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The Good Mother
Susan wakes up alone in a room she doesn't recognize, with no memory of how she got there. She only knows that she is trapped, and her daughter is missing. The relief that engulfs her when she hears her daughter's voice through the wall is quickly replaced by fear. The person who has imprisoned her has her daughter, too. Devising a plan to keep her daughter safe, Susan begins to get closer to her unknown captor. And suddenly, she realizes that she has met him before.
313 pages, Paperback Bunko
First published April 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 5, 2016
THE GOOD MOTHER by A.L. Bird is a tense psychological thriller that has a Major twist at the end that was brilliant. I never saw it coming! This book was amazing. I loved it!
All I can say is when you start this novel you had better block off a period of time to take in the full absorption of this book. I can only speak for myself that I was totally engrossed in the characters and the story. I couldn’t put it down.
Susan wakes up in a locked room, alone, weak, drugged, with no memory of how she got there. Where is Cara, her 8 year old daughter…and her husband Paul? She had been kidnapped and left alone in this barren locked room, with a locked window high above. Her captor brings her food and water, but doesn’t speak to her…except he knows her name.
And then Susan discovers that Cara is being held in the room next door. She has to figure out a plan for her and her daughter to escape. The two begin to secretly communicate their plan of escape.
The book is written through two POV’s, Susan and her Captor’s. Susan rabbles on, her thought process going wild, trying to put the pieces together the WHY and the WHO!
“Who is this man? She doesn’t know him. What does he want? I need to know what’s happening. Why is no one telling me what’s happening to my baby?”
Now I don’t want to reveal any more of the plot for fear of spoilers. Then at approximately the 70 % point, the twist that changed everything! From here on the pieces from this cat and mouse game fall into place and finally make sense. This plot development was brilliant! I never saw it coming and I read a lot of psychological thrillers.
This novel will appeal to a lot of readers and will provide a fast-paced read full of surprises and keep you guessing right to the end.
An easy 5-Star rating for me!
My thanks to the author, Carina UK and NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read.
All I can say is when you start this novel you had better block off a period of time to take in the full absorption of this book. I can only speak for myself that I was totally engrossed in the characters and the story. I couldn’t put it down.
Susan wakes up in a locked room, alone, weak, drugged, with no memory of how she got there. Where is Cara, her 8 year old daughter…and her husband Paul? She had been kidnapped and left alone in this barren locked room, with a locked window high above. Her captor brings her food and water, but doesn’t speak to her…except he knows her name.
And then Susan discovers that Cara is being held in the room next door. She has to figure out a plan for her and her daughter to escape. The two begin to secretly communicate their plan of escape.
The book is written through two POV’s, Susan and her Captor’s. Susan rabbles on, her thought process going wild, trying to put the pieces together the WHY and the WHO!
“Who is this man? She doesn’t know him. What does he want? I need to know what’s happening. Why is no one telling me what’s happening to my baby?”
Now I don’t want to reveal any more of the plot for fear of spoilers. Then at approximately the 70 % point, the twist that changed everything! From here on the pieces from this cat and mouse game fall into place and finally make sense. This plot development was brilliant! I never saw it coming and I read a lot of psychological thrillers.
This novel will appeal to a lot of readers and will provide a fast-paced read full of surprises and keep you guessing right to the end.
An easy 5-Star rating for me!
My thanks to the author, Carina UK and NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read.
July 28, 2016
Ohhhhh my giddy aunt.
This book has captured my entire day today, I have resented any interruptions at all.
I have been told to take some ME time as I am under a lot of stress so, I took myself into my bedroom and I was lost in this book for the remaining hours reading it.
I forgot to drink, unless someone got me a drink, I forgot to eat [now that is something!] I kid you not, I just wanted to finish this from beginning to end.
I got to around 60-70% of this book and I was woken up to an entirely different twist, different brain twist, hey....reverse up, hold up and take a breath.
This is one of the most outstanding books this year for me that I will never forget
I would like to thank Carina UK via Net Galley for my copy
September 14, 2016
What a smart and clever gem of a psychological thriller this is, totally engrossing. Susan wakes to find herself locked in a room, one that is completely unfamiliar to her, she has been drugged and has no idea as to what has happened. Susan then discovers the horror of finding out her 8 year old daughter has also been captured and is in a room next door to her. Susan is devastated, she wants to be able to hold her child and ease her fears. Her captor looks after her daily needs and also leaves her with a pencil and paper, allowing Susan to communicate with her daughter through secret messages passed between a crack in the wall. At about 60% we are completely thrown again, a massive curve ball that will take this story to a whole new level. Exciting and thrilling, an excellent book.
March 30, 2016
Susan wakes up in a room she doesn't recognize, with no memory of how she got there. She has an intuition that she may have been drugged ... and the door is locked.
And where is her daughter?
When she hears her daughter's voice through a grate, her heart soars. But then she also knows now that 'HE' also has her daughter captive.
"HE" comes in now and then ... feeds her ... makes sure she's okay. Well, as okay as she can be. Susan has a feeling she has met him before, but she can't quite remember from where.
And so begins a game of cat and mouse, drawing him closer, hoping to give her daughter the chance to get out.
But not everything is as you see it. This is a roller-coaster ride of emotions that will leave you breathless. The more you read, the faster the pages turn. The twists and turns and surprises come fast and furious.... until you're not sure what's real and what's not.
The story is told from two voices .. Susan and her captor's.
This is a compelling psychological thriller, filled with tension. This is a book you will not forget easily .. if at all.
A solid 5 stars!
My thanks to the author / Carina UK / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
And where is her daughter?
When she hears her daughter's voice through a grate, her heart soars. But then she also knows now that 'HE' also has her daughter captive.
"HE" comes in now and then ... feeds her ... makes sure she's okay. Well, as okay as she can be. Susan has a feeling she has met him before, but she can't quite remember from where.
And so begins a game of cat and mouse, drawing him closer, hoping to give her daughter the chance to get out.
But not everything is as you see it. This is a roller-coaster ride of emotions that will leave you breathless. The more you read, the faster the pages turn. The twists and turns and surprises come fast and furious.... until you're not sure what's real and what's not.
The story is told from two voices .. Susan and her captor's.
This is a compelling psychological thriller, filled with tension. This is a book you will not forget easily .. if at all.
A solid 5 stars!
My thanks to the author / Carina UK / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
March 11, 2016
3 Guessing Stars
When Susan wakes up she is in a bedroom she doesn't recognize.
She then realizes that her daughter Cara is also in the next room.
She plots a plan to keep them safe until they are found by getting closer to the captor.
She thinks she recognizes who he is......... but why is he holding them both?
This was certainly a story that kept me thinking how is this going to pan out.
I was pretty much confused most of the book but desperate to find out at the same time what was going on.
I did find the story a touch bewildering at times and I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not.
The twists are there and if you like psychological thrillers this one will keep you guessing till the end.
**ARC provided by Netgalley via Carina UK in return for an honest review***
When Susan wakes up she is in a bedroom she doesn't recognize.
She then realizes that her daughter Cara is also in the next room.
She plots a plan to keep them safe until they are found by getting closer to the captor.
She thinks she recognizes who he is......... but why is he holding them both?
This was certainly a story that kept me thinking how is this going to pan out.
I was pretty much confused most of the book but desperate to find out at the same time what was going on.
I did find the story a touch bewildering at times and I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not.
The twists are there and if you like psychological thrillers this one will keep you guessing till the end.
**ARC provided by Netgalley via Carina UK in return for an honest review***
December 20, 2016
This book isn't just terrible, it's offensively terrible. It's beyond ridiculous. Avoid.
Ok, my longer review. It's impossible to tell you why this book is so bad without telling you the plot. So if you don't want to know the plot, don't read on.
Susan wakes up in a room she doesn't recognise. She's locked in, and she has no idea how she got there, or where her 15 year old daughter, Cara, is. Eventually her captor turns up and she doesn't know who he is or why he's holding her captive. At some point he takes her to the bathroom and on the way past the next room she thinks she sees Cara. She and Cara then whisper to each other through the dividing wall, pass notes to each other through a grate (WTF?) and knock on the wall to each other. They come up with an escape plan which involves Susan waiting till Cara is in the bathroom then screaming her head off and while the captor checks on Susan, Cara can escape. It all goes tits up and nobody escapes so instead they agree Susan needs to kill the captor.
For some ridiculous reason related to extraneous plot details the captor has a gun. He comes into the room with it, Susan attacks him, she gets the gun, and he says don't shoot me, I'm your husband. Then we find out that years ago, during her first marriage, Susan had a stillborn baby and her husband couldn't cope with her grief and left her. Susan developed a severe psychotic depression, was terrified in hospital, eventually recovered, and married Paul and had Cara. Cara went out one day when she was eight, Susan couldn't be arsed going to pick her up so she made Paul go even though he'd had a couple of drinks, he got into an accident and eight year old Cara died. Susan developed severe depression with psychosis again and rather than have the professionals deal with it, Paul locked her in their spare room and treated her with drugs he got off the internet. She's been hallucinating teenage Cara in the next room as part of her psychosis.
Susan accepts Cara is dead, blames herself for not picking her up on the day she dies, blames Paul even more when she finds out he has a previous conviction for drink-driving, locks him in the room with the gun and no food, leaves him there to starve or shoot himself (why he doesn't shoot the lock out, I have no idea), and kidnaps a local little girl and locks her in Cara's bedroom to bring her up as her own.
This book is so ridiculous, it makes The Da Vinci Code look like great literature.
Ok, my longer review. It's impossible to tell you why this book is so bad without telling you the plot. So if you don't want to know the plot, don't read on.
Susan wakes up in a room she doesn't recognise. She's locked in, and she has no idea how she got there, or where her 15 year old daughter, Cara, is. Eventually her captor turns up and she doesn't know who he is or why he's holding her captive. At some point he takes her to the bathroom and on the way past the next room she thinks she sees Cara. She and Cara then whisper to each other through the dividing wall, pass notes to each other through a grate (WTF?) and knock on the wall to each other. They come up with an escape plan which involves Susan waiting till Cara is in the bathroom then screaming her head off and while the captor checks on Susan, Cara can escape. It all goes tits up and nobody escapes so instead they agree Susan needs to kill the captor.
For some ridiculous reason related to extraneous plot details the captor has a gun. He comes into the room with it, Susan attacks him, she gets the gun, and he says don't shoot me, I'm your husband. Then we find out that years ago, during her first marriage, Susan had a stillborn baby and her husband couldn't cope with her grief and left her. Susan developed a severe psychotic depression, was terrified in hospital, eventually recovered, and married Paul and had Cara. Cara went out one day when she was eight, Susan couldn't be arsed going to pick her up so she made Paul go even though he'd had a couple of drinks, he got into an accident and eight year old Cara died. Susan developed severe depression with psychosis again and rather than have the professionals deal with it, Paul locked her in their spare room and treated her with drugs he got off the internet. She's been hallucinating teenage Cara in the next room as part of her psychosis.
Susan accepts Cara is dead, blames herself for not picking her up on the day she dies, blames Paul even more when she finds out he has a previous conviction for drink-driving, locks him in the room with the gun and no food, leaves him there to starve or shoot himself (why he doesn't shoot the lock out, I have no idea), and kidnaps a local little girl and locks her in Cara's bedroom to bring her up as her own.
This book is so ridiculous, it makes The Da Vinci Code look like great literature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2016
Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that ending! I’m going to deliberately try to avoid giving any clues about this story in case I inadvertently give any spoilers….
This is a dark, psychological thriller that keeps you guessing right to the very end. The writing style draws the reader into the scenarios, immersing them in events which are related from two different points of view. It is like a house of mirrors - nothing is quite as you’d expect and there are so many twists and turns be careful you don’t get travel sick on this fast paced roller coaster ride. Beware of accepting anything at face value, the chances are you’ll be wrong!
It is a riveting read, a real page turner with unanticipated macabre connotations and, as I said at the beginning of this review, that ending is a final spectacular twist that turns everything onto its head. The characters are superbly portrayed, the tension is palpable and the plot convoluted and intriguing making this a book that will stay with the reader long after they finish reading it. If you enjoy psychological thrillers this is definitely well worth checking out!
I was invited to read this by the publishers and gifted an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a dark, psychological thriller that keeps you guessing right to the very end. The writing style draws the reader into the scenarios, immersing them in events which are related from two different points of view. It is like a house of mirrors - nothing is quite as you’d expect and there are so many twists and turns be careful you don’t get travel sick on this fast paced roller coaster ride. Beware of accepting anything at face value, the chances are you’ll be wrong!
It is a riveting read, a real page turner with unanticipated macabre connotations and, as I said at the beginning of this review, that ending is a final spectacular twist that turns everything onto its head. The characters are superbly portrayed, the tension is palpable and the plot convoluted and intriguing making this a book that will stay with the reader long after they finish reading it. If you enjoy psychological thrillers this is definitely well worth checking out!
I was invited to read this by the publishers and gifted an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2016
Actual rating 3.5 Stars
This is a strange one to review if I'm being honest. I'm not entirely sure if I enjoyed the story or not. Most of the way through I found myself thinking one thing, then in the latter part everything I thought I knew was turned totally on its head. That in itself is usually a good thing, but other factors worked to bring down my rating I'm afraid.
Storyline - The idea behind the story is a good one, and it is written okay. The ending totally blew me away, yet I'm not sure if that's in a good or a bad way.
Characterisation - The characters were well written, but I couldn't seem to connect with them as much as I would have liked. The feelings I did develop for them while reading were totally changed by how the story goes. The only one I felt sorry for was Cara.
Language used - This is the part which brought my rating down. The style of writing is very disjointed, short sentences seemingly all jumbled together at times. What the reader discovers later in the story goes some way to explaining the reasoning behind this style of writing, but unfortunately it did nothing for me.
Don't get me wrong, I am glad I read this story as I'm sure it will become a much talked about book on social networks following release. I'm not so sure which side I will be on however, as I neither loved nor hated it. I'm somewhere in the middle of undecided.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Carina for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a strange one to review if I'm being honest. I'm not entirely sure if I enjoyed the story or not. Most of the way through I found myself thinking one thing, then in the latter part everything I thought I knew was turned totally on its head. That in itself is usually a good thing, but other factors worked to bring down my rating I'm afraid.
Storyline - The idea behind the story is a good one, and it is written okay. The ending totally blew me away, yet I'm not sure if that's in a good or a bad way.
Characterisation - The characters were well written, but I couldn't seem to connect with them as much as I would have liked. The feelings I did develop for them while reading were totally changed by how the story goes. The only one I felt sorry for was Cara.
Language used - This is the part which brought my rating down. The style of writing is very disjointed, short sentences seemingly all jumbled together at times. What the reader discovers later in the story goes some way to explaining the reasoning behind this style of writing, but unfortunately it did nothing for me.
Don't get me wrong, I am glad I read this story as I'm sure it will become a much talked about book on social networks following release. I'm not so sure which side I will be on however, as I neither loved nor hated it. I'm somewhere in the middle of undecided.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Carina for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2016
Described on Amazon as "a tense psychological thriller with a shocking twist", I saw this on Netgalley and requested it.
Susan wakes up in a room she has never seen before, with no memory of how she got there. She is being imprisoned by a man, one she is sure she has met but she doesn't remember where. Her 15 year old daughter Cara is also being held captive - between them, they need to find a way to escape.
The idea was good - but it fell flat for me. I found it hard to get a handle on who Susan was as a character, her ramblings were incoherent at times. I didn't get a feel for Cara at all - I just didn't care about her.
The Captors POV - I couldn't understand his motivation (up to the last few chapters) and I found it hard to be sympathetic towards him when the truth was revealed.
The whole Alice situation was bizarre and unnecessary, as was the twist upon twist upon twist upon twist.
My main issue with the story was this:
Just not my cup of tea but others seem to have enjoyed it.
Thank you to Carina UK for providing me with a digital copy via Netgalley.
Susan wakes up in a room she has never seen before, with no memory of how she got there. She is being imprisoned by a man, one she is sure she has met but she doesn't remember where. Her 15 year old daughter Cara is also being held captive - between them, they need to find a way to escape.
The idea was good - but it fell flat for me. I found it hard to get a handle on who Susan was as a character, her ramblings were incoherent at times. I didn't get a feel for Cara at all - I just didn't care about her.
The Captors POV - I couldn't understand his motivation (up to the last few chapters) and I found it hard to be sympathetic towards him when the truth was revealed.
The whole Alice situation was bizarre and unnecessary, as was the twist upon twist upon twist upon twist.
My main issue with the story was this:
Just not my cup of tea but others seem to have enjoyed it.
Thank you to Carina UK for providing me with a digital copy via Netgalley.
March 10, 2018
1.5 stars
What could I say? There was surely a twist at the middle of the book. That's all. Just one big twist and it died down real quickly, so quickly that I was hoping for something more suspenseful. The twist is true to its definition, but not a shocking one like the book had claimed. The twist turned out to be very messy and disastrous and not fitting at all to the story. And from there, the second half of the book was focused on solving the relationship between Suze and her husband - Paul, which, I may say, nothing to deal with! It is like reading a therapy session on paper. Just conversations and revelations that were not worth reading. I added 0.5 star because of the good ending. We were revealed that Suze did have some particular plan in her twisted mind.... she was certainly troubled, but in a completely different way from what I had read before in the book, as the author successfully distract us into believing that Suze needed her husband's help. Overall, I was not satisfied with this book.
What could I say? There was surely a twist at the middle of the book. That's all. Just one big twist and it died down real quickly, so quickly that I was hoping for something more suspenseful. The twist is true to its definition, but not a shocking one like the book had claimed. The twist turned out to be very messy and disastrous and not fitting at all to the story. And from there, the second half of the book was focused on solving the relationship between Suze and her husband - Paul, which, I may say, nothing to deal with! It is like reading a therapy session on paper. Just conversations and revelations that were not worth reading. I added 0.5 star because of the good ending. We were revealed that Suze did have some particular plan in her twisted mind.... she was certainly troubled, but in a completely different way from what I had read before in the book, as the author successfully distract us into believing that Suze needed her husband's help. Overall, I was not satisfied with this book.
June 3, 2016
I am giving this book a 5 star it was going to be a 3 cus i found it a little boring till i got half way through. I actually thought i wouldnt finish it but i am so glad i did.
This book is so not what i thought it would be like. I need to watch what i say as it could be easy to give the story away.
I did end up enjoying this book and was so shocked with the twists but the twists actually do happen in real life! When i finished the book i was actually speechless and that dont happen very often lol.
Really recommend this book
Thank you to netgally, publisher and author for a free copy for a honest review
This book is so not what i thought it would be like. I need to watch what i say as it could be easy to give the story away.
I did end up enjoying this book and was so shocked with the twists but the twists actually do happen in real life! When i finished the book i was actually speechless and that dont happen very often lol.
Really recommend this book
Thank you to netgally, publisher and author for a free copy for a honest review
April 5, 2016
The Good Mother I found to be quite a strange read yet one that is highly disturbing.
The issue I am currently finding with a lot of psychological thrillers, is due to the storyline and twists, it is extremely hard to say to much about the books with out giving to much away.
Susan, waking up in a strange room and a strange house had me gripped straight away. The emotions and fear that were going through Susan had me in turmoil as much as her.
The story flicks mainly between Susan and her captor.
I was as much in the dark as Susan is as to why she is being held against her will.
The story really is quite a dark one and to be honest I would never have guessed where the story was leading or to the outcome until it was there in front of me on the pages.
It really is hard to say much about the characters or story without spoiling it for other readers. It is certainly a story with a lot of twists of which kept taking me by surprise. I have to say it is one that has left me feeling slightly uncomfortable but in a good way as it will have me thinking about it for days, if not weeks after finishing.
A definite must read for lovers of this genre.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Carina UK for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The issue I am currently finding with a lot of psychological thrillers, is due to the storyline and twists, it is extremely hard to say to much about the books with out giving to much away.
Susan, waking up in a strange room and a strange house had me gripped straight away. The emotions and fear that were going through Susan had me in turmoil as much as her.
The story flicks mainly between Susan and her captor.
I was as much in the dark as Susan is as to why she is being held against her will.
The story really is quite a dark one and to be honest I would never have guessed where the story was leading or to the outcome until it was there in front of me on the pages.
It really is hard to say much about the characters or story without spoiling it for other readers. It is certainly a story with a lot of twists of which kept taking me by surprise. I have to say it is one that has left me feeling slightly uncomfortable but in a good way as it will have me thinking about it for days, if not weeks after finishing.
A definite must read for lovers of this genre.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Carina UK for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2016
Carina UK and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Good Mother, in exchange for an honest review.
Susan wakes up in a room with no recollection as to how she got there. Quickly realizing that she is trapped, Susan becomes frantic with worry about her fifteen year old daughter Cara. Upon discovering that her daughter is imprisoned in the next room, Susan must summon whatever strength she has to keep her daughter safe from harm.
The Good Mother is written in alternating perspectives, that of Susan and her Captor. The first person present tense narration is a little awkward and does not really help to convey Susan's anxiety and feelings of terror. The side plot fractures the story, keeping the reader confused for most of the book. When the twists finally reveal the whole truth, I had already lost any connection that I might feel for the characters. I finished the book simply to find out how it ended, which is not a ringing endorsement for The Good Mother. I can see what the author intended, but the book never quite got there. For these reasons, I do not recommend reading this book.
Susan wakes up in a room with no recollection as to how she got there. Quickly realizing that she is trapped, Susan becomes frantic with worry about her fifteen year old daughter Cara. Upon discovering that her daughter is imprisoned in the next room, Susan must summon whatever strength she has to keep her daughter safe from harm.
The Good Mother is written in alternating perspectives, that of Susan and her Captor. The first person present tense narration is a little awkward and does not really help to convey Susan's anxiety and feelings of terror. The side plot fractures the story, keeping the reader confused for most of the book. When the twists finally reveal the whole truth, I had already lost any connection that I might feel for the characters. I finished the book simply to find out how it ended, which is not a ringing endorsement for The Good Mother. I can see what the author intended, but the book never quite got there. For these reasons, I do not recommend reading this book.
September 3, 2016
Susan and her daughter, Cara, are both imprisoned in the same house but in different rooms. The captor seems familiar, how did they get there? Why are the being kept? And what does their captor want? Are all questions that run through Susan’s head. The Good Mother is told mostly from Susan’s point of view, but we also get snippets from Cara, the captor and Cara’s best friend Alice, who appears to know more than she is letting on. The first thing I should say about The Good Mother is it should come with a health warning, as this book seriously messes with your head!
At times I found myself bewildered by the plot, as it was difficult to see where it was leading, and it appeared distorted in parts. I also found the writing style to be quite a distraction, very simply written with very short sentences (which bugged the hell out of me to begin with, but once I got to about half way I got use to this style of writing), but after reading the whole book I understand exactly why that style is appropriate, although at times I found it distracted me from really enjoying this book.
As to the characters I found it difficult to have any empathy for Susan or Cara, as I really couldn’t connect to them. I think this was because there was no real depth to them and I felt I only got to know them superficially, I prefer a character to get inside my head and mess with my emotions, so I found it hard to find any empathy for the predicament they find themselves in. The Good Mother feels very claustrophobic and intense at times, as the plot takes place mostly in a one room.
By the time I got to the halfway mark way I really was no closer to guessing where the plot was heading, than when I started the book, and that’s the thing that makes The Good Mother such a compelling read. As the reader you find yourself desperate to find out where the plot could possibly be going as the story becomes even more bewildering, I found myself struggling to put the book down, a very clever and twisted ploy by A L Bird in my humble opinion, and it certainly paid off! Back at the half way point I was convinced I would give The Good Mother 3 stars, but then that all changed when the pieces began to fit together, and damn me there were so many twists and turns I found myself shaking my head with disbelief.
I’m convinced readers of The Good Mother will either love it or hate it, and I’m sure there will be lots of opinions on which camp people fall into on social media once the book is released. The author has come up with a very original plot, and cleverly used her writing skills to draw the reader in and keep them reading to the last page. If you are looking for a fast paced read, then I’m not sure this is the book for you, but if you enjoy a tense psychological thriller which builds on the tension, and seriously messes with your head then you may want to add this book to your collection.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Carina for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
First published on my blog at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
At times I found myself bewildered by the plot, as it was difficult to see where it was leading, and it appeared distorted in parts. I also found the writing style to be quite a distraction, very simply written with very short sentences (which bugged the hell out of me to begin with, but once I got to about half way I got use to this style of writing), but after reading the whole book I understand exactly why that style is appropriate, although at times I found it distracted me from really enjoying this book.
As to the characters I found it difficult to have any empathy for Susan or Cara, as I really couldn’t connect to them. I think this was because there was no real depth to them and I felt I only got to know them superficially, I prefer a character to get inside my head and mess with my emotions, so I found it hard to find any empathy for the predicament they find themselves in. The Good Mother feels very claustrophobic and intense at times, as the plot takes place mostly in a one room.
By the time I got to the halfway mark way I really was no closer to guessing where the plot was heading, than when I started the book, and that’s the thing that makes The Good Mother such a compelling read. As the reader you find yourself desperate to find out where the plot could possibly be going as the story becomes even more bewildering, I found myself struggling to put the book down, a very clever and twisted ploy by A L Bird in my humble opinion, and it certainly paid off! Back at the half way point I was convinced I would give The Good Mother 3 stars, but then that all changed when the pieces began to fit together, and damn me there were so many twists and turns I found myself shaking my head with disbelief.
I’m convinced readers of The Good Mother will either love it or hate it, and I’m sure there will be lots of opinions on which camp people fall into on social media once the book is released. The author has come up with a very original plot, and cleverly used her writing skills to draw the reader in and keep them reading to the last page. If you are looking for a fast paced read, then I’m not sure this is the book for you, but if you enjoy a tense psychological thriller which builds on the tension, and seriously messes with your head then you may want to add this book to your collection.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Carina for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
First published on my blog at http://thebookreviewcafe.com
May 31, 2016
A psychological mystery which does more to fool the reader than most. It's really difficult to give much of a hint of what the story is about because it's so easy to slip in a spoiler giving the game away. Suffice to say, all is not what it first seems and although I did nearly give up on this during the early stages, I'm glad I read to the end to appreciate what I didn't like about it.
Unfortunately, from the start, I was put off by the disjointed, muddled, repetitive and what seemed like a rather novice writing style. The sentences were short and off-putting to read. By the time the reader gets to three quarters of the way through, all is revealed, we get it. I then understood why it was written the way it was and, with my mind whirring back through the book, all seemed to fit into place.
In summing up, the plot, story and book as a whole is fairly good. The fact that three quarters of the book is written in such a disjointed and difficult way to read really put me off. I felt it needed a separate timeline or a narrator so that we could see that that section of the book was different (I can't say why because that's the whole premise of the book, it's what makes it work – eventually). I accept there is a cleverness to the plot but for me it only reaches 3.5 stars.
Unfortunately, from the start, I was put off by the disjointed, muddled, repetitive and what seemed like a rather novice writing style. The sentences were short and off-putting to read. By the time the reader gets to three quarters of the way through, all is revealed, we get it. I then understood why it was written the way it was and, with my mind whirring back through the book, all seemed to fit into place.
In summing up, the plot, story and book as a whole is fairly good. The fact that three quarters of the book is written in such a disjointed and difficult way to read really put me off. I felt it needed a separate timeline or a narrator so that we could see that that section of the book was different (I can't say why because that's the whole premise of the book, it's what makes it work – eventually). I accept there is a cleverness to the plot but for me it only reaches 3.5 stars.
October 6, 2017
I was so looking forward to reading this novel...until I read it. The first couple pages hooked me.
A woman wakes up and discovers she's been kidnapped. But why? Where is her daughter, Cara? Susan soon discovers that her daughter is in the next room and begin to communicate and devise a strategy to escape.
The plot has a major twist that sends everything you as reader know askew, and yet another at the end - that I abhorred. And the writing was mediocre. I really didn't want to read further than that major twist, but I had to know know more. Yes, this is a psychological thriller, but too plain psychotic.
I did like the characters until I didn't.
A woman wakes up and discovers she's been kidnapped. But why? Where is her daughter, Cara? Susan soon discovers that her daughter is in the next room and begin to communicate and devise a strategy to escape.
The plot has a major twist that sends everything you as reader know askew, and yet another at the end - that I abhorred. And the writing was mediocre. I really didn't want to read further than that major twist, but I had to know know more. Yes, this is a psychological thriller, but too plain psychotic.
I did like the characters until I didn't.
June 3, 2016
Originally reviewed on Becca's Books.
A.L. Bird takes readers straight to the action when opening her novel The Good Mother. The reader is introduced to Susan, who has absolutely no idea of where she is. She's locked behind a door, in a room with just a single window giving her a glimpse of the outside world, with no memory of how she got there. The first thing that occupies Susan's head-space is the whereabouts of her daughter. The second is how she's going to get out. Throughout the course of this twisting and deceiving novel, A. L. Bird explores the darkest and deepest depths of trust, relationships and motherhood in a wholly unsettling way that crept right beneath my skin and managed to remain there until the very last page.
I loved the pacing of The Good Mother by A. L. Bird. From the get-go, the author ensured I wanted and needed to know more about the scenario Susan had managed to find herself in. A million and one questions instantly bombarded my mind and I couldn't wait for the answers to be delivered. Who had done this to her? Where was her daughter? And when would she meet her captor? Bird built the tension brilliantly within this book as the plot progressed. It was taut and chilling, opaque in the sense that I really did'n't have a clue of how the author was going to twist this tale to shock her readers. There were moments when the atmosphere within this novel felt claustrophobic, suffocating even.
When Susan's captor and daughter were introduced, this story took a completely new turn for me. The sense of panic and tension heightened and the urge to escape grew stronger, impossible to ignore for Susan. The only constant in her mind was her daughter's welfare and the words exchanged between the two were tender, despite the awfully frightening situation they were in. What I found even more interesting was the bizarre spark between Susan and her captor. It was totally unexpected and it took a while for me to accept it was happening at all. It was strange and felt like an intruder amongst everything else that was going on. Alongside this, Bird provided the reader with Susan's captor's point of view, allowing an insight I again didn't expect to find. It was incredibly interesting and unusual, something I didn't quite know how to feel about, but it widened the boundaries of this story and made it all the more chilling.
The twists and turns within The Good Mother by A. L. Bird were brilliant, I thought. It definitely kept me guessing and trying to figure out how it all fit together, and when the answers were provided, I couldn't quite believe what the author had achieved. Bird pulled the wool over my eyes completely and by the end of this book, I was shaking my head in wonderment. I felt that about half-way through the novel, I perhaps lost the thread a little bit between the different characters, but it certainly picked back up towards the end and re-snatched my interest.
All in all, The Good Mother by A. L. Bird was a clever, twisting and teasing tale. It played with my mind and ensured I was kept on my toes as the author revealed, bit by tiny bit, Susan's character and situation. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to any readers out there who enjoy a read that tugs you into its pages and makes you feel as if you're right there alongside the character, behind the locked door.
Becca's Books is awarding The Good Mother by A. L. Bird with four of my bookish stars. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the author's next release! I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve for readers next.
A.L. Bird takes readers straight to the action when opening her novel The Good Mother. The reader is introduced to Susan, who has absolutely no idea of where she is. She's locked behind a door, in a room with just a single window giving her a glimpse of the outside world, with no memory of how she got there. The first thing that occupies Susan's head-space is the whereabouts of her daughter. The second is how she's going to get out. Throughout the course of this twisting and deceiving novel, A. L. Bird explores the darkest and deepest depths of trust, relationships and motherhood in a wholly unsettling way that crept right beneath my skin and managed to remain there until the very last page.
I loved the pacing of The Good Mother by A. L. Bird. From the get-go, the author ensured I wanted and needed to know more about the scenario Susan had managed to find herself in. A million and one questions instantly bombarded my mind and I couldn't wait for the answers to be delivered. Who had done this to her? Where was her daughter? And when would she meet her captor? Bird built the tension brilliantly within this book as the plot progressed. It was taut and chilling, opaque in the sense that I really did'n't have a clue of how the author was going to twist this tale to shock her readers. There were moments when the atmosphere within this novel felt claustrophobic, suffocating even.
When Susan's captor and daughter were introduced, this story took a completely new turn for me. The sense of panic and tension heightened and the urge to escape grew stronger, impossible to ignore for Susan. The only constant in her mind was her daughter's welfare and the words exchanged between the two were tender, despite the awfully frightening situation they were in. What I found even more interesting was the bizarre spark between Susan and her captor. It was totally unexpected and it took a while for me to accept it was happening at all. It was strange and felt like an intruder amongst everything else that was going on. Alongside this, Bird provided the reader with Susan's captor's point of view, allowing an insight I again didn't expect to find. It was incredibly interesting and unusual, something I didn't quite know how to feel about, but it widened the boundaries of this story and made it all the more chilling.
The twists and turns within The Good Mother by A. L. Bird were brilliant, I thought. It definitely kept me guessing and trying to figure out how it all fit together, and when the answers were provided, I couldn't quite believe what the author had achieved. Bird pulled the wool over my eyes completely and by the end of this book, I was shaking my head in wonderment. I felt that about half-way through the novel, I perhaps lost the thread a little bit between the different characters, but it certainly picked back up towards the end and re-snatched my interest.
All in all, The Good Mother by A. L. Bird was a clever, twisting and teasing tale. It played with my mind and ensured I was kept on my toes as the author revealed, bit by tiny bit, Susan's character and situation. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to any readers out there who enjoy a read that tugs you into its pages and makes you feel as if you're right there alongside the character, behind the locked door.
Becca's Books is awarding The Good Mother by A. L. Bird with four of my bookish stars. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the author's next release! I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve for readers next.
April 4, 2016
This is one of those books that you will pick up....and then not put down again until you are finished and it very much needs to be that way because of the way it is written. The reason for that I will come to that later!
Susan comes to in a locked room. She struggles to understand why. Her captor brings her food and takes her to the bathroom. He looks familiar but she can't seem to remember why. The only thing that keeps her going with thoughts of escape is the fact that the kidnapper has also taken her daughter Cara. A grill between their rooms means they can communicate via knocks and notes to work out their plan of attack. They just need to wait for the right moment....
Well, this was one of the most interestingly original ideas I had seen committed to print in quite a while. To begin with I found it rather confusing but once I realised this was how the author needed to tell her story, I settled down to read it and read it I did in just a day. I've seen others say this too about this book and think that because of the way it is told you do need to read in large chunks to keep it fresh in your mind. Sorry if that sounds confusing but you will see what I mean when you read it! Every part of the plot is told from Susan's viewpoint or by her captor. Once you find out what is going on, the story that has been told makes much more sense-I had a clue where it was going and I was nearly totally right but not quite! This seems to be the norm for books of this genre this year, to be touted with a big twist, and I'd rather they weren't! It must be very difficult for authors to keep surprising us when we are told we won't see twists coming! We expect a twisty plot full of red herrings or unreliable narrators in this type of book nowadays-it's why we read them!!
I have read a couple of this authors books previously when she was writing under the name of Amy Bird. I'm not sure why she has chosen to use A L Bird on this one as for me I would have been very happy to order on the strength of her previous work (I especially enjoyed Hide and Seek which I downloaded in parts whenever I could find WiFi on my hols a couple of years ago!!). I really enjoyed The Good Mother and found it an easy-to-get-caught-up-in, suspenseful storyline once you got into the way it was written.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Susan comes to in a locked room. She struggles to understand why. Her captor brings her food and takes her to the bathroom. He looks familiar but she can't seem to remember why. The only thing that keeps her going with thoughts of escape is the fact that the kidnapper has also taken her daughter Cara. A grill between their rooms means they can communicate via knocks and notes to work out their plan of attack. They just need to wait for the right moment....
Well, this was one of the most interestingly original ideas I had seen committed to print in quite a while. To begin with I found it rather confusing but once I realised this was how the author needed to tell her story, I settled down to read it and read it I did in just a day. I've seen others say this too about this book and think that because of the way it is told you do need to read in large chunks to keep it fresh in your mind. Sorry if that sounds confusing but you will see what I mean when you read it! Every part of the plot is told from Susan's viewpoint or by her captor. Once you find out what is going on, the story that has been told makes much more sense-I had a clue where it was going and I was nearly totally right but not quite! This seems to be the norm for books of this genre this year, to be touted with a big twist, and I'd rather they weren't! It must be very difficult for authors to keep surprising us when we are told we won't see twists coming! We expect a twisty plot full of red herrings or unreliable narrators in this type of book nowadays-it's why we read them!!
I have read a couple of this authors books previously when she was writing under the name of Amy Bird. I'm not sure why she has chosen to use A L Bird on this one as for me I would have been very happy to order on the strength of her previous work (I especially enjoyed Hide and Seek which I downloaded in parts whenever I could find WiFi on my hols a couple of years ago!!). I really enjoyed The Good Mother and found it an easy-to-get-caught-up-in, suspenseful storyline once you got into the way it was written.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
March 2, 2018
I completely devoured this book in one sitting. It was a brilliant page-turner and had me guessing the whole way through. However the twist wasn't something that I saw coming! Superbly written. A clever read that I highly recommend! The only reason why I have rated this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because although I enjoyed the plot; I didn't feel as much empathy for the main character as I would liked.
March 22, 2016
Well all I can say is make sure you have plenty time when you start reading this as you won't want to put it down until it's finished! At first I wasn't sure what was going on. Susan (or Suze) wakens in a locked room with no idea how she got there or how long she's been there. She's fairly sure she has been drugged. Most of the story is told in her words, her frantic thoughts as she tries to work out what has happened and how she can escape. To her horror, Susan realises that her daughter is also being held in the room next door and the two begin to communicate secretly to plot their escape.
This book is so cleverly written that it's not until you have finished that all falls into place and you understand what has been going on with all the characters. As I was reading I was trying to work out what could possibly be happening. I had so many questions buzzing around my head. Each time I thought I had worked out a possible answer, I realised that another part of the story meant I couldn't be right!
This is a fast-paced read and having read it on Kindle I'm not sure if it's a short book or I just read it so quickly as I couldn't wait to find out what happened. You will be constantly wondering what is going on and coming up with ideas - probably mostly wrong - you will be kept guessing right up to the last page! Just when you think all has been explained, there are further shocks and surprises as you near the end of the book.
This book is so cleverly written that it's not until you have finished that all falls into place and you understand what has been going on with all the characters. As I was reading I was trying to work out what could possibly be happening. I had so many questions buzzing around my head. Each time I thought I had worked out a possible answer, I realised that another part of the story meant I couldn't be right!
This is a fast-paced read and having read it on Kindle I'm not sure if it's a short book or I just read it so quickly as I couldn't wait to find out what happened. You will be constantly wondering what is going on and coming up with ideas - probably mostly wrong - you will be kept guessing right up to the last page! Just when you think all has been explained, there are further shocks and surprises as you near the end of the book.
April 4, 2016
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
The beautiful cover first got my attention, and after reading the blurb it really got me intrigued as it sounded like a fascinating and disturbing story.
when Susan wakes up in a locked room with just a bed, in a place she doesn't know her first thought is what has happened to her daughter, Cara. And why is she in this room and who has put her there. Her captor visits the room from time to time to let her out to use the bathroom and brings food, but otherwise there is no contact with the outside world and she waits in hope that she will be rescued from this living nightmare
It's a little difficult to say much more about this book without giving away too many spoilers but it was quite a sinister and dark read, that I did read in one sitting as I just wanted to know what was going on and who was involved. I did find myself at times feeling little empathy with the main characters as something wasn't quite right about things that were happening so at times it was a little hard to believe. The subject matters were dealt with in a pretty sympathetic way though and I just felt the ending was a little rushed and maybe didn't quite sit right with the tension that had been building up throughout the story
The beautiful cover first got my attention, and after reading the blurb it really got me intrigued as it sounded like a fascinating and disturbing story.
when Susan wakes up in a locked room with just a bed, in a place she doesn't know her first thought is what has happened to her daughter, Cara. And why is she in this room and who has put her there. Her captor visits the room from time to time to let her out to use the bathroom and brings food, but otherwise there is no contact with the outside world and she waits in hope that she will be rescued from this living nightmare
It's a little difficult to say much more about this book without giving away too many spoilers but it was quite a sinister and dark read, that I did read in one sitting as I just wanted to know what was going on and who was involved. I did find myself at times feeling little empathy with the main characters as something wasn't quite right about things that were happening so at times it was a little hard to believe. The subject matters were dealt with in a pretty sympathetic way though and I just felt the ending was a little rushed and maybe didn't quite sit right with the tension that had been building up throughout the story
March 30, 2016
If you are looking for an action packed psychological thriller this book isn't for you. This is a very original story packed with tension that runs chills down your spine.
Susan wakens up from a drug induced sleep in a strange room and soon realises that she has been abducted and her teenage daughter Cara is missing. To her relief and then horror she hears her in the next room.
I soon realised that there weren't going to be many characters in this novel and wondered if it would be enough to keep my attention, well it certainly did through Susan's thoughts and those of her abductor, infact it enhanced the isolation which she was being forcefully kept. The interactions were gripping, frightening and at times violent. I felt her terror for her own safety and the unknown things that were happening to her daughter.
From some other reviews it has been said the story is a little confusing but just go with the flow, it is a cracking story, very well thought out and I simply loved it!
I wish to thank Netgalley and Carina UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Susan wakens up from a drug induced sleep in a strange room and soon realises that she has been abducted and her teenage daughter Cara is missing. To her relief and then horror she hears her in the next room.
I soon realised that there weren't going to be many characters in this novel and wondered if it would be enough to keep my attention, well it certainly did through Susan's thoughts and those of her abductor, infact it enhanced the isolation which she was being forcefully kept. The interactions were gripping, frightening and at times violent. I felt her terror for her own safety and the unknown things that were happening to her daughter.
From some other reviews it has been said the story is a little confusing but just go with the flow, it is a cracking story, very well thought out and I simply loved it!
I wish to thank Netgalley and Carina UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2016
This book was all over the place. It started off boring, but I was determined to finish the story because the plot seemed interesting. Unfortunately, I should have listened to my gut instinct (as I'm usually right with these things).
I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters and I was left mostly confused. If the writing isn't engaging or lively, it's very hard to feel energised about the rest of the novel. Let's just say that the unreliable narrator is put into good use here but the execution was lacklustre. The writing was choppy and full of short fragmented sentences (and you'll understand why later on in the story). I can't say I looked forward to reading it. It took me two sittings to finish, but I just wanted to be done with it, so I could read something else (hopefully more better, but I don't hold much hope on that front!).
Reading the story reminded me of eating cheese on toast, rather than treating yourself to a big meal in town. THAT was how bad it was.
I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters and I was left mostly confused. If the writing isn't engaging or lively, it's very hard to feel energised about the rest of the novel. Let's just say that the unreliable narrator is put into good use here but the execution was lacklustre. The writing was choppy and full of short fragmented sentences (and you'll understand why later on in the story). I can't say I looked forward to reading it. It took me two sittings to finish, but I just wanted to be done with it, so I could read something else (hopefully more better, but I don't hold much hope on that front!).
Reading the story reminded me of eating cheese on toast, rather than treating yourself to a big meal in town. THAT was how bad it was.
Read
March 29, 2016Review to follow
May 26, 2018
Wow! There are plenty of surprises here with all the plot twists. This is one you won't see coming. Great suspense! I will definitely keep my eye out for more by this amazing author.
August 22, 2016
I was keen to read this novel from the moment I first saw the great cover image so I was really pleased when my request was approved on Net Galley.
I found that the opening chapters of The Good Mother really hooked me in. It worked very well that when Suze wakes up in the strange room, the reader knows no more than she does. This makes for a very intriguing read and had me guessing along with her about where she might be and what might have happened to her. She senses that her daughter Cara has been taken with her but has no proof of this to begin with. In time she hears Cara in the room next to her and they begin to communicate by passing notes through a grate. The notes are interesting at first because they show Suze’s conflicted state of mind as she frantically tries to think of ways to keep Cara safe but at the same time she needs her to be able to help them try to escape. Cara is understandably terrified and struggles to find the emotional strength needed for the two of them to attempt to get away.
Unfortunately the book fell a little flat for me in the middle section; it felt like I was in limbo just waiting for something to happen. The notes keep being passed, Suze keeps on trying to come up with a plan; it felt a little padded out and I just wanted to see more progression of the story. It soon starts to pick up again though as Suze realises that she knows her attacker from somewhere and slowly she begins to piece together who he is. The novel really begins to gather momentum after this as we see how the kidnapper reacts to Suze’s realisation and we also find out more about what happened to Cara in the run up to the kidnapping; in fact it becomes so fast-paced at this point that I didn’t put the book down again until I’d finished reading it!
I love an unreliable narrator and Suze is certainly that. A protagonist who has been kidnapped and repeatedly drugged is not able to know the truth let alone tell is so it worked very well for this novel. The Good Mother is told from two perspectives – Suze is the main voice but we also get the perspective of the kidnapper. This aspect of the book fascinated me because in parts I started to wonder if we were really getting the kidnapper’s viewpoint or whether Suze was imagining what he was getting up to and this is discombobulating in a good way.
There wasn’t a lot that came as a shock to me in this novel in terms of what was really happening with Suze but even though I was expecting the big stuff, there were smaller elements within the twists that were actually very shocking in terms of behaviours and the way certain characters were treated. I also found the reality of what happened to Suze really quite disturbing. The very end of the novel was properly shocking albeit it made sense in terms of the character in question after what we’d learnt about them earlier in the book, but it was still horrifying. As I could sense what was about to happen it was like being in an accident and everything feeling like it’s going in slow motion and high speed at the same time. I wanted it to be so different for the character because they deserved something better, but sometimes damage done is so great that wheels are set in motion that can’t be altered and it felt like that’s what happened in this book. I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to give any spoilers.
For the most part, this was quite a fast paced, engrossing novel but there were some parts that didn’t absolutely work for me.
I received a copy of The Good Mother from Carina via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The Good Mother is out now and available from all good bookshops.
I found that the opening chapters of The Good Mother really hooked me in. It worked very well that when Suze wakes up in the strange room, the reader knows no more than she does. This makes for a very intriguing read and had me guessing along with her about where she might be and what might have happened to her. She senses that her daughter Cara has been taken with her but has no proof of this to begin with. In time she hears Cara in the room next to her and they begin to communicate by passing notes through a grate. The notes are interesting at first because they show Suze’s conflicted state of mind as she frantically tries to think of ways to keep Cara safe but at the same time she needs her to be able to help them try to escape. Cara is understandably terrified and struggles to find the emotional strength needed for the two of them to attempt to get away.
Unfortunately the book fell a little flat for me in the middle section; it felt like I was in limbo just waiting for something to happen. The notes keep being passed, Suze keeps on trying to come up with a plan; it felt a little padded out and I just wanted to see more progression of the story. It soon starts to pick up again though as Suze realises that she knows her attacker from somewhere and slowly she begins to piece together who he is. The novel really begins to gather momentum after this as we see how the kidnapper reacts to Suze’s realisation and we also find out more about what happened to Cara in the run up to the kidnapping; in fact it becomes so fast-paced at this point that I didn’t put the book down again until I’d finished reading it!
I love an unreliable narrator and Suze is certainly that. A protagonist who has been kidnapped and repeatedly drugged is not able to know the truth let alone tell is so it worked very well for this novel. The Good Mother is told from two perspectives – Suze is the main voice but we also get the perspective of the kidnapper. This aspect of the book fascinated me because in parts I started to wonder if we were really getting the kidnapper’s viewpoint or whether Suze was imagining what he was getting up to and this is discombobulating in a good way.
There wasn’t a lot that came as a shock to me in this novel in terms of what was really happening with Suze but even though I was expecting the big stuff, there were smaller elements within the twists that were actually very shocking in terms of behaviours and the way certain characters were treated. I also found the reality of what happened to Suze really quite disturbing. The very end of the novel was properly shocking albeit it made sense in terms of the character in question after what we’d learnt about them earlier in the book, but it was still horrifying. As I could sense what was about to happen it was like being in an accident and everything feeling like it’s going in slow motion and high speed at the same time. I wanted it to be so different for the character because they deserved something better, but sometimes damage done is so great that wheels are set in motion that can’t be altered and it felt like that’s what happened in this book. I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to give any spoilers.
For the most part, this was quite a fast paced, engrossing novel but there were some parts that didn’t absolutely work for me.
I received a copy of The Good Mother from Carina via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The Good Mother is out now and available from all good bookshops.
April 10, 2016
When Susan wakes up in a strange room with a locked door, she has no memory of why she is there or even what her name is at first. Her captor comes in, she doesn’t recognise him but she has an instinctive need to know what has happened to her fifteen year old daughter Cara.
If you like books that are full of twists you may well enjoy this one but I have to confess for the most part I was simply confused by this story. Not in an irritated way; I wanted to know what had happened to both Susan and Cara and the author did a good job if her intention was that none of the readers is likely to stumble upon anything like the right idea. And that’s about all I can say about the plot because anything else will be a major spoiler. The pace is fast and furious, this is one of those books that is best read in long sittings to get the most out of it, there is a lot to absorb and ponder on as the facts are revealed piece by piece.
The story is told from two viewpoints, that of Susan in captivity, and by her captor. This man’s voice wasn’t threatening, he comes across as quite a needy character, but one who can be volatile but Susan is unaware of that. Quite naturally she is suspicious, frightened and alone, which makes her prone to ramblings about her perfect teenage daughter, her best friend and her motivation to stay strong and escape.
Although sympathetic to Susan’s plight I didn’t feel that I got to know her in any meaningful way for reasons that became clear in the last few chapters but this made it hard to really care about her in the way I would normally. The captor, despite having a number of contradictory aspects to his character was a bit easier to get a handle on but in this instance I found the switches between points of view quite off-putting in respect of both characters.
I have a feeling this is one of those books that if you are able to put yourself in Susan’s shoes, will work really well, after all everything is revealed to the reader before Susan thereby giving a chance to absorb the facts before witnessing her reaction but for me something didn’t quite gel enough for me to do this. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind for this type of narrative which is mainly in the first person present tense, again this should have played in this book’s favour, but I found the stream of consciousness it provoked without any great amount of dialogue to hang it on, just added to my confusion about what was going on, and sadly this has persisted even since I found out.
Having read some other reviews since writing mind, I think I’m in the minority with this one and it definitely has a great premise and is a change from all the books about missing children that are around this year.
I’d like to thank Carina UK for allowing me to read a copy of The Good Mother which was published on 4 April 2016 in return for this, my honest opinion.
If you like books that are full of twists you may well enjoy this one but I have to confess for the most part I was simply confused by this story. Not in an irritated way; I wanted to know what had happened to both Susan and Cara and the author did a good job if her intention was that none of the readers is likely to stumble upon anything like the right idea. And that’s about all I can say about the plot because anything else will be a major spoiler. The pace is fast and furious, this is one of those books that is best read in long sittings to get the most out of it, there is a lot to absorb and ponder on as the facts are revealed piece by piece.
The story is told from two viewpoints, that of Susan in captivity, and by her captor. This man’s voice wasn’t threatening, he comes across as quite a needy character, but one who can be volatile but Susan is unaware of that. Quite naturally she is suspicious, frightened and alone, which makes her prone to ramblings about her perfect teenage daughter, her best friend and her motivation to stay strong and escape.
Although sympathetic to Susan’s plight I didn’t feel that I got to know her in any meaningful way for reasons that became clear in the last few chapters but this made it hard to really care about her in the way I would normally. The captor, despite having a number of contradictory aspects to his character was a bit easier to get a handle on but in this instance I found the switches between points of view quite off-putting in respect of both characters.
I have a feeling this is one of those books that if you are able to put yourself in Susan’s shoes, will work really well, after all everything is revealed to the reader before Susan thereby giving a chance to absorb the facts before witnessing her reaction but for me something didn’t quite gel enough for me to do this. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind for this type of narrative which is mainly in the first person present tense, again this should have played in this book’s favour, but I found the stream of consciousness it provoked without any great amount of dialogue to hang it on, just added to my confusion about what was going on, and sadly this has persisted even since I found out.
Having read some other reviews since writing mind, I think I’m in the minority with this one and it definitely has a great premise and is a change from all the books about missing children that are around this year.
I’d like to thank Carina UK for allowing me to read a copy of The Good Mother which was published on 4 April 2016 in return for this, my honest opinion.
April 6, 2016
I like to try new (to me) authors .. being a mother the title attracted me then I realised it was also a psychological thriller so it wasn’t going to be a straight forward ‘lovey dovey’ story. I was intrigued.
Susan wakes up from a drug induced stupor to find herself locked in a room. Her thoughts immediately turn to her teenage daughter Cara, where is she, is she safe? Who is the person holding her captive, can she hear Cara in the next room .. so many thoughts swirling in her head.
This is one of those books where you want to read it slowly to digest every clue but are also desperate to reach the conclusion. Many twists and turns along the way. Some of it fairly painful to read but put yourself into Susan’s shoes and it begins to make sense. It’s quite descriptive and you can feel the tension of being held captive as well as the inner trauma of a mother wanting to protect her child. It actually gave me goosebumps at some points.
There aren’t many people involved in this story so it became apparent to me what could possibly be happening fairly early on .. with hindsight I’m not sure if that was due to little clues or my state of mind! It does all unfold and has a satisfactory but surprising ending. It’s very difficult to say much without hinting at what occurs.
If you like a dark, family orientated mystery then you will love this. I enjoyed the way it was written from varying viewpoints .. I felt for Susan but I’m not convinced I liked her as a person but again that relies on reading it to understand what her reasons are. A clever plot and one that will take a while for me to digest fully.
I would happily read another book from this author .. this one could possibly be a love or hate book depending on your favoured genre.
Many thanks to Carina and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest opinion.
Susan wakes up from a drug induced stupor to find herself locked in a room. Her thoughts immediately turn to her teenage daughter Cara, where is she, is she safe? Who is the person holding her captive, can she hear Cara in the next room .. so many thoughts swirling in her head.
This is one of those books where you want to read it slowly to digest every clue but are also desperate to reach the conclusion. Many twists and turns along the way. Some of it fairly painful to read but put yourself into Susan’s shoes and it begins to make sense. It’s quite descriptive and you can feel the tension of being held captive as well as the inner trauma of a mother wanting to protect her child. It actually gave me goosebumps at some points.
There aren’t many people involved in this story so it became apparent to me what could possibly be happening fairly early on .. with hindsight I’m not sure if that was due to little clues or my state of mind! It does all unfold and has a satisfactory but surprising ending. It’s very difficult to say much without hinting at what occurs.
If you like a dark, family orientated mystery then you will love this. I enjoyed the way it was written from varying viewpoints .. I felt for Susan but I’m not convinced I liked her as a person but again that relies on reading it to understand what her reasons are. A clever plot and one that will take a while for me to digest fully.
I would happily read another book from this author .. this one could possibly be a love or hate book depending on your favoured genre.
Many thanks to Carina and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 6, 2017
The style of writing took a bit of getting used to at first but once you do get used to it, The Good Mother is such an addictive read. The reader is thrust inside the minds of Susan and her captor. I must say that it's a bit crazy at times and I almost felt like I was descending into madness myself. It was almost a relief to put the book down and blink to see my familar surroundings infront of me.
Susan finds herself held captive in a strange room, her only source of comfort is that her daughter, Cara, is also being held in the room next to hers. Susan knows that she has met her captor before...if only she could remember where, but her memories are held tantalisingly out of reach. Susan and Cara devise a means of communication and they hatch a plan for escape but their captor still has more than one surprise up his sleeve.
The Good Mother really plays with your mind as you think you have it all worked out then a surprise jumps out and smacks you in the face. I found it quite hard to get into at first as it's never pleasant to see inside somebody's mind and you really get to read Susan's darkest innermost thoughts in this book. It's a relatively quick read and one that will appeal to all psychological fiction lovers.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Susan finds herself held captive in a strange room, her only source of comfort is that her daughter, Cara, is also being held in the room next to hers. Susan knows that she has met her captor before...if only she could remember where, but her memories are held tantalisingly out of reach. Susan and Cara devise a means of communication and they hatch a plan for escape but their captor still has more than one surprise up his sleeve.
The Good Mother really plays with your mind as you think you have it all worked out then a surprise jumps out and smacks you in the face. I found it quite hard to get into at first as it's never pleasant to see inside somebody's mind and you really get to read Susan's darkest innermost thoughts in this book. It's a relatively quick read and one that will appeal to all psychological fiction lovers.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
April 7, 2016
Other than reading a couple of the chapter’s previously, I read this book in one day. The tension that is built up by Bird through the jumpy narrative and relentless pace is astounding. I just had to keep going to find out what happened next. I truly thought I had everything worked out, and then I realised that I hadn’t in spectacular fashion to the point where I think I actually read some chapters without taking a breath! I enjoyed how all the pieces started to fall into place – interestingly, this book isn’t one for leading the reader in the wrong direction to build up the tension, rather all the information is presented, just in a disjointed, non-chronological order in order.
I was pleased that I’d forgotten the strapline about the shocking twist because it truly was shocking when I came to it – I personally would rather that books didn’t have this marketing technique and allow for the narrative and the twist itself to work its magic! The Good Mother isn’t alone with this, in other books I’ve actually been pre-empting the twist throughout so I was pleased that I could just be immersed in this one! A fabulous psychological thriller.
Thank you to both the publisher and author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was pleased that I’d forgotten the strapline about the shocking twist because it truly was shocking when I came to it – I personally would rather that books didn’t have this marketing technique and allow for the narrative and the twist itself to work its magic! The Good Mother isn’t alone with this, in other books I’ve actually been pre-empting the twist throughout so I was pleased that I could just be immersed in this one! A fabulous psychological thriller.
Thank you to both the publisher and author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
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