This book had me hooked and guessing until the very end.
Great female characters, both likable and unlikable.
Really enjoyed this and how it all came together in the end.

Does murder run in the family? The premises is so intriguing you will be going full throttle to get through the pages. The intricately weaved mystery is fast paced and the characters are shady. I didn't know what to believe.

I think it's time to just call it. I LOVE a morally grey female vigilante. Some of my fave books centre around this trope and this one is right up there with its three generations of Miller Women, all with a deadly secret to hide.

The story is broken up into parts, spanning across multiple timelines and told through the voices of the three the Miller Women, Nicola, Abby and Joyce. I think this setup was very effective in giving the reader access into each woman's mind and their precarious past. Some scenes may be a bit hard to read (trigger warning: SA), but I was well and truly invested in where it was all leading.

To quote my book sweetie, @mimireadsbooks, "This book has more twists than a pretzel" 🥨 Yes, some were predicted, which honestly, I don't mind because they distracted me from the well-planned ’oh sh1t' moments.

I would love to see The Miller Women return again in the future.

Thank you to @harpercollinsaustralia and @netgalley for the eARC of The Miller Women. Kelli Hawkins is an auto buy author for me, so I was super excited to get accepted on this one.

Also, the audio of this is phenomenal, so if that is your jam, I highly recommend it.

Three generations of women, each nursing their own secrets, worried about each other. Is it normal mother/daughter relationships and growing pains or is there something more sinister at play here.
Cleverly crafted at times it felt like there was too much going on and it diluted the final storylines. The bond between family, however stayed strong right through to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy

I enjoyed this book by Hawkins which unfolds in a couple of timelines. It's predominantly in the present at which time a teenage girl goes missing. She's a frenemy (of sorts) of Nicola's daughter Abby. Her partner (who isn't Abby's father), Lee, is a police officer and leading the investigation into Cara's disappearance. Usually tight-lipped about his work Lee lets slip that Cara left her phone and wallet behind so it's unlikely she left of her own volition.

Nicola seems worried about any potential involvement her daughter had in Cara's disappearance... which seems weird and very distrustful until we learn more about Abby's father. There was an incident in the past also - involving Abby, Cara and another girl - one that's been hushed-up that gives Nicola cause to worry.

We dip back into the past to the time when Nicola takes a gap year after school to travel overseas. The trip doesn't go as planned and upends her life. Fortunately her mother, who also raised Nicola alone, is a stalwart, supporting her daughter (and granddaughter now) no matter what. (Hence the book's title.)

We also travel into the recent past to Cara's arrival at Abby's school and the pair reconnecting after many years.

I enjoyed where Hawkins takes this book which is laden with family secrets. There are multiple misdirections and, given we become somewhat invested in some of the characters, readers may worry they will be faced with an ethical dilemma or two (which we ultimately are).

This is another great read by Hawkins, following on from her previous three novels - <a href="https://www.debbish.com/books-literature/authors/kelli-hawkins/">all solid 4 star reads for me.</a>

The Miller Women is my second Kelli Hawkens book and like the first, this one did not disappoint! Set in the small fictional town of Arundal, Australia, we follow three generations of the Miller family, each with their own stories (and secrets) to tell. These begin to rear their heads when Clara Ross, a year 12 student goes missing and The Miller Women must come together to figure out what happened to her.

This book is split into parts, each telling the story of a separate Miller women with a final part bringing the story together as a whole. By doing this, the character's were really expanded on and had a lot of depth to them which I not always common in thrillers. I think Nicola's story (Abby's mum and Joyce's daughter) was done the best and one I could relate to the most. I also really liked how this story was told in first person so you really felt connected to the characters more. I also did not predict where this story was going and I was pleasantly surprised at the ending.

It is also important to not that this is not a who done it novel but rather a gripping thriller of secrets and lies, with a little mystery on the side. Because of this, I felt like some aspects of the main plot (Clara's disappearance) were brushed over and not explained in a depth I personally would have liked. I also didn't like how this book didn't have chapters. While the book was well split up within the parts (i.e. Flash backs then to present day), I just love chapters personally as they provide a good spotting point. However, I understand why this book lacked them.

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this one to review. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be reading more of Hawkens books in the future.

Kelli Hawkins' books are always fantastic so I knew I was going to love The Miller Women. Following three generations of women - Joyce, Nicola and Abby, we are treated to each of their POvs one at a time where we get to know their specific story. They each have something to hide and when Abby's friend, Cara, goes missing, each of their secrets come pouring out during the search process.

I binged through this book. It was so addictive, I had a hard time putting it down. If you like your thrillers dark and twisted, you need to add this one to your list!

Three generations of women who have secrets. BIG secrets.

I like how the story is told in first person perspectives for each of the women. It really adds to the experience when the multiple viewpoints are written so well you feel like you are in the mindset of the character. The flashbacks are done well and draw you into the story.

I thought it was going to be a ‘typical’ psychological thriller, but I was glad to be wrong. It is a lot darker and cleverer than I was expecting.

This book is domestic noir done well. The story is compelling and twisted and you want to read it and I don’t think any of the final twists/resolutions disappointed me or seemed too fantastical to be true.

The Miller Women is a psychological thriller, set in the fictional town of Arundal, somewhere on the New South Wales Central Coast and, as you’d expect, centres around the Miller family. In particular, we’re introduced to three generations of women, all of whom are hiding secrets from their past. It’s imperative for each of them that the truth doesn’t come out. But this is made particularly difficult when the town is rocked by the disappearance of one of the local young women.

Cara Ross, a Year 12 schoolmate of Abby Miller’s, has disappeared from her home. When she hears of the disappearance, Nicola Miller, Abby’s mother, immediately wonders if Abby had something to do with it. On the surface, this seems to be a strange first thought for a mother to have, but it speaks volumes about each of the women involved here.

The story is broken into three parts, each told from the first person perspective and is effective in providing us with necessary backstory as well as a deeper understanding of each Miller woman.

To kick things off we get taken into the mind of Nicola Miller and almost immediately there’s a suggestion that she’s carrying a secret that has to do with her daughter, Abby’s, father. Flashbacks to her younger days, when she’s taking a gap year in Canada, gradually clarifies the secret.

Part 2 is told from Abby’s perspective. The story is taken up from the start of her final year of school where she’s shocked to find that Cara Ross has joined the school. Abby and Cara know one another from years earlier when they holidayed together. As it happens, something took place on that holiday, a shocking event that both girls would prefer to remain a secret.

Joyce, Nicola’s mother and Abby’s grandmother is the first person perspective that we follow in Part 3. This quiet, unassuming woman who appears to be the glue who holds the entire community together also has a rather dark past and, when it’s slowly revealed the entire story starts to come together in shocking fashion.

There are some great twists in this fabulous psychological thriller that starts off looking very much like a missing person case before turning into something far more edgy. Using three separate first person perspectives to gradually uncover closely guarded truths provides us with deep insight into the psyches of the three main characters and tells us far more than you can possibly imagine about the missing Cara.

This is a thriller stacked with dark themes.There are some serious questions being asked regarding the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. The moral quandaries dealt with are very real and the way they were dealt with are divisive. And all of that makes it a very successful and thought-provoking thriller indeed. It’ll probably make you squirm, it certainly made me squirm as I closed the book on the last page.

My thanks to HarperCollins Australia via NetGalley for a digital ARC that enabled me to read, enjoy and review this book.

his book is riveting from the first page when Nicola, a journalist in a small town, learns that her daughter’s friend Cara is missing. She starts to wonder who is involved. Could it be Cara’s odd evangelical parents? Her schoolteacher? Could it even be anything to do with her daughter Abby.

As Nicola tries to investigate, her thoughts turn to her dark past and an episode in Canada when she was very young. This is a terrible secret that still haunts her. She wonders if Abby shares her worst traits.

This is brilliantly written from the points of view of Nicola, her daughter Abby, and Nicola’s mother. It’s certainly a good psychological thriller. However, I skimmed parts of it because it was just too dark and miserable for me, especially at this time of my life. I prefer cosy mysteries! Also, I didn’t like the digs directed at Christianity in the book. I preferred Other People’s Houses, which I found somewhat lighter, although still quite dark.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Oooh, now this is how you write a modern twisty thriller.

There’s three generations of Miller women -- Joyce, Nicola and Abby. The story starts with Cara, a school friend of Abby’s going missing. Nicola has always wanted to write a piece of hard hitting investigative journalism, as opposed to the puff pieces she currently writes for the local newspaper, and thus starts to question some of the key suspects. Soon, she realises one of these suspects could be her own daughter, Abby.

Woven through this present-day mystery are flashbacks featuring the three Miller girls. I loved all these, not one B plot was boring. Things only got twistier and twistier with each reveal.

I absolutely adored all three characters and sped through the last quarter of this book to find out all the finer details and just how Hawkins would resolve it all. Unlike a lot of other books of this genre, I was not disappointed with any of the final twists. This book was great from beginning to end.

Read it now, early, to avoid spoilers.

5 out of 5

3.5 stars

The Miller Women is a psychological thriller that focuses on three generations of women in the one family - the Milllers. Each of these women, from high school student Abby, to her grandmother, Joyce, carry secrets. Secrets that both weigh them down but have also given them freedom.

But how long do secrets really stay secret? That is one of the burning questions in this book.

And the book has another major focus, the disappearance of high school student, Cara. Rumours bubble to the surface and fingers point here and there, but we see this through the eyes of our Miller women, as they start to tell us the secrets from their past and how that links into the present. It was interesting, how the mystery of Cara's disappearance drives this story, but yet the story is more about the secrets that each of the Miller women hold and how Cara's disappearance is impacting on their lives. If felt like I was reading a crime novel and the crime was secondary to the main plot. But it worked. It really did work, and that's down to two things. The characters, mainly Joyce, Nicola, and Abby, and the slow revelation of secrets, be they decades in the past or only days or weeks old.

This book will also challenge you to consider if the actions of the characters are justified or evil. If a line is crossed, should you feel empathy or should you find them repulsive? Does the end always justify the means? It's an interesting thought, but one you probably can't run away from when reading this book. There are many terrible things that happen to people in this book. It probes these issues, sometimes with brute force and sometimes more carefully, but the method for each appears carefully considered and well handled.

A twisty psychological thriller that will satisfy man readers.

Link to video review will be shared soon.

I liked…I liked…I liked this one!! I can’t help it, I truly like great thrilling stories with lots of secrets to unravel and this book was one of them. The characters were great and I loved their backstories. there were a lot of moments when I thought I figured it out, but then new secrets came to light. Don't you love psychological thrillers?! I enjoyed the twists and turns and they kept me turning the pages. A must-read for Thriller lovers!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Harper Collins Australia for this ARC.

Having read and not enjoyed Kelli Hawkins book 'Apartment 303' I was curious to give her another go and I can say I enjoyed this one much more. This is a different kind of psychological suspense and one that had me guessing to the end. It is intriguing in a way that makes you feel for Nicola and what she has been through. I can't go into detail as it would give it away but I can say it is a story that will make you think, guess and rethink what you might have already thought.

The Three Miller Women make this story what it is as they are intriguing women, they are strong in some ways but still have their weaknesses. It is a story that builds along the way and it gives you a great insight into each of the three women in the story. I love the way they each have their story to tell and then the all come together in the end. There are twists and turns you may not see coming and this is what keeps the story interesting.

So my thoughts on this author have improved greatly and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Kelli Hawkins in back in spectacular fashion with her latest offering The Miller Women. Three generations of women, old and young that hold a world of secrets between them. The Miller Women was one I found hard to put down, it was gripping from the first page and had me under its spell by the end of the first paragraph.

Just when you think you know someone this story takes another twist only to leave you yet again doubting everything you thought was true. I threw myself into the story and rode the waves as they kept crashing down smashing my thought train to pieces. Another ripper read to keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for an engaging, twisted and sometimes jaw dropping thriller, look no further.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this early reading copy I thoroughly enjoyed it. Four big stars from me!