Quick take
Peeking beneath the pleasant veneer of a wealthy suburb, a twisty exploration of the fraught bonds between mothers.
Good to know
Multiple viewpoints
Nonlinear timeline
Suburban drama
Mama drama
Synopsis
When a young nanny is found dead in mysterious circumstances, new mom, Tash, is intrigued. She has been searching for a story to launch her career as a freelance journalist. But she has also been searching for something else—new friends to help her navigate motherhood.
She sees them at her son’s new playgroup. The other mothers. A group of sleek, sophisticated women who live in a neighborhood of tree-lined avenues and stunning houses. The sort of mothers Tash herself would like to be. When the mothers welcome her into their circle, Tash discovers the kind of life she has always dreamt of—their elegant London townhouses a far cry from her cramped basement flat and endless bills. She is quickly swept up into their wealthy world via coffees, cocktails, and playdates.
But when another young woman is found dead, it’s clear there’s much more to the community than meets the eye. The more Tash investigates, the more she’s led uncomfortably close to the other mothers. Are these women really her friends? Or is there another, more dangerous reason why she has been so quickly accepted into their exclusive world? Who, exactly, is investigating who?
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Why I love it
Ashley Audrain
Author, The Whispers
My favorite kind of psychological thriller is one I like to think of as “mom noir”—something elevated but easily devoured, and of course, dark in all the right ways that tackles the emotional realities of motherhood. For me, Katherine Faulkner is queen of this category.
Faulkner returns to this niche genre with her brilliant sophomore novel, The Other Mothers. It presents a delicious combination of treacherous secrets and enviable lives among a group of upper-class moms whose perfection unravels after Tash, a new addition to their playgroup and a struggling journalist, realizes things aren’t quite what they seem. The setting, it’s worth noting, is deftly drawn: beautifully decorated homes in lush London neighborhoods, elegant social gatherings with good-looking couples, mid-day meet-ups in posh coffee shops—the outward perfection is a tension in itself, especially contrasted with Tash’s much less privileged lifestyle of endless bills and a cramped apartment, as she does her best to fit in with “the other mothers.”
I could not part with this book until I’d finished its final page. Faulkner builds suspense steadily with smart, addictive writing that will satisfy even the most discerning suspense reader—there is never a dull page, and every twist and turn feels believable and well-crafted. It’s a rare treat to encounter a novel that delivers on so many levels—I can’t recommend this one enough!
Member ratings (2,521)
Amanda H.
Bloomington, IL
Don’t let this one slip your TBR! Marriage, Children, Friendships, Lies, Infidelities, Stalking … you will never predict this ending!! 👀 The plots and twists get thick, and you truly don’t know who
Ariel H.
Washington, DC
I thought the author’s first book was just okay so I wasn’t sure to expect with this but I really really liked it. Very well done and well layered. Def worth reading even if the ending wasn’t my fav.
Trisha T.
Auburn, WA
Twisty & dark. Daycare time just got ugly as a nanny dies and the mommies aren’t talking. The pool of suspects was big & I loved questioning all the motives. I didn’t see the end coming and I loved it
Lauren M.
Chicago, IL
Absolutely loved! I could not put this book down. There are so many curves and twists. It’s a murder mystery involving housewives. You will continuously be changing your mind! It keeps you interested
Mol P.
Santa Barbara, CA
enjoyed how this was laid out. The slippery slope of seduction. wanted more character development on Christina. I was Confused: Nicole’s motivation to participate in the cover up, aggression at Tash.