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The Best Way to Bury Your Husband
A dark comedy about four women coming together to heal the damage their husbands have done––and hide their bodies once they’ve killed them
When Sally kills her husband with a cast-iron skillet, she’s more fearful of losing her kids than of disposing of a fresh corpse. That just wouldn’t be fair—not after twenty years of marriage to a truly terrible man. But Sally isn’t the only woman in town reaching the brink. Soon, Sally finds herself leading an extremely unusual self-help group, and among them there are four bodies to hide. Can they all figure out the perfect way to bury their husbands . . . and get away with it?
First to join is former nurse, Ruth, who met her husband as a single mom. Now her son is grown and her husband’s violence builds by the day until an attack on the stairs leads to a fatal accident—for him. A few doors down, Samira’s last straw comes when she discovers her husband is planning a campaign of violence against her eldest daughter, who has just come out. Janey, Sally’s best friend, has just had her first child at forty-two. Sleep-deprived Janey needs a hero to slay the monster in the fairy tales she whispers to her daughter each night . . . and as her husband’s violence escalates, it might just be her.
Together, fueled by righteous anger but tempered by a moral core, the four women must help each other work out a plan to get rid of their husbands for good. Along the way, Sally, Ruth, Samira and Janey rediscover old joys and embark on new passions in work, education, and life. Friendship and laughter really are the best medicine—and so is getting away with murder.
When Sally kills her husband with a cast-iron skillet, she’s more fearful of losing her kids than of disposing of a fresh corpse. That just wouldn’t be fair—not after twenty years of marriage to a truly terrible man. But Sally isn’t the only woman in town reaching the brink. Soon, Sally finds herself leading an extremely unusual self-help group, and among them there are four bodies to hide. Can they all figure out the perfect way to bury their husbands . . . and get away with it?
First to join is former nurse, Ruth, who met her husband as a single mom. Now her son is grown and her husband’s violence builds by the day until an attack on the stairs leads to a fatal accident—for him. A few doors down, Samira’s last straw comes when she discovers her husband is planning a campaign of violence against her eldest daughter, who has just come out. Janey, Sally’s best friend, has just had her first child at forty-two. Sleep-deprived Janey needs a hero to slay the monster in the fairy tales she whispers to her daughter each night . . . and as her husband’s violence escalates, it might just be her.
Together, fueled by righteous anger but tempered by a moral core, the four women must help each other work out a plan to get rid of their husbands for good. Along the way, Sally, Ruth, Samira and Janey rediscover old joys and embark on new passions in work, education, and life. Friendship and laughter really are the best medicine—and so is getting away with murder.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2024
549 people are currently reading
24892 people want to read
About the author
Alexia Casale
12 books176 followersShortlisted for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize. Longlisted for The Branford Boase Award. A Book of the Year 2013 for the Financial Times and Independent.
A British-American citizen of Italian heritage, Alexia is an author, editor and writing consultant. She also teaches English Literature and Writing.
After an MA in Social & Political Sciences (Psychology major) then MPhil in Educational Psychology & Technology, both at Cambridge University, she took a break from academia and moved to New York. There she worked on a Tony-award-winning Broadway show before returning to England to complete a PhD and teaching qualification. In between, she worked as a West End script-critic, box-office manager for a music festival and executive editor of a human rights journal.
She’s not sure which side of the family her dyslexia comes from, but is resigned to the fact that madness runs in both. She loves cats, collects glass animals and interesting knives, and has always wanted a dragon.
Alexia is represented by Claire Wilson of Rogers, Coleridge & White.
Her debut novel, The Bone Dragon, is published in English by Faber & Faber, and in German by Carlsen.
A British-American citizen of Italian heritage, Alexia is an author, editor and writing consultant. She also teaches English Literature and Writing.
After an MA in Social & Political Sciences (Psychology major) then MPhil in Educational Psychology & Technology, both at Cambridge University, she took a break from academia and moved to New York. There she worked on a Tony-award-winning Broadway show before returning to England to complete a PhD and teaching qualification. In between, she worked as a West End script-critic, box-office manager for a music festival and executive editor of a human rights journal.
She’s not sure which side of the family her dyslexia comes from, but is resigned to the fact that madness runs in both. She loves cats, collects glass animals and interesting knives, and has always wanted a dragon.
Alexia is represented by Claire Wilson of Rogers, Coleridge & White.
Her debut novel, The Bone Dragon, is published in English by Faber & Faber, and in German by Carlsen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,487 reviews
March 18, 2024
I think my husband might be a little concerned about how much I loved this book. And, granted, if you ever need to get rid of an inconvenient body, this book has lots of helpful ideas (a desiccation parcel, who knew?!) to assist you in taking care of your problem. Although, really, I exaggerate – my husband is not at all worried about me reading this book because, well, he's not an abusive monster, but also because he already thinks I tried to kill him once and he didn't seem all that bothered. No, really.
Let me digress for a moment here. Shortly after we were married, my husband had a dream that I tried to suffocate him while he was sleeping, which he apparently thought really happened. Now, I know what you're thinking the story is here – he immediately woke up, got angry, and I had to convince him that I wasn't actually a murderess. Nope. He didn't say anything about it to me at all, for, like, six months. It only came up one day because he was giving me examples of how I “get grumpy” when I'm tired (apparently I was trying to kill him because he was snoring too loudly – tempting, I'll admit). I assured him that no such thing had occurred. He doubled down. I mean, this is the guy who once, when our son was very little, woke up from a dead sleep, grabbed our very surprised dog off of my lap, plopped her on his chest, and tried to shush her to sleep because he thought it was the baby. This is the level of cognizance he has in the middle of the night. But, sure, I tried to suffocate him. This disturbed me a wee bit, because not only was he (quite nonchalantly) accusing me of attempted murder, but also because what kind of weirdo thinks that their spouse tried to kill them in their sleep and then goes “Oh, well!” and then just goes on about their business without a care in the world? For six months?! These days he claims not to remember his supposed attempted murder or the argument that ensued months later, so apparently he wasn't too traumatized by his imaginary ordeal and has no real fear of me and my murdering ways. I'm pretty sure I could come home tomorrow with a shovel, some lime, and a body bag and he still wouldn't think twice about it, except maybe to bring it up months later in an argument about unnecessary spending. So, yeah.
Ahem. Oh, right, the book.
This novel is absolutely amazing, although not exactly what I expected. I thought it would be more of a dark humor type of thing, and there definitely is some of that. But, at its heart, it's really a story of friendship, hope, and second chances, and it's both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Of course, there are parts that aren't so fun to read – this is a book about domestic violence, after all. And the women in this book are certainly battered and abused.
Is the premise of this book rather absurd? Well, yes. Obviously the chances of four women in the same town murdering their abusive husbands in the same week and then randomly finding each other is very, very low on the probability scale. But I think the author did an excellent job of bringing awareness to the problem of domestic violence, particularly the unique issues that arose during the COVID-19 lockdown, and you kind of just have to suspend your disbelief on some of the rest of it.
The characters in this novel are fantastic. Edwina and her snooping was brilliant, and her part in the ending was laugh-out-loud funny. Sally was a likable narrator, and I feel that her backstory did a great job of explaining why abused women don't “just leave him.” I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, which Casale mentions in the afterword was intentional to bring awareness to the fact that domestic abuse occurs across the cultural spectrum.
There isn't a mystery in this book per se, other than “will they get away with it?” But there are lots of ridiculous hijinks that occur while the Lockdown Ladies' Burial Club tries to figure out the answer to that question, and it's a delightful ride.
Final rating: An enthusiastic 5 stars. This book is one of the highlights of my 2023 reads.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
Let me digress for a moment here. Shortly after we were married, my husband had a dream that I tried to suffocate him while he was sleeping, which he apparently thought really happened. Now, I know what you're thinking the story is here – he immediately woke up, got angry, and I had to convince him that I wasn't actually a murderess. Nope. He didn't say anything about it to me at all, for, like, six months. It only came up one day because he was giving me examples of how I “get grumpy” when I'm tired (apparently I was trying to kill him because he was snoring too loudly – tempting, I'll admit). I assured him that no such thing had occurred. He doubled down. I mean, this is the guy who once, when our son was very little, woke up from a dead sleep, grabbed our very surprised dog off of my lap, plopped her on his chest, and tried to shush her to sleep because he thought it was the baby. This is the level of cognizance he has in the middle of the night. But, sure, I tried to suffocate him. This disturbed me a wee bit, because not only was he (quite nonchalantly) accusing me of attempted murder, but also because what kind of weirdo thinks that their spouse tried to kill them in their sleep and then goes “Oh, well!” and then just goes on about their business without a care in the world? For six months?! These days he claims not to remember his supposed attempted murder or the argument that ensued months later, so apparently he wasn't too traumatized by his imaginary ordeal and has no real fear of me and my murdering ways. I'm pretty sure I could come home tomorrow with a shovel, some lime, and a body bag and he still wouldn't think twice about it, except maybe to bring it up months later in an argument about unnecessary spending. So, yeah.
Ahem. Oh, right, the book.
This novel is absolutely amazing, although not exactly what I expected. I thought it would be more of a dark humor type of thing, and there definitely is some of that. But, at its heart, it's really a story of friendship, hope, and second chances, and it's both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Of course, there are parts that aren't so fun to read – this is a book about domestic violence, after all. And the women in this book are certainly battered and abused.
Is the premise of this book rather absurd? Well, yes. Obviously the chances of four women in the same town murdering their abusive husbands in the same week and then randomly finding each other is very, very low on the probability scale. But I think the author did an excellent job of bringing awareness to the problem of domestic violence, particularly the unique issues that arose during the COVID-19 lockdown, and you kind of just have to suspend your disbelief on some of the rest of it.
The characters in this novel are fantastic. Edwina and her snooping was brilliant, and her part in the ending was laugh-out-loud funny. Sally was a likable narrator, and I feel that her backstory did a great job of explaining why abused women don't “just leave him.” I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, which Casale mentions in the afterword was intentional to bring awareness to the fact that domestic abuse occurs across the cultural spectrum.
There isn't a mystery in this book per se, other than “will they get away with it?” But there are lots of ridiculous hijinks that occur while the Lockdown Ladies' Burial Club tries to figure out the answer to that question, and it's a delightful ride.
Final rating: An enthusiastic 5 stars. This book is one of the highlights of my 2023 reads.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
August 25, 2024
It’s so hard reading about people living your dreams… killing abusive men with your cohort of female friends
July 12, 2023
4.5 stars
It’s the start of the Covid pandemic and the country is in lockdown with the strict enforcement of rules and with Sally‘s next door neighbour Edwina keeping a beady open for any infractions. Sally is married to Jim and she realises early in their marriage that he is a mediocre man with resentment seeping from his very pores. After twenty years of violence, of telling herself that it’s her fault, that they’re accidents but now that the children have left home and it’s lockdown, she’s stuck inside with him alone for many hours a day and so she fights back and how. Then there’s Samira, whose abusive husband Yafir is arranging a marriage for their elder daughter Leila against her will and so Samira determines to do something to keep Leila safe. Then there is Ruth and Lionel, she wants to help utilise her much needed nursing skills in the pandemic and he definitely doesn’t. Finally, there is a very tired mother and as for her husband, I’m sure you can guess. The story is told principally by Sally but also by the other three women so you get to understand them and their dire domestic situations.
First of all, I really admire the authors purpose in writing this book and she sure has all the credentials. I hope she achieves her ends by using humour to get her points across and in my opinion, she does. Yes, it’s a novel that has its roots in domestic violence which as we all know, reaches crisis point in lockdown but equally it’s a novel about friendship, some forged of necessity, one which is lapsed and one that is a real surprise. It’s also about family and the bonds between mother and children, which is clear to see with Samira and Leila, but also with Sally‘s children and I love how her son sends her a song of the day to show he cares. This is cleverly done as they seem to match or highlight situations and are often darkly amusing.
The characterisation is very good, each has their own defined personality and my favourite, much to my surprise, turns out to be Edwina, although obviously you root for all of these women.
Whilst the issue is obviously a serious one, the novel is genuinely funny at times, obviously darkly so but it does make me guffaw and hoot with laughter from time to time. Go ladies! Although all the storylines are very good, the very tired mother is emotional, moving and scary but I also like the different cultural aspects of the storyline too via Samira especially but also with Ruth. It’s a very well written novel and Covid lockdown is used most effectively in highlighting what women like these four have to face. Along the journey to the end there are some good twists, there’s tension and suspense, one real jaw dropper and a whoops and a sort of surprise that probably isn’t right at the end, but the image of that will stay with me forever! Kudos to the author.
Overall, it’s a very readable book that highlights a dreadful reality but does so in a light-hearted way which engages but also drives the points across very effectively. It demonstrates that survival is possible with the help of friends. It’s poignant, sad, but darkly funny.
*The authors foreword and notes at the end are well worth reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
It’s the start of the Covid pandemic and the country is in lockdown with the strict enforcement of rules and with Sally‘s next door neighbour Edwina keeping a beady open for any infractions. Sally is married to Jim and she realises early in their marriage that he is a mediocre man with resentment seeping from his very pores. After twenty years of violence, of telling herself that it’s her fault, that they’re accidents but now that the children have left home and it’s lockdown, she’s stuck inside with him alone for many hours a day and so she fights back and how. Then there’s Samira, whose abusive husband Yafir is arranging a marriage for their elder daughter Leila against her will and so Samira determines to do something to keep Leila safe. Then there is Ruth and Lionel, she wants to help utilise her much needed nursing skills in the pandemic and he definitely doesn’t. Finally, there is a very tired mother and as for her husband, I’m sure you can guess. The story is told principally by Sally but also by the other three women so you get to understand them and their dire domestic situations.
First of all, I really admire the authors purpose in writing this book and she sure has all the credentials. I hope she achieves her ends by using humour to get her points across and in my opinion, she does. Yes, it’s a novel that has its roots in domestic violence which as we all know, reaches crisis point in lockdown but equally it’s a novel about friendship, some forged of necessity, one which is lapsed and one that is a real surprise. It’s also about family and the bonds between mother and children, which is clear to see with Samira and Leila, but also with Sally‘s children and I love how her son sends her a song of the day to show he cares. This is cleverly done as they seem to match or highlight situations and are often darkly amusing.
The characterisation is very good, each has their own defined personality and my favourite, much to my surprise, turns out to be Edwina, although obviously you root for all of these women.
Whilst the issue is obviously a serious one, the novel is genuinely funny at times, obviously darkly so but it does make me guffaw and hoot with laughter from time to time. Go ladies! Although all the storylines are very good, the very tired mother is emotional, moving and scary but I also like the different cultural aspects of the storyline too via Samira especially but also with Ruth. It’s a very well written novel and Covid lockdown is used most effectively in highlighting what women like these four have to face. Along the journey to the end there are some good twists, there’s tension and suspense, one real jaw dropper and a whoops and a sort of surprise that probably isn’t right at the end, but the image of that will stay with me forever! Kudos to the author.
Overall, it’s a very readable book that highlights a dreadful reality but does so in a light-hearted way which engages but also drives the points across very effectively. It demonstrates that survival is possible with the help of friends. It’s poignant, sad, but darkly funny.
*The authors foreword and notes at the end are well worth reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Read
October 11, 2025Four women murder their violently abusive husbands in lockdown and form a support group to hide the bodies. It's billed as a black comedy but it really isn't funny at all: the author works in male violence against women, and the depiction is far too real and raw (there's deliberately none of the usual loving detailing of women's physical suffering but the stifling fear is vividly done). Basically the author cares far too much about the subject matter, and the people including the dead men are real, and that isn't really how black comedy works. (It basically only goes into proper black comedy territory at the very end with a twist every reader has surely seen coming).
A good read in itself--I was highly engaged with the women getting away with it, it's very tense, and God knows the subject matter needs screaming from the rooftop--but at some point the trades descriptions act needs invoking against publishers because I'm so fed up of being promised comedy and getting vividly realistic human misery.
A good read in itself--I was highly engaged with the women getting away with it, it's very tense, and God knows the subject matter needs screaming from the rooftop--but at some point the trades descriptions act needs invoking against publishers because I'm so fed up of being promised comedy and getting vividly realistic human misery.
July 14, 2024
writing: meh | plot: had potential | ending: cute I guess
my opinion
Another one of my most anticipated reads done and dusted. Unfortunately, this ended up being just meh after a promising start. The first half was an emotional ass whooping. The best part of the book was learning about the other women and the moment they "snapped." Fair warning: this takes place during COVID. I know a lot of people hate reading about this, so give it an ole skip because it's basically the main character of the book. Also, the writing quality mirrored my enjoyment of the book—stronger at the start, bland in the middle, trending upwards at the end.
You would think the part where they're figuring out the best way to bury their husbands (heheheh) would be exciting, but it fell flat for me. The second half was just spinning its tires and repeating the same old stuff. It picked up again when they carried out their grand plans, but it wasn't enough to redeem the stretch of nothingness.
I appreciated the author brought together women of all different backgrounds but it seemed like Sally and Janey's conflict was never fully addressed. Resolved? Yes. But it was kind of a "straight to jail, don't pass go" situation to the HEA for them.
All in all, great concept but very meh execution.
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my opinion
Another one of my most anticipated reads done and dusted. Unfortunately, this ended up being just meh after a promising start. The first half was an emotional ass whooping. The best part of the book was learning about the other women and the moment they "snapped." Fair warning: this takes place during COVID. I know a lot of people hate reading about this, so give it an ole skip because it's basically the main character of the book. Also, the writing quality mirrored my enjoyment of the book—stronger at the start, bland in the middle, trending upwards at the end.
You would think the part where they're figuring out the best way to bury their husbands (heheheh) would be exciting, but it fell flat for me. The second half was just spinning its tires and repeating the same old stuff. It picked up again when they carried out their grand plans, but it wasn't enough to redeem the stretch of nothingness.
I appreciated the author brought together women of all different backgrounds but it seemed like Sally and Janey's conflict was never fully addressed. Resolved? Yes. But it was kind of a "straight to jail, don't pass go" situation to the HEA for them.
All in all, great concept but very meh execution.
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August 9, 2024
Unexpectedly clever!
Four women struggle to survive lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. All women are victims of some form of domestic abuse and consequently murder their husbands. Forming the Lockdown Ladies Burial Club, they formulate a plan to dispose of their husbands’ bodies and hopefully get away with the crimes.
I sure hope I don’t ever live on the same street as these ladies!
While the subject matter is serious, the humor in the dialogue helps to lighten the mood of what could be a very sinister plot. I remember hearing statistics that domestic abuse and murder rose during the pandemic due to the isolation, depression, and chaos. The author notes that she recognizes the absurdity of four women living in close proximity all killing their husbands in the same week, but wrote the book in order to make victims’ voices heard.
The plot is over the top and I did predict the twist, but it didn’t prevent me from having fun with this one!
I listened to the audiobook while following along with the Ebook. The audiobook is narrated by a terrific ensemble cast, including the amazing Imogen Church, who does an outstanding job at capturing the quirkiness in the writing. I highly recommend the audio version.
Recommended to those who enjoy the Finlay Donovan series.
Trigger warning: domestic abuse, Covid-19
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC of How to Bury Your Husband in exchange for an honest review.
Four women struggle to survive lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. All women are victims of some form of domestic abuse and consequently murder their husbands. Forming the Lockdown Ladies Burial Club, they formulate a plan to dispose of their husbands’ bodies and hopefully get away with the crimes.
I sure hope I don’t ever live on the same street as these ladies!
While the subject matter is serious, the humor in the dialogue helps to lighten the mood of what could be a very sinister plot. I remember hearing statistics that domestic abuse and murder rose during the pandemic due to the isolation, depression, and chaos. The author notes that she recognizes the absurdity of four women living in close proximity all killing their husbands in the same week, but wrote the book in order to make victims’ voices heard.
The plot is over the top and I did predict the twist, but it didn’t prevent me from having fun with this one!
I listened to the audiobook while following along with the Ebook. The audiobook is narrated by a terrific ensemble cast, including the amazing Imogen Church, who does an outstanding job at capturing the quirkiness in the writing. I highly recommend the audio version.
Recommended to those who enjoy the Finlay Donovan series.
Trigger warning: domestic abuse, Covid-19
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC of How to Bury Your Husband in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2025
In the spirit of total transparency, I knew I was going to read this book as soon as I saw the title and before I read the book summary. I also knew that the reason I was going to read it was because it was most likely going to be about a battered and abused wife who killed her POS abusive hubby. Ahhh…..memories of my marriage to hubby #1 back in my 20’s. The memories of the hours days weeks months I spent devising ways to kill my abusive POS hubby. Alas, I never followed through on any of those plans, but it was very cathartic at the time and got me through until I got the courage to actually walk out the door and leave that horrible man, with the help of some very good friends and amazing women.
Anyway, as the book summary indicates, the story is about four battered and abused wives who kill their abusive husbands and how they got rid of the bodies, with the help of one of the daughters of one of the women. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that the story takes place during the initial pandemic lockdown. This is not a spoiler since it is basically how the story started. So, there are the extra challenges of getting away with murder during a global pandemic. I assure you; it wasn’t as easy as it sounds like it could be.
First, we have Sally, who was in the process of being beaten for having flowers on the table, when in an act of self-defense, grabs a cast iron skillet off the counter and whacks her hubby upside of the head and kills him. Shortly thereafter, Sally meets Ruth when she climbs on top of her backyard fence and catches Ruth attempting to set a bonfire with her dead hubby in it. Ruth’s POS hubby fell over the staircase banister while chasing Ruth up the stairs in order to give her a beating for wanting to go back to work as a nurse. Then Sally and Ruth meet Layla, lugging a rolling suitcase down the street in the middle of the night. The suitcase is stuffed with chopped up parts of Layla’s father. Layla’s mother, Samira, poisoned him because he was going to take Layla back to Pakistan and marry her off to some stranger because it was rumored that Layla was a lesbian. Lastly, Sally’s BFF, Janey, a mother of a newborn, kills her POS, abusive hubby while in the midst of a sleep-deprived, hallucination because she thought the raging beast in the doorway screaming at her and charging her was a monster trying to kill her and her wailing baby.
The rest of the story revolves around the ladies trying to figure out a way to dispose of the bodies without getting caught and leaving all their children orphans. Not only were there lockdown rules and regulations in place (apparently the UK was much stricter about Covid isolation rules and regs), but the ladies also had to deal with a nosybody neighbor, Edwina, who patrolled the street and admonishing anyone and everyone for not following Covid rules and regs.
The character development of the MC’s was very well done, especially Edwina. While it was sad what brought the women together, it was their shared trauma and experiences that connected and bonded them together. The pacing was steady and never seemed to drag, at least not to me, but then I became invested in the storyline from the get-go. The writing was wonderful. While the subject matter is most certainly not wonderful or funny, however, for women in that situation, some days anything that takes you out of yourself that allows you see the joy and humor in the mundane is a welcomed gift. I speak from experience.
Alexia Casale wove humor in so many parts of the story, allowing the women to start laughing again because they had long ago stopped finding life joyful. I especially found the Author’s Notes at the end interesting even if it wasn’t surprising. It should come as no shock that the violence and abuse many women endured before the pandemic, increased exponentially during lockdown. I'm looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review.
Anyway, as the book summary indicates, the story is about four battered and abused wives who kill their abusive husbands and how they got rid of the bodies, with the help of one of the daughters of one of the women. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that the story takes place during the initial pandemic lockdown. This is not a spoiler since it is basically how the story started. So, there are the extra challenges of getting away with murder during a global pandemic. I assure you; it wasn’t as easy as it sounds like it could be.
First, we have Sally, who was in the process of being beaten for having flowers on the table, when in an act of self-defense, grabs a cast iron skillet off the counter and whacks her hubby upside of the head and kills him. Shortly thereafter, Sally meets Ruth when she climbs on top of her backyard fence and catches Ruth attempting to set a bonfire with her dead hubby in it. Ruth’s POS hubby fell over the staircase banister while chasing Ruth up the stairs in order to give her a beating for wanting to go back to work as a nurse. Then Sally and Ruth meet Layla, lugging a rolling suitcase down the street in the middle of the night. The suitcase is stuffed with chopped up parts of Layla’s father. Layla’s mother, Samira, poisoned him because he was going to take Layla back to Pakistan and marry her off to some stranger because it was rumored that Layla was a lesbian. Lastly, Sally’s BFF, Janey, a mother of a newborn, kills her POS, abusive hubby while in the midst of a sleep-deprived, hallucination because she thought the raging beast in the doorway screaming at her and charging her was a monster trying to kill her and her wailing baby.
The rest of the story revolves around the ladies trying to figure out a way to dispose of the bodies without getting caught and leaving all their children orphans. Not only were there lockdown rules and regulations in place (apparently the UK was much stricter about Covid isolation rules and regs), but the ladies also had to deal with a nosybody neighbor, Edwina, who patrolled the street and admonishing anyone and everyone for not following Covid rules and regs.
The character development of the MC’s was very well done, especially Edwina. While it was sad what brought the women together, it was their shared trauma and experiences that connected and bonded them together. The pacing was steady and never seemed to drag, at least not to me, but then I became invested in the storyline from the get-go. The writing was wonderful. While the subject matter is most certainly not wonderful or funny, however, for women in that situation, some days anything that takes you out of yourself that allows you see the joy and humor in the mundane is a welcomed gift. I speak from experience.
Alexia Casale wove humor in so many parts of the story, allowing the women to start laughing again because they had long ago stopped finding life joyful. I especially found the Author’s Notes at the end interesting even if it wasn’t surprising. It should come as no shock that the violence and abuse many women endured before the pandemic, increased exponentially during lockdown. I'm looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review.
April 5, 2024
Not as many practical tips as I was hoping for.
May 16, 2024
Her first adult fiction tale, author Alexia Casale’s The Best Way to Bury Your Husband is a tongue-in-cheek, black humour crime novel. Four women, Sally, Janey, Ruth and Samira formed a gardening club during lockdown, after discovering that they each have a problem – a body to get rid of. The narrative is a mixture of surprises and hilarity as they try to figure out a plan that will explain the disappearance of all their husbands. A warning that the topic may trigger some readers, but its light feel makes for an enjoyable read and is part of the author’s intention to farcically portray a critical issue. Overall, it’s a wickedly clever way to get people thinking about the sensitivity underpinning the message of this implausible story. A truly engaging and highly enjoyable romp of a book that is a must read five stars read rating. With thanks to Penguin General UK and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.
September 19, 2023
Firstly I must commend the author on bringing attention to domestic violence and during covid.
This book attempts to bring awareness to the spike in domestic violence during Covid by using dark humour. The victims in this story accidentally kill their husbands in what most people would consider self defence but feel compelled to cover it up as they fear being separated from their children (of various ages) if sent to prison.
Whilst I commend the efforts of the author, this wasn’t a particularly an enjoyable read for me. I understood what they were doing and why but I just didn’t find it funny. I felt like some things just didn’t make sense, and other parts of the book dragged. I felt that there was too much detail on areas where it wasn’t needed e.g. the visit to the cliffs. The story started with each of the women’s perspectives and situations being shown in separate chapters then all of a sudden moved to purely the main character’s perspective only. I would have loved to hear more from Samira for example.
Also, I didn’t find the main character likeable- at all. I felt in areas that she was looking for fellow accomplices and pressuring the women to do what she wanted/felt was best.
However, it was almost laughable how concerned they were about social distancing when they were literally disposing of their husbands’ bodies.
Whilst the idea of the book excited me, sadly it missed the mark for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book attempts to bring awareness to the spike in domestic violence during Covid by using dark humour. The victims in this story accidentally kill their husbands in what most people would consider self defence but feel compelled to cover it up as they fear being separated from their children (of various ages) if sent to prison.
Whilst I commend the efforts of the author, this wasn’t a particularly an enjoyable read for me. I understood what they were doing and why but I just didn’t find it funny. I felt like some things just didn’t make sense, and other parts of the book dragged. I felt that there was too much detail on areas where it wasn’t needed e.g. the visit to the cliffs. The story started with each of the women’s perspectives and situations being shown in separate chapters then all of a sudden moved to purely the main character’s perspective only. I would have loved to hear more from Samira for example.
Also, I didn’t find the main character likeable- at all. I felt in areas that she was looking for fellow accomplices and pressuring the women to do what she wanted/felt was best.
However, it was almost laughable how concerned they were about social distancing when they were literally disposing of their husbands’ bodies.
Whilst the idea of the book excited me, sadly it missed the mark for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
January 30, 2024this is so coquette omg
September 8, 2024
رواية عن العنف المنزلي في ابهى صوره .. ازواج بيعتدوا على الزوجات بكل اريحية او حتى بتحكمات ديكتاتورية مريبة غير انسانية بالمرة
لحد اما تقرر الزوجات دول انهم يخلصوا منهم ويعملولهم جمعية على ما قسم كدا بما انه شكله توجه عام بقى
سالي بطلة الحكاية والراوية لكل الاحداث الهندية دي
قررت تخطبه في نافوخه بالطاسة بتاعة جدتها الله يرحمها وبعدين نقعد نفكر بقى ندفنه ازاي وبدون ذرة ندم
وكل واحدة بقى تستعد في جهازها بالطاسة التمام .. هتنفع وقت الزنقة اكيد
بنتنقل في الحكاية ما بين اربع بيوت واربع جثث واربع "جرايم" انتقام .. بس ما تقولوش جرايم عشان سالي بتزعل
سالي وزوجها جيم .. روث وزوجها ليونيل .. جايني وزوجها كيث .. وسميرة وزوجها يافير
وما ننساش المجهودات العظيمة للجارتين الحلوين هناء وشيرين قصدي ناوار وادوينا
وخصوووووصا ادوينا عشان دي مفاجأة الموسم وكل موسم اصلا
نيجي بقى للمصييييييبة
الكاتبة شكلها عندها عقدة قديمة وعايزة تخلص من الرجالة كلهم فقررت تطلع كل الزوجات ريا وسكينة وكل الازواج اباطرة متوحشين
لما واحدة تخبط زوجها بالطاسة وتغطي الجثة بمكونات كتير حفاظا على الريحة لحد اما تشوف هتشوية ولا تعمل عليه شوربة _مجازا يعني _ بما اني كنت حاسة انهم بيتكلموا عن جوزين فراخ مش ازواجهم خالص
سالي ماشية تنقط مفهومية طول الحكاية .. وكل اما تشوف واحدة متوترة كدا تروح تجيبها من قفاها على طول يلا نعمل جمعية لينا انا قتلته واكيد انتي كمان ويلا ندفنوهم سوا يا شابة .. هي عادي كدا يا ست انتي ومافيش حتى توتر طيب ولا اي نوع من انواع المشاعر الانسانية
بالشكل دا طلعت الشخصيات كلها سطحية وباردة جدا ما قدرتش اتعاطف مع ولا واحدة فيهم .. لان الحل البسيييييط هو الطلاق مش اديله في دماغه
كل الزوجات اللي طلعوا في الرواية بلا استثناء عملوها مع ازواجهم وبكل اريحية جدا وقال ايه حسوا بالحرية ومكملين حياتهم عادي جدا وبيحلموا للمستقبل
ومافيش مشكله ندفن نقطه نكيس نوزع عادي
وخطط هبلة لو ظابط شرطة لسه هيتخرج كمان عشر سنين هيفهم الليلة
بس لا ازاي .. الكاتبة عايزة برضو تطلع الساسبنس اللي جواها والنباهة كلها على دماغنا
رسموا خطة وطبقوها وقطعوهم ودفنوهم وعملوا كل اللي ممكن تتخيلوه .. وحققوا احلامهم كمااااااااان واخدوا الحرية ومن غير ارتكاب اي ذنب ولا اي مصيبة ولا حتى قرفة في معدتهم جتهم القرف
وانا قاعدة كل دا مستنية اشوف هيحصل ايه مع الستات دول وهيقفلوا الليلة ازاي وليلة القبض عليهم وفضيحتهم تبقى بجلاجل
لكن النهاااااااية النهاااااااااية النهاااااااااية حرقققققت دمي
دا غير طريقة القتل الغريبة اوي في واحدة منهم .. لو فيلم هندي لاميتاب باتشان مش هتوسع منهم كدا والله
ما صبرنيش عليها غير الفضول اني اعرف هيخلصوا من الجثث دي كلها ازاي وشوارع انجلترا بقت كلها زوجات قاتلين ازواجهم بلا استثناء يعني وكل واحدة وتفانينها بقى
كانت تجربة متخلفة رغم البداية المبشرة جدا .. لكن وسعت منها وعدت كل الاحتمالات
December 28, 2023
“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. At the start of Covid lockdown, the femicide rate doubled - in the first three weeks, fourteen women were killed where a man was suspected of, or charged with, the crime”
Alexia Casale’s “The Best Way to Bury Your Husband” is a dark comedy that highlights the struggles of domestic abuse. This book follows four women who accidentally murder their violent husbands and the attempts to cover up their crimes.
I felt a little guilty for enjoying this so much. It’s a very emotive subject, but this book is amusing, light hearted and focuses mainly on the friendship and camaraderie between the women. I really got behind Sally and her companions and I warmed to all the characters, especially Edna, and I was desperate for them to succeed. It made me laugh, it made me cry, the suspenseful scenes made me anxious for them.
A big well done to the author. A tricky subject to tackle as a comedy, whilst still raising awareness and compassion for a very real societal issue.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for my advanced copy.
Alexia Casale’s “The Best Way to Bury Your Husband” is a dark comedy that highlights the struggles of domestic abuse. This book follows four women who accidentally murder their violent husbands and the attempts to cover up their crimes.
I felt a little guilty for enjoying this so much. It’s a very emotive subject, but this book is amusing, light hearted and focuses mainly on the friendship and camaraderie between the women. I really got behind Sally and her companions and I warmed to all the characters, especially Edna, and I was desperate for them to succeed. It made me laugh, it made me cry, the suspenseful scenes made me anxious for them.
A big well done to the author. A tricky subject to tackle as a comedy, whilst still raising awareness and compassion for a very real societal issue.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for my advanced copy.
November 13, 2024
Your body – MY choice . . . .
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Allow me to introduce you to the Lockdown Ladies’ Burial Club. Under the guise of creating a community garden during the Covid lockdown, a group of (formerly) abused wives come together to clear some …. errrr, plots and do some planting.
Obviously I got this one simply for the title alone and to make sure my husband always remains on his toes ; ) Since I remain 100 reviews behind I’ll keep this simple. Per usual, way too long – especially for the storyline being dealt with. Waaaaay too many details about the elaborate plan being created in order to disappear these fellas which then got wrapped up super tidily at the end. And speaking of the end – the extra “twist” was super easy to predict so I was merely waiting for confirmation when it came to that. Also, this truly did start off as darkly comedic, but the gallows humor dried up around the halfway point and I really missed it. All in all not a bad read for someone who prefers their “cozies” to be a little more bleak than most.
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Allow me to introduce you to the Lockdown Ladies’ Burial Club. Under the guise of creating a community garden during the Covid lockdown, a group of (formerly) abused wives come together to clear some …. errrr, plots and do some planting.
Obviously I got this one simply for the title alone and to make sure my husband always remains on his toes ; ) Since I remain 100 reviews behind I’ll keep this simple. Per usual, way too long – especially for the storyline being dealt with. Waaaaay too many details about the elaborate plan being created in order to disappear these fellas which then got wrapped up super tidily at the end. And speaking of the end – the extra “twist” was super easy to predict so I was merely waiting for confirmation when it came to that. Also, this truly did start off as darkly comedic, but the gallows humor dried up around the halfway point and I really missed it. All in all not a bad read for someone who prefers their “cozies” to be a little more bleak than most.
August 17, 2024
So well done but it dragged on and on.
October 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this dark comedy—it’s equal parts sinister and hilarious in the best way! Sally was cheeky, sharp, and such a fun narrator for most of the story (there are a few brief snippets from other POVs sprinkled in). The subject matter is definitely serious, but the humor in the dialogue keeps things from getting too heavy—it’s the kind of book that makes you smirk even when you feel like you probably shouldn’t.
It also does a great job of illustrating the (very real) statistics about how domestic abuse and murder rates rose during the pandemic, though you definitely have to suspend disbelief a bit along the way. Still, I found the plot clever, entertaining, and surprisingly thought-provoking.
Overall, this is a darkly funny read that kept me turning the pages and inappropriately laughing more than once!
It also does a great job of illustrating the (very real) statistics about how domestic abuse and murder rates rose during the pandemic, though you definitely have to suspend disbelief a bit along the way. Still, I found the plot clever, entertaining, and surprisingly thought-provoking.
Overall, this is a darkly funny read that kept me turning the pages and inappropriately laughing more than once!
May 15, 2024
The Best Way To Bury Your Husband is the fourth novel, and the first adult fiction, by British-American editor and author, Alexia Casale. A few months into the first COVID Lockdown, and Sally is googling “How… to… dispose… of… a… dead… deer”. Not because she has a dead deer. No, it’s her husband Jim, whacked in self-defence with her grandma’s skillet, that she has to get rid of.
After she left him on the kitchen floor overnight while she lunched on cake, dined on ice cream, luxuriated in a bubble bath with wine and crisps, and had her best night’s sleep in years, it really is too late to call the police with a credible story. And anyway, going to prison for killing this toxic man would leave her children, adults, yes, but still needing her, on their own.
So, a trip to the DIY store where she notes a teen in a hijab also has in her trolley cat litter, a tarpaulin, rope and gaffer tape. Back home, she makes a neat husband-parcel, then puzzles over how to dispose of it and, eventually realises she will also need a plausible cover story for his disappearance. Her first list, her Get Rid of Jim list, is woefully lacking in steps and ideas; her Be Happy list (now that she is finally free) is quite a lot longer.
Her outings monitored by Edwina, the neighbour opposite who is the COVID regulations inspector, Sally sneaks out the back gate at night in Jim’s coat to walk in search of inspiration, and on one of these walks, she stumbles on Ruth, sobbing in her backyard. Sally instantly recognises Ruth as another victim, so when she later finds her there, trying to light a fire, out of which pokes an arm, she offers sympathy, support, understanding and practical help. Two women with the same problem: will two heads be better than one?
How Sally and Ruth are joined by Samira and her seventeen-year-old daughter, Leila and, later, by Sally’s one-time best friend, Janey, only stretches the disbelief a little. After all, it’s Lockdown, when things get bizarrely extreme. Together, as the Lockdown Ladies’ Burial Club, they tackle the practicalities of getting rid of four bodies, overcoming obstacles and reminding one another not to google certain things.
Casale deftly portrays the insidious way in which women end up trapped in a marriage with a toxic partner, and shows how, in certain situations, women who have suffered years of serious abuse can sometimes see no other way out.
As a specialist human rights non-fiction editor for more than twelve years, her comprehensive knowledge in the area of domestic violence gives the story authenticity, while the black humour relieves the tension, making it so very readable. This is not a book to read in the quiet carriage on public transport, or while eating or drinking, or if you have continence issues, as sudden laughing out loud is a guaranteed reaction to much of the dialogue and situation.
It’s true that the premise of the story wouldn’t work were the country not in Lockdown, but that does draw on the reality, the statistic that domestic violence increased exponentially during Lockdown while the femicide rate doubled, and it presents the unique set of circumstances that allow the plot to succeed so well. A topical, blackly funny, moving and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Penguin General UK.
After she left him on the kitchen floor overnight while she lunched on cake, dined on ice cream, luxuriated in a bubble bath with wine and crisps, and had her best night’s sleep in years, it really is too late to call the police with a credible story. And anyway, going to prison for killing this toxic man would leave her children, adults, yes, but still needing her, on their own.
So, a trip to the DIY store where she notes a teen in a hijab also has in her trolley cat litter, a tarpaulin, rope and gaffer tape. Back home, she makes a neat husband-parcel, then puzzles over how to dispose of it and, eventually realises she will also need a plausible cover story for his disappearance. Her first list, her Get Rid of Jim list, is woefully lacking in steps and ideas; her Be Happy list (now that she is finally free) is quite a lot longer.
Her outings monitored by Edwina, the neighbour opposite who is the COVID regulations inspector, Sally sneaks out the back gate at night in Jim’s coat to walk in search of inspiration, and on one of these walks, she stumbles on Ruth, sobbing in her backyard. Sally instantly recognises Ruth as another victim, so when she later finds her there, trying to light a fire, out of which pokes an arm, she offers sympathy, support, understanding and practical help. Two women with the same problem: will two heads be better than one?
How Sally and Ruth are joined by Samira and her seventeen-year-old daughter, Leila and, later, by Sally’s one-time best friend, Janey, only stretches the disbelief a little. After all, it’s Lockdown, when things get bizarrely extreme. Together, as the Lockdown Ladies’ Burial Club, they tackle the practicalities of getting rid of four bodies, overcoming obstacles and reminding one another not to google certain things.
Casale deftly portrays the insidious way in which women end up trapped in a marriage with a toxic partner, and shows how, in certain situations, women who have suffered years of serious abuse can sometimes see no other way out.
As a specialist human rights non-fiction editor for more than twelve years, her comprehensive knowledge in the area of domestic violence gives the story authenticity, while the black humour relieves the tension, making it so very readable. This is not a book to read in the quiet carriage on public transport, or while eating or drinking, or if you have continence issues, as sudden laughing out loud is a guaranteed reaction to much of the dialogue and situation.
It’s true that the premise of the story wouldn’t work were the country not in Lockdown, but that does draw on the reality, the statistic that domestic violence increased exponentially during Lockdown while the femicide rate doubled, and it presents the unique set of circumstances that allow the plot to succeed so well. A topical, blackly funny, moving and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Penguin General UK.
July 6, 2023
Dark content with the husbands, but superb dark comedy.
Really enjoyed this, wouldn’t hesitate to read another book by this author
Really enjoyed this, wouldn’t hesitate to read another book by this author
April 10, 2024
I don’t know, this was not what I thought it would be.
I do commend this author for raising awareness and shedding light on very dark truths about domestic violence but this book just did not hit for me.
It bothers me that no where in the synopsis does this book say it’s set during a Covid lock down and it’s literally the entire setting of this novel. Additionally It does claim to be a dark comedy but I would say there was nothing really comedic about it.
I did enjoy the twist within the last few pages.
I do commend this author for raising awareness and shedding light on very dark truths about domestic violence but this book just did not hit for me.
It bothers me that no where in the synopsis does this book say it’s set during a Covid lock down and it’s literally the entire setting of this novel. Additionally It does claim to be a dark comedy but I would say there was nothing really comedic about it.
I did enjoy the twist within the last few pages.
August 19, 2023
Yeah…this was not it. I get what the author was trying to do but it did not work for me at all. The characters were not well developed, it was predictable and was not an enjoyable read.
An important topic so I appreciated the author’s note at the end.
An important topic so I appreciated the author’s note at the end.
May 31, 2024
DNF - this was not it for me. Had high hopes in the beginning, then it just became a mess.
April 15, 2025
This was actually hilarious
November 14, 2023
2,5 stars
Don't be fooled by the colourful, fun cover, this book is dark. Which would usually be right up my street (murder, dark humour, female protagonists) but this never really worked for me. And the main reason I think was the characters.
I didn't like the main character Sally and found her and the rest of them annoying and irritating. There are no likeable male characters in this (on purpose) but it came across as if the message was all men are bad.
There was meant to be black humour in this, but I never saw any evidence of that.
Another reason I struggled to enjoy this was the near constant mentions about Covid, self isolating, distancing etc, it felt unnecessary for it keep being mentioned on nearly every page.
I was hoping this would be packed full of good for her energy, but as I didn't take to the characters, I couldn't care less about what happened to them. It also felt slightly unbelievable that all these women on the same street all killed their husbands in the same week.
It was clear the whole point of this book was to raise awareness about domestic violence, whilst that is an admirable thing, this didn't work as a novel for me.
Expected publication date 14th March 2024
Thanks to Viking Books and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
Don't be fooled by the colourful, fun cover, this book is dark. Which would usually be right up my street (murder, dark humour, female protagonists) but this never really worked for me. And the main reason I think was the characters.
I didn't like the main character Sally and found her and the rest of them annoying and irritating. There are no likeable male characters in this (on purpose) but it came across as if the message was all men are bad.
There was meant to be black humour in this, but I never saw any evidence of that.
Another reason I struggled to enjoy this was the near constant mentions about Covid, self isolating, distancing etc, it felt unnecessary for it keep being mentioned on nearly every page.
I was hoping this would be packed full of good for her energy, but as I didn't take to the characters, I couldn't care less about what happened to them. It also felt slightly unbelievable that all these women on the same street all killed their husbands in the same week.
It was clear the whole point of this book was to raise awareness about domestic violence, whilst that is an admirable thing, this didn't work as a novel for me.
Expected publication date 14th March 2024
Thanks to Viking Books and Netgalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
February 25, 2024
Sally has been brutalized by her husband for twenty years, but one day during Covid lockdown, she decides she's had enough and clocks him in the head with a cast-iron skillet. Now she just has to figure out what to do with his body... She meets three other women in a similar situation and they band together to get rid of their awful husbands for good.
I really enjoyed this book! It was all very far-fetched (despite covering a lot of bases in the DIY body-disposal department -- I'd *really* like to know what brand of cat litter they used (OMG FOR MY CATS' SMELLY LITTER BOXES NOT MY HUSBAND) -- but that's what made it fun. I love books about women coming together and taking care of terrible men with justifiable violence. It's always quite satisfying. This book is billed as a "dark comedy," but that doesn't feel quite right because nothing super funny happened? When I think of a murdery dark comedy, I think of something more along the lines of the first Finlay Donovan book. Maybe lighthearted murder? but definitely not a cozy? murdery escapism? I'll have to think about it -- but it was decidedly not depressing or maudlin, despite dealing with the serious topic of domestic violence. I liked all of the characters, especially Samira's daughter, Leila - she had a solid snark factor that I appreciated - and the nosy neighbor, Edwina.
Overall, this was a fun, fast-paced story that I think a lot of people will enjoy reading (but maybe keep the title hidden so you don't end up on a list)?
* Thank you to Penguin Books for the NetGalley review copy. THE BEST WAY TO BURY YOUR HUSBAND publishes in the US on March 19, 2024.
I really enjoyed this book! It was all very far-fetched (despite covering a lot of bases in the DIY body-disposal department -- I'd *really* like to know what brand of cat litter they used (OMG FOR MY CATS' SMELLY LITTER BOXES NOT MY HUSBAND) -- but that's what made it fun. I love books about women coming together and taking care of terrible men with justifiable violence. It's always quite satisfying. This book is billed as a "dark comedy," but that doesn't feel quite right because nothing super funny happened? When I think of a murdery dark comedy, I think of something more along the lines of the first Finlay Donovan book. Maybe lighthearted murder? but definitely not a cozy? murdery escapism? I'll have to think about it -- but it was decidedly not depressing or maudlin, despite dealing with the serious topic of domestic violence. I liked all of the characters, especially Samira's daughter, Leila - she had a solid snark factor that I appreciated - and the nosy neighbor, Edwina.
Overall, this was a fun, fast-paced story that I think a lot of people will enjoy reading (but maybe keep the title hidden so you don't end up on a list)?
* Thank you to Penguin Books for the NetGalley review copy. THE BEST WAY TO BURY YOUR HUSBAND publishes in the US on March 19, 2024.
July 18, 2024
I was certain I'd written the review , oh well... To cut a long story short, you have to suspend disbelief to read this novel - so many dead husbands in such a small place ! But make sure you do and once you have, you'll be in for a treat.
It's at the same time a funny book, a heartwarming story - the solidarity between the women, a suspense (how on earth will they get rid of the bodies), an acknowledgement of diversity (different origins, different social backgrounds) in order to pass a message about violence towards women. I loved the various characters but kept a soft spot for Edwina, much to my surprise. Make sure, too, to read the author's final note, it's worth it. Instead of preaching against feminicide, Alexia Casale had the very good idea to write an entertaining story around it to attract readers to the subject. As we say in my country, you don't attract flies with vinegar...
Welcome to the Lockdown Ladies' Burial Club !
It's at the same time a funny book, a heartwarming story - the solidarity between the women, a suspense (how on earth will they get rid of the bodies), an acknowledgement of diversity (different origins, different social backgrounds) in order to pass a message about violence towards women. I loved the various characters but kept a soft spot for Edwina, much to my surprise. Make sure, too, to read the author's final note, it's worth it. Instead of preaching against feminicide, Alexia Casale had the very good idea to write an entertaining story around it to attract readers to the subject. As we say in my country, you don't attract flies with vinegar...
Welcome to the Lockdown Ladies' Burial Club !
December 2, 2024
I really liked this book. The friendship dynamic was really sweet, despite the situation that brought them all together. It also brings up the topic about domestic abuse, unfortunately how common it is and that you’re not alone. It also talks about how during lockdown, it doubled. That part was really heavy but a great reminder that you’re not alone. The story itself was really good and kept me engaged.
September 22, 2024
I picked this one up because of the cover and the title, and I was expecting Finlay Donovan-styled humor... And there is humor.. But I was NOT expecting so much extreme domestic abuse.
More to come
4 Stars
More to come
4 Stars
March 15, 2024
5 Stars
This is a dark comedy novel about four women coming together after killing their husbands during lockdown. This has become a genre of storytelling that I have really enjoyed and this might be one of the best I have read this year. I highly recommend.
This is not a mystery, but a 'will they get away with it' plot with multiple complex, yet ordinary women who are taking back control of their lives. The story does contain multiple perspectives but we mainly hear from Sally. I loved all the women in this book (my favourite being Edwina - we all know an Edwina) and you can not help but root for them every step of the way and want them to succeed. This book's humour is dark and is done very well especially at making you laugh when you know you shouldn't.
But while this book had me laughing, it would also bring me back to reality within a single chapter.
You as the reader will experience so much more with these characters, the author takes us through their grief, their guilt, their courage and their hope. We hear about the complexities of their relationships, not only with their abusive husbands but with friends and family and gives us an insight to how complicated domestic abuse is and how many in these situations can not "just leave" and on top of this, this is all happening during lockdown. which we now know led to escalated abuse and made it easier for abusers to control and get away with their abuse.
The author states that the main reason she wrote this book was to "attempt to use humour to cut through peoples reluctance to engage" and through fiction highlight what is a reality for many women and girls. As the author says themselves "if the victims were female, this wouldn't be a satirical 'could never happen' black comedy. It would be reality - it is a reality. A woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK, and many thousands more are victims of violence and abuse."
I wholeheartedly think the author achieved this and therefore I cannot rate it anything but 5 stars. I obviously highly recommend this fun, thought-provoking book, but I also recommend reading the authors foreword and authors note to engage fully with this book and its subject matter.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is a dark comedy novel about four women coming together after killing their husbands during lockdown. This has become a genre of storytelling that I have really enjoyed and this might be one of the best I have read this year. I highly recommend.
This is not a mystery, but a 'will they get away with it' plot with multiple complex, yet ordinary women who are taking back control of their lives. The story does contain multiple perspectives but we mainly hear from Sally. I loved all the women in this book (my favourite being Edwina - we all know an Edwina) and you can not help but root for them every step of the way and want them to succeed. This book's humour is dark and is done very well especially at making you laugh when you know you shouldn't.
But while this book had me laughing, it would also bring me back to reality within a single chapter.
You as the reader will experience so much more with these characters, the author takes us through their grief, their guilt, their courage and their hope. We hear about the complexities of their relationships, not only with their abusive husbands but with friends and family and gives us an insight to how complicated domestic abuse is and how many in these situations can not "just leave" and on top of this, this is all happening during lockdown. which we now know led to escalated abuse and made it easier for abusers to control and get away with their abuse.
The author states that the main reason she wrote this book was to "attempt to use humour to cut through peoples reluctance to engage" and through fiction highlight what is a reality for many women and girls. As the author says themselves "if the victims were female, this wouldn't be a satirical 'could never happen' black comedy. It would be reality - it is a reality. A woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK, and many thousands more are victims of violence and abuse."
I wholeheartedly think the author achieved this and therefore I cannot rate it anything but 5 stars. I obviously highly recommend this fun, thought-provoking book, but I also recommend reading the authors foreword and authors note to engage fully with this book and its subject matter.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 10, 2024
DNF @ 53%. There’s nothing wrong with the book. I am personally just bored. I do not care about the outcome of the story for any of the characters and have pretty much already guessed the ending. That’s good enough for me
March 22, 2024
I really LOVED this slightly implausible, utterly funny, feminist pandemic story about a group of abused British housewives who take back control of their lives. Told from alternating POVs from a diverse cast of women, we get to know each of their stories and the ways their husband's hurt them (emotionally and physically), driving them to kill each man in self-defense.
Set during the height of COVID restrictions in suburban Britain, the women try to follow social distancing protocols while also figuring out a way to dispose of their husband's bodies without getting caught by the police or their nosy neighbor. While this was told with humor, it touches on very important realities of domestic violence the rates of which dramatically rose when women became trapped with their abusers during the pandemic.
Excellent on audio with a full cast of narrators and a heartfelt author's note included at the end. This is perfect for fans of books like Katy Brent's How to kill men and get away with it. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
Set during the height of COVID restrictions in suburban Britain, the women try to follow social distancing protocols while also figuring out a way to dispose of their husband's bodies without getting caught by the police or their nosy neighbor. While this was told with humor, it touches on very important realities of domestic violence the rates of which dramatically rose when women became trapped with their abusers during the pandemic.
Excellent on audio with a full cast of narrators and a heartfelt author's note included at the end. This is perfect for fans of books like Katy Brent's How to kill men and get away with it. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
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