Do we really know our friends?
Known since school as ‘The A Team,’ Nick, Dan, Jen and Will have been best friends for years. They’re just ordinary guys, aren’t they? Then why does Nick and Lisa’s wedding hurl their lives into chaos?
Who is standing on the window ledge, threatening to jump? What deeply hidden family secret is exposed? Why does a sexual advance snowball? And which of them is telling lies?
As their net of secrets tighten, the A team soon realise that none of them are being as honest with themselves – or with each other – as they think they are…
Will their friendship survive?
Tense, disturbing and clever, My Husband’s Lies is the second domestic noir from Caroline England, perfect for fans of Lucy Clarke and Erin Kelly.
I'm delighted to be hosting the blog tour for My Husband's Lies by Caroline England today. Many thanks to the author and Sabah Khan from HarperCollins for inviting me and for my ecopy of the novel which I received through Netgalley.
Nick and Lisa's wedding day should be a joyous occasion for all but especially for Nick's childhood friends - 'The A Team'. Things don't quite go as expected however, when a guest appears to threaten to jump off a window ledge. The group of friends try to move on from the incident and refer to it as 'the blip' but it gradually transpires that there are deep secrets in each of their lives which will test the bonds of their friendship to its very limits. Chapters follow the friends - and Will's wife, Penny - in turn, which means each of their stories are intimately told. Newlyweds Nick and Lisa may be able to put that blip behind them but a throwaway comment from an old family friend engenders an obsessive search for the truth which threatens to drive the couple apart before their married life truly begins. Jen and Ian have been married for years and together with their three daughters tackle the ups and downs of family life as a team but are they both as committed as it seems? Meanwhile Dan and Geri are excitedly looking forward to the birth of their baby but an unexpected offer leads to emotional turmoil and difficult choices to make. Will and Penny make a striking couple but they are both keeping secrets from one another and are arguably the catalyst for the events which have a shattering effect on their marriage and the relationships between the friends.
I have to admit that I took a little while to remember which character was which but I was enjoying Caroline England's writing and so trusted her to make everything clear, which she did soon enough and the strong characterisation within the novel was a real highlight for me. My Husband's Lies actually reminded me of a soap opera at the top of its game - the excellent character development meant I became invested in these people's lives and the compelling drama ensured I kept turning the pages desperate to find out what would happen next. And just as any soap opera has its cliffhanger moments at the end of episodes, so My Husband's Lies has some stunning surprises in store for readers. All the ingredients of a gripping drama are here - births, deaths and marriages, illicit affairs, long-hidden secrets, shocking reveals and emotional and moral dilemmas that will have readers wondering just what they would do under the same circumstances. This A Team's plan most certainly does not come together and by the end none of them will be quite the same again as they learn life-changing truths about themselves and one another.
The various narrative threads of My Husband's Lies are intricately woven with an excellent balance of light and shade between the poignant scenes and the darker, more disturbing incidents. The characters aren't always easy to like, they are complicated and flawed human beings who make terrible decisions which have a devastating impact on others but I couldn't help but want things to work out for them. I really don't want to spoil any surprises as this is such a fun book to read with its twists and turns and it would be a shame to give anything away. What I can say however, is that though there are many 'duff duff' moments, the best is saved to last - the conclusion is jaw dropping and a fabulous way to end the novel. This is the first book I have read by Caroline England but with writing this engrossing, it definitely won't be the last!
My Husband's Lies is published by Avon HarperCollins and can be purchased here. Don't miss the other stops on the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
Born in Yorkshire, Caroline studied Law at the University of Manchester and stayed over the border. She became a partner in a firm of Solicitors and began writing novels, short stories and poetry when she deserted the law to bring up her three daughters.
In addition to the publication of her short story collection, Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses, by ACHUKAbooks in 2012, Caroline has had short fiction and poems published in a wide variety of literary magazines and anthologies. Her novel Lie With Me Under the Toothbrush Tree was shortlisted for the Impress Prize 2015 and her novel Time is of the Essence was in the Pulp Idol 2016 finals and long listed for the UK Novel Writing Competition 2017.
Her debut novel, Beneath the Skin was published by Avon HarperCollins in October 2017. My Husband’s Lies will follow in May 2018.
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