An amazing book with a brilliant twist at the end, I just had to keep reading just to find out what was going to happen!

It took me quite a while to get around to reading this book, but I am glad I did! It was well-written and interesting, focused on unusual characters and a 1970s setting in northern England.

I am finding it a little difficult to review because although I appreciated the skill in the writing and plotting, I think it was just not the right style and setting for me and so I was not as engaged as I was, for instance, with the same author's debut, Valentina.

I will be keen to read more of SE Lynes's books but this wasn't her best, for me.

Mother by S.E. Lynes.
How far would you go for the perfect family?When Christopher Harris climbs into his family’s dusty attic, he finds a battered old suitcase containing a letter. Inside the letter is a secret; a secret about his mother that changes everything.
Every mother loves their child. Every child deserves to be loved. But Christopher has grown up so lonely it hurts.Finally, Christopher thinks he has a chance at happiness. A happiness he will do anything to protect, whatever the cost…
A brilliant twisty read. 5*.

I understand that putting the word thriller in the description of a book makes it sell more, but it also makes the reader sick to discover, as in this case, that, although there are plenty of deaths, this is not a thriller.
So what is it, then, this novel about an adopted boy's search for his biological mother? It is certainly a text that describes a deviant psychology, because not all adopted children, even if they grow up in a rigid and somewhat anaffective family, become serial killers. Perhaps the confusion stems from the fact that the very thorough and well-done reconstruction of the illusory universe created in the mind of a sociopath is called a thriller. In any case, the novel is of a great standard, although I struggle a little to forgive the bait that was put in front of me as a reader.

Really enjoyed this book, certainly kept me guessing, a definite twist at the end. Will look for more books by this author.

This Author is really great. I really loved this book. This tale was highly engrossing and highly recommendable!!

I am in charge of our Senior School library and now during this time of lockdown, I am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

Thanks so much for,allowing me to read this brilliant story. Could not put it down.
Two boys were born out of wedlock on the same day, and as men they both wanted to meet their birth mother.
By this happening it led to terrible circumstances as both boys wanted the same mother.

Interesting book! I finished it in hopes it would pick up or something significant would happen. It was a plain Jane book with an adopted boy and an interesting biological mom!

Due to my very low rating no review will be posted to goodreads, amazon, or my youtube channel.
Thank you to the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Where do I begin with this one?!? I thought the book was very very cleverly written, so dark and unlike anything I've read before. Even though the blurb we are told ' Christopher would never hurt anyone, not intentionally, even after everything that's happened I still believe that' we do find that Christopher is in fact a very sinister character and more so as his obsession with his mother consumes him. I found the first half of the book to be a slow burn read which I liked, it's a really good way to find out about and get a feel for the character of Christopher. You do need to pay attention as there's a lot of detail and depth . We see Christopher in his 'coming of age' era and gaining his much wanted independence from his family. I think for him all of the pieces of the jigsaw come together when he finds the letter about his adoption. When he tracks down his biological mum Phyllis he becomes quite obsessed. This new relationship between long lost mother and son gives you a very weird feeling of edginess and foreboding. I loved how the author created tension in the book, I also particularly enjoyed how the story increased its pace in the second half. The twist was very unexpected and chilling.

Mother

I loved this book!!! I’m not going to rehash the blurb, you can read that for yourself. What I will do is implore you to read this fab story!

Mother is a beautifully written psychological thriller with some belter characters! This is a story that will chill you to the core and consume you whole heartedly. Now treat yourself and pick up a copy! Five stars.

I have to be completely honest here and say it took me a while to get into this book and at times felt like abandoning it. However I stuck with it and am so glad I did. This is a disturbing psychological thriller that kept me wanting to keep turning the pages once I eventually got into it.

an absolutely fab read. set during the Yorkshire Ripper’s reign this story follows the journey of a young man who is told he is adopted. this is a must read.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC of this brilliantly written book. It had me gripped from page one, and I was quite exhausted and exasperated by the ending!! Well done!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
Two babies adopted into good families but their biological mothers are completely different- lies, murder, deception along with some strange relationships are part of this story.
Even though I read psychological thrillers, this one was too dark for me.

I found Mother by SE Lynes slow at the beginning and I was going to give up reading this book. But, I am so glad I kept with it. So keep with it you will not be disappointed.
Christopher Harris is the main character, he always felt he did not fit in his family and always wondered why. He finds a old suitcase whilst in his families attic and and opens it. Everything changes as its full of secrets about him and a family he never knew existed...................Does he find his mother? Does he have any other family? What price would Christopher pay to have a perfect family? and especially find happiness.

Thanks to S.E. Lynes, Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

Mothers, and sons, and murderers oh my! Christopher, Martin, Benjamin, and Billy….what a tangled web they weave. I suppose I should clarify that I’ve only just referred to two people…..not four as you might have thought. (*hint, hint*) 😘

Christopher a young man with a tortured soul and a deep sense of never belonging finds himself anticipating a new chapter in his life. College bound he packs up his life to head to Leeds University when he discovers a long hid family secret in a suitcase in the attic. Oh what fun ensues….(I’m being sarcastic). So, turns out young Christopher was adopted by the family he has known all his life. With his fragile self-understanding shattered and stripped away, he tries to maneuver his way through Leeds. Enter Adam his seemingly light-hearted touchstone for happiness and living in the moment. And Angie the girl who tempts and tantalizes him if only in his mind. If only the moment he was trying to live in was not etched with the systematic murders of the campus serial killer, Jack Ripper.

And yet who is The Ripper? Adam whose disappearances coincided with the serial murders? Ben the mystery other Martin? The protagonist who is slowly driven to madness by angst from obsession, isolation, and bullying via micro aggressions and being taken advantage of by his peers?

Lonely boy Christopher suspects Adam, at first. However, at least he has his beloved birth mother to comfort him with her youthfulness, kindhearted nature, and gentle hair strokes that makes Christopher finally feel wanted and at home. God forbid something were to happen to threaten his relationship….with his mother.

Question That Came To Me During #AmReading: Who in the world is narrating this story?

Mother is told in third person and second person and yet it mostly seems to come from Christopher’s point of view. There is a debate if this is a brilliant little detail nugget that adds mystery or just something that adds confusion for the readers. Well after reading Mother I can definitively say I found it just intriguing enough to keep me guessing. That is always a good quality in a book of this specific genre! During the read I still understood that Christopher not Chris is the dominant personality. But, that someone else was also at the helm. The question of who is revealed to those who wait!

I give Mother four stars (✨✨✨✨)!

A well written, tense and very clever thriller.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing this ARC.

Mother by SE Lynes
Publisher: Bookouture

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for the ebook ARC of Mother by SE Lynes in exchange for an honest review.

Christopher would never hurt anyone. Not on purpose.
Christopher is a lonely boy who has never fitted into his family. He has always felt something was missing in his life.
Until one day, he discovers a suitcase in his family’s attic. He finds a secret about his mother that changes everything…
Christopher finally has a chance at happiness. A happiness he will do anything to protect.
What price would you pay for the perfect family?

I give this book a rating of 1 star. I tried to read it but I just couldn’t get into it. It was not for me. I found it very slow and I did not finish reading. I wanted to read the book based on the cover and description. This is the first book I have tried to read by SE Lynes. Will still give her other books a try as I have read good things about some of her other books.