Two Mothers by Kathryn Croft is another twisty page-turner from an author who has become an automatic read for me.

Holly and Rachel are best friends who are fiercely devoted to their young daughters. But the dynamic of their relationship shifts when Rachel's daughter dies. One year on, the two are still friends, though Holly wonders if it is difficult for Rachel to see her with her own thriving daughter, Luna. When Luna disappears, Holly's world shatters, and things intensify even further when, two days later, Rachel's husband reports that she has also gone missing. Is it a terrible coincidence, or could the two events, in fact, be linked?

I never fail to devour the writing of Kathryn Croft, and her latest is another must read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Rachel and Holly are best friends and they have daughters the same age, all is well until Rachel’s daughter, Evie dies after a car accident. After that their friendship is never really the same.
One night Luna, Holly’s daughter disappears from her bedroom, a few days later as they recover Luna, Rachel disappears too.

Two mothers is a story of an incredible friendship, despite everything what really shines is their loyalty towards each other. When everyone believes that Rachel is the one behind Luna’s abduction, Holly refuses to believe it, she never gives up on Rachel even when everyone and everything is telling her to. Rachel is the same, after making a terrible mistake (though to be fair I don’t see that event as consensual), she does everything to make it right. A little distance and a traumatic event are not enough to break the bond between Rachel and Holly. Both are wonderful characters, they go through so much trauma and pain, but at the end of the day, they never give up on each other.

Elijah and Damien, the husbands are both monsters. In different ways of course, I feel like Damien is pure evil when Elijah is just a regular asshole. Both do not deserve their wives and yes I did wish something would happen to them (they deserved it). Other men are thankfully not that bad. Jake is a great character and I wish we could have seen more of him and Rachel and how they could have build a relationship despite the terrible even that made they meet. They both deserved it. Ross doesn’t have much of a personality to be honest, but I’m glad he was in Holly’s life, cause he was nice. Only characters that I felt were really a miss were the kids Oscar and Megan, I mean they’re here for the plot obviously, but the way they’re written was not satisfying. And in this day and age, Megan’s actions made me very uncomfortable (which is why this book won’t be 5 stars, well that and a couple other reasons).

The case (well the cases) is probably the weakest part of the book, I know sad for a thriller but what works best is really the bond between Holly and Rachel. I did find the irony that Rachel spends most of her life surviving a monster to end up meeting another one, felt very true to life. But the whole Oscar/Ryan thing was a little over the top for me, and it also felt like the reveal didn’t really pay off for anything. Also I would have changed the ending with Rachel actually pulling off make everyone believe she was dead and running away. Cause the actual ending was just too sad.

Despite those little points I didn’t like, still a beautiful story about the strength of women friendships

Wow, just when you thought you knew what would happen, something shifts and another new piece is added to the mystery! So many twists and turns, I was kept guessing from beginning to end. While a couple characters were unlikeable and I questioned others actions, the ending tied up loose ends and I would recommend to add to your TBR list.

Little Luna is kidnapped from her bedroom one night and Rachel makes the perfect suspect, having lost her own daughter not too long ago….until she herself goes missing. Rachel’s husband doesn’t seem too upset his wife had now gone missing. Did he do something to her? Did her orchestrate Lunas kidnapping to make it look like Rachel did it? Holly (Luna’s mom and Rachel’s best friend) is a journalist and will stop at nothing to find her daughter and the truth.

Two mothers will stop at nothing to protect their kids.

Holly and Rachel are best friends and passionate moms. When tragedy strikes their family’s and their community, again and again, they have to make unimaginable decisions to protect the ones that they love.

I enjoyed reading Two Mothers and even got a bit teary eyed at the end, which almost never happens! Sometimes the narrative felt a bit clinical, toning down the potential suspense that could have been. That’s not to say the book wasn’t suspenseful at all! The chapter cliffhangers had me reeling and flipping to the next page ASAP. The plot was creative and intriguing, and left me feeling that overall, it was a good read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley, for providing me with this advanced copy for review!

Rachel and Holly are best friends till tragedy strikes and they drift apart. The book focuses on the disappearance of Luna and how society feels it's Rachel as she lost her daughter in a car accident. The rumour fires up when Rachel goes missing on the same day when Luna is found.

Thus begins the story which jumps timelines to keep you hooked as incidents slowly unfold. The plot had multiple character traits unveiling from abuse to infedility. However I found the infedility angle too much and could have been avoided. We did not need the love triangle as it did not add much to the story.
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The unraveling of events was well done and I liked the loyalty in friendship displayed throughout the book. Obviously life isn't fair and many crimes go unsolved. But the way this proceeded just didn't leave me satisfied.
I would agree that it was totally gripping and unputdownable till the book reached its climax and then it went downhill for me.

So for the ending, I will give this book 3 stars.

I thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
This was a completely gripping novel that took you for more twists and turns than a roller coaster! I was completely hooked from page one. I never suspected the real culprits.

Excellent thriller. Plenty of twists and turns. Don't start unless you are prepared to finish in one sitting. Killer ending.

This book really upped my standards for thrillers, It was an INSANE ride and I loved ever minute of it

3.75 ⭐️

I received an advance copy of this book to provide feedback for the author. I did not receive any compensation for this review.

Two Mothers took me on a ride. This who dunnit thriller kept me guessing from the moment I picked it up. Who took Luna and why? Just when I thought I knew everything, I was wrong.

The time jumps in this book allowed me to see the whole picture, but I did have some difficulty following what was going on when.

I will recommend this book to others but it was a little slow paced for my liking. Overall a great read!

Absolutely brilliant! This is the most amazing and compelling read, with all its twists, turns and surprises. Nothing is what it first seems. It's a complex plot revolving around two friends Rachel and Holly. Everyone has their secrets. It's very poignant and deeply moving when small children are involved. I loved the non stop drama and air of mystery that runs throughout. I thought I had solved the puzzle of the missing child Luna but I was completely wrong and pleasantly shocked at the surprising outcome. Highly recommended.

Wow! This book by Kathryn Croft will have you turning the pages in one day! With Holly’s daughter missing, and Rachel’s daughter killed, I didn’t think I would read of any more tragedies until one more person goes missing! Croft’s storytelling of loyalty to friends mixed with deceit and secrets, you will not want to miss reading this one!

I received an E-ARC of this book (Thank You, NetGalley) and here's my honest take!

First of all, I finished this book in 10 hours!!!🤯🤯
It was so intriguing that I neglected all my responsibilities because I was unable to put it down🫨🫨

I expected it to be a thriller with predictable plot twist but it blew my mind with that insane twist and left me speechless!!
I was on the edge of my chair after the first half which is why my back and neck hurts rn!!😅😅

I really loved the Dual Timeline which shows us the story from both the character’s POV, Holly and Rachel, two best friend mothers.
Both Holly and Rachel are lovable characters despite who does what (not giving any spoilers!)

The Plot Twist just came out of nowhere and I LOVED it!!
I love it when a thriller has a good plot twist and leaves you speechless(or confused!).

I was expecting something more at the end but it was good, nonetheless!🫶🏽

Two Mothers is releasing on July 5, 2024 so make sure to add it to your TBR and read it if you are a fan of Psychological Thrillers👀

“Two Mothers,” by Kathryn Croft, is a mystery/thriller. This book follows two women - friends Rachel and Holly. Rachel’s daughter was killed the previous year. Holly has a daughter about the same age as Rachel’s daughter. Understandably after her daughter’s death, Rachel has some emotional issues but tells Holly that being near Holly’s daughter helps her grieve. One day Rachel’s daughter disappears - the community suspects Holly and after a while Rachel does too. Meanwhile, behind closed doors marriages are not what they seem to be … was the taking of Rachel’s daughter part of a larger plot, a set-up by a disgruntled spouse, or just Holly having an emotional break-down? There were a number of side characters in this book so, at times, I found myself having to make mental notes to keep track of who was who. This book was a bit (okay, a lot) deeper than just a kidnapping - there’s a side story about an alleged rape, blackmail, lying, spousal abuse, affairs, along with the obvious child abduction. I think the overarching story was a good one, but at times it seemed like there was a lot of set-up and not a lot happened on the page. I didn’t really understand the whole interaction with Rachel’s co-worker and why he was just mean to be, well, mean and unprofessional. Did I figure out the whodunit? No, because the character seemed to appear out of nowhere (which always bugs me) and the rationale for the why seemed tenuous - at least to me. However, I can see others enjoying this book - it was engaging and a quick read. Overall, a 3.5 book, rounded up to 4 stars.

I devoured this book and I could not put it down. This book puts you through the ringer with emotional whiplash and I loved it. It was amazing how much knowledge and secrets we gained just from 2 different POVs. Once I thought I had solved it, it turned around and surprised me with more heart wrenching drama. Gone girl vibes for sure, but with a unique twist. Loved it!

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This book was uncomfortably fantastic. Croft writes skillfully, creating tension and intrigue and I was invested in the story throughout. The dual narrative worked well and I empathised with Holly and Rachel. The supporting characters were also excellently written. I would have liked the epilogue to be longer, but that doesn't detract from the 5* rating. I can't wait to read more from this author.

This is the best book by her I have read in a long time! Her last few fell flat for me. Rachel and Holly are bff with toddler girls. Rachel’s daughter dies and Holly feels uncomfortable around Rachel because of it. Enter some strange man, a strange cellphone, and missing people. This book flowed so well. The suspense was intense and I literally did not guess a single storyline correctly. Must read!!

Unusual story…secrets abound…twists and turns…talented favorite author…don’t miss trying to determine the ending. This author does not disappoint. Realistic characters…Thanks Netgalley

When people become friends it's because they have something in common that is important to them both. It can be a hobby or it can be they have bonded because of their children. Being friends does not mean you have to think or act the same in every situation. Each person keeps their own characteristics and they only thing they need when something devastating happens to one of them, is that they are being supported and being respected for the way they want to work through their grieve.

Things one person can draw comfort from, can be seen as obsessive behaviour by someone else and that's when the bond between two friends can start showing cracks. This is the moment to begin to repair it or it will break forever.

Rachel wants to help her friend Hollie, but from then on everything goes downhill real fast...

A gripping story that kept me turning the pages like there was no tomorrow. Both female characters  are strong and doing everything to dig deep enough to uncover the truth. Two mothers united by the love for their children and putting them first. The husbands are another kettle of fish altogether. 4,5 stars

Thank you

Kathryn Croft never disappoints and I’ve enjoyed all of her books. I was really looking forward to this new book and it certainly lived up to the hype.
It’s fast paced and has unique and intriguing characters. The ending was fantastic.
This book is a great domestic thriller and one that I’d definitely recommend.

Two Mothers is an outstanding book that will keep you gripped from start to finish. Holly and Rachel are best friends, Rachel's daughter, Evie, tragically dies 1 year ago, and understandably Rachel is struggling with the grief of losing her daughter. 1 year later, Holly's daughter, Luna, goes missing, and is later found wandering in a park, the same night Luna is found, Rachel goes missing. How are these two missing cases linked? And was Rachel responsible for Luna's disappearance? You are kept guessing from start to finish, with both Rachel and Holly's POVs. Kathryn's writing style is beautiful, and you really feel the emotions that Holly and Rachel are going through. I highly recommend this book and finished it in 2 days.