Description

‘Darkly funny, heart-smashing, and absolutely unforgettable, Madwoman is a masterpiece.’ Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch

CLOVE HAS SPENT YEARS BUILDING THE PERFECT LIFE. IT’S ABOUT TO COME CRASHING DOWN.

To the outside world, Clove has it all. But then a letter arrives from a women’s prison in California – a letter that threatens to expose the secrets of a past she has worked so hard to hide. Thanks to her lies, Clove has the life of her dreams, complete with a kind, reliable husband, two adorable children and a stable family home.

So what, if silencing the memories of her own abusive childhood means racking up a little credit card debt or obsessing about her wellness routine? Nothing to see here. But secret past and insta-perfect present are about to collide thanks to her mother’s unwelcome return, and soon Clove becomes caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the very people she thought she had outrun.

Brave, hilarious and full of surprising twists, Madwoman is a story about violence, recovery, and Clove’s refusal to be defined by her worst experiences.

‘A truly stunning read – this is my book of the year.’ Ella Berman

A Time Magazine ‘Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2024’

Publisher Review

‘Madwoman is a feminist page-turner – sharp writing meets daring plotting and defiant truth-telling. The result is a firecracker of a novel, an exploration between two covers.’ Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction ‘Chelsea Bieker is an absolutely crackling talent.’ Lauren Groff, author of Matrix ‘Darkly funny, heart-smashing, and absolutely unforgettable, Madwoman is a masterpiece.’ Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch ‘You won’t be able to turn away from this book, not even for a second.’ T Kira Madden, author of Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls ‘Madwoman lives at that harrowing edge where despair and violence collide. A story of deceit, delusion, love, and terror, this novel is a scream at dawn, an impossible-to-forget story told by an author whose work I will now forever adore.’ Rachel Louise Snyder, author of Women We Buried, Women We Burned ‘Electrifying and vital, Madwoman is literary suspense of the highest order… A brilliant novel from a blazing, singular talent.’ Kimberly King Parsons, author of Black Light ‘This intense, propulsive novel takes an age-old story right up to the minute. In portraying the exhausting attempt to overcome violence and safeguard loved ones, Bieker writes with urgency, integrity and emotional acuity.’ Caoilinn Hughes, author of The Wild Laughter ‘Such a refreshing read. I’ve never met a protagonist like this before. Bieker wrote very sensitive, heavy subject matter in a way that was inviting. I felt safe reading even the darkest moments, as they were handled so masterfully.’ Chloe Michelle Howarth, author of Sunburn ‘I devoured every perfect sentence… A truly stunning read – this is my book of the year.’ Ella Berman, author of Before We Were Innocent ‘Unputdownable. Harrowing while somehow also being deeply funny and furiously wise. Chelsea Bieker is a daredevil and a wonder.’ Claudia Dey, author of Daughter ‘Madwoman is brilliant. The rare kind of book that lives in your bones, as riveting as it is intimate. This is emotional suspense at its best… Fresh, urgent, and darkly comic. A novel hasn’t consumed me like this in a very long time.’ Ashley Audrain, author of The Push ‘An indelible portrait of what living with intergenerational trauma and a legacy of abuse can look like. In the guise of a suspense story, Bieker delves into the heart of what it really means to survive violence.’ Kirkus