Review: The Husband's Secret

The Husband's Secret Author: Liane Moriarty Genre: Adult Contemporary Publisher:  Penguin Audio Release Date: July 30, 2013 Audiobook: 13 hours and 44 minutes Narrator: Caroline Lee Source: Purchased from Audible.com

Book Description

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read
My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died. . .

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

Review

  This book was the book club selection for June. And I have to say that I was glad it was selected after reading A Wanted Woman.  
This will be a spoiler free review.  That's right! I will not tell you what the letter says.  Nope!  Not a peep! 
So....   This story revolves around several characters and the crazy mayhem going on in their lives.  One, Cecilia finds a letter in her home's attic from her husband telling her not to open it until he is dead.  At the time he is on a business trip on another continent.  The mother of 3 young girls has a perfect live and this letter might end all of that (or might not).  Hmm! 
Then there is Tess.  Tess's husband comes out and tells her he is having a non-sexual affair with her cousin Felicity.  I know right!  Can you image? 
Oh and there is poor Rachel who sits in mourning over the death of her daughter Janie decades later.   
All of these stories and characters start out as separate situations but quickly become one.  And by the way you don't have to wait long to find out what the letter is all about but the process getting to it makes you flip pages quickly.  And unlike so many ladies in the book club, I had no idea what the letter would say.  I was completely shocked by the information revealed.  I still think about how I would react if I was in Cecilia situation.  I mean... WOW!  What a shocker?  
Overall, I thought it was a great audiobook.  The only down point would be there were a few too many characters to keep up with and their stories seemed to be just background noise.   I think the Felicity and Will storyline could have been eliminated completely and it would not have affected the storyline at all.
The book is a great summer read.  The main characters are really well written and full of GUILT!  That could be an alternative title to this book.  LOL!  Everyone is shackled with guilt from past actions, from unkind thoughts, from everything under the sun.  Yes!  They are Catholics.
The narrator Caroline Lee did a good job of reading this audiobook.  Her accent seemed to be in keeping with the Australian setting. 
If you need a good summer read, I would recommend this book without a doubt.  You might need a pen and paper to write out notes of "who is who" to help you in the beginning.  But it's worth it!      

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Recommendations

I recommend this book to adult readers due to the topic of infidelity and murder.

Challenges

This book is number 15 in my New To Me Author Reading Challenge
This book is number 20 in my Audiobook Reading Challenge
This book is number 31 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge

Mocha Girl Book of the Month