When your life has hit rock bottom, you really shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, especially if that horse promises to turn everything around. Thea is given the chance of a lifetime to edit the memoir of a beloved celebrity chef, but this opportunity comes with a lot of unknowns. What is going on, exactly? And what will this memoir reveal? Thanks to Serpent's Tail and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of the things thrillers and crime/detective novels can be very good at is to sharpen your critical reading skills. Admittedly not every thriller novel does so, or does it well, but I think the genre as a whole nonetheless sharpens your awareness regarding who is telling you what. This is why, I think, many thrillers switch back and forth between different POVs, allowing you to see a problem from different angles, to consider the different personalities at play and what they bring to the table. In the current climate I think developing the skill to question a narrative is extra important. It is not that diverging versions of a single event can't be true. In fact, that is quite often the case because we all see things in different ways, even if we witness the same thing. It is what gets highlighted in different versions, which details are important and which are ignored, how we tell what happened and to whom, all of this is relevant and important to look out for. In The Dead Husband Cookbook, we are dealing with the publishing industry, with a main character who is an editor and so is trained to look out for a voice, for details, for consistency, and for readability. Is the best story also the one that is most true? And can the editor herself properly differentiate between the story written and the truth? While The Dead Husband Cookbook isn't necessarily revolutionary in how it approaches this, it is a fun element of the story which I enjoy.

Thea Woods made a massive mistake while editing her last book and this mistake has haunted her every since. On the edge of being fired, Thea is amazed when the Maria Capello requests her as the editor for her memoir. Maria Capello is a household name, a beloved celebrity chef, who managed to reach unprecedented levels of fame after the disappearance of her husband, Damien. Rumours about her husband's death have followed Maria for decades and it seems that now she is willing to reveal all in a memoir, but only if Thea is the one to edit the book under some rather special circumstances. And so, Thea finds herself at Maria's farm, without her cellphone and without internet access, reading a chapter at the time while surrounded by Maria's rather odd family. As Maria's memoir unspools, so does Thea's grip on what is going on. What really happened to Damien? What is happening right now? And can she risk finding the answers to these questions, if her life and career are on the line? I did quite like Thea as a main character because she is clearly on the edge already when the novel starts. Her life is in shambles and she is willing to do (almost) everything to get it all back on track, so it makes sense she goes along with Maria's odd demands. Valentine works in Thea's background throughout the novel, so that by the end you have a kind of understanding as to why she does what she does. Maria is also an intriguing character and having the little snippets of her memoir to contrast against Thea's impression of her is quite fun. The surrounding characters are a little flat, but have the necessary background to make them serviceable to the plot.

This is my first book by Danielle Valentine and she definitely brought all the necessary twists and turns to the table. One thing that worked really well was the switching from Thea's perspective to Maria's memoir chapters. The switch in tone was subtle, but worked to make you feel you were reading someone else's words. One thing that didn't really work for me, however, was the pacing and the way time passed. I was never entirely sure how much time had passed exactly, as in, how much time Thea had spent at Maria's farm. There was one moment specifically where someone referred to something happening that morning and in my mind that had happened at the very least the previous day. Maybe this was uncareful reading on my part, but there was too much happening for one day. This is an issue I have generally with thrillers though, that the action gets ramped up to the point that there aren't enough hours in the day. However, this uncertainty regarding time did also feed nicely into Thea's growing paranoia, so perhaps it is on purpose. Also, this thriller is definitely going where you think it is, based on the cover and blurb, but how we get there contains an extra twist or two which means it remains a fun read. The recipes, which are worked in to Maria's memoir, also worked well here, because they served a purpose for the plot, and the general food descriptions will make you hungry, despite feeling in your bones where this is going.

I had good fun with The Dead Husband Cookbook and it definitely made me hungry. Despite having some issues and not being necessarily surprised by its elements, I can definitely recommend this book to those looking for a fun ride and those without squeamish stomachs.

An intriguing premise told well, with a good, creepy build up in tension.

The split between present day and chapters of the memoir, including recipes. made the book an engaging read.

Netgalley ARC.

This book was delicious!

Yes, pun intended haha. In a good way, by the way! For context, I was in major reading slump for the last couple weeks due to occurring depression episode and at first, I couldn't handle my frustration of the builds up of this book since the book didn't tickle my curiosity. However, when it got into the interesting part where the mysteries started to unveil themselves (about 20 percent in), boy was I immediately hooked and I couldn't stop myself from reading until the book finished.

I follow Danielle on Tik Tok and her videos always intrigued me. I feel like, it repays off when her book was as good as her videos are. The story-crafting she talked about, all of them I can feel from this book and can tell that Danielle knows how she's talking about and what she's doing.

The book itself is great. I like the characterizations of Thea. The puzzle pieces were delivered scattered but precise and was assembled in really satisfying way until the end of the book. Thea herself was a flawed character and her stumble upon stumble on her life, both personal and professional, was really realistic and I can feel her struggle. Also, this book brought up female-rage into another level. Personally, I love it a lot! I identify myself as a feminist and every time I read something related to women's struggle in community compared to men, there's something in me curious how it's done. This book exceeded my expectation.

On side notes, I unfortunately felt like there were some unrealistic parts about this book that make me don't gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Maria, for instance. I feel like, I want to know more about her. We were given a couple of chapter from her perspective, but I found it not quite satisfied my questions about her. The build up about her character wasn't enough for me to feel satiated for the story. I really wish she's crazier than I thought she would and... she didn't lol.

Otherwise, this book was a good reading experience for me. It was a good palate cleanser and I can't wait for Danielle's next book.

Thank you NetGalley and for the e-ARC!

My rating: 4,5/5 stars

4.75 ⭐

Literally had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
You may think to yourself that you know where this book is going, but believe me, you will be pleasantly surprised. I sure was.

i loved everything about this.
It was so different to any of the similar books I've read in the same genre. The way the book is formatted is so nice and easy to digest.

If you need a good thriller, I really recommend this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Danielle Valentine for the opportunity to arc read this book before release.
It's left me hungry that's for sure, lol!

Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the book within a book trope and this one really delivered on that. Coupled with not knowing which version of the truth can be trusted until the very end, it was a double win for me in that regard.

I felt like Maria was real and I was invested in her narrative. Although I found the ending a tad confusing and like there was maybe one too many reveals and twists, the main threads of the story did still come together well. If it had been even more explosive earlier on, it could have been 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this. I felt it started slow but it didn't take long for the suspense and tension to rise and for the pacing to ramp up. I liked how this was written with Maria only giving one chapter of her memoir to Thea at a time and giving us a good past and present timeline. This is also full of recipes that I will have to try. I was expecting a bit more horror but this still had me sat on the edge of my seat waiting for the shock to come and it didn't disappoint. I highly recommend.

The Dead Husband Cookbook had me guessing and questioning what the heck was going on with every chapter!

The book follows book editor Thea who after a scandal while working in her previous book is on the verge of being fired, is personally requested to edit the new book of a well known TV chef. Maria Capello is a household name but is also has a long standing rumour that she’s never really addressed - she killed her husband - and she’s writing her memoir.

Thea keeps her job with the stipulation that she uncovers the truth about the night that Damien Capello disappeared - did he end his own life or was it ended for him? Maria has strict requests while the book is being edited - Thea must work at Marias remote house and she will only receive the book a chapter at a time.

Maria’s house is unsettling and her family are slightly unusual. Will Thea be able to stick it out and get the whole book or is there something more sinister at play?

The book is written mostly from Thea perspective with the chapters of Marias book - her life story added in as Thea is reading it. There are also some tasty sounding recipes for the reader to try!

I loved how I continually changed my mind as to who was up to no good and flip flopped between Maria is a murder and not. It was good to read Maria’s memoir and story as Thea also had it but again, do you believe everything Maria is writing down?

The book was a really fun read with a few shocks added in which added to the drama and suspense. The remote location also added to the eerie feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely read more by Danielle Valentine!

This was an original thriller with a lot of twists. I enjoyed the cooking aspect because it's a great environment to read about, something always happens. The twists are helping to build the plot, not only there for twisty reasons. And Maria is a cool character.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I had high hopes for this book but sadly it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

The book follows Thea, an editor who has been hand picked by celebrity chef Maria to edit her memoir. Maria’s husband vanished years ago and there were always rumours that she killed him and maybe even ate him…

I was expecting something a lot darker than this book was and I found the twist very predictable, I saw it coming from a mile off.

I loved this book and pun intended, devoured every crumb. It was fast paced, I love a dual timeline/perspective and I couldn’t guess where it was going to end up

To sum this up in one word: unsettling.
But in a good way! This was the sort of unsettling and unnerving book that makes you want to keep reading but only as long as you have the light on next to you.
It was like this for the vast majority as you were left guessing with every page if you ever really knew anything about the character at all, which kept me on my toes and had me engaged the whole way through the book.
The tone did shift significantly from this in the final 15-20% of the book where there was a lot of loose ends to tie up but that wasn't to the detriment of the whole book.
I really enjoyed this thriller keeping me wondering if anyone was speaking the truth and I liked that the ending was properly wrapped up. Bonus points as there were actually lovely recipes the whole way through as well, which I am keen to try!
Overall, if you love a thriller this is definitely the one. I'd absolutely read again to see if I'd missed anything the first time around
Favourite Quote - I wanted to laugh or scream or both.
Favourite Character - Maria

Hi guys! Maria Capello here! I'm just taking over @dzikuska_vibes account for tonight.

You may know me from my cooking TV show. But do you really know me?

My life has been a lie, but I'm ready to tell you the truth in my new book.

A lot of people think I unalived (and ate!) my husband to get his recipes. I mean... They were very, very good recipes.

Like... Let's talk about meatballs.

There's Swedish meatballs you can get in IKEA, Polish meatballs that can be served with young, delicious, sweet, creamy cabbage and dill, then you have Italian meatballs called polpettes in a rich tomato sauce. The recipe ideas are endless.

My husband's success and fame was based on his Italian grandma's frozen balls.

Meatballs, of course. Sorry about the spelling mistake.

We found them in the freezer when she died, and my darling husband had been working endlessly to recreate the dead grandma's flavor.
After long hours rolling the meat in various proportions, we finally succeeded!

Or he did.
Anyways... He's long gone, and I'm here to tell you what really has happened.

-----
Just couple words from @dzikuska_vibes, the owner of this bookstagram.
I've had the change to read The Dead Husband Cookbook already and I can guarantee you won't be disappointed!
Cleverly written, dark and unputdownable!
Chef's kiss! 😘

Let me know what's your favourite meatballs recipe!

#thedeadhusbandcookbook #DanielleValentine #netgalley #ARC #viperbooks #bookstagramUK #bookig #thrillerbooks #czytamsuspens #bookstagrampolska

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned especially Maria Capello. Could the 30 year mystery of her famous chef husbands death be revealed in one weekend? Definitely and a few more secrets as well!!! Just be prepared for the big reveal, I think I woke everyone up in my house when I read it!

It is a good story a bit of a slow burner but well worth the wait. Can be a bit graphic in some parts. The ending was not what I was expecting and its a shocker........

The Dead Husband Cookbook was such a deliciously twisted read!

We follow Thea, an editor trying to rebuild her career after a public scandal. When world-famous chef Maria Capello invites her to a secluded farm to help edit her memoir, Thea cannot resist. Maria was once the quiet wife of celebrated chef Damien Capello but stepped into the spotlight after he vanished twenty years ago... and she has never spoken publicly about it until now. For decades, whispers have followed her, claiming she murdered Damien for his recipes and that her famous meatballs have a far more sinister "secret ingredient".

As Thea works on Maria’s manuscript, she is swept into an intoxicating mix of glamour, history, and secrets. I felt Thea’s initial excitement, her scepticism, and her growing unease as the layers of Maria’s story slowly unfolded. The misdirection was so well done. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the author pulled the rug out from under me.

I loved how the story balanced suspense with sharp wit, blending dark humour with moments of genuine horror. The remote farm setting perfectly amplified the unease, and the inclusion of actual recipes was such a fun and clever touch.

If you enjoy mysteries that mix suspense with gore, humour, and a side of cannibalism, this one is a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Viper for the ARC.

4.25 stars

Dark, clever and very easy to get drawn into. The Dead Husband Cookbook is a great blend of suspense, satire and domestic drama. Danielle Valentine serves up sharp writing, humour and a twisted plot that keeps you hooked. A few convenient twists hold it back from five stars, but it’s still a deliciously dark treat for thriller fans.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 2*
Writing skill : 2*
Plot: 3*
Pace: 2*
Characters: 3*

I feel slightly duped by the cover of this book. I feel the cannibalism trend at the moment had influenced the cover design, but it doesn’t match the story.
The characters were okay, Maria was the standout for me, but Thea was any stereotypical editor without a backbone. Leave the situation already!!
This had verity vibes but didn’t compare at all. Really disappointed by the way the story played out, was overly confusing for no need.
Really liked delicate condition, so I won’t write the author off but this one wasn’t for me.

There's nothing I enjoy more than a book about a chef or set in a kitchen, except perhaps a dark and twisted thriller, and in The Dead Husband Cookbook Danielle Valentine delivers a mystery filled with untrustworthy characters that happens to have some of the most delicious sounding recipes I have read it some time.
Disgraced editor Thea Woods thinks she is about to be fired when she is summoned to meet her boss but instead she learns that she has been personally requested to work on a top secret project. Celebrity chef Maria Capello is going to write a memoir and if Thea can finally get her to open up about what happened on the night her husband disappeared it will be a real coup and will secure Thea's professional future. Maria has been the subject of media speculation and online gossip for years, with theories ranging from suicide to cannibalism being put forward about what happened to her husband, and despite her successful television career and lots of publicity for her best selling cookbooks and range of sauces she has never spoken about that night. Determined to guard her privacy and make sure there are no leaks she insists that Thea comes to her farm and work there, and as a long time fan of Maria Thea is only to happy to do so, even if it means leaving her husband and young daughter behind but once she gets there she finds it all a little more strange than she was expecting.
This was so much fun to read, its dark and twisty and designed to keep the reader guessing not only about what happened to Maria's husband but also which of the versions of the story being told they can trust. Be prepared to tie your brain in knots trying to work it all out. I did see a few of the twists coming but there were others that completely blindsided me. The characters are complex and flawed and so it was easy to become invested in their story and the dark dark humour that is mixed in kept the book from going into full on horror territory, thought it veers close enough to raise a goose bump or two at a couple of points. The recipes that are interspersed throughout the book were a nice touch, with titles like Tell Your Cheating Husband You're Pregnant Veal or Starting Over Stuffed Chicken Legs Wrapped in Prosciutto they are themed to the story and sound absolutely mouth watering, though some of the suggested ingredients in the final recipe may require substitution.
In a sea of thrillers this stands out for its delicious darkness and it is a book I will definitely be recommending.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Darkly hilarious, devilishly clever, and deliciously twisted — The Dead Husband’s Cookbook is a fresh take on domestic suspense with a wicked sense of humor and a feminist bite.

This isn't your average thriller. Valentine serves up a bold mix of sharp social commentary, true crime obsession, and a protagonist who may or may not have murdered her husband… or two. The story unfolds through sardonic narrative and "recipes" that are as disturbing as they are darkly funny.

Expect:
🧁 Snarky, unhinged housewife vibes
🔪 A murder mystery baked with wit
💅 Satirical digs at marriage, womanhood, and appearances
📖 A fast-paced, unforgettable voice

Perfect for fans of Gone Girl meets Why Women Kill, this book is unapologetically bold, full of surprises, and weirdly empowering. Valentine proves once again she knows how to keep us entertained — and on edge.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

This was such a fast paced and gripping read. I absolutely loved this one and really found it different from my recent reads. I loved how this one had a recipe theme throughout and kept me intrigued to see how this one would end.

This book follows a ostracised book editor who is intentionally hired by a world renowned chef to edit her memoir - the only thing is this chef’s husband died years ago and everyone thinks she did it. I devoured every single page of this book, the plot was so fast paced and twisty after every chapter I was begging for more. The descriptions in this book - whether it be of food or the gruesome discoveries we find along the way - are so vivid and fascinating. Whilst reading this I was able to guess a few of the many twists but I don’t think that took away from my reading experience. I’m definitely going to be diving into this author’s backlist after having such a fun time reading this one!