40-year-old Faye is struggling with crying baby Jake, she’s on the run from his father wealthy Louis. The two meet via an app (Acorn) which matches those who want co-parenting without a romantic relationship.

64-year-old Rachel advertises her double bedroom for rent in the Norfolk countryside. Is relatively cheap room the godsend Faye thinks or is Rachel not what she seems? The story is told via their alternating points of view and backtracks to Faye wanting a baby. As the storyline unfolds you wonder who exactly is the wrong mother???

Well, I should know having read Charlotte Duckworth before it’s a case of fool me once and then fool me twice! The surprising twists and turns are very entertaining and keep you eagerly reading on. In places it’s very chilling with great big resounding bells clanging a warning around some characters with additional oddities to ponder on and a load of lies to navigate. I really enjoy the way your opinions of characters keeps changing as each new revelation socks you between the eyes.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this novel. I like the straightforward style it’s written in as there are no unnecessary frills or details to get in the way of the plot and it’s told at a quick pace and confounds your expectations. What more can you ask for?

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Quercus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Oft, this was just such a joy to read!! Its everything you could want in a domestic noire. I loved the split povs and the fact that they're easily distinguished as to who's narrative we're on. The pace was really good, it was fast and kept the pace but without being rushed or just having all the answers thrown together so the book can end with no plot holes. The plot itsself had some really good twists and turns and I just have nothing negative to say what so ever. A must read for thriller/ domestic noir fans

A quick and easy read with lots of intriguing twists; well written and the pacing was nice and fast. I thought the two characters were really nicely distinguished from each other (which can be rare in psy thrillers with multiple POVs) so that elevated the book further for me. I guessed some of the twists but not all, and the breadcrumbs were left in a way that was very satisfying. v good.

Another fabulous offering from Charlotte Duckworth, I was trying to guess the plot twists throughout and missed most of them by a country mile!

Rachel is a landlady with a room to suddenly rent in her cosy countryside cottage; Faye and her brand new baby are in desperate search of a place to hide out. Faye moves in- she's very nervous about everything and obviously hiding from a violent relationship breakdown. Rachel tries to give her space but also support her with bringing up baby Jake as its such a stressful period for Faye. The two women become closer but its clear both are hiding something, will the truth come out.
The story also jumps back to a year before, where Faye meets the baby's father and their relationship begins; its clear from the outside that he's not as wonderful as she thinks he is, but will Faye see that before its too late? Told from the point of view of both women in turn, the story unfolds in a way that I was not expecting - and all the more enjoyable for that!

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it!

Whoa great book! Rachel is a nice lovely older woman who is looking for a renter so she's not lonely. Faye is a young new mother on the run from an abusive husband. This story takes the reader back to the past, as well as the present. Each girl has numerous secrets that come to light. Every time you think you have it figured out, another scene from the past flashes to all these lies and things you did not see coming. Great book! Great suspense!

I was hooked from the first few pages of The Wrong Mother. I loved the dual timeline which kept me intrigued and desperate to know more about Faye and Rachel. Rachel was a character I couldn’t completely work out, she was well developed, complex and highly interesting.

The storyline was gripping - I couldn’t put it down. The ending was not at all what I was expecting, and as fantastic as the rest of the book. If you love a pacy domestic thriller that keeps you guessing right to the end you’ll love this. Highly recommended! 5 Stars.

I've seen Charlotte Duckworth books around, but never picked her up until now.
I feel like I might have been missing out.
I read this in one sitting.
It was fast paced and at times sinister.
I wanted to slap the main character for being both gullible and unlikeable.
Rachel seemed like a force to be reckoned with.
The truth comes out in slow reveals, though really not that slow when you're flying through the book.
I was very entertained for a few hours with this one

I devoured this in about three sittings!

The book is set around the lives of two women and how their lives come to connect. One is on the run with her newborn, looking for a place to lie low, and the other is settled in a rural village looking for a new lodger. These women both have complicated and disturbing pasts which are gradually revealed to the reader. Your sympathies and theories jump around, and there a few very dark moments where your imagination runs a bit wild.

When I say “The Wrong Mother” is an easy read I mean this in the most complimentary sense. The prose is straightforward, giving you just enough to learn a little about the characters but not so much that your mind starts to wander. I’m a big fan of this more utilitarian style of writing, as it really allows the plot to take your full attention.

I now can’t wait to get acquainted with the author’s other work!

With thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for this proof copy in exchange for an honest review.