By: Maria Frankland
Narrator: Beruce Khan
ISBN: 9781835251669
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 08/06/2024
Format: e-book
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
My wife is dead. No one believes that I’m innocent – and honestly, if I were them, I wouldn’t either. Everything you ever read, anything that makes the news? It’s always the husband.
Beautiful, bright-eyed Michelle Jackson, a loving wife and mother, has been killed. Her husband Paul is accused of murdering her.
Their little girl Emily, numb with grief, is refusing to speak. You’ll hate Paul for what he’s done.
Everyone said they were the perfect couple, always holding hands. They did everything together. But when you hear about their whispered arguments and the terrible lies they both told, you’ll be certain Paul is guilty.
But everything you think you know is wrong. After all, behind closed doors every marriage has secrets. And some are deadlier than others…
This book was previously published as The Man Behind Closed Doors.
Perfect for fans of Daniel Hurst, Andrea Mara and The Guilty Couple, this is a completely absorbing and shocking domestic thriller with an utterly unexpected twist.
My Review
Maria Frankland returns following The Taken Child with her latest emotional and intense domestic suspense thriller, THE MARRIED COUPLE.
With a creative twist, this time around, it is at the hands of an abusive wife to her husband, pushing him to the edge. You will be glued to the pages to see how this INTENSE thriller will end.
About...
Paul is married to Michelle, and they have a young six-year-old daughter, Emily.
As the book opens, they are on holiday at Summerfield Holiday Park in Filey. Michelle has been stabbed. The traumatized little girl witnesses the tragic event.
Paul Jackson is arrested for suspicion of attempted murder.
From here the events leading up to the tragic event unfolds. From secrets, lies, and abuse, what goes on behind closed doors?
Emily is now not talking due to the trauma. A co-worker, Alana gets involved and her husband.
Paul is in an abusive relationship, but he stays and tolerates it for his daughter. However, things escalate. Will the laws protect the husband from the wife, any more than they protect wives from husbands?
What really happened to Michelle?
My thoughts...
Maria realistically explores domestic abuse by turning it around with the wife as the abuser, both emotionally, mentally, and physically.
THE MARRIED COUPLE is complex, intense, suspenseful, heart-wrenching, and captivating! Each chapter unravels hidden layers of the characters' lives and their secrets.
We hear from Michelle, Paul, Lee, David, Susan, and Alana. From alternating chapters of legalities, court appearances, defense, and events leading up to the murder. There are highly charged topics of mental health, jealousy, anger, domestic abuse, self-harm, trauma, and manipulation. Lots of dysfunction and drama.
The author offers a clever twist, with an unexpected turn in the plot that challenges the reader's assumptions about the characters and their actions. This twist provides a realistic view of domestic abuse that does not go away, making the book difficult to read at times, especially for those who have ever experienced domestic abuse.
The author dedicates the book to those men and women who have suffered at the hands of a partner who is supposed to have loved and cherished them. This dedication, along with the resources for domestic abuse and violence, is a testament to the author's empathy and understanding of the issue.
THE MARRIED COUPLE was initially released as "The Man Behind Closed Doors" in 2020 (her first novel) and re-released by Bookouture in Aug 2024.
Thanks to Bookouture for a gifted digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 6, 2024
About the Author
Maria Frankland was born in York, home of Yorkshire puddings, Yorkie Bars and Yorkshire tea – incidentally three of her favourite things.
When not eating or drinking these items, she can be found dreaming up and executing the darkest of books for you to read, containing characters you could know – or characters you could be…
Yes, she has a dark imagination, but because she unleashes this into her writing, she is one of the friendliest authors you could hope to meet, and replies to every email, message and comment from her readers – her favourite part of the job, after writing, of course! Drop her a line by following this link.
Due to the nature of her work, Maria has a dubious internet search history and a worried mother-in-law, however she promises to keep writing gripping, edge-of-your-seat psychological thrillers for as long as you wish to read them!
Join her Facebook group Maria's Frankfans here.
