Wow what a book! Call Me Mummy was a gripping read which kept me hooked from start to finish. It is a very dark story which made for difficult reading in parts but it was highly addictive, I read it in two sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.

Christmas is approaching. The season of goodwill to all men. Except in this corner of North London or more specifically a branch of Peacocks something terrible is about to come to pass. Kim, pregnant with her third child is losing her temper with five year old daughter Tonya as they browse the shop, another unknown woman inwardly berating this mum for her behaviour. This unknown woman is childless, her pain at her inability to conceive exacerbated by the likes of Kim, women who through her eyes don’t deserve to be mothers. And so she snatches Tonya in the belief she can give this child everything Kim cannot. Call Me Mummy is a dark and disturbing yet powerful novel about one woman’s desire to become a mother, no matter what,and the devastating effect of her actions on Tonya’s family, particularly Kim. This novel seeks to deconstruct the notion of what constitutes a good mother and what rights we have as a society to pass moral judgement on those we deem unfit.

What I liked about this debut novel was the fact the author has chosen to concentrate solely on the mother who’s lost her daughter and the woman who’s responsible for stealing her, relegating the police investigation to the sidelines. Instead she examines both women’s behaviour following Tonya’s abduction and delves right into their own upbringings, no holds barred, childhoods which are sadly characterised by abuse. Exposing what is the reality for some who have fallen victims of abuse at the hands of family members, the author uses Kim and ‘mummy’ as examples to consider the implications of such childhood trauma and the way it can define individuals as they move forward into adulthood. Kim will offer you her version of what it is to be a mother when dealing with her innermost demons and her plight will definitely sadden you just as mummy will offer you her version but who will you feel most empathy for?

With writing that packs a hefty punch, Tina Baker doesn’t gloss over the realities of this storyline in which all manner of media outlets and the public and ‘Call Me Mummy’ herself vilify Kim and her lifestyle, declaring her to be an unfit mother. Scummy Mummy is a label attached to Kim without hesitation and we all know mud sticks! As a journalist the author is best placed to give a voice to all those who stand in judgment of Kim, having first hand knowledge of how the wheels of press coverage grind, rapidly gaining momentum. She strikes a raw nerve with the realisation of how easy it is for those of us in our middle class ivory towers to cast aspersions on the likes of Kim. It’s impossible not to feel uncomfortable and uneasy as you witness Kim’s disintegration and ‘mummy’s’ unhinged behaviour. Nail biting it definitely is!

Told mainly in the voices of Mummy and Kim but interspersed with those of Tonya, the family liaison officer and Steve, Kim’s partner, the reader benefits from the opportunity to contemplate this situation from every perspective. Occasionally the voice of Tonya sounds older than her five years but on the whole I think the author has nailed the characters in terms of the language used. Profanity is rife as details of Kim’s home life now and in the present are divulged but in my opinion the frequent use of expletives is in keeping with Kim’s character (just an observation not a judgement!) and the overall tone of the novel. As a mother myself this storyline prompted me to wonder what happens when you have no worthy role models to measure your parenting skills up against and/or no support network to rely on. Are we destined to replicate the errors of our own parents or will our determination to learn from these mistakes override everything else? There’s a gaping hole in this family following Tonya’s disappearance and one that threatens to swallow Kim whole as she plunges into despair and awaits the birth of her third baby. With Kim’s relationship with partner Steve on the brink of collapse there’s no joy in life without her little girl so thank goodness for the presence of her friend Ayesha who provides some lightness and unfailing loyalty amidst all the darkness.

Ironically for mummy, given that she now has a child in her possession, a much longed for dream, mummy should be careful what she wishes for. As this woman soon realises, moulding Tonya into her idealised version of a child, one that is docile, polite, well mannered and fond of only good wholesome food is going to be a struggle if nigh on impossible. Like Kim, we come to understand how her own past has lead her to this point in time and whilst she may think she’s better than Kim, scratch the surface of her life and she’s not so different after all.

Love comes in many forms and whilst much of it here is of a twisted cruel nature, a more acceptable normal kind of love definitely exists between that of Kim and her daughter. This is undoubtedly a hard hitting dark storyline driven by beliefs of what constitutes a good mother whilst also focusing on the problem of addiction, whether it be drugs, alcohol or cigarettes. The tension is palpable throughout due to the unpredictable behaviour of both mummy and Kim, keeping me on tenterhooks, my anxiety levels rising with no clear idea how this situation would resolve. If you like your endings to be neatly wrapped up in a bow then you’ll be disappointed with how the author brings this chapter in these characters lives to a close. Life is full of ambiguity and so it’s only right that the author leaves it up to the reader to wonder what the future may hold for mummy, Kim and Tonya.

Call Me Mummy is an exceptionally good debut written in an unadulterated honest style that WILL keep you turning the pages however dark the content becomes. In my opinion it would be a fantastic choice for book groups to dissect and discuss and providing you can stomach the rawness and unforgiving nature of the storyline then I highly recommend it. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

“Never judge a book by its cover!”
This is what this book made
Me think regarding the the mum. Kept me up until 2am!

A former addict mum is out shopping and Someone takes her daughter. The person who takes her, wants nothing more than to be a mum. Two different people, totally different ways of living but you end up going between both, feeling sorry for each of them in their own ways. That does change!!

Glamorous, beautiful Mummy has everything a woman could want. Except for a daughter of her very own. So when she sees Kim - heavily pregnant, glued to her phone and ignoring her eldest child in a busy shop - she does what anyone would do. She takes her. But foul-mouthed little Tonya is not the daughter that Mummy was hoping for.

#callmemummy #tinabaker #viperbooks #netgalley

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

Call Me Mummy,is, quite frankly, a stunning-and damning-indictment on modern motherhood.

Huge thanks to the wonderful Miranda at Viper Books for approving my request to read a book which took my emotions on a roller coaster ride and left me shaken, sickened and in awe of Tina's writing prowess. She took Kim, a character who many of us walk by in the street and think nothing of , made her a pariah, a victim and mostly, totally and utterly human and unforgettable.

She should be everything you rail about in a mother, someone who is instantly judged by Mummy, lurking in a baby clothes shop, she spots Kim with her multicoloured brood, and with another on the way.

A Split second loss of attention, a small interaction with a child perceived to be in need of rescuing, and so begins a nightmare of epic proportions. Kim does not play games, she is who she is-poor, hard as a product of her chequered upbringing and the antithesis of the abjectly broken mother witnessed in appeals around the country.

As keyboard warriors take to the internet to cast blame, aspersions and worse, no one appears interested in reaching out to her, the grief and blame internalised until it becomes all consuming for the loss of her only daughter.

On the other hand, there is Mummy, the woman who takes Tonya, tried to rename her, educate and groom her into the perfect child. She on paper has everything that Kim does not-money, access to better life choices and opportunities that this little girl could never appreciate. So why does Tonya steadfastly cling to a life which has been dissected by social media and found unworthy?

The way that Tina takes what society perceives to be a mother, is brilliant, she uses a razor to strip down exactly what the expectations are for women, how they are failed by a patriarchal society in cahoots with weaker women who re-enforce stereotypes(in particular both Kim and Mummy's mothers)and the notion that being a successful mother is somehow the genetic inheritance of all females.

Kim, Mummy and Tonya narrate their various sections , and the voices of all three come through so clearly, interspersed with the kind of nonsense witnessed every day on social media-our town has a 'Scumbag Watch' page which is just poised to strike, starting out as a 'beware of the conman' public service descended into a terrifying howl of outrage against perceived wrongdoings.

Eviscerated daily, Kim is not an easily sympathetic character but then, she is not designed to be so. She has layers, as many of us do, and the judgemental, stereotypical ways in which she is parcelled up, especially by those supposed to be helping her, throws a damning light on the way men and women are treated. One cannot help but compare this to the Madeleine McCann case (I claim no expertise in this so apologies if this is wrong) where her mother was scrutinised to within an inch of her life as the court of public opinion counted her tears-or lack thereof-but where was this attention for her husband?

As you get to know Mummy and her motivations, her psyche and her past, the writing of a hero vs villain narrative is not so easily navigated, Mummy is definitely not a good person, what she has done has caused immeasurable damage to a family, a community and most importantly, a child. But when she reveals her past, her culpability is not swept aside, rather there comes an understanding as to how such a monster was created.

Breathlessly readable, utterly compelling and wonderful, I would just love everyone to read this book. I could probably ramble on more, but I am sure you have better things to do right now like pre-order a copy of 'Call Me Mummy'

This was a gripping read. Heavily pregnant Kim is out with son daryll and daughter Tonya, shopping. But where is Tonya? Where has she gone?
'Mummy' has got her. She can offer Tonya a better life than 'scummy mummy' Kim. She soon learns motherhood is not the bliss she had imagined and longed for.
The story is mostly told between Kim, mummy and Tonya. We have references to the past from both Kim and mummy.
Such a dark thriller, gripping.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very dark thriller filled with page turning twists. Gone is the normal idealistic 2.4 children family and in its place a much more realistic modern family with modern problems and extreme bad luck and the evil male lead replaced with something much more sinister

This was one the most disturbing books I have read and although it was a hard read at times it was also completely compelling.
A young child Tonya is abducted as her heavily pregnant mother struggling to cope with a younger child is distracted. The woman (mummy) who takes her feels sure she can give Tonya a much better life but all is not as it seems and this mummy is one very disturbed individual and as Tonya turns out not to the angelic child she wanted things really begin to take a horrific turn.
Told mainly from “Mummy’s “and Tanya’s real mother Kim’s point of view this a gripping and very uncomfortable read , while Kim is being branded as scummy mummy by social media and neighbours she is failing to cope with a new baby and the abduction. Meanwhile “mummy” is spiralling into the dark depths of a complete breakdown and it’s pretty terrifying.
It’s a brilliant read it’s feels very real and I have to say the writing is superb, a real thought provoking read that I flew through and I look forward to reading more from Tina Baker in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Serpent's Tail / Profile Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow, Tina Baker has created an unforgettable main character in Call Me Mummy. Someone I loved to hate, and hated to love. But I really did love her - and the book itself. This is a compelling yet shocking read, and at times I wanted to turn away - but couldn't. I was gripping the pages so tightly and wanted to shout at the book several times, with the word 'No' on my lips. It's tense and sad and highly thought-provoking. Not a book I'll forget easily - if it all!

This book gave me the jeebies, but in a good way. Fast paced, creepy and downright weird in places this book was exactly what I'd hoped for! Would definitely recommend!

I expect many parents will find themselves empathising with one or more of these complex characters. On the face of it a compelling thriller, this book is much more than that. It explores what it is to be a parent - and to want to be a parent but not be able to. The reality of a child who seems a bit monstrous adds a further interesting relationship twist. This is dark but not so dark as to leave you deflated at the end. A really great read.

Delightfully creepy and fantastically paced, Call Me Mummy is a chilling tale of obsession, abduction and dark family secrets. A brilliant read that I struggled to tear myself away from!

An intriguing, dark tale of obsession, entitlement and mental health. Call Me Mummy has a creeping sense of dread that keeps you hooked until the end, and it is incredibly well-written considering it is a debut novel. It included some thought-provoking commentary on the politics of class which I wasn't expecting. I will be recommending this book to fans of psychological fiction featuring unreliable narrators and I look forward to reading more from Tina Baker!

Well, where do I begin with this absolutely gorgeous and brilliant book? I’m not sure that any written review will do this book any justice. I have nothing negative I can say about this book.

I adore Tina, her presence on social media really cheers me up and I can honestly say that If we lived closer, I’m sure we’d be great friends.

I sat with the intention of losing myself in the pages of this one. Especially as it has been one of my most anticipated gems of 2021. I already know this book will be staying in the top 21 of 2021. This book is outstanding.

The tension is there from very early on. There is nothing more terrifying than a missing child. This has hooked me, I’ve been desperate to know exactly how this was going to play out. I’m not sure I expected the rollercoaster of emotions that I’ve been taken on during this one.

I adore some of Baker’s early descriptions, the one that really stuck was “one direction reject” I think I actually snorted at this point. However, I was completely captivated by the plot and unwilling to put this one down at this point.

The “mummy” character has been an interesting one for me. The sheer desperation for a child has made her resort to abduction. The tone she has then used with the child, comes across as a teacher tone. We are given insights into her past and memories throughout her time spent with little Tonya.

Tonya is a character that I have really been touched by. Her journey has really imprinted on my heart whilst reading this. The author’s insights to her thoughts have made me cry initially. However, I have been pleased that she is a tough little thing and has remained hopeful throughout. I have found myself so invested in this little one that it has been uncomfortable reading about her distress. However, I have been curious about how her story would end.

Within this book, the author has presented us with an accurate representation of social media and how judgemental people can be. The plot includes the family’s Christmas without Tonya, which is just absolutely heartbreaking and I can safely say I feel for anyone in that position.

I adore the cover, paired with the title it is enough to capture the attention and intrigue of the reader. This is well written and you really do have an emotional rollercoaster while reading this one. If I wasn’t already a fan of this author, this book would definitely convert me.

This has been terrifyingly tense from start to end. I have been completely drawn in and will absolutely be recommending this book to everyone. It is without a doubt a five star read and I already cannot wait to re read this absolutely fantastic book by a truly wonderful author.

This was such a dark & twisty read, and so very hard to put down. The story opens with Mummy abducting Kim's daughter Tonya, and the chapters mostly alternate between the villain & the vilified. We see how the madness of the situation affects both of them. I loved the short chapters from Tonya, which added to the suspense. I really enjoyed this & can't wait to read more by Tina Baker.

I overall enjoyed this book, the plot line is thrilling, a young girl taken from her mum, but her mum Kim doesn’t deserve such a pleasure of having this little girl does she? Mummy thinks she can bring her up better, cleanse her from her filth, teach her respect. My only grate with this book was at first when it is Tonyas turn to speak in a chapter, the narration is very much child like, which you would expect from her being 5 years old, however as the story progresses, Tonyas chapters start speaking like an adult which isn’t relatable at all.

A stressed out mother is in a department store and to be fair isn't exactly having a great day or handling the whole parenting of multiple children that well. When Lisa takes her eye of her daughter little does she know Mummy is about to strike and kidnap Tonya her little girl.
Mummy justifies this by observing Lisa shout at her toddler. I mean she should of been paying more attention so she clearly doesn't appreciate her children and therefore takes her away.
Tonya isn't quite the compliant child Mummy thinks she's going to be though and with a deeply troubled past who knows how she is going to keep the child in line.

Call Me Mummy is Tina Baker's debut novel and had me hooked from the first page. As a Mum this book horrified me I think it goes without saying that kidnap/abduction is every parent's worst nightmare, yet I still find it fascinating.
The writing feels so authentic and credible. The tension is almost palpable at times and it made it so compelling to read.
I really felt a great deal of empathy for Lisa. I mean she's probably a bit of a chav but she's been through so much and I found her voice really powerful. Its disturbing but in a realistic way, the emotion is raw and it feels honest,
Mummy is just vile and on the opposite of the scale I found it so hard to feel any empathy for her past trauma but again her character is written well. I love that we were given so much backstory to her. Shes undeniably awful but I want to know why and the author gives the reader that.
I would of liked to hear Steve Tonya's father perspective and how he felt. But that's the only thing I felt could of been added.
Overall I found this to be a captivating read and although has a lot of trigger warnings would be one I would recommend if you appreciate a good thriller.

This is a dark thriller.

Heavily pregnant Kim is shopping for Christmas presents with her 2 children (and her friend’s son) when Tonya is enticed away by a woman we know as Mummy.

The story is mainly told from these three characters and each has a different voice and style. I found it quite intriguing that Mummy and Kim actually had very similar backgrounds, but their lives were very different. I liked Kim’s friend Ayesha in particular. She was well written and just the right amount of supportive.

The writing itself is quite disjointed in places. There’s a lot of anticipation and it doesn’t always lead anywhere, which is disappointing. I did enjoy the story but I was dissatisfied by the ending. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Call Me Mummy is the first novel by British journalist, broadcaster, fitness instructor and author, Tina Baker. The woman in the department store isn’t paying her young daughter any attention, too busy on her phone. Pregnant, yelling at the toddler in the stroller and a sullen older boy trailing, she clearly doesn’t appreciate what she has. It is easy to entice the sweet angel away with promises of a puppy, and anyway, this foul-mouthed, tattooed slattern doesn’t deserve her, and couldn’t possibly give her the proper upbringing she needs.

Not quite soon enough, Kim Searle raises the alarm, but her five-year-old daughter, Tonya is gone. CCTV reveals that a tall black-clad figure carried Tonya out of the store, after which the trail goes cold. A TV appeal yields numerous tips, but none pan out and, with her abrasive demeanour and provocative attire, Kim does not endear herself to the public.

Soon, online forums, Facebook and Twitter are revealing a youthful history of drugs and sex, the press accentuate the negative, and the trolls enthusiastically do their worst, tagging her SCUMMY MUMMY. While her husband rages over this, for Kim: “The terrible thing has already happened. These f###ing amateurs can’t make her feel worse than she already does.”

The woman who has taken her quickly discovers that Tonya is not the compliant angel she’d hoped for. She is determined that discipline will remedy this, but Tonya stubbornly refuses her new name, insists The Woman is not her mummy and can only be temporarily bribed. If the reader initially cheers Tonya on: “Everything I do for her is unappreciated. In my most despairing moments I wonder why I managed to end up with this peculiar child. One who neither loves nor likes me. One so disobedient”, after some months, the danger of this maintained rage becomes apparent.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, and includes forum, Facebook and Twitter posts. It does perhaps drag a little, but this illustrates the tedium of the wait for any development, any news. Baker includes a sad irony in the similarity of several aspects of the upbringing of Kim and the woman who has taken her daughter.

Readers are warned that there is copious use of expletives, quite in keeping with those characters, but it may cause offence. Baker’s depiction of this distressing experience is wholly credible, and the journey her characters take feels authentic. Readers will admire Kim’s steadfast friend, Ayesha, and cannot fail to applaud young Tonya for her persistence.

Baker doesn’t give the reader a Hollywood ending; rather, she reminds us that, in the real world, we don’t always find out exactly what happened. She also deftly demonstrates what a leveller such a traumatic event can be: rich or poor, sophisticated or down-to-earth, the anxiety is just as destructive, the heartbreak equally profound. This is an outstanding debut novel.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail/Profile Books.

I really looked forward to reading this, its something I'd normally like. But I couldn't get to grips at all with the way it was written. I felt it very repetitive and a real bore to read. For a story such as this I would expect much more to this story, maybe even a police aspect running with it but in reality for me it was uneventful. I unfortunately only managed to read to the halfway point and had to give it up. I wasn't interested by that stage what happened.
Thank you anyway #netgalley for the chance to read early.

A loved this book so much, it was so well written, the writer nailed every character - making them all seem to realistic and believable.

I really enjoyed how the book kept switching between the characters - I love her style of writing - she had me gripped from the very first page.

You need to read this book!