Really enjoyed this book. Found myself totally immersed in this story from the word go. An idyllic marriage for Tom and Beth, with a beautiful little daughter Poppy. Living the dream in a sleepy little village. But of course all is not what it seems, especially when Beth gets a visit from the police asking to speak to her husband. This sets off a chain of events which unravels what really happens 'behind closed doors'. Plenty of suspense and twists which keep you turning the pages. A great ending too!! I would recommend this book highly, and a big thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is complex, head spinning, absolutely disturbing, twisty and truly delicious psychological thriller which introduces us a new debut author Alice Hunter

Beth's life will never be the same after the police come knocking on her door to ask her husband a few questions about Katie, his ex-girlfriend who disappeared years ago.
Beth can't believe her husband could have anything to do with it? But how much does she really trust him?


I have read a couple of books written by this author (under her real name), and I enjoyed them, so I had certain expectations when I reached for this book.
This started as a good, entertaining read that for a while had a 3-star book feeling. However, the story, later on, turned into a fast-paced rollercoaster full of twists, that kept me in suspense, and had me quickly turning the pages to find out how it ends.
The final revelation was shocking, and I certainly didn't see it coming. I think the book could do without the last chapter, but overall, it was a great read, and I recommend you check it out.

This was surprisingly juicy and very easy to read! I couldn’t believe the ending it was such a shock. I’m wondering if there will be another book to follow this one. Overall, this was a good read and I enjoyed it.

Thanks so much to Netgalley et all for the opportunity to read this. It was a great read Im wary about giving too much away, but it was gripping & exciting. It had me on the edge of my seat & was a fast moving plot that will keep you going.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood - they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family. When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics, Tom should be back from work by now - what if he's crashed his car? But the worst is beyond imagining. As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

Tom works in the city and Beth has her own pottery cafe. They have a three year old daughter, Poppy. When Tom is arrested for his involvement in his previous partners disappearance, Beth is shocked. The story is told mostly from Beth's perspective. The pace was slow but it did pickup in the second half. The twist at the end was worth sticking with the book for, i never saw it coming. For the book to be called The Serial Killer's Wife, there's no bidy or bodies in the first half.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #AliceHunter for my ARC of #TheserialKillersWife in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Hardcastle’s life is turned upside down when police show up at her door looking for her husband, Tom and any answers he may have about a suspected disappearance eight years prior.
The Serial Killer’s Wife by Alice Hunter is told (mostly) through Beth’s point of view with some from Tom and even Katie (the missing woman) and an unknown person who seems to enjoy rough sex.
There was suspense and some good twists, however, I feel like there wasn’t enough background on the characters and in the end I was left with some questions instead of answers.

*Thanks to NetGalley, and Avon Books UK for advanced digital copy in exchange for review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an absolutely addictive read that flies past you. The characters are engaging and suitably hard to predict and it’s a highly entertaining read from first page to last.

Beth has a pretty perfect life but unfortunately for her, Tom, her husband, may have hidden a dark side. I say may because we don’t know what Beth knows and we don’t know if Tom is guilty…

That’s what keeps you reading and the author manages the twisty plot pitch perfectly holding the reveal moments close until you head into the finale.

Overall a great read and a classically good example of its genre.

Recommended.

When Beth's husband is brought in for questioning about the disappearance of an ex girlfriend, she isn't sure what to think, but realises it is quite clear that the little village they live in have made up their minds already. As events continue to spiral, she is left to wonder - what is the man she loves capable of? I really enjoyed this book and stayed up late in the night to see how it ended - and the twists keep going until the very last page. Highly recommend.

Beth and Tom seem like a perfectly happy couple with a beautiful little girl and nice, quiet life. News of Tom's arrest, in connection to an almost-decade-old crime, is devastating to his wife and shocks the rest of their small village community. This is, however, only the start of all that is about to be revealed about Tom's past.

The title is what initially made me gravitate towards this book and the synopsis intrigued me enough to start reading it. The story jumped right into the action but this soon, unfortunately, dwindled. 300 pages were spent on Beth's worry, Tom's arrest, and their village community's reactions to it. There were some reveals littered throughout but not enough to sustain the suspense that was present at the beginning.

This novel was by no means a bad one but it did fail to compel and thrill me, as I was hoping. It proved to be a pretty quiet story, but the conclusion entirely altered this. It did its job of completely shocking me and I appreciated how clever a reveal it was. The book before this failed to impress me in quite the same way, however.

OOO this one was a creepy one!! Definitely held my attention the whole way through.. I will say I didn't like the ending as much but it was still a really good book and the writing was fantastic. I will recommend this to others, for sure!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy. Unfortunately I could not get into this book at all. Very slow moving....I did not finish.

This was such a great, twisty book to read, I loved it. It just grabbed hold of me straight away and I just didn’t want to put it down until I finished it. I couldn’t believe the ending it was such a shock. I’m wondering if there will be another book to follow this one. I certainly hope so as I would love to find out what happens next. I do hope Ms Hunter writes more books like this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Ok WOW I loved this thriller! This definitely unlocked a new fear for me thought I couldn't handle finding out my husband was a serial killer. I loved the split perspectives between Tom, Katie and Beth even though hearing Tom's POV was horrifying with all his stalker behavior and gross justifications for what he did. Even though his chapters were hard to read content wise they were just so well written! I knew Beth was just as crazy as he was but it was still wild to see it all unfold. This book gave me major "You" vibes and was incredible. Poor Adam is the real victim here (and all the actual murder victims of course)

You agree to spend the rest of your life with the person you love and trust, but how well do you truly know them?
Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their small village; They live a perfect life with their perfect family. Beth spends her days running her successful ceramic cafe while Tom spends his working for a bank, and they both end their days spending time with their three-year-old daughter, Poppy. Life is great until Tom is late home from work and the police have shown up at their home looking for him. Beth, already worried, is immediately filled with fear of him being involved in some kind of accident. Why are the police showing up at their home? Is everything as perfect as it seems behind closed doors?
This debut novel by Alice Hunter was absolutely amazing! I could not get enough of this story. I picked it up any chance I got and dreaded having to put it down! I flew through this story in under 48 hours, itching to know more. This story had so many twists and turns, I think my mind is still spinning! It was filled with action from the very beginning, right up until the very end. I highly recommend this to all lovers of psychological thrillers. I look forward to reading more work by her!
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story is centered around Beth and Tom who have relocated outside of London. An unexpected call from the police one night arouses suspicion in Beth over her husband. Has he played a part in the disappearance of his ex girlfriend.? You will want to read on to see if your theories are right.. Do you really know the person you are married to? Kept in suspense right till the end with an opportunity for the story to continue.

Beth’s life is idyllic. She has a handsome husband, a beautiful three year old daughter, and a successful small business. She has everything she’s ever wanted However, things are never as perfect they seem. We all have secrets we keep. From the outside world. From friends. And even from our spouse. Beth’s husband Tom perhaps has the biggest secret of all. He’s a serial killer. When news of his interrogation and subsequent arrest spread through their little community, Beth fears the perfect life and family she created for her child will be destroyed. She’s not about to let that happen. Beth might just have a few secrets of her own…

Fast-paced and full of suspense, “The Serial Killer’s Wife” by Alice Hunter is nothing short of an addictive, enjoyable read from start to finish. Shorter chapters move the story along without ever slowing down. The book never gets bogged down with overly lengthy descriptions or unneeded details. Only what you need to know is revealed, and it’s revealed slowly despite the fast pace. You’ll get hooked on the story right from the start, but the truth bomb that Hunter detonates at the end will blast you off your seat.

Told from both Beth and Tom’s point of view, author Alice Hunter’s career working with prisoners really shines through in “The Serial Killer’s Wife.” Beth is compelling, likeable, and sometimes sympathetic. If you love psychological thrillers, you’ll be fascinated by her mindset as well as her actions. And she’s the sane one of the two. Tom’s character is a look into the mind of a killer with all the depravity and screwed up logic you’d expect. Although his character isn’t one I felt invested in, he proves to be the perfect foil for his wife Beth and adds a depth to the story that wouldn’t have been there without him.

I got sucked into “The Serial Killer’s Wife” after the first chapter. It got into my head and wouldn’t leave. If I sat it down to do something else, my thoughts revolved around it until I picked it back up (usually minutes later). Because of this book, I missed a meal, let dishes pile up, and lost a bit of sleep — all signs of a great read I think you'll love too.

Here’s to hoping there’s more to come from Alice Hunter!

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was good and the characters well written. The ending was great. Highly recommended.

The Perfect Life.....?
The perfect life? Does that even exist? Beth and Tom, to all around them, appear to have just that. When the police come calling one evening all that is seemingly perfect is about to change. Edge of seat suspense, told in a compelling and credible narrative and with twists and turns that the reader may not see coming. Engaging reading.

I never seem to be able to resist a story with a serial killer angle, and as soon as I first discovered The Serial Killer's Wife I immediately knew I wanted to read it. I mean, having a main character that is the wife of an (until then) undiscovered serial killer? That is one hook, line and sinker kind of blurb! I've been excited to read it ever since it appeared on my kindle... And I kind of wonder if I simply set my expectations too high or that I was expecting a different kind of story, but unfortunately I did end up having mixed thoughts. I'll try to explain why briefly below.

First of all I have to say that I still like the premise of The Serial Killer's Wife. Having the story focus on a serial killer that has been able to escape justice until now as well as on his wife definitely gives this debut a fascinating angle. It was also interesting to see how the sudden involvement in the murder investigation had an impact on both characters. That said, somehow I expected more of this story? More suspense, more action or at least more focus on the crimes themselves... Instead, The Serial Killer's Wife can be seen as a slow-paced psychological thriller that mostly focuses on Tom's wife Beth and what happens to her. Not the story I expected to find, and I felt that the plot dragged considerably especially in the first half and only got more interesting once more details of the murder investigation were revealed. This is probably just a personal reaction though as more domestic psychological thrillers and me somehow don't really get along lately.

That said, I also had issues with the main characters themselves. The Serial Killer's Wife uses a multiple POV structure, where we mainly focus on Beth and Tom in the present, but also have flashbacks to eight years ago with Katie as well as other 'mystery' scenes. Beth seems to be the most important character and POV, as we see quite a lot of her... And the fact is: I REALLY didn't like her. I found her to be quite self-centered and bland and the constant worrying about what others will think and how to protect Poppy really got old fast. Tom seemed a bit bland as well, and that is strange considering he is a serial killer. I just felt that he wasn't properly developed and lacked real motivation; the whole remorse and 'I'm innocent' repetitions didn't feel credible for his character. Likewise, I wasn't a fan of how the unreliable narrator technique was used, and the whole cheating angle was a bit of a let down for me as well.

Like I said before, the pace in The Serial Killer's Wife is considerably slow and this story is more a character-driven domestic/psychological thriller with a serial killer angle than a full blown crime thriller. The main focus is on the wife Beth and her daily life after her husband Tom is first arrested, and while there are some twists, secrets and reveals, the story doesn't really reveal much until well into the second half. In this case, it ment that it took me a long time to warm up to the story and it was a long haul to get to the more exciting part. The fact that I guessed part of the final twist didn't really help either... Although if you don't spot the signs it is quite a clever way to end the story.

As a whole, sadly I ended up having mixed thoughts, but don't give up on The Serial Killer's Wife on my account as most people do seem to love it. Make sure to prepare yourself for a slower paced and character-driven psychological thriller though!