Description:

I see my son’s scooter lying in the undergrowth. Time stands still. Where is he? Deafened by my own heartbeat, I keep looking but I can’t see him. This is all my fault. My punishment for the things I did, and the things I should have done.

All I ever wanted was to keep my son safe. I married the perfect husband, built the perfect home. I’ve tried to give Finn the life I never had.

Everything was going so well. Until now.

It’s just small things at first – a punctured tyre, an open gate that I’m sure I locked. But then I see the photograph of two young girls, and a night I’ve tried to forget.

I know I have to stop pretending that nothing is happening. I can’t escape the truth.

Someone knows my secret. But what do they want from me?

Adele’s Review:

Sam Hepburn writes great cautionary tales. In A Good Mother her underlying message is a plea to all women to hold on to their self-esteem, have confidence in their decision-making abilities, and avoid turning control of their lives over to someone else.

The protagonist of Hepburn’s story, Nicola, is bullied, undermined, and preyed upon by almost everyone in her life growing up, and as an adult her husband is arguably the worst offender. Her lack of self-esteem and faith in her own judgement is skillfully explained in her back story, which gives us empathy for her actions throughout the book. Though I understood the psychology behind Nicola’s passivity, I waited anxiously for her to enact the furious revenge her antagonists deserved. There was one scene involving Nicola’s son that didn’t sit exactly right with me, but that would require a spoiler to explain, so I’ll leave it to other readers to discover.

A Good Mother is a compulsive read that had me turning the pages at warp speed. There were plot twists I never saw coming and the plot lines were expertly woven together. Loved this one! A great read. Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an ARC to read and review.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/57214985

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Mother-gripping-psychological-heart-pounding-ebook/dp/B08X79CDWR