My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon is a horrifing tale of how Ali and her brother Ben has survived childhood abuse by the hands of their mother. Ali now married with two children of her own has always protected them from her mother Mavis. Until Ali gets a call informing her that her mother is ill and only has a few weeks to live. Ali must do the untinkable and try to make aminds with Mavis against her better judgement. Mavis moves into Mark and Ali's house and has charmed everyone. Ali knows that this is not her mother at all. Mavis is attached to a stone that her friend Bobbi found on a trip to Mexico when they were young adults. The stone has magical powers and grants to owner anything that their hearts desire. Ali soon realizes that the scars that were carved into her and Ben's backs as children are a protection spell against the demon that is possessing Mavis. Ali must do everything in her power to save her daughters Izzy and Olivia from the demon. This was a page turner and several nights I stayed up past my bedtime to get this one done. By far this is my favorite Jennifer McMahon book yet! My Darling Girl keeps you guessing on what will happen next up til the unbelievable ending.

I didn’t see that coming! McMahon delivers another captivating, creepy tale that kept pulling me back until the end. This was not a story I could set down and read in short increments, once again as with all of McMahon’s tales I lost windows of time as I got sucked into Alison’s family.

Highly recommend this to fans of dark psychological thrillers and a perfect addition to your October reading list.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley

I am a long time fan of McMahons writing, and this new novel brings a different feel than her others. At first I thought it was the Christmas time setting. No foggy stormy nights, or scary summer moons. Then I thought maybe it’s the image of a totally “normal” family. A happy couple with two daughters, a fun dog and lovely neighbors. As the story unfolds we find the disfunction in protagonist Alisons mother Mavis.
Following the twists and turns gave a number of thrills, but none quite like the last one……

Thank you NetGalley and Scout Press for this pre-publication edition in exchange for an honest review.

My Darling Girl is Jennifer McMahon’s upcoming novel, and man does it deliver.

Alison has had a complicated relationship with her mother, Mavis, to say the least. After experiencing her mother’s abuse throughout her childhood, Alison wants little to do with her. But, when she learns that her mother is terminally ill and has only weeks to live, she agrees to take her in with the hopes that they may be able to heal their relationship. Things start off great; her daughters bond with their grandmother and Mavis seems intent on fixing what she’s broken with Alison. However, Mavis soon starts acting strange. Things are not as they seem…

This was such a fun read, and one that I stayed up late to finish. I enjoy books that are set around Christmas time but have more of a Halloween vibe to them; it’s always interesting to read a spooky, supernatural story that takes place around such a cheery holiday.

Alison’s relationship with her mother plays such a huge role in the story, and McMahon does a wonderful job of conveying the complex nature of it all. I also have to say that I think the family dynamic in this book is my favorite I’ve seen in her novels; I grew particularly fond of each character.

As is typical of many of her novels, McMahon also succeeds in getting the reader to question whether or not something supernatural is truly taking place, and this has become one of my favorite aspects of her books. You don’t find out until the last chapter, and to say I was shocked is an understatement. She always has one last twist to throw at you that makes her writing so engaging.

I flew through this, so I highly recommend snuggling up with a copy come October!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Kudos to Jennifer McMahon! This is her scariest book to date! This is like Mommy Dearest meets the Exorcist. The creep factor is palpable, as is the suspense. A woman who was abused as a child by her now dying mother agrees to take her into her home for her last days. But her mother still vacillates between a kind, loving grandmother to an abusive, evil woman. My heart was racing and I made the mistake of reading this at night. Don't make the same mistake. Horror fans will love it!

Thanks to Gallery for the eARC.
I can always count of a Jennifer McMahon book to pull me in from the beginning and keep my attention until the very last shocking page. What I loved first about this book was how it's set during Christmas time. There's supposed to be a feeling of joy, instead, Alison and her family are struggling because she chose to let her estranged, dying mother come to her house for hospice. But only she is suspecting her mother is possessed by a demon. Is she? You'll have to read to find out. I was so invested in Alison and her story. I was gripped by her marriage struggles and wanted to shake her husband at times. I binged this in 24 hours, and I highly recommend horror fans put it on your TBR. This is a perfect fall or winter horror book!

I am a big fan of Jennifer McMahon. MY DARLING GIRL was one of her darker titles, however I really liked it. I would stay up late turning the pages because I had to see what happened next. I was definitely kept guessing and even though it was scary, loved the ending. She is a great writer and creates great characters.

Alison has always hated Christmas, but her holiday season gets worse when her mother calls and tells her she only has a few weeks to live. Wanting to repair their relationship, Alison agrees to take in Mavis despite Alison's traumatic memories of her abusive alcoholic mother. Instead of healing the relationship, Alison begins to realize her mother is not who she thought. Suspecting her mother is possessed by a demon, Alison must decide how far she is willing to go to save her family from this nightmare.

Jennifer McMahon has penned an atmospheric slow-burn horror story that will give you chills. At first, Ali discards her worries since everything is just a shade off, desperately wanting to believe she's imagining it. By the time Ali realizes the truth, everyone now thinks that Ali is the problem, setting up a cat-and-mouse psychological game that keeps you on edge throughout the second half of the novel.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Such an amazing read to begin spooky season!!!! The tension built so perfectly and I was left wanting to speak with these characters personally so I could set some things straight! I love when I’m that invested in a read!

There is a hint of the supernatural, which bodes perfectly with the season! While it takes place in the days/weeks leading up to Christmas, it does refer to Halloween. The pace is perfect and I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It helps that the MC and I have the same name, spelled the same way and everything!!

I’m a Jennifer McMahon fan but this one took a little longer for me to get get into. I’m glad I stuck with it. This is a demonic possession psychological thriller/paranormal with a sometimes unreliable protagonist. There are lots of twists and turns and once you get to the middle of the book the pace picks up pretty quick. Overall I think this is a solid read!

Alison takes in her estranged mother, Mavis, who is facing a harsh cancer diagnosis with only weeks to live. Alison hesitates in taking in and caring for her ailing mother because of their rocky past and Mavis' alcoholism and abuse. Mavis moves in, and Alison starts to unravel as Mavis treats her family with love and kindness but treats Alison with the hatred and emotional abuse similar to her childhood. Alison finally realizes her mother is not really her mother, but it is too late. Will this possession eventually take over Alison, or is it here for her child?

Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for my ARC of My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon!

First off, this book was an incredible, creepy, spine-tingling read. The description did not do it justice for me - and this book cannot be missed! I don't usually enjoy the trope of the main character uncovering the truth, and the people around her think she is losing her mind - but that is how I knew this book was working. Is Mavis really possessed, or can Alison just not move on from her childhood?

This deeply unsettling read had me hooked! Alison is happily married with two daughters, and has left her past and abusive mother Mavis behind her. But when Mavis becomes sick and asks to spend her last days with her daughter and family, Alison sees this as a chance for healing. However, strange things start happening and Alison is forced to face her past to save her family.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Jennifer McMahon for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Imagine having a really good reason for all the abuse you got from your mother growing up! But then comes the realization that that reason has to be dealt with. And you are the only one to do it. But no one believes you because you sound crazy. Even to yourself. No spoilers. . . I loved the ending.

This is a creepy good one like all of McMahon's but this one has an element of demonic possession so it was almost "other-worldly" and very original! When Ali's mother comes to live with her as she has advanced cancer and needs hospice care, husband Mark and daughters, Izzy and Olivia are cautiously excited to spend time with their grandmother. All seems to be fine at first as Paul, her assistant comes to take care of her until things happen to take him out of the picture. Reflecting on her own odd childhood, Ali is both excited and reluctant to see the woman who abused her but could also be very loving. Prepare yourself...for this book takes off like a rocket and you won't see it coming!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

4.5-Jennifer McMahon is for me, an author who has been getting better and better in each book. She is able to build such a tension that you find yourself turning pages faster and faster to find out where the story is going. She is also a master at the art of deception, she will lead you down a path where you think you know what is going to happen, but then, she pulls the rug out from under you and the story takes a whole new turn! Loved this one!

Another amazing book by Jennifer McMahon. This is a psychological thriller at it’s finest!! My Darling Girl is about a Mother/Daughter messed up relationship with a creepy demon in the mixed…and an ending that will absolutely crush you. Jennifer McMahon knows to keep you guessing until the end!

I’m not sure why Jennifer McMahon doesn’t get more acclaim? This is the fourth novel I’ve read and each time I’m scared in the best possible way. Our main character, Alison, has built a life that is nothing like her childhood. A farmhouse, a husband and two daughters, and a career as an artist and author. But when her estranged mother is diagnosed with cancer and requests her last days be spent with Alison, can she say no? I had to stop reading this in the dark.

Yet another fantastic novel from a wonderful author! This book is about a family that is about to celebrate Christmas when Alison gets word that her mother is dying. With only weeks to live she wants to repair the relationship she has with her estranged daughter, so Alison arranges to have her moved to her home. As time goes by Alison feels that she is the only one that sees the threat and can put a stop to it even as her family feels she is a danger to herself and others.

I love everything that Jennifer McMahon writes, and this was no exception. Who doesn't love a good demon possession story? Jennifer manages to take everyday life problems and spin them just enough to put me on edge. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I was so happy to get this book!

I belong to a "Spooky Book Club" group, and Jennifer McMahon is definitely an author who fits well in that group. McMahon's Island of Lost Girls was one of the very first books reviewed on this blog back in July 2009(!) -- she's an author I never miss. So I was really excited to get my hands on My Darling Girl, with a planned release in October (not surprising) of 2023.

I've read all of McMahon's books, and I "think" this is her first book about demonic possession. So if you're not into that, you may want to pass on this one! This is the story of Alison, who gets a call one day that her estranged mother is dying. Alison goes to see her, but her brother cannot forgive what their mother put them through as children. Her mother has one request -- to die in Alison's home. Admirably, (or stupidly?), she agrees. When her mother arrives, strange things start to occur - some even involving Alison's two children, who Alison will do anything to protect.

I read this one before bed with the lights off, and it really scared me at times. While I didn't like it quite as much as her best (the aforementioned Island), this still has the classic slow-building creepiness that McMahon is known for. Can't wait for the next one!

MY RATING - 4