My Wife, the Serial Killer by H.J. Garbett is exactly as chaotic as it sounds — a darkly hilarious domestic thriller packed with deadpan one-liners, a detective husband who’s a little too slow on the uptake, and a cat named Mep who basically steals the show.

The first half was a slow burn (and not in a tension-filled way — it took me a bit to get into the groove), but once it clicked? I flew through the pages. Fran’s voice is sharp, dry, and full of twisted charm. She insists she’s not a serial killer — just someone who happens to solve her problems… permanently.

Gareth, her husband and the detective investigating the very crime she committed, goes from “My wife would never!” to “I’m calling the cops” a little too fast for my liking — but hey, emotional whiplash is part of the fun.

Also: STAN MEP. If anything had happened to that creaky old furball, I would’ve thrown hands.

Bonus points for the epilogue — Beryl is a legend.
Minus a star for the clunky pacing and a few threads that left me hanging.

The review below is posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon once it is available on June 17th.

This novel started off a little slow and I originally was concerned that I was not going to be able to get into especially with the alternating points of view. However, it truly shocked me and ended up being an entertaining read. The ending was absolutely my favorite part once it all came together and turned out how I predicted it might. I do wish I could have felt like there was more closure for the characters but overall it was very good!

3.5/5⭐️

The book description sounded very intriguing but this one didn’t hit the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book may not be for everyone, but it was right up my alley. 😂 Not sure what that says about me and my sense of humor seeing as how the comedy was pretty dark and morbid. It was a fun read and just what I needed to get me out of a current reading slump.

Fran is married to Gareth. Gareth is a homicide detective with the police force who is investigating a murder. Fran is the murder to the case her husband is investigating. Gareth has no idea. This was giving The Mind F*ck series vibes but with lots of banter and laugh out loud moments. The ending was pretty predictable but honestly I didn’t even mind because I enjoyed the journey.

This book wasn't cod me. I just simply couldn't get into it. Thank you so much to netgalley and storm publishing for this arc!

3.5 stars rounded up. There’s just something so fun about an unhinged female lead, and Fran totally delivers. She’s dark, hilarious, and completely unpredictable—which made this debut a wild ride. The book balances mystery, murder, and dark humor perfectly, and I loved the dual POVs (plus the bonus one at the end!).

Fran kicks things off with a murder, and her detective husband Gareth starts to suspect something’s off with their neighbor’s disappearance… without realizing it hits much closer to home. The story is twisty, clever, and full of tension, but still manages to be laugh-out-loud funny at times.

It’s not super fast-paced, but it kept me hooked. If you liked The Mindfck Series* or How to Kill Your Family, you’ll probably enjoy this one too. Just be ready for death, murder, and a killer twist at the end!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars – Murderously Entertaining!

My Wife, The Serial Killer is a darkly funny thrill ride that mixes domestic drama with body bags. Garbett delivers chaos, charm, and some seriously twisted laughs. While the plot occasionally leans more wacky than wicked, it’s a sharp, fast-paced read that keeps you guessing—and side-eyeing your spouse. A bloody good time, just not quite a killer classic. Think "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" meets "Dexter," but with more marital passive-aggression and fewer ethical dilemmas.

Thanks Storm Publishing for the ARC!

Fran Donoghue just killed her neighbor, but if you ask her yourself, she’ll say he deserves it and no she’s not a psychopath nor a serial killer.

Detective Gareth Donoghue doesn’t think that his neighbor is just missing, he thinks he’s murdered.

He’s a police officer, his wife? A Serial killer.

My Wife, The Serial Killer by H. J. Garbett is such a fun and easy read, it’s told by dual POVs, one by Fran, the serial killer herself, and by her detective husband. Fran’s narration with her unhinged humor and thoughts honestly carried out the whole book, and this is one of those books that I fully support women’s wrongs.

The pacing at the start was meant to fully set the book’s settings and characters, so it was a bit slow, which is understandable, but when the investigation started, the pacing picked up and hooked me in. I didn’t like the ending that much because, come on, I’m nosy, I wanna know what happened. But all in all, it was a good read. If you’re in the mood for a book with dark humor, unhinged FMC, and family drama, this might be a good book for you.

There was a lot to like here. We meet Gareth who is a "by the books" police investigator who has just taken a role in a new department and is struggling to fit in. Maybe he's a little too bland, too boring, too much of a rule follower. We meet Fran, his wife, who works for social services, and as we quickly find out, kills people. But she's not a psychopath, just ask her. There is a small list of supporting characters, including an ancient cat.

The interaction between Gareth and Fran in the first half of the book is so spot on married couple, as are the texts, and Frans internal monologue.

But then, the execution just felt like it was missing something; The second half of the book lost that comedic interplay and monologue, and the pacing slowed waaay down.

This was a relatively quick read. I liked several of the characters and the interactions, i just would have like the same energy to have continued throughout the book.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Dark, Twisted, and Totally Addictive!

My Wife, The Serial Killer is exactly the kind of book you lose an afternoon to. From the very first chapter, Fran had me hooked — unhinged, unapologetic, and disturbingly likeable. I didn’t know whether to root for her or run from her.

The pace is lightning-fast, the humour deliciously dark, and the twists just keep coming. H. J. Garbett has nailed that fine line between thriller and comedy — the kind that makes you laugh out loud while questioning your own morals.

Perfect for fans of morally grey characters and sharp writing. I loved the dynamic between Fran and Gareth — tense, clever, and at times, weirdly sweet in the most dysfunctional way.

If you like your thrillers bold, bloody, and full of bite, add this one to your TBR immediately. I’ll be thinking about that ending for a long time…

**★★★ – Not Quite What I Expected, But Still a Fun Ride**
I received an ARC of *My Wife, the Serial Killer* and went in expecting a dark comedy—but while it started with that tone, it gradually shifted into more of a police procedural with a surprisingly serious edge.

The plot foundation was solid, but the big reveals and turning points didn’t land as hard as I’d hoped. The buildup was there; the payoff just felt a little underwhelming.

That said, it was still an enjoyable read with a unique premise. If you're okay with a genre shift midstream, there's definitely entertainment to be had here!

Fans of Bella Mackie and How to kill your family will devour this book.
This book just kept giving. Light-hearted enough to read in any mood, a strong plot to keep the pages turning quickly and interesting characters who are a delightful level of f*cked up.
My Wife, The Serial Killer is a fantastic beach/plane/train read.
Warning: you will be rooting for the killer so leave your moral quandaries at the door.

A darkly funny suburban thriller where married life in the suburbs meets murder, and your favorite character just might be the psychopath wife.
4/5 stars... it is twisted, witty, fast-paced, and totally addictive.

This is not my typical genre, but I knew within the first few pages that this was going to be a good ride. The ONLY thing that would have made this experience better was if it was an audiobook with dual narration (obviously British accents required)! Please tell me that is coming soon.

The female serial killer trope isn’t new, but what makes this one hit different? Fran is married to a cop. Who just wants to start a family, that poor guy. She's highly competent (we're talking Kingsman-level deadly with that same level of ego and dry wit) and totally terrifying... in the best way.

That quote: “I didn’t need to look in the mirror to see that, despite my best efforts, a sly smile had crept along my face.”--> I paused and reread it 5 times because it was so disturbing. Chills. I will literally never forget that quote.

Her husband Gareth took longer to click for me, but together? Perfection. The way the story mixes the monotony of marriage - appointments, what to make for dinner, fertility struggles - makes every act of violence feel almost normal, which is... deeply unsettling but weirdly brilliant.

The ending surprised me in the best way, and Fran’s dark humor had me laughing way more than I probably should’ve. "Don't call me a b****, you b****".... to a cop? Like what?!!! Highly recommend if you like a little humor in your thrillers.

I loved the writing and the characters and the storyline. There is a lot of foreshadowing and menacing exchanges which are delightful. All in all, a really nice cozy mystery for a rainy day.
You can find my detailed review on my instagram and goodreads account.

Thank you H.J. Garbett, Storm Publishing & Netgalley for providing this ARC to review.

A thriller with a quirky humorous side always seems to bother me but I can see how others would enjoy this one! I love the cover and I was so intrigued by the blurb but I didn't love the consistency in this book.

Gareth, a Homicide Detective & his wife Fran move to a quiet neighbourhood, ready to settle down. Fran decides to murder their elderly neighbour and keep this information from her husband. Of course, who else would be put on the investigation but Gareth? With a wild FMC, the story line starts off strong but seems to falter rapidly from the middle of the book with no twists/suspense that I usually expect from a Thriller. I found it hard to stay engaged and difficult to follow at some points.

I think that I would enjoy watching this play out on a screen but as a novel - trying to fully immerse myself in the story, the location and the characters felt impossible.

This is a debut books by author H.J. Garbett. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were likeable, which may be surprising with this title. It was an easy read and had fun twists.
Gareth is a police detective. His wife Fran is a social worker. They are settling into their new home to hopefully expand their family outside of their old cat Mep. When their neighbor goes missing Gareth throws the red flag. Needless to say he didn’t realize it was his wife that killed him. This book gives the journey of Fran getting caught and Gareth figuring out things about his wife he never knew. His wife’s past is shocking. Does Fran go to prison for murder? Can Gareth come to terms with his wife being a killer?

This was unexpected but very obvious. The whole wife is a murderer and husband is a detective is a trope which every reader knows the ending to. I liked how this was more of a dark comedy than anything else and the ending was good.

🖤 Thank you to Storm Publishing and H.J. Garbett for this ARC!

So imagine your main character is a seemingly normal wife… except she’s really excited to kill someone. She has her reasons, and she doesn't feel an ounce of guilt. That’s Fran. And I kind of love her?

This was a quick read with solid pacing, a touch of dry British humor, and a surprisingly sweet relationship at the center of all the chaos. The dual POV made the story a bit predictable, but I didn’t mind, the internal monologue was the fun part.

Fran’s voice was equal parts unhinged and hilarious, and her relationship with her husband was weirdly wholesome (like “pass the salt, darling — oh, and the knife for murder” kind of wholesome).

Not your typical thriller: it’s lighter, funnier, and would 100% make a great Netflix dark comedy.

The novel in a nutshell: Fran is the killer, Gareth is an investigator and they are married. Complete and utter chaos. Fran (a social worker) and Gareth (a police investigator) have been married for a few years and have recently moved to a new neighbourhood. All seems well until the husband starts investigating the disappearance of their elderly neighbour. But what Gareth doesn't know is that Fran is involved in the whole thing.
Although there is a lot of humour in this book, it is still very dark and tense. Fran murders someone right at the beginning of the book. Beyond the murder, the novel also touches on deeper, more personal themes, such as the couple's journey through fertility and their hopes of starting a family. This adds a layer of emotional depth that counterbalances the darker elements nicely. Life goes on, even when someone is hiding bodies. This will appeal to feel-good/drama, or contemporary novel readers.
The writing style is lively and engaging, with a dry humour and a sarcastic, offbeat tone that made me smile and laugh at times. The pace is perfectly controlled, with short, suspenseful chapters that keep us on the edge of our seats and the pages flying by. The dual point of view not only gives the book a dynamic pace, but also allows us to see the story unfold through the eyes of our murderess or the investigator.
Mixing murder, chaos, dark humour, a touch of romance and a cast of characters as endearing as they are morally questionable, My Wife, the serial killer is a novel that is as captivating as it is unexpected. If you need a story that shakes things up and stays with you long after the last page, look no further: this is the book for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one!! A dual POV, told from Fran and Gareth, a married couple, she’s a murderer, he’s a police detective! The mix of police procedural and the story from the murderers side was well done, they intertwined with one another but showed the complex thought process of each. Fran is a more complicated character than Gareth with her back story brought more into focus to pull this book nearly together towards the end. Dark humorous wit throughout and brilliant banter between the married couple! A great debut, I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next one!