The Marriage Rule - by Helen Monks Takhar (Paperback)

About the Book

"Nine months into motherhood, Elle is struggling. Struggling to balance parenting with work, struggling to feel at home in her post-baby body, struggling to be intimate with her adoring husband, Dom. If Elle loves her job, her baby, and her handsome and successful husband, why does everything seem so hard, especially when Dom is such a helpful, hands-on dad to boot? Elle turns to her charismatic new colleague Gabriel to get through the day, and a few too many glasses of red wine to soothe her at night. For a while the distractions work, until one night, she wakes up bleary-eyed in a hotel room next to a man who's not her husband. And he's dead. Elle knows Dom is the only person who has any hope of helping her escape her hotel room a free woman, even if asking for his support now will destroy their future. Elle also knows she'd never have ended up in such trouble if she'd followed The Marriage Rule, the one thing she's been told a wife needs to do..."--

Book Synopsis

After you say, "I do," there's one more thing you must do. . . .

A propulsive domestic thriller about what it takes to keep marriages together and what will tear them apart from "addictive" (People) author Helen Monks Takhar

This Random House Book Club edition includes an author's note and a discussion guide.

Nine months into motherhood, Elle is struggling. She's battling being sidelined at work, fighting to feel at home in her post-baby body and feeling pressure to be intimate with her adoring husband, Dom. Why does everything seem so hard, especially when Dom is such a helpful, hands-on dad as well as an ever-attentive husband?

Elle turns to her charismatic new colleague, Gabriel, to get through the day and red wine to soothe her at night. For a while, the distractions work until one night she wakes up bleary-eyed in a hotel room next to a man who's not her husband. A dead man who's not her husband.

Elle realizes Dom is the only person who can help her escape the hotel room with her future intact. She also knows she'd never have found herself next to the dead man if she'd followed The Marriage Rule, the one thing she's been told a wife needs to do to keep her marriage alive.

Review Quotes

"The Marriage Rule is a whale of a read; a stomach-roiling page-turner and a disturbing look at how women end up in such bad places. I was so invested in Elle's predicament that I had a look at the ending to calm myself down. I don't recommend cheating in that fashion, but I do recommend this excellent thriller."--The Observer

"A propulsive domestic thriller focused on what it takes to keep marriages together, as well as what can tear them apart . . . Takhar writes in such a vivid way that gives it a cinematic feel, making it all the more compelling."--Brooklyn Digest

"A new mother wakes to a dead man in her bed in Helen Monks Takhar's latest feminist thriller. Unnerving and propulsive, The Marriage Rule is a gripping exploration of family secrets, toxic power dynamics, and the snare of abuse. I tore through it."--Allison Buccola, author of The Ascent

"A compelling and suspenseful thriller that boldly tackles the ever-topical themes of the struggles of being a new mother, bullying in the workplace, and, above all, the insidiousness of psychological abuse. . . . This is also a story of female solidarity--women supporting women. I loved this book and whizzed through it in two days!"--Diane Jeffrey, author of The Crime Writer

"If you're looking for smart, suspenseful prose, look no further. Helen Monks Takhar is now on my list of favorite authors."--Georgina Cross, author of Nanny Needed

"Fiendishly entertaining...Monks Takhar remains a writer to watch."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Helen Monks Takhar is the author of the novels Precious You, Such A Good Mother, and Nothing Without Me. She is also joint managing director of the production company Second Generation with her husband, screenwriter and executive producer Danny Takhar. Helen worked as a journalist, copywriter, and magazine editor after graduating from Cambridge University. She began her career writing for financial trade newspapers before contributing to UK national newspapers including The Times and The Observer. She lives in North London with Danny and their two daughters.