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Maman: A twisted suspense novel
Maman - a twisted suspense novel!
DS Joanna Armstrong, a top child protection detective, becomes the accused when one of her twin babies develops facial bruising - sending her into a spiralling post-natal psychosis.
Her life falls apart in an instant. Her team are torn, the doctors think she’s fabricating her illness, and even one of her own colleagues appears hell bent on destroying her.
Can Joanna to clear her name when everything seems stacked against her? Can she break through all the prejudice before time runs out? Or is she really mad like they all say?
Maman is a gripping tale of family, loyalty, and most of all, truth and justice.
Praise for tour-de-force. An utter must read, and one of the bravest, boldest books I've ever read.' Rob Parker, The Thirty Miles Trilogy
DS Joanna Armstrong, a top child protection detective, becomes the accused when one of her twin babies develops facial bruising - sending her into a spiralling post-natal psychosis.
Her life falls apart in an instant. Her team are torn, the doctors think she’s fabricating her illness, and even one of her own colleagues appears hell bent on destroying her.
Can Joanna to clear her name when everything seems stacked against her? Can she break through all the prejudice before time runs out? Or is she really mad like they all say?
Maman is a gripping tale of family, loyalty, and most of all, truth and justice.
Praise for tour-de-force. An utter must read, and one of the bravest, boldest books I've ever read.' Rob Parker, The Thirty Miles Trilogy
291 pages, Hardcover
Published April 17, 2024
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 24, 2024
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
MAMAN by F.E. Birch is an intriguing psychological suspense/thriller about a woman in crisis and the battle over her guilt or innocence in her private life as well as the public justice system regarding her infant twins. This is a book that I could not put down.
DS Joanna Armstrong has seen and worked with the worst in the child protection system and now that bureaucracy has been turned on her after a very public breakdown.
This is a story that made me feel as if I was on a runaway train. It starts with the reader being thrown right into the middle of Joanna’s breakdown. The tension and stakes continue to increase from there. Her husband, Jim, and her social worker friend, Effie, both offer the type of support and love you want in your corner when your world is falling apart. Her colleagues and friends were not. It continually appeared the truth was less important than the punishment for perceived crimes.
The major plot twist and resolution for Joanna and Jim was very interesting and probably realistically occurs as a problem for others more than we know. I do wish there had been less time spent “in” Joanna’s head and more time spent on investigating the discoveries that are the plot points that support the climax and resolution because the ending seemed rushed to me.
I do recommend this riveting psychological suspense/thriller.
MAMAN by F.E. Birch is an intriguing psychological suspense/thriller about a woman in crisis and the battle over her guilt or innocence in her private life as well as the public justice system regarding her infant twins. This is a book that I could not put down.
DS Joanna Armstrong has seen and worked with the worst in the child protection system and now that bureaucracy has been turned on her after a very public breakdown.
This is a story that made me feel as if I was on a runaway train. It starts with the reader being thrown right into the middle of Joanna’s breakdown. The tension and stakes continue to increase from there. Her husband, Jim, and her social worker friend, Effie, both offer the type of support and love you want in your corner when your world is falling apart. Her colleagues and friends were not. It continually appeared the truth was less important than the punishment for perceived crimes.
The major plot twist and resolution for Joanna and Jim was very interesting and probably realistically occurs as a problem for others more than we know. I do wish there had been less time spent “in” Joanna’s head and more time spent on investigating the discoveries that are the plot points that support the climax and resolution because the ending seemed rushed to me.
I do recommend this riveting psychological suspense/thriller.
April 27, 2024
I have never read a book quite like this! The author really conveys the sense of claustrophobic panic and confusion that Joanna feels when she is suspected of harming her child.
The situation is made worse by the fact that it is her job to investigate such matters and now she is the one under suspicion.
The book deals with a lot of difficult themes - not only injuries to children, but post-natal depression and even psychosis and how this is viewed and treated, both by professionals and by family and friends of the mother.
I found the book really gripping and thought-provoking too. FE Birch is an author to look out for in the future for me!
Thanks to the author and Heather Fitt at Overview Media for the eARC of this book.
The situation is made worse by the fact that it is her job to investigate such matters and now she is the one under suspicion.
The book deals with a lot of difficult themes - not only injuries to children, but post-natal depression and even psychosis and how this is viewed and treated, both by professionals and by family and friends of the mother.
I found the book really gripping and thought-provoking too. FE Birch is an author to look out for in the future for me!
Thanks to the author and Heather Fitt at Overview Media for the eARC of this book.
April 25, 2024
This opens with the shocking scene of a woman running around shouting that two babies have been abandoned and can someone call the police. The woman is child protection detective, DS Joanna Armstrong, and the children, twins, are hers! Clearly distressed Joanna seems unaware of her surroundings and her children. I found this to be a really compulsive read, although please be aware that there are multiple references to child abuse, although they are not gratuitous.
Briefly, when the police arrive it’s her boss and he arrests her on suspicion of child neglect and assault. At the police station Joanna has a complete meltdown and the on call doctor confirms that she is in no fit state to be interviewed and recommends a voluntary transfer to a mother and child hospital. With all the relevant parties involved the life of Joanna and her husband Jim is torn apart as they are both under the microscope.
Joanna is diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, which I had to google which gave me a clear understanding of what a terrible albeit relatively rare condition this is. I liked Joanna and was horrified at her treatment by two of her closest colleagues, thank goodness that other parties to the decisions were unbiased. This is a fairly quick read and I read it in one sitting, totally engrossed. A heartbreaking story about family and the fight for justice against all the odd. Gripping!
4.5⭐️
Briefly, when the police arrive it’s her boss and he arrests her on suspicion of child neglect and assault. At the police station Joanna has a complete meltdown and the on call doctor confirms that she is in no fit state to be interviewed and recommends a voluntary transfer to a mother and child hospital. With all the relevant parties involved the life of Joanna and her husband Jim is torn apart as they are both under the microscope.
Joanna is diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, which I had to google which gave me a clear understanding of what a terrible albeit relatively rare condition this is. I liked Joanna and was horrified at her treatment by two of her closest colleagues, thank goodness that other parties to the decisions were unbiased. This is a fairly quick read and I read it in one sitting, totally engrossed. A heartbreaking story about family and the fight for justice against all the odd. Gripping!
4.5⭐️
April 28, 2024
This is an emotive, standalone suspense thriller. The opening hits you without preamble & you are dragged into Jo Armstrong’s disintegrating mental state. I hadn’t read anything like this before & I was intrigued to see where it would go.
Jo Armstrong is a well-respected DS in the child protection team but now she is on the wrong side of the law. She is suffering from severe puerperal (post partum) psychosis which she has successfully hidden from her husband but a planned lunch date with her best friend tips her over the edge & she even fails to recognise her own twin babies. The story has an energy all of its own; is she guilty of what she has been accused? Is her husband involved? Are the investigating officers as impartial as they should be?
Thank goodness for Jim (her husband) & Effie, her social worker friend, their relentless support & belief was much needed for Jo & the reader. This isn’t a ‘true’ story but is based on known facts which makes it riveting. However, the time spent in Jo’s head seemed a little dragged out story wise but perhaps that is the point. For Jo, it was all consuming.
A constant pace made this a solid read & I'm thankful that I have never been in the dark place Jo found herself in. But, to use a cliché, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Jo Armstrong is a well-respected DS in the child protection team but now she is on the wrong side of the law. She is suffering from severe puerperal (post partum) psychosis which she has successfully hidden from her husband but a planned lunch date with her best friend tips her over the edge & she even fails to recognise her own twin babies. The story has an energy all of its own; is she guilty of what she has been accused? Is her husband involved? Are the investigating officers as impartial as they should be?
Thank goodness for Jim (her husband) & Effie, her social worker friend, their relentless support & belief was much needed for Jo & the reader. This isn’t a ‘true’ story but is based on known facts which makes it riveting. However, the time spent in Jo’s head seemed a little dragged out story wise but perhaps that is the point. For Jo, it was all consuming.
A constant pace made this a solid read & I'm thankful that I have never been in the dark place Jo found herself in. But, to use a cliché, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
April 26, 2024
DS Joanna Armstrong is a new mother of twins - Robert and Lucy. One day, she goes to meet her best friend, Diane, for lunch and she suffers an episode where she forgets she has had babies. She finds them and believes they aren't hers, she asks her friend to call the police in the child protection unit for help. This leads to the babies going to the hospital and to learning that Lucy has facial bruising - who did this? This leads to Jo being accused of hurting Lucy.
It left me with an insight in how the system works and how the professionals work in partnership for the care of children. It was an emotional, riveting and stomach churning read of a book! I loved how Jo, Jim (her husband) and Effie (Social Worker) interacted with each other and it brought attention to how they ended up becoming part of the system that Jo was involved in pre the twin's birth. The story is told over a few months in different characters. I was gripped to the story and it is well written. I raced through as I was intrigued in how it would end. I will be recommending this book.
It left me with an insight in how the system works and how the professionals work in partnership for the care of children. It was an emotional, riveting and stomach churning read of a book! I loved how Jo, Jim (her husband) and Effie (Social Worker) interacted with each other and it brought attention to how they ended up becoming part of the system that Jo was involved in pre the twin's birth. The story is told over a few months in different characters. I was gripped to the story and it is well written. I raced through as I was intrigued in how it would end. I will be recommending this book.
June 11, 2024
This is a great read which will open your eyes to what can and could happen if people assume the worst about situations without fully investigating.
Any kind of incident involving a child will immediately cause fear but in this instance reading from the lead character's perspective really does bring home the sheer panic and terror of dealing with complex health issues. This voice is truly unique and had me racing to find out and understand more.
The characters in this tale are well realised and believable and the explanation and understanding of process and procedure brings to light an area of legal complexity that is never really discussed or understood unless you have experienced it personally. As a result this was particularly eye opening reading.
Well worth your time and effort to read this and hopefully it will have the positive effect it's seeking on your knowledge and understanding of child protection.
Any kind of incident involving a child will immediately cause fear but in this instance reading from the lead character's perspective really does bring home the sheer panic and terror of dealing with complex health issues. This voice is truly unique and had me racing to find out and understand more.
The characters in this tale are well realised and believable and the explanation and understanding of process and procedure brings to light an area of legal complexity that is never really discussed or understood unless you have experienced it personally. As a result this was particularly eye opening reading.
Well worth your time and effort to read this and hopefully it will have the positive effect it's seeking on your knowledge and understanding of child protection.
April 26, 2024
Joanna is a new mom, to twins. Baby Robert and Lucy. Being a new mom is hard, but something else is happening. Joanna is having memory issues. How do you forget you're a mom? How did her little girl get injured? Why would a new mom have these issues? More so how do you wind up racing about screaming that babies are abandoned, your babies, and you just so happen to be the DS for Child Protection? Wow! This book was powerful, very good, and different from many other stories that you might think are similar. I really enjoyed the insight and effort that was worked into this story, and the ending.
Thanks to Overview Media for my digital copy of this book. A positive review is never required.
Thanks to Overview Media for my digital copy of this book. A positive review is never required.
May 28, 2024
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!!!!
Thanks so much to Heather Fitt and Overview Media for asking me to join in the tour for Maman by FE Birch. Happy to be starting it off today!
So this book was not what I was expecting at all. I loved it! I was gripped from the start, wondering what on earth was going on. Joanna is going through so much, and it really shows bless her. I felt so bad for her, and was rooting for her the whole way through.
A great story of absolute suspense, I’ll definitely read more of FE Birch’s work!
Thanks once again to Heather, Overview Media, and of course Ms Birch herself. Remember to check out the other stops on the tour.
Thanks so much to Heather Fitt and Overview Media for asking me to join in the tour for Maman by FE Birch. Happy to be starting it off today!
So this book was not what I was expecting at all. I loved it! I was gripped from the start, wondering what on earth was going on. Joanna is going through so much, and it really shows bless her. I felt so bad for her, and was rooting for her the whole way through.
A great story of absolute suspense, I’ll definitely read more of FE Birch’s work!
Thanks once again to Heather, Overview Media, and of course Ms Birch herself. Remember to check out the other stops on the tour.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews