Scan barcode
mslori's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Just a chefs kiss of a book. Both funny and super dark. Well narrated too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, and Murder
stitchbooks22's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed this and raced through it. It focuses on an important topic (domestic violence) and is set in the Covid lockdown. I think it worked really well and was very funny, despite the seriousness of the topic. The friendship that formed between the women was also wonderful to see come to life throughout the story. I’d really recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Dementia, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Infertility
lorrared's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“Sally. Ruth. Samira. Janey.
They all have a story. They all have a breaking point. And they all have a husband to dispose of.”
Both heartbreaking and hilarious.
Each woman is in a unique situation of long term abuse and then on top of that COVID lockdowns exacerbates the issues.
Each of their stories were heartbreakingly sad and it perfectly shows why it isn’t so easy to find a way out of abusive relationships.
Although a very dark and tough subject, Alexia managed to make me laugh a lot and enjoy the touching moments of their healing, their friendships and their support for each other. They are all likeable characters and I was rooting for them all.
The Authors Note made the subject come to life and will stay with me. This book definitely did its job, it made me laugh, but also made me think. Thank you @alexia.casale
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
roooney's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Enthralling and emotional, ‘The Best Way to Bury Your Husband’ by @ is a must read this year.
What came from startling statistics during Covid lockdowns is a dark comedy tackling issues at the forefront of domestic violence. Handled gracefully, Casale has brought to life the lives of four women intrinsically linked by violence and their humorous attempts at navigating their struggles together in a world that is against them.
Law enforcement is truly no match for a gardening club
Thanks to Viking Books Uk, Penguin Books and NetGalley for the review copy. All views are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
readsbyhope's review against another edition
This was too content heavy on a topic that I couldn't read and it was incredibly slow paced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, and Violence
emshawkes's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
With the popularity of female murderer books at the moment – several of which I’ve read – I’m surprised that my husband hasn’t started to get nervous.
But seriously, this book brings something new in the form of Domestic Violence. According to the stats in the author’s note: “on average a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK; in the vast majority of cases that man is a current or former partner” And in America “…there are around 16-17,000 domestic homicides per year… [and] one in two female murder victims is killed by a domestic partner…” This book brings together the reality of living with Male Violence against Women and Girls (MVAWG), set against the backdrop of Covid Lockdowns when “67% of victims told Women’s Aid that the abuse they were suffering had escalated”.
This book centres on Sally, Ruth, Samira and Leila and the very, very tired new Mum. I saw her identity a coming and wasn’t surprised. Edwina the rule-abiding (busy body) neighbour also features heavily I enjoyed her story arc, going from near-hated neighbour to a supportive, wry friend. I saw her part in the story unfolding ahead of it happening as well.
Most of the book is narrated from Sally’s point of view, with bits from the other ladies as we discover how their home lives unfold for them to find themselves in the position of having to dispatch the dead body of their abusive husbands.
The writing was full of dark humour and made me laugh, but it was the story of friendship; of people who come from different backgrounds, but who are united by the trauma of an abusive partner that really drew me in and made me love this story.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
But seriously, this book brings something new in the form of Domestic Violence. According to the stats in the author’s note: “on average a woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK; in the vast majority of cases that man is a current or former partner” And in America “…there are around 16-17,000 domestic homicides per year… [and] one in two female murder victims is killed by a domestic partner…” This book brings together the reality of living with Male Violence against Women and Girls (MVAWG), set against the backdrop of Covid Lockdowns when “67% of victims told Women’s Aid that the abuse they were suffering had escalated”.
This book centres on Sally, Ruth, Samira and Leila and the very, very tired new Mum. I saw her identity a coming and wasn’t surprised. Edwina the rule-abiding (busy body) neighbour also features heavily I enjoyed her story arc, going from near-hated neighbour to a supportive, wry friend. I saw her part in the story unfolding ahead of it happening as well.
Most of the book is narrated from Sally’s point of view, with bits from the other ladies as we discover how their home lives unfold for them to find themselves in the position of having to dispatch the dead body of their abusive husbands.
The writing was full of dark humour and made me laugh, but it was the story of friendship; of people who come from different backgrounds, but who are united by the trauma of an abusive partner that really drew me in and made me love this story.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Domestic abuse
booksandpasta's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, and Domestic abuse
starklinqs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I absolutely loved this book! It's tough taking such a hard topic (domestic abuse, especially in the pandemic) and adding some humor but this was done wonderfully. There was emotion, heart, and even some laughs in this story. I loved our mains and I think setting it during lockdown was a really interesting - but welcome! - choice. I saw the ending coming, but it didn't fall flat and was a very fun ending (tbh, I was kind of surprised that a different character never really came into play). I loved reading these characters a lot. While it's a different book, I think that it's in the spirit of The Bandit Queens, so if you loved that you'd love this!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Sexual violence
Minor: Homophobia
ruthie_the_librarian's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Seeing the cover of what I was reading certainly had my husband on edge, which was entertaining, but I came away from the book with some mixed feelings. The idea for the story is a good one, and certainly highlights an important part of the Covid history - the enormous impact lockdown had on the UK's already very high domestic abuse figures. But it lacked something in the execution for me, at times. I felt it was quite slow to get going - there's a lot of pre-amble to get the women to a point where they've even met each other. I felt that after Sally talks to her children and tells them she's separating from their father the book's pace did improve. But by that point they were already into the final push towards creating the false footprints of the men, and disposing of the bodies. Prior to that I had almost given up on reading any further, as I was finding myself feeling anxious whilst reading (more stressful than humour/cosy mystery). But her talks with her children were moving, and made Sally feel real in a way I wasn't sure she had prior to that point.
I had seen the ending coming (I don't think it was meant to be a big twist - it's fairly obvious), and I did enjoy the unhinged yet exciting journey at the end.
So overall, I did enjoy it but it wasn't as good as I'd thought it might be. But it deals with really important topics that people don't often talk about, so if it's helpful in expanding the conversations around domestic abuse then that can only be a good thing.
With thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
I had seen the ending coming (I don't think it was meant to be a big twist - it's fairly obvious), and I did enjoy the unhinged yet exciting journey at the end.
So overall, I did enjoy it but it wasn't as good as I'd thought it might be. But it deals with really important topics that people don't often talk about, so if it's helpful in expanding the conversations around domestic abuse then that can only be a good thing.
With thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Domestic abuse
sadiaa's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first time I've read a book set during the lockdown period, and it's an incredibly important one. The abuse faced by (mainly) women during this time when they were stuck inside with their abusers is an untold story that we don't think about, but is a story that needs to be told. It's dark, but alleviated by snippets of dark humour and female friendships. You can't help but root for all the women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Violence
More...