I received a free copy of, Mother Knows Best, by J A Baker, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sisters Vanessa and Rachel did not have the healthiest upbringing with their mom Helene, now the girls are older, Vanessa has a family and Rachel is on her own. This book jumps between the past starting over a decade ago and the present, I prefer books that dont jump the timeline. I did not like the ending of this book at all, that character was heartless and horrible.

Tense, twisty, and unsettling in the best way.
This domestic psychological thriller pulls you into the fragile mind of a woman caught between memory and paranoia. The pacing keeps you on edge, and just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story takes another sharp turn. Perfect for fans of unreliable narrators, slow-burn suspense, and dark family secrets.

Wow this is a dark thriller about a serial killer who is targeting young women and a mother concerned for her two daughters one is a single mother juggling a challenging job and two young kids and her other daughter is an addict and living on the streets. As she tries to hold the whole family together and keep her girls safe does she really know either of them and is the truth darker than she ever imagined. Can she save her girls or is it too late to stop them going down the wrong path?

“Mother Knows Best” is by J.A. Baker. I found the beginning of this book a bit difficult to get into as the pacing felt slow, but the pace did pick up and I became more interested in the book as the story unfolded. This story is told from multiple points of view with enough backstory given to each character to help fill in gaps about who they became and why. The tension felt real in this story and the stories were well intertwined.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. This book was definitely a page turner with lots of suspense throughout. I would describe this book as a dark thriller, told from multiple POV to add to the mystery of the story. The story delves into the question of nature versus nurture and also has a deep look at family dynamics and what a mother is prepared to endure for her children. A really exciting, non stop thriller that I definitely recommend.

What a ride! I thought the book did a great job of creating a thriller and mystery. I felt like I related to all the characters in Helena's world. She did aggravate me at times, but the book kept me engaged the whole time. There were some grammatical errors, but nothing too distracting. I would have liked to have a little more from Rachel's perspective, but I can tell the author did a lot of research about psychopaths in both men and women. This was a great read.

Mother Knows Best starts as a slow read, quite repetitive at times until suddenly the story becomes clear and then it becomes hard to put down.

I really enjoyed this book, the ending is superb and the twist in the story is very well written. One of J.A. Bakers best reads.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Review of ‘Mother Knows Best’ by J A Baker, due to be published on 25 August 2025 by Boldwood Books.

A story told from multiple points of view - Helene, her daughters Rachel and Vanessa, Alex a friend from their childhood and Maisie who is being held captive at an unknown location.

When the news reports on a spate of murders of girls in the village, at the hands of a serial killer, Helene is fearful for her daughters safety.

Really well written characters, who are given backstories to understand who they are and what has led them to the place they currently find themselves in. You find yourself wondering if any of them are truly who they appear to be.

A twisty thriller that will keep you guessing.

Wow!!! This was intense and unique and just crazy amazing. I love this author and will defo read more

Mother Knows Best by J.A. Baker is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from the very first page. At the heart of the story is Helene, a devoted mother and grandmother whose fierce love for her two daughters, Rachael and Vanessa, shines through every chapter. As a widow, Helene battles deep loneliness and anxiety, which only intensify as unsettling events begin to unfold in their quiet town.

The story alternates between multiple perspectives, including Helene’s, her daughters’, and a man named Alex — whose disturbing inner world is revealed piece by piece. Through Alex’s chilling reflections on his traumatic childhood and twisted thoughts as an adult, Baker creates a dark, unsettling atmosphere that keeps readers constantly on edge.

Another heartbreaking thread follows a kidnapped woman, held captive in Alex’s home, whose desperate, harrowing experience is described with raw, emotional intensity. Her chapters are some of the most difficult yet compelling parts of the book, adding a layer of vulnerability and urgency to the unfolding mystery.

What makes Mother Knows Best stand out is how well the characters are drawn. Each one feels authentic, flawed, and human, and their emotions linger long after the book is finished. Baker does a masterful job of intertwining their stories, building tension, and slowly revealing connections that lead to a shocking and satisfying conclusion.

I read this book in just a few days, unable to put it down. The characters have stayed with me, their voices and fears still echoing in my mind. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with rich character development, dark secrets, and a touch of domestic suspense, I highly recommend Mother Knows Best.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and J.A. Baker for an advanced copy of this book.

Helena is the mother of two grown up daughters. Vanessa is separated from her husband and has two children, Rachel prefers to live her life as an addict on the streets, despite Helena trying to help her in any way she can. Helena would love Rachel to return home where Helena feels she would be safe, especially as young women are being abducted and killed, and fears grow that a serial killer is at large. Helena worries about Rachel, but also about Vanessa, who is called out to work during the night on a regular basis, meaning she calls Helena to come to her house to look after the children. Helena starts to question where she went wrong with her girls, the questions she asks herself give rise to terrifying answers causing Helena to become even more afraid.
This is a creepy psychological thriller which kept me turning the pages to discover answers. I thought I knew how the ending would play out, but I was wrong. I really enjoyed the book. Thank you for my advance copy.

Agree with other reviewers that it is slightly a slow start but it is worth reading on as this is a brilliant story. Told from varying people, their stories are brought together in such a clever way. Major twist and such a good read.

This was really a dark read with a few twists but I got the main twist but then at the end of wondered did I really .
Helena thought she knew her daughters but as they got older she believed she failed them especially Rachel.

The main part seemed to be bad sister/ good sister but the lines were blurred then blurred again . There was a lot going on and Helena wasn’t really the main person of the story in the end up .
I love mysteries / thrillers a genre a lot and get get through them like lady bird books.

This one was right up there with the truly great ones .

I loved this book! I threw all my adult responsibilities to finish it in one day! This is definitely five-star book! This was an absolute fun, fast paced and of course twisty read! This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I can’t wait to read more!

Everything about this book pulled me in. I was completely engrossed it was thrilling and twisted. The twists and turns were epic and left me gobsmacked!

This is definitely a must read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!

A slow burner that keeps the reader wanting to see what the next page brings and my only regret was not waiting until the weekend to start it as having to leave it aside to go to work was torturous. Neither of Helena’s daughters had any redeeming qualities and this in a way added to the tension of the story and there were moments when I wanted Helena to cop on and come out of her dream world. A definite five star read for me

Wow this is a dark thriller about a serial killer who is targeting young women and a mother concerned for her two daughters one is a single mother juggling a challenging job and two young kids and her other daughter is an addict and living on the streets. As she tries to hold the whole family together and keep her girls safe does she really know either of them and is the truth darker than she ever imagined. Can she save her girls or is it too late to stop them going down the wrong path?

This has a good suspense/thriller plot. I think it could have been shorter in length and had an overkill of trying to create the picture. Some chapters sounded like previous chapters when the characters described feeling etc. I did like how the author provided a backstory and didn’t just end the story without going a little farther in time.

Another amazing thriller, these books just keep on getting better, I am normally quite good at guessing what’s going to happen but I couldn’t in this book, looking forward to the next one AAA

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC! First, I would like to say this author’s writing style is exemplary. With a very thorough and engaging storyline. Also, very well developed characters and plot. I can’t believe I’ve never read this author before… I will definitely be reading more from them. I do recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Mother Knows Best by J.A. Baker due to be published August 25, 2025.

Helena has two daughters – Rachel, homeless; Vanessa, two children. When women go missing, who will be under suspicion?

This one started out slowly, but WOW! It is told from multiple points of view – from Helena, and the girls’ childhood friend, Alex, and his horrible upbringing. The characters were described perfectly and the suspense built until the hugely surprising ending. This one is not to be missed!

#NetGalley #JABaker #MotherKnowsBest #BoldwoodBooks