Every so often, I come across a psych thriller that is so gonzo that I close my Kindle and think, “What the heck did I just read?” My Husband’s House by Sheryl Browne is that type of book.
I’ve come to the conclusion that a good psych thriller must have a prologue that pulls the reader in. It also needs to keep them guessing about where that prologue lies within the plot. Is it the past or yet to come? I’ve said it before, but it makes for a more engaged reading experience.
Naomi and her husband, Ben, move into an old house. Shortly, Naomi strikes up a friendship with the next-door neighbor, Sara. Naomi is a bit on the superstitious side, so there are a few things that make her uneasy, but she chalks that up to being 6 months pregnant.
However, things soon start to spiral: Ben undergoes a complete personality change, Sara gets touchy around Ben, Sara’s boyfriend Paul starts acting cagey…it’s all a lot for a pregnant woman to take in.
And then things turn deadly.
I thought this psych thriller was a good page-turner. I was never sure where the author was going next. There were a lot of twists and turns, and some worked better than others.
There was a slight “suspension of disbelief” needed for parts of the book. I can’t really elaborate without giving away major plot points. But one of the biggest ones served to illustrate just how damaged a person can become from a childhood event.
Speaking of children, for the most part, they were more entertaining than kids usually are in a book. I think the author could have done a little bit more in character development with all of the characters because some of the relationships seemed to come out of left field. But I like where she left it with Naomi and her kids – especially Liam.
My Husband’s House (bad title, it gives away a major plot point) actually did have me staying up late at night to finish. I had to know how everything would turn out. Give Sheryl Browne credit for that because not every psych thriller keeps me that entertained. Looking forward to her next one.
