Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read The Dead Husband Cookbook.

This book had me hooked for the first chapter. Thea an editor has one final chance to read a book written by Maria Capello about the disappearance of her late husband, Damien.

Maria doles out the chapters a few pages at a time and Thea feels trapped in the house.

I don’t want to spoil anything but this book had an eeriness and I just couldn’t put it down. Great twists!

I liked it but it didn't quite live up to my own expectations for it. I think it will be a popular release, it just wasn't a new favorite for me.

How do you not pick up this book? *Cringe*

I enjoyed this story and would say it's closer to a 4 star, but not quite. It was creative, captivating and twisty enough. It was a quick read and would be fun to talk about with others who read it.

I love that there are recipes smattered throughout the book relevant to the story. Do you think it was really the dead husband in the recipes?

Fantastic. Such a fun read that kept me guessing at the ending the whole time.

Characters were engaging and full of surprises, but everything felt like it was supported by the text and not just thrown in for shock value.

Will definitely be recommending this to all my thriller/suspense/horror reading friends. .

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

thank you to netgalley for sending me an ARC copy of The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine.

I felt so many emotions while reading/listening to this. From shock, amusement and anger. The dads in this triggered me. But it also left me in shock how many layers there were to everything. The recipes in between everything were so cool. I want to try one or two of those. Having the POV change between Maria and Thea was perfect. The whole story just flowed so well that it was so captivating from start to finish.

I was initially drawn in by the vibrant cover, but the story didn’t deliver what I hoped for. It started off strong, but by about 70% in, I honestly didn’t care how it ended. I know it’s a book about cooking, but the overly detailed recipes sprinkled throughout became more irritating than immersive. It’s a shame, because I really enjoyed this author’s previous book and went in with high expectations, unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

Thea Woods is a working mother trying to raise her daughter, keep her marriage alive, and hold on to her publishing job after a big fiasco. Just when she has lost hope, Thea is personally selected by famous chef Maria Capello to edit her memoir. The catch - Thea must travel to Maria's upstate NY home to read the manuscript. Will Thea discover more than just a memoir?

Danielle Valentine crafts a twisty thriller that keeps readers flipping the pages. Readers will be ravenous through most of the book at the detail given to enticing meals and the step-by-step recipe instructions - until the end, and then, well, you will find out!

Advanced readers' copy provided by Sourcebooks Landmark and Bookmarked. All opinions are my own.

You said:
Please write a NetGalley style review for the Dead Husband CookBook by Danielle Valentine
ChatGPT said:
More book‑review coverage


AP News
Book Review: 'The Dead Husband Cookbook' is a recipe for an exquisite murder mystery
7 days ago
Here’s a NetGalley‑style review of The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine, polished for publisher eyes—complete with plot nuance, style, and a pinch of professional critique.
Review: The Dead Husband Cookbook — Danielle Valentine (Sourcebooks, August 5 2025)
When publisher’s editor Thea Woods is offered a lifeline—or what she thinks is one—to work on a celebrity memoir, she’s pulled into something far darker than she could imagine. The Dead Husband Cookbook, published by Sourcebooks (Landmark) in the U.S. on August 5 2025 with 352 pages
Sourcebooks
+11
Barnes & Noble
+11
Books Bones Buffy
+11
Jessicamap Reviews
, is a wickedly delicious thriller that blends psychological suspense, culinary horror, and domestic drama.
Plot & Structure
Thea’s assignment: to edit the memoir of Maria Capello, revered chef and TV personality who finally breaks her decades‑long silence about her husband’s disappearance. Drawn to Maria’s remote farmhouse, Thea becomes entangled in a macabre mystery—replete with rumors that Maria may have done more than benefit from her husband’s absence; that she may have used it to build an empire—quite literally
Jessicamap Reviews
+3
Barnes & Noble
+3
Amazon
+3
.

Valentine cleverly shifts the narrative between Thea’s experience and excerpts from Maria’s memoir, including fictional recipes with ominous flair. These interludes heighten immersion for some and teeter toward distraction for others—though I found them delightfully unsettling
Amazon
+5
AP News
+5
Books and travelling with Lynn
+5
.

Tone & Themes
The novel revels in horror tropes—isolated farmhouse, rustling steps, whispering voices, animals crying in the night—all crafted to sustain dread while offering moments of dark humor and family drama that feel fresh
AP News
+2
AP News
+2
. The unreliable narration and dual perspectives invite the reader to doubt everything—and everyone.

Strengths

A twisty storyline that unfolds with mounting tension.
Atmospheric and cinematic, ripe for adaptation
viperbooks.co.uk
+11
Books and travelling with Lynn
+11
Books Bones Buffy
+11
.
Sharp, evocative prose that brings the culinary and the horrific into vivid focus.
Considerations
The recipe excerpts, while imaginative, may not land for every reader.
Rapid POV shifts can feel jarring—but this is arguably by design, to keep us off‑balance.
NetGalley Verdict
If your list includes Gone Girl with a dash of The Bear and a sprinkle of gothic culinary terror, this is your read. With its potent blend of suspense, dark family secrets, and foodie obsession, The Dead Husband Cookbook firmly earns its place as a standout adult thriller from Danielle Valentine (also known as Danielle Vega)
Sourcebooks
+11
Barnes & Noble
+11
Sourcebooks
+11
.
Rating: 4 / 5 – Twisted, atmospheric, and utterly consumed me whole.

Please let me know if you'd like to focus this more on marketing assets, ARC front-matter, or comparisons with other gothic culinary thrillers.
You said:
Can you please write it more like a normal review and continue to do so in the future
ChatGPT said:
Got it — I’ll keep all future NetGalley reviews sounding more like a genuine reader’s voice and less like a press release.
Here’s a revised, more natural review for The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine:

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine is one of those books that you start thinking will be a slow simmer and then realize you’re already at a full rolling boil. The premise alone hooked me — a down-on-her-luck editor takes a job helping a famous TV chef finish her memoir, only to find herself at the chef’s isolated farmhouse where rumors swirl that the chef might have murdered her husband. And, just maybe, served him up.
I loved the way the story flips between Thea’s present-day perspective and excerpts from the chef’s memoir, complete with unsettling “recipes” that are just dark enough to make you uneasy. The tension builds beautifully — I could practically hear the creak of the farmhouse floorboards and smell the meals cooking in that kitchen (whether I wanted to or not).

Danielle Valentine knows how to balance dread with intrigue. The setting is claustrophobic, the characters are slippery, and every chapter made me rethink who I could trust. The recipe interludes won’t be for everyone, but I thought they added a creative, creepy flavor to the book.

If you like your thrillers with a side of gothic atmosphere, a sprinkle of dark humor, and a pinch of “wait… did she really just say that?”, this is absolutely worth picking up. I devoured it in two days.

4/5 stars – Deliciously twisted.

Do you want me to also include quick “Read If You Liked” lists with these in the future so they’re ready for NetGalley/Goodreads posting? That could make them pop more for publishers and readers.
You said:
Sure
ChatGPT said:
Perfect — I’ll make sure every future review includes a quick “Read If You Liked” section at the end.
Here’s your updated review for The Dead Husband Cookbook with that added:

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine is one of those books you think will be a slow simmer, and then suddenly it’s a full rolling boil. The premise hooked me instantly. A down on her luck editor takes a job helping a famous TV chef finish her memoir, only to find herself at the chef’s isolated farmhouse where rumors swirl that the chef might have murdered her husband. And, just maybe, served him up.
I loved the way the story flips between Thea’s present-day perspective and excerpts from the chef’s memoir, complete with unsettling “recipes” that are just dark enough to make you uneasy. The tension builds beautifully. I could practically hear the creak of the farmhouse floorboards and smell the meals cooking in that kitchen (whether I wanted to or not).

Danielle Valentine knows how to balance dread with intrigue. The setting is claustrophobic, the characters are slippery, and every chapter made me rethink who I could trust. The recipe interludes won’t be for everyone, but I thought they added a creative, creepy flavor to the book.

If you like your thrillers with a side of gothic atmosphere, a sprinkle of dark humor, and a pinch of “wait… did she really just say that?”, this is absolutely worth picking up. I devoured it in two days.

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Landmark for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

danielle valentine takes the 'secret ingredient' rumor to a whole new level.

this thriller follows thea, who is close to losing her editing job after a scandal, is hired by THE maria capello (think martha stewart level famous) to write her memoir, even including possibly unveiling the truth to what happened to maria's husband, damien, decades prior.. the story continues as thea is forced to follow maria's rules to write this memior: do not tell anyone she is writing this book, and to stay at maria's legendary farmhouse while writing.

the mystery begins to unfold as thea receives chapter by chapter at a time of the manuscript maria has supposedly written about her life. the top secret mission thea has to edit this 'tell-all' could make or break her, not just in her career.

this story adds humor, mystery and suspense, real recipes, unraveling secrets and possibly cannibalism?

This book was a very neutral read for me. Neither blown away or left frustrated. The best part of it was the interspersed recipes that I will be using to cook from.

This one did not go as I expected it to AT ALL. It was nowhere near as dark or snarky as I expected, for one thing. And for another, it felt less like a mysterious series of murderous revelations than an exploration of family and women's, both professional and domestic. I'm not really a fan of the book-within-a-book construct as a means of rolling out information, and found the back-and-forth (as well as the recipes) a bit distracting. I did enjoy the overall tone, but found the decision-making of nearly everyone suspect and, at times, eye-rollingly naive if not downright foolish. It definitely didn't endear me to the characters... That said, it was a quickish read and while some of the revelations felt unsurprising and a bit banal, I did enjoy the ending!

This book had so many twists and turns, I was hardly able to keep up! What starts as a run-of-the-mill story about a successful but secretive chef writing a memoir turned into a generational family drama. I felt the tension throughout this book and had my jaw on the floor several times. Fans of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will enjoy this for the similarities to the family saga in that story and how the editor finds themselves right in the middle of a years long mystery.

Danielle Valentine blends mystery, dark humor, and the culinary world in a unique and compelling way. The shifting narratives keep you guessing, while the recipes woven throughout add an immersive layer to the story. The characters are complex and flawed, making the emotional stakes feel real. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that simmer with tension and deliver satisfying twists, this is a must-read
Posted on Goodreads as well

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a book editor who gets hired to edit a book by an infamous chef who is rumored to have killed her husband. Things quickly get weird and go downhill.

This book did not work for me. I found it so unrealistic. Why would an editor go to stay in someones house in order to edit their book? I feel like there are some ethics there that are not good. I also found the story to drag on so much, the pacing was too slow for this story.

I also found the recipes between the chapters to be so annoying and pointless. There really was no need. The book within a book was not working for me either.

Overall, this book was not for me but I hope others love it.

The Dead Husband Cookbook seems to bank on its readers being here for the drama and the prime-time drama-esque feeling this book seems to evoke in each chapter, even though the book itself never seems to dive beyond waist-deep waters.

Is it fun? Sure, at times. Then I would think that there are so many other choices that the protagonist could be making that would make so much more sense than the ones she’s making right in that moment and the fun would fall flat as a pancake.

There are times when it’s not entirely clear what exactly is going on and certain characters only seem to appear when it’s convenient for the plot, but otherwise it’s a fine read. 3⭐️


I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Psychological Thriller/Suspense Mystery/Women’s Fiction

This book had the potential to be four stars, but, ultimately, fell short for me:

First, I’m not a fan of books that explain away the unexplainable. Presenting a storyline that seems to be setting up some pretty big twists and then towards the end explains them all away and makes each of them make sense is not a selling point for me.

Second, towards the end the plot felt like it was just standing still. It was at this point in the story, that the plot was failing to keep my attention the way it had during the beginning and middle.

Third, the ending felt rushed and too easily resolved. The rest of the story had great pacing, but I was left with a feeling of inadequacy at the way everything was wrapped up so neatly.

With all of that said, this was a solid read. The writing was well done, the characters were well-executed, there is significant commentary on motherhood and marriage, and the mentions of delicious Italian food had me salivating.

More than once, I got chills down my spine and wondered what was actually going on with this family. Every nook and cranny embedded within the illustrious house of Maria Capello holds a secret, and it was impossible to know who was telling the truth.

This book, holy cow. I was pulled in just from the first two chapters and I decided I cousins go to sleep until I finished this book. The Dead Husband Cookbook had me guessing and trying to figure out what truly happened from start to finish. When I thought maybe the house was also haunted I was wrong. When I thought she definitely killed her husband way sooner I was wrong. No matter how hard I tried to figure this out I could not get it, and that made this book so much more than 5 stars. I will be reading more from this author, and I’m a fan for life now.

The Dead Husband‘s Cookbook by Danielle Valentine, I read the Kindle version and listen to the audiobook narrated by Lauren Allman who I thought did a pretty good job. Danielle Valentine has recently became a go to Author for me and I really enjoy her books but this one although I was looking forward to it and it had lots of twists and turns I would have to say it was only OK but in the best way possible. everyone wants to know why such a famous personality with a sought after story would go to an editor who barely survived a recent scandal Theo Baker. famous cook Maria Capello came into her own after her husband Damien went missing, he would later be found a victim of suicide and only then did Maria become famous. thanks to rumors about her and the death of her husband her infamy only grew and now at an elderly age everyone wants to publish her story but the task is given to Theo under strict guidelines. One of those guidelines is that Theo stay at her farm while editing the book and she can only read the contents as it’s given to her by Maria. Theo agrees but has no idea the strange mystery that unbeknownst to her she will soon be a big part of. Not only that but when she arrives she learns Maria son Enzo is dating the woman who caused her horrific scandal in the first place. Put that on top of her strange granddaughter in revelations that are going to shock Theo’s world and some of it has nothing to do with Maria Capello and the story she wants to tell. I was not at all expecting this book to go in the direction it went so to save this book isn’t twisty would be an absolute lie because they’re a twist on top of twist and although I did absolutely enjoyed the book by the time it was over I just felt like it was all too much I mean a lot but I would still recommend it because who doesn’t like a mysterious twisty thriller with revelations that no one can possibly say they saw coming. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #DanielleValentine, #TheDeadHusband’sCookbook,

Felt engrossed the whole time, didn't want to put the book down. Felt a bit disappointed by the ending, like the author was leading us on, only to drop the ball, and then try to revive it in the last few pages. Found the rest of the book well written, the characters well developed.