9780062847980
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The Perfect Mother audiobook

  • By: Aimee Molloy
  • Narrator: Cristin Milioti
  • Category: Contemporary Women, Fiction
  • Length: 9 hours 26 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: May 01, 2018
  • Language: English
  • (44966 ratings)
(44966 ratings)
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The Perfect Mother Audiobook Summary

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.

A night out. A few hours of fun. That’s all it was meant to be.

They call themselves the May Mothers–a group of new moms whose babies were born in the same month. Twice a week, they get together in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for some much-needed adult time.

When the women go out for drinks at the hip neighborhood bar, they are looking for a fun break from their daily routine. But on this hot Fourth of July night, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is taken from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but her fellow May Mothers insisted everything would be fine. Now he is missing. What follows is a heart-pounding race to find Midas, during which secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are destroyed.

Thirteen days. An unexpected twist. The Perfect Mother is a “true page turner.” –B.A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors

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The Perfect Mother Audiobook Narrator

Cristin Milioti is the narrator of The Perfect Mother audiobook that was written by Aimee Molloy

Aimee Molloy’s debut novel, The Perfect Mother, was a New York Times bestseller, and has been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her family.

About the Author(s) of The Perfect Mother

Aimee Molloy is the author of The Perfect Mother

More From the Same

The Perfect Mother Full Details

Narrator Cristin Milioti
Length 9 hours 26 minutes
Author Aimee Molloy
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date May 01, 2018
ISBN 9780062847980

Subjects

The publisher of the The Perfect Mother is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Contemporary Women, Fiction

Additional info

The publisher of the The Perfect Mother is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062847980.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Emily May

May 04, 2018

I enjoyed this quite a lot. The Perfect Mother definitely has something of a Moriarty vibe (Liane, not Jim) but I personally found it better paced. I struggled with the slowness and tame domesticity of Moriarty's The Husband's Secret and Truly Madly Guilty, though I enjoyed the HBO adaptation of Big Little Lies. I would say that this book is more like the latter. It's predominantly about women and the relationships between them, with the thriller aspect of a missing baby providing the stage on which these complex friendships and loyalties play out.Molloy splits the narrative in an interesting way. The "present" of the story contains short, hard-hitting chapters that briefly reflect on the events leading up to that moment, and then the book moves to the past and explores what happens when an infant goes missing while his mother - Winnie - is getting a much-needed night out with other members of her "mommy group".This colourful group of women drive the story, which is largely about the pressures put on mothers to be "perfect". As the case plays out, we see news articles and talk shows questioning Winnie's behaviour: how could she go out drinking while her poor baby was being kidnapped? Her friends from her group are also forced to question how much they really know Winnie, and each other.Molloy captures what it is like to drive yourself a little crazy trying to be that elusive "perfect mother" and shows the dark events that can unfold in the wake of such impossible aspirations. Ultimately, though, there is something very uplifting about this group of mothers banding together and putting aside their doubts to help one of their own. These women - each from different backgrounds with very different financial situations - put strains on their relationships and careers to help find Winnie's baby.The Perfect Mother is being called a "thriller", which I suppose technically it is, but it is far more a tale of motherhood and female friendship in all their beautiful, vicious glory.Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

Deanna

May 20, 2019

My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...As soon as I read the description for “The Perfect Mother” I immediately added it to my list of Most Anticipated Reads for 2018. The fact that it was already in production to be made into a major motion picture added to my intrigue. I couldn’t wait to read it. The May Mothers are a group of mothers who gave birth in the same month. They joined the group online and eventually met in person. They met a couple of times a week and shared what was happening in their lives and with their babies. The group changed a lot, people came and went… but a small group of women stuck it out and continued to meet up often.Then one night someone suggests that they get together for a Mommy only night out at a local bar. It would be a nice break from their daily routine. “This will be great. A few hours out. A slice of freedom. Nothing we’ll regret. Just one drink.” One mother was very hesitant about leaving her baby, but the other mothers insist that she come. They tell her everything will be fine.But they were wrong….and now a baby is missing. “bad things happen in heat like this” Right away the police are involved and social media goes crazy as videos and photos from the night in question are released. Lives are turned upside down, judgments are made, and it seems everyone has something to hide. Is anyone who they claim to be?Will a group of three determined mothers be able to help reunite mother and child?I really enjoyed this interesting and unique story about motherhood, betrayals, secrets, and lies.The author included “Today’s Advice” at the start of each chapter; a blurb with advice or information about the stages of emotional, social, or physical development. The kind of advice that seems helpful but can also make a new mother crazy at times, wondering if their baby is developing at the “right” pace. Of course, everyone wants to be “ The Perfect Mother ”. A lot of what the characters were going through was very relevant. How it sometimes feels like everyone knows where they are doing except for you. The story was gripping. I did figure out one of the twists early on, but it didn’t bother me as I was really into each characters story-line as well as the mystery of the missing baby. There were a couple of times that I lost track of who was who but overall I was able to keep things straight.All in all, I thought this was a very satisfying domestic suspense novel with excellent characters and a great plot that had me flipping pages at a rapid pace from start to finish.I’m excited to see what Aimee Molloy comes up with next.I'd like to thank HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Julie

March 13, 2020

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Malloy is a 2018 Harper publication. Here is another book that lingered around on my TBR list for a while. I think I might have grouped it in with the onslaught of psychological thrillers dominating the publishing world at the time, so I put it on a backburner, while I recovered from PT burnout. The premise:A group of new moms, all of whom gave birth in the month of May, joined a ‘Mommy Group’ they aptly named the "May Mothers". They didn’t know each other before they had their babies, only corresponding through email before meeting face to face at Prospect Park.The group meets bi-weekly to support one another and chat about the joys and challenges of being a new mom. When it is discovered that Winnie, who is usually very quiet, is a single mom and may be feeling overwhelmed, the ladies plan a night out without the babies, and insist Winnie get a babysitter and join them. But their child-free ladies night turns into a nightmare when Winnie’s son, Midas, disappears while they were out drinking. This turn of events affects the entire group, compounding their already stressful lives. As the investigation deepens, the women all find themselves under the watchful eye of the police, the press, and social media. The story follows the mommy group members, each of whom get a turn at controlling the narrative, as they deal with the fallout of Midas’ disappearance. As they navigate through the unknown territory of parenthood, deal with marital issues, family relationships, and career woes, they also find themselves bonding with each other, and even turn into amatuer sleuths, in an attempt to help Winnie find her son. Because this book languished on my TBR list for so long, I had forgotten what the book was about, so I pretty much went into it blind, and as such, was completely taken off guard by the tone of the novel. For one, I wouldn’t place this book in the psychological thriller category, per se. It is a crime story and a mystery, but the way the story develops, the missing child thread runs in the background. The drama and demands of motherhood, family relationships, careers, and the pressure to be “The Perfect Mother” takes center stage, instead. It took me a little while to decide how I felt about this novel. Despite the drama overpowering any semblance of suspense, I found myself wrapped up in the lives of these women. It was only later, as I reflected on the book, that I realized how deeply the mystery was woven into the story, and how it played a big role in the way the new moms were coping. The narrative shifts could be confusing at times, but surprisingly, I managed to keep up for the most part. Still, it took me out of the story on a few occasions, especially the parts I listened to on audio. It was probably just me, though, since I tend to struggle with a large cast of characters to begin with. Other than that, I thought the story also made a little statement about the unrealistic expectations and pressures new mothers in contemporary times face, while at the same time giving these characters the option of doing what worked best for them, whether they were single moms, or had full time careers, or if they decided to be a stay at home mom. Not sure if that was what the author was going for, but it did give me something to ruminate on. The mystery itself was the weakest element, unfortunately. It was a bit transparent to me. After decades of reading mystery and suspense novels, some plot lines appear to be recycling, only with a more modern spin. While those of you who missed out on all those awesome romantic suspense novels of the 80s and 90s might find the mystery thread to be completely original, I’m afraid I’ve encountered this one before. There were also a few highly implausible situations that almost made me laugh. However, because my attention was mostly on the drama, and the way the investigation was going to go, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. Either way, the story took me away from all the bad news out there for a while. Sometimes getting involved in someone else’s high drama is just what you need to get your mind off things. Although this book wasn’t exactly what I was anticipating, I ended up liking it, overall.

BernLuvsBooks

May 16, 2019

"This will be great. A few hours out. A slice of freedom...Nothing we'll regret. Just one drink." This story had me reading through the night. It was full of twists & turns and secrets & lies. Trying to unravel it all was difficult because the story is told via various (unreliable) points of view. At times it was difficult to tell where 1 character's thoughts began and another's ended. Things jumped from person to person but honestly, I felt that it added to the overall frantic pacing of the book. The plot centers around a group of new mothers who form a friendship over the internet to share the joys & pressures of motherhood - the May Mothers. They decide to have a "Mom's Night Out" only to endure a mother's worst nightmare - one of the babies, Midas, goes missing. One of the things I really enjoyed was the frank portrayal of motherhood. The sleepless nights, the uncertainty, the love, the hormones and the pressure to be the perfect mother. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between these group of women. It was portrayed realistically - the desire to fit in, the need to be accepted, wanting to have someone who gets it but also fearing being judged. These are all real emotions many new moms have & face in today's society with so much emphasis being placed on being the "perfect mother". Molloy did a wonderful job layering this story. Everyone had secrets, told lies and added to the twists. I had suspicions about who was responsible but I hadn't figured it all out which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a suspenseful read that grabbed my attention from page 1 and kept it throughout.

Holly

May 11, 2019

A clever page-turner!A mother’s group goes out for a fun get together at the local bar. Then one mom gets a call from the babysitter.I love the thought of a mommy group and meeting to support each other. This mommy group (May Mothers) is going through hell after one of the babies goes missing.This book got me out of my reading slump. Perfectly paced with plenty of twists, it kept me engaged as the moms put on their detective hats (along with me).I loved the camaraderie of the moms and could relate to the situations that new moms are often juggling. The ladies have a strong bond and are supportive of each other. They are also shrewd and had me tensing up at some of their antics.A clever ending that surprised me. This would be a perfect summer/beach read.

Carrie

April 17, 2018

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy is a psychological thriller that easily will have readers on the edge of their seat as the story involves a missing infant. This one is told from multiple points of view including an unknown voice involved in the story. Several women have formed a group that they are calling the May Mothers after the fact that they all met because they were all due to have their babies that May. After the births the ladies would get together to share stories of their children and various parenting tips to try to help each other along the way. On the Fourth of July the May Mothers organized a girls night out insisting that they all needed a break away from the babies just for a few hours. Nothing would happen they said. Everything will be fine they said. Of course things did not turn out fine when one of the mothers returns to find her baby has been kidnapped. As a reader I've often said there is nothing more intense than that of a missing child so when I saw this one I knew I should be in for an exciting ride. And to hear that the book has already had offers of a movie deal with a big name actress even before it's published, sign me up please. Just as I had expected the story is one that is easy to get lost in as you read and the only reason I found myself not giving five stars really was a few times during the book I'd lose track a bit of the point of view. It actually was done pretty well though so I wouldn't let the multiple points of view scare anyone away. I also had a slight idea of the outcome fairly early on but never figured the actual who/how it all came about. But when it was all said and done I do think readers are really going to enjoy this one and can't wait to see how the movie turns out. I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

j e w e l s

September 05, 2018

FOUR STARSFile this under NM for New Mommies. The new mommy character is in sweet abundance in Aimee Molloy's debut The Perfect Mother. She has assembled a group of women that all gave birth in May and met months earlier online to trade stories and offer support to each other. The online friends all live in Brooklyn and begin meeting IRL just a few weeks after the babies are born. This is where the plot really begins.The mommies decide to go out for a well-deserved girls' night and it is on this night that one of their infants is abducted at home right out of the baby's crib. The story is told from the different women and, I admit, it can be a little confusing at first if you are strictly listening to the audio book. I also have the Kindle version so I would whip it out every so often to make sure I was on track with the characters. The narrator is absolutely perfect and consistent in her performance of all the varied personalities--so she makes it easy to recognize who is speaking. Of course, you have a bit of a learning curve at first. I think Molloy perfectly captures the angst, insecurity and need for perfection most new moms go through in 2018. This novel feels current and on point with the way the media obsesses over every bit of true crime and scandal. There is a snarky Nancy Grace style reporter who is determined to shame the baby mamas for having a fun time out when they should be home with their children. She is a hoot. The narrator even nailed that signature Nancy Grace voice. LOVE IT.Molloy's writing style is fast paced and packed with realistic dialogue- HOORAY! And once you get in a few pages, I promise you won't be able to put it down....it is a real whodunit with a crazy ending scene. Oh my gosh, the beans and pickles scene is.... so fun to read!If you are a fan of Big Little Lies, you will love this book, too. I can't wait to see Kerry Washington star in the movie!

Susanne

May 28, 2018

3.75 Stars.In Brooklyn, a group of mothers to-be, all due in the month of May, coined “The May Mothers” start a meet-up, sharing stories and bonding over impending motherhood. Being the perfect mother seems unattainable and yet these mothers strive for it. Receiving monthly emails about what to expect each month, exchanging messages with helpful suggestions, gaining support from each other whenever the need arises.After their babies are a few months old, their bond deepens unexpectedly. Frannie, Nell, Colette, Winnie & Token decide to take a “night off.” What starts out as an innocent night having drinks at a pub, ends with a bang when Winnie’s son, Midas, goes missing, disappearing from their home without a trace. Thereafter, the May Mothers come together, investigating. What happened that night, in addition to investigating each other. They can’t help it. They don’t really know each other that well, and yet, they desperately want to trust each other. Yet, can they? Should they? “The Perfect Mother” is told from several different perspectives, some of which are confusing at first. Though it starts off a little slow, the novel picks up at the mid-way point and takes off so quickly that I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. The ending was quite the shocker - which frankly, I’m still not sure I get. I’m hoping it’ll come to me one of these days! “The Perfect Mother” is a slow burn, character driven suspense novel that definitely kept my interest. It was my book of the month pick and was a great choice. This was a traveling sister read - our discussions were lots of fun. Thanks sisters! For full Traveling Sister group reviews, please see Brenda an Norma’s Blog: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.comPublished on Goodreads.

Tammy

April 09, 2018

The Perfect Mother: Try to do it all and chances are you will fail at something or feel like you’re failing even if you’re not. During the first and only night out at a local hot spot, the unthinkable happens when one of the “May Mothers’” infants goes missing. What follows is a well-plotted, fast-moving story focusing on how little these friends really know about each other. And, there is a lot that is unknown despite bonding over the significant stresses of new motherhood. This book will give mothers (and others) nightmares. Kerry Washington’s intent to bring this to big screen aside, this book has all of the hallmarks of being this summer’s “must read.”

Crime by the Book

January 23, 2018

4.5/5 stars for this addictive, engaging read! Find my full review here: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2018/1...This is a fantastic "popcorn read" - aka the kind of suspense novel you just want to binge on! Fans of Liane Moriarty and B.A. Paris will love this pacey, engrossing story of secrets, group dynamics, and interpersonal tension. Couple this with a cast of compelling female leads, and you've got a winner! Highly recommended for addictive, unputdownable spring reading.

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