I enjoyed this "who-done-it" book. Some crazy twists and turns, some predictable some not. It did have me cheering for Addison. Family is complicated and sometimes hurtful and not always flesh and blood. A good, decent quick read.
Thank you to #Netgalley & #WilliamMorrow paperbacks for the ARC copy.

What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane was an evenly paced thriller/suspense book. This is my first book for this author and it won't be my last. This story is told with two different points of view with two different times lines and switches back and fourth.
This one had me on the edge of my seat and I had a hard time putting it down,

Im a big fan of the author so I was super excited to dive into this book. The writing was great- twists were well thought out. I enjoyed how in depth the character development was and it was easy to keep reading. With that said, the content of this book was a bit heavy so not something I love to read about in my spare time.

I have enjoyed all of Darby Kane's books so I was so excited to read her latest one. This one was a wild ride ! I was able to fly through this thriller in a day. So much dysfunction and crazy in one family. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. I love reading thrillers in the fall for the spook vibes and this one did not disappoint. Give it a read !

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This book kept me on my toes for sometime. While it became predictable towards the end, if you’re an avid reader of mystery/suspense that tends to happen.

I enjoyed the story from Addison’s view. The going back and forth between times allowed the reader to see why the story developed the way it did. The constant coming and goings in the house could have been minimized some but I understand why the author wrote that way. As a second wife that the town didn’t want to know, it was clear that the characters at the home made more sense than public interactions.

I was kept on my toes with the whodunnit at first as there quite a few characters that could have caused the doctor’s death.

This book started at an odd place, a funeral. The drama happening behind the scenes was the best part of this book in my opinion. After the funeral and some back story the story stalls a bit.

I enjoyed the protagonist, and the plot was one I didn't expect. There were way too many characters that brought no value to the story and the reveal at the end felt unimaginative and a bit lazy almost like someone told the author they were going to turn the lights out hurry and end the story.
So much potential but this didn't quite deliver for me.

I received this galley in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review.

WHAT THE WIFE KNEW by Darby Kane
⭐️ rating: 8/10

read if you like:
😱 revenge plots
🕵🏻 whodunnits
🏡 family dramas

summary:
I’ve loved many of Darby Kane’s other books and this one was no exception. It follows Addison, who finds herself the prime suspect after her husband, Richmond, a famous pediatric surgeon, dies in a seemingly accidental fall down the stairs. Their short marriage was driven by an unusual agreement - Addison was to inherit a significant portion of her husband's wealth in exchange for keeping his dark secrets. As the police investigate his death, Addison finds herself caught up in the drama that surrounded Richmond’s life, and must uncover the secrets he was hiding in order to protect herself and destroy him.

This book has a unique plot line — at least nothing like anything I’ve ever read — so it takes a bit to get into and understand. But once it gets going, you won’t be able to put it down. The characters in the book are fun and almost a little comedic for a thriller. Once you figure out Addison’s backstory, she’s easy to like, and Richmond’s family — including his children, ex-wife and lawyer, all add to the story. The book is also written from multiple perspectives and a split timeline, which add to the insight behind the mystery. While it seems like it might be surface level (at first), the flashbacks add a whole other context that makes the story even deeper.

If you enjoy unique thrillers and family dramas, I highly recommend this! Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy, and check this out when it releases on December 9!

What the Wife Knew is another hit by Darby Kane. Just like her other books you will not be disappointed with this book. Addison is the new Mrs. Dougherty and her husband Dr. Richmond Dougherty has recently died leaving her the sole benefactor of his estate. Kathryn, who was the first Mrs. Doughery is not happy about this. Now Kathryn want Addison to sign everything back over to her and she will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Addison is hiding secrets of her own and that includes the real reason for why she blackmailed Richmond to divorce Kathyrn and marry her. The more Addison digs into Richmond's affairs the more she is uncovering of all his undoings. Now someone wants Addison gone permently and will stop at nothing to either kill her or frame her for Richmond's death. I would like to thank both NetGalley and William Morrow for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

What a roller coaster ride! The characters had a great deal of depth and the author did a great job of showing how they adapted to changes in their circumstances that caused a shift in what they believed.

It would have been easy to totally dislike the main character, Allison from the very beginning and yet I had a sense that there was more at play then her seemingly nasty personality. I loved how the author twisted things around and yet it all made sense.

Great book!

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley HarperCollins Publishers for "What the Wife Knew" by Darby Kane. Thank you Publishers and NetGalley!
This was my first book by Kane, and it did not disappoint. As a fan of thrillers, I was engaged from the start. The crazy, twisted story had me intrigued, especially with Addison's character, though I didn't trust anyone. The dual timelines were easy to follow, but the middle section was slightly complex due to unnecessary characters, making it feel a bit long. It picked up around the 75% mark. Overall, it's a great domestic thriller about Addison, a young widow whose husband dies shortly after marriage, making her the prime suspect. However, many others had reasons to want him dead.

Darby Kane’s writing is strong. From the first page, you are immersed in the world and the situation of this “grieving” family. However, pretty much all the characters suck, and I’m a fan of likable characters (or at least redeemable characters that show growth).

I found this book to be both surprising and somewhat suspenseful. We already know who the "bad" guys are at the start of the book, but are allowed to have flashbacks and additional information that gives you the WHY. What happens when the truth you thought you knew turns out to be a lie, and you would do anything to keep your own past buried.

A daughter groomed for revenge and a villian who thinks he is invincible cross paths. It is not long before the "wife" is suspected of murder and has to figure out who the killer is before suspicion sticks to her.

It is easy to have no sympathy for the victim, but to be interested in how he came to be in circumstances that ended his life. In the background there is the story of someone learning to trust and connect, and how to deal with someone whom you should love but you actually despise, while at the same time wanting to be close.

Addison has no idea who she can trust as she tries to navigate exposing the past, without totally blowing up every life impacted in the present.

I really enjoyed this one! There is enough mis drection to keep you guessing and finding things along the way will make you constantly changes your opinions.
I appreciate the opportunity from Net Galley and the publisher to discover a new author

This one felt about 50-75 pages too long.. it hooked me at the beginning but around the middle got a bit convoluted and didn’t pick up again until the 80% mark. Good story, but trimming some of it down would have made it great

This is my first Darby Kane book and it’s not going to be my last because I really enjoyed this one.

A few things I liked about this book:
-the book alternated between the past and the present so you really got a good idea of who the characters were
-the characters were all flawed which made them seem more real to me
-I never really knew where the book was going just when I thought I had it figured out, I realized I didn’t
-the author did a really good job of creating characters that were interesting regardless of whether you like them or not

A few things I didn’t like:
-at times it did feel like there were a lot of storylines going on at one time. some of them probably could’ve been left out and it wouldn’t have affected the integrity of the book
-although I like when characters are flawed, there were so many characters in this book that were truly vile. I don’t know what the limit should be, but there were definitely a lot of them and I didn’t enjoy that as much
With all that being said it’s a really great book and I highly recommend it and can’t wait to read more from her.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

There were some crazy twists and turns in the final 10% but my reason for only 4 stars is the actual killer was really the only obvious choice. The red herrings weren’t suspicious enough for me.

Everyone who knew him wanted him dead. Who did it? The wife? The ex? The business partner? A great "who-dunnit" that will thrill readers!

Dr. Dougherty was a pillar of the community and social circle. He was also a survivor of a shooting and a hero that saved many. His first wife and children benefited greatly from his success and when he ended up divorcing her and marrying someone much younger, things got tricky Married just a few months until he took a fatal tumble down the stairs and the police believe it had to be foul play. Addison, the second wife, now has the house and the money but is also a suspect. This is a twisty story that kept my interest. I enjoyed the multiple POV but I absolutely loved Addison from the start. She was a character I cheered for even though her motives for marrying the good doctor were sinister. I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written and kept my interest.

We have a dead husband, an ex wife, the new 20 something year old he divorced her for and millions at dollars of stake. The new wife, Addison, is the obvious suspect in everybody's eyes and to their credit she did want her husband dead, but not for his money like they all think. Now she must figure out who beat her to the act before she goes away for his murder.

What the Wife knew is a fun murder mystery with twists and turns that keep you hooked. The timeline jumps give us insights so that we can start putting the pieces of the puzzle together and just when you think you have everything figured out Darby throws another curveball at you. I thought the twists were well executed, they made sense to the plot and did not feel completely out of left field.

I want to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced digital copy. Do I recommend this book. Yes, if you enjoy thrillers with suspense around every turn then you should read this book because you are in for a good time.

I was excited to get the advanced copy of What the Wife Knew - as I really loved Pretty Little Wife. Again, this in one of my very favorite genres, Domestic Thriller/Suspense, and I really enjoyed this one. Addison is a young widow who's husband, Richmond, dies within a few months of their marriage - which really wasn't much of a marriage at all. She isn't particularly sad about his death; and of course becomes the prime suspect, only to find out there were plenty of others that wouldn't mind seeing him dead.

There were some dull filler parts in the middle, some unnecessary characters, but all in all it kept me wanting to know what happened next. I loved the main character Addison, and hated Richmond's first ex-wife. I became invested and enjoyed the ride. Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the Arc.

Wow, wow this book is crazy! The last 1/4 of the book I could not stop reading, I had to know what was going to happen. All I can say is be ready for one crazy twisted ride, oh, and hold on because it will send you for a loop.
Darby Kane is a new author to me, and I will be reading her previous book soon "Pretty Little Wife".
I first was interested in Addison she was aloof and hard to read but I still found her intriguing. Then as the story unfolded I got a little glimpse into why she was like she was. But Richmond Dougherty I despised from the start and never changed my view of him for the better. Many of the other characters I didn't know at the start well but came to trust or even like. This book is very well written and so easy to read and as I said before hard to sit down at the end.
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Darby Kane, and William Marrow for the ARC.