Newly divorced Jude is quickly drawn to a widower when she and her daughter pitch up in a small town. Will is very handsome and charming, but his life is full of mystery, leaving the other school gate mums to give him a wide berth. Whispers about his personal life abound, and that doesn’t stop the mums from teaming up and having more to say on just about everyone. Gossip is currency in Lowbridge and though Jude wants to protect Will, it’s not being made easy for her. Mind you, the other male partners have plenty issues of their own to deal with. In such a small place, who knew how much of a hotbed of intrigue it could be…

Well that didn't take me long another cracking read by C. L. Taylor, a good set of charecters and a twisty turny story that didn't give up until the end

Another brilliantly twisted thriller from Cally Taylor, a right old page turner that I read in one sitting.

Never have I been more happy that school runs are behind me.

Nobody does divisive authentic characters like this author, every time there's at least one that I growl at endlessly through the read, but equally the mystery is always intriguing and clever

Overall a genuinely entertaining read. Loved it.

I’ve really enjoyed C.L Taylor’s other books, so was looking forward to reading to this new one. It certainly didn’t disappoint.
The characters were intriguing, and the plot delivered lots of layers and twists. It’s a memorable book and I’ll definitely recommend it.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily

Callie Taylor is consistently an author that never disappoints and this one is no exception. Bang on the money with her character portrayal and dialogue and you soon get pulled into this riveting story. Callie really captures the essence of the ‘school gate moms clique’ and it oozes realism. The story told from multiple pov adds real depth with strong solid chapters. There are a lot of twists, turns and red herrings as the author leads us on a merry dance and ends in a frantic conclusion. Then when you think it’s all over Ms Taylor throws in a wonderful last couple of chapters. Wonderful

When newly divorced Jude arrives in the small town of Lowbridge, she is soon drawn to widower Will, the father of her young daughter's best friend.

But Will's past is shrouded in tragedy, with questions that no one knows the answer to – and after two tragedies tore his life apart in just a few short years, gossip and rumours abound about what really happened to the women he loved.

As whispers of murder surround Will, Jude becomes determined to uncover the truth – and with her own father's tragic fate haunting her, she refuses to let another innocent man suffer.

Yet in Lowbridge the darkness runs deep, and nothing is as it seems. Can Jude protect Will from a community out for blood? Or will she become the next victim in this web of deceit?

Loved this book, I devoured it within 24 hours. Told from all different viewpoints but it wasn’t confusing at all. Murder, divorce, blackmail it had it all in and some of the twists were ones I hasn’t guessed at all. They kept coming up until the end which made a brilliant twisty thriller. It was well paced and a page turner, I kept having to read more. I will definitely look out for more from this author. It’s out in June and if you love this type of genre you won’t want to miss this!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before publication.

Wow as usual my go to author C.L .Taylor did not disappoint with this intriguing and exciting read!
Had me hooked from the start and I didn’t see where the book was heading right until we got there. Loved the characters and the storyline this is a must read new edition from an amazing author and for anyone not familiar but love this genre then get this added to your ever growing tbr.
Thanks for the arc Negalley

I'm a big fan of C.L. Taylor, have read all her books over the years. This was no different, relatable characters, deceptive secrets, loads of mystery, nothing is ever as it seems. I would say it was a little slow starting and if it hadn't been that I like this author so much I might've not progressed with it..but I'm glad I did! Really enjoyed.

Everyone has a secret that can be hidden in plain sight. Wow firstly thankyou NetGalley & Avon books for this arc copy, this is by far my favourite book from C.L Tudor.

This book provides POV from 4 main characters (3 school moms & a husband) as they navigate school mom life and gossip.

Jude is a no nonsense single mom who has a love entwined relationship with one of the school dads Will. However no one trusts Will as he has had two partners presumed dead die in a mysterious way.

Victoria the main school mom busy body who is divorced but still wants to be the forefront of all the school gossip and be the main attention with every social groups

Sorreail a struggling mother trying to juggle her children, husband and work load as her husband is off sick from work with depression and anxiety.

& finally Andy the ex husband of Victoria and main ppoliceman who investigated into the death/disappearance of Wills recent partner.

This book has so many layers to it as it showcases the lives and povs of all these characters whilst showcasing the main source of why they all link. And that is where is Robyn and did Will kill her?

I absolutely the funny witty comment from the school moms the gossip the build up of tension when the high chase of trying to hide their secrets happen. This book had me gripped from the start and I wasn’t disappointed. This book is a fast paced thriller you need to get your hands on in 2025

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.