What happens when a 1950s suburban housewife stops conforming to the happy homemaker model? After the birth of Lulu Mayfield's second baby, she finds herself unwilling to adhere to the “Good Housekeeping” schedule posted on her fridge. She finds herself unwilling to adhere to more than just that. Her friends are worried, her husband is worried, and even she is worried. What is wrong with her? Her husband’s solution is a common one from that time period -- drugs to counteract her ‘housewife syndrome’ -- but Lulu knows that is only the first step. Next comes institutions and electroshock therapy. When a new neighbor moves in across the street, Lulu’s obsession with them causes her mental health to further deteriorate.
This book is a slow-burn toward the reveal. It’s the mark of excellent writing when you don’t see the reveal until you’re in it. Loved this book for the historical context and the psychological suspense.
Review by Laura L.
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
In the 1950s, nothing is valued more than conformity, and Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the ideal housewife. But after the birth of her daughter, Lulu's carefully constructed life begins to teeter. Exhausted by expectations and haunted by tragic memories, Lulu looks to her new neighbor, Bitsy. Bitsy, always the model of a perfect housewife, is not quite what she seems and Lulu knows something dark lurks beneath Bitsy's constant smile. Increasingly fixated on Bitsy and her perfectly crafted life, Lulu's mental state begins to fracture, and memories she had suppressed long ago begin to rise to the surface. Soon, Lulu is forced to confront the possibility that she might be headed down a path much darker than she could ever foresee. Set against the backdrop of a post-war era defined by tradition and constrained femininity, The Mad Wife weaves together a coming-of-age search for identity with a psychological drama so poignant, you won't be able to put it down