Book Review: My Wife the Serial Killer by H.J. Garbett
Rating: ★★★½ (3.5/5)

This was a fast-paced, easy read — the kind of book you can finish in one or two sittings without feeling like you’re trudging through it. The plot moves quickly, and the writing is accessible, which I appreciated.

Now, full disclosure: I love unhinged women in fiction. There’s something endlessly compelling about characters who shed the constraints of what’s expected and just... go feral. So, I might be a little biased. That said, while the titular character gave glimpses of that unhinged energy, I found myself wanting more — more chaos, more depth, more unraveling of who she is and why she became that way.

The male main character (MMC) felt a bit undercooked for me. I was hoping for more psychological complexity or even a descent into madness of his own, but he never quite got there. I kept waiting for him to match her energy or at least reflect it in some twisted way — but it didn’t happen.

Spoiler warning
As for the ending... I would have never forgiven that man. Not in a million years. That part left me a little frustrated — I wanted retribution or at least more reckoning. Instead, it felt like a door closed without a satisfying slam.

In short: it’s a solid, bingeable read, especially if you're into morally grey characters and dark domestic thrillers. I just wish it had leaned more into the unhinged and given us a deeper psychological dive.

From the very first page, I knew I was in for a wild ride with this one - and I was certainly right! This story alternates POV between Fran, a not-quite-but-almost serial killer (only by number!) and her detective husband who, unknowingly, is looking into her case.

I FLEW through the first half and could NOT put this down! I really enjoyed both characters perspectives and the writing style was quick and addictive! I couldn't help but facepalm at nearly everything Fran did, but other parts had me laughing out loud at the absurdity of it! I often find legal thrillers to drag a bit, but not this one! I was truly back and forth over whether Fran would be found guilty or let off the hook.

Unfortunatey, the end fell a little flat for me. I could see what Garbett was going for, but the characters just weren't developed enough for it to fit. Without giving too much away, Gareth was too much of a rule follower and Fran's brother playing too small a role up until the ending for it to feel believable. Had it been set up earlier, I think it would have packed a bigger punch. And speaking of development, wth happened with Edith? Why is she barely mentioned but clearly plays a huge role in Fran's motivation. I feel like this was dragged out the entire story but we never got a clear picture of what really happened, making it harper to sympathize with everyone.

Overall, I enjoyed this one but some of the plot points felt underdeveloped and incomplete. 3.75/5 rounded up to 4. Thanks so much for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy
DNF @ 15 percent
It was a nice premise with so much shock value in the beginning but it fell off for me and i really don’t know how to pick it back up because there’s no development in the plot and the character work is still flat.

My Wife, the Serial Killer is exactly as crazy as the title sounds, and I loved every second of it. It leans into the madness with zero hesitation and hits the perfect balance between dark humor and 'ohmygod she really just did that?' moments. the ENTIRE time, I was like: 'yes girl, commit crimes and be cool about it!'

My queen Fran: she’s SO smart, so quick with the comebacks, always two steps ahead, and just a delight to be in the head of even when she’s doing deeply questionable things. and MEP!! the cat. if anything had happened to him, I would've absolutely lost it. Mep's health was my priority, even with everything else going on.

I was living for the station drama - every character in that building was terrible, and it was so satisfying to watch things spiral the way they did. Gareth finally getting his moment was sooo satisfying. I didn’t feel bad for any of Fran’s victims - they had it coming.

Gareth’s sudden switch-up was weird, though. Like, he went from 'Fran could never hurt anyone 🥺' to 'she definitely murdered that man and I’m calling the cops.' HELLO? it felt a bit out of nowhere. I get it, the evidence was there, but the shift was jarring. idk maybe his moral compass kicked in late?

The epilogue from Beryl’s pov was chef’s kiss. I loved that old lady so much. 🥰 It was truly a delight and wrapped things up in such a solid, satisfying way.

3.5 stars*

My Wife, The Serial Killer is exactly what the title promises: unhinged, darkly hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt. H.J. Garbett delivers a sharp, well-paced debut that blends domestic drama and dark comedy into one wildly entertaining ride.

Told through dual perspectives, the novel explores a marriage full of secrets, tension, and unexpected tenderness. The characters are quirky and memorable, their dynamic both funny and emotionally layered. Even the grumpy household cat adds a surprising amount of charm and depth to the story.

With brisk pacing and short, binge-able chapters, it’s the kind of book you’ll race through in a single sitting. Garbett’s writing is witty and engaging, full of laugh-out-loud moments and chaotic turns that keep the energy high throughout.

That said, some readers may find the story more character-driven than twist-heavy. While there’s emotional weight and clever plotting, certain elements-like some character arcs or the final reveal-could have been explored a bit more deeply. Still, the overall experience is fun, fresh, and wholly original.

Clever, chaotic, and oddly charming-My Wife, The Serial Killer is a killer debut with bite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced, definitely entertaining! I loved the character development and questioning my own sanity (in a good way) it was so much fun and really well written! Highly recommend omg

*My Wife, the Serial Killer* is a wildly entertaining, darkly humorous ride that doesn’t take itself too seriously—and that’s exactly what makes it so much fun. H.J. Garbett blends absurdity with sharp wit to create a twisted, unpredictable story that had me laughing out loud while simultaneously questioning everyone’s motives.

The plot is as ridiculous as the title suggests, but in the best way. The characters are delightfully eccentric, and the story moves at a brisk pace that kept me hooked from start to finish. If you enjoy dark humor with a side of chaos, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC—I thoroughly enjoyed the madness!

Thank you NetGalley and he publisher for the opportunity to review ARC.

This book is pretty hilarious. A cop and a serial killer wife. Oh did I mention the cop investigated his wife’s murder? I liked the concept and the story line. It was just missing a “kick”.

But it was still solid 4 stars for me!

My Wife the Serial Killer
Rating: ★★★½ (3.5/5)

My Wife the Serial Killer is an engaging read that blends suspense with psychological drama. The premise is intriguing and immediately pulls you in—what happens when someone discovers that their seemingly normal spouse harbors a deadly secret?

One of the strengths of the book lies in its plot. The story unfolds with enough twists to keep you turning the pages, and I appreciated that Fran’s actions had a clear motivation. She wasn’t just killing for the sake of shock value—there was a backstory and emotional logic behind her behavior, which added depth to her character.

However, while I enjoyed the journey, the ending felt rushed. After such a strong build-up, I was hoping for a more fully developed conclusion. It wrapped up too quickly for my taste, leaving me wanting a bit more resolution or reflection.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and H.J. Garbett for the advanced copy of this book.

I’m giving it a solid 4.5/5. I absolutely loved it! I've always loved morally gray characters, and Fran was a standout. Her relationship with Gareth was sweet, it reminded me of my spouse and me (minus the murders, of course).

I rarely laugh out loud while reading, but this book had me cracking up, especially during the bathroom scene with Darren. I cackled the entire time!

I did figure out the ending pretty early on, but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment.

The story delivered great dark humor with genuinely lovable characters. I could easily see this being adapted into a limited series.

Thanks again, and congratulations to H.J. Garbett on a fantastic book!

Oh this is SO good! I love everything about this!
Easily one of my favorites I’ve read recently!

Such a page turner and I’m so thankful to have been able to ARC read it! Definitely looking forward to putting this on my shelf!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of My Wife, the Serial Killer! This book had the perfect mix of dark humor, chaos, and secrets—I was hooked from page one. The story takes off fast with the FMC committing a murder, and her detective husband unknowingly investigating her crime. From there, it spirals into a wild, witty, and unpredictable ride.

The pacing is fast, with short, binge-worthy chapters, and the characters are unforgettable—especially the unhinged yet oddly charming FMC. Garbett’s writing is sharp, funny, and completely addictive. A total standout!

#NetGalley #ARCReview #BookReview #MyWifeTheSerialKiller #ThrillerBooks #DarkHumor #PsychologicalThriller #MustRead #BookLover #BookRecommendation

ARC review

Fran and Gareth just moved into their new house. Gareth works as a police officer and Fran is a social worker. Model citizens, right? When their neighbor goes missing Gareth starts to suspect foul play, he is convinced that the old man didn’t just disappear. Fran, on the other hand isn’t worried, she knows exactly what happened to him…

This is a mystery with a lot of dark humor. Since it has a dual point of view you get to follow the two main characters in all the different twists and turns. It slows down a bit about half way through and becomes more slow paced. It gets more serious as well so it’s not the same humor towards the end. I feel that the change of pace and the change of expression was disappointing, I liked it better in the beginning. The ending was no surprise but I didn’t mind because the rest of the story was entertaining. It was exciting and fun and I enjoyed reading it.

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Fran Donoghue is a serial killer. Her husband, Gareth, is a detective. What could possibly go wrong?

I absolutely LOVED this brilliant book. Sometimes serious, often very funny, top writing and a brilliant plot. Told from the dual perspectives of Fran and Gareth, with a heavy featuring of Mep, their cat and their slightly mad neighbour, Beryl.

Wild and chaotic with plenty of dry sarcasm and a whole heap of charm, add it to your TBR!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, H.J. Garbett and Storm for an ARC of this book.

This was the year to try and read new genres and I had good feelings with this book but after finishing it? This was even better than expected!
I am going to put it right there: Fran is a gem, I would read three more books with her as a protagonist. She is funny and eloquent. Being in her mind was really entertaining. Also, I must be honest, I did struggle with Gareth at the beginning. I didn’t understand why he didn’t trust his wife (I mean, she is a killer, but he didn’t know it).
I would have loved to see more from Fran’s brother and to know more profoundly about their past. From my point of view, it was too short of an explanation to understand the impact it had in the story.
Wishing a book to be longer is not a bad think, right?
Thank you to Storm Publishing, Netgalley and H. J. Garbett for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This book was exactly what I needed to disconnect, a quick read with a bit of intrigue!

She's a murderer, he's a police officer - what could go wrong? The premise immediately drew me in, while the chapters that alternate viewpoints between Fran and Gareth along with the well-done dark humor kept me hooked. The book was more about the relationships between the characters and each spouse's personal growth and did not contain a ton of mystery and suspense, but I very much enjoyed the relationship dynamic throughout the book and seeing the events unfold through both Fran and Gareth's different viewpoints. The book had a (mostly) satisfying conclusion, and if you are a fan of dark humor I would definitely recommend it as a quick and fun read. Thank you to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5

Very good in the beginning! But the rest of the book could have had more plot! But the writing was really good and I liked the protagonist however Gareth was a little dull - he could have been explored a bit more.

My Wife, The Serial Killer was a very fun book to read. While the plot could be heavy, it was delivered in a quirky way that kept it in the dark humor realm. A murder, a potential pending divorce, and an old cat...what could possibly go wrong? I did not see the ending wrapping up as it did, so appreciated those final twists! The book was a little slow to start, but I did enjoy every moment I spent reading it.

Really good story. I enjoyed following the main character’s journey and laughed at a good few parts of the book.

I always judge the impact of books by the characters’ memorability and this one knocks it out of the park. One word, Fran. Personally, I have a penchant for unreliable, unhinged narrators and this DELIVERED. So many times I was shouting at the book and oftentimes, laughing uncontrollably. The relationship between herself and Gareth was relatable despite the cataclysmic atrocities described. Even Mep the cat holds a place in my heart and memory. A truly engaging, hilarious debut novel from this author.