The Husband
by Daniel Hurst
Pub Date: Jan 20, 2025
Here's a new thriller hitting the shelves in January. I would definitely say this is a thriller vs mystery, because there's no real mystery who the killer is. However, there is definitely a did he or he didn't he?/will he or won't he? aspect to it.
Jenny has the perfect husband Lachlan, who is the perfect father to their two children. The only thing he doesn't ever want to talk about, however, is his childhood in a small Scottish village. He left when he was a teen and never returned...bad memories cloud his view of what should be a quaint, rural little village. Then one day their daughter decides to watch a new popular documentary about a 25 year old unsolved murder that just happens to have happened in Lachlan's village. His reaction to the story has him acting strangely and Jenny wanting to know more about his youth.
Told in alternating views from Jenny to Lachlan, the story unfolds and Jenny decides they need to face his past if they are going to have a future. A trip to his village turns up more questions than answers and Jenny discovers she may not know Lachlan as well as she thought.
While it wasn't a mystery, it did hold my attention. Read in one day.
#netgalley
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Pub Date: Jan 20 2025

This novel epitomises dark and twisty escapism! I am once again beyond impressed with the utterly genius imagination that Daniel Hurst possesses to keep churning out these gripping thrillers at a rate of knots!

Jenny is a happily married mother of teenagers, content with her lot...until she stumbles upon a documentary about an unsolved murder that happens in the home town of her husband. Her friend suggests that it is strange that her husband has been in close proximity to 2 murders in his lifetime ( a close friend of Jenny's was also murdered). Meanwhile, Jenny's husband, Lachlan is reacting very badly to having advances to the attractive, Francesca, rebuffed - leading us to speculate as to whether another murder is on the cards!

This novel starts with the reveal of Lachlan's darker tendencies so no spoiler is given in this revie.w. This novel is. not a whodunnit, but it is so good at what it does - entertain!! I was up and reading into the early hours as putting this book down was not an option!!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

This was an addictive and highly engrossing plot with many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout!

It poses the question of how well do you know the ones closest to you and how far would one go to protect those you love.

This book had it all from all from secrets to deception. The characters told from the POV of the husband – Lachian and the wife – Jenny. If I had to pick a favourite character I would say Jenny because she has a lot to deal with!

I’d highly recommend this book! The twist at the OMG it was epic I couldn’t believe it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

Daniel Hurst's books are usually a big hit with me, but "The Husband" fell a little short. While the premise was compelling, the first 60% of the book felt incredibly slow. The daughter's constant whining and the wife's poor decision-making made it difficult to connect with the characters and become invested in their struggles. Despite this, the story did eventually pick up, leading to a more engaging second half. Ultimately, the compelling storyline earned this book three stars, but it wasn't Hurst's strongest work.

thank you net galley for the arc. daniel has done it again another dramatic thrilling book.jenny and lachlan. big secrets and twist that grip you so good .

Daniel Hurst’s The Husband is a psychological thriller that delves into the dark secrets lurking beneath a seemingly perfect marriage. The story follows Jenny and her husband, Lachlan, as a chilling mystery begins to unravel, raising unsettling questions about how well we truly know those closest to us.

Told through dual perspectives, the narrative offers an intriguing glimpse into both characters’ minds, with Lachlan’s chapters adding an especially eerie edge. While the plot is suspenseful and full of twists, the pacing occasionally felt slow, and certain decisions made by the characters seemed a bit far-fetched. That said, the tension builds steadily, leading to a shocking conclusion that’s well worth the wait.

If you enjoy thrillers with family secrets, and a touch of psychological complexity, The Husband is a gripping, thought-provoking read.

Wow wow wow! Talk about page turner I could not put this book down and kept wanting more! Definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers. Very easy read

How well do you know your husband?

This is a question Jenny asks herself as her husband, Lachlan, has a mysterious past she knows nothing about. When a new murder documentary that takes place in his hometown becomes a hit that everyone is talking about, Jenny thinks it's time the family finally sees where their husband/father grew up. What starts out as an innocent family trip soon turns into chaos.

I really enjoyed this book. While some of the decisions Jenny made seemed unrealistic to me, they also felt necessary for the story. I also liked that we got both Jenny and Lachlan's points of view and their inner thoughts.

This was my first Daniel Hurst and it will not be my last. The Husband is such a wild ride from start to finish! I couldn't put it down and I had to know how it was all going to end. This is a fast-paced domestic thriller and a fun and quick read. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley, Daniel Hurst, and the publisher for the chance to read The Husband before its release.

Lachlan and his wife, Jenny, are a mid-aged couple and parents of two teenage children. Living simple suburban lives, preparing for their eldest to head off to Uni. (Personal note: One thing that really stuck out to me was when the author wrote that the daughter, Bonnie, would be attending university 100 miles away from home. A book set in England referring to distance in miles really threw me off. And yes, I am American.) Moving on, the daughter, and seemingly everyone else in the world, is enthralled by a new true crime documentary about a 25 year old unsolved murder case. Said murder just happens to have taken place in Lachlan's home village, a place of which he rarely speaks and has no desire to return to. When Jenny decides they will take a final holiday as family to Scotland, she sees an opportunity to get more insight on where her husband grew up.. this is where everything goes off the rails. We know early in the book details that Lachlan is keeping from his family, and the chaos that ensues on their trip made for a quick, entertaining read. I was left after each chapter, wanting to know what would happen next, making the book hard to put down. Ultimately, this was not one of Mr. Hurst's best efforts, but was still a quick, fun way to pass my time. 3.5 stars, rounded up just based on my love for the author

This novel delves into the life of a murderous husband, unraveling his dark mysteries as he contemplates his next kill and the motives behind his actions.

The book was a swift read, and Daniel Hurst is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is the second book of his that I’ve reviewed, and I’m consistently impressed by his ability to vividly bring stories to life. I really appreciate the pace at which his narratives unfold, making each reading experience thoroughly engaging.

It's always fun to read a quick, easy psychological thriller. How well do you really know the man you love? Not as well as you think if you are Jenny married to Lachlan. When Lachlan's daughter starts watching a documentary about an unsolved murder that happened 25 years ago, he immediately gets angry. Then Jenny and Bonnie realize the murder happened in Lachlan's hometown, which they have never visited and he never talks about. Why? You know throughout the book that Lachlan is dangerous, but will he harm his family or someone else? The Husband is suspenseful throughout with so many secrets and lies. A great ending!

I am so happy and proud to say that I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC reader. As an ARC reader, I am given the honor of reading books before they are published and creating a review of the book gifted. Daniel Hurst has been one of my favorite authors since 2022 and every time I get to read one of his books, I am always captivated! This book had me from the Prologue. “Nobody’s husband is perfect.” What a poignant statement! Very true but thank goodness my hubby isn’t that far off from perfect! Hee, hee I loved his character development and was able to relate to his characters. I couldn’t put the book down because of the well-written story. An easy recommendation from me to you…you will love this new thriller from Daniel Hurst!

I am so happy and proud to say that I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC reader. As an ARC reader, I am given the honor of reading books before they are published and creating a review of the book gifted. Daniel Hurst has been one of my favorite authors since 2022 and every time I get to read one of his books, I am always captivated! This book had me from the Prologue. “Nobody’s husband is perfect.” What a poignant statement! Very true but thank goodness my hubby isn’t that far off from perfect! Hee, hee I loved his character development and was able to relate to his characters. I couldn’t put the book down because of the well-written story. An easy recommendation from me to you…you will love this new thriller from Daniel Hurst!

Quite possibly my favorite Daniel Hurst book to date! Such a clever plot of a seemingly "do gooder" family man with so many hidden secrets. Lots of twists, unexpected surprises and a jaw dropping ending!

From the very first page, I couldn’t put this book down!
I am a sucker for a psychological thriller and having read a few of Daniel Hurst books now, this one became a firm favourite!

I loved the plot of the book, it is nicely written even though a little bit predictable at some times. This combination made me wanting to keep on reading.

I would recommend it to friends, family and readers of Frieda McFadden as the style of writing is quite similar to her stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Booksouture for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.

Daniel is one of my favourite authors. He writes super fast which is fab as I read superfamily. Another brilliant read. Totally engrossing.

Told in 2 POVs, this was a chilling thriller that had me flipping the pages at maddening speed. The storyline is intriguing and I appreciated having Lachlan’s POV. While reading his inner dialogue officially scared me off men; I appreciated having a view of how he got to make the decisions that he did. This is perfect if you enjoy reading unreliable/unhinged narrator books.

There were, however, times I felt that some of the plot points were a bit unrealistic- especially Jenny’s decision to visit Scotland after the documentary comes out. I believe that if the characters and story had a bit more depth and fleshing out, some of those plot points would be more convincing to the reader.

Still, it was an interesting story with an intriguing storyline.

Another amazing book by Daniel! This book shows that you never really know another person - even when they are your husband! Great ending and felt the book was really well thought out! Will definitely be recommending this book to others!

This was a quick and easy read told from two different POVs. I found it to be a slow burn with most of the action packed into the ending and it didn’t quite deliver on the thriller or mystery front. The story reveals key information early on, which took away some of the suspense. However, it still had a solid storyline, and I really liked the wife’s character.