The Other Mothers: An absolutely gripping thriller with a shocking twist

M.M. Chouinard

Jan 2021 · Detective Jo Fournier Book 4 · Bookouture

About this ebook

“I was 100% hooked right from the start… A non-stop, heart-pounding suspenseful read!… Captivated me from page one all the way through… WOW!!” Misty’s Corner Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It’s a crisp spring morning when the small-town community around Briar Ridge Elementary School is shattered by devastating news. Bright and shy five-year-old Nicole has disappeared at recess.

When the phone call comes, Gia Marchand is suddenly living every parent’s worst nightmare. She feels like time has stopped and she struggles to truly understand it: she dropped her daughter at the school gate this morning and now Nicole is gone. In her big house all alone, she breaks down.

Her best friend was in the playground at recess but when Gia begs desperately for any details, the woman won’t look her in the eye. Surely her closest friend wouldn’t betray her? Then Detective Jo Fournier says her husband was in the school building this morning but now she can’t reach him. Gia is left completely alone with her grief.

As time slips away and Nicole hasn’t been found, Gia becomes utterly terrified: is she finally paying the price for a secret that she has been hiding for years? Or is someone she thought she could trust committing the ultimate betrayal?

From USA Today bestseller M.M. Chouinard, The Other Mothers is a completely addictive psychological thriller that will not let you go until you turn the last heart-thumping page! Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Stepdaughter and The Girl on the Train.

Readers are utterly addicted to The Other Mothers!

“Wow, wow, wow!!!!! I’m speechless. Did I really just read that????… I truly would’ve never guessed it in a million years.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Holy buckets… Grabs you by the throat and won’t let go. There are not enough stars to accurately label how genuinely excellent this book is.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Right off the bat you are pulled in and are immediately hooked… Took me a while to get my racing heart back under control again.” Once Upon A Time Book Blog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Addictive… Had me gripped from page one… I couldn’t stop reading… I can wholeheartedly recommend it.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Totally blew me away… I especially loved the ending. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined it.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A complete shocker… An absolute page-turner I could not put down.” Goodreads Reviewer

“Absolutely thrilling from start to finish. A rollercoaster of a read. Heart thumpingly, stay-up-all-night-reading good. Loved this brilliant book.” Renita D’Silva, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Believe me you'll be stunned… Awesome.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ratings and reviews

The Other Mother's is the thoroughly addicting book four in the Detective Jo Fournier Novel series! Once again, I find myself thinking, 'how is this the first time I'm reading a book by XYZ author?' M.M. Chouinard fits this bill perfectly! Book four is my first, but it definitely won't be my last of her novels; I've already 1-clicked books one through three in this series! // I was 100% hooked right from the start; a detective struggling with a challenging personal situation pulled back into work early to lead a case involving the death of a kindergartner on school grounds, which is soon followed by a few more casualties. Who is keeping secrets, or better yet, who isn't in this uppity small-town? The deadliest secret is one that I can almost guarantee you'll never guess... // Jo is a solid female lead, easily likable, and relatable. I enjoyed reading through her inner monologues as she worked the case. I especially found a few of her interactions entertaining, not the subject matter of the case by any means, but more so the decision to either hold her tongue or put someone in their place! // The storyline itself was a non-stop, heart-pounding suspenseful read! Twist after twist, with all key characters always under suspicion. M.M. Chouinard undoubtedly has a way with words, captivating me from page one all the way through page three hundred and thirty-six! I was not expecting this novel to end the way it did! WOW!! I wish I could say more and deep dive into that ending, but I refuse to spoil it! Just do yourself a favor and check this one out!! // Many thanks to NetGalley, the author M.M. Chouinard, and the publishers at Bookouture for my copy of this ebook. I have honestly and voluntarily reviewed this title.

The one time you would think you would never have to worry about your daughter is when she is playing under the watchful eye of your best friend. So how does Gia’s beloved daughter Nicole disappear from the school playground and then tragically, be found dead. This horrific crime will test the resolve of Detective Jo Fournier, as she puts her own personal tragedy aside to catch a killer of the worst kind. The Other Mothers is another thrilling read in this brilliant series, which I just can’t get enough of! Right off the bat you are pulled in and are immediately hooked as M.M. Chouinard takes you on a fast paced and chilling ride, never letting up until its shocking outcome, which I was not expecting. Let me tell you, it took me awhile to get my racing heart back under control again once all was revealed! Detective Jo Fournier is such a fantastic character and she is one of my all time favourites. Her vulnerability is front and centre in this instalment, as she is still trying to come to terms with tragic recent events. The death of Nicole hits her hard but, it’s her tenaciousness in getting justice for the victims that makes her such a force to be reckoned with, as she puts her personal struggles aside. M.M. Chouinard has so many strengths as a writer but, what stands out to me the most is how she is able to keep the reader engaged from start to finish. The Other Mothers is another example of this. Perfectly written and masterfully plotted, the only criticism I have is, it ended all to soon! As I have said before when each instalment is released and what I will keep saying is, this is one of the best series I have ever read and I hope there are still many books to come. The Other Mothers can be read as a standalone but do yourself a favour and read this in order. You won’t be disappointed!

At Briar Ridge school, a five year old girl doesn’t return from recess. Her lifeless body is found next to a dumpster. Detective Jo Fournier is summoned back from a required two week leave to lead the investigation even though she has a personal connection to the crime. Her two nieces are students at the school. Interviews are first on Jo’s agenda. She expects to find a grieving mother but young Nicole’s mother Gia, surrounded by her friends Molly and Karen, is strangely cold. And her husband is nowhere to be found and seems to be deliberately avoiding the police. Since Jo believes the killing was not random, she looks into the background of Gia’s friends and the teachers and staff at the school. Then there are other violent acts linked to Briar Ridge and a shocking act that will threaten Jo’s family and lead her to an unexpected killer. The Other Mothers is the fourth in a series featuring Detective Jo Fournier but it reads like a standalone thriller. And thriller it is. The conclusion is a total surprise! 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and M.M. Chouinard for this ARC.