Only a Mother

What an absolutely amazing read. I’ve been glued reading this.

The rounded out characters were so in your face and believable.

Erica the Mother of Craig who was convicted of a crime has always said her son was innocent. Let’s face it, we all would be the same, a friendly lad, a good son, who could imagine such a thing.

Was she right? Or was she wrong to trust her Mothers instincts?

She fell out with her long time best friend over an interview she gave to the papers about her son.

Erica stayed put in the home she raised her son for all kinds of reasons. The abuse and harm always being taken out on her. So much so that it appeared to me she accepted it as the price she had to pay.

I grew to adore Erica.

Her son Craig appeared to be a hardened criminal.

The plot was so thick you couldn’t see your way out at times as a reader. It took you in and overtook all you’re logical thinking. My confusion was like smog.
Towards the end the fog starts to clear as more and more comes to light peeking through.

I have the authors other two books on my kindle. I desperately need to get to them because I so thoroughly enjoyed this.

I was very eager and excited to start reading this book, after I had read the blurb.

The story flows beautifully and is full of intense moments that make you so eager to continue on. The characters are well written and engaging.

I really could not recommend this book more to anyone,.

Fabulous book with a great story well worth 5* and will recommend to friends.Look forward to more from this author.

‘Murderer; get out; scum’

The title opens with mum Erica Wright dealing with the aftermath of her sons convictions. Between the graffiti and excrement at her door, her life has spiralled out of control. She now lives her life dedicated to proving her son Craig’s innocence.
But is he really so innocent…

‘What I do know, is that my son would never harm anyone’

The novel is told from the point of view of not only Erica, but local Chronicle journalist Luke whom believes Craig will instantly re-offend. And the killer, whom we can’t be too sure is/isn’t the narration of Craig himself. The differing viewpoints keeps you on your toes and guessing at every turn.

‘I don’t have the power to protect him…’

After Craig is released from serving 17yrs in prion, for a crime his mother is convinced he didn’t commit. Their lives become increasingly difficult my local media interest and local resident’s dislike of having a criminal on their streets.
However, Luke is determined to find a link between Craig’s crime and an unsolved murder. Luke believes Craig is a sociopath and his mother is merely unable to see her son for who he truly is. Is Craig a crazed killer? or the wrongly convicted as his mother continues to claim?

‘Murderer to return to Preston’

Erica’s past is slowly revealed and her friendships and relationships laid bare. As much as it is easy to criticise Erica’s beliefs, I did genuinely feel sorry for her. It must take incredible courage to stand by your child, after such a heinous crime. However, she is rather naïve and this adds to the pity you begin to feel. This really is a story of the strength of motherhood bonds and how blinded a mother maybe.

The only person Craig has to turn to, upon release is childhood friend Jason. Whilst Erica is part of an online community that supports families of convicted criminals. As Erica clings to her sanity, whilst seeing images of Lucy everywhere she goes. Luke is working hard to dig into the previous unsolved rape and murder of Jenna Threlfall.
Then Erica uncovers a bunch of prison love letters, from a teen named Leanne. . .

‘It’s not normal to be afraid of your own son’

This is a modern psychological thriller that plays on a mothers worst fears. Dealing with themes of friendship and betrayal, with a killer ending.
The question remains… How far are you willing to go as a mother? 4*

I appear to have Elisabeth Carpenter's first two books (99 Red Balloons and 11 Missed Calls, in case you were wondering), waiting for me on my TBR pile. I must rectify this as I enjoyed her latest offering, Only a Mother, very much indeed.

In fact, this is a book I found hard to put down, racing through the final 120 pages in one go. The story is told mostly from two characters' points of view: Erica's in the first person and Luke's in the third. Erica is the mother of Craig, a man who has been in prison for years for the murder of a young girl. When we first meet her, he is about to be released and she's wondering what life will be like with him back living with her after so long.

Luke is a journalist on the local newspaper. He lacks the ambition of some reporters but is always looking for a story. He's also probably far too kind and thoughtful for cut-throat journalism, but it made me take to him as a character.

Luke is obviously interested in Craig's release as a story, especially when another girl goes missing soon after. But this is really not the story of missing girls, it's very much a look at how a mother copes with the incarceration of her child. Erica is targeted by the local community, pretty much ostracised and lives a lonely life. I thought this angle was so interesting and it really made me think about how you deal with something like this as a parent.

Whilst not a story filled with action, I found it really fast-paced and exciting, one of those books I couldn't wait to get back to. I think the strength is very much in the characterisations, especially Erica who I thought had a compelling voice.

I must admit that there were no surprises for me in the plot. I guessed which way it was going fairly early on, but I didn't mind that. Whilst those 'OMG' moments are great, if a book is well-written it needs only that to hook me and reel me in. Only a Mother definitely fits the bill.

Only a Mother is fantastic insight into a mothers love for her child and what she will do to protect him and I loved reading every page. 

We follow Erica, the mother of Craig who has been in prison since he was found guilty of murder when he was only 20. Now 38, he is due to be released and although Erica is happy at the thought of this, she is also incredibly apprehensive about what life will be like for Craig and also herself.

I liked how the author has told the story from Erica's point of view along with a reporter who is covering the release and also wanting to get to the bottom of another murder that occurred the same time as Craig's arrest. We don't hear from Craig until near the end and I think this suits the storyline perfectly. Although this is about Craig and his past, the story and attention belongs to Erica.

It is Erica who was left behind and who was the person that the public and her community turned on. She's has had to ensure the public hate and has essentially hidden herself away. The author has captured this perfectly and we feel a sense of compassion and almost pity for Erica as she tries to come to terms with the past and what her son, although she tries to deny it, is capable of. Although I did partially guess the ending, this didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book in the slightest.

This is another brilliant book from Elisabeth Carpenter and probably my favourite of hers so far (although I did really love 99 Red Balloons!). 

Highly recommended from me.

Only A Mother is the third book I have read by Elisabeth Carpenter and in my opinion is the best one yet.

It is a crime novel, but one that deals with what happens years after the crime. Most of it is told by the viewpoint of either Erica, mother of Craig who has just been released from prison or Luke who is a journalist covering the story of a killer released back into the local area. I found it mesmerising. The abuse that Erica faced daily. Not just vandalism but also the whispers and the isolation that she has been forced into. Luke also has issues, married with two young children, he should feel happy but he feels like a failure.

Whilst the crimes do feature it is the emotion that carries this novel and makes it believable. It made me think about what a Mother would do to protect her child, how hard is it to feel loyal and give support to a convicted killer. And always wondering if he was capable of murder. It is a crime novel that made me feel emotional at times, especially near the end.

As well as the storyline I also enjoyed the local setting. I live in the town in which the book is set and I had a lot of fun identifying local places. Elisabeth Carpenter is an author who has plenty more novels to come. Recommended.

I really enjoyed the first two books by Elisabeth Carpenter, 99 Red Balloons and 11 Missed Calls, and so when the opportunity arose to read this latest offering, I jumped at it. Would the book meet my expectations? Well ... it's a very different kind of read, a different tone and perhaps even pacing, but yes. Yes, it absolutely did.

This is, in essence, the story of Erica, a woman who has had to come to terms with the fact that her son is a convicted murderer, a child who, somewhere along the way, went off the rails and murdered his girlfriend. At least she has accepted that he has been convicted - she has never, ever, believed him to be guilty. But is he?

We meet Erica and Craig on the verge of his release from prison. Erica has spent years hiding from people, suffering all manner of abuse and suspicion, deemed almost as guilty as her son for what has happened. She is an intelligent and resolute, but also kind of meek woman, and Elisabeth Carpenter has done a brilliant job of presenting a woman who has been beaten down but has not yet given up. She is convinced of Craig's innocence, but shocked by the way in which prison has changed him.

Told partly from Erica's point of view, her story centres around her relationships - both with friends and neighbours, and with her son - just before and after he is released from prison and how she, and Craig struggle to adjust to the changes in front of them. We are also treated to the point of view of journalist, Luke, who covered the original case and is now trying to get more of a story out of Erica and Craig, particularly the belief that everyone has that Craig was responsible for another murder locally.

I love the way in which the author has slowly built the anticipation in this novel, gradually adding subtle layers of doubt and mystery into what should be an open and shut case. We are treated to the point of view of one other character, but as to who that is we cannot be certain. There are clues and hints dropped, perhaps the odd moment of misdirection, but it is all cleverly fed into Erica, Craig and Luke's stories, keeping the reader intrigued without jarring them out of the main action.

This is billed as suspense, and I can see that. However, where the previous two books perhaps fit more clearly into the genre, this book takes a much steadier approach, with a good proportion of Erica's story actually being a keenly observed study of how prison can affect both the guilty and their family and friends, and how the victims of a killer can extend well beyond the deceased. I was as intrigued by this portrayal of humankind every bit as much as I was the need to find out whether or not Craig was as guilty as his confession would suggest. The segments featuring Luke and, more especially, the mystery narrator perhaps fit the style more definitely, but all three narrative elements add to the story in their own way.

I love the way in which the author has developed the characters in this book, all of them believable, and often found myself feeling sympathy for Erica especially. I liked Luke too, the way he juggled the need to write his story, his personal beliefs, and his marriage which seemed to be struggling. It isn't a fast paced book so if you are looking for a cut and thrust thriller, this probably isn't for you. It is far more subtle than that, and all the richer for it. Don't get me wrong, the sense of jeopardy builds towards the end of the book and there is a powerful resolution which sees all remaining questions answered amid a very tense showdown involving all of the main characters.

If you are looking for a character driven story with a subtly built tension then this could be the read for you. I'd definitely recommend it.

Intense, original and involving, with a real sense of menace and foreboding. Beautifully written and plotted with excellently drawn characters.

This was a real discovery and highly recommended.

Having read Elisabeth Carpenter’s first two novels, I have to say that I think her latest Only A Mother is her best yet. In all three of her books, she has managed to create well rounded and intriguing characters that pull you in from the first page. They all feel like very real people, and I have always become invested in their lives.

We meet Erica who is preparing for her son’s release from prison, seventeen years after he was convicted for killing a young girl. He was also linked to the murder of another young woman, but not enough evidence could be found to charge him. Journalist Luke is desperate to find that evidence linking him to the second girl’s death, but what if all is not as it seems? Just how far will Erica go to protect her son?

Erica was a character who I really felt sorry for as I was reading this book. I could definitely understand her need to want to protect son, even though he committed such a heinous act and her love for him came across very strongly in her character, although it did seem a lot of the time as though she still thought of him as the young, gentle boy she once knew him as. She is also very much a victim herself as the people of the town she lives in swiftly turned against her after her son’s arrest.

Elisabeth constantly surprised me with her plot which was unpredictable and very twisty. I still haven’t forgotten the twist in her first novel 99 Red Balloons, and the twist in her latest blew me away again. It is devastating, and it only made me care for her characters even more. But as to what exactly happens I shall remain tight-lipped on that subject.

Only A Mother is a novel which was done in a very clever way. It is absolutely addictive, and it will make you re-examine everything that you thought you already knew. At its core it makes you think about a powerful question that will haunt any reader who is a parent themselves.