Le madri bugiarde

by Katherine Faulkner

Quando una giovane tata viene trovata morta in circostanze misteriose, il caso attira l'attenzione di Tash, in cerca di una storia per lanciare la sua carriera di giornalista freelance. Ma, oltre che di uno scoop, c'è anche un'altra cosa di cui Tash sente il bisogno: nuovi amici che la aiutino ad affrontare la maternità. Pensa di poterli trovare tra i genitori dei compagni di suo figlio. In particolare le altre madri. Un gruppo di donne sofisticate che vivono in un quartiere di viali alberati e splendide case. Tutto quello che Tash vorrebbe essere. Quando la accolgono nella loro cerchia, Tash scopre la vita che ha sempre sognato: le eleganti abitazioni a schiera londinesi sono ben lontane dalla sua casetta subissata dalle bollette. E così viene velocemente trascinata nel loro ricco mondo fatto di caffè, cocktail e cene eleganti. Ma quando è rinvenuto un altro corpo senza vita, in lei cresce il sospetto che, sotto la sfavillante superficie, la comunità nasconda inquietanti segreti. Più Tash indaga, più si ritrova a disagio vicino alle altre madri. Queste donne sono davvero sue amiche? O c'è un'altra ragione più pericolosa per cui è stata accettata così rapidamente nel loro mondo esclusivo? Chi, esattamente, sta indagando su chi?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense, Adult

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2023

About the author

Katherine is a London-based author and journalist. She studied History at Cambridge University, graduating with a First, then completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism. Since then she has been working as an investigative reporter and latterly an editor. Her work has been published in many national papers, and she most recently worked at The Times, where she was the joint Head of News.

While working as an undercover reporter, Katherine won the Cudlipp Award for public interest journalism and was nominated for a string of others. She was also commended by a committee of MPs for 'the highest standards of ethical investigative reporting.'

Katherine was inspired to write her debut novel about the complexity of female friendships after attending NCT classes when pregnant, and her experience of sudden intimacy with complete strangers.

She lives in Hackney, East London, where she grew up, with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fantastic in every aspect except for the ending. It became overly intricate and ultimately lacked impact. Katherine has a unique gift for telling interesting stories that capture and captivate you. Looking forward to whatever come next from this author!

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Snooooze. It took such a long time to get to the action, it could have been much shorter and I would have liked it more.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone has their own version of the truth……

When a young nanny dies under mysterious circumstances, Tash is certain that this could be the story to relaunch her journalism career. She envisions a magazine article, an award winning Podcast and accolades for cracking a murder case on her own, between childcare commitments-

Especially when the victim’s mother comes to her, because she believes that her daughter’s death was no accident, and she learns that Sophie Blake was the nanny of one of her son’s playmates from his new playgroup.

But when Tash finally infiltrates the tight knit group of Moms who once shunned her, she begins to wonder if these women are really her friends? Or if there is another, more sinister reason, why she has suddenly been accepted?

Who, exactly, is investigating who?

“ STOP DIGGING “

As Tash gets closer to the truth, she begins to receive warnings from an unknown number. And, what she discovers could endanger another life.

The book opens in the PRESENT with a Police inquiry, and then jumps back in time, alternating between the POV’s of Tash and our dead nanny, Sophie, from 15 months earlier.

For about 25%, the story felt disjointed to me, as Tash struggles to find her footing as a new mother, and fails to make friends with the “other mothers” from her son Finn’s new playgroup, while simultaneously beginning her investigation into the nanny’s death.

Perhaps if Sophie’s narrative had started a bit later, it would have felt more cohesive.

There is A LOT of talk about pregnancy, mothering, and what the toddlers are doing-playgroup and nannying scenes are plentiful-so this book didn’t work for my personal tastes since these details bore me.

I was attracted to the suspense aspect of the book, and the promise of an additional death in the synopsis but that didn’t occur until about the 70% point, so I guess I expected more balance.

Chapters continue to alternate between Sophie and Tash right up until ONE MINUTE before Sophie’s death, with the full TRUTH is not revealed until the epilogue.

While the story wasn’t the best fit for me, early reviews are more positive, so be sure to read a sample of reviews to determine if this book is a better fit for you.

AVAILABLE NOW

Thank You to Gallery Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.

[JaymeO · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!

Choose your friends wisely!

Tash is looking for the next big story to jump start her foray into freelance journalism. She has been working from home and taking care of her two year old son, Finn. When a nanny turns up dead in a neighboring community, she begins to investigate the suspicious circumstances. Was Sophie really murdered?

She enrolls Finn in a playgroup in the same nearby neighborhood and is invited to join a mom’s group. They welcome her into their clique, making her son’s transition to school easier. She is happy that he is making friends and adjusting to school, while she makes friends of her own.

But are her new friends connected to the murder she is investigating?

Last year, I really enjoyed Katherine Faulkner’s impressive domestic suspense debut, Greenwich Park. The Other Mothers is just as clever, twisty and juicy. Exploring class and motherhood, this book alternates between Sophie’s (past) and Tasha’s (present) narration of events. The plot kept my interest the entire way through, but rounded down my rating due to an issue with the way the book ends. This type of conclusion usually doesn’t work for me, but it may just be a personal preference.

I highly recommend this book to readers of domestic suspense.

4.5/5 stars rounded down

Expected publication date: 12/5/23

Trigger warnings: Suicide, postpartum depression

Thank you to Edelweiss and Gallery Books for the ARC of The Other Mothers in exchange for an honest review.

*Update! Review is also featured in the December issue of LibraryReads.

[Teres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woo wee, Katherine Faulkner has written a terrific twisty thriller to follow-up her debut, Greenwich Park.

The Other Mothers follows Natasha “Tash” Carpenter, a freelance journalist and former newspaper reporter, as she investigates the mysterious death of a nanny.

The London coroner rules the 21-year-old’s death an accidental drowning, but the young woman’s mother — and Tash, too — suspect foul play.

This fast-paced, chilling read is told from Tash’s increasingly paranoid POV as well as chapters from the nanny’s perspective prior to her drowning.

What connects the two are a tight trio of posh mothers and their children in the same playgroup.

As Tash becomes entangled in this clique of young mothers, attending play dates in their luxury homes, lavish brunches, vacations together with husbands and kids, it’s apparent that all are a wee-bit shady and equally suspicious.

And look out, because when these gals feel threatened, the (Hermès) kid gloves come off.

With suspects and motives aplenty, the genuine clues are hard to distinguish from the red herrings.

Danger and deception and darkness abound in Faulkner’s sophomore offering. Fans of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty will eat this one up. Yum!

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that I had been looking forward to reading as I loved the author’s debut novel, “Greenwich Park”. Now, I rated the debut novel five stars, so I have to say that I didn’t like this one as much. Yes, I still really enjoyed this newest release and the twists blew my mind! However, I started to feel like this story was longer than necessary and started to drag on a bit. Otherwise, this was a solid story that kept me guessing!

In this story we have Tash (Natasha James, now Carpenter after getting married), who receives a visit from a woman named Jane, who wants her to investigate the death of her daughter Sophie Blake. Jane does not think that her daughter’s death was an accident, and she believes that her daughter was murdered. Tash is working as a freelance journalist, and she thinks that looking into the death of this young girl could finally be the big break she’s been looking for.

While Tash is working on her freelance writing ✍️, and now the Sophie Blake case, she starts to take her two year old son to playgroup. At playgroup, Tash meets “the other mothers”. Tash becomes friends with Claire, Nicole, and Laura so that their children can play together. Tash also likes having a sense of belonging- even if it means ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ because Tash and her husband certainly do not have the kind of money that her new friends have.

Another reason Tash likes her new friend group is because they knew the young girl, Sophie Blake who was found dead. Tash feels she can question these women and get her news report in. Although who is playing who in this story? Are these women really Tash’s friends? And is there anyone we can trust in this town?

I will say that I didn’t like any of “the other mothers”, as they were all unlikable women. Although, the alternating chapters between Tash and Sophie were done very nicely. The ending of this story was a nice surprise, and I will be looking forward to the author’s next book!

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 5 out of 5]

New mother Tash is trying to find her feet as a freelance journalist. Unable to manage her career with a big paper after the birth of her child, she takes a step back and decides to focus on raising her young son, Finn, as well as a story or two. So when a nanny is found dead not far from her home, it gets Tash’s investigative journalist ears ringing. To her, the supposed accidental drowning just doesn’t seem to make sense. At the same time, however, Tash has plenty to think about on her very own doorstep. Including, of course, the loneliness that being a stay-at-home mom has begun to dredge up as well as the separation anxiety that Finn has begun to display.

Trying to work out how to get Finn settled in at his preschool, Tash’s husband, Tom, suggests that she make friends with some of the other mothers and their kids. Naturally, her eye is drawn to the posh, well-heeled set who gather outside of Finn’s school. So it is with great pleasure when one day, out of the blue, she’s invited for coffee after drop-off. Before she knows it, she’s one of Laura, Nicole, and Claire’s clique. Over expensive coffees and fancy pastries, Tash sees how the other half lives. After all, living in a basement apartment on Tom’s meager salary isn’t exactly the life she’d always dreamt of.

When not hanging out with her Laura, Nicole, and Claire, however, Tash spends every second digging into Sophie’s death. The more she learns, though, the more she looks at her new, fast friends with suspicion. And when another young woman turns up dead as well, it seems certain details just might lead back to their door. Did they befriend her because they actually wanted to get to know her? Or is there another—more sinister—reason? Tash’s investigation just might be everyone’s undoing. Can she manage to get to the truth before the very worst happens?

Gasp! Just give me a moment while I wait for my speeding heart to slow down now that I’ve turned the last page of The Other Mothers. A blindingly good tale of domestic suspense, Faulkner did it yet again as she spun a story so amazing that I lost track of time. From the evocative prose to the dynamite cast, I found myself kept in the dark by the perfectly timed twists and turns right up until the final reveal.

Given everything I loved about this brilliant success, though, it was that superbly choreographed plot that hit just the right chord. With suspects and motives left, right, and center, it was tough to weed out the true culprit from the many red herrings. And with the dual POVs of Sophie and Tash, the dual timelines of both the past and the present merged together into a masterfully laid out complex storyline that kept me intrigued.

As for those characters, my favorite was most definitely Tash. The perfect combination of willing dupe and clever amateur detective, without her, the plot would’ve been much harder to pull off. Add in the other mothers with whom Tash so wanted to fit in, and the entire set of characters routinely shifted between sweet, new friends and evil, calculating villains. Who were they all in the end? Guess you’ll just have to read this glorious hole in one for yourself.

What else did I love? Well, as the page count grew, so too did the suspense and foreboding. Dangerous riptides seemed to abound everywhere as secrets started to leak out and people began to die. And when the climax finally rolled around, even the setting seemed to comply with gale force winds and driving rain. That said, though, the only piece to the puzzle that fell a bit flat was the very last act. Not exactly wrapped up with a neat, little bow, there was much left up for discussion. And IYKYK, but I’m not a huge fan of that.

In the end, though, even that hiccup wasn’t enough to derail my utter glee with Faulkner’s sophomore work. With a plot that rang with claustrophobic and sinister unease at times, there was also a heartwarming side of new motherhood to take in. Trust me when I say, this slow burning suspense novel is not one to be missed. Dark and compelling, it most certainly gets two enthusiastic thumbs up. Rating of 5 stars.

Trigger warning: pregnancy, threatening messages, postpartum depression, infidelity, attempted sexual assault, mention of: domestic abuse, drug overdose

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-5 stars

Tash James, mother to Finn, and wife of A and E doctor Tom, is desperate to relaunch her journalist career, partly because they’re broke. Has she potentially found something in the story of nanny Sophie Blake, whose death doesn’t entirely add up, although it is deemed an accident by the coroner. She is also keen to make new friends as she navigates the uncertain waters of new motherhood. Has she found friendship in Laura, Clare and Nicole, who she meets at Finns playgroup? The story unfolds via the narratives of Tash and Sophie, which works very well with the two melding perfectly together.

I really enjoyed the author’s first book ‘Greenwich Park’ so eagerly anticipate this one! It’s one of those novels that you resent real life intruding on your reading experience and I put it down with deep reluctance! It’s a very well written, addictive novel with a constantly changing plot, with your suspicion antenna twitching hither and thither. At times, the atmosphere is uneasy or claustrophobic, scary and fear inducing, at others, it’s a bit sinister and there’s tension you could cut with a knife. Katherine Faulkner builds layer upon layer in the storytelling so running alongside the Sophie story and investigation is the theme of motherhood and the hard work of the early years. The mothers that Tasha meets are something else, I definitely advise giving a them a wide berth to but she’s so desperate to fit in she joins in. Their world is glamorous and wealthy and in that respect, she is not in their league. Most of them are pretty awful characters, and although you admire Tasha‘s resilience, you want her to stop digging as the unease builds. The mystery deepens, the plot thickens and some of the dynamics contained within makes you want to hide in a corner and curl in a ball. We witness conspiracy, control and much much more. It escalates, twists, and builds to a dramatic ending, and what price the truth?

Overall, another dark and compelling, slow burner, psychological thriller from a very talented author.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing PLC for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faulkner has written another great ‘Mom Noir’ - the subgenre of domestic thrillers that are increasingly popular at the moment.

Rather similar to her previous setting, Faulkner takes us to an upscale London neighbourhood with gorgeous homes, yummy mommies, trendy nannies and expensive playdates. It’s here that she explores the darker side of motherhood and reveals the cracks it causes in female friendships. Faulkner’s observations of female friendships are fantastic and it’s allowed her to tell a compelling story.

The Other Mothers centers around desperation and readers see how it causes all the characters to double down on some bad choices. Investigative reporter Natasha 'Tash' James’ seemingly perfect life starts to unravel as a result of a friendship forged at her son’s playgroup. Not only does she get wrapped up in how transformative money is for her friendships, but she soon discovers that the focus of her investigative work and the new friendships she’s made may be linked with an unexpected shared history. It all comes to an explosive ending when the mom group and their significant others head off to Crugmeer House on holiday. It's here that the dark secrets of the past begin to emerge, and the female friendships are pushed to a breaking point.

Faulkner takes us on a journey with untrustworthy people, forces us to read carefully looking for clues and twists us around with her time hopping - it’s wonderful! I loved how Faulkner writes to highlight the contrasts, showing us how dark and foreboding the beautiful wetlands at Woodberry Down became when this sinister group of friends invaded them.

You'll love the tension and will find yourself wondering just who is doing the investigative work here - Tash or the yummy mummies?

I loved following the clues right to the epilogue where I was shocked by the big reveal!

I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARNING: SPOILER BELOW REGARDING THE MEANS OF DEATH

Ohhhhhhh Katherine Faulkner . . . .



This was pretty much a you had me at hello for a couple of reasons . . . .

First, the cover. As much as I despise face covers, I don’t mind this creepy peeper whatsoever. Also, I’m a HUGE fan of authors who stick with the same font/format for their books. I have soooooo many problems recalling names and titles, but I can remember cover art nearly every time.

Also . . . .



These bishes were everything I wanted them to be. Like grown up Mean Girls – or even better since they were not only wealthy, but Londoners, a gaggle of Caroline Stanburys . . .



But what is it about you might be asking. Lemme tell you. Tash is trying to navigate her way through balancing motherhood while simultaneously trying to gain a name for herself as a freelance journalist. Her latest story involves looking into a supposed accidental drowning – as requested by the dead girl’s mother. In order to get some free time to work, she enrolls her son in a playgroup containing a group of cliquey, well-to-do mothers. When they take Tash under their wing, she leans right in to keeping up with the Joneses only to discover they knew the deceased as well.

If you like a quality Lifetime Stabby Stab/Desperate Housewives sort of whodunit I’m telling you this is a winner. So satisfying to my little garbage addicted persona! The only complaint????



Come on, authors! You think we’re amateurs? We know all about this stuff – and don’t even get us started on petechiae. Or maybe I should make a note to myself if this is how police investigations/forensic pathology works across the pond and if I ever decide to murder someone, make sure to do it over there ; )

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and devoured it in less than a day. It centers on Tash, a struggling journalist who starts digging into the death of a young nanny named Sophie in her neighborhood. At the same time, Tash becomes friends with 3 other moms from her playgroup; she desperately tries to keep up with their lavish lifestyle. There are also chapters peppered in from Sophie in the months leading up to her death, painting the story of what really happened.

The author does a great job of laying breadcrumbs that could lead you in many different directions. There were plausible red herrings throughout and I went back and forth multiple times about what I thought really happened. While Tash wasn’t exactly a likable character, she was a believable character with whom I sometimes empathized. The ending left a bit of a cliffhanger, but was packed with surprises. Though there were a lot of characters and a lot of dynamics between those characters, the writing was clear and precise and I never lost track of how it all dir together.

Overall, this one was a winner for me (much like this author’s previous book, if you haven’t read it yet) and I would strongly recommend to those who like mysteries and domestic suspense, as well as those who like reading about how the other half live. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cristiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nem acredito que tive este livro na minha lista para ler e o tirei. Ainda bem que me voltei a lembrar dele e decidi ler

[Cristina Lazăr · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://carti.blog/2025/04/07/mamici-...

[Geevee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first three quarters were enjoyable, but the final portion and the finale were predictable and far-fetched. A disappointment.

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5⭐️ When a young nanny is found dead, journalist and new mom, Tash becomes fascinated with the case. As she navigates both her life as a wife and new mom, and a murder case that may involve her new friends, Tash must decide who, if anyone, can be trusted.

Katherine Faulkner writes the most bingeable books and The Other Mothers is no exception. I received this on Friday and had devoured it by Sunday morning. With as many twists and turns as I’ve come to expect, this fast and even paced novel will captivate you from beginning to end.

This story is wonderfully multilayered, with characters who are multidimensional and intriguing, not to mention all shady AF. Every time I thought I had figured out who the culprit is and what had happened, Faulkner turns things on their head, until I finally decided to give up on the guessing and just go for the ride - and what a ride it was.

If I have any criticism it is this - the ending fizzled out a bit. With such a strong build up, I was ready for a shocking, intense ending. And while we do get that in part, it wasn’t quite the bang I had anticipated.

I read this as an immersive read, utilizing both the physical copy and the audiobook. The audio features dual narration from Louise Brealey and Dakota Blue Richards, both of whom did a phenomenal job brining these characters and this story to life. Given the dual timeline and larger cast of characters, I would recommend the physical or ebook alongside the audio, at least until you have a strong understanding of who’s who.

Read if you like:
•psychological thrillers
•domestic suspense
•mommy drama
•big little lies
•bingeable books
•dual timelines/ pov

Thank you Bookclub Favorites, Simon and Schuster and Simon Audio for my gifted copies.

[Maeve Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was the worst Lifetime movie I’ve ever read. I received an ARC of this book at San Diego Comic Con, but ultimately I wasn’t very impressed with this novel. Was it entertaining? Sure. But all of the characters are terrible people, and not in an enjoyable way. There is not an ounce of redemption to any of them, and I’m not sympathetic towards anyone, except maybe the children of all these asshole parents. The unreliable narration led to an influx of absurd plot twists at the end that I honestly didn’t care for. I’d have rather read a thriller with more rounded characters, a less convoluted murder, and just a speckle of redemption for at least one of the characters.

[Jayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far-fetched and too wordy.

Not for me.

DNF.

[daniela weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

too full of mommy nanny 
adultery tropy routines for 
my taste but well done in its
rich people's drama way and
its dual well knitted narrative.

[MicheleReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tash (Natasha) is the mother of three-year-old Finn. She's married to Tom, a doctor, and is a journalist looking for a new story to get her back in the game. But she is also looking for other moms to bond with and find playdates for her son. What she finds is a mystery. A dead nanny who she believes was murdered even though the death was ruled accidental. She becomes friends with a group of affluent mothers in a playgroup, including the former employer of Sophie, the deceased young woman. As she works to learn more about the mysterious death, she receives messages to stop digging into the case. She gets swept up into these women's upscale lives but starts to wonder if they are truly her friends or if they are simply keeping an eye on her to prevent their secrets from being exposed.

I was very excited to read The Other Mothers after enjoying author Katherine Faulkner's impressive 2021 debut Greenwich Park. Her new book is not only a thriller but delves into the challenges of balancing motherhood, marriage, friendships and a career. The story is told from the perspectives of Tash, in the present, and Sophie, in various time periods before her demise. The book started a bit slow for me and it took a while to sort out all the characters. It all came together nicely with effective twists and turns which kept me guessing. Based on her two books, Faulkner has found her niche in dark tales of young motherhood.

Review posted on MicheleReader.com.

[Karen Chong · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5

I was blown away by how drawn I was with this book. Every time I dropped the book to run errands I couldn't stop thinking about this book and the ending - how everything was going to end. It had me gripped from the start to the end that I finished it in one day.

The story follows Natasha or 'Tash' who is an investigative journalist working freelance who is married to Tom an A& E doctor. They have a young son called Finn. The story starts in the future at 2019, where Tash is interviewed in the Police station about events that had occurred (you have to read to the end to understand). 2 years prior Tash was responsible for writing a piece on about Sophie Blake who was found dead at a local nature reserve. Since then she had quit her full time job and turned freelance after the arrival of her son Finn. When taking her son Finn into a new playgroup, she bumps into Laura another new mum who invites her with coffee at her place. Soon after she meets other mums that are part of the playgroup Claire and Nicole which starts a budding friendship. Keen to launch her career she revisits the story of Sophie to establish if there was more to her death than what meets the eye. and the results of the public enquiry/ coroner’s report. But as soon as she starts getting headway with the death of Sophie as well as balancing the responsibility of motherhood, things begin to change.

I have to admit the start of the book was confusing, I struggled to understand the timeframe of things when I first started reading the 50 pages. But after that it starts to all make sense. I was worried starting the book with the timeframes - because some books have the tendency to bounce at different times. But that isnt the case with this book. At points in the book, it gets dark and sinister which picks up the more she investigates about the death of Sophie. This is heightened by the writing, I was drawn to how easy the writing was, but equally how well it made me feel. For some reason pulled on my emotions, in particular the build up near the end which left me frustrated and feeling claustrophobic.

The one thing that I didn't like was that there was too many twists, essentially as you read Sophie's viewpoints (which are shared) it felt like to push the narrative along the plot would twist and thicken. About 3/4 in, I found it the plot too complex - sometimes having too many twists takes away from the suspense build up. I found it somewhat difficult at times to follow due to the number of names, i.e. you have their spouses so Tom, Ed (Laura's Hub), Jeremy 'Jez' (Clarie's hubby) and John (Nicole's man)- then you have Tash/Tom's friends - Grace, Rivi, ben - and thats not inlcuding the kid's and detectives names, as well as the other mum's names and nannies! So do be aware there is alot of names in this one, a good diagram at the start of the book would help!

But that aside - the book flew by for me. If you want to read a book that will grip you as well as something different, I think this would be a good book!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Tash, a freelance journalist, begins researching the death of a young woman, Sophie. She slowly realizes her investigation intertwines with her new life and the affluent mothers of her son’s playgroup. As she navigates around what is true, she finds herself sucked into their world while also becoming more obsessed with Sophie’s case.

Everyone in this novel is hiding something, pretending in some way, or misleading you. You really couldn’t trust anyone! Most of the characters gave off an unsettling or slimy feeling, but I felt that enhanced the book.

I love a book with a ton of tiny twists and reveals that keep you guessing. I was so sure I had it all figured out more than once, and each time I only had a piece of the puzzle solved.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through a Goodreads’ giveaway in return for an honest review.

[Ellery Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is part thriller, part social commentary on how mothers are judged by strangers, peers, and themselves. There are quite a few characters here, but Ms. Faulkner does a great job in making them stand out. In this way, her writing style reminded me of Lisa Jewell. There were several times when I found the main character reckless to the point of endangering herself or her own child.
Read this one if you enjoy:

👩‍🍼Domestic thrillers
👩‍🍼London setting
👩‍🍼Young mothers
👩‍🍼Toxic female friendships
👩‍🍼Rich people
👩‍🍼Fast pacing

Thanks to @libro.fm for the gifted audiobook. The narrator did a great job.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure how I felt about this. It was often engaging and twisty, but the main character makes some truly idiotic decisions. Especially as a mom and investigative reporter. But I was curious enough what was going on to read to the end. Did I LIKE it? Not exactly, but I didn't hate it either. Though it does contain some spoilery things I'm not a big fan of. I could see some readers loving it and some hating it. For me it was very mid. I received an audio review copy via Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.

[Jennifer (Jaye) (Hope everyone had a great Christmas, trying to reply to comments and keep being asked to log back in!!!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Toxic Motives*

**3.5 Stars**

This is a story of people looking at other’s lives and coveting them. You can never judge a book by its cover and sometimes you just need to steer clear.

This story is told from two points of view, one from Tash the main character. She is an investigative journalist and new mum who wants to launch her freelance career and is in need of a good story.

She is approached by the mother of a nanny who died and she does not agree with the coroner’s decision. She wants Tash to look into it. The other point of view is a countdown of the victim’s life and the events that led to her death.

The trouble is, is that the real start of the big build up happens in the latter part of the book. It took a long time for it to really get started.

It is a shame as i enjoyed the latter part more but the characters were mostly despicable and unlikable. I actually liked Tash’s husband the best as he summed them all up as Tash was hoodwinked into thinking these people were her friends. She wakes up very late in the game as it becomes clear these people welcomed her into their clique with motives that almost costs her, her life.

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I don't even know what to say about this one, nobody is a good person but this is a compelling story that you won't be able to put-down. Well thought out thriller, but ultimately dropped it a star since the ending just didn't really work for what came before unless it was to show the full hypocrisy of all of these mothers. Full review to come.

Full review: As I said, no one is a good person in this one. And after a while you are going to become quite sick of Tash and Sophie.

"The Other Mothers" follows freelance journalist Tash. She's lonely and quietly drowning dealing with her two year old son and feeling cut off from the other glamorous mothers she sees at the preschool drop off. When a grieving mother who thinks her daughter was murdered reaches out to Tash, she starts investigating what happened to the young woman who was a nanny (Sophie). The book follows Tash in the present (though we do flash back and forward scenes sometimes) and Sophie in the past leading up to the moment of her death.

The thing is that the book plays with your emotions quite well. You have tons of sympathy for Tash and Sophie at first. Until the book slowly starts to unwind both these characters and you see them fully for who they are. And then I guess it's up to you as a reader with where your sympathies lie.

The other mothers in this one are kind of a mess. I really want to say that the major downfall for all of them resides in one character and I could not see it at all.

The ending as I said earlier was a letdown. The whole book kind of fell apart at that point which was a disappointment. I just don't know if Faulkner knew how to end things because what we get strains credulity and it took me out of the story at that point.

[Mădălina Udrescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Să fii mamă e un job cu normă întreagă, în care trebuie să-ți investești toată atenția, afecțiunea și energia, în așa fel încât copilul tău să nu ducă lipsă de nimic și să nu simtă cât ți-e de greu uneori, mai ales atunci când refuză vehement să se desprindă de tine, agățându-se de gâtul tău ca de un colac de salvare. În aceste momente dificile, trebuie să reziști, să nu te lași influențată de lacrimile de crocodil și de zbieretele sfâșietoare, fiindcă tu știi ce e cel mai bine pentru puiul tău care abia începe să descifreze lumea. Te gândești în fiecare clipă la dezvoltarea lui și încerci să-i găsești prieteni, băieței și fetițe de vârsta lui, cu care să se joace, și așa te împrietenești și tu cu mămicile lor. Ești atât de fascinată de viața lor perfectă, de hainele elegante și de casele splendide, încât, în scurt timp, lucrurile devin mai mult despre tine, decât despre copilul tău. Aștepți cu nerăbdare ieșirile la cafea, îți depășești bugetul cumpărându-ți haine noi și te străduiești să-ți schimbi viața ca să te potrivești în lumea lor extravagantă. Dar curiozitatea e prea mare, și, într-o zi, te apuci să sapi adânc în trecutul noilor tale prietene, descoperind secrete ce ar fi trebuit să rămână pe veci îngropate, iar asta te pune într-un mare pericol. E prea târziu să dai înapoi, e prea riscant să mergi înainte, iar dacă stai pe loc, rămâi captivă între ciocan și nicovală. E imperios necesar să iei o decizie... Ori mergi până la capăt și dai în vileag tot ce ai descoperit, sperând că familia ta nu va avea de suferit, ori păstrezi tăcerea și devii una de-a lor, așa cum ți-ai dorit întotdeauna. Ești pregătită să faci parte din grupul mămicilor mincinoase?

Romanul lui Katherine Faulkner poate fi rezumat printr-o ecuație matematică, care ar suna cam așa: Tash, mamă devotată și iubitoare, care jonglează cu activitățile cotidiene, îngrijirea fiului său de nici doi ani și lansarea carierei de jurnalist independent + un grup de joacă exclusivist și costisitor + celelalte mămici, un trio de femei stilate și bogate, care se laudă cu locuințele luxoase, vizitele frecvente la SPA și orele în șir petrecute la cumpărături sau prin cine știe ce restaurante extravagante + o dădacă moartă în circumstanțe suspecte = o mulțime de probleme pentru cea care se apucă să descâlcească ițele unui caz plin de neconcordanțe.

Tash e captivă într-un carusel de complicații și dezamăgiri. Și-a pierdut locul de muncă; teancul de facturi devine tot mai mare; banii pe care îi primește pentru articolele pe care le vinde diverselor publicații, la care se adaugă și salariul de medic al soțului ei, sunt insuficienți pentru nevoile familiei; apartamentul în care locuiesc e prea mic și prea vechi, iar diminețile ei sunt acompaniate de plânsete și împotriviri zgomotoase din partea lui Finn, băiețelul său, care nu vrea să fie lăsat la grupul de joacă. Chinuindu-se să-l desprindă pe copil de gâtul ei, într-o zi e abordată de Laura, mama lui Oscar, propunându-i ca băieții să petreacă mai mult timp împreună ca să se împrietenească. Din acest moment, viața lui Tash se schimbă, fiind inclusă în grupul select al Laurei, din care mai fac parte Nicole și Clare. Prietenia lor pare înfloritoare, protagonista noastră dorindu-și din ce în ce mai tare să aibă viața lor perfectă doar în aparență. Dar fiindcă asta nu e posibil momentan, nu fără a face anumite sacrificii, cum ar fi să vândă colecția neprețuită de fotografii a tatălui său ca să facă rost de banii necesari pentru a-și cumpăra o casă frumoasă și mare, Tash e forțată de împrejurări să caute un subiect bombă cu care să rupă gura târgului și să devină o jurnalistă cunoscută. Din păcate, cade, firește, în sens metaforic, într-o groapă cu șerpi veninoși, alegând să investigheze moartea Sophiei Blake, fosta dădacă a lui Clare. Pe lângă faptul că îi place să facă parte din grupul lor și să experimenteze tot felul de lucruri pe care în mod obișnuit nu și le-ar permite, Tash încearcă să le tragă de limbă, doar, doar o descoperi ce i s-a întâmplat tinerei al cărei deces nu pare nicidecum un accident. Punând lucrurile cap la cap, ea își dă seama că toți o mint, că toți au ceva de ascuns, ajungând să creadă că și soțul ei e implicat cumva în povestea asta. Iar atunci când o a doua dădacă este găsită fără suflare în propria casă, ancheta desfășurată de Tash se complică de o mie de ori mai tare.

Mai mult decât un thriller, „Mămici mincinoase” e un roman social, cu o puternică tentă psihologică, care plasează în centrul său slăbiciunile umane și cum pot fi acestea exploatate în favoarea câștigului individual. Intriga se construiește pe ciocnirea dintre două lumi diferite, cea a lui Tash, ce gravitează în jurul muncii și rezolvării problemelor financiare, și cea a prietenelor sale, construită în jurul banilor și timpului pierdut pentru păstrarea măștilor bine șlefuite. Altfel spus, universul protagonistei, chiar dacă mai sărac, e mult mai plin de căldură și dragoste decât lumea celorlalte mame, care e rece și distantă. Prin faptul că Tash vrea să elucideze cazul pe care chiar și poliția l-a abandonat, excluzând cu desăvârșire posibilitatea unei crime, declanșează în celelalte personaje o serie de mecanisme de apărare ce vor deveni o amenințare serioasă pentru ea. Dimensiunea psihologică a poveștii este subliniată și de existența capitolelor prezentate din perspectiva Sophiei, acestea aducând în prim plan anumite subiecte considerate tabu și la ora actuală, precum depresia postnatală, aversiunea față de propriul copil, creșterea copiilor fără un model patern și ceea ce înseamnă să fii mamă. Bineînțeles, toate aceste teme sunt inserate discret în cadrul evenimentelor tensionate, devenind și ele un instrument al manipulării în mâinile păpușarului potrivit.

Aș fi tentată să spun că stilul lui Katherine Faulkner seamănă destul de mult cu cel al lui Zoje Stage, ambele autoare țesând thrillere complexe din situații banale și întâmplări verosimile, pe care, firește, le condimentează cu puțină exagerare. Însă diferența majoră e că Stage se concentrează pe relații la nivel micro, între mamă și fiică, în timp ce Faulkner analizează legăturile la nivel macro, orientându-se spre personaje cu statute sociale și valori etice diferite. Scriitura ei e dirijată de hazard, în ciuda faptului că evenimentele sunt organizate și coerente. Răsturnările de situație, pendularea între prezent și trecut și finalul intens m-au ajutat să trec peste pasajele statice și repetitive, lăsându-mă, per total, cu o impresie bună. Eu i-am acordat, fără să stau pe gânduri, patru steluțe pe Goodreads și aștept cu interes următorul sau (de ce nu) Greenwich Park, primul ei roman.

[Danielle B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sometimes struggle with the beginning of books, but not this time. THE OTHER MOTHERS was gripping from start to finish. I loved the alternating timelines and points of view as we hear from both Tash and Sophie. I don't know which one I enjoyed more, but the countdown of the days until Sophie's death kept me turning the pages. You won't know what to believe or who to trust as the author keeps you in suspense the entire time. This is definitely in the top 10 of the books that I've read this year and I've read over 150 this year.

Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to pub date.

[Lynn Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this mysterious novel about the death of a nanny. But the ending seemed a bit rushed and left me longing for something else. The rest was great and I loved the investigative journalist aspect. Everyone was a suspect and I loved trying to analyze everyone.

[simona.citeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prea multe personaje de la care a încercat să stoarcă cât mai multă dramă, prea încâlcită și fără dezvăluiri atât de șocante încât să justifice o poveste atât de lungă.

Până la jumătate a părut promițătoare dar apoi a devenit prea mult.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨ "I had always thought motherhood was a great leveller, but the more I saw of Claire, Laura and Nicole's lives, the more I could see how transformative money was for parenting. It had the power to magic the mothering experience into the very Instagram perfection I always thought was just a fantasy."

Welp, this was medicore and definitely no Greenwich Park.

I enjoyed how the book delved into class, privilege and motherhood amongst other issues but the effect was sorta lost on me because of how much I disliked the protagonist. Tash is a laughable journalist, irresponsible worker, awful wife and negligent mother who is more interested in being relevant and fitting in than in her family. Sophie didn't warrant much sympathy either and everyone else was just as terrible.

There were so many mothers, their husbands and kids, most of whom were too similar with no distinct personality and faded into background noise. I forgot Nicole even had a family until towards the end since they were barely mentioned.

The red herring was good and threw me off, I'll give it that. But I lost interest in the whodunnit over time, especially with the last few chapters being such a mess. I also really dislike when a character is already dead and still telling the story, it just feels like such a cheap technique to me.

Only giving this 3 stars because of the final chapter, which has the author's signature style which I loved so much in her debut. Sure, I didn't care for any of the characters or the plot but Katherine Faulkner sure knows how to end a story with a punch.