This is my first book by this author, and it definitely won't be my last! I was drawn in immediately by the story of the mysterious deaths in the neighborhood, and didn't want to stop reading, especially the more I got into it. The neighborhood drama is enough to keep readers engaged, but all the circumstances surrounding switching of houses and family members is even more of a reason to want to not only get to the end to find out what happens, but also not want the story to end because it was such a great one from page one.

After the End by Barbara Abel had all the ingredients for a compelling psychological thriller: a dark family dynamic, a tragic accident, and a slow unraveling of trust and guilt. While the premise definitely caught my attention, the execution didn’t quite land for me.

The story centers around two families connected by friendship, whose lives are shattered after a heartbreaking accident involving their children. The emotional weight is there, and the setup for moral ambiguity and secrets is strong, but the pacing felt uneven, and I struggled to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

There were moments of tension and intrigue, and I appreciated the exploration of how grief and guilt can twist even the closest of relationships. However, the plot felt a bit drawn out in places, and some of the emotional beats didn’t quite resonate the way I hoped they would.

That said, the book absolutely had potential, and readers who enjoy slower-burn domestic dramas may still appreciate the layered themes and moral questions it raises. It just wasn’t quite the right fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I lovedddd <i>Mother’s Instinct</i> a few years ago, it was a perfectly tense, dark, and compulsive psychological thriller that i recommend a lot for fans of the genre.
This serves as a solid sequel (definitely don’t read this as a standalone because you’ll miss much needed context), we jump about a decade after the events of the first book and follow the same family as they get new neighbors and old habits start to creep in. I don’t wanna say too much about the story because it would spoil the first book, but it was a pretty worthy follow-up. It still took dark turns and was a quick read but it missed some of the character focus of the first book and i was a little underwhelmed by the ending.

Highly recommend reading the first book before reading this one. It's a good, quick read and worth it to not miss the intricacies of the backstory. While you could read it as a standalone, you'd be doing yourself a disservice.

This was a great book two! Another decently fast read, a page turner from the very start. It's intense and twisty from start to finish. I would have loved a bit of tying up at the end but hopefully that means a book three!

3.75 ⭐️

“After the End” was a devastatingly intimate portrayal of how grief can destroy even the strongest bonds. I really enjoyed Barbara Abel’s sequel to “Mothers’ Instinct”. Abel’s sharp insight into human emotion made this slow burn unraveling story feel painfully real. Rather than focusing on plot twists, this narrative was more about its emotional impact. Equally alluring was the psychological depth & characterization. I appreciated how Abel placed ordinary people in disturbing circumstances. She had a way of creating a subtle yet powerful sense of unease. The story immediately grabbed my attention by the slow burn atmospheric oppressive tone and the characters all had likable attributes which had me invested in how their stories transpired.

“After the End” was a compelling psychological follow-up to “Mothers’ Instinct”. Although “After the End” wasn’t as fast paced nor was it rooted in tension, as it’s predecessor, it was an emotionally complex, slow-burning character study that explored long-term trauma, resentment, and moral collapse. I appreciated how Abel offered a deeper and more reflective story. It portrayed a subtly layered emotional portrait of grief and examined vengeance and deterioration with more psychological realism.

Despite the notable elements Abel presented in “After the End”, there were some drawbacks. The pacing was slow at times in addition to the repetitive emotional shifts and less dramatic action. Regardless of these minor flaws, I was fully engaged and satisfied having read “After the End”.

It’s important to note that “After the End” can be read as a standalone, however, together a “Mothers’ Instinct” and “After the End” formed powerful companion novels. Also together they explored the before and after of a tragedy making for a more impactful read when read in sequence. I’d recommend “Mothers’ Instinct” and “After the End” for domestic noir enthusiasts who are intrigued by friendships-turned-enemies, family secrets, and emotional warfare in suburban settings, and those who prefer realism who don’t require a neat resolution and are comfortable with ambiguous endings.

Thank you Net Galley and HarperVia for an advance copy in exchange for my review.

What in the chaos just happened? This book picks up 8 years after A Mother’s Instinct ends, so you have to read that first for the background. It’s clear that Tiphaine needs some sort of mental health support, and I don’t even know what to say about Nora. This was definitely a page turner but it was just SO chaotic. And the epilogue could have given more because it felt like an abrupt ending. Was that to set up for a third in the series? Maybe!

This book I could not put down loved it from beginning to end. I would highly recommend!! This isn't like something ie read before.

Thank you Netgalley for this free ARC! This book was written in the third person and started off overly proper for me. It seemed a bit dated at first , but really picked up and turned into a modern storyline. A very good storyline… lots of twists and turns and great psychological fiction. Characterization was in depth and the writing flowed. Very enjoyable and entertaining novel!

This book was a good suspense novel with a slow build up to a dramatic but somewhat rushed end. However, I didn't realize until afterwards that my was a sequel and feel I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book. It would have given me more of an attachment to the characters. Do yourself a favor and read in the proper order, then I think you will enjoy this book.

After reading Mothers' Instinct I could not wait to read this and Barbara Abel did not disappoint, 5 stars! Thank you NetGalley and HarperVia for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this book was well written and had twist and turns I didn't see coming until the end. The beginning of the book makes it clear something is going to happen and I love that the reader finds out what happened just a few pages from the end. The characters were very believable and I feel for all of them in the circumstances they had been through. Great Book!

Great read! Did take me a little bit to get into the book but definitely worth sticking it out! Did have some twist I did not expect!

I had not read the book that it was connected to. Need to read the first book I order to understand better. I didn't realize this before reading. Still really enjoyed the writing. Really cool thriller.

This book was difficult to read due to storyline of lies, deception, and tragedy. The ending was unexpected but yet followed the strange scene of events from the beginning.

A medium-pased, tense mystery with good character development. I was intrigued by this story and kept guessing as to what the end would be. Enjoyed it quite a bit, but the ending felt rushed and the epilogue left some things unclear. A few loose-ends, which would only have taken a few chapters to wrap up.

Thanks to NetGallery for this Arc


Overall I thought the book was slow and not much as a thriller/suspenseful as I had hoped for

After the End
by Barbara Abel
Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
In this riveting domestic thriller, a standalone sequel to Mothers’ Instinct, a recent divorcée and her two children befriend their new neighbors, only to realize there's something dangerously unsettling about the couple next door.
After the End is the follow up novel to Abel's book, Mothers' Instinct. This book can not be read as a stand alone. I strongly recommend reading Mothers' Instinct first in order to understand the character dynamics.
This was, like the first novel, exceptionally well written. An edge of your seat, can't look away, page-turner. This is what I want and expect from a psychological thriller.

The very end was a stumble in my opinion. I don't often say a book needs an epilogue but I would have liked a little more closure for these characters.

Creepy neighbors, hidden secrets, and a mother’s worst fears.. Dark and addictive, it follows Nora’s fresh start as it unravels into something far more sinister. The slow-build tension and psychological twists kept me hooked, even if a few moments felt predictable. Still, it’s a chilling reminder that you never really know your neighbors.

After the End is a suspenseful book that keeps the reader on edge right up until the end. The book is centered around Nora as she moves into a new house with her two children. She meets the neighbors, the Geniots, There are some hints that something dark and tragic happened with the Genoits in the past. The reader is given enough clues to want to keep reading, but not enough to spoil the ending. I like the author’s writing style and will definitely be tracking down her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book.

Slow burn to a suspenseful twisty-ending! Really fun character building with the 40 something Mom's, busy husbands and loathing teens- I was right there in my feels. Lots of sneaky snippets that keep leading you to think you know what is coming, but you will not guess it! Well written and a fast read that is great for a cozy weekend mystery!