Helena is a devoted mother and can’t understand why her adult daughters continue to be so difficult. Rachel is an addict walking the streets and Vanessa keeps disappearing and calling on Helena to watch her children…

When local girls start disappearing, Helena becomes suspicious and fearful!! Who is the vicious killer hunting these women and what do her daughters have to do with it, if anything?

I felt such sympathy for Helena throughout this whole story!! It was definitely intriguing to see how these three point of views would intersect. A story that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

This was a twisty psychological thriller, and it sucked me in right away. I have heard of JA Baker before but I have not read any books by them. I will definitely read more in the future. The book was fast paced and I read it I an few days.

I absolutely love all of this author's books, so I had high hopes for her newest release.

This book is told from 3 different points of view over 2 different time periods. Helena's story is told in the present while Alex's point of view is told from 20 years ago. Lastly, from the point of view of an unknown person who is being held captive during present day.

I hate to say it, BUT... I found the first half of the book to be very mundane and repetitive. I honestly got tired of reading about Helena's thoughts regarding her children, to the point where I found myself skipping over her inner monologues.

About half way through the book, things picked up, and I felt like I was reading a typical book by JA Baker that I usually love.

I'm glad I stuck it out and finished this book. This wasn't my favorite book written by this author, but it is definitely worth your time!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Helena's daughters couldn't be more different and when one goes missing she finds that she not only has to discover what has happened to her but she also has to look within herself and find her true self.

this is a captivating and tense read. i loved the characters and how the story developed and the author did a good job at keeping me enthralled.

It is a a book perfect for the holiday beach read and for me it was a one sit read. i couldn't put it down

A very engaging tale from J A Baker. The plot and 4he characters are extremely well written and I couldn't put it down. I've reccomended the book to my friends.
Absolutely brilliant!

I’ve read a Local Women Missing by this author so I was excited to read another book by her.
While this book did feel a little slow for my liking, the plot still kept me interested. I really wanted to just figure out how all of the characters fit together. I didn’t love any of the characters in this book, but I found the chapters in Alex’s point of view to be extremely creepy. J.A. Baker can definitely write a good villain. I also really enjoyed the last twist in the last chapter.

I think if you like slow burn thrillers, you’ll really like this book. If you prefer faster paced stories then this might not be for you.

Helena has always treated her two daughters the same hasn't she? I enjoyed the experience from different POV. It's twists just keep coming until you get to the end where it chews you up and spits you out. I liked the characters even the weird ones because they made the story what it is, which is a compelling, dark and twisted tale that leaves you chilled to the bone. My heart went out to the children.

Multiple POV narrative, twisty, dark, and full of suspense. Pulled me in and the differing voices each had a differing tone and pace, with the pace really picking up with all POVs during the second half. There was a lot going on but it was easy to read. I enjoyed the style of this

I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read much by J.A. Baker before but after this one, I’ll definitely be reading more. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and kept me hooked all the way through. The pace was brilliant quick, tense, and full of suspense.

There were some great twists and absolutely I loved how the tension slowly built up. The characters were well written and believable, and I liked the unsettling atmosphere the author created. It was one of those books that once you start you struggle to put down I flew through it! I Can’t wait to recommend this to everyone especially those who love psychological thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read this amazing thriller.

Helena is a great character and I liked the differing points of view provided. Who can she trust? You won’t know till the end as this suspenseful novel unravels. This is my first book read by this author, but it most certainly won’t be my last.

Twisty and gripping from start to finish! I loved the tension and unexpected turns. A great psychological thriller that keeps you guessing.

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Boldwood books for approving my request to read this book.

I really enjoyed this dark, brooding psychological thriller in which we meet Helena and her two daughters Vanessa and Rachel. After a spate of young women are found murdered Helena fears the worst for them both as any mother would.

This story explores the extent of a mother's love and also nature versus nurture. It is told from multiple viewpoints and the author switches between them seamlessly.

I'll most certainly be recommending this one!

I always loved a good ‘mother’ read and this one did not disappoint!! So many twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat!

Overall, I gave this novel 4 stars. I had mixed emotions about this read. I really liked the transitions between the past and present day, and the author did a great job making the transitions smooth. The characters were relatable, but I was not a fan of them. I felt like they were relatable if you are a trauma survivor yourself. It was twisty and dark, which is great for a psychological thriller, but I just found the book fell slightly short in the character department and I was left wanting more detail and less repetition. I was able to finish this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be recommending this read to others!

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eArc opportunity in exchange for my personal and honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC; I can’t wait for everyone else to enjoy it come August 25, 2025!

In Mother Knows Best, author J.A. Baker masterfully weaves together differing voices, making you question everything and everyone. I found myself constantly second-guessing who to trust and wondering whether any of the narrators could truly be relied upon.

Initially, I thought I had figured out where the story was going…but then the plot took a sharp turn. The way the various threads were pulled together, only to be unraveled with chilling precision, was so cleverly done. And the final chapter? Absolutely jaw-dropping. I’m still thinking about it!

If you love thrillers filled with tension, twists, and unreliable narrators, Mother Knows Best belongs at the top of your TBR list!

This is a dark thriller about a killer targeting young women. It’s told in multiple points of view and starts off slowly but soon gains momentum and becomes a book that will keep you reading!! This story delves into nature versus nurture and the length a mother will go to learn the truth. It’s a good solid read although I did feel like the characters lacked a little something

"Mother Knows Best" is a dark psychological thriller that kept me turning pages from the first chapter. The book is about Helena and her daughters Vanessa and Rachel. Helena, raised by an emotionless and uninvolved mother, tries her hardest to break that cycle with her own daughters, even as adults. But does the cycle ever break? And what are the consequences of that cycle? Then there's Alex, who also had a terrible childhood, which brings consequences of it's own....
This book it everything it needs to be, suspenseful, dark, twisted, emotional and keeps you on your toes!

Does your childhood shape you who you are? This story will have you guessing in every chapter. Each chapter switches between characters and between present and past. Reflecting on events from their past and showing present day why they are who they are. Emotional at times with drama and suspense as well. Great, easy read.

Helena, with her daughters now independent, is unable to lead a relaxed life because she is worried about the problems their daughters are going through. Trying to protect, help and support them is practically a full-time job.
When women are murdered and she begins to suspect that one of her daughters killed them, her life becomes a struggle to understand her and to find out what she did wrong.
We alternate points of view and timelines in this novel that takes its time to draw us into a story that keeps you guessing and on the edge until the very end.

Helena did the best she could raising two girls on her own, Vanessa and Rachel. Now adults Vanessa has two kids of her own which Helena helps with and Rachel who turned to addiction living on the streets. Someone is abducting girls and Rachel may be one of them. This goes from present day to the past and with three POVs. The premise is suspenseful, predictable, and I felt the ending was rushed. Thank you to Boldwood and NetGalley for a copy.