By: K. L. Slater
Narrator: Clare Corbett
ISBN: 9781837907816
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 11/03/2023
Format: e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
We promised to keep each other’s secrets. Until they found the body…
The Wife:
My husband and I are fighting for our lives in hospital after a terrible car accident. But despite my pain, all I can think about is what our families will find behind our front door. The scarf that has been all over the news, belonging to a dead young woman with honey-coloured hair. I have to speak to the police before my husband can…
The Husband:
I’m drifting in and out of consciousness, but when I hear my wife talking to the police, accusing me of the murder of an innocent woman, a cold fear grips me. I know I’ve got a temper. That I’ve not always been faithful. Will they think I killed her?
I think of my wife’s jealous streak, of the lies she’s told our loved ones. But if I tell the whole truth, they’ll look into her past. And that will destroy me, too…
Two people fighting for their lives. Two people with secrets to hide.
Who will you believe?
A completely compelling and twisty page-turner from number 1 bestselling author K.L. Slater. Fans of Lisa Jewell and Freida McFadden will be hooked by Husband and Wife.
My Review
BOOM—DYNAMITE!
The British Queen of thrills, K.L. Slater, pulls out all the stops in her latest twisty, fast-paced psychological thriller, HUSBAND AND WIFE —her BEST yet! Deserving of an award for the best non-linear plot, crafted with finesse, a brilliant storytelling technique in which the narrative is told out of chronological order.
Jumping back and forth in time (like a yo-yo) but clearly defined, the author cleverly weaves multiple plot lines, unreliable narrators, and timelines to create a cohesive unputdownable story that will have your heart beating with suspense, glued to the pages until the end! Only K.L. Slater could pull this off like a rock star!
Unreliable narrators, dark secrets, deceit, betrayal, trust, protection, and a web of lies. How far will each go to protect their loved ones? Where nothing is as it appears.
Meet the players:
Parker and Luna (Main Characters)
Barney (Parker & Luna's young son)
Nicola and Cal (Parker's parents)
Marie and Jo (Luna's parents)
Sarah (young mother found murdered)
EXPLOSIVE: When one wrong deed turns into a domino effect—it causes irreparable damage and harm to everyone involved.
A cautionary tale that could be ripped from today's true-crime headlines. Never cover up, assist, or keep deadly secrets! They will come back to haunt you.
Parker and Luna have dropped off their son at Parker's parent's house (Nicola and Cal) for a sleepover. They are to have a night out for a function and 'staying' over at a hotel. (British seems to call this 'stopping')
Nicola (a former cancer patient) and loving mother/grandmother is concerned about her son. He seems distant, and they hardly see their grandson. Parker told Nicola he had something to say to her the following morning (Saturday), and he did not want his father or his wife to overhear. But there is an accident before he has a chance.
Nicola and Cal live a modest life, and Cal owns a small plumbing, heating, and air conditioning company. Parker was never interested in his dad's business and closer to his mom. Parker is an ambitious and successful business man in sales and has done very well. Luna is a fashion influencer.
Luna's parents, Joe/Marie, are wealthy and look down on Parker's family. He was not quite good enough for her family. Therefore, Parker's parents seldom see their grandson since most of the time is spent with her family.
For some reason, Parker and Luna do not stay overnight at the hotel and are instead involved in a horrible car accident. Parker's injuries are worse than Luna's. Barney is still at Nicola's house, and she gets the keys to go to Parker's house to gather more clothes and items for Barney for an extended stay.
However, when she is there, she sees things that make her concerned. They are sleeping in separate bedrooms. The house is for sale? What is going on? Then she is about to leave and notices everyone's trash bins are out, so she puts them out and discovers a bag behind them. It looks like good stuff, so she takes it home with her.
When she discovers a scarf inside that looks like the scarf on the news, she is distraught. What is going on? Could her son or daughter-in-law be involved in a murder?
A young mother, Sarah, has been strangled and murdered in an alley. There were no suspects, even though a car like Parker's was seen near the crime scene, but he was away at a conference and not a suspect.
Nicola cannot let this go. She must hold on to this scarf until she can speak with her son. But he says a few words that chill her to the bone. Then, he is put into an induced coma and not able to speak further about the scarf.
Told from POV: Nicola, Parker, Luna, Sarah, Maria, and the Nottinghamshire Police detectives—bouncing from one time period to another, past and present, when the dark secrets are slowly unraveled in this complex web of lies and deceit.
OMG! This twisty mystery of domestic suspense will have you guessing and second-guessing every character and their motives. It is not until around 70% that the real killer is revealed and all the puzzle pieces and players start coming together. I will say I guessed the second twist; however, it did not alter my level of entertainment.
Your loyalties will change numerous throughout the book as the author keeps you on the edge of your seat!
Wow! HUSBAND AND WIFE is INTENSE! With mounting suspense, tension, unreliable narrators, red herrings, and a spectacular non-linear timeline (clearly marked), this is a STELLAR domestic suspense and one of Slater's best!
Like a stick of dynamite that simmers and finally explodes! Great characterization, well-written, multi-layered, complex, emotional, perfectly paced, and mega-uber twisty. 5 Stars +. Trust me, I stayed up two nights until the wee hours of the morning with no sleep as HUSBAND AND WIFE is utterly unputdownable!
I am a big fan of the author (favorite) and have read almost all her books; however, HUSBAND AND WIFE is like nothing I have ever read, and well done, Queen Slater! The novel would make for a great movie!
Sarah's part reminded me of A. R. Torre's The Girl in 6E (minus the erotic part). For fans of K.L. Slater and Freida McFadden—those who enjoy well-written psychological thrillers.
Special thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced digital reading copy.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Nov 3, 2023
About the Author
I am a full-time author writing psychological thrillers which also happens to be my favourite genre to read.
I’ve always been fascinated by story and how we all use it in our everyday lives to understand ourselves and others better and to evoke all sorts of feelings. As a writer, there’s something magical in crafting stories about dramatic and extraordinary things happening in the lives of very ordinary people… and to hopefully do it in a way that readers feel compelled to turn the pages to find out more. For me, that challenge never gets old!
My path to becoming a published author wasn’t the easiest route and you can read more about this in the ‘About Me’ section. Looking back, I can happily report that passion, determination and being of an age where I’d lived and experienced life, were all advantages to becoming a successful writer!
My psychological thrillers have now sold over 3 million copies worldwide and are also bestsellers in audio in the UK and USA. Many titles have also been published in translation in countries including France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. WEBSITE
