Member Reviews
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinion.
One word: ADDICTIVE! This book is a definite page turner that you can not put down and will keep you up all night reading! This is a must read for anyone who loves mysteries and thrillers! I highly recommend you stop everything and read this ASAP!
Beth and her husband Tom have made a life in a small community after moving from London. She starts a pottery cafe and has been, for the most part, accepted by the residents. When two investigators knock on their door one evening, Beth thinks it’s her husband who’s forgotten his key. The ball is set in play with the police wanting to ask “a few questions”. Tom is not forthcoming and skirts Beth’s concerns. So begins a cat and mouse game with Beth, her husband, the media and the detectives.
The pace had changed from the beginning to a bit more of a slow burn, but overall I think this book was well written and a great debut from the author. I liked the twist at the end and I did not predict it, so that was a nice surprise!
I really enjoyed this book it was a quick and easy read the author puts in the acknowledgments that she hopes it gives some escapism and I have to say it certainly did. I thought the book had a well crafted plot with some excellent twists and it went at a quick pace keeping wanting to read and to know the outcome. I did think at first that this read was going to be predictable but it wasn’t and held my interest throughout. I didn’t much like some of the characters especially Beth who drove me crazy but that for me was a bonus as usually books like that turn out to be the best ones and so praise to the author for that.
So a good,solid and interesting read and I will certainly read more from Alice Hunter in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This thriller/mystery is set in a small village just outside of London. On what seemed to be a normal night, Beth opens her front door to police looking for her husband in regards to a murder investigation. This turns her world upside down. I enjoyed this book and would say it was a 3 1/2 star out of 5 for me. I liked all the twists and turns, The character development was on point and even though there was a lot of characters it was t hard to keep track of who was who. I did feel it started dragging towards the end, it was a lot to fit into the final chapters. I would still recommend the book and plan to look up more by this author in the future.
The Serial Killer’s Wife is an exciting, mind-blowing, twisty page turner! Beth and Tom are the envy of their neighborhood- perfect marriage, perfect house, and perfect little girl… But one day the cops show up wanting to question Tom about the murder of his girlfriend eight years before.
Suddenly their lives are turned upside down and the reader is along for the ride! Told in four different perspectives, the story is slowly reveled through a series of flash backs.
I was immediately attracted to this book thanks to the title, but found the beginning of this novel a little slow. Honestly, it wasn’t rocking my world. But then the end happened and it was so clever and enjoyable!
I’m going to rate this one four stars! I recommend The Serial Killer’s Wife to fans of psychological thrillers and will be checking out debut author, Alice Hunter’s next book
Thank you Alice Hunter, Avon Books and Netgalley for the ARC. The Serial Killer’s Wife publishes on May 27, 2021. #theserialkillerswife by #alicehunter @avon_books @netgalley
Oh my goodness, this book! I just could not stop reading until the very end. Every time I thought I knew what would happen next, I was surprised! A must read for anyone who enjoys good suspense novel!
This was a proper edge-of-your-seat read. It starts as it means to go on with Beth opening the door to the police fearing the worst - her husband Tom has been in an accident. What's actually happened is beyond belief and her entire life spirals out of control. The story is told from various viewpoints Tom, Beth and the murder victims. There are lots of flashbacks which helps you really understand what all of the characters have been going through. It is jam packed with all the ingredients of a fantastic thriller: Twists, turns, surprises - nice and nasty - and of course, an unexpected ending!
As the book was in the mystery/thriller category, I thought it would have more action or movements within the characters. However, I was left with a very monotone story. From the beginning, we knew who the serial killer was. Even with serial killers, there is some type of motive or urges, with Tom, there were none. Every single character was bland. I wanted to like the story, but even the ending was a letdown.
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter was a very good read. The story follows Beth and Tom Hardcastle with their seemingly perfect marriage. But quickly at the beginning of the story, Tom is questioned about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Katie Williams who went missing several years ago before Tom and Beth married. How is Beth going to handle this and take care of her and her daughter. The author does a good job at making you feel sorry for Beth for a little bit at least. I don't want to say anymore. Definitely a good read.
Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. There were several twist and turns that I didn't see coming. And the ending?? That was the biggest twist of them all. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
I really liked this book.
When the police come to Beth's house to interview her husband Tom about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, her world is rocked. They had moved to a small village in England where Beth opened up a shop that doubled in coffee/painting ceramics. She is working on being accepted by the locals and is afraid of how they will react to her husband's arrest.
The book is mainly told from Beth's POV but it also has flashes back in time and also from Tom's POV. Beth finds support from a few villagers including a recently widowed gentleman but others wonder if she knew the whole time.
Great twist at the end.
This was an enjoyable book. I read it in just a couple of sittings. The plot moves forward quickly and I appreciated the attention to detail of the twist at the end. It's not scary or an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries!
Thanks net galley for my advanced copy. This was an enjoyable read although towards the end the twist came as no surprise. Having said this it was a well structured story that kept me intrigued to the end.
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review - publication date 27th May 2021.
Beth and Tom Hardcastle have everything - good jobs, their own business, a lovely home in the Costwalds and an adorable three year old. But as we are to find out, every family holds secrets. One day Tom is late home from work and instead of him knocking on the door to kiss his daughter goodnight, it is the police - looking for him in connection with a murder that happened 8 years ago.
This book started out fast paced which I liked, but slowed down considerably. I found it hard to connect to and sympthasise with the main character, although this made more sense later on. It was a slow burner and I found myself becoming frustrated with wanting to know more. The earlier twists that were revealed added some suspense, but also I felt that some of them seemed somewhat random - as though they hadn't been plotted out fully and the author had the idea while writing. As a writer myself, I know all too well what this is like but with editing and pacing that should made less apparent.
The last few chapters and consequent twist made this book for me. I had guessed/hoped there was a big one coming and although some of it was predictable, a good proportion took me by surprise. The writing at the end of the book was the best of it all and is certainly what solidified it a 3 star rating for me.
Overall I would say it is worth a read and I would certainly pick up more from this debut author as she has a lot of potential - the pacing just missed the mark a little for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
The Serial Killer Wife doesn't break any new ground, but it's a fast paced entertaining read. There are plot elements that I have read in other domestic thrillers. The ending was truly surprising. Once I finished the book, I was satisfied. I will read another book by Alice Randall especially if she does a follow-up to her debut. She tells a good story and knows how to keep the pages turning.
I was so excited about this, and this really turned out to be one of the lamest books I've ever read. It was so boring and predictable and it just dragged, which is something you really do not expect from a book with the words, "serial killer" in the title. The ending was such a letdown. I feel the content covered in this book could have been a few chapters in a way better book, and obviously, they will probably write a lame sequel based on the ending. I'm definitely not reading that. Hard pass.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC for an honest review. I'm just as disappointed as you are that I didn't love it.
Alice Hunter obviously knows what she is writing. She transmitted her vast experience on the subject to her book in a way that makes the book addiciting. It*s a heavy, dark, and twisted psychological thriller that will make you forget about the world around you for a couple of hours.
Warning this review contains spoilers! This one started out a little slowly--Tom being in police custody without facing murder charges sure drug out the first third of the book. I wish it had been edited down and more background into both Tom and Beth could have been explored--they were both diabolical and I think it would have been easy to develop why. I actually wanted Tom to be a more twisted/prolific serial killer. I also suspected Beth had something to do with Camilla's death as soon as she started to interact with Adam and I knew she had actually cast the suspicions about Katie's death onto Tom. It was pretty obvious that Beth had a plan through the whole book.
I enjoyed this book, it was quick reading and interesting take, from the start we know her husband is guilty but is she the innocent victim she wants us to believe There is the top layer of story and the underneath suspicious story, everyone is a possible culprit. worth the read
I believe this to be a debut novel and wow, what a hit!
I couldn't put the book down. While the characters, mainly Beth are a bit chatty, we see what she is thinking and going through. The author takes you to the small village and is right on in describing the nuisance's of the people.. How would you react if your husband was suddenly questioned by the police regarding an old girlfriend? How well do you know your spouse?
You know there are going to be twists and turns through the book, and the author doesn't disappoint the reader. I will certainly follow Alice Hunter as I hope she continues writing these psychological thrillers.