Thank you to @crookedlanebooks for this book, which was a really fast paced read and I devoured it in a single evening. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view and the current versus flashback narration. It was an easy read which liked even though I could perfectly guess the ending even before half way. I loved the writing style of this author. As this is about an infertility related situation, there is a bit more of scientific terminology explained but it did feel right in place to understand the concept of three parents for a child.

Yeah!! That’s the synopsis - a kid with three parents and what happens when they end up in this situation without totally understanding the consequences.

Overall a good psychological thriller!

The review is available in my blog and Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2AO4TMgaod/
https://bookstahere.blogspot.com/2019/09/mother-knows-best-by-kira-peikoff-thank.html

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Kira Peikoff for the opportunity to read and review her latest suspense thriller - a great read!

Claire and Ethan are devastated when their son, Colton, dies from an inherited disease. Ethan, an ethics professor, is desperate for another child; Claire is too but doesn't want to risk having another child with the same disease. She hears about revolutionary genetic work being done by Dr Robert Nash and his associate, Jillian. Claire eventually gets Dr Nash to use her as a guinea pig for his highly illegal project of manipulating the DNA to create a child from 3 parents' genes. When Claire becomes pregnant, Ethan turns her in, forcing Claire and Dr Nash to go into hiding. Jillian eventually has to go to trial and is sentenced to prison. Ten years later, their child, Abby, starts realizing that her parents may not have been totally honest with her, leading to devastating results for all involved.

Told in multiple points of view in Now and Before timeframes, this is a book that will keep you turning the pages and thinking about what constitutes a parent or a mother.

I was so looking forward to this book , so when it became available thru Netgalley I was thrilled. The premised seemed interesting and I was not disappointed. Many twists that were predictable but that did not lessen my enjoyment. I loved this fast paced story.

Mother Knows Best was a fascinating mix of science fiction and domestic thriller. It was strong in scientific theory, but Peikoff kept it simple enough for those of us who may not understand all the science behind fertility research. The characters were strongly developed with the reasoning behind their decisions relatable to the reader. The plot moved very quickly and I never wanted to put it down. 4 stars

Can we talk about this cover? Because it is perfection. The braid, the title, the way the two are intertwined. I wanted this book before I even knew what it was about, and thankfully, the insides lived up to the out. A well-written, compelling read that blurs real-life science with fiction. I flew through this one!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book.

Mother Knows Best is a psychological thriller surrounding the illegal creation of a child with three parents, created in order to avoid genetic disease. Claire Abrams has a rare mitochondrial condition which caused the death of her previous child, so she seeks the help of doctor Robert Nash, who is known to be capable of carrying out the illegal treatment. Following the conception of her genetically modified baby, the news leaks to the media, and Nash and his assistant Jillian are put on trial for illegal research and practice. This means pregnant Claire has to go on the run.

The book is set during that time, and also ten years in the future, when the child has been born and is a fifth grader. Looking into DNA for a school project shakes up new worries about her family history, and sets her on the path is discovering the truth that her parents have tried their best to keep hidden.

I really enjoyed this, and sped through the ARC. Claire’s character is so well thought out; I can feel the desperation for her to produce a healthy child. The concept behind this book is intricate and intriguing, and despite their being several medical terms and explanations included, I felt like I understood it all. The only downside I can see is that there weren’t too many shock moments, and a few predictable ones, but I was loving the concept and multiple POVs enough that it didn’t matter. Multiple POV is hard to do, but this book does it exceptionally well. Even with multiple POVs and a time jump, nothing was too confusing.

A brilliant concept and set of characters. Would pick up more books from this author.

My favorite genre is psychological fiction and often times books have the same type of plot done over and over again. Mother Knows Best had such a unique and different premise than most psychological fiction I have read.

The concept of genetically engineering a child to protect him/her from a disease was so interesting. Claire goes behind her husband's back to create a baby that has three parents so the mitochondrial disease Claire has doesn't get passed on to her daughter.

I gave this book 4 stars. The only reason it didn't get a fifth star was because it became a little far-fetched at the end. Overall, an easy read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Great book!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Then: Claire and her husband, Ethan, are still grieving the loss of Colton, their 8-year old son who died due to a hereditary mitochondrial condition. Now the couple wants to expand their family and open their hearts to another child, but Claire is worried about passing her genes onto yet another child, only to meet the same fate as Colton.

So instead, Claire seeks out an experimental doctor that is using cutting edge science to prevent hereditary conditions via mitochondria. Instead of having 2 parents, Claire and Ethan’s baby will have 3. And since Ethan is against this type of experiment, Claire lies to him. Whatever it takes to get her baby, right?

Now: Claire, her husband and their 11-year old daughter, Abby, are making their yearly visit to Colton’s favorite place, in honor of the 21st birthday he’ll never have. But Claire is startled when she sees a familiar face that she hoped she’d never see again for the rest of her life. And seeing her sends Claire spiraling into a mental state that concerns her husband and daughter.

Abby is curious about her heritage and signs up for a DNA testing website. Her results bring up more questions than they provide answers to her. But when she brings up her results to her parents, their reaction isn’t what she would’ve expected. They don’t just seem surprised, but they seem concerned—almost scared, even.

One woman, two lives, 11-years apart. A past that seemed so far away is now coming back to haunt Claire after all these years.

Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff is a sci-fi mystery with a unique premise. I am always intrigued by books that involve DNA manipulation or DNA testing (like in John Marrs’ The One). I also really enjoy stories that center around mothers/pregnancy. So this story had the perfect recipe for pure enjoyment. But unfortunately it fell flat. I guessed almost every plot twist and saw where the story arc was going from the get go. I enjoyed this read but was left wanting more. 3/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Kira Peikoff for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received my copy of 'Mother Knows Best' as an ebook ARC copy via NetGalley and the publisher.

Well, I'll start off by saying I didn't really think I was going to like this very much when I first started reading it yesterday, but here we are. I finished it, it's done, and I'll be honest, it wasn't what I was expecting.

This was a great modern twist on a psychological thriller. I think this could have been written with a little more suspense, but I realize that that really wasn't the point of the story. This story challenges you to think outside the box a little bit and to really explore your moral beliefs when it comes to science and all the amazing things it can do.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll stop right here.
Thanks again to NetGalley and the Publisher, this was a refreshing (and crazy) read!

4.5 stars!

I was extremely excited to receive this ARC, given the rave reviews I had read earlier, and I'm glad to say; THE HYPE IS WELL DESERVED!

This was a fascinating, well thought out slow burning thriller. I loved the attention to detail the author showed, and how she explained complex phenomena in simple terms.

While I'm proud to say I guessed the major plot twist of the book, it did not tone down my enthusiasm in the least. It was an absolute pleasure to read, and I can't wait for even more of the author's work!

After the death of their son Colton, Claire's husband Ethan wants to be a father again. Claire is terrified that she will pass the same genetic mutation that killed Colton onto another baby. Claire discovers Dr. Robert Nash and his assistant Jillian, fertility specialists who has identified a way to manipulate the genetic material using hybrid eggs from two women. Although the process has never been tested on humans; the tree of them secretly work together to create the first genetically altered baby with three parents. When Ethan discovers what happened, he reports their illegal activity resulting in Robert fleeing with a now pregnant Claire and leaving Jillian to take the fall. Ten years later Jillian is out of prison and she will stop at nothing to get back the man and child that should have been hers.

Mother Knows Best is a mystery/thriller told from alternate POV's and transitioning from before Abby to after Abby, the genetically altered daughter of Claire and Jillian. From Abby's perspective we see a girl who believes her parents are overly protective and a mother who appears to have some mental health issues. The story unfolds quickly as Abby is contacted via a DNA mapping site by a “relative” after completing a DNA project she did for school. As Abby’s desire to find a relative clashes with Claire’s mental unhinging results in mass chaos for everyone. The story is somewhat predictable but it does have a few twists and turns along the way. The storyline is entertaining which makes this a quick easy read, prefect for curling up with over a relaxing weekend.

REVIEW

It was the cover of the book that originally caught my attention, the long red-haired plait, coupled with the title “Mother Knows Best” just made me curious. Then I read the blurb which had me even more curious! The genre is a bit different to my usual ones that I read but something about this book just held my attention.

The book begins by introducing Abby with her cool, glacier ice eyes, freckled nose and shiny red hair. The redness of Abby’s hair upsets her mother Claire, even more so since a stranger once made an offhand comment of, Are you sure she is your daughter? Since then it has obviously played on Claire’s mind. Then Claire goes on to describe their annual trip to the Natural History Museum. They go every year as a way to remember Colton, who was Claire’s son who sadly died due to a hereditary genetic condition. To be honest Claire has never really gotten over the loss of her son Colton, who would have been twenty one. They don’t go on outings to busy or crowded places normally, as Abby’s parents, Claire and Michael have a secret that they don’t want any one to discover. If found out it could mean prison for Claire and Michael, then who would care for Abby. Usually Abby isn’t overly excited for the Natural History Museum but this year she can’t seem to get there quick enough. When Abby reminds them of the school project Map DNA and that she has spoken someone online who is related to them via the site, both parents panic.

The book then goes back to the past to tell us the story of how Abby’s birth came about. Originally Claire was married to Colton’s father Ethan, after losing Colton they decide to try for another baby via IVF. Though Ethan disagrees with the genetic research and experiments that Dr Robert Nash does, he eventually gives in to Claire choosing him to help them. Though unbeknownst to Ethan a deal is struck between, Dr Robert Nash, Jillian Hendricks his scientific researcher and mum to be Claire. What the trio decide to do is unheard of, in fact some would say should never be done, no matter what the circumstance. Dr Nash creates a child using the genetics of one father, Ethan and two mothers, Claire and Gillian. Dr Nash and Jillian remove the hereditary part of the gene from which Colton died. Ethan is totally oblivious to the genetic engineering that is happening. Ethan simply thinks that eggs are being tested and the best one is being used in the IVF. Everything seems to be going well with Claire’s pregnancy until, Ethan finds Claire secretly messaging Dr Nash and jumps to the wrong conclusion thinking his wife has been having an affair with him. Which isn’t true as Dr Nash and Jillian Hendricks are in a relationship, though Jillian see’s more of a future in it than the Dr does. Claire ends up telling Ethan the whole truth about the experimental genetic experiment and being in the medical field he reports what has happened. In a panic as she flees from her home, Claire calls Dr Nash to warn him and Jillian but they are arrested. A date for the trial is set and things don’t look good for the scientific geniuses. When Claire becomes ill, once again she calls on Dr Nash and after some squabbling with Jillian he goes to Claire’s aid. Time goes on in the hideaway home that Claire and Dr Nash are in and just as he should return for his court date Claire goes into labour so he stays with her. Leaving Jillian Hendricks to take to the stand in court alone. Jillian is sent to prison, though she vows she will find Claire, Dr Nash and the baby the three of them created.

There comes a point in the book that Michael and Claire have to explain and reveal the details of the experimental genetic procedure to Abby. They had always planned on telling the unique child but perhaps when she was much older herself. Things take a drastic turn for the worse and Abby ends up reaching and receiving help from an unlikely source.

Jillian is the “evil genius” character in the book that I guess you could say causes all the trouble and strife. It is her scientific ambition and the way she urges on Dr Nash that is a decisive factor within the genetic engineering done. Then you also kind of feel sorry for her, she loves Dr Nash and though she agrees he should go help Claire, she truly trusts he will return to her and they will continue with their relationship until the trial. Jillian expects them to stand united in court, to end up being lauded as the first geniuses to come up with the techniques of ruling out hereditary conditions. Jillian is even expecting Dr Nash to come rushing into the court to rescue her at the last minute, but instead he stays hidden away with Claire and their genetically engineered baby. Jillian see’s Claire as having everything. In her mind Claire has taken both her man and their baby! I think Claire and Jillian were both desperate, and slightly flawed by life characters. In other circumstances they perhaps could even have been friends.

As a woman that has lost a child via late term miscarriage, I felt I could to an extent identify with Claire and Ethan’s desperation for another child, yet at the same time being afraid it could all happen again. The way they couldn’t bear thinking about losing another child. Would I have gone as far with all the genetic engineering behind the back of the father, I don’t think so. Though unless you are in that exact position how can you really know? I think perhaps if Claire had been honest with Ethan he may have eventually come around to the idea of the genetic engineering and interference as he looked at it.

The book is revealed with alternating sections of past that covers creating Abby, and the present with Claire and Michael worried as to who this relative is that Abby has contacted, could it be that Jillian is back for revenge? All this makes for a thrilling read and keeps you on the edge of your seat. All the careful secrecy, staying hidden away and it’s a school project that brings their secret out into the open. However just when you think it’s all over, there’s another super twist in the whole genetic engineering experiment revealed, as well as the past and present coming crashing together. This book really kept you guessing right to the end. I had a couple of times I wondered if I would read all way to the end of the book but after the first third of it, I really didn’t want to put it down. It’s also one of those books where you wonder if it’s ever really happened. Is there already an “Abby” out there some-where. The book also had me thinking about any possible side effects or problems the genetically engineered children would or could suffer in their future lives.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were that I found this book to be such an interesting look at genetics and what can happen when someone is so desperate for a healthy child that ethical lines become blurred. I loved the brilliant twist in part four.
A lot of people/characters in the book eventually end up having to rethink their stance on the ethics and practices of genetic engineering. It is extremely easy to judge and make a decision when there are no parental emotions involved.

So to sum up if you like a thought provoking read, then this one should be on your “to read” list

Bestselling author, Kira Peikoff is a great storyteller with an amazing imagination. Not only does she have a degree in Journalism, but also holds a masters in Bioethics, which makes her perfect to pen edge-of-the-seat medical thrillers. Mother Knows Best is an excellent, nail-biting thriller with building suspense starting in the first chapter and not ending until the dénouement.

Claire Abrams has a genetic mutation which she passed on to her first child who died when he was eight years old. Claire and her professor husband want another child, but Claire isn’t willing to try because of her genetic mutation. However, Claire meets with Robert Nash, a rogue, but brilliant, doctor who is famous for helping women conceive, and although it’s unprecedented, and illegal, talks him into using his expertise and his assistant, Jillian’s breakthrough experiments and research results to help Claire conceive with part of Claire’s eggs and addition of a mother’s egg that doesn’t have the genetic mutation. The way Peikoff explains it in the book, it makes sense and seems very plausible. The problem is that Claire’s husband finds out and exposes what has happened; Dr. Nash disappears and Jillian is arrested and serves time in prison. Claire and her husband break up, Claire disappears, and she has the baby. The baby grows up with parents that stay out of the limelight so they won’t be discovered, but Jillian is bitter, and tries to ruin Claire’s and her baby’s life.

Peikoff is one of the best medical thriller authors in modern fiction, partly because her writing is excellent and easy-to-follow, and partly because she thinks up bizarre medical scenarios and makes them seem like something that could actually happen. Her previous novels are worth reading, and after reading Mother Knows Best, most readers will want to pick up everything she has written. Highly recommended, this is a great novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

4 big old stars for Mother Knows Best!
I didn’t do too much digging on this book before I started reading and I’m grateful to past-me for that.
It is written from the perspectives of 3 main female characters, which I loved because I think it’s a great way to really get to know them all personally.
Jillian’s character was executed perfectly, just when you thought she couldn’t be any more manipulative and psychotic- she was!
There were some great twists that kept me reading and reading late in to the night.
I believe the characters all got the justice that they deserved which is nice for a change!
I also really liked the way the author was able to make the science behind 3-parent babies simple for those of us who aren’t scientifically inclined at all. I didn’t get lost in any of the science talk, it all made sense to me.
Superb writing.

Mother Knows Best
⭐️⭐️

One child, one father and two mothers. What? That’s exactly what I thought.
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Claire had a son die at age 8 from a genetic disorder that she carries in her DNA. Ethan, Claire’s husband wants to have another child. But Claire doesn’t want to risk going through the death of a child again. She enlists the help of a fertility doctor named Rob and his assistant Jillian to create an embryo free of this genetic problem. But Jillian wants Rob to love her and will do what she has to to keep him from falling for anyone else. This is where you can tell it’s going to end badly.
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Well, I won’t say anymore because you can sense what’s going to happen and I don’t want to give it away. While the story is fiction I can see this sort of thing happening in the future.
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For me this book was a very slow read. I kept putting it down and at one point not wanting to finish it. But I pushed through out of curiosity to see if I was right on how it ended. It does flash back and forth between characters and also past and present time. With this being a “psychological” thriller I thought it lacked the thriller aspect. Was hoping for so much more from this book.
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I received this digital copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It's like Rapunzel but with science and a well planned out revenge plot. I have to give Peiloff props for the amount of research she must've put into this book. Every single scientific fact or mention seemed to be carefully thought out and it was easy to follow. Even as a science nerd, I find it hard to understand some scientific terms and ideas and this scientific terms in this book weren't hard to follow at all. As for the plot, I was reluctant to put this book down. The reviews aren't kidding when they say it's a fast read! It's an action packed one too, but well paced enough that you aren't over or underwhelmed. by it all.

The characters were fleshed out and felt real. I felt for Claire the entire novel. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is to lose and kid and then get another one only to know someone to know someone wants to take that one away from you. Abby acted like an actual eleven year old (although I have no idea why she has a facebook. What is up with writers thinking that's what we have? No one I know has one). Jillian is honestly a psychopath. I wanted to punch her for trying to mess up everything Claire and Rob had to work for after being thrown out of their previous lives.

Overall a good book. Would definitely recommend to my thriller/fiction loving friends.

Frankenbabies and Crazies!

Mother Knows Best is a psychological thriller about a controversial scientific experiment that involves genetically modifying an embryo to eliminate genetic mutations by creating a three-parent baby.

After burying her 8-year-old son who died of mitochondrial disease, Claire Abrams vows not to have another child. She doesn't want to pass on the disease that killed so many in her family. That is until she hears of Dr. Robert Nash, who is experimenting with the possibility of eliminating genetic illness by creating a baby who has 3 genetic parents. But this experiment spins out of control, destroying a once happy family. Fast forward to 11 years after the experiment--a psychopath is on the loose, and Claire might lose the child she fought so hard to conceive.

Mother Knows Best is a quick and easy read. I found the idea of a genetically modified child with three parents intriguing. When the scientific implications are pushed to the backburner, the novel becomes a generic thriller and loses the extra something that the beginning of the plot provides. It gets a little convoluted, especially towards the end when things get way out of control. Everything wraps up too easily and neatly for my taste. This becomes less about science and more about crazies, which, while entertaining, sacrifices the potential of the premise.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Claire Abrams lost her son due to a genetic mutation and had a mental breakdown which caused her to believe he was still alive. When she recovered her husband, Ethan desperately wanted to try again and Claire tells him she agrees while secretly taking birth control. He anxiously waits while she takes pregnancy tests monthly and the lie is slowly killing their marriage but she is unwilling to take pass on the mutation and watch another child die and refuses to consider adopting another child.
While on a chat board she learns of a possible solution and tells Ethan she has reconsidered IVF but only if they can use a specific fertility doctor who works with a brilliant young research assistant named Jillian.
I won't say much more without spoiling it and I know page turner is way over used but I could not wait to see wait was going to happen next. Jillian reminded me of the character from You who built a whole fantasy life with their love interest who had absolutely no idea they felt that way or had an entirely different view of the relationship.
I really loved this book and devoured it in an afternoon. One of my favorite books this year.

Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my opinion.

This was a really good mystery novel, I was on the edge of my seat when reading it, the characters were great and the world built was fascinating and suspenseful.

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 for Goodreads purposes)

So, this one drew me in with the absolutely mind-boggling blurb. A kid with three genetic parents, two of whom are on the run, who doesn't know about her own unconventional origin story? Genetic modification is such a slippery slope and has fascinated me since I learned what in-vitro fertilization was. So I snatched this from NetGalley (thank you!) and devoured it in two days.

In the end, though, I have mixed reactions. I'll start with what I liked!

The basic concept is fascinating, and that's where the book really shines. Claire (hey it's my name) and Ethan had a child who died at age 8 from mitochondriosis (I think I messed up the name, sorry). They want to have another kid, but Claire is terrified that kid will suffer like her first kid Colton did. They agree to try IVF, but Claire goes behind Ethan's back and gets her doctor, Nash, to do this wild experiment on her. He takes her embryo, combines it with an embryo from his fellow doctor Jillian, as well as sperm from Ethan, then sticks this Frankenegg into Claire. Then she gives birth to a child who doesn't have the genetic disease that Colton did. Bingo, healthy baby, just happens to have three parents. The only problem is that this is highly illegal...and Ethan is staunchly against it. Yikes.

There's a good mix of basic scientific explanation, so the reader understands the basic concept of what's going on, without getting bogged down in the details. As somebody who came from just finishing all 800+ pages of Neil Stephenson's "Seveneves," I was ready for a break from hardcore sci-fi. The concept of how the genetic mods worked in this story was really neat. Basically, the damaged part of the embryo is the outside - the shell, to oversimplify.

The different perspectives worked really nicely. I think Claire's were the best, especially when they were in the past, chronicling how she got Dr. Nash to do the egg-switch thing. The ones from Abby, her daughter, were pretty childish which worked well because Abby is a fifth-grader. So that seemed accurate. I wasn't really a fan of Jillian's POV, and this is where we get into what I didn't like so much.

Jillian didn't feel as fleshed-out as the other characters. I think she deserved a LOT more sympathy than what she got. She genuinely just wants to focus on her research. She's on the verge of a breakthrough, and she wants to see it through. This research will then help thousands of moms like Claire. What's wrong with that? In the fourth part of the book, she turns into the villain. I agree that the things she does in that section aren't acceptable. But they also felt out-of-character. I mean, Jillian has every right to be angry. She took the fall for something she wasn't solely responsible for. (That's not a spoiler; it's in the blurb.) I would've liked to see more sympathy for her. It's like, just because Jillian isn't doing it because she desperately wants a child, it's made out to be a bad thing. Whereas Claire, who's doing it because she wants a healthy kid, is the good guy. It's okay to focus on your research instead!

I wasn't a fan of the fourth part of the book. And this is ultimately what gets the book a 3-star rating instead of a 4- or 5-star from me. Honestly, everything wrapped up too neatly. This part is going to have SPOILERS. <spoiler> The plot twist about Jillian using Nash's sperm is genius, and I was excited that I called it early on. However, having Abby turn out to be Nash and Claire's genetic child is just really convenient. It sends the message that your kid has to be your genetic kid in order to be your real kid. And Colton's look-alike, Charlie, is Ethan and Claire's genetic child...who doesn't end up getting raised by Claire and Nash. I would've liked to see a less cleanly-cut division of genes. What does it mean to raise a kid that DOESN'T have any of your genes? For Nash, how does it feel to raise a kid who comes from three parents...none of whom are him? Of course Abby is happy that the dad who raised her is also her genetic dad, and I'm happy for her that it turned out that way. But it missed the opportunity to explore questions of what it really means to be somebody's dad/daughter. Since that was pretty much the main theme of this book, I was disappointed that everything worked out so neatly in this regard. </spoiler>

Complaints aside, this was a really fun book to read and it kept me hooked. It's a great thriller and raises some interesting questions, even if I was ultimately disappointed with how some of them were handled. I would recommend it to anybody interested in the blurb!

Content warning: scenes where Claire undergoes IVF, which were pretty freaky to somebody squeamish about medical things! Graphic childbirth (which is probably an oxymoron because that's just how childbirth is, right?). Fair amount of sex. And astonishingly graphic violent bit near the end that <spoiler> had me clutching my own ear in commiseration... </spoiler>

*NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*