loved this book with real recipes and the mystery surrounding her husband. she is invited to work on the memoir of a chef and she has questions about what really happened . There are rumors of eating people. .

Maria Capello is a celebrity chef with it all—bestselling cookbooks, a successful restaurant, and her own TV show. Despite her glamorous life, Maria carries the heavy burden of heartbreak: years ago, her husband Damien vanished without a trace during a lavish party at their family farm. His disappearance was eventually ruled a suicide, but questions still linger.

Enter Thea Woods, a struggling book editor whose career nearly imploded after a major mistake. So when she’s suddenly handpicked to work on Maria’s highly anticipated memoir, she sees it as her chance at redemption.

This book delivered the perfect blend of suspense and character development. I especially loved the format—having a book within a book, with chapters from Maria’s memoir woven into the narrative, added a unique and immersive layer.

A solid 3.5 stars, rounded up for creativity and atmosphere.

I thought this book was a quick, fun, read! There was one twist that I didn’t see coming and that I thought made the story come together.

Overall, this was a decent book! I wish we would have had some more gruesome cannibalism moments, but I think if you’re dipping your toes into cannibalism in books this would be a good start. Nothing too graphic.

Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for the ARC!

The last thriller I read that I couldn’t put down was The Writing Retreat, and The Dead Husband Cookbook gave me a similar experience. Funny and bittersweet, I love how multimedia is incorporated into this book and how we’re being told a story within a story and forced to question our perceptions–whether that’s around domesticity, women, or fame.

The star of this book for me was definitely Maria Capello, the famous chef who may (according to some conspiracists) have made her husband into her famous meatballs. While Thea was serviceable as a protagonist, Maria’s portrayal as a Martha Stewart-esque celebrity chef who sells cozy home cooking and a certain lifestyle was so compelling to me that it overshadowed Thea. There are some interesting parallels between the two as well, but I would read a whole other book just from Maria’s perspective.

Another thing I want to applaud this book for is living up to its promise. I don’t fully want to get into it because of spoilers, but I was worried that the twist(s) wouldn’t quite land. They definitely did though and I was so glad that Valentine wasn’t afraid to pull punches.

Overall, The Dead Husband Cookbook is a fun ride with some social commentary about motherhood and why women are undervalued professionally when it comes to the domestic labor they’re expected to perform.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This review will be published on my blog (clearsummers.wordpress.com) and Goodreads on July 22, 2025.

ty netgalley for an early copy of this ARC. this one was fun! it was a bit of a murder mystery/family dynamics play that i really enjoyed. the only thing that i had some trouble with was the writing style. also unsure if the recipe chapters really did add anything, but fit the plot of the book at least. overall i did enjoy it!

Recipes, a mystery, family secrets, lots of twists and turns makes for an entertaining mystery. The story hooked me from the very beginning and if you love all things on the Food Network this would be a fun read for you!

If you've read Danielle Valentine's novel Delicate Condition, you know that this author has a yen for the dark side and a gift for writing female characters that are never quite what they seem. These things are in full display in this latest work. I loved this novel. It is dark, suspenseful, full of twists and turns and incredibly cinematic. I could see this story playing out just as clearly as if I was watching it on television, and I found it impossible to put down. A thrilling mix of horror and suspense! I found the scenes involving Hank the butcher especially disturbing. The author turned many of the scenes involving animals into an almost visceral experience. The twists are plentiful and through it all I found the characters to be so riveting. This is an enthusiastic recommend for any reader with a fondness for suspense horror.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine is a fantastic and entertaining read that hooks you from the start. The story follows Thea, a book editor who’s at the end of her rope, struggling to balance being the perfect wife, mother, and career woman—everything her own mother wasn't during her childhood. The problem? Everything is falling apart, and she blames herself. When she’s given the opportunity to edit the memoir of her personal idol, celebrity chef Maria Capello, Thea can’t say no—even though Maria has some outlandish stipulations, like having to spend the weekend in Maria’s secluded family home with no cell phone or internet access. Maria, who taught Thea how to cook and provided more comfort through her TV show and cookbooks than Thea’s own mother ever did, is now at the center of a dark mystery. Long suspected of murdering her celebrity chef husband and using the tragedy of his suicide to catapult herself to fame, Maria has never told her side of the story—until now. As Thea dives into the memoir, she begins to wonder: Did Maria really kill her husband and turn him into meatballs, or is Thea simply unraveling under the pressure of motherhood and isolation?

I devoured this book in two days! Danielle Valentine masterfully weaves Thea’s point of view with Maria’s memoir and family recipes, creating an immersive experience. I was surprisingly captivated by the recipes themselves, constantly searching for hidden clues and wondering what they might taste like if I tried them. The tension in this book is palpable—there were moments when my skin was crawling, and Thea’s growing paranoia, coupled with the eerie atmosphere of Maria’s family home, kept me on the edge of my seat. It was often difficult to tell what was real and what was part of Thea’s mental unraveling. There were moments that made me squirm in discomfort, but in the best way.

While I had my suspicions about the mystery, it was still beautifully crafted. I found myself holding my breath as the story built toward its dark conclusion, and when the book concluded, I felt deeply satisfied. What I didn’t expect was the lasting reflection on the themes of motherhood and family. The novel’s exploration of the sacrifices women make in motherhood, and the complex dynamics of family, stayed with me long after I finished reading.

I can’t recommend this book enough. If you're looking for a gripping read with a lot to unpack, this is it—especially if you’re searching for a great book club pick. There's so much to discuss, and the recipes alone will make you want to cook your way through the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Dead Husband Cookbook imagines if Martha Stewart and Ina Garten were mixed up into one super famous, super beloved cooking personality who had a murky past that may just emerge in an upcoming memoir. Maria is our chef who has had a world famous cooking empire for decades following the believed suicide of her (at the time) more famous chef husband. she is writing a very secretive memoir that may shed light on his disappearance and insists that Thea is her editor. The whole thing seems shady from the start, between Thea’s recent fall from grace in publishing and the secrecy around the memoir requiring her to to go to Maria’s home, the Farm, to read and edit it.

What happens on the Farm is a slow eking out of the chapters and the mystery around Maria’s husband’s disappearance. Something isn’t quite right but what that turns out to be is a bit a of a triple take for the reader which is masterfully done. The story isn’t a ‘take your hand and walk you down the path’ tale but the way it’s written keeps the mystery open and is very satisfying. Bonuses for the recipes that are included (as part of the memoir). If anyone tries them and they’re as good as they sound, let me know!

Holy spaghetti and meatballs! I thought I knew where this book was headed, but I was mostly incorrect. I may avoid any food that has a secret ingredient in the future. IYKYK.
Thea is an editor who made a bad choice and is now this close to losing her job. Until the world-famous chef and cookbook author, Maria Capello enters her life. She chooses this small publishing house for her latest book, a memoir. One condition, though. Thea must be the editor and must come to Maria’s home. She will not be allowed to leave with any of the chapters, nor can she tell anyone, including her husband whose book she is editing. Thea doesn’t like it, but what choice does she have. Maybe the truth about Maria’s husband’s disappearance will finally be revealed. Then again, maybe not.
Cassandra, her boss is now between a meatball and a sausage. She cannot fire Thea, but she does not trust her either. Why exactly won’t Maria work with anyone else? All will be revealed and perhaps Maria’s secret ingredient too.
Told by Thea in the present and through chapters from Maria’s manuscript detailing how she met and fell in love with her husband. I would have gone hungry before I put this down. It seems that the marriage between Maria and Damien wasn’t quite as perfect as she has let the world believe.
There is something off at the Capello house. First Thea grows suspicious of what Maria did to her husband. Then she finds herself trapped in Maria’s house, afraid for her life. Why exactly did Maria choose Thea? It’s quite a story. My favorite parts were the chapters from Maria’s manuscript. Of course, how much of it is true? All will be revealed. There is so much more I’d like to say, but I think I’d be spilling the gravy. I’ll just leave it at…... that last chapter…😮 4.5 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫/5

Woah did this book keep me on the edge of my seat. I was in the biggest rush to get through this book and find out if world famous chef Maria Capello did kill her husband decades ago or if it was all a rumor.

If you love mystery/thrillers, insane plot twists or if you’re a fan of books like the silent patient this one is for you. The characters have so many secrets to unravel and this book will keep you guessing all the way to the last page! I wish I was able to finish this in one sitting because every single time I finished a chapter I was craving more. I read one of the biggest plot twists and had to go back to work from lunch and legit could not stop thinking about what I had just read and how I NEEDED more.

I can see this being a top seller and being huge on TikTok and on Bookstagram so I’m so excited to talk more about this when it comes out. I can’t say a ton without spoiling what’s inside this one but this should be one of everyone’s most anticipated reads this year and this should definitely be your sign to go preorder if you haven’t already!

Thank you to the author @daniellevalentinebooks and sourcebooks @bookmarked for this incredible read. I cannot wait to see what else Danielle Valentine writes next because she’s definitely a new instant buy author for me!

Thank you Netgalley & SourceBooks Landmark for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest Review!!

Title- The Dead Husbands Cookbook Cookbook
Author- Danielle Valentine
Publication Date- August 5, 2025
Pages- 352
Genre- General Fiction (Adult) / Woman’s Fiction/ Thriller/ Mystery/ Suspense
Goodreads Rating- 4.27
My Rating- 5⭐️

A Unique and Captivating Read – A Five-Star Delight!

The Dead Husbands Cookbook by Danielle Valentine is an absolute gem of a book that defies genre expectations in the most delightful way. From the moment I picked it up, I was hooked by its clever mix of suspense, dark humor, and culinary intrigue. Valentine masterfully combines a quirky premise with a thrilling narrative that keeps you turning the pages late into the night.

The story follows a woman grappling with the death of her husband, who also happens to be a talented chef. As she embarks on a mysterious journey of grief, vengeance, and self-discovery, the author weaves in delicious recipes that carry more than just culinary significance — they become deeply symbolic of the protagonist’s evolving emotions.

Valentine's writing is sharp, witty, and brimming with emotional depth, making it easy to both laugh and gasp in equal measure. Each chapter feels like a well-seasoned dish — complex, satisfying, and with unexpected twists that keep you on your toes. The infusion of love, loss, and food is truly unique, and the book seamlessly blends these elements into a deliciously dark and fascinating narrative.

If you're a fan of mysteries, dark humor, and stories that leave you thinking long after you've finished, this is the book for you. The Dead Husbands Cookbook is a must-read that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Bravo, Danielle Valentine, for crafting such a wonderfully original and engaging story!

Good lord everybody let me just say you gonna wanna read this one!!!! Coming August 5,2025! This books got ALL the twists!!! From murder and meatballs, to infidelity and twisted familial ties. I did not request this book, however I received an email with this one along with two others and I am beyond greatful I did! This was a five star read for me without a doubt! Steady pacing and build up, relatable characters, and a hell of a plot line!!! Thank you @netgalley for this opportunity to read this!!! @daniellevalentinebooks amazing read

I knew when I saw the title of this book that I HAD to read it! I knew I was going to love it and I was correct!! Hahaha this was fun, and fresh, and different from books I've read before. I think even though I have read it here I'm still going to buy a physical copy to keep on my shelf.

Second cannibal book of the month... or is it actually a cannibal book? You’ll have to read it to see. This was a fun book, and I did find it incredibly bingable. The author did a nice job of adding atmosphere and potential creep you out moments to make you on edge. I do want to caution you though that this definitely is more domestic thriller than it is a horror novel like “A Certain Hunger”...

Some “If you liked” style comparisons: I COULDN’T stop thinking about how much this reminded me of Verity, except without the gross, weird sex stuff. Editor goes to the house and can only read small snippets at a time of a tea-filled memoir... something just doesn’t feel quite right... a sense of growing dread... The set up of this one is so much better done and it will help you suspend disbelief. If you liked Verity, I think this book could certainly be up your alley.

This book was a true page-turner, holding my attention from start to finish. The incorporation of recipes added a charming element to the narrative. The unexpected twists and turns were masterfully woven throughout the story, keeping me in suspense. My predictions regarding the outcome were entirely inaccurate. What steps would you take to ensure your family's secret stays a secret?

‘Maybe it sounds like an overreaction to kill a man because of a few recipes. But you have to understand, they were very, very good recipes.’

This was a fun and twisty thriller, where you think you know how it ends until you actually get to the end. Filled with twists I absolutely didn’t see coming, I had a blast reading this book - meatballs (but from where?) and all.

We follow a disgraced editor as she is given the opportunity of a lifetime - editing the personal memoir of famous celebrity chef Maria Capello. With a television show, cookbooks, and personal sauces, she’s a name everyone knows - just like Martha Sterwart. The only issue? Her husband mysteriously died one night before she became famous and everyone thinks she killed and ate him. Now, she’s planning on addressing the rumors once and for all - and she’ll only speak to Thea Woods. Alone. At her remote farm. Without any access to her cell phone or the internet.

Filled with tension, mystery - and a deadbeat husband at the heart of it all - we get into the mind of Maria Capello to discover what really happened that night her husband died. Did she kill him, or did he really commit suicide like his note implies? And just what, exactly, is in her locked freezer in her house and what is her ‘secret ingredient’ she uses for everything? I went into this book expecting to know the answer to a lot of these questions, but it wasn’t until the end that the mystery was well and truly solved. Maria Capello is a woman of many faces - one to her audience on her television show, one towards her business life, and one that is truly herself. But until the end, we’ll never know just which one is speaking to us, or what will happen next. Truly an exciting ride and one I’d recommend taking.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this e-ARC.

Rounding up to 5 stars, marked 4.5 on Fable. The family drama in this book!! What an eerie, but also fun read! I’m not one to guess the twists and turns, so I was so pleasantly surprised with how this whole thing wrapped up.

Thea, a book editor coming off of a scandal, was hired specifically by culinary genius Maria Capello to edit her secret, upcoming memoir. This project could very much so change Thea’s life and only catch is that Thea has to be in Maria’s farm house, without outside contact, to edit her book. Maria has always had some mysteries surrounding her that she had never addressed, until now. Thea has no idea what she has gotten herself into.

This was such a fast, fun read. I couldn’t put it down. Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC!

Disgraced editor Thea gets the chance of a lifetime when she is handpicked by celebrity, tv personality, chef, author, and super mom, Maria Capello, a woman she's looked up to since she was a child. There's got to be one heck of a catch, though, as Maria has ditched her previous publisher to take a chance on struggling Thea for a tell all memoir. It's easy to envision Maria in either of her kitchens, chilling to think how honed her cousin Hank keeps his cleaver, curious how so many people have wolf eyes and razor sharp canines, disturbing (devastating for those with animal loving hearts) how gruesome some of the slaughterhouse scenes are, and exciting to follow people and tiny trails to figure out the mystery of it all. There are rumors that Maria killed her husband, and everybody's dying to know what her secret ingredient is. Lucky for us, she has plans to let everybody know, after telling us just how much she loves her family.
This book draws you in right away, and while there were a few spelling or grammar errors in my e-ARC, they were few and far between, didn't take away from the reading experience. The atmosphere and pacing worked in tandem to add to the unsettling feeling that continuously builds for Thea the longer she's at the farm. I enjoyed the prose, the characters, the story. And while I enjoyed Maria's recipes for her book, clever girl, they did take me out of the headspace for the rest of the story. It's genius for her to include a recipe to match each chapter, to prove to the world she was more than a great chef's wife, more than a mother, more than a woman copying recipes that had to be Damien's. It's methodical and calculated and I love that extra detail describing the absolute finesse of this mastermind. The only other thing that kept this from being five stars was the predictability of the questions involved. While I was happy to have not deduced each of the mysteries in this book, others were so obvious they were hardly tantalizing (Maria loves to leave her fans salivating!). There's maybe one too many pieces for this puzzle that just seemed a dash too much. Other details, though, I loved reading about (histories, backstories). Is Maria somebody you should look up to? Well, that just depends on your family dynamic.
Really, this story is about one woman's incredible patience to write one hell of a love story. Just maybe not the one you expect.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the e-ARC!

This was a very cleverly written thriller/cookbook that I couldn't put down. I was hooked from the first page and the drama kept me going. Crossing my fingers for a sequel!