The cover bears the statement: “Just because you love someone doesn't mean you know them.” The inside flap of the dust jacket poses the question: “What makes Simon Fitch so perfect?” These are the details that readers will take with them as they crack open D.J. Palmer’s new work of psychological suspense, THE NEW HUSBAND. This is a follow-up to 2019’s SAVING MEGHAN, which was both a domestic and medical thriller, and one of the best reads of the year.

Even with all of the advancements mankind has made in the area of communication, like smartphones, smart watches and GPS, it is still not enough to tell you everything you need to know about any one person, even those you think you know best. In fact, Palmer uses some of these electronic tools in other ways that benefit those who are trying to control the people closest to them. The story opens with a fisherman named Anthony heading in after a day on the water. At this point, he spies another boat with no human activity on it --- just a lone dog, his golden fur rippling in the breeze. He also spots a stain of blood that obviously did not come from merely gutting fish.

"Palmer will have you continuing to ask more questions, attempting to predict where the story is going, even after he unloads yet another revelation on you."

The action jumps ahead 17 months as we meet the Garrity family. Nina has been a stay-at-home mom who is eager to get back into the workforce. Sixteen-year-old Connor can only think about his football team, while his 13-year-old sister, Maggie, is going through a tough stretch in her life both at home and in school. Their trusty five-year-old Golden Retriever, Daisy, is loyally by their sides, and the only dark horse in the picture is Simon. Connor and Maggie know him by his daytime moniker, Mr. Fitch, a social studies teacher at their school. He is also their mother’s boyfriend, and they are all moving into a new house in Seabury, New Hampshire --- an arrangement that does not sit well with Maggie.

Nina's husband, Glen, disappeared nearly two years earlier without a trace. The only thing she has been able to dig up on him is that he was apparently having an affair with a local bartender, which was identified through some anonymous photos that were sent to her. The plan is that once the two-year mark for Glen's disappearance hits, he legally can be declared dead, allowing for Nina and Simon to marry. The novel jumps between narrators, and when it is Maggie's turn to steer the ship, we see how her hate for Simon has led in part to her becoming a loner at school, where she was once considered one of the cool sports kids. She will not give up on her father, as she is confident he is out there somewhere and will return. Nina is definitely not past the scars left by Glen's departure, and she has regular sessions with her therapist, Dr. Wilcox, who encourages her to go back to work if it will fulfill her.

Then we have Simon, who on the surface looks to be the perfect boyfriend/fiancée. He gets along famously with Connor, and Nina loves him. He is incredibly helpful around the house and obviously comes from money, as there is no real need for Nina to work since he takes care of all of their financial concerns. He indicates that much of this is due to the fact that he did not sell his own house, but is renting it out since he moved in with the Garritys. Astute readers will be watching very closely for any crack in Simon's façade, but Palmer has very craftily plotted out this book, and you will never know the entire truth until it's too late.

Having read countless domestic thrillers and watched films like The Stepfather --- the Terry O'Quinn version, not the terrible remake --- I was positive that Simon eventually would show his hand. But he is as cool as a cucumber. When Maggie attempts to capture him on video losing it on her after she purposely breaks one of his collectible muskets, he takes it in stride as an accident and accepts her apology. When Nina finally lets Simon know that she is going back to work as a social worker, he does not put his foot down about her staying home; instead, he merely indicates that it might impact Maggie, who will be without adult supervision for part of the day at a time when she really needs it. Other than that, he is fully supportive of Nina's decision. Once again, readers will be scratching their heads wondering if they, like Maggie, have gotten Simon all wrong.

At about the midway point of the novel, Palmer hits you with a major twist that I will not reveal here. Let's just say that you will be looking at Simon and some other characters a bit differently. Each passing chapter produces a little more information and many more questions than the previous one. In real life, you may know your blood relatives extremely well, but those non-blood relationships that we all have --- partners, spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends --- make it nearly impossible to know everything about the entire breadth of life experiences they have had. With the divorce rate at a near all-time high, statistics confirm these feelings.

Palmer will have you continuing to ask more questions, attempting to predict where the story is going, even after he unloads yet another revelation on you. This is evidence of a masterful storyteller at the height of his game, creating a tale that will strike fear into the hearts of readers worldwide.