Mothers' Instinct

A Novel of Suspense

By: Barbara Abel, Susan Pickford - translator

Narrated by: Jeremy Carlisle Parker

The inspiration for the major motion picture starring Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain

“Had me in its grips from the first page to the astonishing and jaw-dropping ending.” —Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today bestselling author of Woman On the Edge

A dark, intense domestic thriller about next-door neighbors whose close friendship is upended by a tragic accident, from the queen of Belgian crime.

David and Laetitia Brunelle and Sylvain and Tiphaine Geniot are inseparable friends and next-door neighbors in a pretty, tranquil suburb. Their sons Milo and Maxime, born in the same year, grow up together as close as brothers. But when Maxime is killed in an accident, their idyllic world shatters. Maxime's parents, Sylvain and Tiphaine, are consumed by grief and bitterness, while David and Laetitia are wracked with guilt for their role in the tragedy. Soon the couples are barely speaking, although they maintain a polite façade.

Then a mysterious series of “accidents” begins to happen to Milo, raising Laetitia’s suspicions. Are their former best friends trying to punish them by threatening their son? As an increasingly paranoid Laetitia frantically tries to protect Milo from harm, the little civility left between the two families curdles into outward hostility. Is Laetitia just imagining things? Or are Sylvain and Tiphaine secretly conspiring to exact their revenge . . . and if so, who will pay?

In her American debut, blockbuster Belgian author Barbara Abel plunges into the deepest, darkest corners of her characters’ hearts and minds to explore the limits of friendship, the overwhelming power of maternal love, and how far hate, fear, and vengeance can drive us. Tense and blood-chilling, with a surprising final twist, Mothers' Instinct will keep you on edge until the final page.

Translated from the French by Susan Pickford

©2023 Barbara Abel (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

Really good!

I wanted to read it before watching the movie and it is a really good book!

Not bad

Great twist not exactly what I was expecting. But very drawn out, hard to get into it at first but changed around chapter 19

Sloooooooow but pays off

It took quite a while for things to get moving and all the action is smushed into the end. That said, every element of the build-up paid off. I actually quite liked the narrator. I thought the accents were handled fairly well and, in my opinion, it was pleasant to listen to

Good story, horrible character voices

The story itself is good. Suspenseful drama is the best way I can describe it. I understand it's set in France, but the voices and accent the narrator uses makes this book hard to listen to. Especially the kids voices she uses. I bought the physical book and enjoyed that much more. I'd recommend the same for anyone interested in this book.

Slow burn

The story kept me engaged and interested right up to the end when it made me hate it with a passion. Maybe I’m too simple to get it.

Boring… slow… stupid predictable story

I didn’t like anything. Too choppy dialogue, I didn’t like narrator. Unbelievable story… tho I figured the plot quickly. Not one character was likable… the parents the kids the doctors no one. Awful

Not a fan

I wanted to like this book because it definitely kept my interest but it was far too dark for me. And the ending felt rushed. Ultimately I got zero resolution and I didn’t like that at all.

Waste of a credit

I was excited for this because of the movie that came out of it. Decided to listen before watching the movie. Now I’m mad I spent a credit on this. Characters lacked depth and the end is wildly rushed and disappointing. Predictable in all the worst ways possible. Left me actually mad, which no book has done. I can appreciate hard (not happy) endings.. but this was just lackluster.