Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Good Mother. Wow. My heart breaks for Jen.
I loved the books, the story, the entire plot, BUT. I felt like the book had nothing to do with being a good mother, and the twist at the end really made me question the title.
I mean, the twist also did not catch me by surprise, but what it did do was make me fall in love with the characters more.

Great read.

The death of Jen's daughter, Alex, is a ruled a suicide. But Jen knows this is impossible - Alex was found in a river, but she has been absolutely terrified of water from a young age. The police and Jen's husband dismiss her. As Jen starts digging, she finds out that the family next door seems to know more than they are leading on. Next door lives Alex's best friend, her twin brother, their father, and their mother, who used to be Jen's best friend. As the novel proceeds, we learn that not everything is as it seems...

This was a pretty average read for me. Unfortunately, the story was a little too predictable and ultimately fell flat. It definitely dragged on at times, which took away from the suspense level. I didn't really care for any of the characters either. Nothing in this book set it apart from other thrillers of a similar nature.

TW: bullying, assault, and domestic abuse.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Michelle Dunne’s A Good Mother is an emotionally charged psychological thriller that grips from the opening scene and never lets go. At its core, it is a story of two mothers, two daughters, and one devastating truth that fractures lives and friendships forever.

Jen Blake’s world is torn apart when her daughter, Alex, is found drowned in a river—a death quickly ruled a suicide. But Jen knows better. Alex had been terrified of water ever since a near-drowning in childhood. To Jen, the idea that her daughter willingly took her own life in water is unthinkable. Yet, her pleas for answers fall on deaf ears: the police dismiss her, her husband believes she’s in denial, and even her neighbors—the seemingly perfect Higgins family—urge her to move on.

But something isn’t right. Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen’s former best friend, on the day she died? And why is Lia now so desperate to silence Jen’s questions? As Jen begins to dig into the Higgins family’s polished facade, she uncovers a tangle of dangerous secrets that threaten to destroy everything she thought she knew about her daughter—and about herself.

Dunne masterfully weaves a story of grief, guilt, and maternal instinct against a backdrop of buried secrets and fractured friendships. Jen is a flawed but fiercely determined mother whose desperation is palpable, while Lia’s “perfect life” unravels to reveal darkness beneath the surface. The book tackles heavy themes—bullying, obsession, violence, betrayal—yet does so with sensitivity and authenticity.

Suspenseful, unsettling, and heartbreaking, A Good Mother is more than just a thriller; it’s a raw exploration of motherhood, friendship, and the lies people keep hidden behind closed doors. A tense, emotional page-turner that will keep readers guessing until the final reveal.

The Good Mother was an easy 5 stars for me. I have never related to a main character more. We follow two mothers who would do anything to protect their children — one for the better, one for the worse. Jen is a kick-ass mom who I see so much of myself in, and her determination and love hit me right in the heart.

This story is every mother’s worst nightmare, and while my littles are still young, it was an eye-opening glimpse into the realities and challenges of parenting a teenager. I pray daily that my kids never face anything like what’s in these pages. Michelle Dunn does an incredible job portraying multiple perspectives, weaving them seamlessly into a story that’s tense, heartfelt, and deeply human.

From the prologue, I was hooked — eyes watering and heart pounding. The writing touched my soul in a way I didn’t expect, and even though I hated that Jen didn’t have the full truth in the end, that raw realism made the story all the more impactful. A powerful, emotional, and unforgettable read.

The story focuses on a mother who believes her daughter’s death was not a suicide. The main character investigates the circumstances surrounding the death, which leads her to uncover secrets about her daughter and the people around her. The novel explores themes of motherhood, betrayal, and friendship. The story unfolds as the mother attempts to find the truth.

This was a difficult read for me. The story itself was beautifully written, and the setting had a haunting kind of allure. But the characters and their dynamics felt a little too emotionally triggering for me at the moment.

It’s definitely a psychologically intense book, and I think I just wasn’t in the right headspace to fully take it in. I can see the depth and brilliance in the writing, but it’s one of those stories I might need to revisit when I’m better prepared for its emotional weight.

This was a tragic story of difficult marriages affecting all the participants especially the children. This story was very disturbing and it is hard to believe that these kind of actions happen, but deep down knowing they do. What a terrible world we live in!!

This book was so good with a lot of twists and turns. The dynamics of an old friendship between Lia and Jen added so much emotion and layers to an already emotional book. When Jen's daughter dies, she knows it wasn't an accident or self inflicted. When she tries to get the bottom of it, she reaches out to her daughter's best friend, who happens to be the daughter of Jen's former best friend, Jen. The relationships are so complicated in the book: husband/wife, friend/friend, and mother/child. The end is heartbreaking, shocking, and so twisty.

This book has some heavy topics, so see the trigger warnings before reading the book. If you are okay with all the triggers, I would totally recommend reading it.

The story is about two mothers, their different lives, and some questionable choices.

I loved the suspense this book held till the end of the book, and I was so not ready to accept the fact that she was no more. The emotions of the parents were well depicted, and I was so close to crying at the end because the betrayal she must have felt was unimaginable. Don’t get me started on Simon — he was such a frustrating character (I can't continue talking about his character because it would only be me cursing).

It was hard for me to get into the book at the start because I was in a reading slump for quite a long time. Hence the late review — this uni life has made me so busy that I want nothing more than to sleep when I get back to my hostel, but I’m slowly getting back to my side quests.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne, and NetGalley for this e-ARC to read and review. This is my first book by the author, and it was an interesting read. Looking forward to more of what she writes.

A Good Mother is one of the most well-written thrillers I have read in a while. The characters and their relationships were complex and the plot was thick. It made me uncomfortable in the best way and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes a book where nobody is the "good guy".

A Good Mother is a great book with mystery and suspence! Imagine on the outside it looks like you have the perfect life. A loving husband, great kids, a career, beautiful house, and money. Sounds like the dream but everything isn't as it seems. I really love this book! I really loved the story that held my attention and was so hard to put down! What is really going on is shocking. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author!

It's been an amazing book, although I would like to know wgat future brings to two characters.
I couldn't put it down, all I wanted was keep reading. Definitely I will read more books from Michelle Dunne. Thanks to netgalley for this ARC

I could not put this book down. What I loved about this book was the way it kept me guessing. Great characters I could connect to. Highly recommend.

This was a well written psychological thriller.

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley, but these opinions are my own.

Thank you Michelle Dunne, Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

- I am not sure how I feel about this as a mother of a pre teen in the digital age, especially knowing the horrors of social media. So this consolidated all my phobias as a mother. These are not criticisms of the book; it is an eye opener for many.

- It also examines how people cope with abuse and manipulation. Sometimes it is really difficult to sympathize with the abused party when they become accomplices of the abusers; but it is important to not compromise compassion for accountability.

- I think that this is the first novel I read that is set in Ireland; it has been interesting and I would definitely remedy this oversight.

- This was a fast paced, high stakes, well written thriller. I would read more from Ms. Dunne.

They say that her daughter committed suicide by drowning but she would never have went near the water.
A tense mystery about a mother’s love, friendship & betrayal

Thank you for an advanced copy of the book

When Jen's daughter Alex's body is found in the river it is ruled a suicide even though Alex was terrified of water and would never willingly have entered the river. But no one is listening to her mother.

Not even her ex-best friend Lia, who should be able to put aside their differences at a time like this. But maybe Lia has something of her own to hide. Because why would Alex be messaging with her shortly before her death?

This is a gripping thriller that keeps the reader guessing throughout. Worth checking out for anyone who loves mysteries with twists,

One of the most unsettling thrillers I have ever read. The terrible characters made it more wild. Yet I couldn’t put it down. There are some very dark topics in this book but it was definitely worth the read. I did not see the ending coming.

This story is layered with emotion which creates an intense journey, steeped in mystery and tragedy. I was especially drawn to how Dunne built suspense through early foreshadowing and the dynamic relationships that were not just between the parents, but also among their children. That said, I found it difficult to feel any sympathy for Lia Higgins and her family. As the story unfolds and we learn more about the events that shaped Lia and her children’s behavior, it becomes clearer why they commit such disturbing acts. Despite understanding their trauma, I found it impossible to truly root for Lia. I hoped for a better outcome for Alex, and I was left wishing her fate had been different.

*Thank you to Michelle Dunne, Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

I was not expecting this book to be one of my favorites of the year. I haven't read this author prior to this book so it was a pleasant surprise. Fast paced, twisted, and absolutely gripping.