Mumsnet debut fiction club: Paula Daly and Just What Kind of Mother are You?

[RachelMumsnet]

Last month we launched Mumsnet Introduces... our new feature on debut authors. This week we're introducing Paula Daly and her debut Just What Kind of Mother Are you?

Paula's debut novel plays to your very worst fears as a mother - a friend's child going missing on your watch. Paula takes the reader on a psychological journey through the relationship of the two affected mothers and their circle of friends.

We ran a giveaway last year when the book first came out in hardback and most mumsnetters were gripped. As one mnetter said "Due to chronic sleep deprivation & limited time (2 yr old & 6 month old) I have struggled to read more than a magazine recently but I read this book in a couple of days". Another said "This should be called 'Mumsnet - The Novel', right down to the mention of Greggs, it's as if the author had read lots and lots of threads on MN and then incorporated them into story".

If you fancy giving it a go, apply for a free copy and come back to this thread and let us know what you think or post up a review. Next week we'll be linking to Paula Daly's debut author tips from this thread.

[Stef1972]

Great book ! Not too long, it makes a point. Great characterisation. The families are so real, they could be us !

[Poledra]

OK, so finally getting around to saying thank you for my free book, and to post my thoughts. It was a good read, not too taxing - it was perfect for me as I'd saved it up for a business trip and it was a good aeroplane read. I got quite exasperated with Lisa - I sympathised with her some of the way but she was over-inclined to blame everything on 'but I'm so busy!'

Her perception of the class divide was interesting, but I was disappointed in her for shagging the sister's husband in the bathroom - and also, who sees someone shagging their sister's husband in their cludgie and doesn't shout 'Oi! WTF is going on?' before they even have time to think?!

Overall, though, I'd read more of Paula Daly's novels. Definitely one I'll be passing onto my sisters and mum.

[EmmaKfldt]

I really enjoyed this book (I have posted a full review on the reviews page). I thought it was well written and the pace was very good. It kept me turning the pages. I thought that the characters could have been a little less "typical" - I don't know how many thin, beautiful, perfect stay-at-home moms who aren't really I've seen books, but too many - but this didn't stop me reading and won't stop me recommending the book to others.

[SuperScribbler]

I think as a quick page turner, it was a good read. Not sure why Lisa blamed herself so much, the sleepover was cancelled by the daughters in advance. I enjoyed the parts written by the perp, thought they were the strongest scenes. I found Lisa's family dynamic and worklife pretty realistic.

But there were too many coincidences - the perp going to Lisa for a dog for instance. And I really disliked how the perp was tracked down. Seemed a bloody great deus ex machina to me and let the whole thriller down.

On the whole I found it on a par with the likes of Gone Girl and Pple Tree Yard and I would read the writer again.

[Dolallytats]

I did enjoy this and found it easy to read. However, the ending wasn't great.

[frazzledbutcalm]

Have now finished the book. I found it an easy read, nothing taxing which I think made it the page turner that I found it to be. Agree with previous posts, some of the story lines just didn't make sense/bit far fetched. Also disappointed with the ending ... Quite rushed and abrupt. But overall a good read and thoroughly enjoyable.
From the beginning mind, I never thought it to be Kate's fault the way that everyone else in the story (or RL) did. Sally had text her friend to say she was off school and sleepover would be off. In that situation, I don't think I (as the parent) would find it necessary to text/ring the other parent ..? I also (as the other parent) would text, at some point from school finish time to late tea time, to see if my daughter had arrived and was 'settled in' so to speak.

[frazzledbutcalm]

I'm only up to chapter 8 but I'm enjoying it so far, need/want to find more time to finish it! Will post more when I'm finished.

[bigbadbarry]

I've posted my review. (As an aside, I didn't get an email to say I had been selected so when it arrived without warning I wondered what the hell was going on!) I don't want to post spoilers but I was frustrated by the bit where Sally is crying and says "it's her dad that's what I couldn't tell you"... Then nobody follows that up? Apart from hat and another couple of bits that didn't hang together, I enjoyed it as a holiday read. The twists were a bit too obvious but I have read far worse.

[ktt5378]

I found this an easy read and did like the way the book was written from two views. I think it was a bit rushed in places and could have done with more detail at the end, however, I thought there were likeable characters and would probably read future books.

[slev]

Thanks for my free copy!

Enjoyed it (mostly) - very easy reading and I got through it quite quickly on the train. Some of the characters annoyed me a bit - I really didn't need to keep hearing about Joanne's large breasts and Lisa needed a bit of a slap at times for being too pathetic (I'm a WOHM and even at my most manic, I do tend to know how many children should be in the house at any one time). And I found the end a bit too rushed - would rather have had a better build up and consquences, as it was it just seemed to come out of nowhere.

But because it was easy to read I found it kept my interest in a no effort kind of way - like chick lit, you know it's not highbrow but it's a nice distraction. I might get another book by the same author out of the library, but wouldn't buy one - it's not a re-read for me.

Have now passed my copy on to my mum so if I get any comments from here I'll come back and add them on!

[AlbertHerbertHawkins]

Well I really enjoyed it although I had some reservations at first. I wasn't entirely comfortable with it kind of being a cross between a novel/thriller and a police procedural but I got into it and I found it a compelling and easy read; not too demanding. The plot was weak at times but that did not stop me enjoying it! I found Lisa a little irritating but liked the police officer, what ever her name was, and liked the character of Joe.

I thought the book was perceptively written in terms of class/status anxiety and felt the whole book was a kind of revenge fantasy about the woman the author encountered in the supermarket while she writes about at the back of the book, which is probably quite telling about the author...

I will probably read another book by the same author. It's not high art but she's very readable!

[DuchessofMalfi]

Interesting plotline, I liked Lisa and Joe, Joanne and Jackie. Would have liked to have had a little bit more detail about the Police investigations - especially the arrest.

Just felt that the ending didn't quite sit right - the confrontation between Lisa and Kate. It let the story down a bit. But was just a minor point in an otherwise good read. I gave this 3/5 on Goodreads.

Will definitely want to read the next Paula Daly novel :) Thank you MN :)

[jojack17]

I have to disagree with the last couple of reviews...I found this to be an exciting, engaging read. Yes, it is far fetched at times, but that never puts me off a good story! I loved the way we were kept guessing about who the culprit was. I kept changing my mind about who the guilty party party was, and of course, I was completely wrong every time! I do agree that the whole dinner party incident with Lisa and Adam was a bit strange and not really needed. It kind of put me off the character of Lisa a bit, and I had quite liked her up until this point. I liked the character of Joanne and her mad aunt Jackie...I think there's a lot of room for these characters to be developed in subsequent books. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and will be certain to read more by Paula Daly in future. An impressive debut.

[MrsBartlet]

I have given up on it I am afraid. The writing was very basic and it didn't grip me at all. The characters were very sketchily drawn and just did not interest me. I don't like giving up on a book and don't like giving a bad review but it is really just not my sort of thing.

[Axlemaimi]

Just finished reading this on day 2 of my holiday. A very easy read, but not quite the page turner I had hoped. Story a bit unbelievable at times. As others have posted, another book or two with the character Joanne would be quite interesting. Thanks for the chance to read this for free though.

[GoingToBedfordshire]

Finished this yesterday. As the blurb promised, it was definitely a page turner.

Spoilers below.







I liked Lisa initially, could identify with her situation of just being spread too thinly between work and family. I thought the dialogue throughout was well observed.

I found the premise of Lucinda's disappearance stretched my belief somewhat, but I went with it. I really thought Sally would have said something even if Lisa had forgotten. Ime, my kids go on and on when they have friends coming over and to have to postpone because they were ill would have definitely been commented upon.

There were other points in the book however that went beyond what I could believe: Lisa shagging Adam at the dinner party and Joe's calm acceptance of this when he eventually found out, Mervyn going to the local dog rescue, Lisa coming across Nico by chance. I felt the plot twists were getting more and more far fetched as the book went on, so wasn't that surprised when I found out what had actually happened to Lucinda (ludicrous!).

Overall though, I'd say it was well paced and despite the plot being unbelievable in the extreme by the end, I enjoyed the ride.

[Sparklysilversequins]

Agree Joanne was a great character, I liked her home set up with her aunt too.

[Sparklysilversequins]

It was ok. The outcome was sign posted a mile off though and I thought Lisa was a bit wet. Readable but not exceptional.

[DuchessofMalfi]

Coming up to half way through now. It's such an easy, engaging read.

Not a gripping thriller, but it is intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages. I like the characterisation - have met far too many people like Alexa over the years :o I like Lisa and Joe, but don't understand that seemingly out of character moment at the dinner party. Perhaps it will become clearer later on.

Have a few ideas about what's happened, can't wait to read on and see if I'm proved right or not.

[500internalerror]

Finished. It's so hard to make the points I want to without psoiling it for others who haven't read! I enjoyed it - it wasn't a page turner but bit was nicely written & put together. Some elements of the story would have been good in more detail (but would this have detracted too much then?), & there were a few too many conincidences (but i suppose there always are in mystery & crime fiction!).

[Jenni2legs]

Finished it, I really enjoyed the writing style but the end of the book was a bit disappointing. Not enough comeuppance for the guilty. I wanted to know a little more about the journey that got the 'criminal' to that point.

[AlbertHerbertHawkins]

Arrrg! Only got my copy today. Will quickly finish my current book and try to catch up. Looks good!

[claracluck1978]

Thanks for the novel & the introduction to Paula Daly. Really enjoyed the split narratives & even though I usually find myself looking for twists, I enjoyed being surprised for once. Like others have said, I found Joanne a really engaging character and, from what we have seen, I can imagine we will see her again - I certainly hope so. Thanks again mn.

[DuchessofMalfi]

I was going to save it for my holiday next week but am now inbetween books and its sounding like it's a good read. I'm starting today

[SarahAndFuck]

Bluey and Hamish made me very stressed 500

I was cheering Mad Aunt Jackie on when she told the Hamish Lady off.