The Mad Wife - Book review
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church is a historical fiction and mystery book that was published in 2025.
As per usual, I got my hands on an audiobook copy from my local library and Libby. *Praise the libraries and how much money they continue to save me.
In the next sections I will dive into what The Mad Wife is about, my thoughts, and my final verdict. In case there are any spoilers, you will be warned ahead so you’ll get to decide whether you’d like to continue reading this blog post or come back after you’ve read the book. ;)
You can also refer to my book rating guide that will be attached at the bottom.
The blurb
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?
(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223665360-the-mad-wife)
Thoughts on the book
The end of the audiobook featured an excerpt from an interview with the author, Meagan Church, where she mentioned trying to write stories about every woman and boy—did she nail that! Lulu Mayfield’s story may be fictional, but her struggles resonate with many readers.
From carrying the mental load of what to cook and how to dress to impress, to enduring a filthy man’s hands and words in order for her husband to get a promotion, to being a mother—although written from the POV of the 1950s, I believe that many women still face these obstacles today. On top of that, Lulu is expected to cheer up right after giving birth to her second child, a daughter.
The book was, in parts, hard to listen to. An eerie sense and a thick air lingered throughout the whole story, making it a perfect mystery for me. I kept wondering how Lulu would decide—whether she would ever be fed up enough to stand up to her husband or her friends—and I also found myself becoming “insane” alongside the main character.
This section will include spoilers of the book. You have been warned :)
The Mayfields’ new neighbor, Bitsy, was an odd woman, though as the story unfolded, I gained a lot of empathy for her—and frankly, I was HORRIFIED by what had happened to her. What do you mean, her husband decided for his wife to have a lobotomy? Yes, you read that right.
Speaking of, can we also not ignore the fact that Lulu received a “husband stitch” after giving birth? Brrr, the ’50s were brutal. THEY DIAGNOSED THE POOR WOMAN WITH HYSTERIA! You know what she actually suffered from? Lupus. Lulu had Lupus. Lord have mercy.
I realize that many subplots in the book made my blood boil, which is also exactly why I thought The Mad Wife was such a great book!
If you’re waiting for a big BOOM—gory action, murder, that kind of chaos—I have to disappoint you. This isn’t that kind of story. But if you’re in the mood for something that slowly creeps under your skin, makes you uncomfortable, and lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished… go grab this one. Honestly, those are the stories that stay with me the longest—and this one definitely did.
Pacing and plot
The Mad Wife is not a fast-paced book, but it is very much intended to be that way. The story carefully builds tension before the release, and the plot twist creeps in, crescendoing right when you least expect it. Meagan Church mentioned that Lulu’s story is one of an everywoman—it could have been any woman in the ’50s.
Nonetheless, this book is an important piece of work. A story that is told is a story that continues to live. Even within the book, Lulu’s friends refuse to speak about how they truly feel until “it is too late”—something we might want to believe is specific to that time period. But if we are being honest, many mental health topics still remain taboo. Suffering in silence is still often the norm, even though we have come far as a society.
Overall, a great plot, and well-paced for the kind of story it is. It doesn’t rush you—and that’s exactly the point. It lets the tension sit, stretch, and settle in… and somehow, that makes it hit even harder in the end.
Characters and character development
This section will include spoilers of the book. You have been warned :)
Lulu Mayfield
Poor Lulu! I genuinely wished for her to find more calmness in her life and the facade she tried to keep up. Being told that you needed to be happy all the time and put together postpartum is an experience I hope all women will be spared of. I would have never thought that the story dealt with a miscarriage or death at birth. This only adds to Lulu’s character and how she continued to try to function for the sake of her family.
The main characters explosion of emotions, when her loved ones tried to calm her was understandable. The realisation that her well curated life had fallen apart and that she was grieving was hard to listen to. Not because it was brutal, but because it was understandable.
Trough grief, Lulu was still able to be strong and carried a weight that must have felt
Lulu’s husband
See, you may believe that he’s called “Lulu’s husband” but I must admit, that I genuinely forgot his name. A man who complimented his postpartum wife of finally getting dressed properly for once. Pah! Can you tell that this man made me angry? What we cannot forget though, is that just as his wife, Lulu’s husband was also grieving the loss of his daughter and grief takes funny shapes and forms.
Do I wish that he would have been there more for his wife? Absolutely! This adult man was an outright bum sometimes! Still, if I look at how within relationships couples can build resentment over time, the falling out between the two of them was nothing more but mundane.
Bitsy and friends
Bitsy’s fate was not any kinder than Lulu’s. My heart aches for a woman who tried her best to make friends and was still misunderstood by the world. Scarred by what had happened to her, her sister and thus, her niece - I really wished for her to find peace at the end of the story.
Lulu’s friend group really showed how the people you surround yourself with can either make or break you. Though driven by society’s standards in the 50s of what a good (house)wife needed to be like, I had hoped that the dynamic within the group would have been more driven by honesty.
Memorable parts of the book
This section will include spoilers of the book. You have been warned :)
The revelation that Lulu’s daughter was never born
Bitsy’s lobotomy
How Lulu reunited with her family at the end
Verdict
4/5 stars
I enjoyed The Mad Wife a ton! The only reason why it did not get the full 5 stars was because although the pacing is intended as it was, it did feel like it dragged in some parts before picking up a fast pace again. Overall however, I can highly recommend reading and picking up this book!
Thank you for making it this far and reading through my review! I would love to read about your thoughts or feedback :)
Lead your dreams,
Soso
