★ 4.75 stars

𝙈𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙢, 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚.

📚 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚝: audiobook
📆 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 7th August 2025
📎 𝚙𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚛: Profile Books Audio / Viper
🏷️ 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚜: female rage, psychological thriller/horror, cannibalism, revenge, generational trauma, family secrets

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙: Oh my goodness?? I mean I really enjoyed this book! When I went into it, I thought that it would be more horror than thriller, then as I got further in I think it became more of a psychological horror/thriller? I’m not too sure on the genre but either way I really enjoyed it. I felt like the pacing was really good, the storyline was original and honestly the twists just kept coming? The suspense had me really interested in the audiobook from about 40% in, I didn’t want to pause it at all.

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙙: I did have suspicions about the ‘secret family member’ close to the end of the book but the two further twists that happened afterwards, I didn’t really see coming so I feel like it kind of redeemed itself? Otherwise no other ‘bad’ notes! The really graphic descriptions of meat did however make me a bit queasy and especially the scene with the piglets.

𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨: I really enjoyed this audiobook and the narrator, I enjoyed the suspension throughout and thought that the narrator did a really good job of keeping me interested! Overall would really recommend & will be reaching for more of the author’s work.

𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!

This narrator was fabulous. Excellent voices, the storytelling was spot on and the pacing superb. No notes.

Rating is for the narration.

"No body, no crime."

The premise hooked me instantly: a famous chef wants to publish a memoir decades after her husband vanished, once and for all shutting down the rumours about cannibalism, vampires and murder… but will it help?
She is looking for a publisher for her memoir but knows exactly who she wants as editor, Thea Woods. Thea is a lifelong fan, and just when she is about to be fired from her job, Maria swoops in to save her career... or ruin it.
While at Maria's farmhouse, Thea has to deal with truths, lies and strangers she doesn't know she can or cannot trust.

The author sprinkles actual recipes throughout the story, alternating chapters from Maria and Thea’s pov.
As the tension rises, vivid scenes (think pigs in a slaughterhouse and eerie footsteps in the dark) cloak the story in gothic dread deserving of a horror‑thriller mashup. I’m forever thankful the audiobook does not include any dying pig noises, not gonna lie.

Characters Worth Rooting For:
* Maria Capello: charismatic, enigmatic, potentially murderous chef icon. I couldn’t ask for more.
* Nobody else. I unfortunately did not like any of the other characters, including Thea.

I loved the twisty storytelling and the mix of dark humour, foodie focus and feminist undercurrent

I knew very early on what the reveals were going to be but still enjoyed the whole thing!

The Dead Husband Cookbook is messy, macabre and utterly memorable. Despite a few predictabilities and an open‑ended finale, Valentine delivers a vivid, atmospheric ride complete with recipes that had me hungry the entire time.

Rating: 5★ / 5

Absolutely loved this book- there’s something about it that drew me in from the very first page, and it did not disappoint. I thought I had the plot figured out early on, but I was completely mistaken. Danielle Valentine masterfully leads the reader in one direction, only to twist the narrative in such an unexpected and satisfying way near the end.

Everything about The Dead Husband Cookbook worked for me- the intriguing title, the unique storyline, and especially the way the recipes are tied into Maria’s life. Each one added depth and texture to the plot, blending domestic detail with an undercurrent of darkness.

I listened to the audiobook version, and it truly elevated the experience. Maria’s voice was so comforting and compelling- it pulled me in even more deeply and made the story feel even more immersive.

It’s a cleverly written, dark, twisty story with a haunting charm that lingers.

A fabulous listen that often feels like a heart-warming memoir until it surprises you with the darker twists surrounding the mystery at its core. I loved the narration, style and humour, and found it thoroughly entertaining.

Who doesn’t love a book within a book!

The Dead Husband Cookbook was so fun to listen to, the amazing narrator Lauryn Allman did an amazing job with all the different characters, giving them their own voices. I couldn’t stop listening to, I was hooked and needed to know what was going to happen next, much like Thea getting drip fed the chapters.

This book also made me so hungry!! The recipes, the food, I was craving pasta and all the food.

What’s not to love about a celebrity chef whose life has been surrounded by gossip and rumours ever since her husband went missing decades ago. Now she is writing a tell all memoir and will only tell it to editor Thea Woods, who herself is not without drama.

Addictive, wild and crazy. A must read.

Thanks so much to Profile Books Audio, Viper for my advanced listening copy. Out on August 7th.