The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine is a darkly atmospheric thriller that blends celebrity culture, family secrets, and a touch of horror.

The story centers on Maria Capello, a famous chef whose rise to culinary stardom began after the mysterious disappearance of her husband, Damien, decades ago. Rumors have long swirled that Maria may have murdered him—and that her most famous recipe contains a disturbingly personal “secret ingredient.”

It’s a slow-burning, suspenseful tale that explores ambition, motherhood, and the cost of fame—with a macabre twist that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC!

This is a highly entertaining and dark novel of Maria, a larger than life chef, (imagine Ina Garten) with a sinister past. Told from the point of view of Thea, an editor who's been hired to oversee her memoir. Thea arrives at Maria's farmhouse and immediately things seem off. As she is reading the pages of Maria's memoirs, it becomes clear that the story, the family and the house are more twisted than anyone knew.

This was a fun twisty mystery. I enjoyed Maria's manuscript and the recipes. There were a few points where the timeline got confusing and maybe a few too many red herrings. But overall, a super amusing read!

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

“My late husband, Damien Capello, always said that a good recipe is like family: It’s always hiding something."

"Don’t overmix your meatballs. Think of it like a burger; the meat should still be meat. To this point, do not mix using a blender. As for the choice of meat, well. I’ll leave that up to you."

The Dead Husband Cookbook, by twisty tongue in cheek renowned author Danielle Valentine, is an uproarious suspenseful tale filled with red herrings, tasty recipes depending on your own personal ingredients, and a shocking reveal that was never a thought in my head.

No one is more surprised than, just about to be fired, junior editor Thea, when famed culinary icon Maria Capello chooses her to edit her long awaited memoir, The Secret Ingredient. For 20 years the public has wanted the truth of the night Maria's celebrity chef husband Damien disappeared without a trace. Maria has always said he went into the river of his own accord leaving a note. Others maintain it was murder. Maria has an airtight alibi but has never discussed the details of that night until now.

Voice actress Lauryn Allman is remarkable as Thea and Maria alternate chapters telling their own stories. We experience a young Maria falling in love with Damien until success changes everything. We panic with Thea when, staying at Maria's home, she realizes she's being cut off from the outside world, starting with the WiFi being shut off.

Then there's the real recipes disbursed throughout, with hilarious titles like, "Tell Your Cheating Husband You’re Pregnant Veal." With a hint that maybe all evidence of Damien has been cooked away, The Dead Husband Cookbook is a delicious slow simmer to start and ends with a boiling pot of shock and awe. It's a satisfying "just dessert" conclusion.

I received free copies of this book/audiobook from Sourcebooks Landmark and Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

The ambiguity in the relationship between Maria and Thea reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I enjoy watching characters become comfortable with their darker sides, and I felt the writing did a good job of capturing the eeriness of it all.

I'm curious to try some of the recipes featured in the story, and even though I might have exceeded my quota for “madwoman-with-cannibalistic-tendencies” stories this year, this one was worth the indulgence.

This book was fun, entertaining and suspenseful. I enjoyed the character development and the pace. The addition of recipes throughout was a great surprise. I would recommend this book and will probably pick up a physical copy for my shelf.

This book was so GOOD! Very unique thriller that was hard to put down.
I enjoyed everything about this story and how it got me guessing all the way to the end. Final twist was jaw dropping. It was also a clever idea to add recipes throughout the book, I kind of want to try some of them...

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow this was definitely a unique read!
Thea our FMC made a huge mistake in her career. However when an iconic celebrity chef ask her to edit her manuscript, Thea is taken off guard. Surely there is a more significant reason why Maria Capello would want Thea to be in charge of the manuscript.
However, once Thea takes on the job she realizes there are a lot more demands that are making her job nearly impossible.
Thea starts to get suspicious over the circumstances that surround Maria’s late husband.
She begins to investigate all while secrets are being revealed.

This book was a wild ride, that also made me hungry. I will say the initial big plot twist was predictable. It was the plot twist that kind of had everything in the end come together and I had guessed it.

But overall this was a fast paced read, with an ending that I enjoyed. I definitely recommend.

Twisty, Dark, Thrilling, and such a Page-Turner! “I've included the recipe in the back of my new book. You're welcome to try making them yourself. but they won't taste the same”

This was so great. There was mystery, intrigue, suspicious death, butchers that make everyone uneasy, family secrets, celebrity rumors, possible cannibalism, and so much more. I don't want to say more for fear of ruining it for someone! I would recommend this one to anyone and everyone that likes mystery/thrillers/horror.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me access to this ARC

First of all, before you pick this up, just know that it's going to make you hungry. Not just because of the recipes but also all the descriptions of the Italian food throughout. Unfortunately, I am not the best cook in that department so I had to settle for some basic homemade lasagna!

Our FMC, Thea, is in a bad place at the beginning of the book - she works in publishing and she's pretty sure she's about to get fired. I do not feel she's a super memorable character overall but I related her financial struggles and her family ones. She gets this amazing opportunity to edit a memoir for one of her favorite celebrity chefs growing up - Maria Capello. My favorite thing about this book is that, going into it I knew it was shelved under mystery/thriller, but I feel there were enough unique elements to make it shine and stand apart from a lot of other novels within this genre. From the moment Thea comes to work for Maria she starts to notice strange things both about the farm and about her family.

The main plot centers around whether Maria killed her husband Damien thirty years ago and Thea needs to get that questioned finally answered in the new book. I appreciated the snippets we got of it explaining Maria's past and slowly building up to answers. I did predict the twist at the end but honestly it was almost right before it was revealed so it didn't matter to me so much. And there is the other matter of the "secret ingredient" ...

I enjoyed Valentine's debut back when it first came out (How to Survive Your Murder) and I believe that one was young adult. I will definitely be coming back to her work in the future.

Thea is a married down on her luck editor damaged by a her role in a political controversy when her childhood idle offer her an opportunity to write her memoir
The storyline was solid but most importantly different. I enjoyed it mainly because I liked both main characters Thea and Maria I think they played well off each other. and I liked how the author weaved social and psychological horror into the storyline. Solid book

What does it say about me that I loved Maria from the beginning?

Finally!! My first 5 ⭐️ read in what feels like forever! I went into this book blind not having read the premise and I am so glad I did! This book surprised me in all the best ways! Listen at first I was a little bored but once she gets to Maria's house, I COULD NOT put it down!

I absolutely loved the way the story was told from different perspectives and were able to see both women's POV. The recipes in between the chapters were a nice touch and the recipe names gave me a laugh.

Just when I thought the story was wrapped up, and I was going to be left with a few unanswered plotholes, I read the last lit bit of the book and it wrapped everything up perfectly! So you have to read it all because it's not over when you think it's over!

I also ended up listening to a little bit of the audiobook narration and it is superb if that is the way you choose to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this digital advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

From the very first chapter, the blend of biting humor, sharp social commentary, and sinister tension hooked me completely. Valentine balances suspense and satire in such a brilliant way; the story feels both entertaining and unsettling, like a guilty pleasure you can’t put down.

The unique concept paired with her signature wit makes this book stand out in the thriller space. Every page is layered with intrigue, scandal, and just the right amount of wicked fun—it’s the kind of book you can devour in one sitting. Fans of her previous work will love it, but it’s also a perfect entry point for new readers looking for a bold, original twist on domestic suspense.

This one is going to get people talking, and I can’t wait to recommend it. It’s sharp, fearless, and absolutely unforgettable—proof that Danielle Valentine is one of the most exciting voices in modern thrillers.

Danielle Valentine’s The Dead Husband Cookbook is a wickedly satisfying thriller about family, loyalty, and the delicious art of serving up justice. When infamous chef Maria Capello finally agrees to tell her side of the story about her missing husband, young writer Thea Woods is drawn into a secluded world where loyalty is everything—and the cost of betrayal is steep.

Darkly funny and tense, this is a perfect pick for fans of A Certain Hunger and for anyone who enjoys watching women serve bad men exactly what they deserve. Read my full review at https://writeontheworld.wordpress.com/2025/08/15/the-dead-husband-cookbook-is-a-wickedly-satisfying-feast-of-justice/

An advance reader copy of this book (ARC) was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a classic case of mystery and psychological thrill. An editor is taking on the memoir of a well known cook book author but it is SUPER under wraps involving NDAs and a secluded farm in upstate New York. The entire book is making you wonder who did it and what actually happened?! Is Maria Capello actually a cannibal??

I did guess one of the first twists pretty early on but I read a lot of thrillers and became sus 🤨 lol but the ending was very good and I could picture this book being made into a movie!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ohhh this one was deliciously twisted. 🔪🍷
I was SO curious about how this was going to play out and honestly wondered if it could keep my attention the whole way through… but it totally did. Loved the vibe. Highly recommend.

So here’s the setup 👀 — Thea Woods is an editor on the verge of losing her job when she gets offered a project from the infamous celebrity chef Maria Capello… whose husband disappeared under super suspicious circumstances years ago. The job? Edit Maria’s new memoir-slash-cookbook. But once Thea arrives at Maria’s remote farmhouse, things start to get… unsettling. Between the eerie recipes, the darkly funny memoir entries, and the not-so-subtle danger hanging in the air, I could not stop turning the pages.

If you like your thrillers with a side of creepy domestic secrets and a dash of dark humor, this is your book. 🍝✨

I went into this expecting cannibalism - but while there are some insinuations and hints at the concept, it really is more like a seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo style book. A writer is sent to a creepy estate where she needs to help a famous chef/cookbook writer piece together her memoir.

It's suspenseful, a true slow burn, and has some darker gothic type elements to keep you intrigued. You get quite a bit of history through the memoir pages and you definitely will be wondering who is lying. I feel like I was manipulated throughout the whole book. Twisty twisty towards the end.

Overall quite delicious. I had fun with the audio and listened at 2.2x because the narrator was really engaging and I could power through.

Thanks to the publishers for the review copy!

The Dead Husband Cookbook by @daniellevalentinebooks was amazing! Chef and TV Personality, Maria Capello, hired Thea to edit her new book that tells the story of her relationship with her late husband, Damien. I loved getting to read about a relatable work relationship. Well, it was relatable to me, at least. I also loved that we get to experience more real relationship struggles and interactions between all of the characters in this books. I loved the ending. I loved every second of this book. It was great, and I can’t wait to read more of Danielle’s books!

I wanted to like this book really badly. I felt like there were too many internal inconsistencies in the protagonist (talks constantly about needing to call her boss or her husband and we establish very early on that there is a landline available to her; is very respectful of her subject but also tries to stab her in the back by seeming to desperately want to talk to Amy at all times, etc) which made it hard to believe. Also, I could have done without the recipes. They break up the text and don't really add any colour to the story.

*4.5

Mysterious, intriguing, and strangely appetizing, The Dead Husband Cookbook is miles ahead of the average domestic mystery/thriller. From the very first chapters, it’s clear Valentine isn’t just telling a story—she’s serving up something sharp, stylish, and layered.

I especially loved the dynamic between Thea and Maria, which gave me The Devil Wears Prada vibes. Their push-and-pull relationship kept the tension simmering, and it added an extra layer of delicious drama to the central mystery. The structure of the novel was also a standout. The incorporation of actual recipes and excerpts from Martha’s book wasn’t just clever, it became a highly inventive way to advance the plot.

The book doesn’t shy away from strong themes surrounding the challenges of motherhood and marriage—topics I'm not a fan of reading about—but I appreciated that the commentary was insightful, nuanced, and unflinchingly honest about the realities of those roles.

While a reveal about three-quarters of the way through was a little underwhelming, the ending was absolutely fantastic and almost made me forget the lackluster reveal. Almost.

The Dead Husband Cookbook is a well-written, well-constructed, and thoroughly engrossing read that somehow left me both gagged and hungry at the same time.

This was so unique. I loved the atmosphere and kept second guessing myself as to what I thought actually happened. I did not guess correctly. The recipes that were sprinkled through the book were a great touch. I definitely recommend this book.