Gripping story about a mother who lost it all, or did she? Unstoppable read from the first page all the way to the end. Heart racing story with a dramatic ending.

Tessa Markham has never got over the loss of her children- one at birth and one when he was five years old. The tragedy has broken up he marriage. Now she lives alone, goes to work and every Sunday visits her children's' grave at the cemetery. One Sunday she returns home to find a small boy in her kitchen who asks her if she is his new mummy!

Before long Tessa finds herself in a nightmare as she is accused of abducting this child. The press won't leave her alone, the police don't seem to fully believe her & her ex is definitely not in her corner. He now has a new partner who is expecting their child - the last thing he wants is a delusional wife constantly on the phone!

Tessa sometimes wonders if she IS delusional, but she sets out to discover exactly why this happened- raking up a lot of the past she could not have imagined.

This book was read very quickly as I wanted to see how it ended. I didn't always warm to Tessa, but I never doubted that she was innocent. I just couldn't work out the whys & wherefores!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for this engrossing read- couldn't put it down till I knew the answers!

I think it’s becoming more and more difficult to come up with a premise that instantly hooks the reader these days, especially in a psychological thriller but The Secret Mother instantaneously hooked me from the moment I finished the first chapter. Can you even imagine coming home one day to find a child that’s not yours just hanging out?! This is exactly what happens to Tessa and it’s all the more painful as her children have passed away, I swear this poor woman has been put through the wringer! I felt so awful for her, even when I wasn’t entirely sure if she was a totally reliable narrator…

I really don’t want to dive too deep into the plot because this is one hell of a tangled and twisted tale but I loved the way Boland created tension here, it was that awesome kind of mounting intensity and the scenes where Tessa was alone in her house while the press was waiting outside like a pack of vultures were so nailbitingly good! Tessa is relentless in her pursuit for the truth even when it seems like everyone around her thinks she’s crazy and clinging to the past and for the life of me I couldn’t decide if she was in fact sane or not. This was an excellent psychological thriller filled with uneasiness, doubt and a huge pack of lies, I loved it!

Well another book being finished in the early hours of the morning that I just couldn't put down to finish tomorrow.
Loved this story it had just the right balance of drip feeding to keep me eager for more without being frustrated that the story was slow to give more information.
Maybe I am biased but I loved Harry just the mention of him seemed to light up the room, this fun train loving little boy caught up in a mysterious web.
It's been a while since I've read a book that made me want to punch one of the characters but if anyone deserved a punch then Scott was definately one on the list in this book.
Highly recommended reading

Wowza, what a corker of an opening to this book! Straight away Shalini Boland puts the suspense wheels in motion when the main character, Tessa, comes face to face with a child in her kitchen. 'Are you my mummy?' the child asks, but Tessa doesn't have any children and even if she did, she wouldn't have left a child all alone in her kitchen whilst she went off to work. Is the child a figment of Tessa's imagination like everyone seems to believe? Or is there a genuine reason as to why the child ended up being all alone in her kitchen...?

Nion straight away my heart was in my mouth and my motherly instincts kicked in. Of course they would have been no use as it's fictional, but still. They were there. Where did the random child come from? How on Earth did someone manage to get into Tessa's house to put him there? WHY did they put him there? So many questions and not a lot of answers - no wonder Tessa was getting frustrated with not being believed. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances surrounding the child, Tessa's past got brought back up and the media went to town. It didn't matter how many times Tessa said she was innocent, everyone seemed to disbelieve her, which in turn made her start doubting herself.

Now, whilst the storyline completely and utterly funked over my head, making me unsure as to what to believe, a certain part of the storyline gave me a hunch and I was convinced I knew where the book was heading. It's rare that I'm right so I didn't think too much of it.

As the storyline progressed my hunch started to make even more sense. I was adamant I knew what had happened and, for the first time ever, I was right. Because I had worked out the outcome of the book a while before the storyline actually properly concluded, I did feel a little disheartened as I really was hoping I was wrong, purely so I could enjoy the rest of the book unawares. I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the author put her storyline together along with multiple red herrings, bucketfuls of emotion and never-ending psychological battles, as it meant the book came across as an addictive, easy read which I flew through in a couple of hours.

Personally, the only downside to the storyline was that the conclusion was easy to work out. I didn't have the shock factor like I had hoped I would which was a shame. I don't usually work out a conclusion before the end!

That said, I still enjoyed Shalini Boland's novel overall. The level of suspense at the beginning was second to none and due to the constant unanswered questions throughout the book, the intensity of the storyline made it a highly addictive read.

Thanks Bookouture.

“This beautiful little boy is calling me his mummy. And yet I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

Who is Harry, a boy who mysteriously appears in Tessa’s kitchen, calling her mummy? Although she reports the boy’s appearance immediately, the police and Tessa’s estranged husband Scott don’t believe her and plant the seed that Tessa snatched the boy off the street. The couple lost two young children several years before (one at birth and one at the age of 3) and Scott thinks Tessa is still psychologically unstable enough from their devastating loss to commit this criminal act. Tessa starts to believe he is right. So am I.

The story was absolutely riveting as unexpected developments and additional characters meld into the story. It kept my wheels turning and speculating. At 75%, I finally figured things out and I became frustrated with the naïveté of the characters who couldn’t seem to connect the dots. All was forgiven, however, when I was rewarded with a satisfying reveal. I’m glad I was along for the ride and able to resist the temptation to flip to the end to get to the truth. A very suspenseful and twisty thriller.

A page turner that I read in a day. Tessa finds a young boy in her kitchen and her life is turned upside down. Throughout I was on tenterhooks wondering what was going to happen next wondering if she was delusional or something more sinister was going on. A good book for these winter nights.

A fantastic read! This book had me hooked from them first page until the end. It is the first book that I have read by Shalina Boland and I will definitely be reading more.
The book centres on Tessa, who gave birth to twins. One twin dies at birth and the other a few years later. She only exists from day to day after she split up from her husband. She gets home one day to find a little boy in her kitchen asking if she is his mummy. Who is this boy? How did he get into her house? Everyone thinks Tessa abducted him and she then has to prove her innocence. I absolutely loved this book. It is very gripping, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Than’s to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Having recently read and enjoyed Shalini Boland's 'Girl from the Sea' and 'The Best Friend', I was keen to read this book.

This book certainly puts the psychological into the 'psychological thriller' genre. It slowly unfolds into an intriguing journey.

I found myself disliking and feeling sorry for the character of Tessa Markham, in equal measure.

The tension builds to an exciting dénouement. I really liked this novel. Much of the writing being through the eyes of Tessa. All of the characters are well crafted.

There are certainly plenty of twist before the final reveal!

I give thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in return for this review.

A superb read. A little boy found in a kitchen - how did he get there? How does Tess explain this bizarre situation particularly as she has a similar situation in her past. This is one head-spinning, gripping tale. The plot lures you in and the characters evoke real emotions. A trial by media and doubts on who can be trusted. The unravelling of this mystery leads to the most glorious ending.

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Secret Mother’ by Shalini Boland in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
When Tessa Markham returns from the cemetery she discovers a little boy in her kitchen. The boy says his name is Harry and that an angel brought him to Tessa, his real Mummy. But Tessa doesn’t have any children as they both died.
This is the beginning of Tessa’s search for the truth with the help of her boss, garden centre owner Ben Moretti, and neighbour Carly who’s a journalist and wants to write the story.
‘The Secret Mother’ is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me engrossed throughout, and although I’d already worked out the ending I had to keep reading to prove I was right. Shalini Boland has provided some interesting and plausible characters, enough twists and turns to keep me involved, and an exciting ending. An enjoyable read!

Having read a fire of the authors previous books I was delighted to have a chance to read her latest . A real page turner with the main character Tessa finding a little boy sitting in her kitchen who is calling her mummy and she doesn’t know who he is or got he got there . A page turning read with tessa being a great main character who you totally sympathise with . I read this in two sittings . Great book and my thanks to netgalley and bookouture for the opportunity to read 4.5 stars

Whew! I haven't read a book in one sitting in awhile. This one was devoured before bed when I only planned to get through about 25% of it. It certainly keeps you reading. I definitely should have heeded the warnings from several reviews of this book written by friends: don't start unless you have time to finish. I had time, I just got way less sleep than I should have! There's never really a good time to stop, this story takes no breaks.

This is the fourth book I've read from Shalini Boland, and I think she's definitely one to watch. She just signed with one of my favorite publishers, Bookouture, so I see many more immensely readable books to come.

Tessa's story is heartbreaking... she's a mother without children. Her little girl died not long after she was born, and her little boy passed away years later after an illness. Her husband left her. She left the job that she loved. Now she's a former landscape architect working at a garden center that barely pays the bills, visiting the graves of her children every Sunday... alone. One Sunday she expects to come back to the same old depressing empty house... but there's a little boy in her kitchen. He calls her mummy. Where did he come from? Charmed but confused and alarmed, Tessa calls her husband, who rushes over and calls the police. Little Harry is taken away, but that one word struck something long dead in Tessa's heart... why was he in her home, and why would he call her mummy?

If finding a missing child in her home wasn't enough cause for suspicion from the police, Tessa becomes increasingly unstable and obsessed with finding out where he came from. The public thinks she's a child abductor. The press follows her, hounding her both at home and work. Her husband thinks she's having a breakdown and begins to treat her as if she's just a bother. Her journalist neighbor just wants a story. The only person she thinks she can turn to seems to be Ben, her boss. He's kind and understanding, and doesn't act like she's lost the plot. But for us, it's not entirely clear if she has or not...

I figured things out a little early (I am, after all, an experienced armchair detective) but wasn't sure if I was right. I needed to know, and couldn't put the book down. Another great read by Shalini Boland, one you should plan on getting lost in for a couple of hours!

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

I've read all of this author's books, previously self published, and I always feel that I'm going to be satisfied whenever I read her latest book.
Tessa Markam comes home to find a young boy in her kitchen. She doesn't know him, and doesn't know how he got there but he asks her if she is his mummy now. Tessa is still grieving for the loss of her son Sam, her marriage has ended, she is in a fragile state of mind and so it is suspected that Tessa has abducted the boy Harry.
Pretty soon you are on a roller coaster of twists and turns and I really felt for Tessa. I also loved Ben!
Definitely recommend this author.

The Secret Mother is a fantastic thriller. I found this book to be well written with an awesome plot. This book really kept me guessing. I recommend this book to those who enjoy an edge of your seat type book.

I liked this book. I kind of guessed about half way through what was going on but I kept reading to confirm what I suspected. This novel is kind of an easy read, doesn't require a lot of thinking and sometimes that just the book I need. I enjoyed the characters and was actually quite suspicious of a few of them. Tessa is an unreliable character and you always have that niggling thought in the back of your mind that maybe, just maybe, things are not as they seem. All in all, a satisfying and enjoyable read.

4.5 Stars* (rounded up)
Brilliantly Done.

Could you imagine coming home and finding someone in your kitchen? Would your reaction change if that someone were an innocent little boy who asks “Are you my mummy?” I sure can’t. One day however, that’s exactly what happens to Tessa Markham who comes home to find a little boy named Harry sitting in her kitchen. She has no idea who he is or how he got there.

Once she calls the police however, they think she kidnapped him. Her past, you see, it’s a colorful one and no one believes her. Thereafter she has to fight to prove her innocence – as even her husband from whom she’s separated, think she’s guilty. After the press attack her, Tessa’s life is completely torn apart and things go from bad to worse. Tessa however, can only think about one thing: Harry.

Shalini Boland’s “The Secret Mother” sucked me in immediately. I read the book in one sitting and I hardly ever do that anymore. I was in a frenzy to finish and couldn’t wait to get to the very end. None of the characters in this novel are even remotely trustworthy – Shalini Boland did a spectacular job in making me question each character and their actions. I admit that I even questioned poor little Harry. How’s that for fantastic writing?

“The Secret Mother” is now the third novel that I’ve read by Shalini Boland and it is her best yet and that, my friends is saying something. I loved “The Girl from the Sea” and liked “The Best Friend.” In my humble opinion however, “The Secret Mother” far surpasses Ms. Boland’s prior novels – the writing is sharper, crisper and more clever. I was glued to this book and could not tear myself away and that did not happen previously. While I had an idea as to what was going to happen in the end, it did not hinder my interest, nor was I disappointed in anyway. In short, if you are looking for a fabulous mystery/suspense, please do yourself a favor and check this one out, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook on 11.8.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 11.9.17

Tessa returns home after visiting her children's graves at the cemetery, only to find a little boy in her kitchen asking her if she is his mummy. Tessa has no idea where the child came from or how he even got into her house. When she contacts the police, she's quickly suspected of child abduction and even those close to her don't believe her version of events.

Make sure you have a free afternoon when you start reading this one because you won't want to put it down. It's a very gripping, fast-paced and addictive read. At times, I also found it quite moving and it made me angry as well. A lot of emotions to go through when reading a psychological thriller.

Not only does Tessa have to deal with this suspicion hanging over her head, there's also the grief over the children she lost. And on top of all of that we get the utterly relentless hounding of the media which doesn't just affect her but also those around her and you can't help wondering how anyone is able to deal with that hassle and invasion of privacy.

I warmed to Tessa from the beginning and as the tension builds up and we get closer to the truth, you can't help but root for her. It's hard to say any more without giving anything away but I was with Tessa every step of the way and I'm sure you will be too. There may have been a character or two that weren't quite as sympathetic but ultimately, the reasons for their behaviour were completely understandable and believable.

Shalini Boland has come up with a well executed and compelling plot that will keep you hooked from start to finish and I look forward to whatever is next.

Beware of this book!!! It will take you hostage from the first word to the last...you can forget about your to do list, this gripping read will make itself a priority above all else!

When Tessa, who lives alone, arrives home after visiting the graves of her twin children, she is shocked to discover a little boy in her kitchen, asking her " are you my mummy?" Who is this child and how did he manage to get into her house?

Upon contacting the police, Tessa soon comes under suspicion of child abduction. When even those closest to her question her innocence, one begins to wonder if Tessa is indeed losing it.

You'll be unable to turn your mind off from this one, constantly pondering and speculating as to what will happen next. This tale was very well thought out, providing everything you'd want in a good book: teasing questions you just HAVE to know the answers to; characters you'll be rooting for and others that just rub you up the wrong way; a dazzling ending that did not disappoint!

I absolutely loved this one, I just had to give it ALL the stars! It was a no brainer that it made my top 10 for the year.

Congratulations to Shalini Boland on a fantabulous read, I was thoroughly entertained by every page. So looking forward to reading much much more by this author.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and of course the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion. The pleasure was all mine.

Summary:
“Are you my Mummy?”
Tessa Markham hears these words from the little boy in her kitchen.  Thing is, she isn’t anyone’s mom…. not anymore.  Her family life detonated long ago and she has been trying to pull the pieces together.  So who is this little boy?  How did he get there?  And why does he think she’s his new mummy?  Under suspicion of abduction, Tessa must prove her innocence when even her ex husband doesn’t believe her?
My thoughts:
I loved this story.  It pulls you in from the start with Tessa and her fears, pains and insecurities.  The characters are fantastic, though I had some issues with Ben, the boss/love interest.  I understand that he likes her and wants to believe her…. but to just swallow everything whole?  I think she could tell him she killed people and he’d drive a company van to help her move bodies.  It just seemed a tad unbelievable to me.
There were times where I thought I knew where this was going, but I was never quite sure and the story kept me guessing.  It’s definitely an interesting premise, and one that was well done.  For me, this is a four star book (and another Christmas gift idea for a friend).  
On the adult content scale, there is some language, light violence and light sexual content, though nothing over the top.  I give it a five.  
I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.   I was given no other form of incentive to review this book, and received no incentive to give a biased review.  My thanks.