This book was a wickedly clever ride that had me hooked from the first chapter. The premise alone—a woman casually killing a neighbour while her detective husband investigates—was enough to draw me in, but it was the voice that really sold it. The dark humour, the sharp observations about marriage, and the slowly building tension made it feel like a psychological thriller wearing the disguise of a domestic comedy. I loved how the story balanced absurdity with real emotional undercurrents, especially in the way the characters tried (and failed) to navigate their very unconventional relationship. It left me entertained, a little unsettled, and completely satisfied.

Honestly, this book wasn’t for me. As an avid fan of Freida McFadden and Riley sager, I kept waiting for a twist that never came.
However, just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good book. I think it might be good for people who are just starting to read this genre. The epilogue really didn’t make much sense though.

My Wife, the Serial Killer by H.J. Garbett is an incredible story.

Fran is a killer, quite the unhinged one. Her husband is a homicide detective, how clever.

This is a dark humorous but well written story.

Really liked this one. The wife is a killer, trying to eliminate influential people who wronged her as a kid, and her husband is a police detective trying to figure out what's going on!
This was an interesting read, tragic but poignant and hopeful.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

loved this book it was funny in parts even there was a murder and a man is dead
there is also Mep the cat
and there is Fran the policeman wife
great read

We jump right into the murder of the next door neighbor and meet Fran, the murderer. Who's husband, Gareth, is a detective of course. The book changes between Fran's point of view and Gareth's. I love books with multiple points of views! It is always interesting to flip back and forth to different people. I loved the sarcastic humor of Fran and Gareth, it added a comedic element to the suspense of whether Fran would get caught and by who. Mep, the cat, was an added character that I never knew I was missing in a thriller book!
I thought the growth and change in Gareth's character was believable, but felt slightly rushed. I enjoyed the book and would recommend. This releases June 17th 2025.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a perfect murder mystery with a great touch of comedy. I loved the unique perspective of fran—the murderer, along with her ever so loyal husband. I loved mep he was just the perfect comedy relief, and I honestly wondered how he’s alive. There is absolutely nothing I can critique about this book.

An interesting premise...a killer married to a detective. She murders their next door neighbor and the husband is investigating.
There is a lot of backstory to the "why" that would've been helpful to know at the beginning to have a better sense of some of the characters.
An entertaining read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This is the kind of book where you find yourself rooting for the protagonist, even though she’s done something undeniably wrong. Fran Donoghue has killed her neighbour, deliberately and without remorse. And yet, as the story unfolds, you don’t want her to get caught. You understand her. You sympathise with her. And that’s what makes this book so compelling.

It’s not just a murder story, it’s about the pressure of holding secrets in a marriage, and the strange ways people justify their actions.

Fran is a fascinating character: composed, intelligent, emotionally complex. Her choices may be criminal but it’s clear that she’s been pushed to a breaking point long before the book begins.

Her husband, Gareth, is a detective. Ironic, of course, since he has no idea what his wife is capable of. As he investigates the neighbour’s disappearance, in which he doesn’t know his wife’s involvement, the tension builds.

Whilst I enjoyed the concept of the book, some parts were lacking. The pacing drags in the middle and there were times I was waiting for something more, especially with the ending. It wraps up in a way that’s clever, but also a bit unsatisfying.

And then there’s Gareth. His character does a full 180 near the end that felt abrupt. While I understand the reasoning, it didn’t feel fully realistic based on how he’d been portrayed earlier.

Overall, this is a sharp, unsettling domestic drama with a thriller edge. It doesn’t rely on big twists or fast pacing, but rather the slow, uncomfortable realisation that sometimes the person you know best is the one you understand the least.

We dive straight into a murder and meet Fran who has murdered her next door neighbour, her husband is also a police officer 🤣.
I loved the dual POV too. Ii really enjoyed this cosy funny crime. It was so easy to read and I sped through it.

The story of a cop who’s wife is a killer, told from both of their perspectives, this starts off great and is really funny and sharp in what is essentially a farce and a very entertaining one at that.

The problem I had with this one is the second half of the book where it becomes much less humorous and tries to fully explain the wife’s childhood problems while in care and it loses all its wit and charm of the first half and becomes a little boring as the tone of the book changes completely.

Throw in a pretty ludicrous ending and it takes the shine off what for 50% at least was lol and fun romp with great narration and humour. I think if the tone had remained consistent throughout, the book would have been all the better for it. A real book of two halves. 5 stars for the first half. 2 stars for the second.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

H.J. Garbett’s debut novel My Wife, The Serial Killer opens with a bang—Fran Donoghue kills her neighbor, and you’ll probably find yourself rooting for her anyway. Her husband Gareth, a detective caught up in work and his own insecurities, begins to suspect something is off. What unfolds is a fast-paced, darkly comic story that walks the line between satire and sincerity, murder mystery and twisted love story.

Fran is the kind of unhinged protagonist you can’t look away from—witty, morally slippery, and oddly endearing. Her inner monologue is both hilarious and chilling, and readers quickly find themselves pulled into her warped logic. Gareth, by contrast, is quieter and more emotionally bottled up. As he digs deeper into the disappearance next door, the tension builds—not just in the case, but in their marriage.

The dual points of view work well, offering two sides of the same unraveling story. And while the book is full of dark humor and over-the-top moments, it’s grounded by real emotional weight. Fran and Gareth’s struggles with infertility, loyalty, and identity add surprising depth to what could have easily been just a campy thriller.

Some readers were thrown by the character arcs, especially Gareth’s shift in personality late in the book. Others noted that many of the female side characters felt flat or simply cruel. Still, the majority were too entertained to care. The book’s mix of murder, mayhem, and emotional gut punches keeps the pages turning, and even the cat—grumpy, sickly Mit—manages to steal hearts.

My Wife, The Serial Killer isn’t a traditional thriller, nor is it entirely a satire. It lives in the messy, morally gray middle, and that’s where it shines. Bold, chaotic, and emotionally sharp, this is a debut that makes you laugh, squirm, and maybe even cry a little. It’s not perfect, but it’s unforgetta

My Wife, The Serial Killer is darkly funny and an easy read, if not a bit predictable in its plot. Still had a fantastic time though!

3.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. “My Wife the Serial Killer” is the debut dark comedy thriller from H.J. Garbett. The dual POV between the murderous wife and detective husband had moments where I laughed out loud as well cringed.

This story opens with Fran having just murdered her neighbor and immediately begins to go off the rails. At certain points you find yourself siding with the Fran and her reasonings for doing what she did. This book is a wild ride in some of the best ways. Add in the senile grumpy car Mep and you’re in for one heck of a journey

I do think this book would benefit from content warnings that don’t contain spoilers. Examples include infertility, which could be a trigger for some readers. I do look forward to reading more from this author in the future

This impressive debut novel delivers a sharp blend of dark humour, mystery, and emotional depth. Centred on Fran, an unhinged and hilariously twisted female protagonist, and her detective husband Gareth, the story captivates from the opening murder to its shocking final twist. The dual perspectives—along with a surprise third—offer insight into the complex dynamics between characters, while the witty and engaging prose keeps the pace brisk. Supporting characters, including a surly cat named Mep, add charm without overshadowing the central narrative.
The only thing that let this down slightly for me was the motivation for the killings. Whilst I appreciate the reasoning, I was expecting a darker reveal.
Overall, a really enjoyable read for fans of dark humour and unhinged female main characters,


Thank you to NetGalley, author H. J. Garbett and Storm Publishing for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. #MyWifeTheSerialKiller #NetGalley

This book is expected to be published on June 17, 2025!

My Wife, The Serial Killer- H. J. Garnett
Fran has killed her neighbour. And you know what? He deserved it. This isn't Fran's first rodeo either. She knows what she's doing, how to cover it up. She's picked up a thing or 2 being married to a detective.
Being that close to the police would certainly determine most people from committing even petty crimes, let alone murder. Not Fran. She is on a mission. One she fully intends to complete.
Gareth, her detective husband, is newly promoted and they have just moved to the area when their elderly neighbour goes missing. He doesn't feel like it's as simple as a missing person's case and that there's more to it. He won't leave it alone and pursues it. Will he wish he hadn't?
This was a good read. Dark humour. Very wittily written, which seems an odd thing to write about a book who's central plot is murder. Good plot. I was keen to learn more about Fran's past and discover what might be driving her blood lust. There weren't too many plot twists. The plot was quite predictable but it was a pleasant, easy read. I wasn't sure about the ending. It didn't correlate with what we know throughout the book about one of the characters. Was left a bit disappointed.

Was it entertaining? Absolutely. Was I invested? Also absolutely. The issue for me was more of the execution sort. Parts of the book were stronger than others. The writing revolved around certain characters seemed more flushed out than it did the rest.

I’d never heard of this author, but the cover and title intrigued me. This was a fun book that I enjoyed the whole way through.

Shes a serial killer (well one murder away from being one)
He's a detective
Oh and they are husband and wife and he has no idea....


One of my favourite books I have read this year. I love a thriller and a good murder but I also like it when a bit of humour is spliced into the story and this book definitely had it. I found myself laughing out loud more than once particularly the line
"Mep experienced cat Botox"
There is a rich black comedy that runs throughout the book and even though one of the characters is a killer- I found myself rooting for her as she is fabulous. The humour is sharp and witty but it's also lovingly surrounded by a strong romance which is conflicted due to the events happening. Fran and her husband Gareth are extremely likeable characters and I've found myself wanting more stories about them.
This is HJ Garbetts first book and honestly I am coming back for more. I would urge anyone to pick this book up, sit back, relax and enjoy.