Good Husbands by Cate Ray is the type of thriller that makes you feel like giving your partner the side-eye while wondering how well you really know them.
Three women, who don’t know each other, all receive identical letters that throw their lives into chaos. The story unfolds in alternating chapters from each of them. The reader gets a holistic look at the impact the letter has.
I found the differences in the reaction of the women, Jess, Priyanka, and Stephanie, to be extremely interesting. It was a great character study on how individuals deal with the same news, and it highlighted the pros and cons of each of their approaches.
For example, (no spoilers) Jess is very gung-ho “let’s find out the truth” while Stephanie is the opposite and Priyanka is somewhere in between.
The real kicker is that each of their approaches also compliments the others…although it takes them a lot of time to realize that.
The action moves along at a decent pace, but you know that the author is building toward something explosive. With the subject matter, that is obvious from the beginning.
I really liked that the author could have gone any number of ways with the story, and it still would have been a good book.
The way the climax eventually goes, however, is very satisfying and fits in with the rest of the plot. It also explains a lot about some of the characters’ behaviors (I’m not saying who or why).
There are some moments that feel a little forced, and the message about “men do bad things” feels heavy-handed at times. But for the most part, the author lets the husbands’ own actions do the explaining for them.
Cate Ray has written a thriller that explores relationships and loyalty. Good Husbands is one that will leave you with a lot to think about.
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About the Author
Cate Ray is an author of four previous novels of suspense published in the UK under the name Cath Weeks. She was named an Author to Watch by Elle magazine. She lives in Bath with her family.
