The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead

The story follows Shay Deroy, a 30-year-old, former magazine columnist and aspiring author, living in Dallas and married to a successful man named Cal. Her life takes a twist when she tunes into a true-crime podcast hosted by Jamie, an old high school friend, revealing the mysterious death of her college roommate, Laurel. Driven by suspicions of foul play and a not so subtle plead from her old friend, Shay hastily decides to fly to New York on a mission to uncover the truth behind Laurel’s death.

Reconnecting with Jamie, Shay delves deeper into her past that she actively tries to escape, but memories of her college years, under the control of a manipulative and abusive man named Don, continue to resurface. As the narrative progresses, it unveils the sinister depths of Don’s control over Shay and her roommates, leading to tragic consequences. As Shay confronts her past and strives to seek the truth behind Laurel's death, she grapples with the lingering influence of Don's dominance and the growing cult he's created.

Alternating between the past, told through recordings for Jamie’s podcast, to the present with Shay’s undercover infiltration of the cult, the story took many twists and turns all while exploring the power dynamic between genders and antiquated societal expectations.

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