This book started off very good. I really liked the main character Addison. I found some of her humor funny and yet I felt sorry for the life that she endured with her mother.

Addison is rushed into a marriage in name only with a man who is an outstanding pediatric surgeon and very wealthy. There are a lot of questions surrounding this quick marriage and his divorce from his wife that he has been with since high school. When her husband ends up dead naturally, all eyes turn to her pointing the finger did she kill him…

The storyline is very well developed. I felt the end of the book was a bit rushed, and I was very disappointed that there wasn’t an epilogue giving us an insight as to where the characters were a year or two down the road. I would have liked to know they were all in a better place. Of course, I am a sucker for a happy ending!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Willian Morrow for an advanced copy of this book.

Wow! What a wild ride! Hold on to your seat as Darby Kand takes you on an adventure full of murder, deception, and family dysfunction. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was a twist! Put this one on the top of your list!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★ ★ ★ ★
𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: December 10, 2024
𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪:

I love a fast paced thriller that makes your heart race and your mind run and this did that for me. This will take you by the collar and pull you through page by page. A doctor mysteriously dies and his wife is being framed but by who is the question. The ex-wife is out to find this answer out as is Addison our FMC (the wife).

Twists, turns and secrets will keep you on edge the entire time. Can Addison figure out who was behind this and all the other things that happen along this story before it’s too late and they get to her next. Definitely a great domestic thriller and I can say that I love everything about our authors writing. Loved this!

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: Domestic Thriller, Fast Paced, Who-Did-It Mystery, Dual POV, Dual Timelines, Family Drama, Revenge.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was really fast paced and the suspense had me invested. All the plots and surprises in the book had me gasping however towards the end, I felt the creativity died. Like the aurthor lost motivation and just wanted to end the story. With that being said, the ending felt cut off too short. I read the ending not knowing it was the ending. The FMC was just thrown off by a surprise and you'd think it'll continue a little longer but then it just ends. You would think since the FMC was set on exposing the bad guys that she would throw everyone involved into the fire but she doesn't. Which is a tad disappointing. If she wants to sever the ties with her mom, then turn her in to the police. But nope she writes her off like it'll solve everything. Don't get me started on the detective. He was so dead set on the FMC being the perpetrator and then as soon as something major took a turn, he's all for the FMC? Even covering up evidence? Like what was his reasoning for helping her? So the the real MRS. couldn't get the money? It felt like no one was actually doing the digging and investigation. Like the characters just took whatever they could find and ran with it. It just sounds like a whole bunch of bs to me. The beginning was really a good start, it build the story up and was going somewhere. I was hoping that all these plots and what not had a good explanation behind it but it kind of just fell through.

What a great book. I absolutely loved it. Full of surprises and shocking moments! Would definitely recommend this to everyone

Addison wanted her husband dead, just not before she had a chance to ruin his life. dead or not, she still plans to ruin his spotless reputation; just after she figures out who’s trying to frame and more importantly are they after her next? the more Addison digs, the more she finds that she may not have been the only person to want Dr. Richmond Dougherty dead. will the cops see that or is she doomed to go down for his murder?

I loved this book! It had me hooked from the first chapter. I felt it was so well written with so much to untangle to keep you engaged and wanting to learn more. Could you maybe guess the end? Probably but there are so many ways it could go, you might also be wrong! 5/5⭐️ from me!

What the wife knew by Darby Kane

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this advance reader copy!

This book had me at chapter one wondering how the author will weave this web of past and present. Chaotic and cryptic, as I flew through the throng on chapters it faded as the story pushed on. I loved the initial hook and propensity of the story but it honestly kept me saying What in the world.

I was engulfed in the story as it unfolded and I was constantly watching the secrets and lies getting whiplash from the crazy!

What a wild ride!!

Thank you William Morrow / Harper Collins for early access to this psychological thriller.

Details were important in the book. Being written in a non-linear timeline with multi-person point of view. The past had a big part of what drove this book. And do you think people are truthful when a murder is committed?

This book starts out like no other suspense I’ve read. People normally don’t say they want to kill their husband. But the new, young wife does and she has a baseball bat.

Her name is Addison, not only is she young but beautiful. Addison manipulates the wealthy doctor into leaving his wife and marrying her. But why? No one knows? Dr Richmond Dougherty, well respected and highly regarded pediatric surgeon, who has numerous accolades and awards. Not to mention a hero who saved classmates during a school shooting. But is there something Addison knows? Is he everything they say he is?

So, when the great Dr ends up murdered there is a lot of speculation. New wife? He has money. Old wife? Bitter divorce. Children? Angry over the whole situation. Unhappy patient? What don’t we know?

I liked how there were so many possibilities to solving this crime. It wasn’t simple and obvious. The characters were spelled out for you. They were built as the book progressed and they had layers.

Mystery/suspense plots can be obvious but I appreciate when you have to pay attention to all details and read to the very end. in my opinion, those are the best ones.

You are here because you LOVE LOVE LOVE Twisty domestic thrillers. In the thrillers, the wife is always downtrodden and pitied early on.

NOT HERE! Darby Kane has taken this trope and flipped over and over and over to make a fantastic, sharp and zippy thriller that will leave you with your mouth wide open!

Dr. Richmond Dougherty is a surgeon. Rich, white, beloved community member and still known as a hero from a school shooting when he was a student. When he dies from a fall, all eyes are on his very unlikeable new wife Addison. Who is Addison, why did he abruptly marry her (leaving his wife of 20 years). Did she kill him?

Nothing is what it seems but Kane makes it believable and presents characters that are interesting and complicated. She is a go-to for me and she should be for you! Grab your wine, turn off your phone and open this book!
#williammorrow #whatthewifeknew #darbykane

This book had a fast pace and rather abrupt, quite direct writing. It wasn't terribly appealing to me. Just a basic read. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

*What the Wife Knew* by Darby Kane starts strong with a twisty, page-turning plot that kept me hooked. The quick pacing was a plus, but the story eventually spiraled into too many directions. Unfortunately, the characters and their motivations fell flat for me, leading to a disappointing finish. Overall, it’s a 2-star read.

What the Wife Knew tells the story of Addison Dougherty, widow of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Unfortunately, due to a few suspicious accidents prior to his death, everyone believes Addison is the killer.

Addison knows Richard’s secrets, and even though he is dead they continue to haunt her. When she becomes the next target, she knows she has to find out who is the real killer. Before it’s too late.

I have enjoyed Darcy Kane books in the past, and get this one read easily and was interesting as well. She is definitely good at writing the unhinged character! I rate this book 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and provide an honest review of What the Wife Knew. I will share this review on Goodreads.

I was all in when the book first started - fast past and engaging, making the reader want to figure things out. Then towards the middle it just got really slow and I was ready to be done

The twist at the end was a twist for sure, but also twisted and not necessarily in a good way. Wasn't for me

I’m not really sure where to begin with this review. There are so many twist and turns with this book that it had my head spinning.

When Addison’s new husband ends up dead the whole town thinks she is to blame especially Richmond’s ex-wife Kathryn. Someone is trying to frame her and she needs to figure out who before it is too late. There are plenty of people with motive, but all eyes are on her.

What are you wiling to do for money? This book is full of examples of how far some people would go for money. There are manipulative parents, abusive relationships, revenge plots and much more. You will find yourself trying to figure out who did it half way through the book, but the information you find out at the end I was a twist I did not see coming.

This was my first book from this author would definitely read another. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fine mystery novel but it didn’t blow me away.

Thank you to the publisher for a Netgalley of this one.

Darby Kane gave us an absolute page turner. Addison and her husband, Richmond, clearly do not like each other. And we find out why in pieces.

What I really enjoyed is how there were a few times I was wrong, but also a few times I was right. I felt compelled to put the pieces together and get to find out what the wife knew!

Addison finds her new husband, renowned pediatric surgeon, Richmond Dougherty, dead. Someone got to him before she did.

I was excited about the plot for this one but it fell flat for me. I had a struggle trying to get through it. There were too many characters introduced, too many twists, and too many moments when I thought “huh what is going on now.” I will try more of this author’s works but this one just was not for me.

“We both know that some secrets are both too dangerous to share and too big to hide… without help.”

What the Wife Knew comes out 12/10.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of What the Wife Knew.

I love revenge stories and the premise sounded like it was right up my alley.

When esteemed pediatric surgeon Richmond Dougherty is found dead, his very young, attractive second wife is the #1 suspect.

Except Addison didn't do it and now it looks like whoever did kill her despicable husband has their sights set on Addison.

The first quarter of the narrative moved smoothly despite all the typical tropes found in these genres:

Addison is a pretty young woman with a traumatic upbringing who has learned to survive by using her wits and street smarts.

Richmond Dougherty is a disgusting, arrogant, egotistical a**hole and his first wife isn't quite likable either.

I read mostly mysteries/thrillers so I wasn't surprised by all the 'twists' and revelations since I guessed most of them.

I've noticed most thrillers tend to do this to readers; throw every silly and ridiculous twist plus the kitchen sink at you.

But it lands poorly, at least for me, because as each twist unfolds, I find it more and more difficult to suspend disbelief.

There's very little suspense or urgency; we get nothing but scenes of mouthy dialogue like an episode of The Real Housewives of New York.

Even the flashbacks become mundane, Addison and Richmond trying to outdo the other and see who gets the last word.

There are plenty of red herrings and subplots like the malpractice suit that are meant to distract the reader (or pad the word count, you decide.)

Also, I couldn't understand why Addison would allow people to keep walking in and out of her home?

At the end, it was comical when people kept walking in and out, info dumping and interrupting the 'showdown' between Addison and Kathryn.

I wanted to like this more but when it turned into a Lifetime drama reality show, I abandoned all hope.

This book fell very flat for me because all of the characters were unlikeable. It was not a fun read.

Loved this book! I’ve read the author’s other books but I think this one may be my favorite. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC!