I went into this thinking it would be a pretty typical literary fiction novel. It actually featured a lot of sci-fi elements, but not in a futuristic robot way. The story features a scientific breakthrough regarding a controversial fertility treatment that allows women with a genetic abnormality to have healthy children by merging the DNA from the eggs of two separate women. It results in a child with three biological parents.

Claire's first child died young because of the disorder he inherited from her, and Claire's husband is determined to have another child. He's willing to risk having another sick child to complete their family, but Claire won't take that chance. She also wants another child and is willing to do anything to have a healthy biological child.

Moving back and forth in time and switching between narrators, "Mother Knows Best" is a fast-paced literary thriller that I couldn't put down; I read the entire book in one day. I'm excited to explore author Kira Peikoff's backlist and to see what she writes in the future.

I didn't care for the characters - even Abby grated on me after a while.

However, I was still curious enough that I wanted to see how it all would end.

It could be that the various POV characters mixed with the various timelines did me in. Every time I found myself drawn into one person or timeline, the author would switch to another.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and publisher Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

Oh what a delicious find this was! I really don't know how to categorise this book because I haven't read anything like it before. It's mostly a thriller but it reads very differently to the majority of thrillers I've read and it has a loose sci-fi element to it too. Mother Knows Best is the story of several different characters and it focuses on a simple scientific concept-what if you could genetically engineer a child with three parents? The plot itself is very much rooted in the real-world and it explores the legal and ethical ramifications of such research and what might happen to those involved in it. At its core though, this is a story about a very unusual family, a desperate mother and a driven scientist who won't stop until she gets what she wants.

I am genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I requested it after reading a sample and this is one of the most unique and interesting thrillers I've ever read. The characters were all brilliant and nuanced (Abby perhaps was a little flat but she read as a realistic child at least) and they provide the different facets and dimensions to the plot. Every character is valid to some extent in their point of view and that creates interesting dilemmas. You can also tell that the author has certainly done her research with regards to the scientific stuff. She has a degree in bioethics and she's put it to good use here, making the story all the stronger for it.

On the whole, this is definitely worth checking out if you are a thriller fan. It has a more unique premise than most thrillers and it is written and executed fantastically. It isn't the darkest or most suspenseful of stories, but it makes up for it with strong characters and a plot that keeps you guessing where it will go next. I look forward to seeing more books from this author.

Overall Rating: 4/5

This was an engaging read, although not altogether realistic. But...I was judging the realism. I read for an exciting escape. There was a bit of science, intrigue, mystery, romance, and a sadistic other woman. A perfect beach read!

This novel gets a lot of points for originality.

Claire has a genetic disease that she passed on to her son, who died at 8 years old after spending his life ill and in a wheelchair. With the help of a doctor and the mitochondria of a woman who doesn’t have Claire’s disease, she and her husband Ethan have the opportunity to have a healthy child that is still theirs, but with some help from extra DNA, meaning the child will have three parents, which is illegal.

The suspense of Claire and her new husband’s life is good. Claire essentially lives in hiding because her face was plastered everywhere when the story came out. When Abby turns 11, she starts to get curious about her ancestry, and, as part of a class project, she and Claire agree to test their DNA. What Claire has been keeping secret leaks out to the very worst person possible.

I recommend this book. I enjoyed it. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES SEPTEMBER, 10, 2019.

This one was definitely an interesting thrill ride! It really goes to show how far a mother will go for their child, along with whatever consequences it brings about. I quite enjoyed this story, and will be recommending it to my book group online. I am excited to see what other ideas the author may have up her sleeve! Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

This family drama/physiological thriller is a dark, suspenseful and exciting story sure to make you question how far the moral, medical and ethical boundaries should be stretched when it comes to reproduction.

Thank you to #netgalley and the publishers for an advance reader copy of this book!

While this was a good story, I really liked that it made me think of situations beyond the story. I could sympathize about Claire's desire for motherhood but at what cost? Very thought-provoking as who knows that kind of things will be discovered in terms of fertility and/or genetics. I really like that the tension always seemed simmering and it didn't just happen out of the blue. My biggest hang-up was Abby's character. I have a 10-year old and Abby's behavior and thoughts did not line up with the age. Abby seemed more like a high school student and I couldn't get past that she was only supposed to be 10.

The book has not swept me of my feet. It is a good read for the day that we want something easy but we are not desperate for the WOW book.

Review of advance reader eBook

Claire Abrams is torn. Three years have passed since their son, Colton, died of mitochondrial disease, the result of inheriting the deadly gene defect in Claire’s mitochondrial DNA. Her husband, Ethan, wants to try again. As much as Claire yearns to have another baby, how can she run the risk of having a child inherit those deadly genes once again?

Fertility specialist Doctor Robert Nash has an answer for her. But there are restrictions against the manipulation of a human embryo’s genes, so technically the procedure is illegal and, although Claire agrees to the procedure, when the details of the child’s conception become public knowledge, she panics and goes into hiding.

But there are still secrets, and Claire now lives with the fear of exposure. What will happen when, as always happens, those secrets and lies no longer remain hidden?

Slipping between past and present, the slowly-unfolding story draws readers into the telling of the tale. Told from three different perspectives and, at times, somewhat predictable, the narrative is less concerned with the ethical dilemma of gene manipulation in human embryos than with the secrets and lies surrounding the procedure. Some unforeseen twists in the plot help to keep the tension building and readers will find it difficult to set this one aside.

The characters are well-defined; particularly noteworthy is Claire’s grief. Her continuing pain and her struggles over the death of her son are spot-on and perfectly relatable. However, there are times when Abby’s actions feel as if they are at odds with the way eleven-year-olds actually behave and react. The ending may come together a bit too neatly for some readers, but the suspense will keep the pages turning.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley
#MotherKnowsBest #NetGalley

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel concerns a genetically engineered baby and events that both precede and follow her birth. I love the conclusion.

Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff is overwhelmingly genetically and psychologically mind-blowing. All the secrets and lies come together to create someone healthy, innocent and relentlessly determined to know the truth.. Kira presents many twists and turns that leave the reader guessing until the end.

This was a thrilling read that kept me flipping the pages, thinking of different story lines, possibilities, and cheering on characters at every turn.

Aside from reading the synopsis once when I requested the title from NetGalley, I didn't look at it again until I actually got around to reading about a month or so later. I remembered the general idea, but not much other than that. Here's what I went in knowing: 3 genetic parents to 1 baby, 1 parent ends up in prison festering jealousy and hatred for the other 2.... That there pretty much sold me, honestly.

I think this heightened the suspense of the read, as some of conflict in this story seems to resolve fairly quickly or conveniently you could say. With that being said, I was still drawn to this book, and I wanted and needed to know what was going to happen next... how this story was going to play out. I was constantly trying to guess what was going to happen through out this fast paced read, and I had a hard time putting it down.

Although I didn't find anything about the story particularly mind blowing, it is an easy and entertaining read perfect for a rainy day or a lazy day on the beach... any time you need to relax and get lost in a book; definitely recommend!

Peikoff did an amazing job at encompassing the emotions of the characters - Mother, father, child, friend, grandparent. She wrote feelings that were extremely real making those characters very believable and relatable, even if you weren't meant to like them, you still felt for them.


Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy of Mother Knows Best, in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

The fierce love of a mother, medical ethics, and justice are all explored in this extraordinary novel. Psychological thrillers are becoming very rote and predictable, so this novel was a breath of fresh air.

"Mother Knows Best" is a thriller about a desperate mother, a fertility doctor and his assistant who are working on a cutting edge treatment, and the fall out from an ethically questionable human experiment. Abby knows her parents have kept her somewhat sheltered, but assumes that her mom is the cause. When she gets results from a DNA testing company, she finds herself connected to a stranger who she arranges to meet on the family's annual Natural History Museum trip. As often happens, the stranger is not unknown to her parents.
The plot is more interesting than many books in the medical thriller style. The science is easy enough for the layman to follow, and seems entirely plausible. The ending is frustrating due to the narcissism of one of the characters and the epilogue seems a bit forced.and cliched.

Excellent thriller about what happens when a woman desperate to become a mother decides to tinker with genetics. This book is less about the genetics and science and more about family dynamics, but nonetheless this was an excellent and engaging read that kept me on my toes the entire time.

A very interesting read . Twists and turns to keep you engrossed. Wondering which way the author is going to take it. Nice and easy to read. Flows well. Enjoyable to read

4.5 ⭐
Mother Knows Best is a twisted tale of the extremes a mother will go for their child, and what science has been able to achieve.

After the loss of Claire's son, all she wants is another chance at motherhood. But her genetic impairment makes her frightened, for she doesn't want it to impair her child too. So she resorts to Robert Nash, with whom she agrees to an illegal experiment - to create a three gene baby. All hell breaks loose when the information falls on the wrong hands, leading Claire and Robert to run away.

The story is extremely engaging and kept me hooked. It has intense scenes that made me bite my lip and adequate drama that added spice to the story.

Abigail wasn't my favorite character, though. I found her very annoying and typical - a kid who does everything her parents tell her not to. Claire had depth and extreme emotions which were portrayed really well. I loved her as a character and could well understand her stance.

The whole premise of advanced science just made the whole plot a lot more intriguing. It was so amazing to read about something new and fresh, and to see how it was incorporated in a psychological thriller. The multiple POVs also made the whole reading experience a lot better and easier.

Overall, I totally enjoyed this story. It was unique and different and the writing style was easy to follow. Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book. All opinions expressed are fully mine.

Mother Knows Best by Kira Pelkoff is a psychological thriller and a fast-paced, crazy ride.
What happens when science plays God and works under the radar to create someone new? It's not going to be good.
Start with three parents instead of two (which is already a recipe for disaster) and punish one of those three while the other two live quietly. The odd man out is going to be crazy with anger at the end of her punishment. Add in the consequences of what has been done and you have an entertaining story that will have you biting your nails.

You'll want to pick up this one when it comes out!! I was sent this book by the pulishers through Netgalley. It was a page turner! Is it ethical to play God with eggs and sperm? To modify, and remove bad genes with good from another mother. You end up with two moms and one dad. We are about to find out, How far a mother will go to have a baby, and how far two doctors will go, to help her? At least one of them want to help, while the other wants to boost their career. Unbeknownst to the woman's husband who has no knowledge, of what they have done behind his back. And so our story unfolds. You be the judge!