Plot Summary

The Pocket Wife

Susan Crawford
Guide cover placeholder

The Pocket Wife

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015

Book Brief

Susan Crawford

The Pocket Wife

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015
Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New Jersey • Contemporary

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

The Pocket Wife by Susan H. Crawford is a psychological thriller about Dana Catrell, a middle-aged suburban housewife with bipolar disorder, who, after a drunken afternoon with her neighbor Celia, wakes up to find Celia murdered and struggles to piece together her alcohol-blurred memories to determine if she was involved in the crime. The book contains references to mental health issues, medication non-adherence, and substance use.

Mysterious

Suspenseful

Dark

Unnerving

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

3.5

13,739 ratings

47%

Loved it

37%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford intricately explores mental illness through suspenseful narrative and compelling character development. Reviewers praised the book's gripping plot and psychological depth. However, some felt the pacing lagged and the conclusion seemed convenient. Overall, it provides a thought-provoking, if somewhat uneven, psychological thriller.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Pocket Wife?

Fans of psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators will relish The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford. This gripping novel, akin to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl or Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train, captivates readers with its exploration of memory, mental instability, and mystery. If you enjoy suspenseful, character-driven stories, this book is for you.

3.5

13,739 ratings

47%

Loved it

37%

Mixed feelings

16%

Not a fan

Fun Facts

The Pocket Wife is Susan Crawford's debut novel, blending elements of psychological thriller and domestic drama.

Susan Crawford drew inspiration from her background in journalism and her fascination with the complexity of human psychology while writing The Pocket Wife.

Subscribe to discover more Fun Facts!

The book explores themes of memory, mental illness, and perception, challenging readers to question what is real and what is imagined.

Subscribe to discover more Fun Facts!

Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New Jersey • Contemporary

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!