The Good Mother: a completely addictive, heart-pounding suspense for fans of Freida McFadden (Gripping thrillers by Emma Curtis)

I absolutely loved this book. It brought out so many emotions for me. I sympathized with each character while also despising some of the things each did. I felt the characters were very well developed and that I knew each personally. The actions of each main female character really spoke to me. I hurt for each of them and was angry at each of them at different points. I thought the ending was very well thought out and wrapped up nicely. I am looking forward to more by this author. Thank you for such an intricate and emotional story.

Don't pick up this book until you've got time to read it straight through because you will be glued to the pages. It's a fascinating story where one little (or maybe not so little) mistake changes everything. It's the proverbial train rushing to the bridge, not knowing the bridge is out. Vicky is a happily married woman who seems to have everything, but she's a little overwhelmed with her third child who is a fussy, hard-to-please baby. She feels stifled and enters into a flirtation but pulls back at the last minute. Then one day, she leaves her baby at home alone, sleeping, while she runs out on a short errand. And that is the day a burgler breaks into her house. The title of the book is One Little Mistake, but is her mistake the almost affair, leaving her baby alone, or going against her instincts and following her best friend's advice? I think one builds upon the other until she finds her wonderful life slipping away from her. We watch in horror as the shaky tower of bad decisions, lies, and desperation come tumbling down on everything in its path. This book was really good and I highly recommend it. I took off one star because I wanted a happier ending.

I really enjoyed the book. Couldn't put it down. Won't go into detail about characters, I'm a romantic at heart, and always want happy ending. My rating went down from a 5 to a 3, when I not only did NOT get a happy ending, but no ending at all. I have complained before to other authors, so, hopefully, they will hear me and quit doing that. It's just as bad as Hollywood fails to put endings on a lot of their movies. Do they really think that we enjoy paying to read a book or watch a movie that does not have an ending or a really lousy ending? I read to enjoy, not to be disappointed. I really like this author, tho, so I won't quit reading her books.

I enjoyed reading about the backgrounds of the characters and how they came to be in each other's lives. The friendship between Vicky and Amber was quite interesting as was learning how Vicky's mother, Maggie figured into the story. There were some unexpected twists that l wasn't expecting. I thought it was a great read.

I had a real problem with Vicky leaving her baby even for a brief time. That was unforgivable. It took me halfway in before I could really commit to the story, but it was well worth the read after that!

This is one book that held my attention and had me craving more of the story. The characters were well developed. As the story went from 1992 to 2010 you could feel emotions that followed. The author made you feel as though you were watch this unfold.

A good lesson to those of us who think one little lie won’t make a difference. How that little lie mushrooms into something even greater. Good characters good storyline.

I thought I had this all figured out after a few chapters but I was not even close. There was lots of suspense and twists that made it interesting and even though I did not like the main women characters, I really enjoyed the book.

This book was great! When i started reading I didn't really expect much to be honest, it starts with Vicky 2010 (teacher with perfect life, perfect marriage to Tom and 3 kids or is it! )with her baby going for his daily 1 &1/2 hour nap from which he never wakes up so she decides it's a great time to go view a new house a few streets away...bit odd but then she comes to while at the viewing and runs home to find someone has broken in to her house and is holding the baby! (This is all in the first chapter I promise I'm not spoiling it haha) She tells her best friend Amber what she's done(cos she's her best friend) and so starts the web of lies! Then we're on to a young girl Katya 1992 who's been in and out of foster care since her mother died and it alternates chapters between 2010 and 1992 which I loved and guessed pretty early on what the link was between them however I could never of guessed what happens there are so many twists I actually wanted to punch Amber in the face at a good few bits😂 Especially when they r on holiday! I was put off with the far fetched first chapter but the rest of the book more than made up for it! Totally hooked and couldn't put it down I finished it in 2 days! It was bloody brilliant! If your looking for a good thriller that has lots of twists and keeps u guessing then go for it! I defo won't be disappointed!😍

If you enjoy psychological thrillers, One Little Mistake is a rewarding read. Emma Curtis has written a captivating and suspenseful novel that provokes intense thoughts and feelings from her readers – like quiet excitement and disbelief as you race through the pages. Early in the story, Vicky Seagrave’s momentary lapse in judgment is a catalyst for a most provocative chain of events to unfold. The plotline is slowly and insidiously revealed with snapshots of an ominously dark childhood being pieced together while a present-day scandal unfolds. I particularly liked how One Little Mistake moved back and forth in time and built in its intensity through menacing nuances disguised as typical idiosyncrasies of friendship. Such a clever device that succeeds in keeping readers fully engrossed in the twisted plot. As a caution, there were some elements of child abuse that I found unnerving to read, but thankfully it didn’t overwhelm the plot. Instead, the story focuses on the complexities of Vicky and Amber’s friendship – a friendship seemingly built on trust and love that soon dissolves into a chaotic mess of deception, shame, resentment, jealousy and… more (much more). Better yet, this nerve-wracking thriller comes to life in the most mundane of day-to-day domestic settings, which really added to the excitement of the story for me. I think that’s because you don’t expect to find a twisted thriller ready to explode out of a comfortable domestic setting. The author takes the safe space of an outwardly normal-looking domestic life and turns it upside-down. It reminds me of how happy-painted clown faces (meant to bring joy and laughter) instead can be creepily terrifying to many of us. One Little Mistake is a great read. (PS - I notice the description says the author is Fleur Smithwick, yet the book cover says Emma Curtis, so perhaps one is just a pen name).

This was a very gripping read. Just as the title says, this novel is about one little mistake; one moment, one decision, one risk, one lie and from that, Vicky's life spirals out of control. One mistake turns in to another, a bigger lie, a web of deceit and cover ups, an uncovering of tensions that lurk beneath - hidden before and now rising to the surface. It's debatable just how little Vicky's one mistake is. Popping out of the house for a few moments on a whim -to chase a dream, or possibly feed a minor obsession which has sprung from the need to 'fix' her home life or 'have it all' - Vicky leaves her baby Josh alone in the house so she can quickly view a new property that's just come on the market. She's only going around the corner. She's literally going to be ten minutes. It's the middle of the day. He's asleep in his cot. He'll sleep for at least an hour. He'll never know. No one will ever know. It'll be easier than taking him around to view the house later - later when a stream of other couples have viewed it and maybe put in an offer..... I'm sure there's not a mother out there who hasn't fleetingly had this same thought or been momentarily tormented by this choice. But it's only ever stayed a thought, an idea that's quickly dismissed. A choice that isn't actually a choice. But what happens if you do actually act on this idea? One little mistake. The worst mistake of Vicky's life. When she returns home she disturbs a man in the middle of a burglary. He has Josh. After a fight and a desperate attempt to save Josh, the man pushes his way past Vicky and leaves - Vicky has saved Josh but she also knows her 'little mistake' has cost her the happiness, safety and security of her family. Her first thoughts when she sees Amber, her best friend, appearing at the house to catch enough of the scene to realise exactly what has happened, reveal that Vicky knows just what this mistake has cost her: "My relief at seeing her is tempered by shame. I hold her gaze and plead silently with her. Please don't judge me." But surely Amber, her best friend, is the best person to have seen what she has seen? Surely her best friend will help protect her from the police, her husband, any damaging repercussions? If any one is going to be part of the secret and make sure it becomes a mistake quickly buried in the past and forgotten about, if anyone has to know what she did, surely it should be her best friend who she can trust, rely on, depend on and lean on? Surely....... Even though Josh is safe, I felt very conflicted. And judgmental. Perhaps this conflict develops further because of the way the girls then concoct a story to protect Vicky and hide the truth. Vicky made an 'impulsive decision' and she can't deny the ramifications. Even when she acknowledges her 'compulsive behaviour' and explains the pressure she's been under as a mother with a young, demanding family, I found that even though I can relate to these feelings, I couldn't really sympathise with her. And this intrigued me. Curtis has given me a protagonist with whom I can't really claim to 'like' but I wanted to read on to see how the situation might unfold. This is a situation I could relate to, could see how it happened and Curtis has tapped into that great question of "what if?" Curtis then brings in the point of view of Amber. At the beginning I found the switching between Amber's third person narrative and Vicky's first person narrative a little confusing as the switches are not separated by chapters or markings, but introducing her voice early on helps to really raise the tension and the stakes once the incident of the opening chapters has taken place. Amber's voice offers not only a way of challenging Vicky but also sheds a different light on her character and gives Curtis a chance to show us more about what is going on. Amber's situation is very different from Vicky's. She has no children and therefore her reaction to Vicky's decisions is different. She would "never leave a child on its own". From the outset the reader realises that Amber presents one side of herself to Vicky - generally as a supportive, kind, caring friend - yet internally she feels very differently towards her. This is incredibly intriguing as it makes the whole situation more vulnerable and introduces an exciting sense of threat. "Vicky is so careless of other people's feelings. If she places so little value on her husband, then she doesn't deserve him. Amber has always fancied him but she's never taken it seriously. They have an undeniable connection, but she wouldn't go there. She's not like that." As well as a second point of view, Curtis also brings in a second timeline and chapters from 1992 start to interject themselves in between the main present day story. Like Amber's narrative thread, for quite a while I was unsure how this second storyline was connected to the main plot but rest assured, we are in very capable hands. Curtis weaves a complex narrative that takes several characters, scenarios and complications in order to really explore this one idea of this 'one little mistake'. The joy of this novel is its length. At nearly 450 pages, Curtis is able to really develop both her key characters, introduce a multilayered plot and create emotional responses, excitement, drama, tension and suspense which will keep you reading until the very last page. To heighten the tension, Curtis brings in newspaper reports and radio shows which are commenting on a case of another mother who left her child alone. This continually haunts Vicky with the fact that she has lied to her whole family but also forces her to confront the enormity of what she did and the seriousness of that moment of compulsiveness. As the radio presenter says, "What parent hasn't left a child asleep in their car while they've dashed into the shops?" But "One Little Mistake" is about more than that. Yes, a huge part of the novel is a thought provoking presentation of what happens when you 'cross the line' and the ramifications of lying and keeping secrets. But Vicky is not the only one keeping secrets. Amber's behaviour becomes more and more threatening and disturbing with each chapter until Curtis cleverly uses Vicky's mistake to reveal how previous mistakes, conflicts, unequal relationships and incidents that we face in our past can have such an effect on our future. This novel becomes more than just a debate on parenting but much more about jealousy, revenge, friendship, loyalty and needs. It becomes a novel that becomes more psychological, dark, compelling and unnerving. I made lots of notes when I was reading this novel. There were lots of passages I liked because they raised questions about not only the obvious themes of motherhood, friendship and love but also a deeper layer of questions about what we need and what we want, perception and really, competition, jealousy and whether friendships are ever equal. I liked that this novel challenged me in that I wasn't really sure how to feel about the characters and these feelings changed throughout the novel. I liked that there was a lot going on and that there was nothing judgemental in Curtis's writing. There is no moral high ground, no underlying message, it is just a great story about two women, two mothers and one little mistake. I would recommend this book. It would make a great book club read. It is a novel that has stayed with me and even a week later I am still thinking about the characters who still feel very vivid in my mind. I still feel a shudder at the dramatic climax of the novel. It was one of those books when you're desperate to get to the end and find out what's happened but equally desperate not to get to the end and have to leave the story behind!

I bought this book knowing nothing about the author; I just liked the sound of the blurb and the reviews. I was not disappointed at all. I soon found myself fully engrossed in the story and even making audible comments at certain times - something I rarely do. The characters are superbly drawn and I found the writing style very engaging. The storyline was well developed and I found myself wanting to pick up my kindle to snatch the next chapter to see what happened next. That's the sign of a good book. I was convinced I was reading a full 5 star book until we find out what happened what the extent of Katya's relationship with Luke. Personally, I thought that was a stage further than was necessary ...... I am trying so hard not to provide any spoilers about this part of the book. Accordingly I have to deduct a little and 4.8 stars would be my option, if I could. At just under half way through the year I am being truthful in saying it is the best I have read in 2017 thus far - and I read quite a lot. Whereas I am not a fan of disecting and analysing books for hidden meanings and the like (I can't abide "what did the author mean by this ....?" which has unfortunately put me off Shakespeare for life as I hated this approach in my schooldays) I strongly urge book clubs to choose this book. You will not be disappointed and you will have a field day with the main characters. Here's hoping the next book by Emma Curtis will be just as good.

This book is good but it doesn’t step outside of cliché often enough to be better than just good. It’s the sort of psychological thriller that people who have never read a truly great book (like We Need To Talk About Kevin and other top of the range titles) may love.