There was a time when being a trad wife wasn’t a hashtag or an option. It was the only choice women had.
Before the 1960s, women were limited in the jobs they could work. Before 1974, women weren’t allowed to have their own credit history or their own loans. Before 1993, women weren’t allowed to say no to their husbands in the bedroom.
The idea that those rights could be taken away or that women would willingly give them away is, for many, the very epitome of horror come to life. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that for many, that picture-perfect exterior came with a cost.
If you’ve been equally fascinated and horrified by the trad wife phenomenon and just can’t look away, these books are for you. Here are seven trad wife horror books that you won’t be able to put down.
Conjure Wife
As a professor of ethnology, Norman Saylor only has an academic interest in magic and superstition. His wife, Tansy, on the other hand, believes in its power.
When she and several other faculty wives cast a spell to protect their husbands’ careers, Norman is horrified. He has her burn her charms and stop practicing any kind of magic.
But the moment the last charm is burned, Norman’s life takes a turn for the worse. Plagued by a curse, he is tormented by accusations, accidents, and fear.
And when Tansy takes the curse on herself, Norman is forced to finally face his disbelief and venture into the world of magic and witchcraft to save her.
Trad Wife: A Novel
Mia Wright, with her perfect family and idyllic farm, is the trad wife queen. Millions of people have watched her homemade life on social media. Journalist Jenny Kaplan knows that behind every façade is a secret.
And to save her tarnished career, she’s determined to find Mia’s. But there’s more wrong at Black Swan farm than faked social media posts.
Soon, Jenny starts dreaming of children singing strange nursery rhymes. She’s losing her hair, losing time. And if she can’t escape Black Swan soon, she just might lose her mind.
Stepford Wives
As soon as Joanna sees the town of Stepford, she knows it’s the perfect place to move her family. It’s so beautiful, it’s almost too good to be true. But from the moment they move in, Joanna notices that something is off with Stepford.
The town is harboring a terrible secret. And once Joanna learns the truth, she’ll never be the same.
The Graveyard Apartment
Finding the perfect apartment isn’t always easy. So when a young family finally finds one, it doesn’t matter that the building is next to a graveyard. But as soon as they move in, strange things start happening, and everyone who lives there starts moving out.
As the building empties, the family is forced to deal with the dark secret they’ve been carrying. Because something is lurking in the basement. And when the building is finally empty, it will come for them.
Comfort Me With Apples
Sophia knows that she was made to be the perfect wife to her perfect husband. It’s a feeling that goes all the way down to her bones.
She loves him and she loves their life. It’s just that he’s gone so much, working hard for her. When he’s home, she’s happiest.
But when he’s gone, her mind starts to wander. To how he looks at her sometimes. To the basement she’s not allowed in. To the neighbors who can’t ever seem to meet her eyes. Those thoughts are bad.
And her husband is good. Isn’t he?
Trad Wife: A Novel
Camille Deming knows exactly what it takes to make it in the trad wife social circles. She cooks, she cleans, she posts the content. The only thing she’s missing to make it to the next level is a baby.
Despite posting that her marriage is picture-perfect, the truth is things with her husband are less than ideal on the baby-making front. When she finds a decrepit well behind her house, she wishes for a baby.
After her wish comes true, the engagement on social media is more than she ever dreamed possible. Her husband’s reaction, not so much. And it’s probably normal to develop rapidly and crave raw meat, right?
It’s fine. More than fine. Because nothing matters more than being the perfect trad wife.
Near the Bone
For Mattie, there is only life after she started living on the mountain with William. She can’t remember life before, and honestly, who would want to? She loves him. And talking about it makes William upset. She should never make him upset.
But when she finds the mutilated fox in the woods, she realizes that maybe they aren’t as alone as she once thought.
Things only get worse when three strangers appear looking for the fox. Maddie knows that William is going to be furious when he finds strangers in his woods. And terrible things happen when he’s upset.
Feature Image: The Arbiter
