The Silent Mother by Liz Lawler is a recommended investigative mystery.

When Dr. Ruth Bennett receives a call from her son Thomas asking her to come to Bournemouth because he has to appear in court, she naturally goes there. Once there, while waiting for him at the courthouse she learns that Thomas has committed suicide. He was also a doctor and had been charged with stealing drugs from the hospital where he worked. Ruth knows that Tom was innocent. This behavior does not resemble her son and his values at all. What she decides to do is continue to pay rent on Tom's apartment, take a job in the city where Tom worked, and try to uncover the truth behind what happened. Since Tom has his father's last name, people will not know she is his mother and as a doctor she will be able to discover the truth.

As the novel tells the story of Ruth's investigative search for the truth, it also follows Rosie Carlyle, a young woman with problems who Ruth sees as a patient. Rosie seems off from the start. She is anorexic, paranoid, perhaps disillusion or experiencing a mental disorder, and desperately missing her best friend Anabel. Rosie's story line is a bit disjointed as it follows along her thought patterns. This is in stark contrast to Ruth's logical, intelligent search for the truth. Also included in the plot are diary entries from Tom that are shared as Ruth reads them.

This is a well written novel that moves at an even, measured pace throughout Ruth's investigation. While there are some surprises, The Silent Mother is more a novel of discovery rather than shocking revelations. The twist can easily be seen coming, so it isn't really a surprise. The pull of the novel is in uncovering what happened and reaching the final denouement. This is a good novel, but it is slow moving.

The characters are developed. Ruth is an especially sympathetic character as she is looking into what happened to her son. Rosie is less so and readers will immediately realize that she is not a trustworthy character. There are others that Ruth meets along the way who help her or provide information, including landlord Henry, and neighbors Kim, Tilly, and Akito. Many of the people Ruth talks to are hesitant to share their thoughts, but ultimately most find it difficult to believe Tom was guilty.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

I hate to report that this book just didn’t hit the bullseye for me. It was a bit too long, slightly convoluted and it took ages to finally get to the somewhat-lackluster ending. I really liked some parts, but others I felt didn’t really need to be written for the story to have been complete.

The main story was great - Dr. Ruth (haha) gets last-minute notice from her son, Dr. Thomas, that he has a court date, but he doesn’t want her to worry. Of course the mother is worried - her son just finished medical school, is very proud of his accomplishments and has never been in trouble before - what could he have done? She immediately travels to attend his court appearance and find out what’s going on.

She gets to court, and waits. And waits. Her son is a no-show and she’s furious. How did he get in trouble in the first place, and why would he skip court knowing there would be a warrant for his arrest? Soon, the police approach her and give her the worst news a parent could hear. They went to his house to execute the warrant and found her son dead, seemingly having killed himself.

Ruth instinctively knows this isn’t right. When the officers tell her that his charge was drug possession (hundreds of pills from the hospital he worked at were in his home, loaded with his fingerprints) she knows this almost seems impossible. She knows a lot of parents are in the dark about their children, but she’s not one of them. Her son, stealing drugs? According to the autopsy, taking drugs? And suicide? She soon decides to stay in his town and try to figure out what happened.

The second half of the book is about a girl named Rosie. Rosie coincidentally becomes Ruth’s patient after Ruth gets a job in town. Rosie is anorexic, obviously abusing her mental health medications, and is having a hard time trying to find her friend, Anabel. Most of her story is her trying to find Anabel, and being distraught about not speaking to her in months. I knew the two stories would eventually converge, but it wasn’t until the very end that they did, so her role was confusing at first.

The ending was fine. The whole book was fine, but it was very slow to get to the point. I think just Ruth’s story would’ve sufficed, but that’s a personal preference. Overall, I think this was a decent but overdrawn book, thus the average three star rating.

(I’d like to thank Bookouture, Liz Lawler and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

I was already hooked on The Silent Mother just after reading the description and the book did not disappoint. It was a total page turner from the beginning with the twists keeping me on the edge of my seat all the way to its satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

What a rollercoaster! Mothers Helpers plot is insane! I thought I had it figured but twist after twist kept coming and threw me in a tailspin! Excellent writing.

I know we’re not supposed to like Rachel but I loved her, her coldness, the need to get what she wants, nothing standing in her way. The tension falls off the pages in Mothers Helper, really. I raced through and the conclusion was even more shocking than I could have imagined!

I loved every page. 5/5

A terrific premise of a Mum ( a Dr) receiving a text from her son ( a trainee Dr ) saying he is in court the next day to be sentenced for stealing drugs from the hospital he was working at…..when she gets to the Court to support/find him, she can’t, he is missing
And the mystery starts
Ruth, the Mum is portrayed and written brilliantly, you can feel her anger, frustration, hurt and love for her son as she fights to clear, what she thinks/knows, is his innocent name
Intertwined with this is another narration/ story from Rosie ( a nurse ) re her best friend who has gone missing and a disturbing life event secret they keep….it does all come together, to explain more would spoil it but I found it exciting and challenging to work it all out
Set in BourneMouth which is always great and some of it in hospitals/GP practices where you can tell the author had former work experience and also in Police Stations ( this side was non boring and not too OTT procedural ) the whole experience was enjoyable
I am not sure why the title was chosen tbh as she was anything but Silent and also why an inclusion of a sweary ( not that I mind swearing in books but this was her personality trait and felt forced and way overused ) Sister of Ruth was needed ( thankfully she only featured once ) that aside a really well written, different read

I found this book to be somewhat likable but very slow paced. It centers primarily on Ruth, whose doctor son has recently committed suicide after pleading guilty to stealing drugs from the hospital at which he worked. Ruth, convinced of his innocence, drops everything to stay in his flat and investigate what really happened. There is also an alternate storyline centered on Rosie, a patient of Ruth’s who is looking for her runaway friend Anabel while keeping a dark secret. The 2 storylines eventually converge.

I enjoyed the characters in this book and felt inspired by Ruth’s belief in her son, as well as the support she received from those around her. This book was filled with many genuinely nice (and believable) characters. I’m not exactly sure why it was called “the Silent Mother” because Ruth didn’t seem to be silent to me- I guess it was because she initially hid her identity, but I thought she was relentless in her pursuit of the truth.

When the book finally gets to the resolution, I wasn’t all that surprised and felt a little let down that it took so long to get there and didn’t even give me a twist. I generally liked the way it ended, as it tied up loose ends well, but I would’ve enjoyed the story a lot more if it was 25% shorter and packed with more surprises.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dr Ruth Bennett receives a text from her son Thomas (a hospital Dr) asking her to be at Bournemouth Court to support him in a court case. She has no idea what he's done until told by his barrister that drugs were found at his home and he had assaulted a security guard and had previously pleaded guilty to all charges. But Thomas never arrives in court as he is found dead at home.
Months later and Ruth moves to Bournemouth to try to uncover the truth behind Thomas's arrest and subsequent suicide.
In alternating chapters we also read about Rosie, a troubled character whose friend has gone missing.
I admit to struggling to get into this novel at the beginning especially as I wondered how Rosies story linked with Ruth's. I'm glad I persevered. though. The diligence that Ruth showed to uncover the truth, and the lengths that she went to. However I'm unsure about the title as rightly so Ruth was anything but silent. Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Liz Lawler's engrossing thriller THE SILENT MOTHER.

Firstly, I'm not sure where the title comes from as the mother is anything but silent as she endeavours to clear her son's name. However, the journey upon which she embarks to do so is fraught with obstacles along the way drawing the tale out a little bit too much. That said, it was an engrossing read but not entirely addictive.

The story begins with Ruth, a doctor and partner of a practice in Bath, receiving a text from her son Thomas, a junior doctor, outlining his appearance in court the following day and asking her to be there. Ruth knows nothing of the crime with which he's been charged or what to expect from the hearing, so she embarks on the trip to Bournemouth a day early in the hope of catching Thomas that he might further explain his predicament. Unfortunately she wasn't able to raise him and spent a restless night in the hotel adjacent to the Crown Court in which he was to appear the following day.

Arriving at court, she meets his Barrister and his solicitor who fill her in on the details of his case. Thomas, it appears, was arrested for not only stealing drugs from the hospital in which he worked but for the assault of a security guard who had tried to restrain him when he became aggressive. Ruth is shocked. This doesn't sound like her son at all. Not because she's his mother, but because anyone who knew him would know it was completely out of character. His behaviour explained by the amount of midazolam in his system at the time of his arrest. Believing this to be the beginning of a trial, Ruth is further shocked to learn that Thomas had plead guilty and that this was in fact a sentencing hearing. What had happened to her sweet placid boy to turn him into someone she doesn't recognise?

But this is just the beginning of the mystery because Thomas, it seems, has failed to turn up for court and the natives are growing restless. Just as Ruth was losing all hope that things might turn around for her son, she sees the look pass between the barrister and solicitor...and her day, her world, goes from bad to worse. Thomas has been found in his flat having taken his own life.

Four months later, Ruth returns to Bournemouth in search of answers. She had received an anonymous letter pleading with her to come and clear Thomas' name though she has no idea who it is from. Having kept the rent paid up on his flat, she moves in and takes a job as a locum GP at a nearby thriving practice for the interim. No one knows she is Thomas' mother, having not married his father she retained her maiden name, Bennett, whilst Thomas was given his father's name of DeLuca. Her first port of call was to find the nurse who had reported the incident that had kicked off at the hospital resulting in Thomas being arrested in the first place. But when she tried knocking on her door, there was no answer. This nurse would hold the answers as to what happened to Thomas that day.

Throughout the course of her enquiries, Ruth meets her neighbours - Kim, Akito and Tilly - and her landlord Henry, with whom she begins a friendship. He is supportive and shares her belief that all that was alleged about Thomas was completely out of character for him. She comes across his diary and as painful as it is, she finds solace in his writings...despite some of them being drunken ramblings of frustration at an incident that had occurred with another nurse. It is through this diary she learns of his girlfriend referred to only as C. Talking to his friends and neighbours, Ruth discovers that they too saw Tom as an upstanding person full of compassion and integrity. So if all this that Ruth believes to be true, then someone else may well be responsible for his death...whether directly or indirectly. But will her digging put her in danger as well?

Alongside the main story is one of Rosie Carlyle, a nurse and also a patient of Ruth's at the clinic where she now practices. Rosie suffers from deep anxiety and depression, possibly resulting in a disturbing event that took place when she was a teenager and a secret which she and her best friend Anabel kept. Now Anabel has gone missing and Rosie is frantic with worry over what may have happened to her friend and sets about looking for her. Rosie's narrative is somewhat unreliable as her convoluted thoughts spill out with justifications for her behaviour and those of Anabel, who was apparently threatening to reveal the secret they had kept for fourteen years.

Initially, it isn't clear how these two storylines intersect but it soon becomes clear as Ruth continues to seek justice for her son and Rosie searches for Anabel. The two characters are as different as each other - Ruth is a strong character searching for the truth whilst Rosie is unstable, untrustworthy and unreliable. But does that make her a bad person? Or is she just caught up in something over which she has no control? Both women were complementing of the other in their vast extremes while they each had their own foibles. The supporting characters were an interesting bunch - Kim (mistrusting at first), Akito (engineering whizz), Tilly (not sure where she fits in but she's there), Joan (a staunch and loyal advocate), Drs Campbell, Raj and Miller (supportive colleagues in whom Ruth found trust), Pauline (whose mouth seriously needed washing out), Tim Wiley (a PC with a secret), Anabel (the missing best friend who seemed more like a ghost throughout) and Henry Thorpe (the landlord-come-friend-come-confidante-come-something more perhaps?) - and certainly a colourful cast.

It is worth mentioning that the story does touch on suicide, though it isn't a huge focus it may be a trigger for some readers. Overall the book covers themes of grief, loss and relationships - both toxic and fulfilling. A psychological thriller focusing on family drama, THE SILENT MOTHER is a twisted tale that will leave you shocked and somewhat disturbed by the outcome.

Although engrossing, THE SILENT MOTHER is not entirely addictive as I found the story just a little too drawn out. I became impatient with Rosie's convoluted narrative thinking her bonkers, if not deluded. But I just had to find out what happened with Tom and why. I have to admit, I did figure some of it out but was left a little puzzled by other parts. Yes, there were a few niggles, my main one being that I felt the story just went too long but overall it was still engrossing enough to make me want to read to the end. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't completely satisfied either.

THE SILENT MOTHER is a psychological thriller of a different kind but a reasonably good read nonetheless.

I would like to thank #LizLawler, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSilentMother in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Silent Mother’ written by Liz Lawler in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Ruth Bennett is a GP living in Bath when she receives a text message from her son Thomas asking for her support as he’s due to appear in Court the following day. Ruth arrives the following morning not knowing what he’s accused of, and is shocked with what his barrister has to tell her. Thomas doesn’t put in an appearance so the police visit his flat and find him dead, presumably having taken his own life, but Ruth doesn’t believe he’d do it, just as she doesn’t believe him guilty of common assault or the theft of hospital medicines. But can she find enough evidence to prove him innocent?

‘The Silent Mother’ is a story of the relationship between a mother and her son and tackles grief after the loss of a loved one. It recounts what happens when Ruth moves into Thomas’s flat and finds his diary and learns more of what happens to her son in the months leading up to when he dies. I’ve found it particularly interesting as the story is based in Bournemouth and practically on my doorstep so I’ve felt a special interest in what’s happening. This is the third novel I’ve read by Liz Lawler and although I couldn’t get as involved to the same degree as I did the others, it’s still be interesting story with good characterisations and a plot that’s kept me thinking to the end.

The Silent Mother is the latest standalone thriller from author Liz Lawyer. It’s the first I’ve read from this author.

Ruth hears the news that no mother wants to find out. Her adult son is found dead before he could be sentenced to a crime, she is sure he could never have committed. Desperate to understand and connect with her dead son, Ruth moves into her son’s apartment where she sets out to prove that his death was no accident, and he is innocent of what he has been accused.

The book is a good length coming in at 407 pages. Even still I read this in mostly one sitting. The pacing is a little slow for the first part but it picks up closer to the end. We get two storylines, one by Ruth, the mother and the other by a woman named Rosie who is searching for her missing friend. Initially, we are not sure how these two storylines or characters intersect but by the end all becomes clear. Ruth is presented as strong mother seeking justice for her son, but she also comes across a bit naïve, and I found it difficult to connect to her. I preferred Rosie’s character more than Ruth.

I think it’s worth mentioning the story does touch on suicide. It’s not a huge focus but it may be difficult for some readers. The book tackles themes of grief, loss and mother-son relationships.

The ending for me could have been better. I was expecting a really heart stopping twist, and while there were some parts which I felt shocked and intrigued by, overall I think I expected something a bit more. I was waiting for that last minute twist to really blow my mind. The end felt a little rushed with everything coming together quite quickly and in a way which was quite convenient. There were some suspenseful and tense moments.

Overall, it was a decent solid mystery with some interesting characters and intriguing plot. I’d read more by this author in the future. It was a fun and enjoyable read to spend an afternoon on.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.

If you start to read this book and aren't really feeling it, then stick with it. That's how I felt when I first started. The premise is an interesting one, but I just couldn't get into it. The second half was worth it and I'm glad I continued. I would read another from this author as I fear it was probably my feelings rather than the book that was the issue.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Ruth is informed that her son has committed suicide after being accused of stealing drugs from the hospital where he was a junior doctor. It all became a bit repetitive and I struggled to remain interested. The book was slow paced and I failed to like Ruth, there was a lack of tension and the ending was just a bit rushed. Overall, left me feeling disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A terrific premise of a Mum ( a Dr) receiving a text from her son ( a trainee Dr ) saying he is in court the next day to be sentenced for stealing drugs from the hospital he was working at…..when she gets to the Court to support/find him, she can’t, he is missing
And the mystery starts
Ruth, the Mum is portrayed and written brilliantly, you can feel her anger, frustration, hurt and love for her son as she fights to clear, what she thinks/knows, is his innocent name
Intertwined with this is another narration/ story from Rosie ( a nurse ) re her best friend who has gone missing and a disturbing life event secret they keep….it does all come together, to explain more would spoil it but I found it exciting and challenging to work it all out
Set in BourneMouth which is always great and some of it in hospitals/GP practices where you can tell the author had former work experience and also in Police Stations ( this side was non boring and not too OTT procedural ) the whole experience was enjoyable
I am not sure why the title was chosen tbh as she was anything but Silent and also why an inclusion of a sweary (not that I mind swearing in books but this was her personality trait and felt forced and way overused ) Sister of Ruth was needed ( thankfully she only featured once ) that aside a really well written, different read

8/10
4 Stars

The Silent Mother is the latest book by Liz Lawler. Ms Lawler introduces the reader to Ruth (a doctor) who turns her life upside down to clear her son's name. Ruth leaves her home and practice to join another group of doctors in the town her son had been living in, hoping to make sense of the past. I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an early copy to review.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Things are not always what they seem. Things are not what they seem and will have you guessing until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Which is worse - finding out your only son is dead or hearing that he was involved with stealing drugs? His mother barely arrived in time when she was contacted by Tom before his scheduled court date. However, she never got the opportunity see him or even to speak to him. In fact, he never made it to court and that is when Ruth was informed of his sudden death. The fact that Tom was a doctor makes his accusation that much harder to swallow for Dr. Ruth Bennett. Tom's death is shocking enough. Him having a bad name, well, that is just too much.

Ruth develops a plan. She moves into Tom's flat and takes a job at the hospital where he worked. She does this under a different name with hopes of asking the right questions - and searching hospital records - without tipping anyone off that she is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to Tom.

If Tom hadn't died, that court date for the charges surrounding the drug, as well as being accused of minor assault, could have landed him in jail. These facts are true about her Tom? Ruth really cannot believe it. Neither does she believe he killed himself. Foul play has to have been involved and she will turn over every stone until she discovers the truth.

Having taken the new job under her maiden name affords Ruth the opportunity to snoop around. She does find support, and this includes her son's landlord Henry. She has more than that, Tom's journals. The more Ruth reads them, the more she begins to understand some of the things Tom had been experiencing. Talking to some of his friends and neighbors help to support the fact that Tom was an upstanding person. If all of the things about Tom that Ruth believes are true, then someone is responsible for his death. Will Ruth digging into these matters in fact place her in danger?

The Silent Mother proves an excellent read. This thrilling book is full of twists and turns and a few red herrings. Then there are a bevy of characters each telling their own story, and some are conflicting stories. I love how the points of view are written in this book as this gave rise to more than Tom's drama. All of this comes together with an ending that packs a wallop.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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I hadn't read one of Liz Lawler's books before, but I found this an intriguing story.

The plot revolves around the main protagonist seeking to clear her son's name after he is accused of a crime and is then subsequently found dead.

This is a fairly slow burner of a story, but it had enough tension and plotting to hold my interest. The main character is well portrayed and I empathised with her strong drive and desire to get justice for her beloved son, at all costs.

I did suspect who the culprit was and did feel towards the end the story lost it's way a little.

However this was a mostly enjoyable read and although not one of my favourites, I would read another book by this author.

Thanks to publishers Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

As I hear the words every mother dreads my pulse races and I go cold. But even as my world is turned upside down I know the things I'm being told just don't add up. I have to find out what really happened the night my beautiful boy died.

Ruth can't believe that her beautiful son, Tom, would take his own life. The police tell her that he did bad things, but Tim wasn't like that. Ruth is set on proving her sons innocence but quickly realises that her life could be in danger.

This is a fast paced psychological thriller. It's that well written you feel the emotion dripping from the pages, The different perspectives made you aware of everyone's emotional attachment. There's plenty of twists to keep your attention. All the loose ends were tied up. This is an enjoyable read.

Liz Lawler only brings out one book a year, so you know when it is released, it will be a corker! This is no exception!
Even though most of the first half is very morose, it still captivates you and urges you to keep reading. We know pretty much straight away the terrible loss that Ruth is suffering from, but we don’t know the actual details surrounding her son’s death.
Not much is given away throughout the book, there are tiny snippets, but you can’t really come to any conclusion from what we do know. I tried my hardest to guess what had been going on but just couldn’t quite grasp it and couldn’t put any of the pieces together. So when the big reveal did come, it took me a second to digest the information. To slot everything together and get all the answers. I’d been in quite a delicate tangle of confusion, so it did take some unravelling and to understand everything that was happening. It was very cleverly done!
We predominately follow Ruth’s train of thought, but we see things from a young woman Rosie’s point of view every few chapters. We have no idea what relevance Rosie has; all we know is she is a very challenging individual with many mental problems.
This book was fascinating, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself wanting to get back to reading it when I had to do other things. Even though I couldn’t wait to get to the end to get all of the answers, I was gutted it was over at the same time. I felt like I needed more, but the story was over, and it came to its natural conclusion.
I can’t believe I’ve probably got to wait at least a year now for another of this author’s offerings; I already can’t wait!

As a story, this is among the best that I have read this year. However, a few aspects detract from what could have been an excellent read.

Dr Ruth Bennett is shocked to learn that her son Thomas (also a doctor) is to appear in court the following day in Bournemouth on charges of siphoning drugs from the hospital, and also minor assault. Ruth arrives in Bournemouth to be told soon after that Thomas has taken his life. The evidence against him is very strong – drugs in the locker, in a bag in his rented apartment and many witnesses to his recent erratic behaviour. A nurse finally takes the call to inform the police after an altercation at the hospital.

Ruth cannot believe this can be the case. She joins the hospital at Bournemouth as a general practitioner without informing the hospital management (since she still uses her maiden name, it is not difficult), hoping to uncover the circumstances leading to her son’s death. She stays in the same apartment as Thomas did, and the owner Henry is supportive. He shares her belief that lot of what has been said is completely out of character for Thomas. Thomas’ diary writings indicate there were some relationship issues but the tone indicated that he was as taken aback by many of the events as well. There are a further set of characters some supportive, some odd – neighbours – Kim, Tilly, Akito, sister Pauline, a patient Rosie, her friend Anabel, Thomas’ girlfriend Catherine & ex-cop Tim Wiley. It appears that someone is keeping an eye on Ruth and she could be in danger as well.

The strength of the book is the story, which has very strong legs. All threads converge very well at the end. The main weakness though is that there is a side thread which moves very slowly, each time only incrementally adding minor details.

My rating: 3.75 / 5.