This was an easy read with the characters and locations being well described. I kept wondering what the twists were going to be as everything was obvious from the title and the book itself that her husband was a murderer. It was easy to relate to Beth, her home life, the pottery cafe and the trying to settle into the village, especially over the yummy mummy’s. A well thought out book by a talented debut author.

I wanted to like this book so badly..... I just couldn't get on board.

Let's start with the title, "The Serial Killer's Wife". I kept thinking, "Okay, there has to be a big twist coming.." nope, the twist was that her husband is a serial killer... is that a spoiler alert?

Listen, I think the writing was great, the story was easy to digest and follow, but there was nothing keeping me holding on. The one reason I finished this book was because I was stuck on an airplane. The husband and wife were so one dimensional, and there were so many side characters that lead to nowhere. I kept thinking the twist would come and it would include one of them, but it never came to fruition.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. Unfortunately, this is just a story that did not need to be told. I need more thrill, more drama, and deeper characters.

The Serial Killer's Wife is an addictive and disturbing domestic thriller, written by Sam Carrington under the pseudonym Alice Hunter, and raises the question: how well do you really know the person you're married to? Beth and Tom Hardcastle have a seemingly idyllic life, the perfect marriage and family, and together they want for nothing. They appear hopelessly in love exactly as they should be, but we all know looks can be deceiving. Blissfully married for 7 years, they recently decided to move from the chaos of London to a village near Banbury for a quieter life in the countryside where Beth opened a successful business - Poppy's Pottery Place - a cosy, rustic ceramics cafe full of freshly homemade baked goods while Tom continued to be a finance portfolio manager in the city. The story opens at 8 PM with Beth having just settled her 3-year-old daughter, Poppy, when rather forceful knocking begins on the front door. She goes to answer expecting it to be her husband, Tom; he's later than usual but he's back now and that's all that matters. But behind the door stands the police and naturally, she begins to panic, her mind frantically skipping around the different possible scenarios as to why they're here and Tom is not. Has he been involved in an accident on his way home from work? The two plainclothes police officers introduce themselves as Detective Inspector Manning from the Metropolitan Police and his colleague from Thames Valley, Detective Sergeant Walters. They are here looking to speak to Tom and insist on coming in to wait. Tom commutes from their family home, a quaint cottage in Lower Tew to central London Monday to Friday as he works in banking at Moore & Wells.

Eventually, he arrives through the door and is greeted by detectives; he looks terrified and they inform him that they think he may be able to assist them with a murder inquiry. Tom is taken away for questioning at Banbury station before being released and then the following day is shockingly arrested for being involved in the disappearance and probable murder of his ex-girlfriend Katie Williams 8 years ago. Beth realises her life is ruined and about to fall apart and whether he has committed the crime or not the gossip-mongering villagers can't believe that Beth, the person supposed to be closest to him, didn't know about his deadly deeds. She stands by him but as more and more information comes to light she questions whether her husband was a Jekyll and Hyde type character who could've hidden his murderous streak and masqueraded as the loyal family man. But, it turns out, Katie is not the only one he is suspected of brutally slaughtering. They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew. This is one of the most addictive and disturbing thrillers I’ve read in years. Beth and Tom’s story is one of toxic love and obsession – it’s sinister, twisted, and terrifyingly plausible. It’s a totally compulsive read that had me gripped right up to the final line and left chills down my spine for hours after. This deliciously devious tale is perfectly paced, full of mind-boggling twists with an abundance of dark secrets unravelling before our very eyes. Laced with suspense and impossible to put down, Hunter studied psychology and worked in the prison service as part of a team offering rehabilitation programmes to violent offenders and the story feels more authentic due to her experience. Highly recommended.

Wow! This book captured my attention from the very start and kept me guessing until the very end. Navigating my way through the story, I had numerous theories about who was reliable and who had ill intentions. I must admit, it had me fooled.. if you like dark who-done-it’s, with rich characters, give this one a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for the opportunity to read and review The Serial Killers Wife by Alice Hunter.

This was a superb debut novel. I was hooked from the very beginning. The story is told from Beth and Tom's view points and gets more gripping the deeper you go into the book.

I thought it was really well written and the supporting characters definitely added so much to the story which I find isn't always the case when you've got two such strong main characters.

It was a really fast paced book as well which I always enjoy, when you think it's going one way off the storyline swings in another direction, it definitely keeps you guessing!

I felt so sorry for Beth for the majority of the book but without giving away any spoilers this was totally gone by the end!!

Fantastic debut from Alice Hunter - will look forward to the next one!

Beth has found the perfect man in Tom and seven years later they are living a dream life with their daughter Poppy. Until one night Tom is late home and the police come to call. A twisty tale that will keep you reading. Everyone has secrets !
#NetGalley #TheSerialKillersWife #AliceHunter

There is a lot of buzz about this title. A debut novel that’s got a great premise and promise. Beth is our typical gal living her best life, married to Tom, a hunk, mother to an adorable little girl and running her dream pottery cafe. In the first few pages police come for Tom. Suspected of murdering his previous girlfriend. Beth spends a lot of time telling us and anyone who will listen how great a father, husband and man Tom really is. Some in the village shun her. Beth tries to hold her head high and continue her life. This doesn’t feel right, though. What is she hiding? Surely she had some idea? After a fast paced opening, we begin to doubt Beth right away. There are several twists (one big one telegraphed too soon and too obviously) that kept me rushing to the end.

This is a good read centred around the lives of Beth and Tom.
The book begins with a knock at the door and Tom is taken away for questioning about a murder.
Beth is shocked and has lots of questions when he returns home. However, he’s not home long before he’s taken into custody and not released.
The circumstantial evidence is building up and Beth is able to fill in a few gaps as well.
The book as a few twists and turns but I didn’t see the ending coming.
This is not really a thriller as it’s more about Beth, Tom and the people he’s killed but it’s a fast paced read that had me hooked.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

3,5 stars

The Serial Killer’s Wife is everything the title promises. Beth and Tom seemingly have an absolutely idyllic life, but one day Tom’s home late from work, and the police shows up first looking to question Tom about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend. Beth’s shocked and thinks he must be innocent, or is he? 😉

I’d say it’s a thriller ‘light’. So if it’s not your usual genre but you’re curious this is safe! Sometimes the whole “living in a village running a café” experience makes you forget its a thriller and not a romance. It’s really mostly about Beth’s experience while her husband is being charged and suspicions arise. It’s mostly written from Beth’s perspective, some chapters from Tom’s (big Joe from ‘You’ vibes), and even the victim’s.

It was pretty fast-paced, even with the village drama intertwined. There were also some cool plot twists that I really enjoyed.

Good book, well worth a read. It kept me page turning, eager to find out what was going on. I think this will be a hit with other readers. Not going to rehash the plot, or give anything away, you will have to find out for yourself, and I think you will enjoy the journey.

I found this a very interesting book, it is a side of the story you never see. Fancy having to live with this knowledge and keeping it hidden.. Deep dark secrets.. thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Beth and Tom are great characters ,in very different ways
Great story telling,convincing,twists,turns,fab ending and would recommend

This is an insanely intense book!!!!!!!!!! This is my first Alice Hunter book and I loved it!!!!!!! The twists and turns in this book are so good it will boggle your mind!!!!! I highly recommend this book.

This was a better story than I’d expected.
Started off very slowly and I just couldn’t get my imagination to start working on it but then about 4 chapters in it clicked with me. I warmed to the characters and I was hooked.
Well told (if slow to start) and kept me interested right to the end, didn’t want to put it down

The Serial Killer's Wife was not what I initially expected. Beth and Tom are a married couple with a Daughter named Poppy. They seem like a happy couple but looks are deceiving. When Tom is arrested for the murder of his ex-girlfriend 8 years ago things go downhill fast.
The tricky part of this book is who can you really trust? Is anyone telling the truth?
I enjoyed the characters and they were will written. I do wish maybe more of Tom's upbringing was told in the beginning.
Imagine finding out your husband is a serial killer when the police come to the door. Add in the nosy neighbors and reporters and life is really hard to deal with, all the while trying to protect Poppy from the fallout.
This one kept me up late "dying" to find out the answers.

Thanks to netgalley and Avon Books UK for the arc

The action starts immediately with a knock on the door that changes Beth Hardcastle's life - the police want to question her husband about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend's disappearance eight years ago. The title gives the reader a pretty good idea what they're in for, though the other murders take their time unfolding throughout the first 2/3 of the book. The first-person narrative, much of which is through Beth's perspective, is odd, since a number of the reveals seem clunky and disjointed with her previous inner thoughts, some out of thin air, requiring a fair amount of suspension of disbelief. The fast-forming friendships latching onto Beth as her husband is arrested seem puzzling, leaving any seasoned mystery reader just waiting for the catch. It's clearly a debut novel that could have done well with closer editing, though despite its flaws, was a fast and entertaining read with what I found to be a satisfying ending. Will look forward to what comes next for the author - I'm confident she has even better work ahead of her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Perfect doesn't always equal safe or sane in The Serial Killer's Wife! I enjoyed the pace of the story and watching the unraveling of this mystery.

What an amazing story! I really enjoyed reading this book. I was addicted right from the beginning. There was many twists and turns and the ending I didn’t see coming at all.
Beth and Tom has moved to a small village to enjoy a quieter life away from London with their little girl Poppy..
Life is going well until the police arrive and arrest Tom for the murder of a former girlfriend 8 years ago.
How much does Beth know and will everyone believe she’s innocent.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an early copy of this fantastic book.

When I first saw this, I knew I had to read it. The title, the synopsis, everything about it was calling out to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would have powered through it in one sitting but alas... toddlers.

Alice has experience of working with offenders, and her knowledge and experience clearly shows in her descriptive writing and characterisation. I love a good baddie and boooooy was Tom a baddie. It has all the ingredients of a cracking thriller:

- multiple POV ✅
- Different timelines ✅
- Suspense ✅
- Twists ✅

It also has a deliciously devious twist at the end which I was NOT expecting. Oh, and Tom isn’t the only one with secrets....

If you love thrillers, I highly recommend adding this to your TBR.

This felt a little repetitive. I had high hopes based on the title and this had a lot of potential, none of which panned out how I thought it would. There are avenues left unexplored that would have been rad.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.