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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4⭐️
Thank you so much NetGalley and H.J Garbett for letting me read this arc.
I enjoyed this book, give me more books with unhinged FMC!! The dark humour used in this book did make me laugh. I did however have some issues with the backstory behind our main character, i believe that this could have been explained more in depth.
It took me some time to warm up to Garret as i thought he was a little bland at first. But the more i read the more i loved him, the struggle he felt with the predicament he was in was dealt with in a realistic manner.
The ending was a little predictable but i enjoyed it anyhow. Fran got her justice which i was cheering for (sue me). She was such a likeable character despite being a killer, she sort of reminded me of Finlay Donovan in certain aspects as well as Lana from the Mindfuck series.
I will definitely be looking out for more books from this author!!
"My Wife, the Serial Killer" is a wickedly entertaining debut that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until its jaw-dropping final twist. With sharp wit, a fast pace, and an unforgettable female lead, this book is perfect for fans of "How to Kill Your Family" and "Finlay Donovan".
Told through a double POV, the story follows Detective Gareth Donoghue, whose instincts about his missing neighbor spark a chain of events that spiral far beyond anything he imagined. But the real star is his wife : flawed, fearless, and dangerously unhinged. Her character is the chaotic heart of this story, and watching her unravel (or perhaps, reveal her true self) is disturbingly fun.
The novel is equal parts dark comedy and tense thriller, striking a unique tone that’s both lighthearted and chilling. It’s easy to read, genuinely funny, and completely unputdownable. I tore through it in one sitting.
While a bit more emotional layering could have pushed it to a full five stars, "My Wife, the Serial Killer" is a standout debut that perfectly blends murder, marriage, and mayhem. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.
The book is out on June 17. Add it to your calendar.
Told through a double POV, the story follows Detective Gareth Donoghue, whose instincts about his missing neighbor spark a chain of events that spiral far beyond anything he imagined. But the real star is his wife : flawed, fearless, and dangerously unhinged. Her character is the chaotic heart of this story, and watching her unravel (or perhaps, reveal her true self) is disturbingly fun.
The novel is equal parts dark comedy and tense thriller, striking a unique tone that’s both lighthearted and chilling. It’s easy to read, genuinely funny, and completely unputdownable. I tore through it in one sitting.
While a bit more emotional layering could have pushed it to a full five stars, "My Wife, the Serial Killer" is a standout debut that perfectly blends murder, marriage, and mayhem. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.
The book is out on June 17. Add it to your calendar.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The idea is interesting, but I had trouble with the execution.
The writing is pretty good, and so is the pacing, but the characters were weirdly executed.
For some reason, all of the women characters are awful persons with no redeeming qualities.
And the husband was especially difficult to understand, and his arc didn't really made sense to me. The guy completely changes his personality in the span of 50 pages.
It could have been better.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.
Fran, an intelligent social worker, is happily married to straight-laced Gareth, a police detective. That could become a problem as unhinged Fran has just killed their new elderly neighbour Gordon O'Neill, and Gareth happens to investigate it. As we get into the story we realise this is already her second murder and she has plans for a third. It soon becomes clear why and that those murders aren't random. Fran grew up in a children's home so hasn't had the best start in life, and she still looks after Angus who is like a brother to her.
We get both Fran's and Gareth's first person POVs, which is very illuminating. They are trying to start a family together and Gareth has some trouble at work, so apart from Fran's murderous tendencies and Gareth coming across some fraudulent activities and being hindered by colleagues, this could be a standard marriage in a new home with a grumpy cat. But it isn't, and Gareth will have to come to terms with the fact he doesn't know his wife as much as he thought and that he will have to make a decision.
This is a straightforward story with no real twists or turns. I guess nosy neighbour Beryl and her mutt Tony provide some comic relief, plus Fran and Gareth have some good-natured banter going on but I wouldn't call it "hilarious" as the blurb does. In fact, it is quite an earnest exploration of childhood traumas and fraudsters with power, the rage about them and the unusual decisions some of us make to help those we love.
Some romantic heroes don't wear capes. Gareth gives new meaning to the "I would kill for you" declaration, and I was so here for it. It makes you question your own morals when you desperately want a happy ending for a killer! I really loved the main characters and how they try to keep the romance alive with tiny rituals and excellent cooking, plus having each others' backs. Minus the murdering this is #couplesgoals!
This is a well-written debut novel about love and marriage with a dark undertone that also holds a light up to the police force in general, but it isn't the book I expected from the blurb. It suffers from uneven pacing and I felt like I was always one step in front of the police and Gareth, wanting to shout "how do you not see the connection?" The ending also solves everything a bit too abruptly and neatly. Still, if you've always wanted to know how people become psychopaths while still maintaining a marriage, this book makes a good stab at explaining it. Stab, geddit?
Fran, an intelligent social worker, is happily married to straight-laced Gareth, a police detective. That could become a problem as unhinged Fran has just killed their new elderly neighbour Gordon O'Neill, and Gareth happens to investigate it. As we get into the story we realise this is already her second murder and she has plans for a third. It soon becomes clear why and that those murders aren't random. Fran grew up in a children's home so hasn't had the best start in life, and she still looks after Angus who is like a brother to her.
We get both Fran's and Gareth's first person POVs, which is very illuminating. They are trying to start a family together and Gareth has some trouble at work, so apart from Fran's murderous tendencies and Gareth coming across some fraudulent activities and being hindered by colleagues, this could be a standard marriage in a new home with a grumpy cat. But it isn't, and Gareth will have to come to terms with the fact he doesn't know his wife as much as he thought and that he will have to make a decision.
This is a straightforward story with no real twists or turns. I guess nosy neighbour Beryl and her mutt Tony provide some comic relief, plus Fran and Gareth have some good-natured banter going on but I wouldn't call it "hilarious" as the blurb does. In fact, it is quite an earnest exploration of childhood traumas and fraudsters with power, the rage about them and the unusual decisions some of us make to help those we love.
Some romantic heroes don't wear capes. Gareth gives new meaning to the "I would kill for you" declaration, and I was so here for it. It makes you question your own morals when you desperately want a happy ending for a killer! I really loved the main characters and how they try to keep the romance alive with tiny rituals and excellent cooking, plus having each others' backs. Minus the murdering this is #couplesgoals!
This is a well-written debut novel about love and marriage with a dark undertone that also holds a light up to the police force in general, but it isn't the book I expected from the blurb. It suffers from uneven pacing and I felt like I was always one step in front of the police and Gareth, wanting to shout "how do you not see the connection?" The ending also solves everything a bit too abruptly and neatly. Still, if you've always wanted to know how people become psychopaths while still maintaining a marriage, this book makes a good stab at explaining it. Stab, geddit?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
!! free digital copy in exchange for an honest review !!
2.5
I'm not quite sure what I should say, honestly. I thought the concept was really interesting and I was definitely intrigued within the first 25% but after that I got bored...I can't really say that I liked any of the characters and I was pretty partial to the story after the initial adrenaline from the start. I can understand the motives but a lot of the jokes didn't land for me and it all felt jumbed after a certain page.
The only character I could really say I liked was Angus...I just got very bored with the story and it went in a less high stakes (in my opinion) route that I thought it would from the summary. :(
2.5
I'm not quite sure what I should say, honestly. I thought the concept was really interesting and I was definitely intrigued within the first 25% but after that I got bored...I can't really say that I liked any of the characters and I was pretty partial to the story after the initial adrenaline from the start. I can understand the motives but a lot of the jokes didn't land for me and it all felt jumbed after a certain page.
The only character I could really say I liked was Angus...I just got very bored with the story and it went in a less high stakes (in my opinion) route that I thought it would from the summary. :(
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I love a good female serial killer so when I saw the title I immediately requested the ARC. This was such a fun read too. I loved Fran’s character right off the bat. She had me laughing. It took me a minute to warm up to Gareth. At first I was thinking what does she see in this man??? But by the end I was cheering him on. I will definitely be on the look out for more books by the author.
I love a good female serial killer so when I saw the title I immediately requested the ARC. This was such a fun read too. I loved Fran’s character right off the bat. She had me laughing. It took me a minute to warm up to Gareth. At first I was thinking what does she see in this man??? But by the end I was cheering him on. I will definitely be on the look out for more books by the author.
This was delightfully unhinged.
Do you know the saying if you have to tell yourself you’re not a psychopath you’re almost definitely a psychopath? No? Well I think Fran needed to be told this at some point in her life, or maybe it’s her wayward parent’s fault for calling a modern baby Fran, we’ll never know.
I loved Fran’s internal monologue. Her dry sarcastic wit was phenomenal. I was definitely rooting for her to get her justice the entire time because there’s something so likeable about a boss ass bitch doing social work AND taking out pensioners in her spare time.
Gareth. What a loveable goofball. His slow descent into reality had me laughing out loud at multiple points. He was just so blissfully unaware of how the real world operated unless he had evidence and paperwork to pull apart. The way that Mep was his lifeline at the end was almost too much to handle.
Beryl’s POV at the end has me absolutely convinced I would read an entire mystery written by the nosy neighbour next door.
Thank you to Storm publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.
Do you know the saying if you have to tell yourself you’re not a psychopath you’re almost definitely a psychopath? No? Well I think Fran needed to be told this at some point in her life, or maybe it’s her wayward parent’s fault for calling a modern baby Fran, we’ll never know.
I loved Fran’s internal monologue. Her dry sarcastic wit was phenomenal. I was definitely rooting for her to get her justice the entire time because there’s something so likeable about a boss ass bitch doing social work AND taking out pensioners in her spare time.
Gareth. What a loveable goofball. His slow descent into reality had me laughing out loud at multiple points. He was just so blissfully unaware of how the real world operated unless he had evidence and paperwork to pull apart. The way that Mep was his lifeline at the end was almost too much to handle.
Beryl’s POV at the end has me absolutely convinced I would read an entire mystery written by the nosy neighbour next door.
Thank you to Storm publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.