I am sorry to say I did not finish it due to the graphic depictions of dead bodies. I know there are readers that eat this up! And I was drawn to the cover and had heard good things. But it's not for me. I wish the author all the best. Giving 3 stars for the quality of the writing.

Bookflap copy here:
Los Angeles homicide detective Dinah Marino may have a complicated relationship with her family, but her psychiatrist husband, Joe, makes her feel safe, secure, and happy. She couldn’t want for a more loving or trusting man. But throughout their ten-year marriage, she’s been keeping a secret from him―a secret she’d take to the grave.

Dr. Joe Marino loves his wife more than anything in this world, but there are things he’s learned to keep close to the chest―including a few dead bodies. When a missing woman tied to his wife’s latest case is admitted to his hospital, doctor-patient confidentiality lands their marriage on some new and uneven ground.

As Dinah digs deeper into her case, tension works its way inside their picture-perfect home. Now the carefully constructed lies between them don’t just simply threaten the delicate balance of their marriage―they could kill.

AR Torre is a master at writing psychological thrillers, and this book was no exception.

Dinah and Joe, the two main characters, have an "interesting" marriage. They say that trust is everything in a marriage, yet both are keeping secrets.

As the book progresses, little breadcrumbs that allude to how all the characters are intertwined are dropped here and there. I honestly never saw many of the twists coming. Such an unpredictable, cleverly written book.

There were a few errors in the book, but they didn't detract from the storyline. The error that really made me question my comprehension was when Dinah was at their ranch for the weekend, and she poured herself a drink in the middle of the night. She poured a glass of orange juice, but then a few paragraphs later, she finished off her glass of milk.

This book, like the author's other books, is a MUST read!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Taut, chilling, and emotionally charged, this psychological suspense novel dives deep into the secrets that can fester beneath even the strongest marriages. At the heart of the story are Dinah and Joe Marino—a homicide detective and a psychiatrist—who appear to have a solid, loving relationship. But as the layers begin to peel back, it’s clear that both are keeping dark secrets that could shatter their lives.

Dinah’s inner conflict over the secret she’s kept from Joe for a decade is compelling, but it’s Joe’s calm, calculated demeanor and hidden past that really raise the stakes. When their personal and professional worlds collide through a missing person case and hospital admission, the tension skyrockets.

This was fine. I've really liked A.R. Torres works in the past, but I think im burnt out on marriage thrillers. Its been done and nothing is surprising anymore. This was a good popcorn thriller, but not anything I will remember going forward.

Dinah is a detective for LAPD and Dr. Joe is a clinical psychiatrist. They have what is often seen from the outside and thought of by them as the “perfect marriage” - but one that readers come to see is filled with many unimaginable and unforgivable lies and secrets. One of Dinah’s recent murder investigations entangles both of them and their jobs, threatening to pit them against one another and spill both of their deceit.

The setup of this book can be best described as a zipper or a puzzle. Slowly, piece by piece, chapter by chapter, you begin to have a complete puzzle picture of Dinah and Joe, their marriage, and what makes them tick. I could not have seen the ending coming!

The chapters were very short, alternating POVs, and it was a very easy and quick read, what I enjoy in my thrillers. It was my first A.R. Torre book but it won’t be my last!

Thank you to A.R., Thomas & Mercer, Thriller Book Lovers Pulse, and NetGalley for the e-galley.

3.5 stars

The dynamic between husband and wife had me rolling my eyes. Everyone except for Jessica was unlikable. I did enjoy the storyline, as weird as it was.

A marriage based on secrets and lies is surely to hold together, right? A Happy Marriage takes us on a journey through the life of Los Angeles homicide detective Dinah and her psychiatrist husband Joe. This was one wild ride of a dark and twisty thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Happy Marriage is a twisted diabolical story that captures the readers attention from the first page when we learn what Joe wants to do to his beloved wife.

To the outside world Joe (a psychiatrist) and Dinah ( a very successful detective) their marriage seems ideal and they are the unique couple who's realtionship only gets stronger.

Until it doesnt.

Both Joe and Dinah have explosive secrets and neither can afford for them to come to light.

I must say neither Joe or Dinah have many redeeming qualities but I do love crazy.

A. R. Torre takes the reader down a twisted path that will have you shaking your head and guessing that this cant end well . Can it?

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the privilege of reading and reviewing A Happy Marriage.

This was an intense read that had me feeling so confused through most of it. The dynamics between husband and wife was definitely interesting (and has me thinking I need to convince my husband thst we need a double bed each too). At no point did I have any idea where the story was going, although I figured out early on the connection between Dinah and Jessica.
This was fast paced and engaging, and I look forward to my next read from this author.

Title: A Happy Marriage
Author: A. R. Torre
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
My Rating: 3 .2 Stars
Pages 254

Story is told from the POV of Los Angeles homicide detective Dinah Marino and her husband Joe a psychiatrist.

Dinah and Joe have been married for ten years and their marriage seemly is happy!

However, when one of Dr. Marino’s patients had been admitted to his hospital but now is missing and has a connection to his wife, Doctor-patient confidentiality keeps him from saying anything revealing.

Soon find out that both husband and wife have secrets.

The story is full of twists as Dinah investigates a missing woman’s case that brings her close to Joe’s world, and the realization things are not exactly what they seem.
Alternating POV of Dinah and Joe kept me interested but I reached the point I could not trust either one of them.

I read and totally enjoyed " A Fatal Affair" so was expecting another great read.
Hmmm ~~~ that is not what happened. I will read another but this was somewhat disappointing. But the Epilogue was interesting!


A.R. Torre is a pseudonym of Alessandra Torre] and is her dark alter ego. While Alessandra writes spicy romances, A.R. focuses on twisted stories filled with secrets, suspense, drama, and danger.

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granted me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 24, 2025.

A Happy Marriage was twisty and absolutely bonkers. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I for sure was not expecting that. I could not put it down and finished it within 24 hours. I was sucked into this story when I read the first sentence. The first sentence, people. Highly recommend.

I was given an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Dinah, a police detective, and Joe, a psychiatrist/professor. They have been married for a decade. Their relationship has no secrets, so they think. Dinah has a secret she is willing to do anything to make sure Joe never finds out.
I enjoyed the intense chapters that weren't that long. I wasn't sure where this story was going, but I was hooked and needed to find out wtf was going on. Dinah and Joe seemed a bit weird, and boy, was I right.

I LOVED this book.

This was my first book by Torre, and I am in love. Perfectly twisty, beautifully told, fully invested, and finished it in 2.5 hours.

Dinah is a detective at the local PD and when a terminally ill woman is found dead, it seems to be a suicide until they realize her 20 year old daughter is missing.

Dinah has a shadow- Freddie, who is fresh, green, and ready to solve the case and pushes Dinah to investigate further, but Dinah doesn’t want to dig, she doesn’t feel like anything is wrong-

And for Dinah, nothing is. She has the perfect beautiful husband, an amazing solve rate, a beautiful home, and everything she’s ever wanted- the only thing wrong is her family, but she’s able to deal with it, because her husband is supportive, perfect, and with her every step of the way- but as secrets come out, her perfect marriage falters, and the missing girl and her mother become so much more important than any of them could have known.

The story ended perfectly, the twists were vague, perfectly timed, and well executed. The chapters were descriptive yet concise.

One of the best books I’ve read this year.

We are fully hooked over here at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse!

This one is giving psychological suspense in the most unsettling, addictive way. On the outside, Dinah and Joe seem like the perfect couple…she’s a homicide detective, he’s a charming psychiatrist. But behind closed doors? Let’s just say not everything is as it seems…
Secrets, mind games, and the slow unraveling of a “happy” life, Torre knows how to build tension that creeps in and doesn’t let go.

This was definitely an interesting psychological suspense novel. Dinah a homicide detective is ‘happily’ married to Joe a psychiatrist. As one of Dinah’s cases intersects with Joe’s clinic we learn more and more about the dynamics of their very unconventional marriage. The suspense ramped up throughout the book as secrets were exposed. This one definitely had a creepy vibe. I was engaged with the plot throughout the book and suspected some of the twists and was surprised by others.

A Happy Marriage delivers a psychological suspense story wrapped in domestic drama, secrets, and the slow unraveling of a seemingly perfect relationship. The premise is gripping—Detective Dinah Marino and her psychiatrist husband Joe seem like the ideal couple, but both are hiding secrets that run deep. The tension builds nicely as Dinah’s latest case hits closer to home than expected, and the dynamics of trust, privacy, and deception keep the pages turning.

That said, the pacing can be uneven. Some parts drag with introspection, and a few plot developments feel a little too convenient. While the character development is solid, especially with Dinah, there are moments where the emotional stakes could have been pushed further.

Still, the blend of marriage drama and criminal intrigue makes this a compelling read. It’s not a thriller that will shock you at every turn, but it does offer an insightful look at how secrets—even those kept with the best intentions—can spiral out of control.

"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝑰 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅."

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse #netgalley @amazonpublishing & @alessandratorre4 for the #gifted eARC.

➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼

🔪 Bibgeable
🔪 Read in 1 sitting
🔪 Super psychological
🔪 Messy characters
🔪 Multiple POVS
🔪 Lots of TW!

This one was so intriguing in true A.R. Torre fashion! Such a quick read i didn't even realize I was flying through the pages.

So excited to be on this tour for her, along with my fellow Pulse-mates.

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
June 24, 2025

ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ Whats for dinner? Come Thursdays, I'm always striking out and sick of cooking!

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict #thrillerjunkie #thrillergirlie #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #pulsepoint #artorre #amazonpublishing #ahappymarriage
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Dinah: she’s a woman that will do anything to make sure her handsome husband loves her best.

She works as a police officer investigating cases for missing women. Her husband, Joe Marino, is a psychologist and teaches at a local college. They are the envy of others with their devotion towards each other.

Yet, Dinah has secrets that she’s afraid of sharing. She’s holding them inside and hoping they will never be revealed. If she slips, it may be a case where sparks will fly off the walls.

This is a psychological thriller that has twists throughout with short chapters. It makes you cringe at parts and other times, it’s like the unbelievable Netflix series. Yet, it’s full of entertainment.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of June 24, 2025.

I think this was A. R. Torre's darkest, most twisted thriller yet, and I loved every minute of it! This one is fast-paced and has unreliable narrators! I guessed one twist, but it was so multilayered that I continued to be shocked and surprised. With short chapters and the need to know how everything is going to end, this book is almost impossible to put down!

I'll be honest: this book started out interesting and intriguing to me, but unfortunately after the first 5 or 6 chapters, it failed to hold my attention. This was the 6th book I read from this author and the last 3 I've read were flops to me, and this one, in my opinion, makes some of the same mistakes (again, in my opinion) Torre has made in her 3 last novels.
The tropes are relentlessly clichés and over the top. It makes the characters not relatable and hard to believe they could be realistic people.
The setting was fine, but the conclusion I felt it was overwhelming.
Not a good recommendation to readers who have never read a book by this author before, and not a good one to hardcore thrillers readers, like myself.
On the other hand, readers who have never read a book by this author before and/or readers who have just started reading thrillers, might benefit more from reading this book.