Author. Runner. Truth-Teller.
The Secret Lives of Married Women
A Psychological Thriller
Two identical twin sisters—one a sexually repressed defense attorney, the other a former libertine now living a respectable life in suburbia—are about to have their darkest secrets revealed, to the men in their lives and to themselves. As one sister prepares for the thorniest trial of her career and the other fends off ominous advances from a construction worker laboring on the house next door, both find themselves pushed to the edge, and confronted by discoveries about themselves and their lovers that shock and disturb them.
As Featured In
Hard Case Crime
Book #113 in the acclaimed noir series
Boing Boing
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What Readers Are Saying
Based on 387 reviews from Goodreads
"An intense and intimate book; a compelling, unsettling read that explores the hidden depths of desire and identity."
Pornokitsch
Literary Review
"Psychologically complex. Wald portrays her characters in a sympathetic and unsparing light, revealing the secrets that define and destroy them."
Publishers Weekly
Industry Publication
"A deceptively great little novel. The subtlety is extremely well worked, and Wald's writing is fantastic—she creates an atmosphere of mounting tension and revelation."
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What's Inside the Book
Practical tools and guidance to support your spiritual journey
Twin Perspectives
Experience the intertwined lives of identical twins as their carefully constructed worlds begin to unravel, revealing the secrets they've kept from each other and themselves.
Psychological Depth
A masterful exploration of desire, repression, and identity that challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about intimacy and authenticity.
Literary Crime Fiction
Published by Hard Case Crime but transcending genre conventions—a psychological thriller that prioritizes character complexity over plot mechanics.
Unflinching Honesty
Wald writes with raw honesty about sexuality, power dynamics, and the masks we wear, creating an intense and thought-provoking reading experience.
Bonus: Free access to online resources and community support
About the Author
Elissa Wald
Columbia University MFA • Published novelist • Work featured in Beacon Best and Creative Nonfiction
Elissa Wald studied writing at Columbia University and is the author of Meeting the Master, Holding Fire, and American Daughter. Her work has been published in numerous journals and anthologies including Beacon Best, Creative Nonfiction, The Barcelona Review, and Nerve: Literate Smut. A long-distance runner and former outreach counselor, she brings unflinching honesty and psychological depth to her exploration of human desires and the hidden lives we lead. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the book
While published as part of the Hard Case Crime series, this is primarily a psychological thriller that explores the inner lives of two twin sisters. It's more literary fiction than traditional crime novel, focusing on character psychology, desire, and identity rather than plot-driven suspense.
Yes, the novel contains mature themes and explicit content exploring sexuality and desire. It's written for adult readers comfortable with psychologically complex and sexually frank narratives.
No, The Secret Lives of Married Women is a standalone novel. However, if you enjoy her unflinching exploration of desire and identity here, you might also appreciate her earlier works Meeting the Master and Holding Fire.
The book is 219 pages—a focused, intense read that most readers complete in a few sittings. Despite its brevity, it packs significant psychological depth and emotional impact.
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