I devoured this book. The writing is so addictive, I just couldn't put it down!! The characters are really charismatic (and a bit chaotic) and the humor was on point.

Fran is such a badass. I absolutely loved her! Her sarcasm and psychopathy made her a very interesting character. Gareth, however, annoyed me a few times throughout the book. His personality change was a bit rushed in the end but I'm glad he changed and helped Fran get away with it. Overall, I think they make a cute couple. And Mep!! My heart stopped a few times for the poor cat. I loved his grumpy yet affectionate personality.

The words and definitions in German were something I really enjoyed. I think it is these little details that make books different and special. (“‘There’s Sehnsucht, which means like a longing and yearning for something unknown and unsaid.” was my favourite).

Long story short, it's a fast and funny read with interesting characters.

The premise of this book is quite interesting. It’s about a woman who kills and her husband who is a detective. The potential is there, which was what drawn me to it. However, other than the prologue, the pacing of the story seems off to me. I had trouble keeping on going. The humor wasn’t tickling me. And this might be my personal taste but there were also a lot of references that I didn’t understand, so while I knew the author was trying to be funny, it didn't land for me. There were also lot of words spent on the characters’ daily life, which didn’t add a whole lot of depth to me, but dragging the story down.

Overall, it was a great concept and the writing was good as it is descriptive, but the pacing of the story is my main problem, and because of it, I didn’t root for the characters as much as I wanted to considering the quirkiness of the premise.

This is fun in a macabre sort of way. It has been pitched as Dexter meets Schitt's Creek and I don't think I could come up with a better comp.

Fran has just killed her neighbour. Aside from the obvious complications involved in sorting that out, her husband is a police detective, and not too shabby at his job. Endeavoring to get away with the crime without her husband noticing anything amiss results in a not-quite-slapstick dark comedy. Also there's a creaky old cat, subsisting on pure spite.

This is the kind of book that I'll probably forget I read in a couple of weeks, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading nonetheless. I could quibble with some of the character development (I agree with the reviews saying the husband did a not entirely believable 180 on his personality) but it's not a story intended to be anything but silly fluff. I won't hold any inconsistencies against the book when I had such a fun time with it.

Definitely one for fans of the Finlay Donovan books and the Molly the maid series.

3.5/5

When you are a detective investigating murders, and your wife turns out to be a killer, it can lead to more than a few complications arising. This is certainly the case for Gareth as he investigates the death of a neighbour, not realising that every bit of evidence he finds is making it harder for his wife to avoid being found guilty of murder.

When you are a killer and have a detective for a husband, it also presents multiple challenges. Fran may fanaticise about how to kill her next victim but she hasn’t quite worked out what category of killer she fits. In between murders, Fran will do anything to look after her husband and make sure he stays well fed and the work bullies stay away. She also has a brother who is not really her brother to look after, and who plays an important role throughout the book.

This is dark, twisty and funny as well as having multiple layers of complexity. Between fertility issues, foster homes, lies, neglect, death and bullying a lot is going on. There are also some truly nasty people in this book and I don’t mean Fran. There are a few parts in the book where the story was a bit confusing and didn’t hold together as well as I hoped, but this was still enjoyable and I look forward to reading more books by H. J. Garbett.

With thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

My wife, The serial killer by H. J Garbett Is a physiological thriller, it was a great novel with mind-blowing themes that I enjoyed; I always love a serial killer themed novels and I guess this novel delivered all I was looking for.

A woman, she seems like the nicest woman on the outside, but she is a killer, she has a dark secret, and she will do anything to make sure no one finds out about it, but there is only one problem, her husband is a detective, when she makes the mistake of murdering her neighbor, her husband would do anything to find the killer, he is unaware of what his wife is capable of.

She has killed, and she will kill again, but will she stop her husband from uncovering the truth, will she stop him from ruining the perfect life she has planned for herself?

I could go on and on, but I would like not to spoil the novel for many readers, I would rate the book an 8/10 because I enjoyed it so much, and I thought it was great.

3.5 Stars.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t really know what I was expecting going in, but I enjoyed it. I found Gareth and Fran to be such an interesting couple. While I laughed at some parts, there were some heavy themes that also tied well with the story. I will say that there were times where Gareth and Fran’s chemistry wasn’t immediately apparent, but I feel that the author developed their relationship in a way that I ended up appreciating.

Story started off strong. There was a bit of a dip in the middle of the story, I often struggled at some parts to see where things were going, but it picked up again toward the end. Often a little predictable, but I didn’t mind that at all.

An overall solid read, and I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this title!

I loved this book so so so much! Definitely a must read if you like dark humor! The comps were on point, and I’d even say the humor was in the vein of Santa Clarita Diet, but without the zombies. Truly an excellent story. I loved the characters, and the comparison of Fran to Dexter was 100% on point. I rooted for both of them with my whole soul! This book kept me hooked from the very beginning, and when THE THING happened around 60% in, I was actually depressed! I mean how could THAT character let THE THING happen?! But then other things happen and if I say anything it’ll give it all away, but then NEW THINGS HAPPEN and I was on the edge of my seat! Am I being vague enough? I have to be because this book is so good I don’t want to give anything away. Just believe me when I say the characters were absolutely awesome, the pacing is on point, the humor is dark enough it’ll stain your soul, and you’ll leave this book with a new outlook on life. I would love to see this made into a series, or at the very least getting optioned for tv. It’s that good!

Huge thanks to Storm Publishing Group and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

This book was shocking, creative, clever, mysterious and unforgettable. The female lead is a killer and her partner is a detective which resulted in unhinged chaos in the best possible way. Definitely recommend this book for people that enjoy dark humor in their books.

This was my first e-ARC read from NetGalley. Thank you to H.J. Garbett and Storm Publishing for giving me the approval for this one in exchange for an honest review.

Gareth, a detective, and his wife Fran are living their married life together, hoping to have a family. However, their attempts have been unsuccessful, and it seems to be taking a toll on both of them. Gareth is always caught up with work, while Fran is starting to adjust to their new home after their move.

But this move has taken an unexpected turn. Fran has become a neighbour to someone she knows, and not only that, she wants to kill him. Fran’s upbringing was disrupted, and she only has her brother Angus remaining close to her after their loss of her little sister. Fran cannot let the anger go and despite this, she feels compelled to eliminate all three of the ringleaders from St Nicholas Children’s Home.

The situation escalates when the next-door neighbour disappears, and Gareth suspects something sinister is afoot. This leads to an investigation that may even shock Gareth himself.

Overall, this was quite a fast-paced read and a good little crime thriller.

Unhinged, but in a good way. I felt so sorry for Angus, but what he did was heroic. I hope our heroine doesn't kill any more people after that last chapter. Also so glad to see the cops or some of them standing up even if it wasn't exactly in a moral way.

Really enjoyed this book

This book was engaging and different. I loved the dual POV, so we could really see the development in and between Gareth and Fran. It shows how communication goes a long way in a relationship, and it really demonstrates how grey everything in this world is. I was surprised by how quickly Fran became a suspect, and I loved that! It rarely happens in these books so it was quite unexpected.

I really enjoy the flow of the story and the back and forth pov between Fran, the wife (also the serial killer, in case you don't already know!) and Gareth, the husband (surprise, surprise, he's a detective!). They both have their flaws and are very human with their own impulses and purpose, and with dramas that just keep happening, I can't put down the book and had to almost speed through it.

That said, what I don't enjoy as much is the inconsistency (or maybe it's just me?) in the characters. Fran was positioned to be this unapologetic, kinda-psychotic killer, but as the story progress and I learned about why she kills, it was a little lost on me. She's still a psycho but for the most, she requires heavy therapy and lots of help. As for Gareth... idk man, I guess he gotta do what he did for the love of his life, including completely abandoning his morale and core of his being. Yay, love wins...?

I wish the story had progress better instead of just turning out to be so convenient, I want it to be more difficult but it's more of a hehe-haha thing?

Also, for a plot that has been done quite a bit before in other books and dramas, I wish it has a more unexpected twist as well.

Overall, it's a 3.5 - I did really enjoy it but also felt that things were a little convenient (not that convenient, since Fran did suffer for a bit). Also I don't like how things ended up for Angus. :"(

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Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

The concept of a police office slowly realizing that his wife is a serial killer had me hooked BUT the first half of the book felt slow even though there was some humour the characters were very vanilla which made it hard to stay totally invested.
What really let me down was that we knew too much too soon, so there was no building up of suspense and no surprises and the ending wrapped up just as I expected it to.
I give it points for the idea but the delivery just wasn't as sharp.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the Arc.

I mentioned it in my pre-review but Dexter is one of my favorite shows and this gave loose Dexter/Mindf*ck vibes.

I enjoyed this book a lot! Fran was dry, funny, and full of dark humor. Gareth was a bit hit or miss for me as a main character. There were times where I really enjoyed his blissfully oblivious POV chapters and times where I was just like get it together Gareth!!! There were also so many moments where I wanted to shake Fran. AND MEP!!! Can’t forget about ancient old beloved Mep the cat.

I don’t want to give anything away but I did feel like the pacing and some of the information reveal was just a little clunky for my preference. I was hooked for the first 30% and then my interest kinda tapered off as I could guess most of what was coming and it took away some of the mystery. There were also a few plot points or filler side plots that I just didn’t quite jive with but I still flew through this and was heavily entertained the whole time.

Side note, I also really enjoyed the epilogue but almost wish the ending was more solid and the epilogue was a secondary epilogue. (But this is mostly a me problem - open ended endings wreck me.😭 like what happens to one of the other MC’s after all that??)

Overall, My Wife, the Serial Killer is a fast and entertaining read full of wit, dark humor, and chaotic stakes. Thank you so much Storm Publishing for the e-arc! As always, all opinions are my own. 😊

3.75⭐️ Rounded up!

My Wife, The Serial Killer by H.J. Garbett is a gripping and twisty psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the start. The premise is chilling—what if your spouse isn’t who you think they are?—and the story explores that question in a tense and emotionally complex way. I really enjoyed the main character’s inner conflict and the slow unraveling of the truth. Some parts felt slightly drawn out, but overall, the suspense and character depth made it a strong read. A solid 4 stars from me, and I’ll definitely keep an eye out for more from this author.

I wanted to love the story but I didn’t. Both Fran and Gareth read so similar that I often forgot whose POV I was reading. Neither is overly likeable. Very slow read.

I went into My Wife, the Serial Killer with really high hopes. I was expecting relationship drama, dark humour, and some good old fashioned feminine rage, but H.J. Garbett didn't quite deliver in those areas.
When I pick up a book in this genre, I'm usually looking for suspense and tension to keep me on my toes. Unfortunately, this one leans more heavily into domestic themes than thriller territory. It wasn't a bad read (hence the three stars), but it didn't grip me in the way I was hoping. I want to be turning pages with urgency.
That said, the book had a fantastic start. The adrenaline of the first few chapters had me hooked, and I was excited to keep going. But after that initial rush, the story settled into a rhythm of domestic life with a light touch of crime. Gareth's work drama and the ongoing fertility discussions just weren't as engaging for me.
Still, I can appreciate that My Wife, the Serial Killer is a well written debut, it just didn't match my personal taste. I'll definitely keep an eye on H.J. Garbett and look forward to seeing what they write next.

This book was so damn funny! Fran was hilarious she had one liners that would have me cackling out-loud. Now normally I’m not rooting for the killer - but I was with this story. The character was very likable to me. I love how cut throat she was and how she was VERY protective of those that she loved (especially Garth and Angus)

Garth was funny as well in a different way. He loved Fran so so so much and you could tell even when things got rough. Deep down I knew he’d protect her if he ever found out about O’Neill and the truth. But there were times where I was like 👀 - would be?

At the end this book is described as “Dexter meets Schitts Creek” and I would have to agree just British.

5⭐️ read!!

This was such a fun and twisted book and it keeps you rooting for a murderer, which is not usually what you do. I loved that this was dual POV and we got to see all the events take place through both sides. This kept me laughing the entire time I was reading it, and I just kept rooting for our couple to make it out together!
I highly recommend this one if you need a good comedy that has some action and keeps your heart racing!

I absolutely loved this book!!!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the chance to read this book by H J Garbett for my honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I throughly enjoyed their style of writing, the book was so easy to follow and the chapters flowed brilliantly.
I loved the storyline, the characters and the twists and turn (which I did not see coming at all).

I hope this book does amazing on publication day and I wish every success to the author