Monica Decker has the kind of life people envy: a successful career as a radiologist, two beautiful children, a handsome husband, and a lovely home in Silicon Valley. But behind closed doors, her marriage is anything but perfect.
Andrew has always had a temper. Lately, it’s getting worse. The slamming doors, the sudden outbursts, the way something dark flickers behind his eyes. Monica tells herself she’s overreacting. That it’s just stress. That she and the kids are safe.
Until she meets Ben.
Feeling increasingly isolated in her marriage, Monica joins a support group for spouses of workaholics, where she meets a sympathetic stranger who seems to be everything Andrew isn’t. Ben sees what Monica won’t admit to herself… her husband may be dangerous.
Ben’s influence deepens, and Monica’s thoughts drift to darker places, imagining what life might look like without Andrew in it—and how far she might be willing to go to make that happen. As Monica is pulled deeper into a web of fear, manipulation, and obsession, the line between protector and predator begins to blur.
But who is Ben, and what does he really want? And who is the more dangerous one? Is it Andrew? Is it Ben? Or is it both of them?
This is my 2nd read from Bonnie Traymore, after reading The Good Sister, which I absolutely loved, so I was really excited for this, especially with two of my go-to narrators, Leslie Howard and Robb Moreira, narrating! This is a binge-worthy thriller, focusing on FMC, Monica Decker, who appears to have the perfect life with her surgeon husband, two kids, & successful career—but behind closed doors, her marriage is anything but perfect. Her husband, Andrew, has a bad temper, and Monica’s afraid that his outbursts could turn physical and contemplates taking matters into her own hands. The story explores domestic abuse, emotional manipulation, jealousy, obsession, revenge, infidelity, and more—if you enjoy these themes in thrillers, this one’s for you!
This is a multi-POV told in 1st person from Monica, her husband Andrew, & Charlotte, who’s introduced later on. The dramatic opening drops us directly into Monica’s mindset, telling us that her husband’s trying to kill her. We quickly learn she’s a radiologist while Andrew’s a surgeon, and they met while in residency. Monica’s now communicating with a man named Ben, whom she met in an online support group, and their texting has become personal and intimate. She confides WAY too much in him about her marital problems, which made me wonder whether Ben was sympathetic or had sinister intentions right away. The setup is straightforward, and for the first half, the story isn’t overly intricate, which makes it a perfect audiobook to listen to while multitasking.
There’s a small cast outside of Monica, Andrew, their kids, and Monica’s mother, who’s important later on. Two suspicious women with questionable motives also enter the picture, adding suspense and unpredictability.
This is definitely a slow-burn, so you have to be patient for the twists or high-stakes drama. I thought the structure worked well because the POV changes happen at just the right moments and give you bits of information to make you question things. The flashback scenes that happen 15 years later also gradually reveal more of the characters’ histories and motivations and breadcrumb clues to twists later on if you’re paying attention.
The chapters are short and punchy, and many end on mini cliffhangers that kept me glued to my headset. With the audiobook at just over six hours, you can easily finish this in a day. The 2nd half is very entertaining as the different threads start connecting, & there are police procedural elements toward the end that I enjoyed. By the end, I enjoyed how the story made me question who the real victim was and who was manipulating whom. The epilogue gives one last surprise and leaves things on a darker, thought-provoking note—perfect for a popcorn thriller!
While The Good Sister is still my favorite so far from Bonnie Traymore, this is still one to add to your TBR if you enjoy twisty domestic thrillers. And if you’re an audiobook listener, you have to pick up the audio here. Narrator Leslie Howard does a phenomenal job carrying most of the story, and I loved her range of expression for both Monica and Charlotte. Robb Moreira also does a great job with Andrew, especially in conveying his unpredictable and explosive anger. I’ll definitely be listening to more of Bonnie’s books!
Narrator Performance
My Husband Is Going to Kill Me is read by seasoned narrators Leslie Howard and Robb Moreira.
From the opening chapter, Howard immediately pulls you into protagonist Monica Decker’s head using a voice that captures her paranoia, frustration, and growing fear of her husband, Andrew. She’s afraid his anger could turn dangerous and fantasizes about killing him before he has the opportunity to hurt her. It’s an intriguing and dramatic opening, and Howard does a fantastic job making you feel the conflict inside Monica and what she’s capable of. As Monica’s communication with Ben, whom she’s met in an online support group, becomes intimate and she considers leaving Andrew to begin a new life, you can hear the wheels turning in her mind. At the same time, Howard’s narration of the interactions between Monica and Andrew is compelling because she conveys that they still have attraction under the tension, and you can hear Monica wondering if their marriage can be saved. That back-and-forth, which was really well portrayed, made her inner dialogue believable.
When the story jumps back 15 years earlier to Monica’s residency, Howard shifts her performance to give Monica a younger, more naïve voice. The scenes between Monica and her supervisor were a highlight, as you can hear younger Monica standing up for herself and being feisty, which made me like her more. Another highlight was Howard’s portrayal of Monica’s conversations with her mother, Kathleen. For much of the story, you can hear how Monica doesn’t trust her mother or feel comfortable opening up to her. As the story progresses and she becomes more dependent on Kathleen, Howard adds more warmth and trust into their exchanges.
Howard also does a fantastic job portraying Charlotte. She gives her a voice that captures how desperate, unpredictable, and emotionally damaged she is, especially as we learn about her family history, her brother, and her long-term resentment. In Charlotte’s inner monologues, you can hear how badly she wants revenge but also her uncertainty creeping in when things go differently than she expected. Charlotte does some despicable things, but Howard’s performance never makes her sound completely irredeemable.
Robb Moreira gives Andrew a very different energy, and you immediately hear the contrast between him and Monica. He gives Andrew a confident, arrogant-sounding voice. The performance also captures his unpredictable temper and makes his sudden shifts in mood very pronounced. One of my favorite scenes is the exchange with his boss when Andrew’s told that he needs to take an anger-management course to have any chance of the promotion he wants. Moreira captures his frustration and reluctant compliance really well. I also thought Moreira did a great job making Andrew sound surprisingly gullible when he decides to meet the suspicious woman at the motel. You can hear him realizing too late that he’s made a mistake, and the shift from confidence to uncertainty to concern is really entertaining. Even when Andrew makes questionable decisions, Moreira gives you enough insight into his thinking to understand why he believes he can control the situation.
Overall, both narrators do a standout job with their characters and elevate the story to another level. Howard’s performance really stands out in giving Monica and Charlotte distinct personalities and capturing their fear, suspicion, anger, and desperation. If you’re considering this book, or you’ve enjoyed other books by Bonnie Traymore, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. It’s perfect for a weekend binge-listen, while commuting, or while multitasking, and will satisfy your popcorn thriller craving!
Narrator Performance
My Husband Is Going to Kill Me is read by seasoned narrators Leslie Howard and Robb Moreira.
From the opening chapter, Howard immediately pulls you into protagonist Monica Decker’s head using a voice that captures her paranoia, frustration, and growing fear of her husband, Andrew. She’s afraid his anger could turn dangerous and fantasizes about killing him before he has the opportunity to hurt her. It’s an intriguing and dramatic opening, and Howard does a fantastic job making you feel the conflict inside Monica and what she’s capable of. As Monica’s communication with Ben, whom she’s met in an online support group, becomes intimate and she considers leaving Andrew to begin a new life, you can hear the wheels turning in her mind. At the same time, Howard’s narration of the interactions between Monica and Andrew is compelling because she conveys that they still have attraction under the tension, and you can hear Monica wondering if their marriage can be saved. That back-and-forth, which was really well portrayed, made her inner dialogue believable.
When the story jumps back 15 years earlier to Monica’s residency, Howard shifts her performance to give Monica a younger, more naïve voice. The scenes between Monica and her supervisor were a highlight, as you can hear younger Monica standing up for herself and being feisty, which made me like her more. Another highlight was Howard’s portrayal of Monica’s conversations with her mother, Kathleen. For much of the story, you can hear how Monica doesn’t trust her mother or feel comfortable opening up to her. As the story progresses and she becomes more dependent on Kathleen, Howard adds more warmth and trust into their exchanges.
Howard also does a fantastic job portraying Charlotte. She gives her a voice that captures how desperate, unpredictable, and emotionally damaged she is, especially as we learn about her family history, her brother, and her long-term resentment. In Charlotte’s inner monologues, you can hear how badly she wants revenge but also her uncertainty creeping in when things go differently than she expected. Charlotte does some despicable things, but Howard’s performance never makes her sound completely irredeemable.
Robb Moreira gives Andrew a very different energy, and you immediately hear the contrast between him and Monica. He gives Andrew a confident, arrogant-sounding voice. The performance also captures his unpredictable temper and makes his sudden shifts in mood very pronounced. One of my favorite scenes is the exchange with his boss when Andrew’s told that he needs to take an anger-management course to have any chance of the promotion he wants. Moreira captures his frustration and reluctant compliance really well. I also thought Moreira did a great job making Andrew sound surprisingly gullible when he decides to meet the suspicious woman at the motel. You can hear him realizing too late that he’s made a mistake, and the shift from confidence to uncertainty to concern is really entertaining. Even when Andrew makes questionable decisions, Moreira gives you enough insight into his thinking to understand why he believes he can control the situation.
Overall, both narrators do a standout job with their characters and elevate the story to another level. Howard’s performance really stands out in giving Monica and Charlotte distinct personalities and capturing their fear, suspicion, anger, and desperation. If you’re considering this book, or you’ve enjoyed other books by Bonnie Traymore, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. It’s perfect for a weekend binge-listen, while commuting, or while multitasking, and will satisfy your popcorn thriller craving!
My Husband Is Going to Kill Me is read by seasoned narrators Leslie Howard and Robb Moreira.
From the opening chapter, Howard immediately pulls you into protagonist Monica Decker’s head using a voice that captures her paranoia, frustration, and growing fear of her husband, Andrew. She’s afraid his anger could turn dangerous and fantasizes about killing him before he has the opportunity to hurt her. It’s an intriguing and dramatic opening, and Howard does a fantastic job making you feel the conflict inside Monica and what she’s capable of. As Monica’s communication with Ben, whom she’s met in an online support group, becomes intimate and she considers leaving Andrew to begin a new life, you can hear the wheels turning in her mind. At the same time, Howard’s narration of the interactions between Monica and Andrew is compelling because she conveys that they still have attraction under the tension, and you can hear Monica wondering if their marriage can be saved. That back-and-forth, which was really well portrayed, made her inner dialogue believable.
When the story jumps back 15 years earlier to Monica’s residency, Howard shifts her performance to give Monica a younger, more naïve voice. The scenes between Monica and her supervisor were a highlight, as you can hear younger Monica standing up for herself and being feisty, which made me like her more. Another highlight was Howard’s portrayal of Monica’s conversations with her mother, Kathleen. For much of the story, you can hear how Monica doesn’t trust her mother or feel comfortable opening up to her. As the story progresses and she becomes more dependent on Kathleen, Howard adds more warmth and trust into their exchanges.
Howard also does a fantastic job portraying Charlotte. She gives her a voice that captures how desperate, unpredictable, and emotionally damaged she is, especially as we learn about her family history, her brother, and her long-term resentment. In Charlotte’s inner monologues, you can hear how badly she wants revenge but also her uncertainty creeping in when things go differently than she expected. Charlotte does some despicable things, but Howard’s performance never makes her sound completely irredeemable.
Robb Moreira gives Andrew a very different energy, and you immediately hear the contrast between him and Monica. He gives Andrew a confident, arrogant-sounding voice. The performance also captures his unpredictable temper and makes his sudden shifts in mood very pronounced. One of my favorite scenes is the exchange with his boss when Andrew’s told that he needs to take an anger-management course to have any chance of the promotion he wants. Moreira captures his frustration and reluctant compliance really well. I also thought Moreira did a great job making Andrew sound surprisingly gullible when he decides to meet the suspicious woman at the motel. You can hear him realizing too late that he’s made a mistake, and the shift from confidence to uncertainty to concern is really entertaining. Even when Andrew makes questionable decisions, Moreira gives you enough insight into his thinking to understand why he believes he can control the situation.
Overall, both narrators do a standout job with their characters and elevate the story to another level. Howard’s performance really stands out in giving Monica and Charlotte distinct personalities and capturing their fear, suspicion, anger, and desperation. If you’re considering this book, or you’ve enjoyed other books by Bonnie Traymore, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook. It’s perfect for a weekend binge-listen, while commuting, or while multitasking, and will satisfy your popcorn thriller craving!
