Mad HoneyMad Honey
What it's about
Olivia McAfee left her abusive husband and moved back to her small New Hampshire hometown to run the family beekeeping business and raise her son, Asher, a high school hockey star. Lily Campanello is new in town, and she and Asher fall in love. Then Lily is found dead, and Asher is charged with her murder. As the trial goes on, both mothers' secrets come out.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. Picoult co-wrote it with Jennifer Finney Boylan, and it's a twisty courtroom drama about secrets and identity.
You'll love it if you liked
Nineteen Minutes
House Rules
Change of HeartGood to know
There's domestic abuse, sexual assault and a major twist about Lily's past.
By the numbers
- Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller66 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #179 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #226 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1274 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
More by Jodi Picoult
Nineteen Minutes
Small Great ThingsHouse Rules
Handle with CareIf you like this, read next
The Correspondent
The Housemaid
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Remarkably Bright Creatures
The Tainted Cup
The Frozen RiverExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Mad Honey worth reading?
Yes. It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #1,274 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Mad Honey about?
Olivia McAfee left her abusive husband and moved back to her small New Hampshire hometown to run the family beekeeping business and raise her son, Asher, a high school hockey star. Lily Campanello is new in town, and she and Asher fall in love. Then Lily is found dead, and Asher is charged with her murder. As the trial goes on, both mothers' secrets come out.
How long does it take to read Mad Honey?
About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Mad Honey?
If you liked it, try Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, House Rules by Jodi Picoult or Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult.