I don’t think I have the vocabulary to describe how much I LOVED this dark and twisted thriller. It was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions, giving me a few strange dreams along the way.

As a debut novel, Tina Baker smashes it out of the park with a clever, intriguing and often terrifying plot. I regularly shouted WTF at the pages, with chapters often leaving me horrified but with a compulsive need to continue. From the first chapter I had to know what would happen to Tonya.

I loved the way the book was structured. Written in multiple narratives, the perspective of Mummy was written in first person, demonstrating the inner workings of the abductors mind. How she would reflect on the experiences from both childhood and adulthood and how these had led to the taking of a child. As a non-practicing Catholic, I found the reliance on God and Catholicism to cover up her atrocities very interesting, especially the way in which Mummy was never at fault for her own actions.

Interestingly Kim, the mother of the abducted child was written in third person. Although a victim, from the beginning Kim is ostracised as a bad mother. Her life, both past and present is in full view of the cameras and she is quickly judged by people in the street to those hiding behind a screen. Her vulnerability is overlooked and as her storyline is written in this way, it is often hard to sympathise with her.

Fairly infrequently we also get a glimpse into Tonya’s mind and how the abduction is effecting her. Tonya knows that Mummy is not her Mum and that her name is not Izzy, she just wants to go home. This is a perspective I have never read before and I found it truly gut wrenching. Especially how the physical and mental abuse is reflected on from the victims experience.

Throughout the book, Tina handles the subject of historic mental, sexual and physical abuse with care and an overwhelming rawness. As is with PTSD and archaic abuse these tragic experiences are reflected on intermittently, often without prior warning.

I really don’t want to give any spoilers regarding the plot and it’s many twists but I would strongly recommend to anyone. With the advise that there may be some triggers.

An early contender for my favourite book of 2021. Exquisite!

I enjoyed this dark thriller, and liked how it was separated into sections from the different perspectives of Mummy, Kim and the child Tonya, I thought this worked really well. The chapters were also short and snappy which added to the drama. The story has so much depth and the further we go the more is revealed about the backgrounds of the two women, and the difficulties they have both had in their lives which has led them to where where they are now. It is also interesting how different Mummy and Kim are, but yet how similar. I thought in parts it was slightly repetitive however I think this may have been purposefully to emphasise the monotony of the days for everyone involved. I also thought the ending was great, very chilling!

Wow what a opening chapter! A child Tonya is taken whilst out shopping with her mum Kim. Mummy takes Tonya home and begins her project of turning her into the perfect child that she has always wanted.

However, Tonya does not want to be the perfect child that Mummy wants, she is strongwilled and even at just 5 years old she knows that this situation is all wrong. Mummy, although likes to put on the perfect veneer her life has been far from it. A troubled upbringing then an abusive marriage she has had a tough time and she thinks a child will make everything better.

Kim is vilified by the press almost immediately the comments that are posted on social media calling her a scummy mummy and worse almost makes it seem like she deserved to lose her daughter, which of course she didn’t. She is also a victim of circumstance and has had a really difficult life and she refuses to play the role that the police and Steve her partner want her too. Of course this just makes matters worse when she goes on TV.

Kim was desperate for a child and she loves Tonya and is beside herself with worry. She is also heavily pregnant and not looking after herself. When the baby arrives she can not cope and we uncover more about her past, her addictions and she is obviously suffering but she cannot ask for help.

Mummy is also not having the happy time she thought she would, lack of sleep. Tonya is distressed and scared but convinces herself that it will all be resolved and they will live happily ever after and continues the brutal regime to tame her.

This is a really gripping story, and it gave me so many conflicting feelings, it shows how easy that it is to be judgemental about another person based on very little information and mainly just how they look.

Tonya is a fantastic character she is so switched on and I loved her little monologues as she tries to make sense of her situation. However, it is really sad she misses her mum and her home and the life she is used too. Mummy is trying to mould her into what she wants but she is not easily swayed.

The book takes a darker turn as Kim and Mummy both struggle to cope and some of these scenes were really visceral and I had to have a little break as they felt so real. Both women have had awful lives and have the scars to prove it.

This is an outstanding debut novel, it’s dark, unique and unforgettable. It’s about class and perception and people’s judgement from the outside when we have no idea what has happened or is happening. It is a book that made me think about these issues and I really enjoy that in a story it makes it stay with you and Call me Mummy will certainly be one of those books.

A 5 star debut *****

Thank you to Sahina Bibi at Viper Books for sending me an e-copy of this book in return for an honest review and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

Wow. What a read! This book has given me all the twisted psychological gripping thriller feels! It's hard hitting. Dark. Twisted. Traumatic. Not a light read, compelling none the less. There are some brutal moments in this book and I'm really pleased I have read this book.

Thank you so much Netgalley and ViperBooks for an eARC in return for an honest review.

Every mothers worst nightmare comes true for pregnant mum of two Kim. She is momentarily distracted while out shopping with her kids. Toyna aged 5 is abducted, coaxed by a lady interestingly only known throughout the book as 'Mummy'.

This story is told in short sharp chapters through the viewpoints of the two women. Worlds apart in social standings yet have more in common than they would ever realise. Broken, abused, with low self worth, one blessed to be a mother the other desperate to be. Both deprived of Love, both adults navigating their lives through their cloudy existences.Desperate times call for very desperate actions...

Who I liked - The supporting characters, Steve and Ayesha. Both incredible prop up characters for Kim. She needs them in her life. She is so fortunate to have them.

When I consider my reflective thoughts on this book...You just don't know what someone has gone through in their life. This book has reminded me, not to judge someone until you have walked in their shoes.

Figuratively speaking, this book is symbolic of a pebble, no scrap that, a big boulder being dropped into the ocean and the ripple effects of waves and currents that form as result. It's representative of the effects of abuse on generations and anyone in the tide to come.

It's a very good debut from Tina Baker and I cannot wait to read more from her in the future.

I am particularly moved to learn that 10% of the books royalties are being donated to Action For Children UK

It's a must read if you loved the twisted nature of Verity then you will LOVE this!

Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker was a fast, interesting and emotionally charged book. The story mainly focuses on the perspectives of the abductor Mummy and the mother Kim but it also has five year old Tonya’s perspective intricately woven throughout the story.

The author did an amazing job at creating complex characters that mess with your head to the point of not knowing who you should actually feel sorry for. I did not like Kim at all because of the way she acted. I thought she was very rude and at times I found her to be cold. People judged her very harshly but I also found her to be judgemental of others as well. I felt sorry for Mummy at first because you could tell that her childhood had been awful but unfortunately as the story progressed she became way too unhinged for me.

Tonya was strong, feisty and had a huge personality. My favourite character is definitely Steve because he was so supportive and took care of their other children. I found him to be kind and extremely likeable.

OMG that ending!! It didn’t end the way I’d hoped it would but I still enjoyed it.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

One day out shopping, a childless woman sees a little girl, grubby and ignored by her heavily pregnant mother, clearly from the council estate, and makes a judgement call - she is going to take this little girl and raise her properly,

The story follows what happens after that, following the mother's grief as she tries to come to terms with her daughter's abduction, and the media circus that comes to an "unsympathetic victim" and the kidnapper's attempt to keep the little girl as her own. The characters of Kim and Steve in particular were presented very well and felt very real.

It's cleverly written to compare the two women with each other so directly, but it's so relentlessly depressing and heartbreaking that I found it difficult to get any enjoyment out of reading it. While it's probably the sort of story that ought to be told, particularly in a time when it is so easy to pass judgement through the facelessness of social media, it's not really a book I can say I liked reading.

Call Me Mummy is Tina Baker's powerful first novel, inspired by her own unsuccessful attempts to become a mother. Despite the grief of that, she’s not stolen a child – so far. It's the run-up to Christmas and Mummy is reluctantly Christmas shopping but gets distracted by the cute pink dresses and tiny baby clothes when she comes upon a mother, Kim, and her beautiful daughter, who she learns is called Tonya. Shouting profanity, Kim cannot hide her annoyance at her young children as she witters away on her mobile phone barely keeping an eye on her precious kids, which makes Mummy's blood boil. Five-year-old Tonya skips over towards Mummy to look at some Peppa Pig pyjamas and Mummy notices an adult-sized bite mark on her arm before convincing herself that the child's mother is not worthy of having her, so much so that she makes the split-second decision to abduct her and take her home knowing, with a total lack of guilt or compassion for her mother, that she can give her a better and more prosperous life. She has so much to offer a child but was sadly unable to bear her own. She quickly chaperones Tonya through the shop and out of the exit promising her puppies, kittens and a life as the little princess she deserves to be. But it doesn't take long for Mummy to realise the gravity of exactly what she's done when Tonya fails to live up to the expectations she had built up in her head. Mummy tries to manipulate and mould her into the child she wants her to be but the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as they say, and Mummy realises how much like her profanity-spouting, doggedly determined, fierce and chaotic mother she really is.

Unfortunately, Mummy wasn't set the most proficient example of parenthood and what it includes by her mother and father and she is having great difficulty reconciling the differences between her fantasies of having a child and the cold, harsh reality. Meanwhile, Kim is living her own, and many other mothers', worst nightmare. She's devastated, distraught and angry and because she fails to behave the way the media and press deem appropriate she is demonised and given the horrible name of "scummy mummy". When she leaves the house she is sneered at by strangers and neighbours and evil internet trolls start targeting her online. Over time both women begin to spiral and their family relationships begin to disintegrate. What will happen to Mummy, Kim and Tonya as their lives fracture? This is a compulsive, heartbreaking and highly original thriller with tonnes of grit and an emotional intelligence I rarely see in the genre. It shows how we vilify and mock others we see as different often more easily than offering compassion and it highlighted the turmoil women desperate to have a child experiences when that chance is taken away. Alternating primarily between chapters from Mummy and Kim's perspectives, interspersed with the point of view of Tonya, we are immersed in these three lives and learn to understand them as people. It is a wickedly enthralling tale that winds its way through a series of surprising twists and becomes an intense drama that envelopes you and does not let go. This is a clever, poignant and deeply emotional tale, and although all three main characters are easy to dislike, Baker has certainly crafted complex personalities that are realistic and come alive on the page. Highly recommended.

This really gripped me from the first few pages. A definite page turner and extremely thought provoking.

It was written in chapters from the perspective of 3 main characters, which I found easy to read as a lot of them were short chapters.

Obviously I am not giving much away by saying it is about a woman called Kim who’s daughter gets taken by a character called “mummy”. Both women clearly have had issues in the past and the story focuses on them rather than a police hunt. We discover why both characters are the way they are and why.

We are drawn into a story which is very dark and sometimes quite upsetting to read as it deals with child abuse. The author does well to portray the different classes of women and their backgrounds.

The best character for me is 5 year old Tonya. The chapters from her perspective are just brilliant.

The only negative for me, and this is just personal opinion, was that there was quite a lot of swearing. The “F “ word was used a lot, which was understandable due to the storyline, but there was several uses of “c**t” which I absolutely detest. This was however the only negative! Other than that, just brilliant!

Thank you to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an arc. Really glad I had the opportunity to read this.

Deliciously dark and twisted, this was just the book I wanted to read after some non fiction. I thought the premise was great, and loved the way the author allowed little bits of normality to come back into Kim's life, even with Tonya missing. I didn't want to put this one down!

I liked how this book detailed the darker sides of being a mother, and from two contrasting perspectives. Whilst both women have lead very different lives, they have dark pasts in common that are unraveled throughout and you begin to understand them a little better. Although mostly from Kim and Mummy’s perspectives, I enjoyed how other characters get their viewpoint aired. There were also social media streams with members of the public adding their thoughts about the missing child and dissecting Kim’s character; some sympathetic onlookers but mostly gossips and trolls which is sadly common in real life. Usually for me, I like to have a connection with one of the lead characters and really root for them. Obviously, I was rooting for Tonya to be found but of Kim and Mummy, I never warmed to either and I don’t believe you’re supposed to. You have these two flawed individuals who seem to make life more difficult for themselves and you just can’t look away, making for compulsive reading. I’d like to give a special mention to Ayesha, Kim’s best and seemingly only friend, who for me was the unsung hero of the piece. Although a busy wife and mother herself, Ayesha is a loyal and supportive help to Kim throughout even when Kim is being her most challenging, which I thought was a nice beacon of light in a mostly dark story. The prose does not sugar the pill; its snarky and sweary in tone and keeps you coming back for more. I’ve read a fair number of novels centered on a missing child but this novel surprised me in the direction it took; from the imperfect characters to their murky pasts. Call Me Mummy is a dark and unexpectedly disturbing read that is also wickedly entertaining.

Mummy longs for a child, but it has not been her lot in life to be blessed with the patter of tiny human feet. So when she sees a little girl she is sure is being neglected by her 'slattern' of a mother, she has no compunction about stealing her away to live in her beautiful home, where she plans to give her a wonderful childhood.

But Tonya is not quite the little princess Mummy thought she would be, and despite her efforts to mould her into her idea of the perfect child, Tonya remains stubbornly foul mouthed, feisty and frantic. What is a mother to do? Well, unfortunately Mummy has no idea how to even begin to deal with a real child - the parenting skills she has learned from her own ma and pa are far from ideal, and, dear reader, you should be prepared for some very difficult scenes to play out in this little corner of suburbia before the tale is done.

Meanwhile, the woman Mummy has branded a 'slattern' is going through hell. Although Kim may not be anyone's idea of the perfect mother either, she loves her daughter fiercely and is distraught that the police are unable to find out what has happened to her. Kim has demons of her own that she is battling from her traumatic childhood too, and her angry response to the situation does little to garner sympathy from the media, or the public. Her torment causes her to spiral downwards into a pit of despair that she is not sure she can ever rise from again.

As the story flows back and forth between the increasingly horrifying scenes in Mummy's home, and Kim's disintegrating household, it seems unlikely that there can ever be a happy ending to this story - and caught in the middle is the bewildered Tonya.

I really enjoyed the way the story plays out between the two 'mothers' of the piece as they both fall prey to the legacy of their distressing childhoods. Tina Baker gradually ekes out the traumatic details of the past, dropping in hints and flashbacks from them both as the story progresses, until the horrific truth of both their stories hits you like a punch to the gut. The discomfort is ramped up to the max in the clever way she periodically interjects with the outpouring of vitriol on social media directed at Kim the so called 'Scummy Mummy'; the views of some of the bit players and bystanders; some of the 'witness' calls to the police hotline; and heartbreakingly, sometimes from Tonya herself. And if this wasn't enough, there are a couple of shocking little twists and a very unsettling ending...

I was struck with how similar the stories of our two 'mothers' actually are, although neither would be willing to admit to this truth, and the awareness that despite their similarities, you can bet that they would be judged very differently by the media and public opinion. Tina Baker also rather brilliantly throws a lot of meaty themes at you in the telling of the tale - infertility, motherhood, abusive childhoods, unresolved trauma, addiction, the discomfort of being under the public spotlight, and the hateful side of social media are all brought to the fore here.

Call Me Mummy is one of those books that grabs you right at the start and ties you up in the kind of twisty tale that does not let you go for a single heart-pounding second. I suggest setting aside a chunk of time for this one, because I promise you will unable to look away until the whole disturbing tale is done. I should warn you that there are many upsetting moments in this book, but there are also surprising flashes of the darkest humour. It's an exhilarating, visceral ride and one which will have you holding your babies very close after reading it - should you be lucky to have them. Mummy is watching...

Wowsers! This book is a rollercoaster of emotions, which hit me hard in all the feels! I cycled through pity, grief, shock, sadness, and even, believe it or not, a giggle here and there. At some points I sat horrified as I pleadingly thought “oh God, no, she wouldn’t...?!” Tina is an emotional puppet master and I obediently felt every emotion possible.

Both main characters, although worlds apart, have had such similar traumatic pasts.

Heartbreaking and horrifyingly honest, Tina’s writing style is brutal and takes no prisoners. Superb characterisation, with both main characters deplorable and heartbreakingly vulnerable in equal measure. The use of Social Media and tabloid comments sadly highlight how cruel and detached our society can be, as they judge a person’s situation so easily from their blue screens. The story is fast paced, with short punchy chapters. Utterly absorbing.

The ending was in keeping with her style, brutal, real and honest.

Forget the thriller for Mother’s Day 2021, this is the thriller OF 2021! Cannot recommend this book enough.

This book scared me senseless! As a mum this is the thing of nightmares-someone taking your child. I spent a large part of reading the book in a state of anxiety! Very well written, thought provoking but downright scary!

It’s your worst nightmare as a parent, losing your child. Even them disappearing out of your sight for a second has your heart plummeting to your shoes and panic grabbing you by the throat. So imagine if they really were gone and you had no idea where or if you would ever see them again. This is the nightmare scenario explored in this book, and the author paints such a vivid picture that my heart was in my mouth from start to finish.

This story is told by three voices. Kim, the mother whose daughter is taken from under her nose whilst out shopping; Mummy, the woman who takes the child in desperation; and Tonya, the abducted girl. This is a very effective construction, as we get to see the story from all sides and it reveals a lot of intimate thoughts and consequences of the abduction that you might not have thought about. Because the reaction of neither woman in the aftermath of the kidnapping is exactly what you’d expect if you have ever given the matter any serious thought.

As well as exploring what motivates such actions by a woman, and what the parents of the missing child might be going through, the book explores the reactions of the world at large, and how we, as an amorphous group rather than individually, judge people on surface appearances without really knowing all the facts. Kim is the ‘wrong sort’ of mother, and she is judged harshly and cruelly as a result. She doesn’t play the sympathy game properly, and people troll and abuse her, despite the fact she is a victim. The pressure put on her family, how it affects her other children, her friendships and her relationships, is all explored with a keen eye and I’m not sure it’s Kim who comes off worst in my judgment by the end.

On the other hand, on the surface, Mummy is the complete opposite. She looks like the kind of woman you might place a child with if they needed a good home. But no one knows what goes on behind closed doors or in the mind of a person, and outward appearances can be deceptive. The book reminds us not to take things at face value and not to believe everything we see. Less than perfect people are capable of empathy, care and love, and the most respectable looking people can be battling with demons.

The book also explores the effect that childhood trauma can have on a psyche and the kind of people we turn into. Despite the fact of what Mummy did, the author tries to dredge up some sympathy for her when we hear about her past, although it is the thinnest of thin threads to hang on to. The author does manage to make clear the pain that not being able to have a child causes to a woman, and for that alone you have to feel for Mummy. But Kim’s pain is greater. Losing a child is like losing an essential part of yourself. But if you can understand the pain a woman feels when they lose a child, then you must also be able to feel the pain of a woman who can never have one to begin with, the two things are inseparable.

The author explores this issue with searing understanding and honesty, but not in the direction you might expect, and what she has produced as a result is a dark, twisted, terrifying but absorbing read that will keep you awake at night and leave you with thoughts and questions that might be painful to address. This is a confident and accomplished debut and is highly recommended for anyone who likes a thought-provoking, gripping but uncomfortable read.

Wow, what can I say! This book is amazing and I loved it. It is a very hard book to read, as it has child abuse in it, but the whole story and the way the characters were portrayed was excellent. It gave me a view inside the minds of people and helped me to understand why some people who have been abused themselves can then go on to abuse others. It also helped me to understand how certain types of grief can feel. Therefore, the psychology of the book was very interesting to me.

This is a new author for me and this is her debut book. I will definitely be back for more of her work when it is ready! I can see this author going far with her writing as she just has a way with words which makes you feel like you are in the story and feeling all the emotions of the characters, as if it is real. life. The author has put a lot of work into this book and you can see and feel this. She is a great author.

One of the main characters of the book is very dark and twisted, which is not nice to read about, but she has her reasons for being the way she is and it is very interesting to find out about her childhood and how this has made her the way she is today.

The best character in the book for me is little Tonya, who is a little superstar. I just loved her so much and I felt an attachment to her, always hoping that she would be ok. She is a fiery and strong girl with a big heart and I was rooting for her.

I also loved her Mum Kim and it was so interesting to read about her grief at losing Tonya and her post natal depression after having her baby boy. It must have been so hard for her to cope with both of these things, but she was strong and battled through.

This book is an emotional rollercoaster, which left me feeling many different emotions. It is a very powerful book which will touch the hearts of many. It is a pageturner, which will leave you on the edge of your seat, wanting to read the book at all hours of the day and it will make you feel both powerless and powerful as you read along with it. It will literally take your breath away and have your heart racing.

I highly recommend this book, but get the tissues at the ready for those sad and happy tears!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been DYING to read this book for so goddamn long and it was worth every teeny tiny glorious second. It’s written so well that I’m not actually convinced the author has never stolen a child and forced it to stop swearing or eat healthily. I’m joking, of course, but once you read it, you’ll appreciate the sheer talent as much as I did!

Reading this book, I was sometimes questioning my own sanity because I LOVED just how dark and disturbing things were (who even am I?!) Prepare to be shocked, even repulsed by certain people and actions! However, without all these dark details, the story wouldn’t be as gripping and thrilling as it was. Though tough to stomach this story line, it’s a book written with incredible talent and passion, with a unique tone and fantastic character development. It’s impossible not to place yourself in the shoes of the characters and feel every emotion so deeply with those who suffer the most. An unforgettable, thought-provoking story with everything you’d want in a great thriller. One of the best I’ve read!

As a parent the mere thought of anything bad happening to your child can set your pulse racing. There are so many situations in life that can easily lead to danger. Children have that habit of doing a quick vanishing act, and for that split second when your eyes can't find your child amongst the crowd or in the shop, the thoughts running through your mind are awful, your heart stops until you catch sight of them again.

But, what would you do if they didn't come back into view? How would you react when you realise your child is no longer anywhere near you? This is the situation Kim finds herself in in Call Me Mummy. She took her eye off Tonya whilst shopping and then she's gone!!

Talk about an emotional rollercoaster, Call Me Mummy is all that and more. We are told the story through three main perspectives:

KIM. the mother who has lost her child.
MUMMY. The abductor
TONYA. The 5 year old girl who's been abducted.

Now you would think that the author, Tina Baker would make us feel emotionally attached to Kim and direct all our hate at Mummy. Because that's the way these stories happen. But, I found myself feeling a bit sorry for Mummy and kind of understanding how she ended up in the situation she is. Don't get me wrong I wanted to smack her full in the face most of the times, but I did see the chink in her armour.

If there is one character that I fell in love with (and wanted to hear more from) that would be Tonya. This is one feisty five year old girl that despite everything came across much better than the so called adults in this book. The beauty of not being tainted by the world. She still had her childish innocence and could clearly see wrong from right.

Interspersed in the narrative of the three main characters we had differing views from the public and media about the abduction story. And boy does this highlight how society truly is. Kim for one is dealt a horrible hand by the keyboard warriors who deem her "scummy mummy".

How many of us can hold our hands up and say that we have never judged someone on their appearance? I'll be honest I've made quick assumptions on people in the news, on people I see around. It is wrong to do so, but it's also a natural instinct. However, I wouldn't take to social media and vilify the people. Again I would have liked to see more from this perspective.

Call Me Mummy is dark, twisted and a great easy read thriller.

✨ Many thanks to Viper Books for my opportunity to be on the blog tour for Call Me Mummy. And for my gifted digital copy ✨

"Call Me Mummy" is a sparkling debut from Tina Baker. On the surface it's a very readable tale of child abduction, which exploits one of every parent's worst fears - losing a child during a shopping trip. The terror of those seconds before re-locating your child, having turned your back briefly. But Tonya isn't swiftly located. The plot then unravels from various perspectives. Tonya herself is given a point of view which is a nice touch. She's a tough wee cookie! Baker straddles the worlds of the affluent Mummy and poor Kim with ease. Through them, she explores the lasting impact of abuse in childhood, the grip of addiction and the many forms of self-harm. Baker looks at judgment and superiority, how we look down upon those less fortunate, and she gives us a masterclass in the cesspit that is social media. We also have the opportunity to consider our public expectations of grief and how we categorise it - e.g. is the mother making a televised appeal crying too much/not enough? There is some choice and offensive language throughout which authenticates the characters. "Call Me Mummy" offers accessible commentary on how we demonise the less fortunate, and the pain of desperately wanting to have a child of your own.

If you're looking for an exciting new read, or a twisted Mother's Day present, I'm pleased to tell you that you're in the right place. A huge thank you to Netgalley and Viper Books for the advance copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion.

When a woman, known only as Mummy, spots 5-year-old Tonya being ignored by her mother, she decides to make motherhood happen for herself by snatching the little girl in broad daylight and keeping her a prisoner in her lavish home. She gives her everything she could possibly want... a million miles away from that 'scummy mummy' of hers. But all Tonya wants is to go home.

This disturbing and twisted tale delves into some very dark themes indeed. Prepare yourself. Call Me Mummy also explores the darker side of the press and social media, and how it can affect the families that are unwillingly thrust into the limelight.

It is mainly told from the perspectives of Mummy and Kim, Tonya's real mother, as well as snippets from little Tonya herself. The short and snappy chapters built up the tension really quickly, and had me racing through the book, desperate to see how things would pan out for everyone involved.

The thing I found clever in Call Me Mummy, is that I felt sympathy for both characters - yes, even the abductor. I'm not sure I should even admit this, but at times I almost wanted Mummy and Tonya to be happy together. Both Kim and Mummy experienced harrowing childhoods, and adulthood hasn't been much better for either of them. My head was a whirling vortex of emotion and internal conflict as each horrendous secret bubbled its way to the surface.

This book is heartbreaking at times, but always exciting and unputdownable, with a writing style that is utterly fantastic. And can we just stop for a moment to appreciate that stunning cover?

Huge congratulations to the fabulous Tina on this explosive debut thriller.

What a brilliant book. At times hard to read - subject matter-wise - the short sections switching between voices means it is always compelling.

Every parent’s nightmare. Kim is tired and cranky. In the last stages of pregnancy she’s out shopping with her two existing children when five-year-old Tonya disappears. Kim’s anger and frustration means she isn’t the media-friendly distraught parent everyone expects and she is judged and suspected by strangers on the street, neighbouring parents and every vile troll on the internet. But, all she wants is to get her daughter home safely. Kim’s own childhood means she knows all too well what can happen to innocent kids even in their own homes.

Mummy believes that she’s rescuing Tonya. Desperate for a child of her own she sees Kim and makes a snap judgement about a woman who doesn’t deserve the blessing of three children. So she seizes her chance and persuades Tonya to come with her.

We follow the impact this has on Tonya and her partner Steve, as they struggle in their own different ways to cope and stay hopeful. We see Mummy as she tries to persuade Tonya to see this as her new home, fighting against her own damaged childhood - she also knows children may not be safe in their own home - and struggling with the difference between her fantasies if motherhood and the reality. We also see how the outside world views Kim, the judgements on a mother who could be so bad as to lose her daughter. We also see it from Tonya’s perspective, trapped with The Woman and wanting to get home.

The final outcome isn’t clear until the end. Will Tonya return home? Will Kim and her family hold together? What is in Mummy’s basement?

A fantastic read.