The Husband’s Secret

by Liane Moriarty

Although I’ve seen the TV adaptation of Big Little Lies, this is the first book that I have read by Liane Moriarty and I wasn’t disappointed! If you want a book that involves: love, deception and a decision that has life changing consequences for several people, then this could be the one for you.

The story is focused on the lives of three women.  They are strangers to each other but as the story progresses their lives become intertwined and entangled, with devastating results.

Cecelia is a successful business woman.  She is a devoted mother and wife, has a successful Tupperware business, volunteers at the school and is basically the person you would go to, to get things done. She seemingly has it all.

Tess has fled to Sydney with her son to visit her injured mother.  She also wants to escape her husband who has just announced that he has fallen in love with her best friend and cousin, but wants to remain in the family home with all three of them living happily alongside each other!  Tess understandably feels betrayed and reunites with a former boyfriend, Conor, now the lusted after PE teacher at the elementary school where she enrols her son.

Rachel is the school secretary. She is haunted by the unsolved murder of her 17 year old daughter Janie that took place three decades ago. She cannot move on and becomes increasingly obsessed with Conor. She believes he is the murderer. She just needs to prove it to the police and get them to reopen the case.

The story begins with Cecilia and a decision she makes which she may choose to regret. Cecilia believes that she is in a happy though rather dull marriage. She is looking for some excitement. She knows and understands her husband well, or does she?  One day she finds an envelope hidden amongst some boxes.  On the front is written ‘ to be opened in the event of my death.’ Her husband is very much alive and when he knows she has found the letter, proves to be rather concerned. Where did she find it? What has she done with it? And the big one … Did she read it?

Cecilia is torn between loyalty and curiosity. Curiosity wins and so opens a Pandora’s box that will have the most devastating consequences not just for her but for the other women in the story. The letter reveals a terrible secret, a secret that Cecilia has to decide whether to share or hide. Does she act on what she now knows despite the consequences or does she push it to the back of her mind and try to continue as normal?  And if she chooses the latter, will she be able to live with herself?  As she soon finds out, staying silent may not ultimately be the best option.

I found this book kept me interested from start to finish as I saw the dreadful repercussions from the opening of the letter unfold. The ending is truly shocking, and I can see that it could make another exciting TV series.  It is described as a page turner with a devastating climax and throws out the question: if you found a similar letter, what would you do? I would be interested to know! I’m not sure that I could live with the consequences of either decision in this case.