This story is told through 3 POVs which are from Helena, Alex, and Alex’s kidnapped victim. Helena is a mother who fears her daughters are heading toward a path that’s beyond saving. One of her daughters struggles with addiction and the other seems fine with a family of her own up until the discovery of missing and murdered women from their town starts to surface. Alex has evil intentions and has spent his whole life becoming more and more malicious with no remorse. Through the kidnapped victims POV and Alex’s own POV, Alex’s downward continued spiral becomes even more sinister.

I really loved this book. It had characters that are flawed with no remorse for their actions, and a mother who’s forced to uncover the terrifying secrets of both her daughters. Getting to read from multiple POV’s including from the kidnapper and the victim was really interesting. The ending was gruesome and shocking.

The other book that I’ve read and enjoyed by this author is The Good Daughter. I will be reading and reviewing more of her books soon.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow another fantastic read from this author. Her books are gripping thrilling and never disappoint. This book has so many interesting characters which is always something the author does best. For this book we have Helena a mother to two grown up daughters. One being Vanessa a workaholic who is emotionally detached and counts on her mum to look after her children while she does things she wants to keep secret. Her other daughter Rachel a drug user and alcoholic who lives on the street despite her mum trying to help. Other parts of the book focus on Alex a boy with a sadistic and obscene hatred for women. Then Maisey a victim kept against her will. How are these characters connected. A truly psychological shocker that will have you on the edge of your seat. I cannot recommend this fantastic book more. A sinister look at if psychopaths are born or made.

Mother Knows Best was a dark psychological mystery-thriller. The story followed Helena, a mother of two, Vanessa and Rachel. When a series of chilling disappearances and murders of young women occurred in their quiet town, Helena became consumed with protecting her family. However, as her fear took hold, her maternal instinct spiraled into suspicion and she questioned who among them could she truly trust.

I am thankful to have gotten an advance copy of Mother Knows Best since I hadn’t read a book by J A Baker prior to this. I didn’t have any expectations going into it, other than wanting to try a new to me author and hoping I’d find a new one to add to my author list. Like all books I read, there are the positives and the negatives. But unfortunately, the negatives outweighed the positives here.

The most unfavorable element was the lack of character depth and unlikable characters. I also felt the story started slow, with too much internal monologue and not enough early suspense. Additionally, some of the chapters were repetitive and the multiple points of views felt more confusing than engaging which made me unable to connect with the characters.

Altogether I was intrigued to read a book by J A Baker, a new to me author but this dark and sinister mystery thriller that lacked a riveting narrative and likable characters. I so badly wanted to be engaged, but regrettably, it fell short for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story centers on Helena, a mother who has always seen herself as a steadfast presence for her daughters, Vanessa and Rachel. However, as her daughters navigate the turbulent waters of adulthood—Rachel battling addiction, Vanessa consumed by work—Helena begins to confront the unsettling possibility that her unwavering devotion may have been a form of delusion.
Overall rating 3.5 stars

This is my first book by this author just dipping my toe into this authors world I was pleasantly surprised
I loved the way the author wrote this book and I really liked the dual povs that gave us insight into the main characters train of thoughts I will definitely be checking out other books by this author

Helena es una mujer marcada por una infancia difícil, determinada a ser una madre presente y entregada, en contraste con la frialdad de su propia madre. Sin embargo, su vida da un giro alarmante cuando una serie de asesinatos en su comunidad despierta sus peores temores, especialmente por la seguridad de sus hijas: Vanessa, una enfermera abrumada por su rutina laboral y su carácter explosivo, y Rachel, quien lucha contra las adicciones y la indigencia.

Mientras Helena intenta mantenerse fuerte como abuela y madre, la historia alterna entre diferentes puntos de vista, revelando progresivamente la oscuridad que se esconde tras las apariencias. La narrativa entrelaza el pasado y el presente, con capítulos que retroceden veinte años para mostrarnos la infancia perturbadora de Alex, un niño marcado por la violencia doméstica y el rechazo social, cuyo destino parece vinculado con los crímenes actuales.

me costó engancharme durante el primer tercio del libro, pero después la historia me fue envolviendo poco a poco hasta dejarme completamente atrapada.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

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 great read

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 .