I enjoyed author Darby Kane's previous novel, Pretty Little Wife and was eager to dive into her 2021 novel, The Replacement Wife. And while it started off strong, it ended up going a little off track for me as a reader.

I strongly dislike the "unraveling unreliable female narrative" premise and this just ended up being a big turnoff for me. I think one of the things I enjoyed about Pretty Little Wife was that fact that it centered around two strong female characters, and this book just left so much to be desired.

All in all, this was a twisty read and while it wasn't my cup of tea, I do very much enjoyed Darby Kane's writing style and hope her next book will be a better fit for me.

Thank you to William Morrow Book for my gifted review copy.

Elisa believes her brother in law Josh is a killer. Josh’s last wife died and now his fiancé Abby has gone missing without a trace. Josh is being really nonchalant about Abby and it’s driving Elisa crazy. Elisa’s husband Harris thinks she’s overreacting and doesn’t believe her suspicions. Elisa has been jumpy ever since being a victim of workplace violence, but she truly believes there’s something wrong with Josh. Elisa is determined to get to the bottom of things, but with Harris doubts of her sanity it’s becoming hard and the last thing she wants is to lose her family in the process. When Josh gets a new girlfriend out of the blue, Elisa is worried for her, but also feels Rachel may be hiding something.

My main issue with this book is Elisa’s husband Harris. Harris is literally the worst husband ever and I honestly would be filing divorce papers. Harris believes everything his brother says even when it’s clear there’s an issue. Even is Josh hasn’t killed anyone it’s still quite suspicious that a previous wife and now a girlfriend are missing. The fact that Harris acts like this Elisa is crazy for thinking this is suspicious just blows my mind. I also didn’t like how Josh and Rachel just always popped up at Elisa and Harris home with no notice, using their key whenever they chose to and inviting themselves to dinner whenever they wanted. When Elisa brought up to Harris how this made her uncomfortable he just blew her off. A wife should feel comfortable and safe in her own home and Harris seems to disregard that. I wanted Elisa to stand up for herself and that never happened. Outside of those issues I did enjoy this book and kept going because I wanted to know what happened.

Thank you Netgalley, William Morrow Books and Scene of the Crime for this ARC. This book is available at book retailers online and in stores.

3.5 stars

This thriller from Darby Kane deals with family suspicions, manipulations and secrets.

Elisa is recovering from a rather serious incident that has her at home. Her husband Harris is dismissive and his brother Josh has had some bad luck with a dead spouse, missing fiance and new girlfriend in tow. It isn't a stretch for Elisa to be suspicious of Josh and what happened to his significant others. Elisa is an unreliable narrator in this story.

Elisha is not treated well by the men in this book, gaslighted by one character and dismissed by another. Both Josh and his brother Harris, Elisha's husband were dark and creepy. They do some of what I consider the worst behavior, switching between being helpful one minute and manipulative the next. It was hard to like anyone in this story, which was unfortunate for this reader. While I wanted to like Elisa, I just couldn't.

There were the requisite twists and turns in a story like this, and at times there was a lot going on, almost too much. The ending did manage to generate a nice level of suspense, but the lack of likable characters and the level of required suspension of disbelief just made it hard to get into the story. The Replacement Wife was a "just ok" read for me.

Well, that was good! Very fast paced, a few clever twists, unreliable characters...had me hooked! This was a very quick binge read for me that I really enjoyed.

This novel took gaslighting to a whole new level. It asked the question, how many wives/girlfriends need to disappear from your family before people actually take notice and find it suspicious? That's exactly what was happening in this book. Main character Elisa, found it extremely strange that every single woman her brother in law either dated or married, ended up mysteriously vanishing. But due to a past trauma in her life and her own mental health, none of her family thought that Elisa was stable enough to be believed. It was actually quite infuriating.

Some trigger warnings for this book include murder, drowning, gaslighting, disappearance, mental health, infidelity and past trauma involving a shooting incident.

This was a great domestic suspense/thriller! It had a lot going on, but was also really easy to follow.

This is a great book. It has all the things you want in a thriller. The edge of your seat and the wonderment of who did what. It's one that will keep you wanting more.

This book takes you into the life of a woman who already has trauma in her life. Already feels like her life is out of control in many ways. Elisa is married to the love of her life and has a young son who makes her life complete. But all is not well. There are many unanswered questions in this family. Starting with Harris's younger brother Josh. Harris is Elisa's husband. Nathan is their son. Josh is, well, Josh...

Josh was engaged to Abby. Abby disappeared. Elisa wants answers. Her friend would not have just left without saying something to her. At least a goodbye. Especially after what Elisa had already been through. She just wouldn't. Josh is quite questionable about his relationships. He's been married twice already and both ended badly. Then he announces that he's seeing another woman when Abby has only been gone for a short time. What has Josh done? Has he committed the worse crime imaginable or has Abby really just up and left of her own free will. And why is her terrorizing Elisa who he claims to love like a sister. Of course she is trying to find out what happened and he may not want anyone to know. And exactly who is the new woman in his life. Rachel? What part if any does she play into this story?

This book takes you into the lives of these people. You will get to know each of them. You will have many guesses as to what happened and who did what. Then you will guess again. It's well laid out. Well written. Makes you feel like you are there. Whether getting up in the middle of the night to freezing cold or sitting on the steps waiting for your husband to return. You feel it. It made me hold my breath in several places. I guessed quite a few times and about one character I was right. But that did not take away from this story. Then you have an ending that will make you gasp. I certainly didn't see it coming.

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

4/5 stars and a very high recommendation. Don't miss this one.

If you enjoy stories with unreliable narrators, possibly unstable women, annoying characters in general, and a nice dose of gaslighting, here’s a book for you! Or possibly you just want something twisty and turny to get your mind off the death of democracy and a worldwide pandemic for a day or two, well, buckle up! Darby Kane, author of Pretty Little Wife (I hate that title, BTW) is back, this time with The Replacement Wife. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley, I received a copy of Wife in return for this honest review.

Harris and Elisa have been married for awhile – long enough for Elisa to be well acquainted with Josh, the younger brother whom Harris basically raised after their parents were out of the picture (sorry, don’t remember why). Josh is either the unluckiest guy in the world or some kind of serial killer. He has a dead wife (or two), his fiance Abby (who happens to be Elisa’s best friend) has disappeared, and now there is a new girlfriend in the picture. Elisa has been on some medication and seems to be having trouble getting the dosage right, which makes Harris a bit uncertain about her suspicions about Josh…plus there’s that whole brother thing.

Elisa goes on a somewhat manic hunt for the truth, while dealing with her PTSD for whatever it was, and becomes friendly with the new girlfriend, Rachel. Her panic attacks and possible paranoia get worse as the short, compulsively readable chapters go on, blah blah blah.

Fairly well written, definitely held my attention, but also fairly forgettable. Recommended for those who (like me) enjoy a good quick read with a “plucky heroine.” Three and a half stars, rounded down.

Elisa Wright is a mom and wife, living a nice, quiet life in a nice, quiet town. She’s also convinced her brother-in-law is a murderer. Josh has one dead wife and one missing fiancée, and though he grieved for them he starts dating someone new. Elisa fears for that woman’s safety, and she desperately wants to know what happened to her friend, Josh’s missing fiancée.

Honestly, I enjoyed this book but it felt similar to the Woman in the Window or Girl on the Train. The real difference is this main character Elisa isn't watching from the outside because it's her brother-in-law, who she has known for years. It has an unreliable narrator, so it is hard to sift through what is real and what is not. Kane did a wonderful job of keeping me guessing and I tried not to hate everyone else.

I feel like there should have been more explanation of her son's meltdowns and behavior other than he's seven.
I didn't quite like the ending, because I needed more closure than what was offered. Overall, I would recommend reading this book to others it just wasn't for me.

Elisa Wright is a mom and wife, living a nice, quiet life in a nice, quiet town. She’s also convinced her brother-in-law is a murderer. Josh has one dead wife and one missing fiancée, and though he grieved for them he starts dating someone new. Elisa fears for that woman’s safety, and she desperately wants to know what happened to her friend, Josh’s missing fiancée.

While this book has a great hook, and I was able to finish it quickly, I felt the writing was flat. Elisa, the wife of a busy vet and the mother of a rambunctious child, is concerned that her brother-in-law has killed two wives and is responsible for the disappearance of his fiancé. Her brother-in-law continually gaslights her fears making her look as if she’s psychologically unbalanced. It's not a bad book, certainly worth picking up if you are looking for a domestic thriller, but I personally was glad for the end. I got a little tired of how Elisa seemed to view herself and the people surrounding her.

The Replacement Wife mini review 💙

rating: 3.5⭐️
genre: domestic suspense
read this if you liked: The Last Mrs. Parrish

mini review: You may think you know your family, but there are secrets lurking all around. Elisa has been part of the family for a while, but she’s beginning to question her brother-in-law. Elisa has an inkling that her brother-in-law may be a serial killer and she’s not willing to let this secret go.

Have you ever flown through a book at record speed but then once you finished it you start thinking about it in too much detail? 🙊That’s kind of how I felt with The Replacement Wife. In true domestic suspense fashion the ever “crazy wife” is present and she’s an unreliable narrator. There were a lot of twists in this book, but at some point everything fell off the rails and there were *too* many twists and secondary plot lines. The main character, Elisa, is highly unlikable and the two brothers, Harris & Josh, have their own issues as well! I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending and wanted a bit more (with less gaslighting “crazy wife” scenes). I had my husband read this one with me and he didn’t care for it - his commentary was actually hilarious 🤣

If you’re willing to suspend belief, then you may enjoy this one! I have heard her debut Pretty Little Wife is really good, so may give that one a shot.

Darby Kane, the bestselling author of PRETTY LITTLE WIFE, returns with THE REPLACEMENT WIFE, a domestic thriller that asks how one too many tragic coincidences can turn into a series of murders.

Ever since Elisa met her husband, Harris, she has been touched by his close relationship with his younger brother, Josh. After they lost their parents in a tragic drunk driving accident, 23-year-old Harris stepped in to parent and support his then-teenage brother, and their bond is equal parts sibling and parent-child. Although Josh was a bit troubled in the years after his parents’ deaths, he has become a happy, accomplished adult, and a man who can do no wrong in the eyes of his doting brother. Since dating and marrying Harris, Elisa also has come to think of Josh as a brother, but lately she can’t help but wonder if her good-looking, charming, successful “brother” might be…a murderer.

It has been seven months since Josh’s fiancée, Abby, went missing just before their wedding. She took no personal belongings, and police have yet to track any activity on her cell phone or bank accounts. All signs point to foul play. Yet somehow, Josh seems not only willing but eager to believe that Abby --- an artsy “free spirit” --- left him intentionally, off to start a new life without the man who wanted to tie her down.

Only one person seems to find her disappearance fishy: Elisa, Abby’s friend and the person who introduced her to Josh in the first place. Elisa can accept the idea that Abby would call off the wedding and even take a few days to cool off, but she can’t believe that Abby would disappear for this long without contacting her. But that’s not all: Josh's first wife, Candace, died in a sudden, tragic accident, and Elisa can’t help but wonder how many dead or missing wives is too many.

When Josh introduces his new girlfriend, Rachel, to Harris and Elisa and admits that he’s been dating her a bit longer than seems appropriate, Elisa’s fears kick into high gear as she wonders if Rachel will be his next victim. Not only is he dating far too soon after his fiancée’s disappearance, his eagerness to settle down with Rachel seems over the top. Is Josh really head over heels in love --- again --- or is he desperate for a replacement wife (read: victim)? Still reeling from her own grief over Abby’s disappearance as well as her own mental health issues, Elisa becomes determined to catch Josh in one of his lies and protect Rachel from the same fate as Candace and Abby. When Elisa finds hidden messages between Abby and a “concerned” stranger, she learns that she is not the only person who is on to Josh…but she may be the only one who can stop him.

With the tension ramping up, Elisa begins a single-woman crusade not only to find out what really happened to Abby, but to prevent it from happening to Rachel. Unfortunately for Elisa, she’s a classic unreliable narrator. After witnessing a shooting at the hospital where she worked (and being grazed by a bullet herself), she has tightened the boundaries of her life to only her immediate neighborhood. She is anxious and easily startled, and her brain occasionally turns to mush when she takes the pills that help her get through the day. Even worse, Josh seems set on proving that she is incompetent, gaslighting her and laughing away her suspicions as the wandering of a paranoid mind. With no one --- not even her husband, who has blinders on when it comes to Josh --- in her corner, and more and more mysterious details of Josh’s romantic life coming to light, Elisa must wade through her own fears and his attempts to deflect her accusations in order to prove that he is not the unlucky, lovable guy that everyone believes him to be.

THE REPLACEMENT WIFE has a fascinating premise, kicking off with a deliciously tense dinner scene in which Elisa struggles to watch her “brother” eat, tell stories or play with her son, knowing that he may be a killer. Unfortunately, the pace never really picks up from there. While unreliable narrators are popular in suspense fiction for all the obvious reasons, Josh’s gaslighting of Elisa often feels over the top and plain mean rather than compelling. Paired with Harris’ willful denial that something is clearly wrong with his brother’s love life, Josh’s manipulations seem cartoonishly shallow, often undermining rather than supporting Elisa’s narrative.

Newcomers to domestic thrillers may find THE REPLACEMENT WIFE to be a good entry point, but fans of the genre would be better off turning to PRETTY LITTLE WIFE. Darby Kane has proven that she has the skills to really wow her readers, and I’m hopeful that her next effort will do just that.

absolutely loved this book and kept me excited to keep
Reading. Will read more from this author
Thank you

This book waste no time getting you right into the story and I loved that! This made for a quick weekend read. It was fast pace with great twists and keep me guessing throughout. I even actually loved the ending. Very well done and I highly recommend!

Good domestic suspense novel. Read in one day as the story kept me interested enough to not want to put down. The plot was rather predictable with a bit of a twist at the end. I thought maybe there would be more surprise elements. But I did enjoy it as a good distracting thriller

If you’re looking for your last read of 2021 and wanting some twists and turns to keep you connected until the end, check out The Replacement Wife by Darby Kane.. Could the brother-in-law be a serial killer? That’s what Elisa thinks as she adds up the the deceased women from Josh’s life. Or maybe it’s her own PTSD as a survivor of an act of violence that is making her suspicious.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I had DNF’d a previous book by this author, but I am a mood reader so I wanted to give them another chance.

💜 What I liked:
The twists in this book were really cool and the author did a good job of throwing suspicion on various people. You even start to suspect the main character, Elisa, as being a little unreliable as well. The pacing is good which makes it a fast read.

😱 What I didn’t like:
It has been harder and harder to enjoy domestic thrillers as they seem to blend together after awhile. This one does seem to be in the same category of others I have read recently, but it was a solid read and very enjoyable!

🚦 My face at the end: ☠️

💭 3 Reasons to Read:
1. Multiple dead / Missing significant others
2. Possible Unreliable narrator
3. PTSD



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Elisa thinks her brother-in-law is killing his wives and getting away with it. Can she save his newest fiance before it’s too late?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

💯 For more details on the books we read, be sure to follow me on TikTok (@zaineylaney) or check out our Podcast - Elated Geek!

This book started out at breakneck speed which is my favorite. There was no slow burning at all to this book. It was a fun and thrilling ride because you really don’t exactly know what’s going on and don’t know who to believe. Is he lying? Is she paranoid? Is he crazy? So many questions. I found myself scratching my head and turning the pages because I need to find out what was going on.

Engaging story with mostly unlikeable characters. Pacing keeps clues dropping frequently so this mystery/thriller is an easy fast read.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC to read and review.

I know a lot of people hate the unreliable narrator/“crazy” wife narrative, but normally it doesn’t bother me. This time it really, really did.

The Replacement Wife is about Elisa who begins to suspect her brother in law is responsible for his fiancée’s disappearance. The fact that he has begun to date a new woman months after this disappearance only helps to strengthen this belief.
Elisa begins to look into the case more and starts uncovering more clues that make her believe in his guilt more.

However, due to an event in Elisa’s past and the trauma it caused, no one will listen to her or believe her suspicions. So she takes it upon herself to get proof. Digging into her BIL begins to tear apart her relationships with her husband and makes her question her own ability to think clearly.

This book wasn’t bad by any means, but the main character made things more frustrating than anything. All of the characters were pretty frustrating. Seeing another woman’s mental health being questioned and people ignoring pretty obvious facts/clues because she was “ill”, drove me nuts. There were also pretty toxic relationships throughout that were just annoying.

I fact I actually enjoyed the ending of the book surprised me based on how I felt about the majority of the book. I might have actually liked the last 1/4 more than the first 3/4.

I found this one just ok. I wouldn’t rush to read it, but I wouldn’t say to stay away. To me this is the definition of an average book. Rounded up from 2.5 stars

WOW!!! This is a suspense thriller that will keep you turning the pages until late at night. I had a hard time putting this book down, just when I thought I had it figured out, a new twist in the story pops up. I could not figure it out until the end, all I can the ending will blow you away. I highly recommend this story. A great first read of the year!!

When I saw that Darby Kane, author of Pretty Little Wife, had a new book coming out I immediately set my sights on the newest release. The Replacement Wife follows the journey of Elisa in her quest to uncover the secrets that her brother-in-law is hiding.

The book follows Elisa as she struggles with PTSD from an incident that clouds her ‘judgement’ (or does it?). Through the fog, Elisa begins to wonder if Josh is might be hiding a secret. With a missing fiancé and a dead wife, it’s hard not to wonder if Josh is a potential murderer. With her sleuth cap firmly in place, Elisa sets out to uncover what secrets are lurking in Josh’s past.

With Josh announcing he is dating Rachel, Elisa knows that uncovering the truth is more vital than ever before. No one believes the revelations that Elisa is bringing to light. Not even her own husband – Harris. As the mystery unravels, Elisa begins to wonder if her mind is playing tricks on her. With her marriage, family, and sanity on the line, Elisa knows that she must fight to uncover the secrets that lie within the walls of her home.

Okay….I have mixed emotions from reading The Replacement Wife. The pages are riddled with a suspenseful tale that would keep anyone glued to the pages of this book. At the same time, there is a roller coaster of emotion behind the gaslighting that occurs in the story. Elisa’s life is compounded with self-doubt and no one to believe the secrets that she is uncovering. In spite of the chaos – I couldn’t put the book down! Then came the ending. I was screaming ‘Is that it?’ I couldn’t get over the let down after such a whirlwind of a plot. There was so much going on that I felt a bit cheated by how things wrapped up in the end. It was a bit too predictable after the twists and turns in the story. This is one book that you will have to experience for yourself. With that said, I will definitely be waiting for the next release by Darby Kane.