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The Mad Wife: A Novel
Meagan Church
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From bestselling author Meagan Church comes a haunting exploration of identity, motherhood, and the suffocating grip of societal expectations that will leave you questioning the lives we build—and the lies we live.
They called it hysteria. She called it survival.
Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the perfect 1950s housewife. Despite the tragic memories that haunt her and the weight of exhausting expectations, she keeps her husband happy, her household running, and her gelatin salads the talk of the neighborhood. But after she gives birth to her second child, Lulu's carefully crafted life begins to unravel.
When a new neighbor, Bitsy, moves in, Lulu suspects that something darker lurks behind the woman's constant smile. As her fixation on Bitsy deepens, Lulu is drawn into a web of unsettling truths that threaten to expose the cracks in her own life. The more she uncovers about Bitsy, the more she questions everything she thought she knew—and soon, others begin questioning her sanity.
But is Lulu truly losing her mind? Or is she on the verge of discovering a reality too terrifying to accept?
In the vein of The Bell Jar and The Hours, The Mad Wife weaves domestic drama with psychological suspense, so poignant and immersive, you won't want to put it down.
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Posts about this title from Madisoncanread
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Madison\
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• Aug 31 2025
Poll:\
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Do you prefer finding new releases like this or do you prefer the newsletter? \
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September is looking like an amazing month for new book releases!\
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Lulu has strived to be the perfect 1950s housewife but when her new neighbor Bitsy moves in, her life begins to unravel.\
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Posts about this book from across Bindery
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In honor of International Women’s Day, I’m sharing a list of books with strong female main characters that inspired me in some way. These stories let us step into the lives of women who came before us and see their strength and resilience, often in the face of impossible choices and desperate situations.
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Happy March everyone!! time to announce the DYSTOPIAN and thriller book we will be reading in March!\
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Dystopian: DAGGERMOUTH\
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Thriller: THE MAD WIFE\
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I am genuinely so excited for both of these reads. Please join my discord so we can hold discussions! I think we will particularly like discussing the newest Internet sensation, Daggermouth. \
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I will be listening to the Mad Wife on audio!
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