🎧 Book Review: The Mother Next Door by Leah Mercer

Genre ~ thriller

Featuring ~ missing children, secrets new and old

POV ~ multiple 1st person

Release date ~ February 27, 2023

Page count ~ 255

Audio length ~ 8 hours 6 minutes

My rating ~ 4.5⭐

My review:

Wowza I was gripped from right out of the gate.

Fiona, Alison and Jasmine all went to school together and now their children attend the same school. Lou is a friend, someone they all trust wholeheartedly, a true godsend that often helps watch the children. But when it’s getting to be 6:30 pm and they haven’t come home yet the parents start to worry.

Our narrators are:
Fiona ~ mother to twins, Tabitha & Tim
Alison ~ owns the local gym and is the mother of Gabby, who is bullied at school.
Jasmine ~ was a bully in school, is an alcoholic and mother to Juniper.
Tabitha ~ daughter of Fiona

I liked that the chapters were timed, which made the story easy to follow along with. The added chapters from one of the missing children was a good call to give us an inside look to know if they were okay. Add in a raging storm and it really gets tense.

Narration:
Jasmine Blackborow ~ 8 hours 6 minutes ~ lovely job. I liked that she somewhat altered her voice when reading Tabitha’s chapters, but there was not really a distinction between the adults .

Yes, there’s some predictability, but overall, I really enjoyed this thriller. Leah is on my radar and I’ll for sure be reading more of her work.

*Thanks to Leah Mercer, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

Add to your never ending TBR  ~ goodreads

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it.

Book blurb:

I glance over at Lou’s house as I pull onto my drive, surprised that it is still in darkness. Lou and the kids should have been home from school long ago. I should be preparing a delicious meal for my children as they tell me about their day. But Lou’s car is nowhere to be seen…

The night is drawing in and Lou has still not returned. I try not to panic, but deep down I know something is wrong. Lou is the most dependable friend. Our children are at the same school. We always help each other out, and she cares for my two like only a mother can.

As a storm rages outside and local news reports tell everyone to stay indoors, a feeling of deep dread starts to swell. Then the call comes. The police have found Lou’s car, with my children’s schoolbags still inside along with Lou’s phone. But they are nowhere to be seen.

Clutching my husband’s hands, willing our children to be found safe and sound, I try to silence the voice inside my head. I’ve not been honest. I’m being punished for what happened all those years ago.

And then I get Lou’s message and I know that if I want to see my children again, I need to tell the truth to everyone I love.

What I don’t yet know is that Lou has been keeping her own dark secret. And once the storm passes, nothing will ever be the same again.

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