The Other Mother: A Novel by Carol Goodman

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

“An atmospheric and harrowing tale, richly literary in complexity but ripe with all the crazed undertones, confusions, and forebodings inherent in the gothic genre. Recommend this riveting, du Maurier–like novel to fans of Jennifer McMahon.” — Booklist (starred review)

From the author of the internationally bestselling The Lake of Dead Languages comes a gripping novel about madness, motherhood, love, and trust.

When Daphne Marist and her infant daughter, Chloe, pull up the gravel drive to the home of Daphne’s new employer, it feels like they’ve entered a whole new world. Tucked in the Catskills, the stone mansion looks like something out of a fairy tale, its lush landscaping hiding the view of the mental asylum just beyond its border. Daphne secured the live-in position using an assumed name and fake credentials, telling no one that she’s on the run from a controlling husband who has threatened to take her daughter away.

Daphne’s new life is a far cry from the one she had in Westchester where, just months before, she and her husband welcomed little Chloe. From the start, Daphne tries to be a good mother, but she’s plagued by dark moods and intrusive thoughts that convince her she’s capable of harming her own daughter. When Daphne is diagnosed with Post Partum Mood Disorder, her downward spiral feels unstoppable—until she meets Laurel Hobbes.

Laurel, who also has a daughter named Chloe, is everything Daphne isn’t: charismatic, sophisticated, fearless. They immediately form an intense friendship, revealing secrets to one another they thought they’d never share. Soon, they start to look alike, dress alike, and talk alike, their lives mirroring one another in strange and disturbing ways. But Daphne realizes only too late that being friends with Laurel will come at a very shocking price—one that will ultimately lead her to that towering mansion in the Catskills where terrifying, long-hidden truths will finally be revealed….

my thoughts: 

Twists and turns a plenty. I was seriously surprised by the ending that I did not see coming. Okay, I saw some of it, but not all of it.

This is the story of Daphne, a young mother who belongs to a group for women who suffer from Post-Partum depression. She's feeling lonely and out of sorts, so when she befriends, Laurel, one of the mothers from the PPD group, she is over the moon.  She feels like they have such a great connection and soon finds herself divulging all of her secrets to Laurel.  The two friends even begin to dress alike and look alike when Daphne gets her hair done in a similar style.  The duo seem on track to BFF status.  Except, things are exactly the way Daphne says they are. In fact, maybe Laurel really isn't her friend.  As problems at home escalate to the point that Daphne is terrified of her husband, she comes up with a plan to escape - an archivist job for her favorite author deep in the middle of nowhere.  Sure, the place is next to an insane asylum, but who cares, right?! Its the perfect escape from her problems and the perfect place to hide from her husband.  So, she takes her baby and makes a run for it.  She's soon settled and caught up in her new job, that she doesn't stop to pay attention to her surroundings or the people around her.  Instead, she gets obsessed with a story she's read, that by the time she realizes what's really happening to her, its already too late.  Of course, by this point, we begin to wonder if what Daphne's told us about her life is even real, let alone true.  Is she Daphne or is she Laurel? Apparently, both women kept diaries and documented everything, but their stories don't seem to match up - so, who's telling the truth?  Who is Daphne and who is Laurel?

Talk about a fun story! I really did enjoy this one - it was creepy and suspenseful. Plus, I just loved trying to figure out what was really happening.  The Other Mother was definitely a treat to read. I would happily recommend this book to fans of Carol Goodman and anyone looking for their next great read.

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Other Mother

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

Mini Reviews...

I read this one at the gym, whilst on the treadmill. It was a quick and easy read that I was able to dip in and out of. The story follows an anxiety-riddled fangirl who has run off with her pop star dreamboat.  They are hiding out in Mexico when his manager finds them. He's running from his record label - overworked and exhausted to the bone. She's running from her stalker - terrified and paranoid he's always watching her. The two make for quite a pair and as their life becomes enmeshed in his pop star fame, their relationship gets rockier by the tweet.  There's also an obsessed fan called MET, a mother who is convinced her daughter should be locked away in rehab, a police interrogation about a murder, and another pop star who ran away.  Its all a bit much, but its also a bit of fun to read.  Yes, the story gets ridiculous and I rolled my eyes one too many times, but in the end, it was just silly enough to keep my mind preoccupied while I was on the treadmill. All in all, not a bad book for the gym.

Twists and turns a plenty. I was seriously surprised by the ending that I did not see coming. Okay, I saw some of it, but not all of it. This is the story of a mother (Daphne) who belongs to a group for women who suffer from post-partum depression. She friends one of the other mothers (Laurel) and soon they are a duo who vent about their anxieties over motherhood, their crappy husbands, and the other women in their support group. Except things get out of hand at home and Daphne decides to take her baby and run.  She lands a job as an archivist for her favorite author, a reclusive woman who lives next to an insane asylum in the middle of nowhere.  Daphne is worried that her husband will find her, but soon she gets caught up in her new job and her surroundings. She doesn't even realize what is really happening to her until its too late. By this point we start to wonder if we've been reading about Daphne or Laurel - seems that both women kept diaries, but who's been telling the truth? I really did enjoy this one. I thought it was fun, creepy, and filled with enough suspense to keep me up at night. I couldn't figure out what was happening for some time and I really liked not knowing - the guessing was the best part.

Loved this book! I'm a huge fan of Burke's stories - they are always gripping and suspenseful. This new one is seriously my favorite now. I just loved getting lost in this story of infidelity, lies, murder, and betrayal.  This is the story of Angela Powell.  She's married to Jason, a celebrity in the eco-political world. Their marriage appears to be picture-perfect: good-looking couple, a smart son who attends the "right school", a big house in NYC, a fancy car, and a busy schedule filled with meetings, vacations, etc.. Except, their life is not perfect.  Especially when Jason gets accused of sexual harassment by an intern at his office. Only, she's not the only woman to come forward. The next one accuses him of rape.  Yep, looks like Jason may not be the man Angela thought she knew.  Of course, he's not the only one hiding secrets.  Apparently, Angela has a past and its not a pretty one. And that is all I will say. This book is just too good to give anything away - you have to experience all the drama, suspense, and 'whodunit' for your self. The Wife is such a great read! I absolutely LOVED it!! I can't stop thinking about it.