“On average, a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK: in the vast majority of cases, that man is a current or former partner. At the start of Covid lockdown, the femicide rate doubled - in the first three weeks, fourteen women were killed where a man was suspected of, or charged with, the crime”.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is a dark comedy that explores the effects of domestic violence on women during the pandemic. It is a cooky crime novel that sees four women get together in an English suburb to work out a plan to hide their husbands’ bodies once they’ve killed them.

Though the circumstances that see this story taking place are simply implausible, I really enjoyed reading this one. Alexa Casale’s use of humour to explore such a hard topic works well in a tale that sees these women taking back control of their lives. The light-heartedness of murder in this book certainly won’t be for everyone, but I think it’s complementary to the theme of domestic violence.

The story comes to a head when the women follow through with their cover story, and set out to plant the evidence to cover their own tracks. This was the most gripping part of the book and probably the most serious too, which is shocking considering the heaviness of the events leading up to it!

The humour of this novel reminded me of the TV show Santa Clarita Diet, that stars Drew Barrimore. If you’ve watched the show, this will either make you immediately want to read this book, or steer clear of it J. Either way, it’s a great concept and an interesting angle to look at the topic of domestic violence.

Thanks to @PenguinIreland @VikingBooksUK @PenguinBooksUK for the advanced copy via @NetGalley. The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is out now.

It's the spring of 2020, the first national lockdown is in full swing, and Sally has just killed her husband with her Granny's cast iron skillet. After more than twenty years of abuse, she won't pretend she's not glad Jim's dead, but now she must figure out what she's going to tell their children - and how to get rid of the body under the watchful eye of her nosy neighbour, Edwina. But Sally is not alone - all across town abused women are reaching their breaking point, and the bodies soon start piling up.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is superficially a dark comedy about domestic violence and unlikely friendships, but it is also an ambitious, laudable endeavour on the part of author Alexia Casale. A seasoned non-fiction editor, Casale spent much of the pandemic working on news articles highlighting the horrifying increase in male violence against women and girls (MVAWG) during lockdown; she also supported clients in writing funding bids to help victims, and contributed to problem-solving models for how frontline workers could reach vulnerable women and girls trapped at home. Her novel is her effort to get more people thinking and talking about the issue of MVAWG by engaging them in an improbable scenario whereby men are regularly dying at the hands of their female partners.

Sally, the protagonist is a relatable everywoman, characterised so to remind the reader that anyone can find themselves trapped in an abusive relationship. She isn't weak or naïve, but her desire to see the best in people - and her need to escape her own volatile family home - is ultimately what leads to her abuse. Her storyline also acknowledges the role of generational cycles of abuse: Sally grew up being berated and belitted by her father, so was able to convince herself that, so long as Jim directed his rage towards her alone, it was better for her children for their parents to stay together.

Casale is resolute in reinforcing the message that MVAWG affects women and girls from all social classes, cultures and background; it may manifest itself differently, but, as Casale writes in her author's note, 'Although
MVAWG dresses up in different clothes and excuses in different places, it is the same problem at heart... sexism.' It would have been simpler for Casale to focus solely on characters whose backgrounds mirror her own more closely - certainly she acknowledges the sensitivity with which she had to approach writing about 'unhealthy family dynamics within cultural contexts outside [her] own' - but it is hugely important for readers to recognise that these crimes are not unique to a specific community but are perpertrated against women and girls across the world.

Through the stories of the other women - Ruth, Samira and an initially unnamed new mother - Casale covers a huge range of elements and contributing factors to MVAWG, including the gradual forced estrangement of abused women from their family and friends, the act of making them dependent on their partner and therefore trapped in their relationship, and the impact of shame. She also touches on the harmful influence of toxic societal expectations for men - Ruth's husband became violent with her after losing his job and his identity as the family's provider, while Samira's husband wants to force their daughter into marriage rather than deal with the stigma of her queerness.

Casale does not claim to have the answers to the myriad questions the book raises, but she is determined to use whatever tools she has to force people to pay attention to what she terms 'a pandemic on a greater scale even than Covid'. Different elements of the story will appeal to different readers: I was amused by the humour, but far more affected by the way the novel's events allow the women to rediscover themselves, realising their strengths and what they are capable of, whilst showing the power of women supporting each other to achieve a common goal. The specificity of the early lockdown setting makes it easy for the reader to insert themselves into the story, and I loved how the changing government restrictions at turns provided obstacles for the women's plans and could be used to their advantage. Also, the ending was deliciously satisfying.

Overall, a funny, heartwarming romp of a book which I hope will bring much needed attention to its bleak subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

Serious but humorous - a great read”
This book took me by surprise, its a very serious subject of domestic violence towards women and how much of that escalated during covid lockdown but its written so well, dark dry humour, comradery between women and how things can work out. Well recommended read

The dark comedy I was feeling not comfortable to read. The parallel stories full of cruelty told in very relaxed manner didn't let me to enjoy the reading. Expected more from this book.

I really enjoyed this book.
It is of course founded in a very dark and serious topic but the author used humour so well throughout.
I loved all of the females and how they became a found family of sorts.
It drives home the main points whilst staying light hearted.

When Sally accidentally murders her husband with a skillet during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, she has no idea that her life is about to change for ever.

She makes a split second decision to not phone the Police. Her husband has tormented, bullied and abused her for years. She doesn't deserve to go to prison due to accident. She deserves to finally start living her life.

The pandemic will buy her some time whilst she figures out what to do next...

It is a unique set of circumstances only possible during the pandemic that determines what happens next.

For Sally isn't the only one whose husband has met a decidedly suspicious ending during lockdown. None of the women meant to kill, all were driven by years of suffering and abuse like Sally. Some in the same accidental scenarios, and some not so, but you could hardly call it premeditated.. or blame them.

Determined that none of her new found friends will go to prison, the women who have been bought together in the strangest of circumstances begin to devise a plan to hide their husbands bodies so that their crimes may never be recovered, and they can finally be free.

Will they succeed? You'll have to read it for yourself to find out!

I absolutely loved everything about this novel. It is so clever and funny. I appreciate it might not be too everyone's taste, but I really enjoyed it.

4.5 stars

There are arguments for and against going into a book blind, but it’s definitely the approach I’d recommend for this darkly comedic drama. The less you know, the more you will appreciate the author’s skill in crafting a story that uses humor to shine a light on issues that really aren’t that funny at all.

Set during lockdown, The Best Way to Bury Your Husband, tells the story of four women who come together to form the Lockdown Ladies’ Burial Club after killing their respective husbands.

Okay, I can see your eyes rolling already, and yes, this is definitely a book where you have to suspend belief. As Alexia Casale readily admits in her author’s note, “The idea that four women in one moderately sized town would kill their husbands — even in self-defence — within one week of each other is laughably implausible.”

But it is this very exaggeration that allows us to find humor in their situation without feeling uncomfortable. They might all have committed a dreadful deed, but rather than revile them, the impulse is not only to feel sympathy but to actively cheer them on.

All four women have been subjected to long-term domestic abuse, and we come to understand that their actions are the result of being pushed to their limits, when normal avenues of escape have been removed.

I loved the macabre humour in this unlikely tale involving secret rendezvous (don’t forget, it’s lockdown), dismembered bodies and the creation of a community garden. I loved the hilarious brainstorming, the expression of sisterhood, and the out-of-left-field twist at the end that had me punching the air in delight.

Most of all, though, I loved how Casale rammed home the truth that, if the roles had been reversed, and this had been a story about four men killing their wives, it would have been far less improbable and not remotely one to be recounted with humour.

What a fabulous read this way, despite the very serious subject at the heart of this story this was a read full of dark black humour.
The setting of Covid lockdown was genius on the authors part as it provided the perfect backdrop to tell the painful truth around domestic violence, read.
A hard tough read at a times that was extremely thought-provoking but with homour that will have you laughing out loud, a fantastic read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC copy for my honest review.

It's the start of lockdown. Everyone is stuck at home with their partners and families however this isn't ideal for everyone.

Four women with one thing in common, they are victims to some form of abuse, the only way they see out of this is to fight back! This story started off with multiple POVs but ended up with only the one POV which I felt was a bit of a shame as we couldn't see what the other women were going through at home during the 'gardening club'. It took me a while to read this however when I did pick it up I was glued to it, the twist in the ending I was not expecting however I would have liked to have seen what the overall outcome was.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book but it was brilliant! It really opened my eyes to domestic violence as this is something I'm not familiar with. I loved the theme of empowering women throughout the story and I really wanted these women to succeed in their plight. A really good book with some heavy themes but one that is well worth a read.

A brilliantly written dark comedy that doesn't insult its reader by dumbing itself down. 'The Best Way to Bury Your Husband' seems almost dystopian to read 3 years post-pandemic- were we really living like that?. It brings attention to the increase in domestic violence over that time period. The development of all the women's relationships is oddly heartwarming.

Cleverly comic, this book expertly uses gallows humour to highlight the unspoken horrors hidden behind closed doors and demonstrate the strength to be found when women come together to support each other. This is one amazing lockdown ladies' club.

I really liked the humour in this book. I loved the friendships and how empowering it was, all mixed with a bit of murder. Highly recommend it!

A quirky, slightly humorous and light-hearted read about a group of women who "accidentally" kill their husbands and band together to get rid of the bodies. This was a quick and fun read.

An interesting dark comic read, that in many ways helps bring up a serious yet under-discussed topic of Domestic Violence - particularly how it affected women during the pandemic, the feeling of being alone in the struggle and the subsequent realisation that isn't the case and that support was there in albeit an unlikely place other local women who through such horrible circumstances becoming friends due to it.

A recommended read, especially if you want to reflect and think critically of the world as well as enjoying a darkly humorous book, it's definitely the kind of book you need to spare time for to truly take it in.

Enthralling and emotional, ‘The Best Way to Bury Your Husband’ by @ is a must read this year.

What came from startling statistics during Covid lockdowns is a dark comedy tackling issues at the forefront of domestic violence. Handled gracefully, Casale has brought to life the lives of four women intrinsically linked by violence and their humorous attempts at navigating their struggles together in a world that is against them.

Law enforcement is truly no match for a gardening club.

Light-hearted yet dark 'women together' story of justifiable murder.

As the author leads this book with, working with and for domestic abuse survivors led her to think how she could put their experiences into a book that would still entertain but also show what COVID Lockdowns meant for those stuck in unsafe situations. It's a black comedy in many ways, like a 50s Ealing film. But of course it also represents the lives of trapped women the world over.

And as the title suggests - it's going to be a little entertaining as it highlights the problems.

Here are several women in one suburb at the start of the 2020 lockdowns. Each with a problem they can't 'get rid of'. Women of different ages, experiences and backgrounds, but with one rotting thing in common. And that commonality leads each to the others, and to the solving of all.

How the disparate group work through what they need to do, covering tracks, planning stages, skirting detection - it's a great journey to take with them.

And it manages to be sincere and heartfelt in between the larger-than-life plot turns, with a good cross-section of women and lives incorporated.

I didn't take long to plough through this, enjoying each woman's role in the group plan, feeling desperately sad that their lives had come to this point but feeling buoyant that they might (and should - agree with me or don't!) get through this and out the other side.

Some moral questions aside, this is diverting, humorous and sobering.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

“At the end of the day, it’s about whether you’re alone or you have love”
Sally has been abused by her husband for over 20 years.
During COVID lockdown she has enough and caves his head in with a cast iron skillet, bequeathed to her by her Granny.
She’s now free of her abuser, but what does she do with the body.
Then she meets 3 other women in a similar situation, so she bands together with Janey, Samira & Ruth to get rid of their abusive husbands for good.
A dark comedy, which was wickedly funny and fast paced.
Even though the main plot was domestic abuse, it was done sympathetically and realistically.
It showed how female friendship is stronger than any abusive relationship, making it an uplifting and hopeful read.
Thanks @alexia.casale @penguinbooksuk & @netgalley for the tongue in cheek read.

This was a pacy, gripping, tense + captivating thriller that I flew through. The twists kept me engrossed and the writing style was brilliant. It kept me guessing till the end! The characters were all unique + made the twisty plot fun.

Thank you Netgalley + the publisher for my ARC!

This book made me laugh, cry, angry, gasp and even sing.
Sally has spent years in an abusive relationship and during lockdown, life got harder, until one day she whacked her husband around the head with a skillet. While trying to figure out ways to dispose of the body, Sally finds she is not the only one in this situation.
While depicted as a dark humour book, the underpinning theme is of domestic violence against women. Alexia uses the book to make us aware of a difficult topic, one that is rarely spoken about. The authors note at the end of the book has some shocking statistics - why does this fly so far under the radar? The book also has underlying themes of hope and friendship as well as highlighting the bond between mother and daughter. All the characters were well written, each one brought a different strength to their group which made the roots of their friendship deep.
Overall an enjoyable read that has opened my eyes.