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Book Summary and Reviews of Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff

Mother Knows Best by Kira Peikoff

Mother Knows Best

A Novel of Suspense

by Kira Peikoff

  • Critics' Consensus (0):
  • Readers' Rating (2):
  • Published:
  • Sep 2019, 288 pages
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About this book

Book 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's 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.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Peikoff deftly juggles past and present and multiple voices in short, punchy chapters that create a sense of urgency...Readers should also expect a few nifty twists along the way. An engaging and timely thriller that offers lots of food for thought." - Kirkus Reviews

"[A] fascinating psychological thriller...Peikoff expertly exposes the dark side of contemporary medical science." - Publishers Weekly

"[Peikoff] can make complex scientific procedures comprehensible for even the non-scientist...Fans of Michael Palmer and Robin Cook will want to check this out." - Library Journal

"The psychological thriller everyone will be talking about...Don't miss it!" - Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of Anna

"Kira Peikoff has crafted a smart, pulse-pounding, and achingly human story of a family in the cross hairs of where ethics and science converge. A totally satisfying read." - Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of Button Man

"A rocket-paced thriller that dives deep into questions about science, family, and how far we'll go to protect the people we love the most." - Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of The Stranger Inside

This information about Mother Knows Best was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

Crumb

Creepy, Twisty, and Thrilling!
A debut psychological thriller!

This book was amazing! I don't want to reveal too much about the plot because I feel like less is more in this case. I really enjoy books with in depth character development and this novel definitely had interesting characters. There was also an unreliable narrator, which I always love.

I can't emphasize enough how surprised I was by this book! There were many twists, as well. I'm a huge fan of a well-executed twist. Kira Peikoff is an author to watch! I am anxiously awaiting her next book!

Betty Taylor

I was glued to it!
I really enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of Robin Cook you will love this book.

Claire Abrams has a genetic mutation that unfortunately killed her little boy. Claire’s husband wants her to try again but she is afraid. But she finds Robert Nash, a fertility doctor, who, with his associate Jillian Hendricks, is experimenting with genetic editing to prevent genetic mutations from being passed on. Working together they create the world’s first child that has three genetic parents. Now the drama – Jillian is out to make a name for herself but this illegal experiment blows up in her face. Robert and Claire go into hiding, while Jillian is sent to prison.

Ten years later, Jillian is back and determined to take what is hers. Nash was her man and Claire took him away. And she believes eleven-year-old Abigail should have been hers.

Fast-paced. Suspenseful. I was glued to it! The scientific portion easily understood, while the characters won my heart. I love how Peikoff superbly mixed science with human emotions.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the advance copy. All opinions are mine.

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Author Information

Kira Peikoff

Kira Peikoff is the author of Living Proof, No Time to Die, and Die Again Tomorrow. She has a degree in journalism from New York University and a master's in bioethics from Columbia. By day, she is the editor-in-chief of leapsmag.com, a digital magazine about innovation and ethics in the life sciences. She has also contributed articles to the science section of the New York Times, Newsweek, Popular Mechanics, Nautilus, Slate, Cosmopolitan.com, and other mainstream media outlets. Peikoff is a proud member of The Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and young son.

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