3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4

Claire seems to have the perfect life, her loving husband Matt and their baby daughter Olivia. They have just moved to the country to be closer to Matt's parents. Matt is opening a new vets practice. Claire has a secret from her past but it comes back to haunt her. She's also finding it hard to bond with Olivia. Plus Matt's mother keeps interfering.

I felt took too long to unravel itself. We know Claire has several issues and is a bit unreliable as the narrator. There are a few red herrings but who can Claire trust? The end reveal certainly makes up for the slow start.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Ruth Heald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book although the main character did annoy me at times. Plenty twists & an amazing ending which all concludes perfectly. I’d highly recommend this book.

This book pulled me apart, I am shredded while writing this review. The story prodded me in so many directions that I was in pieces by the time I got to the explosive reveal. And, boy, was it worth it!! The book put me through quite a wringer

Claire, Matt, and baby Olivia move to the country for a fresh start. But was that a good move? Only time would tell. And time answered, it brought about a series of strange noises, displaced possessions from one place to other, a note declaring she didn’t deserve Olivia, doubts about husband Matt’s fidelity, addiction to drink, a hateful Mother-in-Law… Whew… The list was never-ending.

My first book by author Ruth Heald, and with so many things happening to the main character Claire where she started doubting her own sanity, had me wondering too if I was going bonkers… I literally did not know whom to trust. Claire was then diagnosed with post natal depression, a busy husband and a cranky baby added to her mental stress. I swear I was getting more paranoid than her.

Generally, with such a main character, I lose interest fast. But Ruth’s writing had me enslaved to my kindle tapping away at the pages. The question burned in my mind like a blazing fire – What was the truth? Why was this happening?

2 POV, one of Claire and the other of a battered abused woman, gave layers to this story. And when the truth is revealed, I didn’t know whom to feel sorry about. Omg this was one book where my loyalties were so divided. I just couldn’t believe it!!

A maze of a book with so many dead ends, my mind kept gathering the suspects. I did guess, but the reason for such an ordeal to occur LITERALLY BLEW MY MIND AWAY!!

*4.5 stars*

I haven't read a psychological thriller in a while, and this book was the perfect introduction back into the genre!

Claire has just moved from London to the country with her husband and newborn. She's excited to have a fresh start, but almost immediately strange things begin to happen. Her mother-in-law is condescending and lets herself into Claire's home without invitation or warning. Things go missing in their little cottage, and Claire feels someone watching her. Is she losing her mind, or is she and her baby genuinely in danger?

This was one of those can't-put-down thrillers. Everyone around Claire seems to have a motive, and her past history with alcoholism and depression makes reality even muddier. Add to it a new postpartum depression diagnosis, and Claire's situation rapidly feels like being on a sinking ship.

I liked how the author emphasized how exhausting and isolating being a new mother can be. I felt exactly the same way when my daughter was a newborn, and sympathized with Claire, who really doesn't have a support system apart from a workaholic husband.

The ending was a big shock as well! Let's just say, I kept assuming that another character was the big baddie.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

A top read of the year. A family moves next-door to the mother in law what could possibly go wrong there? Captured my interest from the start with an intriguing cover.

A gripping read of a mother's mistake but not being absolutely sure who it is that's making her feel paranoid. Mother in law,husband or the ex??? Read it to find out.Shocks,twists and turns keep you guessing.

This book is fantastic. There are so many twists and turns in this book and the ending has such a twist that I never saw coming. So, If you read the blurb of the book, it starts off about a woman seeing a child being pulled out from the water, trying to be rescued but it is to late. Then it goes to the present, where Claire is married to Matt, who is a vet and they decide to move to his deceased grandmother's house to save up money while he gets his practice up and running. Claire feels threatened by his mother Ruth and his ex girlfriend Sarah. She meets a women named Emma who is divorced with a child and befriends her. But nothing is like it appears and no one is who you think they her. Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down to the end and what a major, major twist end this book had. I absolutely recommend this book highly. Also, this is a debut novel for this author so I expect to hear that she continues to write more books. I also want to thank net galley and book couture for this ARC I received for an honest review. Again, BRAVO to Ruth Heald on her debut psychological thriller!!!


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A fascinating and deeply moving story of a mother’s love told in two voices. The 2 narratives ultimately combine to reveal the harrowing truth in an edge of your seat, suspenseful finale which left me emotionally depleted. A great book which will stay with you for days after you’ve finished.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Mother’s Mistake’ by Ruth Heald in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Claire and her husband Matt leave London to start a new veterinary business and move into a cottage owned by his mother situated in the countryside near Oxford. But the new beginning they’d anticipated is harder to achieve than expected as Claire struggles with post natal depression following the birth of their daughter Olivia. Claire’s desperate to keep her past hidden but when a note is delivered through the letterbox saying “You don’t deserve Olivia” she realises that someone’s uncovered her secret.

‘The Mother’s Mistake’ is a gripping and unnerving psychological thriller of revenge that’s kept me in suspense from the first page. It has a strong storyline, believable characters, twists and turns, and a shocking ending. Although I guessed early on who was responsible for unsettling Claire I couldn’t understand why until the plot gradually came together. Congratulations to Ruth Heald for producing this well-written and thought-provoking novel, I look forward to reading the next one.

This was a good easy read with loads of suspense and a lot of interesting characters. The plot was good and I liked the ending. I felt though that it was a bit too long. I was starting to get bored with it and just wanted to get to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

New mom, Claire, and her husband, Matt, move to the countryside shortly after welcoming their daughter, Olivia, into the world. Looking for a respite from city life, Matt and Claire move into a small cottage behind Matt’s parents’ house. Claire finally has everything she could ever want, but she’s missing something—she just isn’t sure what.

Not long after moving, Claire starts to feel their move was a mistake. Her mother-in-law, Ruth, is less welcoming than she expected—cold, even. And Claire gets the sense that someone has been coming and going from her house without her knowledge. Taking her things, moving things around, only to rattle Claire. Matt thinks she’s being paranoid, but Claire knows better.

Then there’s a note left for her in her home telling her she doesn’t deserve Olivia. Claire has never forgotten what happened all those years ago—the guilt never fleeting. But now it’s clear that someone else hasn’t forgotten, either, and they want her to pay…

The Mother’s Mistake by Ruth Heald is a psychological suspense full of lies and secrets. The past always has a way of coming back to haunt you and this is all too true for Claire. We watch her spiral out of control at rocket speed and are just waiting for something terrible to inevitably happen. I had a feeling all along who the stalker/intruder was—I was right, but luckily I was still surprised by some of the details surrounding the reveal. We’re flooded with a bunch of puzzle pieces that seem haphazard. I wasn’t sure how they all connected, but when they finally came together, I wasn’t disappointed. Terrific new release from a debut author—4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Ruth Heald for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother’s mistake by Ruth Heald is unputdownable, suspenseful psychological thriller.
After giving birth to baby Olivia Claire persuades husband Matt to re-locate to the countryside. To Matt’s hometown, where they move into Matt’s Grandmothers house who just recently passed away. When they move in, Matt’s Grandmothers things are still in the house, because Matt’s mother Ruth is not yet ready to take them away. Matt’s parents only live next door. Claire is struggling with motherhood; she is very paranoid, and she thinks she is a bad mother. But it doesn’t help when Matt’s mother Ruth tries to interfere. Ruth is not the easiest person to get along with and when weird things start happening and a note is bunged through the door that Claire doesn’t deserve to be a mother, she thinks Ruth is out to get her. But other things happen that Claire realises that someone from her past is come back for revenge.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book. This is a great thriller with lots of twists and turns that will keep you hooked throughout the book. The only bit at first, I didn’t understand was the alternative chapters about a woman who was abused by her husband and her daughter suffered. But when you get to the end of the book all becomes clear. This is an excellent read.

The pure definition of a physiological thriller.

A heart racing, stomach knotting tale that has you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Not once did it slow down, if anything it got faster and faster. Claire's character is described so cleverly with amazing depth and feeling, so many emotions shine through, you never quite know whether she is unstable, being abused, tortured from her past or just suffering a breakdown.

The added second persons entries are a brilliant touch, even though by halfway through I had guessed who was manipulating Claore, o wasnt 100% sure who was being portrayed in the added entries.

Super chilling from the start you wont be able to put it down

This is a well written page turner that kept me guessing throughout. The characters are infuriating but that is definitely intentional by the author. It’s a very good domestic thriller that i would recommend.

The Mother’s Mistake is a psychological thriller that’s impossible to put down.

Everyone makes mistakes but do they deserve to be forgiven? Three years have passed and Claire has a picture-perfect life. She’s moving with her husband and their new baby to a small village outside Oxford. Behind closed doors though her life is falling apart. A threatening note, missing items and unknown noises start to take over her life and it seems that someone knows about Claire’s past. She doesn’t deserve her perfect life and someone is going to destroy it!

I found I couldn’t put this book down and read it over the weekend. Highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

This book is about a woman called Claire who goes through a trauma. 3 years later she has the perfect life, a lovely house, a loving husband a newborn baby daughter. But her life begins to unfold and she gets a letter through her door saying she doesn’t deserve her daughter and her life unfolds further as she’s trying to figure out who knows her past and who betrayed her trust. This book was absolutely incredible. I’ve not read many thrillers but this was so good and has really made me want to delve further into the genre. The book has two perspectives, one of which isn’t made clear to us until closer to the end of the book, so there’s always this aspect of mystery, and as Claire & her family have recently moved and she’s made new friends, connected with other people, there’s also that mystery of who has betrayed her trust, who isn’t who they said they were. I honestly was trying to guess who the ‘evil’ one was in the story and I thought I had it right but once there was that big reveal I was shocked. So many little things happen that all add up and make this really gripping story, I actually read over half of this book in a day because I was hooked, I just really couldn’t put it down. It’s so well written, I really felt for Claire and felt confused, angry and upset for her, this really got into my emotions and I thought this book was so well planned out. I loved it and think it’s a really great book to read whether you’re a lover of thrillers already or if you are new to them and really want to get into the genre. This is also the debut novel of Ruth Heald and I honestly think she’s done a fantastic job on this, I really do highly recommend it.

What a fantastic book, I loved every word on every page and I just loved the way this author writes. It held my interest throughout and all the characters were interesting and I felt as though I knew them all personally.

This is a brilliantly addictive psychological thriller, full of twists and turns and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout with a satisfactory, exciting ending.

I hope to read more from this author in the future, well done Ruth.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this fabulous book.

The Mother's Mistake is a menacing read. It was so stressful to read chapter after chapter SMS wonder how all of it would turn out. Claire and her small family have moved to a village, but it all begins to fall apart. Her mother in law is hostile, her baby fussy, her husband gone all the time, and she believes someone is messing with her. Heald reveals ore of Claire's history as the story progresses. Frankly, I didn't like any of the main characters, but it was a chilling, have to finish it read.

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

Ruth Heald has written a thoroughly suspenseful novel about a mother and a young infant. Claire and her husband, Matt, leave London with their baby, Olivia, and move back to the town outside of Oxford where Matt grew up. The family lives in Matt's grandmother's house while he sets up his new veterinary practice.

The only problem with this ideal situation is that Matt's parents live on the property as well. Ruth is an overbearing person who makes it clear that Claire is not her choice for a daughter-in-law.

Claire was an accomplished journalist in London, but she has a guilty conscience about something a story she wrote that won an award. Claire carries this guilt with her to the countryside and to her ability to form a close bond with her baby. Matt is very supportive but busy trying to set up his business. The faster he can establish his practice, the faster they can save for a down payment and buy their own home, away from Claire's prying mother-in-law, Ruth.

Instead of feeling freedom from her job and the hectic London life, Claire is lonely and having much difficulty dealing with an always crying baby. Then things start happening in the house that makes Claire uneasy and eventually afraid. She believes someone is plotting against her and wants to take Olivia away from her.

Claire begins to distrust every person in her life and reaches the edge... a suspenseful mystery to unravel by reading it when it is published!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this new novel (June 11).