The Husband's Secret

A smart, addictive treat! It's not just "The Husband's Secret" we are pining for, it's all the secret's Liane Moriarty dangles in front of us that we want to discover! And it's the fabulous way Liane brings what seems to be three separate stories to a crashing halt together!

One of my reading group members chose this book for us to read this month. I assumed that it was going to be a chick lit book, and that the premise of Cecelia Fitzpatrick finding a letter addressed to her, written by her husband and to be read upon his death sounded interesting... especially since her husband was "very much alive" when she found it. It seemed that the story would revolve around the question of whether Cecelia should "open the letter or not" now that she's found it and the results of that decision. Ah, yes, the letter... What deep dark secrets does that hold? But that "secret" is just the beginning! Yes, there is the letter and the "moral" decision, and that delicious dark secret, but the story takes such a turn from there that I absolutely could not put this book down. I was sucked into this story from say page 20 on... EVERYone has secrets! There is a murder, a mystery, jealousy, infidelity, and secrets, secrets, secrets!

I don't want to spoil all the fun, so let me just give you a little bit of the layout of the story... There are three "stories" here. First, Cecelia Fitzpatrick, the "perfect" wife, right down to her arrangement of Tupperware in the pantry, who married the wonderful John-Paul, from one of the wealthiest families in town and they have 3 wonderful children. Second, there is Tess, Will and Felicity. Tess and Will are married with a little boy and Felicity is Tess's cousin and closet friend. And lastly, there's Rachel, Grandmother of Jacob, and the mother of Rob who is married to Lauren. All three families have ties to the same town, all three families have an interesting story, and all three of these families are going to experience life altering changes because of one another. And just when you think that the story has reached its' climax, you'll be saying to yourself, "OMG!"

Liane Moriarty's writing is kind of light and airy, like you'd find in a good "Chick Lit" book. (I haven't really heard much about 'Chick lit' these days either, does it still exist?!). BUT, just when you think that the story will be a "light" read, the story teasing you along to a place you THINK it's going, Liane pulls the rug right from under you, and she doesn't stop there. This "light" read turns into such a great read with twists and turns that you wouldn't expect. A story much more complex then you'd think at its humble beginning. Definitely a book I would recommend to almost anyone who enjoys their fiction with a mystery and a bit of Tupperware mixed in! I will now be reading more of Liane Moriarty! This book was her debut novel, which became a #1 hit in the UK back in 2013. She now has 6 more books under her belt, one of which, Truly Madly Guilty, was published this year. Just make sure you put The Husband's Secret on your TBR list!!! 5 stars from this Chick!

*P.S. Something to keep in mind when reading The Husband's Secret... there are a lot of characters that Liane throws at you right from the start. With out any "formal" introductions, early chapters seem to jump right into the middle of a story that you don't know anything about, or the people that are involved. At first, I found it confusing and was trying to sort out who these people were. Eventually you'll see that there are three separate families and it will not seem confusing any longer. You'll be able to follow these "separate" stories seamlessly. Keep a list of characters if you need to at first, but don't let this "complication" deter you from the story. READ IT!

A friend recommend that I read The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. She suggested that it might be a similar suspense/mystery as my release The Clock Strikes Midnight. Well. . . I would hope that my book is as good a read as Moriarty's. I found her writing fast, clean and well-thought out. She not only created engaging characters but she also built a story that kept the reader wanting to read more.

The story begins in the mind of Cecilia Fitzpatrick a happily married, extremely well-organized mom who sells Tupperware on the side. BTW, she very successfully sells Tupperware as she very successfully does everything. Cecilia unearths a letter from her husband. On the envelope he'd written her name and the words, "do not read until my death." Being such a good girl, she obeys his wishes for as long as she can (much longer than most of us would have!).

From this character we move to Tess who has just learned from her long-time friend and cousin (who recently lost a boatload of weight and now looks beautiful) and her husband that they have been secretly in love. This new information throws Tess's life into a tailspin. She takes her young son, Liam, off to Sydney (oh, I forgot to mention the story is set in Australia) to escape her husband and BFF's escapades with the excuse to take care of her mother.

The third important character is Rachel. We learn that Rachel's daughter, Janie, was tragically murdered twenty-eight years ago, and Rachel still suffers from this loss. She thinks of her daughter constantly, wondering what kind of life she would be leading now. She also obsesses over who might have killed her daughter. The murderer was never apprehended.

The author weaves these three main characters together in a compelling story. Interestingly, it is not the husband's secret that keeps the reader spellbound so much as what happens after the secret is revealed. In the preface to the book Moriarty refers to Pandora's box. The Husband's Secret is a modern version of Pandora's box. What do we do once the secrets are revealed? That's the underlying theme. The other fascinating theme in the book is the metaphor created around the Berlin Wall. Cecilia's daughter is quite interested in the history of the Berlin Wall, both its construction and its destruction. At first I wondered what that had to do with moving the story along. Soon, I recognized the author's point--we all hide behind a wall of secrets. Everyone in the story--not just the husband in question--had secrets and we all hide behind them until the wall comes tumbling down. Quite clever.

Oh, and did I mention great writing? Here are some examples:

"Who knew she was cab able of speaking with such hardness? Each word sunder like a block of concrete."

"He was very broad-chested and athletic looking and he rode a motorbike and listened with his eyes."

"She'd die with the clamp of grief still wrapped around her chest."

"He kept talking. It was endless. . . like that urban myth about an exotic worm that lived in your body, and the only cure was to starve yourself and then place a hot dinner in front of your mouth and wait for the worm to smell the food and slowly uncoil itself, sliding its way up your throat."

Yes, this is a delicious read from beginning to end--worthy of many more than 5 stars.

Short Simple Book Summary: This book is based in Australia and focuses on three separate families (and more specifically – the women who are predominant in each of three families). The story is based upon one of the women (of the 3 families) who discovers a letter her husband left for her to open upon his death. The curve ball here is the wife finds the letter, on accident, prior to her husband’s death. The story describes her life (as well as the other 2 families involved) and how the finding of this letter evolves and effects everyone in the book. It is a story of the past meeting with the present, the repercussions of decisions and indecision and of self discovery.

What I liked (LOVED) about this book: In a few words – almost everything. To be more specific; I loved the writing style which was clean, concise, well edited and well structured. I enjoyed the characterization. The author has a very thorough knowledge and understanding of her creations. Some make think this is a simple minded and ill suited point to make, however I’ve read quite a few books where it felt like the author didn’t know their subjects and simply didn’t know/write enough about them to make them interesting, hateful, or evoke any other emotion because they were simply sketched as opposed to completely formed. These characters feel like real people who you may know due to the careful and attentive description the author immerses the readers in. We know their inner most thoughts, their ticks, what they enjoy, dislike, what holds them together, and ultimately, what can tear them apart.

The author weaves past and present together along with three separate people/families (and several primary secondary persons) expertly, meshing plot points but not in a fashion where it feels as if there is an information nugget being force fed because it is required for story progression…but rather because it is just the flow of a well told story.

We see the three separate group of lives fully developed in their own right and then the strands that tie them, however tenuous, together begin to gather strength and weight which holds up a well crafted and thought provoking story overflowing with emotional and raw grittiness, humor, fragility, intellect and many other delightful facets. Eventually those tenuous strands linking them together aren’t as delicate as one may initially perceive and begin to form together in both expected and unexpected ways.

The book shows comedy and tragedy, paths of self discovery, love and hate and the full range of human emotion. The stories are heart rending and devastating and also redeeming. There is so much to this book that I didn’t expect and I truly can’t praise it enough. I tore through this and didn’t want to put it down. I experienced some extremely strong emotional reactions in many places. Emotions reserved for true stories. Rarely has a work of fiction made me FEEL as this book did. I would suggest it to anyone. I truly dreaded the ending even as I anticipated learning the outcome(s). I will certainly read this book again. So very enjoyable.

I never heard of this author prior to this book but if her other works are half as good as this she will have a devoted new reader.

I can’t pretend that I didn’t figure out some elements of what was coming before having it revealed but it didn’t detract from the reading experience for me at all. The ebb and flow is so perfect and the details so rich and full I never felt like I missed anything, was cheated, or that feeling you sometimes get where you, “AH HA!”, at the author when you see the direction of the story. It was perfectly mapped out and there was still much to learn and know even when the larger plot point was picked up on early on in the tale. This isn’t a thriller or a mystery, it’s a beautiful tragic story about life, relationships, love and discovering or rediscovering (reclaiming?) yourself.

I highly suggest this book. It was an amazing reading experience and I never once scanned while reading the book, which is huge for me. I was captivated the entire time and feel (this will sound very cheesy) better for having read this book. It would have been a shame to pass on this gem. It is for sure one of the best books I’ve read in the last several years and I read on average about 4 new books a week.

Excellent book even if some of the ending I couldn’t imagine occurring as it did! (But if you stop after reading the book and play those scenarios and thoughts out the book has you continuing the story after the final page and THAT, in my opinion, is one of the signs of a great story!

What I didn’t like: my husband interrupted several times while reading this book for trivial matters such as sleep and food consumption. I hated to waste the time doing these mundane requirements when I could have been devouring this wonderful work.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Please take a chance on this one if you are on the fence.

5 enthusiastic – whole hearted - stars!

From Propensity to Discuss https://propensitytodiscuss.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/secrecy-at-its-worst/

So you may not know this, but I am on a Lianne Moriarty kick at the moment. It started with Big Little Lies. To be perfectly honest, the cover of that book really intrigued me, so I bought it. Yep, I admit it. I judge books by their covers. To begin with. But it is the meat of the book that keeps me coming back.

And come back I do when it comes to Lianne Moriarty.

My latest choice was The husband’s secret. And I must say that it did not disappoint. Nor did Caroline Lee‘s audio version!

Rachel Crowley is a widow who has a son that she barely notices since that fateful day in the early 80s when her daughter, Janey was murdered.

Cecilia and John-Paul Fitzpatrick have the perfect marriage and three wonderful children.

Connor Whitby was in high school in the early 80s and just so happened to be in love with Janey Crowley.

The Husband's Secret. A Propensity to Discuss Post The Husband’s Secret. A Propensity to Discuss Post

Tess and Will O’Leary started an ad agency with her cousin and best friend, Felicity. The long hours and time spent with only each other causes a bit of, well, problems. You see, Will, it seems, has fallen in love with Felicity. And Felicity has pretty much always been in love with Will.

Tess heads home to care for her mother who has managed to break her ankle.

Re-enter Connor Whitby into Tess O’Leary’s life. Just what she needed? Didn’t need? Let’s just call him a major distraction for Tess in the height of her sadness.

The 28th anniversary of Janey’s death is quickly approaching and Rachel’s feelings of rage toward Connor, whom she is certain killed her daughter, are growing by leaps and bounds.

Cecilia heads to the attic on fateful day to search for a piece of the Berlin Wall for her very inquisitive daughter who happens to be obsessed with the Berlin Wall at the moment.

It is during that fateful attic exploration that Cecilia finds an envelope addressed to her to be opened in the event of John-Paul’s death.

And suddenly everything changes. For everyone. For ever.

A very intriguing read. Curious, inventive. Startling. You will fall in love with Cecilia’s daughters and want only the best for them.

You will suffer with Rachel, and you will hope that somehow she can come to terms with her grief and her hatred.

You will feel anguish with Cecilia. And you will share in confusion with Tess.

If you are looking for a great story, this is a great story.

If you are looking for a great story and an awesome audio book, you will certainly want to download this one. Caroline Lee at her finest!

Liane Moriarty has evolved as a writer over time, and when she wrote "What Alice Forgot" and "The Hypnotist's Love Story," I was sure something clicked for her because they were much better than the previous ones. (I LOVED those books!) I gave both of them five stars because they hooked me from page one, the editing was superb, the storyline tight (no rambling), and the pacing was excellent. Although I didn't give "The Husband's Secret" five stars, I would definitely recommend it. Moriarty has a deep understanding of people's inner thoughts and feelings, and her character development was great. Once I got past a certain point in the book, I couldn't put it down. If I were just rating that factor alone, I would have given it five stars.

There were a few reasons, however, that I couldn't. First, the hook wasn't as strong as her previous novels. To her credit, though, I know she's an excellent writer, so I had faith she would pull through later (she did!). Yes, we know at the start that the wife finds a sealed letter, but I didn't quite get the feel that this letter would be all-consuming and life-changing for so many of the characters. It would have helped if she let us know that right from the beginning, but instead she took the approach that it could be anything, and maybe even something insignificant.

Unlike in her two previous novels, Moriarty introduces multiple characters right up front, which I found confusing. When authors do this, we know they will somehow all come together, so my "criticism" may have more to do with my own frustration with the technique. It requires a certain degree of reader memory and patience, which I don't have. I preferred the more linear plot of her previous two books.

The main issues with this book really occurred early, but were later resolved. For example, Moriarty seemed to struggle with point of view, with a number of "violations" that made me wonder who was thinking what. She would start a chapter inside the thoughts and feelings of one character, then shift randomly into another character's head for a sentence or two. I suspect she didn't have this problem in her previous two books because there were far fewer characters, or she had a different editor.

In addition to point of view issues, there are a few other problems an editor normally picks up. Spelling and typos aside (there were only about five), there was a chapter I kept going back to because it completely threw me off. It was from the point of view of the daughter who died at seventeen, and it sounded like she was committing suicide. I am not giving anything away here by saying that she was not suicidal. I never could figure out why the author included that chapter, unless she was trying to mislead us intentionally. It's also possible I misunderstood why the girl took a pill in the first place (because I'm not familiar with pill colors?), but regardless, it didn't work. The book would have been a lot better if she'd merely thrown that chapter out.

All the glitches aside, I have to say that this book is definitely worth reading. I am picky, and I was spoiled by her previous two novels, but I would still highly recommend it.

Fast-read fiction that moves the plot along with multiple characters, each individual believing their own truths. I found myself questioning how I would have acted and reacted if the same set of circumstances happened to me. Interesting to contemplate how often we are not in control of our own lives ... in the blink of an eye, as "they" say. A great read for rainy few days!

As I began reading the second chapter, my thought was that this book was not my cuppa tea and I didn't have to read it. Then my mind moved to the friend who recommended it that she was seldom off on her recommendations, so I kept reading. The disparate characters do mesh in unexpected ways in their Australian cities, with some surprises and some eye rolling on the part of this reader. A worthwhile sleepless overnight book. Enjoy!

I'd rate this 4.5 stars.

Wow, I may be a little late to the party on this book, but I'm really glad I read it. This is the perfect example of a thought-provoking beach read--it grips you immediately, keeps you totally fascinated, and the plot is almost completely believable, but you won't feel embarrassed reading it, because it's well-written.

Cecilia Fitzpatrick is the very definition of an overachieving wife and mother. Her house is spotless and organized to the hilt, she's the president of the Parents & Friends association at her daughters' school, she has a successful business on the side, and is the first to participate, greet, and help, in every situation. With three (reasonably) well-behaved daughters, and a (somewhat) perfect marriage to handsome and successful John-Paul, she certainly appears to have it all.

Then one morning she finds a envelope addressed in her husband's hand, to her, which says it should only be opened in the event of his death. And as she ponders what could be in this letter, she starts realizing that things with John-Paul haven't been as solid as usual. Her daughters mention some odd behavior, and then there's the fact that they haven't had sex in quite some time. Should she read the letter or adhere to his wishes and put it away?

Meanwhile, Tess has just found out that her husband and her cousin--her co-workers and two closest friends in the world--have fallen in love. She flees her Melbourne home with their young son, and retreats to her mother's house in Sydney to figure her life out. This solution is complicated by the reappearance of an old boyfriend and the fact that her husband and cousin won't stop calling her to explain.

Rachel has been living her life mourning her daughter, Janie, who was mysteriously murdered when she was younger. Some 20 years after Janie's death, she still holds a grudge against who she thinks the killer was. The only thing that brightens her days is her time with her young grandson, but Rachel's son has just mentioned that he is moving his family to New York.

Cecilia, Tess, and Rachel know each other (or know of each other) peripherally, but their lives will suddenly connect in ways they have never expected. They will discover truths they never knew, and find themselves making sacrifices they never considered. The Husband's Secret shows that you never know everything you think you do about those you love, and how secrets almost always have a way of hurting others.

I thought this was a completely compelling read from start to finish, and I flew through the book very quickly. Sure, it's a little melodramatic, but not in a bad way--the main characters have some pretty major issues to deal with. Liane Moriarty is a great storyteller, and even if certain strands of the plot are predictable, they don't take away from the book's appeal. I really enjoyed this.

This book was really good. You'll be thinking about this book for days after you've finished. Have you read Moriarty's What Alice Forgot? If you did and you enjoyed it then you'll love this as well. If you haven't read Moriarty, I recommend that you do! She's an Australian writer, and to be frank, she's the only Australian writer I've read so far, and I'll keep reading her. This book has the same writing style, but instead of the POV from only one character and her family, this book is comprised of three different stories of three women whose live intersect in a way you'd never imagine. With the center of this story being Cecilia and her husband's secret, this by the way, is a total shocker. You're set up to think it's going to be one thing, but then it take a complete left turn and that threatens to send Cecilia to a mini visit to Crazy Town. Ironically, Cecilia can join Rachel, who has been living in Crazy Town for a while. Even though her feelings are warranted, the results of Rachel’s very angry and vengeful actions are unfortunate.

Let me back track for just a moment. For the first 80 pages or so I was wondering when things would start coming together, but suddenly they did and the story just really took hold from there. It was an emotional roller coaster and I enjoyed every minute! When there are a multitude of characters and situations it can be a task at first to sort out what's what and who's who, but if you can get through that initial rush of information, it all clicks in. Moriarty does an excellent job of pulling these stories together, yet keeping them separate in their own right.

Cecilia is the center of this story and she has the perfect life, from the outside. She learns something shocking about her husband and their world changes. Rachel is an older woman feeling the pain from a past heart breaking situation that continues to wear on her. With the new and upcoming changes to her family, she's starting to freak out even more.

Tess flees her home with her son and returns to her mother’s home in her hometown after a shocking reveal from her own husband! This change of scenery sets off a series of events that change her life forever. How does she tie in? Tess enrolls her son in the same school as Cecilia's kids, also where Rachel works. From there their individual stories become intertwined.

I felt that the epilogue was so-so. We see sort of an alternative ending. Really it’s more like what could have happened had other choices had been made. Instead I would have liked to see a couple years into the future to see if Cecilia and John-Paul stayed together. Or if Tess's husband Will ever finds out about her time when they were apart...Hell or even if Rachel was able to fully move on and stop being so angry. There are so many possibilities. During the book club meeting, someone mentioned the possibility of there being a book two. It's unlikely, being that this author has published only stand alone books, but I could see how there could be a second installment. There's definitely more than enough drama to make one more book!

Do you like reading drama? If so, The Husband's Secret is a perfect choice for you. I hope to read The Hypnotist's Love Story in the near future, it sounds really good! Did you read The Husband's Secret? If so, please share your thoughts, I'd love to know what you thought about it.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Having read and loved Big Little Lies's (I know it's considered chick lit but I like it!) I was excited about a Liane Moriarty book. Sure enough, we meet three women all facing major issues. Cecilia is married to John Paul and has just discovered an old envelope he left her to open on his death. The thing is, he's not dead and she struggles with whether or not to open it (spoiler alert: she does) Tess has just discovered her cousin/best friend is having an affair (unconsummated) with her (Tess's) husband, and Rachel is dealing with the long ago murder of her daughter.

As with BLL, we got lots of authentic-feeling, engaging character voice, and the points of view feel genuine (although not so much the characters' choices.)

But.

This is not BLL and the book left me with one big, "meh." It could have been, but was not, any kind of "mystery" as we figure out whodunit pretty quick. It was as though either the story started too soon (there is a LOT of backstory) or the build up (so, so much) didn't lead to a satisfying climax. The author brings her very interesting characters to really engaging, thought-provoking moments, then...resolves evevything and ends things just when they get interesting.

****************** SPOILER!!!************************************ SPOILER******************************************SPOILER

what would you do if you discovered a loved one had killed someone? How much "price" should they pay? Could you stay married to them? Would you take a partner right back if they had an unconsumated affair? What kind of relationship, if any, would you have with the one they "cheated" with? Would you feel justified in having an affair of your own? How do children factor in? What would you do if you discovered who killed your child? Could you/would you, forgive? What would it take?

All these are really interesting questions, and ones which are raised in this book, but then...dismissed and resolved very quickly. It would have been a terrific book if the author had let her characters actually explore these issues.Maybe it was just too much for one book--any of those questions on their own could quite well take up a book! In this book though, it felt like Moriarty just got tired.

as a nitpick, I very much disagreed with at least one of "epilogue" points; most families of murder victims definitely want to know what happened (so do the police!) so would not be okay with a "limited" autopsy.

Anyway, certainly readable. Just wish it had been more.