Good Husbands

My review appears on an Art District Radio podcast - Dark Mysteries. Link below.
What would you do if you received a letter accusing your husband of rape?
Moral dilemmas, solidarity and trust

This book was seriously well written, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. However its not at all suspensful or thrilling. Its definitley a drama. The ending has a little but of momentum but don't read it expecting a typical thriller.

Three women, Jessica Jackson, Stephanie Brooke and Priyanka Lawley, strangers to each other, get an identical letter from a woman called Holly Waite, who tells them that her mother, Nicola Waite, was raped 30 years ago in 1990 by their husbands, Maximilian Jackson, Daniel Brooke and Andrew Lawley. For all of them, in marriages of love and trust, the allegation in the letter is deeply disturbing.

The letter evokes different reactions. Jess wants the truth. Priyanka is at first determined to protect Andrew, then loses confidence in him and is undecided about what to do. Stephanie wants to protect her husband and save her family, no matter what. While the other two would prefer to hide from the truth, Jess eggs them on, seeking to band together as a team.

Jess makes it her goal to get justice for Nicole, and Holly too, knowing that the truth could upset their lives and break up their marriages and families.

But will they ever get at the truth, and will justice be served?


The novel is written in the first person present tense PoV of Jess, Priyanka and Stephanie. The book is written in three parts, The Letter, The Diary and The Key, each of which drive the action onward.

The premise is a weighty one. A strong woman in a committed marriage learns that her husband has raped somebody in the past. How would she react?

I liked the writing. Here’s a sample:

It’s so temperamental, sexual interplay. One word, one look can alter things dramatically… Attraction is just smoke and mirrors. So fragile, desire can vanish at any moment.

Bitter looks ugly when unwrapped.

At 400 pages, the book is long, with not much action filling up those pages, but although I found myself impatient, I wasn’t bored. The author raises the point about the steady breakdown of democracy in many countries, including India.

The novel meanders a lot, going into questions of male privilege, testosterone, even marital sex, whether a wife can say No, and the age-old assumption that when a woman is raped or sexually assaulted, she was ‘asking’ for it. How the blame is shifted on to the girl, while the perpetrator is condoned.

There is an extensive section about the gaslighting that women are subjected to. And above all, the institution where the heinous act was committed, Montague Club, where women weren’t even allowed in until the 80s.

I found Priyanka’s job very interesting. Although ungraded, we need more discussions on such subjects for young people and teenagers.

I was happy to see an Indian character, ticking off the diversity quotient. I was happier still to know she wasn’t a stereotype. The only mistake was the author’s acknowledgement of her Punjabi Indian heritage. Bandyopadhyay, Priyanka’s surname, is Bengali, not Punjabi.

Stephanie was the character I warmed the least to. She was the most unwilling to believe in the veracity of Nicole’s story, believing the lies about the woman’s promiscuity and how she asked for it. But I also felt sorry for her once she revealed that she learned to keep my sentences short because he often interrupts me when I’m speaking, doesn’t ask what it was that I was going to say.

Priyanka changes her stance when she is confronted by all the lessons around consent that she teaches her students.

Jess is the driving force, for the greater part of the book, the only one to believe Nicole. Of the three women, she has the most powerful and unwavering moral compass. Between them, the three women spanned the gamut of reactions to rape.

Even the men are each representative of a type. There is the ‘weak’ Mr Nice Guy, the brash, militant type and the one who gets by on his looks.

Each of the characters went through turmoil in their respective lives, and they all underwent change.

This was a book about strong women, every single one of them, major and minor characters alike. I also liked how every single thread was resolved, and every character given closure, down to Shelley Fricker. In the end, this band of women stood up for their own against the power imbalance.

Good Husbands by Cate Ray follows three women, strangers to each other, who receive letters informing them that their husbands assaulted a woman twenty years ago together. Each woman, Jess, Priyanka, and Stephanie, were their own unique and separate characters. I think it’s easy for an author to give characters different interests, but it’s harder for them to give different motivations. Ray did a wonderful job at this.

I’m rating this book five stars. It was a page turner, had strong character arcs, and was SUCH and interesting premise. There’s a few moments (one in particular in Jess’ POV) where I was like, sure, okay girl. I would’ve liked Jess to have started at a slightly different point and get even further in her development, rather than speed run learning about r*pe and then “suddenly understanding the big picture.”

Wonderful development of class disparity.

My favorite part was Stephanie’s end. That’s exactly how I like those sorts of things to happen, action leading and to the point. Let the reader realize the act as the character is. So well done!

Thank you Cate Ray for sharing your work with us.

Sucks you right in from the beginning, which I appreciate when I begin a book.. Thoroughly enjoyed this book in two days!

Being married to someone for a number of years and finding out that you never really knew them is shocking. Finding out that they committed sexual assault and never told anyone is even worse, and the fallout from finally having to face the consequences is devastating. Three women, vastly different, each receive a letter telling them that their husband had committed gang rape years ago. Each woman reacts differently, and their reactions change and grow until they decide to find out the truth. Even though they are convinced that they need to find the truth, it's impossible to be prepared for the fallout. Each woman and family is affected differently - but all are greatly affected. The book kept me engaged, and waiting to see how the men are punished for their actions.

Good Husbands is a novel about three women who all receive the same letter about something that happened in their husbands past. Should these women believe a complete stranger's letter or should they believe their husbands? This was a fast paced domestic thriller with different POV throughout the book. You will keep reading to find out what the real story is!!

What happens when you learn your beloved husband might not be who you thought he was? Does your relationship survive? How do you react? This book follows 3 women who learn their husbands may have participated in a gang rape years earlier. This is a story that isn’t commonly told or considered. Each of their reactions is believable and each earns our sympathy and empathy. Emotions and personalities drive this book. And it is therapeutic in some ways. This is a story that needs to be told and both victims and those who wonder about the past of their loved ones will find themselves standing in the shoes of one of the narrators at different times.

Omg it sucked me right in read this in one day! What would you do if you found out you didn't know the man you married at all? Loved the storyline and all the characters in this book!

What a rollercoaster of emotions! This book dealt with such a sensitive subject and really made you think about it from all points of view. I was constantly second guessing myself about who was guilty, were they guilty? Is that what really happened? it was so long ago, there were no witnesses, should they get away with it? Why should they get away with it?!

I loved Jess, Priyanka and Stephanie and their relationship with each other. Three such different characters coming together and struggling with what to do with this information, that could blow their lives and families apart.

Incredible, thoughtful and thought-provoking writing. I almost devoured it in one go!

Well this is a book that pulled me in, hooked me quickly and has been completely impossible to put down. I have devoured this book and been completely enthralled for the entire duration.

We meet three central characters in this one, Jess, Priyanka and Steph. Each unique and likeable, all with their own families. The woman receive a letter claiming that one of their husbands had raped the girl’s mother and she was the result of that.

This is where the plot really begins to unfold. I found myself completely unwilling and unable to put this book down. I was desperately craving the information of where this was going.

There is enough suspense laced through this one to keep you guessing and unable to predict where this was going. I have found this is written brilliantly and really does keep you guessing as a reader. I have been completely shocked as events have unfolded.

I definitely felt as though I have known the characters in this one. I have been able to feel the turmoil and confusion which they have experienced. This shows how great Ray’s writing is because the feelings are really transferred.

This is unlike any book I’ve read previously. Ray really explores the dilemma of the wives in this and I have enjoyed reading the events of this one unfold. It definitely hasn’t failed to disappoint, I have been engrossed and shocked by what has taken place.

This is a book I will absolutely be recommending. I am definitely keen to read more by Ray following this one.

Gripping, suspenseful and had me questioning my own life! A lot of “what if” questions! This book is relevant, important and powerful! The age old dilemma of men having more power and status than women and being able to do as they please with no repercussions. Care Ray writes so beautifully and captivating. I really enjoyed this book and the three POV of the wives.

A letter from Holly arrives at three women's homes, addressed to them and promises to disrupt and change their lives.
We meet Jess; Pree and Stephanie when they receive the worst letter ever. We see how they absorb the news; how they deal with the realities contained in the letter and how they interact eventually with each other. We see how they cope with the fallout resulting from this letter and how each woman changes.
The ending comes with a vicious twist in the tale that leaves you rather shaken and pondering if what Holly did was for the greater good or selfish purposes or a combination of the two.
A great read that sucks you in very fast.
Thank You to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Wow definitely not what I expected but I was pleasantly surprised! I thought it would be more thriller/mystery but this book went deep, I believe there was a lot of strong messages about the issues women face. The story itself was captivating. The characters were brilliant, they each served their purpose and had character development. I loved it! 4 stars!

I thought this was an intriguing thriller. It made me think about what I would do if I was in that situation. I liked the shifting POVs between the characters. An enjoyable read!

Timely and unflinching. A recommended first purchase for collections where thrillers and domestic noir are popular.

Very unputdownable read, that had me gripped from start to finish! The twists where very well written, and it had me on the edge of my seat.

This had me gripped, It was definitely a page turner and every time I opened it something new/questioning came up.

Jessica, Stephanie and Priyanka are complete strangers, but they have one thing in common: they’ve each received a letter accusing their husbands of committing a sexual assault more than two decades prior. Is the accusation true or is there more to the story? It was a secret that remained buried for years.

Whoa, this book deals with some hard hitting subjects, what would I do if I found out my husband had raped someone? It's a nightmare situation! The drama unfolds and Cate deals with subject well. I found it difficult at times but I love a book that challenges me and engages me emotionally.

I really enjoyed this book. Well written . Good twist. I would definitely look out for this authors next book.

I’m still shookt! That was a pleasant read. Looking forward to more from this author.

Cheers to Netgalley for the copy!

Que livro é esse, gente? UAU.

Você sacrificaria sua vida familiar para apoiar outra mulher?

Aqui na história vamos conhecer Jess, Priyanka e Stephanie. Elas são casadas e felizes com homens que elas acham que conhecem de dentro para fora.

Cada uma delas recebe uma carta acusando o marido de envolvimento em uma agressão sexual ocorrida há 20 anos.

Afinal, em quem acreditar? O que devem fazer?

Um thriller sobre consentimento, amizade e preconceito. Uma história envolvente.

This book was so good. I read it in a couple of days, because I quickly got drawn in and couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

Wow this book was so good I couldn't put it down!!!!!! The deceit and betrayal will blow your mind.

Cates knack for building tension and her expert use of misdirection kept me enthralled from start to finish. It’s a page turner at its best

I read this in one sitting and I haven't done that for a long time. ‘Good Husbands’ is a book with layers - the best kind. The story is engaging but there's a lot of food for thought here, and a lot of ideas imparted too. Very well done and I look forward to hearing more from Cate Ray.