Digging Deeper with Louise Mangos

Her Husband’s Secrets by Louise Mangos

Art college dropout Lucie arrives in a Swiss ski resort looking for work – but instead finds Mathieu.

Handsome, charismatic and from a good family, Matt seems like the perfect man. But as Lucie soon discovers, he has a dark side – one that will drive their relationship to a dramatic conclusion, and tear the life she has built for herself and their son apart.

Left fighting for her freedom in a foreign prison, and starting to lose her grip on reality, Lucie must summon all her strength to uncover the truth, and be reunited with her son before it’s too late.

The clock is ticking… but who can she trust?

Previously published as The Art of Deception.

The following is an abridged conversation the protagonist and the antagonist have part way through the novel. It highlights the subtle coercive nature of a pathological liar and how a victim can never be sure whether they themselves are being too suspicious, too wary, too un-trusting. The tool the perpetrator uses is guilt to turn the table on the innocent victim. This sadly happens every day in relationships, sometimes at a level that goes undetected until the damage is beyond repair.

Her Husband’s Secrets

Extract

‘There’s something I have to ask you.’

‘What is it? What’s up?’

‘Are you . . . are you seeing someone else?’ My voice caught. ‘It’s just that I’m not sure what’s been going on over the last couple of months. I never see you. You seem to be avoiding me and I get this feeling I’m missing something.’

I waited with dread, expected to see him break down, admit his wrong, ask for forgiveness, or beg me to understand.

But none of these happened. He turned slowly towards me, his face at first neutral, then reddening, eyes sparking.

‘How can you ask me such a thing? Our relationship has always been based on a deep trust of each other. How can you doubt that? What are you thinking?’

‘I need to know, that’s all.’ I paused. He hadn’t directly answered my question. ‘So, are you? Seeing someone else?’

‘Of course not, you silly woman! Didn’t I just talk about a breach of trust? I would never do that to you! I am shocked you feel you have to ask that question. It makes me think something is going on with you here, how can you abuse my – no – our confidence?’

‘I’m so sorry, my love,’ I said. ‘I’m so sorry I doubted you. I guess it’s because of all the evenings you’ve been away, all those times I didn’t really understand why you had to stay at school. The individual student tutorials. I’m so sorry.’

I lay in bed later, begging for the relief of sleep, to stop the turmoil going on in my mind. The mattress sank as he sat on the bed, and he gently peeled back the duvet. How could he even think about sex when we had set each other at such unease a short time ago?

‘It’s okay. It’s okay, sweetheart,’ he said as he stroked my back.

But do you still love me?

I couldn’t ask the question – I had already caused so much angst.

‘Everything will be okay,’ he continued. ‘You’re my baby, you know that. We’re here for each other. I forgive you.’

My heart froze.

I forgive you?

***

I could see my protagonist, a young and naïve Lucy, being played by Emma Watson – not that Emma is naïve at all, but I think she would play the part well.

The antagonist, a handsome, rugged ski instructor with the hint of a French accent could be played by Gaspard Ulliel (best known for his role as the young Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal Rising)

The creepiest action anyone takes in my books is the stalker in my latest novel (currently on submission to publishers via my agent), who steals an item of underwear from his victim. He sneaks into the room where my protagonist is staying and purloins a pair of her knickers. He keeps the item as a trophy, reassuring himself constantly that he still has it in his possession, like a child’s comfort blanket. He later does something far creepier and menacing than this, but that would be a complete spoiler, so you shall just have to wait until the novel is published!

Author bio:

Louise writes novels, short stories and flash fiction, which have won prizes, placed on shortlists, and have been read out on BBC radio. Her suspense novels Strangers on a Bridge and Her Husband’s Secrets (previously entitled The Art of Deception) are published with HQDigital (Harper Collins). Her short fiction appears in more than twenty print anthologies. You can connect with Louise on Facebook www.facebook.com/LouiseMangosBooks/, Twitter @LouiseMangos, and Instagram as louisemangos, or visit her website www.louisemangos.com where there are links to some of her short fiction. Louise lives in Switzerland with her Kiwi husband and two sons.

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