Mother Knows Best

by J.A. Baker

A devoted mother

Helena has always prided herself on being a good mother, a constant for her daughters, Vanessa the responsible one, and Rachel – fragile and sensitive. But as her daughters navigate adulthood, a chilling question begins to has her devotion been a delusion?

Now, Rachel walks the city streets, lost to addiction, while Vanessa's endless nights at work leave her children vulnerable in Helena's care – proof of their fractured family.

Her worst nightmare

Then the disappearances begin. Local girls, snatched from the darkness, their lives brutally extinguished. Fear consumes Helena, yet the harder she tries to protect her girls, the more her daughters push her away until a terrifying thought takes root, twisting Helena’s maternal instincts into icy suspicion.

What if the danger isn't lurking in the shadows...but has been much closer to home all along? 👀

Praise for J. A.

Don't miss the BRAND NEW gripping psychological thriller from the BESTSELLING author of The Perfect Parents, J. A. Baker 🏡💥 Perfect for fans of The Push by Ashley Audrain and The Daughter by T. M. Logan! 📚🩸 "Engaging characters, a chilling tale - Baker at her best!" Bestselling author Valerie Keogh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


"A dark and twisting thrill ride that asks the how well do you really know your parents? It kept me hooked until the final page!" Bestselling author M.A. Hunter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"A dark and twisty thriller that keep you guessing at the truth, The Perfect Parents is an addictive read!" Bestselling author Alison Stockham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"This captivating pacy thriller sucks you in from the first page and spits you out at the last! I thought I’d worked it out, but no… the twists kept coming and the final reveal is a heartbreaker 💔" Bestselling author Ruby Speechley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Intensely compelling, with so many twists I didn't see coming!' Bestselling author, Alex Stone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Thriller Suspense

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2025

About the author

J. A. Baker was born and brought up in the North East of England.

When she's not writing and thinking up new and inventive ways of killing off her fictional characters, or looking after her young grandchildren, she can be found pottering around her garden with her madcap dog, Theo or in a coffee shop eating cake with her long suffering husband.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Mother Knows Best, by J A Baker, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sisters Vanessa and Rachel did not have the healthiest upbringing with their mom Helene, now the girls are older, Vanessa has a family and Rachel is on her own. This book jumps between the past starting over a decade ago and the present, I prefer books that dont jump the timeline. I did not like the ending of this book at all, that character was heartless and horrible.

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helena is a library assistant, grandmother, widow and mother to two adult daughters who have their own issues. Vanessa works in a nursing home, but her odd hours leave Helena always watching her children, which leaves her always exhausted. Her other daughter, Rachel, is an addict living on the streets, refusing to come home, despite the fact that a serial killer has been taking and killing women in the area of town that attracts those like her, who feel like have nothing to live for.

As time goes on, Helena starts to worry about her her daughters even more than she usually does. Vanessa is always in a bad mood, always rushing off to work without thanking her mother for being at her beck and call. Rachel is wasting away on the streets, and doesn’t seem to be worried about the dead women being found in her area. When Helena sees her wearing a new ring - a ring that looks suspiciously similar to one that a murder victim had, her thought fly all over the place. Are her daughters okay? Are they going to STAY okay?

This book has several facets. There was a young girl that died years ago, and the mystery surrounding her drowning continues to this day. We also have the story of a young boy named Alex, who terrorizes his teachers then goes home to be beaten by his mother. Finally, we also have chapters from a woman who has been abducted and is now tied up and held against her will. As the book goes on, the relationships between all of the characters come together, and the ending is full of shocks. The characters are good, the story was great, and this is a very suspenseful page turner. Four stars!

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, J.A. Baker and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on August 25, 2025.)

[Aya ☕︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

OMG.... These characters are the epitome of evil. It scares me to know that there are some people living between us who have the same ideas. Most of them have missed up childhoods and an inferior complex like Alex, and some have absolutely no reason to be evil they just chose to be, and those are the ones scarier. Hope those kind of people never find me

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Thank you Boldwood Books for sending me an ARC of this book, My apologies for being late to read it 🫶🏻

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow nearer publication date.

Mother Knows Best starts as a slow read, quite repetitive at times until suddenly the story becomes clear and then it becomes hard to put down.

I really enjoyed this book, the ending is superb and the twist in the story is very well written. One of J.A. Bakers best books.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Published today, 25th August.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mother Knows Best was a dark psychological mystery-thriller. The story followed Helena, a mother of two, Vanessa and Rachel. When a series of chilling disappearances and murders of young women occurred in their quiet town, Helena became consumed with protecting her family. However, as her fear took hold, her maternal instinct spiraled into suspicion and she questioned who among them could she truly trust.

I am thankful to have gotten an advance copy of Mother Knows Best since I hadn’t read a book by J A Baker prior to this. I didn’t have any expectations going into it, other than wanting to try a new to me author and hoping I’d find a new one to add to my author list. Like all books I read, there are the positives and the negatives. But unfortunately, the negatives outweighed the positives here.

The most unfavorable element was the lack of character depth and unlikable characters. I also felt the story started slow, with too much internal monologue and not enough early suspense. Additionally, some of the chapters were repetitive and the multiple points of views felt more confusing than engaging which made me unable to connect with the characters.

Altogether I was intrigued to read a book by J A Baker, a new to me author but this was a dark and sinister mystery thriller that lacked a riveting narrative and likable characters. I so badly wanted to be engaged, but regrettably, it fell short for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this author holds the record for me saying ‘and this is now my fav by this author’…..but honestly I have to say it again

This is a powerfully dark book about a Mum and her 2 grown up daughters alongside the Mum’s Mum and a man who they all knew in childhood

There are lots of stories all moving towards the atomic conclusion and we hear from all the characters and read about their pasts and present

It is toxic and chilling but unbelievably readable and the descriptions of the various characters and the chaos they call lives is so good you can picture each scene in all its spiralling chaos

Quite how Mum copes am unsure but she does, just as the poor womans life gets crazier and more uncontrollable

Brilliant story and writing, you will be fixated until the last word

[Roz Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This starts out slow and builds up in tension as we get to see events from the past and present unfold. We get the story from multiple pov which I always appreciate as I think it helps to develop the characters.

The book switches in timeline and also from the pov of one of the victims which adds more tension as it becomes clear things are not going to end well for Helena and her daughters.

Some of the characters were devoid of empathy and compassion whilst Helena tries her best to be a good mum. It is inevitable that she is going to be heartbroken whatever the outcome. She just wants to keep her children safe...

An enjoyable read with a strong ending.

With huge thanks to the author, publisher, Netgalley and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book to review.

[Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I wanted to shake some sense into this main character because her head was stuck so far in the sand she didn’t know which way was up. That said, the plot wasn’t necessarily twisty, as I saw everything that was happening coming. It was still a good read, and it is a good thriller.

Helena is worried. For all she tried to protect her daughters, she seems to have failed. Her mother was an awful role model and she swore to be better. But no matter how much love she gave her daughters, she has one on the streets as an addict and one that is a workaholic that barely talks to her, except to ask her to watch her kids. With what seems to be a serial killer on the streets going after young women, her daughters could be in danger. And she isn’t going to let anything happen to them.

Thank you to Love Books Tours for the copy, all thoughts are my own.

[Shannon Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Mother Knows Best, we follow multiple POVs

Helena - mother of three
One = dead
One = homeless drug addict
One = works at a nursing home and mother of two

Alex - a very twisted kid. Loves blood and love seeing people hurt

Kidnapped woman

We go back and forth from years ago with Alex’s POV to the present with the other two POVs. We do not know who the kidnapped woman is nor do we know who the kidnapper is.

Will we find out? Take the journey through “Mother Knows Best” by J.A. Baker to find out!

[VickydpBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very good writing and got the storyline in the first 5 chapters!!

Blurb

A devoted mother

Helena has always prided herself on being a good mother, a constant for her daughters, Vanessa the responsible one, and Rachel – fragile and sensitive. But as her daughters navigate adulthood, a chilling question begins to fester: has her devotion been a delusion?

Now, Rachel walks the city streets, lost to addiction, while Vanessa's endless nights at work leave her children vulnerable in Helena's care – proof of their fractured family.

Her worst nightmare

Then the disappearances begin. Local girls, snatched from the darkness, their lives brutally extinguished. Fear consumes Helena, yet the harder she tries to protect her girls, the more her daughters push her away until a terrifying thought takes root, twisting Helena’s maternal instincts into icy suspicion.

[Suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

This book was okay, but extremely slow and despite that, the twists felt quite predictable.

Some thing(s) I liked:
✅Writing style was fine
✅ Different POVs
✅Lots of twists

Some thing(s), not so much:
⭕Always the people who shouldn't be let anywhere near children having them and messing them up
⭕Not much happened for the first half except the FMC moaning about how crap her life is

[Giorgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know if it was the audiobook that was particularly good, but I really enjoyed this book. It doesn’t have any shocking plot twist or anything, but it kept me interested all the way through.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one finished strong which allowed me to give a 4 star review. Initially, I was frustrated by the “Helena” narrative and just wanted her to stop whining. Her excessive fatigue was never explained other than stress. I was sure there would be a terminal illness.

I did enjoy Alex and “present day” narrative as there seemed to be some action vs thought spirals.

About 1/2 way through, it got noticeably better and I began to truly enjoy the unraveling of the narrative.

I would recommend this one, but be patient.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced readers copy. I leave this review voluntarily.

[Lupita_333 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is told through 3 POVs which are from Helena, Alex, and Alex’s kidnapped victim. Helena is a mother who fears her daughters are heading toward a path that’s beyond saving. One of her daughters struggles with addiction and the other seems fine with a family of her own up until the discovery of missing and murdered women from their town starts to surface. Alex has evil intentions and has spent his whole life becoming more and more malicious with no remorse. Through the kidnapped victims POV and Alex’s own POV, Alex’s downward continued spiral becomes even more sinister.

I really loved this book. It had characters that are flawed with no remorse for their actions, and a mother who’s forced to uncover the terrifying secrets of both her daughters. Getting to read from multiple POV’s including from the kidnapper and the victim was really interesting. The ending was gruesome and shocking.

The other book that I’ve read and enjoyed by this author is The Good Daughter. I will be reading and reviewing more of her books soon.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tuwanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a good suspense/thriller plot. I think it could have been shorter in length and had an overkill of trying to create the picture. Some chapters sounded like previous chapters when the characters described feeling etc. I did like how the author provided a backstory and didn’t just end the story without going a little farther in time.

[Patricia Raffauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother Knows Best by J.A. Baker is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. At the heart of the story is Helene, a devoted mother and grandmother whose fierce love for her two daughters, Rachael and Vanessa, shines through every chapter. As a widow, Helene battles deep loneliness and anxiety, which only intensify as unsettling events begin to unfold in their quiet town.

The story alternates between multiple perspectives, including Helene’s, her daughters’, and a man named Alex — whose disturbing inner world is revealed piece by piece. Through Alex’s chilling reflections on his traumatic childhood and twisted thoughts as an adult, Baker creates a dark, unsettling atmosphere that keeps readers constantly on edge.

Another heartbreaking thread follows a kidnapped woman, held captive in Alex’s home, whose desperate, harrowing experience is described with raw, emotional intensity. Her chapters are some of the most difficult yet compelling parts of the book, adding a layer of vulnerability and urgency to the unfolding mystery.

What makes Mother Knows Best stand out is how well the characters are drawn. Each one feels authentic, flawed, and human, and their emotions linger long after the book is finished. Baker does a masterful job of intertwining their stories, building tension, and slowly revealing connections that lead to a shocking and satisfying conclusion.

I read this book in just a few days, unable to put it down. The characters have stayed with me, their voices and fears still echoing in my mind. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with rich character development, dark secrets, and a touch of domestic suspense, I highly recommend Mother Knows Best.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and J.A. Baker for an advanced copy of this book.

[Molly Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mother Knows Best is a domestic thriller that explores the complex ideas of nature versus nurture and the fundamental importance of mothers and the role they play in shaping their children’s lives. I found the topics of this novel to be very interesting, however I personally did not feel they were fleshed out in profound enough way. The pacing of this novel felt awkward, almost as if two people had written it. Some sections felt overwritten and unnecessary to the overall storyline. For a thriller, I did not find it to have particularly shocking twists and the story felt very flat despite the topics being discussed. Despite this, I felt that Baker did a good job connecting the reader to the characters and I felt like I could easily understand their motives and thoughts behind their experiences. This novel had a great foundation, but for me it wasn’t executed how I would have preferred. I would still recommend it for those interested in the topics involved in the novel or for those who are looking for a less involved thriller.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC; I can’t wait for everyone else to enjoy it come August 25, 2025!

In Mother Knows Best, author J.A. Baker masterfully weaves together differing voices, making you question everything and everyone. I found myself constantly second-guessing who to trust and wondering whether any of the narrators could truly be relied upon.

Initially, I thought I had figured out where the story was going…but then the plot took a sharp turn. The way the various threads were pulled together, only to be unraveled with chilling precision, was so cleverly done. And the final chapter? Absolutely jaw-dropping. I’m still thinking about it!

If you love thrillers filled with tension, twists, and unreliable narrators, Mother Knows Best belongs at the top of your TBR list!

[Shaina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars – Intriguing premise, but struggled to connect

I was intrigued by the premise of Mother Knows Best and eager to dive in, but ultimately found it a bit of a slow burn that never quite caught fire for me.

The story follows a mother-daughter relationship that’s clearly meant to be tense and unsettling, but I had trouble connecting with either of them. The characters felt underdeveloped—I wanted more depth, more backstory, more reason to care about what happened to them. There were moments of suspense and emotional tension, especially as the daughter's behavior becomes more erratic and the mother begins to unravel, but they didn’t hit as hard as they could have.

That said, the dynamic between the two does take some unexpected turns. There are glimpses of psychological manipulation and paranoia that hint at a more layered story beneath the surface, and the twist toward the end did provide a payoff, even if it felt a bit rushed.

Overall, it had potential, but just didn’t quite land for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

[Fordie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multiple POV narrative, twisty, dark, and full of suspense. Pulled me in and the differing voices of Helena, the killer and the killers victim each had a differing tone and pace, with the pace really picking up with all POVs during the second half. There was a lot going on but it was easy to read. I enjoyed the style of this

[Ashton Rohrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thriller had everything you want when reading this genre! Unexpected twists & turns, dual points of view and an ending that made it all tie up together. Really enjoyed this authors writing and i’m excited to read more!

[Tempest Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good read.

Wow, this was such a page turner. I can barely put it down better in about a week which is quite good for me. Usually it takes me three weeks to get through a book because I’m so busy but I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend the story and the author.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is Baker at his best! Helena has two daughters who are very different. Vanessa has two young children and Rachel is homeless and refuses help. And then we have Alex, a childhood bully from their past.who continues to act out as his childhood was abusive. It's a wonderfully convoluted novel about murder, lies, and people who will fight for what they believe in. Loved every page!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this is a dark thriller about a serial killer who is targeting young women and a mother concerned for her two daughters one is a single mother juggling a challenging job and two young kids and her other daughter is an addict and living on the streets. As she tries to hold the whole family together and keep her girls safe does she really know either of them and is the truth darker than she ever imagined. Can she save her girls or is it too late to stop them going down the wrong path?

[Anna Mattocks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mother Knows Best follows a mother and her two disappointing daughters and a psychopath in their small town. The story itself was interesting and kept you guessing. But the inner monologues of the characters, especially the mother, seemed to drag on. I had a hard time focusing on the story until the last this of the book which is where I felt the action actually happened. The first 2/3rds of the book felt like a really slow build-up to the climax. So not a bad book, I just prefer books where you feel like the story is moving the whole time. This one was in the character's thoughts a lot more than anything happening in the story.

[Lauren Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It was expertly written. It is told from multiple POVs; Helena is one POV she is a mother of 2 daughters and is a grandmother of 2 and she loves them dearly. Another POV is from Alex who was an abused neglected child and has some unpleasant behaviours, thoughts and feelings as a result. There is also a mystery POV from somebody who has been abducted and there are a few chapters from Helena’s daughters. In a spoiler free nut shell the story is about Helena’s worry’s for her daughters after local women are going missing. It is a slow burn that details the complexities of relationships as well as the nature/nurture debate. There are a few twists in it too. I would definitely recommend and I will be reading more by this author as the 2 I have read have been great!

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book about a family full of terrible women. Helene is supposed to be the good one, but all she does is whine about how terrible her daughters are while taking 0 accountability. “I love them unconditionally” but wishes her youngest wasn’t born because her being a homeless addict is soooo stressful for poor mommy.

The premise was interesting and I was hoping I hadn’t figured it out 30% of the way through, but it was hard not to see the ending coming with the author beating you over the head with ‘hints’.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 for me, the story was interesting and never once was I bored, but there was very little character development. Even after I finished reading it, I was still confused as to why certain characters did what they did, and key moments felt underexplored. A deeper dive into the characters' inner worlds/psyche would have made the plot's impact much stronger.

[Meg Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother Knows Best by J.A. Baker

Helena has always believed she knows what’s best for her family. With two very different daughters—Vanessa, the dependable professional and mother of two, and Rachel, the troubled addict struggling to survive on the streets—Helena shoulders their burdens as if they were her own. But when young women start vanishing in their quiet town, only to be discovered brutally murdered, Helena’s anxieties take on a darker edge. She fears for her daughters’ safety more than ever, yet she can’t shake the feeling that danger may already be closer than she dares admit.

Told across multiple perspectives and timelines, Mother Knows Best weaves Helena’s voice with that of Alex, a boy whose fractured childhood and toxic bond with his mother have left deep scars. There are also glimpses from the perspective of a woman being held captive, each chapter pulling the threads tighter until they inevitably converge. This structure keeps the suspense simmering and creates an atmosphere of unease that lingers throughout.

Baker excels at portraying flawed but deeply human characters. Helena is relatable in her devotion yet unsettling in her need for control, Vanessa is admirable but stretched thin, and Rachel’s vulnerability makes her heartbreakingly real. Alex, meanwhile, is written with chilling precision—his past casting long shadows over every decision he makes. The gradual build of tension mirrors the slow-burn dread of real life, where danger creeps in before you realize it.

This isn’t a fast-paced, twist-a-minute thriller. Instead, it’s a layered, character-driven psychological suspense filled with lies, secrets, manipulation, and the unsettling truth that even within families, nothing is ever as it seems. The final reveal is both shocking and inevitable, the kind of twist that makes you immediately rethink everything that came before.

For readers who enjoy domestic suspense with emotional weight and creeping menace, Mother Knows Best is a chilling exploration of motherhood, loyalty, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive.

[Teresa Nikolic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helena was widowed when her children were young and, despite her not having a great role model in her own mother, she believes she did her best for them, even though now they are adults they have their own issues. Vanessa, the eldest, is single parent to Mabel and Noah, struggling with her job as a care home manager and looking after the children and relies heavily on Helena. Rachel, her youngest, is an addict, choosing to live on the streets and not accept any help from her mum, which worries her greatly, especially as there's now a serial killer on the loose targetting young women. Alex is a young man that had a rough childhood, raised by an alcoholic mother and was always a bit of a loner, but he's trying to hold down a job and fit into society as best he can. Then Helena makes a discovery that gets her thinking the perpetrator may be closer to home than she could ever have imagined?

Mother Knows Best is the latest thriller by this new to me author, told from various perspectives and across multiple timelines. It's a well crafted tale with realistic characters, every one of them having at least one flaw that makes them appear more human to the reader. The author draws the reader in with this multi layered story that, as time progresses and the layers are peeled back, we see the jigsaw finally start to take shape. It's a dark and, at times, harrowing read with some great twists, especially that final one. If you like a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, second guessing the outcome throughout, this one is definitely for you.

I'd like to thank Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.