Review: The Mother Next Door by Tara Laskowski

The Mother Next Door

by Tara Laskowski

Publisher: Graydon House

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  GOOD MOTHERS…

Never show their feelings.
Never spill their secrets.
Never admit to murder.

The annual Halloween block party is the pinnacle of the year on idyllic suburban cul-de-sac Ivy Woods Drive. An influential group of neighborhood moms—known as the Ivy Five—plans the event for months.

Except the Ivy Five has been four for a long time.

When a new mother moves to town, eager to fit in, the moms see it as an opportunity to make the group whole again. This year’s block party should be the best yet... until the women start receiving anonymous messages threatening to expose the quiet neighborhood’s dark past—and the lengths they’ve gone to hide it.

As secrets seep out and the threats intensify, the Ivy Five must sort the loyal from the disloyal, the good from the bad. They’ll do anything to protect their families. But when a twisted plot is revealed, with dangerous consequences, their steady foundation begins to crumble, leaving only one certainty: after this year’s block party, Ivy Woods Drive will never be the same.

Kritters Thoughts:  A mystery that takes place at the perfect time of the year, the lead up to Halloween as these neighborhood mothers try to plan the perfect Halloween party every year.  Theresa has just moved to a suburb of DC and these moms have high expectations for the lives they curate for their kids and their families.  Theresa is brought into the fold, but there are mysteries and secrets behind every door.

The mothers take turns telling this story as there are two timelines included in this book, one takes place during the lead up to Theresa's first Halloween and the other storyline is during one of the Halloween parties where the biggest of dramas unfolded.  I loved that there were two storylines and while the reader knows sort of how they are connected, bits and pieces are still coming out as the story progresses.

While I am not a mom, I could appreciate the politics that goes into the mom culture and how hard it can be to keep your child's best interest in mind while also dealing with the personalities of other parents.  

I read this book at the perfect time at the end of September when I was decorating our home for fall.  It was the perfect addition to my reading at this time of year while I was prepping for the seasons to change.  

Rating: absolutely loved and want a sequel

Ebook 2021 Challenge: 125 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.