Such a great book. Loved it so much. Thanks so much for letting me read in advance. Couldn't put it down.

Definitely don’t judge a book by its cover—because as cute as this one looks, the story inside is surprisingly dark. Fran is not quite yet a serial killer since of course everyone knows you have to have three murders to be considered a serial killer. However, she is definitely a murderer. Her husband is a detective which makes things really interesting as he is starting to investigate a case that Fran might have been involved in. The banter between Fran and Gareth is so good and I can even relate a bit with my own relationship.

I thought Fran's backstory was really interesting and can understand why she does some of the things that she does. Gareth slowly realizing the person that he married was not who he expected her to be was so fun to read because as he slowly learns her reasoning why, he continues to love her. I was not expecting that ending whatsoever, but there really wasn't a more perfect way to end this story. Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and H.J. Garbett for an ARC of this book. I absolutely binged it and enjoyed every bit! This review is my own honest opinion.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

I enjoyed this dark humoured book very much, it was a fun page turner that had me chuckling throughout and I found the plot highly engaging. I also loved the mix of characters.

I'll most definitely be recommending this one!

Perfectly paced and full of dark humour, this is everything that I want from this sort of book. I really enjoyed it

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

I flew through this in a single sitting. I loved the pacing and dark humor. I really enjoyed the dual POV. I could read an entire series of this!

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!!

A darkly funny thriller, featuring twisted humour, a feisty female murder, her husband the cop investigating the case, and so many secrets to be uncovered.

I knew from the prologue that this was going to be a wildly entertaining read!

I really enjoyed Fran’s inner dialogue, their old cat Mep, and seeing Gareth wrestle with his personal convictions. The writing style made this an addictive and easy read.

With thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy, in exchange for an honest review

OMG, what a roller coaster ride that was. An excellent debut!

I haven’t read such a compelling debut in a long time. The title and cover immediately caught my eye, but I went into this with zero expectations, and I was hooked from the start.

The story follows a couple, Fran and Gareth. Fran has just committed a murder. Gareth, her husband, is investigating the case. Fran did what she had to do, and now the loyalty test lies with Gareth. Will he accept her truth? Will he try to protect her at the cost of his job?

The way their story unfolded was super emotional for me. It was intense and layered with morally grey moments that made it close to reality.

Can’t wait to see what this author does next!

I read this so quickly, I could not stop reading. I loved how fast paced this was, you got to know the characters really quickly, and the writing style made you feel like the main character was talking directly to you, I really liked her whit and sarcasm. As a person who loves a Netflix documentary and a thriller book, this was utter perfection. I can’t fault it. Will 100% read more by this author! Five stars!

3.25 stars

this was a quick read about… well exactly what the title says. i connected most with the very old cat mep, and was less connected with the MCs relationship - it felt very millennial and a bit awkward which is not what i want from married couples… anyway. otherwise i enjoyed this book but it wasn’t as twisty or mysterious as i would have liked.

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

i love humorous thriller books and this one was especially fun because the FMC was a serial killer and her husband was the detective on the case!
i did find parts of it dragged on and it lost its steam at the 3/4 mark. i found that the transitions between chapters & scenes was hard to follow and i found myself going over paragraphs a few times to see if i had missed anything. didn't like the ending either
偷
overall a fun, fast paced Dexter-like funny thriller that would be a good summer read!
thank you to NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the eARC!

I reallllly tried to like this book. But here are my final thoughts.
I loved the FMC, Fran. She is quirky, chaotic, and a bad ass. But her husband is kind of a pussy (I don’t have a better word for him) and he is hard to like.
Sometimes, the transitions between chapters, places, and conversations were hard to follow. I would think I skipped a page or two and be wondering what is happening?!
I wish the Fran and Angus would have come out and talk about the trauma they share in the beginning to make their relationship more understandable. They just talked around the trauma for 50 percent of the book. Like who is Edith?! Just come out and say it.
For me, this was a slow read that was hard to get into and stay hooked.
So that is why this book gets a 2/5.

You’re not a serial killer until you’ve done it 3 times right? Even if it feels good? Even if it’s all you think about? Also, what kind of serial killer would marry a do-gooder cop who always follows the rules? Fran isn’t a serial killer…yet.

I love me a good thriller that can engage me but also make me laugh. There’s plenty of humor and outlandishness in this story. The FMC Fran will have you laughing and saying WTF over and over.

Read if you like:
🔪 humorous dark thrillers
🔪an unhinged FMC
🔪 a UK police drama/thriller
🔪a couple who will do anything for the other

Expected release June 17th.

Thank you Storm Publishing, HJ Garnett and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

I did not expect to like this as much as I did. Which would be unfair of me to say, because why would I request a book I wasn’t expecting to like, right? But I loved the cover, and the premise sounded super interesting, so I had to find out for myself what this was about. Still, I didn’t expect to like these characters as much as I did, to be honest.

Okay, so Fran kills her neighbor. But the way it’s written, you kind of get why she did it. Her husband Gareth, who has this golden retriever energy about him and is also a detective (of course), starts getting suspicious when the neighbor goes missing… but he has no idea his own wife might be involved. As he digs into the case, things get messier, and you’re just sitting there wondering how long until it all blows up.

I looooooooooooooooooooved Fran. She had these unhinged mental ramblings that reminded me of Dexter’s (from the TV show), and I just wanted to spend more time inside her head because the way she processed stuff was just too good.

Gareth was such an interesting character too, and watching him wrestle with his convictions, come to terms with his wife’s choices, and find a way to bring her peace and accept what was happening by the end of the book? Chef’s kiss.

I loved Fran and Gareth’s relationship. Kind of obsessed with them, if I’m being honest. I found myself rooting for whatever course of action would lead to their happiness. The plot, while a bit predictable at times, is dark, funny (like, “should I be laughing at this?” funny), and totally addictive.

However, don’t get it twisted. Despite what the title suggests, Fran is not a serial killer. Towards the end, a big chunk of the book focuses on her trial (because yes, she gets caught) for one murder and the attempt to connect her to another, while Gareth explores his emotions, questions his morals and deals with the consequences of the decisions he has taken up until then and the tone of the book shifts at that point. Fran has her reasons, which are revealed slowly throughout the book, but maybe I just wished it stayed a little more whimsical all the way through. Don't get me wrong, I am just happy to see them happy, her brother’s situation notwithstanding.

A great read that more people should definitely pick up once it comes out!

H.J. Garbett’s *My Wife the Serial Killer* is a sharp, darkly entertaining thriller that hooks you with its clever concept: a marriage where one partner is a detective and the other… a serial killer. I really liked how the story alternates between the wife’s (the killer’s) perspective and the husband’s (the detective’s) view. This dual narrative keeps the tension high and gives a fascinating insight into both the hunter and the hunted — all within the same household.

The story flows smoothly, with short, punchy chapters that make it easy to keep reading “just one more.” Garbett balances suspense with dark humor, making even the bleakest moments engaging rather than heavy. The character dynamics — especially the twisted loyalty and growing suspicion — are handled well and make for an addictive read.

Overall, it’s a gripping, fast-paced novel that plays brilliantly with the idea of secrets in a marriage. Highly recommended if you enjoy thrillers with a sly, ironic edge.

The premise of this book was super interesting; I wanted to pick this up based on title and summary alone! The first few chapters are instantly engaging and pulls you in, but the pacing does falter in the middle section. The writing itself is great, and I'm looking forward to reading more from H.J. Garbett.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

3 stars

For me, this was okay. I can totally understand why other readers have made comparisons with similar books and characters. I loved that we were immediately thrown into the book and the initial fast pace kept me invested and interested.

However, as the book progressed it became and felt very slow. The jokes and humour weren’t hitting the same and I also didn’t really enjoy the multiple povs. Which surprised me, because in books with a similar genre, I do.

I also think this had the potential and promised to be quite dark but i feel like it just didn’t reach that point. The writing as well just wasn’t working for me at points, the husband’s pov especially, I just found to be at times, quite boring.

Personally, I thought Fran was okay. I liked her volatile nature, her quick thinking and impulsiveness. But I don’t think I actually liked her as an overall character. Again possibly because I’ve read a variety of books that are within this comedy ‘thrillers’ or ‘mysteries’ category with quite strong fmcs. So for me, Fran, just didn’t feel like she was as well curated or polished in some ways. I didn’t mind her, but I also wouldn’t necessarily say she left any impression on me, unlike, the female main character in Katy Brent’s books for example.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I finished this book quickly, which speaks to how intrigued I was at the start, but then towards the end, I was reading swiftly to get it to end. The premise—a female serial killer—immediately brought the Mindfck* series to mind. The book kicked off with a bang. The concept was compelling, and the setup pulled me in, but unfortunately, the momentum didn’t last. After about the 25% mark, the pacing began to falter, and I found myself increasingly disengaged. The twists and turns I expected from this genre never really materialized, and I was left hoping the story would just wrap up. The ending, while meant to be impactful, was predictable well before the final chapters.

I also struggled to connect with the main character, Fran. While her volatility might have been intentional, it made her difficult to empathize with, and the reveal about her motivations came too late in the story to land emotionally. I ended up feeling the most for Mep, the cat, probably because I'm a dog/cat lover. The humor, which I assume was meant to add levity, was hit or miss for me.

Overall, the blurb promised something dark and gripping, but the execution didn't quite live up to it. Despite a strong start and an interesting concept, the story lost its edge too quickly, and I didn’t find myself invested in any of the characters by the end.

This wasn't bad although I struggled to connect with Fran and Gareth. Fran murders the neighbour but it takes nearly half the book before we have some idea why. Gareth is a police detective and when the neighbour goes missing he's sure foul play is involved and slowly starts to suspect Fran may be involved although he doesn't know why. At first, Gareth is a bit of a 'people pleaser' so he doesn't really stand up for himself even though he's being bullied by the other staff. He's very good at seeing connections others miss which puts him on the track of the motive for the case. All of a sudden, he grows a backbone after Fran's arrest which, although helpful, was a little off-putting that he has such a change in personality! The mystery behind it all was very good with a good twist and takes some unravelling. A good read but not the best characters for me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and H.J. Garbett for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

〃ﾟ4,75 ﾟ⁠〃
'𝙄𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙝𝙚'𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧,'

Fran Donoghue has just killed her neighbor—and she’s not sorry about it. Meanwhile, Detective Gareth Donoghue has a bad feeling about the neighbor's disappearance, but soon his troubles will grow far worse. This dark, sharp, and hilarious novel mixes murder, marriage, and unexpected twists. 🖤

Tropes:
The wife did it 🔪
Morally gray protagonist ⚖️
Domestic noir 🏠
Cat-and-mouse marriage 🐱🐭
Dark humor 😈
Unreliable narrator 🌀
Emotionally repressed husband 🤐
Trauma & infertility 💔👶🏻
Loyal silent friend 🤝
Revenge arc 🔥
Prison time ⛓️

Content Warnings (CW):
Murder 🔪
Infertility 💔
Gaslighting 🧠
Workplace harassment 🧑‍💼💢
Mental health struggles 🧠⚠️
Domestic conflict 🏠💥
Revenge & violence ⚔️
Imprisonment ⛓️

This is definitely one of the most addictive thrillers I’ve ever read 🔪. I just couldn’t stop reading—if it weren’t for needing sleep 😴, I would've finished it in one sitting! It was such an enjoyable read, and I’m sure that anyone who loved The Mindfck Series* will enjoy this one too. As someone who loved that series, I could see a softer version of it here—Fran reminded me so much of Lana 🖤.

I liked Fran from the beginning. I even found myself sympathizing with her and thinking she was right... even before the full truth was revealed 🤫. I loved how much she cared for her husband—her love, her loyalty, and her protectiveness over him were so touching 💕. The part about her not being able to have children broke my heart 💔. Her fear of losing Gareth because of that felt so raw and real.

As for Gareth, I really felt bad for him 🥺. He was struggling at work—being ignored by Steve and Darren 🙄, basically harassed by Cic and Isla 😒, and constantly buried in work by Vivian. I don’t think he stayed quiet because he was weak; I believe he genuinely thought he could earn respect through kindness 🤍. I stopped being mad at him after what he did at the end. That moment of regret, and what he was willing to do for Fran, showed how deeply he truly loved her 💘.

Their relationship felt so real—their conversations, their moments together, even the tension between them 🥹. It was believable and emotional.

And then there’s Angus—quiet, mysterious, and loyal. I loved him from the beginning 🖤. What he did for Fran near the end made me admire him even more.

Now let me talk about Mit... the grumpy, angry, old cat 🐾. I cried so much when the vet told Gareth to take him home because he wouldn’t make it through the night 😭. That moment hit hard, especially since my aunt’s cat “Mino,” who I loved deeply, passed away the same day 🕊️. It felt personal.

Oh, and I almost forgot to say how much I hated Cic, Isla, Steve, Vivian, and Darren 😤. I honestly wanted Fran to burn them all 🔥.
Beryl and her dog were unforgettable too—what a pair 🐕!

As for the ending—I liked it, but I wanted more! I imagined Fran and Gareth together with four kids (two boys and two girls), two dogs 🐶, and Mit🐱. That would’ve been perfect!

𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:
This book made me laugh 😂, cry 😢, feel angry 😡, and fall in love with fictional people and pets 🥰. If you love dark humor, messed up characters, and twisty relationships—you need to read this!