from panic attacks and dizziness herself. Her poor health, stress, and sporadic behaviour are causing her family to become concerned about her own well-being!

This story has an unreliable narrator and gaslighting (or is it?!) to the extreme! It is completely aggravating at times but had me routing hard for the truth! I was sucked in immediately and I had to find out what was going on! It's a very dark plot surrounding the deaths of multiple women. I didn't know who to trust! I was coming up with theories but I was not right in the end. I loved the quick chapters and drama-filled pages! There was a point when the balance of Elisa and Josh's relationship became a bit repetitive. But other than that I loved the quick chapters and drama-filled pages! I'd definitely recommend this one for a quick, engrossing read!

Thanks to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for my copy!

First review of 2022!

Unfortunately, I never seem to get an awesome book for my first book of the year, and this is no different. It was GOOD, but not GREAT for me.

The beginning started off super slow and choppy for me. I felt like I was just thrown into the drama instead of having build up.

Right after I started the book, I was sick for a few days and couldn't even bring myself to pick it up. After the 3rd day, I contemplated not finishing it, but I really loved Kane's debut book, so I forced myself to keep going.

Thankfully, it does get better. I loved having an unreliable narrator in Elisa because of her trauma from a previous attack and it really lead to not knowing what on earth was real and what wasn't.

The end was a little crazy and I had to suspend reality a bit to enjoy it. But all in all, once I got past the beginning it was enjoyable.

3.5/5 Stars

Elisa Wright is convinced her brother-in-law is a murderer after the death of one wife, and his new fiancé missing without a trace. Josh has just announced that he is seeing someone new, and Elisa is shocked that he can jump into another relationship so soon. Fearing for his new girlfriend's life, Elisa begins an investigation to figure out what happened to her friend, and if Josh was behind her disappearance.

There's just something about unreliable narrators that get me every time. Elisa was an interesting character, and I loved not knowing whether to trust what was happening and the events she was recalling. I think having her question her memories throughout the story was a great way to build tension and suspense. There is so much gas lighting, manipulation and second guessing of Elisa, I like how her backstory was uncovered as the story progressed. It was interesting to see how she was battling with what happened to her, and what that was doing to her relationship and mind. I was not a fan of Harris, Elisa's husband. He made me angry the way he always sided with Josh, no matter the situation, and refused to hear Elisa out when she would come to him with her concerns. The book does become a bit repetitive after awhile, but I still enjoyed my time reading and the ending is satisfying!

Elisa Wright is convinced her brother is a murderer. His fiancee', who was Elisa's friend is missing, and Josh doesn't seem upset, he just moves on and is dating someone new. First she stumbles across some items hidden away in Josh's place that belonged to the missing women. But the Elisa goes head first into digging around in Josh's life.

Meanwhile, things start happening in her own life that look like someone is out to get her. Is someone messing around with her or is she losing her mind?

I enjoyed this book. Sometimes I wanted to sit Elisa down and tell her to stop meddling but what can you do?