The Housewife

If you are looking for a fast-paced popcorn thriller that reads like you’re watching a movie and keeps you totally hooked, this week’s book is an absolute blast. The Housewife by Natalie Barelli is the perfect book to devour in one sitting, and I know you will want to tuck it into your lake or pool bag and lose yourself in it.

The story follows Jodie, a woman who has always dreamed of traditional domestic bliss. Her wish seemingly comes true after a whirlwind romance leads her to marry Dr. Roy Davies, a highly renowned and wealthy psychologist. Suddenly, Jodie is living the dream as a full-time housewife in a stunning Beverly Hills mansion.

Unfortunately, the fairy tale begins to curdle almost immediately. Roy quickly becomes cold and distant, his high-society friends openly write Jodie off as a shallow gold digger, and the house itself feels like a museum dedicated to Roy’s late wife, Deborah.

Deborah’s presence looms over everything, and local gossip treats her memory with absolute reverence. However, when Jodie discovers that Deborah became a recluse shortly before her tragic death, major red flags begin to appear. Jodie starts to suspect that Roy’s polished, gentlemanly facade is hiding a deeply abusive, controlling and unfaithful monster.

Convinced that her new husband had a direct hand in his first wife’s death, Jodie begins digging into his past. The deeper she goes, the darker and more terrifying Roy’s history appears to be. Jodie knows she should go straight to the police with what she is uncovering, but there is a massive catch.

Exposing Roy would require Jodie to reveal a deeply buried secret of her own — one with the power to completely destroy her life.

Trapped in a literal house of cards built on complicated lies and psychological warfare, Jodie must navigate a dangerous game of survival. Natalie Barelli does a fantastic job crafting Jodie as a witty, sarcastic and wildly unpredictable protagonist who makes terrible decisions but remains incredibly fun to root for.

It is a messy, addictive and darkly funny ride that forces you to question who you can actually trust. Ultimately, The Housewife is a gripping, suspenseful story about the hidden dangers of a seemingly perfect domestic life, and you will race through the pages to see whether Jodie can escape before she becomes the next wife to mysteriously vanish.

I hope you enjoy this wild ride of a book as much as I did. Don’t forget to pop over to my Instagram, @allison.the.reader, for more book recommendations and book-related fun.