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.

This psychological thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat!
It’s fast paced, gripping and suspenseful.

Even though it’s a hard subject to read since it talks about domestic violence and abuse, still a great book, with a great plot.

This was my first book by Michelle and I will definitely read more from her.

Thank you so much to Storm Publishing for sending me this eARC. I definitely recommend.

Alex and Willow were best friends has had their mothers been as children. This book demonstrates the pressures to fit in and what can happen when this is taken to the extreme, whether you are an adult or a child. It also includes themes of domestic violence, coercive control, family and the mother daughter relationship.
Loved this booked. I was hooked from start to finished.

Jen and her husband, Dale, are really struggling to keep their heads above water financially. They work so much and rarely spend time with their daughter Alex.
Jen's childhood friend, Lia and her husband Jay live across the road, and Alex is friends with their twin daughter, Willow, and tolerates Simon, Willow's twin.
Then, the friendship goes south, and Alex dies.
Jen is trying to prove that her beloved daughter didn't commit suicide.

This seemed to be a slow burner for me. The relationships between all of the characters are very complex, and some of the characters, like, Jay and Simon are absolutely odious.

I did enjoy the novel, and could not put it down, I had to see how it ended. I admire Jen for all she tried to do for her family. She felt as though she was putting her work first, but, like many families, these days, it isn't about loving your work, it is about keeping your family afloat.
I thought it very unfair that Dale basically blamed Jen for not spending time with their daughter, yet he was working all the time as well.

Bullying, at any age is wrong! Schools should pay attention to the pupils, and do something about the bullies. The victims don't always say anything.

What Jay did to his family is wrong, and yet he never paid the price!

There should be a few trigger warnings in the front of this book - just a suggestion.

However, having said that, I do recommend reading this. Very sensitive subject matter, and very suspenseful.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The events that take place on this book are horrifying, to say the least.
This story is really well put together and even though I think I am a good
detective, I had to step back a couple of times, and just wait for the events
to unfold. This is not the story with a traditional happy ending. The
affected families are all left damaged, but there is some light at the
end. This is terrifying and despicable people and the harm they
leave in their wake…
My thanks to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for the download
copy of this book for review purposes.

A GOOD MOTHER BY MICHELLE DUNNE.
4 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
Release date set for the 29th of April 2025.
As soon as this book landed on my kindle I've started reading straight away.
Really good psychological thriller and good paced.
Love the cover for this book. As everyone knows a cover means a lot to me.
This is my first book by this author and I'm already looking forward to reading another one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne due to be published April 29, 2025.

Also recommended by Michelle Dunne: The Hotel Maid.
Two mothers. Two daughters. One devastating truth. Alex was terrified of water so when she drowned and they called a suicide, her mother knew it wasn’t. Why was Alex messaging her former best friend and neighbor, Lia? What secrets was Alex keeping? Jen is determined to find out what happened to her daughter.
At times this was a tough one to read because of the mental/emotional domestic abuse with one of the families which was rubbing off on their son. I absolutely wanted to kill the husband! On the other hand, I could not put this book down – I read it in two days – because I could not wait to see how it ended and if Jen got her answers she deserved. A great book!

#NetGalley #MichelleDunne #StormPublishing #AGoodMother

4* Sad, but a very good read with sooo many that deserved their comeuppance.

This is my 2nd read by this author, and tbh, the title didn't fill me with that much enthusiasm, but her previous book was a very decent read, so I dived in without reading more than the NG blurb. Which enhanced my reading experience.

This is a sad, at times brutal book, which I wasn't expecting. I mean, the sadness, yes, but not the DA - I do think the book needs a warning about that, as it was aimed at an entire family, with minors, and with physical brutality and psychological games. It's no wonder that one of the progeny ended up the psychopath they were. And, I was pissed off that the perpetrator, yes, he lost his career, his reputation (faux, worked at much like an influencer does) and kids, otherwise got off pretty scot-free, able to rebuild a career, idc, but not without a grey cloud. He really, really deserved more punishment for the DA.

Ht actions led to the saddest event of this tale, although - trying not to spoiler here - because it was all so avoidable if only someone had had the courage to do the right theing, especially with the support they had, and had had for a very, very long time. Were they broken? Yes, but there's a certain instinct if you're a *hidden noun* and that this person allowed said instinct to be silenced because of conditioning, was the second saddest thing.

Was the story believable? Yes, because it's set in 2025, with social media - in part responsible for some nastier aspects of the tale; with skewed values; with optics that ruin lives; with CCTV that ultimately unmasked the killer; with a poverty divide that felt real (although I didn't quite get how everyone could afford to live where they did, or why some hadn't traded up); with a podcaster whose addition was a spot of pure genius; with blackmail; with an incel - and possibly worse - in the making; and with Mean Girls. I wish the latter two could've gotten their comeuppance, because those individuals are only going to propagate more of the same when they're parents.

The ending was low-key icing on a cake, believable and satisfying. And had dignity that the killer absolutely didn't deserve. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my reading pleasure.

I loved the suspense and twisty narrative in this book. I really enjoyed this one I read it in less than a day. I was hooked from page 1, it’s a really well written psychological thriller you’ll never guess whats coming next.

An excellent read for any and all readers! The author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! This book explored a difficult topic that was both thought provoking, intriguing and very current in today’s world!

This was a twisty story full of secrets I just could not put down until I did finish it. You all need to read it once it comes out, or you will all miss on a very good thriller!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

Alex Blakes body is pulled out of a river, it looks like a teenage suicide but her mother knows that she would never go near water, she had a fear of it since she was young. Her mum Jen believes that the perfect neighbours across the road are hiding something. When she starts to dig she realises that Alex was keeping secrets from her. Will she uncover the truth of what happened?
A great fast paced read that will keep you turning the pages to find out more.

Really really enjoyed this. Its a gripping psychological thriller that really deserves more credit. I haven't read any of Dunne's works before but I really think I will in the future. Highly recommend.

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Michelle Dunne and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚