I have already spent quite a few entertaining hours reading this author's books. She has treated me again with an excellent and suspenseful story. 

We are invited to see the story through the eyes of two characters Lily and Maria. It paints us a picture of the relationship between those two women, both very important to Lily's dad. They both want to make him happy, so they do their best to get along. But if one of them does not trust the other one completely, there always is some friction. 

Was her distrust justified or was it just plain jealousy? Is there any way they could make amends? 

This book is about revenge, new beginnings and family. Some families are torn apart, others are mended. 

When you think that all is well that ends well, well, there is an epilogue...

I had a wonderful time diving into this fantastic book. 5 stars

Thank you

Okay, I LOVED this book. Capital L. I read it with my husband, who is not at all a reader, and even he was super invested. That right there is high praise.

Told through different points of view, our main characters are Lily, a twenty-something who has been making her own way in life for a while; Emma, a cute little 5-year old; their dad; and Maria, their dad's new wife who *not a spoiler* had been helping make their mother feel more comfortable during her battle with cancer, which ultimately killed her. (This happens really early on - not a spoiler, promise!)

Lily really feels like something is off about her new stepmother, but she can't quite figure it out. Can she really be trusted? This especially becomes challenging when Emma mysteriously disappears.

King writes in a way where for about 80% of the book, I thought one person was the "bad guy", 10% of the time I thought it was another person, and two others shared 5% each. I never knew completely what was going on and I never in a million years would have guessed the last 15% of the book or so to go the way it went. But even so, it all made sense once I read it! I really wish I could just go back and re-read this book (Though I guess, what's stopping me right?) and see if I can pick up on any other clues the rest of the way through.

Highly recommend! Especially for fans of psychological thriller.

Buckle up and prepare yourself for a psychological rollercoaster like no other, because Karen King's "The Perfect Stepmother" is a gripping and twisted journey that will leave you breathless. This suspenseful thriller pulls you into a world where secrets lurk behind every smile and trust is a fragile illusion.

From the very first page, King hooks you with an atmosphere of unease and a creeping sense of impending doom. Our protagonist, Laura, appears to have found her happily-ever-after with a charming new husband and his picture-perfect daughter. But beneath the surface of their idyllic life lies a sinister presence that keeps you on the edge of your seat, heart pounding.

As the story unfolds, King skillfully weaves a web of deception, manipulation, and unexpected twists that will leave your mind spinning. The character dynamics are brilliantly portrayed, with Laura caught in a dangerous dance of power and control with her stepdaughter, whose innocent façade hides a chilling darkness. The tension builds like a tightly wound coil, leaving you guessing at every turn.

King's writing is both evocative and haunting, painting vivid scenes that transport you into the heart of the narrative. Her meticulous attention to detail creates an immersive experience, where you can practically feel the chill of suspicion and the weight of the characters' secrets. The pacing is relentless, leaving you unable to put the book down as you race to uncover the truth.

King's explores the deepest recesses of the human psyche. The psychological suspense is palpable, as you question the motives and sanity of each character. The line between reality and illusion blurs, leaving you with a lingering sense of unease long after you've turned the final page.

With every chapter, King ratchets up the suspense, skillfully crafting a tale that keeps you guessing until the shocking climax. Just when you think you have it all figured out, she throws a curveball that leaves you breathless, reeling from the revelations and eager for more.

"The Perfect Stepmother" is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling, an addictive and captivating journey that will haunt your thoughts long after you've closed the book. Karen King has delivered a psychological thriller that will leave you sleepless, questioning the very nature of trust and the depths people will go to protect their secrets. Brace yourself, dear reader, for a mind-bending experience that will leave you begging for more.

Prepare to be captivated, disturbed, and utterly enthralled by "The Perfect Stepmother" — a chilling and electrifying read that will keep you on the edge of your sanity.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This one was an amazing read! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It starts off with the disappearance of 5 year old Emma, and goes backwards with the lead up of events.
Lily’s parents have a happy marriage and are overjoyed at the birth of Emma, 20 years after Lily. But, their lives are torn apart with their mother’s battle with cancer and it is almost a year after her death that their father announces he is to marry Maria, a woman who cared for their mother. Lily just doesn’t trust Maria for some reason ….
This story of mental illness, revenge, secrets, family and lies is an enthralling read and a real page Turner. It will have you guessing until the last page. A definite must read if you enjoy family drama mysteries!

This was an enjoyable and engaging read. Whilst I’ve read similar premises before, I thought the execution was done quite well with interesting characters, consistent pacing and lots of tension. I did find the inner dialogue of the two main characters a bit repetitive at times and the storyline somewhat predictable, but overall I thought it was a solid domestic suspense novel that I had a good time with.

A really gripping read that moved along at a really good pace. I just had to keep reading to find out Maria's secret.

This is my first book by this author and was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful her writing is.

As a psychological thriller it had a great storyline that pulled me in, well formed characters and good backstory.

I’ll definitely read a book by this author again.

This was an entertaining read, and I couldn't wait to finish it. It kept me gripped from beginning to end, and I couldn't wait to see how it all works out.

An enthralling read the book captured my interest with the fast pace and the twists in the prose. All the characters kept me on my toes, and I was quite befuddled about who was right. The need to get to the ending made me read this at one go. A rocking read.

This is a gripping psychological thriller filled with twists and surprises. The characters are great, really well developed, believable and people you can relate to and empathise with. I couldn't read it quickly enough as I needed to know what was going on and who I could trust! The story is told from both Lily and Maria's points of view and the story is well paced and easy to follow. It was a great read!

This is the first book I’ve read by this writer and don’t be my last. Kept me guessing to the end. Love the set out of different views in different chapters. Definitely my favourite way of writing. 4/5. Now to buy her next book!

Lots of twists and turns in this psychological thriller which kept me turning the pages.
I was fully engaged with the story throughout and was very impressed with the ending.
I will certainly look for other books by Karen King.

This book if full of suprises. The characters are easy to relate to . I couldnt stop turning the pages . The book moves at a steady pace.

I'm afraid this book fell flat for me. Seb, Lily's boyfriend, is robotically supportive to the point of negativity. The storyline was repetitive and boring. Things got a bit interesting in the last twenty pages, other than that the rest of the book was bland.

A story that combines familial love with a woman hell bent on finding the truth. Excellent reading.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is a domestic suspense thriller and I thought it was an excellent read. Right from the beginning I was engrossed in the story and found myself just wanting to keep on reading. I enjoyed the characters and loved the fact I wasn’t able to work out who was responsible for what was happening until quite near the end of the book.

Would you be comfortable with your dad remarrying so quickly after your mom dies? Lily wasn’t…this story dives into the family drama of how a family navigates their grief and the secrets of the “perfect” stepmother. The multiple pov’s leave you in suspense and tugs at your heartstrings as the truth is revealed about Maria’s past.

The Perfect Stepmother was my first Karen King novel, and it definitely won't be my last! I really enjoyed this book, and I liked that the story was told from the perspectives of both Lily and Maria. The characters were easy to empathize with, and I was very interested in finding out Maria's secret. I thought the ending was great too. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Perfect Stepmother. : )

Lily is still mourning the death of her mother a year ago to breast cancer. She lives with her boyfriend Seb a short distance away from her father Gareth and her smaller sister Emma. It comes as a shock to Lily when her father starts dating Maria. When her mother was ill Maria, who owns a beauty salon, used to come to the house and give her mother beauty treatments and so became close to her mother and father. When they get engaged and then married Lily is suspicious of Maria especially as she seems to have got really close to Emma who is now calling her ‘mummy’. We realise that Maria is hiding a terrible secret that, if revealed, could ruin her happiness and her marriage. When Emma goes missing Lily is convinced that Maria is to blame. The book is written from Lily and Maria’s perspectives and we learn of their backgrounds as the story progresses. This is a story of family, grief, secretes and lies and an enthralling read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Full review to come on Instagram and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.