Are mothers allowed to make mistakes?

We know they do make mistakes. Of course, they do. Mothers are human beings. But that is something we tend to forget. Even the mothers themselves forget about it. Why? Because society shows us amazing moms-to-be still doing yoga two weeks before their due date. Mothers walking in heels and wearing the brightest smile. Maybe only mothers glowing with happiness, looking at their upbringing with adoration. So we make them the perfect example of what mothers should be like.

My mother is a super-hero. I learned it a long time ago. She always knew how to soothe my fears and cries. With one look, she could tell whether I was happy, sad, ill, uneasy. She still can, but I no longer put pressure on her to be my rock. It takes adulthood to see mothers with their flaws, to consider them again as people, not just your umbrella against the world. Yet, my mother herself can’t take off that coat of responsibilities. When we grow up, they grow up with us, and their role changes, but never leaves them.

The Mother’s Mistake. What a catchy title! Simple but efficient. To the point. You have an immediate idea of where you’re going. Or so you think!

Matt, Claire, and baby Olivia are off to a new life, away from London. What better than the countryside and a cottage right next to Matt’s parents to offer your daughter a lovely childhood? I noticed it immediately. ‘Perfect’ A two-syllable word that can make or break you. Usually, yes, it breaks you. Trust me, I’m a perfectionist! Right away, I felt Claire’s will to create the perfect (see, that word again!) life for her family. I thought why not. Isn’t that what we all want?

Except perfect doesn’t take into account a mother-in-law who has her own ideas about how things should be done, a busy husband, and a past to hunt them all on top of a baby with needs and a personality that you must learn how to bond with. How’s that for a good programme?

When I remembered this was a psychological thriller and not women fiction, I wondered how the author would manage to tackle motherhood, a (possibly deadly) mystery, and enough room for characterisation. Soon, it became evident that Ruth Heald knows what she is doing!

Claire struggles to adjust to her new role of mother. Details on why are subtly scattered throughout the novel, as we watch Claire fight the muddy waters she finds herself in. There is no handbook about motherhood. Well, yes, there are many, but in a remote place, with only your baby as company, old scars itching and waiting at the back of your head for the first opportunity to jump back and make your life hell, you can’t be expected to be the perfect mother (we shouldn’t be expected to be perfect anyway!) The demands put on mothers are awfully heavy and I found that Ruth Heald dealt with postnatal depression in a very caring, non-judgemental way. It is important for us to read about it, yes, even in fiction. I learn how to be a better person (or how to always suspect the husband!!) when reading. What better way to give you an example of what women go through than with a character you can connect to? The intensity of the issue between Claire and Olivia only grows as other elements are thrown into the mix: a new friend, an old ex. Claire doesn’t know who she is, what she can be, and she unwillingly clings to a past that devours her. Yet, her unreliability didn’t feel like it was coming from her. Let me explain. Yes, she gets diagnosed, yes, she has a problem with alcohol that I totally couldn’t forgive (but that’s just my own past haunting me, see how the author gets to talk to every reader through all the little things she puts in her novel, including part of her heart!) but there was something off, something that kept whispering ‘she’s not crazy’ Weird cracking sounds, a threatening note, a suspicious behaviour from her husband and his family, you can’t blame Claire for all of this! I knew there was a chance she was misreading everything, and I was kept on the edge, but deep down, I knew Claire was not just chasing shadows.

With a darkening sky above her head, Claire falls deeper and deeper into a hole that seems to have been dug just for her… while in different chapters, a woman is fighting another battle. No name, sketchy details of her life, but those chapters are just as intense, painful, and they feel so real that, had I been holding a physical book, the pages would have shaken with all the feelings I was holding! I ended up guessing the who, but never could I have imagined the why, and for this, I must thank the author!!!
The Mother’s Mistake has such a force at its core, it reunites all kinds of secrets, it drives guilt to the highest point, it gives suspicion a bitter taste, it makes you run in circles until you reach the point where past and present clash in emotional and powerful fireworks. Absorbing and totally brilliant, Ruth Heald’s book is one not to miss!

‘Claire has everything she’s always wanted. A new-born baby. A doting husband by her side. A picturesque home in the countryside.

But behind closed doors, Claire’s life is falling apart…’

Ruth Heald’s debut is an assured, well written psychological thriller that had me gripped from the ominous prologue. Claire is struggling to bond with her new born baby and to settle into her new life. Characters are so vividly drawn I really felt for Claire who is so hard on herself for not feeling attached to her baby but she cares for her beautifully and always puts her first, and I was infuriated with her mother-in-law on her behalf, and her husband who is often away. Sections written by another anonymous woman add to the intrigue and the author is great at making you question who to believe. Towards the end I thought I had it sussed but a huge twist took the story in another direction. Clever plotting and characterisation made this a really satisfying book and the writing is so skilled. It also sheds a light on postpartum depression and how a person can question their judgement. Ruth Heald is an author whose next book I am looking forward to already.

Claire and Matt have just moved house. They lived in the city both having successful careers but when a baby came along they moved into a house belonging to Matt’s mother that was originally his grandmothers. Claire is struggling with motherhood. All the things she thought it would be are not and she is finding it increasingly difficult not helped by that Ruth has promised to clear it out and hasn’t done a thing. The house was promised rent free until they could save a deposit for one of their own. Ruth, Matt’s mother comes and goes as she pleases as“its my house” and Claire keeps finding things have moved which Matt at times doesn’t believe on the basis that she was ill before and is worried that this is a recurrence. In occasional sections we get the story of a woman who is beaten and controlled by her husband so much so that she doesn't go out, has no friends and is not allowed interaction with others. We don’t know who this is. Claire was keener to move than Matt. Does he have a reason for this as he has told Claire little about his childhood? There is an undercurrent of various tensions even within the early stages of this book. Ruth- is she trying to help or has she another motive? Matt and his past. Claire and her illness and losing a baby beforehand. This is a very well written piece and one that makes you slightly anxious (or at least it did me!). I thought I knew who the culprit was but not why. A clever well researched book.

Every good psychological thriller needs a twist. "The Mother's Mistake" featured a huge twist that I definitely didn't see coming. The entire story was eerie and creepy - I swear I started hearing spooky creaking noises in my own house as Claire heard them in the cottage. Claire is a new mom with postpartum depression, and she's having marriage troubles on top of that. After moving to a new area - next to her husband's parents - she's dismayed when her husband spends most of his time at work setting up his new business with his first employee, who happens to be an ex-girlfriend. Claire is certain he's cheating on her, and someone is sending her threatening messages and making her think she's going crazy. Could it be her husband? Her husband's mother, who obviously wishes her son had married his old girlfriend? Or her husband's ex, who still wants to make a family with him? The only bright spot in Claire's life is her new best friend, who becomes her trusted confidante. Her new best friend might be the only person who can save her.

Claire is a new mother who is struggling to cope with motherhood. Moving away from London to where her husband grew up and into his late grandmother’s house doesn’t really help the situation. Claire’s mother-in-law, who lives next door, has never really liked her and doesn’t think she is good enough for her son. With her husband working every hour to enable them to buy their own home Claire feels very lonely. When strange things begin to happen in the house and threatening letters are posted through the door, Claire has no idea who could be behind it. Has she made a big mistake moving from her home?

This is the first book which I’ve read by this author. The book did begin slowly, but as it moved on so did the pace of the book. You have to feel sorry for Claire, the main character. Being a new mum is never easy, but when you have to move away to somewhere new and have an interfering mother-in-law who’s never liked you anyway, it’s even worse. Whilst my heart went out to Claire, I have to admit that the nature of the story did have me wondering if it really was someone out to make Claire think she was going mad, or was Claire actually suffering from some sort of post-natal paranoia? Either way, the story was gripping and it made for a really uneasy read! The suspense and tension kept me turning the pages quickly to find out what was going on.

There were lots of twists, turns, red herrings and dead ends and these combined together certainly kept me on my toes trying to work out who was behind it all, if anyone! The secret from Claire’s past was nicely played out and when the big reveal comes, all ends are nicely tied into place! The other characters, whilst not necessarily likeable, all fitted into the story perfectly to give it that perfectly chilled edge! Told from Claire’s point of view and also from an anonymous person, this story left me not knowing who to trust and feeling more uneasy about everything than Claire was!!

Full of lies, deceit and revenge, this is a very good psychological thriller which you won’t want to put down! Would definitely recommend!

What a brilliant title - that drew me in straight away! She me a mother who doesn't think she's made mistakes - we all know it's impossible to be a perfect parent. Immediately, Claire was someone I wanted to know and support. The whole set-up is brilliant - moving into a house next door to a hostile mother-in-law, crammed full of a dead woman's possessions and a husband working all hours to set up a new vet's practice. Poor Claire - and if that wasn't enough, baby Olivia is a grumpy, unsettled baby.

I don't want to spoil this treat of a book, suffice to say it's tense and unsettling and had me mistrusting every single character at some point. There is also a mystery story that runs alongside and it's not until right near the end that we actually understand its relevance. So clever! And ultimately, so sad.

An extremely well written and satisfying read, that will have you staying up late turning the pages.

3.5 rounded up

The Mother's Mistake surprised me with its tight plot and pace and unpredictable twist. The only fault would be the Claire's character that was annoying and couldn't save herself at times, considering she was a journalist (and a persistent one at that), it irritated me to no end.

However, I really like the writing and how I kept guessing until the end. Truly remarkable.

This is the type of book that I can’t say too much about without giving away spoilers. But this book surprised me several times! I love good mystery, thrillers, suspense books and this one was great! 4/5

This is a great read.
Claire moves to her mother in law’s cottage with her husband to start again, but soon gets the feeling that she’s not wanted there.
With a tiny baby to care for she expected the cottage to be welcoming, but her mother in law had not even cleared out her late mother’s belongings.
Claire tries to move on and work her way through all the clutter but with a husband who is always at work, and her mother in law as a neighbour, she starts to struggle.
Claire meets Emma, another mum in the area and life starts to look more promising, until, things start being moved around the house and Claire receives a nasty note.
Her marriage is in trouble and Claire doubts her ability to look after Olivia and even though her husband is worried about her, she doesn’t know who to trust.
Events build up to a frightening climax and I couldn’t put the book down!
This is an addictive psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The presentation of this gripping psychological thriller takes on a popular style of a 'past' and a 'present' but also throws in an unusual viewpoint of an unknown narrator, set in italic type at the end of many of the chapters. Who is the anonymous voice? There are several contenders and I switched my decision as to whose voice this is on more than one occasion, until eventually we are presented with what has led to the situation Claire has found herself in.
Matt and Claire find themselves in what should be a picture perfect scenario in rural England: new home in Matt's late grandmother's cottage with the support of Matt's parents just next door, new baby Olivia is perfect and very much wanted by both her parents. But Claire is struggling to cope with the challenges of new motherhood while Matt spends long hours away from home setting up his new vet practice, so much so that Claire eventually wonders whether her dream of country living is actually a nightmare which she should abandon in favour of a life back in London.
All the time the unknown voice keeps chipping in and I could feel Claire's confusion and desperation so strongly, I felt quite concerned for her at various points in the story. Eventually the book works to a climax and the mists clear to expose the owner of the voice, the connections between what Claire has been going through and the past which has been lurking in her subconscious.
The descriptions of Claire's post natal depression are very realistic and the loneliness and paranoia she describes are something I feel many new mums will be able to relate to during those early days of sleep depravation and endless rounds of breast feeding. There are a couple of scenes in the book which some people will find upsetting and I found myself with a tear in my eye on more than one occasion.
I found this to be an emotional read which had me wanting explanations on Claire's behalf and to give her in-laws a good shake!

I really enjoyed the back and forth between past and present during the alternating chapters. Characters felt real and flawed and I genuinely liked the 'twist' that was presented. Overall very enjoyable.

The past comes back to haunt Claire, who despite her perfect life, has a secret that could unravel her happiness.
She is married to Matt with a beautiful daughter, Olivia - they have moved into his grandmother's old house to help him with his vet practice. There's also Matt's mother, Ruth, who does not appear to like Claire at all and is rude and downright hateful. Things begin to happen - including threatening letters arriving that know Claire doesn't deserve her perfect life - and she starts losing her grip on her sanity.
I really enjoyed this psychological thriller! It was a little slow in the beginning but picked up for me. Definitely 3.5/5 stars!
Thanks to Ruth Heald, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Wow! This book kidnapped me and held me hostage. There was no escaping. I just could not put it down.

The author certainly opened a big can of psychology and poured a rich emotional sauce over it. 

She lets us wander around in the culprit's mind and the whole way through you wonder who the 'italic person' is. You feel for her as well as for Claire. 

How will this come together? Is there a connection between them? And if there is, which one?

OMG, I am so jealous of you all, the future readers of this book, because you still have to start with this gem, but I can't complain of course. I already was under it's spell and I loved it. 5 shiny stars.

Thank you, Ruth Heald, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I felt like this was a pretty straight forward book, there was no surprises or twists. Or at least not for me...the ending might be a surprise for someone else, but I sorta guessed it in the beginning. That being said, it’s a good book if you’re looking for something to read in a day or two

The past comes back to haunt Claire in this nicely done debut about a woman who has a big bad secret. Her life should be great- she's married to Matt and has a wonderful baby daughter Olivia. The worm in the apple is that they've moved to Matt's old home for his vet practice and they're living in his grandmother's house- which is filled with her things. And, there's Matt's mother, Ruth. She's not very nice. Now weird things are happening and the question is whether they're real or if Claire is losing it. No spoilers! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read!

She runs past the tinkling of children’s laughter that fills the park. Heart hammering, she reaches the riverbank, breath catching in her throat as her eyes take in the small body, tangled in the reeds, pale and lifeless.

Three years later.

Claire’s life is picture perfect. A new home in the countryside. A new-born baby. A doting husband by her side. But behind closed doors, it’s a different story. And when a threatening note is posted through her letterbox, saying she doesn’t deserve her daughter, it’s clear that someone knows… Someone knows that Claire doesn’t deserve her perfect life. Someone’s going to make sure of it.

The Mother's Mistake does start off a little slow but boy is it worth the burn! The plot and twists were so good, especially at the end! I'm so glad I got the chance to read it.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheMothersMistake
Pub Date: 11 Jun 2019

I give this a solid 3.5/5 stars. The beginning was a little slow and many of the characters were very unlikable, but overall, this was a solid thriller/suspense. I really enjoyed the husband-wife dynamic and the mother-in-law was just terrific. Seasoned thriller novel readers will figure out what’s going on by the halfway point, but it was still very enjoyable.

A psychological thriller my favourite genre !!!!!!
A slow burner but not for too long. At first I found the main character Clare weak and very annoying but as I read more and realised what was actually happening my heart went out to this character. A busy read which in places had me holding my breath and even had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. I read this book in one sitting, finally turning the last page at 2.am. Plenty of twists and turns and the climax blew me away. Almost five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Claire is a brand new mother who is struggling to connect to her daughter, Olivia. Recently relocated to a family cabin of her husband’s, Claire feels out of touch and increasingly alienated from the world around her. Olivia is impossible to manage, her husband, Matt, is never home, and her nosy mother-in-law appears to be doing everything she can to put a wedge between their marriage.

With all the stress she’s under, it’s not surprising then that Claire succumbs to post-natal depression and a resurgence to drink after years of being sober. Her life at the cottage becomes increasingly dark as she begins to fear for both her life and that of her child’s. Is someone stalking her? Is she paranoid?

Heald weaves a compelling narrative that makes it difficult to tell who to trust, both for Claire and the reader. As is common with psychological thrillers, Claire is not a reliable narrator. It works well for the plot because a great portion of this story will force the reader to battle with the protagonist. Are we on Claire’s side or not? Do we believe her or do we think she’s losing her grip?

As a thriller, The Mother’s Mistake works well on multiple levels. The tension is palpable. It’s hard to know who to trust. And there are enough chilling moments to keep you glued to the page and eager to know what comes next.

However, there are a few weaknesses that kept me from giving this a full five stars. I think this book was too long. There were some chapters where the pacing began to slow. At times I felt as if I was being dragged around in circles. Claire would often contend with the same battles over and over again to the point it became repetitive. It could have done with another round of pruning to make it sharper and increase the sense of urgency to find out what was going to happen to Claire and Olivia.

I also found the main twist too predictable from an early point in the novel. That said, there was a supplemental twist I hadn’t entirely pieced together that flowed quite nicely. Overall, I was pleased with the outcome because it did feel well-plotted.

Still, there was also a sub-plot involving Matt and his ex that took up a significant portion of the story and ultimately didn’t amount to much. I wish it had tied into the main thread more.

SHOULD YOU READ IT?

Yes. The Mother’s Mistake is a stunning debut into the thriller genre from author Ruth Heald. She knows Claire inside and out, and the story shows it. If you’re someone who reads psychological thrillers on the regular, you won’t be disappointed by this one.

Heald has a knack for building in her atmosphere through slow, creeping reveals. When Claire is frightened, you’ll be frightened. When Claire is on the brink of discovery, you’ll have your fingers trembling over the next page in an eager rush to see what comes next.

Blog Link: https://mads-media.com/2019/06/05/book-review-the-mothers-mistake-by-ruth-heald/

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced review copy. This book was very enjoyable and I could barely stop turning page after page to find out what was happening. Interesting and different story full of unexpected twists! I enjoyed it!