Good plot and premise for the story. I thought that DJ Palmer did a great job telling the story in alternating POVs between the husband and the wife, and also using present and past tense to fill in the story so that over the course of the book the entire story is revealed. I also thought that the writing was great in that the reader gets snippets and then fills in their own imagination only to later get fed the truth.

It was well written. I found myself going back and forth on liking the characters and rooting for them. They are a flawed couple, which was refreshing because that’s real.there were several twists along the way, with a whopper at the end. Without saying much, I will say that the ending left me satisfied.

I received an advanced eBook copy from the publisher in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.

My Wife Is Missing kept me guessing. As I continued reading, I knew things weren't adding up or something wasn't as it seemed but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Natalie has insomnia and is convinced her husband is having an affair. Eventually, as she tries to keep it together, she discovers something that causes her to fear for her life and the lives of her children. Her husband Michael will do anything to find Natalie and the children. He goes on the road to try to find them. But why did Natalie leave? What did she discover? How much of it is true? What pieces of the story are impacted by Natalie's severe insomnia? Who's lying? Who's covering up their lies? This one came together in a way I wasn't expecting, but it still ended up in a believable story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the electronic advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of My Wife is Missing by D.J. Palmer.

Michael and Natalie are on a long needed vacation is NYC. Natalie suffers from chronic insomnia which has made her forgetful and mentally clumsy, so an escape is just what the doctor ordered. But when Michael returns to their hotel room, hot pizzas in hand, he finds his family, and their luggage, completely gone. Convinced that there was a mix-up, or miscommunication, Michael doesn't truly start to panic until he sees footage of his family fleeing. Why on earth would they disappear in NYC, and even more pressing, why?

Natalie is desperately trying to find happiness and function despite her lack of sleep. But she's convinced that Michael is having an affair, especially after meeting a young new employee who has all of the attributes her husband would like. But there is something way more sinister lurking in Michael's past, something that makes Natalie want to run for her life.

This was pretty good. Maybe a bit overdone? It probably could have been cut down to three fourths of what it was to it's benefit. It was also a little anti climatic, but it was still a story that had me interested and guessing the whole time.

I've been a big fan of Palmer since the first book I read so I was excited to read this ARC. Unfortunately, this wasn't my favorite book. It started out well but I didn't believe or fully understand the ending. The story jumped between viewpoints and timelines which kept it moving. I understand how the epilogue gave closure to one of the murder plots but it didn't seem well connected. I was also confused about what was going on between Michael and Aubrey.

The story is about a husband, Michael, who discovers his wife and 2 children missing, after just beginning a family vacation. Michael and his wife, Natalie, are keeping secrets and it's only a matter of time until they catch up to them.

Natalie and Michael Hart’s marriage is in crisis. Counseling isn't helping much. Natalie suffers from insomnia which is causing anxiety and paranoia. With two children, she also has a stressful job. Michael has redirected his focus to working out at the gym. He seeks intimacy and may have gone outside the marriage to find it. Natalie recommends they take a family trip to New York City. They arrive at their hotel and Michael goes out to get pizza. When he returns to their room, Natalie and the children are missing. Their luggage is gone. Michael and a NYC detective go searching for them. First he fears they have been kidnapped but it appears Natalie has run away. But why? Natalie has discovered something about Michael that has her so afraid that she needs to escape to protect herself and her children. Is her fear real or part of her paranoia?

My Wife Is Missing is told by two unreliable narrators. And both Natalie and Michael's stories seem truthful. Michael loves his wife and is desperate to find his family. Natalie believes she has proof that Michael is not the man she thought he was. Author D.J. Palmer does an excellent job creating lots of suspense as the story unfolds and we learn about shocking events that took place in the past and a series of twisty revelations in the present. It's a heck of a ride. Hop on board, buckle up and enjoy it.

This was one thrilling journey! A family vacation turns into a nightmare for Michael when he returns to the hotel and finds his wife and children are gone.

After reporting them missing, an unwanted detective decides to ride along with Michael to find them. Michael is not thrilled to have the detective by his side and it certainly plays into the plot of the story. It is on this journey that we learn all the secrets surrounding Micheal and his marriage to Natalie.

There were several shocking moments in the story and it was one that kept me engrossed from about mid-way until the end. The beginning was a bit of a slow-burn, but this is totally worth staying with all the way through. I think readers will find this to be a very satisfying thriller!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.

My Wife Is Missing by DJ Palmer should be read when you have nowhere to be! I started this one at night in bed and stayed up way too late! I almost didn’t go to work so I could finish it. This book is a definite must read! The way the author crafted the chapters, alternating between narrators, made for a great thriller. I thought I had this one figured out multiple times and I was so wrong! I went into this book expecting one story and got another . DJ Palmer always has a way of throwing in red herrings that I usually don’t figure out. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher of this book for the advanced copy of this book. All op unions are my own.

Something is very wrong between Michael and Natalie and now she's taken off with their kids Bryce and Addie to parts unknown. See, Michael has a secret and Natalie has insomnia, which is clouding her judgment and just about everything in her life. This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of this sorry couple of unreliable narrators. Natalie has a secret too and now she's on the run, being pursued by Michael but to what end? For either of them? Hard to review without spoilers, this is the sort of thriller where the reader is certain they know what's ahead and then, whoops, that's not what's happening. Palmer has a good way of making the unsympathetic interesting and with the twist that will have you nodding or shaking your head. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast entertaining read.

Holy cow. What a book.
I have read every D.J. Palmer book, and I can say with certainty that this is the best one in my eyes. I thought I knew exactly what was going on the entire time, until the final twists came that even I, an avid mystery and thriller fan, didn’t suspect. This book pissed me off in the best way. I rolled my eyes countless times during one character’s POV because I was that certain of what was going on. Bravo to Palmer for another outstanding novel that I absolutely did not want to put down, even when I was screaming at the characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC as well as a physical copy in exchange for my honest review.

Having read another book by D.J. Palmer I was really looking forward to this one. And I was not disappointed.
I believe this story is best read without much prior knowledge, so I won't tell you much about it. As you can guess by the title the wife (Natalie) goes missing with the children. The husband (Michael) is desperate to find them.

Great storytelling and great characters. The feeling of suspense didn't stop until the ending.
A few times I said to myself "I knew it". Some of my guesses were right and some weren't

Where are Natalie and the children? Why are they missing? Did they go willingly or did something more sinister happen? What will be the end game?
Read it for yourself and find out!

Many thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc

“My Wife is Missing” is the best mystery/thriller I’ve read so far in 2022. I was hooked from the first page until the last. I am shocked by the ending-I could not guess the twist at the end, which I loved! This book follows a man who like the title suggests, returns to his hotel to find his wife (and kids) missing. What follows is a switch between his viewpoint and hers, at various timeframes to show how and why she went missing. I struggled between 4 and 5 stars for this book because on one had, I thought some of the connections were a bit too unrealistic to give it 5 stars, but on the other hand, I couldn’t tear through these pages fast enough and would suggest this to everyone, so I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars to 5 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

Michael and Natalie's marriage is in trouble, except Michael doesn't know it yet. They set out on a family trip with their two kids to New York, settle into the hotel and Michael heads out for pizza. When he gets back, his family is gone without a trace.

This story got it's hooks into me pretty early on and kept me entertained. Toward the end it dragged a little for me, it could have ended a little sooner than it did. The characters are definitely unlikable, it was actually pretty hard to decide who to root for. The twists were pretty good - though I did figure one out early. This is good for those that like a bit more of a slow burn with unlikable characters throughout!

Thanks NetGalley, DJ Palmer and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

What It's About: Michael Hart is looking for his wife, Natalie and their children, Bryce and Addie when they disappear from their hotel room during their family vacation in New York City.

My thoughts: Oh wow, what a pageturner! This is a book that you want to read in one sitting! It was fast-paced with non-stop action and suspense, and I enjoyed every minute of it!

We get to see the pieces of the puzzle through the POV of Natalie and Michael. There was a good amount of twists, and layers and layers of secrets and lies that kept me invested in the story. I did figure out whodunit at the end but it did not deter my enjoyment of reading this book at all! It was intense and thrilling from start to finish!


Pub. Date: May 10th, 2022


***Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this gifted review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***

Michael and Natalie Hart planned a family trip to NYC to help their foundering relationship. Michael’s first hint that something is wrong is finding his son’s beloved teddy bear on the floor outside their hotel room. Inside, he finds his family gone—along with their luggage. While his mind goes immediately to foul play, he learns that not only did Natalie leave willingly with their children, she had planned this disappearance carefully.

As Michael’s races to find his family, he is assisted by an NYPD detective who strangely has nothing better to do than spend his vacation helping Michael search. Flashbacks reveal more about the months leading up to Natalie’s disappearance while also revealing more about Michael’s past.

As with his other novels, author D. J. Palmer throws lots of curve balls. I challenge anyone not to fall for all the red herrings. Totally unputdownable suspense. #MyWifeisMissing #NetGalley

Auhors synopsis: "A family vacation turns into a nightmare for Michael Hart when he discovers his wife and two children have disappeared from their New York City hotel room. Horrified, he fears they’ve been kidnapped. Michael’s frantic search to find them takes a shocking turn when he discovers that his wife, Natalie, appears to have left quite willingly, taking their children with her. The police want to know why, and so does Michael. But there may be a reason why Natalie ran, something Michael can’t tell the police—the truth about his past."

And so I was hooked. Thinking I could read a few pages and stop, I was greatly mistaken. This is a story that will keep you page turning searching for the truth. Did someone kidnap his family? Is Natalie an abused woman? Or is there something much deeper that explains the nightmare this family is living?

My Wife is Missing is absolute wild and twisty ride. I went back and forth over who was the villian. And I changed my mind several times as I furiously kept reading and turning the pages. This is my first D.J. Palmer book. What rock have I been under? The writing, the suspense and twists....a total WOW! With 20 years of secrets and lies from Michael and many other characters, this is a must read for those who love twisty psychological thrillers. Run away, but you cannot escape the past. It always catches up with you!

Many thanks to NetGalley, D.J. Palmer, and St. Martin's Press for this twisty race to uncover the truth. I absolutely loved ever word, sentence and page!

(4.5/5)
So I got the ending totally wrong. It was a complete surprise and one that I did not see coming AT ALL! A great twist there and several others throughout the book. The writing by D. J. Palmer is so very well done. You don't know which character to believe and when you think you have it figured out.....wrong! This story is gripping from the start and one you won't want to put down. So good.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for the review copy.

My Wife is Missing is a fast-paced book filled with many twists and turns. DJ Palmer will have your head spinning trying to decipher how this story will end. I highly recommend this book.

A magnificent psychological suspense. The author is a master of suspense and keeps the reader guessing who the real killer is until it is revealed. Michael is a man with many secrets but he loves his family. Natalie is woman under a lot of stress and being pushed over the edge. The story is told from the point of view of Natalie and Michael in both the present and the past. You can feel the tension as builds and the characters reveals their intentions. The story also has romantic undertones for several of the characters including Michael and Natalie. All together a wonderful and hard to put down read.

My Wife is Missing by D. J. Palmer
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A family vacation turns into a nightmare for Michael Hart when his wife and children disappear from their hotel room.
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What I liked:
-This book hooked me from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down!

-I loved the slowly emerging story as the POV switched from present to past to present again.

-There were a few surprises at the end of the story that I wasn’t expecting!

-A solid thriller! The intensity simmered throughout the story yet not enough to stress out my blood pressure. It was perfect for me. 👏🏼👏🏼
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4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 This is a thriller to definitely add to your TBR. I can’t say much more about because *spoilers*, but this is a GREAT one to go into blind. Thanks St. Martins Press and Netgalley for this digital copy to read and review!

Honestly, like, what did I just read/listen to. This book was wild.

Alternating pov, a small dual timeline, and two unreliable narrators! I was making guesses the entire time and I wasn't even near the truth. Maybe pieces of it but WOW, Palmer really knows how to layer the deceit and then blast everything you think you know in the end.

This one you need to be sort of blind going into. I will say it wasn't a 5 star for me because of one subject matter, cheating. Gah, why does that always have to be the go to lately for drama? It really was the driving force behind some actions and gave me pause several times, so I really had to push through to get to the better parts.

If that doesn't bug you and even if it does, I would still recommend for a thrilling read.

The narrator for the audio did a wonderful job in my opinion. It added to the reading experience.

Thank you SO much to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and D.J. Palmer for the gifted copies of this book for review.