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meeramira's review
5.0
Took a little too long, in my opinion, to get to the point, HOWEVER, still a good/interesting book. Actually listened to this one on audio while driving and it kept my interest and kept me distracted from traffic, so that's a solid 5 stars from me.
iceangel32's review
3.0
This book was really good and amazingly twisted enough at the end to surprise me. Even though I was happy with this book, the ending left me wanting. I feel they could have gave you a little more to tie up loose ends, but that is just my option, I like all the ends to be ties up in pretty little bows. However I enjoyed the book I didn't want to put it down and it is was a British author (my fav). I think it was a unique premise and told a good story about the not so pretty side of motherhood. I also liked how they separated the police work from the main story in the beginning and then made it all work with a little love story in the mix.
alidottie's review
3.0
This had the potential to be a lot better. I felt too often that I had picked up a book that was maybe #5 in a series and I should know more about the characters! I felt like I never understood what was going on between Simon and Charlie nor was the ending very satisfying. With 400 pp to work with, the author could have done better!! (and yet it was engrossing enough to get 3 stars!)
BIG OOPS! I just noticed that this book IS #3 in a series! That totally makes sense!!! This why I like to always start my series at the beginning!!
BIG OOPS! I just noticed that this book IS #3 in a series! That totally makes sense!!! This why I like to always start my series at the beginning!!
rainbowsparkle7x's review
4.0
Excellent! I love the twisting, turning roads of this author's imagination. I can't seem to put her books down!
jeslyncat's review
2.0
There are some minor things about this book that kind of wreck it--for starters, the names are often similar, and there are a few that are too long, or you are unsure how to pronounce--so your eyes just glaze over them. Because of that, it's hard to follow them through the book, I can't even count the number of times I had to stop, go back, and check things to make sure I was read them correctly.
The dialog is often strange, making it also difficult to follow.
The points of view change without any type of indication, without real reason, and again in a confusing way.
The dates at the beginning of the chapters don't help, in fact they're repetitive, but they don't denote the POV changes.
I found my eyes glazing over and only skimming conversations.
With that out of the way, the story is pretty interesting. The twists and turns come from clues that you have noticed but don't recognize (a rare find in modern thriller/mystery) as important.
The ending is shocking beyond belief and unexpected.
But it makes sense, and wraps the story up.
The premise, action, and end are amazing. I only with the book had been written in a more logical way--or at least in a way that made reading it something I could pay attention to.
The dialog is often strange, making it also difficult to follow.
The points of view change without any type of indication, without real reason, and again in a confusing way.
The dates at the beginning of the chapters don't help, in fact they're repetitive, but they don't denote the POV changes.
I found my eyes glazing over and only skimming conversations.
With that out of the way, the story is pretty interesting. The twists and turns come from clues that you have noticed but don't recognize (a rare find in modern thriller/mystery) as important.
The ending is shocking beyond belief and unexpected.
But it makes sense, and wraps the story up.
The premise, action, and end are amazing. I only with the book had been written in a more logical way--or at least in a way that made reading it something I could pay attention to.
krobart's review
4.0
Although Hannah seems to have a very dark idea of human behavior if you look at the totality of her work, I always enjoy her twisty plots and her grasp of psychological manipulation. Her two recurring characters, Simon and Charlie, are also almost completely disfunctional in their abortive romance and occasionally behave very oddly as police officers. Still, if you like dark mysteries, Hannah's books are fun to read.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-wrong-mother/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-wrong-mother/
ridgewaygirl's review
4.0
Sophie Hannah writes a mystery series featuring two very messed up detectives. Charlie is prone to shooting her mouth off and behaving impulsively while Simon is so repressed and angry he can barely speak. Strangely, these two work well together, although their relationship is a bit volatile. In this third installment, they aren't even working together, Charlie having transferred to another department.
A woman and her child have been found dead by the husband. It appears to be a murder-suicide, but questions remain. Well, while the others are eager to wrap things up, Simon has doubts. Meanwhile, another woman has had an argument with her babysitter, culminating when someone pushes her into the path of an oncoming bus. She manages to get away with only a few scrapes, but she's shaken by the encounter. She's further upset when she sees on the news the story of the murder-suicide and recognizes the name of the members of the family, but the grieving father is not the man she knew by that name. Sally Thorning is works full time and has two very small children. She's tired all the time and a bit cranky with it. She's determined to find out what's going on, but she can't tell anyone. The man claiming to be Mark Breckenridge is not the man she knew by that name and with whom she had a brief fling not that long ago.
Hannah doesn't fetishize motherhood. Her young mothers are cranky and impatient and dream of a quiet night alone. She writes somewhat like Ruth Rendell, with that dark edge, although Rendell's cops were never quite as messed up as any of the detectives here.
A woman and her child have been found dead by the husband. It appears to be a murder-suicide, but questions remain. Well, while the others are eager to wrap things up, Simon has doubts. Meanwhile, another woman has had an argument with her babysitter, culminating when someone pushes her into the path of an oncoming bus. She manages to get away with only a few scrapes, but she's shaken by the encounter. She's further upset when she sees on the news the story of the murder-suicide and recognizes the name of the members of the family, but the grieving father is not the man she knew by that name. Sally Thorning is works full time and has two very small children. She's tired all the time and a bit cranky with it. She's determined to find out what's going on, but she can't tell anyone. The man claiming to be Mark Breckenridge is not the man she knew by that name and with whom she had a brief fling not that long ago.
Hannah doesn't fetishize motherhood. Her young mothers are cranky and impatient and dream of a quiet night alone. She writes somewhat like Ruth Rendell, with that dark edge, although Rendell's cops were never quite as messed up as any of the detectives here.
nightchough's review
4.0
Genuine surprises, twists and turns in here. Interesting perspectives on parenting, some from a viewpoint character, others from a deceased character's journal. A little weak on the detective procedural elements, but the characters and their arcs made up for it. Didn't really know what to expect from the initial chapters but this was quite a book!
hmmiller814's review
3.0
2.5
I agree with some of the other reviews. Starts off great! But the. So many random names get thrown around you get confused on who is who and what significance they are.
I agree with some of the other reviews. Starts off great! But the. So many random names get thrown around you get confused on who is who and what significance they are.
emilymorgan02's review
3.0
I was intrigued enough to read this really quickly. Not my favorite kind of novel and there were lots of parts that made me cringe and feel uncomfortable...