An entertaining, twisty domestic suspense read. Told in then and now timelines, this was a quick, easy read.
There was an unexpected twist that stretched belief a bit but which added to the story. There was a satisying ending replete with karma which I loved.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow. This story certainly keeps you on your toes trying to guess who is responsible. Everything from lies deceit to murder and blackmailing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I loved how it is every characters voice telling their part of the story. Highly recommend reading. You won’t be able to put it down.

McKinney knows how to captivate her readers. A house full of secrets. The wife is being cared for by Lucy. Emilia’s husband hired Lucy to take care of his wife who is basically in bed with meds. Their son has been missing for years. They also have someone who takes care of their home.
They all have secrets and when they come out you will be hooked. I love all the multiple points of view.
With the title, you know this will be a good one and McKinney delivered. A home filled with secrets that will keep you wondering.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This is a new author to me
The cover is what drew me in - it really is stunning

The book itself is a great read
I devoured it in one sitting and couldn't put it down

Loved it

The Wife’s Silence is a whirlwind of suspense, layered with sharp twists and a storyline that refuses to let go. Amanda McKinney masterfully weaves all the elements a thriller lover craves, tension, intrigue, and revelations that land like jolts of electricity. More than once, I found myself smiling in disbelief at the plot turns, each more unexpected than the last.

At its heart, this is a story of a narcissistic husband and a silenced, abused wife, locked in an emotionally complex, interdependent dynamic. McKinney paints a chilling portrait of manipulation and survival, giving readers a raw and unsettling glimpse into a relationship that echoes far beyond its two central characters. The ripple effects touch everyone around them, making the story feel both intimate and far-reaching.

I was utterly gripped throughout, devouring each chapter with the urgency of someone desperate for answers. And yet when the final page turned, I found myself yearning for more. The ending, while tied up neatly, leaned a touch too close to the familiar. I craved something bolder-perhaps a fiercer revenge or a final twist that would haunt me for days.

Nevertheless, this is a thriller I would recommend without hesitation. It’s the kind of book you start with a casual glance and end up racing through in one breathless sitting. The suspense is relentless, and the emotional undercurrents cut deep. If you’re looking for a read that plays with your mind and your heart, The Wife’s Silence delivers, dramatically!

I really enjoyed this book, a page turner from the word go, the chapters a very short and each one is narrated by a different character’s perspective, fabulous!
My first book by Amanda so far will definitely be looking up more of her work. Thank you for the opportunity to read.

The Wife’s Silence
Amanda McKinney
Storm Publishing
05/23/2025

This book said 'sleep is for the weak' and I listened. This twisted and dark psychological thriller will hold you from beginning to end. It’s been a hot minute since I read a book like this and boy did it hit reset for me. Alternating POV’s and multiple timelines make the pages fly by. Toward the end of the book make sure you pay attention to whose POV you are reading from, but the amount is perfect. The pacing allows for the perfect number of red herrings and unknown’s.

Emilia and Thomas Caine have a tumultuous and abusive marriage. Thomas can trap people in his web and keep there indefinitely. He controls everything. To go against Thomas will only lead to failure. Flash forward to meeting Lucy Greer, a washed up ‘psychic’ looking for work and sees an ad that Thomas Caine listed to care for his disabled wife, Emilia. As soon as Lucy enters the house, she knows things are not as pristine as they seem and the more she looks, the more questions come to light.

Get this, read this and sleep later!

*3.25 stars*

The Wife's Silence started off really strong — the kind of opening that pulls you in and makes you think you're about to dive into a gripping psychological thriller. I was hooked at first, ready for twists, secrets, and that page-turning mystery that keeps you up at night.

But as the story went on, I found myself… less invested. There wasn’t a central mystery that I was dying to know the answer to, and that made the second half of the book drag a bit. When the ending came, it felt a little too neat — wrapped up with a bow instead of delivering the kind of unsettling or surprising payoff I was hoping for.

Thomas, one of the key characters, was especially confusing. His motives were hard to follow, and honestly, I couldn’t figure out what he was really about. Some plot threads felt either underdeveloped or missing altogether, which left me with more questions than answers (and not in a good way).

Overall, it’s a decent read — the writing is solid and there are moments of tension — but I would’ve liked more mystery, more thrills, and more depth. A good book, just not a great one for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me the ARC.

I fell in love with Amanda’s writing after reading one of her Mad Women series books. I have read all her thrillers, and each one has served as further proof that this lady can write, and that I should keep stalking her new releases forever and ever and always. And this book was no exception.
Also, I kind of dislike it that I have to bring this up here, but excuse me while I still do it. This book made me realize something quite unexpected. When did Verity become a household name? Moreover, when did Verity become a genre in its own right? It’s weird and confusing, mostly because Verity is one of the most poorly written yet extremely popular books I have read, and while there are more than just a handful of books with a very similar storyline and tropes, Verity is the one that always comes up. So, this book starts with what I’d call extreme Verity vibes. A disabled wife, locked inside her own body, a handsome husband, a creepy house, and a woman is hired to help the wife… yup. It’s all there. And then, it all goes uphill from there. Uphill as opposed to going downhill, because isn’t that what usually happens when something is being compared to something else, right? Because it’s like Verity on steroids, it’s so much more twisty, so much more darker, so much more weirder. And, yes, it’s so much more well-written. So much more well-told. And the twists are so much better, too.
So, this is what you get for writing a Verity vibe. You get compared to it. And my verdict is in: this one wins. This one is better. A lot better.


The book’s pub date is set to the end of May. So, it’s coming soon. If Verity trope is one you love, it’s time to add this one to your TBR. Thank me later.

The Wife’s Silence pulled me in from the first page with its eerie atmosphere and sense of quiet dread. As Lucy, I felt every bit of her desperation and guilt, and stepping into the Caine household was like entering a beautiful but rotting mansion—elegant on the outside, but filled with dark corners and whispered secrets.

Thomas is charming in that calculated way that makes you constantly question his motives. Emilia, though mute, was the most powerful character on the page. The way she communicates without words is haunting and honestly gave me chills more than once. The mystery surrounding their son’s disappearance is slowly and expertly unraveled, with each new revelation upping the stakes.

That said, while I was gripped all the way through, the ending felt... just a little too clean. After all the messy emotion, trauma, and mind games, I expected a bit more ambiguity, or at least a final gut-punch. Instead, things wrapped up a bit too perfectly, like tying a ribbon around a storm.

Still, this was a fantastic read—tense, emotional, and deeply unsettling in the best way. If you like your thrillers with a slow burn and a whisper of gothic, definitely add this one to your list.

McKinney crafted a fast-paced, twisted thriller! Lucy Greer, looking for solace from unemployment and living in her Tahoe, accepts a job as an in-home caretaker for the wife of the famed Blade Smith, Thomas Caine. Lucy knows as well as anyone that everyone has a story and manipulation can drive people over the edge. This was a solid 4-star read for me! It was fast-paced, which I appreciated, and I enjoy multiple POV chapters— it keeps me turning the pages. The twist came out of left field for me (no hints leading up and looking back, I can’t pinpoint anything where I can say ‘oh, well that makes sense now’), but that being said, I did not see it coming, which is always appreciated. This was my first Amanda McKinney read, and I’m looking forward to more!
.
The Wife’s Silence will release on May 22, 2025. Major thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC

A thrilling drama just as expected, we ,I liked how the author created the toxic, mentally abusing husband, such a realistic character.
The wife was weak and fragile and the son had a lot of issues, his changing of character and denying his identity was a prove of that.
A interesting book to delve through, but the ending was so perfect, the * happy ending" cliche in all stories.
Overall, it is a story worth reading.

The Wife’s Silence by Amanda McKinney is a psychological thriller filled with suspense and unexpected twists. The story follows Lucy Greer, who becomes a live-in caregiver for Emilia Caine, the silent wife of a wealthy entrepreneur. As Lucy delves deeper into the family’s secrets, she uncovers a web of deception tied to the mysterious disappearance of their teenage son.
The book has a fast-paced and gripping storyline, with an abundance of twists that will keep readers engaged. It offers plenty of action and suspense, with intense characters and a good old mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free advance copy of the book to preview. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed The Wife's Silence. The pacing was good, and the shifting 1st person narration, which can sometimes feel gimmicky, actually felt like it served a purpose. The twist was surprising but also well set up.

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could nor put the book down once I began reading it. I cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy read with some shocking twists. I didn’t guess the ending but it definitely gave me Verity vibes.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for the book in return for an honest review.
Lucy Greer is at the end of her rope. Desperate to pick up the broken pieces of her life—and atone for past mistakes—she finds herself on the doorstep of successful entrepreneur, Thomas Caine, who has hired her to care for his ailing wife. But beneath the polished surface, something is terribly wrong.
This is an exciting and gripping psychological thriller that I couldn't put down with some brilliant and very clever twists.
I enjoyed the author's pacing as she takes us between the past and present to read how the story unfolds with some shocking revelations.
It's been a while since I've read such an intriguing plot and absolutely devoured this book.
The twist regarding Lucy is extremely clever and I'm looking forward to the author's next release.
Kerry Kennedy Author

An incredible read that takes the reader on a fast paced journey. Imagine the perfect husband and lifestyle untill his mask falls off to show their narcissistic side. Emilia is the dotting wife who loves her husband but how far is she really prepared to go. The chapters take us through the different main characters their perception and emotion. Lots of twists and turns and alot of things i didnt see coming. This book although its fiction does reflect on the challenges that people face in life and in a marriage. I literally couldn't put this down i was hooked from the very first chapter ! This will fly off the shelves when its made available. thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

The plot was fine, I guess, but every single character was a total stereotype without any realistic or empathetic aspects - they were straight out of a terrible soap opera. Also their interactions with each other felt awkward and forced, and everyone’s motivation seemed to flip around throughout the book. One character is seen as jealous, then sympathetic, then a crazy murderer, then a troubled victim, then a blackmailer, and finally a compassionate and supportive ally? And a few chapters in the middle are written from the perspective of a character that we have already been shown to be a horrible abuser, but their chapters seem to be trying to show them in an empathetic manner? Were we supposed to suddenly connect with them? But then the story went back to how awful they are and we never had any conclusion to that?

The writing was just bad. Clunky, meaningless statements that seem like they’re taken from motivational posters or greeting cards. Maybe this was AI, who knows. The dialogue was so awkward - one character says "Professionalism isn't about hiding who you are. It's about bringing your whole self to the table. That's what makes people stand out.” I mean, I’m not in the high finance world so maybe they do talk to each other like that, but I have my doubts.

Finally I have no idea what book all the blurbs and summaries are talking about, but this story didn’t match up to them at all. What secret? Who is being destroyed? What was supposed to “keep [me] guessing until the final pages”? There was no “mystery” here - everything is pretty obvious by the first few chapters. At which point I probably should have stopped reading, but, here we are. This book is garbage.

This read here is a ten 🌟 read !!! Because I did not see that spin coming it too me out I was not expecting that I really hated Thomas he was a hot mess and very unlikable and I love that Emilia was able to get her life back and her some came back it was such a great read I will recommend to everyone