Clove’s got it all: a sweet husband, two adorable kids, a wellness routine that would make Gwyneth Paltrow weep (whole foods and vitamins galore!), and maybe… just maybe… an online shopping habit that her family might not know the full extent of. But hey, life is good! Especially since Clove’s spent years building her current happiness over the ashes of a painful, abusive childhood—secrets and all.

Her husband thinks her parents died in a car accident. He has no idea about her past. But when Clove’s mother suddenly starts sending letters from prison, begging for help, Clove’s meticulously curated existence starts unraveling fast.

This was my first read from this author, and, honestly, I’ve been wrestling with how to review it. It’s packed with heavy, complex themes: childhood trauma, PTSD, the death of a parent, and a woman’s relentless fight to not let these horrors define her. Yet, despite the emotional depth, it did feel bogged down with some predictable tropes and plot devices. I’m not quite sure what to call it—not a full-on thriller, but not not a thriller, either.

What I loved: The book nailed the struggles and expectations placed on mothers. The phrase “the world is not made for mothers” is one I won’t soon forget. Those raw moments hit hard and delivered a solid punch of #unhingedwomanenergy that I usually adore.

What didn’t work for me: All the “clean living” and obsession with a perfectly curated wellness routine made Clove (and her husband by default) exhaustingly insufferable. And I’m usually a big fan of unlikable characters! But I found myself rolling my eyes too often.

The portrayal of trauma and how deeply it scars and shapes a person’s life felt genuine and significant. Yet, strangely, the book didn’t linger with me once I’d finished. The impact just… faded. I had to refresh my memory to even write this review. So while there were certainly moments of brilliance, it’s not one that’s stayed burned into my mind.

But a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance audiobook - I definitely enjoyed the experience of listening to this story! :)

I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. I thought clove was a brilliant mix of string and broken, you rooted for her as well as just wanting to shout at her.

I downloaded this audiobook from NetGalley and listened to it while doing some housework and some admin.

Three stars from me means I believe the author achieved their aims and it’s a good book but I personally didn’t fall in love with it.

In this case there are two big twists at the end which I saw coming and so made the final few chapters less thrilling than all the ones that preceded them.

However, if you don’t spot them then you’ll definitely find this a four or even five star read.

Trigger warning for domestic violence - escaping from it is basically the journey of most of the characters.

Three word review: Madwoman or life-saver?

Clove has a good life. Married with two children, her husband has no knowledge her past and she would love it to stay that way, but a letter from her mother threatens to expose the truth.

I didn’t like Clove and so found it difficult to relate to her and care what happened to her. I found the pace too slow and some of the writing a little repetitive, but it did pick up when Jane came into it and it was a good story overall, just perhaps not one for me.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Chelsea Bieker and W. F. Howes for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Whoa whoa whoa. The snarky feminist mind –Fu@k psychological thriller of 2924. Too twisted for color TV, but in a good way

Clove has a good life with a kind, attractive husband and two children. But even if she looks as if she is living the dream, looks can be deceptive.

Alongside juggling a borderline shopping addiction, Clove is hiding far darker secrets from her husband. Like the fact that her childhood was a nightmare of violence - and that her mother, a victim of serial domestic abuse, was jailed for killing her father.

Perhaps then, it is less than surprising that Clove sits waiting for the inevitable moment of discovery with regard to her fraudulent narrative.

What she doesn't expect is to have her mother somehow track her down and make demands that threaten to destroy her carefully crafted life.

This is a fascinating story. Clove is an oddly relatable character and the story telling is compelling. The narrator does an excellent job. Recommended highly.

‘Madwoman’ is a story told in the form of a letter from a traumatised and seemingly ‘reinvented’ adult daughter to her estranged mother.

As we read Clove’s words, we slowly, in fragments, begin to see her full, truest story come into view. Through the people in her life, both past and present—including past versions of herself—we get to know the Clove behind the perfect façade.

While the mystery element of this novel can certainly be described as a slow burn, I was absolutely entranced and could barely put the book down. Although I found some aspects of the mystery a little predictable, I can definitively say that this did not detract from my experience. If anything, it highlights the nuance in the storytelling. The fact that I, as a reader, was so deeply drawn into Clove’s world that I could anticipate many of her realisations reflects how all-encompassing this story is and how well-established each character is, no matter how small their role.

Chelsea Bieker's ‘Madwoman’ is an exemplary literary thriller, striking a perfect balance between intrigue and genuine character development. The novel explores heavy themes with sincerity and without inhibition, making it a truly remarkable read.

I would confidently recommend this book to readers of contemporary fiction, mysteries, and psychological fiction alike.

This was my first Chelsea Bieker novel, but by no means my last. I am in awe of the fluency and depth in her writing and am eager to meet more of her characters.

I was fortunate to be approved for the audiobook which I can definitely recommend if audiobooks are your preferred reading format. The narrator's tone and delivery perfectly reflected Clove's narrative voice.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio arc. All opinions are my own.

The effects of domestic abuse in a mother's drama/thriller story.

Great audio listen, very more-ish. Clove tells us all about her history as she maintains a fragile grip on the family and world she's constructed for herself. Daughter of an abusive household, we know she's left that all behind and even changed identities to start afresh. But her mother contacts her from prison and her whole past is dredged up, with her family's future now teetering on a precipice.

Appreciated the slow reveal of Clove's childhood and adolescence, a horror story of domestic violence that upsets and really does convey the tragedy of what so many suffer in silence. Clove's friendship with Jane is also key to the story, as she latches on to a new friend who gives her so much of what she's been missing. Clove's husband, nice as he seems, barely plays a role though, with only a few key moments of speech and action.

It's Clove's story, and the title never makes it clear just who the 'mad' woman might be, as we read on there are various interpretations. But it does also show us how we might say this about someone when actually, as the story shows, there's more than one way of looking at events and it might be easy to judge or assume without all the facts.

Kept me listening, and I enjoyed Clove's voice and story.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

So glad I was accepted for this one as I’d heard about it from a couple of people on bookstagram. I would have naturally picked this up from Waterstones as I really like the cover art. The blurb was a great draw too and the premise in addition to that hooked me in. Really enjoyed the exploration of the characters and learning about them as the book goes on. Impressed by the writing style and how the chapters flow to the next. Have recommended to friends as well as the book club and will watch for more from the author, sure the audio will be a hit as the narrator was a great match and it was super clear and easy to listen to