Mother Knows Best is a dark, twisty psychological thriller told through multiple points of view that slowly weave together into a chilling family drama.

We meet Helena, a mother of three who prides herself on being a devoted parent, but her family is fractured. One daughter is lost to addiction, another is overworked and struggling to juggle motherhood, and the memory of a third still lingers in tragedy. As disappearances of local girls begin to haunt the town, Helena’s maternal instincts turn into icy suspicion.

Alongside Helena’s story, we follow Alex, a deeply disturbed child fascinated by blood and violence, and an unnamed kidnapped woman. The narrative shifts back and forth in time, moving between Alex’s unsettling perspective years ago and Helena’s fractured family in the present. The tension builds as we question: Who is the kidnapped woman? Who is behind the abductions? And is the real danger lurking much closer to home than anyone suspects?

J.A. Baker does a fantastic job layering family dysfunction, creeping dread, and shocking twists. The characters are flawed, complex, and often unreliable, which makes the mystery even more gripping. I especially liked how the multiple POVs kept me on edge, forcing me to piece together the truth bit by bit.

If you enjoy unsettling family centered thrillers like The Push or The Daughter, this one will absolutely pull you in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC for this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Mother Knows Best was a great book. Wow! This book was full of dark family drama. It was a fast paced story with some dark twists.

This is a book about family drama. I love these books but unfortunately this one didn't hit the mark for me. I found it to be repetitive at times. Give it a try, it just wasn't the book for me.

3.5 ⭐

OMG.... These characters are the epitome of evil. It scares me to know that there are some people living between us who have the same ideas. Most of them have missed up childhoods an an inferior complex like Alex, and some have absolutely no reason to be evil they just chose to be, and those are the ones scarier. Hope those kind of people never find me

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Thank you Boldwood Books for sending me an ARC of this book, My apologies for being late to read it 🫶🏻

Mother Knows Best is a gripping psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of motherhood, trust, and fear. Helena is a convincing, multi-layered protagonist whose fierce devotion to her daughters gradually twists into suspicion and desperation as the dark truth begins to surface. The story skillfully builds tension, keeping me guessing about who could be behind the disappearances.

The narrative explores family dynamics with nuance—how love can sometimes blind us, and how protection can become paranoia. The pacing is strong, with chilling moments that stay with you, although a few twists felt a bit familiar to seasoned thriller readers.

What really stood out was the emotional core of the novel: Helena’s struggle to hold her fractured family together amid mounting terror felt authentic and heartbreaking. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with strong character focus and an eerie, unsettling atmosphere, this is a compelling read.

Mother Knows Best by J.A. Baker

Helena has always believed she knows what’s best for her family. With two very different daughters—Vanessa, the dependable professional and mother of two, and Rachel, the troubled addict struggling to survive on the streets—Helena shoulders their burdens as if they were her own. But when young women start vanishing in their quiet town, only to be discovered brutally murdered, Helena’s anxieties take on a darker edge. She fears for her daughters’ safety more than ever, yet she can’t shake the feeling that danger may already be closer than she dares admit.

Told across multiple perspectives and timelines, Mother Knows Best weaves Helena’s voice with that of Alex, a boy whose fractured childhood and toxic bond with his mother have left deep scars. There are also glimpses from the perspective of a woman being held captive, each chapter pulling the threads tighter until they inevitably converge. This structure keeps the suspense simmering and creates an atmosphere of unease that lingers throughout.

Baker excels at portraying flawed but deeply human characters. Helena is relatable in her devotion yet unsettling in her need for control, Vanessa is admirable but stretched thin, and Rachel’s vulnerability makes her heartbreakingly real. Alex, meanwhile, is written with chilling precision—his past casting long shadows over every decision he makes. The gradual build of tension mirrors the slow-burn dread of real life, where danger creeps in before you realize it.

This isn’t a fast-paced, twist-a-minute thriller. Instead, it’s a layered, character-driven psychological suspense filled with lies, secrets, manipulation, and the unsettling truth that even within families, nothing is ever as it seems. The final reveal is both shocking and inevitable, the kind of twist that makes you immediately rethink everything that came before.

For readers who enjoy domestic suspense with emotional weight and creeping menace, Mother Knows Best is a chilling exploration of motherhood, loyalty, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive.

Helena is desperate to connect with her daughters who each have lives that are lacking according to Helena. Vanessa is a workaholic and doesn’t pay enough attention to her children. Rachel is an addict and living on the streets. Helena worries more about her adult children than she ever worried about them when they were babies. When women start to be murdered in her town by a serial killer, Helena fears for her children’s lives. Alex has had a terrible childhood and a dysfunctional relationship with his mother. He has difficulty relating to his peers. This story shifts from Helena’s point of view, to Alex, and to a woman who is being held captive in an unknown location. It is told from different time periods as well. The stories slowly come together throughout the book. I enjoyed the way that the story was told and I was intrigued by the characters. It was an easy read and I liked the shorter chapters. Over all I would recommend this one! Thank you to Net galley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A great thriller with lots of twists and turns and unexpected events. Helena is the mother of Vanessa and Rachel - two very different daughters with different lives. One has a decent job in a care home and the other is an addict on the streets. A murderer is killing young girls and Helena is very worried about Rachel. However, Rachel won't listen to her and Vanessa takes her forgranted when it comes to looking after her children. Helena feels caught in the middle whilst also trying to prevent the killer from targeting her daughter.

3.5 stars (Rounding up)

The book started off a bit slow, especially in Helena’s chapters, which felt long and a bit repetitive. However, Alex’ POV brought a more engaging pace and added much-needed momentum. Around the halfway point, the narrative picked up, and the story began to come together in a satisfying way. The writing was solid overall, and the emotional themes were well-handled. While it requires some patience, it’s worth reading if you enjoy character-driven stories with a slow burn.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, J.A. Baker and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you NetGalley, J.A. Baker, and Boldwood Books for the eARC. This was a dark, intense story layered with family drama, mommy issues, and chilling sociopathic vibes. A fast-paced page turner that kept me hooked until the end.

Really enjoyed this story line, and the twists. This book kept me on my seat and I read it in two days! I have recommend this book to my book friends because I know they will love it!

Does mother know best, Helena is being played by both her daughters, taking her for granted and relying on a mother will always love you and defend you. Personally I think Helena deserves a medal as both daughters could do with some home truths, neither are very nice people.

What a disturbing thought…. When you realise you have been misinformed by your own flesh and blood for many years, and the truth is terrifying!
Helena is the mother of Vanessa, a Care home Manager and Rachel who unfortunately is battling addiction, homelessness and other demons.
A disturbing scenario is developing in the local area in the form of young women going missing and being murdered from the same area - police are baffled with no leads and the cases going cold rather quickly, then another body is found…… who is the murderer and what do these young women have in common?
A young schoolboy called Alex had a very disturbing childhood and then uses this to play up at school leaving his class peers alienated from him, as he grows up he becomes the carer for his mother who battle alcoholism when he was younger.
With all the women going missing Helena’s fear for her daughters safety is evident but due to the dynamics of the family relationships she isn’t able to pass on her concerns until later on.
Then one evening after Vanessa calls her saying she is needed at work and Helena goes to stay with the children, Helena receives an unusual text from an unknown number making her wonder what’s going on and who is messaging her at this late hour?

WOW, this was intense, riveting, fast and full of twists, I loved this one. I had not read this Author but would love to again. Great story telling, great pace and kept me hooked the whole book.

This starts out slow and builds up in tension as we get to see events from the past and present unfold. We get the story from multiple pov which I always appreciate as I think it helps to develop the characters.

The book switches in timeline and also from the pov of one of the victims which adds more tension as it becomes clear things are not going to end well for Helena and her daughters.

Some of the characters were devoid of empathy and compassion whilst Helena tries her best to be a good mum. It is inevitable that she is going to be heartbroken whatever the outcome. She just wants to keep her children safe...

An enjoyable read with a strong ending.

I don't mind several POV and timelines when these are written clearly and I can tell which character is it and when they are speaking. In this isntace I was lost many times, which didn't allow me to enjoy the story fully.

I really enjoyed this one. I did not see it playing out like it did. A nice surprise.! I highly recommend this twisty read. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Honestly I wanted to shake some sense into this main character because her head was stuck so far in the sand she didn’t know which way was up. That said, the plot wasn’t necessarily twisty, as I saw everything that was happening coming. It was still a good read, and it is a good thriller.

Helena is worried. For all she tried to protect her daughters, she seems to have failed. Her mother was an awful role model and she swore to be better. But no matter how much love she gave her daughters, she has one on the streets as an addict and one that is a workaholic that barely talks to her, except to ask her to watch her kids. With what seems to be a serial killer on the streets going after young women, her daughters could be in danger. And she isn’t going to let anything happen to them.

Thank you Boldwood books and NetGalley for this ARC-of Mother knows best by JA Baker. This story of a parents worst nightmare and dilemma - a possible monster at home or a child in trouble had me in a chokehold and gripping the sides of my chair from start to finish. I really liked the book, this was an easy five stars for me

Helena has always done what she believes is best for her family. With two daughters, Vanessa the responsible one, and Rachel the fragile and vulnerable drug addict, Helena prides herself on being the rock for her family. But when past mistakes and unsettling events begin to unfold in the quiet neighborhood that they call home, Helena's sense of control begins to slip. As tensions rise and dark secrets come to light, Helena is forced to question everything and everyone she thought she could trust.

Mother Knows Best is a slow burning psychological thriller that explores the darker edges of motherhood, loyalty, and trust. Baker's strength lies in creating deeply flawed yet believable characters. Helena is sympathetic but unsettling, her devotion begins to edge into obsession as the story progresses. The tension builds gradually, layered with unease instead of outright horror and has a great sense of creeping dread. This is definitely not a fast-paced, rushed thriller. Instead it's emotional weight and quiet menace is perfect for lovers of character driven suspense thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley, J A Baker, and Boldwood Books for this eARC! Publication date is August 25th 2025.