Book cover of The Husband's Secret

Book description

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE—THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF BIG LITTLE LIES AND APPLES NEVER FALL

One of the Best Books of the Year—Entertainment Weekly
One of the Top Ten Books of the Year—People

At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

5 authors picked The Husband's Secret as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I love everything Liane Moriarty writes. This one was wonderful. A wife's marriage is destroyed by her best friend, a woman's family is destroyed by a husband's secret, a mother's life is destroyed by her daughter's death. Ethical questions abound, and you feel yourself trapped in decisions you might have made yourself. Fully fleshed, believable characters, each dealing with angst and moral dilemmas. I couldn't fathom how the book would end, and the ending was perfect. An epilogue gives an even more satisfying conclusion. Great book.

When a wife finds a letter addressed to her from her husband stating that it can only be opened once he is dead because it contains his darkest secret, she decides to open it while he is alive.

What ensues is a journey through deception, shocking truths, and the fallout of the secret being exposed.

With the secret revealed, finishing the novel leaves you wondering if you can truly trust anyone, even the ones closest to you. 

From Ricardo's list on instilling a fear of men.

I absolutely loved this book because it taught me one big thing: always pay attention to the red flags. In the beginning of The Husband’s Secret a key piece of evidence is introduced and from there working backwards, forwards, and somehow sideways, the story explains how the item was created, and what it means for everyone involved. This mystery novel helped me put together things that didn’t quite add up in my personal life, and strangely enough, I discovered a secret about my own husband at the time which later led to a divorce. Crazy how life works.

From JJ's list on detecting bullsh*t.

If you love The Husband's Secret...

Book cover of Buck's Pantry

Buck's Pantry by Khristin Wierman,

“Buck’s Pantry is a surprising tale of intrigue and suspense, and a perfect example of how three days and a random encounter can change the course of so many lives. Khristin Wierman’s narrative is charming and disarming all at the same time.”—Laurie Gelman, author of the Class Mom series

“Wierman…

What I enjoyed the most about The Husband’s Secret was the way that Liane Moriarty managed to entwine three seemingly unrelated characters into a compelling story, underpinned by a unique secret that you don’t see coming. While the suspense and more serious themes of the story were intense at times, I loved the humourous observations of everyday life and the wonderfully drawn characters I could relate to so well. It taught me to never assume, as there is always a hidden layer waiting to be revealed.

From Helen's list on an ensemble cast of characters.

Liane is able to make a reader laugh and cry at the same time. She’s deft at weaving characters and settings and tying their stories together. Sometimes what you see isn't the truth. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking. What I love about Liane Moriarty's books is that she's a genius with character relationships and is able to make the reader relate to each person she creates. They all seem so real. And, as you can see, I love books that make me happy.  

From Jeanne's list on women balancing life and family.

If you love The Husband's Secret...

Book cover of Buck's Pantry

Buck's Pantry by Khristin Wierman,

“Buck’s Pantry is a surprising tale of intrigue and suspense, and a perfect example of how three days and a random encounter can change the course of so many lives. Khristin Wierman’s narrative is charming and disarming all at the same time.”—Laurie Gelman, author of the Class Mom series

“Wierman…

Want books like The Husband's Secret?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Husband's Secret.

Browse books like The Husband's Secret

Book cover of Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present
Book cover of The Great Alone
Book cover of Me Talk Pretty One Day

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,340

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Husband's Secret, you might also like...

Book cover of This Time Could Be Different

This Time Could Be Different by Khristin Wierman,

2024 IPPY Awards Bronze Winner in Popular Fiction

“A beautiful thinking-novel.”—Eileen MacDougall, host of WCTV’s Book Stew

“Funny, poignant, original, and memorable…”—The Midwest Book Review

A compulsive overachiever, Madeline lives by the credo that easy is synonymous with mediocre—which is why, at forty-nine, she’s a senior vice president at a…

Book cover of A Fine Layer of Dust

A Fine Layer of Dust by Barbara Conrey,

A haunting portrait of what happens when ambition, grief, and guilt collide. Some books break your heart. Others help you pick up the pieces. A Fine Layer of Dust does both.

After one irreversible moment tears two families apart, everyone must confront the impossible choices that shaped them. This is…

5 book lists we think you will like!