This was a thrilling read that kept me flipping the pages, thinking of different story lines, possibilities, and cheering on characters at every turn.

Aside from reading the synopsis once when I requested the title from NetGalley, I didn't look at it again until I actually got around to reading about a month or so later. I remembered the general idea, but not much other than that. Here's what I went in knowing: 3 genetic parents to 1 baby, 1 parent ends up in prison festering jealousy and hatred for the other 2.... That there pretty much sold me, honestly.

I think this heightened the suspense of the read, as some of conflict in this story seems to resolve fairly quickly or conveniently you could say. With that being said, I was still drawn to this book, and I wanted and needed to know what was going to happen next... how this story was going to play out. I was constantly trying to guess what was going to happen through out this fast paced read, and I had a hard time putting it down.

Although I didn't find anything about the story particularly mind blowing, it is an easy and entertaining read perfect for a rainy day or a lazy day on the beach... any time you need to relax and get lost in a book; definitely recommend!

Peikoff did an amazing job at encompassing the emotions of the characters - Mother, father, child, friend, grandparent. She wrote feelings that were extremely real making those characters very believable and relatable, even if you weren't meant to like them, you still felt for them.


Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy of Mother Knows Best, in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

The fierce love of a mother, medical ethics, and justice are all explored in this extraordinary novel. Psychological thrillers are becoming very rote and predictable, so this novel was a breath of fresh air.

"Mother Knows Best" is a thriller about a desperate mother, a fertility doctor and his assistant who are working on a cutting edge treatment, and the fall out from an ethically questionable human experiment. Abby knows her parents have kept her somewhat sheltered, but assumes that her mom is the cause. When she gets results from a DNA testing company, she finds herself connected to a stranger who she arranges to meet on the family's annual Natural History Museum trip. As often happens, the stranger is not unknown to her parents.
The plot is more interesting than many books in the medical thriller style. The science is easy enough for the layman to follow, and seems entirely plausible. The ending is frustrating due to the narcissism of one of the characters and the epilogue seems a bit forced.and cliched.

Excellent thriller about what happens when a woman desperate to become a mother decides to tinker with genetics. This book is less about the genetics and science and more about family dynamics, but nonetheless this was an excellent and engaging read that kept me on my toes the entire time.

A very interesting read . Twists and turns to keep you engrossed. Wondering which way the author is going to take it. Nice and easy to read. Flows well. Enjoyable to read

4.5 ⭐
Mother Knows Best is a twisted tale of the extremes a mother will go for their child, and what science has been able to achieve.

After the loss of Claire's son, all she wants is another chance at motherhood. But her genetic impairment makes her frightened, for she doesn't want it to impair her child too. So she resorts to Robert Nash, with whom she agrees to an illegal experiment - to create a three gene baby. All hell breaks loose when the information falls on the wrong hands, leading Claire and Robert to run away.

The story is extremely engaging and kept me hooked. It has intense scenes that made me bite my lip and adequate drama that added spice to the story.

Abigail wasn't my favorite character, though. I found her very annoying and typical - a kid who does everything her parents tell her not to. Claire had depth and extreme emotions which were portrayed really well. I loved her as a character and could well understand her stance.

The whole premise of advanced science just made the whole plot a lot more intriguing. It was so amazing to read about something new and fresh, and to see how it was incorporated in a psychological thriller. The multiple POVs also made the whole reading experience a lot better and easier.

Overall, I totally enjoyed this story. It was unique and different and the writing style was easy to follow. Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. All opinions expressed are fully mine.

Mother Knows Best by Kira Pelkoff is a psychological thriller and a fast-paced, crazy ride.
What happens when science plays God and works under the radar to create someone new? It's not going to be good.
Start with three parents instead of two (which is already a recipe for disaster) and punish one of those three while the other two live quietly. The odd man out is going to be crazy with anger at the end of her punishment. Add in the consequences of what has been done and you have an entertaining story that will have you biting your nails.

You'll want to pick up this one when it comes out!! I was sent this book by the pulishers through Netgalley. It was a page turner! Is it ethical to play God with eggs and sperm? To modify, and remove bad genes with good from another mother. You end up with two moms and one dad. We are about to find out, How far a mother will go to have a baby, and how far two doctors will go, to help her? At least one of them want to help, while the other wants to boost their career. Unbeknownst to the woman's husband who has no knowledge, of what they have done behind his back. And so our story unfolds. You be the judge!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!


The blurb about this book really caught my attention. I've NEVER read another book like this. I was hooked from the start.. I mean really, what an unique storyline?!

The cover drew me in, and the story kept me. This is now one of my top favorites.

This is an engaging book by an author who was new to me. I admit, I was first drawn to the cover, but the story withing those pages did not disappoint. The plot is twisty and clever and without giving anything away, it's also quite timely. Recommended!

This is a stand alone, fast paced, page turner. With short chapters and alternates between then and now. This mother did everything to have healthy children, made sure she done everything right, she did everything she could to protect them, no matter how they were created.
When she loses her baby, due to a genetic disorder, she participates in an experiment. This thriller is a great read, keep an open mind, when going into read this book.

A bold, thought provoking, premise of genetic diseases balanced with a mother’s need for a child. If you thought you could outrun the disease, what you do it? And bring others into the equation ? Would you regret it? Great psychological thriller with unexpected twists.

Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff is an Adult Psychological Thriller which I received as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from @NetGalley (& Crooked Lane Books!) in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. (Release Date | 10-Sep-2019)

SYNOPSIS | Claire Abram passed on a genetic mutation that killed her son when he was 8 years old. Claire decides that she can't risk bringing another child into this world whilst there is a high chance of doing the same again, so she volunteers herself to be the first human trial candidate in a secret illegal experiment where they use the DNA from two women and one man to hopefully eliminate rare hereditary diseases. There is a huge controversy in the medical world as to whether this type of work is ethical and most agree that it isn't so Claire goes into hiding in order to safely bring her unborn child into the world.

MY THOUGHTS | The description of this book immediately piqued my interest as I work for a pharmaceutical company, but sadly the execution fell flat for me. I felt like the conversations with the daughter were too complex, she is supposed to be eleven so I doubt she is coherent in the effects of mitochondrial disease. I found the chase between the characters to be quite repetitive, but I was engaged enough to continue reading and I enjoyed the red herrings.

Thank you netgalley for the advance copy of this title in exchange for my honest review/opinion. Mother Knows Best was a fabulous book. I was drawn in from the beginning. I liked how i could relate as a mother. The mystery side of it was interesting, and not the same as all others. Great read!

This book was a good one, I wanted it to be an amazing book, but it just didn’t do that for me. I loved how it was told from multiple points of view and very well written. Theages turned themselves bc of all the psychological suspense!! A mother, a genetically modified child, a dr and a student all make this book a nail biter. Fun to read and amazing plot!! Thank you NetGally and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

They say Mother knows best. But sometimes that just isn’t true….

Mother Knows Best is told from a few point of views. We get insight into the past and present with Claire and Jillian (our mother duo) and the present view of Abigail (Frankenbaby). Claire is a woman who has experienced a loss so painful, it haunts her till this very day. Some might say she is heading towards a mental break or relapsing. But the mind and other things can be so eerily deceiving. Jillian is a woman with an IQ that might be considered dangerous if applied towards the right situation. Jillian and Rob are on the brink of a major breakthrough. But the legalities of this breakthrough are woven and deep. Lastly, we have Abigail, the poor child who never asked for any of this. But sometimes you don’t always get what you want….just ask Mommy. Mother Knows Best tells a twisted tale of genetics and mental illness at its most entertaining (which I am not sure that is even okay to say?).

This story isn’t the best I’ve read. This story isn’t going onto my favorites shelf any time soon. But this story would go on my “Fun as Hell” shelf. There are a few elements at play here that make this novel so entertaining. We have a sprinkle of mental illness, a dash of betrayal, a plethora of lies and one very mad scientist. Together Peikoff has cooked up a very unique thriller. Which is pretty impressive for a genre that has been done, well done and overdone. Now don’t get me wrong while it was a hoot, it still had a few holes that didn’t quite add up to me. Some factors were sheer convenience. But I can look past them since I had such an exhilarating ride.

Overall, I think if you are a heavy thriller reader this could be a good shake up. You have the usual culprits that most thriller readers love like psyche issues and morally corrupt people. But you get that breathe of fresh air feeling while reading it too. Peikoff opened up this whole other world of ethics that I hadn’t really considered much and put it into a thriller novel. That being said: 4 Stars from me!

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced read.

Wow! This was a page turner! I couldn’t put it down. A great break from the cookie cutter thrillers that seem to be so common lately. Definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book! I flew through it in one day. JUST ONE! It moves quickly, the story is intriguing, and the switching in POV are done very well. This story brings up some really good questions about genetically modifying a child before conception, and the morality of doing so. The characters were all great, there were plenty of twists and turns, and the ending was pleasant.

The only thing I didn’t like about this story was the predictability of some of the plot twists and the fact that I felt it ended to neatly. I would have liked to have seen more of the aftermath of the situation, but that’s a personal preference.

If you are looking for a quick, interesting read I would highly recommend this one!

This was a very unique, well written medical-psychological thriller.
The story is about a couple, Claire and Ethan Abrams who had lost a son Colton, at age 8, from a rare genetic disease, that deals with the mitochondria of a cell. Claire has never recovered from the loss of her son, yet Ethan wants to have another baby, but as one would be, she is terrified. She had secretly been using birth control behind Ethan's back, but seeing the sadness in his eyes, and seeing it take a toll on their marriage, agrees to try IV, which was a ploy on Claires part to make sure her baby was healthy. Claire seeks out the help of a cutting edge Doctor, named Robert Nash. Nash agrees to secretly impregnate Claire with her egg, her husbands sperm, and an egg of a donor, who happens to be Nash's highly intelligent, but psycho assistant. After being implanted, she soon learns she is pregnant, but things take a downward turn when Ethan suspects Claire is having an affair with Nash, from their secret meetings to discuss her pregnancy, and the fact she does not want Jillian in the child's life once its born, after all, the baby will actually have 2 mothers, genetically. After she informs Ethan of what she has done, he goes to the police, and Claire takes off.
Claire gives birth to a healthy baby girl named Abby, and is raised by Claire and Nash, but they change their names, and go on the run.
When Abby is older, she notice her mom is a constant nervous wreck, depressed and paranoid, even more so when Abby does a DNA test as part of a school project, and has an anonymous person contact her, which turns out to to be the insane Jillian.
Jillian returns into their lives, and more twists and surprises are integrated into the book, for one crazy ending!!

*********The book is told in first person, with multiple points of view. The author did a wonderful job with the scientific aspects of the book, incorporating factual, and fictional medical aspects into the story. I found the book to be faced paced, and an overall well written book!!!I will leave my review on Twitter @StefaniReads (Booked-up22)
Goodreads @ Booked-up22
Instagram @Booked-up22
Amazon @Bookedup22

Mother Knows Best is a cleverly written medical science thriller, dramatizing the consequences of an illicit experiment to create a three-parent baby. The participants are Dr. Robert Nash, a brilliant but maverick fertility specialist, Dr. Jillian Henricks, his equally prodigious and ambitious post-doc, and Mrs. Claire Abrams, a woman who lost her young son to an inherited mitochondrial disease that she carries.

Each of them have powerful motivators to defy the existing ethics laws that prohibit tampering with the human germline. The story highlights the debate over the ethics of human genome experimentation. As the narrative jumps between past and present, as well as skipping between the perspectives of Claire, Jillian and the miracle child Abby, we gradually see the big picture unfolding.

I felt that Kira Peikoff created an edgy premise, great pacing, and beautiful prose. This was on track to merit more than three stars but, unfortunately, the ending had many predictable elements and the resolution came about by demonizing one protagonist while artificially elevating another. The question of the rightness or wrongness of human genome experimentation is eventually brushed aside by the bias that the ends justifies the means. It diminished my overall satisfaction.

(With thanks to the publisher for this NetGalley ARC.)