Loved this! Really fun take on a thriller. An editor has been tasked with editing a famous celebrity chefs memoir which may uncover secrets about her dead husbands mysterious death. So fun and clever and lots of food talk! Highly recommend and I loved the ending

The Dead Husband Cookbook is the type of book that dominates your thoughts long after the final page. It is made to be consumed and discussed at length, so dive in and let Valentine lead you down the rabbit hole.

I love it when a thriller consistently wrong-foots you and plays with you, when it has that cat and mouse tension between the story and the reader throughout. One of the most interesting ways of executing this is through an unreliable narrator and Maria Capello is one of the most fascinating I’ve come across. You have this picture of a celebrity cook celebrated as a mother and a wife, bringing families together with her recipes, but then it is complicated by the scandal that hangs over her.

Throughout the book, you hear snippets of her story alongside Thea and you too are pulled into chasing the truth. In a meta way, you become part of the throng desperate to know the real story, which is a fascinating commentary on celebrity culture and parasocial relationships. Because Maria has had this role in the wider media, people see her as a figure who strayed from her expected nature. There is also a gendered element to this in terms of expectations for the roles women play, but Maria has undermined this by almost using the infamy to secure her career. That macabre fascination has cemented her legacy, though it may be dripping in blood.

It is such a perfectly compact thriller with pacing that does not let you catch your breath but still allows enough time to connect with these characters. You are glued to the pages and constantly second-guessing yourself. It is a book that delights in the morally grey, putting characters in impossible situations. Maria is layered and complicated – more than the pigeonholed abandoned wife or murderer dichotomy the world seems to view her as. However, you never know if you can trust her or if what you’re hearing is the truth. It is such a fervid atmosphere of paranoia, especially as events occur in the primary timeline that cause further ripples.

The Dead Husband Cookbook serves up a delectably dark thriller that examines family, celebrity culture and our obsession with the roles we prescribe to people.

The Dead Husband Cookbook is a wild ride of a book - deliciously dark, clever and so much fun!

World-renowned chef Maria Capello is best known for her famous meatballs, a secret ingredient - and the mysterious death of her chef husband Damien. Thirty years on Maria decides to tell her side of the story and knows exactly who she wants as editor - Thea Woods, a lifelong fan of Maria and in desperate need of a blockbuster to save her career.

Told primarily from Thea’s POV as she stays at Maria’s isolated and decidedly creepy farmhouse, we are also treated to a book within a book as we are fed Maria’s memoir one chapter at a time, leaving the reader hungry for more as the story unfolds.

It’s an intoxicating combination of mystery, dark humour and some culinary flair, with recipes sprinkled throughout the book that will have your tastebuds tingling - though you may need a string stomach at times!

Full of twists and turns, it’s a tension-filled ride as you wonder just who you can believe. It is mysterious, horrifying at times but at the same time delightfully unhinged - and a truly addictive read that I gobbled down in one sitting!

A deliciously good read!! Told over three parts from a dual POV we have a tale of family, and how far you’d go to protect them!
Throughout I was intrigued to find out why Maria picked Thea to edit her book, I was keep wanting more in Maria’s chapters. The only downfall would be the length of the chapters, but from about 20% in I didn’t care and couldn’t put this down.
Scattered with recipes throughout, you can try Maria’s cooking for yourself, but it won’t taste the same 👀

This had such an enticing premise. And I had hoped for so much more. But it was just a bit boring for me :/ Nothing particularly happens for a very long time. And the book in the book is just a bit dull. I think I was looking for more gore and thrill, so my own fault for expecting something that, to be honest, wasn't promised. However, when it happens, it does happen - but only at about 85%.

Overall it had some good bits and the writing was flawless. I'd definitely read more by the author, but this one just wasn't for me.

Early vibes I got from this were Verity, Evelyn Hugo and A very bad thing.

Both beloved and renowned chefs, Maria and Damien Capello captivated the culinary world - until Damien vanished without a trace twenty years ago. Now, Maria is finally ready to tell her side of the story, rejecting major publishers and insisting her memoir be edited by Thea Woods, a loyal fan ready to walk away from the industry. Invited to Maria’s secluded estate, Thea is drawn into a web of family secrets and buried truths, determined to uncover why she was chosen to edit the memoir and, more importantly, whether Maria really killed Damien.

I haven’t felt engaged in a mystery novel in a while and I was so glad this provided it on a platter! Told in dual POV, it alternates between Thea editing Maria’s manuscript and Maria’s own account of her marriage and career. The structure worked really well, creating a strong connection between the two narratives.

Scattered throughout were recipes that tied beautifully into the story. They were quirky and sounded genuinely delicious. I half-expected them to contain hidden clues, and while they didn’t (except the last recipe!), their titles did echo the plot cleverly.

However, unlike many thrillers where the author spoon-feeds the clues (pun intended!), I felt this one invited me to actively participate. I found myself constantly theorising, and the writing really encouraged that kind of engagement by unravelling the story in a way that felt organic and layered. It revealed just enough to keep me guessing without ever feeling forced.

Some scenes were so creepy - the granddaughter with her vampire-like tendencies, the larder full of hanging meats, and the screaming pigs being slaughtered on the farm (I may never eat bacon again). It was all deeply visceral and unsettling in the best way.

While the story leans into familiar mystery tropes - haunted house vibes, a villainous victim, blackmail, and red herrings - it still felt fresh and engaging. A solid, eerie, and satisfying read. 4.5/5.

Thanks to viper books and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Available on the 7 August 2025.

This was the first book I’ve read by the author. First, the book’s cover and title immediately grab your attention. An incredible adventure that starts off almost (!) like a cookbook!!!

Good and chilling, calm and mysterious. If you want to be wrapped in a dark secret and psychological suspense amid the aromas of food, this is the perfect choice.If you enjoy reading thriller, mystery, contemporary fiction; then this one is definitely for you!

This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this, I read it super quickly and loved the book within a book element. You do have to suspend belief a bit and some of the twists are quite obvious which is the reason for my lower score, because I feel like there could’ve been more subtle hints dropped rather than making it so obvious. I enjoyed the characters and their family dynamic - would’ve liked to see that delved in to a bit more.

The Dead Husband Cookbook by Danielle Valentine
💫💫💫💫💫5/5!

Publication Date: 7th August 2025

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for a advanced copy in return for a honest review.

Maria Capello is a celebrity chef, household name, icon. And of course there is her history. Just the timid wife of famous chef Damien Capello, she stepped into the spotlight after Damiens mysterious disappearance, and event she hasn't spoken publicly about till now.
Why is Maria finally breaking her silence?
Why sign up to the small press, instead of big publishing houses? And why do it on the condition it is edited by Thea Woods?
Thea was planning to hand her notice in, even being a lifelong fan of Maria, she can't figure it out. But when invited to Marias farm she can't resist. She may finally learn if the rumours are true...

I read this in less then a day, a real page turner, I could not stop reading! It was addictive, it's the first book I have read by Danielle and it was phenomenal! I was really disturbed with all the twists and turns, and loved all the recipes in there, that i really wanted to try

The Dead Husband Bookbook is a dark, engaging, nonstop simmering pot of tension and mystery that pulled me in from the first page.

I loved the way we are fed the story alongside Thea, and are left to question it all with her as it goes on. I'm rarely emotionally affected by books but found myself genuinely stressed along with her as the story developed. I think it's also worth mentioning that I'm a vegetarian so the mentions of raw meat are extra squeam-y for me, but the recipes sound so delicious and I might need to find a way to adapt them.
The pacing is spot-on, never dragged yet never rushed - and the suspense builds beautifully until the climax. Valentine's writing is smart and immersive, and the mystery and characters are complex and kept me invested at every turn.

A juicy, deliciously addictive thriller that is easily devoured in one sitting, and leaves you satisfied. Perfect for fans of psychological, character driven suspense and delicious sounding recipes.

Thank you Viper publishing for this ARC.

I must admit I wasn’t entirely sure about whether to read this as I was worried that it might be a bit too twee. I’m really proud to report that I was wrong, so wrong. The book is quirky and original and was more than worth taking a risk on as it surprised me in many ways.
There is a lot going on in this story, family values, mystery, business sense, gangland and, yes high level cooking with actual recipes which will ignite your salivary glands, whether you are happy about this later or not. You get a real sense of the rich flavours and fresh ingredients and the farmhouse style, family oriented ethos of food bringing everyone together. The darker, more sinister side of the plot draws you in slowly, as all good writing does, it makes you doubt yourself and change you perceptions of who is good and who is bad several times over and it keeps you waiting. I guessed a few of the twists but that really didn’t detract from the experience. A really rich and satisfying read with the perfect recipe for enjoyment.

Absolutely loved this book- there’s something about it that drew me in from the very first page, and it did not disappoint. I thought I had the plot figured out early on, but I was completely mistaken. Danielle Valentine masterfully leads the reader in one direction, only to twist the narrative in such an unexpected and satisfying way near the end.

Everything about The Dead Husband Cookbook worked for me- the intriguing title, the unique storyline, and especially the way the recipes are tied into Maria’s life. Each one added depth and texture to the plot, blending domestic detail with an undercurrent of darkness.

It’s a cleverly written, dark, twisty story that keeps you hooked throughout

A fabulous read that often feels like a heart-warming memoir until it surprises you with the darker twists surrounding the mystery at its core. Stylish, darkly humourous and thoroughly entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

The sheer horror throughout this book that is explained away by our main character and the plot twists that slow burn were absolutely incredible. I loved the recipes interspersed throughout the chapters and each character felt so fleshed out - the POV chapters changing didn’t feel awkward or abrupt, I was absolutely gripped by each POV change which is rare for me!

A must read for the feminine rage lovers!

I was expecting a juicy thriller full of dark humour but unfortunately I found it a little underwhelming. It's more a mystery than anything.

Although there are lots of twists as the secrets came out, I wasn't overly taken aback by them. The slow pacing at times had me wanting them to just get on with it and tell us rather than feeling gripped by it. I didn't feel much connection to the characters, at least, not enough to care much about the outcome.

With the addition of Maria's book chapters, it was like a book within a book and I thought the multiple recipes weaved in throughout the book was a nice touch. I don't think I'll be looking at meatballs the same ever again though.

I loved the premise, I was just hoping for a bit more fire in the execution.

Thank you to Viper books for the advanced copy

Tough one - the mystery is good and keeps you guessing and second guessing throughout. But as a few others have said, some things are just hard to believe and you have to suspend belief a bit. I did spot one fairly big twist, which I’m happy about (though see above regarding suspending belief about how that came to be…).

Overall, a good book. If challenging given some of the book’s content… hope that’s suitably vague!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

A famous chef with a dark past and an editor ready to uncover all their family secrets. I enjoy books that touch upon the publishing process.

This was a fantastic read, I love thrillers that keep you on your toes. I was thinking of so many theories that I didn’t even see the actual twists coming. There’s some horror aspects that were really well integrated into the mystery.

The book mixes a couple of povs and recipes that sound delicious, maybe I should try to make some of them.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to thriller and horror fans!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Maria was incredible frustratingly and I predicted the plot twist quite early on. But an amazing book and I had a blast reading all of the ingredients!!!

The Dead Husband Cookbook is a deliciously dark page turner.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Viper for the ARC!

Thea is a book editor, trying to recover from a career scandal, when she is given an ultimatum by her boss: take on this celebrity memoir or get fired. Luckily for Thea, the author of the memoir happens to be her favourite chef, the enigmatic Maria Capello, who became a household name after her husband, Damien, mysteriously disappeared. Maria has never spoken about what happened to Damien, so why now? And why Thea?

What follows is a dark, twisty web of deceit. I absolutely loved how this book was written, particularly the recipes! If you’re a foodie, you will really appreciate the craft that has gone into that aspect.

Life on Maria’s farm was gripping; I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened next.

This book probably isn’t for the faint of heart, there’s a few descriptions that may turn a sensitive stomach!

Overall, a dark, unique, gripping family thriller with a difference. You’ll probably never want to ask what a secret ingredient is again 👀

Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy of The Dead Husband Cookbook. I absolutely loved this book. It has everything. Beautifully written, twists and turns, romance and ethical dilemmas. And to add to an already fantastic read, some amazing Italian recipes which I cannot wait to try out— I think I’ll stick to traditional ingredients for the meatballs though!
Would definitely recommend, so easy to read and well written I thoroughly enjoyed.