This was an enjoyable, but forgettable read. I loved Greenwich Park by the same author, but Other Mothers felt disjointed and rambling. It did keep me interested though.

OK! This one is hard for me to rate! I"ll be honest-it took starting it 3 different times before I got into it. But once it got going, I couldn't put it down! It had so many twists and turns, and with the 2 timelines, I was constantly changing my mind about who did it! There are so many characters introduced right away that I think I just had a hard time figuring out who was who and it just didn't grab my attention. Overall, I"m going to give it 4 stars because it was SO good once it got going! Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I read the author’s debut Greenwich Park last year and gave it a B+, though in my recollection it’s a little lower, probably a B. Still, I liked the book well enough to request this, Faulkner’s second book. It covers some of the same themes as Greenwich Park and has some similar issues as well.

The story is told in alternating chapters by Natasha (Tash) and Sophie. Tash is a youngish married journalist (her husband Tom is hospital resident) with a two-year-old son, Finn. Since giving birth, Tash has felt her career slipping away – she is trying to freelance but finding it hard to break in; she’d previously been with a newspaper. Tash is also a bit at sea in her personal life – motherhood has put a predictable strain on her in a variety of ways, and also, money is tight. (I guess NHS doctors make considerably less than their American counterparts.)

It wasn’t clear to me how the “other mothers” of the title ended up in the same playgroup as Tash and Finn – I would presume that they would have enrolled their tots in expensive and prestigious preschools, but again, this may be a “it’s different in the UK” thing.

But they are in the same playgroup, and Tash particularly notices the three of them: Claire, a waifish and delicate blonde; Nicole, a sharp and acerbic American (Nicole is so unpleasant I sort of took it personally as a fellow countrywoman), and Laura, who it turns out is a doctor at Tom’s hospital. The trio, apparently inseparable since birthing classes, invite Tash into their group and she quickly finds herself drawn to their comparatively glamorous lives.

At the same time, a woman comes to Tash about an article that she wrote – a short piece about a young woman that drowned in a local nature reserve. The authorities had ruled it an accident. The woman is Jane, mother of the dead woman, Sophie. Jane doesn’t believe Sophie’s death was accidental, and she wants Tash to look into it.

Tash is mildly intrigued, if skeptical. But then she discovers that Sophie was a nanny for Claire for a period of time leading up to her death.

One thing that frustrated me about Tash was that for a reporter, she is surprisingly reticent about investigating, at least early on. At times it feels like most of the clues about Sophie’s death that move the story forward kind of fall into Tash’s lap, rather than being a result of hard investigative work on her part. Sure, she works to get Sophie’s recovered phone working, but she doesn’t directly confront the various players and ask questions. Instead she skulks around nibbling at the edges of the story. This makes sense for the plot and pacing of the book but doesn’t make Tash look good at her job.

Though to be fair, one could argue that it demonstrates the duality of Tash’s interest in the other mothers – she’s investigating, but she’s also just drawn to their lifestyle and the way those two things overlap while remaining in opposition is one of the central themes of the story. I think my issue has to do with the fact that I read a lot of suspense books that feature a young female protagonist trying to dig up the truth about something. I am ambivalent about how many of the women share certain traits: raging insecurity, an inferiority complex, and a heightened sense that they don’t belong (often having to do with issues of class). The central character in Greenwich Park was very mousy and intimidated by her glamorous sister-in-law.

On the one hand, I understand why so many of these protagonists are the way they are – for one thing, they are meant to be relatable. But the more I read them, the more irritating I find them. Give me a heroine (if we’re calling these women heroines) with some confidence, some competence, some VERVE. I wouldn’t want to read about that type of protagonist all the time either, but I would like some variety.

(I think low-key I was also thinking that Tash’s actions weren’t particularly ethical from a journalistic standpoint; I kind of wish that’d been addressed.)

In the earlier Sophie timeline, she develops an infatuation with Claire’s husband, Jez. Claire is pregnant with the child who ends up being Finn’s contemporary in the later timeline; Sophie is chiefly a caretaker for Jez’s son Jude, whose mother died of cancer shortly after his birth. Jude is a strange child, particularly in the later timeline with Tash. Sophie becomes devoted to him and finds herself in the position of default caretaker of Claire and Jez’s household. Claire becomes more neurotic and reticent before her son’s birth, and afterward clearly suffers from postpartum depression, though it takes a long time for anyone to do anything about it. Meanwhile, Sophie bonds with Claire’s infant, Beau, and increasingly imagines herself in Claire’s place in the household, as wife to Jez and mother to Jude and Beau.

The class issues are intriguing and front and center in The Other Mothers. Sophie finds the idea of going back to the drab lower-middle class life she lived before coming to live in Claire and Jez’s house untenable. Her friend Sal is also a nanny; she cares for the daughter of another mother from the playgroup, Christina. (As an aside, I figured out a biggish twist about Christina fairly early on.) Sal is a bit more hard-bitten than Sophie and she has a fairly cynical attitude toward the wealthy mothers in the group. Later in the story, Sal tries to help Tash with some critical information that may be relevant to Sophie’s death, with tragic results.

Tash appears to have grown up middle-class (her father was a noted photographer who died in Iraq on assignment when she was 15), but she’s not happy with her place in life now – she and Tom both want something better for Finn than their sad little flat in a non-fashionable area without much of a yard. She ends up as drawn as Sophie was to the life that Claire leads, as well as a bit to Claire’s husband, Jez.

I thought The Other Mothers did a good job of laying out enough possible suspects and motives to keep me guessing (except for Christina’s secret, that is – but I wasn’t clear on whether that fit into Sophie’s death or not). The initial ending was a bit unsatisfying. Not because of the resolution of the mystery – that was fine – but because Tash makes some choices that felt not quite true to character (or maybe I just wanted to believe that she had more integrity than she did). Then there’s a whole second ending, with several batshit twists.

(I really overuse the word “batshit” when reviewing suspense, because that’s how these twists feel to me. I’m ambivalent about them – I admit I kind of like the craziness, but I also shake my head at how over-the-top they are.)

The second ending didn’t quite work for me either – there’s a fair amount of moral ambiguity about several characters’ actions and I’m not sure how I felt about it. There’s also a sort of emergent second villain (well, the story actually has quite a few villains), and that character’s villainy, or at least the extent of it, felt out of left field and overblown.

Complaints aside, I really found The Other Mothers a compelling read. I would wake up in the morning wanting to read more of it, and I was even sad that it was ending as the final chapters approached. I’m going to give this an A-/B+, and eagerly look forward to Faulkner’s next book.

I finished this book a couple of days ago and am still trying to form my concrete opinion on it. While I liked the story line and the suspense of the trope, I found some of it to be very long winded and towards the end slightly confusing. There were good twists and turns but it just didn't seem complete to me.

Great story line but think it could have been executed a little bit better!

I was a big fan of Katherine Faulkner’s debut Greenwich park so I was surprised to see her second already out and it was not on my radar! NetGalley thank you for still giving me this arc! I highly recommend picking this up if you love a twisty and complex whodunit. I love a rich people behaving badly troupe, and this did not disappoint! I thought I had a handle on the story but it does take some turns and I recommend going in blind like I did just trusting this talented author. Also, I need someone to talk to about this book!

This book was a slow burn but kept unfolding with new information, which was interesting. The ending was a bit messy and convoluted. Our main character, Tash, is usually pretty smart but she made dumb obvious moves that had me screaming at her to make better choices. Still a very solid book that kept my attention throughout

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advanced copy of this book

This is the second novel I have read from Katherine Faulkner and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed her last novel which inspired me to pick up her newest. I loved the premise of a journalist who is new to the playgroup getting entwined in the lives of the other mothers. While investigating a murder, Tash, realizes that the victim was the nanny of one of her new friends. These women are wealthy women who welcome Tash into their group. Tash's marriage appears on the rocks and all of these things are exploited by the other women. I found this book suspenseful and gripping and a very quick read. Would recommend to any suspense readers as well as those fascinated by "mommy culture."

Tash is a new mother juggling the obstacles of new motherhood and her new freelance journalist position.

As she continues to struggle, she meets Laura at playgroup and gets swept up in her and her friends bougie lifestyle.

Tash is approached by a young dead nanny’s mother wanting her to find out the details of her daughter’s death, knowing it was no accident.

As she begins looking into things, she learns the dead woman was the nanny for one of the mothers she has befriended and is now investigating this whole new group of “friends!”

The beginning of this story was incredibly slow for me. It’s a lot of coffee dates with moms and kids and moms and kids. But once it finally picked up, I was totally invested.

The story is told from Tash’s POV and Sophie’s, who is the dead nanny, up until 1 minute before her death. I definitely appreciated the dual POV, and I would have even liked a little bit more from Sophie.

Overall, the story was enjoyable. However, as with so many thrillers, the ending just wasn’t it for me… I turned the page thinking there was more or an epilogue and there just wasn’t. It just ended.

This is my second book by the author, and after reading and loving Greenwich Park, I was so excited to pick this one up. The book follows Tash, a journalist who decides to investigate a closed case after believing that the death ruled as a drowning, was a murder instead. At the same time, she befriends a group of rich moms from her son's play group, and the investigation and her social life begin to collide.
At first I felt like the two realms felt a bit jarring - clearly you know this group of rich ladies and their husbands are going to have some connection to the dead girl, but before it's revealed it felt like two completely different stories. Once you start to see the connections, I feel like it ended up getting a bit messy. There were lots of red herrings, very convenient connections, and I just felt like all of it could have been condensed a bit. I will say, though, this book has a very "popcorn read" vibe to it. I was really curious how it was all going to play out, and given the direction of the story, I wasn't entirely disappointed at the ending. While I definitely preferred Greenwich Park, and this book was not my favorite, I still think that Katherine Faulkner is great at crafting an enticing story, and I'm excited to see what she comes out with next.

Faulkner skillfully crafts yet another captivating entry in the growing realm of 'Mom Noir,' a subgenre gaining popularity in domestic thrillers. Similar to her previous work, the narrative unfolds in an affluent London neighborhood, showcasing opulent homes, stylish mothers, fashionable nannies, and upscale playdates. Within this glamorous facade, Faulkner delves into the shadows of motherhood, exposing the fissures it creates within female friendships. Her keen observations on these relationships add depth to the narrative, creating a compelling tale.

"The Other Mothers" revolves around the theme of desperation, illustrating how it drives characters to make regrettable choices. Protagonist Natasha 'Tash' James, an investigative reporter, sees her seemingly perfect life unravel due to a friendship formed at her son’s playgroup. The narrative explores the transformative power of wealth on friendships, intertwining Tash's investigative work with unexpected shared histories. The climax unfolds during a holiday at Crugmeer House, where dark secrets resurface, pushing female friendships to the brink.

Faulkner guides readers through a web of untrustworthy characters, urging them to scrutinize for clues while skillfully employing time-hopping elements. The narrative's brilliance lies in its ability to juxtapose the beauty of Woodberry Down's wetlands with the ominous presence of this enigmatic group of friends.

The tension builds steadily, leaving readers questioning whether Tash or the 'yummy mummies' are the true investigators. Following the trail of clues leads to a shocking revelation in the epilogue, providing a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. Faulkner's storytelling prowess shines as she navigates the intricacies of friendship, wealth, and hidden histories in this gripping 'Mom Noir' novel.

Katherine Faulkner doesn't disappoint. Who are these other mothers? We don't know their secrets or who is lying. Each character is clearly drawn. The story just sucked me in right from the beginning. I didn't know who to trust! Surprises right up until the end.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for an advanced copy! Faulkner delivered another fantastic story, but the ending didn't leave a big impact on me. I've found that she has a great way of telling stories of young motherhood, and this one kept me interested & captivated for most of the time. I always love multiple perspectives, and I enjoyed the present with Tash and the past with Sophie. I'm looking forward to her next book!

I loved her debut, Greenwich Park, so I couldn’t wait for The Other Mothers to be released. Here, a freelance journalist tries to solve a murder in this twisty suburban thriller. With plenty of suspects, the secrets, lies, and twists unfold rapidly while exploring class and motherhood. Louise Brealey and Dokata Blue Richards seamlessly narrate the dual timeline, each adding to the sinister darkness of these Mothers. Fans of Big Little Lies will love this one.

https://hockeysticksgripsandtrips.com/2024/01/08/new-book-review-the-other-mothers-by-katherine-faulkner/
The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner

Summary:

Tash is a young mother who aspires to be a freelance writer. She also is looking for some friends who are also mothers. There is a small clique of moms who are beautiful, wealthy, and sophisticated that Tash becomes infatuated with. When they invite her to be a part of their small circle, Tash is more than excited.

As a writer, Tash also is intrigued by the story of a young nanny who was found dead and again another young woman is found dead. This new world of the wealthy mothers is surprisingly intertwined with these deceased young ladies, and Tash is in deeper than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts:

Katherine Faulkner is a fantastic writer. I loved Greenwich Park which is another domestic thriller surrounding motherhood.

The Other Mothers is a twisty and fast paced domestic thriller that will keep you guessing what the outcome is.

I highly recommend this book as well as Faulkner’s prior book. She is a fantastic writer!

Wonderfully put together! This novel was entertaining, intriguing, and filled with mystery. This is my first read by this author and it did not disappoint.
There was enough going on in the plot to keep the pages turning yet not overwhelming the reader. The amount of characters was perfect for keeping the reader guessing to the end.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC copy of this title. I was not compensated for any of my opinions on this book. The review is my personal opinion of what I read.

I finished this one in less than 24 hours! I loved Faulkner's previous book, so I had pretty high expectations. I was totally intrigued by the story and flew through it. I loved how the suspense was built up and the domestic/mom drama aspects. The characters were all unlikeable, which I love, and the book was plotted super well. I have to say, I didn't love the ending, but I would still recommend the book.

When a nanny dies under suspicious circumstances Tash will stop at nothing to find answers. Dual timelines and multiple points of view make this a twisty novel that kept me guessing until the very end. Faulkner continues to write thrillers that are hard to put down. While some of the characters in this novel were unlikable, there were also some that were relatable especially in regards to motherhood. Overall a solid read that I really enjoyed. This author continues to be a must read for me.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I love Mystery/Thrillers and a good Neighborhood Mom mystery so I was excited to pick this one up. It did not disappoint! There are a lot of twists and turns, and the killer reveal did not disappoint!

The book starts out by introducing us to Tash, her husband Tom, and their son Finn. Tash is a former journalist, trying to juggle her life and motherhood, and re-jumpstart her career. She takes Finn to a playgroup and meets a grou0p of other mothers. The book also introduces us to Sophie a nanny whose (very suspicious) death was reported as an accident but was anything but.

The book takes turns jumping from Sophie's narrative in the past, and Tash's narrative in the present. As Sophie's timeline edges closer and closer to her death, we get more and more information about what happened. And as Tash gets closer and closer to the truth, she begins to question who she can really trust, especially after getting anonymous threats. The people in Tash's friend group are not exactly as clean and friendly as they seem, and one or more (ALL) of them are hiding dark secrets. Will Tash be able to get to the bottom of Sophie's death before it's too late?

I love the characters in this book, and the plot kept me interested. I enjoyed the dichotomy between Tash and Sophie's narratives, and the slow countdown to Sophie's death and reveal of the truth made me very anxious. I will definitely be recommending this one to my book club!

Thrillers are a go to genre for me. A thriller with some well off women who've formed a group and a new mom trying to find her way and the drama that comes with it only makes it better!

A young woman is dead, police say she fell and drowned. Her mother says she was murdered. She asks a reporter to investigate. The reporter is that new mother trying to fit in. And the dead woman has a possible link to said mom gang. The more she investigates, the more she (and me as the reader) didn't know who to trust!

I loved the dual timeline, which enhanced the suspense for me. And twists which kept me guessing until it was all wrapped up at the end was a bonus.

This is my second book by Faulkner and I will be looking forward to more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a hard read from the beginning and never could get into it. Will not be recommending.. I only gave it two stars and that was even hard to do.