I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. Great characters and a great plot line. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Fantastic concept of the novel. Easy to understand retrospection. The suspicions raised and the complexity of the twists and turns that lead to a great ending. I would definitely recommend that book to friends.

This is the epitome of a suspense thriller, the format of the book is used brilliantly. Flashing back to actual events without any confusion. The story is tough as always with children dying, Diane has written a twisted tale that keeps the reader guessing all the way. The journalists provide a way of exploring ideas and assumptions myself as the reader thought, so in that made me doubt my thoughts as too obvious. So the suspense was maintained throughout. A brilliant read and totally love the Jon and Kelly characters, I hope to read about them again.
#NetGallery #TheGuiltyMother #DianeJeffrey #bookreview #booktoread

Wow what a thrilling read this turned out to be Diane Jeffrey had me gripped to my core i couldn't put it down.
Melissa Slade is the mother to a teenage son from her first marriage and twin baby girls from her second husband. Normally a fit and healthy woman, previously a high ranking police officer, Melissa was struggling after the birth of her girls and at the suggestion of her close friend she employed a cleaner and an au pair to help with the children.
Suddenly she finds herself on trial for the murder of the babies.
Enter Jonathon Hunt, journalist for the local newspaper whose asked to write a feature article by his editor.
What follows will leave you breathless as the story unfolds and the double twist at the end is writing at its best.
Fantastic read.

I really enjoyed the concept of this novel, I loved the characters, the multiple suspicions raised and the complexity of the twists and turns that unravelled a fantastic ending. There were a couple of little plot holes in this I found along with some mistakes that were missed in editing, preventing me from giving this a 5star review. However that doesn't take away from the wonderfully thought out storyline, believable characters and fantastic exploration into its many themes. I read this in one night because I couldn't put it down. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5.

My Synopsis: Jon and Kelly work as journalists for a local paper and are following the story of an appeal being reopened for a woman who allegedly murdered her twin babies. Melissa has been in prison for 5 years convicted for killing one of her twins after losing the other to SIDS. This book delves into the characters pasts, looks at the timeline and missed details surrounding the babies deaths and explores the doubt cast on Melissa's initial conviction.

Jonathan Hunt an investigative journalist along with his junior Kelly Fox is tasked with covering the appeal of Melissa Slade who is serving a prison sentence for the death of her twin daughter Ellie (her other twin daughter Grace had already died of SIDS weeks before) after new evidence has come to light that Melissa might not be the killer that they found her guilty of being. Having previously covered the original trail and believing Melissa guilt he's less then pleased to be tasked with covering the retrial.

I liked the way the story was told from the perspective of all three main characters and how it moved between the present and the past.

Lots of twists and turns and unexpected outcomes and keeps the reader’s attention.

Damn.

This novel pulled me in from the very first page. There was so much going on, little intricacies and clues woven through the text that stick in the back of your mind until the perfect moments in the plot.

I loved the dual perspective, seeing things from Kelly’s POV as well as Jon’s. It wasn’t overdone, or too much back and forth, and we got an extra POV via Melissa’s diary entries which was a very nice touch.

We get to follow the story from the moment Jon picks it up, to the moment they close the case. It’s an interesting look at how the media works and how it influences public opinion. I do realise this is a work of fiction, but it is highly reflective of reality. Think back on court cases you recall and how the media framed them! One great example is the McDonald’s coffee case. A woman was framed by media as being over the top and silly, but she was actually left with severe burns and a lifelong disability because of that hot coffee spill. I wasn’t aware of that for years after it happened. Check out the podcast Swindled if you have time, they do a great job covering it.

The only thing that didn’t quite get me on board was the title, I feel like it’s a little too obvious, though I also have no suggestions on what I would have titled it. And this is a very minor aside.

Slightly unrelated, also, I don’t know that I would call this a thriller, as such, which is what it seems to be tagged as on GoodReads, but there isn’t really a genre name that’s apt for describing these kinds of novels. A domestic… crime, mystery, suspense? Something? Regardless, don’t expect thrills and twists, but do expect a good story that makes you feel like you’re a part of the investigation.

Wowzers, what a journey this takes you on. This is the definition of a mystery genre.

Completely compelling, enthralling and unputdownable.

You get sucked in right from the start and it never loses its vice like grip.

Love the different POV and extra diary entries from Melissa.

I think Diane Jeffrey has written this story exceptionally well, dealing with the topic of cot death and infant death sympathetically and with true feeling.

I adore a 'who done it' novel and this one had me totally intrigued throughout, I would never have guessed the ending.

The characters are all believable and likeable and their backstories were woven in so intricately you never drifted from the main storyline.

Definitely a highly recommended read!

Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC

I wasn't expecting the different point of views there was in the book. I was hoping it wouldnt be too confusing. I'm glad to say it wasn't too confusing, even with the "diary entries" by the mother.
This is a psychological thriller, but it was done nicely. Mystery? Check. Love interests? Check. Plot twist after plot twist? CHECK!
This was a good read.

What it’s about: Melissa Slade has two twin daughters that die and she is sent to prison for their deaths. Now it’s time for her appeal and Melissa and a set of journalists grabble with the circumstances behind the death and discover what really happened.

What I liked about the book: I REALLY enjoyed this book. The characters were complex and the book had well-executed twists and turns. I would classify this book as a “page-turner.” There are a lot of subplots that come together towards the end. The author writes in a clear manner.

What I disliked: This concept (a baby dies and we must figure out who did it) isn’t a new or innovative concept but this book is executed well.

Overall: 4/5 stars. It’s a solid domestic thriller with interesting characters and twists & turns.

Wow! This book! If you are looking for a mystery, here it is!

The Past-Melissa and her husband have beautiful newborn twin girls! They are thrilled, but Melissa is exhausted. She can’t keep up with the house, hasn’t showered, and is having a hard time bonding with the baby girls, Ellie and Amber. Her friend, Jenny, realized Melissa needed help. She helped with the house and getting things back in order, then she got Melissa and the girls outside for a walk. She even helped find them an au pair! Thing were still little challenging…it seemed that Amber always had a runny nose and sniffles. She cried constantly.

Fast forward a few years to 2013- Melissa is on trial for the murder of her beautiful babies. Will this nightmare ever end?

Jonathan Hunt-Present Day- the reporter that covered the original trial. His boss tells him there’s new evidence and she wants him back on the story. As Jon works to get the story and the truth as the appeal date is approaching. Will Jon uncover the truth? Is Melissa telling the truth? Who knows what really happened? And, how do you know who to believe?

Thank you NetGalley for this book to review!

Thanks netgalley for allowing me to read an early copy of The Guilty Mother.
Melissa is sent to prison with a life sentence for killing her twin daughters.
Jon and Kelly two reporters for the local newspaper were given the job of finding out if Melissa was really guilty of killing her babies.
Would never have guessed the ending, it was a good story and I thought the investigating of the truth was very well done.

Book Review
5 stars
I was sent an eArc of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This is hands down 5 stars & one of my new favorite books!
The characters were well down & intriguing. I loved seeing them grow. I did like the morally gray character & I definitely think they were well done.
The plot was twisty & took turns I never expected. I found myself trying to guess who did what & what was going to happen & I was always wrong. It was well done. The ending of this book definitely shocked me. I never saw that coming. I definitely recommend this!

I was hooked from the start. I used to think I was good at solving these, but then it take you on another path.
At times you think Melissa is innocent, but then have your doubts. This was a fabulous book you won’t be able to put down.

It’s Review time:
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The Guilty Mother by Diane Jeffrey. Published by @hqstories 🌻

You have a mother Melissa who is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of her 3 month twin daughters back in 2013.
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This is a book where the reader becomes an investigating officer- you will find your inner Colombo. There is the ultimate unanswered question which is: Did she do it??? Is she capable of murdering her own children?
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A journalist Jonathan Hunt covered the story back in 2013 and is asked by is editor Claire to re-visit the case after the Court of Appeal has allowed Melissa to appeal against her conviction.
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As a reader you go through a variety of emotions- you think that you have cracked it.
You believe she is innocent but then something happens that makes you doubt your own opinion. Which I simply loved.
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A book that takes you on a journey that you have no idea how it’s going to end.
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If you enjoy a thriller that takes you on a journey with a blind fold on then this is for you.
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Thank you to both NetGalley and hq Publishing for gifting me this book

Is Melissa guilty? Is Melissa innocent?? If she is innocent then what really happened? Masterfully written and will have you glued to the pages to find out. So many “no! I did not see that coming” moments!! Definitely a thrill ride!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

The Guilty Mother is a psychological thriller with an unique storyline. I was drawn in from the first chapter. I honestly could NOT put this book down, and i can't wait to share it with my book club and friends.

The Guilty Mother by Diane Jeffrey is a marvellous contemporary psychological thriller that had me gripped and guessing from the start. I picked up the clues that the author fed to me along the way and tried to join the dots until the jaw dropping finale.

New-to-me author Diane Jeffrey created a fabulous plot-line that was clever, intricate and extremely engrossing. It was very well executed as she lured me in, managing to hold my attention to the very last sentence.

Written from several different points of view and alternating between different timescales, I watched the action unfold at the same time as the characters, all of whom were realistic, believable and extremely well drawn. They elicited various responses from me ranging from empathy, admiration, mistrust and pure dislike. My emotions were cleverly manipulated by Diane Jeffrey’s skilled and masterful story-telling and there were themes of loss, guilt, grief and self-harming that, at times, made for difficult reading.

I absolutely devoured The Guilty Mother and I simply did not want to put it down. Diane Jeffrey is a master at her craft as she skilfully constructed this psychological thriller, making sure that I couldn't spot any reveals until she wanted me to.

I am hoping that The Guilty Mother is only the start of a new series as I would love to read more from this fabulous author.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

4.5 stars

Although I have other books by Diane Jeffrey on my shelf, THE GUILTY MOTHER is the first of her's I have read. While it builds to an edge-of-your-seat thriller, it doesn't begin fast paced; more of a slow burn. But the tension does rise gradually and keeps you guessing throughout.

Somewhat different to what I expected - although I'm not sure what I did expect - THE GUILTY MOTHER is a crime story about a woman who was convicted for murdering one of her twin baby daughters. Even as the story unfolds, you find yourself asking - "did she or didn't she?"

Melissa Slade was in prison for killing her 3 month old baby daughter.

But her story doesn't begin there. Nor does it end there. It begins with her second marriage to Michael Slade and the birth of their twin girls - Ellie and Amber. But all is not well in the Slade household. Melissa has a teenage son - Callum - to her first husband, whilst Michael has a daughter - Bella - to his first. Melissa isn't coping with motherhood the second time around, possibly suffering post natal depression. A friend suggests a nanny. What they get is a French au pair, Clementine - young and barely out of her teens.

Clementine favours Ellie, a happy baby who is no trouble at all. Leaving Melissa trying to deal with and bond with Amber, who is always crying and colicky and never seems to settle. Why Clementine never sees to Amber is beyond Melissa, for it would be nice just to give her a break for once. After all, she was hired to "help" Melissa. And Melissa needs help with Amber. But she is left to see to her on her own. Despite the constant demands, Melissa adores both Ellie and Amber and would do anything for them. Of course, husband Michael is no help...leaving one to wonder, just what does he do?

When it is suggested they have a dinner party, Melissa isn't sure. She is still tired and Amber is still fractious. Still, it goes ahead with just a couple of close friends. Clementine has Ellie...but it's been ages since Melissa has heard a peep out of Amber, who would normally be screaming the place down by now. Concern filling her, she goes to check on her daughter. It is quiet. There is no sound from her cot. Amber lay there on her tummy - still, lifeless and cold. Melissa screams and the guests come running, but it's too late. Amber has been dead for a while.

But if Melissa thought her world had fallen apart then...it was about to get a whole lot worse. But what could be worse than finding one of your twins lifeless? A victim of cot death?

Just a few short weeks later Melissa would find out...when she discovers her second twin has suffered a similar fate. But this time, there are anomalies. Ellie was suffocated. And Melissa was arrested, charged and tried for her murder. And found guilty.

Now in prison, Melissa has one final chance at appealing her sentence when new evidence has come to light that had been concealed from the original investigation and subsequent trial. Evidence to suggest that the second post mortem was suspect...and which supports the findings to be in conjunction with those in Amber's death.

So what were the prosecution hiding? Did Ellie die from cot death as well as her sister?

That is the basis of Melissa's last ditch appeal and Jonathan Hunt, a journalist with the local paper, is tasked with uncovering the truth having been on the case 5 years before with the original investigation. But he is reluctant to do due to personal reasons, which are reveal in due course, but his editor is having none of it. Together with his protege, Kelly Fox - who, unbeknownst to her and everyone else, has a personal connection of her own to the case - they do some digging into the old case files, chase up family members and witnesses to try and piece the puzzle together and uncover the truth.

And then they receive Melissa's diary that she has been writing whilst in prison. But do they believe all that she has written? Is it the truth or her version of the truth? After all, these writings are based solely on her memories from five years ago.

Is Melissa Slade manipulating everyone? Or has she been the victim of a miscarriage of justice?

Slowly, chapter by chapter, pieces of the puzzle are revealed from the alternating perspectives of Melissa, Jonathan and then Kelly. Each had a personal connection and each had a tragedy that was triggered by the ensuing events. Each trapped in a whirlpool of secrets and personal tragedy, the secrets and stories uncovered in this story are simply chilling.

I enjoyed each of the characters and their perspectives of the story. Melissa was somewhat of an enigma and while it was difficult at times to connect with her, that was her role in the story. Still I found all three to be relate-able and well-developed and I loved delving into each of their personal stories. The relationship between Jonathan and Kelly was engaging and comfortable and I liked the way they worked together; they complemented each other. I was completely engaged from start to finish despite the long chapters.

But the question remained - was Melissa innocent or guilty? Did she kill one baby and not the other? Did she kill both babies? Or was she innocent altogether?

Throughout the story, I constantly changed my mind as to who may have been behind the death of one or both babies. There are some questionable and/or detestable characters throughout as well as some completely endearing ones too. It's hard to know which way to look...but I had my suspicions. Long before it became evident. Whilst I guessed correctly, I didn't foresee the motive...which, when it becomes clear, will just break your heart.

For me throughout the story, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the world-renowned case of Lindy Chamberlain and the disappearance of her 9 week old baby daughter Azaria in 1980 here in Australia. She said a dingo took her baby; yet everyone believed she had murdered her. As in this book, Lindy was found guilty in a trial by media. And as in this book, I believed Lindy to be innocent as I believed Melissa to be. Despite the overwhelming evidence, in my opinion, it was all circumstantial.

THE GUILTY MOTHER is so full of secrets and lies, you never knew what was going to happen next as each revelation keeps you on your toes throughout. It is easy to be held hostage to such an intriguing story and the twists delivered make it a compelling and thrilling read.

...and that Epilogue just took my breath away!

Also published as "The Appeal", THE GUILTY MOTHER will have you questioning who do you believe? Is she innocent or guilty? You be the judge as I encourage you to discover it for yourself. But I guarantee, in the end you will be left with jaw dropping revelations that will have you scratching your head. Not in confusion, but it was as simple as that.

I would like to thank #DianeJeffrey, #NetGalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #TheGuiltyMother in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! Well-developed characters and plot. Highly recommend!