It's Always The Husband by C. L. Taylor

 

Single mum Jude is relatively new to the area of Lowbridge and doesn't want to become embroiled in school gate politics with the other mothers. The only person she's really clicked with is single dad Will. There's an attraction between the pair until one of the other mothers goes out of her way to warn Jude that both of Will's wives died under suspicious circumstances.

C. L. Taylor has written such a twisted story with It's Always The Husband that I felt dizzy every time I picked up the book. At times I thought I was going to follow the practice of TV detectives and put up a murder wall filled with suspects, clues and red wool linking everything just to keep track of everything that was happening. What begins as a warning to Jude about Will quickly spirals into a complex web of lies, deceit, blackmail and murder.

I liked Jude's character, she isn't intimidated by the school gate posse of mothers, she just doesn't want to get dragged into the politics. However, she's aware that she needs to play her part for the sake of her daughter, the reason they've moved to the area. One of the other mothers, Sorrell, seems to stick to the periphery too and is approachable. Sorrell has issues at home and doesn't need to be caught up in playground machinations.

Initially, the group of mothers who seem to dominate proceedings come across as bitchy and unlikeable, particularly their leader, Victoria. Victoria likes to be in control and to know everything that is going on, to her knowledge is power. In the process of going through a less than amicable divorce little does she realise how little knowledge and power she truly has.

Piqued by the comments regarding Will's wives, alongside her attraction to the man, Jude flirts with danger as she tries to learn more. Pretty soon both Sorrell and Victoria are dragged into the investigation as it becomes apparent they have links to at least one of the dead women.

As clues are uncovered you are left gasping at the intricate way everything is woven together. I couldn't even begin to pinpoint a suspect. The more that was revealed, the more I felt my sympathies towards certain characters changing, some for the better and some for the worse. The author keeps the reader dangling thanks to one particular plot line so that the big reveal is a complete shock.

It's Always The Husband by C. L. Taylor will be published on 5th June 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a review copy.

Author Details

C.L. Taylor is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her psychological thrillers have sold over a million copies in the UK alone, been translated into over twenty languages, and optioned for television. Her 2019 novel, Sleep, was a Richard and Judy pick. C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and son.