Mother and Daughter

by James Caine

She has my daughter. I know it.I just can’t prove it.

All I ever wanted was to give my sweet Gracie everything I never had. I'm failing miserably though.

The happiest my daughter seems is when she’s with Annie Meadows, an odd but endearing daycare teacher all the children love.

One evening, I'm late picking up Gracie from daycare, but she’s not waiting for me. My worst fears are confirmed when she’s vanished without a trace.

I have a gut feeling of who took her, but nobody believes me.

How far would you go to prove what you know?

A mother will do anything for her child…

Anything.



Fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst and Kiersten Modglin will be hooked by this totally addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist!

Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2024

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dexter meets Mary Poppins and I am here for it! This original, fast-paced thriller can easily be devoured in a single sitting. I was literally racing to the surprising conclusion. James Caine masterfully constructs a story of trauma, abuse, and deserved justice. The multiple POVs propelled the plot as the character-driven story continued to twist and turn into dark and unsettling territory. Loved the bonus epilogue! Dark, twisty, disturbing, and satisfying. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for my copy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Barbara Behring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again James Caine has written a twisty, entertaining thriller that kept me totally engrossed until the end. I enjoyed the multiple points of view and how the book ended. Great book.

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

rtc great twisty story!!

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, this was a brilliantly tension filled story that set my anxiety off. It was fast-paced, twisty, and thrilling. The only reason I didn't give it 5* was because I wasn't happy with the ending. I hate it when a book leaves me hanging like that, but fingers crossed there's a follow up some day.
This author is very quickly becoming one of my favourites, and if you haven't read anything of his yet, I would highly recommend changing that.
As always, thank you to James for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit by James Caine. It was a quick read with an unexpected twist.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah is married to Roger and is a struggling working mother her marriage isn’t so happy this is why she’s glad her daughter enjoys being at the nursery especially with Miss Annie who it seems all the kids love. It seems however when Sarah‘s daughter Gracie goes missing everyone who’s connected to Lil gracie secrets will come out and it seems everyone who knows her has one. Detective false is trying hard to find the missing girl. Years ago lots of children went missing in the area and it went unsolved so as a law person she doesn’t want it to happen on her watch but sometimes it takes the love of a mother. Who has little Gracie is it the pedophile Jeremy Lincoln Sarah find her in time? Because the story is mostly told with only a few twist at the end I didn’t know exactly what kind of review to do so I figure straightforward is best this is a great book by and great author I love James Cains books and read them whenever a new one is out what I can say about his books or some are better than others but none are bad and all are worth reading especially Mother and Daughter The culprit is truly diabolical and the end has the twist that most thriller lovers enjoy I know I do! I want to thank James Cain for this free arc please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's creepier than kids and their parents being locked in a basement? The person who locked them in the basement.

We follow poor Sarah, who has arrived to pick up her child at daycare, only to find she's missing and none of the teachers remembers seeing her leave, but one of them tells her that they saw her husband Roger parked outside. Her controlling husband, Roger.

This was another riveting book from James Caine, with great characters, an interesting back story, and a satisfying ending.

Thanks to the James Caine Street Team for an advance reader's copy.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Caine always writes exceptional gripping psychological thrillers. Every book i read by him is better than the previous one. How does he do that? Every book is highly addictive. He is a go-to author to me, and I devour his book in a day. I've read everything he has written. Every page that you read makes you crave more with every unexpected explosive twist. I literally keep reading as fast as I can and absolutely love that there will be a twist that I never saw coming. The author is a genius because he builds so much anticipation that you are mesmerized. The characters, story, and twist are what you are seeking in a psychological thriller. Highly recommend

[Beth Roger aka Katiebella_Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

Summery

Roger has been lying. The pressure of all those lies makes him snap on his wife. Now, he fears the look in his daughters eyes. He's become a monster to her.

Sarah is just trying to hold on while everything falls apart. She's not sure what is going on with her husband, but she is determined to find out. She starts stalking her husband to learn the truth, but being late for her daughters' daycare pick-up has dire consequences.

Annie's mother is dying. With her will dye the dark secrets of their pasts. She has been watching the children at her daycare. She wants to save them, but will her plan cause more harm than good?

My Thoughts

Where do I start? I'm not even sure if I liked this book. The plot was good. It kept me ingrossed and reading on, but the writing style was boring and juvenile at best. I didn't fully engage with the characters.

This 50% uneventful build-up. It's very clear what is going to happen. There is no real twist that can't be seen from a mile away. The characters didn't upset me with their actions. They did exactly what most people would do in the situation. They were just way too predictable. The book might have worked better as a crime drama, to be honest.

In the end, it was an ok read. I wouldn't recommend it, but at the same time, I'm not upset that I wanted time reading it. It was just that, a time waster while I wait for the book I want to read to come in the mail. Ehhh, I can't say much more about it without giving the whole book away. Even the main plot shows the ending.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[K Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read an ARC of this book. What an intense read!!! What would you do to protect your child?? What lines would you cross?

At first I felt sorry for Annie and Roger. Two very imperfect weird lives. But, the more you learn…. A good twisty read. Really hope Mr. Caine devotes a whole book to Annie. I had to pull my DSM book out for her!

[ChristinaStanton76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thriller about how the long term effects of abuse can affect you long after you grow up. Gracie goes missing from daycare and with no leads her parents choose to work the case each on their own with each having their own suspects. I enjoyed this book however it kinda left me still wondering how it all unfolded. 4/5 ⭐️

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 stars, it was pretty obvious what was going on but the last events of the final chapters made this one get a higher rating. Fun, interesting.

Might sound weird, but I found it a bit comforting how I knew the story was going up until the very, very end. This was quite a cosy read for me!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The synopsis of MOTHER AND DAUGHTER sounded sooooo good. And you know once you start a James Caine book, you’re in for an unpredictable, twisty ride, right up until the last page. And this book was absolutely no exception!!

The story started off so intriguing, right from the prologue! And as in all of his books, once you start, it’s nearly impossible to put it down. Multiple POVs work incredibly well to drive the story forward, allowing you into the thoughts and feelings of each character. With short chapters and alternating POVs, the book flies by at warp speed.

Our main characters, Sarah, Annie, and Roger, are each quite complicated and harboring secrets—some we as readers know, but others are kept carefully hidden from us until it’s time for the reveal. And James Caine does that very well.

I easily finished this book in a day. I would have finished it in one sitting but life got in the way, as it always does! Without giving anything away, the ending, although satisfying in many ways, leaves the reader wanting more. Perhaps there’s a sequel to look forward to?! I hope so!!

I want to extend my thanks to James Caine and BookFunnel for gifting me the ARC of MOTHER AND DAUGHTER! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!!

[Heather Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of James Caine and it doesn’t surprise me that he has written another masterpiece. This book is amazing and shows how abuse, in many forms, is damaging and horrible. He knows just how to dig deep into the soul and give new readers what they want. Highly recommend!

[NomadicReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo!!
I really enjoyed this book, I read it in one day! I liked hearing from both the victim and the perpetrator of the crimes.
Annie has a secret past nobody knows about. She helped her mother "help" children when she was younger. As she grew up, she realized it was wrong.
She says she is not like her mother...
Sarah and Roger have a rocky marriage, and it has started to affect their daughter, Gracie.
Gracie is scared of her father and Ms. Meadows sense it, and she only wants to help.
The ending has a jaw-dropping twist!

[Suzanne Lopes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good morning Goodreads family, I gave the book 1 ⭐️ star. Yes, you read it correctly. I gave the book 1 star ⭐️ I had no idea that this book was NOT GOOD AT ALL!! As a matter of fact, if you read my reviews I don’t think I have ever given 1 star to any book. Needless to say I still read the book from start to end.The main character Annie Meadows is a nutcase!!!! With that being said the only way you are either going to agree with the
1 ⭐️ is if you read the book and share the same sentiments as me or you may actually like the book!!

[Kiko2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW INCLUDES SPOILERS!

I enjoyed this thriller a lot, but it was scary. I cannot imagine being a father whose four-year-old child was kidnapped from the daycare by a young woman working there. The fear Gracie´s mother and father must have felt when they came for their daughter to the daycare and she was nowhere to be seen must have been excruciating.

There was much more to this book than that, but I am still flabbergasted by the ending, so I cannot write a proper review. Trust me, though, this book will be worth your time if you decide to read it. I have to rate this one five stars because it was such a suspenseful masterpiece.

[Krystal Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think James is capable of writing a bad story. I've read everything he has written and loved every single one. This was no exception! I have a hard time putting his books down and typically finish them within a 24-hour period. This was a really great book that constantly had me needing to find out more. I finished it very quickly, because I needed to find out how it ended. I loved it, and definitely recommend!

[Alice4170 🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
I did not purchase this book. I got the arc from Booksirens
So this is such a quick read, I loved it! I couldn’t put it down.
So we follow 3 POVs, one from the mom, Sarah, one from her husband, Roger and one from Gracie’s teacher, Annie. I love getting into the different characters heads when I read a thriller, it makes it more entertaining. I read it in a day due to page flipping so fast! This is one you’ll be happy you lost sleep over.
TW: domestic abuse, violence

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this short thriller about vigilante justice. The morally gray area where you root for both sides, yet feel guilty for it. I needed just a tad bit more closure on the ending though. I'd love to see more books with the very complex Annie Meadows. I've really enjoyed the books I've read from this author, and this book is no exception.

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

This story explores abuse and its lasting impacts, loss, and hope, in a way that is interesting and exciting. I was hooked by the end of the first page.

Sarah is struggling to navigate her home life. She worries for her daughter, as every mom does, and is trying to do the best she can, while tiptoeing around her volatile husband. Luckily their daughter, Gracie, has an escape at daycare with teachers she loves. Until she goes missing.

Meanwhile, everything is not as it seems at the daycare. Everyone has a history and events from the past heavily influence the present, as one woman takes her desire to help too far. The hunt for Gracie unearths truths that have been previously excused and crimes that were never discovered.

Things I loved:
❤️Annie. What a unique character! Annie is someone I could envision in my mind. Her weird mannerisms, the clothes she wears, and her enthusiasm for children is intriguing and so different. This was such a breath of fresh air and made the book so much more interesting.
❤️A plot that is refreshingly original. While there wasn’t much of a “twist” in this novel and the multiple perspectives could have easily taken away from the story, Caine has somehow found a way to weave all of this together to create a novel that is still thrilling and interesting until the end.
❤️The ending. I was worried the author was going to leave us hanging; luckily, that was not the case. While I do still have some questions, the end was fulfilling and complete.

The (short list of) things I didn’t love:
❌Annie. Okay, so it’s a love/hate thing. You’ll get it when you read the book.
❌The detectives. Roger is right; I’m pretty sure these guys could have worked a •little• harder.

Caine hit another home run with this book. Tbh, I’m not sure how it is possible for all of his books to be so good
This one could easily be the beginning of a series and I’d be here for it!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

[Tina Varga · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say, I enjoyed everything about this story! It was tense, sad, happy, all the things you want to feel whilst immersed in a book. I will say I am so happy she survived, was she the true villain?

[Maria Burchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. I definitely hope there will be a sequeal! I couldn't stop reading until the end and loved the bonus chapter.

[Carly Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think this is my new fav author atm🤯🤯crazy fuckin shit

[haze_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brilliant loved the multiple points of view and just think it was a unique story

[Lynn Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book it had my attention from the first page with lots of twists I didn’t see that ending coming tho. Fantastic.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book but watch out for the daycare lady lol

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled me in early and kept me guessing the whole way through. Just when I thought I had it figured out, it took a sharp left turn I didn’t see coming. The tension builds perfectly, and that final twist hit hard.

Super gripping, emotional in all the right ways, and full of suspense — I really enjoyed this one!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Domestic abuse scars.

This story unfolds piece by piece. Domestic abuse scars don't heal well. A sick and scary psychological thriller. It starts with a mother and daughter and ends with another mother and daughter. Read through to the epilogue. It is a doozy!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Katarzyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty short and easy read. It starts with a very vague description of something creepy going on in a basement and as the story progresses you get to learn just a little bit more about it. Honestly I almost feel like the past of Annie Meadows could be a stand alone book itself. I really wanted to learn more about her mother and all the daughters/women she “saved”. Also how did everyone at the police station respected that woman so much and nobody suspected anything? I really wanted more details about that but overall this is a great thriller.

Thank you James Caine for a free ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.