Review : Mummy’s Little Secret by M. A. Hunter

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Mummy’s Little Secret by M. A. Hunter
Published by One More Chapter on August 5, 2021
ISBN: 9780008409050
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Psychological, Suspense, Domestic, Crime, Mystery & Detective, General
Pages: 400
Format: eBook, ARC
Source: Publisher, NetGalley
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Four little words can ruin a life.
When Jess meets five-year-old Daisy and her mum, Morag, in a local London park, they seem a perfectly happy and loving pair. Until Daisy whispers four little words that send ice seeping down Jess’s spine...
She’s not my mum.
Determined to save Daisy, Jess becomes obsessed with unearthing Morag’s secrets. As she digs ever deeper, her friends and family start to question her own increasingly paranoid behaviour...
Four little words can end a life.
But Jess knows what she heard and she’s certain the fear in Daisy’s eyes was real. Of course she isn’t imagining things... Or is she?
Mummy’s Little Secret is a nerve-shredding new psychological thriller from the author of The Missing Children Case Files – perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and C.L. Taylor.
Praise for M. A. Hunter:
‘Kept me guessing throughout and I raced to the end’ Caz Finlay, bestselling author of the Bad Blood series
‘Darkly thrilling’ R. J. Parker, bestselling author of The Dinner Party
'Explores and exposes the dark side of human nature’ Emma Christie, author of The Silent Daughter
‘Did not want to put it down. This is a solid 5 star read from me... Highly recommended to fans of crime fiction’ Rebecca Kelly, author of Monstrous Souls

Mummy’s Little Secret was an explosive and fraught story with past traumas around every corner.  This story broke me a little inside, call it the powerful narrative, the secrets that we try to keep locked away or the maternal instinct within me, wanting to protect those that are vulnerable.  I’m going to try and do this review justice and explain exactly why this book altered me emotionally.  The prose was flawless, the teasing of the plot was carried out like a highly trained string musician. 

Mummy’s Little Secret is told over two timelines,  two families, two main characters.  Before and now.  Jess’s family and Morag’s.  Two completely different women, from different walks of life but one thing in common – they are mothers to five-year-old daughters.  Grace and Daisy,  two little girls full of life but Daisy utters four unforgettable words – She’s not my mum.  Jess can’t forget it, what if this little girl has been abducted and held against her will.  She would never forgive herself if she didn’t try to find out more.  It’s the start of an obsessive journey that will end with regrettable consequences. 

One word of advice?  Go into this story with your mind completely open.  Go into expecting a thrill and not being disappointed.  The subject matter elicited a shiver of anticipation at several points, it was glorious.  Reading this book landed me shin deep in domestic drama,  a rollercoaster of familial ties that will gut the reader open. 

Jess is a young mother.  She wears her trauma on her sleeve.  She is mother to five-year-old, Grace.  She is also a recently bereaved mother of Luke, a baby boy that died during labour.  The situation was further tainted when the epidural needle left Jess paralysed from the waist down.  She’s on a cocktail of painkillers and anti-depressants to just get her through each day.  Her marriage is struggling, life is very different, and she still hasn’t processed the death of her son. 

Morag is an older mother to Daisy.  She finds herself not trusting easily,  they’ve moved several times in the last few years but hopes they can finally plant some roots in Northwood.  She is suspicious of Jess’s interest in their family.  Just what does she suspect them of? 

Mummy’s Little Secret and M.A. Hunter took me by surprise.  Jess’s character reminded me so much of myself.  I too have suffered post-natal depression and struggled to find my place in a role that requires so much of myself.  Her uncertainty and pain is something a lot of mothers can relate to but unlikely feel able to talk about.  The opening of the novel sets the tone and the darkness quickly envelops every page and every word.  The impending doom surrounds every character like an ominous fog…you know it’s there, but you cant see through it and it clouds your judgement.

Mummy’s Little Secret grips from the very first page,  unyielding but with an undercurrent of tenderness.  Hunter is always five steps ahead with the multi layered examination of blood ties and familial bonds.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen Edger is the Amazon bestselling author of psychological and crime thrillers, including Snatched, and Little Girl Gone. Stephen also writes as M.A. Hunter, and the “Missing Children Case Files” arrives in September 2020.

Born in the north-east of England, he now lives in Southampton where most of his stories are set, allowing him to use his insider knowledge to deliver realistic and unsettling suspense on every page. With books published by Harper Collins, Bookouture, and Endeavour Media, you wouldn’t believe that writing is still only a hobby for Stephen. A hobby that has seen him write more than twenty novels in the last decade, whilst balancing a full-time job with a young family.

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Away from writing, Stephen loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs.

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Stephen is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) Association, the Crime Writers Association (CWA), and loves to engage with his readers on his Facebook author page and Twitter. 

Website