The Recommended Reading Path: Where to Start
For most readers, the ultimate entry point to A.S.A. Harrison's catalog is her singular, bestselling psychological thriller, The Silent Wife (2013). This novel represents her debut in fiction and serves as the perfect showcase for her sharp prose, keen observation of human behavior, and mastery of domestic suspense. Readers looking for a chilling, slow-burn exploration of a marriage in freefall will find this to be her definitive work.
If you wish to explore Harrison's broader creative journey, you can then venture into her diverse non-fiction catalog. Because her non-fiction spans several decades and addresses topics ranging from human sexuality and performance art to astrology and psychotherapy, these books do not require any specific reading order. However, reading them chronologically provides a fascinating look at the development of her psychological insights, which ultimately culminated in her final masterpiece.
The Standalone Fiction
The Silent Wife (2013)
Published posthumously in the summer of 2013, The Silent Wife is a landmark in the domestic noir genre. The book follows Jodi Brett, a Chicago-based psychotherapist, and Todd Gilbert, a wealthy property developer, who have lived together in a comfortable, upscale waterfront condominium for twenty years. Though they are not officially married, Jodi maintains a structured, peaceful home life by deliberately ignoring Todd's chronic, serial infidelities.
This fragile peace shatters when Todd impregnates Natasha, the young daughter of his best friend, and decides to leave Jodi to build a new family. Told in alternating chapters titled "Her" and "Him," the novel maps the distinct internal worlds of the two characters as they slide inexorably toward betrayal, desperation, and murder. Rather than focusing on who committed the crime, the story functions as a compelling "whydunit" that examines the psychological defenses people build to protect their realities.
Chronological Bibliography of A.S.A. Harrison's Works
While Harrison only completed one novel, her full bibliography spans over thirty years of writing, editing, and collaborations. Below is the complete publication order of all her books:
- Orgasms: Twenty-Two Women Talk Frankly About Their Orgasms (1974) — Non-Fiction
- Revelations: Essays on Striptease and Sexuality (1987) — Non-Fiction (Co-authored with Margaret Dragu)
- Zodicat Speaks: Discover Your Cat's Astrological Signature (1996) — Non-Fiction
- Changing the Mind, Healing the Body: Eight Case Studies in Transformational Belief-Change Therapy (2005) — Non-Fiction (Co-authored with Elly Roselle)
- The Silent Wife (2013) — Fiction
The Non-Fiction Catalog
Before turning her hand to psychological fiction, Harrison was a prominent figure in the Toronto avant-garde art scene, collaborating with artists and exploring various aspects of psychology and culture. Her non-fiction works lay the intellectual foundation for the deep psychological realism seen in her novel.
Orgasms: Twenty-Two Women Talk Frankly About Their Orgasms (1974)
Harrison's literary debut was a bold, feminist work of non-fiction published by Toronto's independent Coach House Press. The book consists of verbatim interviews with women sharing their personal experiences of sexuality and climax. Designed by AA Bronson of the famous Canadian artist collective General Idea, the book was printed in a limited run of 2,500 copies and sought to de-mystify female sexuality in a frank, supportive manner.
Revelations: Essays on Striptease and Sexuality (1987)
Co-authored with performance artist Margaret Dragu and published by Nightwood Editions, this volume explores the history, art, and socio-political dynamics of striptease. Blending interviews, historical research, and essays, the book examines how performance and bodily agency intersect with societal standards of sexuality.
Zodicat Speaks: Discover Your Cat's Astrological Signature (1996)
Showcasing her lighter, more playful side, Harrison published this humorous guide to feline astrology through Viking Penguin. Writing under the tongue-in-cheek persona "Dr. Zodicat," Harrison outlines how various astrological signs manifest in the personalities and behaviors of domestic cats, drawing from her own experience living with feline companions.
Changing the Mind, Healing the Body (2005)
Co-authored with psychotherapist Elly Roselle and published by Ugly Duckling Editions, this book presents eight distinct case studies in transformational belief-change therapy. The work explores how core beliefs shape human health, behavior, and emotional well-being, directly prefiguring the clinical psychological insights that Harrison would later weave into the character of Jodi Brett in The Silent Wife.
What to Know Before You Start
Readers embarking on A.S.A. Harrison's work should keep a few essential context points in mind:
- The Adlerian Psychological Angle: In The Silent Wife, Jodi Brett is a practitioner of Adlerian psychology (founded by Alfred Adler). Harrison deliberately used this school of thought—which focuses on birth order, lifestyle, and individual goals—to structure the characters' motivations. Understanding this background explains why Jodi handles Todd's betrayal with such clinical detachment before her eventual break.
- The Chicago Setting: Although Harrison was a life-long resident of Toronto, Canada, she set The Silent Wife in Chicago. The city's upscale, high-rise waterfront serves as a stark, isolating backdrop that mirrors the emotional distance between the main characters.
- The Unfinished Second Thriller: At the time of her death from cancer on April 14, 2013, Harrison was working on a second psychological thriller. However, this manuscript was never completed, and no posthumous fiction beyond her debut has ever been published.
- The Film Adaptation Status: Shortly after the novel's publication, a major film adaptation was optioned to star Nicole Kidman and be directed by Adrian Lyne. While a screenplay was drafted, the film project was never completed or released.