A Good Mother by Patricia Dixon
I was attracted to this book initially as it is a new release and a thriller – the premise sounded promising, but did it live up to the already good reviews on Goodreads? One thing I will say, first off, is I feel like it has been marketed incorrectly. I’m not sure where the thriller part comes in; I would say it’s a three part story drama. Despite this, I enjoyed it immensely and read it in just two sittings which is always a huge compliment for an author.
The tapestry of narratives were cleverly written and each character Dixon wrote had their own voice. I always find this admirable in a novel as these POVs can sometimes be contrived and too forced. The narratives were clear and were like a mini story in themselves, as the prose read more like a monologue. Whether this was Dixon’s intention or not, it doesn’t matter because the sentence structure adds to the character’s profile and angst.
The characters were all likeable from the start, which I definitely enjoyed, as sometimes female protagonists are written in a way that is too aggressive and trying too hard to be a strong, empowered female. I feel like Dixon wrote Babs, Gina and Robin in a relatable way. Just three ordinary women living their lives with their own issues. The friendship between the three is comfortable and comforting for us as a reader as I’m sure most readers have close friends like this.
One slight negative about the book is I feel like the beginning was rushed and too hyperbolic at times. As Stephen King advises, writers should show, don’t tell. But in the first six chapters or so, I wondered if I would carry on with the book as it did feel off-putting because the writing didn’t require imagination, which was a shame. I’m glad I read on, as the direction of the novel changed and the writing flowed naturally, which is why I described the narrative as a tapestry.
This is a perfect read to enjoy over a weekend or of an evening and it is available on Kindle unlimited too!