Publication Date: May 15, 2025
The perfect neighborhood. The perfect family. The perfect crime.
When Dawn Harrington moves to the quiet, picturesque town of Meadowbrook, she’s hoping for a fresh start. A place where no one knows her name. Where she can leave behind the whispers, the heartbreak, the gaping hole left by the son who vanished from a park nearly twenty years ago. But secrets have a way of following you.
A few blocks over, Evelyn Harper has spent years crafting the perfect life—an adoring husband, beautiful children, a home straight out of a magazine. But when she sees Dawn standing in her driveway, Evelyn feels the first stirrings of something she hasn’t felt in years.
Fear.
Because Dawn isn’t just any new neighbor. She’s a woman with a past. A past that collides violently with Evelyn’s own.
At first, Dawn and Evelyn circle each other warily—neighborly smiles masking something far more sinister. But as Dawn starts asking questions and Evelyn begins watching her every move, the game between them becomes something far more treacherous.
As their carefully built lives begin to crumble, one of them will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
The other will stop at nothing to keep it buried.
Because some lies can be forgiven. Others demand blood.
The Perfect Mother is a spellbinding psychological thriller about deception, obsession, and how far a mother will go for the truth. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn, and Shari Lapena, this is one twisted suburban nightmare you won’t soon forget.
When it comes to the bond between mother and child, it stems from the initial physical bond in the womb and then evolves.
For Dawn Harrington, all she has left are precious memories of the young son kidnapped two decades ago. Her move to Meadowbrook is supposed to be a fresh start.
Author Desiree Moodie uses alternating past and present perspectives from the main characters to set the pace for The Perfect Mother. While the primary plot is revealed early in the story, everything from that point on is unexpected.
Dawn’s new neighborhood puts her in contact with Evelyn, a woman who seems to have an ideal life. Although Dawn spots cracks in Evelyn’s facade, nothing prepares her for the bombshell secret.
Within the pages of the story, the concept of motherhood gets pulled in different directions as a young man searches for his heritage. An interesting aspect is that the author provides a link to an alternate ending, which I think is more appropriate than the original one.
The book didn’t quite hit the five-star mark because of a few inconsistencies within the storyline, but it will leave you pondering the conclusion.
The Perfect Mother offers a chilling dual storyline that comes crashing together to expose a terrible secret.
Desiree Moodie has been writing stories since before she could talk. As a child, she spent her weekends creating homemade books — scribbling on notebook paper and stapling the pages together like a miniature publishing house.
Today, Desiree is the author of dark, twisty stories full of morally complex characters, sharp dialogue, and layered plots. Her writing is influenced by her travels, old-school noir films, and — yes — pro-wrestling (she still watches sometimes; no judgment allowed).
She has a particular soft spot for difficult women and clever villains — the kind who are just charming enough to make you root for them even when you know you shouldn’t. She believes that words have immense power and should be wielded with intention — whether to challenge, delight, or simply keep you flipping the pages into the early hours of the morning.
When she’s not writing, Desiree is watching reruns of Perry Mason and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, practicing her Lauren Bacall impression, and daydreaming about young Harrison Ford (and yes, older Harrison too). She’s also a sucker for a bold red lip and interesting locales — both in fiction and real life.
Her goal? To create beautifully written, compelling stories that stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. And if you love morally ambiguous characters and a well-earned twist, you’ll feel right at home in her world.
Desiree loves hearing from readers, so don’t be shy. Drop her a line (just don’t yell in all caps).
This looks like a great read. Thanks for sharing.