when the past comes calling

When young lawyer Lily married Ed, she was in love and ready to dive deeply into married life and into her career as an attorney. Just back from her honeymoon, she heads to prison for the first time to meet with a man who says he's been wrongly imprisoned. Her husband Ed, an artist forced to work at an advertising agency to pay the rent, is loving and supportive of her career. But as the weeks go by, cracks start to show.

Ed's ex-girlfriend keeps appearing, and Lily worries about his fidelity. Working on this case is exhausting, and it's difficult for Lily to tell where the truth lies. And then the woman who lives downstairs, a single mother, is struggling, and Lily feels obligated to step in and help her out. That turns out to be a blessing, though, when the daughter, nine-year-old Carla, is just what they need. She is a distraction for Lily and a source of artistic inspiration for Ed. It's a relief for Lily, as she tries to make sense of her marriage, find success in her work, and stay ahead of her past. 

But as the years go by, and the secrets pile up between Lily and Ed and even between Carla and her mother, life gets more complicated. The past is never really behind us, and the way that Lily's shows up to spin her around is both mind-bending and heart-racing. 

Jane Corry's My Husband's Wife is a debut novel that speaks of great things to come. It's a well crafted British thriller that creates tension, sucks you in to the characters' lives, and keeps those pages turning. It's a lovely example of classic Britgriplit. And best of all, she has another book coming out soon--watch for her Blood Sisters, coming out in January. 

 

Galleys for My Husband's Wife were provided by Penguin Books through Edelweiss, with many thanks. 

to the moon

the end of the line