5 Stars

This is a dark comedy novel about four women coming together after killing their husbands during lockdown. This has become a genre of storytelling that I have really enjoyed and this might be one of the best I have read this year. I highly recommend.

This is not a mystery, but a 'will they get away with it' plot with multiple complex, yet ordinary women who are taking back control of their lives. The story does contain multiple perspectives but we mainly hear from Sally. I loved all the women in this book (my favourite being Edwina - we all know an Edwina) and you can not help but root for them every step of the way and want them to succeed. This book's humour is dark and is done very well especially at making you laugh when you know you shouldn't.

But while this book had me laughing, it would also bring me back to reality within a single chapter.

You as the reader will experience so much more with these characters, the author takes us through their grief, their guilt, their courage and their hope. We hear about the complexities of their relationships, not only with their abusive husbands but with friends and family and gives us an insight to how complicated domestic abuse is and how many in these situations can not "just leave" and on top of this, this is all happening during lockdown. which we now know led to escalated abuse and made it easier for abusers to control and get away with their abuse.

The author states that the main reason she wrote this book was to "attempt to use humour to cut through peoples reluctance to engage" and through fiction highlight what is a reality for many women and girls. As the author says themselves "if the victims were female, this wouldn't be a satirical 'could never happen' black comedy. It would be reality - it is a reality. A woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK, and many thousands more are victims of violence and abuse."

I wholeheartedly think the author achieved this and therefore I cannot rate it anything but 5 stars. I obviously highly recommend this fun, thought-provoking book, but I also recommend reading the authors foreword and authors note to engage fully with this book and its subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the surface this black comedy touches a nerve, but I think it also highlights an incredibly important issue that affects so many people.

A small group of women are struggling even more than usual with their husbands during lockdown and, one by one, they each have a body to dispose of.

They become friends and have to come up with an elaborate plan to make sure their husbands are treated as missing. Their relationship is wholesome and even Edwina, the nosey neighbour and stickler for COVID rules, is likeable.

I predicated the ending, but thoroughly enjoyed the novel and can only give it the full 5 stars. I can honestly see it becoming a film, which is something I would definitely want to see.

Thank you Alexia Casale and Netgalley for the ARC of The best way to bury your husband.

It begins with Sally, who accidentally killed her husband with a skillet after putting up with years of physical and emotional abuse. Sally, after reaching for the long denied cake her now dead husband forbid her to eat, goes about how to dispose of the body. Under the cover of lockdown, social distancing and some unexpected allies. Sally beings to devise a plan.......

.I just loved this book. Even though there is a serious undertone to this book ( Authors notes talks about the rise of Domestic violence, especially in the first few months of Lockdown) This book was a rollercoaster ride which included a little bit of everything. including a nice dose of dark humour. I loved how the characters in the book were diverse, tackling different types of abuse that can be experienced, including forced marriages, My heart literally went out to them all and I felt all the emotions they went through. Sally, who was the main narrative managed to stumble on women in similar situations and banded together. Through anger, fear and hope, old and new friendships were born.

My favourite quotes were; " Ive conceded your point, now stop buttering me up, Im not a crumpet " This made me laugh and Im definitely going to use this on my kids!

" I thought it was so simple from the outside - just to leave him, you stupid women. But it looks different from the inside ; sometimes I could barely keep track of what was real and the lies he'd spun that he hadn't said this, hadn't done that and I was remembering it wrong " This really broke me. To be gaslighted so much, to be denied your own reality that you don't know who you are and doubt yourself so much what is real and what isn't. It really portrays how insidious abuse really is.

Rating 4.5 stars

Dark humorous book set during lockdown in the UK of four women suffering at the hands of their husbands, who all in their own way murder them, but don't report it. They find each other, and come together to dispose of the men alongside laying out a plan to show the men disappeared instead.

I enjoyed this novel with its dark humour; bit of a Shirley Valentine vibe about it with one of the women talking to her plants instead of the wall. Even though its domestic violence and murder it was a good mix and also seen from pov when women do something for them.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

My husband gave me such a strange look when I told him how excited I was to read this book.

It’s the start of the pandemic and life as we know is changing; but that good old skillet pan is still in our life and well it just about helps to change our life as well.

I found this a delight to read and was so wonderfully written.

Have pre-ordered a copy for release day as I have to have a trophy read on my shelf! I loved it!

What's the best way to bury a body? Well, the world's strangest lockdown club bands together to try and figure it out.

The Best Way To Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale is a bitter sweet story about five women who are finally free from years of abuse only to find themselves in the precarious situation of having to dispose of four bodies...

As we can tell from my love of How To Kill Men And Get Away With It and How To Kill Your Family, I love reading from the killers perspective. However unlike these two stories, this one has a much sadder backstory. A reflection of the pysical abuse that a lot of women receive particularly in lockdown when it became inescapable for them, each woman in this story has got their own harrowing motives for killing.

"After all, anyone would be a little brittle when sitting in front of a large plastic crate that's surrounded by mousetraps, topped with vinegar and bicarb of soda and filled with a dead dad."

I love a witty book. Although this particular author is tackling a serious topic, they manage to include moments of comedic relief which is what I think keeps it so engaging. The fact that Sally is pottering around her house talking to plants, eating cake for breakfast, drinking wine while ignoring the husband shaped parcel is an amazing image.

"I can't change the past but I am changing myself and my life for the better, and that'll have to do."

I don't usually write about authors notes and instead focus on the actual story but in this case I wanted to highlight them. If you read this book, please read the authors notes at the end. Alexia talks about such a serious topic that isn't often given the attention it deserves. It is clear that this author is passionate about what she is writing and this book is not only a story but a reflection of some harsh truths.

The Best Way To Bury Your Husband by Alexie Casale
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Trigger Warnings: domestic violence

This story follows a woman named Sally who has suffered years of domestic violence at the hands of her husband. One day, during Covid lockdown, she instinctively hits back to protect herself, which ends up with her accidently killing her husband. She has two options: call the police and tell them what happens or hide the body and try and get away with it. You can probably guess which one Sally choses.

On Sally's journey to burying a body and getting away with it. She meets four other women, who are all in the same position she is in. They need to hide their husbands bodies. So the story follows them with how they plan to explain their disappearance and hide their bodies.

I love how the author raises the issue of domestic violence and shows the survivors in finding their independence and happiness. But I found the storyline a bit too ridiculous at times. With how easy the women found each other and how they instantly knew they were trying to hide their husbands bodies.
I also found that their issues were resolved easily and very quickly in the book.

I did enjoy the short chapters which made the book very easy to read and easy to come back to.

I really enjoyed this book. It touches on serious subjects - Covid, domestic violence and more, however still manages humour whilst respecting these subjects.

The writing style was easy and naturally flowing and I couldn’t really put this book down.

I’m really looking forward to hearing more from this author!

I went into this book fully blind and purely requested this because the title sounded pretty different. From the first chapter of this book, I was hooked and really wanted to see what happened with Sally. As the book progressed, I couldn’t get it off my mind and loved the way the author really portrayed the difficulties of lockdown and coping through it. I really loved the dark humour in this book as I feel like in bad situations I also use dark humour as a coping mechanism.

I want to say, I really respect how the author speaks about domestic violence and its effects. Would definitely urge people to read the authors note at the end of the book ☺️

I loved this book! So full of dark humour and wit whilst also covering some very heavy subjects. I did guess all of the twists and turns but it didn't change my reading experience - 100% recommend.

2.5 stars
Don't be fooled by the colourful, fun cover, this book is dark. Which would usually be right up my street (murder, dark humour, female protagonists) but this never really worked for me. And the main reason I think was the characters.
I didn't like the main character Sally and found her and the rest of them annoying and irritating. There are no likeable male characters in this (on purpose) but it came across as if the message was all men are bad.
There was meant to be black humour in this, but I never saw any evidence of that.
Another reason I struggled to enjoy this was the near constant mentions about Covid, self isolating, distancing etc, it felt unnecessary for it keep being mentioned on nearly every page.
I was hoping this would be packed full of good for her energy, but as I didn't take to the characters, I couldn't care less about what happened to them. It also felt slightly unbelievable that all these women on the same street all killed their husbands in the same week.
It was clear the whole point of this book was to raise awareness about domestic violence, whilst that is an admirable thing, this didn't work as a novel for me.

One of the best books I have read this year!

This book covered so much and in such a brilliant way. Be prepared to cry and laugh along with these truly inspirational characters.
I felt humbled to read their storylines and to look back at the covid pandemic in such a way. Highly recommend!

Okay so. Here’s the thing. I have been avoiding reading books set during the Covid lockdown for the last three years. A week ago, thanks to NetGalley and Viking who have provided me with a DRC, I picked up “The best way to bury your husband”, by Alexia Casale. I really, really, enjoyed this book. I found it a very needed (and, unfortunately, realistic) depiction of domestic violence during lockdown, that forced me to reflect. Yet, it made me laugh out loud so, so much.

Before sharing my thoughts, some (obvious, given these first four lines) trigger warnings: domestic violence, coronavirus, death of a family member. If any of these topics is triggering for you, maybe give the book and this review a skip.

The story follows Sally, a woman who, right there at page one, has killed her abusive husband. She really wants to turn herself in to the police, but the more she thinks about it, the more she realises that maybe, just maybe, the last twenty years of her life have been a sort of ‘pre-punishment’. So, she decides to get rid of the body, as one does. (Quite literally) on the way, she will meet other women looking for a quick and safe body disposal location. A beautiful friendship, and an odd support group, are born.

As I have already said, I have really, really enjoyed this book. I liked how it treated domestic violence and how lockdown impacted the life of victims of domestic violence. It did not condone, nor trivialise, violence. It is not a “he had it coming” sort of book. The four protagonists, who are without any doubt murderers, all try to find a way to cope with the consequences of their actions and to atone for it. I also really liked how it treated the experience of victims of domestic violence. There are some scenes, especially when the women are remembering their life with their husbands, that hit quite hard. But the author holds these moments so tenderly and cushions them between empathy and humour, making the theme of the book approachable. Approachable but still, let’s face it, very, very, enraging.

I would warmly recommend people to pick up this book. I found it an educational and fun read, and would be so happy if other people picked it up and we could talk about it!

You never know what goes on behind closed doors and in a relationship. Spousal abuse applies to all parts of society and is not always physical abuse.
Lockdown means that the women were trapped behind closed doors with their abusers.
The actions they take and plan make a very entertaining read BUT the abuse is and was real for a lot of people.
It's not always possible to walk away, housing, financial and family can all seem insurmountable obstacles.
Drastic action makes you think.

In "The Best Way to Bury Your Husband," Alexia Casale delicately weaves a narrative that explores the gravity of domestic violence during the pandemic. Despite the weight of the subject matter, the author masterfully balances the tone by infusing appropriate humor that serves as a counterpoint to the seriousness of the issues at hand.

Throughout the book, the reader is confronted with the stark reality of the challenges faced by the characters, primarily women, as they grapple with abusive relationships. The pandemic backdrop intensifies their struggles, amplifying feelings of isolation and desperation. However, amidst the darkness, Casale skillfully introduces moments of levity, allowing readers to find solace and connection with the characters.

One striking aspect is the overwhelming sense of hope that permeates the narrative. The women in the story, despite their harrowing experiences, hold onto the belief that there is a possibility of a better life beyond the shadows of abuse. This optimism becomes a driving force, propelling the characters forward in their journey towards liberation.

Nevertheless, the pervasive themes of guilt and fear linger throughout the narrative. The women acknowledge the wrongfulness of their actions, resorting to extreme measures to escape the clutches of their abusive partners. The complexity of their emotions adds depth to the storyline, highlighting the internal conflicts that arise when individuals are forced to make life-altering decisions for self-preservation.

In the end, "The Best Way to Bury Your Husband" serves as a poignant exploration of the intricacies surrounding domestic violence, particularly during the challenging times of a global pandemic. Casale's ability to seamlessly blend humor with the gravity of the subject matter creates a narrative that resonates with readers, fostering empathy and understanding for those facing similar struggles. The book leaves a lasting impression, urging readers to reflect on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Set during the covid lockdown, this novel offers a stark yet humourous look into the reality of living with domestic violence while being just fantastical enough to make even a string of murders and dismemberments seem completely permissible. Casale's writing flows, sparkling with wit, her protagonists treated with such tenderness as they claw their way out from the shadow of the abusive men in their lives to find friendship, freedom, and their own voices, that it is difficult to put this book down until it is finished.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an arc of 'The Best Way to Bury Your Husband'. Alexia Casale has written a deliciously dark and at times laugh out loud funny book about the very real and very unfunny topic of domestic violence towards women. Set in the not too distant past during the uncertainty of Covid lockdown we meet Sally who has just caved her abusive husband's head in with her grandmother's skillet. What follows is a mystery thriller and a story of kinship and friendship that I highly recommend. I would love to see this made into a film or mini-series.

If you’d have taken my blood pressure and heart rate at any point whilst I was reading The Best Way to Bury Your Husband, you’d have sent me straight to A&E.

Trigger Warning: strong themes of domestic abuse / violence, murder, and corpse disposal!

The author has tackled an incredibly challenging topic through the story of four women and their struggle with with violent, abusive husband’s and the entirely improbable (impossible?) scenario they find themselves in after being locked-in with said spouses during the Covid Lockdown of 2020.

The entire plot is quite convoluted, but I think that’s the point; this isn’t what would happen in real life. In fact, in reality the outcome would be (or, is) flipped on its head.

I’ve genuinely never read a book that’s given me such anxiety whilst simultaneously making me chuckle.

Fans of How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie and How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent will certainly enjoy this book. Though, I think this one cuts deeper!

Overall I think this is a very well written piece of contemporary fiction and I predict that it will be very popular once it’s been released.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sally loses it when her villant husband attacks her again and kills him when she hits him with her grandmother's skillet.
She then by chance meets up with 3 other women who have killed their abusive husband.
Sally then forms the group for the best way to bury your husbands.
What a book. It made me chuckle at time. A great read, I almost didn't wan5 8t to end.

3.75 stars overall

This book was good - it’s a great and important premise. We follow Sally as she finally takes a stand against her husband in lockdown, refusing to continue to be hurt by him. Sally finds help with unexpected friends, and quite frankly her excessive nosiness saves her a few times.

The beginning 2/3 really hooked me, but all the rumination towards the end grew a little tedious. The ending is good (though predicted, but in the context of this story I was happy to be right).

So overall if this book sounds like your cup of tea I would give it a go.