The Replacement Wife: A Novel

Darby Kane

Dec 2021 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

The #1 International bestselling author of Pretty Little Wife returns with another thrilling domestic suspense novel that asks, how many wives and girlfriends need to disappear before your family notices?

Elisa Wright is a mom and wife, living a nice, quiet life in a nice, quiet town. She’s also convinced her brother-in-law is a murderer. Josh has one dead wife and one missing fiancée, and though he grieved for them he starts dating someone new. Elisa fears for that woman’s safety, and she desperately wants to know what happened to her friend, Josh’s missing fiancée.

Searching for clues means investigating her own family. And she doesn’t like what she finds. A laptop filled with incriminating information. Other women.

But when Elisa becomes friends with Josh’s new girlfriend and starts to question things she thinks are true, Elisa wonders if the memories of a horrible incident a year ago have finally pushed her over the edge and Josh is really innocent. With so much at stake, Elisa fights off panic attacks and a strange illness. Is it a breakdown or something more? The race is on to get to the truth before another disappearance because there’s a killer in the family…or is there?

Ratings and reviews

WOW!!! This is a suspense thriller that will keep you turning the pages until late at night. I had a hard time putting this book down, just when I thought I had it figured out, a new twist in the story pops up. I could not figure it out until the end, all I can the ending will blow you away. I highly recommend this story. A great first read of the year!!

This book had my head spinning with an unreliable narrator (protagonist) and deception and schemes throughout the book. I really enjoyed the multiple layers and the deep dive into the characters and their weaknesses. Elisa Wright suspects that her brother-in-law is a serial wife killer but has no proof. Add to that the fact that she may be delusional since she suffers from PTSD, this book was hard to put down. I can’t say that any of the characters were particularly likable but all were mysterious and magnetically creepy. I did not know what was going to happen next because so many clues were given, some of them red herrings. This is a domestic suspense book that should not be missed by those who enjoy the genre. It was slow paced for me at first, but the pace picked up, as did the action and the suspicions and my own deductions (many of them incorrect). The author is a master of weaving a complex tale and having the reader wonder where she is taking you. In this case, it was a dark and mystifying ride down a winding road and ending with a satisfying ah-ha conclusion. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I can't believe this is the same author who wrote Pretty Little Wife. This unrealistic book is way too long with awful, repetitive writing and childish, unlikable characters. I skimmed many, many pages. Waste of time. I probably will not look for more books from Darby Kane in the future.

About the author

Darby Kane is a former trial attorney and #1 international bestseller of domestic suspense. Her debut book, PRETTY LITTLE WIFE, was featured in numerous venues, including Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, The Toronto Star, Popsugar, Refinery29, Goodreads, The Skimm, and Huffington Post. A native of Pennsylvania, Darby now lives in California and runs from the cold. When she’s not writing suspense, she can be found watching suspense, thrillers, and mysteries. You can find out more at darbykane.com.