I enjoyed this thriller. It was split into two parts with before and after and had different POVs. The blurb at the beginning really draws you in and you want to hear more throughout the story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

I have heard great things about M.A. Hunter’s previous book, so I was glad to be offered a copy of their standalone book Mummy’s Little secret.
Jess is in a wheelchair after her car accident, were she lost Luke the child she was carrying. She hasn’t fully got over that time. She is in the park with her daughter Grace. were she meets a little girl called Daisy and her mother Morag. Morag seems to be a bit older to be the mother of 4-year-old Daisy Jess wonderers, but, when Daisy whispers in her ear that the woman isn’t her mother all thoughts of this go off in her head.
This starts Jess on a journey to not only find the truth about Daisy but, also her own sanity after the loss of her child. As confronting what she discovered to her husband Charlie and also her own mother they think that she is having a breakdown.
Thank you, the publisher, for a copy of Mummy’s little secret. Is a tense thriller set not only in three points of view about also two timelines, before and now. It is a clever multi-layered plot which keeps you wanting more but I found personally Jess quite irritating were she is hellbent finding the truth. It maybe it’s just me. 4 stars from me.

A solid four star read. Good premise. Great characters. Enjoyed the writing style. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. It even had a twist that I didn’t see coming. Would definitely read her next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Whilst they was in a park Daisy and her Morag they met Jess
When Daisy whispers to Jess that Morag is not her mum
Then Jess starts to unearth a secret
I had an ARC

3.75 secret stars

This one is told in a style I really liked, we get the “before” chapters which introduce us to the characters and the “now” chapters are dealing with the aftermath of a crime. This definitely kept the tension at a high level!

Can you believe what children tell you? Jess is visiting the park with her daughter Grace. There’s another little girl at the playground and she shares with Jess that “she’s not my mom” – referring to the older woman with her at the park. What should Jess do with this information if it is true? Jess decides to try to find out more before confronting the woman, Morag.

The book also alternates with the points of view from Jess and then from Morag and it’s fascinating how each appear to each other. Both women have secrets and my sympathies wavered back and forth. Jess is recovering from a physical injury and in a wheelchair and she hasn’t fully processed the tragedy from six months ago. Morag is clearly hiding things about her background, and I kept trying to guess just what those secrets were for her.

This one has a bit of a complex plot, but I enjoyed trying to figure out what everyone was hiding. This is a new author for me and I liked the writing!

I absolutely love M. A. Hunter's books, but I hesitated a bit with reading this one, since I don't tend to enjoy books about overprotective mothers. It was however worth the read. A little girl is with her quite old mother outside playing, telling another mother with a child "she's not my mother". That short sentence would not leave her alone, and slowly the truth unfolds.

The story has a slow pace with an undercurrent of tension. There is a lot going on underneath the surface, more than most could ever figure out. However, with a nosey neighbour lady with time on her hands, and conspiracy theories in her mind, what could go wrong...?

It's a pleasantly written story about an unpleasant thing, but not the one you might expect. Everyone has their own secrets, some are bigger, others smaller. It is impossible to run away from your own past, no matter how hard you try. I enjoy the strong characters in the book, and their willpower is a strength that can be used for good or bad.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Mummy's Little Secret by M A Hunter is a psychological thriller in which Jess, who is wheelchair bound encounters a young girl who whispers 'She's not my Mum'. What follows is a rollercoaster ride of emotions as Jess struggles with herself over what she should do and also what she believes.

I loved this book! It had twists and turns and I loved all the characters!

Definitely recommend!

After reading positive reviews about the author’s series, “The Missing Children Case Files” but not wanting to commit to six books, I was excited to be offered the opportunity to read this new standalone, from M.A. Hunter.

The book is told over two timelines-although they are only one week apart.

BEFORE:

“She’s not my mum”

Daisy whispers these four words to Grace’s mum, Jess, in a London playground-arousing her suspicion about Morag, who is the “older” woman accompanying the five year old child.

Why isn’t Daisy smiling while playing with Grace on the seesaw? Was her lip trembling when she uttered those words? Could she have misheard? Though not impossible, Morag does seem a bit old to be the mother of this child.

Morag wonders what Daisy has just whispered to the young wheelchair bound mum, she was just speaking with.
They have only just moved here-their secret cannot already be exposed-she doesn’t want to have to move again so soon.

Both women ARE paranoid, but I APPRECIATED that it wasn’t because they were unreliable or unbalanced!!
Told from each of their alternating POV’s we learn why each feels this way.

Jess, has suffered a double tragedy during childbirth when she lost both the baby she carried to term, and the loss of her legs-becoming the “one in 100,000” who experienced a rare side effect after receiving an epidural.

Her husband Charlie feels that her medication may be impeding her judgment, as when he meets the new family, during a BBQ, he doesn’t pick up any red flags. Daisy is joyfully playing with Grace on a trampoline, and Morag and her husband Angus have invited them into their home…

Did Jess imagine the child’s fear?

Perhaps because she couldn’t save her own baby-Jess is unable to let go of her initial unease. What if Daisy needs help? Her back story of dealing with now being “less abled” while trying to make sense of this, gave a fresh approach to this trope.

Morag IS hiding something and is therefore overly suspicious of everyone she meets, even wondering if Jess needs her wheelchair or if it could be a prop she is using to deceive her? Her story arc was a bit more predictable but still kept me engaged.


NOW :
Told from the POV of DI Mike Ferry who one week later, is on THE CASE.

But, he may not be on THE CASE you are expecting him to be on-as this is NOT your standard “is this child missing? kidnapped? abducted?” story-(and this is definitely NOT a police procedural per say)

I am glad that I went into this blind, as I wasn’t expecting ALL that happened in the NOW chapters.

I would’ve liked more resolution about a certain private investigator and some of Charlie’s behavior but all in all, I thought this was an enjoyable story which I would categorize as domestic suspense because despite the
subject matter-the tone is NOT dark at all.

DeAnn and I enjoyed trying to figure out what was really going on! Be on the lookout for her amazing review!

Thank You to One More Chapter for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley! It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

AVAILABLE August 5th 2021!

“She’s not my mum” - these are the four words uttered by little Daisy to Jess in the park one day. The child, who looks to be around 5 years old - the same age as Jess’s daughter Grace, looks terrified! Soon the not-mum comes over and introduces herself as Morag and the two women chat for a while although Jess is wary. Soon Daisy and Grace are playing together on the seesaw. As they leave the park Jess can’t forget what the child said. But Jess is off her meds! Is Daisy really a victim of kidnapping or some other sinister plot, or is her mind spiralling into paranoia? Morag does look too old to be the child’s mother.

Jess suffers from anxiety and depression and is now wheelchair bound after an accident six months ago that lead to her being rushed into hospital in labour with her second child who was stillborn. A botched epidural resulted in the nerve damage that has put her in a wheelchair. As it transpires they run into each other again and again Morag makes friendly overtures but is guilty of her own paranoia. She wonders whether Jess is fair dinkum or spying on her for HIM. Who him is is not clarified until much later by which time it is already too late to prevent disaster!

The two women remain suspicious of each other and Jess’s husband, Charlie, is not supportive of her concerns. He is also behaving secretively and you start to order why. I didn’t think this book was as good as the author’s six book Missing Children Case Files series which I have also read. The plot was a little predictable and the ‘paranoid woman whom nobody will believe, especially her husband’ trope is getting a little stale. It’s easy to inject a little drama this way. Nevertheless, Jess’s suspicions and intrusions into the other family’s life did seem over the top and she never actually came out and asked Morag about it (until it was too late). I can’t imagine anybody I know behaving as Jess did.

I also thought the police investigation, after the terrible thing happens, was portrayed as rather slapdash. They took far too long to perform some basic tasks and seemed to off on wrong tangents. The officer running the investigation, DI Mike Ferry, inspired zero confidence that anything would be resolved.

Despite that it was a good story and I was keen to see how it ended. Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing a free eARC which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Jess takes her young daughter, Grace, to the park. Only to be met by Daisy - who tells Jess, her mom isn't her mom.
Jess becomes obsessed - focusing on researching Morag and Angus, missing children, anything to distract Jess from her own recovery from a tragic accident.
Morag can't help but wonder if Jess and Charlie were hired by him - a man who searches for her family relentlessly.
This suspense novel was driven by family secrets. What caused Jess' accident? Who is this nefarious man who is stalking Morag's family.
I certainly enjoyed the ending - the climax was well done, especially the hindsight provided by the last chapters.

The book starts with Jess and Grace at the park and they meet another mom and daughter. The little girl says to Jess, she’s not my mother.

I’m liking the style in which the author has written the book, in the past from both points of view of the female characters and the current event, leaving you wondering as to what has happened. As the details start coming out and although you know why it’s happening, you want to keep reading.

Thank you for the advance copy

Suspicions

This book keeps you guessing, twists and turns coming from all directions. After a day at the park with her daughter Jess becomes obsessed with a girl named Daisy and her mother Morag. After Daisy whispers to Jess "She's not my Mummy" Jess has a suspicion that something is not right with Morag and Daisy.

When strange things happen and darkness descends upon Jess, she questions her sanity, her family questions her sanity. Is she dreaming it all or seeing what is not there? No one believes her so where does she go from here?

The story touches on mental health problems, depression, anxiety, dealing with a recent crippling disability. Jess finds out that people treat you differently when you are disabled in a wheelchair. She fights to be listened to and treated normally, but feels she is losing her battle.

She does not give up her obsession with Morag and Daisy, but will she make a bad situation worse?
This book keeps you reading from the beginning to the end. The ending is very much a surprise. I think anyone that enjoys psychological mysteries will enjoy this and I recommend it.

Thanks to M.A. Hunter, HarperCollins, U.K. , One More Chapter and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy for my honest review.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

The plot sounded so interesting but the mystery was flat and took so long to develop I had long since stopped caring. Not even an entertaining guilty pleasure

A spectacular thriller about a well meaning woman thrust into the lives of a mother and child upon hearing just four suspicious words, and her quest to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Four little words set off a deadly, chain reaction that would alter the course of Jess and Morag's lives...."She's not my mum."

Jess, newly confined to a wheelchair, has gotten out of the house and taken her daughter, Grace to the park. Grace makes a new friend in Daisy, who is new to the area. Only, Daisy tells Jess that Morag isn't her mum which sets off a series of events that no one sees coming.

This book gave me pause as to what I would do if a random child at the park told me the woman who she called mom really wasn't her mom. I would probably be like Jess and let it consume me. I'm too much of a true crime fan to let something like that just pass over me.

This book needs a few TW as it deals with infant death and mental health issues.

The book moves at a very fast pace with no real lagging in the story. While mental health issues are real, I'm kind of over the whole women who have miscarriages or lose a baby at birth end up crazy, trope. Having lost my own baby due to an ectopic pregnancy, I very clearly remember how dark that time was for me but it didn't make me a crazy person.

I also thought the ending was tied up in too neat of a bow. Without giving spoilers away, if my family had treated me the same way Jess is treated, I would not have been so forgiving. I also thought the husband's storyline was a bit contrived.

All in all, it was a quick, entertaining read that kept me coming back to see what happened. So 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Mummy's Little Secret is a fast paced intrigue and mystery laden read which had me hooked from the start and which I devoured in a single afternoon. You know from the very beginning, from the blurb even, that nothing about this story is going to be straight forward, but I wasn't quite prepared for the back and forth in terms of my suspicions and understanding that happened as I read. Whatever you think you know, you probably don't and whilst some of the story is easy to unravel, M.A. Hunter manages to instill enough doubt in readers to make you question whether you have quite got the full gist of what is happening.

I think one of the things which works well for this book is that neither of the two main protagonists, Jess or Morag, comes across as completely trustworthy. We are given cause to doubt the behaviour of both women at various stages in the story and whilst both, on their own, come across as likeable, there is also something there, something about them, that puts you on edge, I kind of guessed morag's secret, although not its full extent, early on. And whilst Jess seems to act with the best of intentions, there are quirks to her behaviour which led me to wonder how much of her belief was true and how much was fantasy driven by her difficult personal circumstances. Certainly the author has put both women through the ringer in very different ways, but it enhances their characters and helped me become more invested in what could otherwise have been a run of the mill thriller.

There is a sense of threat that lurks in the shadows. Not overt, at least not until near the end, but enough to know that nothing good is going to come of all Jess's prodding into Morag's life. And whilst Jess's tendency to jump to the worst conclusions first lead to obvious raising of eyebrows - trust me when I say that her first, and basically only, conclusion is not the one I'd automatically default to - there is something about her which kept me interested. Kept me rooting for her to find the truth. Jess is a problematic character, one who is gradually undermined by those around her, but portrayed in a likeable and sympathetic way. Morag is her polar opposite. Where Jess is emotional, Morag is almost clinical, but the reasons for the two distinct personalities becomes clear over time, fitting the story perfectly.

The author has created an almost two tier unreliable narrator situation where you never quite know what is what, although you will definitely have your suspicions. It is a fast paced book, the action being driven along by lots of conflict, internal and external to our two leads, and and increasing sense of urgency in discovering the truth. The ending is quick, but packed with tension, but in truth we have been building to the final showdown throughout the course of the novel, a dual timeline evolving around the then and now, even if the then only stretches back a mere week prior. A lot can happen in a week, as this book shows, and whilst we know that the growing tension between the two women has come to a very dark and dangerous head, it is a while before the full extent of has happened is clear. That mystery, that unknown element, certainly helped to keep me glued to the page if only to see how it all went so terribly wrong.

Tense, laden with mystery and with family right at the heart, this is a story that fans of the author will love.

An excellent storyline with believable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could put it down.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for giving me the chance to give my unbiased opinion.

This was a very well written book. The plot was very enticing and I couldn't put the book down. This was a new to me author and I will definitely try another book by this author. Such an intriguing story.

Jess is a wife and mother who lost a baby along with the use of her legs. Everything is a struggle, but she is trying to stay positive for her daughter. They head to the park, and a young girl, Grace, approaches her and states the woman she is with is not her mother. Jess meets Morag and everything seems fine. She talks about Grace, giving no hint that anything is wrong. But Jess is not fooled, she knows what she heard, and she is determined to find out what is really going on.
Morag is sure she is being watched. Someone from her past has frightened her badly, and she is suspicious of Jess and her 'supposed' injury. Could Jess be involved with a man from Morag's past? She is determined to find out what Jess really wants.
A twisty tale with more than one character having a closet full of skeletons. I went down several wrong paths trying to figure out who was lying and why. It was an intriguing mystery and one where I shouted at my Kindle more than once, communicate people, just say what is on your mind! That would have avoided some very bad decisions. My first book by this author and I will definitely read another.

A well written mystery, moving at just the right pace.
The story is one like I've read before in other books. No surprises, just good entertainment.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC.