About the Book:
Revenge doesn’t wait for permission.
Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected that fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of.
Until the day she awakens and sees someone peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.
Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daughters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.
The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.
To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price.
Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?
My Review:
Fast-paced, incredibly suspenseful story that would have been a 5 star read for me except for the ending, which was a bit of a let down. I still absolutely recommend this one. Loved the author’s narration!
Joshilyn Jackson certainly shines when writing domestic thrillers that examine the nuances of family life. The book mostly takes place over two days after a chilling kidnapping which occurs at the beginning of the story.
I was on the edge of the seat listening to this incredibly suspenseful story. Bree is put into an impossible situation – a complete stranger has taken her baby and has given Bree a horrible task to complete in order to get baby Robert back.
The book rockets along at a breakneck speed as Bree and her old friend (who is now a private investigator) race against time to track down the mysterious kidnapper and get Robert back unharmed.
Bree’s husband is traveling for business and her other two daughters are sent to their grandmother’s while Bree figures out what to do, without involving the police.
Anything more about the plot would be a spoiler. First of all, the author did a fantastic job at narrating this harrowing domestic suspense. Her voice and slight Southern accent was perfect for the characters of a book set mainly in suburban Georgia and the surrounding areas. I also felt that the author really knew her settings, from Atlanta, to Alabama, to the upscale Southern suburbs. And any parent would sympathize with Bree’s desperation and blind intent to get her child back, in any way possible.
There are lies, deceptions, and many twists and turns as Bree and her friend Marshall devise a plan to locate the kidnapper. I do think this book should come with a trigger warning for sexual assault so be warned! Plus I think the plot would certainly frighten any new parent.
Overall, Mother May I was a very engrossing, fast-paced thriller that gripped me from the very beginning. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced listening copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
