Like all Sarah Naughton's books, this is fantastic. Well drawn characters and a near perfect story. The only thing I would say is that it is veers into drama and had me quite emotional at times when reading - I usually read pure thrillers/crime novels as I'm very sensitive to sad and touching stories and if you are the same you might be upset by some parts.

A skillfully crafted thriller with seamless subplots, the book was a delight to read.

Family, friendship, motherhood was well portrayed. The characters were well etched. The plot had enough twists to keep my pulse rate on a steady high.

An engaging quick read where I could read stress free.

This was a great exploration of friendship, marriage and motherhood, with relatable and searingly accurate portrayals of all three across the lives of the women in the Mothers Club. The plot is a twisty turn thriller which genuinely kept me guessing right to the end. A really skillful thriller.

What a great cover-simple yet effective. The Mothers is a great story filled with suspense and thrills well-plotted and well-written. a great set of characters who all have individual traits within their personalities. A great read-Recommended.

A few pages in to this and I was getting vibes of 'big little lies' so I knew I was going to like this. The book does jump back and forth a bit and with many central characters it can get a bit confusing if you leave it for a while but it's such a fast paced read that you wont want to! Yes, its predictable but its a fun thriller to get lost in over a couple of days. I will definitely read more from this author .
thank you netgalley!

I found this to be a very confusing read. At times I knew what was going on and then other times I was lost. It was a very slow book and wasnt keen with the whole story

If I’m really honest the start completely put me off and it didn’t really get any better for me after that unfortunately

A generally well paved book with an original storyline. I did keep wondering if these women who did only have the fact that they were mothers in common would have ever actually maintained those friendships for any significant length of time. I did e joy how I thought I had everything nicely figured out ... then didn’t!

This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic.

I really wanted to love it and the premise is intriguing "Five women. Five secrets. One missing husband." It just felt a little far-fetched... would those women really have been friends? I really enjoyed the last chapter and overall it's a good, quick read, it just fell short of my expectations. ⠀

Thanks to Trapeze and Netgalley for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐

😊 The Mothers is Sarah J. Naughton's latest psychological thriller and an emotionally resonant, taut mystery. The novel features five mothers -Bella, Chrissy, Electra, Skye, and Jen. They met at an antenatal group and have continued to meet up on a regular basis at each others homes for a catch-up, drinks and nibbles. When Ewan, Bella’s husband vanishes, it’s plain that this is just the beginning, and that there’s more to these mothers than it initially appears. The police certainly think so and an investigation results, although The Mothers is definitely not a police procedural. While there are many chapters narrated from Detective Inspector Iona Chatwin, the mothers steal the limelight, without a doubt.

Thrillers are one of my favourite genres and this one was a remarkably original, morally ambiguous and captivating read. Extremely compelling, I was hooked from the start, and I loved the many secrets the mothers were keeping and their gradual unveiling, while the women themselves were coming unstuck. The characters were deftly constructed and totally believable in their roles. The clarity of Sarah J. Naughton's writing made it an easy story-line to follow, and the fast paced, tense, and twisty plot went down a treat as it snaked along. The author's writing is of a variety that any thriller fan can appreciate -first class - and she was able to create a tone of foreboding that continued until the very last page. The Mothers was a mesmerising story incorporating main themes of friendship, deviousness, secrets and lies. Add into the cooking pot some of the sub ingredients such as manipulation and deceit and the reader can appreciate how sophisticated and stylish this novel actually is. The sinister moments and buckets of tension helped to make The Mothers a true masterpiece.

Would I read more from Sarah J. Naughton? Yes, of course... the author is obviously a very good writer. My thanks must go to Sarah J. Naughton for writing such an awesome book! 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Orion Publishing Group via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

A group of five women formed a friendship when they met at antenatal group. Now, several years later, theynare still friends and see each other regularly. But one of their husbands is missing. The police have been called....

I'm afraid this is one of these books that I can't say too much about. The book explores: friendships, motherhood and secrets. The characters relationships are complex. It's well written and thought out. Grab yourself a copy of this book you won't be disappointed. I really enjoyed this story.

I would like to thank NetGalley Orion Publishing Group and the author Sarah J Naughton for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this thriller! Characters, the plot and writing was really gripping and interesting. If you're looking fo ra domestic thriller, give it a go!

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group Trapeze for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Mothers’ by Sarah J. Naughton in exchange for an honest review. It’s available now in ebook and audiobook and its paperback edition will be published on 30 April.

The cover tag line: ‘Five women. Five secrets. One missing husband’ provides a quick summary of this expertly-plotted, tense and twisty domestic noir.

Five very different women first met at an antenatal class. After the birth of their children they kept in touch and now three years later, they continue to meet regularly. When Bella Upton reports her husband missing, the police undertake an investigation. Detective Inspector Iona Chatwin is in charge of the case and suspects that Bella and the other members of the Mother’s Club are hiding something.

Given the potential for spoilers I won’t say anything further about the plot. As often is the case in this kind of thriller the narrative moves from the present to the past in order to fill in details and also switches between different points of view that included the five women, the collective Mothers’ Club, and DI Chatwin. So attention to who and when was necessary to build up the whole picture.

It was a smashing read that kept me glued to the settee, ticked all the boxes that I look for in a domestic noir/psychological thriller, and delivered on its advance praise. I certainly will not only be recommending it widely but will looking at other works past and future by Sarah J. Naughton.

For its genre certainly five stars!

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed. The storyline had pace, interest and a good build up. The plot kept me hooked until the very end.
4.5 stars

What a great book! All the threads of the different mothers interwove very well, without being complicated, and I really enjoyed it. A great read.

It is from becoming a mother I have made some amazing friends. That’s what makes this book so good. A group of women who it the ordinary course of things would have never meet or crossed paths. A single mum on a houseboat, the downtrodden wife, a respected divorce lawyer. The mum with the much younger boyfriend and the other a mum from a housing estate.
After meeting while pregnant the mums often get together every couple of months to exchange stories.
However, when Bella’s husband goes missing questions arise. Are the mums as good a friends as we were led to believe and do they all have secrets.
Loved all the characters. The story being told in past and present tense. Easily devoured this book.
Well worth 5 stars.
#themothers #sarahnaughton #netgalley

3.5 stars! Fantastic story about the strength of female friendships. A crime thriller like no other. I won't say much, except that the story seemed predictable at first, but eventually took a turn for something outstanding. I wish we could learn more about the detectives -- eventually they turned out to be nothing more than notes in the margins.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

This was just an ok read for me. I found it slow in parts and unbelievable in others. That said I quite enjoyed the storyline. I guessed the culprit and what she was doing to her friend. I would try this author’s next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I enjoyed reading The Mothers. It's a psychological thriller that tells the stories of a group of women who become friends through their shared experiences of motherhood. The lives of the woman are intertwined and full of secrets, as the book explores themes of motherhood, relationships and the bonds of friendships. A police investigation runs in the background when one of the husbands goes missing. Great twist at the end with some dark revelations.