Fans of Behind Closed Doors & The Only One Left will love this psych thriller. Lucy Greer is homeless and at the end of her rope. 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. With Lucy’s help, the carefully constructed lies within this beautiful home are about to shatter.

This book was fun. I enjoyed the dual timeline where we follow Emilia from past to present day, learning how she ended up needing 24/7 care. Lucy’s secrets made my jaw drop! Well done. I loved hating Thomas throughout the entire book & blessed be karma!

Bingeworthy and fun for the summer.

Thank you Dreamscape Select and Storm Publishing books for the advanced reader audio.

Thank you, Amanda McKinney and Dreamscape Select, for this ALC of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘧𝘦'𝘴 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.

"I try to remember the woman before this, but she is so far gone, she’s nothing more than a distant memory."

Review:

This was an entertaining listen. I thought the narrator, Elise Roth, was easy to listen to, and she did a good job.

This is a lot like the other "silent patient" books, so I thought it was somewhat predictable. However, it did have a pretty good twist that surprised me!

Overall, this book kept me interested, and I recommend it if you like domestic thrillers.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘧𝘦'𝘴 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 is available on Kindle Unlimited, Audible, and Amazon.

“The Wife's Silence” by Amanda McKinney is a dark psychological thriller.

Thank you Dreamscape Select for the audio review copy of the book.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Lucy is hired by Thomas Caine to take care of his wife that is ill.
But things are more complicated than that.

This thriller takes you through multiple perspectives and timelines that help to slowly reveal the mysteries.
The audiobook is narrated by Elise Roth that did an amazing job as I was engaged in the story all though the book.
She manages to change her voice so well when the perspective changes, that I did not have any issues identifying the characters.
I am curious to listen to other audiobooks narrated by her.

The story has many twists that were not predictable, even if the beginning felt similar to other books.
There is a reveal that I did not see coming and made me enjoy the book even more.

I do not want to spoil anything about the plot, but things are not what they seem and the writing is clever.

If you like fast paced, twisty, psychological thrillers, you should try this book.

The Wife’s Silence is a fast-paced, easy read that I finished in just one day. The writing flows smoothly, and the suspense builds in a way that makes it hard to put down.

One of the things I loved most was the use of multiple points of view and timelines. The alternating perspectives really added depth to the story and helped slowly unravel the mystery. Amanda McKinney did a great job creating a moody, atmospheric setting that kept me engaged the whole time.

There was also a twist I didn’t see coming—when it’s revealed that the woman was actually their son, it completely threw me. It was unexpected and added a really intriguing layer to the story.

While a few moments stretched believability, the overall plot and pacing kept me hooked. If you enjoy thrillers with dark family secrets, shifting timelines, and a big reveal, this one’s worth the read.

When I first started this book, it sounded super familiar but then it all changed.

This book starts out super fast and doesn’t really let down. Told from multiple POVs, don’t trust any of them! (Love me some good unreliable narrators).

I def didn’t see some of the twists coming. One that left me shook. A super quick read with short chapters that keep you saying, just one more and before you know it you’re done.

I didn’t love the ending. For such a wild psychological thriller the ending def did not fit. Overall I would recommend!

The you NetGalley and publisher for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy is in dire need of a job. When she gets the position of carer for Thomas' wife Emilia, she knows she's hit the jackpot. But things don't seem right at home so Lucy takes it upon herself to find out what's going on.

Holy moly. This book left me gasping at all the twists. And just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was sucker punched with the biggest twist of all. Totally addictive and a quick read, this fast paced thriller was fantastic. It was a banger on audio too and kept me invested from start to finish.

This book possesses all the essential elements for an engaging read. The drama, secrets, and deceit kept me captivated, turning page after page. The author skill unveils details that lead the reader to anticipate one outcome only to introduce unexpected twists and turns.

Here’s your revised review without bold text or em dashes:

**Review of The Wife's Silence by Amanda McKinney (Narrated by Elise Roth)**

The Wife's Silence offers an intriguing premise that feels particularly timely. The story follows a caregiver hired to assist a mute, immobilized stroke victim, a wife whose condition grows increasingly suspicious, especially given her husband's unsettling behavior. Through revealing flashbacks that contrast the family's dynamics before and after the stroke, McKinney builds steady tension toward a genuinely surprising twist that made me want to revisit earlier sections with fresh eyes.

While I found the story compelling enough to finish in one sitting, the execution felt occasionally uneven. Elise Roth delivers a competent narration, though some pacing issues emerge. In today's crowded domestic thriller market, this novel holds its own without quite matching the polish of recent standouts in the genre. Still, its relevant themes and clever twist make it worth experiencing.

I rate this 3.5/5 stars, recommending it with measured enthusiasm for psychological suspense fans. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC.

Fast pace, page turner which kept me entertained and glued to the pages. I did not see where this one was going. Seemed a little far fetched but overall, I enjoyed this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

And Lucy thought her luck had changed for the better when she got a job, caring for a wealthy man’s ailing wife. She soon discovers however, that she’s landed in the middle of a very dangerous household. Told in multiple viewpoints in different timelines, this story was suspenseful and exciting.

The Wife’s Silence gripped me from the very first chapter and didn’t let go. I was completely drawn in by the writing, which was sharp, immersive, and just so easy to get lost in. This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. I kept saying “just one more chapter” until I realized I’d read the whole thing in one sitting.

There were so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming, which gave me serious Housemaid meets Verity vibes. Totally Frieda McFadden meets Colleen Hoover, but with its own unique edge. Amanda McKinney created a layered, suspenseful story that had me constantly second guessing what was real, what was imagined, and who I could actually trust.

It’s dark, eerie, full of secrets, and the kind of psychological thriller that makes you want to scream “WHAT?!” at the page in the best way possible. If you love books that blend atmosphere, emotion, and jaw dropping plot twists, this one is a must.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. Absolutely a five star read for me.

I haven't indulged in an audiobook in a very long time, and this was a great step back on the path! The voice actor did a wonderful job differentiating between various characters, so I always knew whose POV I was hearing based on the intonation alone. The pacing was good, and I appreciated the long pause between scenes and chapters, so it was very clear that we were transitioning.

As for the story itself, I did find it to be interesting and I was always ready to dive into the next chapter. I liked Lucy and Consuelo as characters, but I thought Emilia was the worst type of protagonist… Both brave and stupid, which is a terrible combination. I liked that the movement between Emilia as narrative characters allowed the timeline to work in both past and present, although Thomas, Meredith, and Emelia did not ring true as people in their 60s. I admit that I did not see the twist coming and I fully laughed out loud when I figured it out, it was such a great reveal! It made me want to immediately go back and hear the whole book again from the beginning. Although the rest of the story unfurled fairly predictably, it was still a fun way to spend an afternoon!

**MINOR IRRITANT: reading auras is NOT the same thing as having synesthesia**

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

I had to keep listening to this audiobook because it kept throwing twists, shocks, and I had no idea how it was going to end but I knew it would be great! And it was. Jumping in between the past with Emilia meeting and marrying Thomas and the horrors she faced when she discovered the real Thomas which ends with blood, tears, murder, and culminating the disappearance of her son, James and her subsequent stroke/accident (or so her husband says) and the need to hire Lucy to help take care of Emilia. And if that is not enough, the other viewpoint being Lucy who finds herself in a viper's nest of intrigue, abuse, ex wives showing up, a housekeeper with her own secrets, and of course it is all under the iron control of Thomas. Never a dull moment and a very quick read as I really wanted to see of Lucy was going to make it out alive and how many bodies were going to end up in that big beautiful house located in the middle of nowhere and by the edge of the cliff. That twist was great and totally unexpected and it ended well with the survivors bonded by (as the author puts it) by blood and blackmail.

It was a thrilling story to listen to on audio and the narrator did a great job in bringing the characters to life and all the dark deeds that occurred along the way.

THE WIFE’S SILENCE is a gripping story from start to finish. I liked the multiple POV’S and dual timelines. It’s well blended with secrets and emotional suspense. This story was especially easy to follow on audiobook. I very much enjoyed that I didn’t have to think too much about it. Overall, it was just a very entertaining story!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

The Wife’s Silence by Amanda McKinney is a gripping, atmospheric psychological thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. With echoes of The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden and Verity by Colleen Hoover, this story pulls you into a chilling world of secrets, manipulation, and deceit.

The writing is sharp and immersive, and the pacing builds a steady sense of unease that kept me engaged from start to finish. The twists are well-placed, and the unreliable characters add to the tension, creating that delicious sense of not knowing who—or what—to trust.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I’m giving it 4 stars only because it felt quite similar to other titles in the genre. That said, fans of domestic suspense will find plenty to love here, especially if you enjoy morally gray characters and jaw-dropping revelations.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amanda McKinney, and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to love this and I thought I would - the title, the cover, the jacket copy, it's all *so* up my alley. Le sigh... It's a solid thriller, it just turned out to be not at all for me.

Premise - Lucy Greer's life is a mess. When she gets a job as a caregiver for the sick (and silent) wife of a successful entrepreneur, Thomas Caine, it seems like a golden opportunity to turn things around. But right from the start, there's something unnerving about the wife, Emilia.

Lucy soon realizes that Emilia is harboring a dark secret. She learns that the Caines' son disappeared years ago and that was only the beginning of something very wrong that's happening in the beautiful home. Throw in a too-loyal (albeit gossipy) housekeeper and things soon come to a head. Not everyone will survive the truth.

Okay, so right after Lucy is introduced we learn she has a gift for reading auras… I groaned. Nothing against the woo-woo astrology and psychics stuff, it’s just really not for me. Instant ick. Still, I was determined to not let a little woo-woo nonsense ruin a good popcorn thriller for me (I'm addicted) so I forged on.

Thomas Caine and his ex-wife Meredith are caricature villains, as 2D as the paper they're printed on. I kept waiting for the twist in their characterization, the little bit of ~color~ that'd expand my empathy and make me a little peeved at myself for being so judgmental... alas, it was nowhere to be found. They started out 2D and they stayed 2D. They just really didn't read as fully actualized humans to me, especially not Thomas. At least Meredith had substance abuse, and the possible brain damage resulting from that, to blame for her inexplicable badness, but Thomas seemed to be the rare villain who's wicked just to be wicked, and who has no convincing self-talk to persuade himself he isn't so.

While these two were the worst (a thriller is only as interesting as its most compelling villain/antihero), I didn't care much for Lucy, Amelia, or the housekeeper, either. None of the characters charmed me. [spoiler] The twist with James made me groan out loud (not in a good way), though I'll thank small mercies that we weren't subjected to a side romance that looked almost inevitable at the time of the reveal.

The pacing was solid and twists were delivered (as much as I disliked the James twist, I didn't see it comes) but all in all this just wasn't for me. Three stars for competence, and the awareness that other readers will feel differently.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Elise Roth. She has a very calm, gentle sounding voice - soothing, in a word. Despite the content (and she does a great job of matching the mood of the text and varying her read) it’s cozy enough to fit the bill as a bedtime/wind-down audiobook, or a vacation beachside siesta audiobook.

Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Select, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book hit me hard—in the best way possible. It stirred up a kind of anxious energy that kept me hooked, not stressed. The tension felt so real, I was on edge the whole time, rooting for the impossible to turn around.

And when it did? Wow, the payoff was everything I wanted and more. The twist wasn’t just a random shock; it was smart, deeply satisfying, and honestly made the whole read unforgettable.

My buddy and I both devoured it, and we’re still buzzing about how well it wrapped up those intense moments. Definitely a standout that keeps you feeling all the feels without the usual clichés.

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟
"The Wife's Silence" by Amanda McKinney is a dark, psychological, gripping thriller about deception. We meet Lucy Greer, a young woman who is at the end of her rope, living in her car, and pretty much down on her luck. Until she takes a live-in nanny job from the successful entrepreneur Thomas Caine, while caring for his ailing wife, Emilia, but something is terribly wrong.

This story had me hooked from beginning to end; it only took me about three hours to finish it. I loved the short chapters. It's somewhat predictable, but I'm okay with that.

The audiobook is narrated by Elise Roth, and she did a good job telling the story. She was easy to listen to and understand. I listened at 2x speed.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Select for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

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.

Thank you Netgalley, Amanda McKinney and Dreamscape Media for the audio Arc of The Wife's Silence.
Narrated by Elise Roth

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.

4.25 stars for Storygraph, 4 Stars for other review sites