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A Mother Always Knows
"Cults and childhood trauma lead to real suspense...Fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose will enjoy." —Library Journal
The beloved, award-winning author of Do I Know You? and We Love To Entertain returns with an electrifying novel of psychological suspense that explores the way our pasts shape our futures in so many unexpected ways.
Stella O'Neill is just your average millennial, working at a public library and worrying about making rent. No one would suspect she's been living under an assumed name or that she was raised in a Vermont commune of "diviners" where, and as a ten-year-old, she witnessed her mother’s brutal murder—a crime that has gone unsolved for years.
But her quiet, anonymous existence is upended when a true-crime obsessive posts her current name and location on the internet. Now, Stella has to get out of Boston before her mother’s killer can find her and finish the job he started all those years ago. Fed up with living in fear, she heads to the off-the-grid retreat of her childhood to confront her mother’s unhinged guru who controlled their lives for so long--the infamous Radcliffe MacBeath.
Stella has two powerful determination and a supernatural gift. Relying on her mother’s beloved rose quartz pendulum, Stella will have to outwit the charismatic leader who’s ruined so many lives and discover once and for all the true identity of her mother's killer—before becoming his next victim.
The beloved, award-winning author of Do I Know You? and We Love To Entertain returns with an electrifying novel of psychological suspense that explores the way our pasts shape our futures in so many unexpected ways.
Stella O'Neill is just your average millennial, working at a public library and worrying about making rent. No one would suspect she's been living under an assumed name or that she was raised in a Vermont commune of "diviners" where, and as a ten-year-old, she witnessed her mother’s brutal murder—a crime that has gone unsolved for years.
But her quiet, anonymous existence is upended when a true-crime obsessive posts her current name and location on the internet. Now, Stella has to get out of Boston before her mother’s killer can find her and finish the job he started all those years ago. Fed up with living in fear, she heads to the off-the-grid retreat of her childhood to confront her mother’s unhinged guru who controlled their lives for so long--the infamous Radcliffe MacBeath.
Stella has two powerful determination and a supernatural gift. Relying on her mother’s beloved rose quartz pendulum, Stella will have to outwit the charismatic leader who’s ruined so many lives and discover once and for all the true identity of her mother's killer—before becoming his next victim.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2025
67 people are currently reading
12845 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Strohmeyer
26 books1,273 followersSarah Strohmeyer is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of 18 novels for young adults and adults, including the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series, SMART GIRLS GET WHAT THEY WANT and THE CINDERELLA PACT, which became the Lifetime Movie, LYING TO BE PERFECT.
Her first mystery, BUBBLES UNBOUND, won the Agatha Award and Romantic TImes Award for Best First Mystery. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL was nominated for a prestigious RITA™. Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, Turkish, Taiwanese and a bunch of others.
BUBBLES REBOOTS - #7 in the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series - will be published June 26th in Kindle, Nook and Kobo (pre-order now!) It is an homage to her dearly departed high-school friend, Josh Simon. So 10% of the profits will go to organizations he approved: The Cancer Research Institute & Planned Parenthood.
Her first mystery, BUBBLES UNBOUND, won the Agatha Award and Romantic TImes Award for Best First Mystery. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL was nominated for a prestigious RITA™. Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, Turkish, Taiwanese and a bunch of others.
BUBBLES REBOOTS - #7 in the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series - will be published June 26th in Kindle, Nook and Kobo (pre-order now!) It is an homage to her dearly departed high-school friend, Josh Simon. So 10% of the profits will go to organizations he approved: The Cancer Research Institute & Planned Parenthood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
July 19, 2025
A gripping deep dive into the twisted mindset of cults and the power they wield, A Mother Always Knows delivered a deliciously eerie atmosphere alongside of a twisty mystery that grabbed me and didn’t let go. You see, this onion-like storyline consisted of multiple plot lines, each more thought-provoking and page-turning than the one before. What made it a winner in no uncertain terms, though, was how deftly they all intertwined into a climax and conclusion that left my jaw on the floor. After all, with a twist that came out of left field yet felt perfectly conceived, it wasn’t just merely shocking, it was unguessable in the extreme. Bravo, Ms. Strohmeyer, for blindsiding me completely.
With a dark, creepy feel running throughout, I quickly got lost in the words of this tale of psychological suspense. From the overarching supernatural vibe to the compelling characters who pulled me in right from the start, I found myself falling head first into a story that was both starkly realistic and seemingly far-fetched. On the face of it, there was a definite need to suspend all disbelief, but, the more I thought about cults and how they behave, the more I realized that this story could just as easily be remarkably true-to-life. After all, the glimpse into the lasting damage of trauma as well as the power of the maternal bond was just as introspective as it was entertaining.
The only fly in the ointment was the dawdling pace in the middle of the novel. With an attention-grabbing start and an adrenaline-pumping conclusion, perhaps it could’ve been tightened up just a little during editing? Don’t get me wrong, I was beyond hooked and ended up flying through the book in just one single sitting, so take my grumblings with a large grain of salt.
All said and done, I was utterly bowled over by this new-to-me author’s obvious skill. With a creepy, remote setting, some mysterious long-buried family secrets, and plenty of palpable tension, this book toed the line between a cultish horror novel and a straightforward—albeit mildly supernatural—thriller. You see, thanks to dual timelines, multiple POVs, and a hefty dose of cliffhangers, the foreboding and suspicion in almost everyone and everything only ratcheted higher and higher. So if you loved The Sixth Sense and just about any cult book, you most definitely need to give this one a spin. After all, it was a quick, easy read that delivered in spades. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Stella O'Neill is just your average millennial, working at a public library and worrying about making rent. No one would suspect she's been living under an assumed name or that she was raised in a Vermont commune of "diviners" where, and as a ten-year-old, she witnessed her mother’s brutal murder—a crime that has gone unsolved for years.
But her quiet, anonymous existence is upended when a true-crime obsessive posts her current name and location on the internet. Now, Stella has to get out of Boston before her mother’s killer can find her and finish the job he started all those years ago. Fed up with living in fear, she heads to the off-the-grid retreat of her childhood to confront her mother’s unhinged guru who controlled their lives for so long--the infamous Radcliffe MacBeath.
Stella has two powerful assets: determination and a supernatural gift. Relying on her mother’s beloved rose quartz pendulum, Stella will have to outwit the charismatic leader who’s ruined so many lives and discover once and for all the true identity of her mother's killer—before becoming his next victim.
Thank you to Sarah Strohmeyer and Harper Perennial for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 1, 2025
Content warning: stalking, cult, kidnapping, violence, mention of: doxxing, infertility
With a dark, creepy feel running throughout, I quickly got lost in the words of this tale of psychological suspense. From the overarching supernatural vibe to the compelling characters who pulled me in right from the start, I found myself falling head first into a story that was both starkly realistic and seemingly far-fetched. On the face of it, there was a definite need to suspend all disbelief, but, the more I thought about cults and how they behave, the more I realized that this story could just as easily be remarkably true-to-life. After all, the glimpse into the lasting damage of trauma as well as the power of the maternal bond was just as introspective as it was entertaining.
The only fly in the ointment was the dawdling pace in the middle of the novel. With an attention-grabbing start and an adrenaline-pumping conclusion, perhaps it could’ve been tightened up just a little during editing? Don’t get me wrong, I was beyond hooked and ended up flying through the book in just one single sitting, so take my grumblings with a large grain of salt.
All said and done, I was utterly bowled over by this new-to-me author’s obvious skill. With a creepy, remote setting, some mysterious long-buried family secrets, and plenty of palpable tension, this book toed the line between a cultish horror novel and a straightforward—albeit mildly supernatural—thriller. You see, thanks to dual timelines, multiple POVs, and a hefty dose of cliffhangers, the foreboding and suspicion in almost everyone and everything only ratcheted higher and higher. So if you loved The Sixth Sense and just about any cult book, you most definitely need to give this one a spin. After all, it was a quick, easy read that delivered in spades. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Stella O'Neill is just your average millennial, working at a public library and worrying about making rent. No one would suspect she's been living under an assumed name or that she was raised in a Vermont commune of "diviners" where, and as a ten-year-old, she witnessed her mother’s brutal murder—a crime that has gone unsolved for years.
But her quiet, anonymous existence is upended when a true-crime obsessive posts her current name and location on the internet. Now, Stella has to get out of Boston before her mother’s killer can find her and finish the job he started all those years ago. Fed up with living in fear, she heads to the off-the-grid retreat of her childhood to confront her mother’s unhinged guru who controlled their lives for so long--the infamous Radcliffe MacBeath.
Stella has two powerful assets: determination and a supernatural gift. Relying on her mother’s beloved rose quartz pendulum, Stella will have to outwit the charismatic leader who’s ruined so many lives and discover once and for all the true identity of her mother's killer—before becoming his next victim.
Thank you to Sarah Strohmeyer and Harper Perennial for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 1, 2025
Content warning: stalking, cult, kidnapping, violence, mention of: doxxing, infertility
June 26, 2025
This is the second or third book I've read from the author, and when it popped up on NetGalley, I liked the concept and wanted to give it a chance. Unfortunately, the characters weren't likable, so I found myself not investing in the plight of who killed her mothers decades ago and who was lurking in present time to watch out for any signs of her memory returning. Various chapters pulled me in and I was eager to understand what happened back then, but I also struggled to understand why the murder went so long without being solved. Plus, the ultimate killer wasn't a character we spent a lot of time with, so I wasn't sure how readers could ever pick up on clues or connections. That said, I did enjoy many scenes and the writing was good.
October 14, 2025
I listened to this one and I liked the narration a lot. This was a fun thriller with some interesting if not particular twisty or surprising. This book was told from several perspectives in a couple of different timelines. The past timeline was interesting even if the reader knew exactly where it was going since it started with the end of that timeline. Stella was raised in a cult until the day her mother was murdered. She’s lived a quiet life avoiding their attention since she believes their cult leader is behind her mother’s death. That is all over when a post accusing her father of being the actual culprit of her mother’s death and this sets all sorts of people on her. Realizing the only way to stay safe is to prove who killed her mother. This was an entertaining read and I’d read more by this author for sure.
July 7, 2025
I love the supernatural mixed into thrillers and mystery novels because I love fantasy and magic realism. So for me, this novel was a spot on. The author's prose is solid and smooth. The pacing is measured and consistently moderate to fast. The main characters are believable and likable. The storyline is most certainly interesting and culturally relevant, especially these days when most Americans seem to get their news from networks considered merely "entertainment" in other countries which have regulations and standards which hold news networks accountable for actual facts. There were parts of the story which I felt offered a poignant warning. Overall this is a solid 4 for me & I recommend it to all who enjoys a bit of fantasy horror with their mysteries. I will probably check out more books by this author.
July 8, 2025
The story starts out slow, and I had a hard time connecting with Stella. I kept hoping for more of a paranormal atmosphere, something more dreamlike – like in Equinox (Netflix series about a woman haunted by her sister’s disappearance and drawn into strange folklore).
There are moments where something otherworldly is hinted at, but it never quite takes hold the way I hoped. One specific element tied to Stella felt too convenient – like it was placed in the story just to serve the plot, not something that added real mystery or depth. I wanted more unpredictability and more of that blurred line between reality and myth.
Instead, the book focuses mostly on trauma, manipulation, and human cruelty. That left me a bit disappointed – I was hoping for something that leaned more into the strange and unexplained.
Still, the second half picks up. The story becomes more twisty, and you’re never sure who to trust. The final twist was a real “what the hell” moment – in a good way – and the ending was satisfying.
The narrators (Reena Dutt, Karla Serrato, Ej Lavery) were great and helped carry the story through the slower parts.
There are moments where something otherworldly is hinted at, but it never quite takes hold the way I hoped. One specific element tied to Stella felt too convenient – like it was placed in the story just to serve the plot, not something that added real mystery or depth. I wanted more unpredictability and more of that blurred line between reality and myth.
Instead, the book focuses mostly on trauma, manipulation, and human cruelty. That left me a bit disappointed – I was hoping for something that leaned more into the strange and unexplained.
Still, the second half picks up. The story becomes more twisty, and you’re never sure who to trust. The final twist was a real “what the hell” moment – in a good way – and the ending was satisfying.
The narrators (Reena Dutt, Karla Serrato, Ej Lavery) were great and helped carry the story through the slower parts.
May 7, 2025
"All my life I’ve lived in fear of these monsters who’ve loomed large in my nightmares, and now I’m actually in their clutches.”
We all know that I saw this cover and screeched with pure excitement. A horned deity in the middle of the woods! Deity... take me away! (Think Calgon but with Satan) Then the synopsis caught me. I cannot get enough cultish books, so I jumped fully clothed into the pond of weird.
This book was an okay read. The mystery of who killed the almost runaway mom was hit and miss. The author threw too many curveballs at once, leading readers to suspect the least likely character. After making two picks, my second one was correct.
The cult, the buildup, Stella's mystical "power," and Genivieve were the key elements that kept me engaged with this book. The backstory added emotional depth to the current events, making me eager to uncover what was truly happening.
While "A Mother Always Knows" was an average read, it's not one I would revisit. The writing style didn't resonate with me, nor did the mystery itself. Interestingly, the side plots were more compelling than the main one, which was disappointing.
We all know that I saw this cover and screeched with pure excitement. A horned deity in the middle of the woods! Deity... take me away! (Think Calgon but with Satan) Then the synopsis caught me. I cannot get enough cultish books, so I jumped fully clothed into the pond of weird.
This book was an okay read. The mystery of who killed the almost runaway mom was hit and miss. The author threw too many curveballs at once, leading readers to suspect the least likely character. After making two picks, my second one was correct.
The cult, the buildup, Stella's mystical "power," and Genivieve were the key elements that kept me engaged with this book. The backstory added emotional depth to the current events, making me eager to uncover what was truly happening.
While "A Mother Always Knows" was an average read, it's not one I would revisit. The writing style didn't resonate with me, nor did the mystery itself. Interestingly, the side plots were more compelling than the main one, which was disappointing.
July 5, 2025
This book was so dark and creepy. It was a fascinating dive into a cult, and uses the readers preconceptions about them to its advantage.
When Stella was ten, and living in a commune with her mother, her mother was murdered. She changed her name, lives with her dad, and left that life behind. But after her and her dad are doxxed, people from the cult start showing up. She has to find out who was behind her mom’s murder, for her and her dad to be safe.
Throw in a dual timeline, and some very interesting characters, and you’ve got a solid thriller. I enjoyed the POVs, and watching the mystery unfold. I will say the pacing was a bit off in the end. I actually thought my book was missing pages because of how it jumped from a crucial scene to nothing. But it’s all explained, albeit in a rushed fashion. Overall, a really good book that had me on the edge of my seat with no clue what was going to happen!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
When Stella was ten, and living in a commune with her mother, her mother was murdered. She changed her name, lives with her dad, and left that life behind. But after her and her dad are doxxed, people from the cult start showing up. She has to find out who was behind her mom’s murder, for her and her dad to be safe.
Throw in a dual timeline, and some very interesting characters, and you’ve got a solid thriller. I enjoyed the POVs, and watching the mystery unfold. I will say the pacing was a bit off in the end. I actually thought my book was missing pages because of how it jumped from a crucial scene to nothing. But it’s all explained, albeit in a rushed fashion. Overall, a really good book that had me on the edge of my seat with no clue what was going to happen!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 30, 2025
A Mother Always Knows by Sarah Strohmeyer is a twisty, culty thriller with a dash of the paranormal and a whole lot of family secrets. The story follows Stella, a quiet librarian who’s been running from her traumatic past growing up in a Vermont cult and witnessing her mother’s murder. But when her identity gets outed online, she’s forced to return and face the creepy cult leader she left behind and maybe even solve her mom’s murder.
The book flips between Stella’s present-day investigation, her mom Rose’s chilling backstory, and another character named Priti who’s trying to expose the cult. The pacing is slow-burn, but the creepy atmosphere and secrets keep things moving.
There’s also a touch of psychic stuff Stella can sense emotions through objects, which adds a cool but slightly quirky layer. Some readers loved it; others found it a little out there. The emotional connection to Stella can feel a bit distant, but her mom’s chapters are where the real emotional punch hits.
If you're into dark family drama, cult mysteries, and don’t mind a bit of supernatural weirdness thrown in, this one's for you.
⚡️Thank you Bibliolifestyle, Harper Perennial and Sarah Strohmeyer for sharing this book with me!
The book flips between Stella’s present-day investigation, her mom Rose’s chilling backstory, and another character named Priti who’s trying to expose the cult. The pacing is slow-burn, but the creepy atmosphere and secrets keep things moving.
There’s also a touch of psychic stuff Stella can sense emotions through objects, which adds a cool but slightly quirky layer. Some readers loved it; others found it a little out there. The emotional connection to Stella can feel a bit distant, but her mom’s chapters are where the real emotional punch hits.
If you're into dark family drama, cult mysteries, and don’t mind a bit of supernatural weirdness thrown in, this one's for you.
⚡️Thank you Bibliolifestyle, Harper Perennial and Sarah Strohmeyer for sharing this book with me!
Read
October 7, 2025DNF at 43%
Thank you Netgalley, Harper Perennial, and the author for a #ARC in return for an honest review.
This cover is sooo intriguing! Unfortanetly, thats about it with this book. I was curious and excited to read this one. I felt like it was sooooo slow paced and at 43%, I was skimming. I wanted more about the cult, the psychology bits, and the spookiness. Unlikable characters, random details that make no sense it was hard to continue, and it put me to sleep.
Thank you Netgalley, Harper Perennial, and the author for a #ARC in return for an honest review.
This cover is sooo intriguing! Unfortanetly, thats about it with this book. I was curious and excited to read this one. I felt like it was sooooo slow paced and at 43%, I was skimming. I wanted more about the cult, the psychology bits, and the spookiness. Unlikable characters, random details that make no sense it was hard to continue, and it put me to sleep.
December 30, 2025
Thank you HarperAudio Adult | Harper Perennial for allowing me to audibly read and review A Mother Always Knows on NetGalley.
Narrators: Multiple
Published: 07/01/25
Stars: 2
I found the synopsis to be the best part of the book. The language really put me off. The Effing throughout made no sense.
Strohmeyer commercialized a serious problem and did so in a juvenile manner. The book went on and on, droning and whining over nothing. There was an ending that was so far fetched all I could do was shake my head.
I recommend passing on this.
Narrators: Multiple
Published: 07/01/25
Stars: 2
I found the synopsis to be the best part of the book. The language really put me off. The Effing throughout made no sense.
Strohmeyer commercialized a serious problem and did so in a juvenile manner. The book went on and on, droning and whining over nothing. There was an ending that was so far fetched all I could do was shake my head.
I recommend passing on this.
June 16, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: July 1, 2025
Sarah Strohmeyer's new novel, “A Mother Always Knows”, is a dual-timelime, multi-character story about cults, magic, and the lengths mothers will go to to protect their children.
2023- Stella O’Neill is a library historian, who tends to keep to herself in order to ensure her dark past stays secret. When she is confronted by a stranger from her past, she finds she must revisit her darkest traumas in order to find out the truth about who killed her mother.
2003- Rose is a young mother, desperately seeking answers, and she soon finds herself under the sway of Radcliffe MacBeath, a cult leader who claims to want nothing more than to have his followers find their connection to the “Divine Energy”. Leaving her husband, with her young daughter in tow, Rose decides to leave her life behind and start anew at the commune. But when Rose realizes exactly what Radcliffe is, Rose knows her life is in danger and she sets out to do the only thing she can- free her daughter from the cult’s clutches.
Both women in this story are connected by more than their lineage; they are connected by their search for answers, connection and, in Stella’s case, the truth. Although Rose's choices are easy to judge, her maternal instinct and love made her an easy character to bond with. Both Stella and Rose are broken from past traumas, confronting their demons (sometimes literally) and becoming survivors.
Obviously, I was all about the cult component of this novel. I was addicted to the hierarchy and the levels of darkness (disguised as light) contained within the cult leader, Radcliffe. Without giving too much away, I was satisfied with the way Radcliffe's storyline concluded and felt that Radcliffe and his followers received the punishment they deserved (for the most part).
Speaking of the ending, it was, quite literally, a twisty-turny guessing game. As Stella is so distrusting of others (for obvious reasons), anyone that exists in her life was immediately shady. As the story played out, I changed my opinion several times on how it was going to play out and, when the truth was revealed, I can honestly say it took me by surprise. Strohmeyer ensured that all of the plot points ended in a coherent, unexpected way.
"Mother" was page-turning suspense at it's finest. Adding the cult component for me was just icing on the cake. It is always an honour to read Strohmeyer, and I've been an avid fan since discovering her novel “Do I Know You?”. I highly recommend "Mother" for anyone who wants to be completely immersed in an intriguing story of motherhood, with some extremely disturbing cult aspects.
Expected publication date: July 1, 2025
Sarah Strohmeyer's new novel, “A Mother Always Knows”, is a dual-timelime, multi-character story about cults, magic, and the lengths mothers will go to to protect their children.
2023- Stella O’Neill is a library historian, who tends to keep to herself in order to ensure her dark past stays secret. When she is confronted by a stranger from her past, she finds she must revisit her darkest traumas in order to find out the truth about who killed her mother.
2003- Rose is a young mother, desperately seeking answers, and she soon finds herself under the sway of Radcliffe MacBeath, a cult leader who claims to want nothing more than to have his followers find their connection to the “Divine Energy”. Leaving her husband, with her young daughter in tow, Rose decides to leave her life behind and start anew at the commune. But when Rose realizes exactly what Radcliffe is, Rose knows her life is in danger and she sets out to do the only thing she can- free her daughter from the cult’s clutches.
Both women in this story are connected by more than their lineage; they are connected by their search for answers, connection and, in Stella’s case, the truth. Although Rose's choices are easy to judge, her maternal instinct and love made her an easy character to bond with. Both Stella and Rose are broken from past traumas, confronting their demons (sometimes literally) and becoming survivors.
Obviously, I was all about the cult component of this novel. I was addicted to the hierarchy and the levels of darkness (disguised as light) contained within the cult leader, Radcliffe. Without giving too much away, I was satisfied with the way Radcliffe's storyline concluded and felt that Radcliffe and his followers received the punishment they deserved (for the most part).
Speaking of the ending, it was, quite literally, a twisty-turny guessing game. As Stella is so distrusting of others (for obvious reasons), anyone that exists in her life was immediately shady. As the story played out, I changed my opinion several times on how it was going to play out and, when the truth was revealed, I can honestly say it took me by surprise. Strohmeyer ensured that all of the plot points ended in a coherent, unexpected way.
"Mother" was page-turning suspense at it's finest. Adding the cult component for me was just icing on the cake. It is always an honour to read Strohmeyer, and I've been an avid fan since discovering her novel “Do I Know You?”. I highly recommend "Mother" for anyone who wants to be completely immersed in an intriguing story of motherhood, with some extremely disturbing cult aspects.
dnf
June 2, 2025Ultimately, I opted to DNF this one. It just wasn't working for me.
One of the main things that rubbed me the wrong way was how quickly things were happening that just didn't make sense. We had to just accept them. The book starts out with our main character, Stella being doxed. She had escaped from a cult as a child after her mother was murdered. Twenty years later, she was living a quiet life until a disgruntled teenager posted her identity. Within an hour, everyone in her life knew and people were showing up at her house.
This may be an excellent book, but this whole opening just rubbed me the wrong way as not making sense. Stella worked as a librarian and was meeting with a local teenager who (coincidently had millions of followers) and during the meeting, the teen was just like, "Oh, I just looked you up, and you're THAT Stella!?" Seriously, it was like she wasn't trying to hide her identity. It made zero sense that no one in her life knew who she was, but this teenage just typed her name into google and figured it out in four seconds. And I know things can go viral quickly, but everyone in her life saw this post exposing her IMMEDIATELY, and members of the cult were able to find her before she even left work an hour later? Not to mention, the incident with the cult was 20+ years ago, so why would this be such immediate breaking news?
I don't know, maybe my reasoning is petty, but it just made me feel like if the setup of the book made such little sense, I didn't expect the rest to change.
One of the main things that rubbed me the wrong way was how quickly things were happening that just didn't make sense. We had to just accept them. The book starts out with our main character, Stella being doxed. She had escaped from a cult as a child after her mother was murdered. Twenty years later, she was living a quiet life until a disgruntled teenager posted her identity. Within an hour, everyone in her life knew and people were showing up at her house.
This may be an excellent book, but this whole opening just rubbed me the wrong way as not making sense. Stella worked as a librarian and was meeting with a local teenager who (coincidently had millions of followers) and during the meeting, the teen was just like, "Oh, I just looked you up, and you're THAT Stella!?" Seriously, it was like she wasn't trying to hide her identity. It made zero sense that no one in her life knew who she was, but this teenage just typed her name into google and figured it out in four seconds. And I know things can go viral quickly, but everyone in her life saw this post exposing her IMMEDIATELY, and members of the cult were able to find her before she even left work an hour later? Not to mention, the incident with the cult was 20+ years ago, so why would this be such immediate breaking news?
I don't know, maybe my reasoning is petty, but it just made me feel like if the setup of the book made such little sense, I didn't expect the rest to change.
August 7, 2025
I believe this is only the second book this year I have put into my DNF category so I do it very rarely. And I actually read 51% through before I made that decision, so it wasn't done lightly at all... But this book was really bugging me.
So here are the things I found annoying:
1. The book was putting me sleep. And it's not just that either. See, I started this book yesterday. And I read the first 80 pages or so. But this afternoon when I had picked the book up to continue the story I wasn't able to remember anything about the plot at all! Which is darn crazy insane! Because I have a very good memory. Heck, I can remember other books I read much longer ago. I can remember books I read back in May and June. But somehow I couldn't remember this, from last night? That tells me the story was so poor it just didn't make any impression on me at all.
I actually had to read a few more pages and then I suddenly remembered. "Oh! It's that story!"
But yeah, that is bad...!!
I can't stand the main character. And that is a huge problem. I can't relate to her but I can't stand her either... She has this problem and someone told her what to do, gave her help...but what did she go do? Did she do what they had suggested?? NO! She went to go do the exact opposite! Went exactly where she should be avoiding like a total idiot and then yeah, it went badly. But what do you expect? She seems to have no common sense. And that drives me nuts.
I had to read 150 pages before something actually happened! No wonder the book was putting me to sleep..it moves at a snail's pace. Oh, there is lots of words and paragraphs and all of that but none of it actually amounts to anything. It's just talk about that cult. You know, how controlling they are. Rules. Punishment. Can't do this or that. Do a ton of work but not enough nutrition... Ummm...that stuff doesn't make an interesting story.
I really don't like cult stories. I had thought this would be spooky. Or a thriller. But it's not. It's neither of those. Yes, that antler-head figure on the cover IS at the beginning of the book.. briefly. But after that it's all boring stuff.
I wanted to read something exciting, scary, creepy. But this is not it.
The cover is better than the story ...
This is a duel timeline story. The worse thing is that neither timeline actually interested me. Generally in these types of books I do favor one over the other. But no matter how much they might run around the woods or anywhere else, it just doesn't DO anything for me. My brain is asleep. There's no suspense, no true mystery, no horror.
And the supernatural element in here is just blah.
At this point I have zero interest in who killed her mother. Because the book is written in such a way that I just don't care. Like the writing is all busybody mudane stuff? All the characters, even the so called big villain, came off flat.
Ugh.
So here are the things I found annoying:
1. The book was putting me sleep. And it's not just that either. See, I started this book yesterday. And I read the first 80 pages or so. But this afternoon when I had picked the book up to continue the story I wasn't able to remember anything about the plot at all! Which is darn crazy insane! Because I have a very good memory. Heck, I can remember other books I read much longer ago. I can remember books I read back in May and June. But somehow I couldn't remember this, from last night? That tells me the story was so poor it just didn't make any impression on me at all.
I actually had to read a few more pages and then I suddenly remembered. "Oh! It's that story!"
But yeah, that is bad...!!
I can't stand the main character. And that is a huge problem. I can't relate to her but I can't stand her either... She has this problem and someone told her what to do, gave her help...but what did she go do? Did she do what they had suggested?? NO! She went to go do the exact opposite! Went exactly where she should be avoiding like a total idiot and then yeah, it went badly. But what do you expect? She seems to have no common sense. And that drives me nuts.
I had to read 150 pages before something actually happened! No wonder the book was putting me to sleep..it moves at a snail's pace. Oh, there is lots of words and paragraphs and all of that but none of it actually amounts to anything. It's just talk about that cult. You know, how controlling they are. Rules. Punishment. Can't do this or that. Do a ton of work but not enough nutrition... Ummm...that stuff doesn't make an interesting story.
I really don't like cult stories. I had thought this would be spooky. Or a thriller. But it's not. It's neither of those. Yes, that antler-head figure on the cover IS at the beginning of the book.. briefly. But after that it's all boring stuff.
I wanted to read something exciting, scary, creepy. But this is not it.
The cover is better than the story ...
This is a duel timeline story. The worse thing is that neither timeline actually interested me. Generally in these types of books I do favor one over the other. But no matter how much they might run around the woods or anywhere else, it just doesn't DO anything for me. My brain is asleep. There's no suspense, no true mystery, no horror.
And the supernatural element in here is just blah.
At this point I have zero interest in who killed her mother. Because the book is written in such a way that I just don't care. Like the writing is all busybody mudane stuff? All the characters, even the so called big villain, came off flat.
Ugh.
July 25, 2025
Stella O'Neill didn't have your typical upbringing; she was raised in a commune of "diviners" in Vermont. After witnessing her mother's (unsolved) murder when she was ten years old, she fled. Now 30, she has been trying to live a quiet life, working under the radar with a false name in a public library; she's even thinking of getting a cat. Who knew that a pushy book banner's daughter with a penchant for true crime would recognize her while on their quest to rid the world of books that "promote Satan's agenda" (you know, like Dr Seuss) and then subsequently dox her to everyone? (Thanks a lot, Rhonda.) She knows her mother's killer is still out there, waiting to tie up their loose ends from years ago... And now with her current identity and location revealed, they know where to go.
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This was a quick suspenseful read! I'm a sucker for a cult storyline, and I enjoyed the little bit of paranormal mixed into this one. There were times when I wanted to smack Stella across the back of the head; for being mostly smart and weary, she still made some dumb decisions along the way (par for the course, I know). The red herrings, the twists and turns... What a ride this one was till the end!
✨ Thank you to Harper Perennial for my gifted copy!
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This was a quick suspenseful read! I'm a sucker for a cult storyline, and I enjoyed the little bit of paranormal mixed into this one. There were times when I wanted to smack Stella across the back of the head; for being mostly smart and weary, she still made some dumb decisions along the way (par for the course, I know). The red herrings, the twists and turns... What a ride this one was till the end!
✨ Thank you to Harper Perennial for my gifted copy!
September 6, 2025
This was a wild ride! I enjoyed the 3 perspectives, we get 3 povs in two timelines, thankfully the audio has different narrators for each so it was really easy to differentiate.
Stella, former kid cult member who left when her mom was murdered, gets doxed and kinda goes off the rails and decides the best course of action is to go after the cult. Priti is the second wife of one of the potential suspects who starts getting shifty when Stella is doxed and the murder is brought back into the spotlight. Her pov felt largely a plot device to get certain characters intel. And then in the past we get Rose, Stella’s mom, in the days leading up to her murder.
I enjoyed Mother Always Knows but I wish the ending had had a little more closure. It is a full of twists, secrets, spiritual horror, cults, and mayhem and overall a solid read.
Stella, former kid cult member who left when her mom was murdered, gets doxed and kinda goes off the rails and decides the best course of action is to go after the cult. Priti is the second wife of one of the potential suspects who starts getting shifty when Stella is doxed and the murder is brought back into the spotlight. Her pov felt largely a plot device to get certain characters intel. And then in the past we get Rose, Stella’s mom, in the days leading up to her murder.
I enjoyed Mother Always Knows but I wish the ending had had a little more closure. It is a full of twists, secrets, spiritual horror, cults, and mayhem and overall a solid read.
July 4, 2025
Edgy, menacing, and dark!
A Mother Always Knows is a taut, menacing tale that takes you into the life of Stella O’Neill, a young woman who, suddenly finds her life turned upside down when someone will do whatever they have to, even murder, to keep what went on at the commune she spent time at as a little girl a secret, including the details surrounding her mother’s death.
The prose is suspenseful and tight. The characters are vulnerable, secretive, and damaged. And the plot unfolds and unravels quickly into an ominous tale of lies, deception, indoctrination, depravity, jealousy, manipulation, red herrings, shocking revelations, violence, and murder.
Overall, A Mother Always Knows is an intense, sinister, gritty tale by Strohmeyer that left me satisfied, entertained, and more than a little intrigued to read whatever disturbingly twisty story she manages to come up with next.
A Mother Always Knows is a taut, menacing tale that takes you into the life of Stella O’Neill, a young woman who, suddenly finds her life turned upside down when someone will do whatever they have to, even murder, to keep what went on at the commune she spent time at as a little girl a secret, including the details surrounding her mother’s death.
The prose is suspenseful and tight. The characters are vulnerable, secretive, and damaged. And the plot unfolds and unravels quickly into an ominous tale of lies, deception, indoctrination, depravity, jealousy, manipulation, red herrings, shocking revelations, violence, and murder.
Overall, A Mother Always Knows is an intense, sinister, gritty tale by Strohmeyer that left me satisfied, entertained, and more than a little intrigued to read whatever disturbingly twisty story she manages to come up with next.
June 29, 2025
2.75 ⭐️
this book left me with mixed feelings. from the beginning, i could see the vision the author was going for, and i absolutely understood the intention behind the story. the plot had potential, and on paper, it made sense. but somehow, in execution, it just didn’t quite land for me.
there was something about the way the story unfolded that felt a bit off. the plot seemed to drag on unnecessarily, it felt like it kept circling around the same point without really pulling me in or giving me enough reason to stay fully engaged.
that said, i do want to acknowledge that the writing style itself was actually quite good, simple, clean, and tailored well. i also think the author had a clear sense of the character’s world and tried to let that shine through the prose.
many thanks to Netgalley & Harper Perennial for this ARC.
this book left me with mixed feelings. from the beginning, i could see the vision the author was going for, and i absolutely understood the intention behind the story. the plot had potential, and on paper, it made sense. but somehow, in execution, it just didn’t quite land for me.
there was something about the way the story unfolded that felt a bit off. the plot seemed to drag on unnecessarily, it felt like it kept circling around the same point without really pulling me in or giving me enough reason to stay fully engaged.
that said, i do want to acknowledge that the writing style itself was actually quite good, simple, clean, and tailored well. i also think the author had a clear sense of the character’s world and tried to let that shine through the prose.
many thanks to Netgalley & Harper Perennial for this ARC.
July 20, 2025
This one was INCREDIBLY twisty and I loved the setting of the cult in a remote area of Vermont. While I did have to suspend a bit of disbelief over Stella’s actions in some cases, I was able to fully immerse myself in the story and get sucked in. I couldn’t put this one down as I NEEDED to get to the bottom of things.
With multiple timelines and POVs (Stella in one and her murdered mother in another,) I appreciated the shreds of information that were received as a reader. And even knowing from page one that Stella’s mom was dead - I was rooting for her POV the entire book as if that would change her outcome.
The characters in this book are so easy to buy into and I appreciated Strohmeyer’s dissection of how seemingly “normal” and “well-balanced” people can fall victim to charismatic leaders like Radcliffe MacBeath.
My husband hiked the AT a few years ago and I first learned about the Yellow Deli cult when visiting him near Killington, VT. There were a lot of similarities in this book to the way they operate and I thought that was extra fascinating!!
Check this one out if you love horror, thrillers, multiple timelines/POVs done really well, and cults!
**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC of this amazing title!**
With multiple timelines and POVs (Stella in one and her murdered mother in another,) I appreciated the shreds of information that were received as a reader. And even knowing from page one that Stella’s mom was dead - I was rooting for her POV the entire book as if that would change her outcome.
The characters in this book are so easy to buy into and I appreciated Strohmeyer’s dissection of how seemingly “normal” and “well-balanced” people can fall victim to charismatic leaders like Radcliffe MacBeath.
My husband hiked the AT a few years ago and I first learned about the Yellow Deli cult when visiting him near Killington, VT. There were a lot of similarities in this book to the way they operate and I thought that was extra fascinating!!
Check this one out if you love horror, thrillers, multiple timelines/POVs done really well, and cults!
**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC of this amazing title!**
August 7, 2025
I’m not a mother but I know this was not the best.. not the worst. 😂
July 7, 2025
This book was pretty fun… until the last few chapters. I won’t say any spoilers but i wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. I loved the cult-y vibes. The various POVs and mother relationships were interesting. It all had me turning the page but after finishing the book I’m left feeling underwhelmed. I love a good twist and I can even appreciate what the author was trying to do. I just never fully loved the characters and some of the reveals had me side eyeing the book because why.
After saying all that, I would still really like to pick up other books by this author.
While it didn’t fully work for me, I did enjoy some of it and I do think a lot of others could still enjoy this one as well. If you love a good thriller with cult vibes then it might just be for you.
After saying all that, I would still really like to pick up other books by this author.
While it didn’t fully work for me, I did enjoy some of it and I do think a lot of others could still enjoy this one as well. If you love a good thriller with cult vibes then it might just be for you.
May 23, 2025
This book follows 3 different characters in 2 different timelines.
Our main character is Stella in the present. She has spent the last 20 years healing from being present for her mother's murder while trying to flee a cult. Her identity gets leaked and now it seems some of the cult members are out to get her to potentially keep something about her mother's murder hidden. Our past POV timeline is Stella's mother Rose. We learn a lot about the cult and the days and weeks leading up to her murder. Our other present timeline POV is Priti. She is married to one of Rose's former client's son, Ben. It seems Ben could be a possible suspect in Rose's case.
These 3 POV's worked very well together. Stella has very fuzzy memories of living in the cult (she was there from age 3-10) so it was smart to have Rose's POV from when they actually lived there. Stella starts out happy to hide her identity from the world, but when a social media post goes viral, her dad and stepmom Heather offer a hideaway at Heather's sister's house. On the way there, Stella decides to confront Ben instead and drives to Vermont. As she goes back to these places, more memories come to her and may help solve her mother's murder. 20 year prior, Rose is content following the cult leader "Dagda," thinking this simple life is absolutely perfect. Until her best friend Cerise opens her eyes to Dagda's corruption. While the cultists work hard every day and are not allowed so many things, he owns sportscars and television and charges exuberant prices to people joining the cult or visiting for the solstice. One day, Cerise disappears and Rose knows it's time to leave. Priti is the outsider. She knows nothing about this murder or cult so having that outsider perspective was interesting. Priti is finding things out as we are. Her POV weaves in with the other 2 very well.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. It was easy to get lost in the story and read big chunks at a time. I never felt lost in one POV or the other and I thought they did a good job complimenting each other and giving just enough information to stay interested in every single one of them.
While I was intrigued the entire book, as we got towards the end, the intrigue was definitely a lot higher. Things started clicking into place and characters started getting themselves in sticky situations. Everything moved so fast and there were so many viable suspects to everything.
Overall I'm very happy I picked this one up - and I also met the author while reading it!
Thank you to Harper Perennial for an advanced copy!
Our main character is Stella in the present. She has spent the last 20 years healing from being present for her mother's murder while trying to flee a cult. Her identity gets leaked and now it seems some of the cult members are out to get her to potentially keep something about her mother's murder hidden. Our past POV timeline is Stella's mother Rose. We learn a lot about the cult and the days and weeks leading up to her murder. Our other present timeline POV is Priti. She is married to one of Rose's former client's son, Ben. It seems Ben could be a possible suspect in Rose's case.
These 3 POV's worked very well together. Stella has very fuzzy memories of living in the cult (she was there from age 3-10) so it was smart to have Rose's POV from when they actually lived there. Stella starts out happy to hide her identity from the world, but when a social media post goes viral, her dad and stepmom Heather offer a hideaway at Heather's sister's house. On the way there, Stella decides to confront Ben instead and drives to Vermont. As she goes back to these places, more memories come to her and may help solve her mother's murder. 20 year prior, Rose is content following the cult leader "Dagda," thinking this simple life is absolutely perfect. Until her best friend Cerise opens her eyes to Dagda's corruption. While the cultists work hard every day and are not allowed so many things, he owns sportscars and television and charges exuberant prices to people joining the cult or visiting for the solstice. One day, Cerise disappears and Rose knows it's time to leave. Priti is the outsider. She knows nothing about this murder or cult so having that outsider perspective was interesting. Priti is finding things out as we are. Her POV weaves in with the other 2 very well.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. It was easy to get lost in the story and read big chunks at a time. I never felt lost in one POV or the other and I thought they did a good job complimenting each other and giving just enough information to stay interested in every single one of them.
While I was intrigued the entire book, as we got towards the end, the intrigue was definitely a lot higher. Things started clicking into place and characters started getting themselves in sticky situations. Everything moved so fast and there were so many viable suspects to everything.
Overall I'm very happy I picked this one up - and I also met the author while reading it!
Thank you to Harper Perennial for an advanced copy!
July 7, 2025
*4.5/5*
This book was an absolute rollercoaster! I haven't read many books that had a cult at the center, but this one makes me want to seek out some more. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and timelines that blended together well, and just when I thought I had part of it figured out, a new twist was thrown in. At one point or another, I was suspicious of everyone, and that made for a really fun listening experience.
Let's start with Stella - a young woman who grew up in the cult and was rescued after the murder of her mother. Having built her life outside of her past, she is forced to confront the events locked away in her brain from her childhood years and begin to unravel what happened to her mother.
Then there is Rose - Stella's mother and timeline taking place in 2003, the year her life in the cult changed, and the year she was murdered.
And last there's Priti - the wife of Ben, who might have something to do with Stella's traumatic past. Priti has reason to believe Ben is hiding something, too, and she's not afraid to investigate.
I felt like the pacing was done very well, and I was slightly blindsided a few times with the twists towards the end. I always love when a story like this makes everyone look suspicious and like you might not be able to trust them. I was able to pinpoint some things before they happened, but there were enough unexpected things that it made for a great story.
I would highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys mysteries with multiple POVs and timelines and lots of twists.
This book was an absolute rollercoaster! I haven't read many books that had a cult at the center, but this one makes me want to seek out some more. I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and timelines that blended together well, and just when I thought I had part of it figured out, a new twist was thrown in. At one point or another, I was suspicious of everyone, and that made for a really fun listening experience.
Let's start with Stella - a young woman who grew up in the cult and was rescued after the murder of her mother. Having built her life outside of her past, she is forced to confront the events locked away in her brain from her childhood years and begin to unravel what happened to her mother.
Then there is Rose - Stella's mother and timeline taking place in 2003, the year her life in the cult changed, and the year she was murdered.
And last there's Priti - the wife of Ben, who might have something to do with Stella's traumatic past. Priti has reason to believe Ben is hiding something, too, and she's not afraid to investigate.
I felt like the pacing was done very well, and I was slightly blindsided a few times with the twists towards the end. I always love when a story like this makes everyone look suspicious and like you might not be able to trust them. I was able to pinpoint some things before they happened, but there were enough unexpected things that it made for a great story.
I would highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys mysteries with multiple POVs and timelines and lots of twists.
July 21, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
A Mother Always Knows.
I've never read this author before so I had an open mind when my request was approved.
I'm not a fan of cult-themed novels but I want to expand my reading horizons and read outside of my comfort zone.
I liked Stella's voice and was getting involved in the story when it began to skid off the rails with the Winslows.
That was confusing.
The flashbacks provided exposition, not surprisingly I wasn't a fan of Rose, and though I didn't dislike Stella, I didn't like her, either.
For someone who grew up in a commune and was later reunited with her father, she lacked street smarts.
There's a subplot involving the Winslows which came out of left field.
It was unnecessary and sort of the equivalent of a superhero movie with two bad guys instead of focusing on one.
Lots of stuff is going on and since my belief suspension meter is working well so it was hard for me to believe the revelations at the end.
The author is doing what many authors of the thriller genre are doing now; throwing one crazy twist after another at the reader, hoping something will stick.
I've heard of dowsing but the New Age-y stuff was a huge eye roll for me.
I liked Stella's supernatural gift and wished the narrative had leaned more into it.
More supernatural, less woo-woo stuff for me, thanks.
The writing was okay, but repetitive in the flashbacks.
There's some suspense and drama but you need to be able to suspend disbelief.
If you can do that, this is the book for you.
I've never read this author before so I had an open mind when my request was approved.
I'm not a fan of cult-themed novels but I want to expand my reading horizons and read outside of my comfort zone.
I liked Stella's voice and was getting involved in the story when it began to skid off the rails with the Winslows.
That was confusing.
The flashbacks provided exposition, not surprisingly I wasn't a fan of Rose, and though I didn't dislike Stella, I didn't like her, either.
For someone who grew up in a commune and was later reunited with her father, she lacked street smarts.
There's a subplot involving the Winslows which came out of left field.
It was unnecessary and sort of the equivalent of a superhero movie with two bad guys instead of focusing on one.
Lots of stuff is going on and since my belief suspension meter is working well so it was hard for me to believe the revelations at the end.
The author is doing what many authors of the thriller genre are doing now; throwing one crazy twist after another at the reader, hoping something will stick.
I've heard of dowsing but the New Age-y stuff was a huge eye roll for me.
I liked Stella's supernatural gift and wished the narrative had leaned more into it.
More supernatural, less woo-woo stuff for me, thanks.
The writing was okay, but repetitive in the flashbacks.
There's some suspense and drama but you need to be able to suspend disbelief.
If you can do that, this is the book for you.
July 11, 2025
A Mother Always Knows by Sarah Strohmeyer
➡️ɢʀᴀʙ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° Secretly love cult stories
° Believe moms always know what’s up
° Like your thrillers with just a *whisper* of the supernatural
° Want a main character you’ll root for ‘til the bitter end
➡️ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Stella's been hiding. New name, new life, and doing her best to stay under the radar. But when a true crime blogger outs her identity online, she has no choice but to face the past—one that includes a commune, a psychic pendulum, and her mom’s unsolved murder. To get answers, she has to return to the off-grid world of her childhood... and confront the cult leader she escaped years ago.
➡️ꜱᴜꜱᴘᴇɴꜱᴇ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮
Y’all. This book had NO business being this good. It’s twisty without trying too hard. It’s fast without being shallow. And somehow, it mixes cult mind control, psychic powers, and a murder mystery into one page-turner that never loses steam. 👏 The clairvoyant elements made it feel fresh—especially because Stella might actually *have* the gift.
Was it a little unrealistic at times? Sure. But honestly, if you’re reading a book about psychic pendulums and cults in the woods, you’re not here for realism. You're here for the RIDE. And this one? Buckle up.
I didn’t see the ending coming. I *love* when a twist earns its way into the story instead of feeling thrown in for shock value. If you like messy families, secret communes, and dangerous truths... this one’s for you.
➡️ɢʀᴀʙ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° Secretly love cult stories
° Believe moms always know what’s up
° Like your thrillers with just a *whisper* of the supernatural
° Want a main character you’ll root for ‘til the bitter end
➡️ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Stella's been hiding. New name, new life, and doing her best to stay under the radar. But when a true crime blogger outs her identity online, she has no choice but to face the past—one that includes a commune, a psychic pendulum, and her mom’s unsolved murder. To get answers, she has to return to the off-grid world of her childhood... and confront the cult leader she escaped years ago.
➡️ꜱᴜꜱᴘᴇɴꜱᴇ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮
Y’all. This book had NO business being this good. It’s twisty without trying too hard. It’s fast without being shallow. And somehow, it mixes cult mind control, psychic powers, and a murder mystery into one page-turner that never loses steam. 👏 The clairvoyant elements made it feel fresh—especially because Stella might actually *have* the gift.
Was it a little unrealistic at times? Sure. But honestly, if you’re reading a book about psychic pendulums and cults in the woods, you’re not here for realism. You're here for the RIDE. And this one? Buckle up.
I didn’t see the ending coming. I *love* when a twist earns its way into the story instead of feeling thrown in for shock value. If you like messy families, secret communes, and dangerous truths... this one’s for you.
May 8, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected eproof ARC of 'A Mother Always Knows' by Sarah Strohmeyer - expected release date of 07/01/2025
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was quite different from her last. I know I'm reading a lot, but it seems like I'm seeing the same themes over and over. This book was about a murder, cults, and mediumship. While I was surprised by the reveal at the very end, it wasn't mind-blowing enough to separate it from other similar books. Strohmeyer's writing is solid, though, and her characters are well developed, I just didn't like any of them. I wanted to like Fig. I tried! It kinda seemed like she was in it all for the wrong reasons, though. Her actions towards Stella and how she spoke to her were odd. I really thought she was gonna be revealed as one of the bad guys and couldn't believe she ended up trustworthy! The book's pacing was OK but did get repetitive at times (Ben is the killer, Ben isn't the killer, Ben must be the killer, Ben can't be the killer). If you're a fan of cults and communicating with the dead, give this one a go!
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was quite different from her last. I know I'm reading a lot, but it seems like I'm seeing the same themes over and over. This book was about a murder, cults, and mediumship. While I was surprised by the reveal at the very end, it wasn't mind-blowing enough to separate it from other similar books. Strohmeyer's writing is solid, though, and her characters are well developed, I just didn't like any of them. I wanted to like Fig. I tried! It kinda seemed like she was in it all for the wrong reasons, though. Her actions towards Stella and how she spoke to her were odd. I really thought she was gonna be revealed as one of the bad guys and couldn't believe she ended up trustworthy! The book's pacing was OK but did get repetitive at times (Ben is the killer, Ben isn't the killer, Ben must be the killer, Ben can't be the killer). If you're a fan of cults and communicating with the dead, give this one a go!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2025
Very nearly DNF'd this.
Non-Christian cult. New age dowsing. Feet that can sense the dead. Killer poodles. *Everyone* under the spell of or getting paid off by the cult leader so no justice is ever possible. Abide or die.
This plot could really have been a hilarious spoof, but it was 100% serious and I nearly sprained my eyes from rolling them. I don't know at what point I quit caring what happened, I just felt compelled to finish the book to see if it ever got better. It did not.
The pace is medium, the characters are flat and most are unlikable, and the mystery was all over the place. The author did a great job of making a soap opera of the suspects, flip-flopping the FMC's trust back and forth enough to give the reader whiplash. Dissociation while listening to the audiobook was inevitable.
Non-Christian cult. New age dowsing. Feet that can sense the dead. Killer poodles. *Everyone* under the spell of or getting paid off by the cult leader so no justice is ever possible. Abide or die.
This plot could really have been a hilarious spoof, but it was 100% serious and I nearly sprained my eyes from rolling them. I don't know at what point I quit caring what happened, I just felt compelled to finish the book to see if it ever got better. It did not.
The pace is medium, the characters are flat and most are unlikable, and the mystery was all over the place. The author did a great job of making a soap opera of the suspects, flip-flopping the FMC's trust back and forth enough to give the reader whiplash. Dissociation while listening to the audiobook was inevitable.
August 21, 2025
I received an ALC of A MOTHER ALWAYS KNOWS by Sarah Strohmeyer from Harper Audio and Netgalley!
A MOTHER ALWAYS KNOWS follows Stella, a young woman working at a library and trying to live life under the radar. When her past is exposed, she is sucked back into a life she left behind. As a child she had briefly lived in a commune (cult) of "diviners" with her mother. When her mother was murdered, with Stella as the only witness, she was able to get out and live out the rest of her life with her father. Now, as her life begins to unravel, she has fewer and fewer recourses to steer clear from the members of the diviners who are after her.
I took far too long to get to this book, but once I picked it up it was a super fast binge listen! I had a few struggles with Stella's decisions where I wanted to yell at her to be more careful, but I did also feel for her as she gets more and more tangled up in the dangers the diviners pose.
I did like the fact that divination isn't called into question. Stella herself has trust in her own divining abilities, but it is the actions of the individuals involved in the diviners commune that are called out as dangerous. It made for an interesting mix of a contemporary mystery/thriller with a bit of the supernatural mixed in.
Overall I had a good time with this book and I would definitely read more from this author!
A MOTHER ALWAYS KNOWS follows Stella, a young woman working at a library and trying to live life under the radar. When her past is exposed, she is sucked back into a life she left behind. As a child she had briefly lived in a commune (cult) of "diviners" with her mother. When her mother was murdered, with Stella as the only witness, she was able to get out and live out the rest of her life with her father. Now, as her life begins to unravel, she has fewer and fewer recourses to steer clear from the members of the diviners who are after her.
I took far too long to get to this book, but once I picked it up it was a super fast binge listen! I had a few struggles with Stella's decisions where I wanted to yell at her to be more careful, but I did also feel for her as she gets more and more tangled up in the dangers the diviners pose.
I did like the fact that divination isn't called into question. Stella herself has trust in her own divining abilities, but it is the actions of the individuals involved in the diviners commune that are called out as dangerous. It made for an interesting mix of a contemporary mystery/thriller with a bit of the supernatural mixed in.
Overall I had a good time with this book and I would definitely read more from this author!
August 10, 2025
I picked up Mother Knows Best for its culty, creepy vibes, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype. The writing is light-hearted, almost comical at times, which completely killed any suspense or horror. The characters were quirky but lacked depth, and the plot never really came together. While the twist was unexpected, it left me feeling more disappointed than shocked.
If you’re looking for a chilling read, this one falls short. Full review here: https://thescribblingnook.blogspot.co...
If you’re looking for a chilling read, this one falls short. Full review here: https://thescribblingnook.blogspot.co...
August 23, 2025
Slow! And just when you think it will pick up it takes a shift that did not seem to land; for me.
The characters were hard to connect with. Story long and drawn out with little excitement to grasp onto.
Over all not horrible but was lacking.
Audio performance was done well. Voice/s were clear and easy to listen to. The audio made it possible to get through when the story was hard to connect with.
The characters were hard to connect with. Story long and drawn out with little excitement to grasp onto.
Over all not horrible but was lacking.
Audio performance was done well. Voice/s were clear and easy to listen to. The audio made it possible to get through when the story was hard to connect with.
September 13, 2025
This book was high on my spooky season tbr this year. Why, you ask? Well… it has a cult, murder, and some supernatural elements. Enough said! The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover, followed immediately by the synopsis. I really enjoyed the dual timelines in this book as they added a lot of context to the cult situation. The main character Stella/Astrea was such an interesting character and I loved learning more about what she went through. There were also plenty of mini cliffhangers and gasp-worthy moments!
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