Publisher: Berkley
Released: July 30, 2013
Source: Review copy from the publisher
Rating: ★★★★

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died…

Imagine that 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 just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, 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. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

This write-up should have been done five months ago when I finished the book! I kept putting it off, then eventually it fell through the cracks. Some of the details are hazy, but what I do remember is that I enjoyed reading THE HUSBAND’S SECRET very much.

I can’t resist a book with a secret, and this one was a doozy. Cecilia finds a hidden letter from her husband, one that obviously she wasn’t supposed to read until after his death. Of course, she can’t stand the suspense, and what she finds inside turns her seemingly perfect world upside down. She has no idea how far the devastating consequences of her husband’s secret will reach.

The narration alternates between Cecilia and two other women, Rachel and Tess. At first there’s not a clear connection between them, but as the story progresses the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The author did a fantastic job building up suspense. What was the dark secret, and even better, what was Cecilia going to do with the information?

Liane Moriarty is a fantastic storyteller, and I enjoyed the complex cast of characters she created. The only thing I’m on the fence about is the detailed epilogue. Some things I’m glad to know, while other things I wish I didn’t. I suppose it did make the story even more thought-provoking. Overall, THE HUSBAND’S SECRET was very good, one of my favorite books read this year.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.