Thank you to Netgalley, SE Lynes, and the publisher for the advanced listening copy of Every Mother’s Nightmare. This book is set to publish July 9, 2025!

Overall, I would say that this book is decent to OK. I really appreciated the themes that this book explored and think the characters represent real world issues and think that this is a good story at the right time. However, the writing and pacing of the story just didn’t match up. For one, I think this book was way too long. I think the story drug out and I felt like I was rushing to get through this book. I also think there were a few too many twists. I think the twists were mostly well executed, but once we got to the end reveal it just got a little too complicated and we could’ve stuck with one explanation that we got. I also just kind of struggled to get really invested into the plot. Everything was just kind of: “meh” to me. There were also some times where the characters acted in ways that I don’t think our representative of how this generation acts and talks. There were “how do you do fellow kids” moments.

Overall, I appreciated the message and think this book tackles important issues, but could have been a little shorter and a little more concise and it’s character development and messaging.

I loved the way this one immediately draws you in. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator does a great job. The fact that it was written in third person definitely affected the ease of following the story for me. I did enjoy the multiple POV aspect of it. After the first few chapters, it unfortunately fell flat for me. Nothing was really happening. I got annoyed that the title of the book is “Every Mother’s Nightmare” but there were only 2 chapters in the first 12 that were the mothers POV. Ultimately, it went too slow for me and I couldn’t make myself finish it.

Every Mother’s Nightmare by S.E. Lynes

A BIG thank you to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for allowing me to listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

About the book: Single mom, Melissa, receives a phone call one summer afternoon that every mother would dread getting. Her teenage daughter, Casey, has been working at a summer camp. The caller reveals that Casey was found by a fellow camper counselor, alone, naked, and appeared to be assaulted. Casey doesn’t remember anything.
Shortly after Casey is found, the police also discover a dead body near by. The investigation begins. Melissa will do anything to keep her kids safe, but from whom?

What I thought: This story is told from the point of view of the three main characters, multiple timelines, and going back and forth constantly. It is fast paced and at times can be a bit challenging to keep up with the various timelines. Overall the story was good but I didn’t care for the constant back and forth timelines. There is a good twist but it’s pretty subtle. I would rate this book 3 stars.

Narrator Tamsin Kennard did an absolute phenomenal job bringing all these different characters to life!

This book releases Jul 8, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed it. I found it fast paced and left me wanting to know more every time I stopped reading. The characters were enjoyable and relatable. I loved the different POVs. There are some twists and turns on the way which genuinely had me a little shocked. Definitely wasn't expecting some of them.

Would definitely recommend.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me early access to this book in trade of an honest review. 3.5⭐️

This was very character-driven story, which some may enjoy more than myself. The story was a slow build-up that kept me wanting more, at a bit of a faster pace. There were a few times I felt as if the storyline was dragging out. Once I got closer to the end, the twists started to unravel and it all felt worth the read!

I enjoyed the author’s attention to detail on such a heavy topic. The mother’s point of view was a heartbreaking one but it boiled down to not being able to control everything that happens in your child’s life, as they grow. As a parent myself, I related with the mother’s constant fear of “what if” regarding her children becoming more independent.

Sadly, there are a lot of smooth talkers out there like Byrne. As cringy as those scenes were, they felt very comparable to real life situations and how quickly things can escalate, such as Casey’s situation.

Overall, the ending upped my rating of this book. I enjoyed the storyline but wish it didn’t jump around so much. 3.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this story. I love a good thriller and this one kept me guessing. Every time I thought I knew where the story was taking me it flipped me around and took me in a whole other direction, but in a way that made sense. The cast was generally likable and I was hoping for the best for the 3 characters we get perspectives from. The side characters were also pretty well done.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job. I love how they read each part and I was totally engrossed in their narration.

I'm going to check out other stories by this author, I feel like I'd enjoy more.

Thank you to Bookoture Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the Advanced Listeners Copy!

This was my first S.E. Lines novel and it won’t be my last. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This tense story kept me waiting to find out what happened. The story wasn’t as shocking as I hoped it would be but I did enjoy it.

The narrator did a great job and fit well with the story.

S.E. Lynes has written another fantastic thriller here!

Every Mother’s Nightmare is an apt title for what ensues when Melissa’s two children get mixed up with a crime while at a camp ground over the summer.

One thing you should know about SE Lynes is that she writes likable and relatable mothers. Is my situation just like hers? No, but I’m also a mom and I identify with the fierce love Melissa feels for her children, and she desire to protect them.

Through the narration, we learn the backstory of both of Melissa’s children, Casey and Dan. Casey is just finishing high school and looking to be more independent, and Dan is a few years out of high school, and a bit lost.

Melissa isn’t sure what Dan will do with his life, until he meets a new friend, modeled after the Joe Rogan-like alpha males who talk at length about working out, dressing sharp and respecting women…but don’t doesn’t actually respect women.

Dan changes his habits to try to fit in with this new clique, but is still the kind son Melissa remembers.

It all comes to a head when Dan, his new friends, and Casey all meet up at summer camp, and after a terrible night, no one can remember what happened, but someone is dead and everyone looks guilty.

This thriller has a similar vibe to one of my absolute favorite thrillers, Wrong Place, Wrong Time, by Gilliam McAllister. I mentioned that so that you know, if you like McAllister, you’ll like S.E. Lynes and you’ll love this book.

Towards the end, while the family is waiting for more information, there is a little lull in the novel, but that was the only time I wasn’t completely and totally engrossed.

You won’t see the twists at the end coming, but you will believe that Melissa is a wonderfully brave Mom, and that she loves her kiddos.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Release: July 8, 2025
Author: SE Lynes
Publisher: Bookoture

Rating: 4 ★ 

On a sweltering summer afternoon, a mother receives the phone call she’s always dreaded—her daughter has been found alone and disoriented, with no memory of what happened. Panic sets in as she rushes to the hospital, overwhelmed with guilt for ever letting her daughter leave for the weekend. She’s also angry—her son was supposed to be looking out for her, and something clearly went wrong.
As the mother tries to piece together the truth, her worst fears escalate when the police discover a body in the woods near where her children had been staying. Suddenly, it’s not just about helping her daughter recover—it’s about protecting her family at all costs. But as secrets begin to surface, she’s forced to ask the hardest question of all: Who really needs protecting—her daughter, her son, or herself?
I couldn’t put this book down—it completely pulled me in from the very first page. The way the chapters jump through different timelines made it easy to follow and kept the suspense building throughout. I found myself constantly trying to figure out who could be trusted, and just when I thought I had it all figured out, another twist would hit.
What stood out to me most was how emotionally connected I felt to the characters, especially the mother. Her strength and determination were so compelling, and I admired how she fought to protect her family, even when the truth started to unravel. The story also touches on some deeper themes, like toxic masculinity, which added another layer to the plot and made it even more thought-provoking.
With a gripping mix of mystery, emotion, and unexpected twists, this is definitely a thriller I’d recommend—and one I’d gladly read again.

Favorite Quote:
"she closes her eyes to a vision of herself in the dock, hands clasped front of her, head bowed. In response, her entire body flushes hot, an echo of the burning humiliation she felt less than an hour ago. And sure enough, her mind strays to that mortifying ordeal."

This was my first book by S.E. Lynes and I really enjoyed it. This fast-paced page turner pulled me in from the first chapter. I loved the different POVs, twists, turns, and that ending!

I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Little chaotic with multiple POV’s and timelines, but eventually had it straight. I listened to audio so maybe easier if in written form. Quick paced with a few twists at the end saw some of it coming but not the final twist. Wow
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and the author S.E. Lynes for advanced audio copy.

Every Mother's Nightmare, narrated by Tamsin Kennard (a superstar of audio voices imho) was a really enjoyable read.

S.E. Lynes created characters who were believable and likeable. So many times an author forgets we need someone to root for, but I loved mom, Melissa, as well as 23 year old Dan and 18 year old Casey. And, because every good story requires a villain, Lynes gave us Byrne who I hated with every fiber of my being. What more can you ask?

The story flowed perfectly, kept me listening for an evening and a day, and I was happy to pick up the earbuds to start listening with my morning coffee. As a woman of a certain age with brain fog and the attention span of a gnat, that qualifies as a home run.

It starts with that call—the one every parent dreads. Melissa’s daughter, Casey, is in the hospital: injured, disoriented, and with no memory of what happened. Her son, Dan, was supposed to be watching her. Now a body has turned up in the woods nearby… and suddenly, the nightmare spirals even deeper.

S.E. Lynes has mastered the art of psychological suspense. Told through multiple POVs and a shifting timeline, this story slowly unravels the truth behind one tragic night—layer by layer. With emotional depth, complex family dynamics, and expertly timed twists, Lynes delivers a chilling portrait of maternal instinct and the desperate lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love.

Melissa is a character you can’t help but connect with—raw, flawed, and fiercely protective. The sibling bond between Dan and Casey adds another layer of tension, especially as secrets begin to surface and loyalties are questioned. And just when you think you’ve got it figured out… bam, another twist knocks the wind out of you.

Yes, some parts move with a quieter intensity, but they build to a climax that is both satisfying and shocking. And that final twist? I didn’t see it coming at all.

This is a smart, emotionally-charged thriller that hits close to home and keeps you guessing until the final page.

⸻

Perfect for fans of:
👩‍👧 Maternal thrillers
🧠 Memory & trauma themes
🔁 Dual timelines
🔪 Shocking final twists
🫣 Complex family secrets

4.5 rounded up!

S.E. Lynes is a name I keep an eye out for, so when I saw this one on NetGalley and it was an instarequest for me!

Premise - Casey's summer job at a campsite ends in the titular "every mother's nightmare" when she's found, sans clothes, with no memory of what happened to her. She'd been talking to a red pill weirdo, Bern, much to her brother Dan's chagrin, so Dan is worried he thinks he might know what happened... and then Bern turns up dead.

What. A. Ride! Lynes knocked this one out of the park. I'm a mom (albeit to a much younger kid and just one of them), but I really felt for Dan and Casey's mom in this. I can only imagine how horrible it'd feel, how out of control, to get a call like she does at the beginning of the book. And that's without the added complications later on!

I won't say more, as I don't want to spoil any of the twists, but the pacing in this was top-tier, the characterizations complex and fascinating, and everyone not only felt like real people, but like really watchable (readable?) people. Compelling? Very!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Tamsin Kennard. *Warning: incoming fan-girling.* Kennard is an absolute VoiceOver talent! She's brilliant at both the narration and the character acting, somehow managing to feel like a full cast read even though she's just one person (allegedly... maybe she's the new Shakespeare collective *the conspiracy theory started here*). Lynes & team could not have picked a better reader.

Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.