This book was incredible. The twists and turns just kept coming. I really don’t see Lucy being the lost son after all and coming undercover to the parents house. For the mom to take out both was a shocker. This book was everything I like in a book

I thought that this book was just okay. It was for me just kind of run of the mill. Nothing really special in my opinion.

This book had all the makings of a good, if not particularly original story but from almost the first few chapters most people who, like me, regularly read psychological thrillers could have predicted the rest of the book. The characters are not even two dimensional and the style of writing would suit a child. The plot is practically non existent and Ms McKinney could benefit from a Thesaurus. I’ve upgraded from a one star because there was one plot twist that surprised me.

EXCERPT: Mrs. Caine is nothing like I expected. The woman is shockingly beautiful. A natural beauty, fit for the cover of Vogue magazine. Her skin is porcelain with barely any wrinkles for a woman of her age. A delicate heart-shaped face is framed by a chin length bob of beautiful white hair. The hair is so white that, for a split second, I think I'm seeing her aura - an ability I haven't had for some time now. The biggest surprise, however, is the pair of big blue eyes that find mine instantly.

ABOUT 'THE WIFE'S SILENCE': She sits motionless in the corner, white-blonde hair framing her face like a halo, one finger tapping an endless rhythm on the leather armrest. 'This is Lucy,' Thomas says, gesturing to me. 'She's going to take care of you.' The tapping suddenly stops. Like a ballerina on a spindle, her head twists to meet my gaze, and her lips part into a silent scream.

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.

It all began when the Caines' teenage son vanished years ago. The housekeeper has theories, the ex-wife has secrets. But Emilia, now trapped in her silent prison, knows the darkest truth of all. Now, with Lucy's help, the carefully constructed lies within this beautiful home are about to shatter.

MY THOUGHTS: The Wife's Silence is a quick and easy read, but I didn't find it particularly thrilling. I usually love a good narcissistic, manipulative character, but Thomas just didn't do it for me. He didn't come across as either realistic or well developed either. If someone doing what he is doing hired a new person to care for his wife, realistically I think he would have been keeping a much closer eye on them than what he does.

To be quite honest, none of the characters were very realistic or well developed. I connected with none of them. I wasn't shocked nor excited by any of the developments or 'twists'. I flipped the virtual pages, got to the end and thought, 'Oh, okay.'

I didn't dislike this read, but neither did I find much to recommend it. I have enjoyed this author's books in the past, but The Wife's Silence just didn't measure up.

One thing that really irritated me though, and publisher - please take note of this - The quote contained in the publicity blurb doesn't actually appear in the book.

⭐⭐.5

#TheWifesSilence #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Set in small, Southern towns, Amanda’s books are page-turning murder mysteries peppered with steamy romance. She lives in Arkansas with her handsome husband, two beautiful boys, and three obnoxious dogs.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Wife's Silence by Amanda McKinney for review. All opinions expressed in his review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Wife’s Silence
Amanda McKinney
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Amanda does it again. This one had me hooked immediately. I had to know what was going on! The twist was totally surprising. I loved the multiple narrators and dual timelines. Amanda crafted a thriller perfection in this novel- look for it May 23rd!! Plan your day to not put this one down! 📖

the way this book had me invested. a perfect blend of twist, deceit, drama and a literal WTF moment! i absolutely did not expect that twist and i had to go back and reread to make sure my brain wasn’t playing tricks on me 🤣

the wife’s silence was so good and engaging from the beginning. the best fast-paced popcorn thriller ive read this year and the drama vibes were on point!

also a hea in a thriller? who would’ve known how much i love that! amanda mckinney is a new fav thriller author of mine!

thank you to the pulse, storm publishing & amanda mckinney for an advanced reader copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you @stormbooks_co and @amandamckinneyauthor for my complementary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: When Lucy Geer is hired as a live-in caretaker and companion to Emilia Caine, the wife of affluent bladesmith Thomas Caine, she quickly realizes that all is not as it seems. As she navigates the complexities of her new role, Lucy becomes fiercely protective of Emilia, uncovering deeper layers of intrigue and hidden tensions within the Caine household.

MY THOUGHTS: When I started this book, I thought it would mirror another well-known story where a female caretaker moves into the home of a handsome, wealthy man to care for his bedridden wife. But boy, was I WRONG! This fast-paced narrative takes a twist that I never saw coming. The story unfolds through dual then/now timelines and the alternating perspectives of Lucy and Emilia, with Thomas’s viewpoint revealed closer to the end. At just 274 pages, this tale offers a quick read with a satisfying blend of suspense and emotional depth that will keep you turning the pages. This one is highly recommended by my friends
@thrillerbookloversthepulse.

Lucy takes on a job to be an aide to a bedridden woman, Amelia, who has suffered a stroke and is not really aware of her surroundings. Her husband, Thomas, is a renowned designer and etcher of artistic swords and knives and they live in a large house in the middle of nowhere. Lucy can read auras but claims that the ability comes and goes, but that's how she formerly made a living. Also in the household is Consuelo, a housekeeper, who works an irregular schedule.

The story is told from several points of view and at different times. The household has been through multiple rounds of trauma over the years. Thomas has mostly withdrawn to his studio and works anytime, around the clock.

The reader is left to determine what is going on in this strange household. There are multiple twists in the story that make this psychological drama quite interesting. It's well written I thought the reader is drawn further into the story, but it isn't scary.

I have both the e-book and the audio book. The narrator does a great job with accents and voices. I recommend this book.

📖❤️‍🔥BOOK TOUR - THRILLER BOOK LOVERS THE PULSE❤️‍🔥📖
OUT NOW!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Hey there, fellow book lovers 📖. Ready for your next obsession? Our spring has been filled with excellent thrillers, thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse! "The Wife's Silence" is our latest, and it just hit shelves!!

This thriller is like a gripping mash-up of "Verity" and "The Silent Patient," strolling through a deliciously eerie gothic mansion dripping with secrets.🤫

Lucy Greer has hit rock bottom when she takes on the daunting job of caring for Emilia, the silent wife of the brooding artist Thomas Caine. The Caine estate is as dramatic as it sounds—grand, eerie, and riddled with unsettling whispers and shadows lurking around every corner.

As Lucy discovers more family secrets, she uncovers a web of lies as twisted as a plot in a soap opera: a missing son and a household hanging by a thread. Drama alert! 🎭

Amanda McKinney masterfully unravels the story through multiple perspectives, one of my favorites! The short chapters are like potato chips--you can't have just one! Just when you think you have it figured out, another twist hits you like a bolt of lightning!⚡

Thank you to the author for this gifted eARC. An extra thanks to Storm Publishing for sending so many excellent ARCs my way lately! All opinions are my own.

The Wife's Silence
by Amanda McKinney
Pub Date: May 23 2025

The Wife's Silence is one of the best books I've read this year, an unputdownable thriller! An extremely dark domestic psychological thriller about deception and vengeance, the mask we wear to hide the truth. A fast pace page turner that had me hooked from the first page until the shocking ending. I was truly hooked on this story! My first book by author Amanda McKinney and I am sure to read many more of her books.

Synopsis: 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.

It all began when the Caines' teenage son vanished years ago. The housekeeper has theories, the ex-wife has secrets. But Emilia, now trapped in her silent prison, knows the darkest truth of all. Now, with Lucy's help, the carefully constructed lies within this beautiful home are about to shatter.

Many thanks to #TheWifesSilence #NetGalley and #StormPublishing #AmandaMcKinney for providing me an E-ARC of this fabulous 5 star book!

Thank you Netgalley, Amanda McKinney and Storm Publishing for the audio Arc of The Wife's Silence.


Having read a few of Amanda's books, I have come to like both her writing style and the structure of her psychological thrillers. The Wife's Silence is a great medium paced domestic thriller from multi POVs. We have Lucy, a hired home help to look after Thomas' Wife who has suffered a stoke. Thomas' character comes cross very quickly so you will get a strong sense of who he is. Lucy and Thomas' Wife Emilia gets built along the way with a due timeline. This makes for a page turner as the narrative unfolds and a few direction choices come to mind. I loved her subtle foreshadowing and the twists within the story.

Elise Roth narrates this book and her voice is wonderful to listen to ( Published by Dreamscape Media )

4.25 stars for Storygraph, 4 Stars for other review sites

Yet another incredible book by Amanda McKinney. She never ceases to amaze me with her twisted plots, hair raising writing, and the ending that surprises the reader every time. The ending in this story was a bit calmer than other books she's written, but this book still freaked me out. Loved it!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book

I really enjoyed this book! The chapters were short, the plot was easy to follow, and the twists/surprises (for me) actually left me surprised. I will definitely check out more of Amanda’s writing!

This book conflicted me.
The first 60% seemed to be there to lull you into a false sense of security. And for me it wasn't in the normal good way.
By the time the twists started appearing, I had almost given up, which is a crying shame, as they made the book.
So if you're feeling like me please give the book a chance as I promise it is worth it in the end, and nothing is as it seems.

The Wife's Silence by Amanda McKinney is an unputdownable and compelling thriller full of manipulation, secrets, and twists that will keep you up way too late reading!!

Lucy Greer is desperate to move on from her past. So when she is approached by Thomas Caine offering her a live-in caregiver position for his wife Emilia, she easily accepts. Emilia has had a massive stroke and Lucy's job is to do whatever Emilia needs done. But rather quickly, Lucy begins to see that things in this beautiful house are not at all what they look like. When Lucy learns of the disappearance of the Caine's teenaged son, she suspects that Emilia knows the truth..

This was such a good, fast paced thriller! It does discuss some topics that are sensitive such as: coercive control, manipulation, gaslighting, and infidelity, so just be aware and protect your peace! I was completely engaged with the plot and the narrative was easy to follow. The characters are well developed and I love how the characters all have their own personality and voice. The sense of foreboding throughout was well done and I loved the short punchy chapters that kept me on edge and had me frantically flipping pages! One criticism I have is that you do need to suspend your beliefs a bit but it is well worth it! If you love Freida McFadden, B.A Paris and Daniel Hurst definitely give The Wife's Silence a shot!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda McKinney, and Storm Publishing for this ARC!! Publication date is May 23rd 2025.

The layered suspense, and the promise of revealed secrets, had me glued to the page. The mystery behind Emilia’s silence is so intriguing, and I loved her POV in the past. Lucy’s POV in the present was also entertaining with her being hired by the husband, Thomas, as Emilia’s caregiver. I don’t want to give too much away but fans of popcorn thrillers will love this one.

This was such a good book! From the start this book really grabbed ahold of me and kept me invested. The storyline, the plot, and the twists all made my mind work over time as I tried to think of what could be coming. The betrayal and the suspense, the secrets being kept, and the reveals towards the end blew me away. I am so glad I read this, it's totally worth the time.

A damaged relationship becomes even worse after the baby's arrival, domestic abuse is routine although for those outside of that home their life seems perfect until the baby, now a teenager vanishes. The couple's life disintegrates and he continues to be the "lord" of the house making her always more submissive than before till she has a nervous breakdown and he starts to give her drugs so she stays subdued in her room. When Lucy is hired things start to change, she really cares for the lady she was hired to take care of and she'll do everything in her power to help her. The end of the story is somewhat expected when characters come clean about who they are and what they have done in the past but the story is entertaining and well-written.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is a fantastic dark psychological thriller. I couldn’t stop reading! The intense, intriguing plot was so compelling and well written. It’s a story full of vengeance, deception, secrets, drama and suspense. It’s an incredible roller coaster ride of twists and turns. Well done

This is a dark & twisted psychological thriller with some turns I didn’t see coming. With deception, revenge, & all the qualities I love in a thriller, The Wife’s Silence is a stunning new novel!