Don’t blame the wife by Darby Kane

3.5 ⭐️ | Don’t Blame the Wife by Darby Kane

Darby Kane has become one of those thriller authors I can count on for an entertaining, twist-filled ride, and Don’t Blame the Wife delivers exactly that. If you love wealthy families, locked-room mysteries, long-buried secrets, and plenty of soap-opera-worthy scandals, this one is worth adding to your TBR.

The story centers on Amery Aberdeen Benedict, the formidable matriarch of a powerful family living in a $28 million estate. Ten years ago, her husband Walter was found floating dead in the swimming pool, and many believed Amery got away with murder. She has always maintained her innocence.

To mark the tenth anniversary of Walter’s death, Amery summons her children, their partners, and everyone who was present that fateful night back to the mansion. When another guest winds up dead, no one is allowed to leave until the mystery is solved. As an added incentive, Amery announces that whoever uncovers the truth will inherit her entire estate.

From there, the novel becomes a fast-paced, locked-room mystery filled with shifting timelines, multiple points of view, family betrayals, secret affairs, and enough drama to rival Knives Out by way of The Young and the Restless. Everyone seems to fear Amery, and she easily became the most compelling character in the book. Every time she was on the page, she commanded attention.

As always, Darby Kane excels at pacing. The chapters fly by, the twists keep coming, and the story constantly gives you new suspects and motivations to consider. I never felt bored, and I was eager to see how everything would come together.

What kept this from being a four-star read for me was the characterization. While there are several points of view, many of the voices blend together, making it difficult to become invested in anyone besides Amery. Gena, Cooper’s fiancée and the story’s primary outsider, feels like the character readers are meant to root for, but she never develops enough of a distinct personality to truly stand out. As a result, the emotional stakes never landed quite as strongly as I hoped.

Even so, this is another solid thriller from Darby Kane. It follows a formula similar to some of her previous novels, but it’s a formula that works. If you’re a fan of locked-room mysteries, dysfunctional wealthy families, and page-turning suspense with plenty of shocking reveals, I think you’ll have a great time with this one.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC. Don’t Blame the Wife is expected to be published on January 12, 2027.