I have no doubt this book will be a bestseller among millenials and older Gen Z women. It is a subtle thriller with the setting of a rural Montana farm complete with animals, cute kids, and an influencer wife in flowy dresses making cookies.

However, behind the scenes there is so much more going on, of course. There are a few characters who shake up the narration, with a second main character slowly coming more and more into focus. Read if you like watching tradwife reels or if you find them repulsive. Either way, you will find something to relate to in this otherwise completely unrelatable book. I found some of it to be totally unlikely/unbelievable, but that is what makes it a thriller, I guess.

I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narrator did an excellent job, but the Southern accents threw me a bit given that the characters were not from the South.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I received an early copy of this in audio format from the publisher. I found this story compelling with several twists that kept my attention. I liked the narrator and felt she did a good job at switching between characters. I truly loved this one and am looking forward to reading more from this author!

Madison March is the ultimate #TradWife influencer… except, it’s all a facade.

As a true crime doc enthusiast, the description of this book immediately piqued my interest. And I did not hate it! It was twisty and interesting. No spoilers but the ideology in this book pissed me off to no end… but I think that was the point. One thing I will say is that are a lot of characters and sometimes it was hard to follow on audio whose view we were getting. It almost gave a podcast vibe with the timeline jumping and different POVs. Ultimately, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who wants a suspense/ thriller with some mom influencer drama.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio and HQ for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

This book I like the narration of it.I liked most of the characters there was a twist that I definitely did not see coming. I would definitely recommend this.

What a fun run with a look behind an influencers life. This definitely feels like it could be a true story in a way heheheheh. Really fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing til the end. Loved the multi pov story in this and my goodness they sure give you some people to hate in this. A read for sure if you like domestic thrillers that pack a punch. Thanks NetGalley for an early read! Was not disappointed!!!!

I went into The Tradwife’s Secret with curiosity, but unfortunately, it didn’t land well for me. From the beginning, the tone felt unsettling, and not in a gripping or suspenseful way—more in a way that made me genuinely uncomfortable. The atmosphere was eerie, and while that may have been intentional, it didn’t create the kind of tension or intrigue I typically enjoy in psychological fiction.

There was something about the narrative and themes that felt off-putting. I found it difficult to connect with the characters or sympathize with their choices. Instead of feeling drawn into the story, I often felt like I wanted to pull away from it.

Full disclosure: I am old. I had no idea what a "trad" wife was, and selected this one as a Netgalley audio arc cause I thought the cover was pretty. Yup, that's it. Imagine my surprise when I learned the subject of the book was the COMPLETE and total opposite of me. Based on that fact alone, I am even more shocked that I enjoyed this one and listened over the course of a single day.

That said, if reading to you is an escape from the reality of everyday horrors in which we now find ourselves, this one is going to evoke feelings. It's actually pretty brave of author Liane Child to undertake a topic filled with toxic masculinity, a*buse, submissiveness, indoctrination......

As most books now do, an influencer is at the helm in this one and makes me question the future of our world. Nothing is real, strangers become too invested in the unreal "reality", politics is divisive, and Child takes us on a journey with an ending I did not anticipate.

Really a good read, but my next book better not ever mention the word 'homestead' or my head might explode.

Madison March is the queen of the #TradWife influencers, serving up snippets of traditional family values and subservient domestic bliss to ten million followers on her @_trulymadison_ Instagram account. It’s all homesteading, homeschooling, sourdough starters, and dreamy prairie dresses against a sunset backdrop of their Montana ranch, but something darker lurks beneath what the camera captures.

I love social media thrillers, and this is my first time reading one that delves into the tradwife phenomenon. This one is JUICY, giving readers a glimpse of the disturbing reality behind the seemingly perfect aesthetic, exploring themes of misogyny, control, and abuse. There’s a deliciously dark and menacing vibe throughout the twisty plot, and I sped through the multiple POVs and short chapters in just a couple of sittings.

Narrator Lauryn Allman does a great job voicing the female characters and differentiating them with accents and inflections. She perfectly nails Madison’s phony-sweet persona and who she is behind her mask! Although the male voices don’t quite hit the mark, overall the audiobook is an enjoyable listen.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ, and Harper Audio for providing me an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed The Tradwife’s Secret! The storyline flowed effortlessly and held my attention the whole way through—I was genuinely intrigued to see how it would all unfold. The characters were compelling, and I loved the whole fake influencer vibe; it added a fun and timely edge to the story. The narration in the audiobook was also excellent—well-paced and engaging, which made it even easier to get lost in the plot. The ending was satisfying and wrapped things up nicely. A great listen and a great read overall!

This book was SO entertaining. The characters were so irritating and interesting at the same time I loved reading all the differing mindsets about the same situation. The plot twists got me and the narration was great! Def recommend. 🥧

This one really brings you to question not only people that you bring into your life at a superficial level, but also the fact that we don't really know anyone in this day of social media. This book will really make you to think about what's really going on behind the scenes of the influencers we follow.

The Trad Wife's Secret was such a captivating audiobook! I finished it in just one day because the storyline pulled me in completely. The twists and unexpected turns kept things exciting and engaging from start to finish.

Fun right. Finished it in nearly one setting. Some of the twists were a bit predictable but some were shocking.

# The Tradwife's Secret: A Captivating Mystery

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC!

Madison March is a well-known social media tradwife, sharing her seemingly “perfect” life with her followers. Yet, what if everything she presents is a façade?

*The Tradwife’s Secret** unfolds as a mystery told from multiple perspectives. While it offers an entertaining experience, it can be somewhat challenging to follow at times. The pacing in the middle felt a bit slow and drawn out, but the intriguing twists and mysteries made it worthwhile! However, I wasn't particularly fond of how the narrator depicted the male characters, and I wished the voices were clearer to distinguish while listening. Overall, **The Tradwife’s Secret** was an enjoyable read, enriched with compelling twists!

I am here to declare that tradwives are the new nanny for me in the thriller world. In the same way I will always grab a nanny thriller, I will now always grab a tradwife one as well. This was a popcorn thriller in the truest sense. I hesitate to say too much and give some of the fun away. Go in with popcorn expectations and just enjoy the heck out of this one.

This is obviously a super timely book as there seems to be a boom in “trad wife” content across social media, especially in the US. The book did a great job interrogating a lot of the trademarks of the trad wife social movement that are unnerving — the patriarchal roots, the outdated ideas of gender performance, the authenticity or lack there of, the hypocrisy, the falseness of what we see online versus what is the truth behind the scenes. I think the multiple POVs really helped to look at this from all angles. And all of that was woven really well into a central mystery with a great sense of growing tension.

I read this book part on ebook and part on audiobook and found both to be strong mediums. The narrator did a great job bringing the story to life and I think the audiobook really helped to highlight the social media feel of it all.

I squealed when this ARC came through and the delivery lived up to the dishy, voyeuristic premise! It was *almost* all I could hope for (but I dream big).

Premise: A trad wife influencer, Madison March, is aging out of her modest-miss hotness, but she isn't just going to sit back and let her following leave her for the younger, more tech savvy trad wives on the 'gram. 'Truly Madison' is her whole purpose (not her kids/husband/homestead, that's just branding) and she's a ruthless businesswoman - all while presenting herself as a barefoot-and-pregnant type. What lengths will she go to to protect her empire?

THIS. IS. SO. JUICY. Think 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' meets Ballerina Farm (Hannah Neeleman) meets the antifeminist, pronatalist extremists of X (formerly Twitter, RIP). The women are cunning, very iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove, the 'alpha' man is a cocky idiot, and family is both everything and nothing at all. Soooo good, I couldn't step away from this one!

I wanted some of the character motivations to be a bit deeper, or some of the drama to be a bit more scandalous, in order for this to be a 5 star read, but it was still a very, very solid 4 star as is.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lauryn Allman. She did a great job, nailing the tone, accent, ✨vibes✨ of the various characters. She was the perfect choice to bring our larger-than-life trad wife protagonist to life!

Thanks, NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1950s meets modern day. I had so many emotions for the characters. If someone is triggered by abuse or child loss, this isn’t the book for them, some of it was a bit upsetting for myself but the disturbing thing is, this is how some people live. This book is a reminder of how you should never believe what you see on social media.

Woo. What a messy story filled with all the secrets! I enjoyed the crazy story of what went on behind one trad wife's life. I listen to the audio of this book. The narrator was great.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early alc! If you'd told me three years ago that I would not only read but also enjoy a thriller/mystery about a trad wife, I wouldn't have believed you. Yet here we are, and I wouldn't have it any other way! This book follows Madison March, the perfect trad[itional] wife with a social media presence that's slowly slipping away day by day. She has several secrets, and watching them unfold is quite a treat. If you enjoyed The Housemaid series by Freida McFadden or The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives TV show, this book is for you. It blends just the right amount of toxicity, absurdity, and drama to create a hypnotic and exciting thriller/mystery.