If you enjoy stories with unreliable narrators, possibly unstable women, annoying characters in general, and a nice dose of gaslighting, here’s a book for you! Or possibly you just want something twisty and turny to get your mind off the death of democracy and a worldwide pandemic for a day or two, well, buckle up! Darby Kane, author of Pretty Little Wife (I hate that title, BTW) is back, this time with The Replacement Wife. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley, I received a copy of Wife in return for this honest review. 

Harris and Elisa have been married for awhile – long enough for Elisa to be well acquainted with Josh, the younger brother whom Harris basically raised after their parents were out of the picture (sorry, don’t remember why). Josh is either the unluckiest guy in the world or some kind of serial killer. He has a dead wife (or two), his fiance Abby (who happens to be Elisa’s best friend) has disappeared, and now there is a new girlfriend in the picture. Elisa has been on some medication and seems to be having trouble getting the dosage right, which makes Harris a bit uncertain about her suspicions about Josh…plus there’s that whole brother thing. 

Elisa goes on a somewhat manic hunt for the truth, while dealing with her PTSD for whatever it was, and becomes friendly with the new girlfriend, Rachel. Her panic attacks and possible paranoia get worse as the short, compulsively readable chapters go on, blah blah blah. 

Fairly well written, definitely held my attention, but also fairly forgettable. Recommended for those who (like me) enjoy a good quick read with a “plucky heroine.” Three and a half stars, rounded down.