Dear Mother: A Thriller

by Rea Frey

In a tense thriller set deep amid the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a determined mother works to uncover the secrets of her family’s dark past, fearful of what their history may reveal.

After a childhood riddled with trauma and unanswered questions, Isabelle Archer vows to chase down the truth. So when her estranged mother dies, the investigative journalist returns to the one story that still haunts her.

Isabelle was thirteen when her three foster siblings died tragically in a fire. The blaze was ruled an accident, and despite the neglect, Isabelle never wanted to believe her mother was a killer. But twenty-five years later, the accusations linger.

Back in Cedarloch to settle the estate, Isabelle revisits her childhood home. A familiar dread permeates the surrounding woods. And when autopsy reports cast new suspicions, Isabelle unearths much more than just terrifying memories.

With help from her ex, Isabelle frantically digs for answers. What really happened the night of the fire? How did her mother die? And are the two somehow connected? What they find could poison long-held memories—and incinerate everything she thought to be true.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 28, 2026

About the author

Rea Frey is the #1 bestselling author of several suspense, thriller, and contemporary fiction novels.

Known as The Book Doula, Rea helps other writers birth their books into the world. To learn more, visit reafrey.com

Reviews

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabelle is an investigative journalist who returns home after her mother passes away. She hasn't been there in decades, because she could never shake the doubt that her mother was involved in the deaths of her foster siblings. Now she figures she can put some ghosts to death by clearing out the family home and ridding herself of lingering suspicions once and for all. Unfortunately, it won't be that easy, because evidence shows that her mother was murdered. Maybe the past isn't done with Isabelle after all.

The story is told in alternating narratives of Isabelle in the present and she and her foster siblings in the past, the night they perished in a fire. Unlike in many foster homes, these kids formed a strong bond, and they truly loved and cared for one another, even though they were together for just a few years. Isabelle was the only biological child, and she and Harper (the sibling she had been with the longest) were the only ones who survived that night. Her mother, Gail, was hard on all the kids, but Isabelle couldn't help but feel that she was treated differently as the biological child. And she never understood why she was the only sibling who hadn't been seriously sick in the time period before their deaths. She always believed Gail had something to do with it. Especially because this wasn't the first time she lost a foster sibling.

So there's the mystery of her siblings' deaths and her mother's death to deal with, and Isabelle tries her hardest to get answers. She's helped by her daughter's father, another investigative journalist who Isabelle keeps at arm's length because of the old 'I lose everyone I get close to' trope in stories like this. No matter that he's handsome and famous and successful, i.e., the perfect man, who totally worships her, she still treats him terribly and pushes him away. Ugh, you know she'll change her mind anyway, which of course, she does.

Now, I happened to know pretty early on who was responsible, and I think the author made it a little too obvious. Consider that the story is about the strength of family and the lengths we go to for those we love. Whether you figure it out or not, the story is compelling enough to keep you engaged until the end, where the hint of uneasiness in Isabelle hits just the right tone. Will it ever really be over for her?

[BooksAsDreams (Tiffany) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading stories about mothers. While my own is amazing, I know some are not. This author has the same interest in mothers who are off-kilter, cold-hearted, and heartless. There are many great elements in this book that pull the reader in and through it. Pretty predictable, though.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Mother
By: Rea Frey
Pub Dat: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Family secrets tend to come out eventually. This thriller exposes what really happened when three foster siblings die in a fire. With a title like Dear Mother, I knew this may not going to be a good mother.
Isabelle is an adult now, but she was thirteen when the fire happened to her foster siblings and ruled an accident, but she had her doubts.
The fire has always haunted her and she decides to start her own investigation. She is journalist and is brought back to settle an estate. Memories start to form.
I enjoyed this thriller and all the books I have read by Frey. The details, the visual story had me reading way too late, but worth less sleep.

[Bailey Lamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Thank you NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review *

Dear Mother is a thriller following Isabelle as she returns home after the death of her estranged mother. Having believed her mother a killer of her siblings, Isabelle is ready to sell the house and move on - until she discovers that not everything is as it seems. Her mother might not have killed her siblings, and her mother may not have died of natural causes.

I will start with this: I guessed the whodunnit in the first chapter. That said, I really enjoyed this read, and despite knowing the bad guy from the start, I was still curious to see how everything would play out. I also found myself really drawn to Isabelle. Complicated but tough, she wanted to find out the truth, even if it hurt, even if it was something she'd rather not know, and I admired her for that.

If I had any not-so-positive notes... I'd say that despite being set in a supposedly little Pacific Northwest town, I didn't totally get that small town vibe. You don't interact with a ton of townspeople (perhaps because there aren't many in general) and the setting of the town itself could use a little work. That didn't really impact my overall rating very much, because the mystery really does take center stage in this story.

I definitely recommend this to lovers of complicated, strange mysteries.

[Srinivasan Tatachari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am grateful to Netgalley and Thomas&Mercer for approving an advance copy of “Dear Mother” for my review. This is my first novel from Rea and I absolutely loved it.

I got drawn to the book by the title and the description provided. I am a sucker for thrillers and the description promised a good dose of it. The book lived up completely to that description. The story brings in a lot of emotions, reality and intrigue with the central plot - that of a suspected mom killing her foster children. But the story rapidly blooms into a lot more when the protagonist, Isabelle, returns to receive the house and plans to dispose of it. New details emerge which draw at Isabelle’s job as an investigative reporter to delve deeper into the past. The mystery unravels very well at the end. And Rea has thought through the plot very well. I started having suspicions about a character at around 75% of the book and they did turn out to be the antagonist - wont reveal anything more coz spoiler!

I also loved Rea’s writing style - which moves between the present and the past from POV of the children in the tragic events. It never becomes challenging to the reader to keep track. Kudos to her for this.


Highly recommend this book for people who love psychological thrillers!

[SketchyNewEngland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is going to haunt me for the rest of my life in the best way possible. From the very first page it sucked me in and didn’t release me. It was one of those books that even when you take a break from reading, it lives on, stalking your imagination. It felt very Old Hollywood somehow, like a black and white suspense film in the vein of The Bad Seed or some Alfred Hitchcock thriller. The setting was mysterious and yet fully fleshed out, the main character was realistic and relatable. The ending was satisfying even though it was intensely unsettling. I recommend this to fans of books like The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. Thank you to the author for giving me an advance copy for review purposes. I truly enjoyed reading this book.

[Kelly Veit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me hooked from the start-hanging on the edge of my seat! I liked how the chapters went back between Now and Then and how the reader learns what was going on in the past until it merges with the present to finally reveal the mind-blowing conclusion. This was my first book by Rea Frey. I will definitely be checking out her previous books and looking forward to her next best seller! If you enjoy twisty, sometimes creepy, stories with characters that have secrets and layered personalities then this one is definitely for you. I highly recommend putting this one at the top of your TBR! Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars rounded to 4.

When Isabelle was 13 three of her foster siblings died in a fire. It was ruled an accident but Isabelle always suspected her mother was the culprit. When her mother dies, Isabelle returns home to settle the estate and begins her own investigation.

I found this to be a bit predictable. I knew who done it within the first ~20%. That doesn't mean it wasn't engaging. I still found myself wanting to know how we got there and enjoyed the process. But I would recommend this more to beginner thriller readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle Lafleur-Richey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother Dear was pretty much everything I want in a thriller. It’s fast-paced, easy to sink into, and the characters are well developed enough that I actually cared what happened to them.

I’ll be honest—it was a bit predictable, and I definitely started to suspect where things were going. But what I loved is that the book kept making me second-guess myself along the way. Even when I thought I had it figured out (and mostly did), there was still a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming.

Overall, this was a really solid, entertaining read. Not groundbreaking, but absolutely satisfying if you’re in the mood for a quick, gripping thriller that keeps you turning pages.

[Carley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This!! This had me completely in a choke hold. I devoured this in a day (would have been one sitting if you know life didn’t get in the way) I absolutely loved this. I was hooked from the very first page. It had me completely enthralled the entire time, never feeling bored or like the story was drawn out. The story is told in dual timelines of now and then having the reading learn what happens in the past as it merges with the present. This was packed with so many surprises I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Isabelle Archer is an investigative journalist who is about to probe into the most challenging story of her career. What role - if any - her mother really played in the fire that claimed the lives of her foster siblings.

But this time, with new evidence surfacing, Isabelle may have bitten off more than she can chew...

An atmospheric and mysterious story, this will appeal to most thriller readers. It easily earns 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[KDRBCK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Mother by Rea Frey is a thriller published by Thomas & Mercer.
The author of Don't Forget Me delivered an incredible fast paced thriller. Nailbiting, goosebumping, unputdownable.
Isabelle is a journalist who's already through a lot. And she's investigating her family, especially her mother's secret and takes the reader on an adventure par excellence.
I read the book hanging on the edge of my seat breathlessly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
5 stars.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a twisty thriller with lots of surprises I didn’t see coming! When Isabelle returns home after her estranged mother’s death, she is determined to learn the truth once and for all. It’s been 25 years, but she still doesn’t know how her foster siblings died in a tragic fire.

Now a reporter, she realizes she can’t leave without finding out what happened all those years ago. She blames her mother but was her mother responsible?

Such a quick read and I really enjoyed it!

[Adriana Eckart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a NetGalley review but the opinions expressed below are my own and honest thoughts. #NetGalley Dear Mother by Rea Frey received 11-30-25 and reviewed on 12-16-25

Completely hooked on this twisty book. I enjoyed reading the past and future chapters and the slow build up and reveal of what happened and when I thought I knew who was responsible and what happened boom surprise! This was a page turner for me and I looked forward to my time reading it 4/5

[Olivia Evanow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Mother is a dark and twisty tale about an investigative journalist who goes back to her childhood home to sort through her traumatic past in hopes of discovering the truth behind the disappearance and deaths of several of her foster siblings.

Though I did find the storyline to be a bit predictable at times, I still enjoyed the ride! Definitely recommend to those who like page turning popcorn thrillers that are easy to devour in one to two sittings!

3.5 rounded up to 4 ⭐️

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read all of Rea Frey’s books, and this one is my favorite. The dual timeline, the different points of view, and the pacing, all came together to create a story that I did not want to put down. There was not an unnecessary detail in this novel. I found myself gasping, and sitting with my mouth open while I was reading. I look forward to recommending this novel to friends, just so I can discuss it with them.

[Megan Talmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It really sucked you in from start to finish. The ending truly was the best twist and was well worth the wait. This was my first Rea Frey book and definitely not my last!

[TD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

I really enjoyed this book and binged it in less than a day. Some parts were a little predictable but I still had a great time reading.

[Amanda Larson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was fine, I didn’t hate it. It was just way too predictable. The dual-timeline was easy to follow and it was overall a quick read. I would probably recommend this one more to people who don’t read a ton of thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!