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The Husband's Secret
At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read
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.
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.
396 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2015
About the author
Liane Moriarty
50 books61.2k followersLiane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret, and Truly Madly Guilty; the New York Times bestsellers Apples Never Fall, Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary; The Hypnotist’s Love Story; and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40,375 reviews
November 5, 2013
Wow. I have been so ashamed of many of the newest Best Sellers that have been released. And this hunk of garbage can be added to this list. This year so far has been an overall bummer for me in finding good reads and yikes...I wish I could get my money back. For real.
"The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty sounds awesome in theory. A woman finds a hidden letter written years ago by her loyal husband that contains a secret that could change or ruin many lives. It also follows two other women and their stories of love and heartbreak.
BLECH. Predictability, weak characters, no character development, and just full to the brim of everything yucky. The characters are not likable at all and I couldn't relate to any of them. These women are wretchedly annoying.
Alright, people might think "Mitch, you are a male reader, and you don't fall into the demographic, so you are an unfair judge". However, as humiliating as it may be, I am a fan of Harlequin, the king of the mass produced romance lady novel. However, most of those mass produced books are WAY better than this chart topping hooey.
Some women will eat it up, but i found it poorly written, repetitive, and so predictable that it's laughable.
Try it if you want, but if you want to save yourself massive amounts of boredom, then use it as kindling. OOOH a yule log sounds fun. See, I'm already distracted. That's how I was the whole book!
"The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty sounds awesome in theory. A woman finds a hidden letter written years ago by her loyal husband that contains a secret that could change or ruin many lives. It also follows two other women and their stories of love and heartbreak.
BLECH. Predictability, weak characters, no character development, and just full to the brim of everything yucky. The characters are not likable at all and I couldn't relate to any of them. These women are wretchedly annoying.
Alright, people might think "Mitch, you are a male reader, and you don't fall into the demographic, so you are an unfair judge". However, as humiliating as it may be, I am a fan of Harlequin, the king of the mass produced romance lady novel. However, most of those mass produced books are WAY better than this chart topping hooey.
Some women will eat it up, but i found it poorly written, repetitive, and so predictable that it's laughable.
Try it if you want, but if you want to save yourself massive amounts of boredom, then use it as kindling. OOOH a yule log sounds fun. See, I'm already distracted. That's how I was the whole book!
May 27, 2015
Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever. Just ask Pandora.
The Husband's Secret is a decent book, but I honestly expected to enjoy it a lot more than I did. I love mysteries that focus on the characters and their relationships with each other; and I love reading about morally questionable people, especially women. I find complex relationships between women to be fascinating - woven with friendship, jealousies and secrets - but I found this book superficial and, at times, even boring.
Firstly, the titular "secret" is not a mystery and is so easy to guess immediately that I was hoping it would be something else. Secondly, I think the "secret" and the details behind it are not very interesting and - despite it being a serious issue - it doesn't feel particularly scandalous or exciting. You open this book just like Pandora opening her box/jar, promised this huge secret by the title and blurb, and yet for me it was very anticlimactic.
It gets three stars because Moriarty writes about selfish, depressed and troubled middle-class women very well. The dialogue and dynamics between them are funny, entertaining and contain those rare pieces of human honesty that only a few authors can achieve - little thoughts, feelings or behaviours that are personal and strange, but instantly recognizable and true.
In reality, the human reaction to certain situations - discovering a dark secret, being dumped for someone else, etc. - is not often what we think it should be. It's like when you play out meeting someone famous in your head and you think you know exactly what you would do, until you meet them and your plans fly out the window. In this book, I get the sense that Moriarty has tapped into real human reactions and behaviour - these women don't always feel and behave in a typical or conventional way, and yet it seems all the more real because of it.
But interesting character studies aside, it did get tiresome after a while. When you strip away the not so interesting mystery, this is a book about the relationships of a bunch of privileged middle-class woman. And there's really only so much of that I can take before I start losing interest.
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The Husband's Secret is a decent book, but I honestly expected to enjoy it a lot more than I did. I love mysteries that focus on the characters and their relationships with each other; and I love reading about morally questionable people, especially women. I find complex relationships between women to be fascinating - woven with friendship, jealousies and secrets - but I found this book superficial and, at times, even boring.
Firstly, the titular "secret" is not a mystery and is so easy to guess immediately that I was hoping it would be something else. Secondly, I think the "secret" and the details behind it are not very interesting and - despite it being a serious issue - it doesn't feel particularly scandalous or exciting. You open this book just like Pandora opening her box/jar, promised this huge secret by the title and blurb, and yet for me it was very anticlimactic.
It gets three stars because Moriarty writes about selfish, depressed and troubled middle-class women very well. The dialogue and dynamics between them are funny, entertaining and contain those rare pieces of human honesty that only a few authors can achieve - little thoughts, feelings or behaviours that are personal and strange, but instantly recognizable and true.
In reality, the human reaction to certain situations - discovering a dark secret, being dumped for someone else, etc. - is not often what we think it should be. It's like when you play out meeting someone famous in your head and you think you know exactly what you would do, until you meet them and your plans fly out the window. In this book, I get the sense that Moriarty has tapped into real human reactions and behaviour - these women don't always feel and behave in a typical or conventional way, and yet it seems all the more real because of it.
But interesting character studies aside, it did get tiresome after a while. When you strip away the not so interesting mystery, this is a book about the relationships of a bunch of privileged middle-class woman. And there's really only so much of that I can take before I start losing interest.
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July 4, 2016
NEW REVIEW
ETA: Okay, I finished it.
I still stand by my original opinion. Three unlikable women are the main characters in this novel.
Cecilia is a ninny. She finds this letter in the attic addressed to her, only to be opened when her husband dies. He's not dead. She spends the first half of the book waffling between should-I-open-it/should-I-not. It's annoying. Meanwhile, she runs through every scenario she can think of and also fantasizes about what every single family member and friend would advise her to do.
Then she finally opens the letter and spends the second half of the book waffling about what to do with the information it contains. Needless to say, I found this character to be very frustrating.
Tess is a woman experiencing the ultimate betrayal - her husband is in love with her cousin. Her cousin who is so close to her they are like twin sisters. She flees to another city with her 6-year-old son to rethink her life.
Rachel is consumed with rage and grief since her daughter was found murdered in a park a few decades ago. This rage and grief frankly makes her a huge jerk. She hates her daughter-in-law for no discernible reason and is a real jerk to her. Also, after her daughter was killed she pretty much just ignored her poor son. So he's grown up really almost estranged from her. I didn't like her.
....
This book is just chock full of guilt and suffering. Oh, pain, suffering, guilt! Punishment from God!!! Isn't that what life is all about? Um, no, it isn't. And it isn't really what I want to read about either.
This book had other problems as well.
...
1.) FEMALE-ON-FEMALE HATE
What is WITH books/movies/tv trying to convince me that women are bitches? I certainly don't talk to my friend nicely and then immediately think hateful comments about her. Every single woman in this book was like:
"Hi, Joan! Oh, what a lovely dress you have on. Are you coming to the party Saturday?"
Internal thoughts: Wow, I hate Joan. She is skinnier than me. Also she makes great potato salad. That angers me because I buy my potato salad instead of homemaking it!
Or some such shit like that. WTF? I really don't know many women who are like this. A very small percentage. What is the deal with making us all look like backstabbing hate-filled competitors? This is not how I feel about other women at all. :( Reading this kind of stuff makes me sad. Characters in this book do this to close friends, family members, distant acquaintances... any other woman in the vicinity.
2.) FAT-HATE
According to this book, fat women are like the most tragic, horrifying people on Earth. They are like the victims of some horrible disfiguring tragedy that makes children cry and people avert their eyes. No man in their right mind would ever date/touch/have sex with/kiss one unless he was a.) very charitable or b.) a 'fat freak' who 'chases chubby women.' (No mention/comments on fat men, which I thought was interesting.)
I was practically laughing my ass of at this. Fat women have sex. They get married. Men fall in love with them. Despite what the media tells you, fat women have sex/dates/love just like anyone else. Almost every single fat woman I know is in a healthy, loving relationship with a "normal" (meaning: not a "chubby chaser" or loser or whatever scraps people think fat women end up with) guy. It would never even occur to me to think, "She can't get a date because she's fat" because in my experience fat women get a lot of play. So fuck this shit! Don't believe a word of what this book tells you. You don't have to look like a Victoria's Secret ad to get a husband.
Whenever I read a book filled with fat hate, I am confused. Even if the author is not fat herself, doesn't she have fat people she loves and admires and relies on in her life? Her grandma? Her mom? Her aunt? Her cousin? Her best friend? Her favorite librarian? It's extra-weird with this book because fat/overweight men are NEVER MENTIONED - as if they simply don't exist, or if they do it's not an issue because they're not women.
Actually, this book is very appearance focused when it comes to women. Not just being thin, but are you wearing make-up? Stylish clothes? Trying to look your best like you should? I didn't like it. Basically it was saying that getting a husband and having kids and being a mom is THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING in life. Yes, it is very important, but so is some other stuff.
3.) EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION
This book is one of those books that is trying to "slam you with feels," as they say on GR. Moriarty is very emotionally manipulative. Children get hurt, badly. A teenaged girl is murdered. A husband chooses to cheat on his wife with her cousin/best friend. A woman loses over a hundred pounds and goes through a radical transformation. Blah blah blah, tug on your heartstrings, blah blah blah.
Listen, I don't appreciate this. I know some people LOVE going to movies that make them cry. They know the movie is going to make them cry, and that makes them excited. I AM NOT THIS TYPE OF PERSON. If I feel like the author is trying to grab me by the ovaries and wrest some emotion out of me, I don't get weepy. I get angry. What's your point? Really. What is the point of this book? Yeah, it has no point.
4.) EPILOGUE
The thing that most illustrates how pointless this book is is the frustrating and anger-inducing epilogue, in which Moriarty breaks down about 85 different what-if possibilities. What if little Bobby didn't choose to ride his bike to the corner store that day? What if Jeannie wore a red dress instead of a blue one? What if Juan bought a motorcycle instead of an engagement ring for his girlfriend? OMG, everything would have changed! Life would be so different! OMG! Doesn't that blow your mind?!!?!?!
*crickets chirping*
NO! No, it doesn't blow my mind! None of that shit happened! What is the point of standing around all day and talking for six hours about what COULD have happened? It DIDN'T happen. That's the point. What happened is what actually happened. Yes, things could have gone a thousand different ways. BUT THEY DIDN'T.
It's not like this is a time travel book where you could go back and change something. Now that would be cool. Then, in that case, I would be on board with analyzing different possibilities and their outcomes. But Moriarty's world is already set in stone, so I find this a rather morbid, heartrending, pointless exercise - a kind of non-stop weepy circle jerk that was annoying and added NOTHING to the story - and in fact made it worse. Due to something revealed in the epilogue, the whole book and plot is basically negated. It sucks.
...
Tl;dr - Emotionally manipulative fiction aimed at women. Promotes woman-on-woman hate, fat-shaming, and a very middle-class, nuclear family is everything, my-husband-and-my-children-are-my-whole-life worldview. Typical. Just very, very typical of this genre. Nothing new or exciting. Nothing fresh or interesting. Avoid unless you like TFIOS, Nicholas Sparks, and "chick-lit" that is the heavy kind which tries to deal with serious issues.
...
OLD REVIEW
I don't think I can finish it.
Here's what I said to Kat Stark about it:
I don't think I'm cut out for manipulative heart-wrenching stuff. I feel the author is trying to make me feel all maudlin. It's the same feeling I get from TFIOS or Nicholas Sparks. There's so many "chick-lit" (hate that term) stereotypes in here: a woman's husband falls in love with her cousin (a cousin who was once obese but now tiny) so we've got he's-cheating-with-my-sister(cousin)/she-lost-all-the-weight.
Then we have a woman who finds a secret envelope addressed to her from her husband "to be opened upon the event of my death" and you don't know what's in it but you know it's really bad. They stopped having sex six months ago and she doesn't know what's wrong.
Then there's a grandmother who's 17-year-old daughter was murdered by a boy(friend) years ago. She's grieving and obsessed with her only grandchild, but he's being "taken away" from her because her DIL got a job in NYC. She always has suspected and hated a certain man in town who she THINKS killed her daughter - I'd bet you $500 he didn't really do it.
You know? It's the kind of book where at the end everyone cries, hugs and learns a big Lesson About Life, but at the same time it's really sad - humans are so fucked up, blah blah blah.
It's just the kind of thing that sets my teeth on edge.
I might not finish it. Or come back to it later. At least the crappy romances I've been reading are cheerful! :) LOL
I know, everyone thinks it is great. I don't know what's wrong with me. I really hate boo-hoo stories though, and I feel like this is a boo-hoo story. I don't like books whose basic message is "Life is so tragic, but we must keep living!" or something. Also, no one was really likable.
P.S. And none of this is too spoilery, just first-three-chapters stuff.
ETA: Okay, I finished it.
I still stand by my original opinion. Three unlikable women are the main characters in this novel.
Cecilia is a ninny. She finds this letter in the attic addressed to her, only to be opened when her husband dies. He's not dead. She spends the first half of the book waffling between should-I-open-it/should-I-not. It's annoying. Meanwhile, she runs through every scenario she can think of and also fantasizes about what every single family member and friend would advise her to do.
Then she finally opens the letter and spends the second half of the book waffling about what to do with the information it contains. Needless to say, I found this character to be very frustrating.
Tess is a woman experiencing the ultimate betrayal - her husband is in love with her cousin. Her cousin who is so close to her they are like twin sisters. She flees to another city with her 6-year-old son to rethink her life.
Rachel is consumed with rage and grief since her daughter was found murdered in a park a few decades ago. This rage and grief frankly makes her a huge jerk. She hates her daughter-in-law for no discernible reason and is a real jerk to her. Also, after her daughter was killed she pretty much just ignored her poor son. So he's grown up really almost estranged from her. I didn't like her.
....
This book is just chock full of guilt and suffering. Oh, pain, suffering, guilt! Punishment from God!!! Isn't that what life is all about? Um, no, it isn't. And it isn't really what I want to read about either.
This book had other problems as well.
...
1.) FEMALE-ON-FEMALE HATE
What is WITH books/movies/tv trying to convince me that women are bitches? I certainly don't talk to my friend nicely and then immediately think hateful comments about her. Every single woman in this book was like:
"Hi, Joan! Oh, what a lovely dress you have on. Are you coming to the party Saturday?"
Internal thoughts: Wow, I hate Joan. She is skinnier than me. Also she makes great potato salad. That angers me because I buy my potato salad instead of homemaking it!
Or some such shit like that. WTF? I really don't know many women who are like this. A very small percentage. What is the deal with making us all look like backstabbing hate-filled competitors? This is not how I feel about other women at all. :( Reading this kind of stuff makes me sad. Characters in this book do this to close friends, family members, distant acquaintances... any other woman in the vicinity.
2.) FAT-HATE
According to this book, fat women are like the most tragic, horrifying people on Earth. They are like the victims of some horrible disfiguring tragedy that makes children cry and people avert their eyes. No man in their right mind would ever date/touch/have sex with/kiss one unless he was a.) very charitable or b.) a 'fat freak' who 'chases chubby women.' (No mention/comments on fat men, which I thought was interesting.)
I was practically laughing my ass of at this. Fat women have sex. They get married. Men fall in love with them. Despite what the media tells you, fat women have sex/dates/love just like anyone else. Almost every single fat woman I know is in a healthy, loving relationship with a "normal" (meaning: not a "chubby chaser" or loser or whatever scraps people think fat women end up with) guy. It would never even occur to me to think, "She can't get a date because she's fat" because in my experience fat women get a lot of play. So fuck this shit! Don't believe a word of what this book tells you. You don't have to look like a Victoria's Secret ad to get a husband.
Whenever I read a book filled with fat hate, I am confused. Even if the author is not fat herself, doesn't she have fat people she loves and admires and relies on in her life? Her grandma? Her mom? Her aunt? Her cousin? Her best friend? Her favorite librarian? It's extra-weird with this book because fat/overweight men are NEVER MENTIONED - as if they simply don't exist, or if they do it's not an issue because they're not women.
Actually, this book is very appearance focused when it comes to women. Not just being thin, but are you wearing make-up? Stylish clothes? Trying to look your best like you should? I didn't like it. Basically it was saying that getting a husband and having kids and being a mom is THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING in life. Yes, it is very important, but so is some other stuff.
3.) EMOTIONAL MANIPULATION
This book is one of those books that is trying to "slam you with feels," as they say on GR. Moriarty is very emotionally manipulative. Children get hurt, badly. A teenaged girl is murdered. A husband chooses to cheat on his wife with her cousin/best friend. A woman loses over a hundred pounds and goes through a radical transformation. Blah blah blah, tug on your heartstrings, blah blah blah.
Listen, I don't appreciate this. I know some people LOVE going to movies that make them cry. They know the movie is going to make them cry, and that makes them excited. I AM NOT THIS TYPE OF PERSON. If I feel like the author is trying to grab me by the ovaries and wrest some emotion out of me, I don't get weepy. I get angry. What's your point? Really. What is the point of this book? Yeah, it has no point.
4.) EPILOGUE
The thing that most illustrates how pointless this book is is the frustrating and anger-inducing epilogue, in which Moriarty breaks down about 85 different what-if possibilities. What if little Bobby didn't choose to ride his bike to the corner store that day? What if Jeannie wore a red dress instead of a blue one? What if Juan bought a motorcycle instead of an engagement ring for his girlfriend? OMG, everything would have changed! Life would be so different! OMG! Doesn't that blow your mind?!!?!?!
*crickets chirping*
NO! No, it doesn't blow my mind! None of that shit happened! What is the point of standing around all day and talking for six hours about what COULD have happened? It DIDN'T happen. That's the point. What happened is what actually happened. Yes, things could have gone a thousand different ways. BUT THEY DIDN'T.
It's not like this is a time travel book where you could go back and change something. Now that would be cool. Then, in that case, I would be on board with analyzing different possibilities and their outcomes. But Moriarty's world is already set in stone, so I find this a rather morbid, heartrending, pointless exercise - a kind of non-stop weepy circle jerk that was annoying and added NOTHING to the story - and in fact made it worse. Due to something revealed in the epilogue, the whole book and plot is basically negated. It sucks.
...
Tl;dr - Emotionally manipulative fiction aimed at women. Promotes woman-on-woman hate, fat-shaming, and a very middle-class, nuclear family is everything, my-husband-and-my-children-are-my-whole-life worldview. Typical. Just very, very typical of this genre. Nothing new or exciting. Nothing fresh or interesting. Avoid unless you like TFIOS, Nicholas Sparks, and "chick-lit" that is the heavy kind which tries to deal with serious issues.
...
OLD REVIEW
I don't think I can finish it.
Here's what I said to Kat Stark about it:
I don't think I'm cut out for manipulative heart-wrenching stuff. I feel the author is trying to make me feel all maudlin. It's the same feeling I get from TFIOS or Nicholas Sparks. There's so many "chick-lit" (hate that term) stereotypes in here: a woman's husband falls in love with her cousin (a cousin who was once obese but now tiny) so we've got he's-cheating-with-my-sister(cousin)/she-lost-all-the-weight.
Then we have a woman who finds a secret envelope addressed to her from her husband "to be opened upon the event of my death" and you don't know what's in it but you know it's really bad. They stopped having sex six months ago and she doesn't know what's wrong.
Then there's a grandmother who's 17-year-old daughter was murdered by a boy(friend) years ago. She's grieving and obsessed with her only grandchild, but he's being "taken away" from her because her DIL got a job in NYC. She always has suspected and hated a certain man in town who she THINKS killed her daughter - I'd bet you $500 he didn't really do it.
You know? It's the kind of book where at the end everyone cries, hugs and learns a big Lesson About Life, but at the same time it's really sad - humans are so fucked up, blah blah blah.
It's just the kind of thing that sets my teeth on edge.
I might not finish it. Or come back to it later. At least the crappy romances I've been reading are cheerful! :) LOL
I know, everyone thinks it is great. I don't know what's wrong with me. I really hate boo-hoo stories though, and I feel like this is a boo-hoo story. I don't like books whose basic message is "Life is so tragic, but we must keep living!" or something. Also, no one was really likable.
P.S. And none of this is too spoilery, just first-three-chapters stuff.
May 7, 2017
Cecilia Fitzpatrick thinks she knows her husband inside out, so she's surprised to accidentally discover in the attic a dusty sealed envelope with "For my wife - to be opened only in the event of my death" written on it in his handwriting. When she casually 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?
Leaving us with this intriguing puzzle, the story then jumps to another woman, Tess, whose husband has fallen in love with someone else. Shocked and distraught, Tess makes immediate plans to go and stay with her mother in Sydney, taking her young son with her. Then we move onto a third woman, Rachel, whose much loved daughter died many years previously and whose life now centres on her grandson. Shortly, the three women's lives will intersect and the secret that Cecilia's husband has been guarding for so long will impact on them all.
Despite strong word of mouth, I wasn't expecting a lot from this book, having once tried to read another by this Australian author and giving up on it. But I absolutely devoured The Husband's Secret. From the first chapter I was gripped and I read it in two sittings. I worried about the characters - I even woke up in the middle of the night wondering how the author could possibly resolve the events that she'd set in motion. This isn't epic literature by any means, but it's incredibly readable and totally gripping - the kind of book you want for a long plane flight.
Leaving us with this intriguing puzzle, the story then jumps to another woman, Tess, whose husband has fallen in love with someone else. Shocked and distraught, Tess makes immediate plans to go and stay with her mother in Sydney, taking her young son with her. Then we move onto a third woman, Rachel, whose much loved daughter died many years previously and whose life now centres on her grandson. Shortly, the three women's lives will intersect and the secret that Cecilia's husband has been guarding for so long will impact on them all.
Despite strong word of mouth, I wasn't expecting a lot from this book, having once tried to read another by this Australian author and giving up on it. But I absolutely devoured The Husband's Secret. From the first chapter I was gripped and I read it in two sittings. I worried about the characters - I even woke up in the middle of the night wondering how the author could possibly resolve the events that she'd set in motion. This isn't epic literature by any means, but it's incredibly readable and totally gripping - the kind of book you want for a long plane flight.
July 18, 2018
*5+ Stars … A new favorite!*
Can I say I effing love this author after having read only two of her books? Because that’s exactly what’s going on right now…
I’ve been on a huge Mystery/Psychological Thriller kick lately, and I’ve realized with many books of this genre, some (or all) of the characters are very easy to hate.
Which is fine.
And so I was ready for that. I put my little crazy-book-wall up and was prepared to just observe this story without really letting the characters in.
But they crept in anyway. In fact, I was completely bombarded.
This story is told in a third person perspective that alternates focus between the lives of three women whose paths will eventually, and quite literally, collide.
I found myself growing protective over these heroines, which initially, I wasn't expecting. Yes, they were severely damaged and, at times, completely unhinged — and I loved them for it. Because they felt so honest and just so real. I began to find myself empathizing with their weaknesses.
I felt their pain and I wanted to unravel their secrets, and I tore through this captivating book in a single day.
You may believe this story is based solely upon figuring out the infamous “Husband’s Secret”.
It’s not.
Yes, for a small percentage of the book we are made to wonder. But the secret is revealed rather early on, and we are left to witness its aftermath; the quiet chaos that gradually spins itself out of control until the plot is taking you places you couldn't have imagined going.
Obviously, I won’t reveal what this “secret” is, but I will say that it certainly lives up to the hype. You may even figure it out for yourself somewhat quickly. But that is not where the mystery dies. In fact, it’s precisely where this haunting story fully begins … and there are lingering secrets hidden everywhere.
This story takes it’s time, which is not to say it drags or ever gets boring—far from it. The first 20% is fairly slow, but then it grows addictive. Cecelia, Tess, and Rachel are women of different ages, suffering distinctly different circumstances. When they all end up living in the same town, they begin to build unlikely bonds and start to learn of the heartbreaking ways that connect them.
Sometimes, when I truly love a book, it’s difficult for me to explain why. But in this case, I can confidently pinpoint the reasons:
I’ll start with the plot, which was thickly layered with mystery and originality. Each chapter pulled me in a new direction, and finished with a suspenseful edge that had me racing for the next one.
The themes: Debilitating grief. The secrets we keep, the lies we tell ourselves, and the guilt that follows.
The writing … I’m in love! Gripping, polished, and so, so witty. This author not only knows how to breathe life into her characters, but she masters the art of sarcasm and irony. It was all thinly veiled, nothing excessive, and it worked wonderfully. When a character appeared shallow, it was clearly intentional…almost as though the author and reader were in on some joke at the character’s expense.
The storyline is melancholy at heart—somber and unsettling, yet one can still draw inspiration from the subtle moments of strength. The sometimes silly thoughts that spun through the characters’ minds help to lighten the tone a bit.
And, finally, that epilogue … Wow’d me YET again! A final sweep of the the rug from under my feet. As readers, we become privy to secrets which the author does not reveal to her characters. It was a unique approach, and a highly emotional experience. I wanted to run and tell the characters what I’d learned--and even though it left me pretty damn frustrated, I thought that particular element was genius.
If you browse reviews and ratings for this book, you’ll see that not everyone was as smitten with this one. I wouldn't recommend this to all readers, but for those of you who love a well-written, gripping mystery that bravely showcases the ugly and painful sides of life while offering a healthy dose of dry humor — DON'T pass this one up!
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Mystery/Suspense/Romance
▪ Romance: Twisted/broken, Not the driving force of story.
▪ Characters: Very well fleshed out. Extremely troubled.
▪ Plot: Three women with separate struggles come to find their all somehow connected.
▪ Writing: Brilliant! Quick, witty, respectfully humorous.
▪ POV: 3rd Person Perspective: Alternates between heroines.
▪ Cliffhanger: None. Standalone
Can I say I effing love this author after having read only two of her books? Because that’s exactly what’s going on right now…
I’ve been on a huge Mystery/Psychological Thriller kick lately, and I’ve realized with many books of this genre, some (or all) of the characters are very easy to hate.
Which is fine.
And so I was ready for that. I put my little crazy-book-wall up and was prepared to just observe this story without really letting the characters in.
But they crept in anyway. In fact, I was completely bombarded.
This story is told in a third person perspective that alternates focus between the lives of three women whose paths will eventually, and quite literally, collide.
I found myself growing protective over these heroines, which initially, I wasn't expecting. Yes, they were severely damaged and, at times, completely unhinged — and I loved them for it. Because they felt so honest and just so real. I began to find myself empathizing with their weaknesses.
I felt their pain and I wanted to unravel their secrets, and I tore through this captivating book in a single day.
You may believe this story is based solely upon figuring out the infamous “Husband’s Secret”.
It’s not.
Yes, for a small percentage of the book we are made to wonder. But the secret is revealed rather early on, and we are left to witness its aftermath; the quiet chaos that gradually spins itself out of control until the plot is taking you places you couldn't have imagined going.
Obviously, I won’t reveal what this “secret” is, but I will say that it certainly lives up to the hype. You may even figure it out for yourself somewhat quickly. But that is not where the mystery dies. In fact, it’s precisely where this haunting story fully begins … and there are lingering secrets hidden everywhere.
This story takes it’s time, which is not to say it drags or ever gets boring—far from it. The first 20% is fairly slow, but then it grows addictive. Cecelia, Tess, and Rachel are women of different ages, suffering distinctly different circumstances. When they all end up living in the same town, they begin to build unlikely bonds and start to learn of the heartbreaking ways that connect them.
Sometimes, when I truly love a book, it’s difficult for me to explain why. But in this case, I can confidently pinpoint the reasons:
I’ll start with the plot, which was thickly layered with mystery and originality. Each chapter pulled me in a new direction, and finished with a suspenseful edge that had me racing for the next one.
The themes: Debilitating grief. The secrets we keep, the lies we tell ourselves, and the guilt that follows.
The writing … I’m in love! Gripping, polished, and so, so witty. This author not only knows how to breathe life into her characters, but she masters the art of sarcasm and irony. It was all thinly veiled, nothing excessive, and it worked wonderfully. When a character appeared shallow, it was clearly intentional…almost as though the author and reader were in on some joke at the character’s expense.
The storyline is melancholy at heart—somber and unsettling, yet one can still draw inspiration from the subtle moments of strength. The sometimes silly thoughts that spun through the characters’ minds help to lighten the tone a bit.
And, finally, that epilogue … Wow’d me YET again! A final sweep of the the rug from under my feet. As readers, we become privy to secrets which the author does not reveal to her characters. It was a unique approach, and a highly emotional experience. I wanted to run and tell the characters what I’d learned--and even though it left me pretty damn frustrated, I thought that particular element was genius.
If you browse reviews and ratings for this book, you’ll see that not everyone was as smitten with this one. I wouldn't recommend this to all readers, but for those of you who love a well-written, gripping mystery that bravely showcases the ugly and painful sides of life while offering a healthy dose of dry humor — DON'T pass this one up!
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Mystery/Suspense/Romance
▪ Romance: Twisted/broken, Not the driving force of story.
▪ Characters: Very well fleshed out. Extremely troubled.
▪ Plot: Three women with separate struggles come to find their all somehow connected.
▪ Writing: Brilliant! Quick, witty, respectfully humorous.
▪ POV: 3rd Person Perspective: Alternates between heroines.
▪ Cliffhanger: None. Standalone
October 19, 2015
***Contains Spoilers***
Eh. I doubt I would've finished this if it wasn't a book club selection. I just didn't care about any of the characters or how the story was going to end.
It's definitely not going into the stack of books I consider to be riveting. ;-) I'd throw it in the stack of stories about selfish people making selfish choices in life.
I don't agree with any of the choices made by the characters. I don't think real people would make the decisions these characters made.
I find it hard to believe that forgiveness could be given so quickly in some of the instances in the story. I mean, come on, someone does something that drastically changes your life completely in a negative way...you're not going to forgive them within a few days or 50 pages at the end of a book.
Someone murders your child & you sit around angry for 20+ years...you find out who...you're not going to sit around thinking about what you should do. I'm pretty sure you'll decide 1 of 2 things: either you're going to murder that person or you're going to tell the police.
You find out that your husband murdered someone when he was 17? You don't stay with him or keep his secret for the sake of your children. You leave that psycho & turn him in to the police. Especially if the only reason he can come up with for murdering the person is "She laughed at me & I got angry." Really? You're going to take your chances with that kind of person in your life. Really? Anytime he did something stupid & you wanted to laugh...you'd have that voice in the back of your head saying "Don't laugh. Remember what happened to that one girl that laughed at him?"
Your best friend who is also your cousin steals your husband? You're not going to forgive her or your husband within a week. You just don't allow people like that to remain in your life. So what if she was your one & only friend? You go find better friends. So what if your kid is going to be sad if you get a divorce? You don't sacrifice your self respect so that your kid can grow up in a home with married parents. I mean, seriously...if your husband thinks it's a fantastic idea for him to move his new love into your home so you can be one big happy family...you run for the hills or suggest that he move to a compound where it's acceptable to have multiple wives. Sure, it starts with him just moving her in...next thing you know...you have the hair style & fashion sense of Nikki from Big Love. You don't forgive him a week later when he claims that he made a mistake & really loves you...not your best friend/cousin. If he really loved you, he never would've suggested that you move into the guest bedroom while your best friend/cousin takes your place in the master bedroom. "Normal" people don't suggest that you let the other woman move in & play house with you.
Basically...it's a story full of selfish people making selfish decisions while pretending to care about the people they hurt while making selfish decisions. The only decision I agreed with that these characters made was to eat hot cross buns for breakfast...and only because they were drenched in butter...and damn...I love butter.
Eh. I doubt I would've finished this if it wasn't a book club selection. I just didn't care about any of the characters or how the story was going to end.
It's definitely not going into the stack of books I consider to be riveting. ;-) I'd throw it in the stack of stories about selfish people making selfish choices in life.
I don't agree with any of the choices made by the characters. I don't think real people would make the decisions these characters made.
I find it hard to believe that forgiveness could be given so quickly in some of the instances in the story. I mean, come on, someone does something that drastically changes your life completely in a negative way...you're not going to forgive them within a few days or 50 pages at the end of a book.
Someone murders your child & you sit around angry for 20+ years...you find out who...you're not going to sit around thinking about what you should do. I'm pretty sure you'll decide 1 of 2 things: either you're going to murder that person or you're going to tell the police.
You find out that your husband murdered someone when he was 17? You don't stay with him or keep his secret for the sake of your children. You leave that psycho & turn him in to the police. Especially if the only reason he can come up with for murdering the person is "She laughed at me & I got angry." Really? You're going to take your chances with that kind of person in your life. Really? Anytime he did something stupid & you wanted to laugh...you'd have that voice in the back of your head saying "Don't laugh. Remember what happened to that one girl that laughed at him?"
Your best friend who is also your cousin steals your husband? You're not going to forgive her or your husband within a week. You just don't allow people like that to remain in your life. So what if she was your one & only friend? You go find better friends. So what if your kid is going to be sad if you get a divorce? You don't sacrifice your self respect so that your kid can grow up in a home with married parents. I mean, seriously...if your husband thinks it's a fantastic idea for him to move his new love into your home so you can be one big happy family...you run for the hills or suggest that he move to a compound where it's acceptable to have multiple wives. Sure, it starts with him just moving her in...next thing you know...you have the hair style & fashion sense of Nikki from Big Love. You don't forgive him a week later when he claims that he made a mistake & really loves you...not your best friend/cousin. If he really loved you, he never would've suggested that you move into the guest bedroom while your best friend/cousin takes your place in the master bedroom. "Normal" people don't suggest that you let the other woman move in & play house with you.
Basically...it's a story full of selfish people making selfish decisions while pretending to care about the people they hurt while making selfish decisions. The only decision I agreed with that these characters made was to eat hot cross buns for breakfast...and only because they were drenched in butter...and damn...I love butter.
August 14, 2013
PERFECT SUMMER READ. Full disclosure: I listened to this as an audiobook. Normally I save my audiobooks for cleaning house, but this was so good I took it on runs, slowed down my walks to work, even listened for a few minutes as I got my coffee, ignoring my coworkers. The reader's Australian accent made the story come alive, but I bet it's just as spellbinding in print. Two husbands in this book have secrets: one predictable, quickly revealed; the other unexpected and drawn out. Each time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was thrown off. I'd like to be cool and literary and say that everything got tied up too neatly in the end, that this is a book too obviously pandering to women of my age (40) and station in life (married with children, working hard, somewhat comfortable) but honestly, I just enjoyed the hell out of it. It asked nothing of me, and delivered a story that held me through the satisfying (if slightly too convenient) conclusion. It's like an ice cream cone (I HATE describing non-edible things as "delicious" but that's what I mean), the very reason why I love to read.
April 27, 2018
I'm just going to leave it at 3. I don't know how I really feel about this one. I felt the same way about Big Little Lies because I listened to both books on audio the first time. And for some reason her books don't work for me the first time around on audio. So I will leave it at that for now. I know I loved Big Little Lies when I read the physical book so we shall see
Mel 🖤🐾🐺
Mel 🖤🐾🐺
November 10, 2013
I have not read any other Liane Moriarty books and am not inclined to after reading this one. It was predictable, dull, shallow and padded. What was the whole Berlin Wall bit about and why was it included? I don't know why people call books like this 'good summer reading' - a great book is a great book and it doesn't matter what time of the year it's read. This was a book club recommendation and I cannot understand why it was so popular.
The piece that finally did it for me was the little addition of a paragraph telling us why in 1984 texts could not be sent because they were not invented yet .. oh and the use of the word 'scrummy'! And finally the whole tupperware thing ... have to stop now!
The piece that finally did it for me was the little addition of a paragraph telling us why in 1984 texts could not be sent because they were not invented yet .. oh and the use of the word 'scrummy'! And finally the whole tupperware thing ... have to stop now!
February 14, 2020
Cecilia starts poking around the attic one day to find a piece of the Berlin wall she has, her daughter is going through a Berlin wall phase, when she finds a letter addressed to her from her husband in case of his death. At first she doesn't think too much of it but her husband, John-Paul, begins to behave weirdly when she mentions the letter and suddenly she can't stop thinking what the letter is about. Rachel lives in the same neighborhood as Cecilia and has been mourning the death of her daughter Janie for years. Now that her son is moving, she won't be seeing her grandson and she finds herself getting wrapped up in Janie's death even more. Tess moves back into town after finding out that her husband and best friend have fallen in love behind her back. She struggles with what to do now, especially with her son Patrick caught in the middle, and things only get more complicated when she reconnects with an ex boyfriend.
I know a lot of people really enjoyed this book but I just couldn't get into it. I did like the authors writing style but I just felt like the story didn't come together. The passages about the past around when the Berlin wall fell felt like they didn't add anything to the story for me personally. Also Tess's story didn't tie in together with Cecilia and Rachel's stories which kind only bothered me because how well Cecilia and Rachel's stories went together. It just felt like the whole Tess story line could have been cut out of the book without any problems. It was all just really predictable, the second I read Rachel's chapter I knew where everything was going. Also that ending made me think of Jodi Picoult and her little twist endings and not in a good way. It just felt too coincidental for me to buy. So while I liked the complexity portrayed and the writing as well as the characters the plot just didn't do it for me at all.
I know a lot of people really enjoyed this book but I just couldn't get into it. I did like the authors writing style but I just felt like the story didn't come together. The passages about the past around when the Berlin wall fell felt like they didn't add anything to the story for me personally. Also Tess's story didn't tie in together with Cecilia and Rachel's stories which kind only bothered me because how well Cecilia and Rachel's stories went together. It just felt like the whole Tess story line could have been cut out of the book without any problems. It was all just really predictable, the second I read Rachel's chapter I knew where everything was going. Also that ending made me think of Jodi Picoult and her little twist endings and not in a good way. It just felt too coincidental for me to buy. So while I liked the complexity portrayed and the writing as well as the characters the plot just didn't do it for me at all.
June 23, 2019
this is the most interesting mystery book ive read, in that the secrets/mysteries are revealed pretty early on in the story; so the plot doesnt focus on ‘what happened?’ or ‘who did it?’ but more on ‘what will everyone do now?’ and because of that, because of the in-depth focus on the characters, their lives, and how they are all connected, this felt more like contemporary fiction to me. and im actually okay with that.
i really enjoyed how the reader starts off with a pinhole view, focused solely on three separate characters/families, and then as the story progresses, the readers view expands. finally getting that full perspective and seeing how everything is connected is such an exciting feeling. i thought that part was really well done, with the epilogue providing a really great conclusion. and even though the ‘mystery’ aspect isnt the main focus on the story, i still think the story is engaging.
this is my first liane moriarty book, so i am interested to see if her other stories follow this trend. i know ‘big little lies’ is pretty popular, so i might have to pick that up soon!
↠ 3.5 stars
i really enjoyed how the reader starts off with a pinhole view, focused solely on three separate characters/families, and then as the story progresses, the readers view expands. finally getting that full perspective and seeing how everything is connected is such an exciting feeling. i thought that part was really well done, with the epilogue providing a really great conclusion. and even though the ‘mystery’ aspect isnt the main focus on the story, i still think the story is engaging.
this is my first liane moriarty book, so i am interested to see if her other stories follow this trend. i know ‘big little lies’ is pretty popular, so i might have to pick that up soon!
↠ 3.5 stars
October 28, 2013
Liane Moriarty is an artist.
First of all we have different women that seem to have nothing to do with one another. The book toggles between each of them. Additionally, the prologue is a quick synopsis of Pandora and her box, pointing out that Pandora was never told to not open the box. Why wouldn't she open the box? She had no idea what would be unleashed when she opened the box. The stories are also interspersed with a little bit of history of the Berlin Wall. Which would seem odd except that, when you think about the Berlin Wall, Pandora's Box, and Tupperware. They are all trying to do the same thing; keep what needs to be kept in. But, like all of the above mentioned containments, eventually things leak out and there is no predicting how that will turn out.
Read the rest of review: http://amusingreviews.blogspot.com/20...
First of all we have different women that seem to have nothing to do with one another. The book toggles between each of them. Additionally, the prologue is a quick synopsis of Pandora and her box, pointing out that Pandora was never told to not open the box. Why wouldn't she open the box? She had no idea what would be unleashed when she opened the box. The stories are also interspersed with a little bit of history of the Berlin Wall. Which would seem odd except that, when you think about the Berlin Wall, Pandora's Box, and Tupperware. They are all trying to do the same thing; keep what needs to be kept in. But, like all of the above mentioned containments, eventually things leak out and there is no predicting how that will turn out.
Read the rest of review: http://amusingreviews.blogspot.com/20...
December 23, 2018
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.
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.
May 11, 2016
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty is a 2013 Berkley publication.
I am perhaps the last soul on earth to discover this fabulous author. After reading, “What Alice Forgot”, I couldn’t wait to read another book by Liane Moriarty.
This story was amazing. This author’s voice is incredible and boy does she know how to weave a story together. Three women, seemingly unconnected, find their paths crossing in the most bizarre way imaginable.
Cecilia finds a letter her husband wrote following the birth of their first child, which was only to be read in the event of his death. When she confronts him with it, he embarrassingly shrugs it off as a sentimental gesture and asked her to leave it unopened. However, when he returns home three days early, from a business trip and begins searching for the letter, Cecilia knows something is amiss, prompting her to ignore her husband’s request. What she discovers will knock her world off its axis.
Tess, returns to her mother’s home with her son, Liam, after she discovers her husband and her cousin have fallen in love with one another. While enrolling her son in the local school system, she meets an old boyfriend, who is now a P.E. teacher, and they decide to catch up on old times.
Rachel’s daughter was murdered many years ago, but the killer was never caught. Rachel is sure she knows who the killer is, she just can’t prove it. But, right now, she is frustrated by her son and daughter-in-law, who are planning a move to New York, which means Rachel won’t be able to babysit for her grandson anymore. Until, she discovers something that could get her daughter’s case reopened…..
This story is unlike any other I’ve read. I found myself giggling at times, horrified at others, shocked on several occasions, and even gasped out loud once or twice. The collision course, these three families are on is a thought provoking journey, which once again, prompts the reader to ponder about life, the choices we’ve made, the questions we often have about the path we’ve chosen, wondering if it was the way things were meant to be or what if…..
The story also examines the secrets we keep in life, in marriage, and other relationships and why we keep them, why we are afraid to speak out about our fears, or foibles. It’s understandable in some cases, and rather silly in others, but face it, we all harbor secrets. But, what are the consequences?
Each character is well drawn, very distinct, very human. I liked some of the people a great deal, and others infuriated me, or left me feeling cold.
However, all the elements are emotional and complicated, and the conclusion was very unexpected, but absolutely fitting.
If you haven’t read anything by the author, I can tell you, her work spans several genres, really, and will appeal to those who like mystery, romance, contemporary fiction and chick-lit.
I have to get back on my review schedule for now, but I can hardly wait to read another book from this talented storyteller.
I am perhaps the last soul on earth to discover this fabulous author. After reading, “What Alice Forgot”, I couldn’t wait to read another book by Liane Moriarty.
This story was amazing. This author’s voice is incredible and boy does she know how to weave a story together. Three women, seemingly unconnected, find their paths crossing in the most bizarre way imaginable.
Cecilia finds a letter her husband wrote following the birth of their first child, which was only to be read in the event of his death. When she confronts him with it, he embarrassingly shrugs it off as a sentimental gesture and asked her to leave it unopened. However, when he returns home three days early, from a business trip and begins searching for the letter, Cecilia knows something is amiss, prompting her to ignore her husband’s request. What she discovers will knock her world off its axis.
Tess, returns to her mother’s home with her son, Liam, after she discovers her husband and her cousin have fallen in love with one another. While enrolling her son in the local school system, she meets an old boyfriend, who is now a P.E. teacher, and they decide to catch up on old times.
Rachel’s daughter was murdered many years ago, but the killer was never caught. Rachel is sure she knows who the killer is, she just can’t prove it. But, right now, she is frustrated by her son and daughter-in-law, who are planning a move to New York, which means Rachel won’t be able to babysit for her grandson anymore. Until, she discovers something that could get her daughter’s case reopened…..
This story is unlike any other I’ve read. I found myself giggling at times, horrified at others, shocked on several occasions, and even gasped out loud once or twice. The collision course, these three families are on is a thought provoking journey, which once again, prompts the reader to ponder about life, the choices we’ve made, the questions we often have about the path we’ve chosen, wondering if it was the way things were meant to be or what if…..
The story also examines the secrets we keep in life, in marriage, and other relationships and why we keep them, why we are afraid to speak out about our fears, or foibles. It’s understandable in some cases, and rather silly in others, but face it, we all harbor secrets. But, what are the consequences?
Each character is well drawn, very distinct, very human. I liked some of the people a great deal, and others infuriated me, or left me feeling cold.
However, all the elements are emotional and complicated, and the conclusion was very unexpected, but absolutely fitting.
If you haven’t read anything by the author, I can tell you, her work spans several genres, really, and will appeal to those who like mystery, romance, contemporary fiction and chick-lit.
I have to get back on my review schedule for now, but I can hardly wait to read another book from this talented storyteller.
September 9, 2013
I read this out of curiosity (it’s one of the top selling books on Kindle) and I’m not sorry I did, but it does bring new meaning to the phrase “light read.” I read it in about two hours and enjoyed every minute, but it’s fluff. In one ear and out the other. The story is about a woman who discovers a letter addressed to her from her husband in a box in the attic. It says only to open it in the case of his death. Her husband is not dead yet and so she agonizes through too many chapters about whether to open the letter. The reader knows the contents of the letter will be pretty exciting because Moriarty starts a foreword with a passage about Pandora’s box. So we get dragged along by suspense and then…well, I won’t spoil it. The book is actually about three separate women and their immediate families which confused me when the point of view abruptly switched between chapters from Pandora Letter Woman to someone else. PET PEEVE ALERT: Hate when writers do this. Just because they’ve spent X number of years with these characters and are intimately familiar with them doesn’t mean the readers are. Also, it takes an exceptionally good writer to effortlessly transition between characters or introduce new characters without some sort of clue to the reader (such as heading each chapter with a name, etc.).
The book, for all its seriousness, actually feels a little trite and silly. The plot feels made for TV or for a movie or whatever (have the book rights been sold?). Anyway, I’d say that I was pretty emotionally disconnected from the characters and their individual plights throughout the book, only continuing to read because it was entertaining and fast-paced. If you want a beach/pool book or something to read that doesn’t require a lot of commitment or thinking (and there are times that kind of book is PERFECT), this is a great contender.
The book, for all its seriousness, actually feels a little trite and silly. The plot feels made for TV or for a movie or whatever (have the book rights been sold?). Anyway, I’d say that I was pretty emotionally disconnected from the characters and their individual plights throughout the book, only continuing to read because it was entertaining and fast-paced. If you want a beach/pool book or something to read that doesn’t require a lot of commitment or thinking (and there are times that kind of book is PERFECT), this is a great contender.
November 25, 2016
This book is about secrets and lies. About the choices you make in your life and the consequences of those actions.
Pandora's Box....
What would you do if you found a letter from your spouse telling you to open it ONLY upon their death.
What would you do … Would you open it? Really? How would that decision affect your life? Can you ever go back?
How well do we ever really know those we love, those we live with, those we hold dear to our heart. What secrets do they hide that we can never imagine? If we knew those secrets could we still love them? Still live with them?
This fabulous story is told from 3 separate points of view.
Rachel the mother who cannot get over the death of her daughter years ago.
Cecelia, happily married and mother of three girls. Has a Tupperware business on the side and believes she has it all.
Tess, mother of a young school age boy, owns a business with her husband and cousin and is about to have her life turned upside down.
Each separate story weaves it's thread until they all come together in an explosive ending. I was left wondering what directions the plot would go. Deliciously, some I never saw coming.
Don't you ever wonder how the smallest detail in your daily life can cause a major ripple and repercussions down the road that you could never imagine?
The best book I've read this year!!
Pandora's Box....
What would you do if you found a letter from your spouse telling you to open it ONLY upon their death.
What would you do … Would you open it? Really? How would that decision affect your life? Can you ever go back?
How well do we ever really know those we love, those we live with, those we hold dear to our heart. What secrets do they hide that we can never imagine? If we knew those secrets could we still love them? Still live with them?
This fabulous story is told from 3 separate points of view.
Rachel the mother who cannot get over the death of her daughter years ago.
Cecelia, happily married and mother of three girls. Has a Tupperware business on the side and believes she has it all.
Tess, mother of a young school age boy, owns a business with her husband and cousin and is about to have her life turned upside down.
Each separate story weaves it's thread until they all come together in an explosive ending. I was left wondering what directions the plot would go. Deliciously, some I never saw coming.
Don't you ever wonder how the smallest detail in your daily life can cause a major ripple and repercussions down the road that you could never imagine?
The best book I've read this year!!
July 8, 2015
4.5 Stars
I have enjoyed reading all of Liane Moriarty's books. I was introduced to her books early this year and she is now definitely a favourite.
The first part of The Husband's Secret was a bit difficult to get through, meeting the many characters, the connection between all of them, and the different points of view. However, it was
well worth the wait as the story came together. An amazing story of the secrets we keep.
Lots of twists and turns with many great ethical questions. The book shows how one decision can impact the rest of your life and those you love. An excellent read that I highly recommend.
I have enjoyed reading all of Liane Moriarty's books. I was introduced to her books early this year and she is now definitely a favourite.
The first part of The Husband's Secret was a bit difficult to get through, meeting the many characters, the connection between all of them, and the different points of view. However, it was
well worth the wait as the story came together. An amazing story of the secrets we keep.
Lots of twists and turns with many great ethical questions. The book shows how one decision can impact the rest of your life and those you love. An excellent read that I highly recommend.
March 27, 2017
Last week was a terrible time for me and my family because my dad suffered from a mild stroke/heart attack and was confined at the hospital for five days. For the first two days, he was confused and disoriented. It broke my heart to see him like that because he has always been so active and so animated despite being already 70 years of age. I got my passion for reading from him and you’ll probably won’t believe me but I did convince him to read Hunger Games, Divergent and the likes. He’s home now and he’s recovering very well. Why I had to share this is because during the days I didn’t know what to do, the magic of reading once again worked its miracles on me. This particular book kept me distracted from thinking too much or crying too much and perhaps for that alone, this book will always have a special place in my heart.
The Husband’s Secret certainly is literally hard to put down and when I’m not reading it, I often find myself thinking about what’s going to happen next. I felt completely drawn to the three women in the story and I find myself invested and involved in each of their lives, rooting for them and for their well-being even though they are not exactly the epitome of excellent character. In fact, they’re admittedly flawed and yet the author managed to make me look at their lives as if I was the one living theirs because they are all completely fleshed-out and I could just feel their every emotion. It was so easy to feel connected with these characters especially with the good sprinkling of relatable and witty humor the author always injected in their thoughts.
Even more impressive is how the author was able to make me question my own morality. I bet just like me, a lot of people could confidently say that they are moral human beings who know what is right from what is wrong but the predicament of these characters constantly made me think, “if I were in their shoes, I probably would have done the same thing or perhaps, even worse.” Even if it bothered my conscience, I would have also fixated on my own and my loved ones’ preservation. I both admire and hate Ms. Liane Moriarty for doing this to me. Such a talented storyteller, that woman. (Yeah, we’re close. ^_^)
The inter-relatedness of the lives of the three women messed up with my emotions because the preservation of one means sacrificing the other and heck, I could not think of a way to put a solution to what they’re going through. I was just hoping for a miracle or a twist of fate to strike them and instantly put an end to all their misery. Fortunately and unfortunately, my wish was granted. Everything fell into pieces although it’s quite sad and a bit tragic, this is exactly where the popular saying, “everything happens for a reason” applies. Indeed, some secrets need to remain secrets.
The book save for the epilogue that quite detached me from the characters and the preceding events is a solid four star read. This was my first book by Ms. Moriarty, but I think I have a new go-to author when I’m looking for something mysterious, quite angsty but twisty and thought provoking fiction to read.
The Husband’s Secret certainly is literally hard to put down and when I’m not reading it, I often find myself thinking about what’s going to happen next. I felt completely drawn to the three women in the story and I find myself invested and involved in each of their lives, rooting for them and for their well-being even though they are not exactly the epitome of excellent character. In fact, they’re admittedly flawed and yet the author managed to make me look at their lives as if I was the one living theirs because they are all completely fleshed-out and I could just feel their every emotion. It was so easy to feel connected with these characters especially with the good sprinkling of relatable and witty humor the author always injected in their thoughts.
Even more impressive is how the author was able to make me question my own morality. I bet just like me, a lot of people could confidently say that they are moral human beings who know what is right from what is wrong but the predicament of these characters constantly made me think, “if I were in their shoes, I probably would have done the same thing or perhaps, even worse.” Even if it bothered my conscience, I would have also fixated on my own and my loved ones’ preservation. I both admire and hate Ms. Liane Moriarty for doing this to me. Such a talented storyteller, that woman. (Yeah, we’re close. ^_^)
The inter-relatedness of the lives of the three women messed up with my emotions because the preservation of one means sacrificing the other and heck, I could not think of a way to put a solution to what they’re going through. I was just hoping for a miracle or a twist of fate to strike them and instantly put an end to all their misery. Fortunately and unfortunately, my wish was granted. Everything fell into pieces although it’s quite sad and a bit tragic, this is exactly where the popular saying, “everything happens for a reason” applies. Indeed, some secrets need to remain secrets.
The book save for the epilogue that quite detached me from the characters and the preceding events is a solid four star read. This was my first book by Ms. Moriarty, but I think I have a new go-to author when I’m looking for something mysterious, quite angsty but twisty and thought provoking fiction to read.
July 4, 2019
A husband has a secret and it is a doozy. In another family, a wife is betrayed by a trusted family member. A mysterious sealed letter is found entirely by accident and is meant to remain sealed for the nonce. You can bet that won't happen. Blame gets passed around, steps are taken, control is lost. Karma may be a long time in coming, but it will surely happen. Loved the very different epilogue.
February 18, 2017
"The Husband's Secret" is a prime example of why I pay attention to book covers. As I walked into the bookstore, this first edition book with a pearlescent background; embossed black title; and a shattered pink rose immediately drew me to it--beautiful and on sale, too!
I was familiar with the author's name, but I'd never read any of her books. My expectations were not high, but I definitely needed a change of pace from the previous four books I'd read. This one turned out to be the perfect book at the perfect time; but more likely, it would have been the perfect book at any time.
What an interesting storyline. I was hooked from the beginning. I found myself sympathetic towards every character, no matter what their circumstances were. The surprises were many, and I enjoyed the touch of humor sprinkled about the chapters, even though this was a serious, fast-paced read. The entire book was a lesson on understanding and forgiveness.
Probably the best way I could praise any author would be to purchase another one of their books. Well, Liane Moriarty, I bought two more.
Highly recommend.
I was familiar with the author's name, but I'd never read any of her books. My expectations were not high, but I definitely needed a change of pace from the previous four books I'd read. This one turned out to be the perfect book at the perfect time; but more likely, it would have been the perfect book at any time.
What an interesting storyline. I was hooked from the beginning. I found myself sympathetic towards every character, no matter what their circumstances were. The surprises were many, and I enjoyed the touch of humor sprinkled about the chapters, even though this was a serious, fast-paced read. The entire book was a lesson on understanding and forgiveness.
Probably the best way I could praise any author would be to purchase another one of their books. Well, Liane Moriarty, I bought two more.
Highly recommend.
January 14, 2014
Terrific story. I didn't want to read at first because the title makes it seem a bit fluff, but I was on vacation and desperate for something light. Boy, was I pleased. The characters are very compelling and the style reminds me of early Kate Atkinson. Highly recommend!
March 9, 2020
Who can resist a JUICY secret??? NOT ME!
Liane Moriarty's love of creating interesting and tangible characters really shows in this one. Here, we are introduced to several different families, complete with children, grandparents, best friends, old boyfriends, etc. There are A LOT of characters to digest, more than I'm used to keeping track of, but I was able to persevere and get everyone straight in my head, and boy was it worth it.
Each chapter is short, really short, (like three pages), and each chapter shifts to a different family, so it was a bit mentally taxing to have my train of thought disrupted so often. But I stuck with it, because I JUST HAD TO KNOW WHAT THAT LETTER SAID!!!
The story was timed perfectly, and the secret was revealed at just the right moment, not too early, not too late. Once the secret was out (and it's a good one!!), I felt the characters' reactions were spot-on, as they always are in Moriarty's writing.
As this story rounded to a close, all of the characters' lives became intertwined, which was just fascinating. Toward the end, I was breathless with how this would all play out. The ending was brilliant. It actually left me with chills. I just loved this one.
Liane Moriarty's love of creating interesting and tangible characters really shows in this one. Here, we are introduced to several different families, complete with children, grandparents, best friends, old boyfriends, etc. There are A LOT of characters to digest, more than I'm used to keeping track of, but I was able to persevere and get everyone straight in my head, and boy was it worth it.
Each chapter is short, really short, (like three pages), and each chapter shifts to a different family, so it was a bit mentally taxing to have my train of thought disrupted so often. But I stuck with it, because I JUST HAD TO KNOW WHAT THAT LETTER SAID!!!
The story was timed perfectly, and the secret was revealed at just the right moment, not too early, not too late. Once the secret was out (and it's a good one!!), I felt the characters' reactions were spot-on, as they always are in Moriarty's writing.
As this story rounded to a close, all of the characters' lives became intertwined, which was just fascinating. Toward the end, I was breathless with how this would all play out. The ending was brilliant. It actually left me with chills. I just loved this one.
February 22, 2018
Discovering Liane Moriarty's novels has made me giddy. This is only the second book of hers I've read, and it was delightful.
I laughed. I got misty-eyed. I pondered our shared humanity and the moral messiness of modern life. What else could you ask for in a contemporary novel?
I can't wait to dive into the rest of Liane's books!
Favorite Quotes
"None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever."
"You could try as hard as you could to imagine someone else’s tragedy—drowning in icy waters, living in a city split by a wall—but nothing truly hurts until it happens to you. Most of all, to your child."
"It wasn’t logical, but the better you knew someone, the more blurry they became. The accumulation of facts made them disappear."
"Her goodness had limits. She could have easily gone her whole life without knowing those limits, but now she knew exactly where they lay."
"Falling in love was easy. Anyone could fall. It was holding on that was tricky."
I laughed. I got misty-eyed. I pondered our shared humanity and the moral messiness of modern life. What else could you ask for in a contemporary novel?
I can't wait to dive into the rest of Liane's books!
Favorite Quotes
"None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever."
"You could try as hard as you could to imagine someone else’s tragedy—drowning in icy waters, living in a city split by a wall—but nothing truly hurts until it happens to you. Most of all, to your child."
"It wasn’t logical, but the better you knew someone, the more blurry they became. The accumulation of facts made them disappear."
"Her goodness had limits. She could have easily gone her whole life without knowing those limits, but now she knew exactly where they lay."
"Falling in love was easy. Anyone could fall. It was holding on that was tricky."
August 15, 2018
4.5★
“He had that starved, frightened, sullen look you saw on so many teenager boys. It was as if they needed to both punch a wall and be cuddled.”
I do enjoy Moriarty’s observations, sprinkled everywhere. Everything is not all sunshine and roses in her stories. It’s more swans gliding on the surface while paddling madly underneath. We’ve got crime and tragedy and infidelity, but we’ve also got Easter egg hunts and clever, informed children arguing about world events. And, best of all, this is how you write a story with multiple characters and flashbacks without losing your audience.
Moriarty’s Big Little Lies didn’t confuse me either. It was also about multiple families (centred on mothers) and a secret, and it was written after this one. Of course, Lies became a famous, award-winning TV mini-series (Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, THAT kind of famous), so readers may now have different visualisations of the characters.
I mention this first because I also just read another book about young mothers and new babies and a kidnapping, and I had a hard time telling the “voices” apart, which made for a somewhat strained experience. I lost interest.
This felt easy, perhaps because we are given enough time with each family to pigeonhole their various foibles. And I have my own mental images of them all, (although they may not be true to Moriarty's descriptions, but they'll do me). Tess and her cousin Felicity have been joined at the hip since childhood, joking about everyone else at school.
“She and Felicity didn’t tolerate the overly skinny, the overly sporty, the overly rich or overly intellectual. They laughed at people with personal trainers and small dogs, people who put overly intellectual or misspelled comments on Facebook, people who used the phrase, ‘I’m in a very good place right now’ and people who always got ‘involved’ – people like Cecilia Fitzpatrick. Tess and Felicity sat on the sidelines of life smirking at the players.”
Cecilia Fitzpatrick is STILL involved, the local Tupperware queen of Sydney’s North Shore who practically runs the primary school on her own – the cupcake lady, the chatterbox.
“It was mainly the sheer quantity of words that flowed so effortlessly from Cecilia’s mouth. Oh God, she’s stopped talking. Tess registered with a start that it was her turn to speak. ‘Busy,’ she said finally. ‘You sure are busy.’ She forced her lips into something she hoped resembled a smile.”
If you’ve read the publisher’s blurb, or the first page or two of the book, you will know that it is Cecilia who finds a hidden letter from her husband (in case of my death. . . - that sort of letter) and wants to know what his secret is. She is especially worried because he has avoided sex for months now. She starts a mental conversation with herself (I told you she was a chatterbox).
“Also, he adored his mother. Weren’t gay men particularly close to their mothers? Or was that a myth? He owned an apricot polo shirt, and ironed it himself. Yes, he was probably gay.”
He’s away on business, and she’s trying to resist the temptation to open the letter.
We meet Tess and Felicity, who now live in Melbourne. Felicity was fat and entertaining and the third amigo/partner in Tess's and Will's family business. Felicity got slim, is now gorgeous, there's trouble, and Tess has taken her little boy to see her mother who’s laid up with a broken ankle back in Sydney. She goes to her old school.
“It was disconcerting, being here at her old school, as if time was a blanket that had been folded up, so that different times were overlapping, pressed against each other.”
At the school, Tess pushes her mother in the wheelchair to the office, where her mother begins the conversation. Tess thinks:
“Her mother had never really lost the habit of speaking on her behalf. It was a little embarrassing, but also quite nice and relaxing, like five-star service at a hotel. Why not sit back and let someone else do all the hard work for you?”
Besides, Rachel, the woman in the office is her mother’s contemporary and people often have a hard time looking her in the eye because she lost a daughter many years ago.
“People thought that tragedy made you wise, that it automatically elevated you to a higher, spiritual level, but it seemed to Rachel that just the opposite was true. Tragedy made you petty and spiteful. It didn’t give you any great knowledge or insight.”
The situation is sometimes like a school reunion, where both new and old flames may flicker, and damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead . . . or, on second thought. . .
I won’t go on about the story and suspicions, but I will add one descriptive bit I enjoyed, speaking of flickering flames. This is almost better than sex. I’ve edited out any reference to a character (it could be anyone, really), but I think I’ve kept the spirit of it.
“He moved his thumb so gently across her knuckle it was almost imperceptible. She had forgotten this: the way your senses exploded and your pulse raced, as if you were properly awake after a long sleep. She had forgotten the thrill, the desire, the melting sensation. . . She hadn’t even known she’d missed it . . . But, my God, she’d forgotten the power of it. How nothing else felt important.”
It’s nice to be reminded, isn't it? And to be able to enjoy a good read as well. 😊
“He had that starved, frightened, sullen look you saw on so many teenager boys. It was as if they needed to both punch a wall and be cuddled.”
I do enjoy Moriarty’s observations, sprinkled everywhere. Everything is not all sunshine and roses in her stories. It’s more swans gliding on the surface while paddling madly underneath. We’ve got crime and tragedy and infidelity, but we’ve also got Easter egg hunts and clever, informed children arguing about world events. And, best of all, this is how you write a story with multiple characters and flashbacks without losing your audience.
Moriarty’s Big Little Lies didn’t confuse me either. It was also about multiple families (centred on mothers) and a secret, and it was written after this one. Of course, Lies became a famous, award-winning TV mini-series (Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, THAT kind of famous), so readers may now have different visualisations of the characters.
I mention this first because I also just read another book about young mothers and new babies and a kidnapping, and I had a hard time telling the “voices” apart, which made for a somewhat strained experience. I lost interest.
This felt easy, perhaps because we are given enough time with each family to pigeonhole their various foibles. And I have my own mental images of them all, (although they may not be true to Moriarty's descriptions, but they'll do me). Tess and her cousin Felicity have been joined at the hip since childhood, joking about everyone else at school.
“She and Felicity didn’t tolerate the overly skinny, the overly sporty, the overly rich or overly intellectual. They laughed at people with personal trainers and small dogs, people who put overly intellectual or misspelled comments on Facebook, people who used the phrase, ‘I’m in a very good place right now’ and people who always got ‘involved’ – people like Cecilia Fitzpatrick. Tess and Felicity sat on the sidelines of life smirking at the players.”
Cecilia Fitzpatrick is STILL involved, the local Tupperware queen of Sydney’s North Shore who practically runs the primary school on her own – the cupcake lady, the chatterbox.
“It was mainly the sheer quantity of words that flowed so effortlessly from Cecilia’s mouth. Oh God, she’s stopped talking. Tess registered with a start that it was her turn to speak. ‘Busy,’ she said finally. ‘You sure are busy.’ She forced her lips into something she hoped resembled a smile.”
If you’ve read the publisher’s blurb, or the first page or two of the book, you will know that it is Cecilia who finds a hidden letter from her husband (in case of my death. . . - that sort of letter) and wants to know what his secret is. She is especially worried because he has avoided sex for months now. She starts a mental conversation with herself (I told you she was a chatterbox).
“Also, he adored his mother. Weren’t gay men particularly close to their mothers? Or was that a myth? He owned an apricot polo shirt, and ironed it himself. Yes, he was probably gay.”
He’s away on business, and she’s trying to resist the temptation to open the letter.
We meet Tess and Felicity, who now live in Melbourne. Felicity was fat and entertaining and the third amigo/partner in Tess's and Will's family business. Felicity got slim, is now gorgeous, there's trouble, and Tess has taken her little boy to see her mother who’s laid up with a broken ankle back in Sydney. She goes to her old school.
“It was disconcerting, being here at her old school, as if time was a blanket that had been folded up, so that different times were overlapping, pressed against each other.”
At the school, Tess pushes her mother in the wheelchair to the office, where her mother begins the conversation. Tess thinks:
“Her mother had never really lost the habit of speaking on her behalf. It was a little embarrassing, but also quite nice and relaxing, like five-star service at a hotel. Why not sit back and let someone else do all the hard work for you?”
Besides, Rachel, the woman in the office is her mother’s contemporary and people often have a hard time looking her in the eye because she lost a daughter many years ago.
“People thought that tragedy made you wise, that it automatically elevated you to a higher, spiritual level, but it seemed to Rachel that just the opposite was true. Tragedy made you petty and spiteful. It didn’t give you any great knowledge or insight.”
The situation is sometimes like a school reunion, where both new and old flames may flicker, and damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead . . . or, on second thought. . .
I won’t go on about the story and suspicions, but I will add one descriptive bit I enjoyed, speaking of flickering flames. This is almost better than sex. I’ve edited out any reference to a character (it could be anyone, really), but I think I’ve kept the spirit of it.
“He moved his thumb so gently across her knuckle it was almost imperceptible. She had forgotten this: the way your senses exploded and your pulse raced, as if you were properly awake after a long sleep. She had forgotten the thrill, the desire, the melting sensation. . . She hadn’t even known she’d missed it . . . But, my God, she’d forgotten the power of it. How nothing else felt important.”
It’s nice to be reminded, isn't it? And to be able to enjoy a good read as well. 😊
August 6, 2020
The Husband's Secret, Liane Moriarty
The novel is set in Sydney, Australia, where Cecilia Fitzpatrick is a happily married mother-of-three who leads a seemingly perfect life.
Meanwhile, Tess O'Leary is a career woman who returns to Sydney with her son after her husband, Will, confesses that he is in love with her cousin and best friend, Felicity.
Tess' son and Cecilia's children are enrolled in the same school, where Tess' ex-boyfriend, Connor Whitby, is a PE (Physical education, also known as Phys Ed., PE, and known in many Commonwealth countries as physical training or PT.) teacher.
Rachel Crowley, the school secretary, suspects that Connor is the man responsible for the unsolved murder of her daughter that still haunts her almost three decades later.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز چهارم ماه سپتامبر سال 2016 میلادی
عنوان: راز شوهر؛ نویسنده: لیان موریاتی؛ مترجم: سحر حسابی؛ تهران، آموت، 1394؛ در 396ص؛ شابک 9786006605890؛ چاپ دوم 1394؛ چاپ سوم 1395؛ چاپ چهارم 1396؛ چاپهای پنجم و ششم 1397؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان استرالیایی - سده 21م
راز شوهر رمانی نوشتهٔ «لیان موریارتی» است؛ که نخستین بار در سال 2013میلادی؛ توسط نشر «پنگوئن» منتشر شد، و در لیست پرفروشترین کتابهای سال قرار گرفت.؛ «راز شوهر» در ایران توسط خانم «سحر حسابی»، نخستین بار در نشر «آموت» در سال 1394هجری خورشیدی منتشر شده است.؛
نقل نمونه متن: (به خاطر دیوار برلین بود.؛ اگر به خاطر دیوار برلین نبود، «سیسیلیا» هیچوقت این نامه را پیدا نمیکرد، و الان اینجا روی میز آشپزخانه نمینشست، و با خودش کلنجار نمیرفت، که پاره اش کند.؛ روی پاکت نامه ی خاکستری، لایه ی نازکی از خاک نشسته بود.؛ کلماتِ روی آن با خودکار آبی و بیدقت نوشته شده بود، و دست خطش اینقدر آشنا بود، که فکر میکرد خودش آن را نوشته است.؛ نامه را برگرداند.؛ با یک تکه کاغذ چسبی مهروموم شده بود.؛ کی نوشته شده بود؟ به نظر قدیمی میآمد، انگار سالها پیش نوشته شده، اما هیچ راهی وجود نداشت تا بتوان اطمینان پیدا کرد.؛ نمیخواست بازش کند.؛ کاملاً مشخص بود که نباید بازش کند.؛ خودش قاطعترین کسی بود، که در تمام عمرش میشناخت، و تصمیم گرفته بود، نامه را باز نکند، بنابراین دیگر لازم نبود فکر کند.؛ هرچند اگر هم بازش میکرد، اتفاقی نمیافتاد.؛ هر زنی بود در یک چشم بر هم زدن، بازش میکرد.؛ او همه دوستانش را در ذهنش لیست کرد...؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/05/1395هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
The novel is set in Sydney, Australia, where Cecilia Fitzpatrick is a happily married mother-of-three who leads a seemingly perfect life.
Meanwhile, Tess O'Leary is a career woman who returns to Sydney with her son after her husband, Will, confesses that he is in love with her cousin and best friend, Felicity.
Tess' son and Cecilia's children are enrolled in the same school, where Tess' ex-boyfriend, Connor Whitby, is a PE (Physical education, also known as Phys Ed., PE, and known in many Commonwealth countries as physical training or PT.) teacher.
Rachel Crowley, the school secretary, suspects that Connor is the man responsible for the unsolved murder of her daughter that still haunts her almost three decades later.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز چهارم ماه سپتامبر سال 2016 میلادی
عنوان: راز شوهر؛ نویسنده: لیان موریاتی؛ مترجم: سحر حسابی؛ تهران، آموت، 1394؛ در 396ص؛ شابک 9786006605890؛ چاپ دوم 1394؛ چاپ سوم 1395؛ چاپ چهارم 1396؛ چاپهای پنجم و ششم 1397؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان استرالیایی - سده 21م
راز شوهر رمانی نوشتهٔ «لیان موریارتی» است؛ که نخستین بار در سال 2013میلادی؛ توسط نشر «پنگوئن» منتشر شد، و در لیست پرفروشترین کتابهای سال قرار گرفت.؛ «راز شوهر» در ایران توسط خانم «سحر حسابی»، نخستین بار در نشر «آموت» در سال 1394هجری خورشیدی منتشر شده است.؛
نقل نمونه متن: (به خاطر دیوار برلین بود.؛ اگر به خاطر دیوار برلین نبود، «سیسیلیا» هیچوقت این نامه را پیدا نمیکرد، و الان اینجا روی میز آشپزخانه نمینشست، و با خودش کلنجار نمیرفت، که پاره اش کند.؛ روی پاکت نامه ی خاکستری، لایه ی نازکی از خاک نشسته بود.؛ کلماتِ روی آن با خودکار آبی و بیدقت نوشته شده بود، و دست خطش اینقدر آشنا بود، که فکر میکرد خودش آن را نوشته است.؛ نامه را برگرداند.؛ با یک تکه کاغذ چسبی مهروموم شده بود.؛ کی نوشته شده بود؟ به نظر قدیمی میآمد، انگار سالها پیش نوشته شده، اما هیچ راهی وجود نداشت تا بتوان اطمینان پیدا کرد.؛ نمیخواست بازش کند.؛ کاملاً مشخص بود که نباید بازش کند.؛ خودش قاطعترین کسی بود، که در تمام عمرش میشناخت، و تصمیم گرفته بود، نامه را باز نکند، بنابراین دیگر لازم نبود فکر کند.؛ هرچند اگر هم بازش میکرد، اتفاقی نمیافتاد.؛ هر زنی بود در یک چشم بر هم زدن، بازش میکرد.؛ او همه دوستانش را در ذهنش لیست کرد...؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/05/1395هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
May 20, 2015
4.5 Stars
Cecilia has found a letter, written by her husband to be opened after his death, but he is still very much alive, and the secret inside is about to shatter her perfect life.
Rachel has spent years mourning the loss of her daughter, she is just going through the motions, plagued by the life that was stolen.
Tess is faces the ultimate betrayal when the two people she trust the most in the world, make a shocking declaration.
These three women barely know each other, yet they are all connected, in ways they never imagined.
"There are so many secrets about our lives we'll never know…"
The repercussions of a lie, a betrayal, a secret. How well do we really know each other, our spouse, best friend, ourselves? The Husbands's Secret is a gripping, suspenseful, well-written story, that kept me turning the page. I really enjoyed it.
Cecilia has found a letter, written by her husband to be opened after his death, but he is still very much alive, and the secret inside is about to shatter her perfect life.
Rachel has spent years mourning the loss of her daughter, she is just going through the motions, plagued by the life that was stolen.
Tess is faces the ultimate betrayal when the two people she trust the most in the world, make a shocking declaration.
These three women barely know each other, yet they are all connected, in ways they never imagined.
"There are so many secrets about our lives we'll never know…"
The repercussions of a lie, a betrayal, a secret. How well do we really know each other, our spouse, best friend, ourselves? The Husbands's Secret is a gripping, suspenseful, well-written story, that kept me turning the page. I really enjoyed it.
September 5, 2013
The Husband's Secret is an intricate novel of multiple stories and lives that all affect one another in the end. I was impressed by the way the author handled this, although I must admit, in the beginning, for the first few chapters, I was a bit confused about what was happening and where it was leading. There are a lot of secondary characters introduced in the first chapter, and they were a bit hard for me to sort out.
Once this novel really got moving for me,(along about chapter three) this became a book that I didn't relish having to put down. I loved the quirky characters and the way the story expands into other areas and then folds back into itself, creating bonds among the various story lines.
This is not a book that I would recommend reading whilst you are distracted. This story deserves your full and undivided attention for it to truly be appreciated as it should. This is the type of book that I would take with me on a vacation or for a lazy weekend and read when there are few other commitments.
For being such a complex and unique story, it was still a relatively easy read to finish in a short time. As the tale grows, it becomes more an more interesting and captivating, leaving you desperate to know what happens in the end. The ending was not only appropriate, but handled so well that it felt like a real reward once I got there.
Overall, this was impressive and a book that I would certainly recommend to others. It will make you laugh, cry and think about things. Keep a box of tissues nearby, don't say I didn't warn you.
This review is based off of a digital review copy from the publisher, in cooperation with Netgalley and shereads.org.
Once this novel really got moving for me,(along about chapter three) this became a book that I didn't relish having to put down. I loved the quirky characters and the way the story expands into other areas and then folds back into itself, creating bonds among the various story lines.
This is not a book that I would recommend reading whilst you are distracted. This story deserves your full and undivided attention for it to truly be appreciated as it should. This is the type of book that I would take with me on a vacation or for a lazy weekend and read when there are few other commitments.
For being such a complex and unique story, it was still a relatively easy read to finish in a short time. As the tale grows, it becomes more an more interesting and captivating, leaving you desperate to know what happens in the end. The ending was not only appropriate, but handled so well that it felt like a real reward once I got there.
Overall, this was impressive and a book that I would certainly recommend to others. It will make you laugh, cry and think about things. Keep a box of tissues nearby, don't say I didn't warn you.
This review is based off of a digital review copy from the publisher, in cooperation with Netgalley and shereads.org.
November 25, 2021
3.5 stars
This book revolves around three women in Sydney, Australia, all of whom have a connection to St. Angela primary school.
Cecilia Fitzpatrick - whose three girls attend St. Angela - helps organize school activities, has a thriving Tupperware business, and is happily married to handsome businessman John-Paul. One day, while Cecilia is searching the attic for her souvenir piece of the Berlin Wall, she comes across a letter from John-Paul.....to be opened in the event of his death. Cecilia tries to resist, but eventually reads the missive - which dramatically changes her life.
*****
Tess O'Leary lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband Will and their six-year-old son Liam. Tess and Will run an advertising business with Tess's first cousin (and best friend) Felicity. Tess is thrilled for Felicity - who recently slimmed down and looks beautiful - until Will and Felicity announce 'they've fallen in love.'
The lovers even suggest an outrageous plan in which Will, Felicity and Tess will all live together and raise Liam. Tess is beyond furious and whisks Liam off to Sydney, where they stay with Tess's mom.
Tess manages to get Liam enrolled in St. Angela school, just in time for the Easter egg hunt.
In Sydney, Tess also becomes reacquainted with her old boyfriend, Connor Whitby, who's now the gym teacher at St. Angela. Connor is an attractive guy who rides a motorcycle.....so he's something of a heartthrob among the schoolgirls (and their moms).
*****
Rachel Crowley is the school secretary at St. Angela. She's an unhappy, bitter woman who's still reeling from the death of her teenage daughter Janie over two decades ago. Janie was found strangled in a playground, and the murderer was never caught. Nevertheless, Rachel is convinced Connor Whitby is the killer, because he was the last known person to see Janie alive.
Rachel gets some solace from her toddler grandson Jacob, whom she adores. However Rachel's son Rob and daughter-in-law Lauren are taking Jacob to New York for two years - for Lauren's job - and Rachel can't bear it. As far as Rachel is concerned Lauren should just forego her career, stay put, and have another baby.
I have empathy for Rachel, but she's an unlikable person. She's cool to her son; pretends not to like Lauren's gift of delicious macarons; is obsessed with her own concerns; and purposely prolongs her misery (IMO).
*****
Cecelia, Tess, and Rachel aren't friends, but their lives touch during activities like school registration; St. Angela's Easter hat parade (which is adorable, with the kids wearing homemade chapeaus); a Tupperware Party; etc.
In spite of their busy lives, the three women are constantly brooding: Cecilia obsesses about the contents of John-Paul's note; Tess thinks about her cheating husband and disloyal cousin; and Rachel imagines what Janie would do if she was alive.....date; go to college; marry, have kids; and so on.
Events in the book lead to a dramatic climax, after which no one's life will be the same.
Engaging secondary characters add interest to the story. These include: Cecilia's 10-year-old daughter Esther - whose obsession with the Berlin Wall adds a touch of humor;
Tess's young son Liam - who senses dissension in the family and tries to fix it;
Tess's mom - who supports her daughter all the way;
Tess's aunt and uncle (Felicity's parents) - who are in an impossible situation. What do you say when your daughter steals your niece's husband?
I enjoyed the book. Liane Moriarty has a deft hand with plotting and skillfully weaves the elements of the story into a coherent whole.
My biggest quibble - I didn't like the epilog. In this last section, the author focuses on 'what might have been.' I'll give some made-up examples to avoid spoilers: IF Tess had gone to Frederick's of Hollywood instead of Victoria's Secret, she'd have seen her husband buying lingerie for his mistress, divorced him, and married a plumber. IF Cecilia had been a physicist instead of a Tupperware representative, she'd have solved the riddle of dark matter....you get the idea. This kind of thing adds nothing to the story because it didn't happen. It's just a waste of time.
Overall, this is a well-written, compelling novel that I'd recommend to readers who like a good tale with a moral.....actions have consequences!
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
May 14, 2015
"None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have, and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever. Just ask Pandora."
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This is my first book by this author and it certainly won’t be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it and that ending packed one hell of a punch. I have read the epilogue to everyone in my family to share in my excitement sadly I guess you have to read the whole book to get the full effect.
This story is based around three woman, Cecelia a happily married organized mom of three, Rachel a mother and grandmother and Tess a business mom married with a young son; all of whom lives intersect later on in the story. As for the “husband’s secret” well it’s a doozy!!
”For my wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick To be opened only in the event of my death.”
As the story goes forth you can’t help be fully invested in these woman’s lives despite their ages or circumstances.
”You could try as hard as possible to imagine someone else’s tragedy- drowning in icy waters, living in a city split by a wall – but nothing truly hurt until it happened to you.”
This story took a little bit of time to settle into in meeting all the players and their situations. Thereafter, the story hits a terrific groove with fabulous writing and creativity.
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This is my first book by this author and it certainly won’t be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it and that ending packed one hell of a punch. I have read the epilogue to everyone in my family to share in my excitement sadly I guess you have to read the whole book to get the full effect.
This story is based around three woman, Cecelia a happily married organized mom of three, Rachel a mother and grandmother and Tess a business mom married with a young son; all of whom lives intersect later on in the story. As for the “husband’s secret” well it’s a doozy!!
”For my wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick To be opened only in the event of my death.”
As the story goes forth you can’t help be fully invested in these woman’s lives despite their ages or circumstances.
”You could try as hard as possible to imagine someone else’s tragedy- drowning in icy waters, living in a city split by a wall – but nothing truly hurt until it happened to you.”
This story took a little bit of time to settle into in meeting all the players and their situations. Thereafter, the story hits a terrific groove with fabulous writing and creativity.
May 23, 2015
5 Stars!!
I can honestly say “The Husband’s Secret” is a unique read! In my humble opinion, of course.Why? Because it was like nothing I’ve ever read. With a clever plot, ‘real’ and relatable characters and engaging writing, this novel was amazingly done. It was very different from what I usually read, but from time to time I love to read something like this.. From the title you can guess the story is about a secret…obviously, but this novel is about more than that. It’s a story about life, families, community, relationship between family’s members, lies and more. Also from the title you think this novel is a mystery. And it has some kind of mystery here and there, but I can’t label it as a mystery. It’s simply fiction with mystery/suspenseful/romance elements. I’m not gonna lie, the story was predictable at times, but I think most of fiction novels are in one way or another. It’s not a ‘real’ mystery, so I wasn’t bothered at all by this aspect.
The story is very well done and it’s gripping from the very first page. It’s original, smart and seriously I couldn’t put it down. Even after the big reveal, the story was interesting. Needless to say the story was addictive from the beginning to end.
“The Husband’s Secret” is a story that centers around three women – Cecilia, Tess and Rachel.
Cecilia – is 42 years old woman who apparently has it all: a good, hardworking, loving and faithful husband, three beautiful healthy daughters and a satisfying job she loves. She finds a letter written by her husband to be opened after his dead, but he’s still alive. She has to know what the letter is about. What she didn’t expected it is her husband’s letter to change not only her life, but other people's lives as well.
Tess – is in her mid-thirties. She’s a wife and a mother. She thinks her marriage is solid, but she will found out everything is not always what it seems when her husband and her cousin confess they fell for each other. She feels betrayed, she’s angry and all she wants is to escape.
Rachel – is a 68 years old woman who can’t move on from the murder of her daughter more than two decades ago. She’s angry, bitter and she would give everything she has to find out who’s the one who kill her baby girl.
These three woman know each other, but not very well. Apparently there’s no connection between them, but they are more connected than they think.
I really liked these three women and I loved how realistically they are portrayed. They have flaws, fears, insecurities, dreams. They felt real. I really sympathize with all three of them. I enjoyed all their povs and I enjoyed how their ‘voices’ are so different from each other, how honest and real are. I have to admit at some point each one for these woman annoyed the hell out of me. Yeah, at times they were really frustrating. This aspect didn’t affect my rating, because well, it’s fiction and in some way I understood why they act how they act, why they feel how they feel and so on.. and of course because each one of us is different. I loved being in their heads and I really felt I know these women.
I really enjoyed the ending. I’m sure some readers will consider it a little abrupt, but IMO it’s ‘the perfect’ ending for this kind of novel. Honestly when I saw there’s an epilogue I was kind of surprised, because liked I said the ending worked very well for me. Well...the epilogue is the shit. Really!! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed an epilogue as much as I enjoyed this one. It was pure and simple clever and like the book itself unique. The epilogue and actually the entire book will make you think, reflect, wonder about...many things.
This book is about secrets, lies, about what ifs, about how every decision has consequences.
Overall, an amazing read!
Recommended read!
I can honestly say “The Husband’s Secret” is a unique read! In my humble opinion, of course.Why? Because it was like nothing I’ve ever read. With a clever plot, ‘real’ and relatable characters and engaging writing, this novel was amazingly done. It was very different from what I usually read, but from time to time I love to read something like this.. From the title you can guess the story is about a secret…obviously, but this novel is about more than that. It’s a story about life, families, community, relationship between family’s members, lies and more. Also from the title you think this novel is a mystery. And it has some kind of mystery here and there, but I can’t label it as a mystery. It’s simply fiction with mystery/suspenseful/romance elements. I’m not gonna lie, the story was predictable at times, but I think most of fiction novels are in one way or another. It’s not a ‘real’ mystery, so I wasn’t bothered at all by this aspect.
The story is very well done and it’s gripping from the very first page. It’s original, smart and seriously I couldn’t put it down. Even after the big reveal, the story was interesting. Needless to say the story was addictive from the beginning to end.
“The Husband’s Secret” is a story that centers around three women – Cecilia, Tess and Rachel.
Cecilia – is 42 years old woman who apparently has it all: a good, hardworking, loving and faithful husband, three beautiful healthy daughters and a satisfying job she loves. She finds a letter written by her husband to be opened after his dead, but he’s still alive. She has to know what the letter is about. What she didn’t expected it is her husband’s letter to change not only her life, but other people's lives as well.
Tess – is in her mid-thirties. She’s a wife and a mother. She thinks her marriage is solid, but she will found out everything is not always what it seems when her husband and her cousin confess they fell for each other. She feels betrayed, she’s angry and all she wants is to escape.
Rachel – is a 68 years old woman who can’t move on from the murder of her daughter more than two decades ago. She’s angry, bitter and she would give everything she has to find out who’s the one who kill her baby girl.
These three woman know each other, but not very well. Apparently there’s no connection between them, but they are more connected than they think.
I really liked these three women and I loved how realistically they are portrayed. They have flaws, fears, insecurities, dreams. They felt real. I really sympathize with all three of them. I enjoyed all their povs and I enjoyed how their ‘voices’ are so different from each other, how honest and real are. I have to admit at some point each one for these woman annoyed the hell out of me. Yeah, at times they were really frustrating. This aspect didn’t affect my rating, because well, it’s fiction and in some way I understood why they act how they act, why they feel how they feel and so on.. and of course because each one of us is different. I loved being in their heads and I really felt I know these women.
I really enjoyed the ending. I’m sure some readers will consider it a little abrupt, but IMO it’s ‘the perfect’ ending for this kind of novel. Honestly when I saw there’s an epilogue I was kind of surprised, because liked I said the ending worked very well for me. Well...the epilogue is the shit. Really!! I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed an epilogue as much as I enjoyed this one. It was pure and simple clever and like the book itself unique. The epilogue and actually the entire book will make you think, reflect, wonder about...many things.
This book is about secrets, lies, about what ifs, about how every decision has consequences.
Overall, an amazing read!
Recommended read!
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