I really wanted to like this book but it fell flat for me. I couldnt get into the story or the characters.

This was terrible. Trite and predictable with loathsome characters. I’m not sure how everyone didn’t figure out the transparent plot going on here but to each their own. I can’t believe I read the whole thing expecting it to get better or prove me wrong. But nope, exactly as I predicted.

Can’t recommend this one. But if you liked terrible reads like Colleen Hoover’s Verity you may also enjoy this book.

I am absolutely the target market for these types of books because despite the fact that I can normally figure out the twist, it never stops me from enjoying the journey. This was one of those books for me - although I will say I didn't figure out the final twist until just before it was revealed so it didn't taint the ending for me much. I really enjoyed this domestic thriller. This is told from multiple POVs which I love in a good thriller because it gives the reader a fuller picture of how each character is truly feeling, . This can sometimes make me start to distrust the main narrator which really throws my head into a tizzy and gets me obsessing over who is telling the truth. I especially like when the POV's are told from the past to better explain how they got the current situation which was utilized quite a bit in this. This was such a page-turner for me because I couldn't quite trust ANY of the characters, and in the end I guess my instincts were correct. This definitely won't be my last from Alice Hunter. I love her storytelling style and thought she did an excellent job of developing both the characters and the plot. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I did finish this after its publishing date, which was May 27, 2021.

I really enjoyed this book and it was a good page turner. It is from the perspective of the serial killer's wife, and how being married to a serial killer affects you when the public finds out. It is a very easy read and the characters are well thought out and executed.
I love how it is narrated from different perspectives and you are sometimes lead completely down the wrong path and I love how it shows that not everything from someone's perspective can be trusted.
The twist at the end is so good and it really made this book. I can not wait to read another book by Alice Hunter.

I found Alice Hunter's debut to be a fairly gripping read and I enjoyed the exploration of the experience of the family of an accused serial killer. Sadly for me this novel was let down by the quality of the writing which I found stilted and lacking in flow.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Oh my goodness this is a jaw-dropping book!

Beth and Tom seem like a lovely, normal, happily married couple. How can Tom be accused of murder?

It’s difficult to review this book without giving too much of the plot away, and with a plot like this, full of twists and bombshells, you really don’t want it spoiled for you.

I’ll just tell you that this is probably my top psychological thriller book of this year so far. It’s tense and twisty, gripping and shocking. It’s a total must-read. It’s out today, just read it. You’ll be completely consumed by it, as I was. Superb.

This is a very well-written slow-burner that starts on a good note but then fails to maintain the momentum. Moreover, the twist at the end was simply remarkable and I'll definitely be keeping a lookout for future work from this author!

Both the title and start of this book are intriguing and really made me excited to read more. Unfortunately, however, the book didn’t live up to its initial promise, despite some twists towards the end. I found the writing a little prosaic and the story a bit drawn out. I did enjoy it to a certain extent, however, and I’m sure there’ll be loads of readers who love it.

Beth Hardcastle has a seemingly perfect life in a small village in England, where she lives with her husband and young daughter. Having left London behind for the suburbs, she run a pottery shop and cafe and (thinks) she has a wonderful marriage, until her husband Tom is taken in for questioning about the disappearance of a former girlfriend. As her life starts to unravel, Beth questions just how well she really knows her husband and her neighbors.

I did enjoy the story being told from multiple points of view, but I found this book less and less believable and interesting the further on I read. There were a few interesting twists, but they felt predictable and I found the main character very unlikable the more I got to know her.

This was a very interesting and unique read. I enjoyed it from the start and it kept my eyes glued to it until the very end. The story moved along smoothly and though it has a few twists, it was very enjoyable.

Ever wanted to read about the investigation of a serial killer’s crimes from the spouse’s perspective? Look no further!
Beth’s husband is investigated for the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, the police don't immediately have enough to pin it on him but things are not looking good. While he faces the police, Beth has to stand trial in the court of public opinion and try to protect her three year old daughter from their hate and the truth of her daddy’s crimes.

Living in a small village means she has both the benefit of support from some of her neighbours and also the bite of local gossip, trying to keep her small business running while all this is going on proves to be a challenge and only adds more stress to an already stressful time.

The lies between Tom and Beth are gradually unravelled as the investigation progresses and we find out exactly how much Beth knew about her husband’s past misdeeds - the suspense is well drawn out and unpredictable, right up to the very end.

This book is more psychologically interesting than action packed or gory, which is to its credit - it kept me hooked on secrets alone!

Beth Hardcastle’s life is completely upended when the police arrive at her home one evening; of course she thinks the worst. The police are there not to give her bad news but instead to question her husband Tom about the death of one of his former girlfriends. He is taken into police custody and is charged with Katie’s murder. The question that the whole town wants to know is, did Beth know?

This leads to a twisty, complex psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. What does Beth know? And who did her husband kill? Great read!

Beth's husband is late home from work. And then the police appear and take him away for questioning about a missing girl. Her perfect life - husband, child, business - all start to unravel as it seems the man she married is not who she thought he was. But there is more to the tale than first appears. Is Tom guilty as charged, or is he being set up?

This is an entertaining read, and the reader keeps thinking they know what is happening, then the plot takes another twist. Although I wasn't particularly surprised by the final ending.

Some of the characters are a little one-dimensional, and some of the events a little unbelievable - like how Adam so readily inveigles himself into Beth's life, and Beth's reactions when the press hound her and she becomes notorious in the village - but overall it makes for a fun read that keeps you guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Serial Killer's Wife is an addictive domestic thriller, written by Alice Hunter. Beth and Tom Hardcastle live in a gorgeous house with their lovely daughter, Poppy. One day, Beth is reading to Poppy when there is a knock on the Hardcastle's front door. Assuming it's Tom late home from work Poppy answers the door but finds two police officers standing there who introduce themselves as Detective Inspector Manning from the Metropolitan Police and his colleague from Thames Valley, Detective Sergeant Walters. They are looking to speak to Tom and insist on waiting. Tom, an investment banker, eventually arrives home and they inform him that they think he may be able to assist them with a murder inquiry. The following day Tom is arrested for being involved in the disappearance and probable murder of his ex-girlfriend Katie Williams eight years ago.

Largely told from Beth’s perspective, the reader follows along as Beth's life crumbles around her. The police are suspicious of Beth’s naivety and others question why she was not aware of Tom’s murderous behaviour. 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 right up to the final words. With its spot-on pacing, I couldn't get enough of the mind-boggling twists. Very highly recommended and extremely worthwhile.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Avon Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Serial Killer’s Wife is a great read. It is fast paced and held my attention throughout. They say behind every successful man, there is a woman – And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two. Well, I’d say that’s just the beginning for Tom.
This storyline is exciting. I found the hold backs to be well paced and kept me guessing. I was swept up in Beth and Poppy – the poor family left to sort themselves out while Tom was held. I underestimated characters at every turn. I especially loved the interactions with DC Imogen Cooper. I wish there was a bit more depth to Adam. He was the only one that seemed to lack an edge of understanding to the undercurrents at play.
The writing is smart and smooth. I will be looking for more to read from Alice Hunter in the future.

I thought this book was well-written and suspenseful, but a bit too cringe-y for me with its subject matter. I shouldn't be shocked due to its title, but the dark descriptions of some of the book's events unsettled me too much. I was interested to see how things turned out, but for some reason it did take me awhile to get through the book. It felt like the story wasn't moving at an engaging enough pace to keep me wanting to come back and finish it sooner.

Beth's life is upended when the police come to her house one night to take her husband in for questioning in connection to a suspected murder. When he is finally arrested and awaiting trial, there are whispers among the people in town that she must have known her husband was a killer. Beth is struggling to cope with caring for their 3 year old daughter Poppy, and running her business. Is he guilty? Is he innocent? No matter the verdict, Beth knows that her life will never be the same.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #TheSerialKiller'sWife by #AliceHunter . This novel has a lot of good twists however, I felt that they were presented in a way that wasn't shocking. Enough had been built up prior to the reveals that I wasn't surprised by anything. The ending was a bit far-fetched, but I like where the author was trying to go with it. The overall story line was interesting and I enjoyed the book. 3 stars

I had mixed feelings about this book. It definitely kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. The concept for the plot was what intrigued me the most. Can you imagine learning that your spouse is a serial killer?

The problem was that some of the twists in the plot sort of ruined it for me. I won't say what they are, because I don't want to include any spoilers in my review, but I found some of the motivations of the characters to ring hollow. I have to say that lately there has been a rash of books that have the female protagonist doing everything for the sake of their child (extreme unconscionable things). This just doesn't fit with reality.

The Serial Killer's Wife was certainly interesting and it was a page-turner. If you tend to need your books to be somewhat believable, you may want to give this a pass. But, if you are just looking for an entertaining read and can suspend belief for the sake of it, give the book a shot.

One last thing. I suspect this is the first book in a series due to the way it was ended. Still, it can stand on its own.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon Books for allowing me to have a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Captivatingly dark and twisted, exactly how a great crime thriller should be. Really loved this one, and the audiobook production was fantastic. Highly Recommend! 5 stars.
Casey Kelleher

I always dread writing a negative review after reading an ARC.
However, I do feel I need to be honest and to me reading The Serial Killer's Wife was quite a struggle.

One of my main issues with the story was the pacing. The first half of the book was such a slow burn. Tom Hardcastle is arrested for involvement in the disappearance and possible murder of a former girlfriend. leaving his wife in shock and serious distress. Beth has a hard time coping with the situation but instead of supporting her husband she is more occupied with what the villagers might think of the allegations against her husband. I kept waiting for the story to pick up some speed but it seemed ages before any significant plot development took place.
Another thing that annoyed me were the characters in the story. None of them seemed very genuine and I didn't connect with any of them. Main character Beth came across as very self-absorbed right from the start, I didn't like her at all.
The flashbacks that are woven through the story made it more interesting but overall the story just was'nt gripping enough for me and I found it hard to keep my attention.

Nevertheless I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.