The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

Can you keep a secret?  Can you leave a box or package unopened even if you have to wait for a long, long time?  Most of us will admit that we are not good a keeping a secret especially if the secret has something to do with us.  We want to know what it is that another person has said or has done even if we think that the "something" may be painful or embarrassing or likely to cause an issue.  We just cannot stand the not knowing. This curiosity in humans is nothing new. From ancient mythology comes the story of Pandora and her forbidden box and it remains today the most common reference used for the dilemma a person faces when deciding to follow an instruction or satisfy their curiosity.  Today the phrase "to open Pandora's box" means to perform an action that may seem small or innocent, but that turns out to have severely detrimental and far-reaching consequences.  Liane Moriarty incorporates the idea of Pandora's box in her novel The Husband's Secret.  In this mystery book, a long lost letter is found.  Clear instructions are written on the envelop stating that the letter should not be read until after the death of the writer and husband, John Paul.  Unfortunately,  afflicted as all humans are with an overriding sense of curiosity, his wife Cecilia reads the letter.  The results were tragic and life altering indeed. The really intriguing part of this couple's misery is that their  tragedy is intertwined with many other people.  As the story unfolds, we are able to see how each of the characters in the story connects to the others in ways they and we as the reader never imagined.  But more interestingly each of the people demonstrates at least one tragic flaw from Pandora's box.  We see envy, jealousy, greed, anger, vengeance, and pride to name just a few.  All of the flaws lead to actions that are indeed severely detrimental with far reaching consequences.  Moriarty has written a fascinating book with a plausible moral dilemma that left us with much to discuss.  This is an excellent book for a book club or just one to discuss with friends because who among us does not have secrets to keep or expose.  This novel has been described as a page-turner and I would have to agree.  Enjoy!