‘I’m so very sorry. But your son is dead.’ How can a mother cope after hearing those words ?

Ruth Bennett, a doctor and mother, receives a message from her son, Thomas, stating he is in court tomorrow, and can she please come. Of course she goes but when she arrives her son is no where to be seen. Soon a message is received that Thomas has taken his own life. How has this happened ? What was he in court for ?

Ruth soon discovers her son was accused of stealing drugs from the hospital he was working in and had pleaded guilty. Surely it can’t be true ? Ruth knew her son and he would t have done this ?

Deciding that she can’t accept her son was guilty Ruth decides to move to her son’s flat and do some detective work herself. She soon uncovers bits of information that reveal not everything is as it seems.

This was a great story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you fully engaged in the story. I really liked Ruth and felt as if I was on her journey of discovery with her.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

The Silent Mother by Liz Lawler

I Enjoyed this book very much

Dr Ruth Bennett is a mother whose doctor son, Thomas is accused of stealing drugs from the hospital he works in but before Thomas can attend a trial, he is found dead in his bathtub. Ruth is determined to clear Thomas’ name. Ruth moves to the town Thomas lived in, moves into his apartment and starts her own investigation.

I enjoyed this book very much. I loved all the characters and I could easily relate to someone who would do anything to help a child in need, especially if this child is your own son. I can see Ruth would go far and beyond to help her son just like any mother would

I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was a good read.

It's a slow burner but that didn't really take anything away from the story.

The suspense and tension were there from the start and just increased the further you went into the story.

Highly recommend

'The Silent Mother' by Liz Lawler is a psychological thriller that I was so looking forward to reading. Liz Lawler is an excellent author, I have read previous books by her and always loved them, I never even considered that I wouldn't enjoy 'The Silent Mother'.
Ruth Bennett is a G.P who lives in Bath. She receives a text from Thomas her son, asking for her support the next day as he is due in court. Ruth goes to the courts, not knowing exactly what Thomas is in court for and receives a shock when his barrister tells her why. Thomas is a no show in court so the police go to his flat and discover him dead, first impressions being he has taken his own life. Ruth won't accept he has killed himself or that he has done the things he is being accused of, but can she find proof to clear his name?
Set in Bournemouth this is the story of a Mother's relationship with her son. Liz Lawler has handled the issue of grief with such sensitivity and created the character of Ruth so well. I could sense her hurt, frustration, love and anger for Thomas at every turn in the story as she fights her case to clear his name.
Liz Lawler has brilliantly created a chilling thriller that has you second guessing everything. The pacing of 'The Silent Mother' is perfect and I appreciated the red herrings and twists to the story which helped the tension build rather nicely too. Every character played their own part in the story with each one unique in their own way, which made me feel like they could have been real and I could have been with them while reading this book.
An author I do highly recommend if you live a twisty, tense and rather chilling psychological thriller.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my place on the tour and the copy of this excellent book.

4.5 Stars

A spine-chilling thriller that will keep readers up all night, Liz Lawler’s The Silent Mother is a tense and terrifying tale that is hard to put down.

When Ruth gets the news every parent dreads, her world is shattered into a million tiny pieces. Her beloved son Tom has died and Ruth is naturally inconsolable. Grief-stricken, dejected and heart-broken, Ruth cannot bear the thought that she will never see her dear boy again or that she will never hold him close. She doesn’t think that there could be anything worse than your child dying, but there is another shock in store for her: an anonymous letter claiming that Tom’s death was not an accident. Should Ruth dismiss it as a cruel practical joke by somebody with a sick mind? Or could there be some truth to this letter?

Tom’s death makes absolutely no sense. He had just qualified as a doctor, had a bright future ahead of him and a great social life. Something clearly does not add up here and as Ruth begin to look into Tom’s death, she uncovers shocking secrets that force her to believe that the anonymous letter she had received might actually be true. But is Ruth just clinging on to false hope? Or did someone cruelly murder her son?

With Tom’s girlfriend having kept her pregnancy a secret, his best friend betraying him and his shifty neighbours, Ruth wonders whether his murderer could have been someone he knew and trusted. But Ruth is getting far too close to the truth – and the killer now has her in his sights.

A nerve-twisting and heart-clenching thriller that is dark, disturbing and addictive, The Silent Mother is a creepy page-turner full of shocking surprises that will keep readers gripped all through the night. Liz Lawler knows how to explore her characters’ psyches and the darkness within and in The Silent Mother will make readers jump out of their skin as they go on a sinister journey where they will be barely able to catch their breath.

A masterclass in domestic nor, Liz Lawler’s The Silent Mother is a thriller readers will not want to miss.

This book by Liz Lawler is a dark domestic thriller with the themes of grief and loss.

The Silent Mother really packs a punch with its twists and misdirections. Ruth Bennett is a doctor and the mother of Thomas, also a doctor. She receives a call from him advising her he is appearing in the crown court in Bournemouth and needs some moral support. Ruth arrives and Thomas's solicitor, Christine Pelham and barrister, Jacob Cadell inform her that Thomas will be sentenced. When her son doesn't turn up Ruth rings him but there's no answer. Then Jacob delivers the news that Thomas has taken his own life...

In some clever narration, Liz Lawler does a first-class job portraying the chilling aspects of the story and I soon found myself pondering and questioning all sorts. The plot and storyline were excellent and I was impressed by Liz Lawler’s style of writing which was perfectly paced. This thrilling book was full of twists and a few red herrings and the assemblage of characters all told their stories, with some of them conflicting. The ending was a humdinger! This is my second book by this talented author and I will be reading more from her. An electrifying psychological thriller that I highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

This was an average book for me , a bit long and drawn out in the middle . No surprises with the ending really .Only 3 starts from me I’m afraid

If I say that I did not like this story, I would be lying. The plot of the book is a very interesting one and an unfamiliar one, at least to me. I have read books about mother looking for answers after the disappearance or sudden death of their child. What I have not read yet, until now, is a mother and professional in the healthcare area, with a good relationship with her son, seemly unaware of the hardships her son is enduruing and she comes to find out when the worst already happen.

That is the story of Ruth Bennet. She receives a voicemail from her son Thomas DeLuca, asking her to please visit him because he is meant to show up at court to be sentenced. He tells her to not worry, that non of it is true but he has been accused of stealing drugs from the hospital. You see, Tom is newly qualified doctor. Dr. Bennet leaves everything and shows up at the court as expected and sits to wait for her son. He never comes… His lawyer gives her the terrible news, that her son Tom was found earlier in the morning and that unfortunately he has died.


To say that Ruth Bennet was heartbroken it doesn’t do justice to what this mother was feeling.

Four months later she receives a letter asking her to please go back to the town where everything happened and to please undo what it has been done. Basically asking her to uncover the truth about Tom’s sudden death. Ruth gave it a lot of thought and some things just didn’t match. No one asked too many questions, only the police, and they obviously asked the pertinent questions to be able to make the arrest.


Ruth goes back to the town and she was not ready for everything she uncovered trying to clear her son’s name.

What I love the most about this story is seeing what a desperate mother is willing to do to protect her own, in this case the memory of Tom. In her heart she knew that Tom was innocent. What the police was telling her did not fit in what she already knew. What his coworkers were telling her was also a different story. Too many different point of views of the same person, you can say that Ruth was beginning to get a very clear picture of what was Tom’s true personality and character.


The things she was willing to do, putting herself and career in danger because she just needed to know the truth. WOW. Bravo. It takes more than love and courage.

There is also another point of view in the story, the point of view of Rosie Carlyle… but I won’t say anymore to leave you wanting to know more. Her side of the story makes up for the wholes in Ruth’s POV and definitely adds to the suspense and introduces the good ol’ doubt about everything you think you know. It is a very good story. It ties everything nicely at the end and it does not leave you with questions.


I give it ★★★★.5

My goodness - what a long book! I’m not sure it needed to be that long. It felt very slow going for me and it took a while for me to finish.

The storyline was good and the characters were well developed and all had something to offer in the story. There wasn’t any twists or red herrings in this story so the end, when it finally happened fell a bit flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[ BOOK IG: @clumsyciel ]

overall rating: 3.75/5⭐️
time taken to read: ~9 days
number of notes: 46

" 'Do you ever feel like life is just a waiting game, that no matter what you offer, it isn't enough for some people? That it would be better sometimes to not have expectations?' Her tone of voice was brittle, like she was about to cry."

just a few months before, Ruth's son, Tom, had been arrested for a heinous crime. after pleading guilty, Tom committed s*icide.
however, Ruth knows her son. Ruth moves to where Tom lives, going undercover as a regular doctor to uncover what others had thought of her son. most importantly, Ruth needs to find whoever had framed her son, to allow him the innocence he deserves. Ruth is determined to prove his innocence.

after moving into Tom's old apartment, she stumbles upon his diary. desperate for a sense of connection with her deceased son, Ruth reads the diary entries. everything seems normal at first, but Ruth slowly discovers that even her sweet, precious boy; has secrets of his own.

ooh, a domestic thriller! this was a pretty fun read. similar to His Loving Wife by Miranda Smith, this book is mostly in the POV of the mother (Ruth).

• pace
-> TSM was a slowburn! not too slow that it pissed me off, but i definitely had some moments of "where's the DRAMA?!"

• writing style
-> i learnt a couple of new words and i loved how the author describes the background settings, such that you can have a clear visualisation of a scene.

• plot
-> after reading the blurb, the plot sounded promising! it was invested from the first ~25%, right before another character, Rosie was introduced.

Rosie's story was quite interesting, the way her character was written had reminded me of Jen from The Trapped Wife by Samantha Hayes.
however, it did take FOREVER for the book to reveal Rosie's connection to Ruth's son. by the time i got there, i feel that my excitement that i originally had in the first quarter of the book had died down.
albeit the big reveal was a bit disappointing, it was a good book!

if you're interested, TSM is now officially published! happy PUB day 🥳

many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-ARC 🤎

Chilling Psychological Suspense….
A tragedy and it’s aftermath are explored in this edge of seat read where nothing is, perhaps, quite as it seems, incorporating a credible cast of characters and a compelling narrative with twists and turns aplenty, which the reader may or may not see coming, but which work well to maintain a steadily growing sense of tension to the end.

First, I want to thank Liz Lawler, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

WOW!!! I can’t imagine how I would feel if I were the mother in Liz Lawler’s The Silent Mother! She gets a call the day before out of the blue that her son is going to court. She shows up not knowing what is going on or where he is even. Only to find out he took his own life.

This book is about a mother’s love for her son and trying to get answers on what really happened to him. It is tragic, heartbreaking, bittersweet at times, and gripping psychological read.

The graphics department did an incredible job with the cover to The Silent Mother!! The eye was beautiful yet so creepy in a way. The cover grabbed your interest and you just needed to know what it was about.

My head spun! What led him to kill himself? What happened when he was facing a court sentence? I wasn’t the only one with the questions either. I loved how his Mom was on the hunt to find the answers.

Even though we the readers didn’t get a chance to meet Thomas we were able to hear his voice through his journal entries. That gave us an insight of who he was and the life he lived. His Mom got a little more information at times than she needed to know though. However, they were very fascinating and a good read.

Ruth had a patient that was a beat cop that totally creeped me out big time!! He knew a little TOO much about her!

My heart hurt that Thomas had finally found someone he truly and deeply connected with only to have someone or something mess it all up!

The medical cases Ruth had interested me very much, especially Catherine.

WOW!! Mind blown with many revelations beyond the grave left behind in a letter left behind by Thomas. Which left me with more questions: why did he end his life?

3.5 stars
This is a good read but is a bit of a slow burner.
Ruth receives a message from her son asking her to come and see him as he’s in court.
Ruth has no idea why until she gets there.
She then receives the news that Thomas has taken his own life.
Ruth cannot believe her son would do this so leaves her job in Bath and takes over Thomas’ flat in Bournemouth, so she can investigate what really happened.
I guessed quite early on who was responsible for framing Thomas but I still enjoyed watching it all unfold.
Overall, a good read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

5/5 Stars - A suspenseful, nail-biting thriller!

This book really nailed it in terms of having a great premise which really loved up to its potential. There's a mysterious death, with lots of details hidden from our main character, who goes "undercover" to figure out what really happened, all while not really being able to trust anyone around her. It's a fantastic story. And the author pulls it off perfectly.

There's a perfect amount of tension throughout the entire book as Ruth tries to negotiate the details of Thomas' death, and things are slowly revealed throughout the novel at a great pace. With each new clue, we're given slightly more details that draw the pieces together, until we are able to see the full picture in the end. This one isn't full of huge twists and turns, it's more of a slow-burn detective story which unfolds at just the right pace.

The characters are also exceptional because you're not sure who exactly is on which side at first. Since the story involves deception and subterfuge, the author keeps you on your toes throughout, side-eyeing each character to check their motives and possible involvement in past events.

Overall, this was a fantastic book, full of suspense and thrills, perfect for fans looking for a mysterious and satisfying read!

The silent mother by Liz Lawler.
I’m so very sorry. But your son is dead.’
As I hear the words every mother dreads my pulse races and I go cold. But even as my world turns upside down I know the things I’m being told just don’t add up. I have to find out what really happened the night my beautiful boy died…
A slow but good read. Likeable story and characters. I did like the cover though. 4*.

Very readable domestic thriller about a mother's worst nightmares and the ensuing search for the truth. Liz Lawler has written a really good read with a killer twist!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

The Silent Mother draws you into the story slowly but surely.

Ruth can't and won't believe her son Thomas took his own life nor could he ever break the law as he was accused of doing.

Ruth has determination and grit as she gives up her life to prove Thomas was innocent.

There are some quirky and not so likeable characters that kept me guessing as to who framed Thomas. It had to be a frame up didn't it?

I turned the pages quickly as I raced to see the ending of The Silent Mother and it was not disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a great read.

On the face of it, 'The Silent Mother' ticks all the right boxes for me. The two strands to the storyline, for instance, are immediately compelling. Dr Ruth Bennett receives a phone call from her son Thomas (also a doctor) asking her to come to Bournemouth because he has to appear in court. She arrives to find that he hasn't made an appearance. Her initial fury turns to horror as she discovers that he has been found dead in his flat, having apparently taken his own life rather than face a charge of having stolen pills from the hospital where he worked. Ruth knows that this is totally out of character. But with him having pleaded guilty, how can she begin to clear his name?

Then, on the other hand, we have the story of Rosie Carlyle, who is becoming increasingly concerned for herself following the disappearance of her friend Anabel. The last time they saw each other, Anabel said that she could no longer keep 'the secret' that they had shared since childhood. What secret is this? And how much trouble might Rosie be in?

Then there are the characters of the two narrators, both of which are superbly drawn. Ruth is good, solid, dependable, trustworthy. We, the readers believe everything she says and thinks, even when she changes her mind about seemingly every other character she comes across. Rosie is the opposite. We sense from the start that her narrative is unreliable and grow to distrust just about every one of her words.

And yet ... something about the way the characters, and the story came together somehow just didn't quite work for me.

Part of the problem, I think is the balance of the two narratives, which seems to be about two-thirds Ruth to one-third Rosie. But it was actually the Rosie narrative that I enjoyed most, to the point where I had to remind myself not to skip chapters to get to the next instalment.

I also struggled a little bit with some of the minor characters, who appeared to have no clear role in either of the two storylines. Ruth's neighbour Tilly, her colleagues Raj and Joan and her sweary sister Penelope are prime examples. And whilst PC Tim Wiley clearly does have a key role, by the end I felt a little confused as to what this was.

Then there are the multiple occasions when the story swings on chance finds: a diary in the pocket of Tim's suit, that he was due to wear in court. A letter. A hidden camera. One of these I could probably accept or overlook, but more than that has the effect of making the plot seem just a bit weak and fragmented. And was it really necessary for Ruth to form a relationship with Tom's landlord Henry? This made me feel as though I was reading less of a psychological thriller and more of a cheap romance novel.

Finally, there's the title. I'm just not sure that 'The Silent Mother' is the best one that could have been chosen, mainly because Ruth is anything but.

I'm starting to wonder if I've been a bit too critical of this book, particularly as I know full well that I couldn't improve it. I do sense though that it wouldn't take much for the book to be redrafted into something I'd absolutely love. Like I said, the ingredients are all there. However, as it is, I'm left thinking that I've read a good book, but sadly not a great one.

My thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

The Silent Mother by Liz Lawler is a recommended investigative mystery.

When Dr. Ruth Bennett receives a call from her son Thomas asking her to come to Bournemouth because he has to appear in court, she naturally goes there. Once there, while waiting for him at the courthouse she learns that Thomas has committed suicide. He was also a doctor and had been charged with stealing drugs from the hospital where he worked. Ruth knows that Tom was innocent. This behavior does not resemble her son and his values at all. What she decides to do is continue to pay rent on Tom's apartment, take a job in the city where Tom worked, and try to uncover the truth behind what happened. Since Tom has his father's last name, people will not know she is his mother and as a doctor she will be able to discover the truth.

As the novel tells the story of Ruth's investigative search for the truth, it also follows Rosie Carlyle, a young woman with problems who Ruth sees as a patient. Rosie seems off from the start. She is anorexic, paranoid, perhaps disillusion or experiencing a mental disorder, and desperately missing her best friend Anabel. Rosie's story line is a bit disjointed as it follows along her thought patterns. This is in stark contrast to Ruth's logical, intelligent search for the truth. Also included in the plot are diary entries from Tom that are shared as Ruth reads them.

This is a well written novel that moves at an even, measured pace throughout Ruth's investigation. While there are some surprises, The Silent Mother is more a novel of discovery rather than shocking revelations. The twist can easily be seen coming, so it isn't really a surprise. The pull of the novel is in uncovering what happened and reaching the final denouement. This is a good novel, but it is slow moving.

The characters are developed. Ruth is an especially sympathetic character as she is looking into what happened to her son. Rosie is less so and readers will immediately realize that she is not a trustworthy character. There are others that Ruth meets along the way who help her or provide information, including landlord Henry, and neighbors Kim, Tilly, and Akito. Many of the people Ruth talks to are hesitant to share their thoughts, but ultimately most find it difficult to believe Tom was guilty.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

I hate to report that this book just didn’t hit the bullseye for me. It was a bit too long, slightly convoluted and it took ages to finally get to the somewhat-lackluster ending. I really liked some parts, but others I felt didn’t really need to be written for the story to have been complete.

The main story was great - Dr. Ruth (haha) gets last-minute notice from her son, Dr. Thomas, that he has a court date, but he doesn’t want her to worry. Of course the mother is worried - her son just finished medical school, is very proud of his accomplishments and has never been in trouble before - what could he have done? She immediately travels to attend his court appearance and find out what’s going on.

She gets to court, and waits. And waits. Her son is a no-show and she’s furious. How did he get in trouble in the first place, and why would he skip court knowing there would be a warrant for his arrest? Soon, the police approach her and give her the worst news a parent could hear. They went to his house to execute the warrant and found her son dead, seemingly having killed himself.

Ruth instinctively knows this isn’t right. When the officers tell her that his charge was drug possession (hundreds of pills from the hospital he worked at were in his home, loaded with his fingerprints) she knows this almost seems impossible. She knows a lot of parents are in the dark about their children, but she’s not one of them. Her son, stealing drugs? According to the autopsy, taking drugs? And suicide? She soon decides to stay in his town and try to figure out what happened.

The second half of the book is about a girl named Rosie. Rosie coincidentally becomes Ruth’s patient after Ruth gets a job in town. Rosie is anorexic, obviously abusing her mental health medications, and is having a hard time trying to find her friend, Anabel. Most of her story is her trying to find Anabel, and being distraught about not speaking to her in months. I knew the two stories would eventually converge, but it wasn’t until the very end that they did, so her role was confusing at first.

The ending was fine. The whole book was fine, but it was very slow to get to the point. I think just Ruth’s story would’ve sufficed, but that’s a personal preference. Overall, I think this was a decent but overdrawn book, thus the average three star rating.

(I’d like to thank Bookouture, Liz Lawler and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)