Thrillers & Suspense
![Chandler Baker - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B00SI4LONW.jpg)
The Husbands: A Novel
A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK
"Chandler Baker, queen of the feminist thriller, has delivered once again! The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all." ―Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Good Sister
To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband?
Nora Spangler is a successful attorney but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towel rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard, too… but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder?
When the Spanglers go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women―a tech CEO, a neurosurgeon, an award-winning therapist, a bestselling author―with enviably supportive husbands. When she agrees to help with a resident's wrongful death case, she is pulled into the lives of the women there. She finds the air is different in Dynasty Ranch. The women aren't hanging on by a thread.
But as the case unravels, Nora uncovers a plot that may explain the secret to having-it-all. One that's worth killing for. Calling to mind a Stepford Wives gender-swap, New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network Chandler Baker's The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the "second shift" is equally shared―and what it may take to get there.
"Utterly engrossing and thoroughly timely, The Husbands is both a gripping, well-crafted mystery and an insightful critique of motherhood and marriage in the modern age--working mothers everywhere will feel seen in the best possible way."
―Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Marriage
"Chandler Baker, queen of the feminist thriller, has delivered once again! The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all." ―Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Good Sister
To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband?
Nora Spangler is a successful attorney but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towel rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard, too… but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder?
When the Spanglers go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women―a tech CEO, a neurosurgeon, an award-winning therapist, a bestselling author―with enviably supportive husbands. When she agrees to help with a resident's wrongful death case, she is pulled into the lives of the women there. She finds the air is different in Dynasty Ranch. The women aren't hanging on by a thread.
But as the case unravels, Nora uncovers a plot that may explain the secret to having-it-all. One that's worth killing for. Calling to mind a Stepford Wives gender-swap, New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network Chandler Baker's The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the "second shift" is equally shared―and what it may take to get there.
"Utterly engrossing and thoroughly timely, The Husbands is both a gripping, well-crafted mystery and an insightful critique of motherhood and marriage in the modern age--working mothers everywhere will feel seen in the best possible way."
―Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Marriage
Editorial Reviews
"A gender-swapped version of The Stepford Wives ― and to add further enticement, it's set to become a film starring Kristen Wiig."
―Entertainment Weekly
"Chandler Baker, queen of the feminist thriller, has delivered once again! The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all ... and it's as sobering as you might imagine. My head is still spinning. I can already hear the book club discussions!"
―Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister
"A fun, fast-paced book...Because something needs to change, drastically, if women are expected to continue combining careers with raising families."
―Washington Post
"[A] page-turner…An unsettling portrait of marriage, motherhood and love."
―TIME
"[A] delightful and furious take on Stepford Wives."
―CrimeReads
"The book reads like a direct descendant of Ira Levin's 1972 feminist classic, The Stepford Wives...Baker insists that, while a sexist society may be the culprit behind mothers' distress, it makes villains of us all…I found myself holding my breath."
―The New York Times Book Review
"Utterly engrossing and thoroughly timely, The Husbands is both a gripping, well-crafted mystery and an insightful critique of motherhood and marriage in the modern age--working mothers everywhere will feel seen in the best possible way." ―Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and A Good Marriage
"A modern thriller for an era when women are told they can have it all, but societal expectations still make that nearly impossible. It's wickedly funny, but also dead serious in its piercing social commentary."
―Texas Monthly
"Chandler Baker's delightful and furious take on Stepford Wives."
―CrimeReads
"A dark and hilarious tale you don't want to miss."
―BookRiot
"Leave it to Baker to deliver yet another pulse-racing thriller…a modern exploration of motherhood, marriage and the myth of having it all."
―E!
"This fast-paced read will make you think twice before asking your dear beloved to take out the trash."
―GMA.com
"This gender-swapping Stepford Wives story is as creepy as it is delicious."
―Good Housekeeping
"A fascinating thriller about the lengths women will go to get the support they deserve."
―Bitch Magazine
"Baker uses Nora's relatable sense of being overwhelmed to stoke suspense in this dark exploration of modern family dynamics. A prime choice for book groups."
―Booklist
...
―Entertainment Weekly
"Chandler Baker, queen of the feminist thriller, has delivered once again! The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all ... and it's as sobering as you might imagine. My head is still spinning. I can already hear the book club discussions!"
―Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister
"A fun, fast-paced book...Because something needs to change, drastically, if women are expected to continue combining careers with raising families."
―Washington Post
"[A] page-turner…An unsettling portrait of marriage, motherhood and love."
―TIME
"[A] delightful and furious take on Stepford Wives."
―CrimeReads
"The book reads like a direct descendant of Ira Levin's 1972 feminist classic, The Stepford Wives...Baker insists that, while a sexist society may be the culprit behind mothers' distress, it makes villains of us all…I found myself holding my breath."
―The New York Times Book Review
"Utterly engrossing and thoroughly timely, The Husbands is both a gripping, well-crafted mystery and an insightful critique of motherhood and marriage in the modern age--working mothers everywhere will feel seen in the best possible way." ―Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and A Good Marriage
"A modern thriller for an era when women are told they can have it all, but societal expectations still make that nearly impossible. It's wickedly funny, but also dead serious in its piercing social commentary."
―Texas Monthly
"Chandler Baker's delightful and furious take on Stepford Wives."
―CrimeReads
"A dark and hilarious tale you don't want to miss."
―BookRiot
"Leave it to Baker to deliver yet another pulse-racing thriller…a modern exploration of motherhood, marriage and the myth of having it all."
―E!
"This fast-paced read will make you think twice before asking your dear beloved to take out the trash."
―GMA.com
"This gender-swapping Stepford Wives story is as creepy as it is delicious."
―Good Housekeeping
"A fascinating thriller about the lengths women will go to get the support they deserve."
―Bitch Magazine
"Baker uses Nora's relatable sense of being overwhelmed to stoke suspense in this dark exploration of modern family dynamics. A prime choice for book groups."
―Booklist
...
Readers Top Reviews
Kindle hayleybyt
I loved this as it's so accurate about male / female relationships and how we 'share' the load. The author definitely gets how it is! The main character, Nora, is so likeable and relatable. The thriller element didn't work so well for me, but this may be because I read a spoiler comparing it to a certain movie, so I guessed what the secret was at the start and lost interest in the details leading up to the big reveal. But it's such a clever idea, and my interest in the characters kept me gripped throughout. The original movie is one of my all-time favourites and so I did get a kick from noticing the similarities, but I still wish I hadn't read the comparison! Anyway I'd really recommend this and it would be perfect for a book club.
Emma WasherEmma W
Every home in Dynasty Ranch has neat lawns. Every home is Sixty-three feet apart. Every home is a model home, perfect, a promise of domestic bliss. The American Dream. The white picket fence… In Dynasty Ranch the women are all successful high powered career women and they aren’t hanging by a thread like most women are. Infact, they have husbands who do more than their fair share of helping out around the house and with the kids! Nora is a successful personal injury attorney trying to work her way towards partner at her law firm. Unfortunately for her, she also has another full-time job – mother and wife… Not to mention being pregnant with her second child. Nora’s husband, Hayden is the ‘Lazy Traveler’, in their relationship. The one happy to sit back and do nothing while the other person is forced to pick up the slack and take charge of everything. Nora is being stretched too far in too many directions – just waiting to snap and have everything come crumbling down around her When Nora and Hayden Sprangler goes to Dynasty Ranch house hunting, she is charmed and a little disbelieving when she sees the easy life the career women seem to be living in this perspective new neighbourhood. As the women befriend Nora, she is asked to represent one of the women in a wrongful death lawsuit, after her husband was killed in a house fire. As Nora digs further into the case, she begins to suspect there is something more sinister going on behind the wide smiles, manicured lawns and polite and helpful husbands. (Has she heard: She doesn’t have to MARRY a CEO, she can BE the CEO), little girls are now promised adventure and freedom and meaningless sex in their twenties. And all across the land, the magical kingdom will be populated not by princesses but by queens straightening one another crowns. So be decreed on Instagram. But as exhaustion seeps into her bones, Nora wants to scream. “Look around! Not only will you be getting to save yourself, but you’ll also be getting to do literally everything else yourself, too”. Brava! What a win for womankind! I really enjoyed this book, it’s more of a slow burn domestic noir mystery but things get much darker and heat up towards the end. The story is told from Nora’s POV and I really enjoyed her personal monologue. The book is funny but honest and thought-provoking. As a working mother, I can attest to the inequality that’s still present in the home, the frustrations and the sporadic bursts of mum rage! If I saw a house available in a similar community, I think I’d be more than a little tempted – consequences be damned. If this is what it takes to finally be heard… As they say: Women can do anything, but they can’t do everything! I love Chandler Bakers’ writing and absolutely loved The Whisper Network. One of the few books I’d go back and re-read. The world needs an author to tell the st...
Arti AnneDeborah
What a whiney book. I struggled to finish it. Then what a completely pitiful ending. This was a Skimm recommendation as was The Hunting Wives; definitely will not be reading Skimm recommendations in the future.
Mary Carol Sheets
Haven't had such a good time reading a book since the days of "Stepford Wives," "Boys from Brazil," etc. Fast paced, easy read and good plot. I did figure it out fairly quickly but that may have been because I've done obedience classes with my dogs. Even knowing the "secret" doesn't take the fun out of it and the author provides a few nice twists at the end.
Print MDL.A.G.Mar
AUGUST 2021 : 2 STARS. Nora Spangler is a successful attorney but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towels rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard too ... but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder. When the Spangler go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women with enviably supportive husbands. Why ? Debut book by this author was Whisper Network ('19 - 3 Stars). I started the s ample of this book and wasn't too sure if it was for me. I should have gone with my first thought and skipped this book. Then i read about one eavesdropped conversation (actually a recording) and I gave it a shot. WRONG! I think the main character's (Nina's) constant worrying and making lists in her head, made me anxious for her. I thought I worried a lot - I have nothing on Nora. Just like her first book, I don't like the men bashing and that's why even though I like her writing, she loses 1 star again for men bashing throughout the WHOLE BOOK. At 50%, I just couldn't take her "woe is me, I'm a poor over-worked woman". Sorry Miss Baker, I've had to take you off my watch list.
