Jessie is awake, after 12 months slumber. But her memory is still half asleep and she’s struggling to adjust. She’s in her late grandma’s house for recuperation with a nurse she doesn’t know and she’s not allowed visitors or any form of contact with the outside world. No TV, no phone, no internet – doctor’s orders she’s told.

Jessie talked to me all the way through the book. She flicked between the current incarnation and the months running up to her accident who put her in a coma. Her past story made me question where her loyalties should lie. There were too many people there to suspect. But the present gave me nothing as Jessie wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone except this nurse and her grandma’s housekeeper.

There was something definitely afoot here. Someone wanted to harm my vulnerable Jessie, I just didn’t know who. The more I read the more I was befuddled. And at one point i questioned whether Cassie was really compos mentis – was she losing the plot and super paranoid?!?

I’ve read Hood’s police procedural style series featuring Kane and Hood from the start and loved them so I was massively intrigued by what she had to offer in a psych-thriller. I’ll admit, I was not disappointed by this slight switch in crime fiction genre. Hood has written a skilful psych-thriller that made me trust no one even my narrator at points. I’m looking forward to more from Hood’s standalones!! But please don’t abandon Kane and Alton!!

Firstly, thank you to D.K Hood and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for an honest review. My review can also be seen on Goodreads.

I was hooked right away. I could not put this book down. I needed to know why these things were happening. I needed to know the why behind these situations. However, about 70 percent through the book I wanted to just know why and who and be done. There were a few things that started strong and then didn't make sense as to why that was such a big deal in the storyline. It kind of fell apart at the end unfortunately. Still a quick read and enjoyable.

Whether it be part of a series or standalone you know you're in for a treat when you pick up a copy of the latest release from Hood.

Unreliable narrators are always a win for me! I had everyone in my radar with this one...I TRUSTED NO ONE!

The plot had me hooked right from the off...The secrets. The lies. The deceptions...Just WOW!

Loved it!

I trusted him with my life...I shouldn't have...

This is my first foray into D.K. Hood, having never read her series. But as this is a standalone thriller I decided to check it out. It's an unsettling thriller with twists and a sense of claustrophobic mistrust throughout. Like the protagonist, you won't know who to trust.

Jessie wakes from a twelve month coma in a room she recognises but can't place and a nurse caring for her that she's never met. She's hooked up to all sorts of machines beeping and bleeping that it disorients her and she's suddenly afraid of what this all means. Her nurse Dolly tells her she was a car accident and thus a coma for the past twelve months. She has no recollection of what happened or leading up to the accident. She gets flashes of flashbacks...but nothing much to piece together.

Jessie remembers her husband John, who works long hours as a stockbroker in the hope of making partner, and that they have twin girls Emily and Olivia. Over the years, John has had a roving eye and Jessie found it difficult to trust him where beautiful women were concerned. When John takes on a new lawyer, the stunningly beautiful Rebecca Lawson, Jessie's mind whirls with possibilities and mistrust. The way he looked at her and the socials filled with photos of the pair of them at work functions and seemingly enjoying themselves a little too much. It doesn't help when her brother Michael tells her he's seen John lunching a little too intimately with Rebecca. He's strayed before - what's to stop him doing it again?

When John visits her, she tries to ask him about what happened and the girls but he is vague, citing that the doctors have advised against sharing anything she doesn't remember and to let her remember in her own time. But she longs to see her girls. Even just a photo of them.

Then Jessie receives a note passed to her from a trusted housekeeper saying simply "Don't trust anyone." Who could have written it? What does it mean? Are they lying to her? Was the accident really her fault? What is it no one is telling her? And why has none of her family been to visit her? Why does she not have a phone or computer or even a television? What doe the flashbacks mean? And why is she so tired all the time? If she could just get to the office, she knows she will discover the truth and be able to call her lawyer.

I loved Alex. I think he was my favourite character of all. The rest were either OK or unlikeable - but I won't say who as it will spoil the story.

This book raises so many questions as you race through it and it messes with your head. It is an uncomfortable read in parts as you try to decipher what's real and what isn't. There are so many secrets and so much deceit as you try to unpick the tangled web in Jessie's mind. You really won't be able to see the wolf for the sheep in this one.

It was a quick read that was gripping from start to finish. I can't say it was entertaining because I found it very unsettling and uncomfortable. But it is a good read but I was glad to finish because of how unsettling I found it. The line between what's real and what wasn't was well and truly blurred that made for uncomfortable reading at times but also makes it a good read!

Similar to Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson, this is a thriller you won't forget in a hurry.

I would like to thank #DKHood, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLiarIMarried in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

The Liar I Married had me completely hooked! Jessie wakes up from a coma with no memory of the accident that nearly killed her, and from there the story unravels with twists, red herrings, and plenty of suspense. I loved rooting for Jessie as she pieced everything together, and the ending was such a shock—in the best way. A gripping, binge-worthy thriller I couldn’t put down!

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

The Liar I Married is a gripping psychological thriller that pulled me in right from the first chapter. A big fan of the Kane and Alton series I was looking forward to reading this standalone by D.K.Hood and it didn’t disappoint .

Jessie wakes up after a year in a coma with no memory of the accident that put her there, and as she slowly pieces things together, secrets, lies, and betrayals begin to surface. I loved how the story was told in dual timelines giving just enough hints while keeping me completely hooked.

Jessie is such a strong, determined character, and I really enjoyed following her as she tried to uncover the truth while realizing someone might still want her dead. The twists were clever, the tension never let up, and the ending took tied everything together perfectly.

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

The Liar I Married by D.K. Hood is a riveting, skillfully crafted story to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Hood’s writing is sharp and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the setting. The characters are well-crafted, with twists that are both surprising and satisfying.
A compelling story, and readers will be drawn into a dark and thrilling ride.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.

The twists and turns! The emotions! Everything was top tier and I'm super excited for more of this authors work! Thank you for letting me read this.

The Liar I Married is a dark psychological thriller that leaves you questioning who you can trust. The narrative explores two timelines of the main character simultaneously. A real page turner.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Where there is a will there is a way.
What an absolutely brilliant psychological thriller this is.
A long time fan of the author’s series I was interested in seeing how this would read as I've heard other authors say the switch from a series to a standalone is hard, but boy oh boy did she nail it.
Jessie wakes from a coma, with little or no memory of the accident that caused it and as her recollections return, you, like her, are led down many twisty paths, and feel as confused at times as she is.
Where are her girls?
Did she kill them in the accident?
Does she even have children, and the most important question, who can she really trust?

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

oh my word this book pushed all my buttons....it was with joy and terror that i continued reading it..

ohhh man i need to read a light and fluffy book now to get over this one....

3.5 The Liar I Married Stars

D.k hoods writing always pulls me in from the get go.

The prologue drew me in and I honestly could not put this book down and finished it within 6 to 7 hours.

This book follows the heroine Jessie, she had faith in her marriage and believed her husband could do no wrong, but she starts having doubts about his faithfulness and he does nothing to ease her worries and just adds to her unease about everything.

This book starts off with Jessie waking up from a coma after a year and she has no recollection of the events that led her to her being in that condition.

We have flashbacks that give you the details you need, but you are also left with more questions.

The present makes you question what's a dream and what's the truth.

Jessie only wanted one thing. Answers. But she was left isolated, monitored round the clock by a nurse. And the ones she loves are not there to support her. She is left with strangers and she doesn't know if they are trustworthy.

She is on the brink of losing her mind but she still pushes through.

This book was suspenseful and the writing was amazing.

The only thing I wanted was for the heroine to have a better hero 🙈 because the husband!!! He wasn't it for her!

The Liar I Married
An utterly compelling and clever psychological thriller. It had me captivated from the start. This twisty domestic drama is full of surprises! A must-read!
5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

This book pulled me in from the very first chapter and didn’t let go. The Liar I Married is a gripping psychological thriller that blends secrets, deception, and danger in such an addictive way that I found myself racing through the pages. The tension builds slowly at first, giving you just enough glimpses of unease in the relationship, before spiraling into a web of lies that kept me questioning everything.

The writing style is fast-paced but still layered with detail, making it easy to visualize the characters and setting. I really appreciated how D.K. Hood created such an unsettling atmosphere one where even small moments carried a sense of dread. The relationship dynamics felt authentic and chilling, exploring how trust can be both powerful and destructive when it’s placed in the wrong person’s hands.

The twists were well executed, and while I had my suspicions, the ending caught me completely off guard in the best way. It wasn’t what I expected at all, and I loved how it tied everything together while still leaving me thinking long after I closed the book.

If you enjoy dark domestic thrillers filled with betrayal, obsession, and shocking revelations, this one is definitely worth picking up.

The Liar I Married by by D.K. Hood and narrated by Kate Handford was an excellent psychological thriller and so addictive. Once I started to listen to this audiobook I was Hooked!!! It was so good I had to listen to it until it was finished and WoW then ending 10/10 - Superb!!!! It blew my sock off as they say!

Jessie opens her eyes, and one of the first things she sees. . . . is a total stranger and she is standing by her bed. As she wipes away Jessie's tears and she explains she is a nurse and she is here to help her recovery from a car crash she was in and it was all her fault!!!.
Car crash!!!!! what car crash? OMG! . . . . . . . Jessie is all confused! then she starts to remember snapshots of her life and her past......But, why? and then Jessie is convinced the car crash was Not an accident!

Jessie is married to John and he works very long hours and is hoping he will become partner where he works. Jessie's marriage is perfect, then things change he met someone called Rebecca! He tell's Jessie that they are all friends and nothing it going on between then. . . . . Then, Jessie's mind starts to over think things and imagines him and Rebecca getting cosy and on a date. As Jessie lies in her recovery bed, small memories are popping back to her from her past and she is remembering John coming home later and later as time went by,

Now, wanting to know more of my car crash, Jessie asks the nurse again, on what happened, but she explains she can not or will not tell her any more about the car crash she has to ask John. But, John is not here! When he finally shows his face, Jessie begs him to tell her more and where are her children? but he insists that it’ll harm her recovery. He then reminds Jessie that she was so lucky to even be alive.

But, where are her 2 children?

Are they alive or did they die in the crash?

Someone leaves a note for Jessie and a member of staff who is working at the house gives it to her, her blood runs cold! "Don’t trust anyone!". . . . . . . .

Were Jessie's instincts right?

Did someone try to kill her?

and why?

Jessie look into my husband’s lying eyes, all she can think is, will I make it out of this marriage alive…?

WoW this book was a strong 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and the narrator Kate Handford was also 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Excellent audiobook/book. I loved it I highly recommend.

This story runs from the present day to a year in the past.
Jessie has woken from her coma after a car crash, a year later.
So many lies, twists and turns kept me turning the pages on this book. Is she losing her mind? Can she recall what happened? Does someone want her dead?
Remembering what is truth and what are dreams are scary enough, but with lies planted by another party will make this a living nightmare.
Great story, quite a step away from my fave series by this author.

After waking from a year-long coma, wealthy heiress Jessie struggles to piece together her shattered memory. Her husband, John, insists her accident was just that, but unsettling flashes of the past and a chilling anonymous note warning "Don't trust anyone" seems to insist otherwise. As Jessie digs deeper into her past, she begins to question everything, including the man she married. What really happened the night of the crash? And who is lying to her?

The Liar I Married is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the final page. D.K Hood masterfully builds tension through an unreliable narrator, fractured memories, and an atmosphere of deception. The dual timelines add depth to the mystery and the slow reveal of secrets will make you question everyone's motive. Towards the middle of the book the pacing lags a bit but the well executed twists and satisfying conclusion more than make up for it! Overall, add this to your TBR if you love domestic suspense thrillers, unreliable characters, and a twisty plot!

Thank you to NetGalley, D.K Hood, and Bookouture for this eARC! Publication date is August 22nd 2025.

When this started I thought I had it figured out really quickly. But it blew me away. Completely unexpected twists and turns. The characters are interesting. This is very different from the authors other books and I was here for it!

Jessie has been in a car accident, but leading up to the event, strange things were happening around her, including feeling like she was being followed. But when she wakes up 12 months later from a coma, things aren't what they seem, and she doesn't know who to trust.

This book had tension rising from the first page

I was suspicious of every character and questioned every possible comment. Hood has a way of writing to keep you on the edge of your seat that you need to know what happens next, but you have a fear of who to trust and what the answer could be.

Another brilliant novel by this author that had my heart palpitating.

The Liar I Married opens with the protagonist waking up in a hospital after a car crash, piecing together memories that don’t quite add up: Jessie awakens with blurred memories, tape masking over yesterday’s certainty, and the uneasy presence of her husband, John, whose reassurances only deepen her mistrust. The core question of whether the the crash was an accident, and can she trust anyone, propel the narrative forward at a relentless pace.

The narrative shifts between Jessie’s fractured post-coma perspective and flashbacks from before the crash, all quietly planting seeds of suspicion that bloom into chilling potential. Hood builds the suspense very well. The dual timeline structure works well too. It allows the story to unfold like a jigsaw puzzle: memories leaking in, flashbacks resetting our assumptions, keeping us guessing.

Although the book is enjoyable, elements of the plot such as the amnesia trope are not really unique. Even the unreliable husband, the whispered warning note, the predictable suspects contribute nothing unique to the book.

Despite these drawbacks, the book is a quick, enjoyable read.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.