The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Finney Boylan, Jennifer, and Picoult, Jodi. Mad Honey: A Novel. New York: Ballantine Books, 2022.

Olivia has been living in New Hampshire with her teenage son, Asher, since leaving her abusive husband years before. She devotes her time to beekeeping on her late parents’ farm. As she reflects on her love for her son, she realizes that he has not called her all day. Suddenly, the phone rings and Asher tells Olivia that his girlfriend, Lily, is dead.

Olivia rushes to the police station where Asher is being questioned. Asher is remanded to jail a few days later after he is arrested for murder. Olivia calls her brother, Jordan, an attorney. She does not want to call Asher’s father to help with the bail money. As Jordan questions Asher to find out more about his relationship with Lily, Olivia begins to be shocked by the intimate details of his life that she was not privy to.

As the court case begins, Olivia grows more fearful that she is going to lose Asher. He has attempted suicide in jail. She finally goes to Braden to ask him to post bail and reveal what has been going on. Braden is shocked but he agrees to help them.

At trial, it is revealed that Lily was a biological male who disclosed this status to Asher after they had already slept together for the first time. It appears to be a motive for murder, and Olivia despairs. She eventually takes the stand and testifies to Asher’s gentle nature and character even as she struggles to believe what she is saying. She has seen more of Braden in their son as of late and she worries whether she ever knew her son. As a last-ditch attempt to convince the jury that her son is not capable of murder, she shares her own story of abuse and justifies that she would know if Asher was an abuser because of her intimate knowledge of domestic violence. Asher is shocked and dismayed at his mother’s revelation but he eventually forgives her and begins to understand why she wanted to keep him away from his father while he grew up.

Asher is acquitted of Lily’s murder though he is still devastated to have lost her. When Maya reveals that she accidentally killed Lily when they fought over her hidden love for Asher, the characters finally reach a resolution. Asher begins to plan where he will go to college after taking a year off to recuperate.

In flashbacks before her death, Lily lives and enjoys her life with Asher and her mother, finding meaning in finally having a sincere group of friends. She struggled with her trans-identified status and knowing when and how to disclose this to the people who thought they knew her the best. She dreamed of what her future would look like, providing a poignant feeling for readers who know she will never realize her dreams.