👨👩👧 👨🏻⚕️🧬 Mother Knows Best 🧬👨🏻⚕️ 👨👩👧 (2019) - Book Review
MY REVIEW
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
(September 10, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1643850407
ISBN-13: 978-1643850405
“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.”
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.”
Thank you to the publisher and Bookish First for an ARC to review. All views are my own and in no way influenced by the author, publisher, or Bookish First. All words and thoughts are my own.
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| [Mother Knows Best sounded interesting, but ...] |
“Mother Knows Best” is a
medical suspense/thriller novel by Kira Piekoff.
It is has three points of
view (POV) Claire, Abby (Claire’s daughter), and Jillian.
This unique book doesn’t
have chapters per se (chapter 1,2,3, etc.) and reads more as a long novella
told over four (4) parts with only the POV to transition between scenes,
alternating between past and present during parts one (1) and two (2). After
part three (3) it remains in the present.
The plot – Claire has
lost her son (Colton) due to mitochondrial disease as a result of a genetic
mutation she passed on. A few years after his death, her husband Ethan wants to
have another child, as does Claire. But, Claire wants a healthy child as she
fears this second child will also die like Colton did.
Dr. Robert Nash and
Jillian Hendricks (a cunning young scientist) offer Claire Abrams a chance to
achieve her goal – mixing DNA from three parents. However, their experiment is
highly illegal and must be kept quiet.
But, Claire’s husband
wants no part of it at all. His growing paranoia about his wife causes everything
to come out and puts Claire, her unborn baby, Robert, and Jillian in peril.
Claire takes off as
Robert and Jillian are arrested and later put on trial. Robert then has to care
for Claire as a result of complications.
Jillian goes on trial and
is eventually convicted leaving her life and work in ruin. Robert is found
guilty in absentia.
10 years later, Abby is
growing up believing Michael (Robert) and Lisa (Claire) Burke are her parents,
and thinking they are married. As part of a school assignment, Abby
participates in a DNA mapping program, learning an astonishing truth about her
mother, or thinks she has. Abby shares a genetic match with another woman and
is lead to believe “J” is her mother’s cousin. Abby arranges a “reunion” which
opens the door for Jillian to exact her revenge. And exact her revenge “J”
does.
Claire begins having
hallucinations, Abby keeps digging for the truth, and “J” begins her final act
of revenge with a final revelation.
The premise is
interesting – however it was either the delivery or the writing style but this
book just didn’t grab me. I continued reading it as I had agreed to review it.
It was easy to read as the “chapters” were not long.
The villain was clearly
established in it and left no room for questions of it being anyone else. The
motive was very clear, even right at the beginning. It was easy to discover who
the players were and how they were connected. There was not much interaction
with other people outside of the “family” unit.
The Players:
* Claire Abrams – I
understood her fears. Wanting a child myself, I could understand her pain of
losing a child; wanting another child, but not wanting to lose another child. I
didn’t exactly like her, but she was the one I most understood.
* Ethan Abrams – I really
despised him. His paranoia put everyone at risk. While his job was centered on
bioethics, his lack of compassion for his wife was heart-wrenching, especially
when it endangered her and “Abby”
* Robert Nash – A
brilliant reproductive scientist who wants to do good by people like Claire by
allowing them to have children free of health and/or physical abnormalities,
like what Colton suffered with
* Jillian Hendricks –
Obviously the villain. It’s almost established from the beginning. The way she connects
with Abby and the MyDNAMap project. Her ambition is offensive. She wants to
make her mark on the world and wants fame for her achievements while seducing
her boss. She doesn’t care who she hurts or what the consequences are. Selfish,
bitter, and vindictive.
* Abby Burke – The
daughter of Claire, Robert, and Jillian; born extremely healthy due to Robert’s
science.
* Riley – Abby’s best
friend, helps her find out the truth
* Sydney – a mean girl who terrorizes Abby
* Sydney – a mean girl who terrorizes Abby
I don’t know how to
classify this one – it’s not necessarily a thriller or drama. It’s more like a
“sci-fi; suspense” novel. Perhaps that is what the writer intended. It
definitely wasn’t thrilling to me, not in the least. Also the end regarding
Robert and Claire’s “fate” was a bit too clean. I won’t add any spoilers, but
it was a bit “far-fetched” for my tastes.
If you’re a fan of the
author, you might enjoy this read. If you’re on the fence, borrow it from the
library first.
FYI: I don’t know what
the braid on the cover has to do with the story. It could be that it belong to
Jillian as she had red hair and was also Abby’s mother.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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 University. She is currently 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. She lives in New Jersey with her husband
and young son.
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