When Mothers Lie: A BRAND NEW twist-filled thriller of motherhood, hidden truths and deadly consequences for 2026

by Jill Childs

The BRAND NEW mind-bending domestic thriller from international BESTSELLER Jill Childs 💫🏠😮'Dark, compelling...strikes at every parent's deepest fear...’ Patricia Dixon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐When the truth comes for you, it comes for your family too...

For twenty-seven years, four mothers have lived with a lie.

The secret they share has shaped every decision they've made, every friendship they've kept, and every truth they've hidden from their children.

Now, when someone threatens to expose what really happened to a girl named Alena, the four women will do anything to stop their lives from falling apart.

But the attack comes through their children, manipulated online into a dangerous game. And as danger closes in around their families, they are forced to confront a terrible the biggest threat to their children may be the secrets their mothers refuse to tell.

A gripping thriller about motherhood and guilt, exploring how far people will go to protect themselves – and what happens when their children pay the price.

'A devastating secret sits at the heart of this riveting, thrillingly tense novel about family, friendship and what a mother will do to protect her child. When Mothers Lie is tightly plotted and beautifully written.' Bestselling author Saskia Sarginson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Praise for Jill

‘Brilliant, thrilling and fiendishly addictive. The author masterfully takes us on a journey, packed with twists. A book I cannot put down and one I will be thinking about for a very long time.’ Renita D’Silva ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A chilling, edge-of-your-seat read that will knock the life right out of you!! A must read!! Another brilliant author that keeps you entertained from the very first page!!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Omg! I was blown away… This absolutely got under my skin… I was not able to put the book down. It literally made an hour on the treadmill feel like 3 minutes! Just perfect! I loved every second of it.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh wow… once I started I could not put it down… So many twists… when you think you know how it’s going to end boom another twist… Fantastic.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 17, 2026

About the author

Jill has always loved stories - real and imaginary. She's spent 30 years travelling the world as a journalist, living overseas and reporting wherever the news took her. She's now made her home in London with her husband and twin girls who love stories as much as she does.

Although she's covered everything from earthquakes and floods, riots and wars, she's found some of the most extraordinary stories right here at home - in the secrets and lies she imagines behind closed doors on ordinary streets, just like yours.

Reviews

[Sarah Bloomfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Boldwood Books for approving my request to read this book.

For 27 years four friends have been keeping a dark secret but someone has been watching and waiting to expose them and they all receive a sinister message during their school reunion to inform them of this.

Terrified they immediately worry for their safety but it's not them being targeted, it's their children.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller which switches between past and present and the twists just kept coming which I loved.

I would recommend this book to others.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four women attend a school reunion. During the reunion, each of them gets a message on their phone. What they did while they were at school - which they have kept secret for twenty seven years - has come back to haunt them.

The children will pay for what they did.

This is a chilling novel of revenge, hate and secrets that have now been revealed.

It is truly unputdownable, because the deed is referred to, but not exposed until near the end of the book.

They have no idea who is targetting their children. Each child has changed personality wise.

This also is a warning about what young people do online. Who they speak to, what groups they join. The person at the other side of the keyboard is not the person they think they are speaking to.

I guessed the predator - and then thought "Nah" can't be!!!

Very good book, Jill Childs does not disappoint.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[MSC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

Quite disappointing. It takes roughly 75% of the book (yes, I checked because it irritated me that much!) to finally reveal what happened that fateful night, despite the characters constantly referencing it.

There's also a strange subplot involving the manosphere, online radicalization, and the dangers of the internet that never reaches a logical conclusion. The children's motivations are underdeveloped, and the author seems intent on making a larger point about online influences without actually following through.

[Meg Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four friends, one devastating secret, and twenty-seven years of silence. What could possibly go wrong when they reunite for their twenty-fifth high school reunion? When Mothers Lie is an engaging psychological thriller that explores how far people will go to protect their secrets—and their children.

Clare, Tara, Ruth, and Amanda have spent decades trying to move on from what happened to Alena all those years ago. But when a threatening message arrives, making it clear that someone knows the truth and intends to make them pay, their carefully constructed lives begin to unravel. Even more frighteningly, it’s their children who become targets, forcing the women to confront the consequences of their past.

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs and the shifts between past and present. The story gradually reveals what happened to Alena, keeping you piecing together the clues and questioning who can be trusted. The four women each have their own personalities, motivations, and struggles, making their perspectives interesting to follow, even when their decisions aren't always easy to understand.

One of the strongest aspects of the story is how relevant it feels to today's world. The role of technology, social media, and online manipulation adds an unsettling dimension to the mystery, particularly when the safety of the women’s children is at stake. It’s a chilling reminder that we may not always know who is behind a screen or what influence they might have on the people we love.

The tension builds throughout as the women desperately try to protect their families while keeping their secret buried. I found myself wanting to keep reading to uncover the truth and see how everything would come together. With plenty of suspicion and unexpected turns, Jill Childs delivers an entertaining domestic thriller that keeps you guessing.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers filled with family secrets, complicated relationships, and the consequences of past decisions, When Mothers Lie is worth adding to your reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alexis Purdy · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️¼ (3.25/5)

When Mothers Lie is a psychological thriller about four mothers who have spent 27 years keeping a secret. When the past threatens to come to light and their children become caught up in a dangerous online game, their carefully guarded lives begin to unravel.

As a mom, this book really makes you think about your kids’ exposure to the internet and just how vulnerable they can be online. It’s an unsettling reminder of how much can happen without parents knowing.

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs! It was a great way to tell the story and kept me guessing about who was telling the truth and who could be trusted. The short chapters also made this a fast read, and I found myself wanting to keep turning the pages.

My biggest issue was the ending. There was so much buildup, but everything felt like it wrapped up too abruptly. There was also a twist right at the end that I wish we’d gotten more detail on. I wanted a little more time to process everything rather than feeling like the story suddenly came to a stop.

Overall, this was an engaging, quick thriller with an unsettling premise that will make parents think twice about online safety. I enjoyed the storytelling and the uncertainty surrounding the characters, but the rushed ending kept this from being a higher-rated read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Rhea · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author, and I really liked the writing style. The pacing, though… 😬 The first half took me a LONGGGG time to get through. It was just too slow for my liking.

Four high school friends meet up at their reunion and all receive an ominous text along with an old picture of a deceased high school friend. Okay… you have my attention! 👀

Woven throughout are affairs, secrets, and moms desperately trying to keep their teenagers safe from the dangers of social media. These women’s pasts have come back to haunt them, and now someone seems to be targeting their children.

With that setup, I was ready for the tension, the suspense, the THRILLS! But for most of the book, I just wasn’t feeling it. This fell at the very low end of the thriller spectrum for me. I needed more of that uneasy, “I HAVE to know what happens next” feeling to keep me turning the pages.

It wasn’t until around the 80% mark that things really ramped up. And when they did… it was INTENSE! Then, BAM! We’re at the end. 😳 After taking so much time to get there, I thought the ending could have used a little more detail. Give me a little more time to sit with everything!

It was a good book, but trimming it down, picking up the pace earlier, and carrying that tension throughout would have made it a 5 star read for me.

Thank you very much to Netgalley for an advanced copy! 📚

[Mrs J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book When Mothers Lie by Jill Childs thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the Advanced Reader Copy. Publishing Date 17th November 2026.

When Mothers Clare, Tara, Ruth and Amanda meet up for a school reunion after not seeing each other for 25 years they all hold a dark secret of what happened to a girl called Alena 27 years before. Someone wants to reveal their secret and the 4 women will do anything to keep it hidden. The attack comes through their children Alex, Freya and Olivia being manipulated online into dangerous games. The women strive to keep their secret but by doing this they are the biggest danger to their children.

Fantastic story, well written. I really felt like I knew the characters in this book even though some of them weren't very likeable. There were some good twists and turns kept me gripped and turning the pages. Great psychological thriller and the surprise ending was great.

This is the first book I have read by Jill Childs but it definitely won't be my last. I would recommend you add this to your TBR

[Georgia Debbie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chillingly Relatable and Packed with Suspense!
Four mothers, a twenty-seven-year-old secret, and an online game targeting their kids—this book had me completely hooked from the start.
I love a good domestic thriller, and Jill Childs delivers a fantastic, fast-paced plot here. The premise of past sins coming back to haunt a group of mothers through their children created so much constant tension. Watching the online manipulation unfold felt scary and all too realistic in today’s digital world.
The characters were well-drawn and complex, and I loved trying to piece together what really happened to Alena all those years ago while watching the present-day drama escalate. Every time I thought I had everything mapped out, another secret surfaced to keep me turning pages late into the night.
It’s a tense, dark, and wonderfully twisted read about how far mothers will go to protect their families—and how dangerous hidden truths can be. A easy 4-star read for me! Highly recommended if you enjoy dark family drama and psychological suspense.

[P.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

While four friends are reunited at a school reunion, they receive a text message with a photo of their friend who died during their school years and a message that the person knows what they did and is going to make them pay. Aside from Amanda, who is childless, their payment comes in the form of things being done to their children. If only the four of them know what happened, who is threatening them? And can they keep their children and their secret safe?

The book is broken down into four sections, with a section for the revenge on each person. It is told from the POVs of all four women even within the section. You don't know what happened with their friend until almost the end - it is referenced a lot but you only know the girl died. While I suspected a lot of people, I didn't realize who the vigilante was until the reveal. Once revealed, I did figure out what I expect was the final twist near the end.

Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Jill Childs for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Donna M · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Four women who were friends in high school return for their 25th reunion. It brings back a secret they have been keeping about what really happened to Alena 27 years ago. While there, a text reveals someone knows what happened and they will pay. They are desperate to keep their secret but also vow to do whatever it takes to protect their children. Things start spiraling out of control and everyone is a suspect.
I loved the different POV’s and how it switched from past to present, which slowly reveals what happened in the past. With today’s world full of computers, smart phones and social media, this story feels relevant. I enjoyed the characters which were well developed. The tension built throughout making it hard to put down.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Priscilla · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

For twenty-seven years, four mothers have lived with a lie. When someone threatens to expose what really happened to a girl named Alena, the four women will do anything to stop their lives from falling apart. Who will get hurt the most?
The themes of guilt, loyalty, deception, and motherhood appealed to me since I enjoy domestic suspense and stories in which seemingly ordinary families hide extraordinary secrets. The online manipulation of the women’s children created a wonderful conflict between protecting the past and safeguarding the future.
The main mystery, not revealed until late in the book, is what happened to Alena and why the women are so desperate to keep the truth hidden. I loved this one with the surprising ending!

[Akeating2003 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I've read too many similar books that were done better. These characters were all awful and self centered which can be a fun read but this one just wasn't. There was one absurd thing about how everyone found out and I think that was what soured me on the book. Also, the children characters were really odd and surface level - no explanation for why they acted they way they did. Giving it a 3 for the storyline but it was kind of depressing.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Trina Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four women, all mid 40's have been friends since school. Keeping a secret for nearly 30 years. At a school reunion they all receive the same message from an unknown number saying "I know what you did, and you will pay"
Each women is haunted by the past but it seems the threat is bypassing them and targeting their teenage children.
This was a great read, highlighting the dangers children face online. The faceless people behind the laptop. The ending shocked me

[Chey Steen · Rating 2.25 out of 5]

thank you so much netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. without giving away any spoilers, i can confidently say that i hated alex with every fiber of my being, and i’m confident that everyone else will feel the same when they read this book

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters and found them easy to connect with. The story was interesting, although it felt a little slow-moving at times. Overall, a decent read that kept me interested, even if it didn’t completely wow me.