The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives

Brought to you by Penguin.

You’ve heard of the men who kill, but what about the women who loved them?

It’s a baking hot summer in 1960s California and three women have formed an unlikely friendship. From the outside, Beverley, Elsie and Margot lead idyllic lives, but behind the false smiles and glittering pools lies the truth: their husbands are some of the country’s most notorious convicted killers.
Amidst neighbourhood gossip and pointed fingers, the women are fighting to forge new paths for themselves. Wide-eyed Beverley is raising two young children under the long shadow of their father’s crimes. Bookish Elsie is determined to make a name for herself in the patriarchal newsroom, while Hollywood party-girl Margot has a penchant for an early morning margarita – anything to quieten the shame of her ex-husband’s deceit.
But when a string of local killings hits the news, the women – underestimated and overlooked – are hurled into an investigation of their own. After all, who better to catch a killer than those who have shared their lives with one?

Glamorous, gripping and utterly addictive, The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives is a celebration of women - their friendships, courage and resilience - and what happens when they dare to break free of the mould that society has set for them.

'AS IF TAYLOR JENKINS-REID WROTE A CRIME NOVEL' Emilia Hart, bestselling author of SIRENS

© Elizabeth Arnott 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026