Book Review: The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
Narrator: Susan Bennentt
Publisher: Recorded Books
Release Date: November 4, 2025
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
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.
The Mad Wife follows Lulu, a 1950s housewife and mother who lives in the suburbs. She keeps a clean house and has a homecooked meal on the table every night for her husband when he gets home from work. She’s also known as the “queen of molded foods”. Her specialty is the perfection salad – gelatin filled with carrots, celery, cabbage, green olives and radishes. (Why was the food in the ’50s so gross??) Lately, Lulu’s grown listless.
When a new family moves across the street, Loulou is suspicious. Bitsy, the wife, seems strange and distant and her five-year-old daughter does as well. And Bitsy is just a little too perfect. The neighborhood women welcome her with open arms, which makes Loulou jealous. Soon Lulu is obsessed with finding out what is going on behind the scenes with Bitsy’s family.
The Mad Wife was riveting. I listened to the last half while I was driving on a road trip, and my heart was in my throat the whole time. The twists are amazing. It was read by Susan Bennett who has the perfect 1950s housewife voice. She sounded just like Donna Reed. Loulou basically was Donna Reed until Bitsy moved in and got her discombobulated.
I cannot stop thinking about this book and how good it was. Highly recommended.
(I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook for review.)
