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The Guilty Mother
My husband’s dead. They say my best friend did it.
I can’t believe it. Not Lisa. There’s no way she could have done something so terrible. I look around at her shaken family, her two devastated children and her shocked husband, as they watch the most important woman in their lives being arrested for murder…
I always thought Lisa was the perfect wife and mother. We’ve been best friends ever since I moved to Dragonfly Close. Her children call me Auntie Vic, we’re always chatting, laughing and sipping her homemade lemonade in our back gardens. She would never do anything like this.
But then I remember the day I saw her at the coffee shop with Russell. That was the day I started watching her through the gap in my bedroom curtains and stole the key to her pristine house. I suspected she’d betrayed me, and maybe I was right.
I don’t believe she killed my husband, but now I can make sure she pays for what she did to me…
Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.
What readers are saying about The Guilty Mother :
‘ Devoured in one sitting! … Intense, full of suspense and so addictive from start to finish! A thrilling plot kicked into high gear right from the outset, and did not let up. I was completely caught up in its drama, my head full of theories of what was to come… a very engrossing must-read .’ @onceuponatimebookreviews , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Intense! I started it and finished within 5 hours , It had me hooked and on the edge of my seat whilst reading. The twist at the end was amazing .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Wow, what a book!! I think I went through every emotion under the sun whilst reading this … fab suspense and red herrings .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Pulse-pounding … a book I could barely put down .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘High suspense and unputdownable! … I’m hooked .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ I could not put this page turner down!! What a ride and I loved every last word of it. I left me thinking about it for days afterwards. 6 stars if I could. ’ @loris2littlelibrary , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Wow … amazing… this book had me so hooked I literally didn't want to put my kindle down … had me gripped throughout.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Heart-pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat … Definitely one of the best books this year .’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can’t believe it. Not Lisa. There’s no way she could have done something so terrible. I look around at her shaken family, her two devastated children and her shocked husband, as they watch the most important woman in their lives being arrested for murder…
I always thought Lisa was the perfect wife and mother. We’ve been best friends ever since I moved to Dragonfly Close. Her children call me Auntie Vic, we’re always chatting, laughing and sipping her homemade lemonade in our back gardens. She would never do anything like this.
But then I remember the day I saw her at the coffee shop with Russell. That was the day I started watching her through the gap in my bedroom curtains and stole the key to her pristine house. I suspected she’d betrayed me, and maybe I was right.
I don’t believe she killed my husband, but now I can make sure she pays for what she did to me…
Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.
What readers are saying about The Guilty Mother :
‘ Devoured in one sitting! … Intense, full of suspense and so addictive from start to finish! A thrilling plot kicked into high gear right from the outset, and did not let up. I was completely caught up in its drama, my head full of theories of what was to come… a very engrossing must-read .’ @onceuponatimebookreviews , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Intense! I started it and finished within 5 hours , It had me hooked and on the edge of my seat whilst reading. The twist at the end was amazing .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Wow, what a book!! I think I went through every emotion under the sun whilst reading this … fab suspense and red herrings .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Pulse-pounding … a book I could barely put down .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘High suspense and unputdownable! … I’m hooked .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ I could not put this page turner down!! What a ride and I loved every last word of it. I left me thinking about it for days afterwards. 6 stars if I could. ’ @loris2littlelibrary , ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Wow … amazing… this book had me so hooked I literally didn't want to put my kindle down … had me gripped throughout.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘ Heart-pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat … Definitely one of the best books this year .’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2023
1009 people are currently reading
584 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
April 30, 2023
I enjoyed my first outing with Sam Vickery!
The book started brilliantly, and I was hooked immediately.
Then, as the characters developed, I felt the pace slowed a little. But not in a bad way. It allowed the characters to take centre stage and the story could add tension to the end.
This book has definitely made me look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
The book started brilliantly, and I was hooked immediately.
Then, as the characters developed, I felt the pace slowed a little. But not in a bad way. It allowed the characters to take centre stage and the story could add tension to the end.
This book has definitely made me look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
April 17, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
Taking off my favourite stripped apron to sit down for our family meal, I know something is wrong the moment the doorbell rings. A chill runs through me as the police officer places handcuffs around my wrists and I see my husbands shocked face. They're arresting me for murder. We've been best friends with Victoria and Russell since they first moved to Dragonfly Close. My children love Auntie Vic. We spend long summer evenings together, laughing, chatting and sharing everything. Now I'm accused of murdering Russell.
The pace kept fluctuating between slow and steady. It's also predictable in places, but none of that spoiled my enjoyment of this book. The evidence mounts up against Lisa, making her responsible for Russell's murder. The story is told from Lisa and Victoria's perspectives. I was pulled in from the beginning and there's plenty of twist and turns. I think this is one of those books where the less you know before reading is the best option. All i will say is - I was shocked by the last twist.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SamVickery for my ARC of #TheGuiltyMother in exchange for an honest review.
Taking off my favourite stripped apron to sit down for our family meal, I know something is wrong the moment the doorbell rings. A chill runs through me as the police officer places handcuffs around my wrists and I see my husbands shocked face. They're arresting me for murder. We've been best friends with Victoria and Russell since they first moved to Dragonfly Close. My children love Auntie Vic. We spend long summer evenings together, laughing, chatting and sharing everything. Now I'm accused of murdering Russell.
The pace kept fluctuating between slow and steady. It's also predictable in places, but none of that spoiled my enjoyment of this book. The evidence mounts up against Lisa, making her responsible for Russell's murder. The story is told from Lisa and Victoria's perspectives. I was pulled in from the beginning and there's plenty of twist and turns. I think this is one of those books where the less you know before reading is the best option. All i will say is - I was shocked by the last twist.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SamVickery for my ARC of #TheGuiltyMother in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2023
Lisa and Mike’s neighbor Russell has been killed in a hit-and-run accident. One night while having dinner with their two teenaged children, the police knock on their door and Lisa is arrested. Did she kill Russell? If it was an accident, why didn’t she report it?
In this latest book by Sam Vickery, nothing is as it seems. In fact, secrets and lies abound. Will the truth be revealed if indeed Lisa is guilty? Then there is Victoria, Russell’s wife. Is she the grieving widow? Well, she plays an important role as well.
What an intense read with surprising twists, sad drama and trauma, and more! Just when it seemed that I had figured things out and if there was a probable motive, I found myself quite stunned. Loved this book and can’t wait to read her next book.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
In this latest book by Sam Vickery, nothing is as it seems. In fact, secrets and lies abound. Will the truth be revealed if indeed Lisa is guilty? Then there is Victoria, Russell’s wife. Is she the grieving widow? Well, she plays an important role as well.
What an intense read with surprising twists, sad drama and trauma, and more! Just when it seemed that I had figured things out and if there was a probable motive, I found myself quite stunned. Loved this book and can’t wait to read her next book.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
May 3, 2023
I enjoyed this twisting thriller and the vast number of secrets that weave through the story. Although I had predicted some of the plot developments, this did not stop me becoming intrigued to understand whether Lisa was really as innocent as she claims to be.
When I first started this book, I could not help but wonder if this was going to be a similar story to recent reads: either a neighbour taking over a family home, or the story of an abused wife. Whilst Vickery does use these elements, it still became an original read and I liked how the writer combines these ideas to create a different plot.
I was never fully convinced that Lisa is innocent, especially seeing as the police arrest her and seem very confident about their evidence. I do wish that Vickery had included some parts of the police investigation, wanting to know exactly what it was they had on this character to lead them to suspecting her of Russell’s death. On the other hand, this reader blindness reflects exactly how Lisa feels when she is being held, adding to her sense of disorientation and confusion. I admired her stoic attitude in not responding to the police questioning, but could not understand why she did not protest strongly about her innocence.
Yet, this just adds to the story and Victoria’s own suspicions. The narrative switches between the two women, as well as moving back to the events leading up to Russell’s death. Vickery depicts two very contrasting families and I found the more I learned about Victoria, the less I liked her. Even though there are aspects that are supposed to garner reader sympathy, I felt her character was manipulative and unnerving: definitely not someone who can be trusted. Victoria’s marriage is exposed to readers in the flashbacks and I liked seeing how Vickery illustrates the antithesis between the two households: open and loving (Lisa), versus underhand and controlling (Victoria). It is clear to see why Victoria is drawn to Lisa’s family.
At times I found the pace of the story to be quite slow, with lengthy descriptions that could have been condensed. There are times when I thought this lessened the tension of the narrative, particularly scenes with Victoria, and I think the writer would have benefitted from making these sections punchier. Furthermore, I thought the closing Epilogue to be equally prolonged and, whilst this gives the readers the answers they have been waiting for, I again wanted this to be fuelling the suspense and uncertainty that the characters experienced. This would have made the overall story more impactful.
I liked discovering the truth about these female protagonists in this story. Wife, mother and many secrets lurk under the surface, showing that behind closed doors, you never know what is really going on.
With thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I first started this book, I could not help but wonder if this was going to be a similar story to recent reads: either a neighbour taking over a family home, or the story of an abused wife. Whilst Vickery does use these elements, it still became an original read and I liked how the writer combines these ideas to create a different plot.
I was never fully convinced that Lisa is innocent, especially seeing as the police arrest her and seem very confident about their evidence. I do wish that Vickery had included some parts of the police investigation, wanting to know exactly what it was they had on this character to lead them to suspecting her of Russell’s death. On the other hand, this reader blindness reflects exactly how Lisa feels when she is being held, adding to her sense of disorientation and confusion. I admired her stoic attitude in not responding to the police questioning, but could not understand why she did not protest strongly about her innocence.
Yet, this just adds to the story and Victoria’s own suspicions. The narrative switches between the two women, as well as moving back to the events leading up to Russell’s death. Vickery depicts two very contrasting families and I found the more I learned about Victoria, the less I liked her. Even though there are aspects that are supposed to garner reader sympathy, I felt her character was manipulative and unnerving: definitely not someone who can be trusted. Victoria’s marriage is exposed to readers in the flashbacks and I liked seeing how Vickery illustrates the antithesis between the two households: open and loving (Lisa), versus underhand and controlling (Victoria). It is clear to see why Victoria is drawn to Lisa’s family.
At times I found the pace of the story to be quite slow, with lengthy descriptions that could have been condensed. There are times when I thought this lessened the tension of the narrative, particularly scenes with Victoria, and I think the writer would have benefitted from making these sections punchier. Furthermore, I thought the closing Epilogue to be equally prolonged and, whilst this gives the readers the answers they have been waiting for, I again wanted this to be fuelling the suspense and uncertainty that the characters experienced. This would have made the overall story more impactful.
I liked discovering the truth about these female protagonists in this story. Wife, mother and many secrets lurk under the surface, showing that behind closed doors, you never know what is really going on.
With thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2023
Lisa and Mike have lived across the street from Victoria and Russell for quite some time. There have been many barbeques, drinks, and laughs shared in their backyards. Lisa's children even call Victoria 'Auntie'. When Lisa is arrested for the hit-and-run that kills Russell, everyone is beyond shocked. Victoria doesn't believe her friend could be guilty; there must be some dreadful mistake.
As she sits in the back of the police car, Lisa can't stop thinking about her kids. She also can't stop thinking about the last time she and Russell met up in secret and the argument they had. Lisa refuses to cooperate with the police and won't give an alibi for the time of the crime. Meanwhile, we learn from Victoria just how cruel and overbearing Russell was. As she turns her attention to Lisa's family, especially her husband Mike, to offer comfort, one has to wonder exactly what her motives her.
This was an excellent domestic thriller full of red herrings that kept me turning the pages until I got to the shocking end. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early read. THE GUILTY MOTHER releases April 28, 2023.
As she sits in the back of the police car, Lisa can't stop thinking about her kids. She also can't stop thinking about the last time she and Russell met up in secret and the argument they had. Lisa refuses to cooperate with the police and won't give an alibi for the time of the crime. Meanwhile, we learn from Victoria just how cruel and overbearing Russell was. As she turns her attention to Lisa's family, especially her husband Mike, to offer comfort, one has to wonder exactly what her motives her.
This was an excellent domestic thriller full of red herrings that kept me turning the pages until I got to the shocking end. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this early read. THE GUILTY MOTHER releases April 28, 2023.
Read
April 18, 2023The Guilty Mother by Sam Vickery is a tense and emotionally charged story with lots of unexpected turns to take the reader by surprise. Loved it!
April 21, 2023
A interesting dark psychological thriller that had me all mixed up and thoroughly intrigued.
The story starts off strong with a mysterious hit and run.
So many secrets being withheld.
So much drama and intrigue.
What will a mother do to protect her child?
If you are in the mood to read an intense domestic thriller, The Guilty Mother is the book you should pick up.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The story starts off strong with a mysterious hit and run.
So many secrets being withheld.
So much drama and intrigue.
What will a mother do to protect her child?
If you are in the mood to read an intense domestic thriller, The Guilty Mother is the book you should pick up.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 3, 2023
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Guilty Mother' by Sam Vickery.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sam Vickery, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 25th April 2023
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.' I am a huge fan of all three of these amazing authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Sam Vickery and if this is half as good as 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 46 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is set in Kent, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture .I have actually holidayed in England several times so am intrigued to see if I recognise places based on anywhere I visited while there
This book is written in first perspective and the main protagonists are Lisa Grey and Victoria. The benefits of books written in first person perspective with multiple protagonists are, as long as they are well written, it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.
'The Guilty Mother' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Sam discusses sexu@l @ss@uIt & r@p3.
Well, Well, Well, Sam Vickery you have done it again!!! Congratulations on yet another breathe taking novel!!
This book is extremely well written and the layout with the past and present chapters are perfect. They drip feed you information of what has gone on in the past with just the right amount of information to give you an idea of what is going on but not too much so that you work it all out. The cover and blurb work perfectly with the storyline.
Wow!! What an absolutely breathe taking and heart stopping storyline. LThis book is different to the other books I have previously read by this authour as it has more of a crime theme going on so I was intrigued to see how well Sam would do with a genre change and she did a brilliant job, which to be honest I can't say I'm surprised at as she is such a talented author!! Lisa and Victoria are neighbours and good friends so when Victoria's husband Russell is killed in a hit and run and Lisa is the police's number one suspect it is intriguing to see how Victoria as well as Lisa's family will react to this news!! The storyline was set at a perfect pace, not too fast and not too slow. It gave just the right amount of time for you to be able to take everything in as it was happening and question yourself about what you would do. It really is thought provoking. It is an absolute roller-coaster ride of emotions and filled with love, deceit, friendship, twists and turns turns, secrets, tension and trust. It was one of those books that I genuinely could not put down as I just had to know what was going to happen next!! Each and every time I told myself one more chapter and then bed that chapter ended in a way I just had to know what happened so I had to read one more and then it kept happening until I was walking around with my kindle glued to my hand and devouring the book in a few hours. I must admit I was completely shocked when certain events were revealed but please don't let this out you off as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me after reading so many crime and psychological books. However, I was shocked at the twist at the end which I absolutely loved and more than made up for what I had worked out previously. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it for others but needless to say another emotionally packed page turner by this fantastic author!!
Another page turning read by a very talented author!!
I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!! Another congratulations to Sam Vickery. Looking forward to her next gripping, and going by all her previous work, what promises to be heart rendering.
Just like the storyline the characters came to life with Sam's evocative writing skills and I could feel how they were feeling throughout the storyline. It is quite hard to say how I truly felt about each of the characters without giving too much away so I will try my best with what I can say. I really liked Lisa and as a mother myself my heart broke for her when she was seperate from her children not knowing when she was going too see them again but for other reasons also which I won't be going into. I absolutely admired how strong she was and how much of a good mother and loving wife. I also really liked her husband Mike who was also realistic, was sweet but also a bit drippy lol!! He is one of those men who are good looking and kind but no idea how this may make women want him. Again, I can't say much more about him. Then we have Victoria which I must admit I wasn't a fan of at all and could have (actually I did a few times 😂) shouted at her for how she was acting. However, I will admit that I did also have sympathy towards her but, yet again and I'm very sorry, I really can't go into any more details!! However, regardless of how I felt about each of the characters they each played their roles perfectly to make this an absolutely fantastic, gripping and emotional page turner!!
Overall an intriguing who dunnit page turner filled with friendship, deceit secrets and everything you could ask for in an addictive read.
Genres covered in this novel include Women's Crime Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Suspense, Women Writers & Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Sagas, Women's Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Women's Sagas, Domestic Thriller, Women's Friendship Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope, Linda Green ,Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Diane Chamberlain.
337 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheGuiltyMother #SamVickery #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited
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Review for 'The Guilty Mother' by Sam Vickery.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sam Vickery, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 25th April 2023
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.' I am a huge fan of all three of these amazing authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Sam Vickery and if this is half as good as 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 46 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is set in Kent, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture .I have actually holidayed in England several times so am intrigued to see if I recognise places based on anywhere I visited while there
This book is written in first perspective and the main protagonists are Lisa Grey and Victoria. The benefits of books written in first person perspective with multiple protagonists are, as long as they are well written, it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.
'The Guilty Mother' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Sam discusses sexu@l @ss@uIt & r@p3.
Well, Well, Well, Sam Vickery you have done it again!!! Congratulations on yet another breathe taking novel!!
This book is extremely well written and the layout with the past and present chapters are perfect. They drip feed you information of what has gone on in the past with just the right amount of information to give you an idea of what is going on but not too much so that you work it all out. The cover and blurb work perfectly with the storyline.
Wow!! What an absolutely breathe taking and heart stopping storyline. LThis book is different to the other books I have previously read by this authour as it has more of a crime theme going on so I was intrigued to see how well Sam would do with a genre change and she did a brilliant job, which to be honest I can't say I'm surprised at as she is such a talented author!! Lisa and Victoria are neighbours and good friends so when Victoria's husband Russell is killed in a hit and run and Lisa is the police's number one suspect it is intriguing to see how Victoria as well as Lisa's family will react to this news!! The storyline was set at a perfect pace, not too fast and not too slow. It gave just the right amount of time for you to be able to take everything in as it was happening and question yourself about what you would do. It really is thought provoking. It is an absolute roller-coaster ride of emotions and filled with love, deceit, friendship, twists and turns turns, secrets, tension and trust. It was one of those books that I genuinely could not put down as I just had to know what was going to happen next!! Each and every time I told myself one more chapter and then bed that chapter ended in a way I just had to know what happened so I had to read one more and then it kept happening until I was walking around with my kindle glued to my hand and devouring the book in a few hours. I must admit I was completely shocked when certain events were revealed but please don't let this out you off as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me after reading so many crime and psychological books. However, I was shocked at the twist at the end which I absolutely loved and more than made up for what I had worked out previously. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it for others but needless to say another emotionally packed page turner by this fantastic author!!
Another page turning read by a very talented author!!
I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!! Another congratulations to Sam Vickery. Looking forward to her next gripping, and going by all her previous work, what promises to be heart rendering.
Just like the storyline the characters came to life with Sam's evocative writing skills and I could feel how they were feeling throughout the storyline. It is quite hard to say how I truly felt about each of the characters without giving too much away so I will try my best with what I can say. I really liked Lisa and as a mother myself my heart broke for her when she was seperate from her children not knowing when she was going too see them again but for other reasons also which I won't be going into. I absolutely admired how strong she was and how much of a good mother and loving wife. I also really liked her husband Mike who was also realistic, was sweet but also a bit drippy lol!! He is one of those men who are good looking and kind but no idea how this may make women want him. Again, I can't say much more about him. Then we have Victoria which I must admit I wasn't a fan of at all and could have (actually I did a few times 😂) shouted at her for how she was acting. However, I will admit that I did also have sympathy towards her but, yet again and I'm very sorry, I really can't go into any more details!! However, regardless of how I felt about each of the characters they each played their roles perfectly to make this an absolutely fantastic, gripping and emotional page turner!!
Overall an intriguing who dunnit page turner filled with friendship, deceit secrets and everything you could ask for in an addictive read.
Genres covered in this novel include Women's Crime Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Suspense, Women Writers & Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Sagas, Women's Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Women's Sagas, Domestic Thriller, Women's Friendship Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope, Linda Green ,Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Diane Chamberlain.
337 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheGuiltyMother #SamVickery #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited
@TheGuiltyMother @SamVickery @Bookouture @BookoutureAnonymous @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Netgalley @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
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June 2, 2023
A dramatic start to the story when the doorbell rings during dinner and Lisa is arrested for the murder of her neighbour and best friends husband Russell.
The story is told mainly through Lisa and Russell's wife Victoria point of view. The dramatic start keeps you hooked in. At times the pacing is a little off and the plot is a tad predictable in places. As the story unfolds and you learn more bout the relationship dynamics you start to feel for lisa and understand whats going on more. I loved the way Victoria was developed she was the more complicated and her story arc was really rewarding to read. I started really disliking ger but grew to understand and feel sorry for her.
I enjoyed the book from start yo finish. The various twists and turns were good. Whilist I fully understood the ending I was a little disappointed as i feel it could have been diffrtent.
A good solid 4 star well worth a read but you need to keep woth it.
Thank uou for my arc netgallery
The story is told mainly through Lisa and Russell's wife Victoria point of view. The dramatic start keeps you hooked in. At times the pacing is a little off and the plot is a tad predictable in places. As the story unfolds and you learn more bout the relationship dynamics you start to feel for lisa and understand whats going on more. I loved the way Victoria was developed she was the more complicated and her story arc was really rewarding to read. I started really disliking ger but grew to understand and feel sorry for her.
I enjoyed the book from start yo finish. The various twists and turns were good. Whilist I fully understood the ending I was a little disappointed as i feel it could have been diffrtent.
A good solid 4 star well worth a read but you need to keep woth it.
Thank uou for my arc netgallery
May 3, 2023
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Guilty Mother' by Sam Vickery.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sam Vickery, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 25th April 2023
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.' I am a huge fan of all three of these amazing authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Sam Vickery and if this is half as good as 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 46 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is set in Kent, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture .I have actually holidayed in England several times so am intrigued to see if I recognise places based on anywhere I visited while there
This book is written in first perspective and the main protagonists are Lisa Grey and Victoria. The benefits of books written in first person perspective with multiple protagonists are, as long as they are well written, it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.
'The Guilty Mother' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Sam discusses sexu@l @ss@uIt & r@p3.
Well, Well, Well, Sam Vickery you have done it again!!! Congratulations on yet another breathe taking novel!!
This book is extremely well written and the layout with the past and present chapters are perfect. They drip feed you information of what has gone on in the past with just the right amount of information to give you an idea of what is going on but not too much so that you work it all out. The cover and blurb work perfectly with the storyline.
Wow!! What an absolutely breathe taking and heart stopping storyline. LThis book is different to the other books I have previously read by this authour as it has more of a crime theme going on so I was intrigued to see how well Sam would do with a genre change and she did a brilliant job, which to be honest I can't say I'm surprised at as she is such a talented author!! Lisa and Victoria are neighbours and good friends so when Victoria's husband Russell is killed in a hit and run and Lisa is the police's number one suspect it is intriguing to see how Victoria as well as Lisa's family will react to this news!! The storyline was set at a perfect pace, not too fast and not too slow. It gave just the right amount of time for you to be able to take everything in as it was happening and question yourself about what you would do. It really is thought provoking. It is an absolute roller-coaster ride of emotions and filled with love, deceit, friendship, twists and turns turns, secrets, tension and trust. It was one of those books that I genuinely could not put down as I just had to know what was going to happen next!! Each and every time I told myself one more chapter and then bed that chapter ended in a way I just had to know what happened so I had to read one more and then it kept happening until I was walking around with my kindle glued to my hand and devouring the book in a few hours. I must admit I was completely shocked when certain events were revealed but please don't let this out you off as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me after reading so many crime and psychological books. However, I was shocked at the twist at the end which I absolutely loved and more than made up for what I had worked out previously. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it for others but needless to say another emotionally packed page turner by this fantastic author!!
Another page turning read by a very talented author!!
I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!! Another congratulations to Sam Vickery. Looking forward to her next gripping, and going by all her previous work, what promises to be heart rendering.
Just like the storyline the characters came to life with Sam's evocative writing skills and I could feel how they were feeling throughout the storyline. It is quite hard to say how I truly felt about each of the characters without giving too much away so I will try my best with what I can say. I really liked Lisa and as a mother myself my heart broke for her when she was seperate from her children not knowing when she was going too see them again but for other reasons also which I won't be going into. I absolutely admired how strong she was and how much of a good mother and loving wife. I also really liked her husband Mike who was also realistic, was sweet but also a bit drippy lol!! He is one of those men who are good looking and kind but no idea how this may make women want him. Again, I can't say much more about him. Then we have Victoria which I must admit I wasn't a fan of at all and could have (actually I did a few times 😂) shouted at her for how she was acting. However, I will admit that I did also have sympathy towards her but, yet again and I'm very sorry, I really can't go into any more details!! However, regardless of how I felt about each of the characters they each played their roles perfectly to make this an absolutely fantastic, gripping and emotional page turner!!
Overall an intriguing who dunnit page turner filled with friendship, deceit secrets and everything you could ask for in an addictive read.
Genres covered in this novel include Women's Crime Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Suspense, Women Writers & Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Sagas, Women's Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Women's Sagas, Domestic Thriller, Women's Friendship Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope, Linda Green ,Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Diane Chamberlain.
337 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
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Review for 'The Guilty Mother' by Sam Vickery.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sam Vickery, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 25th April 2023
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and Linda Green will love this completely gripping page-turner, with a twist that will make your heart stop.' I am a huge fan of all three of these amazing authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Sam Vickery and if this is half as good as 'One Last Second', 'My Only Child', 'Her Silent Husband' and 'Save My Daughter' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 46 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is set in Kent, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture .I have actually holidayed in England several times so am intrigued to see if I recognise places based on anywhere I visited while there
This book is written in first perspective and the main protagonists are Lisa Grey and Victoria. The benefits of books written in first person perspective with multiple protagonists are, as long as they are well written, it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.
'The Guilty Mother' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Sam discusses sexu@l @ss@uIt & r@p3.
Well, Well, Well, Sam Vickery you have done it again!!! Congratulations on yet another breathe taking novel!!
This book is extremely well written and the layout with the past and present chapters are perfect. They drip feed you information of what has gone on in the past with just the right amount of information to give you an idea of what is going on but not too much so that you work it all out. The cover and blurb work perfectly with the storyline.
Wow!! What an absolutely breathe taking and heart stopping storyline. LThis book is different to the other books I have previously read by this authour as it has more of a crime theme going on so I was intrigued to see how well Sam would do with a genre change and she did a brilliant job, which to be honest I can't say I'm surprised at as she is such a talented author!! Lisa and Victoria are neighbours and good friends so when Victoria's husband Russell is killed in a hit and run and Lisa is the police's number one suspect it is intriguing to see how Victoria as well as Lisa's family will react to this news!! The storyline was set at a perfect pace, not too fast and not too slow. It gave just the right amount of time for you to be able to take everything in as it was happening and question yourself about what you would do. It really is thought provoking. It is an absolute roller-coaster ride of emotions and filled with love, deceit, friendship, twists and turns turns, secrets, tension and trust. It was one of those books that I genuinely could not put down as I just had to know what was going to happen next!! Each and every time I told myself one more chapter and then bed that chapter ended in a way I just had to know what happened so I had to read one more and then it kept happening until I was walking around with my kindle glued to my hand and devouring the book in a few hours. I must admit I was completely shocked when certain events were revealed but please don't let this out you off as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me after reading so many crime and psychological books. However, I was shocked at the twist at the end which I absolutely loved and more than made up for what I had worked out previously. I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it for others but needless to say another emotionally packed page turner by this fantastic author!!
Another page turning read by a very talented author!!
I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!! Another congratulations to Sam Vickery. Looking forward to her next gripping, and going by all her previous work, what promises to be heart rendering.
Just like the storyline the characters came to life with Sam's evocative writing skills and I could feel how they were feeling throughout the storyline. It is quite hard to say how I truly felt about each of the characters without giving too much away so I will try my best with what I can say. I really liked Lisa and as a mother myself my heart broke for her when she was seperate from her children not knowing when she was going too see them again but for other reasons also which I won't be going into. I absolutely admired how strong she was and how much of a good mother and loving wife. I also really liked her husband Mike who was also realistic, was sweet but also a bit drippy lol!! He is one of those men who are good looking and kind but no idea how this may make women want him. Again, I can't say much more about him. Then we have Victoria which I must admit I wasn't a fan of at all and could have (actually I did a few times 😂) shouted at her for how she was acting. However, I will admit that I did also have sympathy towards her but, yet again and I'm very sorry, I really can't go into any more details!! However, regardless of how I felt about each of the characters they each played their roles perfectly to make this an absolutely fantastic, gripping and emotional page turner!!
Overall an intriguing who dunnit page turner filled with friendship, deceit secrets and everything you could ask for in an addictive read.
Genres covered in this novel include Women's Crime Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Suspense, Women Writers & Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, Sagas, Women's Psychological Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Crime Fiction, Mystery, Women's Sagas, Domestic Thriller, Women's Friendship Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope, Linda Green ,Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Diane Chamberlain.
337 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheGuiltyMother #SamVickery #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #NetGalley #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited
@TheGuiltyMother @SamVickery @Bookouture @BookoutureAnonymous @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Netgalley @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited
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May 13, 2023
Meh: Not Dark, And Certainly Not Gripping, But Not Horrible.
Ugh. The title of this book sucks. A lot. it's a total giveaway and a disservice to the author; whoever came with the title deserves to be bonked on the head with a shoe.
I feel for the author because the editing on this book was subpar.
However, the author made an egregious error by portraying the teenage daughter (is she 18 or 17?) with mannerisms that were more akin to an 8 year old.
The book isn't bad, and it ain't great. But, if you were to buy it in paperback at a generic airport shop before heading out to your vacation in Aruba, you might find it a good beach read -- if you were happily downing margaritas and didn't give a poop if you fell asleep and unknowingly dropped the book on the sand only to be washed out to the sea. Just sayin'.
Ugh. The title of this book sucks. A lot. it's a total giveaway and a disservice to the author; whoever came with the title deserves to be bonked on the head with a shoe.
I feel for the author because the editing on this book was subpar.
However, the author made an egregious error by portraying the teenage daughter (is she 18 or 17?) with mannerisms that were more akin to an 8 year old.
The book isn't bad, and it ain't great. But, if you were to buy it in paperback at a generic airport shop before heading out to your vacation in Aruba, you might find it a good beach read -- if you were happily downing margaritas and didn't give a poop if you fell asleep and unknowingly dropped the book on the sand only to be washed out to the sea. Just sayin'.
April 7, 2023
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were several times throughout when I thought I knew what was happening, but realized that I was not at all correct. From the moment I picked it up, I didn't want to put the book down because the story just kept building and building from the first page. I loved that I was questioning every character's motives and trying to figure out how everything fit together the whole time I was reading. I rated this a solid four stars and will be adding anything else by this author to my TBR!
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were several times throughout when I thought I knew what was happening, but realized that I was not at all correct. From the moment I picked it up, I didn't want to put the book down because the story just kept building and building from the first page. I loved that I was questioning every character's motives and trying to figure out how everything fit together the whole time I was reading. I rated this a solid four stars and will be adding anything else by this author to my TBR!
May 1, 2023
The Guilty Mother is unputdownable domestic thriller that had me completely hooked from the very start. Packed full of twists and turns this is a book that I highly recommend to fans of domestic /psychological thrillers. This is the first book I had read by Sam Vickery but as soon as I’d finished it off I went to Amazon to download some more. 4⭐️
May 4, 2023
Wonderfully thrilling. Tense and full of twists. I read this amazing, fast paced, absolutely brilliant book in one sitting. Very highly recommended
March 4, 2024
Only took me a day and half to get through this book! Defo had me gripped! Didn’t see the ending coming at all!
June 11, 2024
A lot of the book was really boring and confusing. Hard to really get through the drug out nonsense. The plot twist at the end made everything make sense and I feel it was really good.
May 4, 2023
You've all just down for a family meal, the doorbell chimes, it's the police and before you know it you're handcuffed and being arrested on suspicion of murdering your neighbour.
It's all going on down in Dragonfly Close, as Lisa tries to prove her innocence...but is she?
I've read several of Vickery's novels now and have found them an enjoyable experience.
The Guilty Mother is a twisty, suspense filled thriller, it flows at a moderate pace and has some seriously flawed characters.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's all going on down in Dragonfly Close, as Lisa tries to prove her innocence...but is she?
I've read several of Vickery's novels now and have found them an enjoyable experience.
The Guilty Mother is a twisty, suspense filled thriller, it flows at a moderate pace and has some seriously flawed characters.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 4, 2024
Enjoyed trying to figure out…which I pretty much did.
Good book but rated a 3 bc it wasn’t anything stellar, new or unusual or exceptional writing.
It was a good read.
Good book but rated a 3 bc it wasn’t anything stellar, new or unusual or exceptional writing.
It was a good read.
May 4, 2023
Many thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Wow! What a fabulous read. I was gripped from page one and just binge read this one.
Two couples, Lisa and Mike and Victoria and Russel, they are neighbours, socialise by having dinner or family barbecue. Mike and Lisa have two teenage kids, the kids refer to Victoria as Aunty.
Russell has been killed in a hit and run accident and Lisa has just been arrested on suspicion of causing his death!
Mike and the kids are in shock as is Victoria. The police seem confident, but Lisa is released pending further enquires, but a few days later is re arrested and charged with Russell’s murder!
Whilst Lisa is locked up, Victoria is making herself indispensable in Lisa’s home, cooking, cleaning, laundry, drinking wine with Mike in the evening. When Lisa learns this she decides it is time to give her solicitor her rock solid alibi. Mike and the kids are relieved and joyous to have Lisa home, Victoria not so much, she was enjoying the company and being needed, she has always secretly been jealous of Lisa and her marriage to Mike. Russell was a domineering husband, not easy to live with. Victoria has also discovered evidence which looks like Russell was having an affair, she suspects Lisa maybe the other woman. Victoria wants the perfect life that Lisa has.
As the story unfolds more secrets are revealed. If Lisa didn’t murder Russell who did?
This is a rollercoaster addictive read, jealousy,betrayal, blackmail, revenge and love are all covered.
My first book by this author- I will definitely be reading more.
5 stars for this fabulous page turner.
Wow! What a fabulous read. I was gripped from page one and just binge read this one.
Two couples, Lisa and Mike and Victoria and Russel, they are neighbours, socialise by having dinner or family barbecue. Mike and Lisa have two teenage kids, the kids refer to Victoria as Aunty.
Russell has been killed in a hit and run accident and Lisa has just been arrested on suspicion of causing his death!
Mike and the kids are in shock as is Victoria. The police seem confident, but Lisa is released pending further enquires, but a few days later is re arrested and charged with Russell’s murder!
Whilst Lisa is locked up, Victoria is making herself indispensable in Lisa’s home, cooking, cleaning, laundry, drinking wine with Mike in the evening. When Lisa learns this she decides it is time to give her solicitor her rock solid alibi. Mike and the kids are relieved and joyous to have Lisa home, Victoria not so much, she was enjoying the company and being needed, she has always secretly been jealous of Lisa and her marriage to Mike. Russell was a domineering husband, not easy to live with. Victoria has also discovered evidence which looks like Russell was having an affair, she suspects Lisa maybe the other woman. Victoria wants the perfect life that Lisa has.
As the story unfolds more secrets are revealed. If Lisa didn’t murder Russell who did?
This is a rollercoaster addictive read, jealousy,betrayal, blackmail, revenge and love are all covered.
My first book by this author- I will definitely be reading more.
5 stars for this fabulous page turner.
April 13, 2023
4.5 stars that I'm rounding up to 5 because they're my stars and I can do what I want with them!!! This was quite the pulse pounding psychological family drama thriller starring Lisa, a mama bear, her loving husband Mike, and their two older teenage children. Add in across the street neighbors Victoria (who needs enemies when you have Victoria for a neighbor) and her husband, Russell, who was recently killed in a hit and run accident?? Well, let me just say that I would gladly sign up to take turn at the wheel of the car that killed him and back up and do it again a few times just for good measure. Lisa has been arrested for Russell's murder and soon secrets are revealed left and right, motives are examined, and the result is a book I could barely put down.
October 4, 2023
I think this book had a lot of potential to be good, but it just wasn’t lol. It was insanely predictable. As in I knew what happened & how it was going to end … at 14% into the book. Lisa gets arrested twice, Victoria tries to take her place but justifies it by calling herself auntie Vic. She comes home, they get in an argument, the truth comes out (and DING DING I guessed the whole story just as I thought) Then I thought I was going to be surprised because it starts getting a very eerie feel, ya know, Victoria being obsessed, saying she’ll keep the secret in exchange for Lisa’s family & Lisa’s love (in a platonic way???) … then it ended, and it ended all butterflies & rainbows & family bbqs. And Victoria is in their lives bc she needs it after she was abused by her now murdered husband??????????? Oh and Lisa’s husbands and children never know of their little agreement & are just more than happy to have creepy aunt Vic from across the road leach into their lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2024
You might not gonna believe this coming from me but this book was certainly not gripping and just okay. I was expecting more. Sure, it got twists here and there, and a vast number of secrets that weave through the story, although it was a bit predictable. But as a fan of twisting thriller genre, reading this wasn’t enjoyable.
March 2, 2024
A well written character driven novel .
August 23, 2024
This book hooked me in right away, but plot slowly veered off track. The writing felt rushed and the twists didn't make very much sense.
It was an alright book, but not something I would reread
It was an alright book, but not something I would reread
November 13, 2024
The best part of this book was finally finishing it. I just wish I could get my time back
May 18, 2025
sooooo anticlimactic
May 24, 2025
slow
I persisted on reading until the end of the book. I felt the book was easy to get into but quite slow.
I persisted on reading until the end of the book. I felt the book was easy to get into but quite slow.
May 1, 2023
Perfect housewife? Or perfect killer?
I wasn't sure what to expect from my first outing with Sam Vickery but I think it was something a little different to what was delivered. That's not to say that it wasn't a good thriller...it was just a little too slow for my liking. But that's just my personal preference. I know many others have devoured this book and loved every single second of it. I found it a little predictable in parts though that never ruins my enjoyment...it's the delivery and execution of a good story that I come for. I'm not entirely sure I got it while at the same time...in a way I think I kind of did.
Lisa and Mike's world is rocked one Sunday evening as they are sitting down to delicious lamb roast I could almost taste, such was the description, when there is a knock at the door. Their son Jack answers the door, thinking it to be some salesman trying their luck, but instead he returns with the police in tow. They have come to arrest Lisa for the hit and run death of their friend and neighbour Russell Fox, killed last weekend. Lisa has expected their impending arrival, has almost prepared for it. Unfortunately, her family didn't get the memo. They are left speechless as Lisa is lead away and driven away in a police car.
Russell and Victoria moved into the house across the street from Lisa and Mike and Lisa was pregnant with their daughter Holly, who is now seventeen. They quickly became friends, sharing backyard barbeques, drinks, laughs and many happy memories. Holly and Jack even call Victoria "Aunty Vic". The families are so closely bound that it comes as a shock to everyone involved when Lisa is arrested for Russell's death. Even Victoria doesn't believe her friend could be guilty.
As Lisa is lead away, she ponders about everything that has lead up to this moment. Her children, her marriage, her family...and the last time she and Russell met and the argument that ensued. She knows the police don't have anything on her and refuses to co-operate, giving a no comment interview on the advice of her lawyer. The police continue to hold her as they continue their investigations, as the hours turn into days and Lisa longs to hold her family once again.
Meanwhile, Victoria knows her friend is innocent and takes it upon herself to make herself available to her family. They need her now more than ever at this terrible time. Plus it will help keep her mind off Russell and the void his death has left behind after twenty two years of marriage. But little by little, we learn that Russell wasn't the perfect husband everyone was lead to believe. Instead he was cruel, coercive, controlling, overbearing and abusive with his timid wife who wanted nothing but his love and a family. Now, she turns to Lisa's family to offer them comfort whilst seeking it for herself also...and one has to wonder, what exactly are her motives? Is she the innocent wife she has lead us all to believe? Which of these two women is the guilty wife?
A domestic thriller told through the alternating perspectives of Lisa and Victoria, THE GUILTY MOTHER is tense and emotionally charged throughout with several twists along the way...albeit somewhat predictable. Not exactly what I was expecting but not entirely unpleasant either, I did find the story a tad drawn out in places and far too wordy with so much description that I was a little lost in it all wondering just where I was up to. But overall, a okayish domestic thriller.
I would like to thank #SamVickery, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGuiltyMother in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I wasn't sure what to expect from my first outing with Sam Vickery but I think it was something a little different to what was delivered. That's not to say that it wasn't a good thriller...it was just a little too slow for my liking. But that's just my personal preference. I know many others have devoured this book and loved every single second of it. I found it a little predictable in parts though that never ruins my enjoyment...it's the delivery and execution of a good story that I come for. I'm not entirely sure I got it while at the same time...in a way I think I kind of did.
Lisa and Mike's world is rocked one Sunday evening as they are sitting down to delicious lamb roast I could almost taste, such was the description, when there is a knock at the door. Their son Jack answers the door, thinking it to be some salesman trying their luck, but instead he returns with the police in tow. They have come to arrest Lisa for the hit and run death of their friend and neighbour Russell Fox, killed last weekend. Lisa has expected their impending arrival, has almost prepared for it. Unfortunately, her family didn't get the memo. They are left speechless as Lisa is lead away and driven away in a police car.
Russell and Victoria moved into the house across the street from Lisa and Mike and Lisa was pregnant with their daughter Holly, who is now seventeen. They quickly became friends, sharing backyard barbeques, drinks, laughs and many happy memories. Holly and Jack even call Victoria "Aunty Vic". The families are so closely bound that it comes as a shock to everyone involved when Lisa is arrested for Russell's death. Even Victoria doesn't believe her friend could be guilty.
As Lisa is lead away, she ponders about everything that has lead up to this moment. Her children, her marriage, her family...and the last time she and Russell met and the argument that ensued. She knows the police don't have anything on her and refuses to co-operate, giving a no comment interview on the advice of her lawyer. The police continue to hold her as they continue their investigations, as the hours turn into days and Lisa longs to hold her family once again.
Meanwhile, Victoria knows her friend is innocent and takes it upon herself to make herself available to her family. They need her now more than ever at this terrible time. Plus it will help keep her mind off Russell and the void his death has left behind after twenty two years of marriage. But little by little, we learn that Russell wasn't the perfect husband everyone was lead to believe. Instead he was cruel, coercive, controlling, overbearing and abusive with his timid wife who wanted nothing but his love and a family. Now, she turns to Lisa's family to offer them comfort whilst seeking it for herself also...and one has to wonder, what exactly are her motives? Is she the innocent wife she has lead us all to believe? Which of these two women is the guilty wife?
A domestic thriller told through the alternating perspectives of Lisa and Victoria, THE GUILTY MOTHER is tense and emotionally charged throughout with several twists along the way...albeit somewhat predictable. Not exactly what I was expecting but not entirely unpleasant either, I did find the story a tad drawn out in places and far too wordy with so much description that I was a little lost in it all wondering just where I was up to. But overall, a okayish domestic thriller.
I would like to thank #SamVickery, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGuiltyMother in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
April 28, 2023
Sam Vickery's THE GUILTY MOTHER is an emotionally felt, dark, twisty domestic thriller of two couples, friends, and neighbors. Two women with huge secrets. A victim. A protective mother. A MURDER. How far will they go to protect their own?
Heartfelt, gripping, intense, and binge-worthy! From an array of emotions—jealousy, envy, longing, obsession, abuse, betrayal, blackmail, secrets, love, belonging, and revenge.
Lisa and Mike Grey have lived across the street from Victoria and Russell Fox on Dragonfly Close for seventeen years. They are friends and have had many great times in their backyards with BBQs, drinks, dinners, and laughs. Lisa's kids even call Victoria 'Auntie.'
Told from POVs Lisa and Victoria. Then and now, we slowly learn their secrets and how far they will go to protect them.
The doorbell rings, and DS McCormac is arresting Lisa Grey on suspicion of causing the death of Russell Fox for dangerous driving.
Their friend had been killed in a car accident (hit and run) the previous weekend. Lisa was in total shock when she realized, sitting in the back seat of the police car she might never be home again.
Russell had been dressed in black, drunk, walking along the road in the middle of the night. How could Lisa, Victoria's closest friend for twenty years, be behind a jail cell for the murder of her husband?
Lisa was funny, clever, beautiful, and the perfect wife. She is the mother of two wonderful teenagers, Holly and Jack.
Russell was controlling, abusive, and demanding. He wanted a wife who was always around and went nowhere without him. He did not want her working. Victoria is a victim, but will she turn into a monster?
Lisa cannot stop thinking about the last time she and Russell met secretly and the argument. Lisa refuses to cooperate with the police.
Lisa's car was missing that evening. Everyone is shocked. Victoria doesn't believe her friend could be guilty; there must be some terrible mistake, but then she changes.
Later Lisa is charged with MURDER. Does this make Victoria happy getting all cozy with Mike? Lisa must warn Mike. Someone on Dragonfly Close is getting away with murder… the question is, who?
And how far are they willing to go to keep their terrible secret safe?
The dark secrets and layers are unraveled in the lives of both couples. Victoria often envied Lisa, and she wanted what she had. Cracks in a marriage are revealed.
What will a mother do to protect her child? How far will she go? What goes on behind closed doors?
Nothing is as it appears.
As the story moves along, we learn more and more. It becomes obvious one woman wants what she cannot have. Lisa had the perfect family.
She will manipulate everyone around her to get it.
The other will stop at nothing to protect and fight for what is hers.
Even if it means lying and betraying those close to her.
It gets exciting and intense around 59% to the satisfying ending, when things change with jaw-dropping surprises—a captivating tale of lies and deceit that unfolds piece by devastating piece.
My first book by author Sam Vickery and I was impressed. I look forward to reading more. I enjoyed her writing style told with emotion and compassion, blended with suspense. A yummy thriller! Riveting suspense, surprising revelations, and smooth writing.
I love the front cover and the way the book is laid out with the POVs marked with titles of chapters and then and now— for fans of authors BA Paris and Kimberly Belle.
Lisa was my favorite character and was rooting to the end for her! Russell was one evil man and Victoria, even though a victim was not very nice with her manipulation and bribery. I enjoy thrillers with heart.
THE GUILTY MOTHER is both heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time.
Thanks to #Bookouture for a gifted eARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 25, 2023
April 2023 Must-Read Books
Heartfelt, gripping, intense, and binge-worthy! From an array of emotions—jealousy, envy, longing, obsession, abuse, betrayal, blackmail, secrets, love, belonging, and revenge.
Lisa and Mike Grey have lived across the street from Victoria and Russell Fox on Dragonfly Close for seventeen years. They are friends and have had many great times in their backyards with BBQs, drinks, dinners, and laughs. Lisa's kids even call Victoria 'Auntie.'
Told from POVs Lisa and Victoria. Then and now, we slowly learn their secrets and how far they will go to protect them.
The doorbell rings, and DS McCormac is arresting Lisa Grey on suspicion of causing the death of Russell Fox for dangerous driving.
Their friend had been killed in a car accident (hit and run) the previous weekend. Lisa was in total shock when she realized, sitting in the back seat of the police car she might never be home again.
Russell had been dressed in black, drunk, walking along the road in the middle of the night. How could Lisa, Victoria's closest friend for twenty years, be behind a jail cell for the murder of her husband?
Lisa was funny, clever, beautiful, and the perfect wife. She is the mother of two wonderful teenagers, Holly and Jack.
Russell was controlling, abusive, and demanding. He wanted a wife who was always around and went nowhere without him. He did not want her working. Victoria is a victim, but will she turn into a monster?
Lisa cannot stop thinking about the last time she and Russell met secretly and the argument. Lisa refuses to cooperate with the police.
Lisa's car was missing that evening. Everyone is shocked. Victoria doesn't believe her friend could be guilty; there must be some terrible mistake, but then she changes.
Later Lisa is charged with MURDER. Does this make Victoria happy getting all cozy with Mike? Lisa must warn Mike. Someone on Dragonfly Close is getting away with murder… the question is, who?
And how far are they willing to go to keep their terrible secret safe?
The dark secrets and layers are unraveled in the lives of both couples. Victoria often envied Lisa, and she wanted what she had. Cracks in a marriage are revealed.
What will a mother do to protect her child? How far will she go? What goes on behind closed doors?
Nothing is as it appears.
As the story moves along, we learn more and more. It becomes obvious one woman wants what she cannot have. Lisa had the perfect family.
She will manipulate everyone around her to get it.
The other will stop at nothing to protect and fight for what is hers.
Even if it means lying and betraying those close to her.
It gets exciting and intense around 59% to the satisfying ending, when things change with jaw-dropping surprises—a captivating tale of lies and deceit that unfolds piece by devastating piece.
My first book by author Sam Vickery and I was impressed. I look forward to reading more. I enjoyed her writing style told with emotion and compassion, blended with suspense. A yummy thriller! Riveting suspense, surprising revelations, and smooth writing.
I love the front cover and the way the book is laid out with the POVs marked with titles of chapters and then and now— for fans of authors BA Paris and Kimberly Belle.
Lisa was my favorite character and was rooting to the end for her! Russell was one evil man and Victoria, even though a victim was not very nice with her manipulation and bribery. I enjoy thrillers with heart.
THE GUILTY MOTHER is both heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time.
Thanks to #Bookouture for a gifted eARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: April 25, 2023
April 2023 Must-Read Books
April 5, 2023
The Guilty Mother by Sam Vickery is a solid psych thriller that details how far a mom might go for her children – and what secrets may have to be hidden in the process.
And there are a LOT of secrets flying around in this book. Most of them felt natural to the book. However, there were a few places where I thought I missed something because they seemed almost like a throwaway.
I’ll try to explain without giving away any twists.
It’s apparent from the very beginning that both Lisa and Victoria have ulterior motives for their actions – not to mention several secrets to keep hidden.
I thought Lisa was admirable. Even as she was put in horrible positions, she maintained her stance to protect her family. And it never seemed martyrish – just what a mama bear would do for her family.
Victoria was a little bit harder to get a grip on. Her background with Russell was fairly obvious to me (if you read enough psych thrillers, you can find those hints fairly easily). But there are moments in the story where she veers off and it feels almost like she is a different character.
Is that the result of what she put up with in her marriage? Or is it uneven writing? I honestly couldn’t tell. Not that it mattered much. There was only one moment where I actually thought, “wait – what?” because it came out of left field and then there was essentially no follow-through.
Although, maybe there is follow-through and it can be found in Victoria’s final decisions. I didn’t catch that during reading, but in retrospect it makes sense.
The twists toward the end are pretty good. I was back and forth about how something happened and thought I had it figured out. Until it became clear that Lisa was VERY good at hiding her secrets!
And now I’m verging into giving those away.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Guilty Mother. Sam Vickery is becoming a favorite, and I look forward to the next psych thriller!
The review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture.
**For more reviews like this, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews.**
And there are a LOT of secrets flying around in this book. Most of them felt natural to the book. However, there were a few places where I thought I missed something because they seemed almost like a throwaway.
I’ll try to explain without giving away any twists.
It’s apparent from the very beginning that both Lisa and Victoria have ulterior motives for their actions – not to mention several secrets to keep hidden.
I thought Lisa was admirable. Even as she was put in horrible positions, she maintained her stance to protect her family. And it never seemed martyrish – just what a mama bear would do for her family.
Victoria was a little bit harder to get a grip on. Her background with Russell was fairly obvious to me (if you read enough psych thrillers, you can find those hints fairly easily). But there are moments in the story where she veers off and it feels almost like she is a different character.
Is that the result of what she put up with in her marriage? Or is it uneven writing? I honestly couldn’t tell. Not that it mattered much. There was only one moment where I actually thought, “wait – what?” because it came out of left field and then there was essentially no follow-through.
Although, maybe there is follow-through and it can be found in Victoria’s final decisions. I didn’t catch that during reading, but in retrospect it makes sense.
The twists toward the end are pretty good. I was back and forth about how something happened and thought I had it figured out. Until it became clear that Lisa was VERY good at hiding her secrets!
And now I’m verging into giving those away.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Guilty Mother. Sam Vickery is becoming a favorite, and I look forward to the next psych thriller!
The review was written based on a digital copy of the book from Bookouture.
**For more reviews like this, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews.**
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