As a new mum, Every Mother’s Nightmare really resonated with me. The central theme—wanting to protect your children no matter how old they are—hit close to home and made this an emotional read from the very beginning.

The story follows Casey, who takes a summer job at a camp after realising she can’t keep up financially with her posh group of friends. Meanwhile, her brother Dan is working at a pub, where he’s fallen in with a new crowd—people who seem a bit too polished to fit in with the usual pub scene. The core of the book revolves around a mystery: Casey wakes up in a random tent, disoriented, undressed, and with no memory of what happened the night before.

What I really loved was the structure. The book alternates between multiple POVs and shifts between the timeline before and after the incident, which kept me constantly guessing. The fragmented storytelling gave just enough information to build suspense without revealing too much too soon. There were some great twists and genuinely compelling moments.

However, the pacing was a real issue for me. It felt bloated in parts and could’ve benefitted from a much tighter edit. The story sometimes dragged, especially towards the end. The final act tried to pack in twist after twist, but instead of building tension, it started to lose impact. Honestly, by the time the last reveal came, I’d stopped caring what the “real truth” was.

In summary, Every Mother’s Nightmare has a gripping premise and some emotionally resonant themes, especially for parents. The multiple POVs and timeline shifts were a strength, but the pacing and overstuffed ending let it down. Still, an interesting read with a lot of potential.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for approving my request to read this book.

I enjoyed this book in which we meet single mum Melissa and her two children Dan and Casey who are spending the summer at camp with their friends. This book highlights the issues younger people face today and really explores a mothers unconditional love for her children.

I'd recommend this book if you enjoy a who done it mystery.

S.E. Lynes' books are a reliably good read. In this, school secretary Melissa has had reservations about teenage daughter Casey going off to work for the summer at a campground where school leavers - and a few others - party.

Big brother Dan is there to keep an eye on her - unfortunately, so are his new friends, charismatic Byrne and The Other Two. (Let's call them Crabbe and Goyle.) They're all obnoxious, except Dan.

And indeed it does all go horribly wrong, when Casey is found alone in a stranger's tent with no memory of what has happened to her.

We see events before and after That Night, from different perspectives - Casey, Dan, Melissa - and the story is only gradually pieced together.

An enjoyable read. Don't like the title, though.

This book was so good!! It starts out with intrigue and explores what’s happening from different points of view, so that you can learn more about each character. This was so suspenseful that I couldn’t stop reading until I finished. Amazing read.

A nightmarish time…a mother’s nightmare…a brother and a sister…family dynamics…fright…this author has written a page turner. Mystery and mayhem combined…what really happened? Do not try to solve this one too quickly. Thanks Netgalley

The title says it all: Melissa is faced with her worst nightmare when she, whilst waiting to hear from her daughter Casey who’s away at summer camp, receives a call from the police instead. Casey cannot remember much from last night, except having gotten into an argument with her brother Dan, but her body tells the story of a violent encounter. As the night’s events are slowly pieced together, a second victim is found - this one dead. The question of what happened Sunday night becomes more urgent, and alongside it another one: How far is this family willing to go to protect each other?

In a time of overly fast-paced thrillers scrambling to become the next hit or to deliver the most shocking twist, reading this was a breath of fresh air. The writing is well crafted, the characters feel fleshed out and their relationships with each other are of interest to the reader. Furthermore, this story revolves around a currently culturally relevant topic in a way that does not feel heavy-handed or forced; it could be compared to Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell in that way.

Despite those very positive characteristics, the story felt a little slow and not quite as intriguing as I would have liked. I highly respect the decision to not add a “shocking twist” for the sake of it, but this book could have been a little less foreseeable in its plot development. I would disagree with the classification as a “unputdownable psychological thriller with heart-stopping suspense” - this is not a bad thing, but I believe it will find a better suited audience in people who search for mystery/suspense novels with a prominent aspect of family drama.
Reading Every Mother’s Nightmare has convinced me to pick up more of S.E. Lynes’ work.

-3.5 stars, rounded up-

Review of ‘Every Mother’s Nightmare’ by S.E. Lynes, due to be published on 9 July 2025 by Bookouture.

Melissa, overprotective single mum to Casey and Dan, gets a call she has been dreading from the police whilst at work to say her daughter is being taken to hospital, following an incident that has occurred whilst she is at summer camp in Devon.

Over the course of multiple character angles, each chapter sets a scene for before the event, the time of the event and after, placing suspicion on numerous people involved in the storytelling, leaving you wondering who to believe and what the truth actually is.

The ending is tied up nicely in a bow, before another unexpected huge twist comes along, just when you least expected it!

A great psychological thriller, recommended read.

I’m sure I say this every time I read a book by SE Lynes but they just get better and better!

This story touched me deeply and explores many issues faced by young women and men today

Women are exposed to sexism and abuse in all different aspects of their lives everyday. When does it become too much? A catcall, a grope, being followed, being hit on, being assaulted? How much do women need to experience and why isn’t it being taken seriously?

And the vulnerable young men who are trying to find their way in the world and how they can be impressed by influencers but get hooked before they realise they have been groomed by their toxic masculinity and misogynistic ideals towards women

It’s also about how parents are often clueless and naive to whom or what are influencing their children

And consent too! It shouldn’t be up to women to keep themselves safe, learn self defence, only go out in lit areas etc. this book highlights that society needs to wake up to the fact that male violence against women is a male issue

In this novel the author exposes the dangers to both young men and women but she doesn’t offer any solutions to the increasingly disturbing situation young people find themselves in

It’s a story of negativity, judgement, comparisons, social media, everyday sexism, misogyny, toxic masculinity but ultimately about a mother’s fierce and protective love

Read this in one sitting on a plane journey and was hooked from the start!

Such a timely book exploring current themes of society and its attitudes. I think this book will divide people but will hopefully create conversations. There will be those that agree with me that consent is important and unwanted sexual advances are not the victims fault but I think there will sadly be those who think the like of the Tate brothers have something g good to say and a women’s behaviour and clothing is to blame for sexual assault

“She will never stop crying, not just about what happened to her but what happens to women at the hands of men like this, men who put everything back centuries, who ruin everything for women and for men and even for themselves. Because how can any of this be enjoyable to anyone? How can this be what anyone wants?”

went into this blind, I’m glad I did.
It wasn’t where I expected the plot to go with “every mother’s nightmare” but I really enjoyed what became the plot- the way each chapter is a different persons POV and it changes from past to current it was one that kept me guessing right on to the end!

Melissa is a single mother whose two children are away at camp when she gets a message with devastating news about her daughter.

Struggling to understand her son's role, if any, in what has happened, Melissa wants answers - but her daughter is confused and thus far unable to give a clear account of what went wrong.

While she knows as a parent, that at some point you have to let your children find their own way in life, Melissa can't help worrying that she has made the wrong call here. And without a clear understanding of what has happened she does not know how to protect her children, whatever lengths she is willing to go to in order to do...

This one was a mixed bag for me. The pacing of the story dragged a bit at times, and it felt a bit underseasoned in terms of suspense. But I am sure that the book will find its readers.

Hey, hey, my favorites 😁💚. #annieethebookiee is back with another book review.

📚 Book: Every Mother’s Nightmare
🖊️ Author: S.E. Lynes
📅 Pub Date: Coming Soon
⭐ Rating: 4/5
📖 Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the early copy in exchange for my honest review!

It’s the call every mother dreads.

S.E. Lynes knows how to grab you by the nerves and drag you through every parent's worst nightmare. This one kicks off with that gut-punch moment—your daughter is in the hospital, alone and confused… and the questions just keep piling up.

Why wasn’t her brother watching her like he promised?
What happened that night in the woods?
And who’s the body the police just found?

This psychological thriller is packed with emotional tension, family secrets, and the kind of twists that make you pause and say, “Wait, run that back!” 😳 Lynes builds suspense with a careful hand and crafts characters that feel heartbreakingly real.

I loved the way this book explored maternal instinct and the desperate need to protect your children—even when you’re not sure who really needs protecting. Some parts moved slower than I expected, but the payoff was worth it.

🔍 A smart, chilling look at memory, guilt, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive.

Casey and her brother go to a summer camp. When Casey is attacked. her mother gets that call everyone dreads. Meanwhile, her brother is finding out his buddy is not quite the great person he thought he was. This book seemed long and obvious. I think had the whole book basically been at the camp it could have been a lot better. Interesting ending, but this was not near as good as previous books.

This book seemed like one bad long day. I just felt like it never really went anywhere. Was kind of obvious and not that interesting. Too bad. I have loved previous books. This one fell short.

Loving your children and giving them the chance to find their own path means letting go — and that’s not always easy. After all, in a mother’s eyes, her children remain her babies, no matter their age.

This is also true for single mother Melissa, and when she receives the news that her daughter has been admitted to the hospital, it feels like she’s plunged into a nightmare...

As a reader, you're immediately on the edge of your seat, because I too wanted to know what had happened. I instantly empathized with Melissa, and it was easy to imagine what must have been going through her mind at that moment.

While the investigation unfolds, the author takes us back to a few months before the incident and gradually provides the necessary background information, giving us a clear picture of what led up to it.

The writer introduces a number of characters who immediately give you a bad feeling — whether that’s justified or not becomes clear later on. Multiple plausible scenarios develop, and as a reader, you eventually don’t know what to believe anymore. That, of course, makes it all super fun and interesting to read, allowing you to form your own opinion about who you trust or want to trust. Whether you're right about them is often another story entirely — at least it was for me. ;)

As you slowly approach the climax, you finally find out what really happened — but then the author pulls a few more surprises out of her hat. So be prepared for the fact that, just when you think you know everything, you actually know nothing.

A gripping book packed with emotion and a masterful plot. Everything was perfectly built up, with moments where the pace slowed down a bit, only to suddenly shoot back up again. 5 stars.

Thank you.

Wooow... more twists than I saw coming!!! Fantastic read that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Summer camps are suppose to be fun thus one puts another spell on it that could actually happen. Loved this hook. And love this author.

Thank to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

This really is every mother’s’ nightmare, and as a mother I really felt it! A real rollercoaster of a ride, it dragged me along and at times I forgot it was just a novel, it’s that good! I loved the multiple narratives too, it always enriches the story.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. Much of this book was really promising. The story was well-paced and the use of multiple narratives and switches between past and present were very effective in telling the story. The characters had distinct voices, and the plot was interesting. The focus on toxic masculinity was well-done, and I thought Dan getting sucked into it despite objecting to it was very realistic.
However, I felt the key twist really let it down. Unpredictable is good, but the story ended up feeling preposterous, and previously likeable and realistic characters seemed absurd. This was disappointing as I was utterly invested in most of the book.

Wow! Susie Lynes knocks another one clear out of the park! She consistently delivers and is a master storyteller. This was packed with such tension, it just never let up. Fabulous characters that kept me flipping pages long into the night. I loved the family setting and nail biting drama.
Thank you NetGalley, SE Lynes and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 ⭐️

S E Lynes delivered an entertaining read. This story was about Every Mother’s Nightmare. It followed a mother who received a call at work that her daughter was hospitalized for having been found one morning, confused, alone, and not remember anything.

This was the first book I’ve read by S E Lynes. It was an intriguing and compelling read. The characters were relatable and believable. The plot was intriguing. Despite the fast paced storyline and short chapters, I wasn’t as interested as I hoped I would have been. As the story moved forward, I found myself getting bored with the abundance of unnecessary dialogue. I also found the main premise was a common one, one that I have read a few too many times. Typically when I read a book with a trope I’ve read before I expect there to be a particular psychological mystery-thriller element to make the book stand out from others in its genre. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen here. Regardless of this book not meeting my expectations, I liked her smooth flowing writing style and short chapters and I look forward to reading more books by S E Lynes in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Connor is a single mum to teenager Casey and her older brother Dan, money is tight but they are good kids who understand she can only do so much and they both have part time jobs to ease the burden. Casey is currently studying for her A levels and is hoping to go to York University when she finishes school. She is attending the Summer Camp, held every year in Dorset, originally with friends, but decides at the last minute to get a job there to cut down the costs and Dan is going along for the weekend with friends. When Melissa's phone rings one afternoon, her heart fills with dread because she knows it's not good news even before she answers it, her worst fear has come true. Casey was found confused and alone in someone else's tent, she's in hospital and can't remember anything of what happened to put her there. Melissa heads to the hospital to be with her daughter, wondering why Dan wasn't there to protect his sister. Shortly after the police discover a dead body in the woods, right by where they were camping and, as the investigation progresses, Melissa knows she will do anything to keep her children safe, but is it just them that need protecting?

Every Mothers Nightmare is the latest thriller by Lynes and the title says it all! This is a fast paced story told from the perspectives of all three main characters and across a multitude of timelines going back and forth throughout the book. Once again this author puts pen to paper and creates an absolute masterpiece, the plot is well crafted and covers hard hitting subjects such as toxic masculinity, grooming and misogyny and the lengths that a mother will go to in order to protect her children, whatever the consequences. This is a tale of suspense and intrigue and when they say that it's an unputdownable thriller they are absolutely spot on, because I picked this book up and struggled to put it down, I was completely engrossed from the first page and devoured it within a matter of hours. I've read every one of this authors books and each time I think this is her best one yet. If you love a thriller that will keep you guessing throughout, with some great twists and an ending that you didn't see coming, then this is for you!

I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.