This is the type of book you should not pick up right before you go to sleep, because it is as terrifying as it is compelling! Kudos to the author!

A really gripping read with an original plot and two compelling central characters. I really enjoyed this!

I enjoyed reading this book so much I couldn’t put it down. It was full of twists and turns throughout and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters were great, the plot was excellent and the style of writing was perfect. I have read and enjoyed books by this author before so I couldn’t wait to get stuck into this. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read psychological thrillers.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

I thought I had read Charlotte Duckworth before as the name is familiar but according to Goodreads, I've not marked any of her books off as read. Hmm...so maybe not. But I could have sworn... Anyway, this thriller is a little bit of a slow burn to start with but enough to keep you engaged particularly as it was the premise that had me intrigued to begin with.

Faye is 39 and her biological clock is ticking...or so she thinks. All her life she has desperately wanted a baby but she has failed to find the perfect man with which to make that dream become a reality. Until her best friend Jonas suggested she go online to meet someone. Which is exactly what she does, albeit reluctantly. What she finds stuns her. Amidst all the usual dating sites and apps, she comes across "Acorn" - a "mating" app, for those who want to co-parent without becoming romantically involved. Faye thinks this is just perfect. Exactly what what she wants. A baby, without the strings attached.

She is surprisingly inundated with messages from men (and one woman) who wish to have a baby with her. But one stands out from them all. Louis. They arrange to meet and after a few dates it isn't long before Faye feels that the stars have aligned to bring them together. Faye is falling in love with the smooth-talking Louis and she feels sure from the signals she is getting from him that he feels the same. Maybe they will be one of the couples that make it real.

But a year later, Faye's dream has turned into a nightmare. She's on the run from Louis with baby Jake in tow, ditching her damp pokey flat and her beloved piano, in search of somewhere safe to hide. And then she sees an advertisement for a room to rent...

Sixty four year returned teacher old Rachel lives in Helston village in rural Norfolk. She is lonely and has been since her mother died many years before. Which is why she's always taken in lodgers. But for some reason, none of them seem to work out. After her last lodger left under a cloud, Rachel advertises her spare double bedroom for rent once again. And Faye answers the ad under the name Fiona and Rachel assures her that having a newborn baby won't be a problem. Well, it isn't for Rachel but it soon turns out that it is for Faye.

As a new mother with a crying newborn, it seems Faye isn't coping and Rachel wants to help but will Faye let her? And what of Rachel? Is she all that she seems? Or is there something darker lurking beneath the surface? And why won't she let her cat roam outside? And what of the overgrown backyard with tendrils creeping under the door and into the house? And Faye? What exactly is she running from? Was Louis abusive? Are her and baby Jake in danger? And amidst all of this is she suffering post natal depression?

There are so many questions to this thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the end. It was an engaging tale with some surprising twists (and some not so surprising) but an entertaining read all the same. I loved the village setting and along with the giant bonfire and Guy being constructed on the village green gave an air of Midsomer about it, making it very atmospheric.

There are some chilling aspects to this story that will resound with great big warning bells going off letting you know that something definitely is not right with these two women...but figuring out what is half the fun!

THE WRONG MOTHER is written in a dual timeline format rewinding back to a year before as Faye embarks on her journey to become a mother to the present day where she is on the run and meets Rachel. The story unfolds through Faye and Rachel's narratives lending something of an interesting curve to the story. It is cleverly crafted and I quite enjoyed it with plenty of twists and tension to keep you guessing and turning the pages.

Overall, THE WRONG MOTHER is an entertaining and somewhat chilling read that is page-turning, twisty and fast paced.

I would like to thank #CharlotteDuckworth, #NetGalley and #QuercusBooks for an ARC of #TheWrongMother in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

An entertaining story that I read in a couple of sittings! Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review!

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (3/5)

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘:
🌪️ Twisty plots
👀 Dual perspectives
❔Unique relationships

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
This is the first book I've read by Duckworth and it was a fun, easy to read book that kept me guessing throughout. A dark, twisty, character-driven mystery, with dual timelines, plenty of twists, and believeable, well-written characters at its centre; this was a gripping, cleverly-plotted story of high-stakes and tension. From the dramatic, chilling prologue (detailing a shattered skull, no less) and the stark emotions of motherhood, to the sub-plots carefully planting ideas and questions, and the ending decieving all the way to the last page - this was a fun, engaging mystery, where nothing was as it seems. 

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 + 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝘼𝙍𝘾, 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 @𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 (𝙄𝙂).

Faye meets Louis through an online app that matches people together who wish to be parents. But things change after one year. On the run from Louis with baby Jake, Faye takes on a new identity in the hopes of securing a new place to stay. Rachel, an older woman, takes her on, excited to have a baby in the house again. But can Rachel be trusted?

I love thrillers that are told in dual timelines. The before and after always have you flipping through fast, trying to connect the dots. This book was no different and while I did pick one of the twists, there were others that I had my jaw dropping. This was an edge of the seat thriller that I loved. I can't wait to read more by the author.

Faye is 39 and single. She's terrified that she may never have the one thing she always wanted: a child of her own.
Then she hears about an online co-parenting app. For men and women who want to have a baby, but don't want to do it alone. When the app matches her with smooth-talking, wealthy Louis, it feels as though the fates have aligned.
But just one year later, Faye's dream has turned into a nightmare. She's on the run from Louis, with baby Jake in tow.
In desperate need of a new place to live, she responds to an advert from an older lady, Rachel, who's renting out a room in her cottage in a remote Norfolk village. It's all Faye can afford - and surely she'll be safe from Louis there?
But is Rachel the benevolent landlady she pretends to be? Or does she have a secret of her own?

This is a thrilling and gripping read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Well this was a fantastic ride! A tense and gripping thriller that has you guessing til the end. The characters are well written in a way that you are always trying to guess if they are actually what they seem, or how they are being portrayed. There is also good insight into how vulnerable people are often manipulated in society.
I love charlottes style of writing and this was an easy relaxed read. What a call a perfect chill book.

A year ago, the fates aligned when Faye met Louis on a dating app for people who want to co-parent. 39, single and living a reclusive life as a piano teacher - it seemed as though Faye had finally found a route to happiness, and the child she'd always wanted.

A year later - Faye is on the run with new-born baby Jake, desperately seeking refuge in a remote Norfolk village. Serendipity strikes for a second time when Faye finds Rachel - an older, benevolent landlady with a room to rent in her cottage.

But Rachel has secrets of her own, and as Faye's fear of Louis finding them feed her insecurities about being a good mother to Jake, tensions quickly rise.

Charlotte Duckworth's latest offering, The Wrong Mother, is perfect for fans of family-thrillers. It's dark, twisty and character driven - a fantastic read!

The opening of the book delivers everything you want from a psychological thriller.

Dramatic prologue with a shattered skull? Check.

Extremely high-stakes? Well, Faye is fleeing with a very young baby, so - Check.

The burgeoning sense that nothing is as it seems? Check Check Check.

And actually, when I revisited the opening chapters to write this review, I was struck again by just how clever Duckworth's plotting and character creation is. She keeps you guessing, breadcrumb-dropping enough hints and enough details that an observant reader hooked.

I'm always an enormous fan of the multiple-POV novel - and Duckworth does this brilliantly. She also seems to sense exactly when we need a break from Faye's brittle, high-tension POV to something slightly more mellow, or a flashback to the past. This keeps the book pacy and tense, without ever feeling overwhelming.

I think the relationship between Faye and Louis in the flashback scenes is masterfully done. Faye's naivety is completely believable, and despite my knowledge of what the future would bring - I too was charmed by Louis and his effortless charisma.

At first I wondered whether Rachel's character - the elderly woman with a stringent attitude to cleaning - was something we've seen time and time before. I'm pleased to say I was wrong on this point - and Duckworth quite deliberately unravels the depth to Rachel's character as the book progresses.

Also, having read many books featuring dogs recently, as a cat person I was delighted!

I really cannot say anything about the ending without unleashing major spoilers, so I'll just say that it was riveting and delivered several massive twists!

When I got to the final few chapters I was actually reading on my kindle, while walking to my mum's house, in the dark. I took an extra-circuitous route so I could squeeze in as much reading time as possible!

I can only congratulate Duckworth on such a brilliant book - and will definitely be diving into her back catalogue now!

I've listened to a sample of the audiobook - I think it'd be a great listen.

Quercus is one of my go-to publishers for quality thrillers and they've certainly not missed the mark here.

The Wrong Mother is the second book I have read by Charlotte Duckworth and I have really enjoyed them both. It is full of shocking twists and turns which made it unputdownable to me and what an ending!
I highly recommend The Wrong Mother.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for my ARC.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I absolutely loved it. There were so many surprising twists that kept you hooked. I devoured it in a couple of sittings. It was very well written and kept my attention throughout.

A really decent psychological story. Not quite a thriller but i enjoyed the story non the less.. Full of twists, shocks, tension and excitement. Xx

Oh wow, this is such a great read! It was my first book by Charlotte Duckworth, and it definitely won't be my last.
It's a real page turner, packed with suspence and high on tension. It is written in a dual timeline, present and past, and from 2 different POV (Faye and Rachel), and the writing style is so clever and brilliant that the story flows effortlessly, without repetitions, unnecessary frills and goes straight to the point, allowing the reader to give full attention to the plot.
Absolutely recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The Wrong Mother
by Charlotte Duckworth
Pub Date 14 Dec 2022
Publisher: @Quercus Books, Quercus
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

We follow two different perspectives within this book of Faye and Rachel
Faye is advising Louis. She's on the run with her new BORN, Jake.

Faye is struggling and then reaches out to Rachel for

I like how we flip back to Faye's past to understand what has happened to her. Alias Fiona

Rachel is adjusting to having these in her house. She even got around to helping Fiona with Jake.

It's an interesting short read

Though I feel like the most exciting and central part of the story, it happened 80 % of the way in. Though it was a bit of a twist, I expected it to be the other way around.

#NetGalley #bookreview #mysteryandthriller #thewrongmother

Another thrilling read from Charlotte Duckworth – possibly her best yet!

The storyline is centered around Faye – when we first meet her she’s fleeing with baby Jake. Desperate to escape, she finds herself in the small village where she rents a room with Rachel. Chapters of the book alternative between Faye and Rachel and we soon learn that Rachel has had various lodgers over the years and there’s a hint of mystery surrounding them. As the story develops, it switches back to before Jake was born and we learn that Faye met his father, Louis, through an online co-parenting app. The idea behind it is that the couple meet with the soul purpose of having a baby together – without any romantic involvement. As the pair get to know each other, Faye feels there is a deeper relationship although this isn’t shared by Louis and he soon becomes a rather unlikeable character.

Packed full of mystery, intrigue, and secrets this was a gripping read and one that had me hooked from start to finish. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the review copy.

#TheWrongMother #NetGalley

The first paragraph of The Wrong Mother by Charlotte Duckworth is voiced by an unidentified narrator. It describes trying to clean away a dead man’s blood, then forget what you have seen and done. This sense of dread continues when two lonely women and newborn Jake are thrown together in a Norfolk village. At first it seems as if all of them have found a safe haven. Thirty-nine year old Faye is struggling to bond with Jake after leaving his abusive father, whom she met through a co-parenting app. Her sixty-four year old landlady Rachel misses her only son, who lives in Australia. The only thing Faye wants is sleep. All Rachel wants is for Jake to call her Granny. Warning bells will ring for the reader when Rachel reveals that she had ‘bad experiences’ with her previous tenants.

The dual narration Duckworth uses to build up suspense is very effective. The women’s stories are told from their own points of view. Fiona obsesses about her past with Louis, Jake’s father. Rachel is more concerned with their future, especially Jake’s. Questions gradually build up in the reader’s mind. Why does Rachel forbid Faye to open the back door, even when weeds grow under it? How can Louis track down the son he wanted so desperately? What will happen when the giant bonfire on the village green catches fire?

I’m not a great fan of psychological thrillers, but I really enjoyed this one. I found it easy to bond with the convincing, relatable characters, and the resolution was unpredictable. I recommend The Wrong Mother as a compelling read which ticks the boxes for its genre but has many original elements.

Many thanks to @NetGalley and @Quercus for giving me an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Faye is thirty-nine and single. She's terrified that she may never have the one thing she always wanted: a child of her own. Then she hears about an on-line co-parenting app for men and women to have a baby, but don't want to do it alone. When the app matches her with smooth-talking. wealthy Louis, it feels as though the fates have aligned. But just one year later, Faye's dream has turned into a nightmare. She's on the run from Louis, with baby Jake in tow.

This story has a dual timeline, the past - when Faye first meets Louis, and the present day. It's told from Faye and Rachel's perspectives. I like the authors style in writing this book. Faye is desperate to have a baby, and when she discovers an app, (Acorn) she thinks she has found the ideal solution. But one year later, Faye is on the run with baby Jake. So much happens in this book, and the story unfolds in a way I was not expecting. This is a well written and cleverly crafted story. The twists, tension and suspense keep you turning the pages.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #QuercusBooks and the author #CharlotteDuckworth for my ARC of #TheWrongMother in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Quercus Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Wrong Mother’ by Charlotte Duckworth in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Faye doesn’t want to reach her forties without being a mother and on the advice of a friend joins Acorns, a co-parenting app for people who want to be parents but without the ties of marriage. Faye is contacted by Louis Horton-Jones who she believes is the one but a year later she’s on the run with baby Jake, arriving in a village where she thinks he won’t be able to find them. She rents a room from Rachel who initially appears kind and concerned for Faye’s well-being but it’s soon apparent that Rachel is keeping secrets of her own.

‘The Wrong Mother’ is a dark and gripping thriller where both female characters are keeping secrets. It’s an edge-of-the-seat type of thriller that I’m unable to stop reading with chapters told alternately by Faye and Rachel, as Faye is fast becoming overwhelmed by caring for baby Jake and Rachel is becoming attached to him. This is an involving thriller, the first I’ve read by this author, that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and hope to read more of her novels.

Faye is desperate to have a baby and become a mother, when she is still single at 39, she decides to take matters into her own hands. She finds an app that promises to match her with suitable males that also want a baby. She thinks she has found her perfect match and then the story unfolds.

Is her match the perfect person to have a baby with and if he is why is she running away.

We go back and forward to find out Faye's story and the story is mind blowing

I received this arc though net galley

4 stars