All Jude wants is a fresh start for herself and her daughter, so after her divorce she moves to the small town of Lowbridge. It's not easy being the newest member of this seemingy close knit community, and she soon finds herself getting close to Will, the father of her daughter's best friend.
But soon she hears rumours that the loss of not one but two of his wives is surrounded in mystery - what really happened to them?
Will however isn't the only one with secrets, other families are also trying hard to keep their own buried - but for how long will it last, and how do all their stories link together?
Jude tries her best to believe everything Will has told her, but others are hell bent on exposing him - what else will Jude uncover in this seemingly sleepy town where everyone is hiding something?

This book was brilliant, but I expected nothing less from Cally, as every other book of hers I've devoured and really enjoyed! She is excellent at creating twists and turns that you just don't see coming, and building the story up to the big finish at the end. I loved how this story is told from different POV's but still holding on to the mystery and suspense of what is going to happen next. Loved it!

From the very first chapter, C.L. Taylor drops us into the everyday yet charged atmosphere of the school run at Saint Helena’s Primary in the village of Lowbridge. The setting is instantly relatable – cliques forming at the gates, whispers passing between parents, and the hum of small-town gossip. Into this environment walks Jude, a newcomer with her daughter Betsy, quickly befriending Millie, the daughter of Will Ledger. Soon, Will finds himself the centre of playground speculation, and the air is thick with questions no one will voice aloud.

I’ve been a devoted reader of C.L. Taylor’s novels for years, and this one delivers exactly what I love about her writing: a brisk pace, sharp observations of human behaviour, and enough twists to keep you constantly second-guessing. The story is layered with intrigue, and while the cast of characters is large, each adds to the tension and sense of community politics. There were moments I had to pause and remind myself who was who, but that didn’t lessen the pull of the plot.

This is a compelling, well-paced read that blends domestic drama with mystery in a way that feels both real and addictive. Fans of C.L. Taylor will not be disappointed, and if you’re new to her books, this is a strong place to start.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest, unbiased review.

#ItsAlwaysTheHusband #NetGalley You just know that any bo9ok from C.l. Taylor is going to be a cracker and this one was no exception! It will have you hooked from the first page. I'm not usually a fan of stories told from different points of view but this one worked perfectly. Plenty of action and twists and turns, I loved the fact that the chapters are short which encouraged me to keep reading way into the night!! Definitely a 5 star winner!!

C.L. Taylor always delivers
Another brilliant book
Will have you hooked from the very first page
It will have you guessing till the end
Thanks Netgalley

Another gripping psychological thriller I stayed up late to read. This time centred around a group of school mums who are close knit but hiding secrets. Newly arrived Jude has a fling with a widower but soon discovers he's lost another partner after his wife died in suspicious circumstances and now the rest of the village suspects he killed them both. It's Always The Husband.... Isn't it?

This story makes me glad I don't have to be in a mum clique, as cosy as it might be I can't stand lies and gossip! As we find out more about each character we learn everyone has their secrets and a possible reason to kill 😮

This is my third book by @cltaylorauthor and it definitely won't be my last!

Jude moves to a new town with her daughter Millie . Millie has a new boyfriend and his father Will might be a murderer! From the very start this book kept you suspicious of Will . Why did his first wife die? As Jude falls for Will she needs to uncover the truth about Will to protect herself and her daughter. Is Jude next on Will's list? This book kept me flying thru to get to the end! So GOOD!

As a big fan of C.L. Taylor I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint! I loved this school gates drama and every page kept me guessing. The characters were great and I particularly loved the short chapters from all different POVs. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy!

Really good book which I will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

The male protagonist has the misfortune to lose not only his wife but a partner leaving him with parental responsibilities. The congregation at the school gates, bored and curious raise the question of whether this is just an unfair coincidence or something more sinister. A new arrival to the group is drawn into the conspiracies theory. Multiple points of view distort the known facts through lies and gossip and events escalate out of all proportion. An unpredictable is satisfying conclusion.

3.75 stars
This was intended to be an ARC review, but time definitely got the better of me! 😳 I have honestly struggled to rate this and have thought about this overnight! This follows several neighbours as they try to discover the truth around the murder of two woman, both married to the same man (at some point)! It was a relatively quick read, and I did enjoy this for the most part, however, I do believe that the reason this is rated at 3.75 is because the ending did leave me feeling extremely underwhelmed! That being said, it is a decent thriller, and I do believe that this is a good book for anyone that is new to thrillers! 🥰

Jude is new to Lowbridge and has already that there is a School Gate Mafia firmly in place, with wannabe yummy mummy Victoria taking the roe as their Don. Jude isn't too fussed, though. She just wants to do her own thing and keep her daughter Betsy happy. So if she has to play the game sometimes, she's OK with that. But truth be told, she would rather play with Will, the widowed father of Betsy's new best friend. And things certainly look promising until she hears the rumours. Will's first wife died suddenly, and it wasn't long after he had a new girlfriend, Robyn....who vanished without a trace. Is Will behind their demise, or is he just very unlucky?

Another great story from C.L. Taylor. Lots of twists and turns. I found it hard to keep up with who was who in the group of school mums, but that may just be me, as I could never keep up in real life either! My main and only real issue with this book was Will. I just couldn't see the savvy Jude falling for his shtick. Whether he was a murderer or not (you'll have to read it to find out) he just came across as a spoilt drip.

But Will hating aside, I'd highly recommend this as a great read.

Another fabulous read from Cally. Her characterisation is always spot on, and unlike many books I read, I find they stick in my mind long after I've finished. It's pacy and very suspenseful with an ending I didn't see coming. Excellent!

This book caught my eye because of the title and i absolutely could not wait to dive into. This was such a good read, kept my attnetion the entire time and i couldn't stop reading!

I really enjoyed this. I've always been a fan of C.L Taylors and this was no exception. This had me gripped from the first page it was fast paced thrilling and twisty and I had no idea where it was going. This had such a good band of characters all harboring their own secrets that slowly get revealed as the story goes on. If you're looking for a fast paced suspense novel I highly recommend.

Newly divorced Jude, has just moved to a small town, with her daughter Betsy. Betsy soon makes friends with Millie, who is also in her class at school. As Jude and Millie’s widowed dad Will become close the school mums begin to gossip.

When Will is attacked by a passing E-scooter rider, outside the school one day, Jude is surprised to hear the other mums saying he deserved it. She then hears the rumours. His 1st wife died in a tragic accident, his 2nd is missing but Will told her she was dead too! The gossips believe Will is responsible for both women’s deaths, why else would he say Robyn was dead if she’s only missing?

Jude,who’s father was accused of a crime he was innocent off, when she was a young girl,is determined to prove Wills innocence and sets about trying to discover as much as she can about the circumstances into Robyn disappearance.

She becomes close to 2 other mums and after an incident in which one of the mum’s husband is found dead they find themselves closer. The 3 women then set about trying to find out exactly why Robyn vanished and who is responsible.


This was an interesting story with several suspects and a few twists and turns.

While initially not liking one of the characters as the story unfolds you can’t help but change your mind. I wasn’t overly Su with the person responsible as I had already guessed this by the time it became clear to the main characters.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title

This book had me hooked from the start! I love @clytaylorauthor writing and how she just pulls you in from the get go. She has the ‘just one more page’ perfected and so many twists throughout this one. You think you have it sussed and then something completely changes your thinking!
Love that it was told from multiple points of view and really added to the gossipy school mums theme. And that ending!! Did not see that coming and absolutely loved it!

this book has nothing on a typical C.L. Taylor - unfortunately it is not one of my favourites.

There didnt seem to be a very good flow when it came to the change in characters / storylines, which could lead to a bit of confusion in parts.

I dont think I will reach for this again

Well what can I say but the biggest thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to have this as an ARC but within reading the first few chapters I went and bought it ….this book will have you intrigued yes it centres on Jude & Will who according to the mum's at the school gates had something to do with his first wife Ali death and some mystery surrounding the disappearance of Robyn his second ..but this story is so much more we have all seen the mum clique at the school gates but this book tears them apart and their lives are not what it seems, with Victoria thinking she is the top bitch of the clique but really she and her hubby are well ...you will find out...the stories of the cliques and those involved is brilliant and is like being a nosy neighbour through the twitching curtains.. C L Taylor pulls it all together with a twist at the end which will make you feel uncomfortable as if you know a secret that you didn't want to know
..CL Taylor is one of my favourite autobuy authors and this really for me did not disappoint@NetGalley @CL Taylor

A new book by CL Taylor is always something to look forward to and this was one amazing read.
It’s mostly about the reality behind the facades of the mummies on the school run. There’s the face they present to all and the hidden one, secrets laid bare that they mostly hide away apart from with their ‘inner circle’ who they trust but, should they?
The story is told to us by multiple narrators, both mums and dads from the school run, each dealing with their own problems and some also forming alliances within their group to flush out the blackmailer and maybe even find the truth behind a death and a disappearance!
The characters themselves were well written, some likeable, some really not but all interesting in their own ways and essential to moving the story along. The story was interesting and fairly fast paced with all the side acts going along with the main themes that they were dealing with. It had a very interesting arc from the start and that last chapter was just the cherry on top of an ending that gave so much satisfaction.
This was a great read and I’m now already looking forward to and hoping for another by this author sometime soon.

This book is one that most mystery books fans will really enjoy.
The plot had so many twists and turns I couldn’t put the book down
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery or thriller.