Not the book that I expected but I very much enjoyed it anyway.

Addison Dougherty HATES her husband. So it seems very fortunate for her that he is dead by the beginning of this thriller, but it's not. As his second wife, everyone thinks she had something to do with it. Especially his still-bitter first wife, Kathryn.

The story is told through Addison's point-of-view. And although she tell the reader often just how hard and tough she is, we can all see her soft pink insides when she makes certain choices. Addison had every intention of killing her husband, the renowned pediatric surgeon, someone just beat her to it. Now it's up to her and her unexpected lawyer friend to find out who before she is framed for the crime.

A twisty thriller that kept me guessing I enjoyed it. You need to suspend you disbelief about some of the things that happen, but that's why I read thrillers. A lot of this plot would never happen in the real world.

If you like a strong female character that doesn't take guff from anyone, doesn't mind a few outlandish plot points, and you have hard feelings towards your spouse, read it. You won't be disappointed.

A great domestic thriller. Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a surgeon and national hero dies from a fall down the stairs. Fingers are pointed at his new wife, Addison. She is now a very rich widow after only 97 days. The town folks are choosing sides between Addison and Kathryn, the first wife. Yu find that Addison 's plan was to marry Richmond and then ruin him. But that was derailed by his unexpected death. What happened and who killed Richmond. A must read.

What The Wife Knew is one of those books that hooked me from the start. Love how this book was written, love the short chapters and dual POV.. just thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book.. such a fast read for me which took me only a day to read it! Thank you to everyone at NetGalley for the early read!

Unfortunately I decided to out this book down at 52%. In no way shape or form do I think we should be writing school shootings into books, I believe authors should be doing a lot better than that. From what I read it seemed like the author could have picked 1000 other starting points for this book that didn't include a school shooting so why pick that? Overall I could have finished the book, I enjoyed the chapter length, I found the characters to be interesting and it seemed like a book you could breeze through, but that part of the plot is a hard no for me.

WHAT THE WIFE KNEW had a ton of potential, starting out strong and propelling the reader directly into the action. There was plenty of mystery and intrigue introduced, with a plot that felt like so much could have been done. The potential didn’t live up, as the ending felt forced and the “twists” out of left field. This was ultimately unsatisfying, in part because there was room to develop something so much better than what actually happened.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review WHAT THE WIFE KNEW.

Darby writes the most incredible books that leave me shocked every time even when I think I’ve figured it out! Loved it!

Enjoyable mystery told through multiple view points and timelines. I like how the past mixed with the present. There were just enough twists to keep me guessing until the last page.

Darby Kane always delivers in my books and What the Wife Knew was wildly different from her last book but just as satisfying. Addison was such an interesting character and I couldn’t wait to see how things would unfold.

Addison’s famous pediatric surgeon husband was murdered. Except she was meant to be the one to do it. So who got there before her and why?

I love how prickly Addison seemed on the surface. She might come across as unlikable but I loved that she didn’t fake niceness just to get others to like her. And I definitely didn’t mind that this book had some characters much more unlikeable than her.

If you are a fan of dual timelines, lots of secrets, infuriating characters and twisty reads you will want to pick up this one! Make sure you follow @thrillerbookloversthepulse to stay in the loop about the buzziest new thrillers!

A huge thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is quite the story! You never know why someone wants you to be with them or IF they really don't want you. Hang on to you hat cause you in for a ride on this. Why do children have to pay for what a parent does wrong? Dysfunctional parents do a number on their children! WHY? No one wins at this.

This is a scandalous story about a wife who’s husband was killed and it was made to look like an accident. The wife is trying to figure out who did it because she was supposed to do it. I was on the edge of my seat in suspense. This story is full of shocking twists. If you like edge of your seat suspense, this is a must read.

Darby Kane has done it again with What the Wife Knew, a gripping, dark domestic thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. This time, Kane spins a web of deceit, mystery, and revenge as we follow Addison Dougherty—a young widow who is determined to uncover who killed her husband... because she thought that was her job.

Dr. Richmond Dougherty, a celebrated surgeon and national hero, dies under suspicious circumstances, falling to his death in what is just the latest of several mysterious accidents. Accusations swirl around Addison, Richmond's new wife of just 97 days, especially as she inherits his wealth. But it’s not only law enforcement closing in on Addison. Richmond’s first wife, Kathryn, is on the warpath, stirring up hostility in their small town.

Addison, though, is no fragile widow. She is driven by a plan she concocted long before her husband’s unexpected demise, determined to destroy the legacy he left behind. But as threats mount and her own life becomes a target, Addison will stop at nothing to complete what she started—even if it means unmasking the killer who beat her to it.

Kane masterfully combines suspense and psychological tension in this twisted tale of betrayal and survival. If you love fast-paced, intricately plotted domestic thrillers, What the Wife Knew will keep you hooked until the very last page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ – A wickedly entertaining read!

A twisty story that is probably better if you just believe these crazy twists. It read easily, and one of those few books where you root for an unscrupulous person! It had multiple storylines and different points of view that helped move the story along. There are many unlikeable characters, but they just added to this soap opera! Based on this book, I would read more by this author! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy of thos book!

This book started off very strong, kept me interested about halfway through I started getting slightly bored there could hvw been many chapters cut off and still came to the same conclusion. Overall I enjoyed reading this book 3.5 stars

I’ve read this author before and her latest didn’t disappoint. It’s a family dynamic like you’ve never seen and wouldn’t wish on anyone. It’s a revenge plot taken to extremes beyond any I’ve ever read. Addison has been living under the radar and hiding from her crazy mom most if her life. The plot has a snappy dialog full of sarcasm, irony and dark humor. It’s a twisted family drama with sharp turns every time you think you’ve figured it out. Allison has a marriage of convenience or terror, depending on who’s side you take. There’s some alternating between characters and time frames. I wasn’t immediately sure I’d like the format and speech structure but I soon fell into the plot and began cheering for Allison. The newlyweds are anything but blissful, each trying to torture and one-up the other, including planned murder. There’s accidents, falls, near-misses, separate bedrooms, blackmail and outright hatred. Of course there’s step-kids and the prominent first Mrs. thrown into the mix. Oh, there’s also a ton of money at stake. Allison’s mom is extremely unlikable. She’s brow beaten Allison, belittled, destroyed her self-worth and held things over her head her entire life. The whole sordid affair will come to a twisted end. It was a juicy tale that I couldn’t read fast enough.
William Morrow Paperbacks (via NetGalley) provided an Advance Reader Copy of “What the Wife Knew” by Darby Kane. Publication expected 12/10/2024. These honest personal thoughts and opinions are mine, given voluntarily without compensation.

In this twisty thriller, Addison is suspected of killing her husband. Everyone believes she wanted him dead for his money. She wants to know who killed him because she was supposed to kill him, but she didn’t. Now that he’s gone, she needs to figure out who else it could have been before they come for her, too.

Darby Kane’s thrillers are always full of surprises and unexpected twists. I always enjoy suspending my disbelief and enjoying the wild ride. I liked the dual his/her perspectives and past/present narratives. She really creates unlikable characters in this book and the revenge story is juicy, wild, and unbelievable. It was close to a five star read for me if not for a bit of ick-factor (spoilers- I can’t say more but happy to message about it if you want to know specifics) and a few too many characters involved in the scheming. I also liked the cleverness of the title in relation to the plot as well as how the reader gets insight into both Addison and Richmond’s heads. Overall, it was fun and entertaining!

Thank you to Darby Kane and William Morrow Books for the arc and opportunity to be an early reader and reviewer.

Wow! What a complex and intriguing story. Addison has been manipulated all of her life by her mother. She marries Richmond Daugherty to expose "what she knew". After his murder, she is accused of the crime, attacked by several different people and spun around in circles. There were so many twists and turns. I truly liked the fact that deep down, Addison was a hurt individual and a really kind person. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

4.5 stars out of 5.

Wow, what a twisted, convoluted story! The lengths people will go for money is crazy. I was immediately drawn into the story and could not put the book down. I liked the short chapters and getting different point of views. None of the characters were likable (with the exception of Portia) but that really made the story better IMO. The ending tied everything up nicely but the last twist was predictable. Overall, I would recommend to anyone looking for a thriller with a lot of family drama.

In What the Wife Knew, Addison just married the famous Dr Richmond Doughtery, but not for the right reasons. Richmond turns up dead only months after his marriage to Addison which leaves her as the main suspect. It seems Addison is now being targeted too but everyone thinks she is a killer. Then the real reason for Addison's marriage comes to light and everything starts falling apart.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this is a very advanced review (coming Dec 2024) for a twisty thriller with lots of lessons of family disfunction. Addison marries Dr Dougherty, who she is determined to destroy, but everyone’s motivations aren’t quite what they seem. Someone else has killed her husband and now she’s being framed for it. I loved that even with all the betrayal and lies there were still come redeeming characters throughout. The twists along with the villains were unexpected. While the main whodunit was a bit predictable, you’ll still be in for a ride with the other twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

What the heck did I just read 😂 The ending of this book was wild, and not in a good way. The beginning was very fast paced and I was enjoying it. Then I found out that none of the characters had any redeeming qualities. They were all horrible and did horrible things. It also just got to be a bit confusing with all the things that were going on. I gave it two stars because I did enjoy the beginning. I just did not enjoy the middle or the end,

I love Darby Kane’s marital suspense thrillers - What the Wife Knew is no exception!

This one was a bit different as our MC is mainly on the defensive, reacting to the aftermath of her husband’s death. I appreciated the jumps between the past and present to get a better sense of Addison and her goals with the marriage. I thought she was an extremely likable character - in stark contrast to the many unlikable side characters. While I wish the story itself showed more plotting on her part, I enjoyed reading all the twists and turns and seeing how everything tied together. Overall, a quick and engaging read!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.