This book is a much darker, more twisted and gritty take on the themes of "Big Little Lies". 5 young mothers meet at an NCT class. They seem to have little in common except that their due dates fall close together. And yet they continue to meet regularly for drinks and be involved in each others' lives long after their children are born. Each one of them has their own secrets, relationship challenges and struggles with combining work and parenting. When the husband of one of the women disappears, they find themselves at the centre of a police investigation.
This book took a little while to take off. All the characters are dislikeable when we first meet them and a lot of things do not make sense. However, I was intrigued by the setting, the book held my interest until the end. I wanted to know what happened next and binge-read it. It's an enjoyable read and I'm curious to see what the author writes next. Great for readers who enjoyed "Never Have I Ever" by Joshlyn Jackson or "The Perfect Mother" by Aimee Molloy.

A very enjoyable read & a little bit different for this genre. Well written & well plotted with a great cast of characters even if they weren’t particularly likeable. Another great book from Sarah Naughton

Compelling Psychological Suspense....
Compelling psychological suspense with a tautly woven, tension building plot. Five women meet at NCT classes - some years on they remain, let’s say, ....in touch. When a husband goes missing and a police investigation commences the real chaos ensues. Well drawn, if unlikeable, cast of characters and a slow building storyline leading to a satisfying finale. Engaging reading.

The Mothers by Sarah J Naughton is a unique, thrilling and gripping read that had me hooked almost from the very beginning. This is the story of five women, all mothers, all with their own secret that they’re desperate to keep hidden. I was drawn into the lives of these women from the outset, soon becoming invested in each individual story. And when the reserved Bella’s husband goes missing, the police soon begin to look for answers. Will they be able to find the missing man? Or is there more to his disappearance than at first meets the eye? And what exactly are the secrets these five women are harbouring?

I was on tenterhooks throughout, desperate to know what was going to happen next, with the story keeping me on the edge of my seat. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing and the execution of the story was exceptionally well done, leading to a thrilling and satisfying conclusion.

The Mothers is a unique and brilliantly written story, with interesting characters who I wanted to know more about. The backstory of each woman is well thought out and relatable, taking us on a journey of intrigue and discovery that once started is impossible to put down. Sarah J Naughton has written an addictive, thought provoking thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and I can’t wait to see what this talented author has in store for us next!

Highly recommended.

The Mothers is a very compelling addictive read which I thoroughly enjoyed. The easy writing style soon drew me into the story and allowed me to just relax and enjoy it.

The story is told from two different storylines, one in the present day following the police as they try to solve Ewan’s disappearance and the other in the past following the five women’s friendship. I found I enjoyed both threads equally as it was great to follow the fabulous Iona in her investigation but also fun to learn more about the women and their past histories.

I have to admit I didn’t particularly warm to any of the woman though I did feel a lot of sympathy for Bella who I felt was treated badly by everyone. I often wished that I knew her personally so I could be the friend I felt she needed. Her husband Ewan was an awful person who only seemed to care about himself. I found myself hoping that he wouldn’t come back as I felt Bella would be much happier without him.

The two storylines come together nicely with lots of twists and false leads that kept me guessing what was going on until the end. I loved watching everything unfold and trying to guess what would happen. The ending was more dramatic then I expected which was a nice surprise and I thought it was a great way to end the book.

I’ve read every book this author has written and in my opinion she keeps getting better and better. I’m very excited to see what she comes up with next.

Huge thanks to Alainna from Orion books for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you like Lianne Moriarty’s then I think you’ll like this book too as the styles are similar.

My first book by the author and a very interesting read.
I must admit that loved to see the female friendship going beyond time and how each one of them had a different lifestyle and different perspective of life.
It was a bit hard to get into the story as there are many POV and characters as well as going back and foreword with the time telling but it’s quite interesting and kept me wanting to know more, to unveil all the secrets prepared for us.

The Mother's pulled me head first into it's grasp within the opening moments of the book with a prologue that cemented a high level of intrigue that stayed with me throughout.

The plot was fast moving and punchy with a narrative wound tight to an impressive degree ensuring I could only sit back and marvel as the layers slowly unfolded to reveal lies and secrets hidden at it's very core. The dual timelines bounced back and forth at lightning speed but I never once felt lost or confused as the writing flowed in a cohesive fashion with a thrilling plot that found a tantalising way to creep under your skin.

But let's get down to the story....and boy what a treat it is too. The idealisms and realities of motherhood are the main threads that dance around each other as the book unfurls. Each character is brought to life in vivid splendour to showcase such opposing and at times heart wrenching moments of what being a mother is really like. I didn't warm to any of the characters in the slightest but ironically I loved this fact as it brought a different reading experience to the table for me and there's no denying that they're all memorable in their flawed fashion.

Where the narrative is concerned, I don't want to delve into the nitty gritty details too much as hints and spoilers will no doubt find their way to the surface and that will only hinder your own reading experience. But how far would you go to protect your friends? So my only advice is to grab your nearest copy and dive in....the mother's are waiting for you after all. Trust me you won't be disappointed as this book bares all on the page....with secrets and lies lighting the way. It's definitely one thrilling tale you won't want to miss.

Once you got your head around the six different points of view and changing timelines this book was an interesting read about 5 disparate women who met when they were all pregnant.
Life has treated them all differently and they have varied lifestyles but they have remained friends. I was more interested in the relationships between the women than in the disappearance of the, rather unpleasant, husband of one of them and that is what kept me reading.
One thing did puzzle me - why was the vegan eating salami?

You know that you’ll love a book when you can’t stop reading!
The Mothers is a psychological thriller with real characters and a twisted plot, perfect for any mystery lover.
This is the story of 5 women, they meet on their antenatal classes and decide to keep meeting every week, sharing problems and secrets until the fatidic night… Now there’s one husband missing and none of the mothers is eager to help the police to discover what really happened. Is it true that what is said at the Mothers reunion cannot be talked about? You’ll have to read the book if you want to discover the truth!
I like the books that you could relate with the characters, who have treats that you can recognise in them or that make you think of what they say. The Mothers is much more than a psychological thriller, it shows what does it mean being a mother, the pain, the sacrifices, the fear… Any mother will relate to any of the characters, I hope not with the killer… but you never know! 😉 I think that being a mother is much easier if you have a group of friends to share the pains and fears of motherhood!
The story is told between the present and the past, how the meetings start and how each of us is living the investigation and motherhood in the present, because even if they are all mothers each of them has their own way to live.
The Mothers is a quick read, that will make you doubt of all the characters and their motives. There are some clues that if you have read mystery books you can uncover the truth, but it’s always amazing to read twisted books that make your head spin with doubts, don’t you think?
Ready to discover “The Mothers”?

This was such an easy enjoyable read with a great cast of characters or should we say suspects? I loved how about a third of the way through, the group of five get given cocktails based on their personalities. I would be a hanky panky (make of that what you will).
These five would never have been friends had it not been for meeting at NCT, they are exceedingly different but it works. Bella, Chrissy, Sky, Electra and Jen each with their own problems whether that is personal, financial , work or kid related. They all come to enjoy their meet ups. I really liked all five of the women for varying reasons and I loved that the author gave them such well rounded back stories.
Then we have the police investigating the disappearance of first Ewan Bella's husband and then shortly followed by Jen one of the group of women. Is there a connection? Nobody seems to be telling the whole truth and something seems off to Iona the lead detective on the case.
Told in a dual timeline you get to follow the current investigation while also getting to learn of each characters past from when their friendships were first formed.
A cleverly constructed plot with some nice little surprises , characters that feel like friends , a police procedural and a mystery there is something here for everyone.

The Mothers Club, consisting of Bella, Chrissy, Electra, Jen and Skye, first met at their local antenatal group three years ago. They’re an unusual bunch and probably wouldn’t have become friends if not for them all being pregnant at the same time and living in the same area of Chelsea. At one point in the book, they’re described as ‘The chav. The media-twat. The hippy. The Sloane. The frump. Nothing in common whatsoever. Nothing but the only thing in the world that could ever matter or have meaning. Life and love. Forever. Whatever.’

The day after one of their Mothers Club gatherings, Bella Upton reports her husband, 42-year-old banker, Ewan, missing after he doesn’t turn up for work and the police are called in to investigate his disappearance. Detective Inspector Iona Chatwin and Detective Sergeant Yannis Mohamud discover that Ewan seems to have planned to leave – his passport is missing and he’s taken a suitcase. It appears to be a straightforward case of a husband abandoning his wife and child, especially when they find out things about Ewan that could explain his sudden departure.

In chapters set in the past and the present day, we get to know the women and the dynamics of their relationships with each other, their partners and children and all the important events that have happened over the last three years or so. We also hear from the viewpoint of DI Iona Chatwin, who is in charge of the police investigation and has a difficult past and traumas to deal with.

As we hear from each of the women, we learn that they all have their own secrets and battles and I really felt for them. Each of them is hiding stuff from the others and their lives are far more complicated and upsetting than they seem. They’re all rather damaged, battling to hold things together in their own way and trying to keep up appearances and not let on how much they’re struggling. The women are all a bit judging and competitive with each other and want to save face and pretend that everything is OK, even when it’s not. The women are friends but, at times, it’s a tense relationship as they don’t have much in common and have just been thrown together due to their circumstances.

This was a twisty, gripping story and, right up until the end, I really wasn’t sure how things were going to be resolved. It was well written, cleverly plotted and rather sinister, and I particularly enjoyed the ending; very thrilling and not what I was expecting! There was lots of deception and suspense as we discovered the truth about what had happened to the horrible Ewan.

Overall, I really enjoyed this compelling, intriguing, dark thriller and will definitely be checking out the author’s other books: Tattletale and The Other Couple.

I'll admit I lunged for this one-anything school gatey generally has me intrigued and my goodness was this intriguing!!

This it a book about a group of women who all meet up for wine and chats regularly. They're all very different, with different financial, working, parenting and relationship circumstances going on, mish-mashed together basically because they were all pregnant at the same time. I'll admit I stalled the book somewhat at the start after a few pages, I got the impression for some reason that I was dealing with a group of unlikable characters, which is of course, fine, only I was tired and didn't want a headachey read of a group of horrible people all with a possible role or motive. What a mistake. When I pushed on I realised what an amazing book this was, with three dimensional characters that you really felt for, some lovely all the time, some having off times, many with heart breaking stories. Most were completely relatable and realistic, and didn't fall to the level of 'man=bad' or 'poor woman with no choices available to her' that a lot of books migrate towards. The everyday parenting rollercoaster was so well done, with its ups, downs and feelings of both love and inadequacy ever present, twists were brilliant, the 'baddies' horrendous and of course the mystery of where the husband was done so well and my eyes could not stop reading. Very much enjoyed and recommended.

 Thanks so much to Trapeze and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review. The Mothers will be released April 2020.

Rating:4/5

The Mothers was a fast read for me as I devoured this book in a day due to it being a well written plot with well developed characters.
Th mothers are five women who met at anti natal classes, all completely different women from totally different kinds of lives but due to them all having children born at the same time they share a bond that in the end is deeper than most friendships.
Bella and Ewan are the main couple in this fab novel. Bella has suffered from depression before just after her baby son was born but after getting a job she seemed to spiral downwards, arguing with Ewan until he disappears, where has he gone and why?
The book is told in the now and then and this worked well for me, I preferred the chapters on the mothers than the police side of the investigation of the disappearance but that is just my personal preference and you may be different.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group, Trapeze for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Blimey, what a book! The Mothers front cover gives little away about the extraordinary journey readers are taken on over the course of this book. Part police investigation, part psychological mystery, part woman-affirming literature.
Five women united by their antenatal classes continue their unlikely friendship with regular meet ups to discuss the highs and lows of motherhood and marriage whilst also letting their hair down and relaxing. The morning after one such ‘Mother’s Club’ night out, Bella discovers her husband has disappeared and reports it to the police who suspect he has run away with one of the other mums that also can’t be found…
The plot narrative then splits between the lead police detective Iona and her investigation in the present day, and the five mothers in the past. This leads us to make guesses about what may have happened and develops our empathy with all of the women.
The women are portrayed as strong despite their vulnerabilities and problems, and female friendship is a key theme to the book. There were plenty of twists but the final couple of chapters were really good at tying up loose ends.
Iona is a likeable character and interesting lead detective. She is gay and fancies one of her colleagues which makes her behave erratically at times. I found her portrayal to be very realistic and human, and this divided my loyalties as the storylines of the five mothers were revealed and the investigation develops.
Author Sarah J. Naughton writes clearly and compassionately about her characters, making us feel an affinity with both the suspects and the police. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more from this author!

<b>Who Would You Call To Help Hide a Body?</b>

If you killed someone - who would you call to help you hide the body? Let's face it, we all have that one person we would turn to if all hell broke loose. What if your husband went missing? Who would you turn to?

Firstly - a quick apology. This review for the blog tour a *little* late - due to unforeseen circumstances (mainly getting stuck in China on the way home for a Christmas holiday - where I promptly forgot you are blocked from all social media..) but I was determined to publish the review as soon as I could. My first review of 2020 - and what a cracker of a book to start the year with.

The Mothers by Sarah Naughton explores the connections between a group of mothers who originally met at an NCT meeting. Despite their very different personalities and backgrounds, pregnancy brought them together and secrets will knit their lives together in a way no one would expect.

When a husband is missing and a friend's house looks like a crime scene, what secrets do the group hold close to their chests that could solve it all?

I enjoyed this book, but I can't really put my finger on why. I can't say I truly liked any of the 'mothers' or that I truly felt a connection with any of them, but I did sympathise with them. I did connect with the idea that motherhood often throws you together with women you would never normally be friends with, but with so many relationships to navigate and secrets to uncover, I didn't find myself attached to any one character. I even found myself disliking certain characters more with each turn of the page, but that was most definitely deliberate - and there is nothing I love more than truly hating an obvious villain.

Despite not exactly knitting myself to one (or even two) of the characters, I found the plot engaging and the twists well-conceived. For the first time in a while, I think I may have liked a book more for the plot and writing, than the characterisation - which although was quite a surprise, makes a truly refreshing change.

Told in two timelines, Naughton weaves the tales of the five mothers with the storyline of that of the Detective Inspector Iona. I think the sexuality element of the detective felt a little out of place at times, with Iona often focusing more on her female companion than the case in hand, but I think that was more to do with my own frustration for the plot to move forward. However, although the book is a slow starter, it certainly picked up and again, although I guessed the ending before the twist, I was still left satisfied by the ending.

I have to admit that The Mothers is the first of Sarah J Naughton's books that I have picked up - but the pacing, plot and clever writing has me intrigued enough to want to pick up her other work.

Many Thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers and Trapeze for inviting us on this Blog Tour.

I enjoyed this book, it was an easy read, not too long (less than 300 pages) I liked the characters, each chapter was from a different characters perspective.
I did guess the ending twist and I was quite happy with the overall ending.
Highly recommend, 4/5

Five women, Chrissy, Electra, Skye, Jen, and Bella – all very diverse personalities and who, on the face of it, only have one thing in common. Children. They wouldn’t normally be friends if they hadn’t met at an ante natal group. For some reason their friendship has endured and they continue to meet for drinks at each other’s houses, even though it sometimes seems that they actually don’t really like each other very much.

The main focus of the story is Bella and her husband Ewan. Bella reports her husband missing – the police ask some questions but don’t really seem worried as there doesn’t seem to be any suspicious circumstances – that is until something else comes to light and a whole new slant is thrown on the investigation.

The story counts down between the past and the present to tell the events leading up to the disappearance and the time after. It’s not a fast paced read but more of a character driven one as instead we hear from each woman’s perspective – their lives and their relationships (none of them seem to be very happy or content).

I wasn’t sure that I particularly liked any of the Mothers although there were one or two that I felt more sympathetic towards. Knowing each of their stories in more detail gave another dimension into their friendship. It’s not just a straightforward story of motherhood and relationships however. There are secrets and betrayals and although I had an idea as to part of the story, I was totally taken by surprise by what is actually revealed.

The Mothers is a suspenseful and cleverly plotted thriller and is something a little bit different in this genre. I enjoyed it.

Starting with one missing husband and possibly a murdered friend, Iona is the detective trying to get to the bottom of what has happened. More murky secrets come to light, but before any questions can be answered, the book tracks back in time to give the background on the current situation. This is more than a thriller though; this is a book about loyalty, friendships, good and bad marriages and the impact that having children can have on a relationship. The five friends are the type of women I would definitely want to go for a drink with. They are loyal and each has their own skills and qualities that make their friendship group stronger, but they are also individuals with their own agenda, which made for some interesting twists and turns; just as I had made one assumption about a character and her motives, something would be written that challenged my thoughts. Although not hugely unexpected, the final twist is a good one and I found myself quite sad to be saying goodbye to the Mothers Club.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Wow! What an exhilarating read this turned out to be! Sizzling with tension, this had me on the edge of my seat and up until the wee hours as I couldn’t put it down. The author threw some clever curveballs to throw us off track and I found myself unable to guess where it was going or who I should suspect. A heady mix that made this a delight to read.

When banker Ewan Upton is reported missing Iona and her partner are called in to investigate. His wife Bella is a mess. She has no idea where he could be and his missing passport indicates he planned to disappear. But there’s something niggling at Iona and she thinks there is more to the case. The night before Ewan vanished Bella had been out with a group of friends known as the Mother’s Club. The five women have been meeting regularly since having their babies three years ago but seem to not like each other or have much in common. Though they all have a framed copy of the same photo, taken the night of their first meeting, on display in their homes. Does Bella know what happened to her husband? And do the other mothers, who don’t seem to like each other, know the secret too?

The story is told in dual timelines; in the present day the police are investigating the disappearance of Ewan Upton, and in flashbacks we get to know Bella and the other mothers. They are an eclectic mix of people. All very different and not who you’d put together without the commonality of having babies at the same time. Though Ewan’s disappearance is the mystery that needs to be solved, it was in the flashbacks that the best storytelling occurs and we see the raw, no-holds-barred life of each of the women as they struggle with new motherhood, the changes to their relationships, to their bodies, and the fact that their life is now completely different. Their struggles are different and unique but they are all very relatable and true to life. I found these parts of the story emotional at times as they discuss some often brushed-over or hidden parts of parenthood. They were also my favourite parts as get to know each woman on a deeper level, which helped when the tension soared in the present day as we could understand their actions.

Bella is a mousy, downtrodden wife who’s let herself go since her son, Teddy was born. She suffers from postnatal depression which included hallucination when he was very young and lives in fear of it returning and maybe losing her precious boy. She is lacking in confidence, something that isn’t helped by her controlling, douchebag of a husband, Ewan. God I hated him! My spidey senses told me something was off about him from the start and he turned out to be an awful husband, father and human being who treated everyone like dirt and was only out for himself. I felt increasingly sad for Bella and angry at Ewan, hoping he didn’t return home so that she could have some chance of a happy life once she’d come to terms with his leaving.

This was the first time I’ve read a book by this author and I was blown away by the intricate, clever, riveting and twisty plot. She kept the reader in the dark about so much for most of the book and I loved that I was in the same position as Iona and her colleagues, trying to figure out if the Mothers Club were telling the truth and what had happened to Ewan. I was stumped. While I had some faint suspicions I was mostly clueless which made it all the more amazing when revelations and twists came and things began to fall into place. I was thrilled when Bella’s inner tigress awakened and things begin to turn in the story. The tension soared and it felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride I didn’t want to get off, unable to put the book down until I reached the end and discovered the truth at last.

If you like well-written and surprising psychological thrillers then read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion for my gifted copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mystery and twists which will definitely keep you hooked.
Recommended.