Motherless by Erin Healy

★★★★★
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Guilt may be the most dangerous motive of all.

On a rainy night seventeen years after his wife's presumed suicide, Garrett Becker sees her walking down the street. A car accident snatches him away from this world before he can reach her.

Marina has spent her whole life mothering her brother, who suffers from an anxiety disorder. After their father's accident, they face losing their home – the only place Dylan's fears are held at bay.

Crushing debt is just one of their father's secrets. Old keepsakes lead Dylan to believe their mother is alive and lives nearby. Sara Rochester is a successful chocolatier who doesn't dwell on her past and never expected the resurrection of its ghosts. But after Dylan confronts her, Sara consents to parent the only way she knows how: with money, chocolate, and a gross deficit of experience.

Sara's hesitant presence divides Marina and Dylan. Marina doesn't believe that Sara is their mother. The woman's paper-thin lies suggest she might even be responsible for their mother's death. When Marina's suspicions spark an investigation, no one is prepared for the tragic truth or the powerful redemption that Marina's actions expose.

Narrated by a storyteller with more to lose than any other character, Motherless is a richly layered mystery about the power of perception – and deception – among people seeking forgiveness for irreversible sins.

Motherless by Erin Healy is one of those novels that gripped and intrigued me from the start and I couldn’t put it down. Packed with plenty of drama, suspense and mystery, this novel follows a tragically fractured family through secrets, guilt and lies to find the truth and hope. The story is well-paced and surprising, and in all the events of the novel, the narrator provides a unique perspective and insight. A powerful, compelling and touching story, Healy’s Motherless is an interesting read and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read more from Erin Healy in the future.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of Motherless and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

About the Author

Erin Healy is the bestselling coauthor of Burn and Kiss (with Ted Dekker) and an award-winning editor for many bestselling authors. She is a member of ACFW and Academy of Christian Editors. Her novels include such thrilling stories as Never Let You Go, The Baker's Wife, Stranger Things, and Motherless. She and her family live in Colorado.