Amelia has it all, a beautiful baby girl, a loving husband and a home on an exclusive estate. Life should be perfect, but things start to unravel when she begins to receive letters that reveal someone knows about her past, a past she has kept carefully hidden from everyone.
You immediately feel the terror in the opening chapter of Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora as Amelia wakes to discover her home is on fire and her baby daughter is missing. As she frantically searches we get hints of secrets from the past and the possibility that current events are retribution. The narrative then jumps back eight weeks and we learn of Amelia's affluent lifestyle.
Amelia was living hand-to-mouth when she met her wealthy husband, Timothy. A whirlwind romance followed and an accidental pregnancy. Timothy insisted they marry immediately, something which didn't go down well with his moneyed parents. From that point on Amelia felt as if she was constantly being judged by her husband's family. The birth of her daughter made her even more emotional. Not only dealing with the disapproval of her in-laws she is also struggling as a first-time mother with no family or friends of her own to rely on. The isolation and loneliness are compounded when Timothy's ex-girlfriend returns. Celeste is the woman everyone assumed Timothy would marry and is immediately welcomed back by the family.
It is easy to put yourself in Amelia's position, she's desperate to be accepted but knows she doesn't fit into this well-to-do community. Determined to prove herself she tries to be a perfect mother and wife, refusing to accept any help. All the while her past haunts her, a past that is slowly revealed to the listener.
A younger voice narrates the past and gives us glimpses of tragic events which have moulded Amelia's life. Amelia hasn't revealed her past to her new family, she has re-invented herself in the hope of escaping the things she did wrong. However, when she begins to receive malicious notes she realises that her past has caught up with her. The problem is she doesn't know who is responsible. Could it be her sister-in-law, Celeste, or her ex-boyfriend? As Amelia frantically tries to figure out who is responsible the burden of keeping her past a secret begins to put a strain on her marriage.
Eventually the past and present collide, leading to the events of the opening chapter. As Amelia's secrets are revealed we discover the true nature of the tragic events which have hounded her and shocking twists leave you questioning all your assumptions.
Good Bad Mother by Anya Mora will be published on 17th February 2025 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a review copy.
Author Details
Anya Mora lives a ferry ride from Seattle, WA with her family. Her novels, while leaning toward the dark, ultimately reflect light, courage, and her innate belief that love rewards the brave.
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