I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I lost interest when the teenager was interested in her girlfriend. I'm not interested in lesbian stories.

I am truly in the minority with this one, it just didn't stand out to me. It was just okay, nothing spectacular, a little long and slow for my liking. There were some deep themes and some good parts, but overall it just didnt do it for me.

Michelle Dunne is an author I discovered thanks to NetGalley and this is the second novel of hers that I have read. 'A Good Mother' is a hard hitting domestic thriller which covers some difficult topics including domestic abuse and bullying carried out by some despicable characters.

Jen Blake and Lia Higgins have known each other for years and were once very close. Their children are still best friends having grown up together, but suddenly it seems something has come between them. Tragedy occurs and as the narrative progresses the tension and anxiety grow.

This is not an easy read but a worthwhile one. Especially if it does nothing more than make you realise we should make time to listen to the ones we love. With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author.

Alex Blake was terrified of water, and had been since she nearly drowned at age five. So when police find her body in the river and rule it a suicide, her mother, Jen knows they're wrong. But no one will listen to a grieving mother.

This is a well written, gripping, fast paced domestic thriller with enough red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing until the end. I raced through it in two days and as a new author to me I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Highly recommended!

A Good Mother is the story of two women, Lia and Jen who were once inseparable friends, and their children Alex and Willow, now best friends in high school. When Alex is found dead from drowning Jen refuses to believe that it was by suicide as her daughter was petrified of water. As she tries to navigate the truth a whole lot of past secrets come to light. The narrative includes some triggers e.g domestic violence, but, as a psychological thriller, A Good Mother is well plotted and suspenseful right up to the very end. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book: A Good Mother
Author: Michelle Dunne
Published: April 19th, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.3/5)
Review:
Wasn't quite what I was expecting, but overall a decent read. Some content in this could be triggering to some. Multiple POV's. I loved how every character's pov chapters had a strong voice. You could feel the emotions coming off the pages as you read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, & the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

**Apologies for the late review as I was going through a difficult time and took some time for myself.**

Oh, this book here!
I read another book by the author a while ago and I was absolutely sure I’m going to be reading her next one as soon as it comes out. And oh my. This one was even more gripping than the previous one, and the level of gut-wrenching with this one was off the charts.
Unsettling, deeply disturbing. It will stay with you long after you are done reading it. it will live rent-free in your head for quite some time.

My Rating 3.5*

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne published April 29th with Storm Publishing and is described as ‘a breathtaking, stay-up-all-night emotional page-turner about motherhood, friendship and betrayal.' With a shocking opening scene, Michelle Dunne takes the reader on a very affecting journey. Set in Cork A Good Mother delves into every parents worst nightmare when a teenage girl is dead, drowned and dragged from the water as a suspected suicide.

Jen Blake is the mother in this tragic tale. Her daughter Alex, had been struggling a little in recent times but at no point had Jan ever considered her life in danger. Jen and her husband, Dale, were in financial straits. When Dale lost his management job, their circumstances took a turn for the worst and Jen had to go back to work full time. No longer available for her daughter as before, Jen was riddled with guilt as she constantly rushed around the place trying to juggle multiple balls simultaneously.

Jen’s neighbour Lia Higgins, meanwhile, has the perfect life with two children and a husband with political ambition. Lia kept herself fit and trim, was always available for her family and to the school, and was the model homemaker and wife. Jen and Lia had once been best friends but now Jen envied Lia and her perfect life. As she lived in a constant state of anxiety, Lia seemed to float through life without much of a care in the world.

Following Alex’s tragic death, Jen begins to have her suspicions that there were others involved. Alex had a mortal fear of water and Jen’s motherly instincts tell her that there is no way Alex would have willingly drowned herself in a bid to end it all. The police are very vague in their response to Jen’s pleading but she is relentless in her quest to uncover the truth. She may have failed Alex in life but she will not fail her in death.

As the layers are peeled back, Jen starts to make some uncomfortable discoveries, many that add to her already overflowing guilt, but also ones that chill her to the bone. What really happened to Alex the day she went missing and who knows the truth?

A Good Mother is a harrowing story, one that highlights many difficult (and possibly triggering) themes such as bullying, obsession, violence and fractured family dynamics. As Jen’s world collapses she somehow finds the strength to poke under the skin and pull back the veneer. She had not been aware of the finer details of Alex’s life and as the hurt is exposed Jen’s life is thrown off balance. How could she have missed the signs? What kind of a mother was she? Jen’s life was not the one she had planned for herself. The hectic nature of her days, the dismissal of her daughter’s needs now all replay in her head as she navigates through the secrets and lies to uncover the darkness beneath.

Tackling multiple sensitive themes, Michelle Dunne doesn’t over simplify any particular issue and doesn’t shy away from the more uncomfortable scenes. A dark and disconcerting tale, A Good Mother is an emotionally bruising and, at times, unsettling read that is unfortunately all too relevant today.

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Very different from this author’s other book ‘the maid’ but equally as captivating. This is a story that is not only a mystery but is also gut wrenching and shocking in its portrayal of domestic violence, and adolescents struggling with sexuality, bullying and basic friendships. Kept me clicking next page into the late night because it was hard to put down

This was my first read by Michelle Dunne. I enjoyed it. It has suspense, speculation and a big reveal. This book follows two mothers, Lia and Jen, who are both trying to protect their children for drastically different reasons. This book does have a TW, however, due to domestic abuse. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read! Thank you for the opportunity!

Jen and Lia were once best friends and although their friendship hasn't been the same for years, their daughters are close. However, when the body of Jen's daughter Alex is found in the local river, she can't believe her daughter died by suicide - Alex was terrified of water so she would never have chosen to die this way. Despite everyone wanting her to accept the truth, Jen starts digging for answers. What she finds out is that everyone has secrets and some will do anything to keep the truth from coming out.

An unsettling psychological thriller about 2 families whose lives are closely linked. One family seems to have the perfect life while the other is struggling on many levels; however, appearances can be deceiving. There are some particularly unlikeable characters in this story and quite a few twists to keep you wondering whether Jen is a grieving mother who can't accept the truth about her child's death or whether something else is at play. There are some difficult themes covered including bullying, assault and domestic abuse. Ultimately, a story about what someone will do to protect their family, no matter what. The tension build-up throughout the book was gripping but I felt the ending was a little extreme to be completely believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely thrilling! A stunning, brilliant story that I kept on reading late into the night. Just wow! Very highly recommend this one.

This is a fast paced story filled with tension while covering some very difficult subjects . Well worth a read
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review

FANTASTIC READ!!! This book was suspenseful and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put it down! Very well written!!

This book had me wanting to continue flipping pages to find out more and making my mind wander and guess. It definitely has some trigger warnings that should be considered if you are to read this book. However I really enjoyed this book and would read more from this author!
Not Spoilers, but TW: r*pe, abuse, DV, su*cide, bullying, death
There may be some others I am missing but these are def the top ones.

This novel was an intense and emotional read. Jen and Lia were once inseparable as teenagers, but their friendship fractured when Jen disapproved of Lia’s boyfriend. Years later, Lia is married to that same man and living next door to Jen, while their daughters, Alex and Willow are now best friends, just like their mom’s once were.

While navigating high school and their friendship, Alex and Willow struggled with finding their identities, social pressures, and bullying. In the midst of this, a tragedy occurs and their lives are changed forever. The families are desperate for answers, attempting to piece together the truth behind all of the secrets and lies.

This book had me on edge the entire time. There was so much happening behind closed doors, secrets lurking in every corner. There was so much tension and suspense the entire novel. felt the anxiety creeping in as I turned each page. An absolutely gripping read!

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne is a compelling psychological thriller that delves into the intertwined lives of two mothers, Jen and Lia, along with their daughters, Alex and Willow. The story commences with a tragedy: the untimely demise of Alex, which Jen suspects is not a suicide but rather a suspicious incident. This ignites a tense and emotionally charged journey as Jen endeavors to uncover the truth amidst the skepticism of those around her.

The intricacies of friendship and motherhood are examined in depth as Jen's resolve to unveil the truth places her in conflict with Lia and the seemingly flawless Higgins family. As Jen investigates, she uncovers unsettling secrets that dismantle the veneer of their picturesque lives, exposing dark themes such as bullying, domestic violence, and the burdens of parenting. The narrative transcends mere mystery; it serves as an exploration of the emotional upheaval stemming from betrayal and the pursuit of justice.

This book culminates in a surprising ending! I was thoroughly absorbed with the reading of this book and couldn’t put it down. It was a thought provoking and emotional read that I could relate to as a parent to teenage children. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Wow, okay. This book was so good. As a mother I know I would do anything for my children and a mother’s instincts are always on point. This book pulled an emotional punch that I was not prepared for. I could not put this down at all. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Wow! Just devoured this book and I was absolutely glued to every single page. Seriously, trying to put it down felt like a Herculean task! You did such an amazing job crafting a story that completely pulled me in.
The only things that kept swirling in my mind, in the best possible way, were the lingering questions surrounding Simon. I was dying to know the specifics of what went down there – it added such a compelling layer of mystery. And the whole dynamic between Jay and Liam? That had me completely intrigued from the get-go; I'd absolutely love to get the full backstory on that situation.
But seriously, let me reiterate: I loved it! I was so utterly hooked from the first page to the last. What a captivating read!