Published by Orion on December 27 2018
Pages: 320
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: 11 Missed Calls
ONLY A MOTHER . . .
Erica Wright hasn't needed to scrub 'MURDERER' off her house in over a year. Life is almost quiet again. Then her son, Craig, is released from prison, and she knows the quiet is going to be broken.COULD BELIEVE HIM
Erica has always believed Craig was innocent - despite the lies she told for him years ago - but when he arrives home, she notices the changes in him. She doesn't recognise her son anymore.COULD BURY THE TRUTH
So, when another girl goes missing, she starts to question everything. But how can a mother turn her back on her son? And, if she won't, then how far will she go to protect him?COULD FORGIVE WHAT HE HAS DONE
✮ My Review ✮
Oh my god! How have I not read anything by Elisabeth Carpenter before! I have 11 Missed calls on my Kindle and I need to get 99 Red Balloons. But bloody hell, I need to sort this out pronto! I mean WOW what a book!
This book has put me through the wringer completely. I have been wrought with fear, fear what is going to come but it has caused something to happen in my eyes. I mean this liquid came out of my eyes a bit when reading this book and I am sure at one point she may have caused me a bit of heart failure. So when I say WOW about this book, I say it breathlessly as she has knocked me for six.
This book shows us what it could be like if we were Erica, the mother of a convicted killer, what lengths would we go to to protect our loved ones? Once her son goes to prison, she becomes a shell of a person. She is ostracised from the community, the things people say and do just broke my heart. It was all so realistic and harrowing because you know these things probably do happen every day.
The story is told between Erica, her excitement of having her boy Craig home and both their adjustments when he is home. She has always believed that he is innocent, but is he? Will things be the same? Will she still recognise that sweet boy she loved seventeen years ago? But we are also told the story by Luke, the reporter who wrote the articles regarding the murders seventeen years ago. He is trying to figure out why Craig was not convicted for both murders whilst juggling his home life.
Erica is the star here, fraught with the
I would have finished this in one sitting, had I not had to get up for work today. The way this book has been written is just addictive. Erica and Luke had a story that had to be told, a crime to be solved and resolution to be achieved. This book is tense, but the main focus is not on the missing girl nor the previous murder, but the every day with Erica. I knew the twist that would be coming, but it when everything played out it was shocking. The darkness inside of someone, the shock of their behaviour and emptiness of their emotions was just so harrowing in this book and quite frankly shocking.
This is another book I have read where it is so character driven and I loved it. The characters in this book, help build the world and they drive us forward, making me worry for them, care about them and fear what might happen to them. The story also unfurls slowly, forever building the tension which is why I flew through the book because I had to know.
I wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone and I think this is going to be hitting my top books for 2019 already! It took my breath away and I will be thinking about this book for a few days more.
Until next time xxx
Check out some of the reviews from the tour already!
Stephs book blog says
It made me think about what a Mother would do to protect her child, how hard is it to feel loyal and give support to a convicted killer. And always wondering if he was capable of murder. It is a crime novel that made me feel emotional at times, especially near the end.
I love the way in which the author has slowly built the anticipation in this novel, gradually adding subtle layers of doubt and mystery into what should be an open and shut case. We are treated to the point of view of one other character, but as to who that is we cannot be certain. There are clues and hints dropped, perhaps the odd moment of misdirection, but it is all cleverly fed into Erica, Craig and Luke’s stories, keeping the reader intrigued without jarring them out of the main action.
Whilst not a story filled with action, I found it really fast-paced and exciting, one of those books I couldn’t wait to get back to. I think the strength is very much in the characterisations, especially Erica who I thought had a compelling voice.
Thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the tour invite and the author for a copy of their book in return for my honest and unbiased review
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Shalini says
I didn’t like 11 missed calls, 99 balloons was good… I don’t know about this book
But you have blasted my curiosity with the review… Aah another one to my TBR
Zoe says
Oh no thats a shame about 11 missed calls. Oh yay! I hope you enjoy it when you get round to reading it
Shalini says
Checking amazon
Zoe says
Oh yay!! Did you get it?
Shalini says
It is too expensive now… Aaaggghhh
Zoe says
Oh no ☹️
Zoe says
Have you requested it on NG?
Shalini says
It’s on NG? Omg I am an idiot face-palm ?♂️
Zoe says
Go go go lol
Shalini says
??
Shalini says
Done fingers crossed ?
Zoe says
Have everything crossed for you!!
Shalini says
You crazy sweet girl ????
Zoe says
I really want you to read it! Lol ?
jenchaos76 says
Hmm I might be interested simply because I’m a mother.
Zoe says
It was interesting concept because I did wonder how I would act.
jenchaos76 says
By the way, get Jetpack so you can show up in the WordPress Reader
Zoe says
Oh i do have Jetpack, you should be able to see me?! Are you following my blog? I will check the settings again 🙂
Berit&V@Audio Killed the Bookmark says
Zoe this looks so good! Wonderful review!??
Zoe says
Ah thanks lovely! Glad you think so. Do you think you might check it out?
Berit&V@Audio Killed the Bookmark says
Well I will if you can figure out a way for me to get more hours in the day!?
Zoe says
Yes!! I am with you on that one! lol
Rebecca Hills says
This book sounds amazing! Adding to my ‘must read’ list now.
Have you read Only Child? I think you might like that one, too. There’s a recent review on my blog.
Zoe says
Oh yay!! No who write that? I will have to check out your review! X