This was a good one! Always enjoy Hannah Beckerman and how drawn into her books I get! This one kept me guessing. Narrator also did a good job.

"Three Mothers" is a deeply affecting and intricately woven novel that delves into the profound impact of tragedy on a community, exploring the secrets and loyalties that bind and break families. With its compelling premise and sensitive handling of complex themes, this book earns a strong four-star rating.
The story ignites with the devastating hit-and-run death of seventeen-year-old Isla Richardson. For her mother, Abby, this is a second crushing blow, having already lost her husband. As Abby grapples with her grief, the discovery of unsettling secrets about Isla forces her to confront a starkly different reality of her daughter's life, challenging everything she believed about her family. This central thread of a heartbroken mother seeking truth is compelling and emotionally resonant.
Beckerman masterfully expands the narrative beyond Abby's immediate pain, introducing two other mothers whose lives are irrevocably altered by Isla's death. Nicole, Abby's best friend, finds her own family—her husband and two teenage sons—caught in the cascading aftermath, setting in motion a chain of events with far-reaching consequences. Meanwhile, Jenna, a determined mother, is thrown into a desperate fight to protect her son, whose past secrets are now dangerously close to being exposed by the tragedy.
The strength of "Three Mothers" lies in its multi-perspectival approach. By giving voice to these three distinct maternal experiences, Beckerman illuminates the myriad ways grief manifests, the intense pressures facing young people, and the lengths to which parents will go to protect their children. The novel cleverly explores themes of social prejudice, the hidden lives of teenagers, and the often-unseen struggles within seemingly stable families.
While the plot is driven by the search for truth surrounding Isla's death, the real heart of the book lies in the unraveling of relationships and the moral dilemmas faced by each mother. The pacing is deliberate, allowing for a deep dive into the characters' internal struggles and the slow reveal of interconnected secrets. The question posed by the summary—"How well do we really know our children? And how far would any of us go to protect the people we love?"—is explored with nuance and genuine emotional force. "Three Mothers" is a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging read that will keep you captivated until the very last page.

Thank you to Hannah Beckerman, Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book right from the start! Told from the perspective of three different mothers all somehow connected to the death of a local 17 year old girl, this story weaves together the lives of a multitude of characters in a way that kept me listening for hours! I read this book is two sittings - and when you have seven small children that's no easy feat!

There were some predictable twists based on the content of this book but it was still very enjoyable overall.

The narrator was wonderful- very easy voice to listen to. I always prefer multiple narrators for multiple characters but that is just a personal preference.

I look forward to reading more of Beckerman's work in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC.
Kristin Atherton was a great narrator.

The story was 1) predictable 2) gave me the ick with one circumstance that would have deterred me from reading/ listening 3) made me really freaking glad I don’t have kids.

Focusing on the themes of each mother's dreams and aspirations for their children and what they might be willing to do in the pursuance of the same, this is a strong novel with well drawn, believable character and a well structured mystery.

When Abbie's daughter Isla is killed in a hit and run accident, she and her friend Nicole will soon discover the secrets that Isla has been hiding from them. The repercussions of one bad decision will come to haunt the lives of all three mothers - and their children.

The narrator does an exceptional job in delivering this audio book that features a beautiful novel from Hannah Beckerman, a story that will be enjoyed by those who like reading mysteries and thrillers as well as readers who're interested in complex family and friendship dynamics.

Thank you so much for the ALC! This book was amazing! Really made you think what you would do for your own child. The narrator was awesome! Engaging! I loved it! 4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely love the narration and mystery in this one. It was/is so sad though. That poor child! And her poor mother!
The ending was not what I expected at all.

I couldn’t get to read/hear this audiobook because it expired in like 3 days. Very upset about this fact since I couldn’t wait to get to it, but having already started an audiobook I couldn’t start this one too. I think we should be allowed a bit more time 🥲

“𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐢𝐭, 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝. 𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤.”

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 5/1/25

*Thank you @NetGalley and @BrilliancePublishing for sending this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was also a Kindle First Reads free book for May.

Audiobook 🎧/ ebook 📖 dual immersion read.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
Three mothers, all with fierce love for their children. When one of their daughters ends up dead, secrets and lies begin to unravel that will send these moms on a suspenseful course to discover the truth behind the girl's death.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
❓ Multiple POV/Dual Timeline
👓 Twists and turns
❓ Family drama
👓 Betrayal and devotion

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
The cover is beautiful, that drew me in. The summary was intriguing, so I picked this one up as a Kindle First Reads, then was granted a audiobook copy as well- I love doing immersion reads! The narrator was fantastic, she did well bringing each character to life and each had a different voice and inflection. I was able to plow through this one because of its short chapters (which I love), and the constant needing to know more at the end of each chapter. There were a couple good twists, and some events that I was able to predict. This book was supposed to have a twist at the end that I never saw coming and would have me gasping, sadly, it did not. I kept waiting, but it wasn't there. The final chapters rounded out the story nicely but sort of ruined the suspense of it all IMO.
Fast paced thriller that could even be a palate cleanser for heavier reads!

TW: Grooming and sexual relationship with a minor (17), abortion

#ThreeMothers

Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When 17 year old Isla Richardson is killed in a hit-and-run incident, the lives of 3 mothers are completely shattered. Tension is high as it appears everyone is harboring a secret and no one can be trusted.

This audiobook was unputdownable, the twists unexpected and overall a great listen (read).

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this title.

This book follows three moms as they go through a terrible tragedy that effects them and their families very differently. It is just a heartbreaking story. There were also some very difficult situations mentioned so take care while reading. The spider web of this thriller just kept weaving more surprises.
The ending was satisfying but this will stick with me for a while. Just thinking about how different the lives of "perfect families" are compared to the outside.

I’ve listened to the audiobook of Three Mothers and Kristin Atherton was excellent.

The story is excellent and such an intriguing story that draws you in instantly. I listened in almost one sitting.

The story kept me hooked and eagerly awaiting the conclusion and many different theories started to surface.
The relationships between the characters make this complex twist such an emotional tragedy.

The ending didn’t disappoint and I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for my copy of Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman Narrated by Kristin Atherton in exchange for an honest review. It published May 1, 2025.
First of all. Kristin Atherton did a phenomenal job narrating this book. Excellent job!
Oh my word I could not stop listening to this book. My kitchen got very clean, as did all of my laundry while listening to this book. It was impossible to put down. Absolutely addicting and totally what I look for in a thriller. There were so many twists and turns you’ll never know what to expect!
Trigger warning: grooming, death.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Kristin Atherton narrates this audiobook and does a fantastic job! I highly recommend the audio version if that is of interest.

Three Mothers, is a taut, emotionally charged psychological thriller that examines the lengths to which mothers will go to protect their children. Isla Richardson is killed in a hit and run accident. Who killed her?

Abby Richardson is her mother, and still reeling from her husband's death 5 years ago. Isla's sullen sister, Cleo, has been on a path lately of destructive behavior and clearly hates her sister.

Nicole Forrester is Abby's best friend who has mastered a perfectly curated life raising her 2 sons, Jack and Nathaniel, with her highly successful husband.

Jenna James is a single mom and social worker. She has done everything possible to create a better life for her son, Callum, who has a troubled past. When Callum, Isla's ex-boyfriend, becomes a suspect, Jenna will do anything to save him.

This is a well written story that explores relatable and complex themes of how far a mother will go to save her child from harm. The pacing is fast, and the characters are likable and relatable. Definitely a thriller that is multi-layered. I was guessing by the end as to who the killer was! Highly recommend!!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me an audio ARC of this thought-provoking story by Hannah Beckerman, wonderfully narrated by Kristin Atherton. The perfect book to review on Mother's Day! All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Three mothers who will do anything for their children - Abby, whose daughter Isla is killed in a hit-and-run accident; Nicole, Abby's best friend and mother of two boys; and Jenna, determined to see that her son has a new chance on life. A tragedy unites them and may tear them all apart.

This was a wonderful look at motherhood and just how far one might go to protect their children. It's also a look at the mother/child relationship and the struggle for children to come into their own, keeping secrets from their parents, being put in situations they are ill-equipped to handle. The story is told in short chapters from the different perspectives of each mother as well as different timelines, and I was glued to it. Tons of themes in this one - from friendship, to abuse, to classism, and grief. The narration was wonderful and helped further engage me into the story. Would be a good book club pick.

Audio narration 5 ⭐️, no complaints at all.
Actual story review 3 ⭐️ It was a heartbreaking and riveting story. Unfortunately it was just something I had a very hard time listening to, no fault at all to the author as I didn’t check the triggers prior too but I won’t be finishing it due to that. The parts I did read as far as I could stomach, were very well written.

There are three mothers that are all connected. Abby is the mother of Isla Richardson. Nicole is Abby`s best friend and is hiding lots of secrets. Jenna is trying to hide secrets from the past. This book covers grief, parenting, friendship, trust, secrets, adult relationships and so much more. I did feel like it was a little long and could have been edited down. I felt for Isla the whole story though and what she went through.

This audiobook was really good and I enjoyed the narrator!

This book pulled me in from the start. There is a hit-and-run and everything from there starts unravel not just for her family, but for the whole community, the way the story shows how one tragic event affects so many felt rail and emotional. I like how the characters interacted they were intense moments our belt ones and some really complicated relationships, especially between parents and their kids one of the dad‘s accent away that made me cringe and when one of the sons ends up being involved in the crime, it added more layer to the story The ending did not feel overdramatic or too neat just the right mix of closure. It is a good character, driven story with a mystery and emotional depth.