Replaced: A domestic suspense thriller

by Stephanie Kreml

A dead husband's secret. A dangerous imposter. When she replaces you, she takes everything.

Juliette Samson thought widowhood was her worst nightmare, but her husband’s death was just the opening move in a twisted game. When a stranger shows up claiming to be her husband’s real wife, Juliette discovers she's been outmaneuvered from the start.

While struggling to expose the woman as a fraud, Juliette realizes the deception has been months in the making, systematically targeting her life. And when the courts award the interloper Juliette’s home along with custody of her daughter, she realizes her enemy controls everyone she once trusted. Can Juliette expose the deadly conspiracy before she loses everything?

If you like Local Woman Missing, The Push, and Good Girl, Bad Blood, then you'll love Stephanie Kreml's unputdownable account of predatory obsession.

Find out what happens when your life becomes someone else's prize.

Buy Replaced today!

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2025

About the author

Stephanie Kreml is the author of five novels, including the psychological thriller Replaced.

After careers in engineering and medicine, she now writes fiction full-time—something she took the scenic route to discover.

She lives in Texas and is working on her next novel.

Sign up for her newsletter and receive a FREE copy of the prequel novella to the Dr. Samantha Jenkins Mysteries Series.

Visit www.stephaniekreml.com/signup to learn more.

Reviews

[Jayne]

➡️ So much of "Replaced" should have been replaced.
Although the "Dangerous Imposter Replacement" premise was highly compelling and the book moved at breakneck speed, the majority of the storyline was not believable.

➡️ FACT CHECKS?
Where was the editor? Even a popcorn thriller requires a baseline of plausibility.

The entire plot hinged on a legal takedown that would never hold up in the real world. From unquestioned forged certificates to a lawyer blindly accepting a divorce petition without ever meeting the client or checking for witnesses, the legal blunders were plentiful and too glaring to ignore.

The sheer volume of groundless persecution and manipulation, the corrupt family court judge, as well as the questionable and highly unusual maturity and actions of the protagonist's 6-year-old daughter, were also eye-rolling.

Watching the protagonist’s life get unfairly dismantled was dizzying.

I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Jenn Lee.

2.5 Stars.

[Bo.reads]

When Juliette's husband dies unexpectedly, she thinks the hardest part will be learning to navigate life as a widow. Instead, a woman arrives claiming to be her husband's real wife, turning Juliette's world upside down and forcing her to fight for the life she thought was hers.

From the moment the central conflict is introduced, I couldn't stop wondering how Juliette was ever going to get herself out of such an impossible situation. The pacing felt fast without being rushed, and even the quieter moments carried enough tension to keep me completely invested before things really ramped up towards the end.

The psychological side of the story was one of its biggest strengths. Stephanie Kreml really captures the fear of watching someone gradually take over every aspect of your life while no one believes you. It leaves Juliette in an increasingly vulnerable position, and I found myself genuinely frustrated on her behalf as she fought to reclaim everything she was losing.

Juliette was a character I found easy to root for. She's proactive in her search for answers, and there's a real sense of urgency to everything she does. The story also explores how someone's past vulnerabilities can be used against them, which made her situation feel even more believable. It was frustrating in the best way watching her slowly realise the extent of what she was up against.

The audiobook, narrated by Jenn Lee, was a great listen. She did a fantastic job giving each character their own distinct voice, but it was Juliette's emotional journey that stood out most. Lee captured her mounting stress, grief and desperation, making it easy to feel the weight of everything she was going through.

In the end, this was a solid domestic suspense novel with an intriguing premise and plenty of tension. If you enjoy stories centred around deception, manipulation and the "who did I marry?" trope with an impostor twist, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a go.

Thank you to Tantor Media and NetGalley for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Cecily - MillennialBookGal]

Thank you Stephanie Kreml and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this novel.

I had sooo many emotions reading this story I honestly was yelling like "oh no he didn't" out loud and other and such phrases throughout the entire story. Honestly, I felt like the book was rage baiting me to get me more and more heated.

The ending was decent but the beginning starts off hot pretty quickly.

Definitely a book I will think about for a long time.

The performance of the narrator is great and fit the story perfectly.

Great read

[Bookaholic__Reviews]

Juliette is a recent widow and if that wasn't awful enough, now another womaning is claiming to also be her late husbands wife! This woman didn't just want Juliette's husband though, she wants her whole life and is doing some insane things in an attempt to replace her as a wife AND as a mother!


Some things in the story were very obviously fiction, there is no way certain things would work out so conveniently. So the story is definitely a little far fetched but so much fun! I also think the pacing was a little flat, I would be raising pure hell if I was in the Juliette's shows.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Elizabeth Freeman]

ARC review*** By the end of chapter two, I knew I wasn’t putting this book down. I needed to know what happened, who all the players were, and what were their roles in the story. I loved how Juliette never gave up, although how many times something awoke inside her was a bit much. Feels like she should have 7 different personalities by the end of the book. Setting that repetition aside, I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book. And I recommend it to all readers who enjoy a nice mystery.

[Denise]

I’m having PTSD reading how this woman’s life is being dismantled.
OK it’s now just TOO MUCH. And it’s gotten completely unbelievable that all of these things would happen and that degree of persecution and manipulation would actually occur. There is no way that paperwork showing a divorce and marriage would hold up. The whole scene with the reading of the will and the lawyer saying that the husband changed the will. He would have had to sign it with witnesses in the lawyer presence. Lawyer accepted new will without ever seeing his client?
And that those signed documents would not be analyzed. And so many of the legal aspects I am not buying. Things would not happen like that in real life.
I was liking this at first as it moves really fast but things kept piling on and I can’t suspend my disbelief enough to recommend. It’s just ridiculous now.

Skip it. I finished but reluctantly.

[Victoria (storieswithtorie)]

This story is absolutely one you can read in a single sitting, and that is exactly what I did. I flew through it.

A grieving widow suddenly has another woman show up claiming to be her late husband’s real wife, and from there, everything she thought she knew about her marriage and her life begins falling apart. Then the courts hand over her home and even custody of her daughter, and the whole situation becomes completely unhinged.

The plot was so well done and just kept packing punch after punch. Every new development made the situation even more unbelievable, and I genuinely could not put it down. This was bold, fast, suspenseful, and such a fun read.

[Oyinda]

put everyone under the jail!!!

I cannot believe how angry this book made me! I loved it but it was after my life omg.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Media for my early access to the audiobook of Replaced by Stephanie Kreml, narrated by Jenn Lee.

I started this book and could immediately tell I was going to get unbelievably triggered. I could not for the life of me believe what was going on.

This book follows Juliette after the death of her husband and as if having the love of your life dying and leaving you with a 6 year old wasn't bad enough, her life starts to fall apart and things go left so fast, I was beside myself reading this book.

So many people were so horrible to Juliette and I honestly could not believe what I was reading. I really wish there was more exposition or confirmation of how some things were looped into the conspiracy but ugh this was such a good book. I love books that make me feel things (good or bad, but all ultimately in a good way lol).

I loved how high the stakes were, I loved the exploration of love and loss and the thrill of the chase, and the commentary on corruption, and so many things about the book.

This book triggered me a lot but it was such a good read, and I highly recommend.

[Angie Battle]

Your husband has just unexpectedly died. You’re trying to pick up the pieces of your life with your daughter when your bank account is frozen. Someone has challenged your rights to survivorship from your husband’s death. As you investigate, you find claims from a mysterious woman that she is his wife and not you. Divorce papers surface proving her claim. But you and your husband never divorced. Your husband’s will says that he has left everything to this woman, including wanting custody of your daughter to go to her.

A battle ensues as Eva Lerner tries to take over Juliette Samson’s life after her husband’s passing. Juliette will stop at nothing to unravel the elaborate scheme to take everything important in her life.

The audiobook for Replaced was amazing! The narration was great and I was completely hooked during the entire book. It is a twisty, fast paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend the audiobook if you are looking for a listen that will pull you in and keep you entertained.

Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for this ALC.

[Kim’s Kindle Reads.]

This was an insane ride. If I wasn’t buddy reading I would have finished this in one day. The fight Juliette had to fight was so heavy. I can’t imagine, I honestly didn’t see a real way out 😂 this one had me on pins and needles for sure.

[April]

This deception definitely ran deep! The web of lies continue to grow as these jaw dropping were continued to be revealed. At one point, I distrusted everybody in this story as there was definitely some serious gaslighting going on. What was truly taken place in this story was far deeper than I could have ever imagined & I can’t remember the last time I have been so furious at sooooo many characters lol. Everyone failed Juliette but I was rooting for her the whole time! Loved this one and will definitely be reading more by this author. The narration was strong and the narrator made the story even better! Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley & Tantor Media for an advanced listening copy.

[Mama That Reads]

Easily one of the best books I’ve ever read! Such a unique story line and perfect execution. The twists and sabotage just kept coming. Read it in one day because I couldn’t put it down!

[coffeebooktess]

Juliette is at the funeral for her husband when a woman she has never met shows up. The woman, Eva, claims to be her husband’s new wife. She has paperwork showing a divorce that Juliette does not remember. Eva wants everything Juliette has: the house, the money, and even her daughter Lucy. Juliette soon realizes she has no power and no one she knows can be trusted.

This was a wild ride! You will not be able to put this book down. I was literally telling Juliette my thoughts out loud. I listened to this book in one day because I had to know the ending. I was hooked because Eva was so manipulative and smart, so I did not know how the story would unfold. Juliette was emotional and strong, which I appreciated! Of course she was weak with grief at first, but then mama bear came out, which made me cheer. I love a strong FMC! When Juliette realizes she has to figure things out on her own, she begins an investigation that fuels her. You will shout and cheer while reading or listening to this one. I would recommend the audio because the narrator's emotion is top-notch! You need this on your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for this ALC!

[Jaime]

*Thanks so much to Stephanie Kreml for an ARC of this book.*

This book was so much fun to read! Not in the lighthearted fun to read sense, but in the can’t put it down fun to read sense. Don’t start this book unless you have a dedicated block of time to finish it!

After Juliette’s husband, Peter, dies her world quickly unravels. We meet one of the main protagonists, Eva, at his funeral and things accelerate quickly from there! Eva along with Peter’s business partner Sebastian set their sights on taking over Juliette’s business, family, basically her whole life. When they come for Juliette’s daughter Lucy, her momma-bear instincts hit high gear. From that point in the book I couldn’t put it down. Kreml does a fantastic job making the reader think, “omg what is going on here and how is it going to resolve?”

As others have said the story isn’t always 100% believable. I would like to think the judicial system wouldn’t work the way it was described. But, this is fiction! If you’re someone that can put that aside and just enjoy the story, the ride, and the emotions you’ll feel this is a great book!

[Jenny]

Absurd and unbelievable.

[Ariadne]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for this book. This was a FAST paced twisty thriller that I could not put down from chapter 2 (literally - I binged it in a night). I’ve rated it 4.25 as at times it felt a bit unbelievable, and the motivations behind those involved felt a bit lacking - would have loved it to be a bit more fleshed out. But overall it was a great read that has left my heart racing right before bed.

[Jackie]

Ridiculous

[Brittany | Lady in Read]

*Thanks so much to Stephanie Kreml for an ARC of this book. This review contains my honest, authentic thoughts and opinions.*

The worst thing in the world is losing your spouse, right? REPLACED shows us that so much worse can happen. For the protagonist, Juliette Samson, losing her husband was only the first of many distressing and traumatizing events that happens to her. She starts to lose literally everything, and we have to watch her life crumble little by little until it’s a lot by a lot.

This novel, for me, felt like a Netflix original I couldn’t pause. A string of devastating events that made me literally hold my breath. The amount of crap Juliette goes through made me so irate that it literally hurt my stomach. Not that I loved that feeling, but it’s a testament to Kreml that I felt like Juliette’s anxiety was also my anxiety. This book was the epitome of a nonstop thriller, forcing you to impart yourself in the quickly devolving plot.

I really did enjoy this book, contrary to how I physically responded to it (lol). I have three English-related degrees, and I taught AP Literature for a decade. I say that merely to give what I’m about to say some credibility. I have read and analyzed and devoured a lot of literature over the last few decades. Rarely do I have visceral reactions like I did for this one. And I say that as a double-edged sword. While I did feel immersed in this book, my one piece of criticism is an extension of that. I felt like there was so much that happened that I became so exhausted. It felt like there was zero relief until about 80% through the novel. This is only MY personal issue. And let’s be honest, this doesn’t mean the novel does something “wrong.” It just became a little too much for ME.

Regardless, Kreml is a skilled storyteller who has clearly done her research. I’m excited to venture into her Truth series.

[Maureen Hester]

Replaced by Stephanie Kreml, narrated by Jenn Lee, is a 3.5 star domestic thriller (rounded up to 4 here).

Replaced is the story of Juliette, who is grieving the recent loss of her husband while trying to keep life as normal as possible for her 7 year old daughter. Her world is further upended when her bank accounts are frozen because a woman named Eva has come forward saying that she has legal proof that: Juliette and her husband were actually divorced, that Eva was Peter's wife at the time of his death, and Eva has the rights to EVERYTHING- the house, the business, the entire estate... and legal guardianship of Juliette's daughter. Juliette has to fight to discover the motivations of those trying to hurt her, so she can reveal the truth and get her life back.

I really enjoyed how tense this book was. The narration was excellent, and Juliette was very likable as a character. I found myself instantly rooting for her, even when her actions had me literally groaning, "noooo WHYYY are you doing that?!" IMO, this was not thrilling in the way that I would typically think of a thriller- we know who the villains are early on, and we know what they are trying to do. The suspense aspect comes more into play as if/how the situation will be resolved. It was a bit different, and I liked it. I did find it very suspenseful, and I wasn't thrilled when I had to put it down.

The one thing that kinda bugged me is that there were just so many layers of deceit, and so many different players involved in this deceit, that it fell into the realm of unrealistic. Other than that, I would absolutely recommend this one to anyone who might want some suspense without being overly frightened or dealing with gore!

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN]

This was intriguing from the outset. Juliette's husband dies and at the funeral the vibes begin to feel off. Their business partner Sebastien is behaving strangely and it seems he doesn't want her to come back to work - but why? 

Soon, Juliette realises many changes have happened that she has not been privvy to. Even worse than that she starts to learn things may not have been how they seemed in her marriage. As far as she was concerned it was a loving, equal partnership...It begs the question of if we can ever really fully trust another person? 

The tension and suspense is unreal. By chapter 6 I was already feeling stressed, trying to work out the direction this was going in. I was fully invested. Juliette shows true strength and determination at a time when anyone would be forgiven for falling apart.

This book is a bit slow burn but the story is interesting. It is so engaging, frustrating and stressful all in one. The action ramps up and I just couldn't stop listening.

The audio is great. Jenn Lee's voice fits the character of Juliette so well - she really had me drawn in and believing the story. So many times I wanted to reach into the phone and give her a hug because the raw emotion was palpable! What a brilliant choice of voice actor! 

This book is for you if you enjoy messy domestic-style dramas, characters you can hate, and action you just can't tear yourself away from! 

I would 100 percent recommend this book and if you want a treat definitely listen to the audio! 

Thank you to Stephanie Kreml, Jenn Lee and Tantor Media for the complimentary advanced copy via Netgalley.  This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Connie Rivet]

Imagine losing your husband and then learning someone is taking over your life. Juliette’s husband Peter has just died and she is rightfully devastated. However, that’s not the worst part. She begins to realize that someone name Eva is taking over her life. She claims to be married to Peter and systematically moves to take everything from Juliette including her and Peter’s daughter, Lucy.

This was a wild ride. It was so fast paced and just kept me wanting to read. Stephanie did a fantastic job crafting this story. It felt so real and as the story progressed my jaw dropped over and over. I couldn’t believe what was happening to Juliette and Lucy. It makes you wonder how far would one go to protect what is theirs?

Read this book, you won’t be disappointed! Thanks to Stephanie for an ARC of this book. These opinions are solely my own.

[Kellie Whittam]

Replaced has a great plot that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It’s a really engaging read with plenty of tension and twists. That said, there were a few small gaps for me. For example, I would’ve liked to know more about how Michael was fooled by Eva if Peter wasn’t involved. If Peter was involved, why was there no apology or explanation for Juliette? I also found myself feeling angry on Juliette’s behalf when she couldn’t get any help from the police or the courts.

Overall, a great read that kept me hooked and thinking about it afterward. Definitely one I’d recommend!

Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is my honest review.

[Carol Wolfmeyer]

Juliette has lost her beloved husband, Peter. Left alone with her 6 year old daughter, Lucy, she must move on with her life. But, the loss of her husband is just the beginning! She is about to lose so much more.....
This book grabbed me from page 1. As a matter of fact I literally couldn't put it down, reading most of it the first day I got it! There are twists and turns, people who should be trusted can't be, and so much more. A frightening game of keep-a-way with little Lucy in the middle! Get this book right away! I promise you won't be disappointed.

[Ann Leatherman]

I really like a good story that is very unusual (in a good way). This one fits that and is a suspense thriller, which I also like. The end brought everything together very well. I couldn't stop reading, had to see what would happen! I would recommend this to readers who like good, clean, suspense.

[Claudete Takahashi]

Replaced is a fast-paced mystery thriller that although it's easy to imagine how it'll end it's well-written, with very emotional parts where Juliette and her daughter Lucy see their lives being usurped from them. Lies are fabricated, the system that was supposed to protect is corrupted, and they'll have to fight for their lives. Juliette will have to transform herself into a hardened woman to be able to uncover the truth and have her daughter back with her.
I thank the author for this ARC.

[Margaret Both]

Incredible story! The reader is quickly drawn into the mind games being played. Kreml’s choice of words and descriptions are so clear that you feel like you are inside the story. Heartbreaking, enraging, terrifying and thrilling all at the same time!
Thank you Stephanie Kreml

[Sara M]

*ARC Review*

The tension in this book is off the charts. I had such a sense of dread as each step happened, worrying how Juliette was going to manage to counteract the allegations against her. She was such a sympathetic character, a woman taking care of sick family who missed a setup occuring around her. Even when she made mistakes, you were rooting for her to win. I only wish that a bit more time had been spent on the resolution of the story.

[Janalene Kellar]

I love the books that I just don't want to stop. Not to work, eat, sleep, or play. This was one of them! The protagonists keep it coming, making you angry and frustrated! A great book brings the emotions!

[Lana]

*ARC Review*

Loved this book! The pilot and the characters were fantastic. The narrator did an excellent job capturing the tension and personalities throughout the story. It was suspenseful from start to finish and impossible to stop listening to. Highly recommend!

[Jerri Bishop]

Edge of the seat thriller. Very fast moving. Couldn't put it down. Loved the references to the legal system.