My Mother's Murder: A Daughter's 35-Year Search For Truth

by Gina McGavin, Jane Hamilton

A 35-year-old unsolved murder. Mary’s murder gripped the town of Partick for years after her death.


A cold case reawakened because of the Daily Record with women at the heart of it. The victim, the daughter, the detective, the forensic scientist, the reporter.




For 35 years Gina McGavin hunted for her mother’s killer.


Mary McLaughlin’s senseless brutal murder ignited in Gina a deep sense of injustice and an insatiable need to seek the truth about her death.


The two women had only just begun to work on their broken relationship with Gina finding ways to forgive her mother for abandoning the family home when Gina was just two years old. Now she felt abandoned again and it awakened in her an obsessive quest that would overshadow her whole life.


Gina unravels family secrets and revelations about her mother as she began to suspect that some close to her knew more about Mary’s murder than they were letting on.


She puts family members on the spot and rakes over every detail she can find to not only lead her to a killer but to understand who her mother was and why she abandoned her family.


Gina delves into potential suspects, discovers shocking details about her family and explores how her mother’s death has impacted her own life, her marriage, her relationships and when the case is finally solved by police, it leaves Gina with unanswered questions. She doesn’t believe the man convicted acted alone.


This is the extraordinary journey of a daughter’s search for truth and justice for the mother she never really knew.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2025

Reviews

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

True crime written by those involved is so raw, emotional and powerful. This pulls no punches. I really felt like I was on the journey as everything was over examined. Secrets and lies were exposed like a lot of hard life lessons here there seems to be no true closure but an enabling of acceptance. The victim and their family were explored in detail and the events and how they were effected long term. It was a true story rather than the usual factual type and this was so compelling. I like the way mother as a person was written and not just another murder victim. I hope writing this helped the author. I wanted like her a conclusion and felt sad that sometimes things are not black and white and there is not always a clear end. This is highly recommended a different kind of true crime story that will tug at your heart strings . Thank you netgallery, publisher and authot for this 5 star read.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Daughter’s Relentless Pursuit of the Truth

Heartbreaking yet relentless, My Mother’s Murder is Gina McGavin’s powerful journey through grief, suspicion, and the pursuit of long-buried truths. For 35 years, she questioned the official story behind her mother’s death peeling back layers of silence and family secrets. Co-written with Jane Hamilton, this memoir is both an emotional reckoning and a gripping investigation. A haunting and courageous read. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Julie Haigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent true crime account.

This was about a family's most terrible circumstances.  Yet it was written in such a way that it was easy to read, the writing hooked me right in.

Gina McGavin has pieced together facts about her mum's life. Mary's childhood was hard in 1930s Glasgow.

An interesting and engaging quick read. A true crime memoir, and combines this with family history, as a background to the case.  A murder that would be unsolved for over 30 years.

I wondered if this was still an unsolved case?  Would there perhaps be no answers at the end of the book?  I often don't like to read something, only to find you're still left with questions, and no resolution. But I soon became gripped by the family's story. About halfway through, on searching the author's name, I found there was a documentary about this case. I didn't watch it then, so as not to spoil reading the book-but thought I would watch it sometime later.  After I'd finished the book, I was moved by what I had read to watch the documentary straightaway.

A moving, fascinating, and at one point baffling case. 

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Mother’s Murder is a deeply emotional and powerful account of a daughter’s decades-long search for the truth about her mother’s death. I typically hesitate to rate nonfiction memoirs the way I would fiction, as these are real, lived experiences—but I have to acknowledge how compellingly Gina McGavin tells her story. Her writing is vivid and immersive; I felt as though I were right there with her, witnessing events unfold in real time.

The story is undeniably heartbreaking. Unless you’ve gone through something similar, it’s hard to fully grasp the depth of pain and grief expressed here. Yet Gina manages to articulate her emotions with such clarity and honesty that readers can truly feel the weight of what she endured.

If you’re a fan of true crime or emotionally resonant nonfiction, this is a book worth reading at least once. It’s raw, moving, and unforgettable

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gina McGavin’s My Mother’s Murder is a heartfelt account of grief and longing, anchored by the author’s deep devotion to her mother and her unwavering quest for justice. The emotional core of the story shines through, particularly in its portrayal of love and loss. However, portions of the book appear to be lifted from the author's earlier self-published work, and the lack of seamless editing between old and new material detracts from the overall coherence. While the narrative’s sincerity is compelling, the structural issues slightly dilute its impact.

[Marie Waterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting read, leaves some open questions...

[Frankie · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5

[Jade aka MrsTosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the author's own words, it’s a story about love, grief, justice, and hope.

My Mother's Murder is a heartbreaking true story of one woman's search for the truth. This is an account of a daughter’s 35-year search for the details surrounding her mother’s death. Ever thought the pair had a turbulent relationship due to her upbringing. Gina understands her mother was a victim of circumstances and a different time. And still deserves to be remembered and have justice.

Such a brave lady, having the courage and tenacity to fight for justice. I only hope she can find some peace now her mother's killer has been brought to justice, even if she still does have so many unanswered questions. Understandably so....

It is so brilliant to see cold cases like this being brought back into the public eye, so hopefully, more victims and their families can find some closure and the perpetrators brought to justice even years later.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.