Dragă Debbie

Debbie Mullen gives wives advice across New England. They write of neglect, shame, and abuse. They also tell of husbands who silence them. Her column gives them calm advice and support. But she writes much darker thoughts in her private drafts. Even her lush garden hints at secrets beneath its flowers.

Now Debbie has woes that polite advice cannot solve. She has lost her job. Her teenage daughters act in strange ways. Her husband hides things from her, too. She tracks him with a phone app she built herself. As she learns his secrets, she tires of holding back. She sets out to punish those she thinks deserve it.

Freida McFadden’s thriller is for readers who like family secrets and revenge. It blends suspense, dark humor, and sharp sarcasm. At its heart is a woman who helps others cope. Then she rejects her own role as the calm peacemaker.