The Mad Wife

A Novel

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 stop listening.

©2025 Meagan Church (P)2025 Recorded Books

Haunting story with a tinge of nostalgia

Really enjoyed listening to this book. It was methodical, a slow build, and terribly sad. Enjoyed the look back into the past and the exploration of gender roles expected by society. One thing that has not changed is the belief that someone you know has it all together when they’re the ones that are most broken.

Complex and well written!

Books that touch on what women dealt with the 50s can risk viewing into simplifications and tropes. I really enjoyed that this book! It didn’t fall into the trap of all good or all bad, but trusted us as readers with the complexities of being human during a time where women’s pain was systematically dismissed.

The Mad Wife

A scary reminder of where we once were with women's health and how much research for women's health is still needed. This was a beautiful, painful story that reminds me of what our mothers and grandmothers endured during their lifetime.

Twists and turns brilliant story and narrator

That what seems obvious can be but how many miss or refuse to believe obvious signs. That she was brave enough to survive

So true

I loved the overall story and even became emotional towards the end feeling her pain. I almost gave up in the beginning with the rambling of everyday life of a bored housewife in the 1950’s. Hang in there. It’s with the listen