This is Samantha Downing’s debut novel and it is amazingly brilliant. ‘I am Tobias and I am deaf.’

There is no way I want to give away the plot as it is exceptionally well constructed and written, with such belief, in the first person by ‘Tobias’ even though we never learn his real name.

Millicent is married to ‘Tobias’ and they have two teenage children, Rory and Jenna living in an exclusive development. They appear to have it all. Both adults are from dysfunctional family backgrounds and this has an impact on thei rown family environment. They seem to live with a strict routine forced on them by Millicent.

There is a serial killer on the loose, killing women who fit a certain criteria but nothing is as it appears. As a reader I felt led down several paths but never quite put my finger on what was happening.

The story is clever, witty, dramatic and so misleading and this author must have a severely warped nasty mind to have devised something so evil. I loved everything about it so what that says about me I don't know.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK, Michael Joseph, and Samantha Downing for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Do not miss this one. Buy it, read it. Highly recommended.

It is not easy to stand out from the crowd in the domestic thriller genre but Samantha Downing manages it with flying colours. My Lovely Wife is incredibly refreshing and also insanely hard to review without giving anything away so this will be relatively short.

Simon and his wife Millicent seem to be living the average suburban life. They both have jobs, two children and while money may be a little tight sometimes, they seem perfectly happy. But as we all know by now, things are never truly what they seem. And then the body of a young woman is found in an abandoned hotel. For one teeny-tiny nanosecond, I thought I knew exactly what was going on but I was proven wrong quickly and not all prepared for the devious plot that was coming my way.

There's quite a lot going on in this story. Not only is there a serial killer on the loose but there's also the impact this has on children, the relentless media and through it all is the the most dysfunctional marriage ever. All these things combined make this an addictive read that I just couldn't put down. I realised early on there was no way I'd figure out where this was heading or how it would end.

Dark, disturbing and hugely compelling The Lovely Wife took me completely by surprise. There are plenty of twists to keep you hooked until the final page. This is one of those books you definitely should not start reading if you're short of time. What a fantastic debut by Samantha Downing and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Mmm, an interesting one this. Yes, it has twists and turns (not the most pleasant of surprises though!) and is very well described, but I kept on having to put it down as I could see what was coming.

I like thrillers, but the suspense can sometimes be a bit much in this one and I just didn't have the spare time to feel that tense!

Once you start reading it, you'll see what I mean!

Creepy, haunting and macabre. Definitely will read again on holiday!

This book is like nothing I have read before ... in a good way of course but I am slightly worried that I may be moving onto the dark side of normal! Why? you may ask - just read this book and you'll understand!

What we have here is an absolute gem of a read that had me hooked from the start. I won't go into the plot as I don't want to give anything away but will describe it as being edgy, dark, twisted, engrossing, disturbingly entertaining and totally unique. The characters are just excellent but more than that, they are frighteningly believable and rarely do I find myself feeling so wrong about liking and rooting for someone so disturbed but scarily normal!

The writing is crisp and effective and easy to read with excellent pacing; great suspense and twists leave you reading way too late into the night in anticipation of what the heck is going to happen next.

I can't believe this is a debut and I am waiting on tenterhooks for Samantha Downing's next book and I only hope it's as disturbingly good as this one. On her website, she says that she wants to "tell stories that make people walk into walls"; I think she did with this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is compulsive reading This book twists and turns to an explosive ending. Don't want to give much away but just read it - you won't be disappointed!
If you like dark thrillers this is for you..

Samantha Downing's psychological thriller has all the hallmarks of an excitingly, twisted book, but may have fallen flat over its predictability.

It's Dexter meets Rose and Fred West as the narrator describes his bizarre, murderous relationship with his wife. Beginning with the discovery of a corpse, the couple's escapades begin to spiral out of control - especially as they attempt to portray themselves as loving parents.

It's a great premise, and as a fan of Chuck Palahniuk's style of writing, it tries to fall in line. However, the plot is predictable, and like most antagonists, you realise at some point they may turn on each other. Either way, it still hooked me almost until the last few pages.

I loved this book, it kept me guessing and I was really cheering for the protagonist to come out on top, even though he was far from innocent. I felt compelled to keep turning the pages although I didn’t want the book to end. I would recommend this book and I look forward to Samantha’s next book.

I loved everything about this book. The cover and the blurb about it just screamed “Please Read Me!!”

Millicent and her husband have 2 children Rory 14 and Jenna 13. You would pass them in the street and smile and say hello to them as they seem like a very respectful family, who want the best for their children.

After being married for 15 years they decide to spice up their marriage. This is where they are slightly different from your average neighbours. They decide to take on a new hobby they can enjoy together. Their new hobby is killing people!! Takes all sorts I suppose!!!

This story is told from the husbands prospective, we never get to know his real name. As the story unfolds we discover what he has been up to and what his wife has been hiding.

A book that has you hooked from the beginning and keeps you guessing until the very end with its twists and revelations.

Shocked this is Samantha Downing’s debut novel as it is simply brilliant!! It is a must read with plenty of dark humour, although it is about murder I did find it very entertaining and I was afraid to put it down in case I missed anything.

Don’t miss out. I’m definitely going to look at my neighbours in a different light. Why do they go out so late at night!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Compelling and sinister are the best adjectives to describe this story, about an ordinary couple who are anything but. If you are a regular reader of psychological and domestic thrillers, there is not a lot to shock you here, the sex and violence are implied rather than graphic, the reader is left to imagine what happens and that keeps you engrossed in the story.

The insightful story has cleverly layered suspense that draws you in. The surprise factor is that such unassuming,'normal' individuals act in such an extraordinary way. What motivates their actions? Are they a product of nature or nurture?

The intelligently constructed plot twists keep coming. I did work out the later ones, but mainly because the characters are so well described, the reader can predict what they will do next. It's an exhausting book mainly due to the level of character detail it contains, and the constant flashbacks to former experiences.

'My Lovely Wife' makes the reader participate. It's an active experience more than a passive read. It gives an insight into the minutiae of the family's life, and you daren't turn away, in case you miss something important.

A great fusion of psychological and domestic thrillers, with complex, enthralling characters who are so dark, you have to search for their humanity.

I received a copy of this book from Penguin UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Clever, unexpected and creepy. Dark and definitely twisted. Sometimes the people closest to you are the ones you know the least. A real page-turner...

I think I can honestly say that this is one of the most disturbing books I have ever read.

Edited my review as to many spoilers!

I really did not know where this book was going. The two central characters, Millicent and her husband, who I don’t think we ever find out his name, live in a nice suburban area.

Both have jobs, nice house, and lovely if not disturbed children, but they realise that they have a closet fetish. Rather than keeping this fetish in the closet they decide to act upon their urges.

The novel goes around their fetish, but then one of them goes too far. Sets the other one up and the plot switches. Suddenly you have no idea who to trust, who is telling the truth, and will the liar be found out. For a while I was not sure.

Very disturbing but very enjoyable fast paced plot. With a twist and thankfully it’s a very good twist.

Every marriage is different...

Okay, maybe not quite THIS different. Right from the start you know that this seemingly average suburban couple have a dark secret under their shiny exterior, but you don't discover how truly dark it is until the book's shocking ending.

I was intrigued by the premise: a husband and wife serial killer team operating under the facade of a perfectly happy and normal family out in the Florida suburbs. I mean who doesn't want to find out what goes on behind the closed doors of those who seem to have it all? My Lovely Wife was well written and believable (to a point), and had me turning the pages late into the night. I completely devoured this in only a few sittings. Some of the twists you could see coming from a mile off, but quite a few I definitely didn't see coming. For someone who reads a lot of books in this genre, that's really saying something.

I teetered between 3 and 4 stars simply because I had a really hard time understanding how a milquetoast middle aged dad went from not being a murderer to suddenly finding in his 40's that murder is "sexy." There just wasn't enough there for me to buy that he made the massive leap from not ever wanting to murder anyone to now stalking women he has no qualms about killing. Millicent though- wow, what a piece of work. I completely buy her deviousness. Millicent was a thoroughly terrifying villain.

Overall this was a solid read even if I had some issues with it. The latter half of the book was stronger, full of nail biting tension before coming to its shocking conclusion. I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of this genre, especially with vacation season coming up. Just be prepared to be questioning the secret lives of all your neighbors once you're done!

Samantha Downing - what an explosive debut you have! WOW! I couldn't get enough of this book and smashed it in 2 days. After the first chapter I knew that I was going to be in for a wild ride - only I did not realise how wild it was going to be. I was totally addicted.. thank you Samantha for a brilliant read.

This is a really hard book to write a review on without giving anything away. As for the plot - all you need to know is this... we have a happy family - husband, wife and 2 kids. Mum is a real estate agent and dad teaches tennis. All completely normal right? Only this couple have a very very dark secret - and it will blow your mind.

Enough said! You need to read this book - it is fantastic and will keep you up way past your bedtime.

Thanks to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

I absolutely loved this book, it had everything a good thriller needs and I couldn't put it down. I will definitely read more by this author in future.

I've never read this author before but so glad I did,

When I first started the book i thought it was the run of the mill but how wrong was I.

Would recommend.

I can’t explain how much I liked this book, and I am so sorry I wasn’t able to come with this review sooner. I couldn’t wait to tell you all how amazing this book is. I finished it in two sittings, couple of days ago. This book goes straight into my top books for this year.

It has a flying start. I got pinned down to my sofa and moved only to grab another cup of tea. In the middle we got settled down a bit. With a reason, tho. The author is preparing us for the great finale. Overwhelming twists come one after another with only one purpose - to blow our minds.

You are living in an expensive suburb. Your neighbors are a nice couple with two kids. They seem to be just a normal married couple. But what if they are not?
Millicent and her husband are a typical couple. Married, with two Kids, nice neighbors, and more importantly - ordinary and unremarkable. Which, makes them the perfect killers. And they are. What is the best way to bring the sparkles of love back into worn out marriage? Become a serial killer couple.

"Millicent killed Robin the same way I had killed Holly. No hesitation. All instinct. And it was sexy."

It is a perfect plot. Brilliant. They are hiding behind the town legend's name Owen Oliver. A serial killer, committed murders of women, and has never been caught. Perfect alibi. The town's bogeyman is back, and he starts killing again.

"They are not going to catch Millicent and me. They don't even know we exist."

It is told by husband point of view. We don't know his name only the one with which he introduces himself to his victims - Tobias. He will drag you into love-hate relationship. He makes you feel sorry for him and hate him for his deeds. But he is the perfect narrator, and I love his way of unfolding the events. It is tempting to tell you more, but as long as the description gives is almost nothing, I don't want to spoil you reading and experience. Grab that book, free your day, turn off your phone and read, read, read.


I can say that all this fuss isn't for nothing. It was said that this will be the thriller of the year and I couldn't be more agree with this. My Lovely Wife is an addictive and twisted thriller that hooked me from the page 1 and I had my full attention I didn't even realize when my fiancé got home! :D I got attached to my Kindle and couldn't pull myself off it. The plot is so intense but at the same time it gives you time to catch up and sink deep into the story.

I can't believe this is a debut novel! It is well-constructed, fascinating, and intricate read. If you love psychological thrillers - this MUST be your next read! I'm 1000% sure I'll read whatever Downing publishes next and I'm so looking forward for her next one. Finger crossed it is going to be as good as this one.

Oh, to be the odd one out - to see all these hyped up reviews and then rate it with one star only because I didn't like it. But well - nobody can blame me for going softer than usual on ARCs! Seriously, thanks to the publisher for this copy, but it just wasn't for me. You'll get an honest review, though, and as usual, this is only my take on things.

The book started out with a bang, with a real intriguing first chapter that left me yearning for more. And more did I get. The main character and narrator, an unnamed husband and father of two teenagers, gently introduces us to his life: his job, his family, his wife and the couples' odd fetish/hobby/kink. What follows are pages and pages about their domestic life, and not even the twist (the "special hobby") could prevent boredom sneaking in. It was all too... bland. Every time a promising little subplot popped up, it got covered up by the narrator's tales about his tennis lessons or dysfunctional marriage.

Neither of the characters are symathetic or made me feel for them - which isn't a bad thing per se. I strongly disliked the main characters in, say, [book:Gone Girl|19288043], yet I followed their story with great interest. That wasn't the case here. Especially since I had the feeling that the author was slightly manipulating me into feeling sympathetic for the narrator, which got stronger as the story unfolded. It felt cheap to me, for this guy was just uninteresting and I didn't understand any of his motifs - why he was so smitten with his wife, for starters. Millicent, the wife, stays cold, cool and distant throughout the entire novel, marking her as "she, we do not like" right from the start.

What else bugged me? Several relationships within the story:
The main couple - see above, I didn't understand, see or feel any of their passion or love for on another. They barely talk about important stuff - the husband ponders a lot, but he never asks his wife any of the important questions that arise throughout the story - and wow, there are a lot of issues.
The father and his teenage son - they strike some kind of, well, deal, which I didn't understand, either: Mainly, it's about a secret the father wants to keep from his wife for reasons unknown (in my humble opinion, he could've easily explained it away, instead, he chooses said secret deal with his son, thus creating even more tension in a quite dysfunctional family already).
A befriended couple - whose relationships takes major turns in what feels like two days, a completely rushed, overloaded and yet somewhat neglected storyline.

The twist at the end? Sadly, I saw that coming from miles away. I have to say, though, the final fifth or so of the book picked up pace again and was a fast and much more exciting read than the dragging middle part. And yet, the ultimate ending left me very unsatisified. I won't got into details here, not to spoil anything, but that didn't work for me at all.

Overall some of the writing felt rushed and loose, I'll credit that to the advanced proof version I received. It doesn't, however, change my issues concerning certain plot points, narration, the ending and general characterisations.

It's hard to say much about this book without giving anything away. It's the story of a couple who, on face value, appear as your average suburban, run-of-the-mill couple, complete with two kids. But they share a secret. A big nasty secret. Well, at least they think they share it. But the appearance of a body throws their relationship into turmoil and one of them realises that the other's secret differs from theirs; big time! But that's just the tip of a very nasty iceberg indeed as scratching at its surface reveals more that expected.
There are ways to alleviate boredom in a marriage. Things that can be done to spice it up a bit when it goes a bit stale. But what this couple did is several notches above crazy. But crazy though it was, and quite horrible in places, it was completely compelling reading. I was glued to the book all day, powerless to the call of all the things I was supposed to be doing instead. It really did hold me in its spell, delivering shock after shock, each one worse than the last.
But shocks don't make a good book. Good storytelling does that and here this book really excelled in the way that information was imparted at just the right time to add to the story but at the same time leaving me wondering about other things. To say that I really had no idea where we were going would be a gross understatement. I worked out quite early that this was not a book for me to try and second guess. I just had to read on and see where we ended up. And we ended up there! Oh My! Outrageous that it was also very funny in places where maybe it shouldn't have been. But it was! And it was Great! And so very well plotted. And that ending... quite chilling...
And then I find out that it's a debut book... Blown Away!
All in all, a cracking read that has catapulted itself into my top five reads this year so far (out of 88) and looks good to still be there at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This book is dark and twisted from the very beginning, which makes it near impossible to write up without spoiling *something*.

It's about a married couple and narrated by the husband, who sometimes uses a codename, Tobias. They have a particularly horrible hobby, the details of which are not always clear even to Tobias himself. Millicent, his wife, seems to take care of the nitty gritty. He does the 'research'.

Meanwhile - and join the dots if you want - a killer seems to be on the loose in town. Tobias' daughter is deeply affected by this, while his son is more concerned with a spot of blackmail. Tobias ends up trying to do everything - fix his daughter, keep an eye on his son, keep up with the Joneses and simultaneously and hardest of all, keep Millicent happy.

Everything escalates... and everything must end.

It's a fantastically paced suspense - I warn you, if you read at any decent speed at all you WILL finish this in a day.

And yes the main characters are so awful that sometimes you think 'how am I enjoying a book about horrible people doing horrible things?' yet there's a good chance you will, despite yourself. It helps that any violence is largely off-the-page.

If you're a fan of twisty suspense, this is a great example of the genre.

Wow. Thought at first a bit weird and predictable. Couldn’t be more wrong. Right down to the last paragraph I took a sharp intake of breath. Well done