The Best Way to Bury Your Husband by Alexia Casale (book review)

GENRE: Adult Cozy Thriller

LENGTH: 400 pages

 

PLOT

Sally, Janey, Ruth, and Samira are strangers brought together by one thing – whether intentionally or by accident, they all killed their abusive husbands. They band together to cover up the murders and protect their children.

 

CHARACTERS

Sally is the main protagonist. Janey, the only one she knew previously, is her estranged friend who is a new mother. Samira is a mother who killed her husband to save her daughter from a forced arranged marriage. Ruth, meanwhile, was a nurse before her husband made her quit.

The main side character is Sally’s nosy neighbor who loves to garden, Edwina. She reminded me somewhat of Mrs. Haggarty from the Finley Donovan books. She serves both as a threat to Sally and the others due to her constant observing and an unwitting ally.

Yes, these women are morally grey characters. No one is arguing that murder is a good way to solve anything, even something as serious as domestic violence. However, it’s impossible to not root for these women. It’s empowering to watch them regain their confidence and independence, and it’s heartwarming to watch them go from strangers to a found family. I grew attached to all these characters and their friendships – even Edwina.

 

WRITING

The novel is told primarily from Sally’s POV. The story takes place during COVID. The author’s note at the end talks about how she worked for many years as a specialist human right’s nonfiction editor focused on violence against women and children. It also touches on how many women reported worsening abuse during lockdown and the increased number of women either being killed or reaching out for help during this time.

As someone who has never been in an abusive relationship, it never occurred to me the effect that COVID had on real life women in those situations. I appreciate that this novel opened my eyes to what my fellow women were going through, horrifying as it is. In the context of the novel, the COVID lockdown is both a negative and a positive, oddly enough. On the negative side, it obviously isolates the characters more with their abusers – much like what happened in real life – but it also helps them pull off their scheme to cover up the murders.

The novel is described as a dark comedy. The plot kept me constantly on edge as at every turn it seemed something was going to foil the women’s plan or they would get caught. This happened right up until the very last page – which had a twist, though it’s one that is foreshadowed and not hard to see coming.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. While there were some funny bits, I do think the very topic/theme lends to it being a book to take more seriously. I grew to care for these fictional women so much, but it makes me immeasurably sad to think of all the real-life women in similar situations that they represent. Even still, I think the topic was handled with much care as would be expected given Casale’s background. At times fun, at others heartwarming, and still at others stressful or even heartbreaking, I most definitely recommend this book. I would caution readers who have been or are currently in abusive relationships, however, as I worry this could be triggering for them.

Trigger warnings include domestic violence and dead (and decomposing) bodies.

 

FINAL RATING: 5⭐️