ingle Mother by Samantha Hayes was a mother-daughter story that captivated me right from the opening pages. Mel gets an unexpected inheritance- a hotel. This might be just Mel needs, a fresh start in a new place far away from the kids who have bullied her daughter.

A strange, unspeaking woman lives there full time. She doesn’t speak and floats around, always lurking Why is she there? Who is she? And Mel’s daughter says she talks to her, why won’t she talk to anyone else? And when some bones are discovered in the backyard, Mel knows there is definitely something wrong with this bizarre hotel she inherited from a stranger.

Synopsis:

The moment Mel and her daughter Kate step inside the small seaside hotel left to her in a stranger’s will, Mel allows herself a rare moment of hope. Could this be the new start away from the school bullies that her little girl so desperately needs? Could they finally be out of reach of Mel’s dangerous ex?

As Mel starts restoring the building to its former glory – ripping up carpets, giving the rooms a fresh lick of paint – it’s hard work, but the place feels a little more like home each day; she’s even made a few friends. If only she could ignore the locals whispering behind her back and the uneasy feeling that her daughter is hiding something from her. Is she reading too much into the threatening messages left around the hotel? Are the glimpses of her ex’s battered red truck real, or imagined?

When the police are called to a disturbing discovery buried under the foundations, Mel knows for certain that accepting the inheritance was a trap, and her daughter’s life is in danger. As the walls of the hotel close in around her, she has no idea who to trust or where to turn. And, from that moment on, Kate refuses to speak a single word. Only days later, she goes missing…

I was totally curious how the book was going to play out, and the story kept me fully intrigued. I’ve read other books from Samantha Hayes and they are all good. I recommend everything she writes!

This one comes out on January 5.

Thank you so much to the author, Samantha Hayes, the publishing company, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an ARC for my honest review.

This psychological thriller follows a story of Mel, a single parent to Kate; Mel grew up in foster care, and finds out that she received an inheritance. She accepts the inheritance and the whole time I was screaming at the book, telling Mel that she was making plenty of mistakes.

I thought the book was just a bit predictable, however it was a great read and I can't wait for another thriller from this author.

Absolutely loved this book, it had lots of twists and turns which kept me gripped. I've avoided psychological thrillers for a while but this has given me the thirst to get back to reading them again. Definitely recommending to family and friends

Single mother Mel, struggling to pay the bills and bring up twelve year old daughter Kate, has just lost her job when she finds out she has been left an unusual inheritance by an anonymous donor. Mel was a foster child and never knew her family so has no idea who could have left her an inheritance. She's told she has been left a run-down hotel in a coastal town and a generous sum of money but if she accepts the inheritance she can't sell the hotel but must restore it and continue to look after the long term resident who lives there. At the same time she discovers that her violent ex-husband Billy has been released from goal and decides moving to the hotel will be a good way for her and Kate to hide from him.

The long term resident turns out to be a strange, creepy old woman who never speaks a word but seems to develop a relationship with Kate. Renovations to the hotel uncover some long kept secrets and Mel is concerned that Billy may be snooping around looking for them. This was a fun read with some predicability as well as some less than believable twists but was nevertheless engaging with interesting characters.

Single mother by Samantha Hayes is a dramatic thriller about the lengths a woman would go to for her child.

Mel is always struggling to pay the bills for her and her daughter, Kate. Mel gets a mysterious letter about an inheritance that she assumes is a scam. After getting fired from her job, Mel decides to accept the inheritance of a seaside hotel hours away from her home. She doesn’t know who the inheritance is from. She doesn’t have any family so has no idea who the inheritance could be from. Mel is also trying to get away from her ex-husband. The hotel has secrets that are slowly uncovered.

Single Mother is the perfect mix of personal drama and suspense. I liked Mel from the beginning, and of course liked Kate. Even when Mel makes questionable decisions, she is always looking out for her daughter. Kate really struggles with fitting in and making friends. I liked seeing how much things changed for her after the move. Kate is strong and independent. Sarah doesn’t speak but has lived at the hotel as long as anyone can remember. Everything about Sarah is mysterious. There was so much suspense throughout the book that I didn’t want to put it down.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for Single Mother.

This was a good read. I felt the pace could be improved in places (but I think I have high standards!), but I loved the characters and I was rooting for them throughout. The twists were great but would have liked some earlier to increase the suspense. It was more the intrigue and mystery that kept me reading, which also has it's place in a thriller, but I am all for the twists!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The story is based around Mel, who is a single mother, with a 12 year old daughter, Kate. Money is tight for Mel, and Kate is being bullied at school. She is concerned her ex Billy will track her down, and life sinks lower when she loses her job. She receives a letter in the post from a solicitor saying she has inherited a hotel with some money. The catch is there’s a woman who lives permanently in the hotel, who Mel has to provide for. After initially thinking this was a scam, Mel throws herself into moving into the hotel and completing renovations needed.

What follows next is surprises, and dubious characters. Mel is also hoping that the inheritance is something to do with her being abandoned as a baby and growing in foster care. The chapters are filled with mystery, suspense, and a great variety of characters, some of them you will not like.

Overall I really enjoyed the book, and would recommend. The writing style was easy to read, and kept you guessing.

I love Samantha Hayes, she’s a must read author if you want something clever and thrilling but addictive and easy to read! Mel is a single mom and her daughter is being bullied at school! Mel can’t catch a break, her ex is in jail, she inherits a hotel with skeletal remains, and her daughter goes missing... completely unsettling and you’ll be rooting for Mel to finally catch a break! Another must read suspense/thriller!

My first by Samantha and what can I say, it was absolutely brilliant. Full of twists and turns, I couldn't put it down and it kept me gripped right up until the end. The characters and story will stay with me for a long time.

Highly recommended and definitely a 5* from me. I can't wait to discover more of Samantha's books.

Many thanks to Samantha, NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of SINGLE MOTHER by Samantha Hayes in exchange for my honest review.***

Single mom Mel wants a better life for her daughter Kate, who’s being bullied at school. Mel inherits a hotel, although she’s an orphan, she’s a little leery of the strange stipulations. Then Kate is kidnapped.

I flew through SINGLE MOTHER in a single sitting, though at times I rolled my eyes in disbelief. I don’t want to talk too much about the plot for fear of spoiling. Some of the twists and turns surprised me, some were predictable.

Both Kate and Mel were sympathetic characters, easy for me to root for. SINGLE MOTHER was the perfect stay at home during a pandemic and snowstorm read for today.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC This review is based on my honest opinion.

Mel Douglas seems to be having a struggling life--her ex is in jail, and she was being fired from her job as a caretaker after someone accuses her of stealing money from a patient. Then Mel gets an unexpected letter, claiming that she was the heir of an inn and that she will inherit the inn. Mel along with her daughter, Kate moves away from Birmingham and moves to the countryside. However, while she undertakes the preparations for the inn, someone doesn't want Mel to take over the inn. Skeletal remains were found by the back yard of the inn and Kate goes missing afterwards...

This book for me started a bit slow and was a bit boring but soon, the climax began to build towards the end of the book, with Mel's daughter disappearing. The characters were OK and the writing was good though the "thrill" and the way they described this book as similar to The Girl on the Train didn't do justice. Overall, to me, it was an OK thriller, not a type of thriller that you would want to die for.

Overall, I will rate this book as three stars!

“It’s time for people to stop taking things that don’t belong to them.”

Imagine being informed that you’ve inherited...a hotel; and you don’t even have any relatives. Who is the mysterious sole beneficiary? And why exactly did they refuse to claim the inheritance? These are questions that single mother Melanie and her teenage daughter must find answers to...

I can’t put into words how much I enjoy this author’s books. If you’re familiar with Samantha Hayes’ work, you know what you’re in for: an engrossing, creepy thriller with a surprise ending. And that’s exactly what you’ll get with Single Mother, which turned out to be my absolute favorite of Hayes’ to date.

The mystery gets a bit more unsettling when she learns of an old, silent woman who must reside at the hotel at all times, according to the will’s rules. There are many secrets within Moreton Inn that Melanie must get to the bottom of, all while trying to take care of and refurbish the hotel (another one of the rules) and dealing with the suspicious staff.

Why does the old woman never speak? What sinister secrets is this old building hiding? Single Mother is a deliciously creepy thriller that maintains an addictive, ominous atmosphere all throughout until the very surprising end. (l

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Single Mother.

I've read the author's previous books before so I was pleased when my request was approved.

Mel is a single mother, raising a 12-year old daughter, Kate, who is being bullied at school. As she deals with losing her job as a carer, worries that her abusive ex has found her, an inheritance falls into her lap.

Mel is suspicious of looking a gift horse in the mouth but she can't deny that this is just what she needs. An escape.

Finally, things are looking up.

The inheritance stipulations are odd, to say the least, but Mel throws herself into renovating the old inn with gusto. There are the usual quirky locals, the mute woman who lives at the inn, the cliche creep, and a potential love interest.

And always, the looming presence of Mel's ex, Billy.

When a skeleton of an infant is found, events quickly escalate and Mel discovers that the inheritance was not just luck. It was destiny.

Mel is a relatable character, though I found her kind of annoying, even bland. She drinks too much and says "I see" a lot, which I know isn't the character's fault, it's the author's.

I also found the way she treated her only child simpering; typical of a parent with only one child, Mel talked often about how she didn't want to annoy or trigger Kate's mood swings. I respect and understand that, but who is the parent? Acting in this manner gives the impression that the child is in charge, not the parent.

The story had your standard tropes found in books like this; misunderstandings are left hanging, chapters usually end with a disagreement or a shocking reveal that is left open ended as Mel returns to her chores, which rang false to me.

Personally, I couldn't ignore the fact that once she is told she may have a half brother or sister staying at the hotel, but Mel doesn't so much ignore as try not to dwell on this shocking revelation.

Okay, I understand she's overwhelmed but the tone of the writing seems almost dismissive of all these revelations.

The plot is a bit hard to suspend disbelief for and there are some heavy, painful subjects I didn't expect like sexual abuse and domestic abuse so readers should be aware.

But, I was curious as to how the story would end and glad I stuck around because the ending was satisfying with a twist I sort of saw coming.

thank you for the opportunity to read this latest book i love Samantha Hayes and have often forgot how good she writes, this story was easy to follow and gripping with twists and turns ame keeps you guessing until the very end! fully recommended

Single Mother is an addictive thriller that had me sitting on the edge of my seat. It is well-written, fast-paced, and engaging but the characterization is what really sets it apart from other books in this genre. The main character, Mel, and her daughter, Kate, are incredibly like-able and relatable as they struggle with financial strain, bullying, job loss, and past trauma. Their lives are turned upside down when Mel receives an unexpected inheritance from an anonymous individual, prompting them to move out to the countryside and take ownership of an outdated hotel. There are plenty of secrets to unpack when they arrive at their new home. The tense atmosphere had me questioning nearly everyone’s motives. Although I found the plot somewhat predictable at times, I was highly invested in the story because of how deeply I connected with Mel and Kate. Overall, this is an enjoyable story that any reader of domestic thrillers will enjoy diving into! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!

Samantha Hayes is fast becoming the queen of the psychological thriller and this story ably demonstrates why. No matter how many of her books I read I am always left picking my jaw up off the floor when I get to the end. This story didn't disappoint and ended with a twist I defy anyone to guess. Absolutely fantastic writing.

I always enjoy books by Samantha Hayes and this one was no exception. It starts out slowly and although I was enjoying it it didn't seem to have the spark of some of her other books. Then bam everything starts to happen at once and the second half of the book is much more of a thriller and typical of her writing with shock after shock and a mind blowing unexpected ending.

"Single mother" was an epic pyschological thriller that has so many layers that it's mind-blowing. I loved this book. It was epic. Oh my God. It was really interesting. The narration was non-linear and narrated in first person. The writing style was punchy and articulate. The tone of the book was animated and thrilling.

The story revolves around a single mother, Melanie and her daughter, Kate. They were struggling hard financially. To make matters worse, Kate was also being bullied at school. Suddenly, Mel lost her job and she had no way to pay the bills. Her best friend, Michael, was her pillar of support. Mel received a letter from a law firm which claimed that she was the recipient for a huge inheritance. This whole process was completely anonymous.

Mel's abusive ex-husband was released from jail and this was the last string. Mel decided to leave this town and go live in the hotel she had inherited. Kate and her move out and start building their life again. They have a strange long term guest in the hotel called Miss Sarah. Weird thing about her was that she never talked. But Kate builds an affinity with her. A series weird events occur after that. I'm not going to tell you what. Will Mel and Kate survive this? Read to find out!

The ending was so unexpected. It was absolutely brilliant. I still can't wrap my head around it. Kudos to the author for layering the book with so many mysteries and doing an epic reveal at the end. I'm still reeling. Grab your copy of the book ASAP.
-Afreen

A great read from this author, well written with good characters, an excellent page turner with lots of twists and turns as the book goes on.

It kept me involved in the story line all the way and I couldn't put the book down, all the characters were good, each with their own story to tell and I can thoroughly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Melanie. "Mel" Douglas is a struggling single mom with a 12-year-old Kate. Out of the blue, Mel inherits a small seaside hotel, left to her in a stranger's will.

According to terms of the will, everything is hers to keep, as long as she remodels and continues to operate the hotel and she allows one unnamed individual to maintain residence there. Eager to get away from her ex-husband Billy, who she suspects is out of prison, Mel and Kate start their new life in the charming seaside town of Halebury. Things start to improve but are brought to a sudden halt when a disturbing discovery is made under the foundations. The police are called and Mel's problems just seem to escalate.

The characters, they’re all interesting and relatable. There’s Nikki, the barmaid, Rose, the cook, and Tom, the hunky handyman, who’ve been taking care of the hotel. All of them seem pretty pleasant and down to earth.

My thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Samantha Hayes for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Summary:
Lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing .....