This book was INCREDIBLE! I started it at nearly midnight and had a hard time putting it down to go to bed finally at 230am, only to pick it right back up and devour the rest of it. This is the first book I've ever read by Darby Kane and I'm so impressed with this book!

The twists in this book were incredible! Every time I thought I had something figured out, BAM! A shocking twist to prove that I was incorrect. Lies, betrayal, secrets, blackmailing, murder, assault... You name it and this book probably had it.

Characters: Richmond and Kathryn were absolutely vile. Addison was an interesting character and for awhile I wasn't sure what to think of her but I felt for her as the plot unfolded. Poor Wyatt and Portia caught in the middle of everything. Elias was hilarious and caring.

There's literally nothing to dislike about this book. I loved it and absolutely recommend to any thriller fan! This is one of the top 3 thrillers that I have read this year.

I was absolutely amazed by my initial encounter with Darby Kane's work, and I am confident it will not be my last. "What the Wife Knew" proved to be an utterly captivating thriller that held my attention from the opening page to its conclusion. The narrative was filled with numerous unexpected turns as Addison embarks on a mission to fulfill her mother's desire for vengeance against Richmond Dougherty. In my opinion, the portrayal of dysfunctional families in this novel deserves recognition with a capital D. I highly recommend adding this suspenseful masterpiece to your must-read list.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow Publishing for the ARC to read and review with my honest opinions.

What The Wife Knew is my first but not my last novel by Darby Kane for sure.
I was hooked from the start! Straight to the drama!
A unique thriller with lots of drama and dysfunctional relationships. Maybe too many twists at the end, and a bit slow past the middle, but I still wanted to keep reading to see what was coming!
I liked Addison's character and the relationships she built with R&K's daughter and Richmond's lawyer, now hers. I was annoyed by Kathryn and her just showing up, and her power to make others do or not do things. (no spoilers here 0))
"Her plan to marry Richmond then ruin him may have been derailed by his unexpected death, but she's not done with him yet."
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the
ARC #netgalley #whatthewifeknew set to publish Dec. 10, 2024

Darby Kane is one of my must read authors and once again she has a hit on her hands! She kept me guessing as Addison was trying to figure out if her husaband's fatal fall was an actual accident or done on purpose.

4.4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This started out so great. Then a little after halfway over it deflated. One thing that was a little annoying throughout was Addisons repetitive inner monologue, like we got it the first time girly. But I could over look that. I enjoyed watching her kind of stumble her way through her own “investigation” while trying to clear her name. I really liked Elias’s character and I wish more was done with him at the end. Aside from him and the kids everyone else sucked. Lol. I’m also left kind of confused by the Detective. I’m not sure I understand his motives so if anyone has any theories let me know. Now where the story kind of tapered off for me was the excessive “twists”. Like we didn’t need the twist to twist 3 different times. I just don’t feel it was necessary. The first one was lien ok, I see the vision. The second one made semi sense and I could work with. But the third and final one was just meh. It felt like piling on for shock factor but nobody was shocked by that point because we’d already went through this a couple of pages before. Lizzy was crazy pants and I wouldn’t have given her anything so she’s lucky it was Addison and not me. 🤣 All in all it was a good book and I’d definitely recommend it! Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Darby Kane has become one of my go-to authors for domestic thrillers, and her latest novel, What the Wife Knew, exemplifies why. The book takes off at a breakneck pace, drawing you in with its addictive storyline from the get-go. You feel like a silent observer as Addison, the recently married wife of the renowned Dr. Richmond Dougherty, grapples with the question of whether her husband's fatal fall was accidental or intentional. With numerous individuals harboring ill intentions towards him, including Addison herself, the tension and suspense are expertly woven into the narrative. I found myself completely immersed in the novel, devouring its pages as I was continually blindsided by the masterfully crafted twists and turns. What the Wife Knew is undoubtedly a 5-star read that I wholeheartedly recommend to all thriller fans.

What The Wife Knew is a psychological thriller. Instead of the usual wife on the run from an abusive husband, this wife stays in the house where danger is all around her. The book is told in 2 voices and with multiple time jumps. Most chapters are titled Her, with date information included. There are a few chapters titled Him, which can only be called whining, His chapters are designed to fill in some gaps, but I found the Him chapters to be an interruption.

There are some moral questions worth considering in this most recent Darby Kane thriller. What The Wife Knew questions whether the murder of an evil man is an event worth mourning. He leaves behind an ex-wife, who fulfills every ex-wife trope out there, and two children who are definitely wise beyond their years. The heroine protagonist is likable. There are some interesting themes about parental responsibility and family love, none of which actually seem to be present in this novel. It is a bit discouraging that the only family units readers meet are destructive. The ending is rather disappointing, with too much piled up in it, and with one twist too many. Otherwise, What The Wife Knew is a novel that will likely appeal to readers.

Thank you to Darby Kane, publishers William Morrow, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. The comments above are what I honestly think about What The Wife Knew.

Thank you to ThrillerBookLovers The Pulse, William Morrow, #partner, for an advanced e-copy of What the Wife Knew in exchange for my honest review.

Since reading, and absolutely loving The Engagement Party by Darby Kane, I became an instant fan and was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of her newest book, due out later this year. And let me just say…this one might be my new favorite!

I love domestic thrillers and this is exactly why. I was pulled in from the beginning and found myself completely engaged and unable to walk away until I reached the last page. To steal a line from the story, this is a book where it is a “game where the rules keep changing” and not only do I totally agree, but I could not have loved it more! And to that point, it’s so hard to say much without getting into spoiler territory!

The complexity of the characters makes you unsure of who can be trusted, included our main protagonist, Addison. I found myself constantly wondering just who was behind the death of Richmond all the way until the very end. The twists kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly re-adjusting what I thought I knew.

I may only have read two of Darby Kane’s books so far, but I can say with complete confidence that I will be reading anything and everything she writes, including her backlist. She is definitely a master at her craft!!!

Another fun one by Darby Kane. Seems all the twisted plots come together...but you never figure them out in advance. Quick and fun read

What The Wife Knew by Darby Kane was unputdownable! From the very first page, the author pulled you in to the drama that is this dysfunctional family. My first read by this author and surely not my last.

The story was filled with lies, betrayal and plot twists.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Captivating read with numerous plot twists. I found Addison very likable and her sarcastic wisecracks endearing. The book has a really good pacing at the start, but does slow down at the end. It piles on the twists a bit heavy-handedly, where it starts to lose its believability. The author's writing style and easy dialogs make up for some of that. I definitely enjoyed that book, found it engaging overall, and would recommend "whodunit" genre lovers add it to their reading lists. I will definitely be seeking out other books by this author.

This is an easily readable domestic thriller. The wife of a prominent doctor tries to figure out who killed her husband. Not that she minds — she was planning on killing him anyway. But who else wants him dead? And what to do about the fact that she now looks guilty?
Lots of unreliable and unlikeable characters make this a frustratingly entertaining book!

3.5 Stars

The recipe for Kane’s latest domestic thriller includes a generous pinch of dysfunctional familial dynamics, a heaping helping of detestable characters, a dash of homicidal secrets, and a pungent vendetta straight out of hell.

For me, the novel started out strong and ensnared me in its grip. But because I prefer a faster pace, an inconvenient ending, and slimy antagonists who ooze off the page, I gradually became less interested.

That’s not to say that twists and turns don’t abound. But one in particular is certain to exasperate diehard thriller fans. And although the frequent redundancy slows down the plot, the novel ends with the reason behind Lizzie’s hold on Addison frustratingly murky, which is perplexing as it seems the catalyst for the story.

A slow burn, WHAT THE WIFE KNEW will appeal to most Darby Kane fans, as well as to those who like their mysteries cozy and borderline predictable.

What amazing book!! The characters are amazing the plot is unique . You will never find out ! I strongly recommend this book .

This is a good, fast paced, who- done – it book. It switches between timelines and POV’s, that is usually difficult to pull off and at times I felt a little lost, but the author did pretty good for those transitions. I felt it had your typical thriller/mystery, but the author added more to the characters to make them come alive!

When a wealthy man dies while married to wife #2 in the first 90 days of their marriage - she becomes the most likely suspect. Wife #1 is quite insistent about it. And unbeknownst to everyone wife #2 actually did have plans to take advantage of him - but did she actually kill him?

A good who-done-it that will surprise you and keep you reading long into the night

Addison is wife number 2 for Richmond Dougherty, acclaimed pediatric surgeon and hero reputation. When Richmond is killed Addison becomes the prime suspect. The short lived marriage was based on Addison’s blackmail of Richmond. Lots of secrets and lies and fights for money. I like Addison’s sarcastic comebacks. It did get pretty outrageous at the end but it kept my attention and continued reading to find who did it.

Thank you NetGalley! This author does not disappoint. Each chapter has you on edge wondering what will happen next. I loved how it switched back and forth between timelines and characters

I enjoyed this book, however I’m having some difficulty in writing my review. Not your typical thriller/suspense novel in that it did have plot twists and thrills, but also subcategories of family dysfunction, narcissism, emotional abuse, etc. I believe these only added to the book and made the plot seem more authentic. The reader is actually pulling for the supposed villain, Addison, to win in her blackmail scheme because of the evil she is trying to expose. It also brings to the forefront the theme of making judgments before you know the whole story, as appears in this book. Having money and privilege doesn’t always mean that you are a good and valued member of society, as we see with the Dougherty family.

I loved the ending as there were some hinted at (but still thrilling!!) twists and secrets revealed. Also, Addison is able to use her newly found courage and strength to finally stand up for herself in an ending scene that many readers may personally relate to. I also loved the character, Elias, a conservative, well-mannered, and eloquent attorney. As Addison’s supposed attorney whom the reader never knows if they can trust, Elias manages to always make an appearance in all the crucial scenes and Addison begins to rely on his assistance (a shock to her!). There are actually some comical exchanges between he and Addison that make the book feel a little lighter at times.
I want to thank William Morrow Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read and review the ARC of What the Wife Knew.
#WilliamMorrowBooks #NetGalley #WhatTheWifeKnew #DarbyKane

Darby Kane's What the Wife Knew is a fast paced, psychological thriller that is unable to be put down once you start reading! This book is so full of twist and turns the reader is very likely to get whiplash if proper precautions aren't taken. If you like to be kept guessing throughout the book, and held at the edge of your seat, be sure to read What the Wife Knew, you won't have any clue what's in store for you, even when you're sure you've figured everything out!!