‘Your Husband’s Fault’ is written from the narrative perspective of Sarah, who has finally persuaded her reluctant partner James to relocate from London to the village where he grew up. As the title suggests, there’s a few secrets from his past that James hasn’t shared with his wife, but the village gossips are more than eager to fill Sarah in on the juicy details. I was really engaged as Sarah’s idyllic vision of country life is gradually undermined by accusations and suspicions about James in his younger days. Sarah begins to doubt whether she really knows her husband and can’t help but start suspecting that she may be married to a murderer. Kerry Wilkinson incorporates plenty of revelations and twists into the story and I was totally hooked by Sarah’s quest for the truth. The ending didn’t disappoint although I was nowhere near guessing what was going on. If you enjoy a twisted domestic suspense novel, then ‘Your Husband’s Fault’ is well worth you reading.

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
Release Date: May 12, 2025
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC!

💭What would you do if you moved into a cozy little cottage in your husband’s idyllic hometown… only to discover the entire village looks at you like you married a murderer?
That’s the vibe in Your Husband’s Fault — a domestic thriller drenched in small-town secrets, old resentments, and some “what the actual hell” moments that kept me flipping pages till the very end.

Our main girl, Sarah, just moved into Puddlebrick Cottage with her son Oliver while her husband James is off doing mysterious financial things in New York. The move is meant to be a fresh start. Instead? It turns into a full-blown psychological spiral after she meets the locals — starting with a sweet old woman named Pamela who instantly recoils at the mention of James and hits Sarah with "Don’t you know what your husband did?"

Ma’am. What.

From that moment, Sarah’s peaceful new life unravels one unnerving thread at a time:
— Raina, the sweet casserole-bearing neighbor from yesterday, is suddenly as frosty as the English weather overnight.
— Martin Shearer shows up at Sarah’s door accusing her husband of murdering his daughter, Lucy. Casual small-town greeting, right?
— Graffiti appears on their wall.
— Her son hears voices at night and claims a woman talks to him.
— Add in an unreliable husband stuck in New York due to storms.
— Her husband James, has a whole hometown history he’s conveniently never mentioned.
— And. oh yeah, a small town where literally no one tells the whole truth—and you’ve got a recipe for spiraling paranoia.

The tension in this book builds like a classic slow-burn mystery — small-town gossip, buried trauma, unreliable narrators, and a past that refuses to stay buried. The book is told entirely from Sarah’s perspective, so you’re neck-deep in her confusion, suspicions, and fears. Sarah’s POV is engaging and relatable. You’ll want to scream with her, run with her, and absolutely demand answers with her.

James? Yeah, I had him on suspect watch since Chapter 2. He’s one of those characters who’s so polished and put-together, you know he’s hiding something. But what exactly? That’s the million-dollar mystery. And it’s juicy, trust me.
Sarah starts questioning the James she’s known for twelve years—has he always been hiding something? The townsfolk think so. Lucy went missing years ago, legally declared dead. James was the last to see her. Blood-stained trousers. A buried fight with Martin. A video of teen-James beating Martin up. Even his best friend Dean is vague, and don’t even get me started on Dean’s conveniently public Facebook upload.

Now, let’s talk structure:
— The chapters are short and punchy — a.k.a. “just one more” syndrome in full effect.
— The pacing starts off a little slow but once it hits the 30% mark, things escalate fast.
— The writing is easy to get into and perfect for a weekend binge and "the final paragraph?" Chef’s kiss. Solid ending that makes the journey worth it.

But I did knock off a bit for a few things:
1. Some twists were predictable (I had a few “knew it!” moments).
2. There were repetitive parts about not having internet back then and a few plot threads that left me scratching my head like there’s a point where Richard(James's London friend) says James once claimed, “This won’t be the first time I’ve killed someone.” Excuse me?? Was that brushed over or left for us to stew on? I need answers.
3. Sarah solved the three-decade-old mystery in less than a week! That's not practical, but still, it was fun to read.
4. A few things felt underdeveloped—like the doll speech module mystery, which was so eerie at first but resolved a little too fast.

Still, I read it in a day — which says a lot. This is a small-town mystery where everyone has secrets. It’s giving “everyone-is-suspicious-and-I-love-it” vibes. And I totally get Sarah's spiral—if your husband kept dodging answers, wouldn’t you go a little detective too?

𝐏.𝐒 This was my first Kerry Wilkinson novel, but not my last. Love the simple prose, the atmosphere, and the unreliable characters.

𝐏.𝐏.𝐒 I swear, if my husband/boyfriend ever says “I didn’t want to worry you” again, I’m putting this book in his hands and making him rethink his life choices.

🔸𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Mystery & Thriller
🔸I’d 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 this to - Who like thrillers where everyone has a secret and you’re never quite sure who to trust (not even your own husband), and have That feeling when everyone knows something except you, Your Husband’s Fault needs to be on your radar.
And also for those who love a single POV with a strong female lead. And also for anyone who secretly loves drama in fictional towns but avoids it IRL😉

Pacy and original thriller which had me turning the pages to see what would happen. Sarah and James have relocated with their young son to the village James grew up in, however he has never seemed keen to return. Sarah drops son Oliver at school on his first day and their are whispers behind her back and an outright accusation that her husband murdered a local girl when he was a teenager.

With James away Sarah blindly stumbles her way through information and tries to find out if the man she married is guilty and what happened in the small village all that time ago.

The characters are good and I loved the different attitudes towards the disappearance of Lucy. The story builds well and the twist at the end was completely not what I was expecting.

Definitely recommended if you enjoy a good thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book ended up in a place I didn’t think it was going to. After Sarah convinces her reluctant husband to move back to his hometown, she finds out why he left in the first place…
Through a series of twists and turns, you’re led through an idyllic small town life that has a dark side.

Short chapters, easy to read and I enjoyed the female main character, Sarah. I am disgusted with pretty much everyone else but Lucy and Oliver. What a story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

Sarah and James move to James' childhood village of Carnington so their 7 year old son Oliver can go to a good school and they generally get more quality of life. The first day at the school gates though, an elderly woman asks how she can bear to be married to "that man". "Don't you know what he did?"

Apparently, 30 years ago, Lucy Shearer vanished without a trace, and her father Martin has always blamed James, who was known as Abraham, for her death. And Martin Shearer is an influential man. Who can Sarah trust and who can she believe?

I'm afraid this didn't really speak to me. The storyline was too simple. A lot of people behaved suspiciously and yet Sarah managed to solve the whole thing within a week, on her own, because contrary to what the blurb makes you want to believe, she wasn't shunned by everyone, and there were a number of people she could turn to. Whether she could trust them is a different matter because everyone seemed to have something to hide and most of it was quite shocking and not in keeping with such a neighbourly village.

There are some interesting twists but they feel rushed towards the end. And I would have wished for a less ambiguous ending where we get to know what she will do with the info. Read if you like domestic suspense, hidden pasts and small-town secrets that are a bit grittier than usual.

Your Husband's Fault by Kerry Wilkinson is a twisty domestic thriller that pulls you in from the beginning. Chock full of action and suspense, it's hard to put down.

Sarah, James and their young son move to James' hometown to escape the dangers of living in a city. James didn't want to move back, but Sarah finally convinced him it was in the best interest of their son. From day one Sarah's vision for living the good old country life is thrown into the abyss. Nothing is as she envisioned, starting with gossip about her husband being responsible for the death of his childhood best friend. As more and more shocking secrets are revealed, Sarah realizes she doesn't know her husband like she thought she did.

This was a great storyline with well developed characters. The short chapters make for an easy read. This was definitely hard to put down. It's full of twists you won't see coming. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for suspense lovers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy

A brilliantly plotted story of a family, Sarah, James and their son, who uproot their lives from London to the small village James grew up in. But while James spends the week of the move at work in NYC, Sarah encounters the villagers who suggest James is not who he seems. A great depiction of village life, dark secrets and the lengths people will go to. Highly recommend. Thanks to the publisher & author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

One hell of a thriller! When you think everything has finally come together and every secret has been revealed, just keep reading, because there's more. If you're a thriller fan in any capacity, I would recommend grabbing this one immediately!

The plot weaves suspense, intrigue, and complex characters into a story that keeps you guessing until the very end! My favourite character was Sarah.

I felt like the characterisation was awesome, the plotting was brilliant and the tension was thick. I’d highly recommended this book as it’s the perfect example of a psychological thriller!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

I'm a big fan of the Millie Westlake books, but the last couple of stand-alone books I've not really been enamoured with. This was an ok read, but I feel like this author's writing style has changed and I can't get on with it.

Very gripping and a good pace. Plenty of unexpected twists but not to the point that it becomes confusing as some books do. Would certainly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

Kerry Wilkinson did it again. This time, the story revolves around Sarah and her husband James who move together into a little cottage in James' small hometown. Everything could surely be perfect. Peaceful. But it is not - because James' best friend Lucy went missing twenty years ago. And everyone thinks James is responsible for it....

We do have short chapters and a twisty story which starts a little slow, but the pace picks up quickly while Sarah tries to discover what has really happened, and why James seems to be lying to her. Are the people in the small town right? Can she really not trust the man she had married anymore? If you want to find out, you have to go and read the book once it does publish!

Another great read from this author. We meet Sarah a young mom who has moved to live in her husbands childhood home in the country to get away from city life but her world is turned upside down when an encounter at the school gates informs her that her husband is a murderer. With her husband away on business she is left to navigate the move alone and now with people gossiping about her and her husband not able to provide the answers she starts to question how many more secrets is her husband hiding and is he really capable of murder. I can’t say any more without spoiling it but this book was a great read with a satisfying ending.

Your Husband's Fault is a captivating story that pulls you in almost immediately. I found the characters to be very relatable and I instantly liked the main character Sarah.

I felt the setting of the suburban countryside to be idyllic and enjoyable providing a great contrast to the suspense within the story.

There is a major plot twist within the book and I rather liked the plot twist as it tied up all the loose ends, as opposed to many plot twists that sometimes can leave holes within the story. I felt this plot twist made sense within the context and was not just there for the sake of having a plot twist.

Another thing I liked about the book is the pacing of it. Each chapter ends at a suspenseful point, making me hurry back to read more. This book moves smoothly between incidents and does not have moments that are not important to the plot- which I personally hate when authors have so many extraneous details and sub-plots. I kept coming back to the book- I finished it in less than 24 hours as I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

This was my first Kerry Wilkerson book, but it certainly won't be my last. I immediately began searching for more titles by this author.

Do you enjoy psychological thrillers? Pick up Your Husband’s Fault by Kerry Wilkinson. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Sarah and James move from London to the quiet village of Carnington, where James grew up, despite James’s protestations.
However, this idyllic life is cast into shadow when Sarah learns secrets about James during a casual conversation at her son Oliver's school. When she mentions that her husband grew up in the village, a woman cryptically asks his name, then walks away saying, "Don’t you know what your husband did?"
Soon, the entire village turns against the family, and James reveals that 30 years ago, his best friend Lucy went missing, and everyone still believes he was responsible. The start of the book was a little slow paced for me but it really picked up in the second half.
This story is told from Sarah’s perspective throughout and her dream of living in the countryside turns into a nightmare when she starts to doubt what she knows about her husband. I did find this aspect a little frustrating at the start as James was away and I wanted to scream at her to just ask him.
As strange events unfold, Sarah begins to question not only who her husband really is, but what is happening in the village. The ending is satisfying and the twists and turns at the end made me stay up late to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review. “Your Husband’s Fault” will be released on May 12, 2025 with Bookouture Publishing.
#YourHusbandsFault #NetGalley

Mr. Wilkinson has done it again!

Sarah wants to move from the city to the small village that her husband, James, grew up in. Once there, the locals aren't very kind to Sarah, and they allude to James not being a good person. Sarah decides to do some digging in an attempt to find out the truth.

Secrets start to unfold, and Sarah starts to wonder if she truly knows the man she married. At every turn, something terrible seems to happen, making it difficult for Sarah to make friends and know who she can trust.

I felt that the book started fairly slow, but then I realized that the slowness was necessary to build the background of previous events. There were several surprises that were totally unexpected, but the biggest surprise of all was the ending.

Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review

Sarah and James have left London to move to the small village of Carnington, where James grew up. Sarah fell in love with the area after a trip there, and now they have a quaint cottage with room for their son Oliver to run around and have more room. Everything is great, until Oliver’s first day at school.

While chatting with a woman in the drop off area, Sarah mentions her husband grew up in the village. The woman asked his name, and soon Sarah realized her husband’s real name is Abraham, and that something horrible happened decades ago. The woman walks away with the words “Don’t you know what your husband did?”.

Now nobody in town will speak with the family, and eventually James tells his wife that yes, 30 years ago, his best friend Lucy went missing. He was the last person to see her and was cleared of wrongdoing, but the entire village still believes that he killed her. James assures his wife that he didn’t kill anyone, but Sarah now has doubt - especially after Lucy’s father showed up at their door to tell Sarah that her husband is a murderer. Who is this man that she married?!

Then events start happening that make Sarah think this whole town is crazy…and she’s not wrong. The mystery is not only who her husband really is, but what is happening in this sleepy village, and I’ll tell you right now, the ending was a shock. I never considered it, and was pleasantly surprised by the way everything turned out. Four stars!

(Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me on this book’s tour! “Your Husband’s Fault” is slated to be released on May 12, 2025.)

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. This was a gripping read which I enjoyed in a day. The story was unpredictable and compelling, and I was invested throughout. Sarah was an interesting narrator, and while the ending was a bit rushed, the book was thoroughly enjoyable. This is now the second of Wilkinson's books that I've read, and I am excited to read more.

I was thrilled and excited to be given an early copy and what a brilliant read it was.
I really felt for Sarah, imagine moving into what you think will be your perfect life only to find everyone remembers your husband and views him as a killer. As for James he really got under my skin, just tell her for goodness sake!
Wonderful storyline and fabulously written characters, i struggled to put this down.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Sarah and James move back to his hometown to give their son, Oliver, a life not crammed in a city. One day at school drop off, a mom tells Sarah that her husband killed someone. She sets off to figure out what really happened in her husbands past. She catches him in lies. Someone else dies. Is she safe? Who is behind all the bad things in town?