3.5 stars

The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner is a slow burn suspense novel centered around a group of mothers whose children all attend the same toddler playgroup, a dead nanny, and a journalist drawn into the mystery surrounding the nanny's death.

Tash has been searching for just the right story to launch her career as a freelance journalist. When she happens to hear about the death of a young and beautiful nanny, she thinks this story is what she needs. But she also needs a group of mom friends. And she happens to find those friends at her sons playgroup. These mothers are just what she aspires to be - rich, beautiful, wealthy - but the more Tash becomes ingrained into these women's lives, the more secrets she finds out about them and the nanny.

This was the first Faulkner novel I have read and I thought it was a little slow for me at the beginning. I also found the majority of the characters to be unlikeable. Things picked up about 60-70% of the way in. There were so many things happening that it almost made it unbelievable. And when you think you know what happened, the epilogue shows up.

Overall, this book had many positive reviews, but based on the slow pace and the unlikeable characters and questionable decisions Tash made, I give it 3.5 stars. If you like slow burn mysteries and family/friend drama, then you'll enjoy The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was fantastic in every aspect except for the ending. It became overly intricate and ultimately lacked impact. Katherine has a unique gift for telling interesting stories that capture and captivate you. Looking forward to whatever come next from this author!

I restarted this several times before I got hooked but the story works--all the elements of this domestic thriller feel familiar but it really stuck the landing.

Catty mom groups, a nanny who lies, and untrustworthy spouses, this book had all the ingredients for a good domestic drama but it fell a little flat for me. It just didn’t capture me. It felt really drawn out.

#TheOtherMothers #NetGalley
A fan read.
New mom Tash is intrigued when a young nanny is found dead under mysterious circumstances. She has been searching for a story to launch her career as a freelance journalist. But she has also been searching for something else—new friends to help her navigate motherhood. She sees them at her son’s new playgroup: the other mothers. A group of sleek, sophisticated women who live in a neighborhood of tree-lined avenues and stunning houses. The sort of mothers Tash would like to be. When the mothers welcome her into their circle, she discovers the kind of life she has always dreamt of—their elegant London townhouses a far cry from her cramped basement flat and endless bills. She is quickly swept up into their wealthy world via coffees, cocktails, and playdates. But when another young woman is found dead, it’s clear there’s much more to the tight-knit community than meets the eye. The more Tash investigates, the more she’s led uncomfortably close to the other mothers. Are these women really her friends? Or is there another, more dangerous reason why she has been so quickly accepted into their exclusive world? Who, exactly, is investigating who?
I inhaled it. It's brilliant.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for giving me an advance copy.

Suspenseful until the end (it was wrapped up all a little too neatly a little too quickly), this was an enjoyable read with some interesting characters.

The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner wasn't terrible. There were many character names and their personalities were very similar, so it was hard to keep track of who was who. They were all self-absorbed and fake, which fit every stereotype ever stated. Faulkner designed the plot where anyone could be the killer. Seemed a little far-fetched with a man-whore, but who am I to judge. The ending wasn't a huge surprise, but it did have some twists and turns.

Not a love for me. I skipped about 100 pages about 20% in & was still able to follow along. The beginning just didn’t capture my attention. By the end, it got twisty & then the end lost me again. What a rollercoaster.

Another solid thriller from Faulkner. Love her voice. Her niche really works without seeming trite or overdone. I care about her characters.

Greenwich Park was an enjoyable, twisty novel and the first that I read by this author. Here again, in The Other Mothers, Faulkner successfully creates characters, a setting, and a suspenseful plot. The pages just turn and I was constantly wanting to know what answers might eventually be revealed.

Anyone who has ever wondered if they fit in at the school gates may have empathy for Tash. Her son is in a playgroup filled with what are generally called ‘yummy mummies.’ When she is invited into the inner circle of this gilded world Tash is uncomfortable, intrigued and curious. There are secrets here, she is sure.

Tash has been working as a freelance journalist. She becomes deeply involved in trying to learn b what led to the death of an au pair named Sophie. (Readers get to know Sophie when she was alive through her journal.) Of course, the storylines will converge. How will it all resolve?

This is a perfect book to read for escape. It is quite an enticing read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

This book was published in December 2023.

If there's one thing that I love, it's unlikeable characters, and The Other Mothers does not disappoint! A great dual-timeline plot, this one kept my interest, but the excitement seemed to slowly dissipate as the novel went on, and maybe my hopes were just set too high.

A young nanny is found dead. Tash is intent of figuring out what happened. As a former freelance journalist she is used to investigating. But is she getting too close to the story, and the murderer?
What a wild ride right up to the end!

The Other Mothers by Faulkner was an interesting read. I liked the way the story kept going from present to past and sharing the viewpoint of two main characters.

I did not read The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner through an educator lens, but for personal enjoyment. This book was not a favorite for me. The book felt slightly disjointed and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The Other Mothers was not as suspenseful as I had imagined it would be.

Another great thriller from Faulkner! Edgy, fast-paced, and at times unsettling! I appreciated this novel's exploration of the potential for toxicity among female/maternal friendships.

This twisty thriller about a group of wealthy London Moms had me on the edge of my seat. Such a page turner for me. While I was able to figure out the plot and twists I was second guessing myself the whole time. This was a super fun thriller/mystery!

A solid mystery similar vibes to Big Little Lies. There is a death early on that we as the reader sit and wait for the identity. A 3 star read.

I tried with this book but I had to give up. The audiobook was putting me to sleep. Nothing was happening. I kept waiting and waiting.

I always love a good motherhood story with themes of envy and secrets. THE OTHER MOTHERS started off strong as we are introduced to various women, each with their own distinct personalities and challenges. The plot languished a bit for me in the middle of the story and could have been tightened up with some editing for improved pacing. The ending did have a big payoff that many readers will find worth the wait. Overall this was a fine read, but one I would have enjoyed more with a bit more action in the middle.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I may have enjoyed Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner but I LOVED The Other Mothers! The covers of the two novels are very similar like they could be related, but they are not, and I have to say that for me both were very eye-catching and what I would consider perfect for each storyline. Tash is very much the outsider new mom looking in on the group of mom friends in this book, but when she starts becoming friends with some of them and then investigating a nanny's death, she gets a lot more than she bargained for. Drama and secrets are my two favorite things in a thriller or mystery, and this book has plenty of both.

The storyline is told both from Tash's viewpoint as well as Sophie's (the dead nanny) in the past and having them alternating at pretty regular intervals was both fantastic and frustrating. Not in a bad way, just in the way that something would happen, and then I would have to wait for CHAPTERS to find out what it was. 🤣 Clever Faulkner, very clever. The audiobook was just as great as you would hope it would be, and Louise Brealey & Dakota Blue Richards were perfect to be the voices of our FMCs. I thought they complimented each other quite nicely and played their parts to a T. Go in blind, and you will thank me later.