Single Mother: An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist

Samantha Hayes

Jan 2021 · Bookouture

About this ebook

‘WOW..... and breathe...... What a brilliant book this was!!! I was hooked within the first few pages and I just had to sit in my comfy chair and finish it… Brilliant from the beginning till the end!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

I will do anything to protect my daughter. She’s all I’ve ever wanted and all I really have, but the moment I opened that letter and accepted the gift inside, I walked us right into a dangerous trap.

I know I should have got her to tell me who she’s been talking to on the phone late at night, and where she was the day I went to pick her up from school and couldn’t find her, but she’s not spoken a word since she discovered a secret hidden in our new home.

And now she’s missing…

A jaw-dropping, addictive and totally twisty psychological thriller that will have you sleeping with the light on! Perfect for anyone who loved The Girl on the Train, Friend Request or The Wife Between Us.

Readers love Single Mother:

‘Omg!! I read this book in one day!! Could not put it down. It been a while since I’ve had a book that has gripped me like that.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Mind-blowing. I loved this book. It was epic. Oh my God… The ending was so unexpected. It was absolutely brilliant. I still can't wrap my head around it… I'm still reeling. Grab your copy ASAP.’ Inscribed Inklings, 5 stars

‘Addictive… not to be missed… will have you hooked from the very beginning and will not let go… a twisty thriller that will keep you guessing, and I couldn't put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘I wanted to jump into the pages… a really gripping and exciting book that I devoured way too quickly.’ Pink and Dizzy, 5 stars

‘I loved this book… filled with loads of twists… I was taken by surprise and I love that… addictive as hell and I read it in just over a day… I have to say I couldn’t put it down.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Absolutely loved… That twist at the end...Wow!!!!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Forced me to finish in one sitting as I couldn’t wait to find out… hooked from the first page… twist after twist, and when I thought it all wrapped up nicely, she expertly throws in another one… a chilling, utterly engrossing, and refreshing read full of suspense.’ Blue Pink Books, 5 stars

‘Tremendous!… knocks it out of the park… lots of red-herrings thrown in to keep you guessing… buy this book as soon as you are able, you won’t be disappointed. Loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘OMG!… Hits you between the eyes with the most perfectly placed plot twist that had never even crossed your mind! You certainly won’t see where this one is going so just buckle up and enjoy the ride… A BRILLIANT page-turner! It has an incredibly satisfying ending that sent shivers down my spine AND an exquisite twist that made my heart sing! Loved, loved, LOVED it!’ My Chestnut Reading Tree, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

I usually love this author, I think she is great, but not this book. I really found all the people in the book unlikeable and not at all believable. The story did not make sense and I could not stand Mel with her overuse of the word 'love'. It was so far fetched that it bordered on the ridiculous. The ending, however, was really unexpected but by that time I had skpped most of the pages. I only paid 99 cents so no harm done.

Thanks NetGalley, Bookouture and Samantha Hayes for an ARC to review. I read Date Night and The Happy Couple before and loved them, Samantha's writing style is engaging. A single mother Mel struggles to make ends meet for her and her 12 years old daughter Kate after escaping an abusive marriage. Her little life consists of her daughter, her job and her lifetime friend Michael. Or does it? A mysterious letter, a setup at work and the knowledge that her ex is out of prison pushes Mel to accept an out of the blue inheritance, taking into consideration that she was a foster kid who knew nothing about her family. In a small seaside hotel, Mel begins a new chapter of her life surrounded by a peculiar group of locals including a one particular resident she seems to have inherited with the hotel. An engaging, full of plot twists thriller that will keep you fully hooked till the end. I loved Mel's character as she wasn't that typical damsel in distress who kept whining about fate's bad dealt ha

An inheritance which brings with it the promise of a fresh start, suddenly turns into a nightmare for Mel, when her daughter Kate goes missing upon unearthing a small pile of bones buried on the grounds of their new home. The plot had me immediately hooked and I loved its creepy atmospheric feel, which just enhanced the story all the more. The mystery of where the inheritance came from had me intrigued as well as the resident that comes with it… The characters have been well developed, are diverse and are a mix bag of likeable and unlikable. Each have been created and written well, evoke different emotions and Samantha Hayes brings them all to life perfectly. Single Mother does move at a slightly slower pace, but its strong storyline and my need to see how it was all going to play out and come together had me wanting to keep flicking the pages. Whilst some of the story’s twists were not a surprise, the ending gave me a surprise that I was not expecting! WOW!! This is the third book I have read from Samantha Hayes and she has fast become an author that I have now great interest in following her writing career. She sure does know how to weave a tale and is an asset to the psychological thriller genre. Single Mother will have you hooked right from the get go. A twisty and mysterious psychological thriller that has been beautifully written and with a final twist that you won’t see coming, what more could you ask for! It was a pleasure to read and review Single Mother, which I recommend.