My Review of “It’s Always the Husband” by Michele Campbell

I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Michele Campbell, for the ARC or “It’s Always the Husband” by Michele Campbell for my honest review.
The genres of this story are Women’s Fiction, Fiction, Mystery and Suspense. The timeline of the story occurs within a 20 year period exploring the past and present.
The setting of the story is in a college and college town. This is where we meet the characters.
I find that the author describes the characters as complex, flawed and complicated. Kate, Jenny and Aubrey are introduced as three young college roommates. The three girls have different personalities, and come from different backgrounds.
Kate is extremely wealthy and on the one hand seems to feel entitled to many things. Kate’s father is involved with the Board of the College. Kate is out-going, appears confident, loves partying, and breaking the rules. At other times, Kate seems very unhappy.
Jenny comes from a stable hardworking family, and is motivated to achieve success. Studious, staying on task
and achieving her goals her very important to Jenny.
Aubrey comes from extreme poverty and has been lucky to get a scholarship. The author portrays Aubrey as an insecure, innocent, lost and naive.
Somehow the three roommates become friends, and have ambivalent feelings towards one another. They do promise to be friends for life.
During their college years, there is a tragic event, which places stress on their relationships with further consequences. There are twists and turns and lots of tension.
Twenty years later, the three women have married. The author shows us how the characters have changed and shown growth, in good and bad ways. The women live near each other and stay in touch.
In this story there is loyalty and betrayal, jealousy, adultery, and murder. Of course any of the characters could be suspect. Somehow the police focus on the husband. “Is it always the husband?”
There is heightened suspense, and the ending is quite a surprise!! I certainly was caught off guard.
I would recommend this intriguing and suspenseful mystery.