Cover Image: The Mother's Fault

The Mother's Fault

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Member Reviews

The Mother's Fault was a shocking thriller with enough twists and turns to keep your head spinning all the way until the end. Beverly is a single mother to a wonderful eight year old boy. But Beverly has a secret that keeps her from getting too close to people. She even breaks up with her long time boyfriend to keep him from finding out her secrets. Her son Riley starts receiving mysterious gifts, each one a little more expensive than the last from an anonymous person. While she's cooking supper one night, Riley disappears. What follows is a mother's desperate journey to recover her son, turning over every dirty rock in her background until the police can help her get her boy back. The pages flow quickly and when I thought I had everything figured out the author blindsided me with a twist I never saw coming for a suspenseful, unexpected read that I could not put down. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

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Beverly is a young single mother raising her eight-year-old son, Riley. They live a quiet life and Beverly shies away from any relationships that get too close, even breaking off an engagement. Soon after, mysterious gifts start arriving in the mailbox for Riley. The sender doesn’t sign their name, and although he has been told his father died, Riley secretly hopes the gifts might somehow be from his dad. The gifts become more expensive, and soon after receiving a particularly extravagant gift, Riley goes missing. Beverly has a lot to hide and a lot to lose, but she is frantic to find Riley and knows she must call the police for help. Will she risk losing everything in order to save her son?

Nicole Trope is a master of the psychological thriller. The suspense in this novel is pulse-pounding from the start, and the tension really ratchets up when Riley disappears. The author does a skillful job of weaving the past and the present together, revealing all the secrets and tragedies the characters experienced that led to the current drama that unfolds. Lots of twists to keep the reader guessing, and finding out who took Riley and why was a real shocker. All of the loose ends are neatly tied up in the epilogues, but even then there’s one more twist to surprise the reader up until the very end!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.

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Thank you #Netgally for the early copy!

Loved this quick read! We follow Beverly, single mother, and her young son, Riley. Beverly has secrets and tends to push people away if they get to close. Riley always wonders what happened to his father and his best friend keeps convincing him that his father may be alive, maybe even a spy! Riley starts receiving presents daily in the mail box, but no one knows who they are from. Beverly is very weary and upset by this. Then one day while Riley is playing outback in his tree house, a friendly face appears and captures him! From here the story really takes off! You think you have an idea of who it is, then a twist, then another twist and another! This keeps you guessing until the very end when the truth comes out! Who is who? Who is related to who? What happened to the others?

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Beverly loves her Son Riley, more than anyone else. And she will do anything for him, including breaking off her most recent romance. Ethan got too close, she knows she can’t have anyone close enough to ask questions. Questions about her son Riley, how he came about, and why his Dad died. Even Riley doesn’t know why his Dad died, that's a story for another time. Right now, Beverly is concerned with all the gifts Ethan has been sending Riley since their breakup, its inappropriate, and now Riley has concocted a story that his Father is the one sending him gifts. *** Someone is watching Riley, watching Beverly, waiting for the perfect moment.

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This was such a gripping read I was totally engrossed and couldnt stop reading I just had to know what happened. Really suspenseful full of twists and unpredictability. A great read

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Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of this new book by one of my favorite author's Nicole Trope. I just read her book The Family Across the Street not that long ago so was surprised that another book was already coming out soon. Since I have discovered this author I have read so many of her novels. I love them all and this one was no different. I enjoy how the books are from different characters points of view and then culminate in an ending that you do not expect. I would definitely recommend!

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Nicole Trope is adept at writing about a family in crisis; an ordinary family going about everyday life when suddenly something changes and then she uses this opportunity to explore how they react. She exposes troubling characters and attempts to redeem them and show readers the motive behind their behaviour. In 'The Mother's Fault,' Trope engages her readers in a fantastic psychological suspense and explores the depths of a mother’s love.

Beverly is a young, single mother with an eight-year-old boy, Riley. Life is anything but ordinary when Riley starts receiving anonymous gifts in the mailbox. Knowing his father is dead and there’s no other male influence in his life at the moment, neither son nor mother can figure out who would be sending such treats. Things escalate until one day Riley goes missing. Beverley knows she has to alert the police and answer their questions, but she’s hesitant about how much she’s willing to reveal. Who is sending the gifts? Why? What is Beverly hiding?

Trope hooks her readers in immediately with her suspenseful prologue and doesn’t let up on the mystery until the final revealing scene. Just as readers think they can predict the ending, she throws in a plot twist and the narrative takes a completely different direction. I love her twists and turns. She has chosen to tell this story from multiple points of view and it’s a terrific way for readers to understand the characters and see their motivation as well as get a better grasp of the situation. She accomplishes her aim of getting readers to relate to each character and this makes the ending so shocking.

Filled to the brim with intrigue and secrets, this story will keep you breathless and racing through the pages until the dramatic conclusion. Running from one’s past is tiring; will Beverly stop or catch her breath in order to keep going? One final reminder: people don’t begin their lives as monsters. Time and circumstance do the dirty work.

Publishes October 15, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Nicole Trope, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

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This is my first book by Nicole Trope. I will read more by this author.

This book is really good. I did have a few problems but nothing so bad that I didn't want to finish it. One thing that drove me nuts was it was a bit repetitive. Saying the same things over and over. I see this from books but this one had it a lot. Though it didn't really take away from the story, it was a bit aggravating. But again I did like this book.

Beverly has been raising her son, Riley, since she was only eighteen years old and she's done a great job. She's a good mother who puts her son first and foremost in everything. She doesn't let him get away with being a brat or being a bad child. He's a typical boy and is very outgoing. He's a bit loud and somewhat disruptive in school but still well loved by his teachers. Even the cleaning lady is crazy about this kid. He's a well rounded and well liked child. Beverly dotes on him as much as she can. But when it comes to relationships she just does not let anyone too close. She has fears and secrets. She's forever afraid that something will come out and she will lose her child and her freedom. So she basically spends most of her time single and alone except for Riley.

When Riley starts getting gifts in the mailbox he's beyond excited. Someone is sending him neat gifts that really make him happy. But the last gift is quite expensive and his mother does not want to allow him to keep it. But who is sending these? She believes it is her ex, Ethan, who had so many questions about her life and Riley's life. Who exactly is Ethan?

This book has a whole lot of action and when Riley goes missing it’s a long long day for Beverly. Who could have taken her son and why. Was it a teacher? The new teacher? Could it have possibly been Ethan? And if so why? Because she broke things off and he's angry? Why is he not answering his phone? What does Beverly fear more than anything? There are a lot of questions and a lot of coverups going on. Just when I thought I had this one figured out a new twist surfaced. Where is Riley and why was he taken?

Most of the characters in this book are so likable. It's filled with a lot of twists and turns and some murders along the way. A lot of secrets that will be revealed and you won't be left wondering about anything. It's not really a tearjerker but is a very tense, hold your breath, thriller. It's one that will hold your interest and have you turning the pages to find out what happens next. To find out who took Riley and why.

Thank you #NetGalley, #NicoleTrope, #Bookouture for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

3.5/5 stars marked up to 4 stars. I do recommend this one and I hope you enjoy it. It's good.

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Loved this one!! Took me on a trip! I had no idea what what was going to happen until the very end. Recommended.

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#TheMothersFault #NetGalley
A good read.
A mother could kill for her son and this novel proved it.
This is the story of Beverly and Riley, she's a single mother and has a terrible past. Then one day Riley is disappeared. Now she's forced to call the police but she's in doubt whether she'd be able to tell the detectives her secret or not.
Although the message is strong but again due to narration and pace problems, it became only a 3 star read for me.
I loved the characters of Beverly and Riley. The antagonist's character was just ok.
What I Like?:-
1 Mother and Son's characters.
2 The message of the story
3 The length.
What I Don't Like?:-
1 Other characters.
2 Narration and pace problems.
3 The ending. It was boring.
I think anyone can read it one time. This author's fans will love it but for me, it's a 3 star read, neither too good nor too bad.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advanced copy of this psychological thriller.

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The Mother's Fault was a twisty, delicious thriller that kept me on my toes. A boy disappears from his mother's backyard and things begin to spiral as secrets unravel. Told between multiple points of view, this book is a fast-paced read. Although the mother was not my favorite character, there were a few characters with admirable qualities. I enjoyed how the son was close to his teacher; as a teacher I love when they are portrayed in such a positive light. Overall, 4 stars.

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My review of The Mother’s Fault by Nicole Trope
Nicole does it again – Another thrilling story you just have to keep reading

This is the 3rd Nicole Trope book I have read since being approved on NetGalley and is as good as the previous books.

Nicole has this knack of wrtiting as the chracter just how you would imagine the chracter to be thinking.

When she writes as 8 year old Riley you are in the mind of an 8 year old, when she writes as a worried mother you become that worried mother, when she writes as the mentally unstable protagonist you are in the mind of that person.

Although you know what is going to happen if you have already read the description of The Mother’s Fault it doesn’t occur until well in to the book as Nicole gives you time to get in to every character.

When we do get there the tension builds up to a thrilling end which you will only know about if you read the book…

I’m now going through all Nicoles back catalogue as a result of the 2 books I gratefully received from NetGalley

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This wasn't exactly a psychological thriller but more of a psychological drama. Readers will find the Mother-child dynamics gripping and the writing is very good. I just wish this one was more thrilling that it was.

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I always love an easy and quick psychology thriller and The Mother's Fault by Nicole Trope is one such read. It was surely a book that I just couldn't put down and I completed it in a couple of days.

The Mother's Fault is the story of Beverly, a single Mother who have a secret and constantly fears for her son eight year old Riley. Riley is a cute boy who loves climbing trees and sharing his feeling with him friend Benji. He knows his father is dead. But when he starts receiving gifts in the mailbox from a anonymous person, he thinks his father is live. When suddenly one evening, he go missing and Beverly fears that she will lose her son, if the police turn up. She needs them to save her son but how much truth is she willing to tell the police?

Halfway through the book, I thought I had figured out the plot completely, when the author threw in this twist that I had not seen coming and left me thinking why did this not come to my mind. Like all thrillers, this book too had lovable characters as well as characters that you wished did not exist. I also like the way the author, let the characters tell their story through the chapters dedicated under their name.
This is my first book by the author and I'm hoping to read more books by her in future.

Overall, a good psychology thriller and I total recommend it.

A big Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and  Author Nicole Trope for this ARC.

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Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Nicole Trope for allowing me to read this Arc.
I absolutely love Nicole's books. I'm always guaranteed a gripping read.
This is about a mother raising her young son and holding onto a life changing secret. She cannot maintain a relationship for fear that secret will have to come out! But that day is approaching faster than she realises!
Absolutely brilliant!!

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Thank you Bookouture, NetGalley and Author for this advance ebook copy in return for an honest review!
Bookouture y'all are awesome as always! And Thank You😘

I loved The Family Across The Street written also by Trope! So when I seen new Nicole book I jumped all over that baby!
The Mother's Fault was just as amazing as her other books!
This was a tense book that I read pretty much in one sitting, and late into the night!
Jammed packed with tension and suspense that kept my heart racing.
I thought the author did a great job of helping the reader get to know each primary character, to the point where I could relate to all of them in one aspect or another.
Whenever I had to stop reading I couldn’t wait to get back to it!
I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thanks again NetGalley, Publisher and Author for the chance to read and review this amazing book!
I'll post to my Social media platforms closer to pub date!

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Kept me up well past my bedtime, I could not put it down.
So many thrilling twists and turns… Just could not put it down… highly recommend you read this book.

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My Review:
Loved, loved, loved!!!!! Another great book from a fantastic author. You can not go wrong when you pick up one of Nicole Trope’s books. My world literally stops when I’m reading her books. I will usually finish in just one sitting with a box of Kleenex by my side. Her books get me so emotional and I love it. I look forward to reading more of her books.

I want to start off by saying how great this author is. I have read almost all her books now and she sure does not disappoint in any of them. Every book I have read has felt like I was right there with the characters living their happiness and in some cases their worse nightmares. In this book I really felt the pain and tragedy that all of these characters went through. Each character in the book had it rough in some way, shape or form. Now on to my favorite part, that ending. There were so many secrets throughout the whole book and I loved how it all came out in the end. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. When you get to the end you think you know where it is all going but you don’t. You are in for a shock of all shockers. I love the fact that this author continues to shock me with every book I read of hers. I can’t wait for her next book.

Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Mother's Fault by Nicole Trope is an unputdownable domestic thriller with a twist that you won't see coming! The story revolves around Beverly, whose son, eight year-old Riley, goes missing one day. Beverly has told Riley that his father is dead, but she hasn't told him anything else about him. When Riley starts getting gifts in the mail, Beverly thinks that they're from her ex-boyfriend Ethan, who bonded with Riley. But what happens when Riley goes missing? Who took him and why? And is Beverly hiding more secrets than just the identity of Riley's father?

Here is a chilling excerpt from the Prologue:

"'What's that?' she asked her father, pointing.
'It's... hmm, stay there, let me see.' He waded in, regretting that he had not thought to wear swim trunks as the water lapped against the top of his thighs. 'Huh, look at that,' he said, holding the piece of deep blue material up to show his daughter.
'What is it?'
'It's a onesie, you know, like for a baby.'
...
Two weeks later, when the father reads about a body washing up on another beach many, many kilometres away, bloated and swollen to the point where it cannot be identified until forensic tests are carried out, he doesn't think to connect the two.
Why would he?"

Overall, The Mother's Fault is a great domestic thriller that will appeal to fans of Ruth Ware and B.A. Paris. Once I started this book, I could not put it down. I had to know what happened next and find out more about Beverly's secrets. One highlight of this book is that there were a few surprises that I absolutely did not see coming. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that the identity of the kidnapper was not entirely satisfying. I wish that the author had gone even further and made the twist even more mind-blowing. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of domestic thrillers, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in October!

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I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I so enjoyed this book as I do when I read books by this author. It did start out a little slow but definitely picked up about halfway through. Beverly is raising her brother's son Riley. Riley believes she is her real mother. When Riley starts receiving gifts everyday, Beverly starts becoming very suspicious of who might be sending them. She thinks it is her ex-boyfriend Ethan. This is where all the twists begin and I could not put it down.

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