Creepy thriller about a pregnant woman who visits her father-in-law with her husband and then the fun begins. There is a looming sense of dread throughout, and although the story is a little far-fetched, it's entertaining. I enjoyed it. ( )

Gothic horror story. Well written. Don't like stories about helpless woman. No surprise at the end. It's Rebecca meets Rosemary's Baby meets Get Out ! ( )

This suspenseful domestic thriller centers around a very creepy father-in-law and a home at the end of the woods in Upper Michigan. I usually like Abbott's books because they involve conflicts between women (loved Dare Me), but this one takes place over a week's time and has more of a "it's-coming-from-inside-the house" plot. I don't think it's her best. ( )

Beware the Woman is the latest by Megan Abbott. As always, she does not disappoint. Jacy and Jed may appear like the perfect young couple, but as is often the case, nothing is as it seems. Ms. Abbott ratchets up the tension as Jacy uncovers long-buried secrets and discovers her husband's family history. You find yourself racing to finish Jacy's tale with your heart in your throat and rage in your heart.

While reading Beware the Woman, I was reminded of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Often what Jacy experiences are so nuanced that it could mean she incorrectly read the room. Much like Ms. Gilman's classic psychological horror story, you can only understand the truth by reading between the lines. And, like that short story, the truth is terrifying.

Beware the Woman is eerily prescient in its portrayal of a woman forced to listen and obey the men in her family regarding her body and the baby she carries. What starts as loving attention quickly becomes invasive and unwarranted. As Jacy rages about having no dominion over her body, all you can do is rave in impotence alongside her, knowing that right now, women across the country face much worse scenarios in the post-Roe era.

One nitpick of Beware the Woman is that the ending is too abrupt. There is so much build-up of tension and anxiety as Jacy tries to find a way out of her predicament that the sudden end leaves you feeling cheated. What makes it worse is that it is the only part of the novel with action. While the suspense is fantastic, the plot is somewhat stagnant until Jacy finally makes a move. That it happens within the last few pages of the story is a disappointment.

While Beware the Woman is not Ms. Abbott's best novel, it remains an excellent story. Jacy's fears for herself and her baby are palpable, as is her incomprehension and anger that she found herself in this situation. It is all too easy to replace Jacy with the hundreds of women who find themselves pregnant and legally unable to do anything about that pregnancy that they may want to do. Body autonomy is a fundamental right; Ms. Abbott uses Jacy and Beware the Woman to show us how it feels when you no longer have it. ( )

This book was so strange - it felt more like a horror story than a thriller or psychological suspense. There was so much that was unexplained and the ending didn't really provide any closure. It definitely needs an epilogue to explain what happened to Jacy and her baby. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. ( )