When Jen's daughter Alex's body is found in the river it is ruled a suicide even though Alex was terrified of water and would never willingly have entered the river. But no one is listening to her mother.

Not even her ex-best friend Lia, who should be able to put aside their differences at a time like this. But maybe Lia has something of her own to hide. Because why would Alex be messaging with her shortly before her death?

This is a gripping thriller that keeps the reader guessing throughout. Worth checking out for anyone who loves mysteries with twists,

One of the most unsettling thrillers I have ever read. The terrible characters made it more wild. Yet I couldn’t put it down. There are some very dark topics in this book but it was definitely worth the read. I did not see the ending coming.

This story is layered with emotion which creates an intense journey, steeped in mystery and tragedy. I was especially drawn to how Dunne built suspense through early foreshadowing and the dynamic relationships that were not just between the parents, but also among their children. That said, I found it difficult to feel any sympathy for Lia Higgins and her family. As the story unfolds and we learn more about the events that shaped Lia and her children’s behavior, it becomes clearer why they commit such disturbing acts. Despite understanding their trauma, I found it impossible to truly root for Lia. I hoped for a better outcome for Alex, and I was left wishing her fate had been different.

*Thank you to Michelle Dunne, Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

I was not expecting this book to be one of my favorites of the year. I haven't read this author prior to this book so it was a pleasant surprise. Fast paced, twisted, and absolutely gripping.

A new author for me but I will certainly be looking out for more books from her. This was a fast-paced, book that I just couldn't put down.
Definitely recommended and 5 stars
Many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

I am sorry it took me so long to post this. I had to think about the book and process it and I got stuck on the whole friendship fallout over a man but then you live next door to that same couple.
But it is how a story becomes a story. Weird stuff has to happen.

This was okay. I will definitely read the next book by this author.

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne needs to be on your tbr. The suspense is high, the book was hard to put down, and the tists? You won't believe it even though you are reading it with your own eyes. Pick this book up today.

Michelle Dunne's A Good Mother is a gripping, emotional page-turner that unravels a devastating truth through the eyes of two mothers and their daughters. Jen's world shatters when her daughter, Alex Blake, a lifelong aquaphobe, is found drowned in a river, ruled a suicide by the police. Jen instantly knows they're wrong. How could Alex, who nearly drowned at five, take her own life in water?

But no one will listen to a grieving mother. The police are dismissive, her husband believes she's in denial, and even their seemingly supportive neighbors, the Higgins family, urge her to accept the official story. Yet, a nagging suspicion persists. Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen's former best friend, on the day she died? And why is Lia now so desperate to silence Jen's questions?

As Jen digs deeper into the seemingly perfect family next door, she uncovers a web of dangerous secrets Alex was keeping. Someone knows what truly happened to her daughter, and they are relentlessly determined to prevent Jen from uncovering the truth. A Good Mother is a breathtaking exploration of motherhood, friendship, and betrayal, guaranteed to keep you up all night as Jen fights to expose a killer lurking closer than she ever imagined.

Michelle Dunne’s A Good Mother starts off with promise, pulling readers into the layered lives of Jen and her family and neighbors. At first glance, the characters feel authentic—Jen, a mother stretched thin between financial stress and her teenage daughter Alex; Lia, her estranged high school best friend turned neighbor; and the younger children, Willow and Simon, who share a close bond with Alex. The groundwork is laid for an emotionally complex domestic drama with hints of suspense.
The early chapters build tension effectively. We get glimpses into the fraying threads of Jen’s marriage and the painful distance growing between her and Alex, who is navigating adolescence largely on her own. The dynamic between the once-close friends Jen and Lia adds another layer of intrigue, suggesting unresolved conflict and missed opportunities.
However, after a tragic event shakes their quiet neighborhood, the novel loses some of the realism and nuance that made the beginning so strong. The characters, who initially seemed relatable and well-developed, begin to feel more like stereotypes—especially as the plot leans into melodrama rather than emotional depth. Their decisions often stretch believability, and by the final chapters, the compelling character-driven drama gives way to a less satisfying resolution.
While Dunne’s writing style is accessible and the pacing moves briskly, the second half doesn't live up to the promise of the beginning. Still, A Good Mother offers a readable experience with moments of insight about motherhood, friendship, and resilience—just don’t expect the emotional payoff the setup seems to promise.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I lost interest when the teenager was interested in her girlfriend. I'm not interested in lesbian stories.

I am truly in the minority with this one, it just didn't stand out to me. It was just okay, nothing spectacular, a little long and slow for my liking. There were some deep themes and some good parts, but overall it just didnt do it for me.

Michelle Dunne is an author I discovered thanks to NetGalley and this is the second novel of hers that I have read. 'A Good Mother' is a hard hitting domestic thriller which covers some difficult topics including domestic abuse and bullying carried out by some despicable characters.

Jen Blake and Lia Higgins have known each other for years and were once very close. Their children are still best friends having grown up together, but suddenly it seems something has come between them. Tragedy occurs and as the narrative progresses the tension and anxiety grow.

This is not an easy read but a worthwhile one. Especially if it does nothing more than make you realise we should make time to listen to the ones we love. With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author.

Alex Blake was terrified of water, and had been since she nearly drowned at age five. So when police find her body in the river and rule it a suicide, her mother, Jen knows they're wrong. But no one will listen to a grieving mother.

This is a well written, gripping, fast paced domestic thriller with enough red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing until the end. I raced through it in two days and as a new author to me I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Highly recommended!

A Good Mother is the story of two women, Lia and Jen who were once inseparable friends, and their children Alex and Willow, now best friends in high school. When Alex is found dead from drowning Jen refuses to believe that it was by suicide as her daughter was petrified of water. As she tries to navigate the truth a whole lot of past secrets come to light. The narrative includes some triggers e.g domestic violence, but, as a psychological thriller, A Good Mother is well plotted and suspenseful right up to the very end. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book: A Good Mother
Author: Michelle Dunne
Published: April 19th, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.3/5)
Review:
Wasn't quite what I was expecting, but overall a decent read. Some content in this could be triggering to some. Multiple POV's. I loved how every character's pov chapters had a strong voice. You could feel the emotions coming off the pages as you read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, & the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

**Apologies for the late review as I was going through a difficult time and took some time for myself.**

Oh, this book here!
I read another book by the author a while ago and I was absolutely sure I’m going to be reading her next one as soon as it comes out. And oh my. This one was even more gripping than the previous one, and the level of gut-wrenching with this one was off the charts.
Unsettling, deeply disturbing. It will stay with you long after you are done reading it. it will live rent-free in your head for quite some time.

My Rating 3.5*

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne published April 29th with Storm Publishing and is described as ‘a breathtaking, stay-up-all-night emotional page-turner about motherhood, friendship and betrayal.' With a shocking opening scene, Michelle Dunne takes the reader on a very affecting journey. Set in Cork A Good Mother delves into every parents worst nightmare when a teenage girl is dead, drowned and dragged from the water as a suspected suicide.

Jen Blake is the mother in this tragic tale. Her daughter Alex, had been struggling a little in recent times but at no point had Jan ever considered her life in danger. Jen and her husband, Dale, were in financial straits. When Dale lost his management job, their circumstances took a turn for the worst and Jen had to go back to work full time. No longer available for her daughter as before, Jen was riddled with guilt as she constantly rushed around the place trying to juggle multiple balls simultaneously.

Jen’s neighbour Lia Higgins, meanwhile, has the perfect life with two children and a husband with political ambition. Lia kept herself fit and trim, was always available for her family and to the school, and was the model homemaker and wife. Jen and Lia had once been best friends but now Jen envied Lia and her perfect life. As she lived in a constant state of anxiety, Lia seemed to float through life without much of a care in the world.

Following Alex’s tragic death, Jen begins to have her suspicions that there were others involved. Alex had a mortal fear of water and Jen’s motherly instincts tell her that there is no way Alex would have willingly drowned herself in a bid to end it all. The police are very vague in their response to Jen’s pleading but she is relentless in her quest to uncover the truth. She may have failed Alex in life but she will not fail her in death.

As the layers are peeled back, Jen starts to make some uncomfortable discoveries, many that add to her already overflowing guilt, but also ones that chill her to the bone. What really happened to Alex the day she went missing and who knows the truth?

A Good Mother is a harrowing story, one that highlights many difficult (and possibly triggering) themes such as bullying, obsession, violence and fractured family dynamics. As Jen’s world collapses she somehow finds the strength to poke under the skin and pull back the veneer. She had not been aware of the finer details of Alex’s life and as the hurt is exposed Jen’s life is thrown off balance. How could she have missed the signs? What kind of a mother was she? Jen’s life was not the one she had planned for herself. The hectic nature of her days, the dismissal of her daughter’s needs now all replay in her head as she navigates through the secrets and lies to uncover the darkness beneath.

Tackling multiple sensitive themes, Michelle Dunne doesn’t over simplify any particular issue and doesn’t shy away from the more uncomfortable scenes. A dark and disconcerting tale, A Good Mother is an emotionally bruising and, at times, unsettling read that is unfortunately all too relevant today.

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Very different from this author’s other book ‘the maid’ but equally as captivating. This is a story that is not only a mystery but is also gut wrenching and shocking in its portrayal of domestic violence, and adolescents struggling with sexuality, bullying and basic friendships. Kept me clicking next page into the late night because it was hard to put down

This was my first read by Michelle Dunne. I enjoyed it. It has suspense, speculation and a big reveal. This book follows two mothers, Lia and Jen, who are both trying to protect their children for drastically different reasons. This book does have a TW, however, due to domestic abuse. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read! Thank you for the opportunity!

Jen and Lia were once best friends and although their friendship hasn't been the same for years, their daughters are close. However, when the body of Jen's daughter Alex is found in the local river, she can't believe her daughter died by suicide - Alex was terrified of water so she would never have chosen to die this way. Despite everyone wanting her to accept the truth, Jen starts digging for answers. What she finds out is that everyone has secrets and some will do anything to keep the truth from coming out.

An unsettling psychological thriller about 2 families whose lives are closely linked. One family seems to have the perfect life while the other is struggling on many levels; however, appearances can be deceiving. There are some particularly unlikeable characters in this story and quite a few twists to keep you wondering whether Jen is a grieving mother who can't accept the truth about her child's death or whether something else is at play. There are some difficult themes covered including bullying, assault and domestic abuse. Ultimately, a story about what someone will do to protect their family, no matter what. The tension build-up throughout the book was gripping but I felt the ending was a little extreme to be completely believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.