HQ acquires pseudonymous author’s The Tradwife’s Secret

HarperCollins has acquired The Tradwife’s Secret by pseudonymous author Liane Child. 

Publishing director Cicely Aspinall acquired world all-language rights for HQ Digital directly from the author. Publication is scheduled for May 2025.

The Tradwife’s Secret is set in Montana and Wyoming and follows the lives of three women, including mega-influencer Madison March. The synopsis reads: "To the outside world, Madison March is the perfect wife. She spends her days baking sourdough and picking vegetables from the garden while watching her children play in the fields surrounding their homestead.

"Dinner is always on the table for her husband and she meets his every need. It’s a life anyone would dream of. And it’s all a lie. Because far from the humble homemaker, Madison has a whole roster of staff, and an income to die for. But if you think that’s bad, wait until you hear the rest…"

Aspinall said: "Having found myself transfixed by ‘tradwife’ or traditional-wife influencers who promote natural skincare and cooking from scratch alongside subservience to their husbands, reading Liane’s novel was like catnip. She captures the essence of the cultural movement so brilliantly and this gripping thriller, which supplies twist after twist, gives readers a glimpse at what might go on behind the smartphone camera. I’m so excited for readers everywhere to meet the March family and learn all their secrets."

Child said: "It’s a dream come true to have this book published. I’m a working mother, and a feminist, but as a self-confessed scroller, I found myself being drawn in by the seemingly idyllic lifestyle that the tradwife movement advocates. I wondered how exhausting it must be to manufacture something so perfectly natural, and that gave me the seed of an idea for this book. I have loved writing about the crazy but addictive world of tradwives, and I can’t wait for readers to meet Madison March."