Book Review: A Mother Always Knows by Sarah Strohmeyer – Cult Vibes Gone Mild

I picked up by A Mother Always Knows Sarah Strohmeyer because it gave off all the culty-creepy vibes I crave, especially as we head into a chillier-than-usual, rainy August. The cover alone? Super eerie. Add in whispers of a cult, a mother’s mysterious murder, an old rich woman with secrets, and her bitter, angry son. I was sold.

This book had so much promise, but sadly, it didn’t deliver.

The author's voice is surprisingly light-hearted, even comical at times, which completely undercut the suspense and horror I was hoping for. It made it hard to take the story seriously, especially when we’re talking about stalkers, death threats, and, you know, actual murder.

The main character, Stella (or Astraea), narrates with this blasé, almost flippant tone that made it tough to connect with her. Her reactions to some genuinely terrifying situations felt way too casual. I kept waiting for the tension to build, but it never really did.

Around the 100-page mark, I seriously debated not finishing. The writing itself is solid, and the characters are quirky and fun in their own way, but that worked against the atmosphere I was hoping for. Instead of eerie and immersive, it felt light and a bit scattered.

Let’s talk about those side characters. There were a lot of them, and honestly, most didn’t add much. Bogey (the angry son’s ex-wife’s new husband), Charlotte (his ex-wife), and Priti (his current wife) felt thrown in without real purpose or payoff. Their presence didn’t move the plot forward or deepen the story in any meaningful way. I felt the same way about Fig and felt the story would have worked better if it didn't include so many other people. 

I will say I didn’t see the twist at the end coming, but even that reveal felt unsatisfying. It didn’t have the impact it could have, and by that point, I was already too detached from the story to care much.

If this book had leaned harder into the suspense, dialed up the creepiness, and focused more on the cult storyline, it could’ve been a chilling, standout read. Unfortunately, it ended up feeling like a missed opportunity. I gave it one star because, in the end, it just felt like a lot of time spent on a story that didn’t deliver what it promised.