The Perfect Mother
By: Aimee Molloy
Synopsis From Goodreads:
Vanity Fair calls it one of the most anticipated books of the summer. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Scandal's Kerry Washington.
An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.
They call themselves the May Mothers—a collection of new moms who gave birth in the same month. Twice a week, with strollers in tow, they get together in Prospect Park, seeking refuge from the isolation of new motherhood; sharing the fears, joys, and anxieties of their new child-centered lives.
When the group’s members agree to meet for drinks at a hip local bar, they have in mind a casual evening of fun, a brief break from their daily routine. But on this sultry Fourth of July night during the hottest summer in Brooklyn’s history, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is abducted from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but the May Mothers insisted that everything would be fine. Now Midas is missing, the police are asking disturbing questions, and Winnie’s very private life has become fodder for a ravenous media.
Though none of the other members in the group are close to the reserved Winnie, three of them will go to increasingly risky lengths to help her find her son. And as the police bungle the investigation and the media begin to scrutinize the mothers in the days that follow, damaging secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are formed and fractured.
An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.
They call themselves the May Mothers—a collection of new moms who gave birth in the same month. Twice a week, with strollers in tow, they get together in Prospect Park, seeking refuge from the isolation of new motherhood; sharing the fears, joys, and anxieties of their new child-centered lives.
When the group’s members agree to meet for drinks at a hip local bar, they have in mind a casual evening of fun, a brief break from their daily routine. But on this sultry Fourth of July night during the hottest summer in Brooklyn’s history, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is abducted from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but the May Mothers insisted that everything would be fine. Now Midas is missing, the police are asking disturbing questions, and Winnie’s very private life has become fodder for a ravenous media.
Though none of the other members in the group are close to the reserved Winnie, three of them will go to increasingly risky lengths to help her find her son. And as the police bungle the investigation and the media begin to scrutinize the mothers in the days that follow, damaging secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are formed and fractured.
My Review:
Rating:
***Caution May Contain Spoilers***
The Perfect Mother is another book club selection and I am glad I gave the book a try. After reading the synopsis I wasn't that excited about the story and thought to myself "I'm going to skip this book and catch the next one." However, my mom accidentally ordered the book on Amazon and after paying nearly $13.00 I figured I had better give the book a shot and I am glad that I did.
This book was well-written and absolutely captivating, it has you hooked from the very first chapter. Wondering what really happened to Baby Midas? Was Winnie in some way responsible for her sons disappearance?
After reading some reviews on Goodreads, many of the downfalls with this book was that it was confusing and went back and forth through time. At first I thought it was because the story is told from multiple points-of-view; Francie, Nell, Colette and someone mystery May Mother. However, I found the multiple points-of-view easy to follow. Winnie Ross' May Mother friends trying to discover what really happened the night Midas was abducted.
Also, you get to see into the lives of each parent and discover their own hidden secrets. Even, the time jumps were easy to follow; between each character reliving past mistakes. So I was beginning to wonder where the confusion came in, then the last few chapters hit and the plot twist really has you going back in memory to past chapters questioning everything you once thought about the first person point-of-view character. Mind-blown!
This book has definitely made its way onto my recommendation list. Without book club I wouldn't have given this book a second thought, but it looks as though I was meant to read it. Can't wait to see what book is recommended next.
Published by: K
