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Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson
Genre: Thriller
My Review Rating: ♥♥♥♥
336 Pages | Published: April 6, 2021 by William Morrow
Book Jacket Synopsis
Revenge doesn’t wait for permission.
Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.
Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.
Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daughters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.
The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.
To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.
Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?
Book Links: Amazon
Favorite Quotes
- What if the story, then, was simply… mostly true? The mind revises, Marshall knew. He’d always believe a finger-print over an eyewitness. As time passed, events became mutable. People justified their actions, and the more shame they felt about a memory, the more they chewed it over, fretting and defending and editing, until they could live with it.
Review & Thoughts
Themes, Elements & Review Notes:
Mother May I is a great thriller pick, especially if you’re somewhat of a newbie to the genre like I am! Filled with serious topics and themes that make you think about the terrible things that can happen to people as a consequence of others’ behaviors and misdeeds.
This one kept me on the edge of my seat while reading and thankfully didn’t leave me in terror or fright, which is something I always assumed thrillers contained. I’m slowly coming around to enjoy thrillers more than I ever thought I would. One of the most interesting aspects is the perspective and thought that goes through the minds of the people committing crimes and doing terrible things; especially the way they reason that what they’re doing is okay.
There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming. The ending was wrapped up quite nicely, if a bit too tidily in my opinion.
Important Theme: An underlining important topic was the silencing of victims, especially women and the misogyny that so many are witness or subject to.
Fun Notes: Fantastic first line that really hooks you!
In a Nutshell: Mother May I is a great thriller pick, especially if you’re a newbie to the genre like me!
Book Format & Source: Paperback ARC gifted from the publisher. I received a complimentary copy of this book from William Morrow through my local Book Club. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Any ARC editing errors noticed are assumed corrected prior to the final published copy release.
About Joshilyn Jackson
From Goodreads:
New York Times and USA today bestselling novelist Joshilyn Jackson is the author of NEVER HAVE I EVER and eight other books, including gods in Alabama and The Almost Sisters. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages, won SIBA’s novel of the year, three times been a #1 Book Sense Pick, been the Target Book Club Pick, and three times been shortlisted for the Townsend prize. A former actor, Jackson reads the audio versions of her novels; her work in this field has been nominated for the Audie Award, was selected by AudioFile Magazine for their best of the year list, and garnered two Listen Up Awards from Publisher’s Weekly.
She lives in Decatur, Georgia with her family.
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