The Loving Husband: A Novel Hardcover – March 14, 2017

Author has potential, but this mystery was disjointed and characters were not credible. Plot seemed to be pieced together from stuff seen on TV dramas. Writing was not worthy of Oxford graduate with degree in English, which may reflect haste in drafting. Many scenes (diaper changing, baby nursing) were repeated over and over again. Some sentences were lacking verbs and objects. Jarring for the reader. My head hurt at times. This book could have used a good editor, obviously not present.

Familiar emotional undercurrents and the oh so gradual discoveries by protagonist Fran engage the reader in a cold landscape where dark suspicions lie. But this onion is so layered with nuance and history that the peeling becomes tedious and repetitious; a reader could feel the author misdirected ends teases tiresomely deliberately.

If you like your mysteries simple and straightforward, this is not the book for you. But if you like subtlety and nuance in your whodunit, you will love "The Loving (??) Husband." Also great use of the atmosphere of the Fens landscape in England.

Reading this book as we speak. It's compelling and exciting. I'd recommend it to those who love suspenseful books with a unique flavor.

Enticing tale with tension building from the beginning. I could not put it down. A 24 hour read!

Interesting twists in this spellbinding tale.

Too many red herrings; too many subplots; mystery solved in last "3 minutes" of book, barely substantiated. Would not recommend it.

The Loving Husband by Christobel Kent is a suspenseful murder mystery set in a rural village in Great Britain.Fran Hall lives with her husband Nathan and their two young children, four year old Emme and 3 month old Ben on a rundown farm close to where Nathan grew up. Since their move from London, Fran has become increasingly isolated as Nathan controls just about every aspect of their life. Awakening to discover Nathan missing from their bed, she makes a horrifying discovery when she finds his lifeless body in a ditch on their property. The investigators assigned to her case, DS Doug Gerard and DC Ed Carswell, are convinced Fran knows more than she is telling but does this mean she is a killer?Fran was never overly thrilled with the move from London, but it seems like the best way to put her mistakes behind her. The farmhouse is isolated and somewhat dilapidated, but she is trying to make the best of the situation for her family’s sake. While Nathan has a thriving business that takes him away from home quite frequently and an active social life, Fran’s days revolve around her children and keeping the peace with her husband. It is not until Nathan is murdered that the inconsistencies in his life become more apparent and Fran is somewhat surprised to discover she does not much at all about the man she has shared her life with more than five years.While DS Gerard and DS Carswell are initially solicitous when dealing with Fran, it does not take long for her to realize they are not on her side. She is not exactly forthcoming with all of the details of the night Nathan was murdered but under the circumstances, her hesitance is understandable. The only person involved in the investigation that she feels comfortable with is Family Liaison Officer DC Ali Compton. However, Fran is unsure she can completely trust Ali so she continues to maintain her silence about some of the events that occurred the night of Nathan’s murder.Fran is horribly confused about the information that is uncovered during the investigation . As she reflects back on her relationship with Nathan, she begins to realize how isolated she has become. She also starts to recognize how much of herself she has given up over the years in order to keep Nathan happy. Fran is dismayed by her inability to answer basic questions about her husband’s business dealings or who he socializes with in his downtime. With every new clue that emerges, she cannot help but wonder about Nathan’s motivation for marrying her but the reason for his actions eludes Fran.The Loving Husband is a suspense-laden domestic mystery that moves at a moderately fast pace. Christobel Kent cleverly keeps the killer’s identity and motive for the crime a closely guarded secret with brilliantly plotted twists and turns and a few well-paced red herrings. The novel comes to quite a stunning conclusion that is virtually impossible to predict. An absolutely riveting mystery that fans of the genre do not want to miss.I received a complimentary copy for review.