The plot of The Bad Mother is pretty simple: Lucy, an artist, is married to Adam and they are expecting their first child. But all is increasingly not as it should be - Lucy’s forgetting things, a lot of things, and she can’t put it all down to “baby brain”. Things get worse fast and it’s not long before Lucy’s confidence is completely destroyed.

It’s obvious almost from the start that Adam is a gaslighting bad ‘un and I was frustrated that Lucy couldn’t see how he was constantly undermining and manipulating her - even convincing her she is capable of terrible things. He’s really not that subtle; even when he’s being “nice”, the way Adam speaks to Lucy is intolerable and I wouldn’t put up with it for five minutes. Having said that, she’s pregnant, vulnerable, relatively young (late 20s) and naturally enough, heavily invested in the relationship with her new husband. It would take a lot for her to walk away and Adam wraps his emotionally abusive behaviour up in the guise of care and concern. Still, he’s a textbook abuser in many ways - discouraging her from working and seeing friends, continually undermining her confidence and causing her to doubt her own perceptions.

Angry as I felt at Adam’s behaviour I felt almost as angry with Lucy at times, willing her to wake up, stop the grovelling apologies for things that aren’t her fault, and grow a backbone. She seems almost wilfully determined not to see what’s under her nose and there’s nothing he can do which she won’t make excuses for and blame on herself. The longer this went on (and it’s quite a long book), the more annoyed I got. I carried on reading largely in anticipation of a point at which Lucy would finally discover some agency and stand up for herself. I was desperate for this to happen.

The Bad Mother is a good read and strong on the mother/daughter bond (thank goodness for Lucy’s mum Christine, who was great). However I did find it unrealistic that Lucy, who considered herself a “strong, confident woman”, was quite so easily manipulated and reduced. Adam’s motivations, and the reasons why he is the way he is, are never really clear. I did enjoy reading it though and looked forward to getting back to it every time, so four stars from me.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

A gripping read, about a new mother whose life seems to be spiralling out of control, as she becomes more and more forgetful and starts to worry that she's not a fit mother to her baby. Her husband seems sympathetic, but the reader can see what is really going on. No spoilers, but even though the reader might think they can see what's coming it's still a thrilling ride to get to the end.

Thanks to the publisher for a digital review copy.

It's hard... when you read a book that takes you in so completely. That takes you back to a time in your life you needed therapy to get past. That is so realistic you can remember similar instances happening in your own life as you follow what is happening to the character between the pages.

That book for me was The Bad Mother by Amanda Brooke. It has to be one of the hardest books I've ever read, and yet I'm glad I've done it. I'm also very glad I've finished it, and I'm sorry to say, it's not a book I will ever read again. It hit a bit too close to home for comfort. It has drained me, made me see things again I had wanted to forget.

Luckily for the main character, she has family and friends who are determined she won't go it alone, even when she doesn't believe them. You are with Lucy as she goes through her pregnancy and becomes more isolated. The author does an amazing job of keeping the reader off-balance, unsure of just what is going on or what will happen next. It will keep you on tenterhooks, needing to read more, to find out what happens next.

The Bad Mother is incredibly written, with no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed. Although, to be fair, I was that engrossed by the story, I wasn't actually looking for any either. The scenes flow from one to the next, and each scene will draw you in and keep your attention. For anyone who wants to know about gaslighting, and the effects it can have not only on the victim but on friends and family too, I would highly recommend this book.

Part of me wishes I couldn't give it 5 stars, simply because of what it reminded me of. However, that would be a disservice to the book and the author.

This is a great psychological thriller that drew me in and had me reading late into the night. Really enjoyed it.

Luc thinks she is losing her mind but puts it down to baby brain. This storyline draws you from the very beginning however the writing style is poor and laughable at times. Although I enjoyed this book I would not recommend to my family and friends.

A gripping read which meant that I had a few late nights needing to read just a few more pages !!!
I was taken in by Adam at first and believed that Lucy was depressed . I did not expect the twist .
Another great story by Amanda Brooke.

The Bad Mother by Amanda Brooke is written in a style that will appeal to fans of B. A Paris.

Lucy and Adam met at a barbeque two summers ago, they married a year later and now they are expecting their first child. What should be a happy time for them is tarnished by Lucy’s increasing memory lapses.

Lucy and her mum, Christine, have always been close after her dad committed suicide and Christine had to raise her alone from the age of eight.

“They were the best of friends when they wanted to be, and mother and daughter when it was needed.”

Christine understands why Lucy is particularly concerned about her lapses in memory especially as Christine has been reluctant to confide in Lucy as to what led to her father committing suicide. She reassures her that it is probably just ‘baby brain.’

Christine’s mother encourages her to get back in touch with her friend Hannah who already has children and may be able to provide reassurance, but Lucy is reluctant knowing that Adam doesn’t like her.

“Lucy didn’t need reminding that she hadn’t seen nearly enough of her family and friends of late, but she had been busy building a new life with Adam. He had to come first and, while she would willingly make the extra effort for her mum, she wasn’t sure if keeping in touch with Hannah was the right thing to do.”

Lucy is concerned with being the perfect mother but as the time of her due date approaches both she and Adam become increasingly worried about her ability to look after herself let alone a fragile baby.

By the time Ava is born Lucy is increasingly isolated and dependent upon Adam and the reader is probably becoming increasingly frustrated with her inability to see that Adam is behind it all.

In The Bad Mother Amanda Brooke paints an eerie picture of a husband psychologically abusing his wife and shows how it can be a gradual and almost unnoticed process.

You might wonder why the book is worth reading when you know from the beginning who is behind all the strange happenings, but you don’t know they why and the outcome.

An intriguing read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC copy of this book which was provided in return for an honest review.

I'm afraid this book just fell flat for me. I could see what was happening from the outset and grew increasingly frustrated at the actions of our protagonist. I found the plot quite far fetched and a lot of the incidents seemed pointless, acting purely as filler. I didn't think this was a very original storyline and had hoped for something more exciting.

On the plus side, it was well written and kept my interest until the conclusion, although I do feel that I was reading to the end purely as a formality.

Lucy and Adam are a young married couple expecting their first baby and so it should be the best time of their lives so what has gone wrong! Lucy keeps forgetting things and is starting to feel concerned, is it really being pregnant causing it or is she following in the footsteps of her father who had a mental illness and killed himself. Adam is a doctor surely he can reassure her..... or maybe not!

A great suspenseful story where the reader can quickly sense what is going on but Lucy can't.... will she come to her senses and show her strength in time? Definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Lucy, pregnant first time mother who worries her 'baby-brain' is actually something more serious; Adam, a caring husband frustrated by his wife's forgetfulness; or is all as it really seems. A physcological thriller which slowly becomes obvious to the reader. The characters so real that you want to shout out to Lucy. Excellently written and one that kept me reading. First book I have read from this author but one to add to my favourites.

I enjoyed this book although I felt the description made it sound more mysterious and intriguing than the story actually was. I loved the whole idea behind it but the main character annoyed me and I just wanted her to wise up to what was happening. Still an enjoyable read for sure

Excellent book. Brilliant story and I loved the main characters. I would highly recommend this book.

Apologies for not reviewing this sooner. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This story deals with motherhood, relationships and mental health. It feeds into every mother's insecurities about being a good parent; from feeling guilty during the pregnancy to after birth itself, when you are responsible for a whole new helpless person.

But Lucy's insecurities are more than the usual; her father suffered from mental health issues, and took his own life. Lucy is terrified that she has inherited his issues, and every little sign convinces her she is becoming more and more unstable.

I did guess early on what was happening , but the book is still a good read, with a good deal of tension in places. I felt sorry for Lucy. It was so sad that she had so little confidence in herself, but unfortunately I think this can be true of a lot of women in the same situation.

A riveting read.

So sorry on the lateness of my review.
Wow.....the author has given us a terrifically terrifying on the edge of your seat novel that you really won’t be able to put Down it was absolutely brilliant ....definitely recommended

The Bad Mother by Amanda Brooke is a contemporary psychological thriller that has the reader hooked and guessing from the start.
The novel opens and then jumps backwards six months before moving forwards. This is a clever device as it made me question what had happened to end (or start) so intensely?
If someone reminds us of our actions, it must be true. Memory can mislead us. "Do you know what it's like not to trust your own memory?" Once the seeds of doubt are sown it is hard to return to where we once were.
The novel deals with mental illness. We fear family genes coming down the lines. We fear history repeating itself. "None of us can escape the past." The past haunts our present and we fear for our future.
Nothing is stronger than a mother's love. No matter how old we get, we still need our mum. No matter how old our children get, we mums still respond to the cry "catch me if I fall."
Abuse can take many forms. Psychological abuse puts down deep roots until in the end we believe "It was her fault. It always was."
Pets are therapeutic. "I've been cuddling him all day. He keeps me calm."
Tell a lie often enough and I will believe it. The novel deals with truth and lies. What is real? What is imagined? In this marvellous psychological thriller, the reader tries to unpack the truth from the lies.
Do not read this book alone in the dark. It will give you nightmares.
A marvellous and gripping thriller.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

A fabulous, well written and totally gripping psychological thriller that ensnares you from the very first page. Terrifyingly real. One to recommend. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

This was one of those books you have to finish despite the feeling of dread when you pick it up. It begins with Lucy about to jump to her death, What has driven her to it? And will she go through with it? This was in my mind the whole way through to the gripping, nailbiting conclusion. I found it an uncomfortable read, any kind of abuse always makes me feel so sad for the person caught up in it, and feeling so hopeless they can't escape.But Lucy is, underneath all, a strong woman. She doesn't see the abuse, but the reader does from the start, and it is so frustrating to sit by and watch events unfolding, and to see the damage one person can do to another, that they are meant to love. Of course, as the story progresses, there is more to it than the story of Adam and Lucy. I was most horrified that Lucy's mum seemed to be taken in my Adam, more so than his own mother. I confess to neglecting housework to get to the end on Saturday, I had to know what happened. And I wasn't disappointed - at the end there was a long exhale as I let out the breath I'd been holding in!

The Bad Mother is a terrifying psychological thriller that really hit the mark for me. It caught my attention due to the storyline - it sounds like a situation that could realistically happen and a nightmarish one at that. We all know that being pregnant and/or a new mother can cause some problems but luckily they are usually short-term. We have all heard of so-called 'baby brain' - the phenomenon we blame for certain uncharacteristic behaviours we don't want to take ownership of. In The Bad Mother Brooke knows how to utilise the phenomenon in order to make everything appear innocent but it is far from it! All the confusion, forgetfulness and stress is not what it seems and the story becomes decidedly dark and threatening. As you can see from the synopsis directly below it certainly grabs your attention!


A good mother doesn’t forget things.
A good mother isn’t a danger to herself.
A good mother isn’t a danger to her baby.
You want to be the good mother you dreamed you could be.
But you’re not. You’re the bad mother you were destined to become.
At least, that what he wants you to believe…


The narrative is alarming and addictive from beginning to end. I feel the story is rather unique and differs from the usual thriller novel which is a real bonus, I love that about it. I enjoyed this a lot and would definitely read any books Amanda Brooke decides to pen in the future. I hope she manages to keep the narrative unique in any other books.

I would like to thank Amanda Brooke, HarperCollins UK - HarperFiction and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a spine chilling book. Lucy feels she is not mentally stable and safe to look after herself. She thinks that her husband, Adam is the only one who can look after her. This is a really cleverly written psychological thriller. Overall this story is believable which makes it scary. My only gripe is that the book is a bit long in places and started to lose a bit of its momentum because of that.

I thought the premise of the book was good, and the overall idea of it worked well. However for some reason it just didn't gel with me that well.. It had the promise of being really suspenseful and nerve-wracking, but for me this was a little bit spoilt by the fact that we were given the reality of Adam a little too much. I personally would have preferred that reality to be hidden a bit more, then the element of doubt could have crept in a little more. As it was I just felt slightly frustrated that Lucy didn't act on her own suspicions of what Adam was truly like, and have the confidence to leave him.
All this being said, I did enjoy reading the book (frustrations apart) and it most certainly is worthy of a buy for those fans of psychological thrillers.