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Spouse Trap: The Madeline Dawkins Series, Book 1
She doesn’t remember what she did. They’ll make her pay anyway....
Blackmail, sabotage, and blood-chilling suspense converge in this phycological thriller meets detective mystery by Cynthia Hamilton, the best-selling author of the Madeline Dawkins series.
A picture-perfect life....
Madeline had it all. A handsome, successful husband. A coveted spot near the top of Santa Barbara’s elite social pyramid. A country-club lifestyle with every luxury money could buy. If only she knew how quickly she’d lose everything.
Destroyed overnight....
Madeline wakes up naked in a five-star hotel with no memory of how she got there. At home, her husband is threatening to file for divorce. Someone sent him a series of incriminating pictures from last night, all featuring Madeline…in bed with a man she doesn’t recognize. It’s an obvious setup, but nobody will believe her unless she can prove it.
What if the ones you trust....
Disgraced from her Santa Barbara community, Madeline is left to fend for herself against an invisible enemy. But each new clue pulls her deeper into a dangerous game, where old friends turn into enemies and nobody can be trusted.
…can't wait to bring you down?
As her enemy’s attacks grow increasingly personal and disturbing, it’s clear they will do anything to destroy Madeline’s reputation…or even her life.
Told through the eyes of an unsuspecting wife who must navigate the misinformation and betrayal found around every corner.
An action-packed ride full of unexpected twists, a must-listen for fans of Ruth Ware, Karin Slaughter, and Mary Stone.
Blackmail, sabotage, and blood-chilling suspense converge in this phycological thriller meets detective mystery by Cynthia Hamilton, the best-selling author of the Madeline Dawkins series.
A picture-perfect life....
Madeline had it all. A handsome, successful husband. A coveted spot near the top of Santa Barbara’s elite social pyramid. A country-club lifestyle with every luxury money could buy. If only she knew how quickly she’d lose everything.
Destroyed overnight....
Madeline wakes up naked in a five-star hotel with no memory of how she got there. At home, her husband is threatening to file for divorce. Someone sent him a series of incriminating pictures from last night, all featuring Madeline…in bed with a man she doesn’t recognize. It’s an obvious setup, but nobody will believe her unless she can prove it.
What if the ones you trust....
Disgraced from her Santa Barbara community, Madeline is left to fend for herself against an invisible enemy. But each new clue pulls her deeper into a dangerous game, where old friends turn into enemies and nobody can be trusted.
…can't wait to bring you down?
As her enemy’s attacks grow increasingly personal and disturbing, it’s clear they will do anything to destroy Madeline’s reputation…or even her life.
Told through the eyes of an unsuspecting wife who must navigate the misinformation and betrayal found around every corner.
An action-packed ride full of unexpected twists, a must-listen for fans of Ruth Ware, Karin Slaughter, and Mary Stone.
Audible Audio
Published September 28, 2020
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About the author
Cynthia Hamilton
23 books228 followersCynthia Hamilton started writing 2000 as a means of coping with a debilitating illness. Writing gave her lifeline and a way to channel her overly-active imagination. Late-stage Lyme disease turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving her a career she never imagined for herself, one that constantly inspires her.
Cynthia writes in a variety of genres: mysteries/general fiction/memoir. She is currently working on the 9th book in the Madeline Dawkins Mystery Series, and is still finding tremendous inspiration from her protagonist.
FINDING RUTH, the book she wrote to understand her mother's life from her POV, was the 1st Place Winner in the Firebird Book Awards in the Women's Fiction and Relationships categories.
Cynthia recently attended a book signing Q & A at Chaucer's Bookstore in Santa Barbara. You can click on the link below to watch the interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEaLu...
During an interview on SPEAK UP TALK RADIO hosted by Pat Rullo, she spoke about her books and the role writing has played in her life:
https://www.speakuptalkradio.com/cynt...
Cynthia lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband and their extended family. She loves reading, writing, discussing books with other book lovers, and walking for hours, especially on the beach. She considers herself immensely fortunate.
You can also find her at http://cynthiahamiltonbooks.com, Twitter (@AuthorCynthiaH
(Please note that as of April 2026, only the first 14 titles listed on this profile page were written by the author pictured above.)
Cynthia writes in a variety of genres: mysteries/general fiction/memoir. She is currently working on the 9th book in the Madeline Dawkins Mystery Series, and is still finding tremendous inspiration from her protagonist.
FINDING RUTH, the book she wrote to understand her mother's life from her POV, was the 1st Place Winner in the Firebird Book Awards in the Women's Fiction and Relationships categories.
Cynthia recently attended a book signing Q & A at Chaucer's Bookstore in Santa Barbara. You can click on the link below to watch the interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEaLu...
During an interview on SPEAK UP TALK RADIO hosted by Pat Rullo, she spoke about her books and the role writing has played in her life:
https://www.speakuptalkradio.com/cynt...
Cynthia lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband and their extended family. She loves reading, writing, discussing books with other book lovers, and walking for hours, especially on the beach. She considers herself immensely fortunate.
You can also find her at http://cynthiahamiltonbooks.com, Twitter (@AuthorCynthiaH
(Please note that as of April 2026, only the first 14 titles listed on this profile page were written by the author pictured above.)
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 7, 2025
Spouse Trap: A Madeline Dawkins Mystery (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 1) by Cynthia Hamilton is a very clever thriller, and it doesn’t ease off, it holds you captive and I read it in one sitting. I wasn’t sure what to expect but Cynthia has created something that is addictive and there was no way I could put it down. I had to know what was happening. It is a chilling ride and there are plenty of twists that make it psychologically compelling and thought provoking.
Madeline has the perfect marriage but she never imagined she would be fighting through the level of lies and deceit that would lead her to fight for her name and life.
I can’t wait to read more of Madelines’ and her besties adventures in this series.
Madeline has the perfect marriage but she never imagined she would be fighting through the level of lies and deceit that would lead her to fight for her name and life.
I can’t wait to read more of Madelines’ and her besties adventures in this series.
Displaying 1 of 1 review