I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from this book but it was excellent. Four women are stuck at home with their abusive husbands during lockdown. They find themselves driven to extreme measures to keep themselves and their families safe. The problem then is what to do with the bodies? This book uses dark comedy to shine a light onto a very difficult subject.
The women were all amazing and I loved the dynamics between them. Sally is the main focus of the book and she is the driving force behind the women coming together. We really see her as a person and how she has arrived in her situation after twenty three years of marriage. The role that lockdown played in her being driven to breaking point was very clear too. Her relationship with her children felt very real especially how she had tried to protect them from what was happening. I loved the daily song that her son messaged her and how that became the soundtrack to her taking control of her life.
Although Sally is the principal character, all of the other women are vividly portrayed and they each have very reasons for being in the situation that they find themselves. They are all from very different backgrounds and the author does a brilliant job of showing how women from all walks of life can find themselves in an abusive relationship. I also really enjoyed the cameo role of Eileen, the nosy neighbour who is always watching for people breaking lockdown rules. There is definitely more to her than first appears.
The plot is extremely implausible which the author acknowledges but it is still a brilliant read. There are some wonderful comic scenes but the section where they put their carefully laid plans into action has real tension. The author doesn’t let the women get away lightly either. They are all very conscious of how their actions will affect others especially the families of their husbands.
This book walks a very narrow road between comedy and the very dark side of abusive marriage and I think that Alexia Casale has judged this perfectly. The introduction and final notes are also an important part of the book and show just how strongly the author feels about this subject.
Huge thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am afraid that I didn't really like this book. However I think it was my own fault for requesting it ,I see other readers enjoyed it ,and I hope it does well, and it is just me.

I am not going to lie, I was drawn to the book title first but then I read the story and I stayed for it. I loved how gripping and realistic it was. There isn’t much books out there that mention or even acknowledge covid-19 so I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book was adjacent to our current setting.

All in all, an interesting and fascinating read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this arc in exchange for my honest feedback.

I recently had the pleasure of delving into this book, and I am beyond impressed with the mesmerizing world that the author has crafted. From start to finish, the intricate plot weaves a tapestry of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

One of the standout features of this book is undoubtedly its characters. Each one is meticulously developed, breathing life into the narrative with their unique personalities, motivations, and flaws. The protagonists are not just names on paper; they are relatable, complex individuals with whom readers can form a genuine connection. The antagonist, too, is not a mere foil but a multi-dimensional force that adds depth to the story. The author's ability to create such well-rounded characters is a testament to their storytelling prowess.

The plot unfolds seamlessly, drawing the reader into a richly layered narrative that expertly balances tension, drama, and moments of poignant reflection. The pacing is impeccable, maintaining a perfect rhythm that keeps the reader engaged without sacrificing the depth of the story. The author skillfully navigates through various plot arcs, interweaving them with finesse to create a cohesive and satisfying whole.

What sets this book apart is its ability to tackle profound themes while maintaining an accessible and engaging narrative. The book seamlessly combines suspense and emotional depth, making it a truly immersive experience. The author's prose is both elegant and evocative, painting vivid imagery that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned.

As I reached the conclusion, I found myself yearning for more from this talented author. Their ability to craft a gripping plot and bring characters to life is truly commendable. I eagerly anticipate future works and would wholeheartedly recommend this book to any reader who appreciates a masterfully told tale. If you're searching for a book that seamlessly blends captivating characters with a compelling plot, this is a shining example. I can't wait to explore more literary worlds crafted by this exceptional storyteller.

4⭐️

A cracking and eye opening novel! 🔥

⚠️ Please be aware that I will be talking about triggering topics in this review.

What an enjoyable read! Casale has articulated a purposefully hyperbolic and far fetched dark comedy to talk about and raise awareness of domestic violence. I think this method was engaging and really outlined the importance of reaching out to others and uniting together, and how difficult this can be, when you’re being controlled, beaten or abused.

This book was hilariously executed to provide courage and demonstrate how there is brightness ahead after getting out of a violent or controlling relationship - although, murder maybe isn’t the best option to get to that point!

This read, although fictional, embodies the harrowing and horrifying world that we live in and focuses on four woman in the same neighbourhood during the Covid Lockdown, who have been victims of domestic violence for countless years. When they are pushed to their breaking point and a coincidence occurs, the women find friendship in each other.

The characters were incredibly likeable (except the men) and I really loved Sally’s character. Trapped for twenty three years by marriage and children and then intensified by a full blown National Lockdown, you couldn’t help but sympathise with the situation she was in. I thought her character was hilarious and loved the relationships she formed with the other women. Casale has made the characters exceptionally diverse and I think that it was very important to highlight that domestic violence can happen to any one, regardless of religion and race. I also have to shoutout Edwina, who was just wonderful!

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and short chapters, but I think the different POVs could have been more consistent. I also liked the plot. It was incredibly far fetched, but also very impactful. The authors note at the end was utterly heartbreaking. 💔

A huge thank you to @vikingbooksuk, @penguinukbooks, @netgalley and @alexia.casale for this ARC. The Best Way to Bury Your Husband will be published on the 14th March 24.

I buddy read this with @sweetieslittlelibrary and we both liked this book. ☺️

This review was quite tough to write and I’m not sure I’ve sold it very well, but I highly recommend you check this read out!

⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️

----- 5STARS-----
A hilarious but dark and necessary thriller about four women who kill their husbands in acts of self-defence against domestic violence. This is set in the backdrop of the COVID lockdown which would usually steer me away from reading it. However, this adds to the complexity of covering up murder.
I absolutely adored the shared strength and pain this story showed. It showed a group of women trying to find happiness after decades of hidden abuse whilst also trying to cover up their husbands death.
I strongly recommend this to any who are looking for a dark humour read which also tugs at your heartstrings and fills you with so much love for a tight knit group.
I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this!
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND ALEXIA CASAEL FOR SENDING ME THIS ADVANCED READER COPY
Publication Date: 14th March 2024

3.5🌟

❕Trigger warning! This story focuses heavily on domestic violence and is spoken about briefly in this review❕

An impactful, hard hitting story about the suffering of domestic violence victims during the hard trials of the Covid19 pandemic.

This story was a tough read and detailed the lives of 4 women who were stuck with abusive husbands in a time they couldn’t escape. The story starts off very abrupt and continues to be very intense throughout. Even though there is a lot of humour involved in the story, it only works as a way to take your mind away from the awful stories these women had to go through.

I did enjoy this read but for me it was a little bit far fetched at times. I also found that it would be really intense at times but then die down and become quite slow to read. However the last 100 pages of the book picked up and the story flew by. The tension I felt when they were going through with their plans and whether they were going to succeed.

Overall, this story was quite good and focuses on such an important subject that isn’t spoken about enough.

“Marry in haste, repent at leisure” so they say. Sally escaped early from her abusive father, by marrying Jim – who turned out to be just as abusive. “Out of the frying pan into the fire” is another saying, doubly appropriate in this case because, twenty-odd years later, she killed him by bashing him on the head with a skillet. It was self-defence, but she panics. If the police suspect intent, and years of abuse give her a motive, she’ll be imprisoned and that will destroy her children. Fortunately, it’s the early days of lockdown, so she and Jim are alone in the house and no one can visit. She, therefore determines to dispose of the body and quickly learns (Google knows everything) how to desiccate the body to slow down decomposition, wraps it up in tarpaulin and leaves it in the kitchen while she tries to work out how to bury him without being discovered.
By coincidence, Sally discovers that a near neighbour, Ruth, has also just accidentally killed her husband in self-defence, and has the same problem. And then she comes across Samira, who has just killed her husband to save her daughter Leila from being carted off to Pakistan and into an arranged marriage. To top it all off, Sally’s old friend Janey, from whom she has been estranged because of Jim’s coercive behaviour, kills her own husband after he develops violently abusive behaviour brought on by a new baby and a lockdown house. Together the four plan and execute a fantastic plan, to dispose of all the bodies, while maintaining an appearance of total innocence.
This is obviously a murder story, but it isn’t a mystery story – we know whodunit! It isn’t a procedural or a PI but it is a thriller, in the sense that they have to dispose of the bodies without making anyone suspect that murder has taken place, i.e. it must appear as if the disappearances are ‘natural’ and not suspicious. Most of the story is concerned with the planning and execution of what is basically a scam, which means it’s really a caper story. Such stories are always comedic at some level, and here we have a dark comedy. There are some holes in the plot, not least the necessary coincidence of four murderers in a small area in a short time frame meeting up with each other, but also because the whole operation is rather too overt. However, the jeopardy sections are good, the characters are quite well drawn, and the comedic touches are noticeable but not plastered on (which would have ruined the mood).
In addition to the main plot, there is a subtext around violent, abusive, coercive behaviour (usually by a man) and the reluctance, timorousness, self-condemnation, shame, displayed by the victim (usually a woman). This is clear within the text but never pushed. However, in an extensive postscript, the author (who has expertise in this area) lays out an excellent analysis of the subject. My dilemma is whether to give this 4 stars, which is accurate for the story, or to add something for the essay at the end, which is a solid piece of academic writing. I’ve decided to make it 4.5 which will round to 5, of course.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

My, but this book is good. It treads in so many places where angels would fear to, tripping across difficult and heart-breaking issues with just the right weight of feet. As balancing acts go, the book, together with the explanations at beginning and end, is perfect.
In a moment of anger driven by fear, intensified by lockdown, Sally kills her violent husband with a skillet. Her first reaction, quite normally in my view, is to eat copious amounts of cake and ice cream, for the rather logical reason she won’t be able to have them in prison. But prison isn’t somewhere she wants to go, for the sake of her adult children, so she needs to find both a way to dispose of her husband’s body – and a plausible story about how he disappeared.
However Sally is not the only new widow. First she comes across Ruth, then notices Samira and her daughter Leila have the same rather strange items in their shopping trolley as she had just a few days before. And later on the exhausted mother of a new baby joins them.
I love books about unlikely friendships and this is perhaps the most unlikely of all. But it’s so much more than that. It’s perfectly tensioned, emotionally gripping and has definite moments of humour. Quite brilliant in fact. Read it.

A book on domestic violence during Covid.
Sally is in a abusive relationship until one day she hits him over the head with a skillet and kills him.
She befriends three other ladies in the same situation and they all start to plan on where to bury their husbands.
The story is full of humour through a bad subject well told and I love the nosy neighbour
The visit to the caves and going into them I felt unnecessary and could have been left out then it would have been a 5*
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review

For many of us throughout lockdown, COVID-19 was the most dangerous thing on our minds. But for many women across the UK, a bigger threat lurked inside their own home: their husbands.

Amid the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, housewife Sally is 23 years deep into an abusive marriage with her childhood sweetheart Jim. On the outside, they look like the picture-perfect couple, but unbeknown to most people in her life, Jim has been physically, emotionally and mentally abusing her.

The Best Way to Bury Your Husband follows Sally’s journey from the moment she realises Jim is likely to kill her She decides to take matters into her own hands… by killing him. In her antics of covering up the impulsive murder, she discovers and recruits the help of three other local women – Samira, Ruth and Janey – who are all in similar situations.

While the four women are all victims of domestic abuse in their own right, the novel doesn’t let this define them. In fact, despite the circumstances of their meeting, their camaraderie and companionship shines throughout. In the grand scheme of their far-fetched plan, the wives’ victimised identities are brief and fleeting, allowing for them to grow as individual selves over the course of the novel. Working together, the women hope to successfully free themselves – financially, physically, and mentally – from their abusive marriages and cover up their husbands’ deaths. The novel is full of tender moments of self-reflection and grief, interwoven with dark humour to lighten the mood. From persistent family calls to nosy neighbours, many hurdles and obstacles lie between them and their freedom.

The novel initially follows a multiple-POV narration, allowing for a wide range of personalities to shine. Protagonist Sally is fierce, unapologetic, and sympathetic to her fellow ‘murder club’ members. In the face of grief and mourning, Sally finds the simple joys in life by creating a ‘Be Happy List’ to complete. It serves as a gentle reminder to the reader that despite their impulsive acts of violence, these women are victims too. Each wife comes from a different background, thus offering their own unique perspective on life in the UK. For example, Samira is a Muslim woman who killed her husband Yafir to save her eldest daughter being forced into an arranged marriage. Casale raises brilliant awareness for this issue while remaining respectful to all different cultures and experiences.

Subtly interweaving both heartfelt and darkly humorous moments to take off the edge, the fundamental message behind The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is to raise awareness for those in need, and to not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. All in all, the novel reads as a message for women everywhere, including those suffering, that they are not alone.

Issues like self-isolating and social distancing are, for many of us, a distant memory. By introducing a backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel remains realistic and harrowing, despite the far-fetched, borderline farcical, plan to cover up four deaths. The suburban town setting, still impacted with the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to a past which still lingers in our present.

With four dead husbands and a far-fetched plan to cover them up, The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is a fictional novel riddled with dark comedy and heartfelt moments. Thank you Penguin for sending this book for review consideration.

A good book highlighting the serious nature of partner violence, coercion and control, bringing a group of women together with very different backgrounds but all victims. I found it a tad unrealistic, however that said, the author acknowledges this herself in the foreword. It was still a very readable book.

3.5/5

Thank you Viking Books/ Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in lockdown, Sally kills her abusive husband with a cast iron skillet. After debating ting what to do with the body, she comes across a few other women in a similar situation. Together they come up with a plan to dispose of the bodies and get away with murder.

I really struggled with what to rate this one.

This book started off really strong. I am not tiring of these dark humour, witty thriller books! I thought the writing was good and I loved every single character.

It’s honestly such a page turner. It’s a fun read but it obviously has some serious and important undertones to the story.

On the other hand, I could just not get past how unrealistic it is. A group of women killing their partners hours apart from each other and then happening upon one another - I’m not buying it!

I totally understand why the book is set in covid times but for me personally, I do not enjoy reading about lockdown times! I also guessed the ending… 😂

The Best Way to Bury Y0ur Husband is a 5-star read in more ways than one.

First, it's a hard hitting and emotional insight into the daily experience of domestic abuse and violence, and its impact on families. The author describes, in a foreword, why she has written this book: both to shed light on this issue and to relieve, through humour, some of the painful emotions of working with domestic abuse victims.

The foreward is very moving and, as you read the novel, unforgettable. The story might be far-fetched, but the underlying issues and experiences are all too real. I couldn't for a moment stop thinking about this as I read, adding a poignancy to even the funniest scenes. And as the story progresses, it offers real insight into some of those questions often raised about domestic abuse, such as how women can find themselves in such a situation and how difficult it is to extricate themselves from it.

Which brings me to the second reason for it being a 5-star read. It's a beautifully written book and a perfectly executed farce, describing the ups and downs of a group of women trying to get rid of the evidence... Wonderfully plotted. It's set during a Covid lockdown, bringing that period forcefully back to mind.

Thirdly, it's a 5-star read for being a wonderful portrait of women's resilience and strength of character, and of the power of female solidarity. I would never want to walk in these women's shoes but I am in awe of their courage!

Last but not least, it's genuinely funny! The dialogue is hilarious at times. It also does what really good humour does; it has scenes that are perfectly balanced between humour and pathos (such as when Sally is trying to be sufficiently supportive of her daughter while attempting to conceal a body...)

All and all, there's a lot to love about The Best Way to Bury Your Husband, from the title to the final page. And I really loved it. It's already amazing for someone to spend their professional life trying to help domestic abuse victims. To then use that experience to write a brilliant book is just fantastic. I'd give it extra stars if I could. I will definitely keep it on my 'read again' shelf.

My thanks to the author, published and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to the author, publishers Viking and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

These four new friends bond over their unusual shared problem. Each of their abusive husbands is dead, and they need to figure out how to dispose of the bodies.

Told with warmth and humour this book is still an importantly frank and uncompromising look at domestic abuse. Set during lockdown it’s the most effective use of the pandemic as a plot device that I have read. Highlighting the horror that lockdown was for people in abusive relationships who were required by law to stay behind the closed doors that his their abusers, and in a time of high stress that only worsened their situation.

The author does an excellent job of presenting four different experiences of abuse, and showing the common factors. The different, but related reasons the survivors felt like they had to stay. The impact on the children, and on the women themselves. The plotting and characters make this a gripping story while the all too realistic situations the main characters live through make it a difficult but essential read.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗬 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗨𝗦𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗗
—𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲 | 𝟯.𝟳𝟱🌟

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 – 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺: 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯. “𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”’

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲:
✨Contemporary thriller
✨Set during Lockdown
✨Exploration of domestic violence
✨Feminist themes

𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀:
Written as a black-comedy response to the escalation of male violence against women and girls during the COVID-19 lockdown, this book follows four women as they experience domestic violence that proves fatal… for their husbands.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
This is a book full of 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗿 and 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗲 that women can easily recognise themselves in. Although the subject matter is 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, the tone is 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 and the suspense is 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴. It’s a 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 read without being too 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆.

There’s a strong sense of 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 and 𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 in this novel between the women who find themselves in an unfortunate predicament. This support felt like it extended to the reader, whether that’s to readers who want to help women escape volatile relationships, or to readers who are in unhealthy relationships.

I could easily tell this was 𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 because all the women were killing men in their own homes instead of the other way around. But also, I can tell it’s fiction because it’s not very realistic statistically. I think I’d have preferred it to be more 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱.

‘𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘔𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘵.’

I adored the way this book began and I adored the way it ended. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆.

𝗞𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 | 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆

This has everything a good book should have in my opinion! Humour, great characters and warmly written as it deals with vulnerable issues. A great read- I look forward to more from the author!

“At the end of the day, it’s about whether you’re alone or you have love. The type of love doesn’t really matter.”

Sally has a BIG problem, in the shape of her husband’s body on the kitchen floor and no idea how to get rid of him. Set during lockdown, this dark comedy finds Sally facing multiple obstacles but with the help of four unexpected friends, can she find her happy ending?

My first ever ARC that I received on NetGalley and I am so glad I chose to request this book. A strong 4.5* for me.

The cover caught my attention firstly, but I loved the initial idea of a book set during lockdown. After completing my MA during lockdown, I have so many thoughts about what it was like for people, how it changed them.

While I am glad I read this book and would recommend it, 100%, it took me a long time to get through purely because of the subject matter of domestic violence, it is very upsetting at times and I can understand the authors need to write a book like this, as she says in her author notes “This novel is an attempt to use humour to cut through people’s reluctance to engage.” Which I think she does successfully.

The humour, the tension, the heartfelt connections really made this book for me. As much as at the time of reading, (especially the tense parts), it was a painful experience, with my heart beating far too fast.

I rooted for these women. I wasn’t even through Chapter One and already I was like, ‘yes girl. Do what you need to do.’ Sally, Ruth, Samira, Janey and even Edwina were all great diverse characters and I enjoyed reading the various cultural perspectives. I felt I was introduced to something I hadn’t considered before and I always applaud a book that can do that.

I think it is difficult to take such a serious issue and make it a heartwarming tale of friendship and second chances but Alexia Casale does it so well and really does deserve a lot of praise for ‘The Best Way to Bury Your Husband’.

It’s a well know fact that relationships came under strain during COVID. Increased forced contact with partners meant that there was a recorded increase in reported domestic abuse. Refuge the domestic abuse charity recorded an increase in calls of 61% during the summer lockdown. 72% of those callers were women. This book whilst a work of fiction represents some of those women; a new mother who’s partner couldn’t accept her prioritising their baby, a woman undermined for many years by a controlling and aggressive partner and a woman whose daughter’s were controlled by the male members of the family with the threat of deportation and arranged marriage hanging over them. A heavy topic, but there’s tenderness, camaraderie and humour in this story too. Yes, there’s murder and the chopping up of bodies but it’s in no way gratuitous. Whether you think the actions of this group of women is justified or not, this book should certainly make you think. Ideally it will also be read by those who need to hear the message depicted. There is a way out, there is life after abuse and you’re not alone.

Ok - so this book is a trigger warning for anyone who has or is experiencing domestic violence.

It’s definitely a journey through peoples lives and is descriptive in places. It’s a thought provoking story about friendship and what you would do in that situation. I loved the characters and how the story developed. One character very much surprised me!

Working within the professional industry I would have liked the story to have developed a line regarding male violence. I found the authors note at the beginning to be very off putting and biased towards domestic violence as a whole - and to not acknowledge males experience violence in relationships too made me frustrated. That’s just my own feelings. I know she did a lot of research for this book and it resulted in well rounded book! I would definitely read more from this author.