Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle is a thriller that keeps you guessing until the end. The story follows Beth, a woman who escapes from her abusive husband and tries to start a new life

Fantastic read, so gripping.Loved the tension and couldn't stop reading. Looking forward to reading more from the author¬!

I’ve had an ARC of Dear Wife on my kindle for quite a while now. I decided to pick it up after a colleague and I got chatting about one of Kimberly’s other novels - The Marriage Lie - and I remembered how much I had enjoyed her writing.

The story is told by three characters. Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus. Beth is on the run with a new identity, Jeffrey’s wife Sabine is missing and Jeffrey is the main suspect and Marcus is the police officer in charge of finding Sabine.

This is full of twists. I don’t really want to say much more about the story than I have so as not to give anything away but one thing is for sure. Nothing is certain in this novel. You think you’re getting your ducks in a row knowing who has done what and then Kimberly blasts that idea apart. I flew through this over two sittings and would definitely recommend it to any thriller fans.

This was a brilliant read - so many twists and turns and I thought I knew where it was going but I was so wrong! Its also told from several perspectives which really added to the plot line. 100% recommend reading this!

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

My first read by Kimberly Belle, certainly not my last. I am so pleased that I did not read the blurb on this book before reading it - it would have spoilt it for me. Although it was immediately obvious that things were not quite as straightforward as it seemed at first there were still a few surprise twists before the end. The tale was very well told and the main character, Beth, was well portrayed. Why Beth stayed so long in an abusive relationship is vey sad but believable. Both her fear and her drive to finally escape were understandable. Sensitively handled.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Kimberley Bell/HQ Digital for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I think I may be one of the few who didn’t love this book. I don’t think it’s up to Kimberley Belle’s usual standard. The story is told from three perspectives, Jeffery, Beth and Marcus.

The story starts out strongly, Jeffery returns home after a 4-day work trip to find his wife, Sabine, a local real estate agent, absent and their house not up to its usual standards. When she fails to return after a house viewing, he begins to worry and calls her twin sister who will know where she is. When she doesn’t know he reports Sabine to the police as a missing person. When it becomes clear that the marriage is troubled and Sabine has a new lover, she was planning to leave Jeffery for, the police effectively begin a murder investigation and look for her body.

Meanwhile, Beth (not her real name) is on the run from her abusive husband, terrified that he will find her, she changes her appearance, assumes a false identity, and sets some traps trying to lead him in another direction.  

Marcus is the detective leading the investigation into Sabine’s disappearance. Obviously, he initially suspects the husband Jeffery but as the plot unfolds all is not what it seems.

There are plenty of red herrings in this book, some more relevant than others. At first, you think that ‘Beth’ must be Sabine but as the story goes along there are some inconsistencies. Sabine is “a real estate broker, a really good one” who earns far more than her husband Jeffery who doesn’t even know the name of her boss. In contrast, the “you” Beth speaks of appears to know every detail of her life, she has gone through a very laborious process to scrape together her $2,000 escape fund “Ten and twenties mostly siphoned from grocery funds, birthday and Christmas money, forgotten bills swiped from your pockets when you were passed out. Saving as a long, laborious process that took me almost a year to do in a way that you wouldn’t notice. I bought things on discount and shopped sales. I switched to cheaper toilet paper, coffee, washing powder. Ironically, I stopped cutting my hair.”

So here began the doubt…who is Beth? And, if Beth and Sabine are different people, where is Sabine? Will Beth’s husband track her down and how? Will she survive him finding her? What is going to happen with Sabine? Is she still alive? So many questions but a lot of the answers become clear quickly and fairly obvious.

The main characters are well developed. We know a lot about Beth and how she ended up where she is, we learn a lot about Jeffery and the type of relationships he has and of Marcus and what kind of detective he is as well as his personality. The other characters are a little brief, we meet many along the way.

While the plot is good, is interesting and well thought out for me it lacked that speed, the compelling nature to turn each page and get to the next chapter as quickly as possible that’s in so many thrillers now. For that reason alone, I would mark it down a little. I even managed a couple of naps while reading this and it took me a couple of days which isn’t normally the case when I have time to read.

Despite that, I enjoyed this book and it had a good ending, all the ends are tied up nicely with people getting their just desserts. I would recommend it but wouldn’t push it up your to be read pile too quickly.

Dear Wife is a fresh, twisty thriller reminiscent of Gone Girl. Jeffrey returns home to find his wife Sabine is missing. She has barely taken anything with her and her car is abandoned. He reports it. Marcus is the detective on the case. Elsewhere, Beth Murphy is on the run from her violent husband. The story follows the perspectives of Jeffrey, Beth, and Marcus. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they try figuring out how it all connects. Filled with twists and strong characters, be sure to check out Dear Wife today!

Sabine Hardison is gone. Jeffrey, her husband, and Ingrid, her sister, report her missing. But they're not the only ones to worry about her disappearance. Trevor, for whom Sabine was planning to leave her husband, is sick with worry.
Marcus, the detective assigned to the case, is desperate to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and find the missing woman.
Meanwhile, Beth Murphy is about to start her new life; she has a new name, a new look, and a new place to live. Hopefully, her abusive husband won't find her...

I have read and loved the upcoming Stranger in the Lake, so I was excited to read this book.
The story weaves between multiple perspectives; Beth's, Jeffrey's, and Marcus'.
It was an instantly gripping read that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
The story offers the reader multiple potential suspects, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was proved wrong. In the end, I did guess correctly, but still the twist at the end was a nice surprise.
It was a well-plotted, suspenseful page-turner, and I urge you to check it out.

This book gave me vibes similar to Gone Girl. It’s a very fast paced and quick read which follows a couple of different POVs. I do feel like the first half of the book was a lot stronger than the second half but it was still an enjoyable read. I personally prefer the authors latest book Stranger in the Lake so would recommend that one over this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Wife is the first book I’ve read by this author and I can’t wait to read more. It’s got everything you could wish for, secrets, lies, deception all rolled into a gritty thriller with some great twists that will keep you guessing to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and the author for the chance to review.

I really enjoyed the story and the authors way of writing . Entertaining and twisted , everything I love In a book !!I would like to read more by this author !!

An uncomfortable but hard to put down book, it is dark, has numerous twists and faces abusive relationships without flinching. That may not sound a particularly attractive read but it is also a pacey thriller, full of suspense and questions.

Red herrings abound, the viewpoints change frequently, using short chapters to keep the story moving, but the voice of the narrator is always clear.

Towards the end , I had sort of guessed what was happening, but the ending was still quite a shock. My only concern is that in the current climate, some of the issues raised may be distressing for some readers.

Incredible!

Dear Wife is a debut. A debut that’s better than most acclaimed authors works!

It takes a lot to stand out in this genre but Kimberly Belle has a real talent for writing! The suspense nearly drove me crazy! If you read one thriller this summer then make it Dear Wife!

Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One word: compulsive. Perhaps another: unputdownable. Well, where do I begin? Tense, unbearably so, edge-of-your-seat, undoubtedly, and utterly absorbing, without hesitation. 'Dear Wife' is stunningly executed thriller that I read in one sitting. I simply could not put this one down. Imagine 'Sleeping With The Enemy' with a twist, and you come somewhat nearer to understanding the creative inspiration for this pulsating story of an abused wife and her abusive husband and the police investigation which follows her disappearance. The inherent problems with stories of this type is that they can descend into black and white tales of stereotypical gendered abuse, with women as cardboard cut-out victims and men little more that their diametric opposite. Featureless, characterless - empty vessels to be filled with societal assumptions of male and female 'roles'. In Kimberly Belle's hands this age old tale is transformed into something more nuanced, without minimising the horrific impact of domestic abuse. This, along with the ingenious plotting, and the inevitable twists along the way, is what makes this a standout thriller. Simply masterful.
#DearWife #NetGalley

😊 Dear Wife is my first novel by bestselling author Kimberly Belle and what an tremendously exhilarating read it was!

Jeffrey Hardison returns from a work trip away and hours later, his wife Sabine still hasn’t arrived home, so she is deemed to be missing. Meanwhile, a woman calling herself Beth Murphy is on the run from her abusive husband, and she’s leaving false trails to throw him off the scent. As Marcus Durand, the detective assigned to the case, investigates Sabine’s disappearance, things don't look terribly good for Jeffrey as it seems he had every reason to get rid of her...

Thrillers are one of my favorite genres and this one was a remarkably original, ambiguous and enthralling read. Artfully narrated through Beth, Jeffrey and Marcus I was completely captivated by the story, and the concise chapters ensured my attention never wandered.

The characters were adeptly constructed and believable in their roles, whether intended to be inherently good or bad or pewter grey. The clarity of Kimberly Belle's writing made it an easy story-line to follow, and the fast paced, polished and twisty plot went down a treat as it snaked along. The author's writing is of a variety that any thriller fan can appreciate - topnotch - and she was able to create a tone of sinister foreboding that continues until the very last page.

Dear Wife is a mesmerising story of deception, obsession, lies, survival, violence, and desperation. Add into the cooking pot some of the sub ingredients such as abuse, duplicity, and marriage toxicity, and the reader can appreciate how sophisticated and special this novel actually is. It’s creepy, shocking, and one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read so far, this year.

I loved the way the the story built to its breathtaking conclusion. The added bonuses of the sinister moments and buckets of tension helped to make Dear Wife a true masterpiece. Would I read more from Kimberly Belle? Yes, of course... the author is obviously a first-class writer. My thanks must go to Kimberly Belle for writing such an exceptionally good thriller! 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from HQ Digital via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

I voluntarily read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This is a new author for me

Oooh I enjoyed this
Great characters and story

Held me on the edge of my seat

Will be seeking more from this author

Beth Murphy is on the run, trying to leave an abusive relationship behind. She has been planning this for at least the last ten months, if not longer, but is still worried he will find her, somehow.

We haven’t yet been introduced to this husband of hers but it sounds like he is someone to forget. Harsh perhaps but after several years of abuse, it sounds like Beth has finally made the best decision of her life.

And it appears she has not just left on a whim. She has meticulously planned for every eventuality. It has taken time to buy a car, researching an area to live, even stockpiling cash so she doesn’t have to use her card. She is hoping to disappear. She has even thought about the trail she wishes to leave, to throw him off the scent. She applies for a rental property in her real name, gives her card to someone who travels frequently across the country with clear instructions on how to use it and then she flees in the opposite direction.

Beth has been extremely clever.

We are then introduced to Jeffery Hardison who has arrived home to a mess. The normally pristine garden still has its emptied rubbish bins strewn across it rather than up against the wall like they should be, the living curtains are closed and one of the lights outside has a blown bulb. He feels rage bubbling up. Sabine knows he likes a clean, orderly house and after four days away the least she could do is keep the home tidy for him.

Sabine Hardison is the main breadwinner in this household, selling expensive properties and hitting high bonuses for doing so. It also seems she has not been completely honest with Jeffery. Has she found herself a new admirer? Is that where she is right now while her husband is at home worried sick that something has happened to her.

Sabine had text Jeffery to say she would be home by 9 pm but never arrives, which is unlike her. She is an organised individual and therefore keeps to a tight schedule. Where is she? Even her twin sister is unaware of her movements and they speak at least twice a day so something is definitely wrong. So wrong, that Jeffery feels there is no other choice – he calls the police. He just has to hope that her meddling sister doesn’t mention the time he hit her in a fit of rage.

With the police on the case and searching hard for clues, Jeffery takes the opportunity to reflect on his life with Sabine and how their relationship has changed over the last few months. He knows that there is something wrong. She has become more distant, turning away at his touch and not sharing her schedule with him – perhaps she has run off with someone else, someone that can give her more than he can.

Beth is paranoid; concerned that she will be recognised or that he will catch up with her. She knows she needs to change her appearance so she stops wearing her expensive clothes and cuts her beautiful, long hair in the hope that the dowdy person now reflecting back at her will melt into a crowd and become anonymous.

Will she succeed or will the abusive husband catch up with her? Will Jeffery find Sabine? Has she run off with a lover, or has something far more sinister happened to her? The detective on the case, Marcus, seems determined to find out. He comes across as someone who will leave no stone unturned and will continue to search until he uncovers the facts, but will he be happy when the truth is finally revealed?


My Thoughts on Dear Wife

Dear Wife is a captivating suspense story about a woman fighting for her life. Through Kimberly’s words, we feel the pain that this woman suffered at the hands of someone she trusted; someone that she loved. What started as a love story for Beth quickly turned into a nightmare as the love of her life turned into a bully which turned their marriage into a relationship of physical and mental abuse.

It is, however, also a story of hope. It represents all of those people who have been strong enough to walk away from domestic abuse; to say no to any more torment and torture.

As a reader I felt myself holding my breath at times, unable to release it until I knew that Beth was once again out of harm’s way. You become invested in her fight for survival and hope that she is never found and can go on to live a life she deserves.

Kimberly has written a novel full of suspense, with new twists coming with each fresh chapter. It is a riveting read that will leave you wondering whether Beth and Sabine are the same people or whether the true identity of Beth will ever be revealed.

Dear Wife is a novel that has taken an unbelieving difficult topic and turned it into a story with possibilities; a story with new beginnings.

Beth Murphy is on the run from her abusive husband. She is constantly looking over her shoulder as she knows he will try and find her.

Jeffrey’s wife Sabine has disappeared, her twin sister Ingrid is suspicious of Jeffrey as she knows he has been controlling and violent towards Sabine in the past.

Marcus is the policeman investigating the disappearance of Sabine and he will not give in until he finds her dead or alive.

This story is told from several people’s perspective , there are so many twists that after reading this, I felt like I had come off the waltzers and needed a moment to digest what I had just read.

Without giving anything away, this is not just another missing spouse storyline and the ending does not disappoint. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I was so gripped by this psychological thriller, where nothing is what it first appears to be!!

A must read. I am now looking for Kimberley Belle’s other books!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Beth Murphy from Pine Bluff in Arkansas is on the run, escaping an abusive husband who she’s been planning to escape from for a long time. She’s finally finished planning her departure and saved enough money and she lays down a trail of false leads for her husband and the local police force. She’s clever and brave but will it be enough to stop anyone finding her and can she have her freedom and new beginning?

When Jeffrey Hardison returns after a four-day sales conference in Florida, he discovers that his wife, Sabine, a very successful real estate broker, is missing. There’s no sign of her at their house on Arkansas River and she didn’t attend a work training session at which she was supposed to present and missed a late showing at a new development. Her twin sister, Ingrid Stanfield, who doesn’t get on very well with Jeffrey, doesn’t know where she is either, despite the fact the women talk several times a day and tell each other just about everything.

Detective Marcus Durand of Pine Bluff police department is investigating the disappearance of Sabine and he uses all his years of experience and various contacts to try and determine where she is. He doesn’t trust husband Jeffrey, who is an account executive at a company that makes human resources management software, and soon discovers that he has been lying about this whereabouts.

As we follow Beth’s journey, we see how resourceful she is and, despite being a bit naive, she manages to get fake ID and a job, and meets some interesting characters along the way. There’s still no sign of Sabine and there are no firm leads, even though lots of surprising new information comes to light.

As the story progresses, we’re left wondering who the women are and if they know each other or whether, in fact, they’re actually the same person. I had various ideas and came up with several difference scenarios as we got to know the women and other characters more.

The author writes well about an abusive relationship – the voice in her head that Beth hears constantly, the fear that she experiences and the awful violence that her husband has inflicted upon her. To the outside world and their families, their relationship is great but others don’t realise the emotional, physical, psychological and sexual abuse that Beth is suffering.

Dear Wife was cleverly plotted, compelling and switched well between the viewpoints of Beth, Sabine’s husband, Jeffrey, and the policeman, Marcus. There were lots of twists and turns, red herrings and misdirection, and I was never completely sure who was telling the truth and what was going to happen next. Beth’s road trip and escape made gripping reading and, throughout the novel, we were taken on an intriguing and intense journey!

Overall, I really enjoyed this absorbing, action-packed story and flew through it in a couple of hours, desperate to find out what happened to Beth and Sabine. I’ve got a couple of the author’s books (The Marriage Lie and Three Days Missing) on my Kindle already and will definitely be checking them out soon.