They say that Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned… but when a scorned woman goes on a rampage, it sure makes for a good story.
In classical European literature, the “scorned woman” was often depicted as flat, piteous, or even villainous. But in contemporary times, female characters are being portrayed in increasingly complex ways—even the scorned ones. No longer are they relegated to two-dimensional motivations that make them piteous cast-offs or “angry women.” Now, people want to know what made her angry in the first place so they can root for her target’s demise!
In the early 2000s, Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films gave us a blueprint for this new type of vengeful vixen, Beatrix Kiddo. Left for dead by the father of her unborn child, Beatrix’s merciless quest for revenge is filled with over-the-top bloodshed. As her body count rises throughout the film, audiences everywhere fell more in love with her, creating a character and film franchise that still has fans today.
Since then, the popularity of scorned and vengeful women in the thriller genre has only increased the archetype’s appeal. Iconic films like the 2014 psychological thriller Gone Girl and TV shows like “Big Little Lies” (based on Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name) proves there’s always been a desire to see outwardly “perfect” women go bad.
Of course, the literary world is no different. Works like R.F. Kuang’s satirical thriller Yellowface have continued to take their betrayed female characters to new heights. Like the “bad women” listed above, Kuang’s character, June, ultimately stops at nothing in order to maintain her ill-gotten fame and the false narrative she’s invented for herself.
Author photo © Mira Whiting Photography
And we can’t discuss women-led thrillers of any kind without mentioning THE Freida McFadden. #1 New York Times Bestselling author for good reason, McFadden is known for twisted tales that’ll keep you reading “one more chapter” until the wee hours of the morning. With the latest film debut of her book, The Housemaid, and the rest of the series potentially falling suit, she’s cemented herself as a literal household name of the genre.
Don’t worry about binging her catalog too fast either—like the genre’s popularity, McFadden’s rogue squad of femme fatales continues to grow. In fact, a new utterly addictive thriller, The Divorce, will be available to listen everywhere on May 26th!
Keep reading to learn more about Freida McFadden’s next release and our other audiobook recs starring scorned women with scores to settle.
HOME-COOKED (domestic thrillers)
This upcoming Freida McFadden release features Naomi—a middle-aged, stay-at-home mom whose husband divorces her after tricking her to move out. Adding insult to injury, his younger girlfriend quickly Naomi’s place as wife and mother. The book’s swiftly shifting perspectives are read by January LaVoy, Edoardo Ballerini, and Marin Ireland, adding even more suspense to each twist.
Another McFadden feature, this comically dark release follows Debbie Mullen, an up-and-coming tech genius turned stay-at-home mom and part-time advice columnist. At first, she’s the picture of a happy homemaker but this quickly turns when her life starts falling apart. Now, she’s ready to take her own advice.
Kristy lives in a farmhouse in the countryside with her husband, Nick. But Nick has a secret: he’s also married to Eva. Esther Wayne and Rachel Beresford narrate these two dynamic women, bringing this psychological thriller to life as secrets come to light and plot twists keep listeners on their toes.
A tale of scorned women, a cheating man, so many lies…and a serial killer? This one’s got it all, and the result is a fast-paced book voiced by multiple narrators that you won’t be able to set aside. The unexpected twists ratchet up the suspense as you plummet toward the ending.
When Misty’s boyfriend, Toby, ditches her, she continues to assume that’s that. But when he goes missing and three other women he was romantically involved with come onto her radar, Misty’s skills as an author (of thrillers!) become essential. Award-winning narrator Clare Corbett makes this suspenseful domestic thriller a wonderfully intense listening experience.
FREE-RANGE (*not* domestic thrillers)
Evie Reyes is dead set on avenging her mother’s death, and she’s teaming up with former flame Sebastian Shaw to get it. Tylor Page blends second-chance romance with dark humor and horror, making it the perfect listen for anyone wanting to explore either side of the genre spectrum. Iconic horror film references sprinkled throughout the book create an added bonus for true fans, but you don’t have to be a “scream queen” to devour every second.
Kate’s marriage to billionaire Hank Tudor continues to fray when his ex–wife resurfaces in the wake of their daughter’s kidnapping. This latest installment of Karen E. Olson‘s genre-defying “Modern Tudor Mystery” series will keep you on the edge of your headphones from start to finish.
This psychological thriller is all about friendship and betrayal. Kate made a mistake: she ranked her friends on a spreadsheet, and it somehow got leaked and went viral. Whoops! Between the mystery of who leaked it and what’s really at stake, award-winning narrator Jilly Bond really brings this story to life.
The king lets his daughter, Anne, pick her own husband if she can best his soldiers in a tournament. When her choice proves to be the wrong one, she turns to life on the high seas and becomes the pirate Blackbeard. It’s a suspenseful slow burn featuring a strong female lead, and Nell Stevenson’s lively narration makes for an immersive listening experience.
This dark work of comic horror delivers in droves with a protagonist whose grasp on reality is slipping. Jessamyn St. Germain wants so badly to be the lead in a local musical theater production that she’s become a bit deranged. She spins all the telltale signs that she’s not right for the role (like the fact that she can’t sing) to justify her cutthroat actions, creating a hilariously twisted listen from start to finish.
