THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF BIG LITTLE LIES. One of the Best Books of the Year—Entertainment Weekly One of the Top Ten Books of the Year—People At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read… Cecilia,
If you’re reading this, then I’ve died…
Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not only the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. And then imagine that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive…
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. But that letter is about to change everything—and not just for her. There are other women who barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they, too, are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.
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The unfortunate title of this book leads one to expect a predictable romance novel, which I suspect has led to fewer readers of this truly original story. For months afterward, I found myself asking “Why?” And “What would I have done?”
Kept you guessing.
Excellent, thought provoking book! Well- written, intriguing story that takes some unusual twists. Very enjoyable read…
Enjoyed this book very much. Kept me guessing all through the book and was still quite surprised by the ending.
I LOVE Liane Moriarty! This book was unpredictable, even though you know from the beginning that it is the husband…a page-turner for sure!
Boring, self indulgent I could not finish reading or which is very unusual for me
Brilliantly written! Loved the characters in this book. You see the same story from different perspectives. I didn’t see the ending coming! Moriarty has become quite good at building tension. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
I found the story too unbelievable and unrealistic. Hard for me to stick with it.
I literally couldn’t put this book down. I absolutely love the way the characters all have their own drama going on that is woven together so brilliantly and at times unexpectedly.
Loved it!
I am quickly becoming a Liane Moriarty fan.
When I read the cover jacket summary, I was highly intrigued. What did this man do that he wrote a letter to his wife that should be opened upon his death… maybe I should do something like that! But wait… do I have a secret I need to reveal… yes… worth putting in a sealed letter that I can’t disclose until I’m dead and buried… no… so I guess this won’t be something I need to do in the future. Eh, I tried.
But reading the book is something to do! And it did not disappoint. It has many different characters and focuses on 4 or 5 stories that interweave throughout the different people’s lives. Figuring out who is who takes a little while, but once you do, you totally see the story coming together. And when it finally does with the tragedy near the end, you’re heartbroken.
I would definitely read another book by this author. I have recommended it to several friends. Nice job!
Small spoiler in this paragraph so skip it if you haven’t read the book yet… Fate? Karma? Is it fair to inflict that on someone who had nothing to do with the original crime except that the recipient was related to the perpetrator of the original crime? I found it unfair given who is impacted, but ultimately, it gives the reader something very intricate to think about.
This book threw me for a loop!! OMG the twists and turns and the ending! Don’t pick it up unless you have time to not put it down!
Perhaps you’re familiar with the saying, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you.” The truth of this saying becomes abundantly clear as author, Liane Moriarty, weaves three seemingly separate storylines into a single tapestry. As the dramatic threads become irrevocably intertwined, secrets that had lain dormant for decades emerge and meet head-on in the climactic conclusion. A pagee-turnerr that was difficult to put down.
This is the second book that I have read by Moriarty and I have really enjoyed both of them. This one pulls together three separate story-lines into one quick paced enjoyable read. Her writing style is simple and the book is an easy read. I thought the secret in the letter was relatively simple to figure out but I was intrigued by how Moriarty would have her characters’ react to the info they discover. At certain times I was truly surprised by their reactions. That’s not to say that I found them unbelievable because who am I to say how people will react when confronted with shocking news? I did find the book to be a little too coincidental for my liking but it was still a good story. The epilogue sealed the deal for my 4-star rating however. Moriarty manages to tie the book back to the prologue and give the reader pause about just how the simplest nuances in life can dramatically alter the entire future.
I just love Liane Moriarty’s books — they’re utterly compulsive, and even though they always have some sort of dark, overwhelming secret boiling at the center, they are often also funny and deeply relatable, with the sort of characters you feel like you know well after only a few pages. The Husband’s Secret was just as good as any of her others, with a twist that truly took me by surprise, and moments of redemption and humanity that made it impossible to put down.
This book made me want to not get married even more than I already don’t want to! I’ve been a huge fan of Liane Moriarty’s mystery and psychological thrillers for a while now, and this one doesn’t fail to keep me captivated till the very end.
Cecilia Fitzpatrick thinks she knows her husband inside out, so she’s stunned to accidentally discover in the attic a sealed envelope with, “For my wife – to be opened only in the event of my death” written on it. When she unintentionally mentions it to him on the phone, his reaction makes it clear that the last thing he wants is for her to open that envelope – but why?
The story then jumps to another woman, Tess, whose husband has fallen in love with someone else. Astonished and distraught, Tess makes plans to go and stay with her mother in Sydney, taking her young son with her. Segway to a third woman, Rachel, whose much-loved daughter died many years long ago and whose life now centers on her grandson. Soon after, the three women’s lives will cross and the secret that Cecilia’s husband has been guarding for so long will impact on them all.
I think the major idea here is Pandora’s Box. What happens when you open the box and discover what secrets people are hiding? If we knew those secrets, could we still love them? Still live with them? Still be married to them? These questions and the premise of this book made me realize I have serious trust issues with people. But that’s for another time.
Moriarty’s captivating plot and style of writing throughout this book makes me truly enjoy mystery and thriller novels again. While some people would argue they didn’t like this book because of the unlikable characters, pace and even the plot, I’d say it isn’t for everyone. But for those of you avid thriller and suspense novel lovers; who enjoy a gripping and well-written mystery that showcases the painful and even grisly sides of life with a wee bit of satire, you won’t want to pass on this one.
Read more of my review here: https://bit.ly/2T4NLT1
Liane Moriarty is an extraordinary writer. This book weaves the tales of three families together through tragedy, revenge, and love. To tell the truth, I didn’t want to like it (because I wanted to give advice to most of the characters!), but it was so compelling that I put aside my own work and just read and read. It left me feeling quite sad, but that could be because I share some of Rachel’s story. It’s well worth the read.
I read “The Husband’s Secret” immediately after reading “Big Little Lies” and it was great. Though it could probably be characterized as a mystery book, I’m more inclined to call “The Husband’s Secret” general fiction. It makes the best use of Moriarty’s skill for character development and it is extremely touching, capturing human relationships in a way often missed by “thriller” writers. I was nervous to read another novel by Moriarty as I haven’t good things about “Truly Madly Guilty,” but I would recommend “The Husband’s Secret” to anyone who was a fan of “Big Little Lies.” I may even say I liked it more. A quick and entertaining read.
This book is suspenseful and deals with relationship drama! Everything I want!
She is such a skillful writer. You think you are enjoying a light beach read and then it hits you…