A pulse-pounding, “you have to read it to believe it” domestic suspense novel featuring a young woman writing letters to her estranged mother about the man she’ll marry…except he already has a wife and family.
Imogene always wanted her freedom from her mother, and now she has it.
Mother Dearest,
I am still trying to sift through the events of last night. It all feels very surreal. When I woke up this morning, I hoped it was a dream. I’d even accept it as a nightmare. But it’s not. I’m not with you and that alone feels catastrophic. I can’t believe we had our first fight!
But the tendrils connecting a mother to her daughter will always run deep.
Freedom is a funny thing. It’s something I wanted so badly, but now I’m wondering if what I had with you was better? Is the price of all of this going to be worth it? Do you miss me yet?
What you said was hurtful, but I know I deserved it. I’m still processing my departure, it was rather sudden. I hope you know I haven’t been planning this. It just happened.
Imogene doesn’t know how to handle her mother’s estrangement. But then she meets the perfect man, the one even her mother would approve of. She just knows that once they get married, her mother will welcome her back with open arms. Except he has a wife and daughter.
As mother always said, a problem is only a problem until you solve it.
A claustrophobic and can’t-look-away thriller,MOTHER DEAREST will have you on the edge of your seat with this sharp story you won’t ever forget.
Book Info: Print length: 400 pages. Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK Publication Date: 25 Feb 2027
My Review:
I genuinely can’t remember the last time I read in a book in one sitting, and Mother Dearest by Clare Bird has re-established my fascination of psychological thrillers and confirmed that there are original plotlines out there!
Firstly, I can’t believe this is Clare Bird’s debut novel. It’s slick, addictive, disturbing, uncomfortable and will stay in my thoughts for a very long time.
Mother Dearest is being published in Feb 2027, so many of you will have to wait, but believe me when I say, pre-order it NOW or stick it in your wishlist as this will be one of your top ten books of 2027!
Narrated entirely through letters from Imogene Billings, a twenty-something daughter, who has become estranged from her “controlling” mother, after an argument. It’s fair to say that Mother Dearest got under my skin within the first few pages.
I think I have a “radar” for dysfunctional, disturbed or dark characters and believe me when I say my “radar” was bleeping, flashing and screaming throughout this brilliant book.
I don’t think I was supposed to “like” Imogene or even understand her behaviour, thought-process or beliefs, and it’s quickly apparent to anyone with an ounce of common sense that she has been brought up in a very, very abusive, controlling and damaged environment.
She did, however, make me smile, especially with her unique and often funny sign-offs after each correspondence. Her observations on the real world were often spot-on, sometimes funny and somethings tragic and her utter determination to win back her mother’s love and acceptance was so heart-breaking.
I’m not going to say much more about this book, because the blurb explains what the book is about, my comments above tell you how much I loved this book and all that is left for me to do is wait patiently for Clare Bird to write another book.
