Title: The Wives of Hawthorne Lane
Author: Stephanie DeCarolis
Publisher: Random Publishing Group – Ballantine - Bantam
Genre: Domestic Suspense
Pub Date: September 16, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars!
Pages: 336

Setting:
Awww beautiful tree -line Hawthorne Lane, with the perfect place, stately homes, in an upscale suburban town and is the envy of many.
However, we soon learn through ‘The wives’ on the street that things are not what they seem.

The Wives:
 Georgina Pembrook is married to Colin, a lawyer and they have two teenagers, fifteen year old Christina and seventeen year old Sebastian. Georgina is a high profile publishing executive who everyone loves. She is the organizer of THE Halloween bash. And enjoys her social status!
 Audrey Warrington is thirty-four years old and married to Seth the author of the Detective Marlow series. Seth is totally wrapped up in promotions etc. Audrey an executive with a large publishing firm and has always put her career first. Now things aren’t great with their marriage. So she is seeing someone who wants more of her time.
 Libby Corbin currently is separated from her husband Bill. She is having a hard time with the separation as well as dealing with Lucas their teenager son.
When she finds Bill’s phone she cannot resist checking his messages. - Sure enough several from a woman.
Now she just might be on the verge of a breakdown!
 Hannah Wilson is a newlywed. She is twenty-six and husband Mark is thirty-eight and they just move to Hawthorne Lane. She has a secret she is keeping form Mark. Every Halloween the residents of Hawthorne Lane host their famous Fall Festival- an enormous trick-or-treat block party attended by the entire town.
This year, something terrible happens. The four wives become prime suspects in a murder investigation!
Story introduces us to the four main characters and also Maggie Tucker and her husband Dean. Who is abusive.

The story actually starts with Halloween so we know someone died.

The story goes deeply into each of the main characters’ lives.
We wonder not only whodunit but also who.
Gets so involved obvious many could be our ‘whodunit’.

Story had me glued. A page turner that had me guessing and guessing.
Author Stephanie DeCarolis tells us this story was very difficult to write – in fact; she stopped and put it on the back burner.
She said she hope that the ending of the story lead readers to s discussion. Also states she hopes she did it justice.

I applaud her as this was great!
Additionally I liked the discussion questions.
Also love with author take on tough topic they also include resources – which she does!

About the Author~ Stephanie is the USA Today bestselling author of The Guilty Husband and Deadly Little Lies. A graduate of Binghamton University and St. John's University School of Law, she currently lives in New York with her husband, their two daughters, and their very spoiled cat.


Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine- Bantam for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 16, 2025.

Who would want to live in their dream home on a street with women who in the exterior seem great but underneath are truly falling apart?
It takes a tragedy of events to unravel the street….to bring these women together and have them understand how by working together you can heal and help not only yourself but those you love.

I have to give five stars to this, yet another, great book from Stephanie DeCarolis. I really didn't know what to expect after reading the book summary. Essentially here are four women living on a high end suburban street, somewhat aware of each other's lives yet unaware of their deeper connections. And, it's Halloween and someone has been murdered. This book is very complex and delves into some powerful themes. I truly enjoyed how the author wove this tale.

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

“The Wives of Hawthorne Lane” was a super suspenseful and twisty read for me. It grabbed me from the very first page and never let go. I genuinely could not put it down. The story is centered around a seemingly picture-perfect cul-de-sac and its equally polished inhabitants who all harbor their fair share of secrets. This book was smart, intense, and kept me guessing as to where things were going to go with all of the secrets that the wives have. Every time I thought I had something figured out; the story veered in a direction I never saw coming. The chapters are told in different points of view - including a few giving past stories to help with the present-day storyline, so they’re on the short side, which helped me zip through this book. The characters are well developed, with some being very likeable and others downright deranged. The ending was explosive and so perfect it gave me chills. I’ve never read from this author prior, but will have to see what else she has in her backlist. If you love psychological thrillers by Liv Constantine and Mary Kubica, you will most likely love this book too. Thanks to Stephanie DeCarolis, Netgalley and Ballantine & Bantam for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

4.5 stars rounded up. A twist I didn’t see coming. TW: domestic abuse.

Initially, the story seems like one that’s been told so many times before. Wealthy folks that seem perfect living in perfect homes on a perfect street.

However, pretty quickly we begin to see the cracks in the facade and those cracks begin to grow larger. In some cases the entire thing begins to crumble until the big twist that was really good and it helped shift the plot in a whole new direction. I loved the ending and the unexpected way these women banded together.

Advanced reader copy provided by Ballantine and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane is a juicy, fast-paced read that feels like Desperate Housewives with a darker edge (note: it does include domestic violence). The women’s lives are deeply intertwined, and you’re never quite sure what secrets lurk beneath the surface. I devoured it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. The twist was well executed, expected something, but it still managed to surprise me. Overall, I really enjoyed this dark, twisty murder mystery set in an upscale suburb.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 Stars. Four envied wives are living in spacious, stately homes situated on Hawthorne Lane. There is the perfectionist in everything, the career driven beauty, the wife who is holding it all together, not well and finally the newcomer who can’t sleep for her dark secret has her roaming the house at night. Until one Halloween night when all their secrets come to light and someone dies.
This was a book that quickly garnered my interest. It was fast paced and tense, moving from house to house with superb characters, as the secrets played out. I especially liked that the author didn’t let us know who was dead until almost the end, which for me kept up the suspense.
Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine Bantam Books for the gifted copy without remuneration. The comments expressed in this review are my personal opinion.

e Wives Of Hawthorn Lane by Stephanie Decarolis, if Hawthorne Lane was a kingdom Georgiana and Colin would rain as King and Queen they have the perfect family but little dude the other residents know that it’s all a façade. Audrey lives with and loves her husband Seth and Author who has been depressed due to recently going through a life-changing career event that left her feeling lonely and cause Audrey to turn to another man. Lily is going through a divorce with her ex Bill and although she doesn’t want to she soon tries to look towards the future especially after learning what Bill has been up to since living alone. The newest neighbor is Hannah who lives with husband Mark and she loves him very much but something from her past is trying to make its way to Hawthorne Lane something she desperately doesn’t want to happen. Throughout the book we learned about the Halloween block party the Georgiana is planning although it’s three months away she is looking for volunteers. Every now and then we get a POV of a 911 collar, a witness and other statements surrounding something that happens the night of it. we also get a POV from Maggie a nanny for a rich family but her boyfriend Dean has a bone to pick with everyone who’s made decisions that have them sitting pretty unlike him who’s addicted to drugs deals drugs beats Maggie and isn’t a nice guy at all and he wants her to rob the people she works for something she absolutely doesn’t want to do but soon thanks to a careless mistake she feels as if she has no choice until she does. keep in mind this is just what the adults are up to… Soon all POV‘s will meet in the end and the ending is something I couldn’t have guessed and also couldn’t have loved more. Talk about women supporting women female rage sisterhood I just loved it all. I really wanted to see what happened to Georgiana but still loved the beginning middle and ending no dragging here. There was so much more I wanted to say but didn’t want to ruin the book because this is a superduper awesome thriller that I absolutely loved.

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane was one of my favorite books in a while!!!! I loved the Desperate Housewives vibe of the book and how it followed the women of Hawthorne Lane through their very different, privileged lives; while also adding in all the suspense I craved!! Hawthorne Lane was full of deliciously unlikeable characters and a plot that had me hooked from the beginning. I did not want this book to end and would really like to hear more about all of these women in a sequel. I’d rate this book higher than five stars!! Thank you to Stephanie DeCarolis, Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to publishing.

Love the different POVs. Reading this in the end of August really sets the scene for the setting. Twists that I didn’t see coming. I truly did not see the ending coming. Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie DeCarolis and Bantam for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It’s one of the best mystery thrillers I’ve read all year. It’s about a picturesque neighborhood or so you think until murder and the house of cards falls apart. 5 giant stars….loved it.

4.5/5


If you’re hunting for one of the best fall thrillers for your spooky season TBR, look no further than The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis. This domestic suspense novel follows four neighbors whose seemingly picture perfect lives unravel when a shocking murder rocks their street. But here’s the twist: the victim’s identity isn’t revealed until the very end, keeping readers turning pages late into the night.

While the first few chapters introduce a lot of moving pieces, once you get to know the cast, the suspense and secrets pull you in quickly. Between the atmospheric fall setting, the layers of neighborhood drama, and the sharp twists, this thriller feels tailor made for spooky season reading lists.

With a chilling mood, unpredictable reveals, and a satisfying ending, The Wives of Hawthorne Lane is a standout among domestic thrillers with neighborhood secrets. Fans of twisty dramas like Big Little Lies will devour it. Just note a trigger warning for abuse. Add this one to your autumn reading recommendations—it’s a page turner that proves why suburban secrets make the best thrillers.

THE WIVES OF HAWTHORNE LANE was thrilling! The neighbors were all goofy and unreliable. I didn't know who was telling the truth the entire time. I really tried guessing correctly but I utterly failed at the end. Everyone got what they deserved. I did enjoy this. It was so entertaining!


Many thanks for my gifted copy. This review will shared to @coffee.break.book.reviews closer to pub date.

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis was my first read by this author, and it’s a gripping domestic suspense novel that peels back the polished veneer of suburban life to reveal the secrets simmering beneath. Set in a picturesque upstate New York neighborhood, the story centers around four women—Georgina, Audrey, Libby, and newcomer Hannah whose lives intersect in unexpected ways after a murder rocks their annual Halloween Fall Festival. What begins as a festive community gathering quickly turns into a crime scene, and each woman becomes a suspect in a case that exposes long-buried truths.

The characters are richly drawn and emotionally complex. Georgina, the controlling queen bee of the neighborhood, hides a volatile marriage behind her perfect facade. Audrey, a glamorous magazine editor, is entangled in an affair that threatens her reputation. Libby is quietly unraveling after a recent divorce, trying to hold her family together. And Hannah, newly arrived and eager to start fresh, is haunted by a past she hoped to leave behind. As the investigation unfolds, these women form uneasy alliances, each guarding secrets that could destroy them. Their interactions are laced with tension, vulnerability, and the kind of quiet desperation that makes every scene feel charged.

The ending delivers a satisfying twist: the identity of the victim and the killer are revealed in a way that recontextualizes everything that came before. DeCarolis doesn’t just resolve the mystery she forces each character to confront the consequences of their choices, leaving readers with a sense of emotional closure and lingering unease. The Wives of Hawthorne Lane is a compelling exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the masks we wear to survive. As a first-time reader of DeCarolis, I found her storytelling sharp, layered, and deeply engaging I’ll definitely be reaching for her earlier work.

I love a thriller that catches your attention from the very beginning. Right from start you know that someone died and it was on Halloween, but that’s about it. Then you learn more about the people that lives on Hawthorne lane and start to wonder what exactly happened. The story is told from multiple perspectives, going back and forth in time.

This book is the perfect blend of domestic drama and psychological thriller. I loved experiencing the story from the point of view of all of the wives. It was a fantastic read that hooked me from the beginning and kept me guessing until the end. This is a must-read!

What a wild ride! After a long reading slump, I couldn’t put this book down. All of the characters were well written, and the plot was perfect. The secrets poured out and the twists kept coming. This was an excellent story!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Told from multiple perspectives of the affluent women of Hawthorne Lane.

DeCarolis did a great job of slowing revealing the day to day lives of each character, the sordid underbelly of their families, and made some surprising connections throughout.

Made for a fun read.

This was an excellent thriller! You will especially love this book if you are a married woman, a mother, or just a fan of anything Real Housewife related.

This story follows the lives of four women who live on Hawthorne Lane. Each of the women are dealing with marital issues, children, and secrets. On the outside some of their lives look perfect but unfortunately just like in real life that is not the case. On Halloween someone is murdered so the entire book you are trying to figure out who died and who did it. The story flashes back so that you get the full background on the women as you try and figure out what could have happened. Trying to figure out who was murdered and by who was interesting but I really cared more about all the drama behind the scenes.

What makes this book excellent are the characters and of course the twists. The women are characters that you truly care about and want to come out on top. This is the kind of book that will have you looking at your own neighbors differently and questioning whether anyone truly knows what goes on behind closed doors. It's a perfect blend of psychological thriller and domestic drama that will keep you reading.

Thank you to Bantam Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a great suspenseful thriller! Think desperate housewives set at halloween in New England with murder. 👀 say less! The drama the secrets the twist you won’t see coming! Things arnt as perfect as you might think on Hawthorne Lane! A fall must read!