A nicely twisty tale. Jude is new to town and she's feeling pushed aside by the clique at her daughter's school. So if the moms won't be nice, why not befriend Will? Well, because people suspect that Will did something to not one but two wives, Jude can't see that so she sets out to find the truth which turns out to be more complicated than expected. I liked that this was told by three different POVs as it rounded out what might. otherwise be a humdrum plot that might remind you of a real life case in the news. Taylor is good at keeping you guessing and reading. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A page turner.

Loved this twisty, stalking revenge thriller. CL Taylor knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat.

This book has everything I love in a mystery, a dysfunctional family dynamic and a town full of secrets and suspicion. There were so many plot twists in this book and they were relentless - I honestly felt on edge for the majority of the narrative and knew there would be something lurking around every corner. I did find that I didn't particularly warm to the characterisation and I just wished I could've known them a little bit better, if that makes any sense. I felt as though I still got a lot from the narrative but it didn't necessarily make me feel as deeply as I normally like to feel!

A good thriller from CL Taylor. We begin by meeting Jude who has recently moved to a new area and is feeling a bit left out of the ‘mum’ clique at her daughter’s new school. She does make a friend with one of the dads thought unbeknownst to her that the rest of the school mums thinks he killed his last two partners. With Jude falling for him she starts digging to try and probe his innocence but what she finds lands her in the middle of danger. Page turner, good characters and nice plot.
I will be recommending

This was a gripping and twisty thriller that kept me guessing until the very last page.
The story follows Jude, a recently divorced mom who moves to Lowbridge and finds herself drawn to single dad Will, who also happens to have a very dark past. With one dead wife and one missing girlfriend, the town is full of whispers and suspicions.
I really enjoyed the multiple points of view; it added layers of mystery and made me second guess everything. The school mums were an interesting mix of characters, especially the controlling Victoria, who was fun to hate. Secrets, lies, and hidden agendas made every chapter feel tense and unpredictable.
I couldn’t stop turning the pages, and just when I thought I had it figured out, the ending completely surprised me. If you like small town drama, mystery, and suspense with lots of twists, this is a much read story.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

Another fantastic book by C.L. Taylor!

I thoroughly enjoyed this unputdownable thriller, with it's many characters, twists and turns. As a fellow school mum, I was engrossed in the storyline, determined to keep reading to find out what happens next.

Well written, brilliant characters and a riveting plot makes this a must read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another fab twisted tale, hard to know who to believe and who to trust.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

This is the first C.L. Taylor I have read, but it certainly won’t be the last!

I raced through this thriller, and was kept guessing right to the very last word.

I enjoyed the host of characters - it’s easy in a novel that switches viewpoints to be bored by certain threads or stories but this wasn’t the case here. Each character’s own story was intertwined with the others so they were always kept interesting, and the little cliffhangers and red herrings throughout were scattered through expertly.

Only dropped one star as - for me - some moments felt a little bit “scooby doo” in the reveals. But other than that a fun, thrilling read.

It’s Always the Husband by C.L. Taylor is set in Lowbridge, a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business. Jude and her daughter, Millie, moved to Lowbridge to start a new life after her divorce. Jude is attracted to Will, the father of Milly’s best friend, Betsy. Jude soon realises that Will is at the centre of the town gossip as a suspect. He has had two wives. The first one, Allison, died accidentally, and the second one, Robyn, is missing and presumed dead.
Before long, Jude and Will become the subject of discussion among the mums at the school gate. The narrative is presented from multiple points of view and in brief chapters. Various characters have their reasons for distrusting Will, but Jude remains resolute in her determination to prove them wrong.
The author's skill in intertwining various characters enhances the suspense and mystery, enriched with well-placed red herrings. This creates an engaging narrative that makes it difficult to put the book down. The book is undeniably compelling, with numerous intricate plots and unexpected twists. The surprise at the end!
I highly recommend this book.

I have only recently discovered C.LTaylor and this is the 3rd book of hers I have read.
This book involves the lives of the "mamas" at the school gates, the Queen Bee that everyone panders to that leads the PTA and all her worshippers. The mamas are not as good friends as they think with many just looking for the gossip.
The plot certainly kept be intrigued and I thoroughy enjoyed reading it.
A must read!

Thank you to Netgalley, C.L.Taylor and Avon Books UK for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Well, it's fair to say that CL Taylor has done it again. Created a story which is rich in intrigue and misdirection, with characters that I rarely (if ever) trusted, some I loved to hate, and which exposed the bias that is inherent in society, including all of us readers. Given the unique set of circumstances of this story, it is perhaps not all that unreasonable that many of the characters we meet have rushed to judgement, and condemnation, of single father, Will, but, much like Jude tries to, you'd think we readers especially would keep an open mind, wouldn't you?

Jude, recently divorced, has moved herself and her daughter, Betsy, to the town of Lowbridge to be nearer to her sister. There she has been systematically avoiding falling in with the 'school gate Mums' crowd, particularly their self-proclaimed queen bee, Victoria. Now, it is easy to see why that might be - let's just say that they are an eclectic and not always easy to like bunch - but Jude soon finds that she has good reason to get to known the mums better, that reason being mainly, Will. The more she learns about him, the more determined she is to prove that he is not all that the mum suspect him to be, little knowing that it's not actually a colony of bees she's moving in. It's really a hornet's nest and one of them is really angry. Murderously so as it happens.

The author has really captured that exaggerated School Mum vibe within the pages of this book, as well as a whole lot of 'keeping up with the Jones's' shenanigans. It is clear that none of the so called friendships that Jude bears witness too are of any great substance, and this just adds to the way in which suspicion and conflict build within the narrative, making the whole story about far more than the tragically echoing nature of Will's loss of not one, but two partners in recent years. That would be plenty to get tongues wagging, and it certainly captured my imagination, but it turns out there is far more going on in Lowbridge, and getting to the bottom of it might prove deadly.

There is a perfect blend of mystery and tension in the book, as well as a very varied cast of characters. In fact, you might call some of them misfits, with one at least being so vastly different to Victoria that you wonder just how they ended up in her sphere in the first place. Add in some interesting side stories which also prove to be quite detrimental to certain character's health and you have a story which can keep you guessing to the end. I liked the use of multiple perspectives, adding layers to the narrative and providing more insight than we'd have been able to glean via Jude alone. With the additional conflict that comes from people moving in and out of lives that are wholly mismatched for each other, and more secrets being kept than you could possibly imagine, and you have the dry tinder just waiting for that on incendiary spark. And boy does that spark come, but perhaps not in the way I was expecting.

With secrets and lies being the catch all for this particular group of 'friends', and twists coming right to the very end, this is another book I think fans of the author are just going to eat up. As the title suggests, when a woman is killed or goes missing, you always look to the home, or more specially, the husband or boyfriend first. In this case it's more a case of which husband, or even which home, as none of them are exactly squeaky clean. Like Desperate Housewives but with way more drama. Loved it.

Set in a small town called Lowbridge. The story centres around a group of clicky school mums and their lives. Jude has recently moved to the area and is instantly attracted to single dad, Will. However, Will’s first wife died and his girlfriend disappeared…..

The story is packed full of accusations, secrets and affairs… but is all as it seems?

I was instantly drawn into this story.

The story was told through multiple pov and I enjoyed the alternating pov as it added to the mystery and suspense of the story.

I loved seeing how the characters linked and I was really surprised to discover what was actually going on… also the last few pages really had me questioning what I thought I’d figured out!

Thank you so much to Avon books and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are my own.

This was the first book that I’ve read by this author and I’m keen to read more. I highly recommend Its Always The Husband 4.5⭐️

haha did you see all the holy moly other authors that wrote a bit of praise for this book. well if thats not lighting up Taylor's life it will mine! wow. and if you dont know this author and know anything she touches is spine tingly good then where have you been and what have you been reading. for she is the master of the books she writes. they are 100 top notch, go straight into your to keep forever pile.
and this one takes us right into the lioness den. oh yes the "school run and school gates" where gossip is rife right? but gossip about a man and what happened to his dead wife? eeeh thats a little brave even for that kind of conversation stirring. and now Jude must figure out who to trust. and her life and love might just depend on it. for shes knew here and is falling for Will who is her daughters best friends dad. but Will hasnt just got a dead wife, hes got a missing girlfriend too. just what is going on here and should the gates gossipers be believed?
it feels like the reader is one of these at the gates. just the quiet one watching from the corner. and we feeeeeel the tension and things unsaid grow. we watch veins pop and muscles clench. and you wonder yourself who is to be believed. should we go to stereotype and think the woman are just rubbish stirrers out for making idle gossip with disgusting undertones. or are they strong woman coming together and fighting the good fight in the only way they know how. and what about the dads, men....will?
oooooooh its so good. and you will want to read this one. you will want to be kept guessing and you will want to question everything until Taylor reveals her cunning plan. the ending. brilliant.

This novel is the story of Jude and by extension the other mothers she has befriended at the local school gate. Jude’s new to Lowbridge and doesn’t know anything about the reputation of single dad Will but she can’t escape the rumour mill when they see her with him. Will’s previous girlfriend went missing and he has a dead wife so it’s clear for some that he’s the one responsible. After all, it’s always the husband, isn’t it? Coincidence or is Jude wise to heed the warnings of Victoria’s posse and stay away from him?

There are different POV’s and the story includes several couples of the mum clique and with some digging you’ll find there’s more than one hidden agenda among them. One of the mums is being blackmailed and she suspects her husband of wrongdoing, another is being spied on… there’s a lot to uncover here and it kept me guessing who might be so devious. In all honesty, the vibe that this was all coming from a man was missing for me but I didn’t know who was behind it. I enjoyed the mystery and suspicion among the characters. I love books where there’s lots going on so this one served me well, although I did feel some of the mums were a bit bland, only Victoria really stood out for me. Not a complete surprise then that I was completely blindsided in the end either. The final lines were perfect to leave with though I think reading those final words made my heart miss a beat after all.

For me, The Fear is still my all-time favorite read by this author but I do recommend this one to those who like mysteries and domestic suspense.

This one gave me mean girls/desperate housewives vibes and the story was good and kept me intrigued but the ending definitely felt very rushed. Also felt like I was left with questions at the end.

Oooh I loved the concept of this - and it lived up to my expectations and more! As a person who really disliked the school gates and school mum cliques and gossip - I’m certainly not averse to reading about it and getting involved through the pages of a book! Lots of interesting characters to get stuck into, loads of twists and turns and plenty of really entertaining moments. And the ending! Oooooooh it’s a good one. So yes, I would definitely recommend this book, a really enjoyable book and one to devour quickly.

I really enjoyed this read. It had me hooked right at the start and I kept going. I liked the setting of the school run parents, and instantly wanted to know more about them all. I did not imagine the twist and I was guessing and wondering all throughout. A couple of times I felt angry at one or two of them! Really got me engaged. It is a good story with characters that will have you wanting to learn more and keep reading to see what exactly has gone on here!

Is it always the husband? Only one way to find out!

Really enjoyed this school gate thriller (although it did give me flashbacks to running the gauntlet of the mummy mafia when my children were little!).

Jude is new to the area and captures the attention of the school mums immediately, particularly when she strikes up a friendship with single dad Will.

With a backdrop of a mysterious accident of Will's first wife Robyn and the tittle tattle of the playground mums convinced he killed her, you are never quite sure of the truth and there are many twists and turns.

Loved it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jude and her daughter reluctantly become part of the school gate group in the small town they move to called Lowbridge. Gossip and whispers are rife and after Jude runs into Will, rumours swirl. Fellow mother Victoria is nosy and assertive and has domestic issues. She has warnings for Jude who can see right through her. But her little ones are her soft spot. Everyone has secrets, some better kept than others. Not only is there theft, unfaithfulness and blackmail but also disappearance and suspicious death. Add domestic drama, taut tension and addictive suspense and voila...the perfect storm. Snippets of home life angst, flawed characters and (dis)trust tied in flawlessly. I like the layer the kids' relationships with their parents added, a constant of sorts, in spite of the pain of tragedy. One or two of the characters surprised me in their development and growth.

The multiple perspective story is cleverly written and the pace is snappy. Few of the characters are likeable but I was engrossed nonetheless and itched to find out what was lurking around the next bend. What fun to connect the dots only to discover there were more! The ending is Chef's kiss. Absolutely stellar. I really, really enjoyed this one. My only quibble was encountering frequent F-bombs.

This was an enjoyably twisty thriller with the school gate clique and their partners both suspected and suspicious of murder and blackmail in their community. It was a fun page turner and a good ending, but, even though I read it in two sittings, I did find a lot of the characters a bit interchangeable and forgot the relationships between them.
Thank you to netgalley and Avon books for an advance copy of this book.