A "tradwife" (traditional wife) is most often described as a woman embracing conventional gender roles, focusing on homemaking, cooking, raising children, and supporting her husband, often as an alternative to career-focused feminism, a break from the perceived exhaustion of being a working woman. But this online subculture is controversial, with some finding it empowering while critics link it to patriarchal ideas, misogyny, and even extremist politics. The Cambridge Dictionary even added it in 2025! Of course, this role is showing up increasingly in social media (check out Ballerina Farm) and contemporary fiction, and wanting to keep our readers on trend, here's a list of titles that further explore the experience of the tradwife.
The Trad Wife's Secret by Liane Child - Looking for a gripping psychological thriller that rips the aesthetic floral curtains off the "tradwife" influencer movement? It follows Madison March, a hugely popular “tradwife” influencer living on what looks like a perfect Montana homestead—baking bread, homeschooling her children, and modeling an idyllic traditional lifestyle for her millions of followers. But the Instagram perfection hides a much darker truthThis title is a timely exploration of the dark, often coercive realities hidden behind the filtered perfection of social media.
The Mad Wife by Megan Church - This historical take on domestic expectations is set in 1950s suburbia, following housewife Lulu Mayfield. Her seemingly perfect life unravels after the birth of her second child, leading her to question her sanity and the dark secrets hidden behind her neighbor's perfect smile. The book explores themes of identity, motherhood, and societal expectations, blending domestic drama with thriller elements.
House of Beth by Kerry Cullen - This novel treats domestic devotion as both seductive and suffocating. Beth’s world prizes order, care, and self-erasure dressed up as love, echoing tradwife aesthetics where fulfillment is promised through obedience and curated femininity. Cullen shows how that promise curdles. The home becomes a shrine to control, and “choice” starts to feel preselected.
Paper Doll Lina by Robyn Lucas - Lina Henry appears to have a perfect suburban life but is trapped in a controlling, emotionally abusive marriage. As Lina begins to forge new friendships and reconnect with her own sense of self, she embarks on a courageous, often heartbreaking journey to reclaim her identity and protect her children. Lucas paints an intense, deeply felt portrait of resilience, gaslighting, and the hidden pains of domestic abuse, balancing difficult themes with moments of hope and emotional growth.
Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza - Piazza fans know to expect a fast-paced, juicy thriller and sharp social commentary, and that's exactly what they get with this title that uncovers the dark realities and deceptions behind the curated world of tradwife and mommy influencers. It's a suspenseful murder mystery that blends a ripped-from-the-headlines plot with an exploration of female friendship and societal pressures.
Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer - This is a visceral body horror novel and sharp feminist satire that explores the dark underbelly of the "tradwife" influencer movement. After making a wish at a mysterious old well, Cammy becomes pregnant under disturbing and supernatural circumstances, and her idealized dream quickly twists into something grotesque and unsettling. The book has been described as Rosemary's Baby for the digital age, blending psychological terror with dark humor and social commentary. (on order)
Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente - Valente gifts readers with a luminous, razor-thin novella that unwraps a familiar myth with unnerving patience. Set in a pristine, rule-bound world, it follows Sophia as she begins to notice the hairline cracks in her perfect life and the language used to keep it intact. The prose is jewel-bright and deceptively gentle, letting dread bloom through repetition and omission rather than overt horror.
The Dinner Party by Viola Van de Sandt - A debut, this is a tense, introspective novel that turns a sweltering social gathering into a psychological unraveling. Through fractured memories and therapy sessions, it explores female anger, displacement, and the quiet damage of social expectations. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, Van de Sandt explores female rage, body autonomy, and all the concessions women make throughout their lives - big and small - until the surprising moment when they decide they can make them no longer.
More a watcher than a reader?
Dirty John : the Betty Broderick Story - This a pulpy, entertaining, yet dark look at a marriage turning toxic, culminating in a double murder, making viewers question sanity, betrayal, and the extreme consequences of emotional torture. Based on a true story!
I Smile Back - Laney Brooks, played by Sarah Silverman, is an upper-middle-class suburban mother who appears to have a "perfect" life with a doting husband and two young children. However, she secretly struggles with severe clinical depression, Bipolar disorder, and a destructive cycle of addiction to alcohol, cocaine, and prescription pills. The story follows her desperate, often messy attempts at redemption through rehab and a reconciliation with her estranged father.
Mother's Instincts - Alice (Jessica Chastain) and Celine (Anne Hathaway) are best friends living idyllic suburban lives until Celine’s young son dies in an accident while Alice watches from next door. The aftermath is characterized by overwhelming guilt, suspicion, and a series of disturbing events that leave Alice questioning if Celine is seeking a dark form of revenge.
How to Be a Good Wife: La Bonne Epouse - The 1960s setting is a housekeeping school, where tradition dictates girls learn to please husbands. The star is Juliette Binoche as Paulette, the director, quite happy in her role until her husband's death reveals financial woes. This sparks rebellion, blending lighthearted moments with themes of female emancipation as the approaching '68 revolution inspires change and self-discovery for Paulette and her students. Available to Denver residents with Denver Public Library cards.
