Put down your wine glass and pick up your magnifying glass because the Real Housewives franchise just got a murder-y makeover.

The Garden State Goddesses are a reality tv cash cow for the Huzzah network execs, and harried producer Eden is hoping this season will be the most explosive yet and she'll get a promotion and ticket out of New Jersey and into the big time in New York. She's so desperate for success that she's convinced her ingenue cousin Hope to join the cast. Only Hope's got secrets that may be too hot for tv. Then, when a cast member meets an untimely end, Eden is scrambling to keep her own life together, the cameras rolling, and solve the mystery. It's like Real Housewives meets Knives Out.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl is good, campy fun. Dahl nails the over-the-top reality vibes and the reality show structure with zingy one-liners and camera confessionals. Those camera confessionals necessarily mean its a book with a lot of exposition. Unfortunately, Dahl takes it too far with a ton of "telling" on the rest of the pages, as well. After being told about one exciting scene after another, instead of living it with the characters, I started to wonder if Dahl just had too much material for the book and spent too much time in the first half on backstory so she sped us right past the middle.


The novel also struggled to decide what kind of book it wanted to be. For me, it's a fun work of women's fiction that's playing dress up as a murder mystery. After all, the murder only happens halfway through and while the murder investigation has its moments - and I was glad to finally see Eden had a soul (for a producer, anyway) - it's more of a quick skim than a deep dive.


Is this book the crime/mystery/thriller it wants to be? Not really. Is it a good time anyway? Absoultely. The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey is like binge-watching reality TV: you know it's ridiculous and if you look too closely you'll realize those designer handbags are just cheap knock-offs, but you're entertained and that's what matters.


This book comes out January 14, 2025, just in time to blot out the post-holiday blues. So, grab your biggest TJ Maxx Audrey-Hepburn-esque sunglasses, pour yourself an oversized glass of two buck Chuck, and get ready for some murderous melodrama.

While I am not one to enjoy reality television, I actually do enjoy books set in those worlds. Unfortunately, this one was simultaneously too much and note quite enough for me. I was on the cusp of a DNF when the book took a turn for the exciting at the 53% mark and then didn't quit until the end. Perhaps it says more about my lack of knowledge of actual reality television, but I couldn't connect to this one. It was incredibly fun to read though once you get through to the excitement! Would recommend for someone looking for a fast, low stakes mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I was initially excited for this because I am a big fan of housewives but everything happened in the last 50 pages and it went left so fast.

Hope was raised in a religious cult and after breaking away from the confines of the strict rules and taking off to LA she reunites with her cousin. Eden introduces Hope to a celebrity life style and a wealthy husband. Hope is viewed by the other members of the Garden State Goddesses cast as spacey, and cast leader, Carmela, seems to outwardly despise her. Obviously designed to expose the seamier side celebrity life, the cracks start appearing quickly in the GSG's worlds and big secrets rise to the surface threatening everyone's futures.

I feel like this book can't quite decide what it wanted to be: a twisty-turny domestic thriller or a spoof on the cast and characters of the "Real Housewives" franchises. It was a little bit of an odd arrangement - every time I started feeling like it was going to be a major thriller twist, it fizzled and felt more like they were making fun of the uber wealthy who have nothing better to in their lives than gossip and lie to and about others. It was a unique read.

I think I would have enjoyed reading this book more when I was younger because it truly does read like a reality show. It was a fun escape for what it is but not much substance.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey
by Astrid Dahl
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
A thriller following the hit reality TV show Garden State Goddesses where secrets are uncovered, intense rivalries surface, and a startling murder propels a producer on a riveting quest for the truth.
This book did not hit the spot for me. Possibly, it would be a better fit for someone else.
The book has a large cast, and the reader will likely guess a fair amount about what is going on. It’s relatively cute, even though there’s not much mystery to the mystery; it’s more a send up of the shows and how they are made. Fans of the Housewives will likely find it fun.

Unfortunately, I found this book wildly boring. There wasn't any actual depth to the story and the murder mystery was lacking. It wasn't as funny and engaging as I had hoped.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Loved all the Bravo housewives' quotes that kicked off chapters. A fun take on a popular TV franchise but on an extreme level as the title displays, death. Still interesting to see the behind the scenes producing and dynamics of cast to producers, etc.

This premise was so promising and I feel like I’m the target demographic to enjoy it: I love a good mystery, I love reality tv and behind the scenes details, and I’m an OG Housewives fan. Yet somehow, this really fell short for me.

I spent about the first half of the book wondering when something would happen, then a few things happened in very quick succession where they felt too rushed, and because some of what was happening was so obvious, I spent the second half of the book wondering where the twist was going to be that revealed the actual truth. I wondered all the way up to the last page when the book ended pretty abruptly. But that big revelation never came because this wasn’t a mystery.

Additionally, while I could definitely see the inspiration from the Housewives franchise (many moments and character details were lifted directly from the screen), this just didn’t have the same feeling I was expecting reading it to have that watching does. The whole thing just really left me expecting more.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, the author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my review.

This one really was a lot like a Real Housewives show: a zillion characters (a hearty thank you for the cast list at the beginning), a lot of unreal drama, premade villains and one innocent lamb thrown among the wolves, an ambitious producer, plus Mafia family intrigue. Anyway, it’s a not-quite cozy mystery but an easy read. If you’re going to a beach escape in January, take this along - the title alone is a good conversation starter.

In this season of the “Garden State Goddesses” on the Huzzah cable network, showrunner Eden has somehow manipulated her backwater sweet cousin, Hope, from Weed, California, into Shady Pond, New Jersey, and managed to get Hope to marry into the Fontana family, joining two catty sisters-in-law on the show (despite her marriage to Leo Fontana apparently being a real love match). The Italian Goddesses might have some underworld connections and, lo and behold, we also get a murder mystery (a bonus that reality TV doesn’t get) to solve.

I understand that Astrid Dahl is a nom-de-plume for author Anna Dorn, in whose Perfume and Pain” novel Astrid Dahl was the name of a character. I’m not quite sure why the new name was used — this book still fits into Dorn’s previous genre. Anyway, for a thriller it was a tad short and not as developed as it could have been. It was still entertaining and, like true RH characters, there are a number of one line zingers to smile about. 3.5 stars.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Renee and daughter Ruby, and Cheyenne have green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO There are the appropriately overly manicured lawns surrounding the mansions.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Thank you Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!

This story follows the cast and producer of reality TV show Garden State Goddesses. The Goddesses are elite Sicilian American women living in Shady Pond, New Jersey who have nothing better to do than get into petty arguments to fuel the fire for their reality show. Yet the more you learn about each Goddess, the more it seems like there is more under the surface than meets the eye.

Showrunner Eden has just plucked her cousin, Hope, from the clutches of their hometown in California where their family is part of an elusive cult, and brought her to New Jersey to star in her reality TV show. When Hope, a non Italian, marries Leo Fontana, the family is outraged. As are the goddesses Carmela and Valeria. But Hope finds solace in the goddesses Renee and Birdie, who are harboring secrets of their own. After a charity party turns into a crime scene, the Fontana family begins to turn against each other and the goddesses quickly fall from grace.

This book is definitely for the reality TV lovers in the book world. I loved the confessionals chapters and getting a behind the scenes look at each character and how they really feel about the show and filming was so interesting. Also, the murder mystery portion was intriguing and made me want to keep reading to found out all the skeletons in everyone’s closet. The ending was somewhat predictable but I wasn’t mad about it. Overall, a unique mystery and I would recommend to anyone who is a reality TV fan.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl is a fun interesting concept! Great read and I look forward to reading more from this author!

The book had promise but wasn’t for me. I love trash TV but this book fell short for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

Oh Astrid.

I had a lot of fun reading this book especially for the added gimmick of one of my favorite characters ever as the author. As for the book on it's own, I enjoyed the duality of the confessionals and reality show fabrications with the actual day to day of our "Goddesses" cast. The one thing for me is that I feel the book is rushed after --SPOILER ALERT-- Hope dies. Things start moving super quickly after that. I also wish we had gotten a bit more of Hope & Renee's relationship, instead of getting it mostly in flashback.

I enjoyed the whodunit plot line in the last 30%. I was super engaged throughout and enjoyed picking up on the Easter eggs left throughout the text to lead you to the killer.

All in all, I would recommend this, but would definitely rate it higher if I felt that the plot moved at a consistent pace.

The premise of this sounded fun and I actually didn't know the connection to Anna Dorn until after reading it, but Perfume & Pain was one of my favorite reads this year.

When it comes to this book, I didn't feel very connected to most of the characters and already forgot the name of one of the main characters just 2 days after finishing. Some of the reveals were also predictable and the pacing of the "action" and mystery was off for me. I was expecting entertaining and trashy (like reality TV) and not anything groundbreaking, and it did deliver that! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

**Book Review: *The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey* by Nanci Rathbun**

*The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey* by Nanci Rathbun is a darkly comic and engaging mystery that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. Set in the gritty world of New Jersey, the novel follows widow and amateur detective, Tori, as she unravels the twisted secrets surrounding the mysterious deaths of her husband and other women in her community. The novel blends humor, suspense, and a touch of supernatural intrigue, creating a compelling and unique narrative.

One of the book's standout features is its vibrant cast of characters. Tori, our sharp-witted protagonist, is both relatable and endearing, balancing grief with a surprising knack for investigation. Her relationship with her late husband—complicated and not entirely what it seemed—adds depth to her personal journey. The ensemble of quirky, often over-the-top secondary characters injects much-needed humor and heart into the darker moments of the plot.

The mystery itself is well-crafted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing. Rathbun does an excellent job of weaving in multiple plotlines, including a local conspiracy that Tori unearths, all while maintaining a tight focus on the core mystery. The supernatural elements add an interesting layer to the story, though at times they veer into the surreal, leaving a few moments that might feel disjointed or harder to believe.

While the pacing is generally strong, there are a few sections where the narrative slows down a bit, especially in the middle of the book. Some of the revelations feel predictable, and a few character arcs could have been fleshed out more, particularly those of secondary characters who contribute to the plot but aren’t given enough depth to feel fully realized. Nevertheless, these are minor critiques in an otherwise enjoyable read.

In conclusion, *The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey* is a cleverly written, entertaining mix of mystery, humor, and supernatural intrigue. Rathbun’s sharp prose and engaging story will appeal to fans of quirky mysteries with a touch of the fantastical.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book wasn't much of my cup of tea. Too many characters to try and follow along with. I may give this another chance at a different time before the published date and come back to update. I won't post any reviews publicly until I give this book another whirl.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey | Astrid Dahl
🖤🖤🖤/5

Firstly, a huge thanks to NetGalley and Astrid Dahl for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! 🤌🏽

Astrid Dahl's debut novel sets out to capture the guilty-pleasure appeal of reality TV in literary form, and since I've got plenty of popcorn, I'll gladly take another season, err, book. This contemporary murder-mystery follows naive sweetheart Hope Bennett as she marries into both the very Italian (and very Jersey) Fontana family and the cast of "Garden State Goddesses," Huzzah network’s hit housewife reality show where family drama meets bedazzled leopard print. 🐆

This story comes in hot with an intoxicating blend of reality TV satire and murder mystery. I felt like the execution faltered a bit due to the overwhelmingly large ensemble cast (while colorful, it was a little challenging to track), but standout characters like the deliciously quotable Birdie St. Clair inject genuine humor and charm into the narrative.

While the BTS reality TV show elements really gave me the Bravo treatment I was begging for, the twists telegraphed their turns a bit early for me. I did have a blast rooting around in Hope and Eden’s brains (the show's producer turned amateur sleuth) because they were both different ends of the "riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma" spectrum. Thankfully, between the cast and the crew, there are countless buried secrets, self loathing simmering at all times and an endless well of manipulation and martinis (marone!). 🍸

Author Astrid Dahl does a stellar job of capturing the heightened reality of reality TV, complete with sharp one-liners and charming fourth wall breaks. This novel works best when it leans into its campy elements rather than constructing a complex mystery. But if you secretly wished Teresa Giudice's table flip was a precursor to murder, you’ll have fun with this book. 📺

If you are a fan of Perfume and Pain, then I highly recommend reading this! It does not disappoint!


The story is about a reality show, “Garden State Goddesses” that needs a makeover. When the showrunner, Eden, decides on the way that will give the show its much-needed facelift, things will get more chaotic and out of control.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc! As a bravo and RHONJ super fan this was a must read but I’m dissapointed to say I didn’t absolutely love it. The premise was fun but flat and with so many characters and motives it was a flurry of confusion. I had fun but I can’t help but think about the potential there was. I also noticed many typos and misattributed dialogue