The Mad Wife is an unsettling but beautifully written exploration of the suffocating expectations placed on 1950s housewives. Meagan Church captures the eerie reality that women’s concerns were often dismissed as ‘hysteria,’ with devastating consequences. I found the character development strong and the storytelling haunting, though at times uncomfortable in the best way — it made me reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. I’d recommend this one to readers who enjoy historical women’s fiction with a psychological edge.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this title in exchange for my review.

Wow, this book was fantastic! Everytime I thought I had something figured out, another layer was added. It can be very heavy at times, and the themes can be difficult to read and to sit with. Even with that, I finished the book in 3 sittings over just 36 hours. You NEEDED answers. Had to see what was coming next. Meagan Church managed to weave in important topics on the shared experience of motherhood and healthcare all while telling a very compelling story. Tik Tok review (and minibook) available now.

I absolutely loved this book! Just look at that cover! I immediately felt drawn to The Mad Wife by the title and cover. It did not disappoint - reading slump no more! The Mad Wife is a story about a wife, Lulu, who lives in a cookie-cutter type neighborhood in the 50s. She is a wife and mom to one - her son Wesley, and she soon finds herself pregnant with her second child - a daughter. Pressured to be the perfect housewife to her husband, Henry, Lulu's life is complete with a weekly checklist of what to do and clean each day of the week. Lulu struggles to maintain her perfect facade as her pregnancy reaches its end and she is postpartum for a second time.

As new neighbors move in across the street, Lulu is entranced in finding out the family's secrets. The wife, Bitsy, seems aloof and overprotective of her daughter. Why did they really move from across town? Is Bitsy's husband, Gary, trying to take Henry's job? As their lives quickly intertwine in a close-knit neighborhood, you will be left wondering what's really going on behind all the closed doors in Greenwood Estates.

This was the perfect combination of suspense, reflections on motherhood, and an interweaving of both mental health and the history of how women were treated both through psychological and psychiatric lenses. This book checked all the boxes for my own special interests as a mom, mental health professional, and lover of a good book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author Meagan Church for an ARC of The Mad Wife in exchange for an honest review! I absolutely loved this and would highly recommend it!

I was intrigued by the description of this book, but I was disappointed to find that the publisher’s claim that it was “impossible to put down” was entirely false.

This book took me much longer to finish than usual, and I realized that it was because nothing about it truly captured my interest. While the glimpse into the life of a 1950s housewife might have been interesting, nothing significant happened in the book until about halfway through. By then, I had lost interest.

If you like a somewhat historical fiction novel that’s a really, really slow burn, this book might be for you. Otherwise, I’d keep browsing!

First, I'm a perinatal mental health specialist. That said, I'm in awe of this book. It touches on so many issues facing women across the decades, and so heartbreakingly, continues to this day. Gender bias in healthcare, undertreatment conditions that we know are VERY REAL (e..g, autoimmune and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders) and even jumping to extreme treatments - all without listening to women. While a work of fiction, it has its basis in the reality and the author's acknowledgements add such richness to the narrative. I've not read a book by Meagan Church before, but I've add all her novels to my TBR.

Lulu has spent every year of her marriage trying to confirm to the standards of the perfect 1950s housewife. While she doesn't adhere to the recommended daily chore schedule, she prides herself on how well she her household runs, and her Jello salads are famous in the neighborhood. But after the birth of her second child, her life begins to slowly unravel.

This novel is heavy on domestic drama and psychological suspense. It's about the ways in which women are not heard and have their voice silenced. Lulu is lucky in that she has a husband who loves her, but even Lulu is powerless when he decides that she is losing a grip on her sanity. It is a haunting realization that he could give approval for her to be locked up or even worse, suffer permanent alteration, as a result of existing treatment practices at the time. It is also a powerful take on misdiagnose and the danger of medical carelessness.

This was a powerful story about how vital it is that women have their own voices. The tension built so beautifully as the novel progressed and there are several big reveals as the story goes on that truly surprised me. This novel was truly more of a thriller than I originally anticipated.

I will say, there were some plot points that didn't quite work for me. Throughout the novel, Lulu is increasingly obsessed with the new neighbor across the street. She learns that Bitsy has suffered some trauma and undergone treatments for her mental distress. In fact, it is Bitsy's story that helps lead Lulu's husband to believe Lulu needs help. But I was confused by Bitsy's obsession with Bitsy's house that went beyond the idle curiosity anyone has at the thought of new neighbors. We never really learn many details of Bitsy's whole story and then she fades from the story before they can be resolved.

Similarly, the neighbors in this story, Lulu's son, and her relationship with her husband somehow don't feel quite real or perhaps more accurately, aren't fleshed out enough. Much is made about the stilted conditions between Lulu and her husband, problems that seem to stretch back years. But then in the end we're supposed to believe he truly loves her, was mistaken, and everything can be great between them again. There are also a lot of references made to Lulu's family and the tragic situation surrounding her brother, who contracted polio as a child. I kept waiting for this subplot to become a bigger part of the story, but it was basically just dropped and never referenced again. And why did her mother never come to visit after the birth of her second baby or when her husband started growing concerned about her? It seemed very unnatural that her mother at the very least didn't call to check on her during such a critical and vulnerable time.

This reminded me a lot of In the Family Way by Laney Katz Becker with its similar themes of suburban housewife and the restrictions placed on women in the 50s/60s.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Wow! This book… Set in the 1950s, it begins as character-driven historical almost drama… It sucked me in with a Desperate Housewives (but in the 1950s) vibe, maybe a little bit Mad Men? BUT, there are some twists and some shocks (especially a little over 2/3 of the way through) and what you come away with is the story of a woman changed and facing losing everything, but determined to take back ownership of her life. I was immediately pulled straight in to Lulu’s life and world. I absolutely loved this book.

The Mad Wife is a well written, emotional story that I devoured. There are moments that are funny, and others that are tragic. Lulu is a well developed, mostly likable character and her story will stick with me for quite a while.

This is my first read from this author and I am looking forward to reading more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Meagan Church, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read nd review this ARC.

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

📖📖📖📖📖

Thank you to @netgalley and @bookmarked for this advanced readers copy. The Mad Wife is due out September 30th and you will 𝗔𝗕𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗬 want to get your hands on this title.

The setting is the 1950s and I did stop a few times to ask my mother in law if she remembered this and that. For example, the main character, Lulu Mayfield, fills up these stamp books and is able to “purchase” home decor. Turns out, this was actually a thing in the ‘50s.

This is a fantastic book club read. The mental state of a woman after her second pregnancy. Lulu is a traditional housewife who has dinner on the table and the kids all taken care of when her husband arrives at home. Or does she? Does she follow The Good Housekeeping cleaning schedule, or does she throw caution to the wind and do things her way? A new neighbor, and the talk of lobotomies, really throws Lulu into a tailspin.

Meagan Church did a fantastic job of creating the perfect mind movie with her writing. It’s almost like I was Lulu, watching out the window. The details about the 50s and being a homemaker made me CRINGE, but that’s just the way it was I suppose.

There is a lot of truth to this story, in terms of being a woman and a wife. Grab it when you can!

#themadwife #imalreadyhungry

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ARC of 'The Mad Wife' by Meagan Church.

A powerful story of a young married woman in an identikit 1950s suburb struggling with what appears to be post-natal depression and the confines of the very strict role assigned to her and all women of her 'status' during that period of American history and society.

I don't feel like the themes are very original - the oppressive need for perfection (or at least the perception of it) in the home, the surrendering of any hope of a real independent life after marriage for women, the stripping of women's agency over their own health (and mind) and decision-making, the dominance of men - but it's very well written and quite powerfully gets across the claustrophobic strictures under which women especially were forced to live and operate. The blurb uses the word 'terrifying' and given what plays out in the novel and played out in the real world it's a valid descriptor.

Perhaps it's timely to be reminded of the horrors of those times for women given the efforts of a large minority of Americans - including women - to return women and America as a whole to that period of history in which white men ruled supreme and everyone else was forced to dance to their tune - or else.

This book was everything I wanted in a 50s based thriller. Lulu was an unreliable narrator that we understood and empathized with but also were frustrated by. The pacing of this book was perfect, each chapter went by quick and left you wanting to continue to read on. I wish we had gotten more information about Lulu and Henry’s romance because he seemed to really love her in the end but I didn’t see the connection throughout. Also, the continued mentions of molded jello and coupon books were too often. That took me out of the story at times. However, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

The first half of The Mad Wife was engaging and full of promise, with an intriguing setup and a compelling tone. Unfortunately, the second half lost momentum—the pacing slowed, the plot twists felt predictable, and the energy that hooked me early on faded. Overall, it was a decent read, but it didn’t quite live up to its strong start.

1954 North Carolina

Lulu lives in a cookie cutter neighborhood with a small friend group. Lulu wants to be the perfect wife, however, is going through a season of struggle.

It took me a while to fully engage in the novel. The writing is good from beginning to end, but initially, I didn't care for Lulu, her husband or Lulu's friend group. However, as the pages turned and I better understood by Lulu and Henry, my feelings changed. I share this to say don't give up on this one too soon.

Much of the novel is heavy, but loved the regular insertions of how many stamps it would take to earn household items.

As with other Meagan Church novels, it focuses a spotlight on women's' rights and periods of time that they are infringed upon.

Love the cover!

The Mad Wife by Meagan Church introduces us to Lulu Mayfield, who has spent the last five years molding herself into the perfect 1950s housewife. She keeps the household running no matter what—cooking, cleaning, caring for the children, and building elaborate Jell-O dishes. Lulu’s perfectly crafted life takes a turn when new neighbors move in, and she begins to suspect that something darker is lurking behind their doors.

This novel was described as being in the vein of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath—one of the reasons it immediately caught my attention. I appreciated its exploration of identity, motherhood, and societal expectations. Each chapter held me captive, and I devoured the book in just two days. The twists and turns kept me eager to see what would happen next, and although I had no idea where the story would take me, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I look forward to reading more from the author.

This novel deals with heavy themes related to mental health and grief, so I recommend checking the trigger warnings beforehand.

I believe fans of Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth and My Husband by Maud Ventura would enjoy this book.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of The Mad Wife in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Mad Wife was my first experience reading Meagan Church, and her writing proved both immersive and haunting. She vividly conveys the suffocating expectations of the era, layering the story with a slow-burning, chilling suspense.

Book Summary - In 1950s suburbia, Luna “Lulu” Mayfield worked hard to embody the perfect housewife-she pleased her husband by keeping an immaculate home, and wowing neighbors with her picture-perfect hosting. But after the birth of her second child, the cracks in her polished life started to show. The arrival of a cheerful new neighbor, Bitsy, sparked an obsession that led Lulu to peel back the layers of her neighbor’s charm and revealed disturbing secrets that forced her to question not only her surroundings, but her own grasp on reality.

The atmosphere was vivid and emotionally rich, pulling me in from the very start. I appreciated the historical depth, especially the empathetic focus on the experiences of marginalized women. The story’s tension was both suspenseful and emotionally intense, with moments that felt deeply unsettling, and I loved the clear, lyrical, and strikingly personal prose.

All in all, The Mad Wife went beyond the standard psychological suspense. It served as a sharp reflection of the societal pressures that both shaped and restricted women’s lives. As Lulu’s life began to spiral, Church delved into issues of identity, motherhood, repression, and the personal toll of living within rigid expectations. I recommend Meagan Church’s newest novel for those who appreciate stories that blend social commentary with creeping psychological tension.

Thanks to Net Galley and Sourcebooks for the ARC in return for my honest review.

I originally was drawn to The Mad Wife because I love domestic thrillers. There is something about secrets hiding beneath perfectly polished suburban lives that makes a story irresistible. While this novel wasn't exactly the type of thriller I expected, what it became for me was something surprisingly captivating: a richly textured work of historical fiction with an undercurrent of psychological suspense.

One of the things that immediately drew me in was my connection to the setting. Having recently purchased a 1950s home with virtually no modern upgrades, I could visualize Lulu's world vividly. The atmosphere felt authentic and immersive, almost like stepping back in time. By the time the book reached its haunting conclusion, I found myself deeply invested not just in the plot but in the exploration of women's roles and expectations during this era.

After reading the author's note, I was inspired to do my own deep dive into 1950s life for women, particularly around medical misdiagnoses and the social pressures that shaped them. This historical layer added a whole new dimension to the story, making it resonate long after I finished the story.

I gave this book 4.5 stars. The beginning felt a little slow, and I was not entirely sure where it was going. However, in hindsight, the pacing made perfect sense. That gradual build allowed the tension to seep in quietly, and by the end, it was exactly the right approach for the story being told.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC! I definitely will be adding the author's other novels to my TBR.

What a gripping, yet heartbreaking, story. Throughout the first part of the book I related to the depiction of Lucy as an overwhelmed mom but then the twists started coming. Wonderfully written historical fiction with just the right amount of suspense.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Mad Wife by Meagan Church is a skin-crawling piece of historical fiction that takes a microscopic and claustrophobic look at the domestic horror of the 1950s. Following Lulu, a young wife and mother living in a suburban neighborhood, the story takes a very distinctive turn away from the carefully constructed perfect life when a new neighbor moves in across the street.

This book was deliciously unsettling. Church does a wonderful job of slowly closing the walls in on Lulu, causing her to feel more and more unsettled and uncanny. Whether she’s beginning to smell colors, having bouts of insomnia, you have this horrible feeling of things coming undone. There’s a pivotal moment with Gary (the worst) from across the street that curled my stomach. I felt like (pardon the reference) Ralph Wiggins exclaiming “I’m in danger.” Truly spine chilling levels of fear—all because I also know this is all real. The control and feeling like agency is stripped from you. I know that women really did, and do, have their mental health weaponized against them, and their rights stripped away.

The other thing that I liked was the description of a very realistic female friend. Nora wasn’t perfect—abrasive and gossipy at times. But she visited her in her worst moments, cleaned the house for her, and gave her real support even if she didn’t get everything right. I just loved that she wasn’t an angel but she was far from a side character who seemed haphazardly designed.

For me, the thing that wasn’t as successful was the ending. I felt like the book reached a fever pitch and then all of a sudden braked. Things came to a head very quickly and then abruptly ended. I would have preferred a little more elaboration in the end, and while the “twist” did explain a lot, it’s not something that everybody would be able to predict as it requires some specialized knowledge.

For me this is a wonderful 4.5/5. If you like Shirley Jackson, Sylvia Plath, or any of those other mid century female story tellers who write about the horrors of female domesticity, this is a must read for you.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

The Mad Wife, a novel outside of my favorite genre (thriller), is by far the best book I've read in 2025. A mix of historical fiction, a psychology study and a Netflix show all in one. I was obsessed and immediately drawn in by the writing and setting. I started reading this book while in the hospital, the day after giving birth to my second child. It had me in a headspace much differently than if I read it any other time. My heart ached for Lulu and for all women of that time.

Will absolutely be looking for other Meagan Church books, fantastic, five stars. Be careful for triggers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the early read in exchange for my honest review.

The Mad Wife follows housewife Lulu Mayfield and her husband Henry in the 1950s, when women were expected to be perfect wives and mothers—or risk being labeled “crazy.” Lulu keeps her home immaculate and Henry satisfied, but the birth of their second child leaves her off balance. When new neighbors Bitsy, her husband Gary, and their daughter Catherine move in, Lulu quickly develops a fixation on Bitsy, convinced something is off about her. As her obsession deepens, Lulu’s own life begins to unravel. Church effectively showcases the pressure to conform, the danger of appearances, and the thin line between perception and reality during this era. Love her style of writing and will definitely read more of her books in the future!


Rating: 3.8 ⭐️ (rounded to 4).