Don't Trust Mother had me hooked from the very first chapter. Carey Baldwin delivers a gripping psychological thriller that weaves together family trauma, long-buried secrets, and a mother-daughter relationship that's anything but simple.

The story follows Harper, who returns home after years away, when her estranged mother is accused of murder. From the start, you know something isn't right, but every time I thought I had it figured out, another twist hit me sideways. One major spoiler: Harper starts uncovering that her mother's past is darker than she ever realized, including the shocking truth about Harper's father. The emotional weight behind these revelations gave the story more depth than expected.

The audiobook narration was well done, drawing me into the tension and heartbreak of the story. And while I loved the suspense, what stuck with me most was the emotional unraveling of Harper's identity. The character development was strong—Harper's arc, in particular, felt genuine and earned.

It wasn't quite a five-star read for me only because a few parts near the end felt slightly rushed, and I wanted more from the final confrontation. But overall, this was a tightly written, addictive listen that I couldn't stop thinking about after finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen early!

I am not a fan of slow burns, preferring my thrillers to have a little more action as they lead up to the twists. This one didn’t work for me, unfortunately. The title drew me in and made me want to know more and the premise was interesting but the story itself was slow, the various points of view muddled the storytelling, and the unlikeable characters made this difficult to get into. I made it to the end and despite speeding up the story a little more, it was unsatisfying and predictable.

This is the first book i've read by this author. The book itself was good, I liked the flow. It followed a medium pace not to fast but not crawling either. You really pull for Ivy. I would definetly read this author's works again if something caught my attention. The narration kept me involved with the story and i thought the narrator did a good job with the characters.

Audio book review - Elise Roth delivers a careful performance that leads you through a web of deceit and lies leading to a twisted ending. The book itself is good and the delivery is satisfactory without making any waves - comfortable listen

I found this read a bit hard to get into but at around 80 percent wow! Everything comes out and we are left with a shocker of an ending.

3.5 rounded down

This was super fun and unputdownable ! Almost like a soap opera on paper. We have your typical well off family with crazy secrets! It was a LITTLE all over the place but overall it's a solid & fun read I would find myself recommending to anyone who wants a fun suspense read

This was just OK for me. The characters were kind of boring and the plot twists were unimpressive. The book is well written; I wish I read this instead of listening to the audiobook as the narrator didn't breathe much life into the characters.

This book was full of unlikeable, shady characters. I was constantly wondering who was the victim and who was the villain. It started off a little slow, but eventually picked up with many twists and turns. The narration brought the story to life adding a layer of suspense. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for my audiobook.

I absolutely loved Don’t Trust Mother! From the first chapter, I was hooked. Carey Baldwin delivers a chilling psychological thriller that messes with your head in all the best ways. The unreliable narration kept me constantly second-guessing everyone’s motives, and just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist would hit and flip everything upside down.

The mystery surrounding Ivy’s past, her mother’s death, and the stranger who claims to be her birth mother was gripping. Every chapter made me question what was real and who could be trusted. The suspense builds steadily, and the emotional depth made it even more powerful.

If you enjoy twisty thrillers with strong female leads, dark secrets, and jaw-dropping reveals, this book is an absolute must-read.

This was a pretty good story. I enjoyed it and I thought the narrator was very good. I wasn't able to guess the ending.

Carey Baldwin has outdone herself with Don’t Trust Mother—a twisted, jaw-dropping psychological thriller that will have you yelling “No they didn’t!” every other chapter. This book is a masterclass in suspense and shocking reveals, full of WTF moments that hit like a punch to the gut.

The pacing is relentless, the tension never lets up, and just when you think you've figured it out? Think again. The twists are not only unpredictable but brilliantly layered, with each revelation making you question everything you’ve read so far—including who, if anyone, can be trusted.

If you love thrillers that mess with your head and keep you up way past your bedtime, Don’t Trust Mother is your next obsession. Just prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor. Repeatedly.

This book is a total mind-bender. It starts with a grieving woman trying to move on after her mother’s death until a stranger knocks on her door claiming to be her real mother. From that moment everything spirals. Secrets, lies and twists hit you at every turn and just when you think you’ve figured it out boom another twist🫡

The writing is tight and fast paced and the tension never lets up. Perfect if you love domestic thrillers where no one can be trusted and the truth is buried under layers of lies.

Final verdict: Twisty, suspenseful and super bingeable. A great weekend read that’ll keep you guessing until the last page.Loved the audio book so much!


Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an early ALC

Honestly, I didn't really connect with this thriller. It throws a lot of plot twists and characters at you right from the start, which felt overwhelming rather than intriguing. Then, just as quickly as it started, the pace crashes and drags for a long stretch, making it hard to stay engaged.
I found myself disliking almost all the characters— they come across as selfish and unrelatable. The story felt like one lie after another without enough payoff or depth to keep me hooked. Overall, it just didn't live up to the tension and suspense I was hoping for. If you like thrillers with intense character drama and a slow burn, maybe give it a try. But for me, it was a bit of a slog.

Audio version of this book 📕- A little unsure about this one 🤔 the storyline was not what I was expecting but it was a bit of a slow burner. I couldn’t warm to the main character either as she was a bit of a weak character.

The narrator overall was ok, though differentiating the characters a little bit more would’ve made it a little better .

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook.
Too many details.
Very unlikable main character. In fact, all of them were.
Unrealistic and sophomoric writing.
The narrator had no emotion. It simply sounded like she was reading a book.

I loved the twists and turns of this book.


It’s definitely a book where it makes you question everyone. You can never know who people truly are… even if they are “family”. This was wildly amazing!

Thank you @netgalley for access to another great book. I really enjoyed this audiobook from @authorcareybaldwin Lots of twists, just how I like them! It kept me on my toes and the characters were genuinely likeable. A must for fans of psychological thrillers and writers like @lisajewelluk & @alicewriterland

3.5/5 stars, rounded up

i had a good time! the twists and turns get a little wild at times but I was always excited to read "just one more chapter".

some of the characters had unbelievable moments (both as in compared to reality and as in Ivy please you cannot believe this dude-- these were mostly as set ups for twists) and I didn't like how even the main character treated the idea of therapy. god forbid a girl get some help after her mom dies! some themes also seemed like they got harped on too many times; if I had to hear about how the MCs would do ANYTHING for family one more time I was gonna lose it

despite some personal writing nitpicks, I really am glad I took a chance on a quick fun read that had me truly wondering "whodunnit"

This was a bizarre book that I actually ended up liking. Ok feel like secrets were revealed a bit too soon but it kind of all fell together the further you got into it. Good narration and multiple points of view. It was not too hard to follow and a creative approach.

The end saves the book! But only mildly.
Audiobook narration was great. Narrator, Elise Roth, is clear and makes listening easy and enjoyable.
With that said Don’t Trust Mother was a slow and drawn out story. Characters are unlikable and unbelievable. Would have made a good short story.
The writing being easy to follow and the solid narration I was able to make it to the end. The ending helped the whole but not enough.