You will be sleeping with the lights on for weeks after finishing Leah Mercer’s terrifying new chiller, The Mother Next Door.

Everybody in the neighbourhood loves and trusts Lou. She is kind, dependable and always willing to lend a helping hand and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on when needed. Always on hand to help someone with child-care issues, nobody thinks twice about trusting Lou with their children. After all, she loves kids and treats other people’s children like her own. Nobody bats an eyelid about leaving their offspring with Lou as they think they will be safe as houses. But just how well do the neighbours know Lou? Is she all that she seems? Or is there a darkness hidden so well deep within her that nobody – least of all the people living close to her – can actually see?

The mothers of the neighbourhood can rest easy knowing that Lou is looking after their kids. But when one day, she fails to return with their precious children, alarm bells begin to ring. As a storm rages outside, the parents’ fears and worries intensify – and panic quickly gives way to fear and trepidation when Lou’s car is found and there is no sign of the children. As everyone begins to go out of their mind with worry, they begin to wonder whether they will ever see their precious babies ever again. But not everybody is being honest and truthful – and Lou knows this so she delivers a shocking ultimatum: reveal their deepest and darkest secrets and the kids will be returned. Failure to do so will ensure that this nightmare will certainly not have a happy ending, especially as Lou has secrets of her own.

Leah Mercer’s The Mother Next Door is a book that should not be read in an empty house late at night because it will make you jump out of your skin on plenty of occasions. Terrifying, tense and chilling, The Mother Next Door is a thriller that will have you thinking twice about becoming too friendly with the neighbours.

A shocking rollercoaster ride packed with jaw-dropping twists and turns, The Mother Next Door is a superb thriller perfect for Shari Lapena and B A Paris fans.

This was fun. More or less exactly what I expected based on the title and the cover, which I think is a good thing. And while the story was far from mind-blowing and you can more or less guess the main plot threads from the beginning, it was a chill, fun thriller you can finish in a day.

The story revolves around three women who share a huge secret from when they were teenagers. In the present day, they have children of the same age that go to the same school.

Despite their seemingly idyllic lives, each woman grapples with personal challenges. Their mutual confidante, neighbor, and occasional babysitter, Lou, appears to embody the epitome of a perfect life.

One day, as Lou collects the children from school, an unexpected turn of events unfolds. Instead of returning home as usual, the children mysteriously vanish. The question emerges: where has Lou taken them? The apparent answers may mislead, urging us to reconsider our assumptions about Lou's motives.

While predictable, the story was well-written and easy to sink into. I liked it. It’s a good option to have around for when you’re in the mood for a quick, light thriller.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an audio copy of The Mother Next Door by Leah Mercer in exchange for my honest review.

Fantastic thriller full of suspense that had me hooked from the beginning, I couldn't put this book down, I will definitely be reading more by this author.

This was such a well written, tense story, full of suspense. The fast pace created a clear sense of urgency. The multiple POV's made this thrilling, gripping and completely unforgettable. I loved the characters, they were so well developed. This was my first boom by this author and it will definatley not be my last.

I worry every day about my kids getting to and from school safely. (My kids can attest to this!) So I could definitely understand how scared Fiona, Alison, and Jasmine felt in Leah Mercer's latest thriller, The Mother Next Door. The suspense builds throughout, making you wonder if their kids will make it home...alive.

Leah is a skilled storyteller and I was turning the pages so quickly from this novel! I was able to figure out one part of the mystery after a while, but everything else had me completely surprised! I like how Leah took the characters back in time through flashbacks in order to piece together what happened.

Overall, a chilling story. I already can't wait for Leah's next thriller!

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Fiona: Bryce Dallas Howard
Alison: Alison Brie
Jasmine: Amanda Schull
Lou: Hannah Simone
Krish: Utkarsh Ambudkar


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TW: Bullying, kidnapping

A brilliant book
Couldn’t put it down
Plenty of twist
Had me on the edge of my seat right to the end
Thanks NetGalley

Well written with a compelling storyline that hooked me in right from the start and well developed characters. I loved the narrative being told from multiple points of view too.
It was fast paced, full of tension and so atmospheric. I couldn't put it down and the teists left me guessing until the end.

This was such a fast-paced and intriguing thriller. It’s told in a few different perspectives and that set up worked well for the story being told. There were so many twists and turns and I didn’t figure out the ending until it was screaming in my face! Brilliantly written book that was definitely worth my time! Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

We all have secrets. Secrets you don't want others to find out. EVER. Imagine those secrets of your past coming back to your present, and threatening to destroy all you love and cherish. This was a thrilling read, will read more of this talented author in future!

This was a fast paced thriller, but unfortunately it was predictable. I just didnt have that wow factor, I liked it but I couldnt say I loved it.

Title: The Mother Next Door
Author: Leah Mercer
Publisher: Bookouture
Original Publication Date: February 27th, 2023
Source: NetGalley – Ebook
Genre: Thriller/ Contemporary/ Suspense

Fiona trusts her next-door neighbor Lou with everything, including the well-being of her children, twins Timothy and Tabitha. However, on one afternoon after school, Lou has not arrived with her children, who she picked up after school, and there is a dangerous storm heading towards the town. Where is Lou? Her children? Lou had her ex-husband take her children, so why does she have Fiona’s?

Fiona is even more confused to find out that Lou also has the daughter of Jasmine named Juniper, and Allison named Gabby. Fiona hasn’t spoken to Jasmine and Allison since high school, and had no idea Lou picked up their kids as well. Meanwhile, the moms are figuring out that they all had different pieces of Lou, and are terrified for their children when Lou sends them a text stating “I have your children. I will return them once you all tell the truth.” The truth about what?

I really enjoyed the different points of view in the book, as it is a tool that I enjoy in any genre of novel I can read. Having multiple points of view allows you to indulge in even more knowledge of the story, and be able to rely more on the information, as opposed to having to confide and trust only one narrator. However, it may have given too much away in this case. Also, the shocking twist was not shocking at all, predictable at best, and able to gleam from a mile away. However, Mercer does write really good characters with real problems, and is able to showcase their fear, while apologies and forgiveness can be needing more.

Rating: 3/5

I have read one other book by Leah Mercer - ‘The Puzzle of You’ - which I was quite underwhelmed by, so I was really hoping this psychological thriller would change my opinion of her books. Unfortunately not.

Mercer’s writing style flows nicely, her books are easy reads, but I cannot seem to avoid being disappointed by the content! I worked out the plot line so early on it was shocking. Yes there were twists, but they weren’t particularly unexpected, although the book did get a little more surprising from Chapter 34 onwards.

The characters are all quite meh, except Jasmine, who was more interesting due to her pure unlike-ability.

A lot of the storyline irritated me, particularly when the police were attempting to use drones ‘in the worst storm they’d ever seen’ then seemed surprised when they couldn’t fly them… seriously?!

I don’t mean to be too critical, it’s not a terrible book, far from it. But I found it disappointing. Again. However, if you need a nice easy read that doesn’t require much effort or brain power then this is a book for you.

What an enjoyable read!! I just finished reading The Mother Next Door and cannot get over all of the twists! Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, the author continued to shock me. The characters, plot, and ending were all brilliant. I cannot wait to read more by Leah Mercer!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first book by tis author but i will be reading more.
This book had me hooked from the first chapter.
This story was so good that i did not want to put my kindle down.
I really enjoyed this book and will recommend to others.
5/5 stars.

Lou is friendly and dependable. The other mums and their kids love her for being so kind and helpful. But one day she picks up the kids and doesn't drop them home...
The Mother Next Door is a psychological thriller set in the south of England. A storm is brewing, both in terms of the weather and the psychological turmoil of the main characters. The weather is almost another character as it interweaves through the plot and provides an extra dynamic and layer of tension or danger.
Fiona, Alison and Jasmine are all frantic when their children fail to arrive home as usual. Then they get a text from Lou telling them to confess the truth. Fiona kissed a colleague, Alison has remortgaged her home and Jasmine is an alcoholic. But these current secrets are nothing compared to the one in their past.
The book is written from Fiona, Alison and Jasmine's perspectives in the main. However there are some chapters from the children's first person viewpoint which heightens the tension. Each chapter is clearly labelled with the character's name and a time so you can see the chronology of events.
There were plenty of twists and the short chapters combined with the mulitple perspectives create a rapid pace and tension. I did guess the biggest twist but still enjoyed seeing how events played out.
The Mother Next Door is a twisty and emotional psychological thriller, and the potential risk to children is every parent's nightmare.

This one had me guessing. Lou offers to bring other kids in the neighborhood home from school, then one day she doesn’t show up with them. Everyone is frantic with where she is, what happened and eventually they wonder why. With multiple narrators, this one is a complex layered story that just keeps exposing one secret after another. While I was never sure I liked any of the mothers, I was hooked and needed to know what happened to the kids. And with the storm of the century getting ready to blow in, the intensity is off the charts.

I was able to both listen and read this one and Jasmine Blackborow does a terrific job narrating the story. She draws you in and along with the plot, keeps you wanting more.

I am a bit of a suspense and thriller fiend, so I was immediately drawn to this book. And I was not disappointed! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. As a mom, my heart was racing at the thought of these mothers not knowing where their children were. I was frantically flipping through the pages because I had to know what happened next.

This is the kind of book that I will recommend to all of my other fellow lovers of psychological thrillers. Mercer did a fantastic job of keeping me guessing and throwing me for a loop. I look forward to reading more of her work!

Found this book to be a great read on a rainy day and managed to finish it quite quickly it was an easy read and the story did grip me Three women, Fiona, Jasmine, and Tabitha were entrusted with picking up the kids from school and taking them home. But one day a huge storm is threatening the local area, and Lou disappears with the kids. They get a threatening text which asks them to tell the truth about what they did. the book switches between various viewpoints which makes it easy to read and not confusing and keeps you at the edge of your seat and really helps you turn page after page trying to piece together the story of what really happened.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Three women from three different lifestyles all feel like the woman who watches their children is her best friend. A confidant. They would trust her with their lives. Each of the women had their own set of secrets and Lou knew them all, but their biggest secret was the one they all shared.

This book was pretty good. I will say that I guessed what was happening about halfway through the book, but the switching between the four narrators did keep it interesting. I really liked that one of the children was one of the narrators. I think that added in a perspective that I wasn't expecting going into this book. The book was fast-paced and not boring, but it wasn't one that will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens. That being said, the story is good, and it kept me reading to see if I was right about my prediction.

Three women, Fiona, Jasmine and Tabitha, entrust friendly mother Lou with picking up their kids from school and ferrying them home. One day, just as a huge storm is threatening the area, Lou disappears with the kids. Then a a threatening text is sent out to tell the truth about what they did. The novel switches nicely between the various viewpoints, including one of the missing children, and between the suspenseful present and the mystery of what happened in the past that ties the women together and has raised Lou's ire. Suspenseful and fast-paced, I raced through this.