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How far would you go to protect your only child? Arielle Reigns has it all: a loving husband, a beautiful home, a successful business. Arielle has everything, except the one thing she really wants.

A child.

But that all changes when a mysterious woman promises that she can help Arielle conceive. That she can guarantee it. But as with all guarantees, this one comes with conditions, specific criteria that must be met…

…and when it comes time to uphold her end of the bargain, Arielle can’t stomach the consequences. When her new life begins to crumble around her, she thinks has made a deal with the devil. Soon, as things transition from bad to worse, she realizes that she’s wrong—she has made a pact with something far worse. Arielle has made a deal with Mother.

Desperate people do desperate things, and there is no one more desperate than a mother trying to protect her only child.

There is no one more desperate than Arielle Reigns.

Warning: This book contains disturbing imagery. If you are pregnant, trying to conceive, or generally squeamish about birth-related issues, perhaps it is better to look elsewhere.

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 25, 2016

403 people are currently reading
358 people want to read

About the author

Patrick Logan

106 books451 followers
To download my FREE book, click here: www.ptlbooks.com/newsletter

True story: I used to cut up bodies. No, not for fun, you sickos–for work. After reaching the age of majority and fleeing the clutches of an overprotective mother, I went to university like a good boy.

More than a decade later and an alphabet soup of letters after my name, I found myself looking down the double-chamber of a microscope at an eyeball. Feeling ironically introspective, I decided that it was time for a change.

After seventy plus novels and more than a million copies sold, I’ve found my true calling, one that also includes a plethora of letters. Hopefully you see something in my catalog that you like, something to feast your eyes on.

I also have two spooky podcasts that are appropriate for ALL ages, so long as you like to be scared: P.T. Logan's Five Minutes of Terror and Camp Fear. Both are FREE and available on all podcast platforms. For MATURE audiences, I've created two fiction podcasts, Nightmare Residue and Bad Priest.

I'm on all socials! Just search for AuthorPatrickLogan.

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5 stars
136 (33%)
4 stars
135 (32%)
3 stars
94 (22%)
2 stars
28 (6%)
1 star
17 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Jamie ♡♡ submits to books ♡♡.
462 reviews169 followers
October 25, 2016
**** 4 "Milk" Stars ****

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This book is crazy!! I am not even sure how to review this one.

Arielle wants a baby. She wants a baby real bad. Her and her husband have been trying for 7 years with no luck. Arielle is at her wits end and when bad news leads her to explode on her friends and loved ones, Arielle answers a flyer about wanting a baby.

That is one flyer that should have blow away and never looked at because the events of the rest of this book are CRAZY....CRAZY....CRAZY!!!
Profile Image for Nicole.
481 reviews20 followers
January 18, 2018
Classic horror, how it should be done!

Its not hard to see why Patrick Logan has several number ones in the horror genre. Being a fan of Stephen King I'm always skeptical of comparisons to the Master of Horror. Logan certainly holds his own in the ring though. True horror creeps up on you, like a cloud passing over the sun. One second you are looking at something normal. Mundane even. The next you are offered a true glimpse of the horrible. Ah but I'll leave the writing to the writers. I enjoyed this book enough to download the second and third book, plus the prequel. Normally more of a stickler for reading in order but I wasn't aware of the book until after the fact.
Profile Image for Cindy.
49 reviews
April 16, 2016
Arielle is consumed with the achievement of having a child. So much so that she is pulled into evil forces who promise her what she wants. But it comes at a price that turns out to be too dear for even tough as nails Arielle. The book kept my interest all through the story, but at times I had to wonder if Arielle was operating with all her marbles. Desperation obviously drives us to do illogical things. Highly recommended. Note to author: as a retired proofreader, the book has way too many typos, leading me to believe it was spell checked and never proofed.
Profile Image for Michelle Kimbrell.
1 review
October 2, 2016
vivid imagery and a creepy story make this a good read

I am forever searching for a truly scary book. This book came close. The imagery was freaky and really made this a creepy read. The story is compelling and you get drawn in easily. Aside from a few loose ends I wish were tied up in this story, it is a good book. I am hoping more books in the series will tie up some of these loose ends.
6 reviews
November 17, 2019
Dark and unique

I read the entire book in one day, I could not put it down. It’s well written and the author has such a complex and interesting story that I was hooked by the first chapter.
7 reviews
July 6, 2016
Mother

Crept me out! Hmmm, what happened to Martin and the girls??? Was a mother of a story! Need more answers!


Profile Image for Rachel Green.
138 reviews4 followers
June 16, 2019
How far would you go to get the one thing you've wanted your whole life? Once you got it... what wouldn't you do to protect it?

Arielle Reigns' desperation for a child is the common thread that strings the plot along. Seven years she's struggled to conceive with her husband, Martin, who reassures her that she is "more than enough woman for him," whether or not they conceive. But his reassurances are simply not enough for our protagonist, who tries everything- different positions, tucking her knees into her chest, visiting the shrine of a Catholic saint... I mean, you name the weird method and this woman has gone and tried it- but finds that her efforts are still not enough. After her hopes are dashed and she unloads yet again on her doctor and his office staff, she flees to a park to sit a spell and clear her head over a drink. Arielle is lured to a phone booth by the promise of a 100% success rate in conceiving and is introduced... to Mother. Mother promises Arielle her heart's desire... if she only drinks the milk, visit Martin one last time, and return her child once she turns four. After her brief return home, Arielle steals away into the foreboding swamp to spend the next nine months in the hope she can return to Martin with a child and they can be a family again after all the harm that she's done to the relationship. As the pregnancy progresses, Arielle discovers Mother's familiar sweetness is a veneer for something more sinister that hides in that swamp and vows she will escape the swamp and put this life behind her and raise her daughter in peace, promises be damned.

But the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and Arielle's daughter slips through her fingers. The novel really picks up after Hope goes missing and spends the conclusion unraveling Mother's identity, where her powers originated, how the children are conceived, reuniting Arielle with her husband and daughter, and confronting the evil in Stumphole Swamp.

The characters feel a little two-dimensional and veer towards the ridiculous at times but given the genre, I came to expect it by the end. Arielle tends to get carried away with her anger and is quite melodramatic but given a woman in her position, I could understand where she was coming from. Martin starts out pretty spineless, appearing well in over his head being married to a woman like Arielle but redeems himself by the end of the novel when he finds his courage and uses everything he has to try to save his love and their daughter. I felt like the mention of Arielle's infidelity and introducing a couple of chapters with the side piece were awkwardly placed and could have been done without; her 'indiscretion' and the boxing could have been mentioned in the story without introducing a character I don't expect to see again in the trilogy. The novel does take quite a while to pick up steam.

This novel begins with a pregnancy being terminated and well and truly gets weird toward the end with gore and sexual themes and where the milk that appears so often throughout the novel comes from so while these elements do serve the story's progression, this novel is not for the faint of heart. But all in all?

Mother gets a four glass pints of milk out of five from me.
Profile Image for Annemarie .
956 reviews22 followers
May 23, 2019
It was easy enough to put two and two together to realize why Arielle could not have children, and I felt for her but it was Martin that I really felt sorry for. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book but that's a good thing. Keeps the pages turning and the heart rate up. The ending was quite surprising as I really wasn't expecting this.
On the downside? Those pesky editing errors have once again raised their ugly heads. Although annoying, I still gave this book 5 stars as I am really enjoying Patrick Logan's work. Happy reading. Annemarie
1,668 reviews5 followers
August 17, 2017
This book really creeper me out. It should have been a typical throw away when finished horror story, but it's much more. Not the greatest writing, rather juvenile in fact. The protagonist was a purely drawn unlikable hitch. But the book is so much more than the words on the page. Creepy, twisted almost evil.
Profile Image for Josette Thomas.
1,256 reviews1 follower
May 20, 2019
This was one creepy book. Sometimes I was confused reading this book. I totally get this woman wanted a child really bad. So bad that she was willing to participate in a very strange ritual. I would think that with all the red flags, Arielle would have turned back. Yet, that’s the issue when one wants a child...they are willing to do whatever it takes to conceive.
64 reviews3 followers
June 8, 2017
Disturbing

What a creepy twisted story. Wow. I couldn't put it down. If you are looking for a bizarre, twisted story. Then look no further. Quite different from his other books. Loved it!
Profile Image for Tyler Schnabel.
16 reviews
December 6, 2017
As always

As usual, MR. Logan spins us a weird, creepy, and fun tale to read. Written as beautifully and disgusting as always.
I am starting the next one when I finish this review.
37 reviews
January 15, 2018
Mother

This was a good book, I first had read witch, a few months ago, but just purchased mother and father. I read this book in a day, couldn't put it down. Ever page was suspenseful. It held my interest. Now off to read Father.
Profile Image for Kay Oliver.
Author 11 books198 followers
May 22, 2019
Fresh and Dirty

A very original concept wrapped up in horror classics. I really enjoyed this read. It was fresh, but, boy was it dirty. Dirty swamp lands, dirty dealings, dirty characters.
33 reviews
October 12, 2019
Disturbing storyline but hard to put down. Not sure how this book came about but wow! Not for the superstitious! I recommend the book if you can handle it! Awesome book if you want to be creeped out! I will be reading the others, I am morbid that way. Lol
Profile Image for Melissa (honeybee.reads).
1,406 reviews42 followers
October 16, 2020
Dark, gruesome, horrific and engaging.

Patrick Logan is such a talented writer and I really enjoyed reading mother. It was very well done. It is a very hard book to review since it's full of what the heck moments.

If you love horror definitely pick this one up
Profile Image for Donna.
874 reviews4 followers
June 3, 2021
Spine Tingling Horror

Where Witch ends Mother begins. To those who just can't concieve on there own, there is Mother. A spine tingling tale that will straighten your hair and curl your toes.
Profile Image for Shell.
636 reviews13 followers
August 25, 2017
3.5 stars. It was pretty good, but not good enough for me to run out and grab the rest of the trilogy.
So many books, so little time.
Profile Image for LILLIAN C. KNOCKE.
184 reviews2 followers
October 10, 2017
Mother

Mother was too much fiction for me. There was just too much going on in separate dememtions to keep it straight
Profile Image for Janice Kujawa.
84 reviews2 followers
May 22, 2019
Awesome Read

No spoilers. A little disturbing but I love to be disturbed. Looking forward to more from this author. Will definitely recommend to family friends and fellow readers.
Profile Image for Rose Wright.
90 reviews15 followers
July 7, 2019
Wow

Fast paced. What a wild ride of a story! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book! Awesome. Patrick Logan’s books are so addicting. Time to go and read Book 2! ❤️
Profile Image for Nicole.
496 reviews40 followers
August 19, 2019
This series is nice & creepy just like I like it!
163 reviews
September 4, 2019
Creepy

That was different. I really like your series. Fitting place to happen in the swamps. I'm looking forward to the next book.
112 reviews3 followers
October 10, 2019
Good story will keep you guessing who Mother really is!
Profile Image for Kevin keim.
10 reviews
December 3, 2019
Great

Interesting story. Great characters. Can't wait to read father. Have read several of Logan's books and now I have to read them all
Profile Image for Lea-anne Griffis.
37 reviews
September 7, 2020
It was well written, but I found the story to be a bit disturbing. As well as the use of the f*** word was a bit much.
Profile Image for Tammy Lorcher.
120 reviews
May 7, 2021
Holy shit

Wow. That was intense as hell. Fast moving and just wow. The more I read Patrick Logan the more I want to read.
Profile Image for Sara.
124 reviews6 followers
February 23, 2024
Excellent read well written and developed story with fascinating characters
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews

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