4.5/5 stars

I absolutely loved this thriller! It’s a true page turner that plays with classic thriller tropes that have their own twists to ultimately create a really unique story. It’s twisty and perfect for thriller and horror fans.

Darkly delicious and wickedly suspenseful, this twisted culinary thriller serves up secrets with a side of dread. As Thea peels back the layers of Maria Capello’s glamorous façade, she discovers a recipe steeped in mystery, family loyalty—and something far more sinister. It’s The Bear meets Yellowjackets with a dash of Get Out—and it’ll leave you hungry for answers.

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine
I want to extend my gratitude to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an ARC of The Dead Husband Cookbook, set to release on August 5, 2025.
From the very first page, this novel hooked me with its intriguing premise and captivating writing. The plot takes a gripping turn in the second half, making it impossible to put down as I became increasingly invested in uncovering the secret ingredient. The multiple POVs enriched the storytelling, offering nuanced perspectives that deepened my understanding of the characters and their motivations.
Valentine skillfully weaves a dark and twisty narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Each character adds layers to the story, and the suspense builds beautifully throughout. Overall, The Dead Husband Cookbook is a well-written, compelling read that I highly recommend to anyone looking for their next literary thrill.

Dinner is ready on August 5th, 2025.

Thea is an editor who is trying to redeem her career after some information was leaked about one of her authors. Just when she is about to get handed a pink slip, a miracle happens. Mysteriously, she got the chance of a lifetime to edit Maria Capello’s “tell all” memoir. Maria Capello is a famous chef with a controversial past. There is much speculation to what the secret ingredient to her meatballs might be. She invites Thea to stay with her, signing an NDA & disconnecting her from her cell phones and the outside world. Maria breadcrumbs chapters to Thea, trying to keep her close. Unexpected and unsettling connections keep popping up. Why did Maria want to work with her while her career was spiraling? Why do people keep disappearing? What is Maria’s motive? Will Thea ever see her family again?

The Dead Husband Cookbook has twists & turns, tying things together in the end in ways I would never expect.

Just when you think it’s predictable, the author tricks you & you’re second guessing your thoughts… maybe you’re right in the end, maybe not.

The book is brilliant on its own, but it also has recipes! Are they any good? No idea, I hate cooking.

I really enjoyed this book! The perfect mix of twisty and dark, it surprised me in places and left me wanting more in others. It was obvious that Maria was the mother of Thea’s husband, but I didn’t quite comprehend how crazy Maria was until the very end! I would definitely recommend this.

I love a dark and twisty book! Danielle Valentine has written such a compelling story that I could vividly see playing out like a movie in my head. The plot had me gripped and I never knew what to expect. I physically could not put this book down, I needed to know how it ended. I also loved the addition of Maria's recipes throughout the book, I think it was such a great touch.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a fun read. I felt completely drawn into Maria Capello’s world—her legacy, her secrets, and the lingering mystery surrounding her late husband’s disappearance. I admired her fierce determination and the way she carefully controlled her narrative, making every revelation feel deliberate and gripping. I connected with Thea’s perspective as well—I felt her excitement, her skepticism, and her growing unease as she uncovered Maria’s story firsthand. I appreciated how the novel slowly unraveled layers of suspense, keeping me invested in the unanswered questions and the eerie charm of Maria’s remote farm. I finished the book feeling both satisfied and haunted. The mix of celebrity intrigue, culinary mastery, and dark mystery made for an addictive read, and I found myself thinking about Maria’s untold secrets long after I turned the last page.

Danielle Valentine consistently has such an interesting way of setting up her work. I loved the cutaways to recipes with quippy titles, and the perspective switches, and the lingering dread at the end of The Dead Husband Cookbook. As a huge fan of The Merciless series and Delicate Condition, I had high hopes going into this book, and it did not disappoint. Some of the twists I guessed, some I didn't, but that didn't take away at all from how much fun I had reading this.

Get ready for a suspenseful, fun, twisty read!
I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting but this gave me a lot more twists than I anticipated and I loved it. There’s slow suspense leading up to a lot of the twists and that kept me on the edge of my seat guessing. This book had many layers of secrets, betrayal, and manipulation and I was here for it!
I loved the characters, especially the main character and felt I could relate to her.
I feel the ending was a bit predictable but there were enough twists and turns that had me double guessing myself multiple times! It was enjoyable getting to the end and I was thoroughly satisfied!
Also, I love the cover and the mixed in dark humor with the names of the recipes. It was a clever addition! I definitely had a chuckle.

Following a scandal that threatened her career, Thea, a book editor, is selected by the infamous chef Maria Capello to edit her upcoming memoir. Hoping that Maria will finally speak on the details surrounding her mysterious late husband’s death in the memoir, Thea quickly gets started on editing. Will Maria finally discuss what happened to her husband? Did she turn her husband into meatballs? What is the ‘secret ingredient’ in every dish? The deeper Thea digs into Maria and her past, the more questions arise.

This book was just okay for me. I enjoyed the recipes woven into the storyline, but I found myself mostly reading just to get to the end so I could move on to something else.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC!

Holy plot twist! I love how you are kept on your toes at every turn, but that ending....mind blown! I also love that you get recipes provided after some of the chapters. I would highly recommend!

Aaaaaaand this just might be my brand new favorite read of 2025. Brilliant, twisted, and dark. This is going to be a hit for sure. Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for this e-ARC copy.

From the very beginning of this book, Danielle Valentine sets an eerie tone. She does a fantastic job at making you feel consistantly uneasy, even when nothing ominous is taking place-- the best type of thriller!
builds such a subtle, yet creepy tension so you aren't really sure if there is something wrong or if the narrator is just a bit too paranoid. It starts slow, but once it gets going, it will keep you guessing. Everything feels just a little off, too many coincidences and convenient disappearances. Up until the very end, you don't know if Maria is really guilty or if she is telling the truth in her memoir. It keeps you guessing throughout the entire book! I felt like I knew what was going to happen at the end, but every time I thought I was figuring it out, something would change and make me doubt myself. I was not sure who I trusted.
I will say the descriptive animal butchering was seriously icky at times, but I think it really adds to the disturbing tone that Valentine is trying to achieve.
This was the first book I have picked up by Danielle Valentine, and I am so so glad I did! I will definitely be reading more books by her in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and the Author for allowing me to access the eARC of this book!

DV does it again! This book expertly combines mystery, suspense, possible cannibalism, family trauma, fame, food, and wit in only the way Danielle Valentine can.

The narration/POV alternates between Thea Woods - a wife, mother, and editor on thin ice with her boss - and Maria Capella - cooking show pop-culture icon often accused of diva behavior and suspected (by the general public) of murdering her husband. Maria's POV alternates between the Maria depicted in the written pages of her memoir (the version of her life story that she allows the public to see), and the present-day Maria with mysterious ulterior motives.

Out of the blue, Maria specifically requests Thea to edit her memoir. Thea, surprised, confused, and eager to restore her reputation, jumps at the opportunity without asking too many questions, in order to make up for a recent error that almost cost her her job. If she can get Maria to write about the night her husband died, it will make her career. One of the quirks of this job is that Maria insists that Thea remain in Maria's home while doing her edits. After moving in for the weekend, Thea quickly realizes that this job is not at all what she believed it to be.

Between chapters, the story was punctuated by themed recipes from the events of Maria's memoir (some I'm dying to try, TBH) with names like: "Empty Safe Deposit Box Duck" which fully made me chortle. The inclusion of the recipes from Maria's life was clearly a nod to her history as an author of cookbooks but in this book, it also served to break up the sections of this book nicely.

This book contains multitudes. There are so many layers of manipulation, secrets, and betrayal. There is also an element of vulnerability in each of these characters that eventually shows itself, making their individual motivations very nuanced and interesting. Every time I thought I saw the twist coming, there was more. I kept second guessing things I thought I already knew, only to discover that maybe I was correct in my assumption the first time. I love books that keep you guessing and this is definitely one of them.

Thank you, Sourcebook Landmarks and NetGalley for the eARC! <3

Semi-disgraced editor Thea Woods thought helping infamous chef Maria Capello write her memoir would be the job of a lifetime. Instead, she’s trapped on a remote farm with a family hiding decades of deadly secrets. But when she starts to unravel them, she realizes too late that some stories are meant to stay buried.

I loved this book! It was sharp, witty, and had so many twists and turns. I loved the recipes in between the chapters, and the different POVs kept me guessing. Featuring a celebrity chef was a fun spin on a trope that I love, and I was sat trying my best to figure everything out with Thea.

What a ride. Absolutely loved this book. Loved the plot twist, didn’t see any of that coming. Loved the mix of recipes in here, as well. Motherhood is exhausting, self sacrificing and this book describes it well. Kudos to the author. I definitely, as a mother of 2 feel seen.

5 out of 5 stars – Twisty, Dark, and Totally Unputdownable!

First, thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an ARC copy of The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine.

The Dead Husband Cookbook (releasing August 5,2025) is a darkly delicious thriller about celebrity chef Maria Capello, famed for her meatballs—and the decades-old mystery of her missing husband. This chilling tale blends murder, motherhood, and the irresistible power of food.

This book is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. I went in expecting a dark domestic mystery, but what I got was so much more—twists I never saw coming, a plot that kept me glued to the pages, and a cast of unreliable characters that made me question everything I thought I knew.

Valentine masterfully balances suspense and wit, crafting a story that’s both chilling and addictive. Every time I thought I had it figured out, she pulled the rug out from under me. The layers of secrets, betrayal, and manipulation were so expertly done, I stayed fully hooked the entire time.

If you love twisty thrillers, unreliable narrators, and a storyline that keeps you guessing until the very end, The Dead Husband Cookbook should be at the top of your TBR. Absolutely loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and the author for an advanced reader copy of this novel.

THE PLOT
Thea is an editor who has found her career on the edge of disaster after making a mistake with a big client. Maria is a celebrity chef who is wanting to write a memoir about her life, and she will only allow Thea to be her editor. Thea sees this as an opportunity to set her career back on the right path, not to mention that she has been a huge fan of Maria’s her entire life. Thea is invited to Maria’s family farm to read her manuscript. Thea is excited for this opportunity; it’s like a dream come true for her. But that dream slowly turns into a nightmare. Cut off from her husband, daughter and boss, Thea feels that something more sinister is at work on the farm and with in Maria’s recipes. Is Maria just a kind, motherly celebrity chef, sharing her amazing recipes or is there something more to her story?

MY THOUGHTS
It was Marcel Proust who is credited as saying “never meet your heroes” and I felt this as soon as I started reading. The build up and suspense of this book is done wonderfully. I found myself thinking one thing and then after reading a few more pages, I would question whether that was what was going on or not. The twists were done well and not over the top. Valentine does a great job of keeping you on the edge of your seat. This is more of a slow burn thriller but that does not stop you from flipping those pages. The characters are interesting, and the development was excellent. The writer really created a believable character in Maria, and you find yourself liking her despite what you read. You can feel the tension and fear of the FMC and the author skillfully employs the thriller genre tropes without relying on clichés which created an engaging reading experience.

This was a lot of fun! I would have loved her cooking show, as I grew up watching Food Network. I could relate to the protagonist. I do think it wrapped up a little too easily.

After reading and loving Delicate Condition, I jumped on the chance to read Valentine's newest work of art. And it was so much more than I expected! The Dead Husband Cookbook was a dark, twisted tale that kept me on the edge of my seat with its unsettling creepiness. I felt every ounce of Thea's fear and discomfort like it was my own. Some moments completely chilled me to the bone. I loved the unreliability of Maria and her book within the book. Not knowing if her words were true or if Thea was being misled created additional suspense and tension to an already engaging storyline. Most of all, I loved the recipe representations and the dark humor that played into them. These mouthwatering foods made me nostalgic for the family dinners that I used to have at my Italian grandmother's house and made me extremely hungry. I wanted to eat everything. But I think I'll pass on these. I wouldn't trust ANYTHING that Maria has to offer. Ha! I loved every minute of this book, and I think that every woman in the world needs to read it. It is well deserving of appreciation. I highly recommend!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!