The Husband’s Secret Blog Tour: Review.

Penguin, August 2013.

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty.

Penguin, August 2013.

The Husband’s Secret firstly focuses on Cecelia who seems to have it all – a wonderful husband and perfect children. However, when she finds a sealed envelope addressed to her, in her husband’s handwriting saying ‘To my wife. To be opened in the event of my death,’ hidden among his things, she battles with the choice to open it.

It then turns to Tess who has just found out that her husband has fallen in love with someone else. Trying to escape the betrayal she feels, she takes her son and retreats back to her mother’s house in Sydney.

Finally, we have Rachel whose daughter was murdered many years before. Her main focus is now on her small grandson whose parents now want to take him out of the country.

These three women are soon bound together by this letter. The first part of the book sets up the characters and looks at their lives before Cecelia opens the letter. The second half is dealing with the aftermath once the letter is opened. I have to admit, when the book first began to focus on these three women, I wasn’t sure where the story was going to go. I love a good mystery though and once I’d got my head around who everyone was, I was hooked to the story and couldn’t put the book down.

It poses a very interesting question. If you found a letter addressed to you but with instructions not to open it, would you? I’m not sure I’d be able to resist.

Rachel’s and Tess’ stories are heart-breaking and although she was my least favourite character, I felt sorry for Cecelia when having to make a difficult choice – the truth or protecting her family and her life. It’s hard to know what anyone of us would do in that situation. The revelation in the letter I didn’t see coming straight away and I actually liked the fact that the secret was only revealed half way through. It established the characters well and the plot was well thought out – not giving too much away too soon.

I was intrigued as to how it was all going to be resolved at the end. I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a good holiday book.

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.