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Tradwife
Family. Community. Tradition.
Annihilation.
Everyone remembers the Heart of Solomon three young married couples slaughtered around the dinner table, their bodies desecrated, in the UK's first and only purpose-built Tradwife community.
And no suspect ever charged.
Writer Gina Lewis wants to know. Her talk to the people who knew the three dead couples best, and try to understand what brought them to the Heart of Solomon. Puzzle out why they died - and how the "traditional marriage" Arcadia they were promised turned so dangerous, so quickly.
And she'll keep going until she finds the truth. No matter what it costs her.
"In Cold Blood crossed with The Stepford Wives... this is one you can't afford to miss. Be afraid, and be angry. Very, very angry" - MJ Mars, The Suffering
"Peroxide will get those bloodstains right out but Tradwife will linger in my psyche for eternity. Both terrifying and inspiring, this true crime inspired novel will leave you absolutely shook. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on my roast" - NJ Gallegos, The Fatal Mind
"Poignant, thought-provoking and infuriating [...] I devoured this book, not only because of the quality of the writing and storyline, but also because of the way Parker weaves in real-life, brutal examples of the toxicity of the tradwife community. If you're looking for a book that features feminine rage in the face of oppressive societies (and aren't we all right now?), Tradwife is the book for you" - Sarah Jules, You Invited It In
“A clever, ruthless, and engrossing epistolary novel with a bloody mystery at its core [...] Rarely have I torn through a book with such voracious and wicked glee. TRADWIFE reads like a shock to the amygdala for anyone filled with disgust and anguish at the rise of Christofasicsm in the U.S. and Europe. This merciless novel is a howl of feminist rage and a glorious “Fuck you” to incels everywhere” - Rob Costello, The Dancing Bears
"Tradwife is built by anger, and that anger suffuses each page of the narrative. Parker's rage at the violent, misogynistic systems put into place by the world's most powerful and corrupt men -- not to mention the women that have betrayed their sisters and co-opted themselves into willfully becoming a part of such institutions -- is incandescent, and rightfully so. This is a necessary rage, not to mention an essential new Resistance read" - Michael Patrick Hicks, The Resurrectionists
Annihilation.
Everyone remembers the Heart of Solomon three young married couples slaughtered around the dinner table, their bodies desecrated, in the UK's first and only purpose-built Tradwife community.
And no suspect ever charged.
Writer Gina Lewis wants to know. Her talk to the people who knew the three dead couples best, and try to understand what brought them to the Heart of Solomon. Puzzle out why they died - and how the "traditional marriage" Arcadia they were promised turned so dangerous, so quickly.
And she'll keep going until she finds the truth. No matter what it costs her.
"In Cold Blood crossed with The Stepford Wives... this is one you can't afford to miss. Be afraid, and be angry. Very, very angry" - MJ Mars, The Suffering
"Peroxide will get those bloodstains right out but Tradwife will linger in my psyche for eternity. Both terrifying and inspiring, this true crime inspired novel will leave you absolutely shook. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on my roast" - NJ Gallegos, The Fatal Mind
"Poignant, thought-provoking and infuriating [...] I devoured this book, not only because of the quality of the writing and storyline, but also because of the way Parker weaves in real-life, brutal examples of the toxicity of the tradwife community. If you're looking for a book that features feminine rage in the face of oppressive societies (and aren't we all right now?), Tradwife is the book for you" - Sarah Jules, You Invited It In
“A clever, ruthless, and engrossing epistolary novel with a bloody mystery at its core [...] Rarely have I torn through a book with such voracious and wicked glee. TRADWIFE reads like a shock to the amygdala for anyone filled with disgust and anguish at the rise of Christofasicsm in the U.S. and Europe. This merciless novel is a howl of feminist rage and a glorious “Fuck you” to incels everywhere” - Rob Costello, The Dancing Bears
"Tradwife is built by anger, and that anger suffuses each page of the narrative. Parker's rage at the violent, misogynistic systems put into place by the world's most powerful and corrupt men -- not to mention the women that have betrayed their sisters and co-opted themselves into willfully becoming a part of such institutions -- is incandescent, and rightfully so. This is a necessary rage, not to mention an essential new Resistance read" - Michael Patrick Hicks, The Resurrectionists
286 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2024
19 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
T.C. Parker
16 books139 followersI'm a writer and researcher based in the fox-ravaged wilds of Leicestershire.
I've been a copywriter, a lecturer and, very briefly, an academic; now I run a semiotics and cultural insight agency by day and dream up horror and crime fiction at night, when the kids are asleep.
I write mostly horror and crime, skeet enthusiastically as @tcparker.bsky.social, and post the occasional poorly-composed photo on Instagram (as @writestc).
For stories, serialised novels and other thoughts about the universe, visit/subscribe to my Substack - tcparker.substack.com
I've been a copywriter, a lecturer and, very briefly, an academic; now I run a semiotics and cultural insight agency by day and dream up horror and crime fiction at night, when the kids are asleep.
I write mostly horror and crime, skeet enthusiastically as @tcparker.bsky.social, and post the occasional poorly-composed photo on Instagram (as @writestc).
For stories, serialised novels and other thoughts about the universe, visit/subscribe to my Substack - tcparker.substack.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 16, 2024
Not even 24 hours had passed after Donald Trump's reelection win before Christofascists were attacking women online and in public spheres, like at Texas State University, where men carried signs proclaiming "Women Are Property" and the new right-wing rallying cry of "Your Body, My Choice." It's the future Republicans want following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and their unceasing desire to wholly dismantle bodily autonomy for women. This male-centric view point is the crux of T.C. Parker's Tradwife, which revolves around the murder of six central figures of a far-right, misogynistic, Christian cult (I apologize for all the redundancy here) at the heart of the UK's burgeoning Tradwife community.
The Tradwife movement can easily be seen as the endgame of right-wing politics, and Parker uses this topic to explore, in-depth, the associations between online influencers, Christian conservatism, white supremacy, misogyny, abuse, rape, and the complete debasement of a woman's personhood under the rule of a central authoritarian male figure. How she goes about it in Tradwife is a little bit genius, too. Rather than presenting all this in the form of a straight-forward cult thriller, Parker instead tackles the subject from the perspective of true crime, albeit one that's largely fictional yet spun whole-cloth from our sad reality. It's next to impossible, in fact, to find the line separating fiction from reality here, save for the small piece of wish fulfillment granted by the concept that somebody lurking in the shadows might possibly save us all from this alt-right horror show.
Parker utilizes a smart framing technique to kick things off. Through a series of emails from a woman named Jags to magazine editor Helen, we learn that Jag's wife, Gina Lewis, has gone missing and nobody's the least bit wise to her whereabouts. The only clues to her disappearance lie in the manuscript Gina has been writing for Helen revolving around the cold case murders at the House of Solomon's Tradwife community. We're then presented with the found documents Gina has been piecing together, including her unfinished manuscript, interview transcripts, message board postings, emails, and the like. Given the topics at play throughout Tradwife, it's safe to say there's trigger warnings galore throughout, beginning with Gina's recounting of the House of Solomon crime scene and the bloody dismemberments of the victims that occurred during dinner there.
Throughout the course of Gina's manuscript, we get a vivid accounting on the Tradwife players -- the abusive husbands, their victims, and accomplices -- as well as the politics and social media sanewashing that have helped foster this particular movement. We also get a sharp sense of who Gina is, both as a reporter and an individual, thanks to Parker's savvy use of footnotes throughout the manuscript. In notes to Helen, Gina recounts some of her own experiences as the daughter of an ex-cult member who raised her in similar circumstances, adding an intriguing extra layer of personal baggage to her investigation of the murders.
Originally scheduled for release in the spring of 2025, Parker opted to move forward the publication of Tradwife by a good six month in response to the US election. It's a smart move, given how thirsty many of us are currently for women's rage in response to the election of a racist rapist and convicted felon responsible for stacking the Supreme Court in order to eliminate women's rights. As Tradwife makes clear throughout, what happens in the United States is not the least bit confined to American borders -- our elections have consequences to the wider world, and the reach of our homegrown billionaire fascists and 72 million nitwits know no such boundaries anyway. The Tradwife movement is an American disease, a return to the so-called "great" times popularized by far-right mouthpieces where women didn't work, didn't have access to bank accounts or credit cards, and lived solely to serve and please their husband as housecleaning brood mares. Think The Handmaid's Tale on a smaller, more individualized scale, but with more 1950s pastiche and a hell of a lot more romanticizing than actually exists. And like all such diseases, it spreads, virulently and rapidly, ofttimes catching the infected unawares until it's much too late.
Tradwife is built by anger, and that anger suffuses each page of the narrative. Parker's rage at the violent, misogynistic systems put into place by the world's most powerful and corrupt men -- not to mention the women that have betrayed their sisters and co-opted themselves into willfully becoming a part of such institutions -- is incandescent, and rightfully so. This is a necessary rage, not to mention an essential new Resistance read, and those responsible for creating it have only themselves to blame.
The Tradwife movement can easily be seen as the endgame of right-wing politics, and Parker uses this topic to explore, in-depth, the associations between online influencers, Christian conservatism, white supremacy, misogyny, abuse, rape, and the complete debasement of a woman's personhood under the rule of a central authoritarian male figure. How she goes about it in Tradwife is a little bit genius, too. Rather than presenting all this in the form of a straight-forward cult thriller, Parker instead tackles the subject from the perspective of true crime, albeit one that's largely fictional yet spun whole-cloth from our sad reality. It's next to impossible, in fact, to find the line separating fiction from reality here, save for the small piece of wish fulfillment granted by the concept that somebody lurking in the shadows might possibly save us all from this alt-right horror show.
Parker utilizes a smart framing technique to kick things off. Through a series of emails from a woman named Jags to magazine editor Helen, we learn that Jag's wife, Gina Lewis, has gone missing and nobody's the least bit wise to her whereabouts. The only clues to her disappearance lie in the manuscript Gina has been writing for Helen revolving around the cold case murders at the House of Solomon's Tradwife community. We're then presented with the found documents Gina has been piecing together, including her unfinished manuscript, interview transcripts, message board postings, emails, and the like. Given the topics at play throughout Tradwife, it's safe to say there's trigger warnings galore throughout, beginning with Gina's recounting of the House of Solomon crime scene and the bloody dismemberments of the victims that occurred during dinner there.
Throughout the course of Gina's manuscript, we get a vivid accounting on the Tradwife players -- the abusive husbands, their victims, and accomplices -- as well as the politics and social media sanewashing that have helped foster this particular movement. We also get a sharp sense of who Gina is, both as a reporter and an individual, thanks to Parker's savvy use of footnotes throughout the manuscript. In notes to Helen, Gina recounts some of her own experiences as the daughter of an ex-cult member who raised her in similar circumstances, adding an intriguing extra layer of personal baggage to her investigation of the murders.
Originally scheduled for release in the spring of 2025, Parker opted to move forward the publication of Tradwife by a good six month in response to the US election. It's a smart move, given how thirsty many of us are currently for women's rage in response to the election of a racist rapist and convicted felon responsible for stacking the Supreme Court in order to eliminate women's rights. As Tradwife makes clear throughout, what happens in the United States is not the least bit confined to American borders -- our elections have consequences to the wider world, and the reach of our homegrown billionaire fascists and 72 million nitwits know no such boundaries anyway. The Tradwife movement is an American disease, a return to the so-called "great" times popularized by far-right mouthpieces where women didn't work, didn't have access to bank accounts or credit cards, and lived solely to serve and please their husband as housecleaning brood mares. Think The Handmaid's Tale on a smaller, more individualized scale, but with more 1950s pastiche and a hell of a lot more romanticizing than actually exists. And like all such diseases, it spreads, virulently and rapidly, ofttimes catching the infected unawares until it's much too late.
Tradwife is built by anger, and that anger suffuses each page of the narrative. Parker's rage at the violent, misogynistic systems put into place by the world's most powerful and corrupt men -- not to mention the women that have betrayed their sisters and co-opted themselves into willfully becoming a part of such institutions -- is incandescent, and rightfully so. This is a necessary rage, not to mention an essential new Resistance read, and those responsible for creating it have only themselves to blame.
December 8, 2024
The truly terrifying thing about this faux true crime book, is that it's so staggeringly believable, and dealing with one of the most frightening cultural phenomena of our times in the tradwife/tradlife movement.
With the typical stunning prose and page-turning hooks I've come to expect from TC Parker's work, I devoured this book in three sessions over a few days.
There's tragedy here, in the manipulated, as well as the purest form of human horror in those using the tradlife to enact staggeringly evil acts. Then there's the rage.
A stunning book for and of our times.
With the typical stunning prose and page-turning hooks I've come to expect from TC Parker's work, I devoured this book in three sessions over a few days.
There's tragedy here, in the manipulated, as well as the purest form of human horror in those using the tradlife to enact staggeringly evil acts. Then there's the rage.
A stunning book for and of our times.
November 14, 2024
Peroxide will get those bloodstains right out but Tradwife will linger in my psyche for eternity. Both terrifying and inspiring, this true crime inspired novel will leave you absolutely shook. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on my roast.
December 17, 2024
This is one of those books that reels you in with a horrific murder scene, creeps up on you as you learn more about the victims and then bam it hits you with all the feels when you find out that actually maybe they were not the real victims after all...
TC Parker delivers her message in such a clever package, allowing the reader to slowly absorb what we are dealing with. The real horror is not in this work of fiction but those faced in the real world. It holds a mirror up to the movements of toxic femininity, toxic masculinity, and misogyny that seem to be sweeping forth. Be angry.
The story ends in a satisfying way but yet leaves you thinking more needs to be done. It is a thought-provoking book for modern times and has a powerful message that needs to be shared. We need to stay angry.
With huge thanks to Nefarious Bat Press for providing a copy of the book. This is my honest review, which I'm leaving voluntarily.
TC Parker delivers her message in such a clever package, allowing the reader to slowly absorb what we are dealing with. The real horror is not in this work of fiction but those faced in the real world. It holds a mirror up to the movements of toxic femininity, toxic masculinity, and misogyny that seem to be sweeping forth. Be angry.
The story ends in a satisfying way but yet leaves you thinking more needs to be done. It is a thought-provoking book for modern times and has a powerful message that needs to be shared. We need to stay angry.
With huge thanks to Nefarious Bat Press for providing a copy of the book. This is my honest review, which I'm leaving voluntarily.
December 11, 2024
I read this in December, just after another unpleasant American presidential election. It's not exactly holiday reading, but for our time, it's certainly relevant. TC Parker wrote this as a wake-up call and, as I imagine, somewhat of a therapeutic rant. If you aren't aware of the barely, if at all hidden, conservative right-wing agenda, it is insidious, and this book will open your eyes.
It is written as a non-fiction style account of a fictional event, with an author researching for her book on what led up to a mass murder in the Heart of Solomon tradwife community located in the UK. It is worth understanding that though this is fiction, it is clearly drawing on the sordid reality that we live in, to paint a picture of the varied thought processes, goals, and overall trajectories that pave one's path to accepting and participating in the types of behavior and commitment it takes to join such an isolated society. Patriarchy, misogyny, and abuse (in many forms), under the guise of biblical teaching, because naturally this is what god has divined [end sarcasm], are rampant and ultimately, for the Heart of Solomon, end in death.
Parker is, as always, intellectual, and nonchalant in this piece. Written as a manuscript draft including interviews, research, citations, email exchanges, etc., to give a well-rounded informative approach to the unsolved murder case and the breeding ground in which this detestable kinship can fester.
I do not usually read much in the way of non-fiction and, because that is how this was written, I was a bit slower getting through most of it. It was predicated on the book's author having disappeared during her investigation. The last third added everything up and the pace increased as mysteries were uncovered. We get a complete ending that is disturbing in its authenticity and leaves me with an uneasy feeling about current times, in which something like this could easily be a reality. I was not blindsided by the information presented herein, but it did give a broader worldview of the machinations at work.
Do yourself a favor and read this or if you prefer ignorance, don't. I personally highly recommend this work by TC Parker as well as her other queer horror fiction. I would categorize this true crime fiction, non-fiction-style book as absolute horror in a more terrifying way than supernatural horrors could ever be.
I advise you to heed the trigger warnings.
#tradwife #conservative #religiousoppression #abuse #truecrime #fiction #corruption #queer #UK
I received this free ARC from the author. This is my honest opinion.
It is written as a non-fiction style account of a fictional event, with an author researching for her book on what led up to a mass murder in the Heart of Solomon tradwife community located in the UK. It is worth understanding that though this is fiction, it is clearly drawing on the sordid reality that we live in, to paint a picture of the varied thought processes, goals, and overall trajectories that pave one's path to accepting and participating in the types of behavior and commitment it takes to join such an isolated society. Patriarchy, misogyny, and abuse (in many forms), under the guise of biblical teaching, because naturally this is what god has divined [end sarcasm], are rampant and ultimately, for the Heart of Solomon, end in death.
Parker is, as always, intellectual, and nonchalant in this piece. Written as a manuscript draft including interviews, research, citations, email exchanges, etc., to give a well-rounded informative approach to the unsolved murder case and the breeding ground in which this detestable kinship can fester.
I do not usually read much in the way of non-fiction and, because that is how this was written, I was a bit slower getting through most of it. It was predicated on the book's author having disappeared during her investigation. The last third added everything up and the pace increased as mysteries were uncovered. We get a complete ending that is disturbing in its authenticity and leaves me with an uneasy feeling about current times, in which something like this could easily be a reality. I was not blindsided by the information presented herein, but it did give a broader worldview of the machinations at work.
Do yourself a favor and read this or if you prefer ignorance, don't. I personally highly recommend this work by TC Parker as well as her other queer horror fiction. I would categorize this true crime fiction, non-fiction-style book as absolute horror in a more terrifying way than supernatural horrors could ever be.
I advise you to heed the trigger warnings.
#tradwife #conservative #religiousoppression #abuse #truecrime #fiction #corruption #queer #UK
I received this free ARC from the author. This is my honest opinion.
November 8, 2025
I’m pretty sure many of us at one time or another may have joked about wanting to be a “tradwife” on mornings when we don’t feel like going to work. But that’s all it is—a joke. The real concept of the tradwife movement is not as simple as society makes it out to be. On the surface, it’s about embracing domesticity and traditional gender roles. Dig deeper, and you may find rot: the nostalgia for an era soaked in racism, sexism, control, and abuse disguised as morality. It’s the 1950s fantasy repackaged for modern times, complete with the same old dangers.
In Tradwife, we enter the heart of Solomon via interviews, a community that prides itself on “traditional values.” What unfolds is a mystery and an unsettling look at the dynamics between couples who live by those rules and the violence and hypocrisy that lurk beneath their polished image of purity. Written in a true crime–style narrative, the story pulls you into a mystery that feels disturbingly real, and intentionally so.
I’m keeping this vague on purpose, because uncovering the mystery is half the experience. This isn’t a comforting read; it’s a social dissection dressed as a thriller.
January 4, 2025
A tour de force, brutally honest, unflinching page turner from TC Parker. A terrifying premise that hits really close to home right now after this latest election. This is a must read book, perfect for these mad times we find ourselves living in.
December 4, 2024
With her trademark razor sharp social commentary, T C Parker delivers a masterfully crafted story for our times. Unapologetically brutal in its narration of a fictitious account that could well be horrifically true, Parker pulls no punches in exposing the cancerous poison of the Tradwife movement. It's a scream in the face of religious fascism and misogyny erupting around the globe, its message a chilling forewarning of the dangers of societal complacency. If any book should be required reading for everyone, it's this one. All the stars!
November 23, 2024
eARC
I'm not a true crime girlie, but I love a good found footage novel. This book is laid out in a series of emails, a partial manuscript, and more–all focusing on a missing writer and a gruesome mass murder.
I honestly got so wrapped up in the manuscript I kept forgetting about the missing author, until the footnotes at the end of each chapter, where I'd be pulled back into the mystery-within-a-mystery.
This was SO good.
I'm not a true crime girlie, but I love a good found footage novel. This book is laid out in a series of emails, a partial manuscript, and more–all focusing on a missing writer and a gruesome mass murder.
I honestly got so wrapped up in the manuscript I kept forgetting about the missing author, until the footnotes at the end of each chapter, where I'd be pulled back into the mystery-within-a-mystery.
This was SO good.
July 8, 2025
I had the very great pleasure of editing Tradwife for T.C.Parker, a writer with an erudition grasp of the English language, combined with a lesbian warrior’s rage and moral compass. T.C., or Nat as I know her, believes Politics are everything - are in fact the core of all arguments, the defining attributes which make us human, and she weaponizes unfavourable politics in order to produce the most frighteningly real and plausible horror stories that grace the page in today’s horror community.
To whit: Tradwife.
I have deliberately withheld my review of Tradwife, having edited it, until such a time that my review would not be seen as favouritism, though I am most likely guilty of that, but instead reflect the already glowing praise that has been heaped upon the book by other reviewers.
Tradwife is horrible.
It’s that ugly uncovering of all too real racism, sexism, and homophobic bigotry that exists as reality all over the world, not least of which in America and England. You can almost see it as a glimpse into the not-too-distant future (our NOW, given the book was published in 2024) where active acts of rebellion are not only required, but to be silently applauded.
“A book for our times” would not be too bold a statement. It really should be required reading. Female rage has never been so opportune. And so needed.
I won’t go into the plot. Others will have covered that. What I will say is that the structure of Tradwife is a thing of beauty. Written in epistolary form, it presents itself almost as a scientific journal – an exploration into a crime committed, and a breakdown of the events that led up to said crime in an attempt to understand the chain that led to it’s tragic conclusion (if one can apply that word to the crime – no teasers – I’ll say no more). It tells the tale from an emotionally distant perspective, all the better to make the reader more emotionally involved.
Like an ugly, dead baby, it demands your complete focus, as layer after layer of skin is peeled back during the autopsy, the book flayed raw by Nat’s insistence we face the ugly undercurrents of our own society – how the church has weaponized sexism, how politics can be twisted to serve older, prehistoric notions of a woman’s “place” in society, and the requirements those politicians demand of women – namely to shut up and breed. Preferably following the commands of their husbands. Who know best.
Feeling anything yet?
Tradwife is a book that will make you angry. It will provoke, it will make you disgusted. It will make you want to hurt institutions. T.C. has written a book that – like the politics it addresses – will not go away after you have read it. It will make you look at the present American and English governing bodies, their leaders, and recognize the deeply hidden but sexist, racist, and evangelically weaponized core values of people in exactly the wrong positions of power.
It will, in short, make you want to rebel. T.C. is asking you to join the rebellion.
Like I did.
So, read it. I dare you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To whit: Tradwife.
I have deliberately withheld my review of Tradwife, having edited it, until such a time that my review would not be seen as favouritism, though I am most likely guilty of that, but instead reflect the already glowing praise that has been heaped upon the book by other reviewers.
Tradwife is horrible.
It’s that ugly uncovering of all too real racism, sexism, and homophobic bigotry that exists as reality all over the world, not least of which in America and England. You can almost see it as a glimpse into the not-too-distant future (our NOW, given the book was published in 2024) where active acts of rebellion are not only required, but to be silently applauded.
“A book for our times” would not be too bold a statement. It really should be required reading. Female rage has never been so opportune. And so needed.
I won’t go into the plot. Others will have covered that. What I will say is that the structure of Tradwife is a thing of beauty. Written in epistolary form, it presents itself almost as a scientific journal – an exploration into a crime committed, and a breakdown of the events that led up to said crime in an attempt to understand the chain that led to it’s tragic conclusion (if one can apply that word to the crime – no teasers – I’ll say no more). It tells the tale from an emotionally distant perspective, all the better to make the reader more emotionally involved.
Like an ugly, dead baby, it demands your complete focus, as layer after layer of skin is peeled back during the autopsy, the book flayed raw by Nat’s insistence we face the ugly undercurrents of our own society – how the church has weaponized sexism, how politics can be twisted to serve older, prehistoric notions of a woman’s “place” in society, and the requirements those politicians demand of women – namely to shut up and breed. Preferably following the commands of their husbands. Who know best.
Feeling anything yet?
Tradwife is a book that will make you angry. It will provoke, it will make you disgusted. It will make you want to hurt institutions. T.C. has written a book that – like the politics it addresses – will not go away after you have read it. It will make you look at the present American and English governing bodies, their leaders, and recognize the deeply hidden but sexist, racist, and evangelically weaponized core values of people in exactly the wrong positions of power.
It will, in short, make you want to rebel. T.C. is asking you to join the rebellion.
Like I did.
So, read it. I dare you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 13, 2025
We follow Gina in Parker’s latest offering; a writer trying to uncover the truth behind the 6 gorily murdered members of a tradwife-community years before.
The Stepford wives merges with true crime in this engaging (and enraging) read handling topics of the day like: trad-lifestyle, cult-think and christofascism . Possibly the most zeitgeist epistolary novel I’ve come across -and a deeply cathartic one in the world we currently find ourselves in. Although there’s a palpable rage running through this novel, I was also greatly pleased to see the inclusivity of it (do *not* mess around with old ladies nor assume that the marginalized can’t partake in evil acts) and it’s empathetic handling of what is ultimately a very complicated societal issue.
If you’re looking to connect with a solid dose of justified female rage that manages to paint an eerily true-to life picture of the result of christofascism then look no further. In the meantime, I’ll try to soothe myself. Few people are able to elicit feelings in me like Parker is. If you haven’t read any of her stuff yet, you really should rectify that. Saltblood might still be my personal favorite, but this is also *bloody good* and possibly an even better starting point for new readers due to the political climate.
The Stepford wives merges with true crime in this engaging (and enraging) read handling topics of the day like: trad-lifestyle, cult-think and christofascism . Possibly the most zeitgeist epistolary novel I’ve come across -and a deeply cathartic one in the world we currently find ourselves in. Although there’s a palpable rage running through this novel, I was also greatly pleased to see the inclusivity of it (do *not* mess around with old ladies nor assume that the marginalized can’t partake in evil acts) and it’s empathetic handling of what is ultimately a very complicated societal issue.
If you’re looking to connect with a solid dose of justified female rage that manages to paint an eerily true-to life picture of the result of christofascism then look no further. In the meantime, I’ll try to soothe myself. Few people are able to elicit feelings in me like Parker is. If you haven’t read any of her stuff yet, you really should rectify that. Saltblood might still be my personal favorite, but this is also *bloody good* and possibly an even better starting point for new readers due to the political climate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2025
When you think about books that depict female rage, you almost expect some tale of rampage or fantastical story made of alegories and analogies.
Tradwife is none of that. It's angry, rightfully so, and not only does it know why it's angry, it shows you in horrifying detail.
The text not only puts the spotlight on institutional misogyny but also draws severe criticism at influencer culture and the misuse of social media. The story is detailed to the point of being gory, violent, abrupt, and unapologetically enraged.
T.C. Parker held no prisoners. Her critique aimed and struck true on so many weapons used by the patriarchy, including the willing participation of women who never found the strength (or never wanted to) to fight against a system that dehumanise them.
Extremely triggering at points and a heavy read throughout, Tradwife with its true crime, faux nonfiction format, is a wonderful insight on how many women feel every day in the world we live in today. It's a poignant story that is unfortunately extremely contemporary and terribly necessary.
Tradwife is none of that. It's angry, rightfully so, and not only does it know why it's angry, it shows you in horrifying detail.
The text not only puts the spotlight on institutional misogyny but also draws severe criticism at influencer culture and the misuse of social media. The story is detailed to the point of being gory, violent, abrupt, and unapologetically enraged.
T.C. Parker held no prisoners. Her critique aimed and struck true on so many weapons used by the patriarchy, including the willing participation of women who never found the strength (or never wanted to) to fight against a system that dehumanise them.
Extremely triggering at points and a heavy read throughout, Tradwife with its true crime, faux nonfiction format, is a wonderful insight on how many women feel every day in the world we live in today. It's a poignant story that is unfortunately extremely contemporary and terribly necessary.
December 5, 2024
Tradwife is angry. And do you know what else? It knows EXACTLY why it's angry, and that's half the battle.
TC Parker has created something special here. She's mad as hell and she's telling you exactly why with an intricately crafted tale that's as much entertaining as it is insightful.
This isn't a throw away manifesto of feminine rage, it's a story of someone uncovering just how insidious life can be when left unchecked to the wants of the bully's with only their own interests in mind, all wrapped up in a fascinating horror-mystery. It WILL keep you guessing until the satisfying end. (And maybe beyond. Look for the clues.)
Make no mistake, this is a story where the horror is in how close to home it hits. It breaths down your neck as you read and by the end, you'll want to get on that ride again. (I promise you'll discover a completely different reading experience on a second run through!)
🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️ out of 🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️ inappropriately jiving housewives.
TC Parker has created something special here. She's mad as hell and she's telling you exactly why with an intricately crafted tale that's as much entertaining as it is insightful.
This isn't a throw away manifesto of feminine rage, it's a story of someone uncovering just how insidious life can be when left unchecked to the wants of the bully's with only their own interests in mind, all wrapped up in a fascinating horror-mystery. It WILL keep you guessing until the satisfying end. (And maybe beyond. Look for the clues.)
Make no mistake, this is a story where the horror is in how close to home it hits. It breaths down your neck as you read and by the end, you'll want to get on that ride again. (I promise you'll discover a completely different reading experience on a second run through!)
🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️ out of 🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️🙅♀️ inappropriately jiving housewives.
November 17, 2024
Review to come.
January 20, 2025
Very cool method of writing. I was utterly intrigued for the entire book.
November 12, 2024
On the 21st of September 2019, two married couples – Jason and Aisling Wilson, and Brendan and Rebecca Cooper – attended a dinner party at the home of a third couple, Freddie and Nadine Taylor at the Heart of Solomon, a traditional community. They were slaughtered and their bodies have still not been found. This is the story as written by author Gina who is currently missing whereabouts unknown.
Well this is timely, a trad wife community in the countryside of Nottingham, a murder mystery told in multimedia format with interviews, emails and background information on the couples, the rise of traditional family values and those involved in it. It has Stepford Wives vibes and is chilling!
This shines a searchlight on the underlying darkness of this movement, the abuse, the manipulation, the misogyny and misandry, the racism, narcissism and homophobia. The perfect 50’s life being just a veneer over the fetid perversions of the leaders and the people who abide by the rules and force others to comply.
At its heart it is a treatise on the growing fear of right wing fundamentalism, its hatred of women and the queer community disguised as traditional values. It is also an incredible work of fiction that will have you desperate to know what happens next.
A petri dish of femicide that will infuriate, fascinate and have you hoping for retribution. Honestly one of the best things I have read in years, read it, get informed and lean into the fury.
Well this is timely, a trad wife community in the countryside of Nottingham, a murder mystery told in multimedia format with interviews, emails and background information on the couples, the rise of traditional family values and those involved in it. It has Stepford Wives vibes and is chilling!
This shines a searchlight on the underlying darkness of this movement, the abuse, the manipulation, the misogyny and misandry, the racism, narcissism and homophobia. The perfect 50’s life being just a veneer over the fetid perversions of the leaders and the people who abide by the rules and force others to comply.
At its heart it is a treatise on the growing fear of right wing fundamentalism, its hatred of women and the queer community disguised as traditional values. It is also an incredible work of fiction that will have you desperate to know what happens next.
A petri dish of femicide that will infuriate, fascinate and have you hoping for retribution. Honestly one of the best things I have read in years, read it, get informed and lean into the fury.
November 16, 2024
Five years ago, a horrific massacre took place at an enclosed 'traditional marriage' community - how? Why? And how and why did the community happen? And has the author working on a true crime book stepped into something darker and stranger than she expected?
If you like social horror, crime, & simmering anger, you'll want to get hold of this one: an epistolary novel of 1st drafts, emails, & transcripts that starts with brutal murders and gets darker from there, because the murders aren't real but the 'trad' stuff Parker's digging into is all too real. The author in the book is angry about what she's uncovering, the author writing the book is angry, and you'll be angry.
If you like social horror, crime, & simmering anger, you'll want to get hold of this one: an epistolary novel of 1st drafts, emails, & transcripts that starts with brutal murders and gets darker from there, because the murders aren't real but the 'trad' stuff Parker's digging into is all too real. The author in the book is angry about what she's uncovering, the author writing the book is angry, and you'll be angry.
December 9, 2024
Tradwife wasn't what I was expecting. From the synopsis, I was expecting a horror filled read about author Gina Lewis' descent into a darkening community of murder and mayhem. While I thought the format of a book within a book was unique, I didn't get the horror mayhem that I was expecting.
This book sets itself up as a very interesting fiction non-fiction "true crime" story, and I fell into it more as a mystery rather than a horror. Because I was so focused on the whodunnit factor and was reading it as I would a murder mystery/thriller, I missed out on the feminine rage and righteous fury that I was supposed to feel.
I was really surprised that Gina was able to dig up anything about Becky and Shannon's juvenile records, let alone have any intention of publishing those into public record. This could just be a disconnect between justice systems in different countries, but juvenile records are typically sealed and inaccessible without a Court order unsealing them. Any juvenile criminal history or detention shouldn't be public record of any kind or readily available for someone to find, so that took me out of the story a lot.
Living in a country where you grow up hearing senastionalized stories of Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, The Boston Stangler, etc. and where it seems every day there's a new story on the news of a school shooting or a mass killing, this didn't hit as hard as I think it was intended. While the actions done by those integral to the Tradwife commune in this story were horrible, it felt more abstract to me because the story of the murders was told as something that had already happened and that I should already be familiar with.
It was also hard for me to get into this entirely with all the potshots taken at America throughout the book. Mentions of twisted American ideals, how racist America is, blaming the American woman for bringing her overlyreligious, bible-thumping American values to her husband, etc. made me feel like the author was focusing more on hating America than articulating how these couples ended up graphically murdered. These problems exist in just about every culture and, while America unfortunately may be the loudest about it, it's not the only place that these issues have been present and horrible things have been done in the name of.
While a poignant story of what can happen when traditional values are taken to the extreme, I just couldn't immerse into this as much as I thought I would. I had too many hangups on certain things in the story that made it hard for me to fully enjoy it. I felt too much time was spent bashing on America and the traditional marriage community as a whole, rather than focusing on how this group twisted those values to the extreme and corrupted them from what they originally stood for.
Even I, one of the most independent women I know, have days where I'd like nothing more than for someone to take care of everything so I can stay home and not have any worries, but that doesn't make me a terrible human being or a traitor to my gender. It just makes me human. While a Tradwife lifestyle definitely wouldn't be my choice, as Joanna said in the book, it's still a choice that women are able to make for a variety of reasons and nothing to be ashamed of unless it gets corrupted like what happened in this commune.
This one didn't necessarily hit for me, but I can definitely see where it would resonate for others.
This book sets itself up as a very interesting fiction non-fiction "true crime" story, and I fell into it more as a mystery rather than a horror. Because I was so focused on the whodunnit factor and was reading it as I would a murder mystery/thriller, I missed out on the feminine rage and righteous fury that I was supposed to feel.
I was really surprised that Gina was able to dig up anything about Becky and Shannon's juvenile records, let alone have any intention of publishing those into public record. This could just be a disconnect between justice systems in different countries, but juvenile records are typically sealed and inaccessible without a Court order unsealing them. Any juvenile criminal history or detention shouldn't be public record of any kind or readily available for someone to find, so that took me out of the story a lot.
Living in a country where you grow up hearing senastionalized stories of Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, The Boston Stangler, etc. and where it seems every day there's a new story on the news of a school shooting or a mass killing, this didn't hit as hard as I think it was intended. While the actions done by those integral to the Tradwife commune in this story were horrible, it felt more abstract to me because the story of the murders was told as something that had already happened and that I should already be familiar with.
It was also hard for me to get into this entirely with all the potshots taken at America throughout the book. Mentions of twisted American ideals, how racist America is, blaming the American woman for bringing her overlyreligious, bible-thumping American values to her husband, etc. made me feel like the author was focusing more on hating America than articulating how these couples ended up graphically murdered. These problems exist in just about every culture and, while America unfortunately may be the loudest about it, it's not the only place that these issues have been present and horrible things have been done in the name of.
While a poignant story of what can happen when traditional values are taken to the extreme, I just couldn't immerse into this as much as I thought I would. I had too many hangups on certain things in the story that made it hard for me to fully enjoy it. I felt too much time was spent bashing on America and the traditional marriage community as a whole, rather than focusing on how this group twisted those values to the extreme and corrupted them from what they originally stood for.
Even I, one of the most independent women I know, have days where I'd like nothing more than for someone to take care of everything so I can stay home and not have any worries, but that doesn't make me a terrible human being or a traitor to my gender. It just makes me human. While a Tradwife lifestyle definitely wouldn't be my choice, as Joanna said in the book, it's still a choice that women are able to make for a variety of reasons and nothing to be ashamed of unless it gets corrupted like what happened in this commune.
This one didn't necessarily hit for me, but I can definitely see where it would resonate for others.
December 13, 2024
(rounded up from 4.5)
This was an incredibly convincing true crime account. It manages to sound like a legitimate work of investigative journalism, interweaving the history and social context of the TradWife and Traditional Marriage movements with themes of racism, sexism, queerness, and a shocking murder that is completely unsolved five years after the event.
I really enjoyed the way the research is laid out, focusing on one person or one event per chapter. Despite the large number of characters involved (six victims of the murder, friends and/or family interviewed for each of them, the person who did the interviewing, her wife who is looking for her, the editor/commissioner of this work, and public figures who are relevant to the story), it's easy to follow along and get a clear idea of who these people are and what is known about the crime and the circumstances leading up this community and this event.
If you're squeamish, it may be worth checking trigger warnings for this one but if you enjoy true crime, especially investigative journalist-style accounts, this is excellent.
This was an incredibly convincing true crime account. It manages to sound like a legitimate work of investigative journalism, interweaving the history and social context of the TradWife and Traditional Marriage movements with themes of racism, sexism, queerness, and a shocking murder that is completely unsolved five years after the event.
I really enjoyed the way the research is laid out, focusing on one person or one event per chapter. Despite the large number of characters involved (six victims of the murder, friends and/or family interviewed for each of them, the person who did the interviewing, her wife who is looking for her, the editor/commissioner of this work, and public figures who are relevant to the story), it's easy to follow along and get a clear idea of who these people are and what is known about the crime and the circumstances leading up this community and this event.
If you're squeamish, it may be worth checking trigger warnings for this one but if you enjoy true crime, especially investigative journalist-style accounts, this is excellent.
December 10, 2024
I'm trying to figure out where to begin with this review.
Bookended around an unfinished manuscript Tradwife goes a step further than epistolary mock-true crime into found footage/file territory. Framing the narrative in this way is something that is starting to take off recently and I am absolutely here for it. I'm a sucker for everything I just said anyway so my bias works in this book's favor here.
The addition of the footnotes not only lends a little bit extra to the manuscript Gina left behind, but adds character lore smoothly to Gina that would have otherwise felt wedged-in as well as credibility to the manuscript itself as a non-fiction novel. It's such a small thing (that took a lot of work. Hella props to formatting and the editing team for that one) that adds SO much to the overall story.
The denouement, as it were, starts a bit convoluted but ultimately lets the pieces fall into place by the finish. Personally, I would have left out maybe the last two sections, definitely the last section to end the entirety of Tradwife on a sharp note, but it fits the format and I get it. Just a personal preference.
Another thing is that in the first half of Gina's manuscript, I noticed America catches a lot of strays. The majority are well deserved. The ones that lost me were the ones in tandem with the UK. For instance, it felt odd to me that a white-presenting woman with a black father would be blind to the systemic racism in London. And even if that was left to be believed, Gina's own experiences would lend themselves to her adding a footnote expressing that. Instead the narrative just leaves us to believe that racism in London is a rare and shocking thing, which unfortunately, it just isn't.
Just a nitpick that I didn't mean to take up such a large block. Like I said, America didn't need to be hit less, but the UK definitely should have been hit more.
Anyway, nitpicks aside, the structure of this story mixed with the tone of a true crime podcast/special made this an all-around enjoyable read. The characters were (sadly) believable and the events (SADLY) realistic. Just enough horror elements to string you along while slowly unravelling a mystery with poignant commentary on the state of an extremist ideology.
As another reviewer pointed out, no there isn't a problem with a woman choosing to be a housewife and tend to the home, if that is what both members of the relationship consent to and both parties are being treated as humans, with respect. However, there is a difference between that and the stereotypical #tradlife mentality that is being used to essentially brainwash people who just want a little hope in the world. And I think Parker nailed that completely.
Five stars. My nitpicks weren't enough to change that. Parker is a phenomenal writer and this was an absolute dread turned hopepunk blast.
Bookended around an unfinished manuscript Tradwife goes a step further than epistolary mock-true crime into found footage/file territory. Framing the narrative in this way is something that is starting to take off recently and I am absolutely here for it. I'm a sucker for everything I just said anyway so my bias works in this book's favor here.
The addition of the footnotes not only lends a little bit extra to the manuscript Gina left behind, but adds character lore smoothly to Gina that would have otherwise felt wedged-in as well as credibility to the manuscript itself as a non-fiction novel. It's such a small thing (that took a lot of work. Hella props to formatting and the editing team for that one) that adds SO much to the overall story.
The denouement, as it were, starts a bit convoluted but ultimately lets the pieces fall into place by the finish. Personally, I would have left out maybe the last two sections, definitely the last section to end the entirety of Tradwife on a sharp note, but it fits the format and I get it. Just a personal preference.
Another thing is that in the first half of Gina's manuscript, I noticed America catches a lot of strays. The majority are well deserved. The ones that lost me were the ones in tandem with the UK. For instance, it felt odd to me that a white-presenting woman with a black father would be blind to the systemic racism in London. And even if that was left to be believed, Gina's own experiences would lend themselves to her adding a footnote expressing that. Instead the narrative just leaves us to believe that racism in London is a rare and shocking thing, which unfortunately, it just isn't.
Just a nitpick that I didn't mean to take up such a large block. Like I said, America didn't need to be hit less, but the UK definitely should have been hit more.
Anyway, nitpicks aside, the structure of this story mixed with the tone of a true crime podcast/special made this an all-around enjoyable read. The characters were (sadly) believable and the events (SADLY) realistic. Just enough horror elements to string you along while slowly unravelling a mystery with poignant commentary on the state of an extremist ideology.
As another reviewer pointed out, no there isn't a problem with a woman choosing to be a housewife and tend to the home, if that is what both members of the relationship consent to and both parties are being treated as humans, with respect. However, there is a difference between that and the stereotypical #tradlife mentality that is being used to essentially brainwash people who just want a little hope in the world. And I think Parker nailed that completely.
Five stars. My nitpicks weren't enough to change that. Parker is a phenomenal writer and this was an absolute dread turned hopepunk blast.
November 27, 2024
This book was due to be published in May 2025. It’s been moved forward to December 2024, and it’s not hard to see why.
This is an angry book. It’s fierce, unflinching and absolutely authentic. I can easily imagine it being ‘based on real events’ (it’s not; at least not yet).
The documentary style is akin to ‘found footage’, giving a sense of truth while adding footnotes as a peek behind the curtain to the narrator, who soon becomes a character in her own right. It’s impossible not to feel engaged with these events as the story unfolds - not least because I live close to several of the locations mentioned!
We might initially feel sorry for those who clearly suffered at the hands of a mysterious assailant with a grudge. As the story goes on, this changes, and by the end I felt very differently.
Sidenote: I’ve worked in prisons. I’ve met real murderers. It’s not at all Agatha Christie - it’s far more like this. Because the true villains of this piece are indisputably those who died.
This is the clever, cutting satire that is ‘Tradwife’. We are presented with a situation that should be clear-cut - a terrible unsolved crime - which then blossoms into something far more complex. The ethics and motivations of far-right, idealised 1950s-lifestylers is challenged, bringing forward the effect of such propaganda on women and their families. The damage caused by those who are themselves pretty messed-up is unquestionable, yet we see glimpses of Reddit-analogue chats discussing events as if they were indeed fiction. I’ve no doubt that this happens.
This also manages to be an easy read, despite the subject matter. The chatty, genuine tone of our narrator is almost entertaining, pulling me into the journey of just ‘whodunnit’ and why. There’s no shortage of suspects or motivations, and it’s impossible not to engage with what might once have seemed impossible circumstances. I needed to find out just what was going on, and I’m glad to say that the conclusion is very satisfying.
In a world with ‘incels’, with a woman on trial in France for the crimes of her husband and community, where men claim ‘Your body, my choice’, this book is so very needed. Not necessarily as a call to arms, but as a fictionalisation of what could absolutely happen. We’re a breath away from this particular Twilight Zone. The system that we have isn’t prepared for such situations and needs to change, but until then, we have our creativity to raise voices and challenge, to inspire and provoke thought.
What would we do in this situation, but also what can we do to prevent it?
This is one of the most enduring, thoughtful books I’ve read in a while, and it deserves to stand with ‘The Handmaids Tale’ and so many other feminist and queer books as a kick in the complacency as we head into difficult times.
Buy it, read it, gift it, think on it. Then consider how to raise your voice too.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
This is an angry book. It’s fierce, unflinching and absolutely authentic. I can easily imagine it being ‘based on real events’ (it’s not; at least not yet).
The documentary style is akin to ‘found footage’, giving a sense of truth while adding footnotes as a peek behind the curtain to the narrator, who soon becomes a character in her own right. It’s impossible not to feel engaged with these events as the story unfolds - not least because I live close to several of the locations mentioned!
We might initially feel sorry for those who clearly suffered at the hands of a mysterious assailant with a grudge. As the story goes on, this changes, and by the end I felt very differently.
Sidenote: I’ve worked in prisons. I’ve met real murderers. It’s not at all Agatha Christie - it’s far more like this. Because the true villains of this piece are indisputably those who died.
This is the clever, cutting satire that is ‘Tradwife’. We are presented with a situation that should be clear-cut - a terrible unsolved crime - which then blossoms into something far more complex. The ethics and motivations of far-right, idealised 1950s-lifestylers is challenged, bringing forward the effect of such propaganda on women and their families. The damage caused by those who are themselves pretty messed-up is unquestionable, yet we see glimpses of Reddit-analogue chats discussing events as if they were indeed fiction. I’ve no doubt that this happens.
This also manages to be an easy read, despite the subject matter. The chatty, genuine tone of our narrator is almost entertaining, pulling me into the journey of just ‘whodunnit’ and why. There’s no shortage of suspects or motivations, and it’s impossible not to engage with what might once have seemed impossible circumstances. I needed to find out just what was going on, and I’m glad to say that the conclusion is very satisfying.
In a world with ‘incels’, with a woman on trial in France for the crimes of her husband and community, where men claim ‘Your body, my choice’, this book is so very needed. Not necessarily as a call to arms, but as a fictionalisation of what could absolutely happen. We’re a breath away from this particular Twilight Zone. The system that we have isn’t prepared for such situations and needs to change, but until then, we have our creativity to raise voices and challenge, to inspire and provoke thought.
What would we do in this situation, but also what can we do to prevent it?
This is one of the most enduring, thoughtful books I’ve read in a while, and it deserves to stand with ‘The Handmaids Tale’ and so many other feminist and queer books as a kick in the complacency as we head into difficult times.
Buy it, read it, gift it, think on it. Then consider how to raise your voice too.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
December 6, 2024
Tradwife is not just a book, it's a social and cultural phenomen that will literally smack you into the face with some very painful, pestering issues of the modern world, and it will do that with style, decency and passion. And TC's passion and anger at the injustice of the facts presented in the story is seeping through every pore of the book.
I actually had to stop and ask TC if this was fiction on non-fiction, because some of the issues mentioned are so raw and painful and so in sync with the world's bleeding wounds.
I come from a country were some of these issues are still going strong. And it hurts. Men still have "the woman has to stay at home, in the kitchen" mentality and it affects the current social and political environment.
The current president elections seems to favour two political figures, out of which one is a woman. There's men critiquing her presence on the presidencial race, just because she is a woman, and they are unkind at the idea of living in a country, led by a woman. (Doesn't matter that Queen Elizabeth II of UK is one of the most famous, successful and prominent leaders in the world). According to men's mind, women are still not fit to lead.
Another issue my country faces is the excesive level of anti-gay mentality (which is another reason for which people are going against the female presidential candidate, she has declared she supports the gay community).
For these reasons, Tradwife has touched my soul and it is a story that will stick with me.
The level of hate in this story, against women and against everything they represent is extremely saddening and heartbreaking for me as a woman.
And the social hate aimed at minorities, regardless them being another skin color/ vs white people, or just imigrants in a foreign country is still painful. As an European imigrant in a country that voted yes for leaving the European Union, it's a wound that hasn't stopped bleeding.
I actually had to stop and ask TC if this was fiction on non-fiction, because some of the issues mentioned are so raw and painful and so in sync with the world's bleeding wounds.
I come from a country were some of these issues are still going strong. And it hurts. Men still have "the woman has to stay at home, in the kitchen" mentality and it affects the current social and political environment.
The current president elections seems to favour two political figures, out of which one is a woman. There's men critiquing her presence on the presidencial race, just because she is a woman, and they are unkind at the idea of living in a country, led by a woman. (Doesn't matter that Queen Elizabeth II of UK is one of the most famous, successful and prominent leaders in the world). According to men's mind, women are still not fit to lead.
Another issue my country faces is the excesive level of anti-gay mentality (which is another reason for which people are going against the female presidential candidate, she has declared she supports the gay community).
For these reasons, Tradwife has touched my soul and it is a story that will stick with me.
The level of hate in this story, against women and against everything they represent is extremely saddening and heartbreaking for me as a woman.
And the social hate aimed at minorities, regardless them being another skin color/ vs white people, or just imigrants in a foreign country is still painful. As an European imigrant in a country that voted yes for leaving the European Union, it's a wound that hasn't stopped bleeding.
December 15, 2025
I LOVED this. As a long-term member of the 'tradwife content haters club', ever since the lockdown increased their popularity, I already went in with high hopes based on the cover alone. (Yes, I judge by the cover, as I should because the artist worked hard & did a fantastic job!)
This title was actually a bookseller reccommendation that I found during Independent Bookstore Day, and I'm very pleased to report that the bookseller was correct to favorite it! The format is very unique - largely reading as a true crime manuscript, with creative in-character footnotes that let us get to know the author character, and then diving into audio transcripts, emails & social media transcripts. It's never confusing though, all well formatted and properly balanced so you feel drawn in to the mystery of it all and ride the high into the climactic reveals.
The content is a struggle because of how true it all can feel at times though. I applaud the book for having a genuine content warning list at the start, and how it let me mentally steel myself. It was very appreciated. T C Parker does a phenomenal job of blending fiction & reality to the extent where I am unembarrased to admit I caught myself googling character's names to be sure these weren't real people being referenced. The disclaimers can say what they will about persons living or dead, but terrifyingly I can picture many tradlife content creators who could fit a character bio or two within these pages.
I'm not getting too deep into details of the plot because I felt this book was so great largely because of how my expectations held no specifics. I didnt know anything beyond the cover, the book blurb, and that the bookseller enjoyed it. It made the ride so much better the more I discovered exactly what kind of story this was. It's, in my opinion, especially a story for women who have had to suffer & endure abuse of any kind. religious abuse, physical, et al... everyone can benefit from these types of stories, but I personally think it'll reach a unique place for those who have had to survive.
This title was actually a bookseller reccommendation that I found during Independent Bookstore Day, and I'm very pleased to report that the bookseller was correct to favorite it! The format is very unique - largely reading as a true crime manuscript, with creative in-character footnotes that let us get to know the author character, and then diving into audio transcripts, emails & social media transcripts. It's never confusing though, all well formatted and properly balanced so you feel drawn in to the mystery of it all and ride the high into the climactic reveals.
The content is a struggle because of how true it all can feel at times though. I applaud the book for having a genuine content warning list at the start, and how it let me mentally steel myself. It was very appreciated. T C Parker does a phenomenal job of blending fiction & reality to the extent where I am unembarrased to admit I caught myself googling character's names to be sure these weren't real people being referenced. The disclaimers can say what they will about persons living or dead, but terrifyingly I can picture many tradlife content creators who could fit a character bio or two within these pages.
I'm not getting too deep into details of the plot because I felt this book was so great largely because of how my expectations held no specifics. I didnt know anything beyond the cover, the book blurb, and that the bookseller enjoyed it. It made the ride so much better the more I discovered exactly what kind of story this was. It's, in my opinion, especially a story for women who have had to suffer & endure abuse of any kind. religious abuse, physical, et al... everyone can benefit from these types of stories, but I personally think it'll reach a unique place for those who have had to survive.
November 16, 2024
Tradwife is poignant, thought-provoking, and oh-so infuriating. TC Parker brings to life a story of feminine rage and bloody murder, with characters you'll love to hate. The Heart of Solomon murders - of three young (and seemingly happy) couples - occur in an idyllic (for some) 'tradwife' community. Picture this... You're sucked into the tradwife movement, thinking how lovely it would be to stay home and take care of your home, your husband, and your children. It sounds blissful (again, for some people). However, if you take a peek behind the net curtains, you'll see the reality of such a toxic community. Yes, feminism is about choice. But what happens when that 'choice' becomes warped into something nefarious? Something sinister? The picture-perfect couple may not be who you think they are.
Tradwife is told (beautifully!) through the unpublished manuscript of Gina Lewis, a journalist researching the Heart of Solomon murders. However, when Lewis goes missing, her partner Jag finds herself tumbling into a proverbial rabbit hole - desperate for answers, but fearing what she may find.
I devoured this book, not only because of the quality of the writing and storyline, but also because of the way Parker weaves in real-life, brutal examples of the toxicity of the tradwife community. If you're looking for a book that features feminine rage in the face of oppressive societies (and aren't we all right now), Tradwife is the book for you.
Tradwife is told (beautifully!) through the unpublished manuscript of Gina Lewis, a journalist researching the Heart of Solomon murders. However, when Lewis goes missing, her partner Jag finds herself tumbling into a proverbial rabbit hole - desperate for answers, but fearing what she may find.
I devoured this book, not only because of the quality of the writing and storyline, but also because of the way Parker weaves in real-life, brutal examples of the toxicity of the tradwife community. If you're looking for a book that features feminine rage in the face of oppressive societies (and aren't we all right now), Tradwife is the book for you.
November 25, 2024
T.C. Parker’s TRADWIFE is a clever, ruthless, and engrossing epistolary novel with a bloody mystery at its core: Who committed the gruesome Heart of Solomon murders at Britain’s first tradwife community?
Our narrator is Gina Lewis, a writer and sociologist, researching the infamous slaughter for a new book. Told via interview transcripts, book chapters, news articles, emails, and footnotes to Gina’s editor, the serpentine narrative uncoils itself efficiently over a taut 250-odd pages. The choice to structure the novel in epistolary form was inspired. It lends the book a compelling, ripped-from-the-headlines vérité quality that blurs the line between true crime and fiction, while offering plenty of opportunity for Parker to skewer the misogyny, exploitation, and sexual violence at the heart of the real-world tradwife movement. As we discover the sordid backstories of each of the victims and wallow in their cynicism and hypocrisy, it becomes harder and harder not to root for the killer. Parker keeps the reader guessing up until the immensely satisfying, Ellen Jamesian twist at the end.
Rarely have I torn through a book with such voracious and wicked glee. TRADWIFE reads like a shock to the amygdala for anyone filled with disgust and anguish at the rise of Christofasicsm in the U.S. and Europe. This merciless novel is a howl of feminist rage and a glorious “Fuck you” to incels everywhere.
Our narrator is Gina Lewis, a writer and sociologist, researching the infamous slaughter for a new book. Told via interview transcripts, book chapters, news articles, emails, and footnotes to Gina’s editor, the serpentine narrative uncoils itself efficiently over a taut 250-odd pages. The choice to structure the novel in epistolary form was inspired. It lends the book a compelling, ripped-from-the-headlines vérité quality that blurs the line between true crime and fiction, while offering plenty of opportunity for Parker to skewer the misogyny, exploitation, and sexual violence at the heart of the real-world tradwife movement. As we discover the sordid backstories of each of the victims and wallow in their cynicism and hypocrisy, it becomes harder and harder not to root for the killer. Parker keeps the reader guessing up until the immensely satisfying, Ellen Jamesian twist at the end.
Rarely have I torn through a book with such voracious and wicked glee. TRADWIFE reads like a shock to the amygdala for anyone filled with disgust and anguish at the rise of Christofasicsm in the U.S. and Europe. This merciless novel is a howl of feminist rage and a glorious “Fuck you” to incels everywhere.
January 5, 2025
Tradwife is crime fiction written in an epistolary/found footage style about murders that take place in a community made for families with traditional wives. The social commentary is so sharp that I had to remind myself that I was reading fiction and not a case study of an alt right community.
The whodunnit mystery captured in the form of podcast transcriptions tends to be a hit or a miss for me. However Tradwives was an addicting read for me.
There are multiple shout outs to the dystopian classics Stepford Wives and Handmaid's Tale in Tradwife. As Stepford Wives is one of my favorite horror classics, I never tire of new twists on that story. This likely affects my strong recommendation of this book.
There are all the trigger warnings you'd expect for this kind of subject matter: rape, domestic abuse, racism...and of course gruesome murders. Like any solid fiction on culturally relevant horrors, it was disturbing in a way that makes the reader empathetic for victims of these kinds of terrors. And it really leans into the need for the fight against the perpetrators of violence against women. This is exactly the kind of subversive book I needed to read right now.
I am also posting this review on my blog:
http://glamorousbookgal.blogspot.com/...
The whodunnit mystery captured in the form of podcast transcriptions tends to be a hit or a miss for me. However Tradwives was an addicting read for me.
There are multiple shout outs to the dystopian classics Stepford Wives and Handmaid's Tale in Tradwife. As Stepford Wives is one of my favorite horror classics, I never tire of new twists on that story. This likely affects my strong recommendation of this book.
There are all the trigger warnings you'd expect for this kind of subject matter: rape, domestic abuse, racism...and of course gruesome murders. Like any solid fiction on culturally relevant horrors, it was disturbing in a way that makes the reader empathetic for victims of these kinds of terrors. And it really leans into the need for the fight against the perpetrators of violence against women. This is exactly the kind of subversive book I needed to read right now.
I am also posting this review on my blog:
http://glamorousbookgal.blogspot.com/...
January 20, 2025
I've often seen epistolatory novels go awry, so it's great to see it pulled off really well. The narrative consists of emails and a series of chapters from an unfinished True Crime book, sent to by a writer to her editor. The writer has gone missing, however, and her partner is desperate to find her, convinced that her disappearance has a link to her research.
The crime is a gory mass murder of three couples living in the UK's first organised 'Tradwife' community. The interviews build up a sinister and beguiling picture, casting light on a cultural movement that, despite its throwback nature, is painfully modern.
I found the narrative highly compelling. The themes of bodily autonomy, coercive control and misogyny have, of course, a lot of resonance right now. There's also a lot of unexpected humour in the author's footnotes to her editor.
A shocking and very unique horror.
The crime is a gory mass murder of three couples living in the UK's first organised 'Tradwife' community. The interviews build up a sinister and beguiling picture, casting light on a cultural movement that, despite its throwback nature, is painfully modern.
I found the narrative highly compelling. The themes of bodily autonomy, coercive control and misogyny have, of course, a lot of resonance right now. There's also a lot of unexpected humour in the author's footnotes to her editor.
A shocking and very unique horror.
January 30, 2025
Tradwife is a very compelling story of a community that espouses male superiority and authority gone unchecked. This mass murder kept me guessing the whole time and I loved the in depth history of each main player. Their previous experiences and the way that Gina's research progresses with each is so much fun. Jags and Helen's recounting of Gina's process really creates a unique path for the story to move forward and it gave me major 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette' vibes. The community itself is full of hypocrisy and ulterior motives, the logic behind it all makes it eerily realistic. There is more than enough real violence, corruption and misogyny in this world to create a situation like this and that is a very scary realization.
I actually finished this one some time ago but life got a bit in the way so this review is super late and for that I am sorry!
I actually finished this one some time ago but life got a bit in the way so this review is super late and for that I am sorry!
December 26, 2024
The insidiousness of the Tradwife movement is real, and should not be taken lightly.
I think setting this in the UK adds some strength to how bad the ideology of the movement can be.
I wasn’t expecting the ending, and I find it implausible but engaging. Certainly understandable, no matter how improbable.
I wasn’t expecting the unfinished manuscript as the plot delivery but it works overall. And there are a few plot points that annoyed me- though to share them here I might spoil the story.
I think this is a book that will stay with me for a bit.
I think setting this in the UK adds some strength to how bad the ideology of the movement can be.
I wasn’t expecting the ending, and I find it implausible but engaging. Certainly understandable, no matter how improbable.
I wasn’t expecting the unfinished manuscript as the plot delivery but it works overall. And there are a few plot points that annoyed me- though to share them here I might spoil the story.
I think this is a book that will stay with me for a bit.
January 22, 2025
3.5 stars. I didn’t know it would be true crime/interview style before starting it. It was a slow start for me to get into but the mystery definitely picked up as the book went on. The ending was done well. You could almost believe that this was a true story because of the parallels to the real life Tradwife movement.
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