What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mother's Phone Call
Gripping the phone, my hands tremble with fear. I look at my son and wonder how my darling blue-eyed boy could have done this. But as my eyes focus down on the body, I know what I must do. I know it will destroy our lives forever. “Hello? I need help. It’s my child. He’s killed someone.”
As my son looks at me, his eyes pleading for help, all I can think in that moment is that I will do whatever it takes to protect him. A young girl’s lifeless body lies on the ground and my heart breaks when I realise I’m already too late to save her.
Our family will never be the same again.
I know I should call for help. But looking towards the phone table I see an old picture of the children playing in the garden. Our children and hers. We used to be so close, I thought our families would be together for a lifetime. But in a moment of rage, the life I imagined has been snatched away.
But if I’m honest, I’ve been kidding myself about how perfect our lives were. I’m a mother. I should be able to keep my children safe. But what I see in front of me cannot be denied. No one else is here. My son’s guilty.
How far will I go to protect him? A completely gripping and pulse-pounding psychological thriller that will have you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Wife Between Us, The Girl on the Train and anything by Shari Lapena.
As my son looks at me, his eyes pleading for help, all I can think in that moment is that I will do whatever it takes to protect him. A young girl’s lifeless body lies on the ground and my heart breaks when I realise I’m already too late to save her.
Our family will never be the same again.
I know I should call for help. But looking towards the phone table I see an old picture of the children playing in the garden. Our children and hers. We used to be so close, I thought our families would be together for a lifetime. But in a moment of rage, the life I imagined has been snatched away.
But if I’m honest, I’ve been kidding myself about how perfect our lives were. I’m a mother. I should be able to keep my children safe. But what I see in front of me cannot be denied. No one else is here. My son’s guilty.
How far will I go to protect him? A completely gripping and pulse-pounding psychological thriller that will have you turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of The Wife Between Us, The Girl on the Train and anything by Shari Lapena.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 16, 2025
1915 people are currently reading
978 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Jenkins
25 books354 followersVictoria Jenkins is a Welsh author who has made a name for herself writing the highly popular Detective King and Lane series of novels. The first novel in the series was “The Girls In The Water” that Jenkins first published in 2017, to much critical acclaim and popularity among crime fiction fans.
The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.
Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.
The series of novels features Detective Constable Chloe Lane and Detective Inspector Alex King, who are the lead investigative characters that solve some mysterious murders in their hometown.
Jenkins lives with her husband and daughter in South Wales, where her series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
January 1, 2025
It takes a lot,more than a lot, for a Mum to pick up the phone,call 999 and say ‘my son has murdered someone’……the someone being their neighbours daughter,a lifelong friend
But why has he? What has made this genial 18 year old with impeccable manners and well known kindness turn to murder? There has to be more to it,doesn’t there?…
As the days pass it seems there is more,much more to the 2 families lives and these ‘neighbours’ on their perfect street are not so perfect after all
Intriguing and fast paced this tale had all the unpredictability and suspense with a wide range of characters needed to make it an exciting psychological family led drama
With a very cringey but very funny opening garden party scene…..
But why has he? What has made this genial 18 year old with impeccable manners and well known kindness turn to murder? There has to be more to it,doesn’t there?…
As the days pass it seems there is more,much more to the 2 families lives and these ‘neighbours’ on their perfect street are not so perfect after all
Intriguing and fast paced this tale had all the unpredictability and suspense with a wide range of characters needed to make it an exciting psychological family led drama
With a very cringey but very funny opening garden party scene…..
December 25, 2024
Jo, Rob, and their 18-year-old twins, Toby and Alice, live across the street from Eve, Chris, and their adult children, Dylan and Freya. The two families have been friends for years, watching their kids grow up together and always being there for each other. This book starts with Eve, the “my life is perfect…on Instagram” type of mom, holding a summer party. Jo can sometimes feel dowdy and mundane next to Eve, so she didn’t really want to go, but the kids are about to leave for university and this was the last chance to have everyone together.
At the party, the reader starts to see fissures in the relationships between these people. Toby didn’t want to talk to anyone. Alice is annoyed with Freya. Eve and Chris are on edge because their house had recently been broken into. Toby and Freya got into an argument. Chris gets too drunk and gives Jo an awkward hug. And Alice overhears part of a conversation between her father and Eve that just didn’t sound right…
Soon after the party, we get to the what the synopsis tells us, and what made me want to read this. One night, Jo gets a call from her son, who she thought was in his room. He tells her to come across the street to Freya’s house, because something awful has happened. Jo runs over, walks in, and sees Freya dead on the floor with Toby standing over her, bloodied and crying. Then she makes one of the hardest decisions a parent could make: she calls the police, and tells them what her son has done. He’s swiftly arrested, and needless to say, the two families are definitely not friends anymore.
The rest of the book is spoiler stuff, but it goes through what both families face after this incident. All of them are dealing with the death differently, but it’s Alice who believes her twin brother is not capable of killing anyone. As she keeps digging, she finds out more and more secrets, and this story gets pretty juicy. The ending was slightly sad, but perfectly written. Overall, this is a really good story! Four stars.
(Thank you to Bookouture, Victoria Jenkins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on January 16, 2025.)
At the party, the reader starts to see fissures in the relationships between these people. Toby didn’t want to talk to anyone. Alice is annoyed with Freya. Eve and Chris are on edge because their house had recently been broken into. Toby and Freya got into an argument. Chris gets too drunk and gives Jo an awkward hug. And Alice overhears part of a conversation between her father and Eve that just didn’t sound right…
Soon after the party, we get to the what the synopsis tells us, and what made me want to read this. One night, Jo gets a call from her son, who she thought was in his room. He tells her to come across the street to Freya’s house, because something awful has happened. Jo runs over, walks in, and sees Freya dead on the floor with Toby standing over her, bloodied and crying. Then she makes one of the hardest decisions a parent could make: she calls the police, and tells them what her son has done. He’s swiftly arrested, and needless to say, the two families are definitely not friends anymore.
The rest of the book is spoiler stuff, but it goes through what both families face after this incident. All of them are dealing with the death differently, but it’s Alice who believes her twin brother is not capable of killing anyone. As she keeps digging, she finds out more and more secrets, and this story gets pretty juicy. The ending was slightly sad, but perfectly written. Overall, this is a really good story! Four stars.
(Thank you to Bookouture, Victoria Jenkins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on January 16, 2025.)
December 15, 2024
Big thanks to Bookouture for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Mother’s Phone Call is domestic drama slash thriller with a fair amount of tension and suspense.
Every parents worst nightmare is getting a call from their child saying “Hello, I need help….. I killed someone”
Two close knit families who live opposite each other clash as a tragedy makes for family vs family.
Jo gets a distressing phone call from her son, Toby.
Did Toby kill the neighbours daughter, Freya from across the street…..
The evidence points in his direction but it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems….
Is Toby guilty?
Who is lying?
And who is telling the truth….
With secrets and lies in abundance, an engaging plot and a list of scheming suspects, this story evolves sharply.
Layers of deceit and toxic characters which makes for a very creative tale.
An enjoyable read from this favoured author.
The Mother’s Phone Call is domestic drama slash thriller with a fair amount of tension and suspense.
Every parents worst nightmare is getting a call from their child saying “Hello, I need help….. I killed someone”
Two close knit families who live opposite each other clash as a tragedy makes for family vs family.
Jo gets a distressing phone call from her son, Toby.
Did Toby kill the neighbours daughter, Freya from across the street…..
The evidence points in his direction but it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems….
Is Toby guilty?
Who is lying?
And who is telling the truth….
With secrets and lies in abundance, an engaging plot and a list of scheming suspects, this story evolves sharply.
Layers of deceit and toxic characters which makes for a very creative tale.
An enjoyable read from this favoured author.
January 19, 2025
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Mother's Phone Call' by Victoria Jenkins.
Well, Well, Well I did NOT expect those epic twists!!!
Wow!!! Yet another absolutely captivating, twisty page turner from the incredibly talented Victoria Jenkins!!! Fair play, Victoria manages to blow it out of the water each and every time and this book is no exception!! What a rollercoaster ride of a read!!! Fantastically written with vivid descriptions throughout making me feel like I was in the storyline. The synopsis, title and cover suited the plot perfectly.
This is yet another incredible read by the very talented Victoria!! She is one of those brilliant authors that can bring a book out and I will get it not even reading the synopsis as I just know it is going to be one gripping book!! I could not put this book down and absolutely devoured it in one sitting of a few hours!!! It is one of those books that each and every time I said one more chapter and then bed something happened so there was no chance I could put it down so I ended up walking around with my kindle glued to my hands until I had devoured it in one go!! Mind you, to be fair, I have come to expect nothing less from the extremely talented Victoria Jenkins!! I absolutely LOVED the fact that the storyline is a unique one that I have not come across before. I have read hundreds and hundreds of books so it is getting harder and harder for me to discover a completely different storyline but Victoria manages it hook, line and sinker!! The storyline was absolutely gripping and kept me up until the early hours of the morning as I could not put it down!! I absolutely love how intriguing, complex and multi-layered the storyline is with so much going on!!! I was sitting on the edge of my seat with a pounding heart and my jaw dropping as Victoria takes us on a psychological ride of suspense and tension!!! I was absolutely gobsmacked when everything was revealed, absolutely explosive twists which I was not expecting!!! A HUGE congratulations to Victoria on that as it is definitely getting harder and harder to shock me but you most definitely did that!!! There were points where my heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat, and then the edge of my bed as I was not putting this book down until I finished!!! I loved that everything was tied up nicely at the end as a pet hate of mine is loose ends and having something mentioned in a book that the author seems to then forget about but absolutely everything was explained by the end of this one. It is rammed with secrets, friendship, family, twists, lies and absolutely everything you could ask for in an explosive psychological thriller! I was absolutely mind blown by some of the secrets that were coming out and just when I thought they had all been told BOOM another shocker!!! The ending was definitely the biggest twist and I would not have seen that one coming in a million years!! This book would make a fantastic movie!!
Clear your schedules before glancing into this absolutely addictive and explosive psychological thriller as once your hooked there's no letting go until the very end!!
The characters were all strong, realistic and very well developed. I was completely invested in each and every one of their stories. They all had such unique personalities and I felt different about each of them, liking them or not trusting them for different reasons. This is one of those storylines that contains a Mother's worse nightmare and it really does make you think about how you would react if you were in Jo's position and my heart went out to her. I love the fact that it wasn't just Jo's perspective that we got to see what was going on as Victoria also shows us how her daughter and Tony's twin sister Alice is thinking and feeling and weaves the chapters together perfectly as always. I will say that if you are a fan of Harlan Coben then you will absolutely love this addictive page turner!! Victoria brings each of the characters to life with her fantastic writing skills, again something she does in all her books, and between the characters and the plot you will be left absolutely gobsmacked!! Regardless of whether you love or hated the characters they all worked perfectly well to make this a page turning psychological thriller!!
I absolutely loved this book Victoria and congratulations on yet another HUGE success. I cannot wait to read more of what promises to be heart stopping reads. Here's to your next success 🥂.
Overall a thought provoking, multi-layered, page turning, edge of your seat psychological thriller filled with explosive twists that will keep you up late at night.
#TheMothersPhoneCall #VictoriaJenkins #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous
@VictoriaJenkins @Bookouture @BookoutureAnonymous
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/a...
Review for 'The Mother's Phone Call' by Victoria Jenkins.
Well, Well, Well I did NOT expect those epic twists!!!
Wow!!! Yet another absolutely captivating, twisty page turner from the incredibly talented Victoria Jenkins!!! Fair play, Victoria manages to blow it out of the water each and every time and this book is no exception!! What a rollercoaster ride of a read!!! Fantastically written with vivid descriptions throughout making me feel like I was in the storyline. The synopsis, title and cover suited the plot perfectly.
This is yet another incredible read by the very talented Victoria!! She is one of those brilliant authors that can bring a book out and I will get it not even reading the synopsis as I just know it is going to be one gripping book!! I could not put this book down and absolutely devoured it in one sitting of a few hours!!! It is one of those books that each and every time I said one more chapter and then bed something happened so there was no chance I could put it down so I ended up walking around with my kindle glued to my hands until I had devoured it in one go!! Mind you, to be fair, I have come to expect nothing less from the extremely talented Victoria Jenkins!! I absolutely LOVED the fact that the storyline is a unique one that I have not come across before. I have read hundreds and hundreds of books so it is getting harder and harder for me to discover a completely different storyline but Victoria manages it hook, line and sinker!! The storyline was absolutely gripping and kept me up until the early hours of the morning as I could not put it down!! I absolutely love how intriguing, complex and multi-layered the storyline is with so much going on!!! I was sitting on the edge of my seat with a pounding heart and my jaw dropping as Victoria takes us on a psychological ride of suspense and tension!!! I was absolutely gobsmacked when everything was revealed, absolutely explosive twists which I was not expecting!!! A HUGE congratulations to Victoria on that as it is definitely getting harder and harder to shock me but you most definitely did that!!! There were points where my heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat, and then the edge of my bed as I was not putting this book down until I finished!!! I loved that everything was tied up nicely at the end as a pet hate of mine is loose ends and having something mentioned in a book that the author seems to then forget about but absolutely everything was explained by the end of this one. It is rammed with secrets, friendship, family, twists, lies and absolutely everything you could ask for in an explosive psychological thriller! I was absolutely mind blown by some of the secrets that were coming out and just when I thought they had all been told BOOM another shocker!!! The ending was definitely the biggest twist and I would not have seen that one coming in a million years!! This book would make a fantastic movie!!
Clear your schedules before glancing into this absolutely addictive and explosive psychological thriller as once your hooked there's no letting go until the very end!!
The characters were all strong, realistic and very well developed. I was completely invested in each and every one of their stories. They all had such unique personalities and I felt different about each of them, liking them or not trusting them for different reasons. This is one of those storylines that contains a Mother's worse nightmare and it really does make you think about how you would react if you were in Jo's position and my heart went out to her. I love the fact that it wasn't just Jo's perspective that we got to see what was going on as Victoria also shows us how her daughter and Tony's twin sister Alice is thinking and feeling and weaves the chapters together perfectly as always. I will say that if you are a fan of Harlan Coben then you will absolutely love this addictive page turner!! Victoria brings each of the characters to life with her fantastic writing skills, again something she does in all her books, and between the characters and the plot you will be left absolutely gobsmacked!! Regardless of whether you love or hated the characters they all worked perfectly well to make this a page turning psychological thriller!!
I absolutely loved this book Victoria and congratulations on yet another HUGE success. I cannot wait to read more of what promises to be heart stopping reads. Here's to your next success 🥂.
Overall a thought provoking, multi-layered, page turning, edge of your seat psychological thriller filled with explosive twists that will keep you up late at night.
#TheMothersPhoneCall #VictoriaJenkins #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous
@VictoriaJenkins @Bookouture @BookoutureAnonymous
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
https://mobile.twitter.com/kcmw86
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/a...
January 12, 2025
First, I want to thank Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
OMG!! Victoria Jenkins' The Mother’s Phone Call was like reading a manuscript for the next huge prime time soap opera to hit the big tv network! The one that everyone will be talking about at the water cooler the next day!! Ohh this one was fast paced, addicting, binge readable, and when I say drama filled oh I mean it!! If that isn’t enough then she puts more wicked curve balls into the mix to keep you on your toes. Yes, you will want to add this to your tbr list for this year.
Victoria starts off with a prologue that left me speechless! Yes, I am speechless! It is a phone call no mother in their right mind would ever want to make!!! I am not a Mom but had that been my Nephew I would not be able to hold it together! It is prologues like this that hook you into the story that make me want to read further and find out more.
My heart ached because Alice wanted so badly to get into her dream school of fashion and design and did everything in her power to make it happen. However, she sadly didn’t get accepted. In the same token I too would have been livid that Freya who had no interest whatsoever in fashion applied and got in.
Kids can be so cruel and Alice learns this lesson all too well with one scene in this book! I would have been so embarrassed and as mad as she had been!! What they did was totally uncalled for!!
What I found twisted was Freya, a teenager hitting on Alice’s Dad of all people!
The more you read this book, the twists and turns get darker until the big revelation. It is a must read for sure!
OMG!! Victoria Jenkins' The Mother’s Phone Call was like reading a manuscript for the next huge prime time soap opera to hit the big tv network! The one that everyone will be talking about at the water cooler the next day!! Ohh this one was fast paced, addicting, binge readable, and when I say drama filled oh I mean it!! If that isn’t enough then she puts more wicked curve balls into the mix to keep you on your toes. Yes, you will want to add this to your tbr list for this year.
Victoria starts off with a prologue that left me speechless! Yes, I am speechless! It is a phone call no mother in their right mind would ever want to make!!! I am not a Mom but had that been my Nephew I would not be able to hold it together! It is prologues like this that hook you into the story that make me want to read further and find out more.
My heart ached because Alice wanted so badly to get into her dream school of fashion and design and did everything in her power to make it happen. However, she sadly didn’t get accepted. In the same token I too would have been livid that Freya who had no interest whatsoever in fashion applied and got in.
Kids can be so cruel and Alice learns this lesson all too well with one scene in this book! I would have been so embarrassed and as mad as she had been!! What they did was totally uncalled for!!
What I found twisted was Freya, a teenager hitting on Alice’s Dad of all people!
The more you read this book, the twists and turns get darker until the big revelation. It is a must read for sure!
February 22, 2025
I enjoyed this book and found it to be a quick read. It centers on 2 families who have been close knit their entire lives when the unthinkable happens and we see the lengths to which these parents would go in order to protect their kids. I would classify it as domestic suspense vs thriller.
I’ve heard others say this was a slow burn but I thought there were enough secrets where it read fast to me. Beyond the primary storyline of the murder, there are multiple other things going on that uncover the weaknesses in the long time friendship between these 2 families. I did think that some of the characters made unrealistic decisions that were risky at best, starting from the moment the murder is discovered. That being said, I still enjoyed the tension and the overall suspense as the story came together. The end was a little predictable but I still liked it and felt like it worked well with the rest of the story.
Overall, I thought this was an engaging read in a genre I enjoy and would recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve heard others say this was a slow burn but I thought there were enough secrets where it read fast to me. Beyond the primary storyline of the murder, there are multiple other things going on that uncover the weaknesses in the long time friendship between these 2 families. I did think that some of the characters made unrealistic decisions that were risky at best, starting from the moment the murder is discovered. That being said, I still enjoyed the tension and the overall suspense as the story came together. The end was a little predictable but I still liked it and felt like it worked well with the rest of the story.
Overall, I thought this was an engaging read in a genre I enjoy and would recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2025
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the book #TheMothersPhoneCall by #VictoriaJenkins. This book is full of lies, secrets and murder and I devoured it in one sitting. Jo’s life has had its ups and downs but for the most part is good. That is until she gets a phone call from her son at the neighbors and she rushes over. Her son is standing over the dead body of his girlfriend and Jo’s best friend’s daughter, Freya. Her son isn’t capable of murder, is he?
December 8, 2024
Oh my, I honestly hope I will never get this kind of phone call from my child! Of course a mother will do the right thing, but is doing the right thing always a good thing? It might be the beginning of the end of the life as you know it at the moment. The little things that went on before are suddenly so futile comparing to what is in front of you now, but you have to make that call, don't you?
You will do whatever to protect your child,so you make the call...
You know the truth will always come out and help those who are honest, so you make the call...
You were best friends with only the street separating you. Now it feels like there is an ocean between you...
This is a story about friendship, lies and cheating ending in the worst possible way.
I loved this story filled with emotions and I never expected this person to be the culprit. Great book. 5 stars
Thank you
You will do whatever to protect your child,so you make the call...
You know the truth will always come out and help those who are honest, so you make the call...
You were best friends with only the street separating you. Now it feels like there is an ocean between you...
This is a story about friendship, lies and cheating ending in the worst possible way.
I loved this story filled with emotions and I never expected this person to be the culprit. Great book. 5 stars
Thank you
June 24, 2025
★★★ 3.5 stars
Not often I read the same author two books in a row but I thought "why not?" Despite its title, there is far more going on than just a phone call. In fact the said phone call doesn't take place until about 20% or so in. But it does pose the question of what would a mother do in such a situation? Mothers, by nature, tend to want to protect their young but at the same time it is also their job to teach them responsibility, accountability and doing the right thing...even if it breaks your heart to do so.
Jo and her husband Rob enjoy a nice life in their quiet little cul-de-sac with their 18 year old twins Alice and Toby. An affluent neighbourhood, they live across the road from their closest friends Eve, her husband Chris and their adult children Dylan (20) and Freya (18). The two families have been friends for years as Jo and Eve navigated motherhood together and they watched their children grow up together. Their lives were picture perfect...until a tragedy pitches them family against family.
The story opens with Jo and her family attending the overtly lavish summer party to celebrate 20 years of wedded bliss between Eve and Chris. Overtly lavish as only Eve could do. And of course only lavish would do for those Insta-pics that depict the carefully curated life she so wishes to convey to the world. As shallow as she can appear at times, Jo loves Eve though I'm not entirely sure why. The women are poles apart. Even their children are chalk and cheese. It is hardly surprising that Eve's daughter Freya is as shallow and fickle as her mother, seemingly taking pleasure in cruel pranks and wondering what the fuss is all about afterwards. I must admit I was surprised that Alice was friends with Freya - the girl was horribly cruel and enjoyed inflicting that cruelty.
It's while at the party, Alice overhears whispers of a conversation between her father and Eve that just didn't sound right... And it leaves her wondering how to confront him or even tell her mum. But even Toby appears to have harsh words with Freya and then Chris seems to let his hands wander a little too close to comfort when saying goodnight to Jo. Just what is going on with this family?
And so the night rolls into Sunday and all's well...and then rolls seamlessly into Monday (that I didn't even notice a change in the days). Jo is scrolling social media when she sees Eve posting a provocative posed pic of herself claiming to be recovering from a two day hangover. But it's a video shared to TikTok of Alice that has everybody seeing red. But is it enough to kill for?
That evening, with the family safely tucked up in their beds, Jo is pondering the provocative photo of Eve when she receives a phone call from Toby. Toby? But isn't he upstairs in bed? He tells her he is across the street at Freya's house and that something awful has happened. When Jo rushes over nothing can prepare her for the scene that greets her. Freya laying in a pool of blood with Toby standing next to her, bloodied and in tears. Then making the hardest decision she calls the police to report the crime her son has committed. The police arrive, he's arrested and the families are pitched against each other.
Alice cannot believe her brother would kill Freya, or anyone. But the evidence clearly points to him and his prints were on the weapon and her blood was all over him. And worse of all, Toby remains silent refusing to comment when questioned or shed any light on what had happened. But would they believe him if he tried? Probably not. After all, his own mother believed it of him after taking one look at the scene so of course the police will do too.
What ensues is a fight to uncover the truth and clear Toby's name while Freya's family are hellbent on showing him up for who he is - a murderer who killed their beautiful and innocent girl. Innocent, my eye. That girl gave as good as she got and was the product of her environment. But who is lying? Who is telling the truth? And what really happened that night when Freya was killed?
An interesting Desperate Housewives-ish tale that unfolds through the alternating narratives of Jo and Alice, this story has secrets and lies in abundance with plenty of toxic characters and layers of deceit to unravel.
Overall, a dark and twisted tale that was both enjoyable and entertaining.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Not often I read the same author two books in a row but I thought "why not?" Despite its title, there is far more going on than just a phone call. In fact the said phone call doesn't take place until about 20% or so in. But it does pose the question of what would a mother do in such a situation? Mothers, by nature, tend to want to protect their young but at the same time it is also their job to teach them responsibility, accountability and doing the right thing...even if it breaks your heart to do so.
Jo and her husband Rob enjoy a nice life in their quiet little cul-de-sac with their 18 year old twins Alice and Toby. An affluent neighbourhood, they live across the road from their closest friends Eve, her husband Chris and their adult children Dylan (20) and Freya (18). The two families have been friends for years as Jo and Eve navigated motherhood together and they watched their children grow up together. Their lives were picture perfect...until a tragedy pitches them family against family.
The story opens with Jo and her family attending the overtly lavish summer party to celebrate 20 years of wedded bliss between Eve and Chris. Overtly lavish as only Eve could do. And of course only lavish would do for those Insta-pics that depict the carefully curated life she so wishes to convey to the world. As shallow as she can appear at times, Jo loves Eve though I'm not entirely sure why. The women are poles apart. Even their children are chalk and cheese. It is hardly surprising that Eve's daughter Freya is as shallow and fickle as her mother, seemingly taking pleasure in cruel pranks and wondering what the fuss is all about afterwards. I must admit I was surprised that Alice was friends with Freya - the girl was horribly cruel and enjoyed inflicting that cruelty.
It's while at the party, Alice overhears whispers of a conversation between her father and Eve that just didn't sound right... And it leaves her wondering how to confront him or even tell her mum. But even Toby appears to have harsh words with Freya and then Chris seems to let his hands wander a little too close to comfort when saying goodnight to Jo. Just what is going on with this family?
And so the night rolls into Sunday and all's well...and then rolls seamlessly into Monday (that I didn't even notice a change in the days). Jo is scrolling social media when she sees Eve posting a provocative posed pic of herself claiming to be recovering from a two day hangover. But it's a video shared to TikTok of Alice that has everybody seeing red. But is it enough to kill for?
That evening, with the family safely tucked up in their beds, Jo is pondering the provocative photo of Eve when she receives a phone call from Toby. Toby? But isn't he upstairs in bed? He tells her he is across the street at Freya's house and that something awful has happened. When Jo rushes over nothing can prepare her for the scene that greets her. Freya laying in a pool of blood with Toby standing next to her, bloodied and in tears. Then making the hardest decision she calls the police to report the crime her son has committed. The police arrive, he's arrested and the families are pitched against each other.
Alice cannot believe her brother would kill Freya, or anyone. But the evidence clearly points to him and his prints were on the weapon and her blood was all over him. And worse of all, Toby remains silent refusing to comment when questioned or shed any light on what had happened. But would they believe him if he tried? Probably not. After all, his own mother believed it of him after taking one look at the scene so of course the police will do too.
What ensues is a fight to uncover the truth and clear Toby's name while Freya's family are hellbent on showing him up for who he is - a murderer who killed their beautiful and innocent girl. Innocent, my eye. That girl gave as good as she got and was the product of her environment. But who is lying? Who is telling the truth? And what really happened that night when Freya was killed?
An interesting Desperate Housewives-ish tale that unfolds through the alternating narratives of Jo and Alice, this story has secrets and lies in abundance with plenty of toxic characters and layers of deceit to unravel.
Overall, a dark and twisted tale that was both enjoyable and entertaining.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
December 21, 2024
Jo and her family have a nice life, living on an affluent street, with their close friends as neighbours. One day she receives a call from her son asking for her help, everything points to him having killed someone. Will Jo manage to protect her son?
This is my first book by this author and I wanted to read it as the storyline sounded intriguing. After finishing, it proved itself to be an engaging domestic thriller. I enjoyed that important topics were explored as the story focuses a lot on complex relationships and the lengths parents are prepared to go. I also enjoyed discovering the character’s secrets, there were lots of layers to slowly peel away.
Although this was a good story overall, I did find it slow moving at times. I found that I lacked major suspense and was fairly predictable. Saying that, it is definitely a thought provoking, solid thriller, which I can see a lot of people really enjoying. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
This is my first book by this author and I wanted to read it as the storyline sounded intriguing. After finishing, it proved itself to be an engaging domestic thriller. I enjoyed that important topics were explored as the story focuses a lot on complex relationships and the lengths parents are prepared to go. I also enjoyed discovering the character’s secrets, there were lots of layers to slowly peel away.
Although this was a good story overall, I did find it slow moving at times. I found that I lacked major suspense and was fairly predictable. Saying that, it is definitely a thought provoking, solid thriller, which I can see a lot of people really enjoying. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
December 25, 2024
When Jo receives a distressing phone call from her son asking for her help, Jo runs to him and is shocked to find him standing over a dead body. She instantly thinks the worst and must do what she feels is right, call the police and report what she has discovered.
This is a great thriller about family dynamics and emotional relationships between friends. It seems that nothing is as it seems. Jo must battle with her decision to turn her son in while her family struggles to help him.
I enjoyed this book but found it quite predictable at times and quite slow. It’s more about relationships than it is a thriller. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookature for the eARC.
This is a great thriller about family dynamics and emotional relationships between friends. It seems that nothing is as it seems. Jo must battle with her decision to turn her son in while her family struggles to help him.
I enjoyed this book but found it quite predictable at times and quite slow. It’s more about relationships than it is a thriller. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookature for the eARC.
January 6, 2025
I did not expect to be so enthralled by this book 🙌🏻🤯
There was never a dull moment, from beginning to end I was so invested to find out the next part of the story.
Strong plot points and characters. The author kept me guessing!
I’ll be thinking about this one for a while 😬
I highly recommend The Mother’s Phone Call.
There was never a dull moment, from beginning to end I was so invested to find out the next part of the story.
Strong plot points and characters. The author kept me guessing!
I’ll be thinking about this one for a while 😬
I highly recommend The Mother’s Phone Call.
March 30, 2025
This is an engaging domestic thriller read. There is not a dull moment while reading this book, you will be invested in trying to figure out everything that will be happening next. I love the different POV. I absolutely recommend this book and look forward to more books by the author.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC copy in return for my honest review!
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC copy in return for my honest review!
December 5, 2024
Gripping the phone, Jo’s hands tremble with fear. She looks at her son, Toby, and knows what she must do even though she knows it will destroy her family’s lives forever. 'Hello? I need help. It’s my child. He’s killed someone.' She should be able to keep her children safe. But what she sees in front of her cannot be denied. No one else is here. Her son is guilty. How far will she go to protect him?
I had previously read The Open Marriage by Victoria Jenkins and enjoyed it and was looking forward to this one.
Told in alternating people from several days before and leading up to the murder, you get everyone’s viewpoint in regards to what happened before and what happens after. There were lots of twists, turns, and secrets – the key to a good psychological thriller that had me guessing until the very end – a page turner!
I had previously read The Open Marriage by Victoria Jenkins and enjoyed it and was looking forward to this one.
Told in alternating people from several days before and leading up to the murder, you get everyone’s viewpoint in regards to what happened before and what happens after. There were lots of twists, turns, and secrets – the key to a good psychological thriller that had me guessing until the very end – a page turner!
February 17, 2025
Such a good read! I enjoyed the change in perspective with each character. Storyline kept my attention throughout and I enjoyed the twists in this book.
February 13, 2025
Jo gets a phone call from her son at the neighbors and she rushes over. Her son is standing over the dead body of his girlfriend and Jo’s best friend’s daughter, Freya. Her son isn’t capable of murder, is he? So now he is in jail. And then the book gets real good.
January 11, 2025
4.25 stars for me, wow i did not see the ending the twists were brilliant.
As a mother jo had the hardest decision to make if only she had thought about what she said things would have been different but all the truth and secrets came out in the end.
As a mother jo had the hardest decision to make if only she had thought about what she said things would have been different but all the truth and secrets came out in the end.
January 16, 2025
One day, Jo receives a phone call from her son, who needs her help. When she runs to him, she's shocked to find him standing over a dead body.
This domestic thriller was a bit too slow and predictable for my liking. I'm wondering how much of a thriller it really was. A drama? Yes. A thriller? Not really.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This domestic thriller was a bit too slow and predictable for my liking. I'm wondering how much of a thriller it really was. A drama? Yes. A thriller? Not really.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 18, 2025
Before I launch into my review, I would like to say a warm thank you to Victoria Jenkins, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For the audience, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.
I was initially drawn to this book for a number of reasons. I liked that it appeared to be short. It was originally listed as having 265 pages but has been shown as 317 on Amazon. This might be due to the bonus extract for another Jenkins title.
When I read the description of the book, there was much praise offered for the twists and psychological mind games I, the reader, was to expect, and I do like a challenge. Easy reads are all well and good, but sometimes, a book that is throwing out clues, red herrings, and all but the kitchen sink command your attention and really pulls you into a book so that nothing else matters. I was yearning for that feeling and thought I would find it here. I also loved how the blurb started with a call being made where a mother is claiming that her son killed someone, but as the text continues, there appears to be an internal struggle with whether to report the son, and who has been found dead. Is the call made or not? Did the son do the unthinkable, or have the games already started? I don’t know about you, but I was already intrigued at this point and desperate for an answer. And so, I dropped everything I was doing and set about reading this novel.
The prologue is short and sweet, in the sense that it is the initial phone call we have been told about in the blurb. From chapter one, we learn that the action for this book takes place over two days, starting with a summer party that is about to start. Jo and Robbie are busying themselves getting ready for a summer party at the neighbors. Robbie is nonplussed, but Jo is concerned that their 18-year-old son, Toby, is disinterested in attending; a son that is getting ready to go off to university and just wants to enjoy his holidays before the perceived hard work starts. Still, why can’t he be more like his twin, Alice?
Chris and Eve are throwing a summer party. All the neighbors are invited. They had hoped their son, Dylan, would be in attendance but are not surprised when he fails to show up. No matter, their daughter Freya is there. However, it becomes clear during the party that there are a lot of secrets emerging. Who is hiding what from whom? And why? In this story about two close families, some people are closer than others, whilst others might not be close at all.
This story was a trip and a half. Told in alternating voices, we hear from Jo and Alice. Each character is living their own life and dealing with their own issues with some overlaps. Obviously, being of two different generations, the viewpoints are just as diverse and distinct. I enjoyed reading female leads who reported their observations and assumptions about the men in their lives.
For such a small cast of characters; two families of four, I found the relationships and dynamics between them all to be quite fascinating, especially when tragedy struck. For a book that is centered predominantly around a three-day period there is an awful lot going on. The book is definitely a page-turner, but also, Jenkins was very current in explaining some of the lies and deceit centered around marital issues and frenemies, for want of a better way to loosely say what I want to say without spoiler alerts.
Aside from Chris and Dylan Harris, the characters are well developed, and each have a distinct attitude and personality. In some ways, when their values and behavior become clear, it’s hard to imagine how the families developed the close bonds they had in the first place, which only adds to the fascination amongst the pages.
I found many of the elements of the story quite predictable, although I had not figured out the motives. Either way, I still enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for lovers of psychological thrillers. It’s a quick and easy read, possible to manage in one sitting and requires very little thinking i.e. it is not a complex, overly convoluted plot. Although concluded rather swiftly, the book ties up all the plotlines neatly to complete this standalone novel. Had it been less predictable, I probably would have rated the book a 5/5 rather than 4/5.
I was initially drawn to this book for a number of reasons. I liked that it appeared to be short. It was originally listed as having 265 pages but has been shown as 317 on Amazon. This might be due to the bonus extract for another Jenkins title.
When I read the description of the book, there was much praise offered for the twists and psychological mind games I, the reader, was to expect, and I do like a challenge. Easy reads are all well and good, but sometimes, a book that is throwing out clues, red herrings, and all but the kitchen sink command your attention and really pulls you into a book so that nothing else matters. I was yearning for that feeling and thought I would find it here. I also loved how the blurb started with a call being made where a mother is claiming that her son killed someone, but as the text continues, there appears to be an internal struggle with whether to report the son, and who has been found dead. Is the call made or not? Did the son do the unthinkable, or have the games already started? I don’t know about you, but I was already intrigued at this point and desperate for an answer. And so, I dropped everything I was doing and set about reading this novel.
The prologue is short and sweet, in the sense that it is the initial phone call we have been told about in the blurb. From chapter one, we learn that the action for this book takes place over two days, starting with a summer party that is about to start. Jo and Robbie are busying themselves getting ready for a summer party at the neighbors. Robbie is nonplussed, but Jo is concerned that their 18-year-old son, Toby, is disinterested in attending; a son that is getting ready to go off to university and just wants to enjoy his holidays before the perceived hard work starts. Still, why can’t he be more like his twin, Alice?
Chris and Eve are throwing a summer party. All the neighbors are invited. They had hoped their son, Dylan, would be in attendance but are not surprised when he fails to show up. No matter, their daughter Freya is there. However, it becomes clear during the party that there are a lot of secrets emerging. Who is hiding what from whom? And why? In this story about two close families, some people are closer than others, whilst others might not be close at all.
This story was a trip and a half. Told in alternating voices, we hear from Jo and Alice. Each character is living their own life and dealing with their own issues with some overlaps. Obviously, being of two different generations, the viewpoints are just as diverse and distinct. I enjoyed reading female leads who reported their observations and assumptions about the men in their lives.
For such a small cast of characters; two families of four, I found the relationships and dynamics between them all to be quite fascinating, especially when tragedy struck. For a book that is centered predominantly around a three-day period there is an awful lot going on. The book is definitely a page-turner, but also, Jenkins was very current in explaining some of the lies and deceit centered around marital issues and frenemies, for want of a better way to loosely say what I want to say without spoiler alerts.
Aside from Chris and Dylan Harris, the characters are well developed, and each have a distinct attitude and personality. In some ways, when their values and behavior become clear, it’s hard to imagine how the families developed the close bonds they had in the first place, which only adds to the fascination amongst the pages.
I found many of the elements of the story quite predictable, although I had not figured out the motives. Either way, I still enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for lovers of psychological thrillers. It’s a quick and easy read, possible to manage in one sitting and requires very little thinking i.e. it is not a complex, overly convoluted plot. Although concluded rather swiftly, the book ties up all the plotlines neatly to complete this standalone novel. Had it been less predictable, I probably would have rated the book a 5/5 rather than 4/5.
December 12, 2024
Victoria Jenkins, The Mother's Phone Call, Bookouture, January 2025.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
One of my problems with coming to grips with this book was being unable to see the young people, Alice, Toby, and Freya as normally functioning 18-year-olds. They all came across as 14- or 15-year-olds, living lives dependent on their parents’ emotional support in an exceedingly small world. That this world was to be shattered gave Victoria Jenkins an opportunity to depict them maturing as young adults. However, they remain essentially unchanged, and Jo, Alice and Toby’s mother, continues to see herself as the necessary recipient of her twins’ confidences and guardian of their behaviour. She has also made herself the person who has assumed the right to judge Toby’s actions that precipitate the phone call. A phone call that makes an accusation that is not easy to undo.
As the truth, or each character’s version of the truth emerge, and suspicions escalate, what has seemed to be an almost ideal life of wealth in a salubrious suburban cul-de-sac, is destroyed. It is not only Toby who is to be judged, his family become a focus of police, neighbour, and social media attention. None of this is kind or forgiving. None of it looks further than the superficial, perhaps reflecting the lives that have been challenged by the phone call and its aftermath. For these lives are without ballast, and always have been. The most superficial character of all, Eve, Jo’s neighbour, and friend from when they moved into houses opposite each other is crucial in the unfolding of events. The women’s husbands, Rob and Chris, and Freya’s older brother, Dylan also have a role to play in the twists and turns of this psychological thriller.
For me, The Mother’s Phone Call was a disappointment. The characters have little to redeem them. Their ultimate responses to resolution of the crime seemed to throw an unrealistic cover over the other problems that were exposed. Most importantly, the moral dilemmas faced by Jo and Eve in the decisions they made about their sons would have been a really absorbing debate, but this was given little attention. I was left feeling that this novel provided an interesting enough beach read but wanted more.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
One of my problems with coming to grips with this book was being unable to see the young people, Alice, Toby, and Freya as normally functioning 18-year-olds. They all came across as 14- or 15-year-olds, living lives dependent on their parents’ emotional support in an exceedingly small world. That this world was to be shattered gave Victoria Jenkins an opportunity to depict them maturing as young adults. However, they remain essentially unchanged, and Jo, Alice and Toby’s mother, continues to see herself as the necessary recipient of her twins’ confidences and guardian of their behaviour. She has also made herself the person who has assumed the right to judge Toby’s actions that precipitate the phone call. A phone call that makes an accusation that is not easy to undo.
As the truth, or each character’s version of the truth emerge, and suspicions escalate, what has seemed to be an almost ideal life of wealth in a salubrious suburban cul-de-sac, is destroyed. It is not only Toby who is to be judged, his family become a focus of police, neighbour, and social media attention. None of this is kind or forgiving. None of it looks further than the superficial, perhaps reflecting the lives that have been challenged by the phone call and its aftermath. For these lives are without ballast, and always have been. The most superficial character of all, Eve, Jo’s neighbour, and friend from when they moved into houses opposite each other is crucial in the unfolding of events. The women’s husbands, Rob and Chris, and Freya’s older brother, Dylan also have a role to play in the twists and turns of this psychological thriller.
For me, The Mother’s Phone Call was a disappointment. The characters have little to redeem them. Their ultimate responses to resolution of the crime seemed to throw an unrealistic cover over the other problems that were exposed. Most importantly, the moral dilemmas faced by Jo and Eve in the decisions they made about their sons would have been a really absorbing debate, but this was given little attention. I was left feeling that this novel provided an interesting enough beach read but wanted more.
January 22, 2025
I have enjoyed this author in the past but I felt like this book was a bit of a mess. Assumptions made without discussions that lead to dire circumstances. And of course, lots of secrets both within the family and with neighbors. I found that I didn't care too much about any of the main characters. The mother is a bit of a try hard as she compares herself to her neighbor who she believes is a bit glamorous and perfect-looking. The father seems to have roving eyes, perhaps dipping his toes into somebody else's water? The twin teens who are now almost adults get into some typical teen drama, but then the drama is ratcheted up to those dire circumstances I touched on above.
Oh and the neighbors who, from the outside looking in, seem to have their own perfect lives. But inside, yikes! A highly sexualized teen daughter, also on the cusp of adulthood. A troubled young adult son. And oblivious father and a social media obsessed mother round out the family and create a recipe for trouble.
Overall, this wasn't this author's strongest story; a solid three stars from me.
Oh and the neighbors who, from the outside looking in, seem to have their own perfect lives. But inside, yikes! A highly sexualized teen daughter, also on the cusp of adulthood. A troubled young adult son. And oblivious father and a social media obsessed mother round out the family and create a recipe for trouble.
Overall, this wasn't this author's strongest story; a solid three stars from me.
January 9, 2025
Wow - this was a gripping domestic thriller that reminds us we never know people as well as we think we do; even those people we consider our family and closest friends.
Jo and Rob live in an affluent neighborhood with their 18 year-old twins Alice and Toby. Across the street are their best friend's, Eve and Chris along with their two kids Dylan and Freya. The two families have enjoyed holidays, children's birthday parties, and neighborhood gatherings together for close to 20 years.
From the outside, it looks like both couples have it all - wealth, a loving marriage, and children who are capable of doing amazing things in life. But at Eve and Chris's 20th Anniversary party in the neighborhood, Alice overhears a conversation between her dad, Rob, and her best friend Freya's mom, Eve. To Alice, it sounds less than innocent and makes her wonder what's going on between her father and her best friend's mom. Debating whether or not to tell her mother, Alice decides to try to speak to her father about it first.
But then Alice finds something else in her parents'closet, solidifying her belief that something strange is happening between the two families. And when someone is found murdered, both families lies and secrets are brought to light but not before destroying everyone in the process.
This is the first book I've read by Victoria Jenkins but it certainly won't be the last! This was a solid four star read meaning I was quickly engaged and my attention rarely wavered. This book is scheduled to release January 16th and I definitely recommend checking it out!
Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Jenkins, and Bookouture for providing the ARC in exchange for a candid review.
Jo and Rob live in an affluent neighborhood with their 18 year-old twins Alice and Toby. Across the street are their best friend's, Eve and Chris along with their two kids Dylan and Freya. The two families have enjoyed holidays, children's birthday parties, and neighborhood gatherings together for close to 20 years.
From the outside, it looks like both couples have it all - wealth, a loving marriage, and children who are capable of doing amazing things in life. But at Eve and Chris's 20th Anniversary party in the neighborhood, Alice overhears a conversation between her dad, Rob, and her best friend Freya's mom, Eve. To Alice, it sounds less than innocent and makes her wonder what's going on between her father and her best friend's mom. Debating whether or not to tell her mother, Alice decides to try to speak to her father about it first.
But then Alice finds something else in her parents'closet, solidifying her belief that something strange is happening between the two families. And when someone is found murdered, both families lies and secrets are brought to light but not before destroying everyone in the process.
This is the first book I've read by Victoria Jenkins but it certainly won't be the last! This was a solid four star read meaning I was quickly engaged and my attention rarely wavered. This book is scheduled to release January 16th and I definitely recommend checking it out!
Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Jenkins, and Bookouture for providing the ARC in exchange for a candid review.
January 20, 2025
ARC provided by Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.
The Mother's Phone Call by Victoria Jenkins is a riveting psychological thriller that will leave you breathless from start to finish. This book grabs your attention from the first page and doesn’t let go, expertly weaving a tale of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations.
The premise revolves around a seemingly innocent phone call from a mother to her daughter that quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Jenkins skillfully builds suspense, using unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing at every moment. The psychological tension between the characters is palpable, and the emotional stakes are high as the narrative unfolds.
What I loved most about this thriller is how Jenkins masters the art of misdirection. Just when you think you have everything figured out, another layer of mystery is revealed. The author does an excellent job of crafting complex, well-developed characters who are both relatable and unpredictable. The relationships between them are strained, filled with tension and buried emotions that slowly surface as the plot progresses.
As a big fan of psychological thrillers, this book hit all the right notes for me. Jenkins' writing is sharp, her pacing perfect, and the twists are truly jaw-dropping. Fans of the genre will not be disappointed. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up at night, trying to piece together the clues, The Mother's Phone Call is a must-read.
The book’s addictive nature makes it nearly impossible to put down, and the conclusion will leave you stunned. A huge thank you to Bookouture for providing the ARC, a publisher I absolutely adore for consistently delivering gripping reads like this one.
The Mother's Phone Call by Victoria Jenkins is a riveting psychological thriller that will leave you breathless from start to finish. This book grabs your attention from the first page and doesn’t let go, expertly weaving a tale of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations.
The premise revolves around a seemingly innocent phone call from a mother to her daughter that quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Jenkins skillfully builds suspense, using unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing at every moment. The psychological tension between the characters is palpable, and the emotional stakes are high as the narrative unfolds.
What I loved most about this thriller is how Jenkins masters the art of misdirection. Just when you think you have everything figured out, another layer of mystery is revealed. The author does an excellent job of crafting complex, well-developed characters who are both relatable and unpredictable. The relationships between them are strained, filled with tension and buried emotions that slowly surface as the plot progresses.
As a big fan of psychological thrillers, this book hit all the right notes for me. Jenkins' writing is sharp, her pacing perfect, and the twists are truly jaw-dropping. Fans of the genre will not be disappointed. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up at night, trying to piece together the clues, The Mother's Phone Call is a must-read.
The book’s addictive nature makes it nearly impossible to put down, and the conclusion will leave you stunned. A huge thank you to Bookouture for providing the ARC, a publisher I absolutely adore for consistently delivering gripping reads like this one.
January 16, 2025
Jo her husband Rob and their two twins Toby and Alice lead a nice life in a wealthy neighborhood. Their neighbors across the street happen to be very close friends. These families have grown up together vacationing together, having parties and the kids act more like cousins or siblings then neighbors. But beneath the facade there are cracks that are beginning to show. Then one night Jo's perfect world starts to crumble when she receives a phone call from Toby... "Mom, I need your help. I'm across the street." As Jo bursts into the neighbor's house what she sees will haunt her forever. Her son bloodied, standing over the body of Freya their next door neighbor's daughter. Toby is speechless so Jo makes a decision that will alter the course of everyone's life. "It's my son, he's killed someone." She tells the police. What happens next will leave you wondering about the secrets that make up family and friendships. This book was a fast-paced tense thriller that I could not put down. The storyline is brilliant and engaging. I loved how Jenkins explored the topics of complex relationships and what a parent would do for their child. There were so many secrets from each of the characters that melded together perfectly to create this domestic thriller. Another successful Bookouture release.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Victoria Jenkins for this ARC. Expected publishing date is January 16th 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Victoria Jenkins for this ARC. Expected publishing date is January 16th 2025.
December 12, 2024
Victoria Jenkins, The Mother's Phone Call: A totally addictive psychological thriller full of twists The Mother's Phone Call, Bookouture, January 2025.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.
The Mother's Phone Call: A Familiar Domestic Thriller
Lies, deceit, adultery, murder. Victoria Jenkins’ The Mother’s Phone Call is a classic domestic thriller that delivers a predictable yet suspenseful read. While the novel boasts a cast of intriguing characters, the rapid introduction of many within the first chapter can be slightly overwhelming.
This was my first read of Victoria Jenkins so, I had no preconceived expectations. The plot, though familiar, is well-paced and keeps the reader engaged. However, the lack of surprising twists, especially in the latter half, may disappoint those seeking a truly shocking revelation. Despite this, the book's exploration of complex family dynamics and the psychological impact of betrayal is compelling.
For fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy a straightforward plot and well-developed characters, The Mother’s Phone Call is a solid choice.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.
The Mother's Phone Call: A Familiar Domestic Thriller
Lies, deceit, adultery, murder. Victoria Jenkins’ The Mother’s Phone Call is a classic domestic thriller that delivers a predictable yet suspenseful read. While the novel boasts a cast of intriguing characters, the rapid introduction of many within the first chapter can be slightly overwhelming.
This was my first read of Victoria Jenkins so, I had no preconceived expectations. The plot, though familiar, is well-paced and keeps the reader engaged. However, the lack of surprising twists, especially in the latter half, may disappoint those seeking a truly shocking revelation. Despite this, the book's exploration of complex family dynamics and the psychological impact of betrayal is compelling.
For fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy a straightforward plot and well-developed characters, The Mother’s Phone Call is a solid choice.
December 21, 2024
When a mother looks into the eyes of their child, no matter how old, they realize that that child is expecting their trust. In this book with several characters having their own POV‘s, we soon learn that Freya has been killed and Toby has been charged with her murder.
After a devastating phone call to his mother, all evidence points to Toby as the killer, but the two families were closer than close and had been for years. How could one Toby have killed Freya? Meanwhile, Alice, Toby’s twin sister, is certain that her brother could not have killed Freya. She will go to any lengths to prove that her brother did not commit this heinous crime.
Both of these families seem to have had good live, good homes and good families. They have been neighbors forever. But now, rocked by a murder of one of their teens, their strong friendship rapidly deteriorates.
Victoria Jenkins once again dazzles readers with a stellar read. From the very first page, the palpable tension, woven with family loyalties, secrets, and lies, creates an engaging and captivating narrative that keeps readers spellbound until the very end.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
After a devastating phone call to his mother, all evidence points to Toby as the killer, but the two families were closer than close and had been for years. How could one Toby have killed Freya? Meanwhile, Alice, Toby’s twin sister, is certain that her brother could not have killed Freya. She will go to any lengths to prove that her brother did not commit this heinous crime.
Both of these families seem to have had good live, good homes and good families. They have been neighbors forever. But now, rocked by a murder of one of their teens, their strong friendship rapidly deteriorates.
Victoria Jenkins once again dazzles readers with a stellar read. From the very first page, the palpable tension, woven with family loyalties, secrets, and lies, creates an engaging and captivating narrative that keeps readers spellbound until the very end.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
December 27, 2024
I am so happy and proud to say that I received this book from NetGalley. As an ARC reader, I am given the honor of reading books before they are published to create a review of the book gifted. Victoria Jenkins is a new author to me. I have never read any of her books and I am so sorry that I haven’t until now! She is a phenomenal writer. Oh my goodness, reading this book gave me such goosebumps. I wasn’t sure how I would’ve reacted as a mother either if my son were in the same predicament. Would I have used the right words when I called the police? Would I have made it worse for my son by speaking into the phone? Those questions and so many more were floating through my head as I was enthralled by this novel. This book was fantastically written, and I was hooked from the very beginning – meaning the front cover! I was intrigued with the characters and couldn’t put the book down because of the well-written story line. Victoria is such a dynamic author that she easily kept the story interesting without adding unnecessary plot points. It was a great read from start to finish! An easy recommendation from me to you…you will love this new thriller from Victoria Jenkins!
December 17, 2024
Title: The Mother’s Phone Call
Author: Victoria Jenkins
Genre: Psychological/Thriller
Publisher: Bookouture
Pub Date: January 16, 2025
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 265
Story starts when Eve and Chris Harris are hosting a neighborhood party to celebrate their 20th Anniversary.
Jo and Eve have been best friends since Jo and Rob Clarke moved into the house across the street. Jo and Rob have two children a son Toby now eighteen and a daughter Alice. Eve and Chris also have two children a daughter Freida and son Dylan. Their children are friends and are also at the party. However after the party Freya is found dead and Toby is found standing over her, in shock. It appears Toby killed her.
Story certainly kept me curious and turning pages.
Whodunit was a surprise.
I am sure this story is going to make interesting book club discussions.
The Mother’s Phone Call Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this early e-Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 16, 2025.
Author: Victoria Jenkins
Genre: Psychological/Thriller
Publisher: Bookouture
Pub Date: January 16, 2025
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 265
Story starts when Eve and Chris Harris are hosting a neighborhood party to celebrate their 20th Anniversary.
Jo and Eve have been best friends since Jo and Rob Clarke moved into the house across the street. Jo and Rob have two children a son Toby now eighteen and a daughter Alice. Eve and Chris also have two children a daughter Freida and son Dylan. Their children are friends and are also at the party. However after the party Freya is found dead and Toby is found standing over her, in shock. It appears Toby killed her.
Story certainly kept me curious and turning pages.
Whodunit was a surprise.
I am sure this story is going to make interesting book club discussions.
The Mother’s Phone Call Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this early e-Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 16, 2025.
December 26, 2024
The story starts with a mother getting a phonecall from their child saying “Hello, I need help….. I killed someone”
Jo, Rob, live with their twins 18-year-old twins, Toby and Alice. Across the road is Eve, Chris, and their grown children, Dylan and Freya. The families have known each other for years and the kids have grown up together, and on the surface their lives are a bit too good to be true.
At a specific party you start to see the fractures in the relationships between the parents and children.
not long after the party Jo gets a call from her son, who she thought was at home. He tells her to come over to Freya’s house as somethings happened. Jo quickly runs over, and sees Freya dead on the floor with Toby standing over her, covered in blood and upset. Jo makes the difficult choice to call the police, which results in toby being arrested.
You get to see each characters version of the truth and quickly realise nothing is as it seems.
Thank you to Bookouture, Victoria Jenkins and NetGalley for the ARC
Jo, Rob, live with their twins 18-year-old twins, Toby and Alice. Across the road is Eve, Chris, and their grown children, Dylan and Freya. The families have known each other for years and the kids have grown up together, and on the surface their lives are a bit too good to be true.
At a specific party you start to see the fractures in the relationships between the parents and children.
not long after the party Jo gets a call from her son, who she thought was at home. He tells her to come over to Freya’s house as somethings happened. Jo quickly runs over, and sees Freya dead on the floor with Toby standing over her, covered in blood and upset. Jo makes the difficult choice to call the police, which results in toby being arrested.
You get to see each characters version of the truth and quickly realise nothing is as it seems.
Thank you to Bookouture, Victoria Jenkins and NetGalley for the ARC
January 24, 2026
4.5 stars
This book immediately draws the reader in with a tense prologue, which ends with mum Jo uttering the words " It's my son, he's killed someone." With that my interest was piqued from the start and held throughout, as the author spins a web of surprises, twists, allegations and shocks.
The story is cleverly narrated by two of the main protagonists, mum Jo and her daughter Alice, and I couldn't help but feel that all of the characters, even the side ones, were relatable and people you can imagine knowing.
The book moves at a good pace with a number of twists and turns that sometimes took me by surprise, and I found myself questioning everyone's motives and loyalties, which kept me engrossed.
This is an emotional story about the power of family, friendships, relationships, infidelity, love and loss, as well as choices and their consequences, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
All in all, Victoria Jenkins has succeeded in producing an engaging, and at times, emotional mystery that held my interest and is easy to recommend.
This book immediately draws the reader in with a tense prologue, which ends with mum Jo uttering the words " It's my son, he's killed someone." With that my interest was piqued from the start and held throughout, as the author spins a web of surprises, twists, allegations and shocks.
The story is cleverly narrated by two of the main protagonists, mum Jo and her daughter Alice, and I couldn't help but feel that all of the characters, even the side ones, were relatable and people you can imagine knowing.
The book moves at a good pace with a number of twists and turns that sometimes took me by surprise, and I found myself questioning everyone's motives and loyalties, which kept me engrossed.
This is an emotional story about the power of family, friendships, relationships, infidelity, love and loss, as well as choices and their consequences, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
All in all, Victoria Jenkins has succeeded in producing an engaging, and at times, emotional mystery that held my interest and is easy to recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews