VBT # Review: My Friend's Husband - Rupi Mahadevan

Review: My Friend's Husband - Rupa Mahadevan - June 2026

Pour yourself something warm, settle into your favourite reading nook, and let me tell you about the book that kept me up far too late this week.

I'm thrilled to be part of the virtual book tour for My Friend's Husband by Rupa Mahadevan, organised by the lovely folks at Zooloos Book Tours. This one had me curled up on the sofa, blanket forgotten, completely unable to put my phone down between chapters.

At its heart, this is the story of a woman trying to rebuild her life after years of bad choices and bad luck, finally given a fresh start by her best friend-  a job, a place to live, a reason to believe things could be different. Then her friend disappears, leaving behind only a frantic, unfinished phone call for help. The police think our narrator knows more than she's letting on. But she's certain the answers lie much closer to home, with the husband everyone assumes is simply a grieving, devoted partner.

What I loved most was how Rupa Mahadevan plays with structure here. The story moves between past and present, and those glimpses backward feel like little doors creaking open one at a time each one revealing just enough to make you rethink everything you assumed you knew. Getting both Clara's and Steve's perspectives was such a treat. It meant I never felt settled or safe in my own theories; just when I'd convinced myself I'd worked it out, the narrative would gently (or not so gently) pull the rug away.

I genuinely suspected nearly everyone at some point. That's the mark of a well-built domestic thriller, isn't it when even the kindest-seeming character makes you narrow your eyes a little. The pacing never lets up, but it never feels rushed either; every layer peeled back earns its place, building toward a conclusion that ties the threads together in a way that felt satisfying rather than convenient.

A small note for readers who like to know what they're walking into this one sits on the borderline in terms of reading for me as it didn't quite hook me as much as I wanted and at times I did feel confuse. 

If you love a slow-burn domestic thriller, My Friend's Husband belongs on your shelf. Thank you again to Zooloos Book Tours for having me on this tour what a gripping way to spend a week of evenings.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4uNxeEk