Whew, this was one wild ride!
This was a story about the lengths a mother will go to for her child. I love how Jen never gave up on getting justice for her daughter. Not once did she back down or have any doubts in her belief that Alex was murdered. This story is mainly told from the pov of Jen and her neighbor and once friend Lia. I felt so bad for Lia’s situation, and kept rooting for her the entire time. The twist at the end I somewhat saw coming, but it did not detract from my complete immersion in this heartbreaking story. I am now going to see what other books this author wrote, because I want more! She nabbed me with this one, hook, line and sinker.

The book focuses on friendship, adolescence, bullying, domestic violence, and lies. A lot of lies. The story is sad, very sad. Reading it is also a learning experience. Social media and adolescence can be a dangerous combination. Are parents capable of dealing with this combination? Is school capable of helping parents? Or, are just the opposite: parents will set rules and help the school!

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley to review.

This book dives deep into the complexities of friendship, betrayal, and the dark consequences of choosing the wrong people. At its core, it's a story about two women who were once inseparable—until one made the devastating choice to side with her abusive partner, turning her back on the person who always had her best interests at heart.

Years later, their broken friendship casts a long shadow. The abuser’s son becomes a cruel bully, targeting the daughter of their neighbor, who was once close to his mom Lia. What makes it worse—and far more chilling—is that the mother tries to cover up her son’s actions, tangled in guilt, denial, and the wreckage of her own past.

The book is full of twists and layers of secrets, with characters hiding behind lies, manipulating the truth, and playing subtle games of social politics. It paints a picture of how far people will go to protect themselves—or the illusions they’ve built.

While the plot kept me turning the pages, it was slightly predictable at times. I often found myself guessing the next big reveal just a chapter or two in advance. Still, the emotional depth and moral complexity of the story made it compelling.

My only real wish is that the author had spent more time developing the dynamic between the children. There was such rich potential there—especially in understanding the emotional toll on the victim.

Overall, a gripping read with emotional weight and strong themes of loyalty, deception, and the cost of silence.

What a powerful read, drawing you in from the very first page with the meticulously described tragedy, followed by a flashback detailing the events leading up to, then beyond this event.

To say it is emotionally tense would be an understatement, so real is the portrayal of Jen’s intense grief, both realistic and raw.

It is difficult to write a review without giving any spoilers, this book is both necessary and vital at this moment, highlighting so many issues surrounding young people. Michelle Dunne is not afraid of highlighting the world our kids face: the bullying, the coercion, social media pressures, friendships, parental pressures and the fear of being yourself. And it is not only youngsters in this book who face dark issues, be prepared for a rollercoaster ride! The characters portray this reality startlingly well, unsettlingly so.

The settings transport you to witness the action so clearly, sometimes uncomfortably so.

I was mesmerised unraveling the secrets behind the broken friendship of Lia and Jen, the characterisation defined so clearly.

The title is so appropriate, what lengths do mothers go to for their children? The book is dark, the feelings are visceral and the pace is fast, but is it fast enough for Jen, the grieving mother?

All these factors contribute to a hauntingly brilliant read.

Release Date: Friday, April 29



HOLY COW — A Good Mother was absolutely AMAZING! I literally could not put it down. Michelle Dunne completely hooked me from the very first page.


The story is told through multiple characters’ points of view, and the transitions between them were so seamless that I never once felt lost or confused. I always knew exactly whose perspective I was reading, which made the pacing even more gripping.


And the ending? My jaw was on the floor. Dunne masterfully builds tension and delivers twists that you do not see coming.


If you don’t already have A Good Mother on your TBR, you NEED to add it immediately. It’s an unforgettable, edge-of-your-seat read that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

** Huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC before its publication date!

This is a well written and tightly plotted book which I really enjoyed. The prologue is dramatic as a distraught mother watches as the lifeless body of her daughter is pulled from the water - a water that held a terrifying fear for her only child. The story regresses and we get to know more about the family and their neighbours, particularly the twins who were best friends with the daughter. There is bad blood between the parents and one father is particularly unpleasant. I’m not going to give away the story but this book kept me guessing until the end.

Alex is terrified of water so when the police find her body in the river, they rule it a suicide but her mother knows it wasn't. no one will listen to her

A slow start I thought, felt like it was going to be a boring read. Then it livened up and I found it hard to put down! It is the story of Alex, a teenager, who has grown apart from her parents as they have had to increase their working hours. She is best friend with her mother's ex best friend's twin daughter Willow and by default her twin brother. Alex is struggling with her sexuality especially with her best friend, and Simon the brother is struggling with his feelings for Alex and things come to a head at the twins' birthday party. The mother of the twins, Lia, steps in to try to protect her son while protecting herself in an abusive relationship which is alluded to throughout. Alex's mother really struggles with her working mother guilt, as she has no choice about longer working hours etc. There are a lot of themes within the book that keep it moving along well. I will look out for more from this author.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

A Good Mother is an emotional, fast-paced domestic thriller that pulled me in from the very first page — I ended up reading it in one sitting. The story explores the devastating ripple effects of loss, layered with timely themes like social media pressure and bullying.

I really felt for Jen, the mother who refuses to accept the official story surrounding her daughter's death. Her grief and determination were portrayed so powerfully, and the tension kept building as secrets unraveled. The mystery had me hooked, and the gut-wrenching truth that eventually comes out made this book stick with me long after I finished it.

If you enjoy thrillers with emotional depth and strong character-driven plots, this one’s worth picking up.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne and NetGalley for this e-ARC to read and review!

A Good Mother
by Michelle Dunne
Pub Date: Apr 29 2025

I can't say enough about A Good Mother! This book has it all, a psychological domestic thriller, a terrible tale of the consequences of bullying that ended with a very heart wrenching outcome. I think all mothers need to read this book if only to pay more attention to your children, don't take anything for granted.

Congratulations to author Michelle Dunne for writing such a great story! My rating would be over 5 stars if it was possible!

Synopsis: Two mothers. Two daughters. One devastating truth. 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.

Many, many thanks to #AGoodMother #NetGalley #StormPublishing for providing me the opportunity of reading an E-ARC of this fabulous 5 star book.

This book started at 75 MPH in the fast line.

Families are complex. When you take former best friends who are now raising their children across the street from one another, the secrets start to emerge, especially after one of the teenagers is found dead.

While fiction, it’s nearly unfathomable to think that this story line could be true. The worst part of it all, is that it definitely could be, especially in 2025.

The ending seemed to be a quick drop off, but the more I ruminated on it, the more it felt oddly perfect with the story.

Difficult & realistic topics in with this one — Rape, abuse, coercive control, death, suicide, bullying, eating disorder.

PS: Of course his name is Jay 🙄

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of A Good Mother.
I look forward to reading more of Michelle Dunne’s writings.

What lengths will a mother go to, to protect their child? What lengths will a wife go to, to protect their marriage? Jen & Lia were childhood friends but not anymore. Now their 3 children are friends until something goes wrong and tragedy strikes. But behind the perfect facade, Lua is hiding something while Jen struggles to keep her head above water. A dark story about friendship, loyalty & betrayal. A gripping read. Thanks to the publisher & author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of A Good Mother.

Jen and Lia used to be best friends in hight school. Now their daughters Alex and Willow are best friends. Alex has always been scared of the water so when her body is found in the river they rule it a suicide but her mother Jen does not believe that she thinks something more sinister took place.

This book tried to tackle serious topics but failed in my opinion. The way they handled and talked about them was all wrong. I was not a fan.

Jen is such a strongly written nmother that your heart breaks for her at every step of her deliving into the loss of her daughter, from the odd dynamics within the neighbouring family, the faltering friendships in the teens, the bitchiness of cliques in school, everything is so well described, with characters that bring those tangled lies to life.

This was a fast paced easy read suspense novel. I was captivated from the get go! There is one steadfast rule- Trust No One (Especially Men). There is a couple hard topics but they're central to the plot. In the end you find a mother's love knows no bounds and will protect her child to the very end, even after her child is gone. I related so much to the FMC and was screaming when everyone negated her. A mother knows. Through and through. Overall it is a great quick read, and perfect for any thriller reader.

“A Good Mother” - Michelle Dunne

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A Good Mother” follows the lives of two mother’s who grew up together and were best friends throughout high school, but unfortunately grew apart when one is the friends chose to follow a path that would lead to pain, suffering, and even death of a child almost 20 years later. The novel displays bullying, domestic violence, mental health, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, death, and grief.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the eARC of Michelle Dunne “A Good Mother.”

Alex Blake was terrified of water, 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. The police dismiss her. Her husband thinks she’s in denial. Even their neighbours, the Higgins family, urge her to accept the truth and move on. But something isn’t right. Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen’s former best friend, the day she died? And why is Lia now so desperate to shut down Jen’s questions?

The more Jen digs into the perfect family next door, the more she realises Alex was keeping secrets. Dangerous ones. Someone knows what really happened to her daughter. And they’re determined to keep Jen from uncovering the truth.

Wow. From the first page to the last. Wow. Lots of potentially triggering issues here (sensitive readers beware), but this was so good. I couldn't put it down from the minute I sat down with it. Highly highly recommend this one!! 5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

A domestic thriller with all the heavy emotions.

Jen's daughter is found dead in the river. It seems she committed suicide, but there is a problem. Alex, Jen's daughter, is terrified of the water, and she doesn't believe her daughter drowned herself.

Jen and Lia are ex-best friends but are neighbors; their children are friends, yet there are secrets that Lia doesn't want anyone to know.

Jen and Lia have different lives. Jen is overworked and can hardly keep afloat with all the things she needs to do. She has little time for Alex, while Lia, on the other hand, lives the perfect life as a housewife in a wealthy marriage, where everything she does needs to be perfect. The author does a good job with the characters, showing how your perception or how you relate to some can change over time. Alex's story is heartbreaking, revealing the events that transpired. Even though you think you know, the twist comes, and everything changes.

Overall, I enjoyed the story; the topics are very heavy, emotional, and heartbreaking, but very realistic about today's society. The only problem I have with the story is that Jen knows what kind of people Lia and her husband are, and she knows that Lia will do anything to protect her loved ones, because she has done so before. But she found herself living in the same neighborhood and let her daughter be friends with her children. If that were me, I wouldn't, so that part seems a little unrealistic.

Content: suicide, bullying, domestic abuse, mental illness.

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This book was a very moving and hard book to read. It was a sad one, but a really good psychological thriller.
This is about two mothers and two daughters. One daughter Alex is being bullied by the son Simon Higgins. Willow is his twin sister and Alex's best
friend. As time goes on Alex becomes rather close to Lia Higgins as she is a witness to something that wasn't ever supposed to be found out.

Police find Alex's body floating in the river. They say it looks like a suicide. Jen, Alex's mother, knows that she didn't die by suicide as she knew how terrified she was of the water and would never be by it. Her husband Dale and the Higgins family all agreed with the police and wanted to move forward with their lives. Jen wouldn't let it go. She kept asking question and kept digging until she found the answers.

You will be very surprised of who did it .....

Happy reading!!

Thanks NetGallery for this Arc. I really enjoyed this book even though I predicted the ending. It captivated me because I have 3 daughters so the school situation was relatable. Very well written