Trad Wife: A Novel

by Saratoga Schaefer, Rachel Jacobs (Narrator)

A "traditional wife" influencer allows a demonic creature to impregnate her in this unnerving horror novel, perfect for fans of Nightbitch and Mary, from the author of Serial Killer Support Group.

Every #tradwife needs a baby. She’ll get one at any cost.

When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband, Graham, have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never grow out of its infancy.

When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterward, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true.

Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever posted—so what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a traditional wife is worth it.

Rosemary’s Baby for the digital age, this disturbing horror novel is one you’ll want to devour in just one bite.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Contemporary, Feminism, Horror Thriller

Audible Audio

First published February 10, 2026

About the author

Saratoga Schaefer (they/them) is the USA Today Bestselling and Indie Press Bestselling author of vicious horrors and twisted thrillers. Their books have been featured in Variety, People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour, and their writing has appeared in Writer’s Digest, CrimeReads, and more. Originally from Brooklyn, Saratoga now lives upstate with several needy animals and a haunted clown table.

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been staring into space for ten minutes without a clue as to how to review this book. It's full of irritating tradwife nonsense and unlikeable characters and it's beyond disgusting at points, and yet it's also just about unputdownable. I didn't like a single thing that happened in this novel and yet I enjoyed it tremendously.

Imagine Rosemary's Baby (if Rosemary had willingly agreed to the whole “gestating Satan's spawn” thing) but with modern — and grosser! — twists. There's a ton of social commentary to be found here, especially where the tradwife social media influencer lifestyle is concerned. I've never had any interest in the tradwife scene (because … ha, no), but I feel like the the author did a fantastic job of portraying the lifestyle and all of its … issues. Camille is completely insufferable and yet you can't help but feel a little sorry for her too.

But this book is about so much more than just the tradwife lifestyle. It's also about the sacrifices of motherhood and feminine rage and the ills of social media and oppressive gender roles. And, okay, there's also the whole bit about having a baby with a random creature that wanders out of the woods behind your house — Camille really makes some impressively bad decisions as far as that whole situation is concerned.

I do feel that the ending was a bit predictable. I mean, perhaps I've just read too many horror novels at this point, but could it have really ended any other way? It is absolutely a wild (and disgusting) ride, but I'm not sure that many readers are going to reach the end and think “Wow, I never saw that coming.” It's not necessarily a bad thing, though — knowing how it's all going to end only increases the sense of dread you feel as you make your way to those final pages. And, lemme tell you, the ending of this novel is absolutely not for the squeamish.

Overall, Trad Wife is an excellent horror story that addresses important societal issues in the most twisted way possible. It's full of gore and death and antiquated gender roles, and I both loved and hated just about every moment of it.

4.25 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is February 10, 2026.

[Jaidee (Belize here we are) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.6 " the incubus may be the stud but the novel is mostly a dud" stars !!!

Thank you to Netgalley, and Crooked Lane Books for an ecopy. This will be released Feb 2026. I am providing an honest review.

A difficult review to write. This has 18 ratings thus far with an average of 4.5 stars. Not at all my experience. I was hoping that this would be THE Halloween read.

First of all...I was most excited by the premise of this novel of an Instagram Trad Wife getting involved with an Incubus to conceive...wow ....this could have been a most amazing psychological horror or supernatural horror but it is neither...

Camille... our insecure, dependent and needy tradwife....is just not well etched....I don't believe in her and I don't give a shit about her...as she is not real but rather a superficial rendering by a liberal agenda....deepen her psychology, make her real, make the reader care about her experience and place in life rather than draw her as a caricature....

Most of the prose is terribly cliche and mediocre (although there are a few passages of excellence)...
the plot is only semi-sensical, the interpersonal transitions are rather poor and I am not once afraid although a bit curious....then around the half way mark we move almost fully into body horror and I am out...running away....body horror is not my jam and in fact I find it both stupid and gross....I stopped reading at 58 percent as I just can't stomach it...don't need to hear every single detail of what was discharged from her vag....

I am sure many of you will love this but I was terribly disappointed and disgusted and not at all frightened which is just too bad...so sad for me as a reader....

Amazing book cover and premise...the rest not at all...

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Video Review https://youtu.be/_I7RqcGnN7U
This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2026 and I am thrilled to report that it did not disappoint.

I loved how the author uses the phenomenon of trad wife influencers to explore surrounding themes of feminity, equality and motherhood. While this novel clearly has a perspective on this performative social media, I appreciate that the narrative does not talk down to stay at home women who persue these more traditional paths within equal relationships.

I normally struggle to read novels surrounding pregnancy and delivery but I couldn't look away feom this trainwreck. I was surprised to find our protagonist so sympathetic in her desire for motherhood.

Finally, without giving away too much, I thought the ending was brilliant. It fit the story well, leading to a satisfying ending.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys these reading horror stories involving these themes. The story was perfectly plotted, grusome and memorable.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books where I stared into space and said to myself “What in tarnation?” … in my country voice. 🤣🤣 Talk about unhinged, yeah, I’m talking to all you unhinged horror fans.

Trad Wife is an influencer maternity mommy horror novel. Only, this one is brutal with a feature of some cannibalism. Even the baby wants a bite. Get ready.

What I particularly liked was the raw and surreal look at how influencers become obsessed with fame, likes, comments and follows. The longing for approval from complete strangers is baffling. When you find your approval is only needed from the people you love, that’s the real deal.

This story was crazy bonkers and definitely hits the WTF Did I just read mark! Also available with @aardvarkbookclub this month.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published February 10, 2026.

1 star/DNF at 10%

I chose this because I thought this might be a fun little horror story about these TradWives getting knocked off, or, magically, getting parts of their brains back and turning on the patriarchy (but both #tradwives and #bad girls know that Santa never brings you what you want.)

By about twenty pages in I was getting suspicious. So I checked. This is by the same Saratoga Schaefer who wrote the abysmal SERIAL KILLER SUPPORT GROUP. I read that whole thing so I knew this wasn’t to get any better.

First of all, why is this woman a tradwife? Early trauma? Conservative family? Wants to be an influencer? Because they aren’t presented as really good or bad, there’s no moral judgment here, and we’re ALLOWED to poke gentle fun at these ladies, who will make chicken soup for you when you are sick but who also wrung the neck of the chicken. The FMC thinks (about infertility) “And it could be him, a voice in the back of my head points out before I chase it away. It’s true, the voice mutters, almost petulantly. I read a chapter about male infertility three weeks ago. It isn’t Graham’s fault. It couldn’t be. That’s not him this is supposed to work..”. Dear Lord, she JUDT FOUND OUT men can be infertile? And then dismisses it? I weep for our nation of young women.

So, don’t do it. There’s a good horror book somewhere in here. This isn’t it.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 incredible ⭐️'s!!!
Listen, this is disturbing and grotesque, but the message behind it has so much power and meaning. "...let your hunger guide you to what you truly deserve", as so nicely stated by the author in the acknowledgment section.
If you can handle blood and gore then I highly recommend this book. You won't regret it.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in the January 2026 issue of Library Journal

Three Words That Describe This Book: conversational narration, influencer horror, disquieting

4.5 out of 5

Other words: sinister, visceral, gory, motherhood horror, terrifyingly realistic, psychologically unmooring, Camille is sympathetic even though readers start by hating her. Ultimately unforgettable

Draft Review: Camille is happily immersed in the Trad Wife lifestyle, keeping an immaculate home while her husband works to finance it all. Her online content is rising up the influencer ranks, but without a baby, she cannot make it to the next level. Desperate for that baby, Camille finds a creepy, abandoned well at the edge of the woods, tosses in a penny, and makes a wish, calling forth a creature who offers to make her dream come true. But at what cost? Camille’s conversational narration and unsettling commitment to the Trad Wife lifestyle, lulls readers into thinking they have read this story before. They have not. Get ready for an intense, gory, and brutally honest tale where good and evil are unclear; where readers will root for things that will surprise them; where a psychologically unmooring, but undeniably happy ending will leave all feeling a lingering unease long after turning the final page.

Verdict: A nuanced and visceral deep dive into both the trad wife and influencer horror subgenres, in the sinister vein of Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton and Youthjuice be E.K. Sathue infused with the disquieting, grotesque beauty of The Shape of Water by Daniel Kraus.

This is not your typical trad wife horror or influencer horror. I know these are a trend right now, but this one starts unsettlingly and goes on a well paced (both reading wise and terror wise) trajectory straight downward and then makes a great twist toward at the end.

Overall this was satisfying in a way most influencer horror is not. Camille is flawed in so many ways, but Schaefer builds sympathy for her well. IT isn't just that her husband and the other trad wife influencers are flawed-- that is what most of these books do. This book gives Camille a reason for the turning to the trad wife lifestyle, one that starts off stereotypically and then as we learn more, gets more complicated. I loved that because you hate her at first and while you don't come to love her completely (which is also good), you feel for her.

This is it real or is it in her head of a lot of motherhood horror is missing here is well. As a mother myself, I sometimes resent this idea that the trauma is so intense it is all in her head, especial when it is done lazily where the reader could say it is just psychological. But now, this one-- it is visceral, feral, and yet, also beautiful. There is a creature here. He did come from the creepy well at the back of her property, he did give her the baby. And once the reader and Camille understand that-- the story blossoms from there. It becomes more than the summary.

Get ready for an intense story here where the heroes and villains are unclear, where more than just the trad wife lifestyle is skewered, where you will root for someone you didn't expect to at the start, and where you will find a horrific, complicated, and disquieting happy ending. And the fact that you will find it happy, is the unease that will linger with you as you turn the final page.

While I understand the comparisons to Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder based on the description, this is better comped to Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton meets E.K. Youthjuice by Sathue with a very healthy dose of The Shape of Water by Daniel Kraus.

[kiki’s delivery witch ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books make you laugh, some make you think. Tradwife made me laugh, think, and mutter “oh no theydidn’t” at least five separate times. Schaefer takes a scalpel to the polished, beige world of the Tradwife movement (and yes, it bleeds flour and sourdough starter).

Camille, in the beginning, had me bristling. On one hand, she’s talented enough to create a highly selective science program (only a handful of teens got in), on the other… she bailed the second someone critiques her work. Which, to be fair, same. But then she gets funneled toward this perfect-wife-perfect-mother life she was raised in and for that looks great on Instagram but is basically a 24/7 unpaid job with no PTO. And the accuracy is almost unsettling. Schaefer nails that dynamic where women end up as basically baby factories and domestic servants expected to care for everyone EXCEPT themselves.

Then there’s Mara Shoemaker (who isn't a main but appears secondhand often) is the human embodiment of Ballerina Farm vibes. Highly capable, a (former) huge career of her own, and yet somehow redirected into the Tradwife pipeline where her entire existence seems to orbit her husband’s career and childrearing schedule, like the NASA moon landing but for casserole. Watching Camille and Mara interact is equal parts fascinating and rage-inducing.

The horror kicks in when Camille, desperate for that missing baby to complete her aesthetic, wishes at some creepy old well and ends up knocked up by a demon—hello, Rosemary's Baby but with filters. It's gross and spicy in the best way, with cravings for raw meat that eventually turns into some cannibalism, and it skewers social media's role in turning domestic drudgery into a cult. Camille's arc feels a tad too on-the-nose at times, like the satire's yelling instead of whispering, but hey, in a world full of tradwife influencers, who can blame it for cranking the snark? Solid horror with bite. Pun intended.

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have such mixed feelings about this one—love and hate in equal measure. The book takes on a lot: women’s autonomy, the illusion of perfection on social media, the pressure to conform, and the manipulation that hides beneath “traditional” values. At its core, it’s about choice—real choice. A woman can absolutely choose to be a homemaker or a full-time professional, but when that decision is coerced, romanticized, or filtered through someone else’s expectations, it becomes suffocating.

It also hits on the performance of perfection—the curated feeds, the “ideal” family life, the way people listen to influencers instead of experts. That part felt sharp and timely. What resonated most, though, was the question of purpose. As someone deep in academia and science, I understood the exhaustion, the quiet questioning of “is this what I’m meant to do?” That part felt painfully real.

The story raises important questions about women’s roles, societal expectations, and how both men and women contribute to the pressure to be everything at once. But the execution didn’t land for me—the characters felt flat, the pacing dragged, and the ideas that could’ve been powerful often got lost in the delivery.

I appreciate what Schaefer was trying to do, but ultimately, the delivery was not for me.

[Reisa Bolog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowwww! I applied for an ARC of this completely blind and have no regrets. This book took me a day to read and I could not put it down. Fantastic writing, fantastic book. Very gory, not for the easily squeamish.

[Jamie Josephson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for providing an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

This was sharp, unsettling, and incredibly compelling. What started as a somewhat darkly funny satire, quickly spiraled in something far more sinister. This story peeled back the veneer of the “trad wife” fantasy and exposed the control issues, identity breakdown and horror just simmering below the surface. The eerie atmosphere set the tone throughout continuing until the very last page and the slow psychological unraveling of the FMC kept me hooked. I absolutely love a story where the main character descends into madness and this one did not disappoint.

Overall, this book made me uncomfortable in all the right ways. 10/10 highly recommend.

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Maybe I don’t want to raise a traditional wife. Maybe I want to raise a feral woman.'





Trad Wife is a 2026 horror/thriller novel by Saratoga Schaefer. Described as "Rosemary’s Baby for the Instagram era," it is a visceral, satirical deep dive into the "tradwife" social media subculture and the darker side of the influencer lifestyle.

In Saratoga Schaefer’s novel Trad Wife (scheduled for release in February 2026), the "trad wife" is defined not just as a lifestyle choice, but as a performative trap where a woman’s worth is entirely conditional upon her utility to others.

The author uses body horror to redefine the "trad wife" by the end of the book. She suggests that the traditional definition of a "good woman"—one who is small, compliant, and self-erasing—is the real horror. The "monstrous" changes Camille undergoes represent a rejection of these conditions. The "trad wife" becomes a figure who must eventually choose between staying a "hollowed-out" version of herself to be loved, or embracing a "monstrous" authenticity that refuses to comply.

This is such a wild 'Good for Her' story. It’s a total descent into madness—super visceral and unapologetically gory. Honestly, some of the dialogue was a bit cringey, and the whole creature erotica subplot felt more like a distraction I didn't really care about, but the payoff? Huge. The final act is this blood-soaked, entertaining thrill ride that makes the whole slow-burn buildup 100% worth the read.


I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHEW. This one was not afraid to go places 👀 🥩 . I loved the ending. Who knew demons could be more of a gentleman than some husbands? I loved the exploration of how much we value the content and opinions of influencers on social media. Along with regaining autonomy in a one-sided marriage.

[paula a · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, thanks netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC!

My last thought when I read the last sentence of the acknowledgment was BOF. This was an amazing read. It truly offers what it promises: terror, body horror and social commentary. The author knows what they did, and they did an amazing job.

This is about a woman who has a social media presence but wants more. Traditional catholic, tends to her home and her useless of a husband, posting trad-wife content. Because of that, she realises she misses the most important part: a baby. And there's something calling her from the woods.

I have always said that I read anything and everything, but this? I was not expecting genuinely enjoying it so much to the point that disgust was something that kept me even more hooked.

If you do not handle body horror, pregnancy as body horror and more topics around such, this isn't for you. But a word of advice? It is very, very good and worth it, but don't eat while reading this.

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this is one of those books that is going to be talked about for a long time. Trad Wife follows Camille, an aspiring influencer who becomes pregnant under what we’ll call “unusual circumstances”.

Trad Wife is a brutal, unflinching look at how far someone will go to “have it all”. It takes a lot to grip me, but I could not put this down. The story is unique, the development of Camille’s character is incredibly well thought out, and the ending of this book made my jaw drop. Not for the squeamish, the body horror is intense.

Highly recommend to fans of Tender Is The Flesh, Maeve Fly and Nightbitch.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for this review.

[Livvy · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was immediately drawn in by the cover and the looking like a demon baby? Say less. The storyline itself was engaging, and there were moments where I genuinely felt pulled into the characters’ emotions. There were characters I was annoyed with, sad for, and wanted to yell at.

That said, I found myself correctly guessing most of the plot twists from early on. There weren’t many surprises or “I didn’t see that coming” moments, which left little room for imagination or shock. While I did enjoy the small amount of smut (it was well-placed), the story became repetitive at times, and I really wished Camille’s storyline had more impact and weight.

The book also gets fairly graphic with body gore. It didn’t personally bother me, but it’s definitely something that could be uncomfortable for other readers.

Overall, I did enjoy this read but I couldn’t rate it higher than three stars. I think Trad Wife had a lot of promise and could have benefitted from more twists, thriller pacing, and deeper character development. I would absolutely read this author again. I just had high hopes that weren’t fully met this time.

✨️ Book releases February 10, 2026

[tee (rin's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the advance copy om exchange for a penny of this honest thought. Ngl, it was impossible for me to put it down, I finished it in less than 24 hours after approved a copy.

The appeal of starting this book came from someone who's been married for 5 years and struggling with fertility with no baby yet and with the mention of Rosemary's Baby, I'm sold. When I told my husband I was gifted the arc and told him the context of the book, he cackled and was like 'they did not just give you a manual on how to, right?' Oh the giggle I gurgled out

I feel Camille's desperation and frustration, but also at the same time, I dislike her so much. She's spineless in her own way, I mean I have nothing good to say about tradwife lol. She was going to be top biologist for god's sake and she dropped out for a man who can't even brew his own coffee, sis get up I beg you :((

Now Graham. The husband. If Carpenter's Manchild is a character, it is definitely him. The fact that the creature was acting like a better husband than him is sincerely embarrassing. The creature were a husband more than he was. Bfr. The monsterfucker in me was happy yknow lol.

It's perfect how both of them pissed me off, author wrote them so well. Kudos

The way the author touched it with how unhinge Camille went through with it until the end of it, phew it was chef's kiss. The ending? Yknow what, go get it girl! Good for you.

Fair warning, there's a lot of quite graphic imagery so it might not be for everyone. But it is certainly for me.

[Casey Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one day because I simply could not stop. Camille is a homesteading, trad wife social media influencer. What she desperately wants, and what her followers want, is for her to have a baby. It would be the next step in her image. But behind the screen, things are not great with her husband. She prays to God for a baby…and something answers her prayers.

This book gets dark, gory and disturbing. It’s literally so awesome. It’s my favorite kind of horror—the kind with an entertaining story on the surface, but so much to get out of it underneath. Yes, there is commentary on the Trad Wife lifestyle, but also on motherhood, sacrifices a mother would make for their child, social media and influencers, gender roles, abusive relationships. So much! And perhaps most blaringly, this book is for anyone who’s ever wanted to break out of a situation they’re in or a role they play. Also, you know I love cannibalism in a book. I definitely loved it! Job very well done!

[marz native · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Mara Shoemaker was very very **CLEARLY** meant to be the BallerinaFarm of this book lmao. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I have many many thoughts about this book and especially the ending and as someone who eats up religious imagery.. yall know I was rubbing my feet together a bit.

The book pretty much follows a self proclaimed trad wife who finds community in other well to do women who document their perfectly curated lives for social media. Camille has difficulty conceiving with her husband so accepts the help of an “entity” to give her a baby. In the end, what should be her biggest peak, childbirth, ends up becoming her undoing and makes her question everything she knows about herself, the community of women she’s in, as well as the male figures in her life.

One of my favorite things about this book was the way the author writes Camille’s stream of consciousness. As a reader, you’re absolutely irritated by how dumb and naive she is at the beginning of the book and how she refuses to listen to her voice of reason, but then she admits that all the male figures in her life have made her feel stupid to even feel like her voice was one she could listen to, so, why would she? The childish naivete she possesses stands in opposition to her 3rd act pov where she finally starts being real with herself, starting with, my personal fav, not referring to that god awful creature as an angel💀

I could go on and on about the religious imagery in this book but that would be 6 more paragraphs, however, what I will say is I find it funny how for these trad wives religion is no different than the wallpaper they put up on their kitchen walls; its just a bit of embellishment for their lives. I think the author was trying to start a conversation that puts “The Creature” and the “unholy ones” in opposition to the God Fearing Trad Wives and Men, similar to Victor Frankenstein and The Creature. If that was the case, then we’re meant to ask ourselves… how different are yall to one another 💀 I mean all of them are sinners. Quite literally. One group is just upfront about it compared to the other. Camille spends her time trying to be a model Proverbs 31 woman all while not even knowing what the hell that is. Her only tether to religion is through her husband and the bible quotes the woman in her community post on their feed. It’s all an act for these people.

The ending was a bit expected given how it was built up to since the 2nd half of the book but a part of me also wonders if it’s doing Camille’s arc a disservice. Camille is a character who has only ever known life under the guardianship of male masters. First her father, then he was swapped out for her husband. Wouldn’t a better ending be her running off with her demon baby into the wild? How are we to believe that she isn’t repeating cycles again with the Creature since he’s her new love interest after all.

In any case.. I had fun with this one! Much to say about it for sure. #NetGalley #Arc

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Schaefer is a new to me author but I will definitely be reading their books going forward. Trad Wife perfectly and unapologetically balances psychological, domestic, supernatural, and body horror.

The different levels are perfectly balanced, from the sad loneliness experienced by Camille, who has lived her entire life under controlling men, to the fear that leads to freedom catalyzed by her strange and often frightening experiences with a supernatural entity.

In the acknowledgements Schaefer refers to their own book as “deranged”, and it is, in the best possible way. It takes a lot of skill to guide a character like Camille through the difficult experiences and transformation she undergoes and remain completely on her side, and Schaefer succeeds largely because they aren’t afraid to embrace the horror that is a necessary part of the process.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy stories of creepy children, unsettling forests and feral women, this is the one! Trad Wife is a clever mix of Rosemary's Baby and The Omen, with vibes of The VVitch, mixing modern internet culture with eldritch horrors. If, like me, you have enjoyed recent fan favorites such as What Hunger and Julie Chan Is Dead, Trad Wife should absolutely be on your tbr radar.
Camille and Graham are a young married couple who have been trying, unsuccessfully, to have a baby. Camille is a #tradwife influencer on social media and has already branded herself as somewhat of a family vlogger despite her ongoing fertility struggles. She looks up to other lifestyle content creators in an unhealthy, obsessive kinda way. While on the surface and according to her social media presence, Camille's life is perfect, there are signs very early on that something about her marriage is... off, and due to unreliable narration, the audience stays unsure who is to blame for this quickly dilapidating relationship.
When Camille feels Graham pulling away, spending more time at work and away from home, she throws a penny into an old wishing well on their property in an act of desperation, praying for a child by any means. Afterwards, Camille does become pregnant, but it comes with a hefty price tag. As Camille starts hallucinating and questioning every aspect of her reality, the reader is dragged along with her, trying to unravel the mystery themselves.
Trad Wife is a satisfying exploration of the morality of having children on social media, social media influencers generally, consent and patriarchal standards. I devoured this and absolutely 11/10 would do it again.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this novel. Trad Wife is set to be published 2.10.26 and will be weighing heavily on my brain until I get to read it again!

[em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrifying in the best way. This was both a clever commentary on social media, and an unsettling horror. I really liked the writing, it was easy to get into but also deeply uncomfortable and graphic in parts. Camille was an unlikeable main character but I think that works, given the plot and subject of this book. I loved the uneasy and slowly creeping plot, each chapter got more and more intense and by the end I was reading almost in shock. A fantastic horror!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #TradWife #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous .. review buried I’ll post it later 🫠

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very new to reading horror but I have come to appreciate it for what it is, in all its creepiness. This is very gruesome and sneaks up on you! I loved the theme and I found it to be highly symbolic in its criticism of the trad wife lifestyle and influencer culture. The vibes remind me of Little Shop of Horrors. The plot is easy to follow and shocking!

Hollywood cast
Camille- Elle Fanning
Renee- Katherine Heigl
Graham- Anthony Starr

That said, I don’t feel like I have read enough horror to be an expert in reviewing it.

[Mikey ಠ◡ಠ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be very honest with everyone, I only read this because the publisher sent me a widget to read this book a few months ago and then I finally did it because I was bored. There, I said it. I also have no idea why the publisher sent me a widget in the first place since I read this author's previous book (Serial Killer Support Group) and rated it two stars.

Anyways, color me shocked out of my seat surprised because I found this book wildly entertaining. I don't know if it's because I've hit a slew of (fiction) books that I just haven't been vibing with lately or if I was mentally comparing this to Serial Killer Support Group and so I set my expectations really low at the start but yeah, I really liked this? I think this was the perfect combination of completely unhinged and hilariously satirical. I myself an not tired of influencer horror yet but did feel some trepidation reading about a trad wife influencer. And sidebar, I was actually, unironically, completely in love with Camille being a beige mom, something about that was so funny to me. There she was dressing her baby in beige (of course), oatmeal, and my favorite, tea with milk colored clothing and I don't care, I thought that was so fucking funny. Like girl you're a trad wife AND a beige mom? PLEASE pick a struggle. I think a lot of the premise worked for me but with Camille's backstory I think we could have pushed things even further? Actually to be honest I think we could have pushed things with all the characters even further, especially Graham.

I actually HATE that I have to say this because that man literally boiled my blood every time he was on the page but. There's two things that happen, now stay with me y'all because I'm going to be vague so we don't stumble into spoiler territory but these two things drove me NUTS. The first thing comes up very often in the book, I'd say almost every time Camille and Graham interact, this thing comes up so I got really excited thinking about ways it would come up at the end but...nope. It's just something Camille thinks to herself and it's literally never addressed. I felt like Charlie Brown while Saratoga Schaefer was Lucy and they set me up to kick the football then yanked it away from me at the last moment. Aaaargh! Even worse than that is Camille has a suspicion about Graham and when you combine this thing with the other thing that comes up, I am positive Camille is right! HOWEVERRRRRRRR what Camille finds that confirms her suspicions, and again, I hate to defend Graham here, but let's just say it wasn't really the smoking gun to me that Camille thought it was. And technically, Graham was right! And I'm so resentful that I have to say that! There's another character, Renee, that I liked and hated in equal measure. I liked and hated how completely annoying she was, like it was funny but it was also, maybe a little confusing? What was the overall point of her character? And I think her reveal could have come sooner as well, but maybe it doesn't because of Camille's tendency to bury her head in the sand about things. We might never know.

But honestly, whatever, this was just an off the rails goofy time and sometimes you really crave that. Or I do anyways. And I do appreciate the emotional journey Camille goes on, especially when you compare it to where she starts. 10/10 would read about Camille banging that freaky ass demon again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Selling Pitch:
Monsters>MAGA. Typical domestic revenge thriller that only has surface-level feminist commentary.

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading:
I love reactionary horror. I hope this is camp as hell. (It’s not.)

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
I mean she nailed the beige interior decor trends.

She’s really nailed the content descriptions.

If he can feed you, he can starve you, honey.

The Well: disembodied arm
Me: fuck a demon, fuck a demon, fuck a demon-
Girlypop: I’ve got a maga husband
Me: not like that, not like that!

Oopsies, I fucked my sleep paralysis demon!

It’s a very popular sentiment in dysfunctional relationships: she hopes he’ll change, and he hopes she’ll stay exactly the same.

This book makes me hungry.

It’s very important for this book’s suspension of disbelief that she’s so sheltered and isolated and young.

I’m sure Girlypop’s kids aren’t actually sick, they’re just demon spawn. (Wrong.)

He’s asked for steak for every meal. Like take a shot every time they mention steak. (17 is too many, girl.)

Read Twilight haha. That’s your guide

Ballerina Farm much haha?

I dunno about this trad girls are girls who couldn’t cut it in STEM because of insecurity. That’s kind of a whack take.

He ejaculates copper pennies is wild lmao.

So that’s why the government wants to phase out pennies! They’re demon jizz! Abe, you dirty dog!

Babe, forget Apple Maps. I’ve got giant winged eye GPS.

Renne is dead? Thrown down the well already and she’s a ghost and that’s the rot smell? Like girl does not have her kids.

Okay, Renesmee.

Unfortunately, I am bored because this has nothing new to add to the conversation of feminism.

So it actually makes no sense for this girl to go to church weekly with her husband of three years and have no idea that Lucifer is a fallen angel. Even if you don’t go to church, like you know that much.

Low on steak-what does that mean??? You buy a steak day of if you live next to the farm, be so for real.

I’m so bored. I’ve got 25 percent to go and I couldn’t give a fuckkkk.

The women choose the bear is so played out too.

Another fuckin’ batboy. Grab the wishing well, Camille.

Gaslight gatekeep girlboss!

I want one of those dump him shirts, but it just says eat him.

Post-reading:
It’s hard to give feminist commentary on trad wives when you fundamentally misunderstand their perspective. If you shove a liberal mindset into a conservative box and the big revelation is her retiring her people pleasing ways, it’s going to feel short-sighted and inauthentic.

This author nailed the content descriptions, but this did just feel like Ballerina Farm fanfic. It requires too much suspension of disbelief. It tries to tie in religious brainwashing as a justification for feminine subservience, but to do that, it expects the reader to believe that this regular churchgoer doesn't know what fallen angels are. The pregnancy horror is a copy-paste of Twilight’s Renesmee. There’s a weird fixation with “stocking” steak. It’s such a minor writing quirk, but it took me out of the story every time. Characters devouring raw steak as part of their monstrous transformations is so overdone, although at least this book correctly names the juice as myoglobin rather than blood.

And it’s just kinda boring. There’s no real twists. It’s slow. It’s predictable. The characters are unlikable. It has this #girlboss good for her revenge thriller aspect that I never fuck with. It’s easy, digestible writing that’s probably on par with a Frieda McFadden. I’ve got way higher standards than that for books attempting social commentary, and I hope you do too. I’d give this a skip and pick up one of the real femme horror heavyweights like Blake or Hogarth. I think you'd get more valuable commentary out of them.

Who should read this:
Good for her thriller fans
Mommy horror fans

Ideal reading time:
Anytime

Do I want to reread this:
No.

Would I buy this:
No.

Similar books:
* Girl Dinner by Olivie Blake-femme horror, dark academia, revenge thriller, queer
* Normal Women by Ainslie Hogarth-femme horror, revenge thriller, social commentary
* Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth-femme horror, revenge thriller, social commentary
* Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder-femme horror, magical realism, revenge thriller, social commentary
* Monstrilio by Gerardo Samano Cordova-horror, magical realism, revenge thriller, queer, social commentary
* What Hunger by Catherine Dang-psychological horror, revenge thriller, family drama, social commentary
* The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim-psychological horror, revenge thriller, family drama, social commentary

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Brad Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camille has arranged her entire life around becoming a trad wife influencer, but in order to really take that to the next level... she needs to have a baby--and her limp noodled husband, Graham, is not doing his part to help make that happen. So Camille goes down to the old abandoned well in the woods behind her house, throws a penny in and makes a wish for a baby. Before she knows it, she's having terrifying, otherworldly sexual intercourse with an angel(?) and giving birth to a giant, creepy, bloodthirsty baby on her kitchen floor.

I was so ready to be disappointed by this, and it exceeded my expectations so spectacularly. Here's the thing: "trad wives" are a really zeitgeist-y topic in horror and suspense right now; suddenly everybody wants to write about them. If you search the term "trad wife" on GoodReads, a bunch of ridiculous-looking books pop up (I was particularly amused by His Vengeful Tradwife). In fact, Sarah Langan--one of my faves--has her own book coming out later this year called Trad Wife, which I'm absolutely going to read, which means that I will be reading two separate 2026 releases about trad wives, called "Trad Wife". We are speedrunning this topic into the ground. There is going to be nothing interesting to say about it by next year.

So I just didn't think this was going to be more than a mild diversion. It's a hyped new release, it's available on Hoopla, I figured what the hell. And I was very impressed! We've got something for everyone here: possession, creepy kids, cannibalism, monster fuckery, you name it. And there is some really good horror writing in this book! Saratoga Schaefer really knows what they're doing.

All in all, if you're only going to read one book about trad wives, you could probably do worse than this one. I'd recommend it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Title: Trad Wife
Author: Saratoga Schaefer
Publishers: Crooked Lane Books + Spotify Audiobooks
Pub Date: February 10, 2026
Dates Read/Listened: February 11, 2026 – February 12, 2026

🗣️ 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚃𝚊𝚔𝚎: I’m not sure if I’m an outlier here but I freaking LOVED this book!! It definitely gives you very WTF did I just read vibes, and it is gory in a very disturbing way, but it was also just so good. I loved Schaefer’s writing and that it pulled me in immediately. The pacing moves pretty quickly, and I thought it was exactly the right length for this type of storyline. There is a lot of focus on how ‘perfect’ everything is about Camille in the beginning, but once we get past that things get pretty dang weird and spiraled from there in the best possible way IMO. I can’t say I agreed with this girl’s actions or thoughts most of the time, but I couldn’t put the book down and I ate it right up. No pun intended, I swear… Great pick for a discussion and/or buddy read!

🎧 𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘕𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: It’s official, Rachel Jacobs is absolutely brilliant and I can’t imagine anyone else narrating this book. Everything about her narration was completely on point for me, from her tone to the way she narrated different emotions as Camille is feeling them. There are some parts that seemed a little weird audio sound-wise but nothing crazy (maybe it was a technique choice, and I didn’t pick up on that?), and I loved the audiobook with my whole heart.

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🩸🖋️🤰🏼😵‍💫😈

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trad Wife is basically Rosemary's Baby for the digital age with a touch of body horror and a feminist undertone.

It's more of a quiet disturbing read rather than full-blown horror, the type that slowly creeps up on you before you realise what's going on. The whole book is divided into trimesters and I love how that structure mirrors Camille's pregnancy and her steady spiral into denial (not just about what's happening to her body, but also about the life she's convincing herself she wants).

Most of the time, I had no idea where it was going, and that definitely made the book impossible to put down for me! What starts out as a critique on trad wife influencer culture slowly turns into something far more unhinged (and wildly entertaining). Camille also spends so much time gaslighting herself that the horror feels intimate, less about shock and more about the transformation she's going through. both physical and mental.

Overall, this was dark and unsettling, and I absolutely ate it up. It's one of those books that makes you uncomfortable on purpose and is disturbing in a way that stays with you.

Only reason it's not a 5 star read for me is because some plot points felt too convenient.

[Perri · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK!! The layers of horror have layers. An incredible and highly entertaining read.