The Recipe for the Perfect Wife – Karma Brown (Ukrainian Hardcover)

The Recipe for the Perfect Wife by Karma Brown is a haunting, dual-layered tale that seamlessly interweaves the lives of two women across decades. Modern-day Alice Hale leaves her fast-paced career in PR and relocates with her husband from New York to their new suburban home—only to be met with isolation and uncertainty. When she discovers an old cookbook hidden by the house’s previous owner, 1950s homemaker Nellie Murdoch, Alice finds more than recipes: she unearths cryptic notes and clues that echo her own marital doubts and emotional voids.

Through alternating perspectives, Karma Brown deftly navigates themes of motherhood, identity, and the silent struggles women endure behind closed doors. The story becomes a deeply reflective exploration of how the domestic mold—once revered—can mask loneliness and loss. Alice's journey toward self-discovery, paved by Nellie’s faded words, resonates with anyone questioning societal expectations and the cost of “perfect” roles.

The Ukrainian hardcover edition (Knigolav, 2022) is a 352-page volume, measuring 140 × 215 mm, with a firm hardcover. The translation faithfully preserves Brown's emotional depth and subtle suspense — making this book equally compelling for literary fiction lovers and those captivated by psychological drama.