"The Stepford Wives" is a novel by Ira Levin, published in 1972. It tells the story of a suburban community called Stepford, where the wives of the men in the town seem to be unusually perfect and submissive. The protagonist, Joanna Eberhart, becomes suspicious of the strange behavior of the women and investigates the unsettling changes in their personalities. As Joanna delves deeper, she discovers a dark secret behind the idyllic facade of Stepford. The men in the community have replaced their wives with robotic replicas, designed to fulfill traditional roles without question. This chilling premise explores themes of gender roles, conformity, and the loss of individuality.