So i was super pumped to read this book but I'm going to be very honest. It seemed a tad bit predictable, unsuspecting wife doesn't realize her husband is a serial killer, or does she? Lets back up though..
Beth and her husband Tom along with their daughter Poppy live in a quiet small town after moving from London. Beth owns and runs Poppys Pottery and has been accepted by some in this close knit community. Tom still commutes to London to go to work every day.
Two investigators come knocking on a Monday evening when Tom arrived VERY LATE from work . Thus begins a cat and mouse game of back and forth between Tom and Beth.
The plot dragged on and honestly i skimmed several chapters because they didnt seem that important, t here are pages and pages filled with insignificant ramble which might have been cut out.
The final twist wasn't shocking, as I intiially predicted it somewhere around the middle of the book.

Thank you to the publisher who sent me a widget for this through Netgalley. I was so excited I downloaded and read it straight away.

This is an interesting concept. A nice suburban middle-class family living a nondescript existence in a small village, life’s are shattered when the father is arrested for murder (and it turns out murders). This is what happened to Beth and Poppy when Tom is arrested.

Beth tries to shield Poppy from the reality that is going on, all the while getting on with the fallout the arrest causes. But, and it’s a big BUT, surely Beth must have known something. Surely, there had to a hint, or a wiff of something but it seems not.

What follows is a very enjoyable domestic drama with a good few twist and turns that I enjoyed reading and reviewing

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about Beth who is married to Tom. They have a 3 year old daughter called Poppy and Beth runs her own pottery cafe. Everything is ticking along until one night her husband is late home from work and the police are sat waiting for him. He is taken in for questioning by the police in connection with the disappearance of the girlfriend he had before meeting and marrying Beth.

I enjoyed this story overall. I was a bit worried before I read it that there might be apolice procedural but it definitely isn’t. The story is told from multiple POV. We mainly hear from Beth but we also have chapters from Tom and also Katie who is the ex girlfriend who disappeared. I had a theory not too far into this book as to what the ending was going to be. I was mainly correct but got the details wrong. This was a fast paced enjoyable read and would highly recommend it especially if you are new to the thriller genre.

I liked this book and how you knew there had to be some twist at the end. I felt the narrative could be described bettwr explaining the italicized narrative, but overall a good book

The Serial Killer's wife is an intriguing mystery thriller with twists that kept me wanting to read more. The book is primarily from the perspective of Beth Hardcastle, the serial killer's wife, with a few sections from the perspective of her husband, Tom, and some flashbacks involving Tom's ex-girlfriend and an anonymous woman. With each flashback, we gain a little more into Tom's character, which I really liked.

The Serial Killer's Wife starts right off with Tom being questioned and taken into the station. We see how Beth handles the consequences of this as a mother, wife, and person of a small town. As revelations and twists are revealed, we gain further understanding into the death of Tom's ex-girlfriend, Katie, along with other unexpected details.

Beth is not a character you particularly like, but I found her very interesting. The fact that she could be married to a serial killer made me think early on that she must have some issues of her own. Even though she doesn't know Tom is a serial killer, I felt like she must not have the best intuition and judgement. I think because of that, anything that seemed like odd or annoying behavior from Beth made sense to me. My only complaint is that about halfway through the book, it started to feel a little slow and repetitive. With that said, I felt like it picked back up again and each twist made it so that I couldn't wait to see how everything would end. Speaking of the ending and twists... You learn new things all the way up to the very end and I loved it! I think Alice Hunter's experience as a psychologist who had worked with prisoners made for a very interesting read.

"𝑫𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏? 𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎? 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔?"

This was an addictive and well-paced page-turner that makes you question how well you really know the people close to you.
Beth Hardcastle's entire life comes crumbling down when her husband, Tom, is charged with the disappearance and possible murder of his ex-girlfriend. When cornered, she does what any good mother would do - protect and secure her daughter's future. How Beth deals with the fallout, ensuring justice prevails, is what the story is about...or is it??
Beth is shown to be a sweet, hard-working person whose world revolves around her daughter. Much of her actions come across as naive, hasty or questionable. Tom is portrayed as a serial killer with a heart??? I do feel that the author could have provided some kind of flashback for these characters to emphasise what made them the person/monster they are in the current time.
The twist in the climax was simply WOW. I am amazed at how cleverly these subtle clues were placed throughout the plot leading upto that final reveal.
Overall, a gripping domestic thriller that I greatly enjoyed.
A big thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book - I started thinking that this was a straightforward book, but I was so wrong. Beth's lifestyle is believable as are all the characters, but then the twists start appearing.

Would make a perfect book club read - would recommend.

Do you ever start a book and know by the first page you are going to love it? Well that’s exactly what happened to me when I read the first page of The Serial Killers Wife. I was captivated. It’s a dark and twisty fast paced psychological thriller written by Alice Hunter

Beth Hardcastle is reading a bedtime story to her three year old daughter Poppy, when she hears a knock on her front door. She assumes it is her husband Tom, as he was expected home two hours ago from work. Beth had been sick with worry as Tom is never late so she opens the door in anticipated relief, but to her horror it is not Tom, but two inspectors standing at her door. In that moment Beth knows her life is about to change forever.

Beth and Tom appear to be the perfect couple. Happily married, successful careers, a beloved daughter and a cottage in a small village in England. From an outsider they have it all. But life isn’t always as it appears, people are not always who we think they are. Behind closed doors anything is possible.

The Serial Killers Wife involves missing women, lies, deception, abuse, manipulation, murder and plenty of plot twists. The last plot twist in the book was completely shocking and one I did not see coming. And based on the ending of the book I’m hopeful that a sequel is in the works!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advanced readers copy of The Serial Killers Wife. I am eagerly anticipating Alice Hunters next book.

Interesting book! Reminded me of You combined with the Silent Patient and a dash of the Power Couple. Good domestic thriller with just enough twists to keep you reading. The unreliable narrator always keeps a reader on their toes.

The Serial Killer’s Wife is a pretty decent novel. I believe it was classified as a thriller, but I’m not sure it entirely fits that category.
The story centers on Beth, who is blindsided when her husband is questioned and then arrested for murder. She deals with the fallout and tries to protect her daughter from the news.
The book switches POVs between Tom and Beth, and also switches points in time. It was not confusing to keep track of, but I didn’t think it added much to the story either. The writing was very good and it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. However there were no real twists in the story. Anymore, I really associate twisted endings with thrillers. Decent book, I just could see how it could have been better.

Oh I do like a good domestic drama! This was a great read, plenty of twists and the book totally went in a different direction to what I was expecting. I certainly couldn't put this book down and I will definitely read more from this author..

Beth is putting her daughter Poppy to bed when there is a knock at the door. Her husband Tom is late, Poppy wants her daddy, and Beth is infuriated that he must have forgotten his door key. If only it was Tom instead of the police who are looking for him. When he arrives home, the life Beth, Tom, and Poppy enjoyed will never be the same.
You see, Tom's girlfriend vanished eight years ago. The police seem to now believe that it is because Tom killed her. When he is arrested, Beth tries to put on a brave face for Poppy, but it isn't easy. All she wants is for her family to be together, making a lovely home for their daughter. Soon though, Beth has doubts about her husband and it appears she may know more than she has told the police. When the truth emerged, it certainly surprised me!
I had my suspicions about this couple, but I was convinced I was wrong about at least one of them. No spoilers, but you are in for a bumpy ride and the catalyst for Tom's arrest might surprise you. As the police look to Beth for answers, I kept wondering just how much she knew about her husband. Told through Beth, Tom, and an unknown narrator's POV, this one definitely kept me guessing.
My first book by this author and I pretty much flew through it. Oh, and that ending was just perfect!

This psychological thriller starts off with the perfect married couple Beth and Tom Hardcastle and their delightful young daughter Poppy, living the ideal life in a small village. But all this changes when one evening there is a knock at the door by the local police.
I found the plot interesting even though at times a little repetitive and although I felt I should be feeling sorry for Beth I couldnt help but have some resentment towards her with her concealing evidence. Young Poppy is the character that I was drawn to with her naivety and innocence whilst surrounding by evil.
The twist at the end of the story was the most exciting part for me and left me thinking that there is more to come for the Hardcastles.
My thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC of the Serial Killers Wife, these are my own thoughts on this book.

A great book that had me turning the pages in an attempt to find out what has happened in the lives of Tom and Beth. Really enjoyed the style of writing which had me immersed from the first chapter. Interesting twists and turns throughout - really enjoyed this book and cant wait to read another from this author. 5*

A good premise with an interesting ending that took waaaay too long to get there. 2.5 stars rounded up.

Beth Hardcastle may have just learned the hard way that her husband has been keeping a lot of secrets. When he is taken to the police station for questioning one night, Beth is sure he'll be home soon. When he is charged with murder, she soon realizes she may have been living with a killer. I really wish it didn't take more than half the book to gift Tom with the 'serial killer' title. There was an awful lot of baking cookies and playing with the kid to keep me interested. Beth seemed naive and demure but I enjoyed the way the author revealed her little secrets. I thought her friendship with Adam was going nowhere but that ending really made up for just how boring majority of the story was. If you're struggling somewhere in the middle like I was, keep going just for that last page twist.

**Thanks to Avon Books UK for my advanced copy.

I don't read a lot of thrillers but I've wanted to branch out a bit and I'm glad I did. The book started off so quick with Tom being arrested and Beth trying to figure out what to do. Beth surprised me a few times and I couldn't stop reading once a new storyline started. I was drawn to the characters because it seemed like a perfect little family to begin but looks are deceiving and it was very much the case with Beth's family. My stomach was in my throat for the last 50 pages and now I can't fall asleep because it was twisty!!!

I would recommend this book because it surprised me and was super twisty.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

One quiet evening the police show up at Beth and Tom's door and their whole world changes. Tom is taken to the police station to be questioned about his ex girlfriend , who disappeared years before. When he is charged with not only her murder but suspected of being a serial killer, Beth and their daughter Poppy are left to defend themselves in the little village they live in. Soon rumors are flying wondering if Beth knew about her husband all along.
If you're a fan of Gone Girl then this book is for you. The story keeps you guessing until the end when all is revealed. I enjoyed the story but disliked the characters once it started to evolve and was a bit disappointed at the end.

They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew.

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? She fears the worst.

But the worst is beyond imagining.

As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

They’re husband and wife – till death do them part…

Very mild spoilers ahead…

Well…. What an interesting read that was!

These types of books are usually full of twists and turns so I’m always prepared but I definitely didn’t see that first major twist coming!

It was a little frustrating though in that there is no real detail to a lot of it, there’s no gaps filled in in places. You at least want to know what the evidence they have on Tom is but you don’t get to find that out til very late in the book. It was annoying to me that Beth wasn’t asking enough questions and just seemed to be accepting things as they were playing out. This becomes more evident why later on but you kind of just want to shake her and say ASK SOME QUESTIONS WOMAN!

What I found interesting was that she makes quite a lot of the characters seem very suspicious but then doesn’t follow through. This annoyed me at first but then I realised it was done to throw you off and to suspect everyone of having some kind of secret or ulterior motive. I found myself not trusting anyone in the book apart from Poppy!

I loved that you get to see inside quite a few characters heads but you don’t necessarily believe everything they are saying either.

I guessed the ending twist quite a few chapters beforehand but I still enjoyed how it played out. But that prologue really threw me. I just want to know what happens next…a sequel perhaps?

(Received an advanced copy from NetGalley and AvonBooks UK. All thoughts are my own).

A read that drew me right in with characters I connected to. The title alone is excellent--the premise is even better.

Beth is a character I feel like most people can relate to--but how many can relate to what she's dealing with? Few of us, and yet it makes us look at our husbands and wonder--could they be keeping a secret? The reality is that plenty of serial killers ARE hidden in plain sight, and this premise blew me a way. The twists throughout the book will keep you guessing.

Highly recommend!

I had originally passed on the idea of reading and reviewing this book, but when the publisher emailed me suggesting that I might like it considering other books I’d reviewed, I decided to take a chance. I’m glad I did.

We ALL keep secrets. Doesn’t matter how long we’ve been married. Beth and Tom Hardcastle are no exception.

Don’t skip over the author’s note prior to chapter 1. It gives readers a framework for the novel. Knowing the author’s background will help readers understand that Alice Hunter is using her experience to explore the psychology of the criminal mind. Instead of seeing Tom and Beth’s subconscious actions as irritating, we now see them differently. We are seeing how a calculating mind works to manipulate and rearrange events to fit a predetermined outcome.

I absolutely loved that I was dropped into the plot mid-action. No background info was given nor needed. The pace was quick and thrilling for the introduction and conclusion. The author expertly spoon feeds information and readers jump to conclusions only to discover that their gut reaction was wrong. The twist was fantastic. The characters were great. Having both perspectives made for a fantastic read as we soon find out they are unreliable. The epilogue suggests that the author might have a sequel in mind? Perhaps I’m wrong and it’s going to be part of her signature style to leave us wanting a neat and tidy ending.

Thank you to Alice Hunter, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this domestic thriller. I received my advance copy for free and was under no obligation to provide feedback.
Publishes May 27, 2021