Mother Knows Best

A Novel of Suspense

By: Kira Peikoff

Narrated by: Sophie Amoss, Marni Penning, Jennifer Jill Araya

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

A mother's worst nightmare, a chance at redemption, and a deadly secret that haunts a family across the generations

There's only room for one mother in this family.

Claire Abrams' dreams became a nightmare when she passed on a genetic mutation that killed her little boy. Now she wants a second chance to be a mother, and finds it in Robert Nash, a maverick fertility doctor who works under the radar with Jillian Hendricks, a cunning young scientist bent on making her mark - and seducing her boss.

Claire, Robert, and Jillian work together to create the world's first baby with three genetic parents - an unprecedented feat that could eliminate inherited disease. But when word of their illegal experiment leaks to the wrong person, Robert escapes into hiding with the now-pregnant Claire, leaving Jillian to serve out a prison sentence that destroys her future.

Ten years later, a spunky girl named Abigail begins to understand that all is not right with the reclusive man and woman she knows as her parents. But the family's problems are only beginning. Jillian, hardened by a decade of jealousy and loss, has returned - and nothing will stop her from reuniting with the man and daughter who should have been hers. 

Past, present, and future converge in this mesmerizing psychological thriller from critically acclaimed author Kira Peikoff.

©2019 Kira Piekoff (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Soap Opera Slop!

This book was annoying from start to finish. There is a story, but it is so unbelievable and downright ridiculous that several times I just had to shake my head and laugh. The characters lie to each other, end up in bed together, marry and breakup and hate each other, try to kill each other and then end up friends....pretty much like a soap opera. Oh... and the 11 year old child of three different people's DNA is treated like an adult! And worst of all was the narrator's annoying whiny voice. I am sorry to be so negative. I just want to save others the pain of listening to this junk.

Compelling plot, great characters, deliciously evil villain

This book was on my wish list for a long time and I’m so glad I finally decided to purchase it. I’ve been in a long drought of good books and this one really satisfied my thirst.

The plot is absolutely compelling; what will happen when someone decides to create a child that has three genetic parents? (After writing that sentence, I decided to look it up and it turns out that this may have already been done!)

Overall, the plot and characters were compelling and the author did a good job of making me care about them. (And, she also made me hope the evil person got what was deserved. No,spoilers here). The suspense was well developed and I was not sure how everything would be resolved.

Then the author unleashed a surprise that just made me gasp, turn off my speaker and start yelling “oh that is so brilliant” (luckily no one was around to hear me). The ending took a few more twists and was quite satisfying.

My only problem with the story was some of Abigail’s behavior. I have a niece the same age and the cleverness of this character is just not realistic. I mostly put up with it for the sake of the story, but at one point she made the comment, “what if xx bleeds out“ Seriously! Even a precocious and brilliant 11-year-old would not use this phrase.

Overall, a fabulous and highly recommended book. The three readers were really good. I think Marni Penning narrates Abigail and she convinced me she was a kid.

The only annoying thing about such a great book is finishing it. What in the heck do I read next? (I know Keira Peikoff has a couple of other books, but I try to avoid two in a row by the same author unless it’s a series.)

Stop scrolling, this is your next suspense

Do not skip this one! Such a good listen! Narrator is fantastic! Story keeps you hooked from the start!

Skipped the childs view chapters

This is pretty good. I listen to a ton of books and this one kept my attention. One of the main characters is a child of the age of 11. I had to skip the chapters when it was her point of view. I have a daughter age 11 who of course I think is brilliant and there is no way she would ever think or speak the way the child in this story did. It would have made a lot more sense if the child was a teenager. That way it wouldn’t have been hard to listen to a child act like a teenager. It just made the story weird. I read reviews and when someone says the story was unbelievable I always think well it’s a story so of course it can be unbelievable. But having such a young child be a main character and behave and think like a much older person was truly unbelievable and very hard to listen to. I found myself rolling my eyes and skipping her chapters. It is a shame because the book is quite good.

Very very good...

Don’t be fooled by the corny title.. this is an intelligent, well written book. I can tell it was well researched. I won’t repeat the blurb but there’s so much more to this story. There’s the science part, which I found interesting and the human cost as well as the ethical and legal ramifications involved in certain kinds of scientific experiments. I think it was well told and balanced. I changed my opinion several times throughout... that’s saying something. Recommended.

easy listen

pretty good but make yout mind up quickly about Abigail. the author made her 11 to match the story. I read the reviews so i knew that already and made her 15 in my mind and i enjoyed the story a lot better.

Great Audible Included

This definitely wasn’t my go to mystery murder suspense, but it was good. It was listed under thriller, but not so much. This was one of my first listens on the free audible included list—which I love, because I listen to books incessantly. My only criticism really is I wish they would’ve made the villain a little less villainess so that it would’ve been more of a mystery.

Not good

The entire thing is based on a premise that would never happen. They are hiding out and they let her take a dna test. STUPID STUPID STUPID.

Such a good listen!

Completed in just over a day! Good pace and interesting story. Abigail seemed a little older than 11 but kids do grow up quicker than when my kids were little :)

Not sure mothers know best

This book had not one likable character. It's hard to get through a book when you're not rooting for anyone.