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Dear Mother
After the death of their cruel and abusive mother, estranged sisters Alex, Catherine and Beth reunite once again.
Alex , the youngest, is a bitter, unhappy woman who refuses to face the horrors of her childhood. Finding solace in a bottle, her life is spiralling dangerously out of control.
Eldest child, Catherine , has strived for success, despite her difficult upbringing. But behind the carefully constructed façade lies a secret that could shatter her world forever.
Beth , the middle child, bore the greatest burden. But having blocked out the cruelty they suffered, she remained with their mother until her death. Now she must confront the devastating reality of the past.
Brought together as strangers, the sisters embark on a painful journey to heal themselves and each other. Can they finally put their terrible childhoods to rest and start over?
An emotional, heart-breaking and compelling novel for readers of Diane Chamberlain, Amanda Prowse and Kelly Rimmer.
Previously Published as The Middle Child
Alex , the youngest, is a bitter, unhappy woman who refuses to face the horrors of her childhood. Finding solace in a bottle, her life is spiralling dangerously out of control.
Eldest child, Catherine , has strived for success, despite her difficult upbringing. But behind the carefully constructed façade lies a secret that could shatter her world forever.
Beth , the middle child, bore the greatest burden. But having blocked out the cruelty they suffered, she remained with their mother until her death. Now she must confront the devastating reality of the past.
Brought together as strangers, the sisters embark on a painful journey to heal themselves and each other. Can they finally put their terrible childhoods to rest and start over?
An emotional, heart-breaking and compelling novel for readers of Diane Chamberlain, Amanda Prowse and Kelly Rimmer.
Previously Published as The Middle Child
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2014
1219 people are currently reading
1706 people want to read
About the author
Angela Marsons
45 books4,957 followersAngela is the author of the Kim Stone Crime series. She discovered a love of writing at Primary School when a short piece on the rocks and the sea gained her the only merit point she ever got.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
Angela is now signed to write a total of 16 Kim Stone books for http://bookouture.com and has secured a print deal with Bonnier Zaffre Publishing.
Angela wrote the stories that burned inside and then stored them safely in a desk drawer.
After much urging from her partner she began to enter short story competitions in Writer's News resulting in a win and three short listed entries.
She used the Amazon KDP program to publish two of her earlier works before concentrating on her true passion - Crime.
Angela is now signed to write a total of 16 Kim Stone books for http://bookouture.com and has secured a print deal with Bonnier Zaffre Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 269 reviews
July 30, 2016
I wish to thank Net Galley, Bookouture, and Ms. Angela Marsons for a review copy of Dear Mother in exchange for an unbiased review.
I have been saving this book. It’s the only Angela Marsons book I had not read and it was my security blankie for when I needed that desperation Marsons fix. Well, I finally reached that point where I just had to have it, and I succumbed. Let me just say it was well worth waiting for.
Ms. Marsons’ is an up and rising all-star, all-world thriller writer. She is one of my top 2 most favorite authors ever (either tied for first, or just first, I can’t decide) and any thriller reader who has not found her has got to wake up. With that in mind, I have to tell you that this woman is also a standout psychological contemporary fiction writer. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I cannot believe she doesn’t have an advanced degree in psychology/psychiatry. Dear Mother is an enthralling tale of the psychological fallout of a physical abusive parent on her 3 daughters. Don’t be scared off by that. The abuse when referred to is not very graphic, and the bulk of the story takes place after the daughters have reached adulthood. All three women are adversely affected in different ways; furthermore, their relationships with each other have also been damaged. The novel is an intelligent and emotional rendering of how they each reach some level of peace with their demons.
The characters, especially sisters Catherine and Alex, are extremely well done. The counseling sessions between Catherine and her therapist are written with considerable depth and realism, and are to me a highlight of the novel. The dialogue is outstanding. It usually takes me 4-6 days to read a novel. This one took 2 days. This is reflective of how transfixed I was with the story. I developed a profound connection with these people and their issues.
As a sidelight, I want to mention that I liked how Ms. Marsons pulls in narrative from the past at the time it is relevant to the story as opposed to the more recent trend of alternating chapters between the present and years before. This technique preserves the flow of the story.
I was delighted when I saw that Ms. Marsons recently signed a contract with Bookouture to write 8 more novels in the brilliant Kim Stone series (currently there are 4 installments with #5 due to arrive in November 2016). On the other hand, this likely means that we will likely not be getting any more dedicated psychological portraits from her, at least not in the near future. Though this saddens me, at least we do have this book plus The Forgotten Woman. These books were written before she started the Kim Stone series and were self-published under different titles. They have just been re-released in a brilliant move by Bookouture to showcase her hidden talents. Now if they could just figure out how to clone her...
I strongly recommend both Dear Mother and The Forgotten Woman to anyone looking for an accomplished powerful read. Well done, Ms. Marsons.
I have been saving this book. It’s the only Angela Marsons book I had not read and it was my security blankie for when I needed that desperation Marsons fix. Well, I finally reached that point where I just had to have it, and I succumbed. Let me just say it was well worth waiting for.
Ms. Marsons’ is an up and rising all-star, all-world thriller writer. She is one of my top 2 most favorite authors ever (either tied for first, or just first, I can’t decide) and any thriller reader who has not found her has got to wake up. With that in mind, I have to tell you that this woman is also a standout psychological contemporary fiction writer. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I cannot believe she doesn’t have an advanced degree in psychology/psychiatry. Dear Mother is an enthralling tale of the psychological fallout of a physical abusive parent on her 3 daughters. Don’t be scared off by that. The abuse when referred to is not very graphic, and the bulk of the story takes place after the daughters have reached adulthood. All three women are adversely affected in different ways; furthermore, their relationships with each other have also been damaged. The novel is an intelligent and emotional rendering of how they each reach some level of peace with their demons.
The characters, especially sisters Catherine and Alex, are extremely well done. The counseling sessions between Catherine and her therapist are written with considerable depth and realism, and are to me a highlight of the novel. The dialogue is outstanding. It usually takes me 4-6 days to read a novel. This one took 2 days. This is reflective of how transfixed I was with the story. I developed a profound connection with these people and their issues.
As a sidelight, I want to mention that I liked how Ms. Marsons pulls in narrative from the past at the time it is relevant to the story as opposed to the more recent trend of alternating chapters between the present and years before. This technique preserves the flow of the story.
I was delighted when I saw that Ms. Marsons recently signed a contract with Bookouture to write 8 more novels in the brilliant Kim Stone series (currently there are 4 installments with #5 due to arrive in November 2016). On the other hand, this likely means that we will likely not be getting any more dedicated psychological portraits from her, at least not in the near future. Though this saddens me, at least we do have this book plus The Forgotten Woman. These books were written before she started the Kim Stone series and were self-published under different titles. They have just been re-released in a brilliant move by Bookouture to showcase her hidden talents. Now if they could just figure out how to clone her...
I strongly recommend both Dear Mother and The Forgotten Woman to anyone looking for an accomplished powerful read. Well done, Ms. Marsons.
July 24, 2016
“THE MIDDLE CHILD"recently publisher as "DEAR MOTHER”, by Angela Marsons, is an absorbing and emotional story that will bring tears to your eyes. It is the story of how childhood abuse can linger in the background and then cause repercussions in adulthood for these survivors.
Three sisters paid the ultimate price by being abused by their “Evil” mother during their childhood.
“Back then child abuse was something that happened within the home.”
After the death of their cruel and abusive mother, alienated sisters Alex, Catherine and Beth reunite once again. They were strangers being separated at childhood.
Alex, the youngest, a rebel, a bitter and unhappy woman who refused to face the horrors of her childhood. Still tortured by the past, Alex drank excessively to forget. She was an alcoholic.
Catherine, the eldest child, had “built a wall against the memories”. She has made a good life for herself, married to Tim and two beautiful young twin girls, Lucy and Jess, and a successful career as a Senior Advertising Executive. But when the stress gets too much, Catherine separates from her family to get help and deal with her past.
Beth, the middle child, was the quiet, shy cautious one-but had suffered more than her sisters. Beth denied what their mother had done to her, and was the caregiver for her mother until her death. Now she must confront the disturbing reality of the past.
When the girls were young, their mother beat them, shunned all their accomplishments, and predicted they’d come to nothing. They each chose different paths.
They were all strangers…that had shared a horrifying past, and only reunited after the death of their evil mother. They all must now deal with the painful journey to come to terms with everything, and try to start over.
The story is told in the 3rd person POV, alternating chapters between Alex and Catherine. Having previously read all Marsons’ crime novels The Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls and Play Dead, featuring Kim Stone, and loving them, this novel showed another side to this talented author.
Many thanks to the author, Angela Marsons, Netgalley and Bookouture (my favourite publisher)for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another definite winner!
Merged review:
“DEAR MOTHER” previously Published as “The Middle Child”, by Angela Marsons, is an absorbing and emotional story that will bring tears to your eyes. It is the story of how childhood abuse can linger in the background and then cause repercussions in adulthood for these survivors.
Three sisters paid the ultimate price by being abused by their “Evil” mother during their childhood.
“Back then child abuse was something that happened within the home.”
After the death of their cruel and abusive mother, alienated sisters Alex, Catherine and Beth reunite once again. They were strangers being separated at childhood.
Alex, the youngest, a rebel, a bitter and unhappy woman who refused to face the horrors of her childhood. Still tortured by the past, Alex drank excessively to forget. She was an alcoholic.
Catherine, the eldest child, had “built a wall against the memories”. She has made a good life for herself, married to Tim and two beautiful young twin girls, Lucy and Jess, and a successful career as a Senior Advertising Executive. But when the stress gets too much, Catherine separates from her family to get help and deal with her past.
Beth, the middle child, was the quiet, shy cautious one-but had suffered more than her sisters. Beth denied what their mother had done to her, and was the caregiver for her mother until her death. Now she must confront the disturbing reality of the past.
When the girls were young, their mother beat them, shunned all their accomplishments, and predicted they’d come to nothing. They each chose different paths.
They were all strangers…that had shared a horrifying past, and only reunited after the death of their evil mother. They all must now deal with the painful journey to come to terms with everything, and try to start over.
The story is told in the 3rd person POV, alternating chapters between Alex and Catherine. Having previously read all Marsons’ crime novels The Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls and Play Dead, featuring Kim Stone, and loving them, this novel showed another side to this talented author.
Many thanks to the author, Angela Marsons, Netgalley and Bookouture (my favourite publisher)for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another definite winner!
Three sisters paid the ultimate price by being abused by their “Evil” mother during their childhood.
“Back then child abuse was something that happened within the home.”
After the death of their cruel and abusive mother, alienated sisters Alex, Catherine and Beth reunite once again. They were strangers being separated at childhood.
Alex, the youngest, a rebel, a bitter and unhappy woman who refused to face the horrors of her childhood. Still tortured by the past, Alex drank excessively to forget. She was an alcoholic.
Catherine, the eldest child, had “built a wall against the memories”. She has made a good life for herself, married to Tim and two beautiful young twin girls, Lucy and Jess, and a successful career as a Senior Advertising Executive. But when the stress gets too much, Catherine separates from her family to get help and deal with her past.
Beth, the middle child, was the quiet, shy cautious one-but had suffered more than her sisters. Beth denied what their mother had done to her, and was the caregiver for her mother until her death. Now she must confront the disturbing reality of the past.
When the girls were young, their mother beat them, shunned all their accomplishments, and predicted they’d come to nothing. They each chose different paths.
They were all strangers…that had shared a horrifying past, and only reunited after the death of their evil mother. They all must now deal with the painful journey to come to terms with everything, and try to start over.
The story is told in the 3rd person POV, alternating chapters between Alex and Catherine. Having previously read all Marsons’ crime novels The Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls and Play Dead, featuring Kim Stone, and loving them, this novel showed another side to this talented author.
Many thanks to the author, Angela Marsons, Netgalley and Bookouture (my favourite publisher)for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another definite winner!
Merged review:
“DEAR MOTHER” previously Published as “The Middle Child”, by Angela Marsons, is an absorbing and emotional story that will bring tears to your eyes. It is the story of how childhood abuse can linger in the background and then cause repercussions in adulthood for these survivors.
Three sisters paid the ultimate price by being abused by their “Evil” mother during their childhood.
“Back then child abuse was something that happened within the home.”
After the death of their cruel and abusive mother, alienated sisters Alex, Catherine and Beth reunite once again. They were strangers being separated at childhood.
Alex, the youngest, a rebel, a bitter and unhappy woman who refused to face the horrors of her childhood. Still tortured by the past, Alex drank excessively to forget. She was an alcoholic.
Catherine, the eldest child, had “built a wall against the memories”. She has made a good life for herself, married to Tim and two beautiful young twin girls, Lucy and Jess, and a successful career as a Senior Advertising Executive. But when the stress gets too much, Catherine separates from her family to get help and deal with her past.
Beth, the middle child, was the quiet, shy cautious one-but had suffered more than her sisters. Beth denied what their mother had done to her, and was the caregiver for her mother until her death. Now she must confront the disturbing reality of the past.
When the girls were young, their mother beat them, shunned all their accomplishments, and predicted they’d come to nothing. They each chose different paths.
They were all strangers…that had shared a horrifying past, and only reunited after the death of their evil mother. They all must now deal with the painful journey to come to terms with everything, and try to start over.
The story is told in the 3rd person POV, alternating chapters between Alex and Catherine. Having previously read all Marsons’ crime novels The Silent Scream, Evil Games, Lost Girls and Play Dead, featuring Kim Stone, and loving them, this novel showed another side to this talented author.
Many thanks to the author, Angela Marsons, Netgalley and Bookouture (my favourite publisher)for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another definite winner!
January 17, 2020
Just how can siblings be abused in this way and each go down a different path in life?
But it happens right.
Family.
You can have a houseful of children in a family with one or two parents with “problems” and each child will digest it’s environment differently and that leads them to a path.
Which path they chose is up to them.
This author has done a fabulous job giving us an insightful view of human nature at its worse, and, at its best.
I was that enthralled I read this in a day.
But it happens right.
Family.
You can have a houseful of children in a family with one or two parents with “problems” and each child will digest it’s environment differently and that leads them to a path.
Which path they chose is up to them.
This author has done a fabulous job giving us an insightful view of human nature at its worse, and, at its best.
I was that enthralled I read this in a day.
December 30, 2016
It never fails to amaze me that you can treat people exactly the same, and yet they will all react differently, and the same actions will affect their lives differently.
In Dear Mother, Angela Marsons looks at three sisters, abused by their mother, and the different paths their lives take.
When I first began reading, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. By a third of the way through, I was hooked. I should have know better than to doubt Marsons; when have I ever not liked anything she has written?
Dear Mother chronicles appalling cruelty, but also resilience. It is a testament to the strength of our human spirit. I was in turn appalled, enthralled and tearful. It is an emotional read.
4.5 stars for Dear Mother. Not 5 because there were a couple of places I found the writing just a little too glib.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a digital ARC for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
In Dear Mother, Angela Marsons looks at three sisters, abused by their mother, and the different paths their lives take.
When I first began reading, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. By a third of the way through, I was hooked. I should have know better than to doubt Marsons; when have I ever not liked anything she has written?
Dear Mother chronicles appalling cruelty, but also resilience. It is a testament to the strength of our human spirit. I was in turn appalled, enthralled and tearful. It is an emotional read.
4.5 stars for Dear Mother. Not 5 because there were a couple of places I found the writing just a little too glib.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a digital ARC for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
September 6, 2016
When Beth contacted her two sisters, Catherine and Alex, it was to let them know their mother had died. Not having spoken in years, nevertheless the reaction from both Catherine and Alex was one of heartfelt relief – their bitterness at the cruelty and vindictiveness that had been meted out to all three sisters as children by the mother who was supposed to love them was one which would never be forgotten – or forgiven. But Beth had no memory of the worst act which had befallen her – and she had remained in the family home and cared for their mother until her death.
The past had deeply affected the sisters, but none of them realised it. Alex’s life was out of control; continually drunk, she had no way of stopping the events that were taking over her whole being. While Catherine was the opposite – she had achieved it all; determined to prove her mother wrong, she was a high flying executive with a husband and two daughters. So what could go wrong with that? The events of one night saw her carefully constructed world crash around her. And Beth lived in blissful ignorance…
Would Alex, Catherine and Beth be able to bridge the huge gap that the horrors of their childhood had left? Could they possibly have some measure of peace in their lives? Whatever was to happen in their future, it would be a painful and heartbreaking journey that they may not recover from…
The Middle Child by Angela Marsons is an emotional, traumatic and heart wrenching ride. Child abuse is a terrible thing; for the perpetrator to be the person who gave birth to that child, to show no love whatsoever to that child – it is mind blowing. I thoroughly enjoy this author’s work and The Middle Child is no exception. A brilliant read which I highly recommend.
The past had deeply affected the sisters, but none of them realised it. Alex’s life was out of control; continually drunk, she had no way of stopping the events that were taking over her whole being. While Catherine was the opposite – she had achieved it all; determined to prove her mother wrong, she was a high flying executive with a husband and two daughters. So what could go wrong with that? The events of one night saw her carefully constructed world crash around her. And Beth lived in blissful ignorance…
Would Alex, Catherine and Beth be able to bridge the huge gap that the horrors of their childhood had left? Could they possibly have some measure of peace in their lives? Whatever was to happen in their future, it would be a painful and heartbreaking journey that they may not recover from…
The Middle Child by Angela Marsons is an emotional, traumatic and heart wrenching ride. Child abuse is a terrible thing; for the perpetrator to be the person who gave birth to that child, to show no love whatsoever to that child – it is mind blowing. I thoroughly enjoy this author’s work and The Middle Child is no exception. A brilliant read which I highly recommend.
August 22, 2017
Sisters, Beth, Catherine and Alex hadn't spoken to one another in years, but they all carried the mental scars from their childhood. The one person who should've cared and loved them when they were kids was their mother, but she was nothing more than a horrible, mean and cruel woman.
Beth had to contact Catherine and Alex to let them know that their mother had passed away. How would Catherine and Alex react to the news of their mother's passing? Will this be a time for the sisters to reunite and come to terms with their past or are the scars too deep to be able to move forward from their past?
What a brilliantly written book this was. Sad, heart wrenching story about child abuse that will pull at your heartstrings without a doubt. Highly recommended.
Beth had to contact Catherine and Alex to let them know that their mother had passed away. How would Catherine and Alex react to the news of their mother's passing? Will this be a time for the sisters to reunite and come to terms with their past or are the scars too deep to be able to move forward from their past?
What a brilliantly written book this was. Sad, heart wrenching story about child abuse that will pull at your heartstrings without a doubt. Highly recommended.
July 14, 2016
I discovered the writing of author Angela Marsons earlier this year when I read the first book in the Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Series which was a superb read. Following that I have read the three other books in the series and thoroughly enjoyed them so when I was offered the chance to read her other books I was very keen.
I must admit I was slightly put off by the description of 'Womens fiction' which in my opinion reduces the possible readers by 50% by been rather sexist. Maybe if I hadn't already been impressed with Angela Marsons work I would have left this one well alone. This book is is very different from the gritty detective series I have already read and more about relationships. The novel is well written and the characters real and very developed.
This book is been re released under the tile 'Dear Mother' and is a story about three sisters brought together by the death of their cruel and abusive mother. The youngest sister Alex, is very bitter and refuses to face the events of her childhood. She has turned to drink and destroys any chance of happiness that comes her way.
The eldest sister Catherine, strives to achieve everything her mother thought was not possible. Although she has everything she ever wanted but appears to be more like her mother than she thought. One single act brings her carefully constructed world tumbling down around her.
Beth, the middle child, suffered the worst of them all. She has no memory of the cruelty and remained with their mother until she died. But eventually the memories must return.
They are brought together as strangers on the death of their mother and they embark on a painful journey to the past to discover themselves and each other.
Very different from my normal genre but a well written novel that is full of emotion from a very talented author.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
I must admit I was slightly put off by the description of 'Womens fiction' which in my opinion reduces the possible readers by 50% by been rather sexist. Maybe if I hadn't already been impressed with Angela Marsons work I would have left this one well alone. This book is is very different from the gritty detective series I have already read and more about relationships. The novel is well written and the characters real and very developed.
This book is been re released under the tile 'Dear Mother' and is a story about three sisters brought together by the death of their cruel and abusive mother. The youngest sister Alex, is very bitter and refuses to face the events of her childhood. She has turned to drink and destroys any chance of happiness that comes her way.
The eldest sister Catherine, strives to achieve everything her mother thought was not possible. Although she has everything she ever wanted but appears to be more like her mother than she thought. One single act brings her carefully constructed world tumbling down around her.
Beth, the middle child, suffered the worst of them all. She has no memory of the cruelty and remained with their mother until she died. But eventually the memories must return.
They are brought together as strangers on the death of their mother and they embark on a painful journey to the past to discover themselves and each other.
Very different from my normal genre but a well written novel that is full of emotion from a very talented author.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
August 14, 2015
What could be better for sharing than a book about relationships? As the title The Middle Child suggests, this is the story of three siblings; Catherine is the eldest, Alex the youngest sister, with Beth between them. Their horribly abusive mother has finally come to her most unlamented end. When the girls were young, mother seized on any excuse to beat them, despised all their accomplishments, & predicted they’d come to nothing. Each chose a different path. Catherine, determined to prove her mother wrong, has become a high-flying advertising account exec, married with two children. Alex followed the downward path her mother foretold as an alcoholic barmaid up to her ears in debt, the duration of whose drunken lesbian relationships can be measured in hours & minutes, one of which results in two tops beating the shit out of her. But Beth has remained the homebody who stayed with mum as her principal care giver & is apparently in a state of denial about being abused, even referring to a terrible burn mark her mother left as the result of an ‘accident’.
Angela Marsons relates their story in 3rd person limited POV, alternating chapters centring on Alex & Catherine. I had previously read Marsons’ detective novels The Silent Scream & Evil Games, featuring Kim Stone, who is also estranged from a highly abusive mother. But so far what has struck me most about that series is Kim’s absence of relationships - she seems to get on best with her motorbikes. So I tried one of Marsons’ earlier efforts to see how the author did with relationships & am glad I did. The Middle Child is not what we regard as crime fiction (altho’ it features child abuse & GBH, both of course crimes), but is really a story of the toxic effects of childhood abuse & the power of love to effect reconciliation & healing.
Sometimes a book’s aesthetic imperfections give it authenticity & power that a more artistically finished work lacks. I think such is very much the case with The Middle Child. Were I teaching contemporary fiction, I’d not assign it. But I should love to discuss it in a clinical pastoral education or education for ministry class. The Middle Child is a great portrayal of family dynamics. In the terms used to analyse family dynamics, both Catherine & Alex were ‘under-performing’ & Beth was ‘over-performing’ to compensate for them. Alex & Catherine are each in her own way eaten alive by hatred & resentment towards their mother & each other - Alex because Catherine deserted her sisters instead of staying & protecting them & Catherine for Alex’s utterly shambolic life. Beth’s motives & thoughts can be discerned only from her sisters’ POVs. As the characters did not emerge for me as individual distinctive persons, ‘“point” of view’ seems an apt expression because they are like points on geometrically laid-out story lines. Not only did I find myself drawing lines in my imagination between the sisters, but with each to their own families, friends & lovers, with broken lines for the estranged relationships. But these novelistic flaws lay bare the underlying dynamics of this family. That’s why I’d love to be part of a group read for this book with caregivers. I’d expect great insights. In my class-room days I’d have found the ending OTT emotional but now I feel it is very appropriate. For The Middle Child depicts not only the healing power of love, but love’s limits as well.
Angela Marsons relates their story in 3rd person limited POV, alternating chapters centring on Alex & Catherine. I had previously read Marsons’ detective novels The Silent Scream & Evil Games, featuring Kim Stone, who is also estranged from a highly abusive mother. But so far what has struck me most about that series is Kim’s absence of relationships - she seems to get on best with her motorbikes. So I tried one of Marsons’ earlier efforts to see how the author did with relationships & am glad I did. The Middle Child is not what we regard as crime fiction (altho’ it features child abuse & GBH, both of course crimes), but is really a story of the toxic effects of childhood abuse & the power of love to effect reconciliation & healing.
Sometimes a book’s aesthetic imperfections give it authenticity & power that a more artistically finished work lacks. I think such is very much the case with The Middle Child. Were I teaching contemporary fiction, I’d not assign it. But I should love to discuss it in a clinical pastoral education or education for ministry class. The Middle Child is a great portrayal of family dynamics. In the terms used to analyse family dynamics, both Catherine & Alex were ‘under-performing’ & Beth was ‘over-performing’ to compensate for them. Alex & Catherine are each in her own way eaten alive by hatred & resentment towards their mother & each other - Alex because Catherine deserted her sisters instead of staying & protecting them & Catherine for Alex’s utterly shambolic life. Beth’s motives & thoughts can be discerned only from her sisters’ POVs. As the characters did not emerge for me as individual distinctive persons, ‘“point” of view’ seems an apt expression because they are like points on geometrically laid-out story lines. Not only did I find myself drawing lines in my imagination between the sisters, but with each to their own families, friends & lovers, with broken lines for the estranged relationships. But these novelistic flaws lay bare the underlying dynamics of this family. That’s why I’d love to be part of a group read for this book with caregivers. I’d expect great insights. In my class-room days I’d have found the ending OTT emotional but now I feel it is very appropriate. For The Middle Child depicts not only the healing power of love, but love’s limits as well.
September 6, 2016
What can I say? Angela Marsons has done it yet again, what an amazing writer!
This time stepping right outside of her crime thriller genre with confident ease, and straight into a page turning, heart tugging story about three sisters growing up with an abusive mother.
Certainly not for the faint hearted, but an incredibly realistic read.
OMG! This story will have every one of the readers' nerve cells on edge for a good deal of the time.
Just when you think you have heard of all of the ways this woman could show cruelty to her young daughters, she ups the ante and thinks up new ways until the day of reckoning comes...but who's day of reckoning will it actually be?
The dedication in the front says:
"This book is dedicated to any person who has suffered any type of childhood abuse and made it out the other side. You are true survivors."
I would like to second that sentiment!
I am in awe of this authors' capacity for turning out consistently
I've said it before and I will say it again, Angela Marsons I would read your shopping list!
I would easily recommend this one 5★s
This book also goes under the title: The Middle Child
Many thanks to Netgalley, Angela Marsons, and the publishers for my copy to read and review.
July 16, 2016
This is such a beautiful, heart breaking, emotional tale of hurt and abuse and overcoming. I absolutely loved it and could not put it down. The writing is so heartfelt and all the characters so real. Felt for them all. I love this author's crime series - Kim Stone is one of my favourite protagonists ever and I was so looking forward to reading this book. And wow! It was SO good. Loved, loved, loved. Can't get enough from this very talented author who writes with such empathy and heart.
August 29, 2016
DEAR MOTHER by ANGELA MARSONS (Previously Published as The Middle Child)
I honestly cannot say that I 'enjoyed' reading this book. Child abuse is a tough subject for many of us and a trigger for some. The author has done a credible job in dealing with not only the actual child abuse, but the damage it causes those who suffer ... and survive ... through it.
Catherine, Beth, and Alex are such three sisters. They lived with an extremely abusive mother. They haven't seen or talked to each other in many years and it's only because their mother has died that they've reunited.
Catherine is the oldest, who seems to have everything her mother told her she would never have. A husband who loves her, a job that she excels at, a very nice house, and lovely 6-year-old twin girls. But things are falling apart. She can't seem to get close to her own children, she's working way too many hours and neglecting her husband. He knows nothing of her childhood horrors.
Beth is the middle child. She's the one who never had the opportunity to leave. She stayed and took care of her mother until her death. She was the one who suffered more than the others ... but she seems to have forgotten what her childhood was like. She's gentle and loving and the peacemaker.
Alex is a lesbian with a huge alcohol problem. She drove off the one woman she loved with her whole heart, but it was easier walking away from her and a possible future to drown her sorrows in booze. She never shared her past, either.
This story is more about how physical and mental abuse affected their entire lives. None have ever talked about it, none have ever gotten treatment by a therapist. But this time, as they all come together, they will talk, they will show their anger, their hatred toward their mother ... and each other.
This is a compelling, emotional journey for these women ... and the reader. As they remember specific instances, it's hard to read, but the author has done a terrific job in dealing with the subject matter. Those instances are kept short ... the attention being on the here and now.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I honestly cannot say that I 'enjoyed' reading this book. Child abuse is a tough subject for many of us and a trigger for some. The author has done a credible job in dealing with not only the actual child abuse, but the damage it causes those who suffer ... and survive ... through it.
Catherine, Beth, and Alex are such three sisters. They lived with an extremely abusive mother. They haven't seen or talked to each other in many years and it's only because their mother has died that they've reunited.
Catherine is the oldest, who seems to have everything her mother told her she would never have. A husband who loves her, a job that she excels at, a very nice house, and lovely 6-year-old twin girls. But things are falling apart. She can't seem to get close to her own children, she's working way too many hours and neglecting her husband. He knows nothing of her childhood horrors.
Beth is the middle child. She's the one who never had the opportunity to leave. She stayed and took care of her mother until her death. She was the one who suffered more than the others ... but she seems to have forgotten what her childhood was like. She's gentle and loving and the peacemaker.
Alex is a lesbian with a huge alcohol problem. She drove off the one woman she loved with her whole heart, but it was easier walking away from her and a possible future to drown her sorrows in booze. She never shared her past, either.
This story is more about how physical and mental abuse affected their entire lives. None have ever talked about it, none have ever gotten treatment by a therapist. But this time, as they all come together, they will talk, they will show their anger, their hatred toward their mother ... and each other.
This is a compelling, emotional journey for these women ... and the reader. As they remember specific instances, it's hard to read, but the author has done a terrific job in dealing with the subject matter. Those instances are kept short ... the attention being on the here and now.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 9, 2016
Catherine, Beth and Alex are three sisters, sadly estranged for a number of years, who are forced into a difficult and strained reunion following the death of the eponymous ‘Mother’. Having shared a tormented and abusive past, the sisters have all gone on to lead very separate lives.
Catherine is a successful business woman with the seemingly perfect family in a beautiful rural town. Perfect husband and beautiful twin daughters, she should be happy. And yet something is very wrong with her life. Something is missing. She is everything her mother told her she would never be. So why isn’t it enough?
Alex grew up to be the wild child. Alcoholic, angry, throwing away all of the relationships that had meant anything to her for the fear of being hurt. Being rejected if she allowed anyone to get too close and see the real her. Bitterness and resentment colour her feelings for Catherine and, by default, everyone else around her. She has gone on to become everything her mother told her she would be.
Beth is kind, quiet and loving. The peacemaker, putting everyone’s needs before her own. Left to care for their mother after she suffered a stroke, Beth set aside any dreams she may have had, sacrificing any chance of happiness in the process. She was more forgiving than her mother ever deserved.
When the funeral forces the sisters to face the long buried truth of their pasts, things begin to unravel for each of them, one by one. Catherine’s family is torn apart, Alex sinks further into a bottle and Beth… Beth smiles, denies and carries on. Can any of them overcome their own demons and salvage their future and, in doing so, can they also help each other the way they always used to as children?
‘Dear Mother’ is a very emotional look at the subject of abuse and the impact that is has on not so much the children, but the women they became. The violence of their past is not dealt with in any graphic detail. Just enough is inferred about injuries sustained to paint a very clear picture and yet not make it too hard for the reader to continue. There are parts which may make you wince, and parts in which your heart will go out to the children and wonder quite how such abuse was missed. But unfortunately, that is the reality of the time and the reality of abuse. Children often fear the consequence of speaking up more than they fear the pain of going home. Neighbours and friends are able to turn a blind eye, after all, it’s just a domestic concern. Something to be kept in the family. Let’s be honest, even today children die at the hands of an abusive parent and no-one sees anything until it is too late. Here the story is just reporting fact.
If you are sensitive to the subject matter, then it may be wise to exercise caution in reading. The abuse itself does not dominate, is not allowed to take centre stage too often, fed as it is, into the narrative at a time when the character in focus is forced to remember something from the past in order to confront it and, hopefully, move forward.
The story is told mainly through the eyes of Catherine and Alex, the two who seemingly have the biggest journey and the greatest struggle to return to the home that was the source of so much pain and fear. Even with their mother gone, the house still retains the shadows. The ghosts of the past. To that end, the style works really well, balancing Catherine’s almost clinical detachment and denial that there is anything wrong with her, with Alex’s low self-esteem and destructive nature, two very common and well observed characterisations of survivors of abuse. The pacing is just right, the tone and atmosphere in each setting reflective of the changing moods of the piece itself.
The subject matter is not trivialised. The reactions of the central characters are extremely well observed. I know some may wonder just how it can be that characters react in this way - isn’t it too clichéd to have an alcoholic and a workaholic? Can they really be fixed that easily? Well the honest answer is no. That is exactly what can happen. And there is no sense of things being ‘fixed’ at the end of this story. It is merely work in progress. It is an element of hope, but not of a promise of a happy future.
For me, the ending was very poignant and almost inevitable. From about 88% I knew where it was heading. And it made my eyes leak. In the middle of a motorway service station car park. It is making my eyes leak now. If there are typos in this last paragraph, then you know why.
This is a very moving, emotive and sometimes harrowing piece of writing. But it is beautifully written and carefully constructed, two things I have very much come to expect from Angela Marsons.
A very leaky, soggy and blubbery 5 stars.
My thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of ‘Dear Mother’ in exchange for my reivew.
But not to Angela Marsons.
She made me leak. ;-)
Catherine is a successful business woman with the seemingly perfect family in a beautiful rural town. Perfect husband and beautiful twin daughters, she should be happy. And yet something is very wrong with her life. Something is missing. She is everything her mother told her she would never be. So why isn’t it enough?
Alex grew up to be the wild child. Alcoholic, angry, throwing away all of the relationships that had meant anything to her for the fear of being hurt. Being rejected if she allowed anyone to get too close and see the real her. Bitterness and resentment colour her feelings for Catherine and, by default, everyone else around her. She has gone on to become everything her mother told her she would be.
Beth is kind, quiet and loving. The peacemaker, putting everyone’s needs before her own. Left to care for their mother after she suffered a stroke, Beth set aside any dreams she may have had, sacrificing any chance of happiness in the process. She was more forgiving than her mother ever deserved.
When the funeral forces the sisters to face the long buried truth of their pasts, things begin to unravel for each of them, one by one. Catherine’s family is torn apart, Alex sinks further into a bottle and Beth… Beth smiles, denies and carries on. Can any of them overcome their own demons and salvage their future and, in doing so, can they also help each other the way they always used to as children?
‘Dear Mother’ is a very emotional look at the subject of abuse and the impact that is has on not so much the children, but the women they became. The violence of their past is not dealt with in any graphic detail. Just enough is inferred about injuries sustained to paint a very clear picture and yet not make it too hard for the reader to continue. There are parts which may make you wince, and parts in which your heart will go out to the children and wonder quite how such abuse was missed. But unfortunately, that is the reality of the time and the reality of abuse. Children often fear the consequence of speaking up more than they fear the pain of going home. Neighbours and friends are able to turn a blind eye, after all, it’s just a domestic concern. Something to be kept in the family. Let’s be honest, even today children die at the hands of an abusive parent and no-one sees anything until it is too late. Here the story is just reporting fact.
If you are sensitive to the subject matter, then it may be wise to exercise caution in reading. The abuse itself does not dominate, is not allowed to take centre stage too often, fed as it is, into the narrative at a time when the character in focus is forced to remember something from the past in order to confront it and, hopefully, move forward.
The story is told mainly through the eyes of Catherine and Alex, the two who seemingly have the biggest journey and the greatest struggle to return to the home that was the source of so much pain and fear. Even with their mother gone, the house still retains the shadows. The ghosts of the past. To that end, the style works really well, balancing Catherine’s almost clinical detachment and denial that there is anything wrong with her, with Alex’s low self-esteem and destructive nature, two very common and well observed characterisations of survivors of abuse. The pacing is just right, the tone and atmosphere in each setting reflective of the changing moods of the piece itself.
The subject matter is not trivialised. The reactions of the central characters are extremely well observed. I know some may wonder just how it can be that characters react in this way - isn’t it too clichéd to have an alcoholic and a workaholic? Can they really be fixed that easily? Well the honest answer is no. That is exactly what can happen. And there is no sense of things being ‘fixed’ at the end of this story. It is merely work in progress. It is an element of hope, but not of a promise of a happy future.
For me, the ending was very poignant and almost inevitable. From about 88% I knew where it was heading. And it made my eyes leak. In the middle of a motorway service station car park. It is making my eyes leak now. If there are typos in this last paragraph, then you know why.
This is a very moving, emotive and sometimes harrowing piece of writing. But it is beautifully written and carefully constructed, two things I have very much come to expect from Angela Marsons.
A very leaky, soggy and blubbery 5 stars.
My thanks to publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of ‘Dear Mother’ in exchange for my reivew.
But not to Angela Marsons.
She made me leak. ;-)
August 7, 2016
Dear Mother is a rerelease of a novel formerly published as The Middle Sister. It deals with child abuse and the lingering effects this cruelty has on the adult lives of the abused. Marsons does not hold back on graphic details so a trigger warning should be included if you are unable to deal with a story of this nature. That said this is a well done and important read which emphasizes the need for education so those who suffer at the hands of a violent parent are not left to fend for themselves.
Catherine has achieved all of her childhood dreams. She has a beautiful home, a loving husband, a great job and two beautiful twin six year old daughters. She is juggling career and home life the best way she knows how but it isn't enough. Underlying anxiety clouds her decisions. She has trouble holding her temper with her rambunctious daughter Jess and work pressure is eating into her family time with Tim and the girls.
Alex's life revolves around her shifts at the bar and the one night stands she brings home to her flat. She clings to her one remaining friend and co-worker Jay and tries not to think about her broken relationship with the love of her life, Nikki. She is unapologetic and fearless. She also has a drinking problem. When she receives a call from her sister Beth that her mother has died her response is a curt “Thank God the bitch is dead.”
Marsons brings readers to the Black Country and the aching poverty found in this once industrial region of England. This setting adds to the sense of hopeless resignation seen in the memories of these three sisters as they gather at the home of their youth following the death of their mother. Beth has remained in the family home caring for their mother and has blocked most of the childhood abuse endured by the sisters.
I was impressed with how effective this story deals with issues surrounding child abuse and its effect on the human psyche. There are dark moments portrayed but there is also an underlying sense of hope. Find the proper therapist, recognize that your behaviour and choices made as an adult have roots in your past and learn to love and accept the person you have become.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending but I still thoroughly enjoyed this read.
ARC received with thanks from Bookouture via NetGalley for review.
Catherine has achieved all of her childhood dreams. She has a beautiful home, a loving husband, a great job and two beautiful twin six year old daughters. She is juggling career and home life the best way she knows how but it isn't enough. Underlying anxiety clouds her decisions. She has trouble holding her temper with her rambunctious daughter Jess and work pressure is eating into her family time with Tim and the girls.
Alex's life revolves around her shifts at the bar and the one night stands she brings home to her flat. She clings to her one remaining friend and co-worker Jay and tries not to think about her broken relationship with the love of her life, Nikki. She is unapologetic and fearless. She also has a drinking problem. When she receives a call from her sister Beth that her mother has died her response is a curt “Thank God the bitch is dead.”
Marsons brings readers to the Black Country and the aching poverty found in this once industrial region of England. This setting adds to the sense of hopeless resignation seen in the memories of these three sisters as they gather at the home of their youth following the death of their mother. Beth has remained in the family home caring for their mother and has blocked most of the childhood abuse endured by the sisters.
I was impressed with how effective this story deals with issues surrounding child abuse and its effect on the human psyche. There are dark moments portrayed but there is also an underlying sense of hope. Find the proper therapist, recognize that your behaviour and choices made as an adult have roots in your past and learn to love and accept the person you have become.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending but I still thoroughly enjoyed this read.
ARC received with thanks from Bookouture via NetGalley for review.
December 14, 2015
This was not an easy read but the subject of child abuse never is. This is the story of three sisters living in a very disfunctional and abusive household. The betrayal by their mother whose abhorrent behaviour will leave long lasting affects on each of them, is unbelievable. I enjoyed getting to know the girl's, each personality interesting and complicated, and how they moved on with their lives after what they had been through.
This is a well written book, another gem from Angela Marsons.
This is a well written book, another gem from Angela Marsons.
December 2, 2016
Hearing about the death of their abusive mother brings sisters Catherine and Alex back into contact with Beth, the middle sister who stayed behind to look after their mother. Catherine and Alex have their own demons: Catherine has twin girls and a demanding job that means her family life suffers, Alex depends on alcohol and a streak of self-destructive behaviour.
The death of their mother works as a catalyst to bring the sisters to a crisis point but can the ones they love stay and help them or will they be driven away by the demons of their past.
A truly harrowing, but brilliant psychological thriller that was difficult, tragic and heartbreaking, but filled with positivity and optimism. The difficulties the characters faced as children were hard to read and their resulting pain as adults more so.
There are no major twists in this book and the ending may come as a surprise, but the raw honesty with which the novel is written won me over.
The death of their mother works as a catalyst to bring the sisters to a crisis point but can the ones they love stay and help them or will they be driven away by the demons of their past.
A truly harrowing, but brilliant psychological thriller that was difficult, tragic and heartbreaking, but filled with positivity and optimism. The difficulties the characters faced as children were hard to read and their resulting pain as adults more so.
There are no major twists in this book and the ending may come as a surprise, but the raw honesty with which the novel is written won me over.
October 17, 2024
Such a heartwarming book. It made me so emotional throughout and I absolutely loved the characters, their different personalities and their developments. I would definitely recommend it.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2024
Dear Mother is the heart breaking story of three sisters who grew up with an abusive mother.
As one of the three sisters (I’m the sensible big sister, lol), I found it easy to imagine my sisters and me within this story. I found it shocking and upsetting that a mother can be like that towards her own daughters. Witnessing the knock-on effect of such abuse down the generations was truly heart breaking.
Having read this author’s crime series, was I the only one who was obsessed with worry that evil Alex from Evil Games was going to make an appearance when Catherine went to see a therapist?
This was very hard to put down, and resulted in a couple of very late nights, or rather, very early mornings. The end of the story almost broken me!
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy emotional stories with great characters.
As one of the three sisters (I’m the sensible big sister, lol), I found it easy to imagine my sisters and me within this story. I found it shocking and upsetting that a mother can be like that towards her own daughters. Witnessing the knock-on effect of such abuse down the generations was truly heart breaking.
Having read this author’s crime series, was I the only one who was obsessed with worry that evil Alex from Evil Games was going to make an appearance when Catherine went to see a therapist?
This was very hard to put down, and resulted in a couple of very late nights, or rather, very early mornings. The end of the story almost broken me!
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy emotional stories with great characters.
February 7, 2017
A gripping tale of how three sisters come to terms with their traumatic childhood. An abusive mother has turned the lives of her three daughters upside down: Catherine, the eldest, has grown up to become a self-centred workaholic devoid of warmth whilst her youngest sister Alex has turned into a damaged alcoholic. Beth the middle child is a peacemaker whom upon her mother's death endeavours to unite her two sisters, This book was so beautiful and it tugged hard at my heartstrings that I just couldn't stop crying all the way through. I initially wanted to give it four stars because there're some editing errors however to do its great emotional depth justice I was compelled to give it a five.
November 21, 2015
Sad story of how child abuse effects 3 sisters even as adults!
July 28, 2016
Captivating, Inspiring, Eye Opening, Heart Wrenching & Deeply Moving! An Amazing Read! I Loved It!
February 21, 2021
If I had to list all of the authors that I'd like to meet, there's no question that Angela Marsons would be right up at the top. Not only are her DI Kim Stone novels quite simply my favourite crime fiction series out there at the moment, but they're based around Halesowen, Birmingham and the Black Country, which is an area I know well and which gives the books that extra dimension. Plus I happen to know that she owns two gorgeous golden retrievers, which I would like to meet almost as much as I would Angie herself.
So when a Facebook challenge came up to "read a book by an author you would like to meet", there are no prizes for guessing whose name came immediately to mind. The only problem was that I had already devoured every one of her fourteen (so far) Kim Stone books. The same goes for everything that two of my other favourite authors - S E Lynes and Noelle Holten - have had published to date.
But then a little voice in my head spoke to me. That's not always a good thing, but in this case it was worth listening to. Because it reminded me that Angela had also had two earlier books published - The Forgotten Woman and this: Dear Mother.
I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. The book tells the story of how three estranged sisters, all of whom suffered horrific abuse at the hands of their mother as children, are reunited after her death. The eldest sister Catherine is, in many ways, the character that became Kim Stone. In a drive to disprove everything her mother said to her, she has developed a successful and lucrative career. But she struggles to give her own two daughters any of the love and attention that she never received herself.
Youngest sister Alex is the opposite. She is filled with self-loathing and destruction and her only solace is alcohol. And middle child Beth, who remained living with and caring for her mother after she suffered a stroke, has managed to blot the worst memories from her mind. But the effect is for her to have become a pale imitation of the person that really exists inside her.
The book is told from the points of view of Catherine and Alex in the present time, with past events narrated from their own memories. In this case, this works better than if the storyline had switched between present and past, because it means that the instances of abuse can be described less brutally. However, don't even for one second think that less brutal means less powerful.
This book is sometimes hard-hitting, sometimes harrowing, sometimes funny and sometimes heartwarming, as two of the three sisters manage to begin to come to terms with their childhoods and start to find what was missing from their adult lives. The ending in store for the third character is one that I saw coming a mile off, but stayed absolutely glued to the pages, reading ever faster in the desperate hope that I was wrong. I wasn't. And this brought tears to my eyes.
Yes, Angie. You made a grown man cry. I hope you're proud.
If I were to be ultra-critical, I'd have to say that there are a few small flaws. Some of the dialogue in particular is a bit too slick, as the characters always seem to quickly find the right words to say in difficult or delicate situations. I suspect that the experience that Angie has since gained as a writer would allow her to improve on this. There's also the issue that the last 42 pages of the Kindle edition contain excerpts from Angie's more recent Kim Stone novels. Which meant that I was surprised to have reached the end of 'Dear Mother' when my Kindle said I was only 89% in.
This doesn't matter though, because in no way did either of these quibbles affect my enjoyment of the book. I binge-read it over a day and a half and finished wanting more.
So, to conclude: 'Dear Mother' is bloody brilliant. But it leaves me with a couple of dilemmas.
Firstly, I wonder how it is that Angie is able to write so powerfully, so believably and so beautifully about domestic child abuse. Perhaps, if I ever do get to meet her, I'll ask her. But I'm almost scared to hear the answer.
And secondly, I absolutely don't want her to stop writing the Kim Stone series. But in a way, I'm sorry that she can't do that and write more books like this one at the same time.
So when a Facebook challenge came up to "read a book by an author you would like to meet", there are no prizes for guessing whose name came immediately to mind. The only problem was that I had already devoured every one of her fourteen (so far) Kim Stone books. The same goes for everything that two of my other favourite authors - S E Lynes and Noelle Holten - have had published to date.
But then a little voice in my head spoke to me. That's not always a good thing, but in this case it was worth listening to. Because it reminded me that Angela had also had two earlier books published - The Forgotten Woman and this: Dear Mother.
I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. The book tells the story of how three estranged sisters, all of whom suffered horrific abuse at the hands of their mother as children, are reunited after her death. The eldest sister Catherine is, in many ways, the character that became Kim Stone. In a drive to disprove everything her mother said to her, she has developed a successful and lucrative career. But she struggles to give her own two daughters any of the love and attention that she never received herself.
Youngest sister Alex is the opposite. She is filled with self-loathing and destruction and her only solace is alcohol. And middle child Beth, who remained living with and caring for her mother after she suffered a stroke, has managed to blot the worst memories from her mind. But the effect is for her to have become a pale imitation of the person that really exists inside her.
The book is told from the points of view of Catherine and Alex in the present time, with past events narrated from their own memories. In this case, this works better than if the storyline had switched between present and past, because it means that the instances of abuse can be described less brutally. However, don't even for one second think that less brutal means less powerful.
This book is sometimes hard-hitting, sometimes harrowing, sometimes funny and sometimes heartwarming, as two of the three sisters manage to begin to come to terms with their childhoods and start to find what was missing from their adult lives. The ending in store for the third character is one that I saw coming a mile off, but stayed absolutely glued to the pages, reading ever faster in the desperate hope that I was wrong. I wasn't. And this brought tears to my eyes.
Yes, Angie. You made a grown man cry. I hope you're proud.
If I were to be ultra-critical, I'd have to say that there are a few small flaws. Some of the dialogue in particular is a bit too slick, as the characters always seem to quickly find the right words to say in difficult or delicate situations. I suspect that the experience that Angie has since gained as a writer would allow her to improve on this. There's also the issue that the last 42 pages of the Kindle edition contain excerpts from Angie's more recent Kim Stone novels. Which meant that I was surprised to have reached the end of 'Dear Mother' when my Kindle said I was only 89% in.
This doesn't matter though, because in no way did either of these quibbles affect my enjoyment of the book. I binge-read it over a day and a half and finished wanting more.
So, to conclude: 'Dear Mother' is bloody brilliant. But it leaves me with a couple of dilemmas.
Firstly, I wonder how it is that Angie is able to write so powerfully, so believably and so beautifully about domestic child abuse. Perhaps, if I ever do get to meet her, I'll ask her. But I'm almost scared to hear the answer.
And secondly, I absolutely don't want her to stop writing the Kim Stone series. But in a way, I'm sorry that she can't do that and write more books like this one at the same time.
July 25, 2016
Very touching, thought provoking book. It's a quick read but not an easy one, delving some into the psychological effects of childhood abuse on three women.
Catherine, Beth, and Alex had an awful childhood. They spent their earliest years at the mercy of a cruel mother who both physically and verbally abused them and broke them down. They've each taken very different paths. Catherine seems to have the perfect life to an observer. Loving husband, two girls, and a high powered career she's paid handsomely for. Unfortunately, she never learned how to be a mother and her family suffers for it. Baby of the family Alex is more of a lost soul, spending most of her nights blackout drunk as an alcoholic in denial after sabotaging a relationship with a woman that could have been the love of her life. Beth, the middle child, is the only one that's stayed with her ailing mother. None of them have dealt with their feelings about their childhood, but Beth actually manages to completely block it out and has no memory of the abuse. When their mother dies, they come together for the first time in many years and must face the past including the awful memories seeing each other again brings to the surface.
Angela Marsons is such a talented author, I'm never disappointed in her books. This one gets a 4 star rating from me because I would have liked to get a more in-depth look at Beth, but still a highly reccomended emotional story.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Catherine, Beth, and Alex had an awful childhood. They spent their earliest years at the mercy of a cruel mother who both physically and verbally abused them and broke them down. They've each taken very different paths. Catherine seems to have the perfect life to an observer. Loving husband, two girls, and a high powered career she's paid handsomely for. Unfortunately, she never learned how to be a mother and her family suffers for it. Baby of the family Alex is more of a lost soul, spending most of her nights blackout drunk as an alcoholic in denial after sabotaging a relationship with a woman that could have been the love of her life. Beth, the middle child, is the only one that's stayed with her ailing mother. None of them have dealt with their feelings about their childhood, but Beth actually manages to completely block it out and has no memory of the abuse. When their mother dies, they come together for the first time in many years and must face the past including the awful memories seeing each other again brings to the surface.
Angela Marsons is such a talented author, I'm never disappointed in her books. This one gets a 4 star rating from me because I would have liked to get a more in-depth look at Beth, but still a highly reccomended emotional story.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
November 8, 2025
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.
Books with child abuse as the foundation of the story are difficult to read; paradoxically, they are also the books that are tough to stop reading, because you feel compelled to keep going “just a little longer” before calling it a night. (In the wee hours of the morning, of course!) Such was my dilemma as I read Dear Mother.
It was painful to read about the suffering of the sisters when they were children, and to see the consequences the abuse had on their lives as adults. Fictional characters or not, it was an emotional wallop each time one of the sisters had a memory of their mother’s cruelty. On the flip-side, whenever something good happened for one of the characters, I felt ridiculously happy for them.
I’ve read many novels where the character(s) struggled to deal with the effects of an abusive childhood, and in my opinion, Marsons’ Dear Mother is one of the best I’ve read. Her writing is excellent throughout; the ebb and flow of the story’s intensity is wonderfully done in such a way that the reader is kept enthralled and reluctant to set the book aside for any reason. Your heart will break, but there are also moments when it will sing.
This is the first book I’ve read by Angela Marsons, but I’m planning on reading more of her work in the future. The next read may very well put me through the emotional wringer as this one did… but I’m pretty sure it will be worth it!
Books with child abuse as the foundation of the story are difficult to read; paradoxically, they are also the books that are tough to stop reading, because you feel compelled to keep going “just a little longer” before calling it a night. (In the wee hours of the morning, of course!) Such was my dilemma as I read Dear Mother.
It was painful to read about the suffering of the sisters when they were children, and to see the consequences the abuse had on their lives as adults. Fictional characters or not, it was an emotional wallop each time one of the sisters had a memory of their mother’s cruelty. On the flip-side, whenever something good happened for one of the characters, I felt ridiculously happy for them.
I’ve read many novels where the character(s) struggled to deal with the effects of an abusive childhood, and in my opinion, Marsons’ Dear Mother is one of the best I’ve read. Her writing is excellent throughout; the ebb and flow of the story’s intensity is wonderfully done in such a way that the reader is kept enthralled and reluctant to set the book aside for any reason. Your heart will break, but there are also moments when it will sing.
This is the first book I’ve read by Angela Marsons, but I’m planning on reading more of her work in the future. The next read may very well put me through the emotional wringer as this one did… but I’m pretty sure it will be worth it!
August 23, 2016
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoture for an ARC of Dear Mother in return for an honest review.
Dear Mother is a harrowing yet compelling read, telling the story of 3 sisters, Catherine, Alex and Beth.
The sisters were estranged following years of abuse at the hands of their mother and this book tells of the impact that their childhood had on each of them as well as the story of them coming back together.
This is not my usual choice of genre to read and it is certainly different from Angela's Kim Stone series but despite this I loved this book - though given the subject matter I'm not sure loved is the most appropriate word to use, it haunted me and I found myself drawn to each of the sisters as their story unfolds. It's not an easy read and nor should it be - but it will touch you emotionally as you take the journey with the sisters.
Highly recommended
Dear Mother is a harrowing yet compelling read, telling the story of 3 sisters, Catherine, Alex and Beth.
The sisters were estranged following years of abuse at the hands of their mother and this book tells of the impact that their childhood had on each of them as well as the story of them coming back together.
This is not my usual choice of genre to read and it is certainly different from Angela's Kim Stone series but despite this I loved this book - though given the subject matter I'm not sure loved is the most appropriate word to use, it haunted me and I found myself drawn to each of the sisters as their story unfolds. It's not an easy read and nor should it be - but it will touch you emotionally as you take the journey with the sisters.
Highly recommended
August 15, 2016
Angela is known for her crime novels, which she writes brilliantly, so I was interested as to how she would write a women’s literary fiction novel, especially one with such emotive subject matter. The verdict…brilliantly!
The story centres around three sisters, Catherine, Beth and Alex, each of whom suffered physical and the resulting emotional abuse by their mother. After a period of estrangement, the sister’s are brought together again following the death of their mother. Told in third person narrative but from the perspectives of Catherine and Alex we see the impact their childhood had on each of them.
As a former child protection social worker, I wondered if Angela would be able to write with depth and understanding about the devastating consequences a childhood marred with abuse can have on an adult. I’m pleased to say Angela nails it! She writes with empathy and an acute understanding of the potential aftermath of an abusive childhood; from alcohol as a coping mechanism to the impact on future parenting skills and all that comes in between.
All three sisters have developed a different coping strategy and the consequences are heartbreaking. It is the middle child, Beth, who I worried about the most throughout this book. Her voice is not as clear during the telling of the story, yet she still comes across as a pivotal character and is the one who brings the sisters back together again. I wanted to bring Beth home and give her the mothering she had never experienced. You cannot help but get emotionally involved with all of the characters.
Interspersed with memories of abusive events during their childhood, this is not always a comfortable read and is, quite frankly, heartbreaking. I consider myself quite hardened due to my past job, however Angela broke me. The legacy that their mother left them bares on the future generations and makes for incredibly powerful reading. I felt an intense sadness on completion of this book, and it made me feel that pit of your stomach ache that only intense sorrow can make you feel. I left it a couple of days before writing this review to try and get over it, however, in writing it those same feelings have come back.
It comes across that Angela has done a lot of research as she writes about therapy sessions with realism and accuracy.
This is a well written, acutely observed portrayal of the aftermath of a childhood filled with abuse. It showcases Angela’s talent as a writer and demonstrates how she can seamlessly move from one genre to another. It is not an easy read but one worth undertaking. I highly recommend it but warn you to have a box of tissues handy.
Thank you to Angela Marsons, Bookouture and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story centres around three sisters, Catherine, Beth and Alex, each of whom suffered physical and the resulting emotional abuse by their mother. After a period of estrangement, the sister’s are brought together again following the death of their mother. Told in third person narrative but from the perspectives of Catherine and Alex we see the impact their childhood had on each of them.
As a former child protection social worker, I wondered if Angela would be able to write with depth and understanding about the devastating consequences a childhood marred with abuse can have on an adult. I’m pleased to say Angela nails it! She writes with empathy and an acute understanding of the potential aftermath of an abusive childhood; from alcohol as a coping mechanism to the impact on future parenting skills and all that comes in between.
All three sisters have developed a different coping strategy and the consequences are heartbreaking. It is the middle child, Beth, who I worried about the most throughout this book. Her voice is not as clear during the telling of the story, yet she still comes across as a pivotal character and is the one who brings the sisters back together again. I wanted to bring Beth home and give her the mothering she had never experienced. You cannot help but get emotionally involved with all of the characters.
Interspersed with memories of abusive events during their childhood, this is not always a comfortable read and is, quite frankly, heartbreaking. I consider myself quite hardened due to my past job, however Angela broke me. The legacy that their mother left them bares on the future generations and makes for incredibly powerful reading. I felt an intense sadness on completion of this book, and it made me feel that pit of your stomach ache that only intense sorrow can make you feel. I left it a couple of days before writing this review to try and get over it, however, in writing it those same feelings have come back.
It comes across that Angela has done a lot of research as she writes about therapy sessions with realism and accuracy.
This is a well written, acutely observed portrayal of the aftermath of a childhood filled with abuse. It showcases Angela’s talent as a writer and demonstrates how she can seamlessly move from one genre to another. It is not an easy read but one worth undertaking. I highly recommend it but warn you to have a box of tissues handy.
Thank you to Angela Marsons, Bookouture and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
This is the story of three sisters, all broken after a horrific childhood. When Beth, the middle child, contacted her two sisters to notify them of their mother's passing, it opened up a whole lot of wounds that all three had suppressed.
Three sisters, all living in the same hell and all bore the scars of that childhood with an unbelievably cruel mother. The actions of one terrible parent shaped the three sisters' lives. Catherine, the oldest, the over-achiever, measures her self worth by her accomplishments; successful in her profession but feels detached from her children. After one quick action that mirrored her mother, she is shocked into examining who she is and why. Alex, the youngest, is a train wreck. She's become an alcoholic and destroys everything that's good in her life. She's angry at everyone, including Catherine, who she feels abandoned them.
And Beth, the middle child, she's the one who stayed, she didn't escape. She's the one scarred the most, yet she's blacked it out and doesn't remember. The three hadn't had any contact for many years but their mother's death brought them back together.
This story was so emotional and moving. My heart broke for those three little girls and what their life was like. Who we become is shaped by the events in our past and all three sisters, scarred by their childhood, carried those wounds into adulthood. Is it ever too late to "fix" them, can they ever heal?
I had such anger towards the mother. Why would she have children since she clearly had no maternal desire? And where was the father in all this? He left but how could anyone leave their children in her care?
This book was such an engrossing but shocking and sad story and I couldn't put it down. 41/2 for me. This is the first book I have read by this author and it definitely won't be the last.
Three sisters, all living in the same hell and all bore the scars of that childhood with an unbelievably cruel mother. The actions of one terrible parent shaped the three sisters' lives. Catherine, the oldest, the over-achiever, measures her self worth by her accomplishments; successful in her profession but feels detached from her children. After one quick action that mirrored her mother, she is shocked into examining who she is and why. Alex, the youngest, is a train wreck. She's become an alcoholic and destroys everything that's good in her life. She's angry at everyone, including Catherine, who she feels abandoned them.
And Beth, the middle child, she's the one who stayed, she didn't escape. She's the one scarred the most, yet she's blacked it out and doesn't remember. The three hadn't had any contact for many years but their mother's death brought them back together.
This story was so emotional and moving. My heart broke for those three little girls and what their life was like. Who we become is shaped by the events in our past and all three sisters, scarred by their childhood, carried those wounds into adulthood. Is it ever too late to "fix" them, can they ever heal?
I had such anger towards the mother. Why would she have children since she clearly had no maternal desire? And where was the father in all this? He left but how could anyone leave their children in her care?
This book was such an engrossing but shocking and sad story and I couldn't put it down. 41/2 for me. This is the first book I have read by this author and it definitely won't be the last.
January 3, 2016
Firstly I have to tell you that no book has ever made me cry and I have read quite a lot of books. Not only did it make me cry once, but it made me cry three times.
At first I thought this book was too easy and gave away too much too soon and I really disliked the protagonists Catherine and Alex I found them quite cold and lacking description but when I choose a book to read I commit to it....and I am so glad I did!
This book is a gritty journey into the lives of two women and their sister who suffered abuse from the one person in the whole world who should love them unconditionally, their Mother. The time has come when their lives are being pulled apart by their past and they are forced to confront it one way or another.
It is a real rollercoaster ride into the past and reliving the memories is painful to both the characters and the reader, there were moments where I had to take a deep breath and take in what I had read but you have to see it through. There were truly beautiful moments which had me in tears because I understood how far the characters had come and how difficult it was for them to accept and move on with their lives.
Brilliant book definitely worth the read!
PS. the last sentence of the book is the most tear jerking but no sneaking a head to see you have to wait
At first I thought this book was too easy and gave away too much too soon and I really disliked the protagonists Catherine and Alex I found them quite cold and lacking description but when I choose a book to read I commit to it....and I am so glad I did!
This book is a gritty journey into the lives of two women and their sister who suffered abuse from the one person in the whole world who should love them unconditionally, their Mother. The time has come when their lives are being pulled apart by their past and they are forced to confront it one way or another.
It is a real rollercoaster ride into the past and reliving the memories is painful to both the characters and the reader, there were moments where I had to take a deep breath and take in what I had read but you have to see it through. There were truly beautiful moments which had me in tears because I understood how far the characters had come and how difficult it was for them to accept and move on with their lives.
Brilliant book definitely worth the read!
PS. the last sentence of the book is the most tear jerking but no sneaking a head to see you have to wait
July 20, 2016
This book will resonate with many. Either because of suffering abuse, knowing someone who has or disbelief that this sort of thing can happen behind closed doors and being shocked that someone could treat other human beings in this way. It does happen. That said although this book is extremely moving most of this is not the harrowing account that you imagine (although there are recollections of some of what happened). Most of it is about how the girls once women find that it has affected their lives and recall the happenings according to each of them- sometimes not knowing the truth about why things happened. I devoured this book for my own reasons and felt for each of the 3 girls and willed them on to the future, a future of happiness without fear of retribution. This is so well written that you can’t help but be moved by each of their stories. One of those memorable reads that makes you realise how much of life of formed in childhood and how we are treated by those around us.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review
May 20, 2017
Dear Mother has been published previously under a different name; The Middle Child.
I didn't really know what to expect as I've only read Angie Marsons DI Kim Stone series previously which is obviously a very different genre to this one, so I was a bit cautious.
But I needn't have been. It blew me away, it was so powerful! It plays havoc with your emotions, you have been warned!
The snippets of past abuse, whilst horrific, we're so delicately and sensitively written that I can only applaud her talent. Most authors can only write one particular genre really well, but Angie has hands-down nailed two!
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review
I didn't really know what to expect as I've only read Angie Marsons DI Kim Stone series previously which is obviously a very different genre to this one, so I was a bit cautious.
But I needn't have been. It blew me away, it was so powerful! It plays havoc with your emotions, you have been warned!
The snippets of past abuse, whilst horrific, we're so delicately and sensitively written that I can only applaud her talent. Most authors can only write one particular genre really well, but Angie has hands-down nailed two!
Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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