A Mother's Lie

by Sarah Zettel

A compulsive family drama about a mother's desperate search to reclaim her daughter from the horrors of her own past, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell's Then She Was Gone.Beth Fraser finally has her life together. She's built a successful career in the tech sector, has a bright fifteen-year-old daughter, and she's completely erased all evidence of her troubled past. At least that's what she thought.Dana Fraser always wondered why she's the only kid with two backup phones, emergency drills, and a non-negotiable check-in time every single day. When a stranger approaches her on the street claiming to be her grandmother, Dana starts to question what else her mother has been hiding. Soon Beth's worst nightmare is coming Dana is in grave danger, and unless Beth is willing to pull one last con job for her parents, she may never see her daughter again.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Suspense, Crime, Adult

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2020

About the author

Sarah Zettel is the critically acclaimed author of more than twenty novels, spanning the full range of genre fiction. Her debut novel, Reclamation, won the Locus Award for Best First Novel. Her second release, Fool’s War, was a 1997 New York Times Notable Book, and the American Library Association named Playing God one of the Best Books for Young Adults of 1999. Her novel Bitter Angels won the Philip K. Dick Award for best science fiction paperback in 2009. Her latest novel, Dust Girl, was named as one of the best young adult books of the year by both Kirkus Reviews and the American Library Association. Zettel lives in Michigan with her husband, her rapidly growing son, and her cat, Buffy the Vermin Slayer.

Reviews

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was bat shit crazy. There’s literally no other way to describe it. By the end, I just wanted the craziness to be over and done with.

[Janeonaboat · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book pisses me off. Seriously wtf did I just read. It’s so all over the place and honestly just ridiculous and unbelievable and SILLY. “Dangerface” really?????? Come on

Update - I read this book months ago and I’m STILL pissed. It’s just cringe.

[Shelleen Toland · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG talk about a dysfunctional family. Beth and her daughter Dana seem to have a great life. Beth has a good job and a nice place. Then her ex shows up acting out of character. Then her parents. One thing leads to another and lies all become exposed. This will have you shouting and shaking your head. Con artists that are so horrible he hope something will happen to them.
I received this from NetGalley for review.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beth makes her teenaged daughter Dana send her a text every day at exactly 4:30pm so she will know everything is ok. In many other ways, Beth is extremely security conscious. Eleven years ago, an attempted kidnapping of Dana occurred but is this the real reason behind all this security. After all, Beth used to be Star and her parents are still criminals.

The book slowed down in the middle and my interest started to wane. I liked the way the drama ended but I think it got to be a bit much for me prior to that. Teen drama accounts for some of the circumstances, but, overall, Dana seemed like a typical teenager.

[Kristin (Always With a Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review up on blog: http://alwayswithabook.blogspot.com/2...

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was something else, I don't even know what was really going on, stuff just seemed to happen, the whole thing was like watching a demented tumble weed flow through the entire book.

I found the whole thing really frustrating, and I didn't particularly relate to any of the characters, random bits of writing seemed to be wound into the book and then it seemed to be going somewhere and then boom, back to not knowing what was going on, I waited so long for this book at my library that by the time it came to me, I think we just missed one another, the audiobook was well read but the narrator had a really annoying voice or maybe it's just the way she read it - maybe she wasn't interested either, I don't know, but it just wasn't my book.

[Vicky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was not a very good book, in fact I cannot understand how it got so many positive reviews (although I am suspicious about the number of positive reviews every book seems to get no matter how badly written!). Incredulity was stretched so far it snapped, you would have had to not just suspend, but completely ditch, your disbelief in order to find any of it remotely believable. Characters did ridiculous things that no one would do in real life (and with no explanation as to why they were behaving so perversely) in a very obvious and clumsy attempt to stretch out the story. I did persevere to the end in the vein hope it would get better; sad to say it didn't!

[Ika Willis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was EXTREMELY silly.

[Sonica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you HBG Canada for my copy of A Mother’s Lie, by Sarah Zettel in exchange for my honest review. This title publishes April 7, 2020.

I devoured this book in two sittings. It was fast-paced and had my adrenaline pumping all the way through.

The story follows Beth Fraser who has worked so hard to keep her troubled upbringing and dysfunctional parents hidden in the past, especially from her impressionable daughter, Dana. Beth has built a safe and protected life for the two of them and has managed to keep things simple for almost fifteen years …. until the past knocks on her door. As she tries to navigate her way out of things, Beth is forced to build further on the kingdom of lies she has already created and puts her relationship with her daughter and both their lives at risk…

This was a well-paced suspense that kept me turning pages QUICKLY. With short chapters and told in alternating POVs of Beth and Dana, A Mother’s Lie was an eventful read filled with unreliable characters.

As the story unfolded, I started to question Beth and her intentions and wasn’t really sure what to believe about her. I found myself guessing all the way through about who was telling the truth and who was not. Beth and her daughter get caught up in a tangled web of secrets and lies that only Beth can free them from – but at what cost?

This was a well-written compulsive family suspense that had all elements for the perfect binge read. I highly recommend this one be added to your reading list, its a quick read that will get you out of any reading slump you may be in.

[Reading Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother's Lie was the first book that I read this month, and what a ride it was! Goodreads calls this "A compulsive family drama about a mother's desperate search to reclaim her daughter from the horrors of her own past, perfect for fans of Then She Was Gone." Beth is a single mother who has worked hard to provide structure and security for herself and her teenage daughter, Dana. One day, Dana is approached by a stranger who tells her that her mom isn't really who she says she is. Pretty soon, the life that Beth has worked so hard to build is in jeopardy of falling apart. I gave this one 5 stars because it was a wild ride from start to finish. As secrets from Beth's past emerged, I started to question her and her motives. The whole book is a guessing game of who is being truthful. There were so many times when my opinions of Beth would shift, and I kept questioning and doubting who was telling the truth. You really never know what is going to happen next, and Beth and Dana get caught in a tangled web, putting their lives in extreme danger. This was the perfect read to kick off the month.

[Eva Pleska · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear!....

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mother’s Lie is a perfect showcasing of how secrets between a parent and child can have devastating results. A suspenseful story of what happens when a mother’s past catches up to her. Even as it does, she continues to lie to the one person she should tell the truth to, and that proves to have dangerous consequences. Every new story, that Beth Fraiser told, had me guessing if it was real or made up. You can’t tell where the lie starts and when it ends. I loved the twists and turns we took throughout the book and appreciated the narrated perspectives of not only Beth but from her daughter, Dana’s perspective as well. Beth and Dana were challenged throughout the novel continuously but one thing that survived all the guts and gore was their bond, and that was so nice to see after the rollercoaster the story took me on.

*An ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, last night I finished A Mother's Lie after devouring this 400 page book. It was definitely a page turner. I really enjoyed the writing style between Beth, the mother, and Dana, the daughter. The character development was outstanding.

A Mother's Lie was definitely a wild ride, full of lies, adventure, betrayal, love, strong bonds and full of nail biting twists and turns. It really protrayed how devastating lies between a parent and child can be.

The story follows Beth and her daughter Dana, as things from Beth's past start to come back into her life. As we watch Beth trying to navigate through lies as her life begins to unravel. Beth's con artist parents have returned to wreck havoc on their lives, and Dana's father is in way too deep. The past can no longer stay hidden and high stake adventures entail to life ands death situations. You find yourself guessing where the lie started or if it was ultimately the truth. One thing remained throughout the book and it was how strong the mother daughter bond remained.

[Joann 'bartunek' prashek · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.75 since some of the story is utterly unbelievable. You can't tell where one lie begins or if it's a lie or the truth. Can you say dysfunctional any other way? Try crazy, loonie, defective and unstable are a few I can come up with.
Thank you Goodreads for giving me the opportunity to review the book.

[Sarah Hetzel · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars for me

I think the problem with this one was me! I was really looking forward to reading this one because the description on the back seemed cool and mysterious. I found it to be kind of campy and almost silly at times. I normally like campy, but I tend to like that style a little bit more when I’m prepared for it.

I also couldn’t tell how old Dana was? Maybe they said and I missed it or forgot. There were times I was certain she was 12-14 range and other times she seemed like she was 6.

[Jacinda S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay. 3 1/2 stars at best.

It was a quick read, so that probably gave it the 1/2, but it was just a lot of back & forth, bad things done by this person then that person, couldn’t ever tell who was more honest or dishonest, kind of unbelievable stuff. Not super well written.

Just eh.

[Onceinabluemoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this for my husband, he didn't care for it and naturally I thought it was great! It's off kilter, I never knew who to believe, I love books that have you on edge, no perfect clear cut path, just a deranged family dragging you around!

[Selma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Lisa W · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s been awhile since I’ve read this book, but the first thing that comes to mind is how stupid the nickname “Dangerface” is. I always had a hard time taking the book seriously when Beth would call Dana by that nickname. Also, the names Beth and Dana sound too similar in age and left me trying to remember who is who. As for the plot, mmmm, it was alright. I enjoyed seeing how a con man’s mind works.

[Courtney Rauschenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. I bought it at the dollar store when I was camping because I didn't love the book I brought! I'm glad I did because I couldn't put it down!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mother's Lie follows Beth and her daughter Dana as their lives start to unravel when Beth's past finally come sniffing around to wreck havoc again. Her past takes the form of some extremely deceptive parents who excel in the art of being con artists. I was questioning myself throughout the book if I should be trusting these characters or not.

This novel is pretty fast paced and a fun thriller to read. I have not read anything by this author before and just based on this book, I would be interested in reading her other works. The ending felt a little rushed and overall a little anti-climactic. The journey to the end was very tense and had a good buildup with a flat result.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsay Kaye · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting concept, but the ending was confusing and didn’t live up to the suspenseful promises the rest of the book made.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Her secrets were more than burdens. They were vicious, living things with claws and fangs."

This year marks the eighth year for A Book A Week. Over those years, I've counted many of my fellow bloggers as mentors and friends. Luanne at A Bookworm's World has been one of those from the very start. She posts insightful reviews of a variety of genres, hosts unique features, and has some of the best giveaways. In fact, that is how I came to acquire my latest read, A Mother's Lie by Sarah Zettel. At first, the publisher cautioned that it might take a while for me to receive my copy due to the ongoing restrictions from COVID-19. They even forwarded an ebook copy to hold me over while I waited! Out of the blue, my physical copy arrived last week, way earlier than I expected. Book mail is always a sweet surprise, but it is even better to receive it during a quarantine!

Beth Fraser has worked extremely hard to shield her teenage daughter Dana from the harsh realities of the world. No, she's not one of those crazy mothers who deprive their daughters of the milestones that come with growing up. By all accounts, Dana is well adjusted. She has close friends, a love for cooking, and even has a promising summer internship on the horizon. Dana's father calls to cancel plans with her, attempting to avoid the difficult conversation with her by having Beth relay the message. This isn't really a surprise. He never really wanted anything to do with the girl, and Beth actually prefers it this way. Better for Dana to learn of the disappointments of the world now while her mother is still there to protect her.

The steel facade of Beth's life his built upon the wealth she's acquired with Lumination, a hedge fund company. She helped build the company and her reputation by sniffing out the sour apples, advising against poor investments, or suspicious individuals. Beth has a knack for reading people. Because of this, a situation with Dana's father shocks her. As she begins to deal with the ramifications of him reaching out, a Pandora's box to her past begins to open. Suddenly she is being forced to face her history, the lies, secrets, and yes, even her manipulative parents. With her carefully safeguarded life beginning to crumble, Beth faces the difficult task of attempting to keep everything together while dealing with the blowback of a past life being revealed to her daughter.

Coming off of a rather challenging read, A Mother's Lie by Sarah Zettel was the perfect novel to binge through. Zettel writes a compelling thriller that mixes in a family drama that is as riveting as the action. Chapters alternate between the perspectives of Beth and Dana, allowing the reader to see both sides of the drama as it unfolds. As each character is developed, more secrets are revealed. In the thick of the novel, I really couldn't decide who to believe. This only adds to the suspense and paranoia. There's nothing flashy here, no giant twists or big set pieces. Still, A Mother's Lie page-turner propelled by the intriguing family dynamic and shifting POV's. This is the kind of compulsive read that had me blowing through the pages and staying up way too late. In short, everything I want from a thriller.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lengthy novel centers on Beth Fraser and her daughter Dana. Because of childhood experiences with her criminal parents, Beth has built a life avoiding any contact with them. This means controls on her daughter's movements and the preparation for taking off whenever they seem threatened.

She has told Dana basic information about her grandparents but not many details. She has also neglected to tell her of her own most horrifying experience as a child.

Divorced from her daughter's father, Beth stands by when Doug apologetically misses another visit with his daughter, and she barely contains herself when Doug approaches her for help. Money, no doubt, she thinks, and when she learns that her parents are in the city she starts to consider how Doug might be mixed up in one of their schemes.

She is a one-woman show except for a connection with her present employer, who has known her since she was a child and therefore knows most of her secrets. Dana, too, has a loyal friend in Chelsea, a teen who tries to avoid going home whenever she can.

When Beth and Dana encounter Beth's father and mother, the wheels start to spin and not in a good way. Dana learns more about her mother than she may have wished, she herself does something frightening, and the parents seem to be in control. Can Beth bring them both to safety?

I was a bit disturbed by some of Beth's actions and thoughts. Was she justified? I'm not sure.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

This book was hard to decide on a rating so I went right down the middle. The story was interesting and I liked that the memories of Beth’s life wasn’t told in a matter of a few pages and those few pages affected her whole life. There is a slow unwind of Beth’s past which helps the reader understand why Beth is the way she is.

Now there is Dana who has no idea why her mother is the way she is and honestly I felt for Dana. Her mom is nuts in her opinion and would have long ago sent me out into my own world without my mother in it.

The story had me interested in the past but the end left me a bit bereft. It seemed so rushed.

A hard book to like but I didn’t dislike it. Does that make sense?

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy Heyliger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book at my local dollar tree and decided to give it a try. For $1.25 it was worth the read. There was a lot of chaos, confusion, and lies, however, there wasn’t really any plot twists. It felt like this book was trying hard to be a psychological thriller but wasn’t quite there. There was a lot going on in this book-like too much. Basically, Dana (presumed to be a teenager) discovers everyone in her family sucks. When her estranged grandparents show up in town and her father starts coming around behaving strangely, chaos ensues. Dana’s life gets flipped upside down and the mother she thought she could trust might not be trustworthy after all. She is swept up into a tornado of family dysfunction and can’t determine who is trustworthy. The story felt a bit frustrating, like it was a whirl wind.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Thank you @bibliolifestyle and @grandcentralpub for the arc of A Mother's Lie by Sarah Zettel, published April 7th!

This book was one wild ride with lots of action! When Beth Fraser discovers her parents are back in town, she has some tough choices to make to protect herself and her teenage daughter. The past can't stay hidden for long, and before you know it, you are off on a high-stakes adventure with life or death results. This was a very quick read for me because it was so action-packed the pages just flew by. This book, while not a twisty turny thriller, nevertheless held plenty of plot to keep you engaged. If you're looking for something to stave off the quarantine boredom, look no further.

[Alix | The Bookish Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Well that was freaking cray cray!

So I'm all about a good con story right now and the characters in this book are all C O N A R T I S T S with a capital C.

Dana, the daughter, is slap worthy. Like I understand that you were thrust in a pretty crazy situation, but gahhhhhhh.

I was in a buddy read and the other person finished this book in like a day. This is a 400 page book y'all and I was a little shocked by this. But, as I got into the reading groove, I realized how fast this book goes!

Overall, A Mother's Lie was a well-written, suspenseful and compulsive family drama that is a perfect binge read!

[Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Sarah Zettel thriller novel Ive read, and was an excellent read. I used to read Zettels sci-fi/fantasy novels many years ago, but had not been aware that she is just as prolific, if not better in the mystery/thriller scene.
3 stars partly because its not one of my favourite genres, I prefer reading myself into an imaginary future or past, rather than contemporary settings. And partly because, I found it difficult to relate to 15-yr old Dana.
Despite these minor matters,iIt seems I have a lot to catch up on from Zettel's list of published works, and look forward to reading them all..

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chunky, yet fast paced thriller featuring a mom with dangerous secrets.

Beth had a terrible and scary childhood. So much so that Beth isn’t even her real name. Her daughter Dana has no clue how deep her mom has to go to keep her safe on a daily basis.

But all that spirals open when the grandparents she knows nothing about - show up. And literally tilt her world on its axis.

My only gripe is that the storyline is a little convoluted. I did have to go back and read over to make sure I got all the details right. Or that could just be the author’s fanastic writing of two serial cheats and liars.

Enjoyable! But one that didn’t shock me to my core.