Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: If You Like 'The Husband's Secret' You May Also Like...

Imagine discovering a tattered letter written by your husband that came with instructions to open after his death. Then imagine this letter contains your husband's deepest, darkest secret; a secret with the potential to destroy both the life that you built together as well as the lives of two other women. Finally, imagine discovering this letter while your husband is very much alive...would you be able to resist reading what's written?

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty has already spent 32 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers List. If you're a fan, then you may like these read-alikes recommended by NoveList, our Reader's Advisory database:

	Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand Why The Husband's Secret and Nantucket Nights are similar: "the protagonists encountering tragedy, a drowning in one and the revelation of an affair in the other, spur the plots of both novels. The mostly female characters must come to terms with the past in order to move forward." (NoveList)
	Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy Why *The Husband's Secret* and *Heart and Soul* are similar: "adults from many walks of life are brought together in these well-characterized novels, though not always for happy reasons. Though both feature large casts of realistic, complex characters, layered plots, and naturalistic dialogue, Heart and Soul is a lighter read." (NoveList)
	More Like Her by Liza Palmer Why *The Husband's Secret* and *More Like Her* are similar: "in these well-characterized novels of women's lives and relationships, hidden secrets and murder must be dealt with before the protagonists can resume their lives. Both books offer realistic, moving depictions of characters and their choices." (NoveList)

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

If You Like 'The Husband's Secret' You May Also Like...

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