Rating: 3.3/5

Cally Taylor is one of my "go to" authors. She never fails to deliver engaging and entertaining psychological thrillers. "It's Always the Husband" is another solid addition to her portfolio. The characterisation is, as ever, well portrayed with a group of ladies who are often the best of frenemies. The plot is riddled with engrossing mind games, subtle twists and misdirection, all of which is guaranteed to keep the reader turning the pages. That said, much as I enjoyed reading this book, it isn't my favourite novel from this author. At her best, Cally Taylor creates storylines that don't stretch credulity quite as much as is required at times with this latest offering. Nonetheless, it is still a good read, just perhaps not as much to my liking as some of her previous works.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It immediately appealed to me—I’ve spent years doing school runs, not quite fitting in, trying (and failing!) to find my place, so this story had me hooked from the start.

The plot follows Jude, a new mum trying to make friends, who ends up in a group led by Victoria, the intimidating "alpha mum." At first, Victoria is unlikeable, but as the story progresses, her vulnerabilities come through, and I actually warmed to her. The three main women—Jude, Victoria, and Sorrel—team up to unravel the mystery surrounding Will Ledger, a dad at the school. His first wife died in mysterious circumstances his daughters stepmother has also vanished, and soon after, one of the husbands turns up dead.

The discovery of a mysterious diary at Will’s house by Jude sets everything in motion. Initially, Jude assume it belonged to the missing stepmother, but when she realises it didn’t, they women work together to uncover the true author’s identity. As they dig deeper, they uncover the truth about what happened to Will’s second partner, Robyn, after his first wife’s tragic death. With multiple women at the school being blackmailed, the trio races to solve the case—because, as the saying goes, it’s always the husband, right?

I loved the multiple viewpoints, which added so much depth to the story. Sorrel was my favorite—I really resonated with her. Jude was okay, but I found some of the other characters less likeable. Will, the husband at the center of the mystery, was particularly well-written—I didn’t think he was evil, so the final twist completely shocked me!

This is the third book I’ve read by C.L. Taylor—one I loved, one I wasn’t as keen on—but I’m so glad I gave this one a go. It’s absolutely spot on! A solid 5 stars and a book I’ll be recommending to everyone!

CL Taylor does it again, fantastic read, characters and storyline, thoroughly enjoyable and thrilling from beginning to end, I loved it

Oh yes, the school run, I’m still doing it after all these years! The school gates of Saint Helena‘s Primary School are abuzz after a dramatic incident involving Will Ledger, whose daughter Millie is now best friends with Jude‘s daughter, Betsy, who are newly arrived in Lowbridge. We all know school gates can be covens for gossip mongering at the very least, especially among the Queen Bees but are the rumours about Will true? “We all know what you did” rings out from someone and Jude has no clue what that means. Initially. One dead wife can be viewed as a tragedy but additionally a missing girlfriend would seem to form a pattern. However, this isn’t the only mystery in Lowbridge and Queen of Queen Bees Victoria is determined to get answers. After all, it’s always the husband, right?

I’m a big fan of CL Taylor and this is another good one to add to her pile of best sellers. The first half is especially strong and I mean STRONG! There’s whip smart dialogue, especially between Will and Jude,a ‘laser’ sharp, brilliantly astute portrayal of the school gate coterie and sparks which fly in all directions. It’s a bit like sitting on top of a huge powder keg just waiting for the thing to ignite and explode in all directions. Pressure piles on top of pressure with excellent mysteries to ponder and speculate over, just as the coven does. There’s delusion, confusion, exclusion, plenty of allusion and illusion, a barrel load of suspicion some well-founded others less so but it all adds up to the delicious ‘juiciness’.It chills, it shocks at the manipulation and devious behaviour. Cats chase mice, then the mice chase the cat, or cats but the million dollar question is who is the biggest cat? Who can Jude trust? Are these female characters especially harpies or just strong women? What about the men especially Will?? I’m all in watching the dramas, side changing and shenanigans as it’s engrossing and entertaining.

The last section does get a bit convoluted as it twists and turns in a myriad of directions often up blind alleys following the wrong suspect but it is still very enjoyable. There are quite a lot of characters to keep track of especially towards the end, which does make my head spin a bit.

Overall, it’s a really good highly entertaining domestic style psychological drama.

Publication date = 5th of June in the United Kingdom.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon
Books for the much appreciated epub in return for an honest review.

Another excellent read from C.L. Taylor. I was already a fan of her books and was delighted to be given the chance to advance read. This book does not disappoint but, be warned, it is engrossing and will keep you from doing anything else. Captivates you from the start and keeps you guessing until the very end when the various mysteries are revealed. I had no idea where it was going, who to like or dislike, who to trust or suspect. I won’t give any spoilers but would like point out that those groups of mums you see at school can be an interesting, varied and sometimes dangerous collection of people. although you may that already know that. I thoroughly recommend you read this.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to review and to the author for another wonderful piece of work.

‘It’s Always the Husband is another exciting psychological thriller by C.L. Taylor. A dark, twisty tale of secrets and suspicion together with an intriguing plot make a very good read.

Jude is looking for a new beginning following her divorce and moves to the quiet town of Lowbridge. But it’s not long before she is feels attracted to another man. A widower named Will has had a tragic past, his first wife’s death was a devastating accident and his second wife also died tragically. The two tragic deaths encourage locals to gossip and have suspicions of Will.

Jude has known tragedy herself, and is determined not to let an innocent man be unjustly damned. But as she digs deeper, she realises that in Lowbridge, nothing is as it seems. The town’s secrets run deep, and the more she investigates, the more she risks becoming the next victim.

This is a novel full of tension, interesting characters and a well thought out plot. Twists and turns make the reading more interesting and I found this book difficult to put down.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was another fab CL Taylor novel. Being a long time fan, I was thrilled to get a copy of the newest in her collection.

IT'S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND is a psychological thriller set around the school gates, with the stereotypical school run mums and the gossipy bitchiness that comes with it. There are deaths, missing people, murders, and more. Perfectly executed, you can see the hard work that has gone into this one. Taylor creates such memorable characters with depth and nuance. I loved the twists at the end and I loved how Jude and Will's relationship progressed throughout - with the doubt and suspicion.

Great ending, great middle, great beginning. Great book :)

I love C.L. Taylor! All of her thrillers are superbly written, and this one is no accepting! A twisty mystery with an ending I did not see coming!

There's drama at the school gates. A single dad is suspected of double murder. The mums are bitchy and exclude people from their activities. I love CL Taylor but I found there were just too many characters to keep up with. It's a twisty thriller but it gets really confusing from all the different points of view and I couldn't follow it.

I LOVED THIS PHENOMENAL, GRIPPING BOOK. I raced through it, it consumed me in its pages. A shocking conclusion which left me gobsmacked! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!

C.L Taylor has done it again I love all her books and this was certainly no different! I devoured this book in a few days! From the beginning to end I was kept in suspense and shock. I really didn't see any of it coming.

There was so many lies, twists, and edge-of-seat moments for me everyone was the suspect, except the real one. My jaw hit the floor and kept me going to the very last page.

A huge 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars from me!

This was a good thriller that develops well as you keep reading. It's Big Little Lies meets Desperate Housewives. There are a lot of characters and it does take a while to figure out who's who and who you should be paying attention to. Not all are rounded out but that works well as showing that school gate clique. The characters who drive the story are really well done. All very believable and different. The plot itself is undeniably convoluted and you do have to suspend disbelief. But if you want escapism, this is it. Some readers will love the ending. I didn't think it added much but overall it kept me reading, probably the characters more so than the story itself.

I love a good CL Taylor novel and completely devoured this one. Told from multiple points of view and set amongst the gauntlet of the school run, where gossip quickly gives rise to rumours of murder. Is there a killer in the midst of sleepy little Lowbridge? Tense, pacy and with a great cast of characters, this kept me guessing to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

This was a story that kept me guessing until the end, however there was a lot of characters to guess from all who had their own back stories and the chapters flitted between them. I’m a fan of this usually as I love Shari Lapena stories who I think does similar but this seemed a little bit more work to keep up with. The storyline lacked a little bit but the very last few pages were great. I’m quite conflicted on the rating for this but will go 3.5-4 stars. Thanks for early access.

This is a masterful blend of suspense, intrigue, and emotional depth. The storys strength lies in its well-crafted characters and the tension that builds with each chapter. Jude's determination to uncover the truth about Will's past is both compelling and relatable, making her a protagonist you cant help but root for.

The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, and with short snappy chapters you cant help but keep reading. The small-town setting adds an extra layer of claustrophobia and tension, as secrets and rumors swirl around the characters. The alternating perspectives between Jude and other school mums provides a well-rounded view of the unfolding mystery whilst not causing confusion about who's thread you're following.

For me It's Always the Husband was a thrilling and emotionally charged read that kept me guessing and after the final pages I felt like I just needed another chapter because I wasnt ready to leave life in Lowbridge.

Great read - really kept me hooked as I rattled through it. Good characterisation and an intriguing plot.

I don't want to give anything away but at one point I kept shouting, 'Pull the plug out!' :D

Recommended.

This book has so much going on, I did get lost a bit along the way especially near the end. However, it was a great thriller and kept me gripped and hooked.

Excellent twisty storyline.
Keeps you guessing right to the end.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review

C L Taylor creates solid thrills with a band of dislike-able characters you can’t help but root for. It’s Always The Husband is a fun, twisty thriller for this summer.

I really enjoyed this book, read it in a day. The politics of the school run mum's clique, plus the mystery of a missing woman as explored via multiple viewpoints including a mum who has recently moved into the area (Jude).

I felt I connected with the characters and really wanted to know what happened next so I couldn't stop reading. A good read.

Excellent. Told from multiple viewpoints, this features the school run mama clique who doubt the innocence of school run Dad Will, whose wife died and then his subsequent girlfriend went missing presumed dead… Jude is a fairly new arrival to the school and her daughter is friends with Will’s daughter. They begin a tentative relationship, but is he innocent? Throw in a little blackmail and divorce and another death, and you have the makings of a fast paced and twisty thriller. And this is a genuinely good read with a nice little “Columbo” finale just when you think you’re done…!

I received a free ARC copy of this book via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.