What My Mother Hid

by Daniel Hurst

Motherhood can be murder...Being a mother isn’t easy. But one woman has perfected it. Her name is Gianna and she’s nothing like me. She has it all. The lifestyle. The luxury. The big family portrait full of smiling, happy faces.

As I struggle to deal with life with my new baby, I look to Gianna for advice. While I’ve had one child, she’s had six, so she must know what she’s doing. That’s why I find a way to contact her. I want her to help me. I want us to get close. I want to know about how she was the perfect mother to all those children. But as with every family, all is not what it seems.

People have secrets. Parents have secrets.

I am just trying to do my best as a new mother. But I’m starting to realise that all mothers have something to hide. The problem is, me and my baby are in danger unless we find out what Gianna is hiding. Before it is too late…

A new page-turning psychological thriller from Daniel Hurst, the bestselling author of UK #1 The Doctor’s Wife, The Couple’s Revenge and My Neighbour’s Affair.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Mystery

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2025

About the author

Daniel Hurst is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of fast paced psychological thrillers. His most popular titles include Til Death Do Us Part, The Passenger and The Doctor's Wife, the latter title reaching #1 on the Amazon UK Kindle store in February 2023. A regular KDP Select All Star since he became a full-time author in 2021, Daniel prides himself on writing fast, releasing stories often and engaging with his readers.

You can visit him at www.danielhurstbooks.com, where you can also download a copy of his FREE thriller 'Just One Second.'

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks)]

Had a hard time believing in the plot, and I didn’t care much for the writing style either. A lot of repetition of the obvious and very basic style. Not for me.

[Melody McNamara]

I thought the first part of the story was pretty good, with an interesting take on a familiar premise. But the twists toward the end, although surprising, seemed to come out of left field, and I had to suspend disbelief for the rest of the book. While the ending was action-packed, I felt that the dialogue was overly-dramatic and cliched, and the quality of the writing deteriorated, with some awkward phrasing and a few grammatical errors. Other readers enjoyed this one more than I did, but it was not my favorite of the author's books

[Sherri Thacker]

Another great thriller with lots of twists and turns by Daniel Hurst. I just can’t wait for his next book!!!!

[Laura Smith]

WHAT MY MOTHER HID BY DANIEL HURST.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
I do love a good suprise book by Daniel Hurst.
I find myself always looking forward to a new book coming out and I get it immediately.
This one was brilliant and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Bring on the next one ☺

[Terri Beckett]

This book had a great start but took a wrong turn toward the end.

[Pauline Torsney]

DNF. Repetitive and boring

[Bradley]

Daniel Hurst always writes quick, easy popcorn thrillers and this one is definitely more entertaining than his last release. The setup had me thinking this was going to land in the 3.5 to 4 star range. We start with two moms. Bronwyn is a brand new mother and Gianna is the old school mom influencer with six kids by twenty six, giving “Jon and Kate plus eight” but with a better reputation.

The opening is strong. Then suddenly Bronwyn is hopping on a plane with her newborn to meet Gianna in person because she is a fan and wants advice or vibes or something. Bronwyn, girl, you do not know this woman. Immediately the energy shifts because of course Gianna wants to kill her and take her baby. And the gag is she has done this before. She murdered her sixth child’s mother at a book signing. At that point I just had to laugh because it gets ridiculous fast and Hurst will always lean into the ridiculous and repetitive.

But the wildest part is Bronwyn suddenly screaming “You stole my great auntie’s baby Gianna. I am here to avenge.” I had to flip back and make sure I did not miss a chapter. Nope. Prior to this moment Bronwyn reads as a genuine fan, even in her private thoughts. No reason to pretend. It makes no sense and it is laughable.

Then Gianna burns the house down. Like ma’am, you have been covering your tracks for years. You are not going to get away with this one. Arson leaves evidence. A body leaves evidence. You are finished.

It probably sounds like I am dragging this book and revealing the big moments but honestly it was an okay read. Fast, silly, dramatic, and entertaining in a “roll your eyes but keep flipping pages” kind of way. I enjoyed the ride but it is not a favorite and not one I can really recommend.

[Jodie Devereaux]

Didn't enjoy it, thought the storyline was very far fetched

[Abby Johnson]

So incredibly boring

[Autumn Hanson]

This book started out so good but when the premise completely shifted it got lame real quick. There were several inconsistencies and some of was just so far fetched that it wasn't even remotely close to being interesting.

[Emma Sandhu]

You can count on Daniel Hurst for a good read, sometimes the language is slightly too clear and perhaps not how people speak. In any case, other than the intentions of the elder main character being made clear too soon (in my opinion), it was engaging and interesting to read.

[Barbara]

Not my favourite book by Daniel Hurst. It started out well but then became extremely far fetched and the ending was almost farcical.

[Elda]

Totally predictable, repetitive and not a single likeable character 1.5 ⭐️

[Heather Flaherty]

I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing thriller with suspense, manipulation and murder to the huge twist ending that left me reeling. Bronwyn has just had a baby and wants a big family like her idol, Gianna, who had 6 kids before 26. She has watched and knows everything about this amazing mother and wants to be just like her. Bronwyn contacts Gianna and is surprised when she receives a reply back. Even more surprised when Gianna invites her and her baby to come stay for a few days. But things seem weird and not is what it seems. Gianna has a secret and Bronwyn is determined to figure it out, before it’s too late.

[Angela Bradfield]

I really wanted to like this one because the premise had so much potential, but it fell flat for me. The story felt very predictable, and the twists were either obvious or not impactful enough to feel satisfying. The characters lacked depth, making it hard to connect emotionally or care about what happened to them.

While the writing was easy to follow and the book moved quickly, it relied too heavily on shock value rather than strong storytelling. Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t live up to the hype and felt forgettable once finished.

[Pheadra]

This started off well as most of this author's books do. Sadly, this then went off kilter and beyond being clichéd, became implausible. I don't like having to suspend belief, so I'm in the minority of readers on this one, but it was just okay. 3 stars.

[Vicki Clark]

Was ok for the first half - weird story but had my attention. Then why it all happened was confusing and lost me!

[Carol Drinkwater]

Another great read from this author probably one of his best but that's very hard to say.

it was a tense, dark in parts, psychological fast paced thriller with well described characters. It draws you into the storyline from the very first page and I couldn't believe what was happening.

It kept you involved in the storyline until the brilliant ending, who would have guessed? just so well executed, well done Daniel you never disappoint.

[Ella]

3✨ ????? this book was too much, too many plot twists, too confusing, hard to follow along lol. the only reason i’m giving it 3 starts is because i liked the premise of the plot but the actual story felt repetitive in the beginning and then like too busy in the end

[Lauren Elkins]

4.5⭐️

[Krista (Mrs K Book Reviews)]

Chaos, pure unadulterated chaos. Loads of twists and turns. A wild psychological thriller. Daniel knows how to write a thriller for sure

[Aaron Todd Reads]

Review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThde6Dvx/

3.25

A very strong initial 70%. I enjoyed the prose and plot setup. The author catapults us into the stakes, which is always a fun way to begin a new book.

Where the author lost me is the last 30%. There’s one plot twist in particular that completely took me out of the story, unfortunately. I’m totally fine being left in the dark by an unreliable narrator… but it was a big miss, for me. Things escalated really quickly. We could have stood for 50-100 more pages to truly unravel what the author was aiming for.

I’d still definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of thrillers from the likes of McFadden.

Fast-paced, short, and twisty.

[Khulan Batbold]

The premise had some potential. An obsessive narrator, a seemingly perfect mother with dark secrets, kidnapping someone's child, and going even further by killing the mother. I was genuinely excited going in. But unfortunately the execution let it down pretty badly.

The first sixty percent is just... repetitive, boring even. Bronwyn's internal monologue is basically the same thought on a loop, how amazing Gianna is, how inspiring she is, how she wishes she had a family like hers. We get it. By the time the story actually starts moving, you're already exhausted.

And then out of nowhere at almost eighty percent, Bronwyn suddenly claims she was never really a fan and had a secret agenda this whole time. But there was zero indication of that anywhere before. Like, hello!?? You could have written her as a young woman weirdly obsessing over this random famous woman from decades ago, keeping the readers guessing whether she's just a fan or has something more sinister in mind. You can't just drop that kind of reveal without laying any groundwork!! Give us something, a hint, a suspicious moment, anything!!!

The ending also didn't sit right with me. Clayton comes back, they make up, and suddenly everyone's a happy family again. After everything that happened, I just didn't buy it. Realistically he might stay present as a father, but becoming a happy couple again? That felt completely unearned.

And then there's this one line from the author that honestly make my blood boil! Describing Gianna's actions as "a mistake." ......... I'm sorry, but killing someone and stealing a baby is not a mistake. That is a conscious, evil choice. The word choice there is just baffling. Editors, please do your job.

Gianna as a villain had so much potential that just went to waste. I kept wishing this premise was in John Marrs' hands, imo he has this twisted, evil genius way of writing characters like this that makes you hate them and yet you just can't look away. He pulled it off perfectly in The Good Samaritan and What Lies Between Us. This needed that kind of dark, masterful touch. Instead she just falls flat.
It genuinely feels like a first draft. The idea is there, the bones are good, but it needed so much more work. Such a shame.

[Kristin Montague]

I finished it, but it was less than great.

[Angel **Book Junkie**]

I say this as a Daniel Hurst fan… What My Mother Hid just wasn’t it for me.

The premise hooked me at first. The opening had me locked in — intrigued, curious, ready for the twists. But that momentum only carried me about 25% of the way through before things started to feel… questionable.

And I have to ask — who is bold (or reckless?) enough to know something shady about someone and then use their child as a way to get closer to them? The logic just didn’t sit right with me. It felt more frustrating than thrilling.

Bronwyn, unfortunately, was a tough sell. I found her strange in a way that didn’t feel layered or complex — just disconnected. I really struggled to connect with her or root for her at all.

Now Gianna? Different story. Who doesn’t love a good villain? She at least brought some spark and edge to the story.

I wanted to love this one. I expected to love this one. But after such a strong start, the execution didn’t fully land for me. Still a Daniel Hurst fan — just not my favorite of his.

[Claire]

I wanted to love this book… but it just didn’t hit.

The premise is strong: a new mum reaches out to Gianna, a woman who seems to have perfected motherhood. She has the lifestyle, the luxury, the picture-perfect family — everything the narrator feels she’s failing at. Naturally, she wants her advice. Naturally, things start to unravel.

It starts strong — tense, atmospheric, exactly what you expect from Daniel Hurst. But then it drifts. Some decisions just didn’t make sense, which made it frustrating rather than thrilling. I struggled to connect with the main character, which didn’t help.

Gianna, on the other hand, is fascinating. Dark, manipulative, full of spark — she’s easily the highlight. The twist at the very end was clever, but it came too late to save the slower middle. I didn’t feel compelled to keep reading, and I even picked up another book in between.

Daniel Hurst is still one of my favourite authors, and I’ll keep reading his books, but this one just wasn’t my favourite.

Rating: 3 stars — strong start, uneven execution.

[Sally Vrooman Jones]

I don’t like giving low ratings, but this one just didn’t work for me. What My Mother Hid left me more confused than thrilled. The story tries to deliver twists and suspense, but instead it felt scattered and hard to follow. There were multiple moments where I had to go back and reread sections just to make sure I hadn’t missed something, because the plot jumped so quickly from one scenario to another.

The storyline felt unrealistic, especially the intense obsession and travel centered around Gianna. I also struggled to understand the heavy focus on a mother of six being glamorized by the public—it felt forced and oddly reminiscent of social media trends rather than something grounded in a believable narrative.

Overall, it read like an idea that could have been developed into a solid thriller, but instead felt rushed and disconnected. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

[Camie]

This book kept my interest because I wanted to know who that baby was that Gianna kidnapped/stole years before.

Unfortunately, there were parts near the last fourth of the book that had me rolling my eyes. Example 1. Bronwyn strongly suspected Gianna stole the sixth child and claimed it as her own. So why did Bronwyn voluntarily visit Gianna’s home with her own baby in tow knowing Gianna could be a kidnapper? Example 2: Bronwyn’s parents showed up to the motel looking for Gianna without a game plan? Example 3: The author didn’t explain why Gianna’s son would be calling the operator after he initially refused to after Bronwyn begged him to?

This book deserves a 3/5 in my opinion.

[Lucy 🍓]

this book was almost good

it was just felt a bit too disjointed and awkward at times especially with the big twist reveal that she had stolen another baby before, it was almost boring and not the exciting twist it wanted to be because we were just told this and not like shown it

you could always tell what was going to happen and bronwyn was an idiot from the start

would have liked to see the perspective of one of the kids or the dad or anne’s mother just to add another level to the story

also kept saying how much her kids hated her but never really explored why that was or gave that much explanation and her son just happens to be coo coo crazy as well as her???

[Danielle]

Four stars. I did really like this book, but I found that a lot of the plot was pretty predictable. Did have a few twists and turns that I did not expect.

The book starts off by introducing a woman named Bronwyn and her partner Clayton, who just had a baby girl. She followed a documentary and was obsessed with a woman named Gianna, who had six kids – three boys and three girls. Bronwyn also wants many kids. She wants to follow in Gianna’s footsteps. We then meet Gianna- her kids went far away from home as soon as they could, her husband left her, and we find that her life is built upon a throne of lies. I think she took a baby.

As the sleep deprived mother of a newborn child, Bronwyn has to call in reinforcements – her mother after Polly will not stop crying. At 60 years old, Gianna still keeps up with façade with her friends at the golf club that she is close with her family. Apparently she is a murderer.

Bronwyn struggles with Polly crying and not sleeping. She posts in a forum appraising Gianna. After googling herself, Gianna finds the post and sends Bronwyn a message. Clayton gets home from work and after all the crying from Polly and arguing with Bronwyn, he decides that they need to split up. Bronwyn and Gianna continue to write back and forth online and Gianna invites her and Polly to Scotland. We find out that she is likely going to take the baby and get rid of Bronwyn. She’s done it before.

Bronnie’s mom doesn’t want her going but she goes anyway. Gianna picks her up from the airport. Keeps being overly helpful with Polly. Keeps taking her out of the crib and holding her. Bronwyn goes to get a glass of water in the middle of the night and creeps down to the basement where she finds all of Gianna‘s kids old toys. Weird. Gianna also admits that her and Mike split up, but kept it a secret when they were being filmed for the documentary. Also, their youngest child is the only one who had blonde hair and when Bronwyn brings it up, Gianna is flustered for a short second.

Gianna’s youngest was blonde when first introduced to the public, but shortly ended up with black hair like the rest of her kids. Bronwyn notices that Gianna hasn’t talked to her kids the whole time she’s been there and she thinks she’s faking conversations with them. Gianna drugs Bronwyn and takes her baby.

Gianna did indeed steal a baby and kill a woman after her book signing many years ago.This was her youngest daughter. She came home and told her husband that he needed to accept this sixth child into their family or she would file a police report that he was abusive and an alcoholic.

Gianna lights the house on fire with Bronwyn in it. Bronwyn escapes. She sees a car driving and thinks it’s her saving grace. It is Gianna’s oldest son Edward. Bronwyn explains that Gianna stole a baby from her grandmother’s sister and killed her grandmother’s sister. This was her true intention of coming to Gianna’s to see if she could prove that she stole the baby. The sixth child and the stolen kid ended up killing herself when she was pretty young too because she never felt she fit in.

Gianna and Polly make it to a motel before being confronted by Bronwyn’s parents who followed her to Scotland and saw Gianna speeding by and tailed her. Gianna tells them that their daughter is dead. Gianna pulls a gun on Bronwyn’s parents. Bronwyn’s mom gets shot. Bronwyn crazily runs into the house that is on fire and out the back door. She is able to get a branch and hit Edward over the head with it, steal his car, and call 911 where she finds out that shots have been fired at a motel nearby. She goes there and finds her parents. Gianna is shot dead and her mom is bleeding but Polly is okay.

In the end, they find a fire safe lock box in the burnt rubble of Gianna’s house. It has her confessions as well as details as to where Bronwyn’s great aunt’s body was. They end up burying mother and daughter next to each other. Edward died from his injuries. Gianna died from hers. In the epilogue, we find out that Gianna was not killed in self-defense. She was about to turn herself in. Bronwyn’s mom shot her. Also, Clayton decides he wants to be a family and not lose Bronwyn or Polly.