This book held my attention from the very beginning with the emotionally charged, somewhat disturbing exploration of women's physical and mental health issues related to pregnancy and childbirth. The dual timelines were effectively used to show a striking difference in the way women have been treated over the years, and the way family secrets and lies can impact future generations. The narrators of the audio version did an excellent job.

The Secret of the Brighton House was a Netgalley audiobook from an unknown, to me, author. A 3 star (in my rating system) which means I read it, didn't quit, would likely never read again, should you read it? maybe, blah blah blah. Author Cathy Hayward tells an uncomfortable story in dual pov's/timelines featuring mother and daughter, pregnancy, loss, mental illness, and several other trigger warnings. And, therein lies my difficulty. I requested this book, listened to it, then questioned what I was thinking based on my own trauma. I went back to read the publishers description:

Joanne’s always been told her mother died in childbirth, but she never questioned her dad’s love. When unpacking a box of her own old
baby clothes, Joanne accidentally discovers a photo of her birth mum holding a newborn, and realises she’s been lied to.

As Joanne begins to dig into the past, she uncovers layers of secrets that threaten to destroy the very family she holds dear. What really
happened to her mum? What could be so devastating that her dad has kept it from her for her whole life—and is she ready to find out?

Read this one if you wish, but please be aware of potential triggers including miscarriages and mental illness. To the publishers - please be sensitive to reader's experiences and at least give us informed consent (especially when it does not provide a spoiler).

This story made me think it might be a murder mystery or some type of criminal cover up, and while the truth feels criminal, it wasn't the mystery I thought it would be. This is more of a story of a woman about to have a baby, wanting to know about her birth mother, as she faces the fragility of her own pregnancy and motherhood. It deals with motherhood of many kinds, and the barbarism that medicine was in the mid-70s for women. It's tragic and hopeful, and shines a light on family and what they do to protect one another.

Not an easy listen, but good one. Joanne has lived her life believing all of the things she was told about the death of her birth mother. As she is readying to give birth to her own much wanted child she discovers that everything she was told was a lie and that no one will tell her the truth. She decides to investigate on her own. This leads on her on a path that is dark and disturbing. Mental health was dealt with in such different ways years ago in the most horrible and torturous ways. It is still looked at with such a stigma to this day. The story is told in a then and now format that gives us a full understanding of who did what, when and why. A difficult and emotional well narrated story.

Joanne’s mom being in an asylum shocked me although I heard stories before that mental patients were cast aside in the early 1900’s ….loved how insisting Joanne was to get to know how her mom disappeared….