Sally Thorning’s heart skips a beat. She thought she could put the memory behind her. Forever. She never thought she would hear the name Mark Bretherick again. If only she was dreaming. One night, Sally and her husband Nick were watching the news and there he was, Mark Bretherick. A year ago, the mother of two, Sally, was preparing to go out of town for work; a trip she desperately needed and longed for. At the last minute, the trip was cancelled, yet Sally decided to take the opportunity to flee and treat herself to a secret vacation away from stress and little sleep. There, she met Mark Bretherick. The news correctly informs the public of his job and family, his wife Geraldine and daughter Lucy, that Sally learned that fateful week away. There is one startling thing that does not match up. The Mark Bretherick on the television is not the same person Sally met. And Geraldine and Lucy are both found dead. Who is this mystery man she met long ago? Who committed the crime? An affair ending in death brings questions that lead to a refreshing mystery you’re sure to never forget.  

The international bestseller, Sophie Hannah, delivers yet another thrilling suspense to her audience. It is a glimmer of the tribulations faced by mother’s everyday by the demands of motherhood. Touching such subjects that are rarely honestly discussed gives this book a further realistic feeling. Her characters are complex; nevertheless, the audience isn’t challenged to connect with them. The story didn’t waste any time getting into the debacle Sally faced, however, I felt the story took awhile to really get into and didn’t start developing until half way through. The reader may fight to finish The Wrong Mother, as it was difficult to follow several occasions. I can say though, the ending is sure to please and very much worth pushing through. Tana French, author of In The Woods, expresses, “What makes this book quite so gripping is Sophie Hannah’s utter fearlessness as a writer. In her expert hands, all the little annoyances and worries and complications of everyday life are transformed, gradually and inexorably, into the raw material of pure terror. It’s like watching a nightmare come to life.” Hannah will have you guessing until the end in this psychological suspense of lust, motherhood, betrayal, and tragedy.  

By: Courtney Bomkamp

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