Madwoman

(Hardback)

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Description

Clove has spent the past few years meticulously crafting a family life that looks nothing like the one she grew up in. She has a reliable husband, two loving children, a stable home: so what if ignoring the stubborn tendrils of her traumatic past means racking up a little credit card debt or indulging in a light obsession with wellness Clove is doing just fine. Or she is until a letter arrives from a womens prison in California a letter that threatens to expose the violent past Clove has worked so hard to conceal. Soon, she becomes entangled in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the very people she thought shed outrun. Bold, compassionate and full of surprising twists, Madwoman is a story about violence, recovery, and Cloves refusal to be defined by her worst experiences.

Reviews

'A suspenseful character study of a woman on the verge from a titan of literary fiction.'Vanity Fair

'Suspenseful and satisfying' Observer

'Madwoman is a feminist page-turner sharp writing meets daring plotting and defiant truth-telling. The result is a firecracker of a novel, an exploration between two covers.' Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage, winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction

'Chelsea Bieker is an absolutely crackling talent.' Lauren Groff, author of Matrix

'Chelsea Bieker breathes thrilling, risky energy into the familiar trope of the madwoman... A well-paced and absorbing page-turner.'New York Times

'A powerful thriller. The vivid writing gripped me all the way through in this satisfying story of reinvention.' Good Housekeeping

'A smart, whiplash suspense.' People Magazine

'A striking and visceral exploration of female identity and societal expectations. Following her acclaimed debut, Godshot, Bieker continues to delve into complex emotional landscapes with a raw and evocative style...Madwoman reinforces Bieker's reputation for crafting thought-provoking, emotionally charged narratives that resonate deeply with readers.' Glamour

'Darkly funny, heart-smashing, and absolutely unforgettable,Madwomanis a masterpiece.' Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch

'You wont be able to turn away from this book, not even for a second.'T Kira Madden, author ofLong Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls

'Madwomanlives at that harrowing edge where despair and violence collide. A story of deceit, delusion, love, and terror, this novel is a scream at dawn, an impossible-to-forget story told by an author whose work I will now forever adore.' Rachel Louise Snyder, author of Women We Buried, Women We Burned

'This book made me laugh and cry. It reads like a thriller and a love song. Its about being crushed and rising strong.' Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild

'Electrifying and vital,Madwomanis literary suspense of the highest order... A brilliant novel from a blazing, singular talent.'Kimberly King Parsons, author ofBlack Light

'This intense, propulsive novel takes an age-old story right up to the minute. In portraying the exhausting attempt to overcome violence and safeguard loved ones, Bieker writes with urgency, integrity and emotional acuity.'CaoilinnHughes, author ofThe Wild Laughter

'Such a refreshing read. I've never met a protagonist like this before. Bieker wrote very sensitive, heavy subject matter in a way that was inviting. I felt safe reading even the darkest moments, as they were handled so masterfully.' Chloe Michelle Howarth, author of Sunburn

'I devoured every perfect sentence... A truly stunning read - this is my book of the year.'Ella Berman, author ofBefore We Were Innocent

'Unputdownable. Harrowing while somehow also being deeply funny and furiously wise. Chelsea Bieker is a daredevil and a wonder.'Claudia Dey, author ofDaughter

'Madwomanis brilliant. The rare kind of book that lives in your bones, as riveting as it is intimate. This is emotional suspense at its best... Fresh, urgent, and darkly comic. A novel hasn't consumed me like this in a very long time.'Ashley Audrain, author ofThe Push

'An indelible portrait of what living with intergenerational trauma and a legacy of abuse can look like. In the guise of a suspense story, Bieker delves into the heart of what it really means to survive violence.'Kirkus

'Courageous, funny, and with a number of twists, Madwoman is a story about carnage, recovery and hope.' Platinum Magazine

'A tale about reinvention and forging a life in which your past doesn't define you. A powerful read.'Prima

'Though this novel has plenty of love, generosity, and absurdist humour...what makes it so moving and so brilliant is how it unpacks the legacy of childhood abuse, when even innocent acts by another person can feel like an immediate threat to survival.' Oprah Daily

'[A] brave, grim and gripping story... I was hooked.' Daily Mail

'Written in a searing first person, the novel gallops through shock twists and turns... This novels examination of the long-term impact of domestic abuse is insightful, and the depiction of the alliances and connections made by women in extremes is intriguing.' The Conversation

'[Full of]ingenious twists...not an easy read but a heartfelt one.' Crime Time

'Abook that explores the complexity of life after trauma, and for every event that you anticipate, there are more surprises and twists and turns that you wont see coming.'Service95

Author Bio

Chelsea Bieker is the author of the debut novel Godshot, which was a finalist for both the Oregon and California Book Awards, longlisted for The Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize, and named a Barnes & Noble Pick of the Month. Her story collection, Heartbroke, was a New York Times 'Best California Book of 2022' and an NPR Best Book of the Year. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, The Cut, McSweeney's, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a Rona Jaffe Writers' Award, as well as residencies at MacDowell and Tin House. Originally from California's Central valley, she lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children.