CONTENT WARNING: infertility, miscarriage (graphic), grief, murder, suicide, death of a child, abortion

While I’m too much of a wuss for reading true horror, the idea of a psychological ghost story with gothic influences was one that piqued my interest and just sounded too good to miss out on. Plus, now that we’ve passed the halfway point of the summer, it’s just the right time to start reading my spooky season books as I wait for pumpkin spice everything to be available.

The audiobook is narrated by Renata Friedman, and she was fantastic as the voice of Lilly. She kept me intrigued throughout the whole story, and even as I read along in the physical book, I could still practically hear Friedman’s voice narrating the story.

I’m always a little nervous when it comes to stories that incorporate psychological elements into horror, thrillers, and mystery, mostly because the representation tends to veer into stereotypes and unrealistic portrayals. When we meet Lilly, she’s got a lot on her plate. She is the main character, and she’s been dealing with pregnancy loss and infertility, and she’s financially irresponsible. She comes across as a damsel in distress type; where she always needs someone to help her, and doesn’t really do much on her own.

When Jack’s job transfers him, Lilly falls in love with a dilapidated mansion that’s more expensive than they can afford. She’s completely unreasonable, and really pushes Jack into buying this impractical wreck of a home. They’re both aware that the house is going to cost way more money to make habitable than they can afford, and Lilly agrees to get a job to help with expenses. But once they’re in the house, they discover the gruesome history in which there was a double murder and a suicide at the site in the 1950s, and Lilly starts to experience some unusual situations that she can’t explain.

I really struggled with Lilly’s character in the book. She’s an unreliable narrator, flighty and disorganized, and it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. This only gets worse as the story goes on, and unfortunately, it plays into the mental illness trope that includes such harmful representation that I dread to see in books. This could have been done much more successfully if the mental health representation was done in a more realistic way. It grew harder for me to like Lilly the further into the book that I read, and instead of getting more invested in the story, I found myself getting more distant.

Overall, this wasn’t one of my favorite stories. The line between delusion and reality wasn’t ever made very clear, so that we aren’t ever sure of what is actually happening. And the central premise of being in the house, Lilly having a baby while living there, isn’t a logical one. We don’t have any information as to why Lilly would think that things would be different for her in this specific house, especially when she’s been having such major fertility issues all along. Lilly also seemed really fixated on the most gory aspects of miscarriage and infertility, and it didn’t come across as realistic—if this is a sensitive topic for you, then this book probably wouldn’t be a good fit. But it might be a better fit if you do like unreliable narrators and don’t mind negative representation of mental health issues or the content warnings.

𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
3 ☆
-
Well, that was underwhelming! The beginning started super strong, but then it just started to drag and drag. I started waiting for the ending to figure out what was going on. Like the premise state, "Ghost Mother blurs the thin line between reality and delusion." And Lilly definitely fell on the delusion line.
The topic of her not being able to bear children and / or lose them. Was the sub main plot. She brought that topic up. I felt like every other chapter and dragged it out.

The pace in the beginning was at a good speed and kept me entertained and interested in the story, but once we hit like 40% is, it slowed down a lot.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬:
•mystery | thriller | horror
•spooky season 👻
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 Aug.6
Thank you, Netgalley, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook for my honest review.

While I loved the idea behind this book it fell a bit flat for me. I love haunted house stories or haunted anything stories but I think I wasn’t the target audience for this book.
While there are aspects that I like - that it feels more modern and aware in certain ways. Like a psychic that has lavender instead of sage because of the cultural appropriation is an example. It does stuff like this and it doesn’t feel forced which I appreciate. And the main characters aren’t mysteriously rich but have a mortgage and are struggling to make ends meet in a very normal way. It’s relatable in a ton of ways and that’s definitely the shining star to this book.

But the MC seems to be written to be unlikeable and “crazy” when honestly all of her “symptoms” just make her seem like she has adhd and struggles intensely with impulse control, grief, and being grounded. None of which are bad to read in a book (because, again, relatable), but it comes off as her being bad in some way or crazy in some way. Yes there are a few pieces of her mental health that are more intense but not even any of the “haunting” pieces made me think that she might be crazy OR that she might be haunted. Honestly I was a bit bored just listening to an untreated/unacknowledged ADHD person who really wants to become a mom talk about how broke she is. Like come on, that’s me listening to people in my day to day life. I don’t need it in my books 😅

The narrator did a fantastic job!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The title is so fitting, in more ways than one. You can feel the anxiety the FMC is experiencing as you follow her on her obsessive journey to find the truth about her newly purchased home. The frustration also builds as she puts everything aside to figure out where the strange occurrences are coming from, who's behind them & why they're happening. At some point you also feel sympathy for the FMC as you discover the physical & mental state she's in...which leads you to ask, is the house haunted or is it just her?

This was quite a ride! I was captivated from the start and as the suspense continued to build while the story was unfolding, I devoured every minute and the twists paid off in the best way. The ending was nothing I could have predicted and while it was surprising, I actually think it was fantastic. Supernatural thrillers are a genre of their own because there is no way to know what is going to happen next. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

Jack & Lily Bly know they're getting in over their heads when they go all out on the purchase of an old mansion in their new town. They don't know that the house's history and their own issues could rapidly cause problems too big to overcome.

I wanted to love this book. I was SO excited about the description. I am a sucker for a good haunting and I love the dilapidated house situation. I especially love when you as the reader aren't sure if the house is haunted or your protagonist is crazy. I didn't read any more convincing, but the description saying it will hit with fans of 'Haunting of Hill House' really built up the hype for me. Unfortunately I think that just contributed to the let down for me.

I really struggled with this book from the beginning. In the first chapter, there's a whole conversation about how the house is listed at $315k or something and they decide to offer $200k and if it gets accepted great, if not, they walk..... but in the next sentence they pay $275k. That's not even close, extremely unrealistic. Even if that kind of offer were to be accepted, frivolously paying $75k more than the absolute most you can afford for a home that you're aware needs $100k worth of work made me feel like the characters are unreasonably dumb. I do appreciate the explanation that this story is set when the housing crash happened and all the sub-prime lending was going on, but still. From there the characters just kept getting dumber, especially Lily with her $10/hr job running out and buying steaks she can't cook and supplies to refinish floors when she has zero experience doing that and admits she would probably be bad at it. The constant talk of her credit card debit while she runs around doing that is annoying and stressful and set against the backdrop of the pair trying to add a child to the mix is just insane. It was also just so unnecessary. There's definitely a way to make financial strain feel overwhelming without making it cringey and unbelievable and this wasn't it.

I also struggled with the supernatural issue, sometimes it was a believable presence, sometimes it was too literal like the ghost hugging her and her stomach. It just never got anywhere near the bone-chilling creepy style of Haunting of Hill House so I think billing it that way is going to lead to a lot of disappointment. This is an awesome premise but a pretty painful execution.

I really enjoyed this one. I found it believable and the main character somewhat likeable. I would recommend this as a fun ghost story.

I don't usually go for the ghost story type genre but this book really hooked me, scared me a little and delivered a very satisfying end. Lily and her husband Jack buy a dilapidated old mansion with the intention of renovating it and hopefully starting their family there. Right away things start to go wrong. Ceilings crumble, strange sounds and cold icy breezes whoosh by Lily's ankles and she begins to think perhaps the house might be haunted. As she researches the houses history she discovers the towns occupants have nicknamed their house 'The Murder House' because of a double murder suicide that occurred there over fifty years ago. The more Lily delves into the past the more she feels a strong connection to the house and cannot entertain the idea of selling even though they truly cannot afford it. If you like spooky, ghostly stories with a murder mystery thrown in for good measure this book is for you. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was very good. Highly recommended for spooky fun.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for a chance to listen to an ARC version of this audio book. All opinions are my own.

Ghost Mother was super creepy and unsettling. Lilly’s interest in the history of her new home very quickly spiraled into obsession and author @kellydwyerauthor did a really good job of showing the reader how her obsession was taking a toll on her life. This wasn’t a scary book but definitely gave me chills at times, and the end was not expected at all! I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Renata Friedman. I’ve never listened to her before and found her voice very soothing! 👻

Desperate to have a child, Lilly convinces her husband to buy a dilapidated mansion in small-town Wisconsin. However, their dream home soon becomes a nightmare as Lilly experiences unsettling events she believes are connected to a gruesome murder-suicide from the past. As Lilly falls deeper into the house’s dark history, her grip on reality loosens, threatening her marriage and sanity.

This is a compelling mystery with a (possibly) unreliable narrator. It’s never clear what’s real and what’s not. The story is atmospheric and emotional. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

CW: child death, miscarriage, suicide, suicidal ideation

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Lilly will do anything to conceive. Move into a reportedly haunted house? Why not, if the end result is a baby? This was a fun read/listen. I’m glad to see the gothic genre being revived and being done so well

I enjoyed Ghost Mother. The author built lots of tension and kept us in suspense. It had a really creepy vibe and I couldn't wait to find out what happened. I did find the main character slightly annoying. She kept spending money when she couldn't afford it, living beyond her means but justifying it constantly. It was a running theme throughout the book. She wouldn't give the house up that she bought - but we didn't find out until the end why she was so attached to it. She just seemed a bit whiney and immature to me. But being a frugal person, perhaps this is a personal pet peeve.

The main plot of the story happens towards the end of the book, so there is a lot to get through until then. Most of the book is based on real life and then at the end we are taken into the spirit world. The ending just seemed a little improbable as we were just slapped with it at the end. I would have preferred the creepy action throughout instead of a slow build up.

All in all, I did enjoy it and I would consider reading more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for my copy.

I really Enjoyed this book, thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This book had great plot and charter development. I enjoyed the pacing and thought the book was unique.

Given that this was the first time I have read this author this book is one of my top reads of the year.

What would you do for the life you always wanted?

That’s the question for our main character, Lilly; she wants a child and believes that that will happen in this new, and potentially haunted, house. Seemingly a large and beautiful yet rundown home is up for sale, and a bit beyond their budget, but something is drawing Lilly Bly to this house. Sounds like an open and shut case, but the history of the house brings even more questions…

This was a fun audiobook to listen to. The anxiety of the main character really got to the listener and it makes you really think about yourself and how you portray yourself to others. What’s real and what’s not?

It was interesting to have it be non-linear and slightly multiple-pov so you could have more insight and better understanding into everyone’s story.

This was a slowly unraveling mystery that made you think you knew what was happening, but did you really?

Thank you so much to the author, Kelly Dwyer, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the arc audiobook of Ghost Mother!

Ghost Mother by Kelly Dwyer and narrated by Renata Friedman. When Lily‘s husband Jack gets transferred from Chicago to Hampton, Wisconsin. They decide to buy a house and Lily convinced him to purchase the crumbling Lawrence mansion. She’s wanted to be a mother for what feels like forever and tells Jack she really feels this is the house she’ll become a mother in. So he gives in. Lilly Bly‘s life hasn’t been easy although she grew up in the lap of luxury and was very close to her dad, her mom emotionally distance herself when Lily was just a child and her dad died and she was left with nothing and had to auction off all the families belongings. Not long after moving in she learns her home was the site of a double murder and suicide, with one of the victims being an eight-year-old named Amelia. The tragedy happened in 1955 and Lily being home alone while Jack travels for work becomes obsessed with the case. Like a lot of people instead of drinking Lily finds euphoria in spending and it isn’t long before her and Jack are drowning in debt she even winds up getting a job at the local library but her full-time job only interferes with her investigation of the Lawrence murders and eventually so does her relationship. Not to mention the strange things that are happening in the home and like every grade book everything only gets bigger her relationship gets worse the strange things become events and she even contacts a ghost investigation site that refers her to a psychic. While listening to this great audiobook I kept wondering how it was going to end with everything coming too ahead I couldn’t Sus a resolution but OMG Kelly Dwyer certainly did and although it isn’t a wow ending it was still very much and oh type ending. Also I read a bunch of reviews where people didn’t like Lily and I don’t know how anyone can hear her backstory all the things she went through that phone call with her selfish mother and still say they didn’t like her but to each their own I guess. In my opinion Lily was a very sympathetic character she seem to roll with the punches I found her likeable and just another damaged person doing her best to make it through difficult situations. I really like this book and definitely recommend it Ranada Friedman did an awesome job narrating she has great character distinction and added an awesome tone to this Gothic horror story.#NetGalley, #DreamscapeMedia, #KellyDwyer, #RenadaFriedman, #GhostMother,g

Book: Ghost Mother
Author: Kelly Dwyer
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Renata Friedman
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date: August 6, 2024
Rating: I was generous with 3 Stars
Pages: 336

Lilly Bly and her husband Jack have been married for several years but no luck in starting a family. Lilly unfortunately has had multiple miscarriages thus calling herself a ‘ghost mother’. Additionally she is also dealing with the trauma of her father's suicide.
Jack has a new job that requires moving from Chicago to a small town in Wisconsin. After viewing many home, Lilly falls in love with a decrepit mansion that is out of their price range. However, Lilly sees so much potential in this old house that was once owned by a circus family, she convinces Jack to make an offer. He offers less than the asking price and it is accepted. They are now the owners of a ‘money pit’ known by locals as the “Murder Mansion”- as it was the site of a double homicide and suicide.

Lilly is an actress – yes has other careers as well but there is no doubt she has a great imagination and likes drama.

I am okay with ghost stories and usually find them fun
Lilly’s behavior is definitely questionable. Jack seems to be patient with her to a point!
Lilly is becoming more and more unhinged especially as she continues to do more research on the triple murder/suicide in the 1950s. She believes Birdie who was being poisoned by her evil husband is reaching out to her. Only we find out it isn’t the wife but her awful husband. When he charms Lilly and has sex with her – I was about to throw my tablet across the room.
Although I was curious about the murder mystery, I was ready to call it quits.
Since there were so many 4 & 5 Star comments I decided to read a few before closing moving on.
One reviewer said she could not look away from the train wreck of a protagonist as she continued to make bad decisions.
Yep that describes Lilly.
Since they was supposed to be a twist at the end and I love twists and turns I hung in.
I really did not like this story. However, I believe it would make an interesting book club discussion.

This story was a’ yoyo read for me.
 First interested/curious
 Then s bit scared
 Next a bit angry
 Ended with asking myself – What did I just read?

I really did not like this story. However, I believe it would make a very interesting book club discussion.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 6, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audio version of “Ghost Mother”

"Ghost Mother" by Kelly Dwyer, expertly narrated by Renata Friedman, is a thrilling ride through the realms of paranormal suspense that had me on the edge of my seat! From the very first chapter, I was captivated by the intriguing female protagonist whose depth and complexity made her incredibly relatable. Dwyer’s skillful character development drew me in, allowing me to fully invest in her journey.

While some of the twists left me feeling a bit confused, the sheer intensity and excitement of the plot overshadowed any moments of bewilderment. The way Dwyer weaves suspense with supernatural elements creates an atmosphere that keeps you guessing and engaged from start to finish. I found myself eagerly needing to know what would happen next, making this book hard to put down.

If you're a fan of gripping mysteries with a paranormal twist, "Ghost Mother" is definitely a must-read. I can't recommend it enough—prepare for sleepless nights as you race to unravel the story's hidden secrets!

Full disclosure: I’m a gothic junkie so I was thrilled when Dreamscape sent me the audiobook for Ghost Mother via NetGalley. I went into the audio version of the novel anticipating the usual thriller but as I got deeper into the narrative, I started to realize Kelly Dwyer wasn’t following the standard template. Yes, there’s a haunted mansion with a dark history. Yes, there’s a married couple and yes, the female first-person narrator is a thirty-something woman who moves from the city to a small town. And yes, there are–of course–ghosts. Which is all wonderful--but the departures were wonderful too.

While the story took a while to build up steam, Dwyer’s descriptions of “The Murder House” were fabulously creepy and Lilly Bly began to fascinate me. I found myself relating more and more to her struggles to have a baby later in life, not to mention her efforts to succeed at her new job. Lilly was clearly an unreliable narrator but just how unreliable was she? Even after finishing the novel, I can’t answer that question and I love that there’s no clearcut resolution. The twists and turns kept coming and I couldn’t predict how the story would end (usually I can at least make a guess). What’s real? What’s only in Lilly’s mind? Dwyer plants hints about her psychological state early on and continues to push the possibility that she’s losing it until the final chapter. At the same time, there’s plenty to support the idea everything Lilly tells us is true. I ended up finishing the audiobook in a couple of days and am still thinking about the ending.

I also want to give a shout-out to narrator Renata Freidman, whose voice made me sympathize with Lilly–even when she was acting in ways that made me understand her husband’s frustration with her. Last but not least, the historical details from the early 2000s and the 1950s were vivid and well rendered.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for sending me this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Ghost Mother by Kelly Dwyer follows a couple Jack and Lilly Bly as they struggle to have a child that they despertly want to have. While house hunting Lilly and Jack look at fixer uper mansion that is over priced and in need of a lot of work. Lilly wants this house more than anything and Jack gives in to her. Jack travels for his job and is away from the house and Lilly for days. Lilly starts to hear and see things around the house that is not normal. Once she starts to research the dark history of the "Death House" known to locals she has to solve the 50 year old mystery. Will Lilly find the answers before she looses her mind and Jack?

I received an early copy of "Ghost Mother" by Kelly Dwyer. The narrative was engrossing, constantly keeping me guessing. The interplay between past and present was depicted vividly and honestly. The plot revolves around Lilly Bly's journey through the trials of infertility. In a small Wisconsin town, she becomes enchanted by a house known for a horrific event in the 1950s. Far from a typical ghost story, it's filled with unexpected twists that enhance the traditional haunted house theme. I found this book to be a delightfully unique read and hope others enjoy it just as much.