Book Review - Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer

Title: Trad Wife
Author: Saratoga Schaefer
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2026
 
Description: 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 component: 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 frow out of its infancy.
 
When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, 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 poster. 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 tradition wife is worth it.
 
Review: With “Trad Wife”, author Saratoga Schaefer delivers an intriguing horror thriller that grips you from the very first page.
 
We meet Camille, a 24-year-old influencer who curates a perfect, submissive tradwife lifestyle online. Desperate for a baby to fix her failing marriage and boost her social media metrics, she makes a wish at a mysterious well and is visited by a demonic creature. When she gets pregnant, her life finally falls into place, instead the pregnant is developing faster than usual.
The book masterfully weaves the oppressive atmosphere of a seemingly perfect traditional life with an underlying, constant sense of menace. Schaefer builds the tension with care, making the urge to keep reading irresistible.
 
We dive into the world of tradwives and Schaefer paints a nuanced portrait of a woman who consciously chooses a hyper-traditional role, driven by a deep longing for peace, control, and clarity in an overwhelming world. Instead of the simplistic black-and-white thinking.
 
The greatest strength of this novel lies in the psychological depth of its characters. Shaefer writes with a sharp, observant pen. I found it hard to relate to Camille though, since my view of feminism, autonomy and happiness is so very different from hers. And Graham is insufferable. But the socially critical undertone is palpable throughout and compels.
 
This is an absolute must-read for anyone who loves psychological fiction with strong social relevance.
 
Rating: 4,5/ 5