I decided to directly give five stars to each D. J. Palmer’s book and add a note telling my review is about to come before I start to read it! Because I keep giving five stars for his last works and this one may deserve 5.5 because of extra nerve bending, mail bitingly high tension development which made me scream! Even though it brought back my panic attacks, it was truly worth it!

The heart throbbing, action packed plot line of the book hits you so hard from the first chapter. It starts so impactful, so fast, you are literally drawn into mysterious family drama! On their family vacation to Big Apple, Michael is still worried about the well being of his wife Natalie who lately suffers from insomnia. Her new sleeping ( correction: not sleeping) habits push her to the edge. Michael thinks she cannot differentiate between dream and reality. But now they push the reset button: their trip to New York with two kids can heal their estranged relationship.

Michael leaves his family to take out pizza. When he returns back to the room, he thinks he’s at the wrong place. His family is gone. Their baggages are gone. Nobody knows where they are. When the police gets involved Michael sees the security footage. He cannot believe in his eyes. Because nobody kidnaps or forcedly takes his family. They just ride on a car and move away! Why? The police officers ask him if there’s a reason for his wife to leave him. Well there might be!Michael, you sneaky, naughty boy! What the hell you’ve done!

When we move backwards to learn more about their past from Natalie’s POV, we realize Natalie is suspicious because of her husband’s new gym habit. She thinks he’s cheating on him. She bumps into a crying new coworker at the firm. Her name is Audrey Aller. She offers to help Audrey’s work related problem in exchange to use her seduce her husband. What? Really!

Do you want to know what happened! I have to say there are so many twists you cannot see them coming. This book is total roller coaster. The characters can fool you. The unexpected revelations can shock you. And its heart throbbing definitely hooks you!

Well, I love this author’s books so much. And honestly this is his best work! I truly highly absolutely recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This is my first exposure to this author as the sole writer of a novel and I didn’t find it that enjoyable.

Natalie and Michael seem to have a solid marriage – two successful careers, two healthy children, a beautiful home – but then things are not always what they seem. Natalie has been suffering from insomnia and has begun walking the razor’s edge between sanity and the severe effects of a lack of sleep, namely distraction, paranoia, delusions and even hallucinations. All this has taken a toll on their marriage. She believes Michael has been having an affair, which begs the question of a reality check versus his gas lighting her in her vulnerable state. When she takes the children and abandons him on a trip to New York City, Michael pursues her with the assistance of a police detective with questionable motives.

The story is told from the perspectives of Michael and Natalie (both before her leaving and in the present). The shifting timeframes, as a device to build the tension and suspense, felt protracted and at times disjointed. I found neither of the two main characters sympathetic and wished for a bit more depth in their development. Initially the pacing was slow, but picked up in the last third of the book. While I did not guess the identity of the perpetrators revealed at the ending, the back story felt like a smokescreen and overt time, began to detract from the overall effect of the book. I did feel the state of Natalie and Michael’s relationship at the conclusion was realistic and reasonable.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I finished this book in a day and I am still working out all of the twists and turns in my mind! I love a book that keeps me guessing and this one absolutely did.

What a ride-this book grabs you and doesn't let go till the final double U-turn twist!!

Great character development - he had me feeling sorry first for Natalie - then for Michael and always for the sisters!!

If you only read one thriller - make it this one!!

One of the best thriller novels that I have read.
The novel starts with a wife (Natalie) missing with her two children, after the family takes a mini vacation to NY.which the wife initiates.
The husband returns with a Pizza carryout and the three are gone.
He has no idea where they are and enlists everyone's help,that knows them.
The wife is very smart,even though,she has had severe problems sleeping and has her husband and friends very worried.
This novel is so full of twists and turns,that I.promise,even though,I've read hundreds of them,I could not figure it out,until the last few pages .
Would highly recommend.
A big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this very suspenseful novel written by the very talented D.J.Palmer.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc! This is my favorite D.J. Palmer book so far!The writing was as great as always. The story was great and full of surprises. I liked how it moved between Natalie in the past and Michael and Natalie in the present. It took a while to understand why Natalie believed what she believed, so it made her seem unstable and unlikable. Michael was sympathetic for most of the book, and I loved the addition of the police officer in his part of the story. I'm not sure how I felt about the ending, and might have been expecting more, but the book was still really worth reading!

Review of My Wife is Missing by DJ Palmer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Five star alert. This is not a drill. Wowza! This book took me on a crazy wild ride and I was thrilled every step of the way! The ending. Twist after twist after twist. Genius. Perfection.

Quick synopsis:

Michael and his wife Natalie take their kids on a trip to New York City. Michael goes to pick up their dinner and when he returns his family is missing. He realizes almost right away that his wife must know about some of his secrets but how many and which ones. She’s on the run and he is determined to find her.

This one switches back between the perspective of Michael and Natalie covering both the present and the past. It is out in May 2022 and you don’t want to miss it.

Thank you so much for @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @djpalmerauthor for the advanced copy. I will repost on pub day!

This was my third book that I’ve read by D.J. Palmer. The previous two books were five star reads for me (The New Husband, and The Perfect Daughter). For some reason, I didn’t feel that this story grabbed me like it should have. Yes, there was a ton of suspense and every character was questionable- but I still couldn’t quite connect. If I’m being honest, I think the character of Natalie and her choices irritated me a bit. I just can’t quite put my finger on it.
With that being said, I am still a huge fan of D.J. Palmer and I plan on reading whatever he produces next. I highly recommend reading this new book when it releases, and in the meantime I also recommend reading his previous novels if you haven’t yet done so. Trust me when I say, D.J. Palmer never disappoints!

If you love a great suspenseful thriller this is the book you should read. Wow! Had be guessing and I was wrong all along! I went back and forth who was the villain.. I changed my mind many times as I read on..
It is a great read , you will not regret reading this fabulous book!

This is my first book to review, with an advanced copy from the publisher.
The book was fast paced from the beginning until end with twists and turns up until the very end.
Great story!

If you haven't read a D.J. Palmer novel yet, what are you doing?! Palmer's latest novel, My Wife is Missing, is the perfect suspenseful, thrill ride that you absolutely cannot figure out. Palmer captures your attention and you can't look away. A seemingly straight-forward who-done-it is nothing of what it seems.
Michael and Natalie have been married for years. College sweethearts, two kids, careers, life stresses have taken a toll on their marriage. Natalie is suffering from insomnia and just isn't herself anymore. She is struggling to make it through her day and is becoming suspicious of everything Michael does. She knows deep down something isn't right. Slowly her worst nightmare begins unfolding. Natalie makes the hard but necessary decision to runaway with her kids in-tow. But for an insomniac who has a hard time thinking clearly, running away is harder than it seems.
I can't say enough good things about My Wife Is Missing. I read this book over the span of three days while working 12 hour shifts. I couldn't wait to get back to my book. I will always recommend anything by D.J. Palmer and will definitely be recommending My Wife is Missing to all my fellow reader friends. I will also be on the constant outlook for Palmer's new works. Special Thanks to NetGalley, D.J. Palmer, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 stars!

What a rollercoaster ride!

Michael, his wife Natalie, and their two children embark on a much needed getaway to New York City. With their marriage on the rocks, Michael was thrilled to have the opportunity to spend time with his family. Natalie suffers from severe insomnia and he thought the vacation would do her good. Michael runs out to pick up a pizza. Upon his return he discovers that his wife, children and all their belongings are gone. He is left alone in their hotel room thinking the worst. What ensues is a thrilling cat and mouse game. Told in alternating chapters Natalie has good reason to be on the run from her husband.

As you fall further down the rabbit hole secrets are exposed that set in motion a series of jaw dropping revelations that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.


I enjoyed reading this book very much! Multiple times over the course of reading this book I was sure I solved the mystery, only to be proved wrong by the incredible plot twists. This is one I’ll still be thinking about long after turning the final page.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

Wow just wow! Thanks NetGalley and thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book early! This book grabbed me from the start and through out the whole book I thought I had the book figured out but oh was I wrong oh so wrong! Wow what a ride this one! Make sure to grab yourself a copy of this one because you will not be disappointed!

Fantastic

This is my second book from this author. And it captures your attention right from the start. It makes you think if what is happening is really happening to the character or not. Really loved the suspense that kept me interested from beginning to end. I appreciate the opportunity of the ARC I received via NetGalley to read this book.

Five Stars to My Wife Is Missing. A twisted story of how a mother will go to any lengths to protect her children all while questioning her own sanity along the way. Trying to sort what is the truth and what isn't. This book will take you on a roller coaster ride from start to finish and it has an ending you will never see coming! If you are looking for a book to read that you won't be able to put down, this suspense thriller is for you! You won't regret picking this one up for yourself and a friend!

When Michael's wife Natalie disappears with their two children, he'll stop at nothing to find them, including uncovering the awful secrets of his past.

While I found that some of the action stretched the boundaries of believability, I really liked D. J. Palmer's newest, My Wife is Missing. He paints his characters in such a way that you're never quite sure who is telling the truth and who the "bad guy" is. It really did keep me guessing and Natalie's chapters were full of atmosphere--I felt every one of her breathless, sleepless moments. The major twists at the end (especially pertaining to the identity of the real killer/killers) weren't all that shocking, but this was definitely a good read for fans of domestic thrillers.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

A twisty turny thrill ride down to the last chapter! Palmer creatively paints the picture of a very disturbed family with one very tired mother. Who really killed years ago? And will that truth ever be discovered? This one keeps you guessing until the very end. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.

The story started mediocrely; however, it did end with a bang. The cheating husband that is suspected of killing his mistress is not something that has not been done. The pace of the story was slow for me. However, that ending was not what I saw coming. That was a different take that not many books usually go to. An ending like that is something I usually see in tv shows as opposed to in a book. The characters in the story are lacking and a lot of ways. I don't believe that they are truly developed. It's worth the read all the while.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I totally enjoyed this book by DJ Palmer as I do all of his. Fast paced and I had to keep reading "just one more page" until I finished it.

This was an exciting book that I could not put down! Definitely did not see the ending coming!

Michael and Natalie and their two children take a vacation to New York City. Once they check in to the hotel, Natalie sends Michael for pizza. When he returns to the hotel, he sees his sons teddy bear in the hallway. When he enters his room, Natalie and the kids are gone.

When viewing the security cameras it becomes apparent that Natalie left of her own accord. A detective from NYC shows up at Michael's house and insists on helping him find his wife.

Working together they get closer and closer to finding Natalie and the kids, and the reason she left.

Very intense and great read!