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ClareR (5674 KP) rated Stone Mothers in Books

Aug 6, 2019

Stone Mothers

Erin Kelly | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller

8.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Stone Mothers was my first Erin Kelly book, and it really surprised me with its dark, melancholy story that evolved into a taut thriller.

It’s a story told in reverse. We meet the adults first before we begin to slip into their past, and we learn of their connection with the ‘Stone Mother’, or the mental hospital in their home town. Marianne and Jesse are unlikely sweethearts, very different personalities, yet they are both affected by the closure of the local psychiatric hospital, Nazareth, which employed most of their remote village. Including their own parents. With a random discovery comes their chance, in Jesse’s opinion, to improve their lives and some retribution.

I really enjoyed how this story unfolded: I liked how we found out more about the three main characters as we slipped into their pasts (I found Helens story particularly interesting, to be honest, and I would have happily read more). It’s a story where it’s really difficult to apportion blame to anyone - I ended up liking all of them, and could understand the motivation for their actions.

I will definitely be looking out for more books by Erin Kelly - this has without a doubt piqued my interest. Stone Mothers is well worth a read.