A pacey read with several topical themes: school bullying, coercive control and family relationships. Lia and Jay seem to have everything: good looks, a fashionable home and an exciting future. Lia's former best friend Jen, living opposite, has financial worries and can't get to the bottom of daughter Alex's sudden spiral into moodiness and depression. When Alex is dragged dead from a nearby river, Jen refuses to believe she committed suicide. She has plenty of reasons for thinking Lia's family may be to blame.
I identified the protagonist about halfway through the book but I had no inkling of what prompted their action.

If you like classic domestic thrillers with family drama set in a cul-de-sac, where neighbors have secrets, this book is for you! I liked how the writer contrasted the inner lives of household members with how they appear to neighbors. During the first part of the book, I was tempted to DNF it due to early inconsequential, slow-moving dialogue. But I'm glad I hung in there, because the story became a page-turner that I thought about when I wasn't reading it. Overall, it was a dark compelling story that improved midway through the book.

Book: A Good Mother
Author: Michelle Dunne
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
My Rating: 3.6 Stars
Pages: 338

The Blakes- Jen and her husband, Dale, have been struggling since Dale lost his job. They currently are living in a neighborhood above their means and are trying to keep up with their old life style even though they cannot afford it.

Jen's childhood friend, Lia and her husband Jay Higgins live next door, and their children are friends; especially Alex and Willow, Alex tolerates Simon, Willow's twin.

Something nasty is going on with Alex. Is she unhappy with the lack of money they once had? Why is she withdrawn from classmates at school=her team mates; spending no time with family.
Ever since Alex was five years old and nearly drowned, she has been terrified of water, When the police find Alex’s body in the river, it is ruled it a suicide, However, Jen knows that cannot be the case.. But no one will listen to her.

Jen knows her daughter had messaging Lia the day she died- But why??
Also why isn’t Lia helping Jen with regarding doubting suicide?

This story was a struggle for me to get into as I didn’t like the characters. But I did feel sorry for Alex.

As the story unravels is gets more and more twisted. Awful secrets emerge. I could not put it down and yet did not like what I was reading .....but HAD to know what really happened.

Want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 29, 2025.

There are some tough topics in this book. Amongst others, we deal with bullying and coercion amongst teenagers, as well as family violence. It is at times a challenging book to read, and it’s hard not to want to shake some sense into some of the characters. Beyond that, it is an interesting thriller, with a few twists. Despite some of the subject matter, it’s worth a read.

Book Review

📖📖📖📖

Two mothers, two daughters, and a twisty thriller that you won’t want to put down.

The story is told back and forth between Jen and Lia as they navigate their way through motherhood and marriage, as well as the friendship of their daughters, Alex and Willow. When the girls fall out, and Alex is found in the river, Jen and Lia are thrown back into each other’s lives at rapid speed. Just how far would you go to protect your children? Or to defend your child’s honor? Secrets, lies, deception. How far is too far?

There are so many deep issues brought to light in this story. The chapters are quick and the more I read, the more I needed to figure out where this story was going. Would things come to light? Would issues behind closed doors be found out? Would Jen be able to prove her daughter did not commit suicide? Would two marriages survive?

It’s a quick read that I definitely enjoyed. Thank you to @netgalley and @stormhauspublishing for this ARC, due out on April 29, 2025!

#aprilrelease

★★★ ½ “this book was pretty good, but i wanted a bit more”

“That feeling you have right now - that everything is impossible. It's true. Everything is. But only for women.”

a good mother holds an intriguing premise and builds a solid sense of tension from the very first page. unfortunately, the reveal itself felt underwhelming, especially after such a strong buildup.

the writing felt emotionally distant and i struggled to connect with the characters, which made it hard for me to fully immerse myself in the story. but i did appreciate it still.

i’m so thankful to netgalley, michelle dunne and storm publishing for allowing me to experience my first arc, it’s been very special. ◡̈

How powerful the message of this book is, with a story of abuse, death, lies and coverups. I read this compulsively and fully immersed, it's strength in what could be lying behind any door to a house in your area. Superb

Alex Blake had feared water ever since she nearly drowned at the age of five, so when her body is found in the river and ruled a suicide, her mother, Jen, knows something is wrong. The police dismiss her, her husband says she’s in denial, and even their neighbors, the seemingly perfect Higgins family, urge her to let go. But Jen can’t. Not when Alex was messaging Lia Higgins, Jen’s former best friend, on the day she died, and not when Lia is now so desperate to avoid her questions. As Jen digs deeper, she uncovers secrets Alex was hiding, dangerous ones, and begins to suspect that someone knows the truth about her daughter’s death and will do anything to keep it buried.

Wow thanks for the ARC for this read what an emotional psychological thriller this was. Mothers and their children and you have a great twist of a story that kept me on my toes and gripped from start to finish. Don’t over look this excellent book if you do you will have missed out.

A Good Mother is a suspenseful, emotional thriller that had me hooked from the start. Jen’s determination to uncover the truth about her daughter Alex’s death, especially when everyone else seems ready to move on, is both heartbreaking and gripping. The mystery surrounding the Higgins family and Alex’s secret life kept me turning pages, eager to find out what really happened. However, I felt the ending was a bit rushed, as if the story was building to something more intense but wrapped up too quickly. Despite that, the twists and emotional depth of the book made it a really engaging read. It’s just that the ending left me wanting a bit more closure.

Overall 4.25 stars!

Premise: A mother who loses her daughter to apparent suicide, seeks to find out answers and the suspicious connections with her next door neighbours.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a beautifully written domestic thriller. The events are mostly written through the female characters view points (although they’re not usually 1st person) and it really gives the realities between people’s circumstances; what can appear beautiful, can be quite rotten. Although the characters can be frustrating at times, it is quite easy to empathise with them in both positive and negative lights (apart from a couple).

The suspense and plot was very well curated however I felt the ending was a little rushed; both in the sense that one trail of thought seemed to open up before it was quickly cut off and another that should have been stretched felt brushed off to the background.

An emotionally charged and unsettling psychological thriller, featuring two mothers, two daughters and some devastating choices.

I was hooked into the storyline right from the beginning, and the revelations kept me guessing right to the end. There are several despicable characters in this story, and the choices they make have lasting impacts for many.

WARNING: There are some difficult topics covered in this story, and many frighteningly realistic situations are depicted. Some of the content warnings include coercive control, rape, suicide, bullying, assault, domestic abuse, eating disorders, violence.

With thanks to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne and NetGalley for this e-ARC to read and review.

This is the first story I have read from Michelle Dunne, and I am interested to read what she writes next.

Release date: 29th April

This one was heavy -bullying, rape, suicide.
Family secrets and the lengths parents will go to protect their kids.
Character development was a bit weak. While this kept me guessing, I never felt invested in the characters.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Most moms would risk their own lives to take away their children's pain. Jen and Dale's teen daughter, Alex, feels close to Lia, a neighbour and friend of her mom, so opens up to her about her struggles. But when Alex is found dead, Jen and Dale's world shatters into irretrievable bits. Their financial woes compound things.
People seem to have it together on the outside but the superficial layer often reveals ugliness beneath. Secrets ooze from every nook and cranny.

Most characters are downright distasteful and a few are particularly loathsome. But the pace is snappy and I felt the tension. I really like Dunne's writing style, too, but didn't love the novel as I had hoped. Others will likely feel.the connecting sizzle which eluded me.

Do read about trigger warnings.

A Good Mother
By: Michelle Dunne

4 Stars

Jen and Lia used to be best friends. Now they have kids, and their kids are close, while they are not. When her daughter, Alex, is pulled from the river, Jen knows she didn't do it to herself. This leads her on a heartbreaking journey to find out what actually happened to her daughter, and the truth is shocking.

This was a fast-paced gripping novel. Secrets abound in this story. Everyone has a hidden life behind closed doors, and this story really shows the lengths some will go through to protect the fragile lives that they lead. This book was emotional while the characters were real and relatable. I was completely enamored by this story that kept me on the edge of my seat starting on the very first page.

This book is one that will have you reading late into the night. It makes you want more by captivating your emotions and leaving you shocked and awed. It is written well and descriptive. It was a really good psychological read done at its finest.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Reviews

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne.

This psychological thriller presents a compelling narrative centered around complex family dynamics and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones. Dunne’s writing effectively builds suspense, and the plot offers several unexpected twists that keep the reader engaged.

However, I found that while the storyline was intriguing, the character development felt somewhat lacking, making it challenging to fully connect with their motivations. Additionally, certain plot points seemed predictable, which diminished the overall impact of the suspense.

Overall, A Good Mother is a decent read for fans of domestic thrillers, offering an engaging plot despite some shortcomings in character depth and unpredictability.

This was a tough read, not because it was badly written (would I be giving it 5⭐ if it was?), but because of it's themes:
- Domestic Abuse
- Rape
- Bullying, both in school and on social media
- Teenage Suicide
- Eating Disorders
- Misogyny
- Murder
It's dark, and it's emoitve, it's sinister and it's unsettling, but it's also gripping, and no matter how uncomfortable it made me feel, I simply could not put it down.
There are some pretty unpleasant characters in this book, not least the incel in training and his bullying father.
The final revelation, when it came, was a shocker. Nope, I did NOT expect that! 😮
A Good Mother is due for release on April 29th.
Many thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

A.psychological thriller with heavy topics. It Will keep you Guessing, it Will keep you thinking. . And most of all it is a pageturner
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Jen and Lisa used to be close friends but not after something tore them apart. Years later they are living their lives separately, both are married and have kids. One mother’s daughter is dead, the other mother’s son could be the one responsible. This book deals with dark themes such as bulling, SA, and death of a teenager.

This was a heart wrenching story that captivated me from beginning to end. Jen was a resilient mother and I admire the way she fought for the truth of what happed to her daughter. I thought I knew how this would end but I was very wrong. It was so saddening towards the ending when the true reason behind Alex’s death was revealed. I was so shocked and in disbelief! Out of everyone I never once suspected this.

Like father like son, Jay and Simon were both equally horrible characters and I hated everything about them. I hated the way Jay treated his wife and kids but then would pretend to be this great person in public. I also hated the way Simon treated Alex and how he would manipulate the truth of what happened between him and Alex. He was a gross character. I also hated the person that was responsible for Alex’s death.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DYNAMIC psychological thriller.
Some protect their children
Others protect their secrets
There is no way to be a perfect mother.
Quiet little cul-de-sac Honeywell Crescent,
Two families hard working Jen Blake husband Dale and daughter Alex are just making ends meet.
Lia Higgins her old best friend husband Jay with a good job and twins Willow and Simon, have the perfect life.
But their lives are soon to come crushing down.
A teenage suspicious suicide in the family, leaves Jen knowing won't shut up till the truth comes out, that make her incredible dangerous to Lia's precious family.
This book is one big page turner, a hard topic of domestic abuse and violence.
I enjoyed every page right through.