Imagine having a life that people are envious of. Imagine having a perfect marriage.

Imagine it all being a lie.

That is exactly what happens to Beth Hardcastle as her world comes crashing down when her husband is arrested for the suspected killing of his ex-girlfriend many many years ago

So this book sounded right out my alley, BUT it feel a little flat to me. The characters were very one dimesional and some of the wording didn't really work for me. I finished the book just to see if I was right in my predicition (I was!)

Thank you to #NetGalley and Avon books for the ARC!

This one took me a while to get really engrossed. Beth seemed pretty detached from the life upending revelation that her husband was a killer, she seemed more interested in the social clout she could get from being the innocent, ignorant wife. I think I thought Tom was going to be a prolific serial killer, and he just wasn’t. There were quite a few twists and some really shady actions from Beth once the pace picked up about midway through. Both the serial killer and his wife have secrets.

This is one of those books that I'm conflicted over. I loved it but on the other side, there was not one character that I really liked! Maybe that is a good thing hey? Does that mean the author succeeded in his/her goal?  Then you get to the end and you realize it's always good to follow your gut feeling.
What would you do when you find out your husband committed a serious offence? Would you stand by him or run for the hills? To make things a bit more complicated; what if you have a child? This is the dilemma Beth is faced with when her husband Tom is hauled in by the police for the disappearance and killing of his previous girlfriend. Will she crack under the pressure? Is it all a misunderstanding or is he an evil psychopath?
The characters made me feel uncomfortable and I found myself talking out loud to them. Some of their actions seemed odd but when you finish the book it all makes sense!

In the end, I have to say job well done to the author with a humdinger of a curveball that gave a very sinister feel to the whole book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are mine.*

When I read the premise of this book I was instantly hooked. Coming from a small town myself, I know what the gossip can be like. Granted, no one I know has ever been married to a serial killer, but the idea that the spouses of these people might have been complicit or known more than they let on is an interesting one. It also leads to the thought of "how much do you really know about the person you're married to?" Would I be able to spot signs of my husband being a murderer? I kind of saw the twist at the end coming, but wasn't exactly sure which way the author was going to go with it, so I really enjoyed this one and couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading more by this author.

I was intrigued from the start with this book, a slow burner but the tension grew with each chapter. Beth is stunned to discover her husband is suspected of murder. How is she and their young daughter going to cope with the revelations and charges. As the plot unfolded I couldnt put this book down.

DI Manning is on the case in The Serial Killer's Wife. Chapters seemlessly flip from Beth to Tom to Katie and you can see the story build up through the years and how they all become linked and where Tom and Katie met and got to know each other 8 years ago, and how Tom is now married to Beth in the present time. It's easy to get caught in the romantic entanglements, especially between Tom and Katie, all those years ago.

There is beauty and intensity and suspicion to be found throughout. It makes you question and wonder about Tom that gives an uneasiness. The juxtopositions of the beauty in the writing and the horror of what is actually going on comes from adept storytelling and very adept writing.

The ending is quite a twist and it's a good one...

The book has some gritty, gripping, chilling themes that show that no one really knows what goes on behind closed doors.

Take a look at the acknowledgements too as there's a little note within that saying when the book was written and a bit more that could be interesting for readers.

Beth Hardcastle seems to have the perfect life with a loving husband, a beautiful little daughter, called Poppy, and a thriving business in the pretty Cotswold village they call home. One evening when Tom is late home from his London commute, Beth starts to worry, and then comes a knock at the door revealing two police officers. Filled with trepidation, and fearing the worst, Beth is unprepared when the police officers are not at her door with the news of an accident but have come to arrest Tom on suspicion of murder.

What then follows is the slow disintegration of the life which Beth has so carefully placed around and with her world toppling and Tom still helping police with their inquires everything about the Hardcastle's marriage comes under public scrutiny because if Tom is guilty of murder surely Beth knew all about it.

This is a really cleverly put together psychological thriller which moves along at a rapid pace with snappy and succinct chapters which not only give us Beth and Tom's versions of events but also interspersed are some rather dark sections which give an altogether sinister feeling to the story. I think what's enticing about The Serial Killer's Wife is the way that elements of doubt creep into the narrative and with the tension mounting with every page, so the hidden clues start to point towards a story which is as dark, as it is complex.

I started, and finished, the book in one sitting as this really is one of those stories where you want to read just a little bit more and towards the end of the novel, and with the final denouement just a few pages away, I wasn't really sure how the story would end, but I wasn't disappointed,and without giving anything away, the ending was every bit as good as I wanted it to be.

Reading Between the Wines book review #61/115 for 2021:
Rating: 3.5 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 📱: The Serial Killer’s Wife
Author: Alice Hunter
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASED on May 27, 2021!!! GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!!
Recommended to readers who would love story about fictional serial killers and the people in their lives.

Sipping thoughts: If your husband ended up being a serial killer would you stay with him? Would you forgive him or would you put him out? The Serial Killer’s Wife is the journey of Beth, a woman who had it all but found out her husband might be a serial killer. I saw most of the ending coming but I enjoyed reading it and watching it unfold. The very ending was a little ominous and I loved it!

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley, @HarperCollinsUKAudio and @AvonBooksUK for an advanced copy of @TheSerialKillersWife

#AliceHunter #TheSerialKillersWife #HarperCollinsUKAudio #AvonBooks #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #generaladultfiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThriller

It took me a little while to get into the groove of reading this. The alternating points of view go on for extended periods of time causing the transitions to not feel smooth until you get used to the rhythm of the story. I found the dialogue a little stilted as well, but overall I enjoyed reading the story of Beth Hardcastle and how she handles realizing she might be the wife of a serial killer. It has some good twists and turns though I think the final twist was a touch predictable but not so much that I failed to find the conclusion fulfilling and I definitely would recommend it to others who enjoy a good mystery.

When Beth's husband Tom is suspected by the police for the disappearance of his former girlfriend Katie, Beth is quick to stand with him and his claim of innocence. But soon there are more questions than answers, and as more evidence starts mounting against him and secrets are uncovered, Beth realizes that she may not have known her husband at all.

This book was hard to put down! Told mainly from Beth and Tom's POV's, it goes back and forth from past to present. Even thought it was predictable to me, I needed to know the reasons why people did what they did. At times it was slow paced, but overall it was a good read with a good ending that answered my questions. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this book.

What would you do if the police came looking for your husband who was uncharacteristically home late that night? The next day before he’s had a chance to answer your questions he is in police custody yet again for 72 hours where they will decide if they have enough to charge him. He is being questioned for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. Would you believe in his innocence or would you start to question everything you thought you knew about him? That’s the predicament that Beth finds herself in.

Tom’s incarceration has left Beth all alone in their new community of the Lower Tue with their young daughter Poppy and a new ceramics studio that she is trying to establish. Tom never encouraged outside friendships so now she is desperate for someone to turn to. She is desperate for answers about her husband's past life. Could he really be the killer the police have accused him of?

I was immediately drawn into this book that is primarily told from Beth’s perspective. The reader gets glimpses of Tom and his ex-girlfriend, Katie which I wish was a little more but this way the reader is putting things together while Beth is as well. I could relate to Beth’s reactions of her current situation. Her feelings of loneliness and anger at Tom for disrupting their life and her new business. If you enjoy looking into the inner circle of a serial killer add this one to your list!

3.5 stars

Beth and Tom Hardcastle seem to have the perfect life. When the police knock on the door one evening to question Tom about the disappearance of a woman, everything changes. Beth begins to fear the worst and finds herself questioning everything. Everyone is saying he’s a monster, and they’re saying she knew...

This one immediately called to me - a serial killer thriller through the eyes of a spouse is such an interesting, unique concept. The story starts off fast-paced, picking up right when the police show up to question Tom. The pacing in the middle of the story was a little slow for my taste, but at no point did I ever consider not reading on. The writing is captivating, and the twist ending left me shocked!

The Serial Killer’s Wife was definitely not what I was expecting whatsoever and oh boy what a roller coaster ride it was. At times the story moved along at a pace that was too slow for me but I found that the author still managed to keep me intrigued.

I really enjoyed the dual POV especially since it showed me who Beth and Tom really were. Although I never really saw Beth’s true self until the very end which in my opinion was very interesting. I also really liked the other two perspectives that were woven throughout the dual timeline.

Oh my gosh what an ending that was. I seriously never saw it coming and my mind is completely blown.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

The intensity of this twisty psychological suspense builds with every page turn. Then the secrets begin to unfold, and you can't stop reading. You have to know, what next?

Told mainly from Beth and Tom's viewpoints, this story gives the reader insight into the main players, but you're never sure if they are truthful, and the mystery deepens. A well-written plot makes it easy to read. Beth is so shocked by the police investigation into her husband it's hard not to empathise with her.

The suspense builds believably and relentlessly. With each revelation, another question is raised. The ending draws all the plot strands together with some notable twists that resonate.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK in return for an honest review.

A gripping thriller with a great plot. Suspenseful and full of twists. I was hooked from the first page. Beth and Tom have the perfect marriage. Their move from London to a beautiful Oxfordshire village with their young daughter is the icing on the cake. But when the police arrive on Beth's doorstep and Tom is unexpectedly late home from work, the life they have built begins to unravel.

Beth and Tom are perfect couple. They and their little daughter live in a picturesque village, where everybody know everything about their neighbours.

Until one evening the police arrest Tom for a murder and their lives start to crumble. What is the truth? And how will Beth cope labeled as a serial killer's wife?

Nothing is as it seems.

Characters are well developed, their inner world exposed. Novel is really gripping and offers some nice escapism.


https://focusread.blogspot.com/

This is a fabulous 5 🌟 physiological thriller.

I was hooked from the first until the very last page.

I thought I knew what had happened but no, I was totally blindsided!

I will definitely be looking out for this author in the future.

Loved it!

This is exactly the kind of book that you want to press into people’s hands and just say two words READ IT!

Not only was the premise interesting but the way it was written was not how I was expecting it to go either (always nice to be surprised). Narrated in first person by both Beth and her husband Tom and in third person by victim Kate there is also another nameless narration. Now I had my suspicions on who that narrator was but while I was thinking chalk the writer was writing cheese. In fact I’m either getting dumber with my guesses, the more thrillers I read, or the writers are getting smarter. I will leave you to form an opinion on that!

Although Beth was written to be likeable there was something a little off about her. Was she gullible or did she know? Is she the Rose West to Tom’s Fred or a Myra Hindley to Ian Brady. Or is she a victim herself? You will ask yourself so many questions and I hate the word unputdownable but putting this book down is the equivalent of eating a sugar donut without licking your lips.

Now I make it no secret that I’m judgy and I form an opinion quite quickly. However there was one character who I couldn’t form an opinion on and that was all down to the writing smarts of Alice Hunter. She alludes, she diverts attention, she pitches one train of thought then brutally swaps it for another. So before you know it you are changing your opinion and second guessing yourself.

So I will leave you with those two very words I stated earlier. READ IT!

An outstanding debut for Alice Hunter!

How well do you know your partner? After several years of marriage, you’d think you would know each other inside and out, wouldn’t you? Many people have skeletons in their closets, but what if those skeletons were real?

Beth is blissfully married to Tom, living happily in the village of Lower Tew with their daughter Poppy, life couldn’t get much better until one evening a knock at the door turns Beth’s whole world upside down. Tom gets taken to the police station to answer some questions about an ex-girlfriend who is missing and before long he is being held on suspicion of murder!

The title of this book I’m sure will make you realise that Tom’s ex-girlfriend is not his only victim. We follow Beth as she comes to terms with the fact that her husband is a killer and how she deals with the backlash of the press and the entire neighbourhood. They all think she knew, how could she not? Like I said though, how well do you really know your partner?

What a fantastic read this was! We know from the off that Tom is guilty of murder, but don’t worry, there are still plenty of shocks and surprises in this book which will catch you unaware each time! Every character has an unreliable side, making you question things throughout and wonder if it’s all quite so clear cut.

The pace of this story is just right, it’s not overly fast-paced like some psychological thrillers, but it’s not too slow either. Information is drip-fed to us throughout and the twists are spread out, this helps to hold your interest and makes the book incredibly difficult to put down. The whole thing is cleverly plotted, and the ending is just phenomenal! I did not see it coming! I think a sequel could come from this one.

When I read a book and it plays out in my mind like a movie/TV drama, that is when I know it would be fantastic on screen and this book did just that!

An addictive read with a realistic and chilling edge! I look forward to reading more from Alice Hunter.

Thank you so much to Alice Hunter and Avon for my copy of this fantastic new thriller!

A jaw dropping twist at the end! Fantastic result by a debut author.

This story held your attention throughout and the end is a rare gem of making you think of your own continuation to the titbit you are left with. I do love a book that does this.

To be honest I doubt I would have chosen this as a book to read but as I was invited to read this for an honest opinion I was then keen enoug. Telling a story about a serial Killer's wife did grab my attention as not many books tell this angle and I was interested to find out how this story would pan out and it didn't go the way I thought it would.

I'll certainly be looking out for more from Alice Hunter.

Out today 27 May 2021 and happy publication day Alice!