A twisty, darkly comic thriller perfect for fans of Bella Mackie and Julie Cohen.
What happens when the picture-perfect life we scroll past on social media turns out to be hiding something far more sinister? That’s the unsettling question at the heart of Carrie Hughes’s The Trad Wife, a darkly comic thriller that explores the dangerous gap between online perfection and real life.
Faith is a hugely popular trad-wife influencer, sharing an apparently idyllic existence with her handsome husband and their children. Her carefully curated world of domestic bliss looks like something straight out of a dream. Enter Melissa, an English content creator who is brought in to help promote the family’s brand. But beneath the wholesome videos and picture-perfect images, something feels terribly wrong.
As Melissa becomes more involved in Faith’s world, the cracks in the perfect façade begin to show, and what initially appears to be an enviable lifestyle takes a much darker turn.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this novel is its exploration of influencer culture and our obsession with other people’s lives. We see the beautiful kitchens, happy families and seemingly effortless domestic perfection, but how much of what we see is real? Carrie Hughes takes the familiar world of social media and turns it into something unsettling, asking questions about control, manipulation, power and the pressure to maintain appearances.
There is also a sharp thread of dark humour running through the story, which adds an interesting contrast to the increasingly disturbing atmosphere. Melissa’s perspective brings a different energy to the seemingly flawless world she enters, while the underlying tension keeps you wondering what is really happening behind closed doors.
This is a thriller that taps into a very current cultural conversation about traditional gender roles, online influence and the idealised image of domestic life. It reminds us that perfection can be carefully manufactured, and that the most beautiful-looking picture may conceal the ugliest truths.
My verdict: The Trad Wife is an intriguing, unsettling read for anyone fascinated by the darker side of social media and the secrets that can hide behind a seemingly perfect life. With its mix of domestic suspense, dark humour and uncomfortable questions about power and control, it offers plenty to think about long after the final page, and, in the current climate!
A good choice for readers who enjoy twisty psychological thrillers, sinister secrets and stories that make you look twice at the lives people present online.
Perfect for fans of dark domestic thrillers and stories where nothing is quite as perfect as it seems and it all feels a bit…unsettling!
About the Book
The perfect wife. The perfect life. The perfect nightmare.
Faith is a beautiful ‘trad wife’ social media star with a beefcake husband, five cute kids and millions of followers of their picture-perfect life.
When they employ English content creator Melissa to promote their brand she has no idea what she has signed up for.
Behind the veneer of domestic bliss lies a nightmare – and she will be lucky to escape with her life.
About The Author
Carrie Hughes lives in West Sussex, where she is a copywriter and guest lecturer in creative writing. She can often be found dreaming up stories, communing with dogs and visiting the dark side. She loves creating female characters who are stronger than they appear and forcing them into difficult situations.
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