The Stepmother

by Paige Brooks

Genres: Thriller

536 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2026

About the author

Hi, I’m Paige Brooks—and I write psychological thrillers that dig deep into memory, fear, and the secrets we bury.

Thrillers have always been my favorite kind of story—the kind that leave you unsettled, second-guessing reality, and flipping pages late into the night. The Cage Within is the first in a growing collection of twisty, emotionally layered suspense stories that I can’t wait to share with readers who love that slow-burn tension and eerie atmosphere.

I’ve been married to my husband for over 30 years, and we have one incredible son and two slightly spoiled dogs. We recently moved from the West Coast to the East Coast—a change that definitely inspired the quiet unease and creeping tension in my writing.

If you enjoy thrillers with sharp turns, emotional depth, and that feeling that something’s just out of reach… then I think we’re going to get along just fine.

Reviews

[GGmom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Needs serious editing

This book had a decent beginning and fell off target quickly. Poor execution. Not sure if this author had an editor. The amount of copy and paste of the same paragraphs was too many to count. The author also seemed to forget their own story and would repeat parts that didn’t match up. One example is the protagonist finds an unmarked pill she has her friend send into a lab to find out what it was. The author originally said it was an aspirin. Then the next chapter it was a vitamin 🤦🏻‍♀️ a lot of inconsistencies throughout. A lot of repetition and it dragged. No I do not recommend.

[Bailey Chavez]

An annoying amount of repetition. Could absolutely be 200 less pages if there were less repetition of so many sentences. Other than that I really liked it and thought the plot was plausible and thrilling.

[vicky H · Rating 1 out of 5]

Omg. This book had so so much potential and I wanted it to be so good, but this one fell short of that wish.
Repetition at its best . Words and conversations were put where they did belong, and the author could not keep her story straight.
One chapter it was an aspirin she found. Then it was a multivitamin. The note given to Diana in one chapter was repeated in a couples chapters after.
Did AI write this ?! Does Paige have an Editor?! If she does, she needs to be fired .
This was the first book I have read from Paige Brookes and probably my last one.
I almost DNF’d this so many times but I pushed through. 560 pages ? This should have been completed in 250!!! Makes no sense.
I see so many left a 5 star rating. I wonder if they read the book ? Most were advanced copies or ARC’s.

[Christi Pingree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book I've ever read! Completely discombobulated, paragraphs repeated, total nonsense. It was such a struggle to read and frustrated me the entire way through. This needs major editing and revisions.

[Candy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book annoyed me. First of all, the timeline itself made no sense at all. There were parts that were literally repeated; like the teen showed her a letter and a few pages later, she showed her the letter again. I had to go back and check that I wasn't loosing my mind. This behavior of a former prosecutor was very unrealistic. The author seems to have a horrible view of the legal system. There's one chapter that is POV of the husband. That was random. Being so horrible to the kids was uncalled for. Why was the boarding school deadline a thing? The FMC had no clear motive, it was just strange behavior.

[Tina Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is the word Stepmother evil...
It comes to me as it is usually referred to as a person that most do not get along with, and the children by marriage think of as 'evil'. That is not always the case, but who is the Stepmother evil to?
Diana is newly married to a very rich man who lives in an estate and has workers do most of everything around the estate. His previous wife died 2 years ago, and the children are still stuck in the sadness of that loss. Diana has her hands full, but her husband, Patrick, encourages her to be harsh with them and get them to move on. Such as when Brie goes off on her, Diana suggests a boarding house... in which Patrick gladly backs.
I was very pulled into this story, wondering how far Diana would go, and why Patrick is so harsh now, but let 2 years go by with no structure, like counseling to help the children cope with the loss.
Then... what is being locked away in the basement? What secrets are hidden there?
So much can be hidden in an estate this large, and so much IS hidden... until it is brought into the light.
This story is good for most ages.
Thank you, Paige Brooks, for a great story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Kellyanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book immediately grabbed my attention!

The story centres on Diana, the new wife of the wealthy estate owner, Patrick. Two years after their mother's death, Patrick's children are still struggling with grief. However, Patrick insists they must "move on" and pushes Diana to be strict. This dynamic is highlighted when Patrick supports Diana's idea of sending his daughter, Brie, to a boarding school after her bad behaviour.

The core conflict instantly hooked me. I was constantly curious about when Diana would finally break and why Patrick had become so harsh, especially since he hadn't sought counselling or any help for his grieving children for two years. Adding to the intrigue is the mystery of what's hidden in the estate's basement, waiting to be discovered.

A major highlight was the way the story successfully avoided the predictable "evil stepmother" trope. Packed with twists and turns right up to the end, I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the author's next work!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nikki B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stepmother is a pretty fast paced thriller.
Diana, newly married, gains two step children. And while usually the stepmothers are the evil ones, that isn't the case here. The children despise her. They feel like she's her to replace their mother and she is invading their home.
Diana begins to have some weird things happening to her though. Missing time, saying things she can't remember. But she's noticing locked doors. Secrets being whispered. She's paying attention to every thing while having to play naive innocent to what's going on around her because, as she's learning, asking questions will get you killed. It happened to the last person asking questions.
The story is twisted. Her being a new wife, it's obvious who to suspect, but in this story, I truly didn't know who to suspect. Everyone was suspicious. I loved that intrigue to the story. This story is chilling in a way where you aren't scared from fear, you're scared of the next move and what's to come for Diana.
I thought this was a pretty great, well done thriller and I recommend giving this a read.

[Nicole Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is 2 children who just lost their mom, their father waste no time getting remarried.

Diana knows the kids hate her she does not want to take place of their mom, their says that she has to set rules for them and that she has to disicpline them when they dont follow them. Which makes the relationship between her and the kids even more hostile.

Then she starts seeing things different patterns, locked rooms, time missing,
waking groggy. Is it just stress or is there family secrets that no one wants her to know.

Then the children's mom why was her death just moved on quickly. Sometimes the bad stepmother is actually just what the children need.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya Kolb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books by Paige Brooks and this time she has outdone herself!

When Diana comes into their lives, the children quickly come to believe that she is everything that an evil stepmother could be. Their lives couldn't get any worse. Their mother is dead and their father is not a good man. Their grandmother sits on the sidelines and watches as their lives fall apart. Will there be any salvation?

I read this book in 1 sitting! You can feel the hopelessness and desperation seeping from the pages.

[Lisa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, satisfying

I did find one passage was repeated in the book as a shocking moment. That was a misprint I am sure. I did wish the final statement made from the judge was explained better. I got it but it was way to simple. The book had me on the edge of my seat and in tears. Well written. I wouldnt mind reading a book just about Patrick though. His overly cocky wqys of thinking. It would be dark but interesting. This would make a great movie. I have the characters in my head. Well done!!

[Sid Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love it. I think the plot was good and overall it was a good read. I like the way the words/paragraphs were spaced. But like many other reviewers pointed out, why was this book 500 something pages long!? This could have been over in 250. It draaaaaged. It was repetitive and unorganized. Some parts were confusing because you didn’t know who was talking and you didn’t know the conversation switched. If I based my opinion of the author on this one book, I wouldn’t read another. Bummer!

[karin whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this novel as an ARC. This is my review. Diana marries a man after a fast relationship, from the first date to the three months to the wedding. She becomes the stepmother to Brie and Oliver, Patrick's teenagers.From day one they resented her. The twists are coming fast and furious. Be prepared for the twists, feel Diana's fear, her control slipping. Well written,fast paced, A well presented storyline.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Real Winner!!!!

If you love Frieda McFadden, you will absolitely fall in love with Paige. Her style is compelling and pulls you in from the beginning. I can not get over the depth this book goes with Patrick. All the characters are intimately connected and well crafted. I am so sorry that this book can rate only a five star review, for it truly deserves a 10 or better. Don't hesitate to try out this author. She is one of best, truly.

[Leticia Hernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book because it had so much potential, but the editing made it difficult to enjoy. There were repeated phrases and even entire paragraphs throughout the story, which became very distracting. The storyline also felt confusing at the beginning, and it wasn’t until the middle of the book that things finally started to make sense. Unfortunately, all the errors and repetition took away from what could have been a great read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stepmother takes the classic “evil stepmother” fairy‑tale trope and turns it into a smart, unsettling psychological thriller. Diana’s growing fear, the hostile children, and the eerie gaps in her memory all build toward a twist that inverts everything you think you’re watching unfold. It’s a very well‑written story that starts like a familiar tale and then brilliantly flips the reality, revealing who the real monster actually is.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is the evil stepmother because the kids mother died. With twists at each and every turn you will be knocked down off your feet. I enjoyed the fastly paced chapters. It kept me alert and on guard at all times.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. A stepmother is introduced to the children. Rules are introduced for the children to follow making them dislike her. The children's mother died 2 years earlier. Control is what the father wants. A number of twists in the storyline. I could not stop reading as I was captivated from the beginning.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling to think how easily we accept what we're told and allow ourselves to be manipulated. Is Diana the good wife? the wicked stepmother? the washed-up prosecutor recovering from a breakdown? a controlling monster? Is Patrick the grieving widower? the loving, understands husband? a controlling monster?A twisty, creepy read that will keep you up all night and make you question stereotypes.

[Cheryl Jirsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book, but the author should get a better proofreader. There were a couple of story lines that were started but must have been edited out because they were never followed or explained.
I read a review for her book "The Apartment Sitter" and evidently there were many inconsistencies in that story line as well, so I decided not to read it.

[Keshia Brothers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a advanced copy of this book via Booksprout. It was very fast paced from the beginning! Not your average evil stepmother story, and that was my favorite part about it! So many twists and turns all the way to the end. Looking forward to more by this author!

[Susan Murphree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan

I started this and as soon as I read the first pages I knew I could not put this down until the end - if you are going to add another book to your list this is one to add right away.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read

I really enjoyed the story. Finished it in two days. The characters were all believable and interesting. My only down side to this book was there were a lot of areas I had to reread due to sentence structure.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Paige Brooks book, but it won’t be my last! I LOVED this book!! It’s one of the best books I’ve read in years. I truly did have an evil stepmother, so I was on edge from the beginning of this book. The twists and turns are fantastic!

[Kari Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow reading(sparked little interest) at beginning. Mid way picks up a bit. End(last chapters) grabbed my interest and held it. Ending twists and reveals were surprising. Overall a very good story. No spoilers.

[Iman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! The author did such an amazing job with the details connecting all the characters twist and turns I literally could not figure out where the story was going, and I couldn’t stop reading. It was a five out of five stars and I can’t wait to read her other books.

[Patricia Hardcastle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story

A much longer book than I would normally read. I was kept interested the whole way through. Being a stepmother myself, I found it confronting at times and soothing at others thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Hooked on books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. I found it to be fast paced and full of twists. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Sammye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Twisted Secrets collection. It’s fast paced and twisted. Full of drama, suspense and secrets. It’s an interesting and gripping psychological thriller.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read, edge of your seat suspense! Over the top!

It was beautifully written. Anyone who loves suspense will love this book. I look forward to seeing more of her work!