The Loving Husband

“Sunday night, Monday morning. 2:07. He might be beside Ben’s cot, he might have woken before she did, her sleep might after all have been even deeper than usual, all things considered, and for a second a little happy world bloomed in the dark, the loving husband who’d looked down at her head on the pillow and thought, let her sleep.”

The Loving Husband
By Christobel Kent

Fran and Nathan Hall have moved their young family to a remote, dilapidated house. What should be a peaceful existence is quickly turn on its head when Fran discovers the dead body of her husband out in the field one early morning. What made Nathan go outside?

Immediately police officers are on the scene and Fran feels like they are looking at her as the main suspect. She won’t give them the satisfaction of intimidating her but it’s hard when the officers are so rude and practically aggressive in their treatment of her. If she tells them everything about her last moments with Nathan will they think she did it?

As the story progresses there are flashbacks to Fran and Nate’s earlier life and their brief courtship. What made them fall in love and why did Fran accept to move some place where she knew she wouldn’t be happy. Now she is struggling with two little children and what to do now with Nathan gone.

The author excels at creating a claustrophobic setting where you are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Fran is completely isolated and whether she had anything to do with Nathan’s death, he also isn’t wholly a victim. This isn’t a thriller that moves at a fast pace but the biggest issue I had with this book where the detectives. As they suspect that Fran may be involved I understand that they can’t be treating her with kid gloves but they were downright unlikeable at times.

Source: Advance review copy