Book review: The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

Review by Natasha Miller

I’ve been a member of a book club since June 2018. It is hosted by one of my good friends, Ali. The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty was our latest read, chosen by Amy. Her brother had bought it for her as a Christmas present, knowing she likes stories with a twist and realistic characters.

The back cover blurb

Mother of three and wife of John-Paul, Cecilia discovers an old envelope in the attic. Written in her husband’s hand, it says: to be opened only in the event of my death.

Curious, she opens it – and time stops.

John-Paul’s letter confesses to a terrible mistake which, if revealed, would wreck their family as well as the lives of others.

Cecilia wants to do the right thing, but right for who? If she protects her family by staying silent, the truth will worm through her heart. But if she reveals her husband’s secret, she will hurt those she loves most...

The story focuses on three main characters; Cecilia, Tess and Rachel. We learn about their families and follow them through their individual and interlinking stories.

When I started reading the book, I’ll be honest, I thought I was going to hate it! I was considering stopping. It was heavy – there was an affair (which I hate, whether it’s in a book or film) and the death of a young person. So, there are definitely some triggers for people to be aware of. As such, I thought the book might bring my mood down.

I also thought the change in focus, from one character to another, every time you reached a new chapter would become very confusing (I’ve found that before with some books). So, I was going to ask the other members of the book club if they’d gotten any further than me and had found the story improved, or whether I should stop reading!

I didn’t ask or stop reading though. Instead, I persisted just a little longer and it definitely paid off. In fact, my thoughts on the book did a 180 degree turn and I became hooked and would now say I highly recommend it! The story didn’t bring me down or make me cry (although, I think it possibly could for some anxious mothers).

It also proved to be a real page turner. Personally, I often find it hard to focus on reading a book. I enjoy reading but seem to have a bad habit of scrolling through Facebook on my phone (or doing just about anything on my phone), instead of what I want to be doing! I know I’m not the only one. – Mindless scrolling and time-wasting. Even when I need to read a book for the book club, I find it hard until the looming deadline means it has to happen. However, quite amazingly, this was not an issue while I was reading The Husband’s Secret.

I wanted to keep reading and find out what was going to happen. Liane Moriarty has truly mastered this technique and the hooks were there from the outset of the story. That’s probably why I didn’t get as far as asking my friends if I should stop reading the book. There are teasers throughout the story, with Moriarty keeping you guessing.

The story has a lot of characters, what with the main characters’ families and friends, which – as I said – can get confusing, but it didn’t. It is so well-written that you do not lose track or get muddled. It, instead, adds to the interest and pull of the book as you’re invested in all the different characters and what is happening to them. They range from children through to grandparents, so there is going to be a character around your age who you can relate to. It’s not just that though. I found I could relate to all of the characters, regardless of their age or gender. Moriarty has a good grip on the inner workings and thoughts of people.

For me, there were no tears shed or laughs during this book, but it ticked the boxes of being a great read. The closing chapter added a thought-provoking aspect to the story as well; a nice and different touch.

I’d say the story is great for female, adult readers who like something a bit gripping, where there’s a little mystery and suspense. The book genres noted online are: Psychological fiction, psychological thriller, women’s literary fiction, domestic fiction, romance.

Rating

I’ve given the book a winning 5/5 rating for being such a page-turner. It kept me engrossed and off my phone; a big achievement!

Some other thoughts from the book club

Amy said she really enjoyed the book and that it had some amazing twists.

Monica commented that she, too, really enjoyed the twists and turns, especially the last chapter.

Jen said the author was “clever knitting together the different threads.” She said it had well-paced plot development and good characterisation.

Mandy commented that she “found the short bursts going from one person and time period to another one, a bit difficult to follow at first,” but that she “loved the honesty and subtle humour in the writing,” finding that really engaging. She is now keen to read more of Liane Moriarty’s books.

The book club’s overall rating was an impressive 4.6/5.

Play the Kahoot!

If/when you have read the book, why not checkout my fun Kahoot! quiz about The Husband’s Secret here. You can play it with your friends/family, or, like us – as part of a book club.