Any announcement of a new book by C L Taylor is cause for celebration, I have loved all her books and this one is no exception! It follows the story of easy going Jude who moves to Lowbridge with her daughter and becomes friends with single parent Will. This causes concern amongst the tight knit mothers led by Victoria, who has a private life not quite as perfect as she’d like people to believe. Will has had one wife who passed away and another partner who has disappeared - there’s no smoke without fire as far as they are concerned. This is a twisty turning thriller that keeps you guessing all the way through and leaves you satisfied that all the ends are tied up when you arrive breathless at the end! My only disappointment is that I’ve read it and will now have quite a wait to her next book! Many thanks to Net Galley for an advance copy.

What an amazing author and book. The story grabbed me at the beginning and surprised me at the end.
The author had me feeling as if I was right there in that community. Her characters were developed as one reads the books.
The plot was put together so very well.
I will definitely be adding this author to my list!

I found this book hard to get into at first. I found it hard to keep up with all the different names and points of view but by 40% of the way through I was hooked. I didn’t guess the twist which I’m usually good at with mystery thriller type books. I really recommend this book once you get used to the different POVs it’s brilliant and gripping

This story is told from multiple POVs, Jude , Victoria, Sorrel and Andy .This made me second guess everyone as I tried and work out what really happened to Will’s partner Robyn as well as who is behind the other strange things that are happening to some of the residents. And the final chapter was too good I enjoyed the twist. This is my second read by this author and cltaylor delivers a gripping, well-paced thriller that held my interest throughout. I thank netgalley and avonbooks for eARC copy.

Some great twists and turns, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs. I would have liked to have felt like I knew some of the characters better, and at times the group felt a bit too cliquey to be real life. But overall, an enjoyable read!

This was a whats going to happen next read from the very beginning it has it all murder,blackmail,secrets and lies and a lot of gossip.
Characters you can relate to, but it's hard to really root for any of them, and that adds to the intrigue with the chapters told from their perspectives, making it a page turner.
A really good layed thriller with a twist at the end that is a shocker.
A recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for the Arc.

I recently read this book while traveling and loved it. I truly couldn't put it down! I loved the characters' interactions and the different personalities, especially when you started to see that not everyone was as they seemed. I found myself rooting for people and was totally taken by surprise by the twist at the very end! (Even I believed the bad guy!) I truly didn't see that coming! Bravo for writing such a clever, fun book! You took ideas/topics that are often seen in books and added twists and turns that kept me guessing! I would highly recommend this book to my friends.

My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books Uk for a copy of “ It’s Always The Husband “ for an honest review.

This was another excellent , suspenseful book by C L Taylor. I often struggle to cope with so many different characters in a book but these were so well written that it wasn’t a problem for me.i enjoyed the storyline being set around parents at the School gates and could definitely identify with the gossipy aspects of the huddled groups.
I changed my mind several times to the outcome of the book and was totally blindsided by the end.
Highly recommended

-It’s always the husband- is told through multiple unique POVs that transition smoothly. I really enjoyed the concept of the two missing woman linked to the same man and not being able to tell if he’s responsible or not for their disappearance until the truth is revealed. I was worried for Jude due to her relationship with Will throughout the story. There’s some blackmail that’s involved but the person who’s behind the blackmail isn’t revealed until towards the end of the book. It was hard to guess who was behind the blackmail which was fun trying to figure it out. I enjoyed all the excellent plot twist. I loved how shocking the ending was! I didn’t see it coming!

I didn’t like any of the characters and their personalities. They were too immature for my liking but the story was still really good.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book. Do not read if you don’t want to read about affairs, murders, deceit or clicky PTA moms. Just when you think the last twist has been revealed, C.L Taylor is like “hold on……. “ and adds another one. If you think you know “who done it”, think again because that’s not who it was.

The tea is hot, find a comfy chair and dig in.

This book left me feeling satisfied. The characters are relatable, the plot is realistic and the ending left me feeling good with the ending but because I liked the book, I wouldn’t be mad if there was spin off book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance copy to read.

I really enjoyed It's Always the Husband and found myself eager to keep on reading to see where the story went. It is told from multiple POV's, which I would normally find confusing but the way this is written and set out I didn't find that happening.

There are lots of plots all interlinked and playing out at the same time, which really keeps you guessing on what has happened.

Overall, a very easy and enjoyable read, one that I would highly recommend.

Finally a good thriller with well constructed plot twist(s) and engaging storyline.
Everyone suspects handsome single dad of murdering not one but two women, his wife and his missing girlfriend..is he wrongly accused or is it always the husband?

from different POVs we follow the story told by Victoria, Jude, Sorell and Andy
Victoria, the queen bee of the mamas group strongly believes he did it
Jude wants to prove his innocence and solve the puzzle of the missing woman
Sorell didn't need to be mixed in this drama alongside her already complicated life
Andy wouldn't rest till he sees Will behind bars
In an engaging woven web of school run, suburban drama, secrets and gossip I fully enjoyed the book till the very last word.

It’s Always the Husband had a strong premise and multiple POVs that were easy to follow, which kept the story moving at a good pace. The twists were well-executed and kept me guessing, but despite that, the overall plot felt a little lacklustre. While it was an entertaining read, it lacked the depth and impact to make it truly memorable.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this

This is a good mystery book to pick up and read! There were a lot of plot twists, which I really liked. It had me wondering what was going to happen next! lt was a fast paced read that I couldn’t put down. The ending literally left me in complete shock! While I did think this book was a good read, it felt unoriginal and lacked character depth. This book was written in multiple point of views and was easy to read. It had small town vibes with some humor to it! I will definitely be reading more books by this author. Overall, I give this a 3 out of 5 stars!

“It’s always the Husband” is a fiction novel about a single Dad named Will that lives in Lowbridge. Two deaths under a short time span leaves the town suspicious. Will has a dead wife, then a girlfriend of his goes missing. The people in Lowbridge begin to gossip and assume it’s Will. The story unravels as we get to see all the points of views. It’s a mysterious puzzle that soon becomes revealed! So, is it always the Husband?

Content warnings include death, grief, murder and violence.

Thank you to NetGalley, author C. L. Taylor and Avon Books Publishing for this advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book is set to be released on June 5, 2025!

Another great read from this author as we get the twisted dynamics of the school gate mums who rules the roost around drop off and pick up time and the little clique aren’t looking for a new member but when Jude joins the neighbourhood and starts getting friendly with Will tongues start wagging. Will may seem like the perfect guy but one wife dying and another partner gone missing is he quite as innocent as he seems. As Jude tries to find out the truth the gang of mothers are all hiding secrets of their own and will stop at nothing to make sure they don’t come out. A great read I could not put down!!

Omg I have never been so invested in a book before guessing all throughout. A missing person then theres blackmail and everyone is thinking its each other This book has made me realise one thing I'm so im glad I'll never have to do the school run. That stuff is crazy those mamas are crazy. This book is absolutely brilliant. So many twists and turns and a shocker at the end. No questions left unanswered.

Best book I've read so far of 2025
.5 stars

I will definitely be recommending this to the members of the plot thickens book club group on facebook.

From the start I thought this is going to be good and it really held my attention for the first half. After that the characters felt exhausting and I didn’t feel like I could keep up with who was who. I was completely underwhelmed by the ending and still not fully sure how I feel but it did keep me guessing.

Lowbridge is the kind of small town that looks charming on the outside but is packed with secrets, rumors, and a whole lot of judgment. From the moment Jude arrives, freshly divorced and trying to start over, there’s an uneasiness that lingers — and it only grows when she connects with Will, the local widower everyone seems to whisper about.

The mystery surrounding Will’s past had me hooked. Two women gone in just a few years? It’s the kind of setup that keeps you side-eyeing every character and second-guessing the truth. Jude’s drive to uncover what really happened, especially with her own family’s history of loss, gives the story a lot of heart and tension.

The twists are well-placed, the small-town dynamics feel real, and the writing keeps the suspense simmering from start to finish. A solid, addictive read with just the right amount of darkness.

When newly-divorced Jude arrives in the small town of Lowbridge she finds herself drawn to Will, the father of her daughter’s best friend. Will’s past is shrouded in mystery. His first wife’s mysterious death and the disappearance of his second is the cause of gossip at the school gates. Jude is determined to uncover the truth; Because whilst one dead wife is tragic, two starts to look like murder…

I always know when I lift a C.L. Taylor’s book I will not be disappointed and this was no exception! The plot kept the quick pace and had me racing through all the twists and turns. The school mums were very Mean Girls-esque and I think we all know a few in real life! Great plot twists and overall a fab read.

Thanks to NetGalley and C.L. Taylor for an ARC. Much appreciated

Loved this book. Characters and plot were spot on. I was in a slump before I started this but I absolutely flew through it. Loved the writing style