The New Husband is a riveting thriller about the lies we tell ourselves from D. J. Palmer, the author of Saving Meghan. What makes Simon Fitch so perfect?-He knows all her favorite foods, music, and movies. -Her son adores him. He was there when she needed him most. -He anticipates her every need. -He would never betray her like her first husband.The perfect husband. He checks all the boxes.… like her first husband.
The perfect husband. He checks all the boxes.
The question is, why?
Nina Garrity learned the hard way that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But with Glen gone—presumably drowned while fishing on his boat—she couldn’t confront him about the affair or find closure to the life he blew apart.
Now, a year and a half later, Nina has found love again and hopes she can put her shattered world back together. Simon, a widower still grieving the death of his first wife, thinks he has found his dream girl in Nina, and his charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina’s teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, while her friends see a different side to him, and they aren’t afraid to use the word obsession.
Nina works hard to bridge the divide that’s come between her daughter and Simon. She wants so badly to believe her life is finally getting back on track, but she’ll soon discover that the greatest danger to herself and her children are the lies people tell themselves.
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Things are not always what they seem to be. Nina’s husband had been gone for 18 months. He disappeared on a fishing trip and all that was found was his bloody boat – was he dead or did he run away with the woman he was having an affair with. Now, much to her parents and her best friends dismay, Nina has bought a house with Simon who appears to be the best husband ever. He wants to take care of her and her two children, he is loving and attentive – all the things that her husband hadn’t been. Her 16 year old son really likes Simon and they spend a lot of time together. Her13 year old daughter, Maggie, wants her dad and there is no way that she will allow Simon to take her dad’s place. Her reluctance to accept Simon is keeping the household in a turmoil and Nina and Simon both work to make her accept Simon but Maggie sees something sinister in him — is she missing her dad or is Simon not really the perfect boyfriend that Nina thinks he is???
This is a fun book to read – there are lots of twists and turns and even though I guessed the ending early, I wasn’t aware of how cruel this person could be (not going to tell you who). My favorite character was Maggie – she knew something was wrong with her Mom’s new boyfriend and went out of her way to prove it to her mom. Nina was pretty naive and missed some important clues until things got so bad, she could no longer ignore them. This is a great book to read to take you away from everything that’s going on in the world right now.
I love a good thriller to listen to, and this one definitely held my attention. There were a lot of twists and turns and bad behaviors that kept me guessing. The book tackles the age old question – do you ever really know the person you’re with? And doesn’t everyone have a twinge of psychopathy in them? :-). If you need a dark escape that centers on a regular suburban family, this one is for you
Nina has moved on with her life. After finding out that her husband was leading a double life, she just wanted some closure so she could move on but that wasn’t to be because Glen ends up missing after going out fishing. His body was never found but after all this time he is presumed to be dead. It’s now over a year later and Nina not only has a new man in her life but has found love again. Simon who is a widower himself has charmed her and has her believing in love again. Nina’s son Connor has taken to Simon and enjoys the attention he gives a change from the way his own father was. Not everyone is in love with Simon though, her friends think he is a bit to obsessed and thinks she should be careful. Nina’s daughter isn’t taken with Simon either and Nina is doing her best to help the two get closer. With the way things are going Nina has fooled herself into thinking her new life has her back in track and all will be well. She will soon learn that lies can never stay hidden, your instincts are there for a reason, and life has a way of showing you.what really matters. This was an intense read that had.me jumping from one assumption to another. I never figured out what was truly going on until the end which made for such an exciting read. There were so many twists and turns and in the end you’ll just as surprised as I was!
5* Intense Stars
This was a fantastic fast paced domestic psychological thriller with characters that are despicable and naive. The saying, “love is blind” is portrayed very well in the relationship between Nina and Simon. Their story is fraught with lies, secrets and deception. I enjoyed the twists and turns that presented themselves and held my breath one too many times!
I highly recommend this addictive and intense read.
“The New Husband” begins with a startling discovery – a boat, a dog, and blood. This one event drives the whole book. Seventeen months later, readers meet social worker Nina Garrity, thirteen-year-old daughter Maggie, sixteen-year old son Connor, five-year-old golden retriever Daisy, and Simon Fitch, the new man in their lives. Glen is gone and will be declared officially “gone” in eight months.
Readers follow the natural disorder of this family. Their tale is told in alternating narratives from all sides so readers get a picture of what is going on from each person’s point of view, and includes the recounting of background events as well as personal explanations — all the trauma and drama one could expect in a family who has lived through chaos.
Without giving away too much of the plot, the family’s new situation is tenuous at best, and at times volatile. The real issue, of course, is Glen, the husband who disappeared. Nina is in therapy, and as she discovers Glen’s affairs, mishandling of money, and general bad deeds, she reveals this information to the therapist and to readers. Nina struggles to provide stability for her family by keeping control and eliminating mistrust. In a first person narrative, daughter Maggie talks directly to readers. She is angry; she distrusts even hates Simon, and she just wants her “old” family back. The family faces a lot of trouble and a lot of mistrust. Insecurity escalates when Nina receives a message telling her that she is not safe.
“The New Husband” has a plot filled with twists, turns, and the unexpected. Daisy, the dog, is the hero. Do not worry, Daisy does not die, but other people do. I received a review copy of “The New Husband” from D. J. Palmer and St. Martin’s Press, and I was glued to the pages. I thought I knew what was coming, but then something else happened that I was not expecting. In the end, Daisy is “Dog of the Year.”
Psychological thrillers give us a peek into the twisted mind of a psychopath.
Things are never as they seem. This could not be more true than in this new release. A man is missing, but is he dead or did he run off with someone else?
You know in horror movies when you shout at the screen “don’t go in there” or “get out of there now”? Well, there were several places in this book (especially near the end) where this is what I wanted to shout at Nina. Especially when everything was coming to a head in the last 15% of the book and my heart was racing fearing for the characters.
This book is told from several POV but primarily Nina, the mom, and Maggie, her daughter. Maggie believes her dad is still alive even though it has been 18 months and his body was never found and there has been no word from him. Nina, despite everything, has moved on with her life and has found love with someone new, Simon. Simon Fitch seems to care for Nina and her children, but does he really or is there something more in his motive?
The story has some massive twists and turns that I did not expect. Sure some of it might have been a little predictable, but those twists had me questioning everything I thought I knew about this book and the characters. Simon is not someone to be trusted, but for the first half of the book or so, I thought he was doing everything for Nina and her family because he loved her. But he had deeper motives than we could have ever expected. I would have liked to have seen more into Simon’s past than the few glimpses we had because I think it would have explained more about him.
While I liked Nina and thought she was doing what she could for her children, I wondered why she waited nearly 2 years before finding a job to support them especially when she discovered that there was no money and Glen had spent it all. It isn’t like the children were young, but maybe it was the grief and everything she went through while searching for Glen and trying to move forward with her life. I am glad that she started questioning things and didn’t take everything at face value.
Overall we really enjoyed this book and give it 5 paws up.
Even though The New Husband is based on a premise that I’ve read in books before, it was still fresh, entertaining and had plenty of surprises. I enjoyed that a good part of the book was from the view of the daughter in junior high. It gave it a fresh perspective and Maggie was a very relatable character. I liked the mother as well. She was a strong heroine. The story kept me turning the pages quickly so I could see what came next. The book had a satisfying ending. I received an advance copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The New Husband. It was a little slow at the beginning. But, I think it laid necessary groundwork for the story. Do you really know the person you think you love? Should you listen to other people’s opinion? Can you trust your feelings to know if someone is good? I hate reviews that tell you the story. So, I’m leary about ruining it for someone. Parts of this story really resonated with me. If you like psychological thrillers check it out. It’s one of the best I’ve read.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and the author, D. J. Palmer for the arc of The New Husband – another great non-disappointing thriller! From page one you are trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and who really is the crazy one.
Nina is shaken to her core when the cops show up at her door and claim her husband has disappeared, however his boat was found with a large amount of blood and no the dog was not found either. Her and their two kids are deviated. What happened to Glen, their dad. He was a good swimmer, there is no way he drown. Maybe he knocked his head and doesn’t know who he is and is wandering around.
Searches of the area are completed and things are looked into, but there is no sign of Glen. Rumors and things start surfacing. He had lost his job, he was having an affair in another town, he took off with another woman. Nina can’t believe any of this, but there are signs showing her maybe this really happened, maybe he really did just up and leave one day. But how could he leave the two kids behind without a second thought?
Simon, a teacher at Maggie’s middle school shows up with Daisy, their dog. She has burrows in her fur but overall looks good. They are so thankful that he found her, they were struggling with having lost both Glen and Daisy. Daisy could at least bring some comfort to the kids during this hard time, but why would Glen have taken Daisy in the first place if he knew he was going to disappear. Things are just not making sense.
As a thank you, Nina agrees to have Simon over for dinner and things slowly progress into them talking and doing small date like things. Simon is coming on a little strong for Nina’s liking, and how dare she do this to Glen so soon? But Simon seems to be perfect, and the perfect answer to everything after all of these struggling months of doing things alone.
Simon, Nina and the kids soon move in together and things quickly start to go down hill, or do they. Maybe Nina is just losing her mind and being ungrateful towards Simon and all he has done for them. No matter what, Maggie will not come to terms that they are all under one roof. She is convinced her father is still out there, and Connor is convinced he is dead and they need to accept Simon’s graciousness.
As the days process, Nina starts to question things more and more, and starts seeing things from a different angle. Did she not notice these things in the beginning or was she blind by Simon’s generosity? What is Simon hiding? What about Glen, where is his body or where is he? Nina starts doing some detective work on her own, and behind her becomes a trail of mysterious accidents.
The thing that brought them together, may be the thing that also brings out the truth in the end. A VERY well written thriller, that you did not know which direction things were going to go. Who was lying, who was telling the truth and what was all being hidden.
Wow! What an amazing book! It took many twists and turns that I did not see coming. I also loved the daughter, Maggie. Another great book by D.J. Palmer!
Huge thank you to St. Martin Press for my copy in exchange for my honest review.
What do you look for in a boyfriend? Not perfection, that’s for sure!
Nina feels lucky when she meets Simon, after her husband disappears. Simon is a perfect fit for their family. The only issue is Nina’s daughter, Maggie. But that should work itself out over time.
After my divorce, I said I’d never marry again. One husband (like my first) was enough for a lifetime. I’d settled into my routines, which consisted of spending most of my time at work and at home. One of my friends was always trying to get me to go out, telling me I’d never meet anyone if I always stayed at home and I told her my prince charming would have to knock at my door. And, eventually, he did!
Since we’d known each other (worked together) for 14 years, I was lucky. I didn’t worry about him being some weird psycho. I guess he still could have been, but thankfully he wasn’t, lol!
When I was young, dating was exciting, but there is no way I’d want to go through that again with all the nut jobs that are out there now! Even if they seem perfect, you can’t trust them!
Sincere thanks to Edelweiss and St. Martin’s Press. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My Rating: 4 ’s
Published: April 14th 2020
Pages: 376
Recommend: Yes
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After publication my reviews can be found at Amazon, Twitter, GoodReads, Barnes and Noble, BookBub, NetGalley, and Edelweiss
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Enjoyed this book. Didn’t expect a twist. Couldn’t put it down.
How well do you really know someone? Just like reading a story and you think you know what’s going on , or what may happen to the characters , then Surprise there’s a twist you didn’t see coming , couldn’t fathom anything like it happening , great read , thrilling , mind blowing , surprising to the core! Nina and her family are going to go through something harrowing , something that as a reader , was a surprise twist didn’t see coming .if you like Psychological thrillers then you will love this book!
The New Husband is a twisted thriller. I was drawn into the story right away although I will admit the first half of the book was a little slow, but keeps you reading because you have to know what happens. Nothing is as it seems and what this family goes through is unimaginable. The ending keeps you on the edge of seat turning the pages as fast you as can. My first read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more.
The book is nearly 400 pages long, but the pace seriously did not pick up until 3/4 of the way through. The first 1/2 was filled with lots of detailed thoughts told from Nina, our widowed wife, and from her daughter Maggie. In the last half, a third character comes in to give a story. Shocker! I found the back and forth with no forward action by either Nina and Maggie a big frustrating, but there was enough intrigue there to keep me wanting to know how this all turns out. A year and a half ago, Nina’s husband Glen disappeared, being last seen on his fishing boat. Nina learns of an affair and various financial problems after his disappearance, and she is determined to move on. Enter Simon, loving, kind, supportive, intuitive and Nina is prepared to make a life with Simon. Maggie hates Simon, her brother Connor loves Simon, and Maggie appears to be the problem in Simon and Nina’s relationship. Back and forth, round and round, until over half way through the book. The story then just explodes into action, and it kept me up way to late last night! Don’t let the first half stop you from finishing this book!
Couldn’t put it down
Great!!!!!
I am in agreement with another posted review of this book. I tried to like it. I really did. It had a good premise, domestic thrillers are the thing now, and I like to listen to an exciting audiobook when I take my daily walk. But the more I listened and came to know the characters, the lower my rating went, and the behavior of some of them at the book’s end was just distasteful and unacceptable to me, which accounts for my 2-star rating. I finished it because I wanted to know who survived and who didn’t. if I had been reading a paper copy instead of listening to an audiobook I probably would have just flipped to the last chapter.
I don’t know if this is a new author or not, but the book has the feel of inexperience. There is just way too much duplication – instead of a description or reference to set the scene, it goes on and on. It’s as if the author wants to include every possible phrase or scenario or bit of knowledge a character might have.
The characters don’t ring true. I am willing to suspend disbelief – it’s fiction, after all – but this was beyond what I could ignore. On the one hand Nora knew pretty much everything and knew the lingo to go with it. How to do excellent online research, tail a suspect, avoid being scammed, she fell right back into the job she left many, many years before; you name it, she knew about it and could do it. But this is the same indecisive woman who fumbled around doing who knows what for a year and a half after Glenn disappeared and then ended up moving her family in with Simon, knowing as much about him as you would after a first date. Is he good, is he bad? Who knows? Well, daughter Maggie says she knows, but Nora won’t listen. Maggie is in junior high but her character feels more like a high schooler. A spoiled, whiny high schooler. It was eventually too much of a stretch to imagine a girl about 12 years old behaving as Maggie did. Son Connor is kind of just there. He likes Simon so provides the balance to Maggie’s loathing of him. And Nora can’t figure anything out, and when she starts to, she is inept, even with all her self-proclaimed expertise.
Once the story got going the suspense ramped up and stayed at that level. There were several surprises that I did not anticipate. I was drawn into the story and wanted to find out how things ended. Had it not been for the poorly-developed, unrealistic characters I might have enjoyed it. However, the behavior of the characters at the end is entitled, selfish, and just wrong and totally spoiled it for me.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing a copy of The New Husband via Audiobooks.com for my honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to listen and regret I could not provide a more positive review. All opinions are my own.
I fully admit that the best of this reading experience was January LaVoy, and I don’t care what anyone thinks lol.
Right from the beginning, this was a complex psychological thriller that had me gripped. I was immediately sucked into this new life that Nina Garrity was attempting to settle into with Simon Fitch following the disappearance of Nina’s husband Glen two years prior. Simon seemed like the answer to Nina’s prayers, but was he?
There were so many twists and turns in this one. Some you knew were coming, but some of them left my jaw on the floor. I don’t want to give away anything in this one, but it really makes you question how well you know someone.
If you’re looking for a great escape during these crazy times, pick this one up!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This book started out slowly and it took a lot for me to stick with it. However, it did pick up later in the book. My biggest complaint is that chapters are narrated from the POV of two characters…Nina and Maggie…but there was no indication at the beginning of each chapter to let you know whose view was being expressed. You would be part of the way through each chapter before you figured out who was “talking.”
This is a true domestic drama and I imagine there will be plenty of readers who will enjoy the book immensely. That just wasn’t me. I was so irritated at Nina at the end of the book when she continues making bad decisions. And she knows that she’s doing it! That’s kind of a negative aspect of a book to me.
But I loved Daisy! I cheered for her!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.