5-years ago, Melissa Slade’s infant daughter, Amber, tragically died in her crib. The police ruled it an accidental death, but when Amber’s twin, Ellie, died in a similar manner only weeks later, the police thought murder might be at play. And Melissa Slade was then charged with the murder of both her daughters—sending her to prison for life.

Now in present day, Jonathan, a local Bristol journalist, is tasked with his colleague, Kelly, to cover Melissa Slade’s appeal. Jonathan does not want to get involved with this case again for personal reasons, but his boss is gunning for him to uncover some information that could’ve been looked over 5-years previously.

So Jonathan and Kelly start doing some investigative journalism, talking to everyone who had anything to do with Melissa Slade and the deaths of Amber and Ellie. Some people maintain Melissa’s innocence, while others are convinced she’s a cold-blooded baby killer.

Jonathan is left wondering, was Melissa’s conviction a miscarriage or justice or is she trying to get away with the perfect crime?

The Guilty Mother by Diane Jeffrey is a gripping crime thriller that had me invested from the very start. Although a little on the long side, the story kept my attention and I didn’t find myself getting bored. The story is told through 3 perspectives: Melissa, Jonathan and Kelly. Up until about the 85% mark, I had no idea whether or not Melissa was innocent. Diane Jeffrey did a great job playing both sides so I couldn’t guess the truth. I wish the big reveal had been more dramatic, adding a bigger shock value to it. But overall I’m impressed by this book and author and plan on reading more by Diane Jeffrey in the future. 4/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, HQ and Diane Jeffrey for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great book will be reading other books by this author.
Will also recommend this book to others.
Great read! 5***** was hooked

Before I started reading The Guilty Mother, I read a few reviews from other readers. I try to never do that, but sometimes I can’t help it and take a peek. Many people said the book started off slowly and they struggled getting in to it. I strongly disagree! I instantly wanted to know what happened to Melissa’s twin babies and I was rooting for Jonathan to get to the bottom of it! I found the characters likable and the plot full of suspense. This is my first book by Diane Jeffrey and I look forward to reading more from her.

I love psychological thrillers, but this one didn't quite live up to my expectations, though it was still a good read.
I felt that some points were a bit too drawn out, and I had a hard time liking many of the characters. I do like that the story was told from multiple POVs. It was a bit confusing to have a character named Mel and one named Melissa. For some time, I thought they were the same person, but that's not the case. Some plot points were a bit unbelievable. I never really felt a connection with the story, though there were a few interesting twists. Just an average read for me overall.

Overall, an enjoyable read. Perhaps the start of a new series as I wonder if further books will be written about Jonathan. I enjoyed both the main story and the backstories of the different characters.

A thriller that's a bit drawn out with unlikeable characters, but a good mystery nonetheless. 3.5 stars!

The main problem I had this book were the characters. Even the protagonists, Jon and Kelly, I found so intensely unlikeable it really prevented me from connecting with the book. I even liked Melissa better!

Also, I think the book suffered a little from being overly complicated. It was resolved very quickly and the first 80% of the book really dragged for me. The events of the last 20% could have been stretched out more throughout the book.

I am definitely interested in reading more from this author, though! It was a good story and a very quick read that kept me entertained. I will be picking up more books from Diane Jeffrey for sure.

Would recommend for: fans of domestic noir, but keep your expectations low - this is just a fun, quick read to pass the time, nothing super incredible or innovative.

4.5 stars!

What could be worse than finding one of your adorable twins, not breathing...a victim of Cot Death?

How about finding your second twin has suffered the same fate, a few weeks later?

In 2013, this is what happened to Melissa Slade.

But, when her second baby is found dead, the police question whether or not this could actually happen twice...and, if the coroner got it "wrong" the first time.

Present Day:

Jonathan Hunt covered the original Slade Babies case for the local newspaper. So when his new editor gets wind that Melissa has filed an APPEAL, she wants him back on the story to uncover the truth.

The only problem? He is reluctant to investigate this case for personal reasons.

Fortunately, his protégé , Kelly IS interested, and starts doing some digging of her own.

Is Melissa Slade manipulating everyone...or has she been the Victim of a Miscarriage of Justice?

Pieces of this puzzle are revealed are revealed, chapter by chapter from the alternating perspectives of Melissa, Jonathan and Kelly and I enjoyed each perspective equally.

I found all three to be well developed, relatable characters and I was engaged with the story from the first page to the last. Never a desire to skim with this book. And, I had no idea if Melissa was guilty or innocent till the end. And, best of all (for me) all of the twists and revelations are plausible! Although the subject matter is delicate there are no gruesome descriptions for those who feel they may be sensitive to this storyline.

This book was published in the U.K. under the title "The Appeal" but will be released in the U.S under this title on Aug. 2, 2019.

I had never read Diane Jeffrey's work before and I would like to thank her, NetGalley and HQ Digital for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review. I am definitely planning to go back and read her previous novels now that I have discovered her work!

Bloody brilliant. I was a bit sceptical when I was reading at first and it didn't really grab me. But from that 50% mark it turnt very fast paced, and kept me gripped. I read it in one go. I have already added this authors other book to my wish list ready to buy and read.

An absolutely amazing twisty thriller drama. Perfect for fans of court room dramas. This was outstanding and really real, emotional and believable x

Jaw dropping are the first two words that come to mind after reading this! I can usually tell by the first chapter or two if I’m going to like a book and sure enough, this was one crazy ride! I read the premise thinking, well if Melissa was convicted of killing her daughters it must be true right? Maybe. Maybe not. This is actually a bit of a whodunnit and is filled with so many family secrets, lies and half truths. Told from the perspective of Melissa and two reporters trying to uncover the truth, I found this to be a first rate thriller. I had no idea what was coming and the last few chapters blew my mind! I highly recommend this book! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review and for keeping me up past my bedtime because I NEEDED to know the truth. I look forward to more by this author!

I feel the need to start off with a warning. This review doesn’t go too deep into the how and what of the deaths of infants, yet the book mentions a lot about SIDs and coth deaths. It might trigger emotions and flash-backs for some people.

The Guilty Mother centres around Melissa Slade. She’s a mother of three, with an older son from her previous marriage and her twin baby girls Amber and Ellie. Melissa has it all, but don’t we all have a cross to bear?

The book starts by giving the reader a little back story. Melissa finds herself on trial for the murder of her twin girls. Subsequently she is convicted. And now, after many years she appeals to get it overturned.

Diane Jeffrey has written The Guilty Mother from a present day when Melissa’s appeal date is looming. There are multiple protagonists and not one main lead. They all tell the months and weeks leading up to the appeal date from their point of view. There is Melissa Slade, the convicted murderer awaiting her appeal. As well as Jonathan Hunt a journalist who covered the original murder trial. He is now back on the story to cover the appeal. And eventually Kelly, a young journalist who is helping Jonathan with his media coverage.

Developing a story from different points of view is interesting. However I was left a little confused in the beginning. When we’re looking through Jonathan’s eyes there is a regular mention of a “Mel”. Melissa and Mel turn out NOT to be the same person. And while that’s made clear relatively early it still confused me at first. I honestly wished she chose a different name for the Mel in Jonathan’s story. Generally I don’t see the need to choose two similar names in a book. Especially when they also have certain parallels in their life story. Although that might be personal preference. It just seems like a recipe for confusion.

The story line is not particularly bad, but it’s also not something that kept me on the edge of my seat. There are some plot twists and unexpected events. Mostly though it’s a lot of back and forward between has she done it, or hasn’t she. At the same time there are many people pulling certain strings for certain outcomes . Yet it all goes unnoticed and it becomes a little bit unbelievable.

I couldn’t really connect with the characters. They seemed detached to the story at times and overall a little shallow. Everything seems to fit into please too well which makes it predictable at some times. For me a book needs to make me feel something. And while I did enjoy reading it, I just didn’t have that gripping feeling.

If you like a suspense novel with some twists and turns that would be nice for your summer reading list The Guilty Mother might be for you.

I give this a 3.5.

Melissa Slade is in prison for life for killing one of her twin daughters, and Jon and Kelly are a pair of reporters with their own tormented pasts that are covering her appeal. Did Melissa do it? You'll have to read to the end to find out.

I liked the twists and turns in this book, and I didn't see the end coming (for once,) but I didn't love the characters. I didn't really connect with anyone but for (maybe) Kelly, and her story just kind of floated there. There were some other story lines that didn't really conclude, either, which is frustrating in a light mystery, too. But, overall, I enjoyed this book and it took less than three days to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc. It has not influenced my review.

Melissa Slade, a woman who once had it all, is on trial for murdering her twin daughters. New evidence comes to light & she is granted an appeal. Jonathon Hunt, a journalist, had covered the original trial. Now his boss has him covering the upcoming appeal. With reluctance, Jonathon tries to uncover the truth-Did Melissa really murder her babies??

This was an intriguing book that had you second guessing everything you thought while reading it. This is my first book by Diane Jeffrey, but it won't be my last

The Guilty Mother is a great psychological thriller with a few twists and turns. Interesting characters and good storyline.

Compulsive reading, this is an addictive suspenseful psychological thriller like no other.

The plot is unpredictable with lots of twists and turns along with solid engaging characters.
There is also a sense of dread as the story deals with the deep and dark corners of the human psych.

I very much enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone!

This was a really good ‘did-she or didn’t she’ novel revolving around the deaths of two children at different times, possibly by SIDS or possibly by murder. The jury certainly thinks so as Melissa is currently in jail for the death of her child and her defenders are planning a final appeal. Jon and Kelly, two local newspaper reporters reluctantly begin to cover the appeal and suddenly all sorts of possibilities, coincidences and related subplots start to rise up all pointing to four or five suspects. Told in multiple points of view from the main charactersI rushed through this one as I couldn’t wait to find out what happened and who was responsible. A multilayered thriller with secrets and characters protecting other family members as it unravels. I had no idea how it was going to end, While I wanted to know the truth , In the final chapters realized it wasn’t as important to me to discover what had happened that fateful night as I was rooting for the various characters to be innocent or guilty in different ways and for different reasons. Satisfying ending and well resolved.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be released on August 2nd.
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Melissa had it all until she was accused, tried, and convicted of killing her twin baby daughters in 2013.
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Fast forward to 2018: Journalist Jonathan Hunt, who covered Melissa’s original case, is put back on the story when Melissa is granted an appeal. Can he be objective enough to find the truth as he’s starting to doubt her guilt? Will anyone ever know what really happened?
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This was a suspenseful book with some great twists that kept me guessing the whole time. The characters were all interesting in their own way. Some were secretive, some were shady, and some had sad backstories. I suspected five different characters at one point or another and I couldn’t stick to one theory about what really happened.
I’d recommend this book!

Loved this book it’s one of those where you go from one to another guilty party only to find at the end whether you are right or wrong definitely one to read

I am a huge fan of thrillers, but this one just didn’t make the cut. It was too predictable and you could see everything coming. I almost didn’t finish, but wanted to see if I was right....I was.

Melissa has the perfect marriage, older son and two perfect 3 mos twin babies. Until she doesn’t.
She struggles with depression and hires a nanny to help out. First, one of the twins died of apparent SIDS and then the other dies weeks later suspiciously.
Police arrest Melissa and a journalist Jonathan begins looking into the story. The web untangles and we eventually find out the truth.

While I appreciated the interesting and exciting storyline as well as the plot-twists, unfortunately in my eyes the characters remained quite shallow and I couldn't bring myself to really care about or connect with them.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for this eBook!