The Other Mother

About the book

From the author of the internationally bestselling The Lake of Dead Languages comes a gripping novel about madness, motherhood, love, and trust.

As Daphne Marist and her infant daughter, Chloe, arrive at the grand stone mansion where she will be working, it feels like they have stepped into a different world. Nestled in the Catskills, the mansion looks like it is straight out of a fairy tale, with its beautiful landscaping concealing the nearby mental asylum. Daphne had taken on the live-in job under an alias with fake qualifications, keeping her past of escaping from an abusive husband who threatened to take Chloe a secret.

Daphne's new life is a stark contrast to her previous one in Westchester, where she and her husband had welcomed their daughter just months before. Despite her efforts to be a good mother, Daphne is plagued by dark thoughts and intrusive thoughts that make her believe she is capable of harming her own child. Diagnosed with Post Partum Mood Disorder, Daphne's descent feels unstoppable - until she crosses paths with Laurel Hobbes.

Laurel, a mother to another Chloe, is everything that Daphne is not: charming, sophisticated, and fearless. Their instant connection leads to a deep friendship where they confide secrets they never thought they would share. Soon, they begin to resemble each other, both in appearance and behavior, their lives intertwining in eerie ways. However, Daphne soon realizes that befriending Laurel will come with a shocking cost - one that will take her to the imposing mansion in the Catskills, where dark truths long hidden will finally come to light.