A slow start I thought, felt like it was going to be a boring read. Then it livened up and I found it hard to put down! It is the story of Alex, a teenager, who has grown apart from her parents as they have had to increase their working hours. She is best friend with her mother's ex best friend's twin daughter Willow and by default her twin brother. Alex is struggling with her sexuality especially with her best friend, and Simon the brother is struggling with his feelings for Alex and things come to a head at the twins' birthday party. The mother of the twins, Lia, steps in to try to protect her son while protecting herself in an abusive relationship which is alluded to throughout. Alex's mother really struggles with her working mother guilt, as she has no choice about longer working hours etc. There are a lot of themes within the book that keep it moving along well. I will look out for more from this author.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

A Good Mother is an emotional, fast-paced domestic thriller that pulled me in from the very first page — I ended up reading it in one sitting. The story explores the devastating ripple effects of loss, layered with timely themes like social media pressure and bullying.

I really felt for Jen, the mother who refuses to accept the official story surrounding her daughter's death. Her grief and determination were portrayed so powerfully, and the tension kept building as secrets unraveled. The mystery had me hooked, and the gut-wrenching truth that eventually comes out made this book stick with me long after I finished it.

If you enjoy thrillers with emotional depth and strong character-driven plots, this one’s worth picking up.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne and NetGalley for this e-ARC to read and review!

A Good Mother
by Michelle Dunne
Pub Date: Apr 29 2025

I can't say enough about A Good Mother! This book has it all, a psychological domestic thriller, a terrible tale of the consequences of bullying that ended with a very heart wrenching outcome. I think all mothers need to read this book if only to pay more attention to your children, don't take anything for granted.

Congratulations to author Michelle Dunne for writing such a great story! My rating would be over 5 stars if it was possible!

Synopsis: Two mothers. Two daughters. One devastating truth. 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.

Many, many thanks to #AGoodMother #NetGalley #StormPublishing for providing me the opportunity of reading an E-ARC of this fabulous 5 star book.

This book started at 75 MPH in the fast line.

Families are complex. When you take former best friends who are now raising their children across the street from one another, the secrets start to emerge, especially after one of the teenagers is found dead.

While fiction, it’s nearly unfathomable to think that this story line could be true. The worst part of it all, is that it definitely could be, especially in 2025.

The ending seemed to be a quick drop off, but the more I ruminated on it, the more it felt oddly perfect with the story.

Difficult & realistic topics in with this one — Rape, abuse, coercive control, death, suicide, bullying, eating disorder.

PS: Of course his name is Jay 🙄

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of A Good Mother.
I look forward to reading more of Michelle Dunne’s writings.

What lengths will a mother go to, to protect their child? What lengths will a wife go to, to protect their marriage? Jen & Lia were childhood friends but not anymore. Now their 3 children are friends until something goes wrong and tragedy strikes. But behind the perfect facade, Lua is hiding something while Jen struggles to keep her head above water. A dark story about friendship, loyalty & betrayal. A gripping read. Thanks to the publisher & author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of A Good Mother.

Jen and Lia used to be best friends in hight school. Now their daughters Alex and Willow are best friends. Alex has always been scared of the water so when her body is found in the river they rule it a suicide but her mother Jen does not believe that she thinks something more sinister took place.

This book tried to tackle serious topics but failed in my opinion. The way they handled and talked about them was all wrong. I was not a fan.

Jen is such a strongly written nmother that your heart breaks for her at every step of her deliving into the loss of her daughter, from the odd dynamics within the neighbouring family, the faltering friendships in the teens, the bitchiness of cliques in school, everything is so well described, with characters that bring those tangled lies to life.

This was a fast paced easy read suspense novel. I was captivated from the get go! There is one steadfast rule- Trust No One (Especially Men). There is a couple hard topics but they're central to the plot. In the end you find a mother's love knows no bounds and will protect her child to the very end, even after her child is gone. I related so much to the FMC and was screaming when everyone negated her. A mother knows. Through and through. Overall it is a great quick read, and perfect for any thriller reader.

“A Good Mother” - Michelle Dunne

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A Good Mother” follows the lives of two mother’s who grew up together and were best friends throughout high school, but unfortunately grew apart when one is the friends chose to follow a path that would lead to pain, suffering, and even death of a child almost 20 years later. The novel displays bullying, domestic violence, mental health, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, death, and grief.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the eARC of Michelle Dunne “A Good Mother.”

Alex Blake was terrified of water, 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. The police dismiss her. Her husband thinks she’s in denial. Even their neighbours, the Higgins family, urge her to accept the truth and move on. But something isn’t right. Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen’s former best friend, the day she died? And why is Lia now so desperate to shut down Jen’s questions?

The more Jen digs into the perfect family next door, the more she realises Alex was keeping secrets. Dangerous ones. Someone knows what really happened to her daughter. And they’re determined to keep Jen from uncovering the truth.

Wow. From the first page to the last. Wow. Lots of potentially triggering issues here (sensitive readers beware), but this was so good. I couldn't put it down from the minute I sat down with it. Highly highly recommend this one!! 5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

A domestic thriller with all the heavy emotions.

Jen's daughter is found dead in the river. It seems she committed suicide, but there is a problem. Alex, Jen's daughter, is terrified of the water, and she doesn't believe her daughter drowned herself.

Jen and Lia are ex-best friends but are neighbors; their children are friends, yet there are secrets that Lia doesn't want anyone to know.

Jen and Lia have different lives. Jen is overworked and can hardly keep afloat with all the things she needs to do. She has little time for Alex, while Lia, on the other hand, lives the perfect life as a housewife in a wealthy marriage, where everything she does needs to be perfect. The author does a good job with the characters, showing how your perception or how you relate to some can change over time. Alex's story is heartbreaking, revealing the events that transpired. Even though you think you know, the twist comes, and everything changes.

Overall, I enjoyed the story; the topics are very heavy, emotional, and heartbreaking, but very realistic about today's society. The only problem I have with the story is that Jen knows what kind of people Lia and her husband are, and she knows that Lia will do anything to protect her loved ones, because she has done so before. But she found herself living in the same neighborhood and let her daughter be friends with her children. If that were me, I wouldn't, so that part seems a little unrealistic.

Content: suicide, bullying, domestic abuse, mental illness.

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This book was a very moving and hard book to read. It was a sad one, but a really good psychological thriller.
This is about two mothers and two daughters. One daughter Alex is being bullied by the son Simon Higgins. Willow is his twin sister and Alex's best
friend. As time goes on Alex becomes rather close to Lia Higgins as she is a witness to something that wasn't ever supposed to be found out.

Police find Alex's body floating in the river. They say it looks like a suicide. Jen, Alex's mother, knows that she didn't die by suicide as she knew how terrified she was of the water and would never be by it. Her husband Dale and the Higgins family all agreed with the police and wanted to move forward with their lives. Jen wouldn't let it go. She kept asking question and kept digging until she found the answers.

You will be very surprised of who did it .....

Happy reading!!

Thanks NetGallery for this Arc. I really enjoyed this book even though I predicted the ending. It captivated me because I have 3 daughters so the school situation was relatable. Very well written

This book had me hooked from the start! Felt so sorry for Alex and Jen. Every mothers worst nightmare. This book is a brilliant thriller and I'll definitely be reading more by this author! Thanks Netgalley and Storm publishing for letting me read and review this book.

This fast-paced, emotional novel had me in its grips from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down!
The dynamics between these two mothers and their children are so compelling.

This could have been a true story - and that is unsettling. There are several difficult themes happening here, and each one is well-written.

Michelle Dunne ties this story together and makes it all work.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

This was a good psychological thriller which left a chilling feeling in me. It’s about 2 school friends and one ends up dead in the river, but was it murder or suicide. Teenagers are complex people and this was a good book to share this, but the twist at the end got me. I would never have guessed. It does have some triggering issues, but an overall great read. A chilling 4 star. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

A really difficult book to read, but meant in the most flattering way as it is so hard hitting. The characters are terrifyingly real so much so that I forgot several times that this was fiction and was genuinely left holding my breath or having to step away for a beat. Having got to the end I feel a bit emotionally washed out, such was its impact and genuinely a bit sad.
There are some very tricky subject matters tackled seamlessly within the storyline, from domestic abuse and coercive control to bullying and teenagers finding their identity and the courage to be themselves against adversity. Definitely not a light read but I wholeheartedly recommend it, very clever and insightful writing.

Social media, school bullying, controlling husband and the many problems of being a mother all feature in this excellent book. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

A thought-provoking thriller that really makes you reflect on life choices and their consequences. Gripping and well worth the read.

A gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a definite page turner and leaves you wanting more after every chapter!
There are some heavy topics like the consequences of bullying and child loss…and you will hate every man you come across.
All-in-all a great, suspenseful read!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC