Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Where to start with this one?

Christopher Harris is a lonely boy who does not fit in with his family. He is packing for college when he makes a startling discovery. This starts off a chain of events which actually left me reeling.

In the beginning, I could not make heads or tails of what was happening but I am so glad I kept at it. There was a sort of menacing atmosphere all throughout the book. I actually felt a bit creeped out at times but I loved it. I was so eager to see what would happen and there were some thrilling twists. Could not put this one down! It was really exciting and one of the best psychological thrillers I have read this year.

I definitely will look out for more books from this author.

2.5 Stars

A dark story about an adopted child searching for his real mother and, therefore, his true self. Christopher has never felt like he belonged. He's never felt like his true self. It was really more of a feeling until he found a letter that changed everything and set him on a path to change his life.

I really don't like to give reviews that aren't positive, but I didn't connect with this book at all. The story was dark and had a feeling of impending doom but there wasn't much to the overall plot. In my opinion, not a whole lot happened and I could easily sum it up in one sentence. I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, of the mystery narrator, or of the twists at the end. I've seen many positive reviews on this, so I'm glad other readers felt a connection. It just wasn't for me.

I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to Bookouture and to S.E. Lynes

The author did an amazing job of bringing this complex character to life. Imagine a childhood devoid of love and affection, imagine finding this and then having it cruelly snatched away from you. Imagine being Christopher.
Set in Leeds at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper. Having lived in Leeds as a teenager at that time I got a true sense of the fear of going out and also the euphoria when he was finally caught.
Brownie cameras, wood chip wallpaper, Spangles and Marathon bars along with Denim deodorant and the taping of the top 40 on Sunday evenings. All these created a sense of nostalgia for me.
This is a very intelligently written book and definitely up there in my top 10 of 2017.

Great book. I read it in one sitting. A real page turner. It had a very dark plot with many twists to keep you guessing until the end. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Netgalley and SE Lynes for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

This is a fantastic read and from the first few pages you are drawn in. There is so much going on in this book without giving anything away, and I found I needed to know everything so read at a a quick pace to get to the bottom of it all. I just loved it, it's well written, and there are plenty of twists and turns. Fantastic.

My first thoughts after turning the last page of this book were firstly devastation now that it is over and secondly how the hell could I ever write a review that would do justice to this most perfect and mesmerizing book! 

I'll start off by telling you that I'm telling you nothing about the plot! Read the blurb and then pick up the book is all that I'm saying as I do not want to run the risk of giving away any spoilers at all.

Mother ticked every single box for me, it had characters in whom I became engrossed, it had the perfect mix of spine-chilling intrigue, suspense and unease and it provided the perfect sense of place and time as I found myself transported back to the 1970s with Spangles and taping the Top 40 on a Sunday afternoon. 

Set in Leeds in the 1970s when The Ripper struck terror into the hearts of both women and men in the city, Susie Lyons painted a perfect backdrop for Christopher, who has got to be one of the most screwed up characters I have ever met! As I read, I found myself remembering the news reports of the times and feeling that sense of dread that something so evil was happening. It was easy to transport myself back to that era and experience the book as though it was happening right here and right now.

Mother is narrated by an unknown narrator, we do not know if they are benevolent or malevolent but we are immediately left feeling that there is something off kilter, something is not right and are we to trust what we are being told. Do not let this unknown voice distract you, go with the flow and it will all fit in perfectly at the right time. I loved the detached yet focused view the narrator gave of Christopher and his life and for me, it provided that delicious unease that I love to feel when reading a book. So I'm weird, hell yeah, the more uncomfortable and uneasy I feel the better the read! Narrator's voice niggles and intrigues all the way through, never spoiling but only ever adding to the intense chilling psychological mind fuck that is this book.

Christopher tore at my heartstrings, his sense of isolation, of not quite belonging and never quite knowing what to do right, was palpable throughout the book, you could feel his loneliness and his desperation to belong seep through the pages. His obsessive personality was chilling. The matter of fact way he described some horrific incidents was such that he could have been reading a shopping list such was the lack of feeling in his tone.  Yes, I know I was reading and therefore I couldn't hear the tone but Susie Lynes has a tremendous skill for her ability to place the reader right in the middle of the pages and so I did hear, see, taste and smell everything going on! This book got all my senses going! I could sense all his emotions boiling and bubbling away under his skin.

Mother is not a #WhamBamThankYouMam psychological thriller, it isn't fast-paced and shocking but rather it is a beautifully written book that by its very pace will chill you more than any "in your face" horror ever will! I found myself completely consumed by this book, I was moved to tears on more than one occasion, I was left feeling quite uneasy and disturbed throughout. I did not want this reading experience ever to end!

Susie Lynes has magical fingertips, she can craft a dark and compelling narrative that will suck you right up and spit you out at the other end as an emotional wreck. This woman is genius, absolute genius! Susie Lynes, I think you broke me!
There are not enough stars or words strong enough to do this book justification in a review!

This is one of the most twisted books that I have ever read.

I was confused by the narrative style at first. The story is about Christopher, who doesn’t like being called Chris by the way. However, Christopher is not the narrator. So the mystery begins from there. It was evident that the narrator knew intimate details about Christopher’s life. In addition, it sounded like the person was a patient at a psych facility. Needless to say, I needed to know the person’s identity and the connection with Christopher.

It is hard to say a lot about this book without spoiling it so I will try and stay away from the storyline and let you discover it when you read it. This book is structured in such a way that makes it hard for you to really figure out what is really going on. Christopher’s story is the main one but through the chapters, there is a second storyline by Benjamin. The pieces click into place towards the end of the story when all connections become clear.

The book is set in Leeds at a time when the Yorkshire ripper was stalking and killing women. The time period adds to the tension in the book especially because the killings have an impact on the characters’ lives. The women’s fear and all men seeming like suspects interspersed brilliantly with the ongoing story hence heightening the tension.

This is a story about secrets and family, in particular, an attempt at finding the perfect family. It is also about obsession and this definitely added a creepy feel to the narrative. The author does a brilliant job of slowly pulling readers into the story. It felt like boarding a bus, relaxing and enjoying the trip thinking that you are heading to a particular town and then when you get to your destination, you realize that nothing looks familiar because you got into the wrong bus. I don’t know if that makes sense but that is how this book made me feel. It was a crazy ride.

Okay, so being vague is hard. Let me just end this review by telling you that you need to read this book. It will mess with your mind and emotions (in a good way). It creepy and unpredictable, you definitely have to experience it for yourself.

Mother by S.E Lynes is truly a dark, twisted, addictive psychological thriller.

Like no other thriller I’ve ever read. And the back ground plot of the Riper storyline started to make me rethink who was the Yorkshire Riper!!! I have to say though I disliked the main character Christopher from the start which I think was the attraction to the book and made it that I couldn’t put it down. He was certainly evil but was it nature or nurture for the poor lad adopted at birth. Excellent book with some amazing writing that keeps you hooked from page one. A must read.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

Something is dreadfully off about Christopher Harris. Even <b>he</b> knows he's not normal. But is he a monster? To be sure, his obsession with his mother <spoiler>his "real" mother</spoiler> borders on something past obsession, something almost unholy. Looping thoughts, rope knots, and a snarled tangle of lies.

Say sorry, I am aware the use of quotes from ARCs is verboten, but I cannot help myself. This old woman might just as well be standing at my doorway. <i>She dug in the sleeve of her cardigan and pulled out the shrivelled tissue that lived there, in the darkness, like a shrew.</i> Can you see her?

I absolutely loved the authors debut novel so was very excited when I heard she had another book coming out.

Christopher I wasn't quite sure whether I was supposed to like him or not. He is very much a loner and feels like an outsider. He certainly isn't a typical teenager. Even though he has come from a solid family up bringing, he feels like there should be more to it. 

In a way I think his prayers are answered when he stumbles across the letter that tells of his adoption. For him it's a new start and to form the sort of relationship that he has always dreamed of with his mother. 

I do have to say I really felt for Christopher's family that had raised him from a baby. They are forgotten about in Christopher's mind whilst he concentrates on his relationship with his new mother Phyllis. 

The relationship between Christopher and Phyllis was quite heart warming but it does start to feel like they are an old married couple settling into a routine when he moves in with her and her family. It left me feeling a bit uncomfortable as it didn't quite feel right. 

It's hard to say to much more without giving the story away. It's hard not to have compassion for Christopher. To be loved is something that we all crave, especially by our nearest and dearest. It's just what lengths some people will go to in making that happen.

Mother is one of those reads where you feel like something is brewing. Like waiting for a storm to appear and unleash it's wrath on you. It certainly had me hooked and I read it in one day. I loved how it's set around the time of the Yorkshire Ripper murders and that it is in part set in Leeds which is where I live. It really adds to the intrigue and brought it very much to life.

A dark and brooding read that had me gripped throughout.

My first read from SE Lynes but definitely not my last. Can't wait to read her other title. Mother was great and drew me in right away! Christopher is adopted and never seems to be able to measure up to his siblings, always trying to fit in. Before going off to college, he finds a letter that changes everything he has believed in thus far in his life. He realizes why he has never fit into his family and becomes obsessed with his birth mother. The narrator of the story is unknown which I found very interesting as I don't think I've read a novel from this point of view before. It definitely works in this story though! Very dark yet clever and kept me engrossed until the very last page. I had to reread the ending to thoroughly understand what had happened... I found this book eerie and frightening, and I was unable to put it down! Thanks so much for the ARC!!!

I really enjoyed this book. Great storyline, wonderful main characters and a very good read. I would recommend this book.

What to say!!!!.....I started this book yesterday and could not wait to resume reading it this Morning!!!! And have carried on reading it until I got to the last breathtaking ( Kindle) page......to say the book had me hooked is therefore not an exaggeration, It is one of those books where you get. to know the character’s quickly.........but do you really know them??? 😀 There were many twists and turns in the book and I thought I had worked out how it would end....WRONG.....the ending took me completely by surprise and kind of summed up the whole book with a loud “WOW’ as I read the last word....the descriptive writing is effortless amd flawless,exciting,dark,fast paced and thrilling...this book is more than a book,it is an experience I loved it. Read it,guaranteed you will LOVE it

Thank you netgalley and bookouture.. A book very close to my heart in some ways. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but I loved it. Hard to grasp and follow in places but stick with it. Highly recommend.

I almost gave up on this book as struggled so much with first few chapters, I didn't know who was telling the story or who Christopher was. Once I did I did enjoy it overall but didn't really like Christopher's character, I'm glad we heard the story from the perspective we did.

Read carefully and have your wits about you, let the unknown narrator tell you a story, once you get pulled in ( which you will) it will keep you guessing and turning pages. A very cleverly written book.

Wow absolutely brilliant. After reading the amazing Valentina I was so excited to be given the opportunity to read Mother. It didn't fail.to deliver and kept me gripped from beginning to end. I loved how the book flitted back and forth from person to person which was done brilliantly. Knowing the area the story is set I was able to place myself within the book and get the full experience. It is so hard to review this book without giving any of the story away but it's so worth of the 5 star review

I liked this book and believed it all so was a shock for the real story to be revealed. Shows how deception can hurt people. A few intakes of breath during the book which I like.

Mother by SE Lynes
Christopher found a letter in a suitcase in the attic on the day he was going off to university, the consequences of this will alter his life. This was a dark psychological thriller that I could not put down and read in in one day. I really enjoyed this book and felt great sympathy for Christopher. This is the first book from this author that I have read and I'm eagerly awaiting her next book. I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book from Netgalley and other than knowing it is a psychological thriller I knew nothing about the book or it's author.

As someone born in the 50s and whose ex-husband was adopted at that time too I found this book really authentic, not only do we have descriptions of the loon pants, the big collared shirts and those awful smelly afghan coats but the smaller detail is there too; I had completely forgotten about Shield soap!

The narrative went along well and it was obvious that there was something not quite right about Christopher but I knew it was a thriller and so I read on in trepidation knowing that something was going to go badly wrong but what? It was really spine chilling at times especially with Christopher's obsession with the Yorkshire Ripper being added into the mix but at no time did I work out where S.E. Lynes was going with her novel.

There was no real climax as such but the if there was one minor fault for me at least it was in the disclosure of the name of the narrator, although I hadn't guessed that either. After this point it all snowballed rather quickly and petered out, but of course that is only my opinion and actually took nothing from the story. It was a very sad ending and I was actually sorry to reach the end.