“This dark story of vicarious marital ambition… will keep you guessing until the end.”
Behind every successful woman stands a resentful man…
An ambitious working-class headteacher is selected as Labour candidate in a contest to replace a disgraced MP at the height of the #MeToo movement.
She’s seen as a breath of fresh air in a toxic climate. Only her husband, the deputy editor of the local paper, is unimpressed.
She ignores him and battles on. Over the course of six weeks, the election campaign brings to the surface the flaws deeply embedded in their relationship – until a revelation from the past threatens to derail the whole operation.
For politics is a ruthless business, especially, it seems, for a woman.
The Candidate’s Husband is a bookclub-friendly story about politics, marriage and social class, set during a fictional by-election in Hull.
It was published by SRL Publishing, in paperback and e-book, December 2025.
An audiobook version is produced by Bolinda Audio.
What others say
“This dark story of vicarious marital ambition that unfolds in the murky world of politics and journalism will keep you guessing until the end – I couldn’t put it down.” – Sonia Sodha, columnist and broadcaster
“It’s not just good material that makes for powerful storytelling. It’s the writerly stuff: clever plotting and pacing, verbal precision, interesting characters, strong editing… ‘The Candidate’s Husband’ has all of this.” – Elise Valmorbida, award-winning author of ‘The Madonna of the Mountains’.
“Gripping and insightful. The moving personal side of political life by a writer who knows her craft.” – Charles Harris, author and award-winning writer-director
“The antagonist at the heart of this novel … is quite a creation – misogynist and manipulator who doesn’t seem to know his own villainy… This is an entertaining, often unnerving story that keeps “you reading right through to the unexpected and satisfying conclusion.” – Ian Nettleton, writer and lecturer, winner of the Bath Novel Award 2023
“Perfect for fans of Frieda McFadden.” – Edel Coffey, The Gloss Magazine (50 of the Best Books of the Year)
“In this head-hopping he says/she says format, Wendy Sacks Jones doesn’t sugarcoat the failings of either Kirsty or Rick: both are selfish and ambitious but throughout the brutal campaign you can find reasons to sympathise with them both. My loyalties shifted between the parties right up to the final declaration.” – Ella Walker, PA Media/The Irish News
“…a very fresh book, with a unique and different premise to anything that I have read before” – Bookish_Gabby
Where to buy
→ Waterstones
→ Amazon
→ Direct from the publishers
→ Audible
→ Spotify
→ Libro.fm
