The Mad Wife

Bookseller recommendation

“The book was great, but the Author's Note re: inspiration at the end is what really cemented The Mad Wife as one of my favorite audiobooks of last year. Don't read it until you finish the book, however, as spoilers abound! ”

— Stephanie • Läs is More

Bookseller recommendation

“This story beautifully expresses the sadness of a woman trapped in a world she did not want but does not know how to escape. She does not know whom she can trust, including herself. ”

— Natalie • Katy Budget Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Hauntingly immersive, with a respective nod to Sylvia Plath and other “madwomen” of our world, both famous and not. I felt so captivated by Lulu, and I was hoping the twist wasn’t going to happen, but it did, and while the second part needed to happen structurally, it needed to bring the truth of what women went through—what we STILL go through—it was still a bit triggering. And honestly, the ending was more realistic than a novel wrapped in a neat little bow, which I respect, given the book’s theme on how unpredictable reality is—because there is no panacea to grief, but also no cure-all for being a woman in a man-made world. ”

— Tamara • M. Judson Booksellers

Bookseller recommendation

“Susan Bennett is an incredibly talented narrator and Megan Church a phenomenal author. I felt like I was experiencing everything alongside Lulu, feeling her pain and fear. ”

— Eddie • Cavalier House Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Trigger Warning: grief, hysteria, and mental-health treatment. Set in the 1950s, this powerful story follows a wife and mother whose world unravels after an unexpected tragedy. What begins as a portrait of a “perfect housewife” becomes a raw exploration of grief, hysteria, and the treatment of women’s mental health in an era that refused to understand it. Emotional, unsettling, and deeply human—this book grips you from the first page and lingers long after you’re done.”

— Madison • Commonplace Books