WHAT THE WIFE KNEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. What a twisty, domestic thriller, page turner of a novel! Addison is married to a rich surgeon, who she plans to kill. Except, someone beat her to it! Now she is being blamed for his death, with his ex wife and kids on her tail, and a media shitstorm, she must find out who beat her to the kill 59 save herself. This was a great domestic thriller, with short addictive chapters to keep you wanting to know more. I did jaw drop at one moment, but then at one turn felt it got a bit over the top. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was my first novel by this author, so I had no expectations going into it. The story started off strong and right in the middle of the action. I was engaged right away. After awhile, I started to wonder how much was left because the story just kept going. There were so many minor characters with secrets, and lots of twists and turns, that it just got a little overwhelming at times. I think that a few chapters could have been taken off and the book would still have the same effect.

Overall, it was a strong book that keeps the reader on their toes through multiple POVs and time jumps I will be checking out this author a little more. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was SO very excited to be approved for this novel by Darby Kane! I went into this anticipating the plot. However, right away for some reason, I just was not invested in the characters. The story itself was very far fetched. IDK what is happening to my favorite genre of thrillers. They each keep becoming a copycat of something else or just not engrossing me like they used to. I had high hopes for this, but it just fell flat for me. I struggled with it, honestly, but wanted to love it. 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for choosing me to receive an arc of What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane. I was so excited to read this one. My expectations may have been a little too high for it though. I'm giving it a 3.5 star but rounding to a 4.

Dr. Richmond Doughtery, renowned pediatric surgeon, an infamous tragedy survivor, and a national hero is dead, very dead. His new wife Addison is immediately guilty, they were only married for 97 days.
The town quickly chooses sides. Wife Number 1 Kathryn, the 1st Mrs. Doughtery, the mother to Richmond's children and his high school sweetheart, or Addison, wife 2.
Addison had a plan to unravel Richmond's legacy but his dying slowed her process. Even having death threats sent to her she knows she must continue her plan.

The beginning of this book came out swinging hard and I was glued to the pages. A little past mid-way, I was starting to wonder when the book would wrap up and tell me what happened. Overall it was a good read with a great writing style, I just wish it was shorter.

I’ve read so many books by this author and this is for sure my favorite. I’ve had a great time reading and following the characters through the story. One of the most interesting thriller/mystery books I’ve read thus far.

First book by this author, received as an ARC. This book was okay. I liked that the author used different perspectives & I was pleased with the ending. Writing and suspense were average, but I would be willing to give this author another go.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for this ARC!!!


I was so excited when I was approved this novel, as I have read every one of this author’s books. The Perfect Wife is still my top one, but this is a close second!! Literally hooked from the start and the twists never stop until the acknowledgment page. I absolutely could not put this down.

This author has been historically hit or miss for me. But this one I enjoyed. It was a creative unique take on the murdered husband and I enjoyed the ride it took us on. The twist was a little obvious but overall, this was a good thriller read. The protagonist was fun too.

This book was truly unexpected and quite unique. It is a captivating page-turner filled with unexpected twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Richmond's first wife, Addison, is determined to unravel his legacy despite facing threats and obstacles. She remains focused on her mission to marry Richmond and ruin him, even though she has been derailed by unforeseen events. Addison is relentless in her pursuit of revenge and will not be stopped easily.

The characters in the book are mostly likeable, although there are a few exceptions. The main character is particularly compelling, and you can't help but root for Addison throughout the story. The ending is truly gut-wrenching, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.

The writing style is upbeat and engaging, typical of Darby's work, with multiple timelines that add depth to the story. The reveals towards the end are completely unexpected, and I can guarantee that you won't be able to guess them, no matter how hard you try. All of these elements come together to create a truly enjoyable read.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers, multiple timelines, and family drama with unexpected outcomes, then this book is perfect for you. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy and diving into this thrilling story.

Thank you, William Morrow for a digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a fun read but the execution confused me at times. Once we’re introduced to Addison’s mother, it confuses me how cold Addison is given her reaction to her own upbringing and the motivation behind the con. I liked Addison, but I wish those relationships were fleshed out more to make it not seem like such a stretch. I also wish we either got more of the male POV or none at all. The sprinkling we got didn’t make sense especially given the twist at the end. I didn’t love the last minute twist, it felt unneeded. Overall a solid read with an interesting lead.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this was just a dramatic, family drama that you just never know what to expect! There are so many twists and turns that were unexpected but the final turn takes the cake. Man was my mind blown 🤯. How, umm that’s crazy! I highly suggest that you add this to your TBR and snatch it up when it comes out in December.

****Many thanks to Darby Kane, William Morrow and NetGalley for my gifted ebook.

4.5 stars rounding up to 5 stars on Goodreads.

What a fun, snarky, twisty thriller. Little by little we find out exactly WHAT the wife knew —and just when you think it can’t get more shocking, it does!

I look forward to recommending this to anyone looking for a quick, edge of your seat, thrilly read.

Wow wow wow!!! Drama, revenge, dysfunctional family? Yup this book has it all, which has made this my new favorite Darby Kane book!! I knew it was going to be good after reading the premise, but it surpassed my expectations by far.

Addison is the typical wife number two. Young, beautiful and vengeful, she differs in the fact that she is not after money but is seeking revenge and to set the story straight on an event from the past. She blackmails Dr Richmond Dougherty, a well know pediatric surgeon into divorcing his wife and marrying her. Soon after she begins her plan of revenge. However, someone beats her to her own punchline. She returns home one night to find Richmond dead at the bottom of the stairs. Who else shared her repulsion of Richmond? Kathryn, wife number one is sure it's Addison and leads the charge along with all her friends. After all, with Richmond dead Addison would be a very rich woman and it's always the spouse, right? Not so fast! Buckle yourselves in for this roller-coaster of a ride. Twists and surprises await you at every turn.

Another fantastic book by Darby Kane that I highly recommend if you love family drama of any sort!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy

This took awhile to build up for me, and the end was just a little too twisty- I was ready for it to be over at around 75%, and tired of the twists but the time the final one came through.

This was great. This was my first book by this author but I really, really enjoyed it! I loved the multiple POVs and the past vs present tense. It was a good thriller suspense and I'll definitely be back for more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane due to be published December 10, 2024.
I had previously read Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane so I was excited to get this book!
Wealthy surgeon Dr. Richmond Dougherty is dead – thanks to a fall down the stairs. Or was it? Everyone is pointing fingers at the new Mrs. Dougherty (Addison) – only married 97 days to the doctor – since he had already experienced two previous “accidents”. Sides are chosen between Addison and the first wife, Kathryn. Her plan to derail Richmond is not finished yet! Will Addison succeed in getting away with murder?
This one was quite the page turner with alternating points of view – Him and Her. Lots of deception, twists, turns, family disfunction, and “whodunit” – all making for a very entertaining thriller and another hit for Darby Kane! It also had shades of War of the Roses and a WOW ending! A must read for your TBR list!
#NetGalley #DarbyKane #WilliamMorrow #WhatTheWifeKnew

I love the other books Darby Kane has written so was excited about a arc of an upcoming book being released! It definitely didn't disappoint. I have able to guess some parts of the ending however the book was a quick read that I enjoyed. Thanks to NetGallery for the ARC.

I was hooked on this book right from the beginning. I enjoyed Addison. She's smart, caring, and cunning. As the secrets are revealed, the tension rises. I thought I had the twist figured out, but I sure didn't! I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters, the multiple view points, and the present versus past views. Overall, I definitely enjoy Darby Kane's writing!

I wanted to enjoy this book more than I actually enjoyed this book. The book blurb and the cover art offered all the eye-catching promises of a delicious psychological thriller. The first half of the book delivered! We started out with a great set up of interesting characters, a promising storyline filled with murky agenda driven conversations and slowly revealed backstories in alternating POVs. Then the second half of the book left me shaking my head in disappointment. I was not a fan of the revolving door of uninvited visitors, who were always allowed to enter the gated driveway or house regardless of their reason for showing up. They carried on with awkward conversations or confrontations that made me consider skipping ahead a few pages. The plot twists fell flat because I had just lost interest by the end of the book. I’m still a huge fan of Darby Kane, but this one just missed the mark for me.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

The levels of deception in this book were unparalleled! It’s a legitimate roadmap in both how not to be a parent and how not to be a spouse! I loved every word and couldn’t put it down!!

I loved that the characters are titled simply Him and Her—I was never quite sure how many POV’s I would come across. The timeline bounced around, but was still easy to keep up with. And the characters, while absolutely terrible humans, were still somewhat likeable. It takes real skill to write like that.

Dare I say this is Darby Kane’s best work yet? I loved it!