A Mother Always Knows

Just an incredible, twisty thriller about a woman whose mother was killed trying to escape a cult. I loved that I wasn't always sure where it was going. The writing was superb and I enjoyed every minute of it!

A Mother Always Knows by Sarah Strohmeyer is a twisty, culty thriller with a dash of the paranormal and a whole lot of family secrets. The story follows Stella, a quiet librarian who’s been running from her traumatic past growing up in a Vermont cult and witnessing her mother’s murder. But when her identity gets outed online, she’s forced to return and face the creepy cult leader she left behind and maybe even solve her mom’s murder.The book flips between Stella’s present-day investigation, her mom Rose’s chilling backstory, and another character named Priti who’s trying to expose the cult. The pacing is slow-burn, but the creepy atmosphere and secrets keep things moving.There’s also a touch of psychic stuff Stella can sense emotions through objects, which adds a cool but slightly quirky layer. Some readers loved it; others found it a little out there. The emotional connection to Stella can feel a bit distant, but her mom’s chapters are where the real emotional punch hits.If you're into dark family drama, cult mysteries, and don’t mind a bit of supernatural weirdness thrown in, this one's for you.

A spooky unsolved murder with the only witness a 10 year old spooked little girl, a cult with some major secrets, supernatural gifts I mean honestly what's not to love. I will say that it did take a minute for me to get fully into the story, but once I did I found it hard to put down. Stella's determined to solve her mother's murder, but does she even have the right suspect? It doesn't help that she can't remember much about that night. I think it was interesting that we got Stella's perspective, the perspective of the wife of the man Stella believes is responsible, and even Rose's perspective in the days leading up to her murder. Each little piece provided some really interesting twists and turns to the story. The author really relished in the gotcha moments towards the end. I didn't trust any of the characters by the time it came for the big reveal and I have to admit that it wasn't who I anticipated. However, I felt like the way the book wrapped up was just so quick and out of nowhere that it was just a meh ending. Overall though... this is a good one.

A Mother Always Knows: A Novel by Sarah StrohmeyerDiviner Cultists in Vermont wilderness, with unquestioning obedience to their leader — so much can and does go wrong. Buried secrets come to light, Stella’s life is upended, and how is she to know whom to trust?Twists and turns, dangers, surprises, this was nearly impossible to put down. When my eyes would not stay open any longer, I reluctantly slept, and then picked it up eagerly in the morning, craving a cinnamon roll. (You’ll get the connection if/when you read it).In accordance with the lessons of this book, the importance of thinking for oneself, I’ll not say “Read this.” I’ll just say I loved it and will be pondering it for a while . . . and you can decide for yourself — I’m pretty sure you’d enjoy reading A MOTHER ALWAYS KNOWS. ;-)

Stella O'Neill is an archivist at a public library, illegally subletting a room, and trying to keep under the radar by living under an assumed name. When she was young her mother left Stella's father to go join a commune of "diviners" in Vermont. When she was ten, her mother was brutally murdered on the same night she planned to escape the commune with Stella, and the murder was never solved. Stella saw the murderer, but they were dressed in a Solstice costume, so she was unable to identify them. Now, her quiet, anonymous existence is upended when a true-crime obsessive posts her current name and location on the internet. Stella has to get out of Boston before her mother’s killer can find her and finish the job he started all those years ago. Fed up with living in fear, she heads to the off-the-grid retreat of her childhood to confront her mother’s unhinged guru who controlled their lives for so long--the infamous Radcliffe MacBeath. Stella has a supernatural gift on her side though - she is able to divine using her mother’s beloved rose quartz pendulum. Now she needs to end this once and for all before she becomes his next victim.I usually avoid reading books about cults, but I always enjoy this author's books, so I made an exception. I am so glad I did. This book kept me on the edge of my seat for almost the entire book. I really liked Stella, and felt invested in her story. Towards the end, when it became obvious someone close to her was involved, I think I guessed just about every single character at some point, before guessing correctly. The book is told in the POV's of three different characters: Rose (Stella's mom) which is the past timeline, Stella, and Priti. Priti is married to Ben, who was and still is one of the prime suspects in Rose's murder. I really enoyed Priti's character as well. If you love a good thriller, then you should definitely check this out.