Book review: My Mother's Secret + competition

By Sanjida Kay

Published by Corvus

Synopsis: Lizzie Bradshaw. A student from the Lake District, forced to work away from home, who witnesses a terrible crime. But who will ultimately pay the price?

Emma Taylor. A mother, a wife, and a woman with a dangerous secret. Can she keep her beloved family safely together?

Stella Taylor. A disaffected teenager, determined to discover what her mother is hiding. But how far will she go to uncover the truth?

And one man, powerful, manipulative and cunning, who controls all their destinies.

How did this book end up in my hands? I won this book in a competition and I can’t believe how lucky I was to be able to read it before its publication date on May 3^rd.

Was it a page-turner? I became more and more involved as the book progressed until I reached a point when going to sleep was not an option until I had read the last page. I loved it because it’s one of those books that invite you to make your own guesses and predictions but it’s never predictable.

Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? I had high expectations based on the synopsis and this novel was so much better than I even anticipated!

Did I like the ending? [no spoilers] What constitutes a good ending is something very personal. Some people like a traditional happy ending, some prefer an open ending and so on. I liked the ending in My Mother’s Secret because – despite all my conjecturing - I did not see it coming and it left me open-mouthed.

Did the book leave me with unanswered questions? No, everything in the novel is planned to perfection so that there are no loose ends that keep the readers wondering.

Three words to describe it. Suspenseful. Evocative. Chilling.

Do I like the cover? I thought the cover was beautiful since the moment I first saw it but now that I’ve read the book I like it even more.

Have I read any other books by the same author? No, I’ve apparently lived in a bubble for years and wasn’t aware of this author.  I am now!

Will I want to read other books by the same author? Absolutely. I’ve already added her two previous books to my wish list: Bone by Bone and The Stolen Child. They sound amazing.

Will I be recommending this book? Yes, who doesn’t like a book about secrets?! It reminded me of Our Little Secret by Darren O’Sullivan and Our Kind Of Cruelty by Araminta Hall… except that all three narrators in My Mother’s Secret are women, which made for a nice change of psychological scenery!

Anything else? Yes! The lovely people at Corvus are offering a copy of this book that you have a chance to win! All you need to do is follow my account on Twitter and retweet the competition post by 03/06. Comments below will count as extra entries (one per person). UK only. Good luck!