Alex is married to Carter and lives with him and her three children. She is shocked when a surprise knock at the door ends up being her first husband Freddie, who disappeared ten years ago. He later tells her not to trust Carter and when she starts receiving threatening notes she needs to work out who she can trust.

This is another great thriller by one of my go to authors. I loved the premise of this story so was excited to start reading. The story starts strongly and I was compelled to see where it would go. I also really enjoyed the character development, feeling intrigued by them and having fun finding out which husband would win. I did find the pacing dipped slightly half way but it soon picked up again. I also found this a bit more predictable than this author’s other thrillers, however overall this is definitely still a worthwhile, entertaining read and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

A.J. McDine delivers a gripping psychological thriller in The Husband Before You, a novel packed with shocking twists, buried secrets, and an impossible dilemma: which husband can be trusted?

The story follows a woman who has spent the last decade grieving the loss of her first husband, Freddie, and rebuilding her life with Carter, her devoted second husband. But everything shatters when Freddie suddenly reappears, very much alive—and with a chilling warning: Don’t trust Carter. From that moment on, the tension escalates as she tries to untangle truth from deception, questioning everything she thought she knew about both men.

McDine expertly crafts a suspenseful atmosphere, weaving in eerie notes, disturbing revelations, and a creeping sense of paranoia that keeps the reader on edge. The protagonist’s emotional turmoil is palpable, making it easy to sympathize with her as she navigates a nightmare of lies, betrayal, and danger. The pacing is relentless, with every chapter ending in a way that compels you to keep turning the pages.

With a cleverly executed plot and an ending that will leave you breathless, The Husband Before You is a must-read for fans of domestic thrillers like Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train. If you love stories that make you question everything and everyone, this book won’t disappoint.

The Husband Before You is a thriller/suspense novel about a group of people who clearly and viciously hate themselves and each other and yet they continue to hang out.

This is my first novel by AJ McDine. If there’s one thing I will give the book, is it’s quick-fire way of laying out the things at the beginning of the book that the reader should keep on their radar throughout: why is Freddie back?; why did he leave in the first place?; why did he tell Alex not to trust Carter?; what dark secret is Alex keeping that she and others swore never to tell anyone? Everyone is on the chopping block, and you find yourself questioning people’s actions. I was hooked right away.

The story, however, I found to be incredibly predictable, and each time the big moments were about to drop they always fumbled or the big truths were incredibly and frustratingly disappointing. Like, “Oh… THAT’S why you did ALL OF THIS? Really? Therapy would have been way simpler.”

This book tackles a lot of themes that do not apply to me, the main ones being extreme marital struggles and postpartum depression. As a child-free-by-choice woman, I failed to connect with the story’s focus, Alex. If anything, this book was more like bringing a mirror up to my face and showing me how my life would spiral if I had kids. The endless drivel of Alex’s life at a stay-at-home mom, coupled with her constant self-flagellation, make her a pitiful protagonist that pushed me to skim through her POV chapters.

The motivation behind the antagonist’s actions was, to put it bluntly, trite and very dumb. I don’t think I could talk about it more without spoiling it, so I will leave it at that.

I really enjoyed the book up until the 40% mark. Once the truths started to come out, it was one after another of anticlimactic lackluster.

Thank you to Bookouture for the gifted ARC provided through Netgalley.

As a person who suffered from PTSD I can totally relate to Alex FMC. She was dealing with a lot and not having much help can be very stressful. I did think the book was good but a lot of things could’ve been left out. It dragged somewhat in the middle of the book but I will say the beginning had me hooked. The plot was a little predictable but still enjoyable. Definitely recommend!

The Husband Before You by A J McDine is a gripping, compulsive thriller, that had me captivated from beginning to end. An absolute must-read!
A great brilliantly addictive book and I loved every page from beginning to the end.
This book was fast paced and interesting with well developed characters.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from Bookouture and the author.

This is a thrilling read where you just don't know who you can trust! Who is threatening Alex and which husband should she trust? Why did Freddie walk out on them and what does he want now? What a dilemma!

My favourite quote:

"But the depression was always there, like an old lover impatient to welcome me back into his arms."

AJ McDine writes the kinds of thrillers that you can put yourself right into. A group of pretty average people find themselves in extraordinary circumstances and each find their own way of dealing with it.

In this latest release, Alex comes face to face with a dilemma. When her husband and father of her two girls, who went missing 10 years ago and was declared dead, turns up at her door, how does she tell him that she has since married his best friend and their son is asleep upstairs.

Moving between the present day and 10 years ago, the story of Freddie's disappearance is gradually uncovered and Alex is forced to question who she can truly trust. This slow, brooding tale of love and deception builds to a climactic conclusion that I did not see coming!

A brilliant read, highly recommend it for any psychological thriller fans.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Husband Before You’ written by A J McDine in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Soon after the birth of their second child, Freddie walks out on Alex and isn’t seen again until ten years later when he turns up dishevelled on her doorstep. But by then Alex has married Carter, Freddie’s best friend, and they have a life with Freddie’s two daughters and a new son.

‘The Husband Before You’ is a domestic drama of a woman who has two husbands. Alex is determined to find out why her first husband, Freddie, abandoned her while she was suffering from postnatal depression and why he says she can’t trust her second husband Carter. Although predictable at times, the plot drew me in especially as Gemma, Alex’s best friend and Carter’s work colleague, increased the tension and had me wondering which husband Alex was going to choose.

The Husband Before You by A J McDine is amazing! I love the dual POV And timelines. It felt like I was truly able to get both sides of the story. We get Alex's story as she deals with her world unexpectedly being turned upside down when her diseased husband, Freddie, comes back from the dead 10 years later, and despite all of the craziness I think she handled it so well. I was so proud of her overcoming everything she did despite never really knowing what happened to Freddie. I feel Freddie grew so much in the short timeframe of the book. It is very fast paced, but there is so much that happens, it feels like the book spans months. I'm sure we can all relate to having those weeks, and A J did an excellent job putting that to paper. I was really suspicious about one character, but I was never quite sure why I felt that way up until the last 10 chapters or so. This was my first A J McDine, but I will absolutely be reading more of her work, and every thriller fan needs to pick up this book!

Ooh yes, yes, yes! What an original premise and a really fresh take on a domestic noir. I got totally sucked in and loved tbe twists. It did drag a bit in parts and a few parts could probably have been removed but overall, I still really enjoyed seeing how it all played out and finding out what the ending would be

An interesting storyline. There were many twists and turns during the book. Elements that were a bit frustrating, but overall an enjoyable read.

Alex's husband, Freddie, left her without a trace with a toddler and a newborn while she was in the throes of serious post natal depression. Ten years later, she has managed to survive, and even remarried Freddy's friend, Carter, and has a son. When she answers the door and finds Freddie standing there, her world is turned upside down, especially when Freddy warns her not to trust Carter. When strange notes appear and other inexplicable, and dangerous, things happen, Alex is determined to find out who is responsible, even though it puts her and her family at risk.

I enjoyed this book, but felt that it dragged a bit in the middle. Also, the culprit was somewhat predictable and I felt that Alex should have realized it way sooner than she did. That said, I would be eager to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Part of the appeal in reading books like this is trying to figure out what each character’s motive is and flushing out the fakes.
Alex has two husbands and three kids. I thought she was too lenient on Freddie. I would have demanded answers immediately upon his return.
I thought Freddie was very weak. You just don’t walk out of your life when the going gets tough especially when you have two kids!!
I underestimated Carter and I guessed Incorrectly about which husband Alex would choose.
I knew one character was rotten but the scene that had me scream was down by the river and Fleming.
It’s a good suspenseful read.

Alex's first husband has disappeared and after many years she remarries his best friend. Out of the blue, Freddie (husband #1) appears out of thin air. In addition to his reappearance, Alex and Carter (husband #2) have been receiving semi-threatening notes.

Overall, this book was just okay to me. The plot had a lot of potential, but the outcomes were predictable. Freddie's disappearance and his story of where he has been not really dramatic enough to fit into a suspense book either. I liked the book but it lacked the page turning suspense I was expecting.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC copy of this book!

This psychological thriller had me hooked from the very beginning by jumping straight into the action when Alex’s first husband, Freddie, returns after going missing 10 years ago. The dual timelines and multiple POV’s really had me invested in each character whether I liked them or not. Ha! The author’s writing depicts the confused and distressed emotions that Alex is feeling as she navigates this stressful situation which had me really empathizing for her. Although the twist at the end became somewhat predictable, there were a few other twists that made this a really enjoyable read. Overall, this is a fast paced, suspenseful read that I would recommend to any psychological thiller/mystery lover!

Thank you to NetGalley, A.J. McDine, and Bookouture for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I couldn’t put this book down. It immediately opens with Alex and her husband and kids being so happy and then boom, here comes Freddie walking back into his old life on a random day lol. I love how the author incorporated the flashback chapters with the present day and the dual POVs because they were definitely needed in this book! I was left guessing and throwing out theories until the end of the book which I love. At points I didn’t know who to trust and definitely had my detective hat on trying to figure things out. Alex’s world was flipped upside down and she nor I didn’t know who to trust lol ! Loved it. Definitely worth the read if your looking for a good psychological thriller to jump into.

This is a great story of some really unusual circumstances …


Alex is 3 years into her second marriage following the mysterious disappearance of her first husband 10 years previously. The first husband, Freddy, was facing enormous stress from the responsibility of his job as a paediatric consultant combined with the challenges of raising young children and a wife suffering post natal depression.

One night, a knock at the door reveals that first husband Freddy is alive and well…and also a little surprised to discover that Alex has married his former best friend.

Alongside this, Alex receives mysterious insidious notes that further threaten her emotional wellbeing!

This is a superb novel that tells the story of Freddie’s 10 year departure alongside the current state of affairs of Alex suddenly discovering she has 2 husbands!!

I would highly recommend this novel to fans of psychological fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Talk about a conundrum! Your husband, Freddie, disappeared ten years ago, has since been declared dead and through the search for him and just trying to survive, you fell in love with his supportive best friend, Connor, and eventually married him.

Now Freddie has just walked through the door!

The synopsis was more than enough for me to be hooked; I needed to know why Freddie disappeared, why he decided to come back and why now. I felt for Alex, in an impossible position, but when Freddie tells Alex “Don’t trust Connor”, my heart skipped a beat. Freddie and Connor were best friends; both doctors at the local hospital. What was going on?

The truth gradually emerges through intriguing flashbacks and tension filled present day discussions.

I did realise what was going on way before the ending and there were let downs for me in that the plot wasn’t as well thought out as some of this author’s previous books. There were few weak and underwhelming moments and I feel that with such a brilliant premise, this could have been better than it was.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, A. J. McDine and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I started out very intrigued by the plot - I really wanted to find out why her first husband would leave her and their children. I was quite frustrated by Alex, one of the main characters, when she doesn’t pester him for an answer about where he’s been for the past 10 years!
Most of the adult characters are unlikeable and I struggled to empathise even with Alex and Freddie going through a tough stage in their marriage as their thoughts are so negative towards each other. It was very frustrating to read that a doctor’s wife is clearly suffering badly from post natal depression and mental health issues but he won’t intervene or get her any genuine support for this before it gets worse for them both. I could appreciate how realistic the pressures are on the healthcare workers at the hospital and the catastrophic effects that this has on everyone around the staff and their families, both physically and mentally.
I loved reading the interaction between Freddie and Tomas. It was a lovely, heartwarming moment in between the rest of the tragedy of the story. Characters like Tomas and Aileen truly restore your faith in humanity.
I hated Gemma from the start, she is a horrible, calculating woman and I could see the twist coming from her introduction. The way she talks to Alex is so harsh and not a good friend at all.
The chapters are well paced but I just found Alex’s self doubt frustrating and always questioning herself. It was definitely an easy read and there are some tense scenes throughout.

I love a good thriller/mystery and "The Husband Before You" did not disappoint! It kept me hooked right up until the very last page! Wonderfully written and full of just enough twists to be enjoyable. What would you do if your 1st husband came back to haunt your future?