“Even from a distance, I can see the unmoving body on the bank of the stream. The shape is out of the water, though a red coat burns brightly against the green and brown backdrop of Daisy Field.”
Set to be published on 17th November, What My Husband Did by Kerry Wilkinson sees Maddy return home one chilly winter evening, expecting to find her handsome husband, Richard, waiting for her by the fire. Usually, he comes straight back from work. But tonight, there’s no sign of him. Then, there’s a knock at the door. A 12-year-old-girl from the village has been found unconscious in the field behind Maddy’s house. They say that she was last seen getting into Richard’s car. Revealing a dark secret about Richard’s first wife could prove his innocence, but telling the truth could tear their lives apart for good. Is everyone right? Is her husband on the run?
Rating: 
Today is my stop on the blog tour for this book. Thank you to Bookouture for the opportunity and to NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What My Husband Did is an engaging and quick-paced thriller that keeps you guessing.
Told through two narratives, one in the past and one in the present, the story unravels in a really interesting way. It’s an easy book to get through quickly as the characters are distinctive and the plot is very to the point.
While there was a little more context that I wanted at the beginning and end, just to really set the atmosphere of the town up a little better, I love how sharp and tight the story feels at the same time. Instead of feeling heavy with description, What My Husband Did feels more like an hour-long TV episode, getting straight to the important events while ensuring that there’s just enough detail to make you care for the characters at the same time.
The setting of a small town where everybody knows everybody’s business is the perfect location for secrets, betrayals and grudges to thrive, set in a community where it’s impossible not to judge those closest to you. Full of red herrings and misdirections, you question the intentions of everybody involved, all the while trying to believe in Maddy’s hope that her husband isn’t a monster, whatever his secrets may be.
The final revelations certainly come as surprise and these chapters are full of suspense. And although I wanted a little more time spent on the characters in the present, I love the blunt ending of the past narrative which ends the story on an impacting message. While this message of how treating somebody as guilty before knowing the facts can have huge consequences feels distinct, it’s weaved in subtly throughout and isn’t pushed onto the reader, either, making it really play in the background of your mind.
This is the first book I have read by Kerry Wilkinson but I am definitely interested to read more of his work now. Do you have any recommendations on which of his books I should try next?
Details:
What My Husband Did by Kerry Wilkinson
Release Date: 17th November 2020
Print Length: 360 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Bookouture
Synopsis:
A little girl has been left for dead. And now my husband is missing.
‘I can give you a lift home,’ the man says. Little Alice tightens the zip of her big red coat. She’s unsure, but the walk will be cold and dark. ‘I’m not supposed to get in a stranger’s car.’ He forces a smile. ‘I’m not a proper stranger, am I?’
I return home to our beautiful house on a chilly winter evening expecting to find my handsome husband Richard waiting for me by the fire. We’re still so in love, and he always takes care of me: buying us this home in the little village where he grew up, making sure I settled in and made friends, and treating my teenage daughter like his own. There’s a bit of gossip about our age gap, but the death of his first wife years ago was so tragic that he still gets sympathetic looks. Everyone loves Richard.
He usually comes straight back from work. But tonight, our antique clock ticks on through the dark evening, with no sign of him. Then a knock at the door shatters my perfect life. A 12-year-old-girl, Alice from the village, has been found unconscious in the field behind our house. They say she was last seen getting into Richard’s car.
Now rumours are flying. As Alice fights for her life in hospital, nobody will speak to me: and when they do it’s to ask if he didn’t hurt Alice, why hasn’t Richard come home?
I know that revealing my own darkest secret about Richard’s first wife could prove his innocence… but even if I do, he’s still missing. Is everyone right, and is my husband on the run? And will telling the truth about my past turn my own daughter against me, and tear our lives apart for good?
Fans of The Girl on the Train, I Am Watching You and Shari Lapena will adore this absolutely unputdownable read by bestselling author Kerry Wilkinson, about the dark secrets we hide to protect ourselves and the ones we love.
About the author:
Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.
As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy – a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults – a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’.
When he’s short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he’s not, he writes it all down.
Find out more at:
https://kerrywilkinson.com/
https://twitter.com/kerrywk/
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