The Marriage Vendetta
'Wonderfully edgy and exquisitely funny' - Joseph O'Connor
Published on 24. April 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
288 pages
978-1-80418-951-1 (ISBN)
Description
Eliza's playwright husband Richard Sheridan has accepted the career opportunity of a lifetime: running a prestigious theatre in Dublin. Eliza plays the role of the supportive wife - uprooting their daughter Mara, relocating from England to Dublin, running the household and managing Richard's paperwork - but inside, she's burning with resentment.
Eliza was once a globe-trotting classical pianist; now, her time is consumed by the dramas of the judgmental 'momfluencers' at the cafe across from Mara's school, where she spends hours anxiously watching her lonely daughter during playtimes.
When she's sent a suggestive photo of Richard with another woman, it's the last straw. She turns to mysterious marriage therapist Ellen Early for help. But Eliza has no idea just how far Ms. Early is willing to go to get results ...
The Marriage Vendetta offers the quirky relatable tone of How to Kill Your Family crossed with wry wit of Sorrow and Bliss. There's a touch of BBC's Motherland in the portrayal of parental schoolyard politics - and the dark comedy of Bad Sisters.
Eliza was once a globe-trotting classical pianist; now, her time is consumed by the dramas of the judgmental 'momfluencers' at the cafe across from Mara's school, where she spends hours anxiously watching her lonely daughter during playtimes.
When she's sent a suggestive photo of Richard with another woman, it's the last straw. She turns to mysterious marriage therapist Ellen Early for help. But Eliza has no idea just how far Ms. Early is willing to go to get results ...
The Marriage Vendetta offers the quirky relatable tone of How to Kill Your Family crossed with wry wit of Sorrow and Bliss. There's a touch of BBC's Motherland in the portrayal of parental schoolyard politics - and the dark comedy of Bad Sisters.
Reviews / Votes
'A wonderfully edgy and exquisitely funny debut from a writer who is here to stay' -- Joseph O'Connor * author of My Father's House and The Ghosts of Rome * 'Addictive and acerbic, this laugh-out-loud novel is full of heart and totally, utterly unpredictable' -- Colin Walsh * author of Kala * 'Sharp, witty and brilliantly unpredictable, The Marriage Vendetta is a breathtaking thrill-ride from a bold new voice in fiction' -- Joseph Murray * author of Fling * 'A sharply funny skewering of the upper middle classes of Dublin with an elegant dose of magic realism, The Marriage Vendetta traverses the politics of the private school playground, the compromises of motherhood and the grasping shenanigans of high finance and the theatre world and questions whether there's any place for personal ambition in marriage. It's a compelling, superbly confident debut' -- Lauren MacKenzie * author of The Couples * 'Laced with social commentary, humour and even a dash of magic, The Marriage Vendetta is a smart yet tender look at all of the vagaries of the modern relationship. Featuring a heroine you will root for, and an all too believable supporting cast, this book kept me turning the pages and hoping for a fairy-tale ending for all concerned' -- Sinead Crowley * author of The Belladonna Maze *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bonnier Books Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 153 mm
Width: 233 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
398 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80418-951-1 (9781804189511)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Caroline Madden is an Irish journalist and writer.
Having grown up in the countryside of Longford, Caroline got notions and moved to Dublin where she swanned around Trinity College for a few years. She got a degree in something called management science and still isn't sure what exactly that is.
After trying to make it as a corporate stooge, Caroline found herself in the world of journalism where she was able to secretly work on her novels while she was supposed to be writing stock market reports.
She now lives by the sea with her two children and one very small, very loud dog called Benji.
You can find Caroline online at www.carolinemaddenbooks.com. Much as she wishes otherwise, she is not the LA-based infidelity recovery expert Caroline Madden, PhD.
Having grown up in the countryside of Longford, Caroline got notions and moved to Dublin where she swanned around Trinity College for a few years. She got a degree in something called management science and still isn't sure what exactly that is.
After trying to make it as a corporate stooge, Caroline found herself in the world of journalism where she was able to secretly work on her novels while she was supposed to be writing stock market reports.
She now lives by the sea with her two children and one very small, very loud dog called Benji.
You can find Caroline online at www.carolinemaddenbooks.com. Much as she wishes otherwise, she is not the LA-based infidelity recovery expert Caroline Madden, PhD.