It’s Always the Husband by C.L. Taylor is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. The layered mysteries and shifting dynamics between the characters made it hard to put down—I constantly wanted to know what was coming next. Taylor does a great job weaving in tension and suspicion throughout. My only reason for not giving it a full five stars is that I figured out the antagonist earlier than I hoped, which took away a bit of the final punch. Still, a very enjoyable read and one I’d recommend to anyone who loves twisty psychological thrillers.

Really enjoyed this story, jude the main protagonist is a likable character and the premise built around the playground and parents cliques was an interesting and relatable one. Enough twists and turns to keep.me engaged.

Too many characters and a slow, plodding pace made it difficult for me to engage initially with this one. There are about 8 “main” characters sharing their POVs in different chapters. At first, each of them sounded about the same: bored suburban moms desperate for something, anything to happen around them. I struggled to keep track of them all.

However, the pace does pick up and I really enjoyed the mystery and the action for the second half of the story. I also love that we’re left with a giant question mark at the end. Was it a little too neat? Sure, but I still liked it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Finished this in a weekend!

It's not my favourite C L Taylor book I've read BUT I still really enjoyed it!!!!

Full of school run drama, blackmail, secrets, affairs and betrayal

There were a lot of characters in this book which I found a bit confusing initially, but once you figure out who's linked to who it's easier to understand!

To sum the book up in a sentence: a group of school parents are full of secrets and drama, but one has a bigger secret - one is a k*ller

The book follows the POV of 3 parents and has some unreliable narrator vibes (especially as one character is a notorious liar) so you're never quite sure who to believe

Welcome to Lowbridge. Where secrets hide behind every door… 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! Good book! This book had a few wild twists! It also had good suspense, intriguing, murder, gaslighting, mystery, and a few shocking moments! The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

The question is, ‘ is he innocent OR guilty?’
what do you think?

Well, what can I say but WOW. Another fantastic publication by CL Taylor, I absolutely loved all the twists and turns in this story keeping me guessing with every chapter.
I wasn’t expecting the truth to be so difficult to realise with all the different details involving the school mums and their individual experiences with the guilty party.

Life is not always what it seems behind closed doors and that becomes true when the diary is found, but who has it now? Chinese whispers amongst the mums leads to distrust and questions being asked about where Robyn has gone and is she really dead or living a new life?

Buy this book to find out on JUNE 5TH

Gossip? Or truth?! Better think fast…your life depends on it!
Following her divorce, Jude and her daughter Millie move to a new town. Which means a new school for Millie. And with that comes all the gossip from the moms at the school pick-up!

The latest tidbit from the rumor mill is that Will, the father of Millie’s new best friend may be a murderer! Wait…whaat? Well, his first wife accidentally died😉, and his second partner all but vanished into thin air, so it’s safe to assume she too, is dead.

Uh-oh, I see a pattern developing here!

Maybe it’s time for Jude to take a moment and think about this.
After all, her daughter may be spending time with her bff at Will’s home. And Jude herself is smitten by Will (yup, that happened😅) Maybe she should take these warnings a bit more seriously! Gee,Ya think!?

This was another entertaining thriller from C.L. Taylor. In fact, it’s my fifth read by her. All delivering a great twisty ride that leave me looking forward to her next.

Have you been searching for a fun, light thriller for your next read? Look no further! 🤓🍿📚

Thank you to a NetGalley and Avon Books UK

C L Taylor knows how to pull together a gripping domestic noir and It’s Always the Husband is no exception. Small town claustrophobia is rife and rumours surround Will. His first wife died and his second has disappeared. Three strong female characters provide different narrative points in this multi faceted mystery that’s tense from start to finish. It’s clever to take a seemingly simple situation and turn it into something more sinister. Are any of the characters reliable? What’s true, what’s speculative gossip. Should the newcomer be unsettled by past events? Great escapist fiction, kept me intrigued from the start. Well written and a genuine page turner. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

A great set of very well written characters surround an intriguing storyline. Will is the subject of a lot of school mum gossip after his first wife dies and second goes missing. Is he really guilty? This story is told from the viewpoint of some of the different characters. It never alows down and keeps you gagging to find out what is going to happen next. Thank you for the advance read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jude and her young daughter have recently moved to the town of Lowbridge. She soon makes friends with Will, the dad of her daughter’s best school friend. Both being single parents mean they bond quickly and start a casual relationship. However, Will is ostracized by the other school mums and rumours are rife about the death of Will’s wife and disappearance of his latest girlfriend.
The story is told from various points of view and includes a lot of characters, mainly the school mums and their partners. For this reason, I struggled to follow the plot and what was going on. I also found the plot to be quite dragged out and could have been more tense and gripping. Having read and enjoyed other books by this author, this book wouldn’t put me off reading more by her in the future.

Numerous storylines surround the mums at the school gates in this latest fast paced read by C.L.Taylor. Victoria, the alpha female, has plenty to say about everyone, not least Will, the lone male at the gates. His first wife Ali died and his 2nd,Robyn, went missing a couple of years previous.
Sorrrel's husband Finnley is struggling with depression and when he phones Sorrrel in a state of panic, she's horrified when she gets blackmail messages about an accident Finnley has been involved in.
Jude is a newbie, no previous knowledge of past events she's looking to embark on a relationship with Will, The others are keen to warn her off.
Despite multiple voices and characters this great novel isn't overwhelming. The chapters flow easily, and there are plenty of red herrings throughout. It's intriguing, clever and a unique story.

It’s Always the Husband by C.L. Taylor is a gripping domestic thriller that plays out in the deceptively serene setting of the school run. When newly divorced Jude moves to Lowbridge, she quickly finds herself entangled in a web of gossip, secrets and suspicions centred around the mysterious Will, a single dad whose past is full of unanswered questions.

Told through multiple perspectives, the story weaves together the lives of Jude, Will, and the other school mums and their families. At times, the sheer number of characters and overlapping storylines can be a bit overwhelming, but once you get into the rhythm of it, the payoff is worth it. The drama unfolds steadily, with twists that kept me second-guessing throughout.

This was an addictive read for me. I loved the tension, the secrets, and the way every character seemed to have something to hide. A brilliant pick if you enjoy stories where seemingly ordinary lives mask darker truths.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

**What a fantastic read!** This book dives into the lives of a group of parents who drop their young kids off at school each morning—where all the moms are vying for a spot in the elite inner circle. Gossip flows effortlessly as they meet up for coffee in the park, indulge in wine-fueled dinners, and throw lavish house parties. But not everyone is welcomed equally—some moms (and girlfriends) are clearly on the outside looking in, though they still crave inclusion.

Then there’s the only single dad in the group, who’s been unfairly labeled due to a past accusation he can’t seem to shake. The clique keeps that stigma alive, making sure he doesn’t forget. He’s supposed to be off-limits... until one mom starts getting a little too close—and that’s when the real drama kicks off.

Secrets unravel—affairs, disappearances, a hit-and-run, even murder—everything seems to trace back to the clique. I couldn’t put this book down! And just when you think everything’s been revealed, that final twist leaves you wanting more.

**An absolutely gripping read!** Huge thanks to NetGalley and C.L. Taylor for the chance to dive into this one.

It’s Always the Husband is a moody, gripping mystery set in the kind of small town where everyone knows your business—and no one forgets a scandal. Jude is a compelling lead: a newly divorced mom just trying to start over, who finds herself drawn into the dark past of her daughter's best friend's father. And Will? The perfect blend of sympathetic and suspicious. You’re never quite sure if he’s the victim or the villain—and that tension kept me turning pages late into the night.

The town of Lowbridge practically becomes a character itself, with its claustrophobic feel and long-held grudges. The layers of mystery peel back slowly, and just when you think you’ve figured it all out, the story takes another turn.

My only small gripe? Some of the twists felt just a little too neat by the end, and there were moments where I wanted more emotional depth from Jude, especially given the parallels to her own past.

Still, this is a solid, binge-worthy read for fans of domestic suspense with a dark edge and a dash of small-town paranoia. One dead wife might be tragic, but this book proves two definitely means drama.

This fast paced book explores the relationships between Jude, Sorrell and Victoria, all mums at the school gate.
Will’s wife is dead, and girlfriend is missing and he is the target of much gossip. Did he have something to do with the death of one and disappearance of the other?
Gradually the secrets and lies are revealed and I raced to the finish to find out.
Another great read from this author.

This book was amazing!!! A group of parents dropping their young children off at school each morning…and all the moms want to belong to the elite clique!  The gossip flows smoothly and they often get together for coffee at the park, a boozy dinner, or a fancy house party! Not all moms…or girlfriends are treated the same though….but they still want to be part of the clique. The only single dad, dropping off his daughter, seems to have been wrongly accused of a crime and he can’t seem to shake that image…well…the clique won’t let him forget it!  He should be off limits to the single moms…but one mom starts getting close to him and that’s when all the real gossip begins! So many secrets, and lies…an affair, missing partners, a hit and run, and murder….all involving the clique!  A book you can’t put down! And just when you think the dust has settled….that ending has you wanting for more! Phenomenal read! Thank you NetGalley  and C.L. Taylor for the opportunity to read this one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️😍

One dead wife is tragic. Two looks like murder…

This is a very cleverly written book. I enjoyed it, though I’m not keen on books about mother’s tittle tattling at the school gate.
I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite book by this author but it is a good story with decent characters.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another gripping triumph from C.L. Taylor. The pacing was pitch-perfect, pulling me deeper with each chapter, and the shifting perspectives were masterfully done—each one adding fresh layers of intrigue and tightening the web of suspense. I found myself constantly second-guessing motives and alliances, which made the reveals all the more satisfying. The characters were richly drawn, flawed in the most compelling ways, and impossible to forget. It’s stories like this that remind me why Taylor remains one of my go-to authors for psychological thrillers.

Dubious goings on revolve around a group of parents at the school gate. Fans of Lesley Kara’s The Rumour – as well as real-life parents (!) – will recognise this fertile, angst-ridden territory.
The three viewpoint characters are: newcomer and single mum Jude; beleaguered and increasingly isolated wife and mother Sorrell; and recently separated queen bee Victoria. They interact with a large cast of other mums and with single dad Will, who may or may not have done away with two ex-partners.
A fluently written, swift and solid read. Another surefire hit for this bestselling author of psychological suspense.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

On publication, I will post my review on my blog and GoodReads.

Absolutely loved this physiological thriller. It definitely had me guessing and definitely didn't expect the end. Fantastic read.