a funny, fun murder story that i could not figure out how it was going to end. i loved how they seemed like such a normal, functional couple from the start. and the epilogue was the perfect ending. i will definitely be looking into h. j. garnett’s future books!

Who would think a book about a serial killer could keep me enthralled as much as it did! Gareth and Fran are a happily married couple and Gareth is a police detective. So when their nest-door neighbor, is found murdered, he is worried as it's a nice quiet neighborhood. But we all know that secrets run deep in quiet homes so of course he's on the case! But what he eventually discovers runs deeper than anyone could imagine!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you so much for the ARC. I really enjoyed the book! A deliciously dark psychological thriller. I loved the inner dialogue of Fran and the inner dialogue of Gareth. Both of them thinking about the same thing, having their own doubts and dark thoughts about the neighbor, while their conversations about the topic with each other are calm and collected. I love how the author eventually brought in Fran's motive for the murders. How traumatic and tragic that she lost her sister and how helpless she felt not only as a child, but also as an adult. Mep, the cat was off course the star of the book 😊 I love how Gareth eventually came round and did ever in his power to save Fran. A brilliantly witty psychological thriller!

Fran and Gareth are a happy married couple, until he discovers that Fran may be a serial killer and as a homicide detective, he has no choice but to investigate.
I just started reading and couldn't stop. The novel hooks you in with a very entertaining plot and a subtle and effective black humour where the best are the characters and their special relationship.
Undoubtedly an author to take into account.

I really enjoyed this book! It felt a little laggy at times, but overall the story was great. It would’ve been interesting to hear more about Fran’s background, but I LOVED the ending. What I loved more was that it was about the lengths we go to to protect those we love. Hope to hear more from Fran and Gareth!

We love a good female serial killer story lol. I loved the plot it reminded me a little of the mindf*ck series. Our FMC starts off committing a crime then the story begins with her husband who is also a detective dives into said case. Completely wild ride lol I loved it.

Fran and Gareth seem like a lovely couple, him a detective and her a social worker. But then we find out that Fran has a hidden dark side as she commits a murder! She murders a neighbour, and covers it up, but Gareth decides to investigate the disappearance, obviously having no idea who the murderer is. I found Gareth a likeable character, even though I wanted to give him a kick up the bum at times, especially when dealing with the other detectives. The plot continues as doubts start to creep in, and Fran becomes a suspect. We do find out why she has killed, which is maybe a bit of a predictable plot line, but it did make me feel sympathy for her. At times, I found myself laughing at the dark humour which really lifted the book for me. And I cannot not mention the "delightful" Mep the cat who is a fab character!
I will read more from this author in future.

5/5 stars! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down. As soon as I read the synopsis I was intrigued and as soon as I read the first chapter I was hooked. The main character Fran has just killed her elderly neighbor and her husband is the detective investigating the possible disappearance/murder. Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and H. J. Garbett for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

4 stars

This is a debut novel…what!?!? This was fantastic. I loved the short chapters that made it so easy to say just one more until I had finished the book in one sitting…haha.
The characters were relatable, the humor was worked in just right and not over done. The mystery unfolded perfectly. I cannot wait for this author to give us more.

My Wife, The Serial Killer by H. J. Garbett is an irreverent romp of a tale that has you chuckling from the start, despite the serious subject of the book.
The character of Fran is complex, with a dry wit and a drive to see justice denied served. The fact that she is married to Gareth, a police detective, isn't going to stop her either.
While the first two thirds of the book gallops along, it does get a bit bogged down in the last third, and the fact that the humour drops off makes it feel even slower. However, this is a stellar debut novel, well-written, funny, and unique.
I am glad to have been invited to read the ARC of #MyWifeTheSerialKiller via #NetGalley.

Thank you H.J Garbett, Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC opportunity.

This story follows Fran Donoghue and the neighbor she killed which she believes deserved the untimely death.
Fran's husband Gareth however, is a detective overcome with a suspicion now that their neighbor suddenly went missing.
As Gareth investigates the neighbor's disappearance Fran's perfectly crafted facade slowly cracks as time passes.

This is such a wonderfully crafted novel and it's fast paced.
It's a little unconventional but that's what makes it so great.
Fran is oddly relatable and I think that's what really pulls readers in.

If you like thrillers that keep you on your toes you'll enjoy this!

A humorous but dark story of a Police Detective husband that is certain that the disappearance of a man is suspicious. But as he searches for clues he finds that the culprit is …. Well he doesn’t want to believe it, but he has always thought the law must be upheld. His marriage has been going through a bit of a rough patch too, and this whole thing isn’t going to make it any better. There’s lots of satirical humour to enjoy, and some nasty characters who deserve what they get. If this was the real world you might wonder about the Police Force’s ability to prosecute a crime. But this is fiction, so it is fine that the ending is a bit unbelievable. Then again, given what we see revealed in Newspapers and on TV, maybe not so totally unbelievable after all. In the end it’s a fun read. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

First and foremost, this is a debut novel, and I’ve got to give props where they’re due—I genuinely enjoyed it. I’m already excited to see what this author comes up with next.

If there’s one thing I will always fall for, it’s this: the female lead is a killer, the male lead is a detective, and they’re a couple. Absolute peak chaos—and I’m obsessed. Add in their grumpy old cat Mep, and it’s a full-blown recipe for delight.

What drew me to this book initially? That eye-catching cover and a title that practically begs you to pick it up. I was hooked before I even opened it.

Character-wise, Fran and Gareth were total standouts. Mep, of course, gets bonus points for being the surly cat we all secretly want. Angus was a fun addition, and I got a kick out of Beryl and her dog, Tony. I wasn’t overly attached to any of the other characters but that didn’t take away from the experience.

The writing style was witty and engaging, with plenty of dry, sarcastic, and twisted humor that had me laughing out loud.

One of my favorite elements was the dual POV, which lets us see the story unfold from Fran and Gareth’s perspectives—plus a surprise perspective at the end from a character you can’t help but love

Beyond the murder and mystery, the novel also touches on deeper, more personal themes—like Fran and Gareth’s journey through fertility and their hopes of starting a family. It adds a layer of emotional depth that balances out the darker elements nicely. Life goes on, even when someone might be hiding bodies.

So if you’re in the mood for a story that blends murder, mayhem, dark humor, a touch of heart, and a cast of characters both lovable and morally questionable (plus some truly excellent pets), this one might just be your next favorite read.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐

3.5/5

The pacing of this book kind of threw me off at times. The beginning was super fast-paced and engaging (and I love that, grab my attention at the start), but then started to slowly get slower and slower.

And the humor in this book was definitely hit or miss for me, I think the humor that really worked for me was more overarching and conceptual (if that makes sense). By that I'm meaning things like just the idea of a man randomly suspecting his wife of being of serial killer.

The writing was super easy to read, so I really did speed through this. I always think writing style makes so much of an impact on how a thriller is.

Overall, this was a fun and quick thriller with a touch of humor. I would recommend this.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This book was great. I read it very quickly and enjoyed the ride!
I love the unexpected twist on the female serial killer plot.
Fran, our FMC, and our serial killer, is married to a detective, Gareth.. lol.
Fran kills her elderly neighbor, but he deserves it.
The inner monologues - so funny.
Gareth finds out his wife was the last to see the neighbor.
This was fun. The pace was fast. The humor was dark and twisty.
All of the tone was witty, and there was enough thriller/suspense to keep me engaged as a reader.
The plot is well structured and paced perfectly.
Characters are well developed. Fran more so than Gareth.
I loved this take on a thriller/serial killer book.
Definitely one to add to your summer TBR, you won't regret this lighthearted take on a female serial killer!
Thank you to NetGalley and H.J. Garbett for the opportunity read and review this book!
Happy Reading!

This had everything I love about a book! I knew from the first page that I wouldn’t be able to put this down, and I flew through it in a day. I love all types of thrillers, but books like My Wife, The Serial Killer are my absolute favourites; dark, funny and a plot that goes 100mph. This is one of my favourite books I’ve read so far this year and I’m so excited to have found another fabulous author with this style!

My Wife, The Serial Killer is a book I might have missed out on had it not been for an email from Storm Publishing. Thank goodness I read that email and acted upon it. Not reading My Wife, The Serial Killer would have been my loss. I had no idea what to expect but the premise proved irresistible. The wife is a serial killer. The husband is a police detective. What could go wrong with their marriage, right? The book is as entertaining as it is fun. Garbett deftly alternates the narration between the wife and the husband which adds to the enjoyment of the tale. It's a book which has a winning mix of murder, deduction, and scandals. The question is whether true love can emerge victorious or not once shocking truths come to light. One thing that can't be questioned is whether this book is a triumph or not. It most certainly is. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

!! 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. :(

This book follows Fran and Gareth. Fran is a serial killer whilst her husband is a detective. How far will he go for love? This book was gripping, although there were no major plot twists it was a book that needed to be pried out of my hands because I truly could not stop reading it! The thing that drew me to this book was for sure the cover along with the title of course. I think that some thrillers always have the same kind of cover but this one is more unique and I love the little details!

I loved reading My Wife, The Serial Killer by H. J. Garbett. It’s a really fun, and sometime dark, pacy thriller which also does raise moral questions.

The story unfolds from the perspective of Fran, a social worker, and also from her policeman husband Detective Gareth Donoghue. They are a young married couple planning for their future, they’ve just moved into a a new house with their angry cat Mep and they are hoping to start a family. They are trying to settle into the new neighbourhood - they have a gruff and rude neighbour Gordon and there’s also the curtain twitching busy body Beryl across the road and her dog Tony.

Gordon goes missing and Fran is arrested and charged as she was the last person to see him alive. This obviously puts Gareth in a difficult position at work. The story is very fast paced and there are lots of twists and turns and Fran’s past is revealed.

I can’t wait to read more books by H.J. Garbett.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Storm Publishing, for making this e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.