How Far Would You Go? #TheMother by @TMLoganAuthor #BookTour @Tr4cyF3nt0n @ZaffreBooks

Pub Date: 2 Mar 2023
Publisher: Zaffre

Framed for murder. Now she’s free . . .

A woman attends a funeral, standing in the shadows and watching in agony as her sons grieve. But she is unable to comfort them – or reveal her secret.

A decade earlier, Heather gets her children ready for bed and awaits the return of her husband Liam, little realising that this is the last night they will spend together as a family. Because tomorrow she will be accused of Liam’s murder.
Ten years ago Heather lost everything. Now she will stop at nothing to clear her name – and to get her children back . . .

➡️ Did I like the book?

Does it come as a surprise if my answer is yes? I always rely on T.M. Logan for a gripping read. I know my tea will get cold on the table, my snack will remain in my hand, frozen on its way to my mouth, and I’ll have at least three missed calls and a dozen texts. Was it the case this time around? Absolutely!

➡️ Did I enjoy reading it?

Mothers are a big subject. The trendy thing around in crime fiction. A mother’s love knows no limits, blah blah. Sometimes it works for me, when the author manages to throw in enough meat to grab my attention. Sometimes it fails because every chapter feels like a monologue about how women should all be mothers and there’s no better or bigger role in life. 

Here, I can only thank the author for a full three-course meal with extra gravy and the best dessert. No sermon, no extra cheesy motherly love. Instead, I got a brilliantly strong story about a night that destroyed an entire family, a resilient and fascinating main character, the raw side of life, and so much more. In a nutshell, yes, I have enjoyed reading The Mother! 

➡️ What did I feel?

Overjoyed… at a funeral. Yep, you read that right. I am not spoiling anything as the blurb does tell you the novel begins with such an event. I know no one should be overjoyed to attend a funeral. I know! I am not a monster! But T.L. Logan offers such a clever starting point that I couldn’t contain my excitement. The urge for answers was trumped by the enthusiasm to dive into the journey leading to this church. 

Heather, Liam and their two little boys were living the good life. Adorable kids, a working mom, a MP dad, a lovely aunt to babysit. Most people’s take on a great deal. Until Liam is discovered cold dead and Heather sent to jail for his murder while their children are shipped to be raised by the grandparents. Wait, what???

Forward nine years and Heather is out of jail on parole, alone, with no rights to see her own kids, and still in the dark about the night everything changed for her family. 

My brain went into crazy mode. I had the best time coming up with scary, crazy, far-fetched, what-the-hell scenarios to try and make sense of the little clues I was able to gather along the reading. 

You may think “oh, another slow burner puzzle” Hahahahahahahaha! No. If getting out of jail wasn’t difficult enough, Heather soon discovers that her need for answers comes with danger. Lots of it. Mountains of it. 

I truly enjoyed the blend of adrenaline and questions, the feeling of not being able to trust anyone, the doubts creeping in so often I thought the world was too big a jungle for me, and Heather! 

Heather is a wonderful character to follow. Her wants are simple: discover who murdered her husband and get her sons back. I was grateful to be spared the mother love rave, the overflowing of feelings and the lamentations. T.M. Logan didn’t need to get Heather to say she loved her sons more than anything. He didn’t say, he showed. And the dosage was perfect. It allowed me to understand Heather, to care about her, to try and relate to her. It is one of the best gifts you can get from a book, this bond with characters. 

The ending could have gone a million ways, but the chosen was did not disappoint. I was absolutely captivated until the end, and quite horrified! 

➡️ How would I describe it?

Enthralling, twisty

➡️ Verdict

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

You can grab your copy on Amazon here

Thank you to Tracy and Zaffre Books for inviting me to take part in this book tour and providing me with a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

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