What happens when the child you were watching disappears?

I liked this book. Each chapter as it jumped from "time frame" to "Time frame" I switched my opinion on how it was going to turn out. And then switch again. It took me only about two days to read this (mainly because I had to work) I would recommend reading this one. I will be adding the author to my watch list.

Thank you to Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and NetGalley for the ARC

Harriet Hodder’s daughter is missing. No, not missing: kidnapped from a school fair, in broad daylight, while being cared for by Harriet’s best friend, Charlotte. It was the first time Harriet’s trusted anyone else to care for her daughter, Alice — ever. Charlotte, feeling protective of Harriet, had urged her to go take a class so she can get a job and find some financial independence. But on the surface, it ends up being the worst decision either women have ever made.

Riddled with guilt and scorned by her once close group of friends, Charlotte is beginning to unravel. She doesn’t know how this could’ve happened: why take Alice and not anyone else’s child? How could checking Facebook for a few minutes while her children took Alice to the jungle gym end in tragedy? Charlotte does everything she can to try and apologize, to make things up to Harriet. She even goes over to Harriet’s house the night Alice goes missing to try and apologize. But it’s Harriet’s husband, Daniel, who takes the lead. Who belittles Charlotte and makes her feel even worse for what she did.

As the days pass, the trail feels like it’s going cold in the search for Alice. Everyone is expecting a body to turn up at the end of this story. And bodies do turn up — just not who you’d think it would be.

In this domestic thriller, Perks pushes away from the “motherhood is my identity” thrillers I’d read in 2019. She instead shows women leaning on each other, forming bonds deeper than marriage, doing whatever they can to keep each other safe. Her One Mistake was refreshing, not just because of the lack of focus of identity in motherhood, but because of how layered the title ended up being in regards to the story.

For fans of Big Little Lies, Her One Mistake is as much of a page-turning thriller as it is a warning about coercive control and how so often things can look perfect from a distance but never are when you look closer.

I enjoyed reading this, but knew from the start what a major twist would be, and I was right. However, there were other little turns I didn't see coming. I didn't connect with either of the main characters, but didn't need to. My interest was piqued from the start and wanted to keep reading. I'm definitely interested in more books by Perks.

This was a book I stumbled across on NetGalley and thought it sounded pretty intense. I am always in the process of finding great psychological thrillers. I am not really well versed on all the great adult authors out there so I am starting my small list and this author is on the top for me. I really enjoyed this book. It was everything I hoped for and more. I thought I knew what was really going on until I didn't and I was just sitting there with my mouth hanging open. Well written, well thought out, well done. I truly enjoyed this read.

Charlotte has 3 children of her own and on the day of a school carnival, she agrees to watch her friends only child. Everything seems to be going well until she cannot find the little girl, Alice, she agreed to keep an eye on. Alice just vanished. Charlotte knows she only looked away for a second but she feels guilty and everyone blames her.

Harriet loves Alice, she is her world. She agreed one time to allow someone else to watch her child and she goes missing. Harriet is terrified, she wants to see her daughter again. Everyone is looking for her, the police have questions, Charlotte's live is destroyed... so is Harriet's. Harriet thinks she is done with Charlotte, even though she misses her terribly, she just can't bring herself to speak with her... until she must. Everything just keeps falling apart.

I really enjoyed this book. It had so much going on and of course at first I didn't realize how complex this story was. The beginning grabbed me right away but it didn't excite me as I thought it would. I thought I knew where the story would go. I figured it would be a simple lost and found child. Dead or alive, I didn't know. But this story was nothing other than a mind blowing experience towards the end. Full of twists and turns, secrets and betrayals, and so much more. It started out slow but ended with a bang.

I enjoyed all the characters in this book. I felt they were all multi-layered and complex. What was first shown was only the soft outer layer. There were so many layers to all the characters. I think I liked Harriet best of all. She was the most complex. She surprised me in so many ways.
Charlotte was a pretty grand character but at times she seemed a little ditsy and spoiled, so it took me a bit to really get on her side.

All the characters really surprised me at times. I thought I understood them, I thought I could be angry at them, I thought I could love them, but really I had so many emotions all at the same time for every single character. Very complex..... I know I keep using that world.

I did love the way the book story was told in dual narration and dual time lines. There was before and now and also told from Charlotte's and Harriet's POV. I really love it when a story is told in pieces. It really gets me fully invested.

The story really did take a turn I wasn't expecting at all and I was quite surprised and never saw it coming. I was in awe at the end. The ending was superb. And well I just really enjoyed it.

It was a very well thought out and greatly paced story.



A great psychological read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

3.5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an Advanced Readers Copy for my honest review.

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks is truly every mother's worst nightmare! What would you do if your child went missing? Would you risk everything to find them? That is what Harriet must ask herself when her daughter vanishes while being watched by her best friend. This book pulled me in, with its carefully thought out plot and twist and turns, it made me feel like I was riding the emotional roller coaster that the characters were on. Based on secrets, relationships, manipulation and fear, the story explores that not everything is always as it seems. This suspenseful thriller was definitely a page-turner and left you guessing what would happen next.

I really enjoyed this one! It was a quick, easy read. About halfway through, it was getting a little slow and I was getting impatient to see what the next twist/turn was going to be and I was genuinely surprised (and pleased!). It was a little confusing in the second half of the book when it switched from then/now and Harriet and Charlotte’s points of view, but I was able to follow. One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while!

What a gripping thriller! I found myself delving deeper and deeper into Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks, trying to figure out what happened! You’re never going to figure this one out! If you haven’t read this one, go do it!

Harriet has never been separated from her four-year-old daughter Alice since she gave birth to her. After letting her best friend Charlotte watch her daughter so she can go take a class, the unimaginable happens. During the ensuing police investigation it soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems. Both the women have secrets and will go to any lengths to keep them from being uncovered.

I’m a junky for dark, suspenseful novels that keep me on the edge of my seat, eager to figure out what secrets the author has up their selves. Perks is definitely a new author to watch out for!

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the advanced arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Her One Mistake. It was a rather quick read for me as I found it hard to put it down. I did feel that I was left with a few unanswered questions at the end though. For example, Harriet's friendship with Jane- what happened between them? The author mentioned it a few times and it seemed like whatever happened would have more importance in the book. I felt so terrible for Charlotte and was so surprised by Harriet's actions.

Thank you NetGalley for this review copy. I enjoyed Her One Mistake. Mysteries and thrillers are right up my alley. I liked the multiple POV characters as well as the multiple time periods with the story. It keeps you wondering what happened.

I definitely liked the twist of who took Alice. It wasn't the most shocking twist but I liked it. I also find the relationship in this book the scariest type all. Being physically abused is one thing but psychologically abuse and manipulated is entirely different.

I would definitely recommend this novel to any thriller reader.

I'm being a little generous. I think I would give this 2.5 stars.

<I>Her One Mistake</I> started with such intensity. The description of Charlotte as the harried mother being pulled in thousands of different directions by her kids, school moms, and any other motherly responsibilities was all involving. I felt it all and saw complete truth in all of her actions.

But eventually, after the magnitude of the abduction had subsided a bit, the thrill of the story turned dull. The suspense turned to the desire to skim ahead.

I really enjoyed the premise. It felt naughty for the sympathetic feelings I had for Charlotte before, during and immediately after the abduction. But Harriet just confused me as her character developed. Harriet should be the one I have sympathy for. Her daughter was just abducted while under the care of her best friend. I couldn't find the same attachment to her that I felt for Charlotte. Because of that, I just couldn't finish the book the way I started it.

A good read, the author throws several twists at the reader keeping some secrets until the very end. The characters are very three dimensional (most anyway) and you keep learning more about Charlotte and Harriet until the very end of the book.

This book will definitely keep you guessing right up to the end.

This was a quick enjoyable read with some surprising twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started reading I thought this was going to be another one of those “girl” books. You know what I mean. Boy was I glad I was wrong. This is about two moms, their friendship, their lies and what could have happened when a child goes missing, About half way through the twist happens and it’s a great twist. I didn’t see it coming and neither will you. The emotions emitted from these 2 moms is amazing, I felt like I was there with them, my heart breaking as each day dragged on and no one could find the little 4 year old girl, who simply vanished one day. This author truly writes from the heart. Just read it already!

Heidi Perks kept me on my toes and racing to turn the page with her latest release Her One Mistake. Every parent's nightmare is the thought of someone taking your child but when it happens when you leave them with a trusted friend it adds a new layer of guilt. A cast of characters that will have you cheering for , crying, and hating them all at different times makes for a book that you will continue to think about days after you read it. When you buy this book buy two copies and make another domestic thriller fan happy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It kept me guessing from start to finish and I can't remember the last book that did that. I was often on the edge of my seat and couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. It is a captivating read.

Wow. Just wow. I have to stop reading these child abduction books because this one will be the one to beat. It is told from the perspective of two narrators and flashes from past to present. The writing handles these shifts seamlessly.

I’m not sure what’s harder to live with? Losing someone’s child or having your child go missing? I can’t imagine having to live through either one. Either way your life is destroyed and that is clear to see in this story.

There were many twists and turns in this story. It has a satisfying conclusion that fits the story but still left me a bit sad. I would recommend this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for a copy in exchange for a review.

Her One Mistake was a crafty thriller, altrernating viewpoints of the two main characters. One of the things I liked about this book, was there was lots of why behind motives making it a lot easier to relate to the characters. Many times I found myself wondering what would I do in these situations. I highly recommend Her One Mistake.

What a great ride! When you think you have all of the characters figured out Perks throws in yet another twist.
Great book - I enjoyed it throughout the entire read!

I greatly enjoyed this novel. It started out as a kidnapping and became something much more. The plot was interesting and intense. Harriet seemed a weak & ineffectual woman with no backbone. Her husband Brian doted on her and took care of her needs. He also dominated her. She didn’t have a mind of her own because that was what Brian wanted. She desperately hung on to her daughter in a way that seemed unhealthy. The reader then learns that Harriet’s mom clung to her daughter relentlessly. Then Harriet’s behavior makes a lot more sense. Harriet married a man who treats her (on the surface) like her mother treated Harriet. Toward the middle of the novel, Brian’s character became clear. It became clear to Harriet that the things he said Harriet did were not things she recalled ever doing. So she began to keep a log of her thoughts and actions, and began to realize Brian was up to something. I didn’t like how Harriet used her friend Charlotte as part of her plan to escape from Brian, without Charlotte’s knowledge or permission, but I understood why Harriet did what she did. I believe Charlotte forgave her in the end.
I didn’t like some parts of the ending, and other parts I liked a lot.. That’s all I can say without divulging the ending. This was a terrific novel with surprising twists. I recommend it to readers of suspense, psychological drama, and women’s fiction.
Thank you, Simon & Schuster and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks is a thriller full of surprises and twists. Brian and Harriet have a daughter named Alice. While neighbor, Charlotte, was watching their daughter, someone abducted the girl. Charlotte feels very guilty. Brian blames his wife for letting someone else watch Alice. The book is about the search for Alice and the relationship between the couple regarding their child. Good plot with some twists. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me an advanced reader’s copy to review.