I really enjoyed this thriller. I was immediately sucked in. I was perfectly distracted by the the things I guessed right in a way that had me truly shocked and repulsed by the things I missed. Excited for more readers and listeners to read this one.

This was a 3.5 star book for me. This twisty thriller ticked all the boxes for me. The characters were despicable but multilayered. The small town community was believable and fit the story well. The narrators were great and really made the story that much more immersive. The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read is because the plot twists were mostly predicable but still entertaining.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio, the author and NetGalley for an ALC in return for an honest review

Before I start my review, I must just reiterate other reviewers advice - Don't read the blurb! Why on earth any publisher would put a pretty big spoiler in the synopsis God only knows (pardon the pun).

This is my first time reading a LynDee Walker book. Although I enjoyed the story (apart from the ending) I wouldn't say it has made me want to read her other books. Whilst the story was quite thrilling and full of suspense there was something lacking. It would be very hard to go into those aspects without giving away fairly big plot points so I'm choosing not to mention them here. As for the ending...well all I can say is that my review lost one whole star just because of the last few minutes of the audiobook. On the whole I don't think I would recommend this book unless Walker is already one of your go to authors, in which case you'll probably love it.

Stephanie Cannon and Patricia Rodriguez, the narrators, gave excellent voice to Martha and Mary but their voices seemed quite similar to me (I'm from the UK), so there was a slight problem with differentiating between the two voice at certain points, which was a bit confusing. But I would definitely be willing to seek out more of their voice work.

#ThePastorsWife #NetGalley

This was an interesting storyline and I enjoyed the two POVs. I gave three stars as I wasn't super invested in it - it didn't have me gripped to keep reading, though I did finish it. Once we got near the end few twists, I wanted to keep going but it took a while to get to that point. I would still recommend people to check it out.
I would like to note I did like the narrator for the female voices but the male voices all sounded off from what I would expect from their descriptions.

This was a great thriller with lots of twists and turns, especially during the last 1/3 of the book. I had to rewind the audiobook several times to make sure I heard things right.

Martha, a woman with a mysterious past, arrives in a small town looking for a fresh start. Mary, the pastor’s wife, befriends the newcomer, and their lives quickly become intertwined. Each plot twist is told from both perspectives, which adds to the suspense as their lives head toward explosive changes.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. Martha’s feelings of inadequacy and worry are relatable at the beginning of the book as she’s finding her footing. Several parts of the book seemed a bit hard to believe, such as a surveillance truck that acted anything but inconspicuous, and a somewhat immature internal dialogue that seemed out of character.

That being said, this book is a solid 4 stars for me. I listened to it in 2 days, even choosing to clean my house so I’d have an excuse to pop in headphones and listen. Even though I found a few parts of the book to be predictable, I was still surprised by the overall plot and its twists.

I really wanted to like this but I just could not get into it.
I thought the male MC spoke weird at times.
Nothing really caught my interest in the book. A lot of godly people who are not godly at all.

It started off super suspenseful! And some of the small town things coupled with the accent had me rolling my eyes but I was still enthralled. That was until the second half of the book when it just slowed down and I wanted it to end.

LynDee Walker delivers a gripping psychological thriller with *The Pastor's Wife*, weaving small-town secrets, unsettling relationships, and a protagonist who finds herself entangled in a mystery she never expected. Whitney Falls seems like the perfect place to disappear, but when the pastor’s wife saves her from an accident, she’s drawn into a world where appearances are deceiving and danger lurks beneath the surface.

Walker’s writing is immersive, with a slow-burn tension that builds toward shocking revelations. The characters are layered, particularly Mary, whose quiet distress hints at something far more sinister. While some moments feel predictable, the novel’s eerie atmosphere and well-paced twists keep the pages turning. Fans of psychological thrillers with dark secrets and unexpected turns will find this one thoroughly satisfying.

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

I enjoyed this audiobook. Great story wonderful narration I can’t wait for this book to come out. Thank you for this advanced copy. I look forward to giving it a more detailed review soon.

I really liked this audiobook. Some of the characters of this group had significant twists that I didn’t see coming — some I could predict but still didn’t impact how enjoyable this book was to read.

Great read!

I never intended to listen to this in one day but I couldn't stop once I started and so it goes! Walker developed a great plot, sharp dialogue, well-written characters, juicy secrets and big reveals...everything I want in a thriller.

The twists were twisting and the I was there for it.

I see you, LynDee, and I'll be keeping my eye out for more!

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

Ummmm What did I just read? That was the craziest, most insane ride I went on.
Pub Date: 6/16/2025

We follow two ladies in a small town in Arkansas. One is new to town. One is the pastor’s wife. We get dual points of view and dual timelines. The way it came together… 😳

I can’t give too much away, but when you read it… buckle up! The way my jaw was on the floor and the way I gasped.
FYI: The title says Pastor, so there it is wrapped around religion… so don’t be shocked. Read it regardless! It’s worth it!
Stephanie Cannon and Patricia Rodriguez nailed it! They rocked the southern accent and the vibe the whole book was going for!

Thank you, Linder Walker, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley for letting me listen to an ARC of the audiobook!

There was few things stopping me from really getting into The Pastor's Wife. First, the two main characters' names start with an M. It was confusing at first and annoying while reading. The time jumps around and scenes started and stopped abruptly. I'm sure it was to keep you guessing, but it just got choppy.

I started to get into the story in the middle, but I lost interest when towards the end.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Martha is settling into a new town after running away from her past. She befriends the Pastor's wife and everything seems perfect. But, things are not all they seem.

The narrators for this book were amazing! They kept me engaged and made the audiobook more enjoyable.

I really liked the storyline, the writer would throw bits and pieces alluding to Martha's past and Mary and Tim's relationship here and there to keep you guessing. I did feel like it was very slow at the beginning, not much happened until the middle of yhe book. The ending felt a bit rushed but I felt like itt tied up nicely. Over all enjoyed the book, 3.5 ⭐

Mary and Martha? Lol really?

I really wanted to enjoy The Pastor’s Wife, but it just didn’t work for me. While the full-cast audiobook—narrated brilliantly by Stephanie Cannon and Pat Rodriguez—was a highlight, the story itself fell short. The small-town dialogue often felt awkward, and many of the twists seemed forced or illogical.

Though the book is dark and filled with secrets, the characters—mostly hypocrites hiding behind religion—weren’t particularly engaging. It’s meant to be a twisty, entertaining read, but it didn’t quite land. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either.

Thank you to the Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the ARC.

*ARC review*

This was an interesting book filled with twists and turns. I connected with the main characters and I was excited to see how the story unfolded. Solid thriller!

The Pastor’s Wife started strong, with an eerie small-town vibe and a solid setup that had me ready for secrets, scandal, and suspense. The first half definitely delivered—well-paced, intriguing, and full of potential. But the back half lost steam, with twists that felt more forced than shocking and dialogue that occasionally veered into cringe territory. I listened to the audiobook, and while the full-cast narration was excellent, it couldn’t quite save the uneven execution.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars with a PG-13 rating for mild language.

this book was a 3.5⭐️ for me, super quick and easy to consume. would recommend for anyone wants a book to binge and the plot twist was really good

I devoured the audiobook for The Pastor’s Wife! The narrators were absolutely FANTASTIC and brought every delicious layer of drama to life. The fake Christian southern charm oozed from every scene, creating a perfectly tense atmosphere where it felt like everything could implode at any second. The husband gave just the right mix of charm and suspicion, making the story feel dangerously unpredictable. Not everything is as it seems in a small-town church, and the twists this story takes are refreshingly bold and diabolically satisfying.

The Dixie mafia, religious hypocrisy, and tradwife angst - there are a lot of fun parts here, but in the end the sum wasn't quite for me.

Premise - A new member of Pastor Tim's congregation, Martha, isn't as easily charmed as the rest. The newcomer soon realizes all isn't as it seems between Pastor Tim and Mary, and when a grieving teen, Charlotte, joins the family as the as-of-yet childless couple's foster daughter, things go from strange to stranger.

I enjoy tropes as much as the next girl, but (unless the voice absolutely slays) I like a little twist on them. This set up tropes well (poor abused girl, trafficking ring, publicly good and privately wicked holy folks) but it executed them just as you'd expect, so it all felt really predictable. Maybe I just read too many thrillers and have too much fun with red herrings these days! I think I also didn't fall for this story quite as much as I'd hoped to because Martha didn't win me over. She was fine.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Cannon and Patricia Rodriguez. They did a great job with both delivery/tone and accents! They were well-matched, so I was happy listening to either one of them.

Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.