Mother May I

by Joshilyn Jackson

A novel of domestic suspense in which a mother must decide how far she is willing to go to protect her child and the life she loves -- a tale of power, privilege, lies, revenge, and the choices we make, ones that transform our lives in unforeseen ways.


Revenge doesn't wait for permission.

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected that fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of.

Until the day she awakens and sees someone peering into her bedroom window--an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daughters' private school . . . just minutes before Bree's infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly--Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It's her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small--but critical--task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family--but what if the cost tears their world apart?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary

324 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 2021

About the author

Jackson's latest, MISSING SISTER, pubs MARCH, 3, 2026. Pre-order now!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson writes both page-turning domestic suspense and Southern book club novels that revolve around timely women’s issues, raising questions about justice, motherhood, career, class, and the thorny mechanics of redemption. Her critically acclaimed work has been translated into more than a dozen languages, and Jackson is also an award-winning audiobook narrator. She lives in a gently haunted 150-year-old Victorian Rowhouse in upstate New York with her family.

A recent expat from the American South, she lives in a mildly haunted Victorian row house in upstate New York.

Reviews

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bree is living a glamorous life as a trophy wife to Trey. She has three children, a sparkling house, a devoted husband, and a bunch of glittery toys. What else could you want in life? Bree thinks she is the luckiest person alive until she realizes that her infant son his disappeared or more specifically been kidnapped. What will Bree do to get her young son back? Who is telling the truth? How will this story end?

This thriller seemed to be unevenly paced. It was very page turning in places and it dragged in others. Additionally, the ending was just unbelievable, and the last few pages were completely forgettable. Also, I was a bit surprised that this book didn't have as many unexpected twists.

In addition to the pacing, this book felt a little off in the way in which it was written. The book primarily focuses on Bree and was told in the first person narrative using I statements. However, the story would also talk about Marshall and talk about his memories and happenings in his life. So I'm confused....what happened to the first person narrative?

Overall, a decent thriller but the ending was so lackluster and ended on such an uneventful note that I wonder if I will even remember this book a few months from now.

*Thank you, NetGalley, for proving me a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

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Jun Possession
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Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
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[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson (narrated by author)

I was captivated by this story and by the author's narration of the story. Here's an author who knows exactly what tone of voice she wants for each character and she is able to provide that with her own voice. Not all authors are good at narrating their own work but I enjoyed how much this author's narration adds to this story. 

I was captivated by this privileged life of Bree and her family. Bree came from a poor upbringing, hearing her mother preach on the evils of the world. Bree loved to act and through her love of acting, was able to slide into the life of the girlfriend/wife of a wealthy man. She becomes this new person because she is a smart, educated, cultured woman in her own right but can also be what others need her to be. She is raising children who are born into this privilege and wealth but there is a part of her that never forgets where she came from, while proving to her mom that good things can happen in life. 

Then Bree's baby is kidnapped and her world comes crashing down. As she learns about the kidnapper she begins identifying more with her old life than the wealthy, privileged life she lives now. In an attempt to get her baby back, Bree does something that is very wrong and it goes even worse than she imagined it would go. Bree realizes she never really knew her husband, that there are things he never told her, things that could mean the death of her baby. This story pulled me so many ways, managing to pull sympathy from me for the kidnapper at times, but in the end, nothing justifies her actions to me. 

I was captivated by the story despite it lagging during some of Bree's many times of reminiscing about her past. And in the end, for all of Bree's indignation of so many men getting away with so much (they should be in prison!) I can't let go of her own hypocrisy for not owning up to her own failings and sins, while continuing to enjoy her life of privilege and wealth. That is what is so interesting about this story, that I was able to see things from so many directions and know that so many wrongs were not going to be righted. I like the way this story makes one aware of so much, makes one think past the story itself. 

Publication: April 6, 2021

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Yun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always try to skip book blurbs and go into stories blind, especially if they are labeled a mystery or thriller. But that often means they don't turn out quite the way I expected, which is what happened with Mother May I.

Bree is startled awake one morning to the face of a witch at her window. Yes, you read that right: a witch. She takes that to be an omen, a sign of something bad to come. Later that day, she sees the witch again. Not long after, the unthinkable happens, and Bree's harrowing journey is only just beginning.

The part I enjoyed the most is the central investigation. It reads like a police procedural, and it was entertaining to follow along as each clue is unearthed and to see how it leads to the next step. However, I didn't quite connect with the rest of the story, and I'll try to explain why without giving anything away (the perpetual conundrum when talking about a thriller).

One of the main conflicts of this story is a moral dilemma. How far would you go to save someone you loved? And in this book, the answer is very far. So far, in fact, that it comes across as hard to believe. Obviously some suspension of belief is necessary for any thriller, but the things that happen in here are very far-fetched.

Another issue for me is that the book tries to tackle too much. It's like a thriller with a conscience, giving me suspense while also trying to teach me morality lessons. I don't have a problem with the message, but it was done very heavy-handedly. It took a lot of the momentum out of the story to stop and lecture about right and wrong and the gray area in between.

Speaking of the pacing, instead of picking up speed as the story unfolds, it feels like it slowed down. This is probably due to how thoroughly everything was explained. Many times I thought the story was concluding, only to be bogged down with some more follow-ups about this or that. I prefer my books to be tautly paced, and part of that is not spelling everything out for me, I want room to fill in the blanks and make my own connections.

In the end, I enjoyed the investigation part of the story, with its clues being unearthed and leads being followed. But I had trouble connecting with the rest of it. It tried to cover too much ground, sapping the momentum and stretching beyond plausibility.

Also, I was a little disappointed there were no actual witches in here.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part thriller, part domestic drama, part I don’t know what, this was an entertaining but unsatisfying read.

A witch and a kidnapping are bound together in a revenge plot.

Having grown up on the wrong side of the tracks, Bree Cabbat is living the good life. But her picture-perfect life comes crashing to a halt the morning that Bree wakes up to see a witch peering into her bedroom window. Shortly after, her newborn son is kidnapped. To secure his safe return, Bree finds herself trapped in a dangerous web.

There are two narrators: Bree and Marshall (an old friend who now works for Bree’s husband). Both were fine, but the narration could have been limited to one character. I liked the MC, but the many sub-plots had me wondering what it was the author was trying to do. Some storylines were competing with one another, whereas others were not fully formed because there just wasn’t room.

Mother May I starts off strong. It’s a page-turner that quickly sucked me in. However, in an effort to cover too much, the plot spirals in too many directions. Unfortunately, it ends in a copout that ultimately ruined the book for me.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you imagine a scary witch extends her long nails to grab your kid a few feet away as you watch your teenage daughter’s Grease rehearsal and leaves you note that says not to call the authorities and your husband, go directly to your home and wait for her instructions to see her little baby boy alive?

Did you get excited about the premise? I truly hooked and couldn’t put it down, let myself enjoy this wild, intriguing, complex ride!

Bree Cabbat in her late thirties, finally has it all: wealthy, charming lawyer husband, two teenager girls and a lovely newborn boy lately joined to her happy family.

She doesn’t have to work, she has all time to watch her girls’ extracurricular activities and her baby boy’s growing process.

That’s so different from her poor childhood at a leaking ranch house in Georgia, raised by her over protective mother who warns her about the dangers of outside world as her father she never seen his face serving his prison time to kill his second wife by beating her to death.

But Bree is always great actress, knowing how to pretend everything is fine. Just like she did at her visit to High Museum: borrowed her best friend Betsy’s confidence just like she borrowed one of the theater department dress and she walked like she owned the place where she met her rich, one decade older husband to be Trey. That’s the day her life completely changes.

She stayed connected with Betsy and her boyfriend Marshall. Both of friends married at the same time, gave birth to their kids but as Bree chose to have a luxurious life as a devoted wife, Betsy and Marshall chose to be police officers, raising their girl, enjoying their middle class statues till Betsy died because of occupational hazard and left her husband behind.

Now Marshall gets a security guard job at Trey’s company and his daughter got scholarship, going to the same high school with Bree’s daughters. But girls are hanging out different social circles as expected and Marshall and Bree gets estranged after Betsy’s death but now the unexpected tragedy will bring them together : because the maleficent witch, Bree saw in the morning at the window was real and that woman stole their kid. She left a burner phone and pills, instructing her on the phone to attend the party her husband’s law firm is about to throw and use those pills to roofie her husband’s lawyer partner. If she obeys the rules, she may get her baby back as soon as possible.

Bree does what’s she’s instructed but the things get out of control and she finds herself at very dangerous pursuit, accompanied by Marshall to find where her baby is. Too many deadly secrets about the dark past start to reveal at the same time.

Even though Bree saves her baby, her old life has already gone. How could she pick up the pieces of herself when everything is crumbled into million pieces.

I finished this book at one sit. The ending made sense for me. It was the best satisfactory wrapping up for characters.

I loved Bree’s characterization. It’s so easy to feel for her dilemmas, her choices, the things she was ready to sacrifice for the safety of her children. Marshall was also thoughtful, caring, trustworthy, rational character I honestly liked.

There was no big twist or WTH moments at this book which I normally love so much but I loved the characters, genuine, gripping writing style, author’s approach to the thought provoking, sensitive issues. So I’m giving satisfying, engaging, exhilarating four stars!

I also enjoyed the previous book of the author. I’m looking forward to read her new works sooner.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***NOW AVAILABLE***

I remember playing the game “Mother May I” on the playground as a kid, we didn’t have as much fancy play equipment back then. It was a fun game with a group of kids, along the lines of “Simon Says”.

There is nothing fun about the “game” that is being played in this book. It is terrifying and the thing that nightmares are made of for any mother. The idea that you turn away for a minute and your child is “gone” !!! That is what happens to our main character Bree and how she plays this “game” will determine whether her son lives or dies. It also will ask the question “how well do you really know another person, even your husband of 13 years”. Can we be held accountable for something we did when we were young? Does money and privilege protect you from bad consequences?

Bree’s day starts in a foreboding way. She wakes to see a witch peering into her bedroom window! “She was . . . .razor-wire skinny but somehow female, staring in through the partly open drapes. Sunrise lit up the thin, silvery hair that straggled out from under her hat”. She bolts upright and lets out a strangled sound that was only loud enough to wake her husband Trey. He spends a lot of time looking around the house and reassuring her that everything is fine. She doesn’t ask him to go outside and check, by that time she is sure that it was all a dream.

Bree has three children, two young teens, Peyton and Anna-Claire and a 3 month old baby, Robert. She is a stay at home mom, because she can be. Her husband comes from money and is an equity partner in a prestigious law firm. Bree comes from the “other side of the tracks”. She grew up with a single mother who had to work two jobs to provide for her. She had a good childhood but not a privileged one.She never met her father. Most would say she won the husband lottery when she met Trey.

The first half of the book is setting us up for the rest of the novel. I found this part to be a bit slow moving but persisted and I’m glad I did. The second half more than makes up for the first!!

While Bree is watching her daughter practice for a musical at school, she leaves Robert’s side for what seemed like a few minutes, when she turns back he is gone. What she finds is a note telling her that if she wants to see her son again she should go home, not call the police and wait for contact.She asks her mother to watch the girls and goes home to find an ominous package at her front door with explicit instructions as to what she must do if she wants to get her son back.

What unfolds is not simply a story of kidnapping, it is a cleverly plotted, frightening examination of what a mother will do to get her child back. The woman who took Robert isn’t interested in money, she’s out for revenge and she wants Bree to help her.

Bree eventually turns to her long time friend Marshall whom she has known since they were young. He is recently widowed from Betsy, who was also Bree’s best friend. Together they work through clues and intel that they are able to obtain, to find out the identity of the woman who took the baby.

They find that this woman wants revenge for something horrible that happened to her daughter a long time ago, something that derailed her college education and ruined her one chance at a better life. This event involved not only her husband’s business partner but Trey himself!! The discovery is enough to challenge all that she believes her husband to be.

This would have been a 5* except for a bit of a slow start and an ending that was a bit unbelievable but satisfying nonetheless.

I hope that this is enough to make you want to read this novel and go along on the white knuckle ride that I did. This is my first read by this author and I was impressed.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Holly B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a lot of fast-paced action! And I was onboard for it!!

I was hooked on this book after only 2 chapters with the heart-pounding scenes (unlike many of the books I've read this year with slow starts). It took off, kept me on the edge and was quite the nail-biter!!

This was a solid read for me with memorable characters that I either loved or wanted to understand. A loving mother of three, a successful husband, someone with a secret crush, and that creepy, creepy lady!! Wait until you find out what she wants!!

"Any mother would do what you did." I always wanted to get back to this book and see what would happen next. The tension made me feel like I was right there, close to danger and even holding my breath..... up until the explosive ending.

A quick page-turner with a clever plot to keep you guessing! Great writing, heart-pounding mystery! Thanks NG for this one! OUT tomorrow!! APRIL 6, 2021

[Will Byrnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I woke up to see a witch peering in my bedroom window. She was little more than a dark shape with a predator’s hungry eyes, razor-wire skinny but somehow female, staring in through the partly open drapes. Sunrise lit up the thin, silvery hair that straggled out from under her hat. I should have leaped up screaming. I should have run at her with any weapon I could find. Instead I thought, I hope she’s not standing on my basil plants, hazy and unworried. Even half asleep, I knew that there was no such thing as witches. I’d long forgotten the most important thing the theater had ever taught me—that the human body can hold two truths at once. Even truths that seem to rule each other out: There’s no such things as witches, true. And I was looking at one.

Once upon a time is a familiar beginning. The Brothers Grimm (Jake and Willy) collected a trove of European folklore notable for, among other things, its dark content. Jackson was raised with those stories, (I always reference fairy tales in my books. Ever since I was a young child, I have been an avid reader. I like fairy tales, so I just put them in the stories. – from the No Apologies interview) maybe a bit more than most of us. She lends this part of herself to her desperate lead, with some added brio.

I’d been raised on Grimms’ fairy tales by a mother who saw the world as something huge and wild—carnivorous. Her world was full of witches.

And sometimes the darkness of life matches the depths of grim imagination. Soon after her first witch sighting, there is a second, at her daughters’ school. And all it takes is a momentary lapse of attention and her infant son, Robert, is snatched away. No changeling is left in his place, but there is a message. Follow my instructions to the letter, or else.

All my books, in some way or another, look with varying degrees of hope and cynicism at how far we can walk into the black and still be saved. What are the tiny lights that turn us and call us home, and why do some people see those faint, glowing calls, while others walk straight off the edge of the world and are lost? Many of my dearest people from my lost years are dead, or went into the prison system or disappeared. And me? I have this lovely life, much like Amy’s, where I go to book club, make lasagna and walk the dog. - from the Book Reporter interview

That certainly makes one wonder about Jackson’s wastrel past. The task she is forced to undertake has unexpected and horrifying results that threaten Bree Cabbat’s beautiful life. She had been born poor, but got a scholarship to college and then married well, securing an upper-middle-class utopia with a successful studly lawyer husband, three beautiful kids (well, for now anyway) a lovely home in a well-to-do neighborhood, and a satisfying community life. But, one wrong move and it could all vanish. How fragile life can be, no?


Joshilyn Jackson - image from the Atlanta Journal Constitution – photo by Bob Andres of AJC

Poverty, class origins, the randomness of opportunity, the fragility of a happy life, all figure large in Jackson’s novels. Her previous novel, for example, Never Have I Ever, let us know that her lead, Amy, had done things that her family’s means were able to keep under wraps. But her comfortable life is threatened by a blackmailer who knows her big secret. In this one, Bree is stuck having to deal without even knowing what her nemesis is tormenting her about. Jax makes the point that for those with money or damn good luck it is possible to screw up and get a second chance, or a third, fourth and so on, while for those on the lower economic fringe, one mistake and your future becomes a hopeless, eternal present.

I serve on the board of a small non-profit, Reforming Arts (reformingarts.org.). We teach college-level liberal arts classes to people incarcerated in Georgia’s women’s prisons. I try to teach one semester a year, and so far, all my classes have been in the maximum security facility.
Our students are diverse in terms of age and race and orientation. The one thing they almost universally have in common is that they were raised in grinding poverty, often by disordered or abusive families. We punish the poor more quickly and more severely; sometimes it feels as if being poor is itself a crime. - from Book Reporter interview

A lot of the impetus for Jackson’s writing about mothers derives from her personal experience.

…motherhood was transformative for me…I felt I became a more dangerous animal once my heart was living and breathing and toddling around on little fat legs outside of me, out in the dangerous world. - from the Book Reporter interview

Here we have two mothers at war. One is seeking revenge for a long-ago wrong. Bree is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her baby. Both are in full-on Mama Grizzly mode, and find a sort-of empathy with each other, despite the ongoing horror. Their links are not just through their common concern as mothers, but in their common class background. This bond between enemies is a technique Jackson carries over from her prior novel, Never Have I Ever, in which Amy Whey and her blackmailer, Roux, find themselves to be strangely sympatico, well able to understand each other, while those around them seem not to get them.

Never… represented a redirection of sorts for Jackson, away from romantic comedy-drama. But even in the books she wrote prior to that there were often underlying crimes that drove the action. So the shift to writing thrillers was not really all that big a change. It has been, however, a very effective one. Mother May I is a can’t-stop-reading-page-turning-keep-you-up-all-night domestic thriller. Every time you think you can see the road ahead, there is the squealing of brakes hitting a hairpin curve too fast, and, with a sudden acceleration, you are speeding off in another direction. (Re the books she loves to read, Jackson says, My favorite kind is the first reversal just 25% into the book, then stays windy from there - from the Inside Flap interview) This book has more twists than a box of rotini.

A strong piece of this novel is Jackson’s use of her theatrical background to support her character’s actions and capabilities. She was a theater major in college, has done some acting and even reads audio books professionally, not just her own. She gives Bree her theater training, the better to allow her to lie in public, with her words and her body. That’s what actors do, right? It helps Bree in dire circumstances, but also in lesser ones.

There are several elements that appear in some or all of Jackson’s novels. Deep secrets figure large, whether our lead is looking to penetrate one or defend against one of theirs being exposed. Class and family resources, or lack of same, are frequently core elements. That is very much the case here. There is a duel between antagonists. Check. Redemption turns up a lot. In fact, in the Library Love Fest interview, Jackson refers to herself as “a redemption-obsessed novelist.” Her characters, certainly her lead characters, seem to be in persistent need of cleansing from the wrongs they have done. That is less the case for Bree in this book, per se, but the need for redemption is still a strong element. Jackson has a gift for ending her chapters with hooks that generate many a late night ”goddammit!” as readers know that they will not be able to go to sleep until they can read just one more chapter, and then just one more chapter, and then just one more chapter, and so on. There are usually adolescents involved, although in this novel, they play a secondary role. Jackson is also fond of portraying constructed families. As with the teens, that is here, but in a very small way. She also includes fairy tale elements (check) and says that there is a Stephen King reference in all her books (not telling). Readers familiar with her work will be more than satisfied with Mother May I, holding to the familiar themes and story elements while adding some newer, harder-edged moving parts. Readers new to her work are in for a great treat.

In her Inside Flap interview, Jackson was asked, “Is it one of your goals, to have us think as we read?” She said, “My goal is to write a book that you can pour yourself a giant Marguerita, go down to the beach, have a great time and never think again if you don’t want to. But, if you want to, it’s there for you…there’s those layers. This is a book about class…how class plays into what justice looks like.” Either way, it works quite well.

No one’s personal history is lily-white. Some witches are real; the past never forgets and needs only a little prompting to come after you, teeth-bared; happily ever after is for fairy tales, and sometimes not even there.


Review posted – April 23, 2021

Publication dates
----------Hardcover - April 6, 2021
----------Trade paperback - April 5, 2022



=============================EXTRA STUFF

An aside. In the Book Reporter interview, Jackson said, “I’m working on a book called TWO TRUTHS AND A LIAR right now. The first line is: “The day my baby disappeared, I woke up to see a witch peering in my bedroom window.” I am not sure why the title changed, but I expect that opening line was thought to give away too much too soon. The baby is not swiped until chapter 2 in the final version.

Links to the author’s personal, FB, Instagram, and Twitter pages

Interviews
-----The Inside Flap - Ep. 119 Method Writing With Joshilyn Jackson by Dave Medicus – audio – 1:26:04 – start at 29:30 to 51:00
-----No Apology Book Reviews - Interview with Joshilyn Jackson (Mother May I) by Danielle
-----Library Love Fest - Editors Unedited: Emily Krump in conversation with Joshilyn Jackson, author of MOTHER MAY I - audio – 34:27 – A convo between Jackson and her editor
-----BookReporter - Interview: July 31, 2019
-----Los Angeles Public Library - Interview With an Author: Joshilyn Jackson by Daryl M.
-----Owltail - How Story Works by Lani Diane Rich

Items of Interest from the author
-----Novel Suspects - excerpt
-----The Atlanta Journal Constitution - Paths Not Taken - definitely check this out – it explains a lot

My reviews of other books by Joshilyn Jackson
-----2023 - With My Little Eye
-----2019 - Never Have I Ever
-----2017 - The Almost Sisters
-----2016 - The Opposite of Everyone
-----2013 - Someone Else’s Love Story

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
There will always be the haves and the have-nots. But what happens when a have-not marries a one-percenter? Down deep, who do they identify with?

Bree grew up poor, but marries Trey, a successful lawyer, and the marriage is a good one. They have two teen-age daughters and a new baby son, Robert. But their idyllic life comes to an end when Robert is kidnapped while Bree is momentarily distracted at her daughter’s play rehearsal. The terror Bree feels is palpable. Her mother warned her that the world was a scary place and danger lurks everywhere, but Bree shrugged off her mother’s anxieties. Until now.

As Bree waits for the ransom note that never comes, she discovers something far more sinister awaits her. She must complete a task, one that will have repercussions she can’t imagine. The past catches up with her and there are revelations and secrets that will be revealed. The motive for the kidnapping is a major plot point and I won’t ruin it by saying too much.

This was quite the page-turner. I found myself opening my phone’s kindle app whenever I had a few moments, which was a refreshing change from recent books that I struggled to finish. I loved Bree, who stopped at nothing in order to get her child back.

I appreciate a book that makes me think. It doesn’t matter if it’s a weighty book or a lighter one. This is what I like to call a lighter read with substance. There are subjects that bear serious discussion. Why is there such disdain for girls from the ‘other side of the tracks’? Why is character judged based on income and background? Is it possible for people to change, and Is it fair to be judged for a misdeed when young? What makes one worthy of forgiveness? What reparations, if any, are appropriate? Can we ever truly see our past with clarity or do we color in the blurry lines only with what we want to see? Finally, how do you reconcile the person you know today with their unsavory past?

For some people one event can completely change their life’s trajectory. There are no second chances. For others it’s easy to write these events off as a youthful indiscretion, and move on. How complicit are we as a society in deciding who gets a consequence and who gets none. Who is believed? The person with wealth and power or the person with neither?

This is a tightly plotted domestic thriller that will make you ponder the issues raised. The ending was a bit tidier than I like, but it’s a minor complaint I can forgive because this book made me think. This was a buddy read with Marialyce, one that inspired great discussions.

I’ve enjoyed the author’s Southern fiction and with this, her second thriller, she has proven herself to be capable of crossing genres.

• I received an audiobook via NetGalley. And a digital e-book via Netgalley. The author narrates the audio and is excellent.
• Publication date April 6, 20121 by William Morrow

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother may I please have a thriller with a “villain” whose extreme actions are realistic?

No? Those don’t exist?

Okay, then in that case Joshilyn Jackson’s Mother May I will do just fine.

As my first read by J.J., I didn’t have many expectations other than there’s a witch in the book. PSA/spoiler alert - there’s nothing paranormal here! Just a haggard old lady with no F’s left to give who is out for revenge by way of kidnapping babies.

Now you better believe that baby mamas are not gonna let that fly (hell hath no fury and all), so our heroine Bree is willing to jump through whatever hoops the ol’ biddy asks of her until it’s time to level up, rope in a few pals, and race that clock to get her boy back.

I could not put the darn thing down and finished it in a day, so… mother may I have another Joshilyn Jackson book please?

Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mother May I" by Joshilyn Jackson is an edgy and cleverly composed Domestic-Thriller!

Bree Cabbat is a stay at home mom of teenage daughters, Anna-Claire and Peyton and three month old son, Robert. Her attorney husband, Trey comes from old money. Lots of it, so life is rich and plentiful!

Bree grew up in a single parent home where life provided the minimum. Her mom worked two jobs to get by. It was a different way of life from the privileged one she leads now.

One morning Bree wakes to a witch peering into her bedroom through partly opened drapes. She was dressed in black, skinny, silvery hair and hungry eyes. Was it a dream?

"Something bad is coming for us" Bree thinks to herself.

Later at her daughters school, Bree is the assigned 'snack mom' for Anna-Claire's theater practice. While chatting with the other "snack mom", they both see the witch again in the parking lot beside her SUV. An old lady in a baggy black dress. Should she report this? Or call the police, just in case....

In the auditorium's balcony, Robert is napping in his car seat next to Peyton in the back row. Bree is in the front row to watch the rehearsal. Peyton moves up front to join her mom. Bree looks over her shoulder for a quick peek at Robert. His sock-feet visible, she knows he's safely napping.

Bree looks back at the stage to watches Anna-Claire sing and everything falls away. All she sees and hears is her daughter performing. It stirs memories of her theater days. Anna-Claire finishes, Bree stands, gives thumbs-up and pats Peyton on the knee. When she turns to leave, Robert's car seat is gone. A note is left in the aisle...

IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR BABY AGAIN, GO HOME. TELL NO ONE. DO NOT CALL THE POLICE. DO NOT CALL YOUR HUSBAND. BE AT YOUR HOUSE BY 5:15PM OR HE'S GONE FOR GOOD.

It hadn't been a dream. It hadn't been a witch. It is a real person who has Robert. Bree arrives home to a gift bag hanging on the front doorknob. Inside is a cheap smartphone, charger chord, Bluetooth ear piece and a bottle of prescription pills.

The smartphone begins to play calypso music and the screen shows the caller's name: ROBERT... When Bree answers, the instructions begin...

The premise of this story holds an edgy feel and several cleverly composed twists I didn't expect. I don't dare add too much and spoil it for you! I have read other reviews of this book where far too much is offered up. It's better if you go in cold, know nothing more than what I offered above!

I will tell you this story does prove how far a mother will go for her child!

The first half of this story is slow, and although I understand it is for backstories and character development the author simply takes too long! The heart of the story is great but once that is over it could have ended.

I've been told the audiobook narrated by the author is a wonderful experience! I don't doubt this as Joshilyn Jackson is a former actor and award winning audiobook narrator. I would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook rather than reading the print book for a better experience!

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Goodreads, William Morrow and Joshilyn Jackson for a free ARC of this book. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review.

[Kaceey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second read by this author and once again I felt it just missed the mark for me.

It only takes a moment. Your focus is elsewhere. When you turn back…your child is gone. Poof! This is what happened to Bree when her young son strapped in his car seat vanishes when her attention turns to her other children.

When Bree is contacted by the kidnappers she is told she only needs to perform one small act and her son will be returned to her unharmed. Easy peasy! Well not so fast….

I’m all about suspending my believability in order to enjoy a thriller. But this one really asked a bit too much from me.

The author narrated her own book and I thought she did a fabulous job bringing the characters to life.

A buddy 🎧 with Susanne

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an 🎧 ARC

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping and thought provoking domestic suspense about motherhood, family, privilege and revenge!

Imagine you wake up and see a witch looking in your bedroom window, it was just your imagination right?! A bad dream?! What if you saw her again, and then your baby went missing... This is what happened to Bree Cabbat! Who is the woman? What does she want? And what will Bree do to get him back?


This was my second book by Joshilyn Jackson, and I enjoyed them both!

Mother May I did start out a bit slow, and like a fairy-tale, but I stuck with it and quickly became hooked! It wasn't a fast paced thriller, but it was dark, nail-biting and shocking in places. It definitely held my attention, with it's menacing feeling as I discovered that bad decisions in your past can sometimes deservedly come back to haunt you.

Bree, the narrator was likeable, and the more I got to know her, the more depth she had to her character. It was stressful reading about her baby being kidnapped, and the writing made me feel both terrified and emotional because I could feel her terror! I just wanted Bree to find her baby alive, and for everything to be ok. I really couldn't say what I would do in her position, but I suspect I, like Bree, would also do what I could to get my baby back!

As well as keeping me entertained, Mother May I made me think about how well we know the people in our lives? It made me think about trust, loyalty and honesty. But it especially made me angry that certain people can get away with things they did when they were younger, and others can not. How one event can be shrugged off by one party, but ruin the other person's life. We see it in real life, how the rich and the privileged do sometimes coast through life with little repercussions, and it's wrong.

As much as I enjoyed the building suspense, I couldn't give this book five stars because I wasn't keen on the ending. It was a bit cliché and a little too perfectly wrapped up for me, which didn't tie in with the dark, edgy feel from the rest of the book.

Nevertheless, this was a suspenseful read, with a gorgeous cover! I've also heard that the audio, narrated by the author is pretty good!👶👶👶👶

Many thanks to Ridha Rehman at Raven books, and NetGalley UK for my invitation to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCERPT: The dynamite piled around the car seat was old. Very old. So old it was sweating, and the papery layers had begun peeling away. It must be as unstable as all hell, and there was a lot of it, stacked in a horseshoe around the baby.

ABOUT 'MOTHER MAY I': Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.

MY THOUGHTS: Mother May I is the second book that I have read by this author. The second book by this author that I have just hoovered up, reading it in less than twenty-four hours. The second book that has made me breathless, excited, and very vocal as I read. The second book that I am going to go out and buy a physical copy of to put on my shelves.

I loved Bree. She is a strong character, wanting all the available information before she judges or makes decisions. Not an easy task in some of the situations she finds herself. Bree is family oriented. She will do anything to protect her family, and when you know about her past, how she was raised, you can understand why.

I loved the taut plotting in Mother May I. There is something about Jackson's writing that sucks me in at the beginning and spits me out at the end. There are no confusing multiple points of view, or multiple timelines; just a tense, nailbiting, gripping and thrilling story that will keep you wondering just what is going to happen next.

I can't wait to read whatever Joshilyn Jackson produces next.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#MotherMayI #NetGalley

I: @joshilyn_jackson @bloomsburypublishing

T: @JoshilynJackson @BloomsburyPubli

#contemporaryfiction #crime #domesticdrama #mystery #psychologicalthriller #suspense #thriller

THE AUTHOR: Joshilyn Jackson is the author of nine books which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. A former actor, she also reads the audio version of her novels. She lives in Decatur, Georgia, with her family.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joshilyn Jackson is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I love to listen to her books. She narrators her books herself and who knows their character's better than the author. I listened and read part of the book but enjoyed listening to it more. If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, this is one not to be missed. Well, I think reading or listening to all Joshilyn Jackson books are not to be missed.

Mother May I explores what a mother will do for their child. After a mysterious woman kidnaps Bree's infant son, she puts Bree to that test. Bree knows little why she took her son but learns she is a mother too, and she is willing to do the unthinkable for her daughter. Now Bree must do what she says without knowing why.

The story starts off slow while we get to know the characters, and as Joshilyn Jackson skillfully builds that tension to the story, she is known for. Then it turns into a dark, suspenseful, edge of your seat gripping, twisty one, as we see Bree become trapped in a dangerous web of revenge and secrets while racing against time to save her son. The story is full of twists, turns and dark discoveries that did rattle me a bit. I seem to be a bit more sensitive to stories involving children lately, and this one is unsettling with a mother willing to harm an infant if she doesn't get what she wants.

The big reveal is a good one and I liked how it was handled, but the story takes a few more turns after that felt a bit much and overwhelms the story. I did enjoy how it all wrapped up in the end.

The audiobook is easy to listen to and, at times, a bit repetitive, so if your mind does wander a bit while listening, it's easy to get back on track with the story.

I received an audiobook copy through NetGalley and an E-Galley through EW from the publisher.

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars Sorry friends ⚠️outlier warning!!!

Bree Cabbat has a lovely life, she’s married to wealthy Trey, they have two daughters and a recently born baby boy, Robert. One early morning Bree sees something through the semi drawn curtains which unsettles her but she tells herself that she’s dreaming however it proves to be an ill omen. Later that day at her daughters show rehearsal whilst her back is briefly turned, her life becomes a living nightmare. There’s a note informing her if she ever wants to see Robert again she has to go straight home. The story is told by Bree and Marshall an ex-cop, whom she has known for many years.

The first part of the novel is really good with the tension and panic coming across very strongly and you sense it in every fibre of Bree’s being. It becomes clear very quickly that they’re dealing with someone heartless and part of this is really shocking. The dangerous game of cat and mouse between Bree and the perpetrator is also good and there’s an aura of suspense crackling between them.

However, parts 2 and 3 are not in the same league as the first having an inconsistent pace. It slows down as we get Marshall’s rambling thoughts and a lot about Bree’s past which apart from giving some context to the dialogue between her and the perpetrator, I don’t think we needed all the details as it only serves to draw the storyline out and detracts from the main event. Some of Bree’s reactions don’t entirely make sense to me and they feel somewhat unrealistic. There are certainly some good twists but it’s not especially thrilling. The ending seems overly dramatic and then it’s all to neatly tied in a bow.

Overall, it’s very good and gripping in places, the premise is also good but in my view it lacks consistency hence the rating.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Canadian Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother may I.... may I seek my own justice on someone who has done me wrong? Or will you do it for me? An eye for an eye. Isn’t that how it goes?

Jackson unleashes her talent in her latest story of revenge. Bree’s son is kidnapped and the only way she can get him back is by making a connection with the woman who took her -on a mother level.
The lengths mothers will go to protect their children. The sacrifices they will make.

This was a page turner. A little over the top with some of the ‘acting’ stuff and neat ending, but a solid one with some twists and a satisfying storyline.
4⭐️

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother May I was the first book I have read by author Joshilyn Jackson but it will not be my last. It was a well written suspenseful mystery thriller that captured my interest from the very start. There were many twists throughout the book. It grabbed me from the beginning and held my attention and curiosity until the conclusion. Joshilyn Jackson was very successful in building the level of suspense and consequences that occurred throughout Mother May I. I listened to the audiobook that was read by the author, Joshilyn Jackson. She read her book with the brilliance one would expect. It was easy and pleasant to listen to her read her own book. The characters were well developed and believable.

Bree Cabot was living the ideal life. She had married for love. Her lawyer husband had come from old money so Bree’s life was comfortable and secure. Her and her husband had had two beautiful and talented daughters before they were blessed with the birth of their son, Robert. They lived in a spacious and beautiful home and sent their daughters to an impressive private school and were able to afford them all types of private lessons. Bree appeared to have it all. She had come a long way from her humble upbringing. Bree had grown up poor. Her new life was comfortable and complete.

One day Bree noticed someone peering through her bedroom window. She was certain that she saw a witch. How could that be? Had she been dreaming and just thought she imagined it? Bree tried to put it out of her mind and dismissed it from her thoughts. Her husband was leaving for a business trip that morning. After he had left, she proceeded to get her family ready for the day. Bree’s oldest daughter had play rehearsal at her school so she ushered both her daughters out of the house and grabbed her young son. When Bree arrived at school, she noticed her deceased best friend’s husband there. He had brought his daughter for play rehearsal as well. Bree joined him by the window where she noticed the silhouette of the same woman who Bree had thought was a witch walking through the parking lot of the school. Could it be the same person Bree had seen through her bedroom window? Bree thought she was being silly. She settled down in the auditorium to watch her daughter perform one of the songs she would be singing in the play she was in. Robert had fallen asleep so she placed him in a row a few rows back from where she was seated. He was sound asleep in his car seat. When Bree’s daughter began to sing, Bree became mesmerized by her performance. Her full attention was on her oldest daughter. Bree was so proud of her. After her eldest daughter’s song was finished, Bree looked back towards sleeping baby Robert. Bree could not see or find Robert. Could one of her daughter’s friends have taken him somewhere quiet? They all loved to help take care of him. No, Robert was missing. He had been taken, kidnapped. Bree found a note where Robert had been. The note warned Bree that if she ever wanted to see her son again she could not call the police of her husband. She must follow all the instructions she would be given. The note told her to go home immediately. She got her deceased friend’s husband to take her daughters to her mother’s gated community. Bree knew her daughters would be safe there and it would give her time to figure this nightmare out. When Bree got home there was a bag hanging on her front door. Then she got a phone call from the woman who had kidnapped Robert. Bree was given implicit directions of what she had to do and accomplish if she ever wanted to get her son back alive. Bree was about to live through the worst nightmare she could have ever imagined. Could she accomplish all the things this woman wanted from her? She had to. Bree had no choice if she wanted to get Robert back.

With so many unexpected twists and turns I was unable to tear myself away from this captivating and scary mystery thriller. The first three quarters of Mother May I deserved five stars but because I felt the ending was rushed and predictable I gave it four stars. I wished the ending could have matched the intensity of the rest of the book. This was a book about deception, revenge, the merits of honesty and integrity, family, friendship and trust. I hope to go back and read some of Joshilyn Jackson’s prior books. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Harper Audio/William Morrow for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy of Mother May I through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bree Cabbat is the wife of a wealthy lawyer with a privileged background. She has a comfortable life as a stay at home mother with two young teenage daughters and a ten week old baby Robert. The family can afford a big house and private schools for the girls, but Bree has never forgotten that she grew up as the impoverished child of a single mother. A love for acting led her to study drama at college and to eventually adopt the more confident persona that enabled her to meet and marry her husband Trey and hold her own in her husband's world.

The novel starts off with the feel of a gothic fairy tale with the sighting of an elderly witch like woman followed by the kidnapping of Bree's baby from inside the performance space at her daughters' school. With her husband away on a business trip, Bree races home, as instructed by a note left for her, expecting the kidnapper to contact her with a ransom demand. However, rather than money, the kidnapper has revenge for a past crime in mind and Bree must decide how far she is prepared to go to save her baby. As the plot develops, we discover she is not the only mother prepared to give her life for her child.

This is a very tense domestic thriller with dark undertones. It's a tale not just of mothers and their children, but of how money and power can bury the sins of the wealthy, while one mistake can ruin the whole life of the underprivileged.

After a steady beginning to introduce all the characters and their backgrounds, Bree's fear and panic drive the pace as she and her friend Marshall, an ex policeman, frantically search to establish the identity of the kidnapper and the reason Bree's child was targeted. Bree is very easy to relate to as a good friend and mother and her fear was palpable, making for an intense read. Although, I felt the ending was a tad over the top and would have preferred a more realistic resolution, overall I enjoyed this gripping suspense. 4.5★

With thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for a copy to read

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you press the pause button on life, you'll come to know that Betrayal never comes from your enemies.......it's delivered in hand by those closest to you.

Bree Cabbat's mother seemed to lean heavily on the word Panic throughout her life. Everything was hanging off the cliff at any moment. Never trust smiling faces. Always ask for a receipt and study it carefully. People, oh yeah, are lining up at your door to deceive you. Maybe Bree should have taken her mother's words more to heart.

A mother of three survives in Octopus Mode. Arms that reach in all directions at once with picking up and dropping off kids, changing diapers in nano seconds, and making snacks for fussy soccer kids. You don't take your eye off the ball....until you do. It's then that Bree realizes that Baby Robert and his car seat are missing. And there's a note left behind instructing Bree to head home with the clock ticking. She makes arrangements for her preteen daughters to stay with her mother. Not a word of explanation to anyone and no cops.

Joshilyn Jackson is stitching up quite the thriller here. If you think you've read the blueprint for all the mysteries ever rolled out, you'll be surprised by Mother May I. This one will take us down a deep, deep well with a heck of a splash at the end. I'll be honest. The title sounded like a Lifetime Movie on a Saturday afternoon. But having read Never Have I Ever by this author, I knew there'd be something to gnaw on inside.

Jackson's choice of characters lays the foundation for what is about to transpire. Can you trust people at their word? Will the sins of the past seep heavily into the present? And most importantly, can you fully depend on yourself alone to protect the innocent caught in the crossfires?

Mother May I is one of those late into the night reads. Bring snacks. You're gonna need 'em.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally published on mysteryandsuspense.com

Bree Cabbat grew up with a cash strapped and anxious mother, obsessed with protecting her own security and that of her daughter. Bree had never met her father, who by all accounts was a piece of work, but as a gifted performer in amateur theatre she hoped that this might provide a gateway to the future life she dreamed of. But one day she met a man from a rich family and the mutual attraction was immediate. What followed was marriage, children and a privileged life in a nice house a few miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.

When we pick up the story, Bree has two school aged daughters and a brand new baby boy. Her own hopes of a career in musical theatre had never gotten off the ground but it seems that she’s passed her abilities on to her oldest daughter and today she is to attend a rehearsal for a production at her school. Her husband, Trey, is a lawyer and he’s going to be away on business for a few days. The day had started badly when Bree had woken to find a what she thought was a witch staring at her through her bedroom window. However, she’d tried to dismissed this thought as potentially the over active imaginings of a sleep deprived mum. But this was to be a fateful day. Later, as Bree sat enthralled by the action on stage, her sleeping baby is stolen and in place of Robert is a note instructing her to return home immediately and not to inform the police if she wants to see him again.

After a slow start the action had suddenly ramped up tenfold. A panicked search of the school confirmed Bree’s worst fears and hadn’t she spotted a figure suspiciously similar to the witchy woman from her bedroom window in the school car park earlier? With Trey away she is forced to lean on the help a male friend, whose daughter is also in the school production, for support. But what is she to do – to comply and return home might protect her son but shouldn’t she really ignore this and contact the police immediately?

I have to say that I was quite unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster ride I was now to be launched on. There’s a lot of raw emotion here and I was never quite sure how this was all going to end. Added to this there are a number of twists that stopped me in my tracks and made me re-evaluate the ever changing picture I was seeing. And the sense of urgency, of time passing too quickly, became a real thing for me as I found myself rushing back to the book at every opportunity such was my desire to track events, my brain working overtime trying to assess whether the actions being taken were the right ones.

I’m almost never totally satisfied with the ending in mystery novels and to some extent I’m still evaluating how I feel about this one. What I will say is that there’s a secondary narrative that makes its way into this tale which requires a degree of interpretation, though it’s pretty clear where the author is leading us. How readers react to this will, I feel, colour their feelings regarding the final outcome. Either way, I definitely found this to be a well-crafted and gripping story – in fact, it's one of the most interesting and absorbing books I’ve read in a long time.

My thanks to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mother May I grabbed my attention from the beginning. This is a great thriller that I highly recommend. Bree would do anything for her family especially after an unknown woman took her son. Bree ends up doing things she would never usually do. Bree is given directions that will cause her to lose her son or someone else. Bree is struggling with what to tell her husband. Bree turns to Marshall, an old friend, for help. Marshall is a genuinely good person. He is an ex-cop so has useful skills to help Bree. I loved the story and could not put this book down.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Joshilyn Jackson and loved it. I love when the author narrates the book because the reader really gets to experience the author’s emotions.

Thank you William Morrow, Harper Collins, Harper Audio, NetGalley and Edelweiss for Mother May I.

Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was my first Joshilyn Jackson book and I can’t wait to read every other one by her.

This book is a five star reading experience that should not be missed.

The cover is beautiful and catchy that made me want to read before I even knew the story.

I read this as an audiobook read by the author. This was the best audio experience I have ever had. Joshilyn Jackson is someone I now want to read all my future books to me! She was remarkable.

The story follows Bree who has her toddler Robert kidnapped while she looked away at her older daughter’s school.

Bree and her search for her child and answers keeps you wanting more and more. She is a very likable character that you just want her to find peace and comfort throughout the book. There is nothing a mother won’t do or trade for her child’s safety and happiness.

Thank you so much to Harper Audio, William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC and such an enjoyable reading experience!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

And here I am to be the dissenter amongst the throngs of 4 and 5 star early reviews for this one. I thought up until the last quarter of the book that it was going to be an "all the stars" review for me as well, but then the climax and ending were so disappointing that it brought it down to the 3.5 star mark.

The first half of the book is fabulous - Bree Cabbat has everything a woman could ever dream of - a loving attorney husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world. Growing up poor, she never dreamed it could be all possible. Then one day she wakes up to see an old woman dressed in black looking at her through her bedroom window. Later that day, she spies the old woman again - just minutes before Bree’s infant son vanishes. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; and if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow. The mystery woman makes contact and tells Bree that to get her baby back, she must complete one small task. She completes the task, but then the pieces of her life start to unravel, and she becomes complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets. Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family - even at the price of tearing her family apart forever.

My heart was in my throat when I read about Bree's baby being taken, her conversations with the kidnapper, and her subsequent actions. All of that was phenomenal. Without giving too much away though, from the point Bree and her friend, Marshall, begin investigating the kidnapping and the connections with Bree's family, I started to get an inkling of how things would end, and I didn't care for it. Much is made about Bree being a great actress (I feel like it is mentioned in every chapter!), and I feel like the potential for a serious "wtf" twist was there - but it never happened. Maybe I'm just depraved when it comes to my thrillers, but I love me a twisted, jaw-dropping moment that makes a book unforgettable. This one is more of a fairy tale, happily-ever-after ending that just left my dark side rather disappointed. I did find the last page musings of one of the main characters thought-provoking, but it still wasn't enough to salvage it for me.

Overall, a spectacular read that brings you right to the edge of the cliff - and then seriously falls off it in a major way. 3.5 stars

[Tamar...playing hooky for a few hours today · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was a book club member, I would suggest Mother May I for the club. The book blew me away. There are so many serious issues that can be discussed - women's place in society and the workplace, friendship, how some can move on after their misdeeds while others get only one shot at the brass ring, misogyny, one tiny step over the precipice/the cost of making a mistake/poor judgement, carrying the burden of a mistake, "discounting" bad behavior/salving the conscience/rewriting history, honesty, self-worth, drugs and consent/rape, love vs loyalty, seeing both sides of a person's character and living or rejecting the conflicting characters, vengeance, denial, trust/misplaced trust, a parent's love for their child, a spouse's love for their partner, parenthood....the list is endless.

Aside from the fact that this book is thought-provoking and a taut thriller, it is an absorbing read from start to finish. Once I started, I was hooked. I was surprised by what did not surprise me and I was surprised by what did. The writing was excellent, the plot well developed. There are several sympathetic characters and some who deserved none. I thought that the author's narration offered a perspective and depth to some of the MC's reflections, where otherwise I might not have given them much credence.

I will not give anything away other than to say that a baby is kidnapped early in the story and the search for the baby, uncovering the motive for the kidnapping and the truth are everything. This was the first book I have read by Joshilyn Jackson and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and of course the brilliant Joshilyn Jackson for an audio ARC of this amazing book. All the stars❤️

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could not get into this one characters doing stupid things a baby goes missing, how many times has that been done I get tired of those premises was it entertaining yes but enjoyable no.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bree Cabbat is beaming with pride as she watches her daughter Anna Claire on stage while rehearsing for the school play. She really has it all: a strong marriage and comfortable wealthy life, two lovely daughters, and an infant Robert who is just a dream of a baby. But suddenly, Robert is not there and Bree realizes she wasn’t just being paranoid when she noticed a creepy looking older lady hanging around her house and the school. She finds a note stating she needs to get home, follow instructions and tell NO ONE, especially not the police, or Robert will die. Bree would do anything to get Robert back, but soon finds out just what the consequences of anything truly are...

The first half of this book was great. It really sucked me in and I felt like I was given enough backstory and time with the family to really care what was happening to Bree and root for her. And I have to admit I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish. It was gripping and I needed to know how things turned out. Unfortunately, how things turned out ended up being supremely unsatisfying for me, even more so when I woke up after and thought about this more. I can suspend disbelief for events that take place in this kind of novel. In thrillers, sometimes it is what it is, and you have to just accept a lot of things are going to toe the line of plausibility. What I do have more of an issue with is not being able to believe people’s motives. And since the kidnapper's intentions are the entire reason for the story to begin with, that’s kind of a big problem.

Slightly spoilery rant, though I’ll try my best to avoid too many specifics: I just can’t reconcile the villain’s method with her motive. This simply is not the way a mother would go about avenging wrongs committed against her daughter. The people who end up suffering the most in her plan are other women (one of whom was arguably a victim of a predator herself) and innocent children. One target is never confronted about their behavior in any way and hadn’t the slightest clue revenge was supposedly being taken against them in the first place or why. What?? No. None of this makes any sense and I don’t buy it.

On a more positive note, I think this book did touch on some really powerful ideas about how we rationalize our own actions to ourselves*. About the rose colored glasses we view our past with and the harsh lines we smooth as we soothe ourselves with more palatable versions over time. About how an act that may have meant very little to us at the time may have been life-changing for another**. And of course, about wealth, privilege, and lack of consequences for those with both.

*I wish it explored this more in terms of Bree’s actions though. One would do anything for their child, but it doesn’t mean they’re not going to need to process the fallout from that. The end just wrapped things up too neatly for me and I don’t think it showed enough (any?) introspection with regard to her own actions and culpability.

**There is one big event this point was referring to, but also there was a smaller event Bree and Marshall both remember differently and I expected some kind of acknowledgment of that which never came.

Overall this was a serviceable entry into the thriller genre. It’s fun and compelling and you won’t want to put it down. But it’s also what I’d call brain candy. You need to just enjoy it while reading, and not think too much about it because when you do, things begin to unravel.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Joshilyn Jackson, and Harper Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

There’s little I find more exciting than stumbling upon another author whose writing is electrifying. While many others may know Joshilyn Jackson and her thrilling style, it was only when I received this book to review that I was pulled into the middle of a story that left me reading (listening) well into the night. When a baby is kidnapped right from under his mother’s nose, panic ensues. Bree Cabbat must come to terms with her loss and try to rectify it without alerting too many others. However, this kidnapper has a plan and Bree finds herself jumping through hoops to get her son back, only later realising the motive behind the madness. Jackson offers a chilling tale that will prove highly addictive, once the reader finds themselves fully committed to the story. Recommended to those who love a chilling thriller full of twists and ‘aha’ moments.

The day started off poorly for Bree Cabbat when she noticed an old woman dressed in black—the proverbial witch, if ever there was one—peering into her bedroom window. Alerting her husband to the intruder, Bree’s worries were dismissed as a lack of sleep and ‘baby brain’. Bree’s upbringing in rural Georgia may not have been ideal, but she has transformed those years into something special, turning out to be an amazing mother to two teen girls and a new baby, Robert.

While at the girls’ school one afternoon, horror strikes Bree. Robert is kidnapped when she’s distracted in the drama room, snatched from his infant seat. It is only later that the same witch woman is seen in the school parking lot. Bree enters panic mode and is ready to do anything to save her son. When a call comes in, Bree is prepared to do whatever it takes to save Robert.

Bree is directed to undertake a confusing act to prove her loyalty to Robert. She must drug one of her husband’s legal partners at the firm and slip away, waiting fur further instructions. Given the pills she must use, Bree follows the instructions she’s given, only to realise that the plan has taken a horrible turn. What should have only knocked the man out has killed him and Bree is left with the guilt, on top of not yet having Robert back in his custody.

Confiding in a former cop and family friend, Bree soon learns that there was another recent kidnapping of a little boy by the same woman, who insists that all this is being done with her daughter’s assistance. Bree uncovers something that may connect the two cases, though she is not yet ready to bring it to the authorities or any media outlet. The more she understands about a distant past, the clearer things become as to why these two families were targeted.

Confronting her husband, Bree learns about his college years and how he was not the man she thought he might have been. However, this stroll down memory lane is not bringing Robert back any faster. Bree must work within the confines of what she can do and try to locate this pair of vindictive women before Robert disappears for good. A mother’s dedication to her baby crosses paths with another’s search for justice, however twisted it might be. This is one explosive story that will leave the reader enthralled as they try to see which maternal instinct is stronger.

While I may have never read anything by Joshilyn Jackson before, I can see the allure. Her storytelling is second to none and the flow of the piece keeps the reader in the middle of the gathering momentum. The piece pulls on the reader’s heartstrings while also telling of a sordid past that fuels the present kidnapping plot. Which side is innocent is up to the reader to decide, though the tangled web presented herein makes that determination all the harder to decipher.

Bree Cabbat is a strong, if somewhat harried, protagonist. Her role as doting wife and mother is balanced nicely with a fearful woman who wants her family back. As she story unfolds and she learns of a past to which she was previously unaware, Bree finds herself acting outside of the realm she might usually be comfortable inhabiting. Her dedication to finding her son is fuelled by maternal instinct, though she is equally concerned about the issues she learns relating to her husband’s past. The reader will feel Bree’s determination throughout this piece, never stopping when it comes to doing what she feels is right, even as she knows it could have dire consequences.

Jackson has used a handful of strong secondary characters to fill in some of the gaps throughout the narrative. There is a chilling undertone in the narrative and one that requires a cast of characters to bring it to life. Jackson does so effectively by painting vivid narratives with key characters, all of whom complement the larger story. Characters play their chosen roles well and the reader is gifted with a strong story throughout.

While I was not sure what to expected as I started this piece, I came to see just how talented Joshilyn Jackson was when I allowed myself to connect to the narrative. A story that appears to be a simple kidnapping takes a turn when certain twists are added to the narrative. The reader is pulled into the middle and left to wonder what might happen and how baby Robert might be used as a pawn to exact some form of revenge for past wrongs. Working with mid-length chapters, Jackson portrays her characters effectively and builds a plot that is as vivid as it is chilling. This is one book that really kept me wondering throughout and I binged numerous times just to get a better understanding of what was going on. I will definitely be back for more Joshilyn Jackson in the coming months.

Kudos, Madam Jackson, for winning me over. Your writing style and story development are surely worth additional exploration.

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[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Vengeance Stars

Once again, this author has created memorable characters and a tensely paced story. We have Bree Cabbat who has married into a wealthy Southern family and is raising three wonderful children with her attorney husband. The first half of the book is spent setting up the story and introducing the characters.

Bree thinks she’s seeing things and being paranoid like her mother. She spots a strange woman lurking about and tries to shake it off. Things take a dramatic turn, however when her infant son is taken, and soon Bree is tasked with doing something to keep her family intact. What would you do to have your child returned?

What follows is a frantic race for Bree to follow instructions that don’t always make sense in order to protect her family. Along the way, she has friend and former policeman Marshall as they try to find the baby and figure out why he was taken.

This one builds in suspense and has a few shocking twists at the end. I found myself reading it quickly because I wanted to see how it all played out.

This is my fourth Joshilyn Jackson books and she is a solid writer for me. This one did not disappoint and continues her theme of vengeance that I last read in “Never Have I Ever.” This book made for a great buddy read and would make an excellent book club book.

Thank you to Scene of the Crime Early Read/William Morrow and Custom House for my complimentary copy.

[Jenny Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually do mysteries but I got totally sucked into this one and couldn't put it down. 4.5 stars.