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Release Reviews: Bad Mother: Mia Sheridan

by - Tuesday, March 28, 2023


Bad Mother
Mia Sheridan
Publisher: Montlake
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Release Date March 28, 2023

From New York Times bestselling author Mia Sheridan comes the twisted story of one detective’s pursuit of a serial killer who’s taunting her…and the familiar connection between them that’s haunting her.

When Sienna Walker is nearly fired from the NYPD, the last thing she expects is a second chance in the one place she vowed never to return to. But she can’t afford to turn down the job offer, even if a painful familial past and a broken engagement hardly make Reno, Nevada, home sweet home.

It’s made even less sweet by Sienna’s first case―a serial killer with a curious fixation on her. Along with his victims, the killer leaves perplexing clues and chilling journal entries addressed to Sienna detailing the murders he claims his mother committed. The case continues to get personal when her ex-fiancé is called out by the killer as well. Whoever’s behind the diabolical murders, Sienna can only be sure of one thing…it’s someone close to home.

As the twisted truth forces Sienna to face her complicated feelings, she learns that no matter how far you run from your past, it always catches up to you in the end. 

This Graphic from Author’s Facebook page. 



Detective Sienna Walker just got transferred back to Reno where she grew up and never intended to return. Her past still haunts her, but she is thrust right into duty in the hunt for a murderer. 

And it brings her into contact with her previous childhood best friend and first love, Gavin Decker. He is intelligent, charismatic, and completely shocked that she is back in town 

Things did not end well for them over a decade ago and there are still secrets, hurt feelings, guilt, and anger. But there is also an undeniable connection, shared history, and a bond forged in challenging life circumstances. 

And now it seems like they are being led on a chase and it could possibly be personal. Or the killer could just be playing with the new cop on the news. 

This book is part murder mystery and part second-chance romance. There is a game of cat and mouse being played. Clues are left for them all to try to interpret to find the next piece of the puzzle. It is a race to outwit and outplay the other with the killer having a distinct advantage.  It is raw, gritty, and keeps you guessing. There are twists, turns, and surprises.  I liked Sienna, her new partner, Kat, and Gavin. They are all smart, intuitive, and help each other put complex clues together. It is heavier on the thriller aspect than the romance, but I still felt the connection between Sienna and Gavin.
Sienna Walker took a transfer to Reno, Nevada to rescue her police career after a decision her NYC boss disagreed with left her without any prospects in the city. She never imagined she would return to the city of her childhood -- a city filled with memories that cause her pain as well as a few bittersweet ones as well. She also never imagined she would be thrust into the middle of a serial murder investigation on her first week.

Gavin Decker is the boy who used to be her safe place. His house was where she went when things were bad at her own house. When his name comes up in connection with some of the clues at the murder scene, she is forced to face the memories between them as he is brought on as a consultant.

I loved the murder investigation aspect of this story. The clues are many but the leads are few and had me continually guessing at what was coming next and who could be involved. There were several twists and turns that surprised me, and the last third of the book packed some serious page-turning action. The crime scenes were details, deliberate, and filled with letters and clues written directly to Sienna

The second chance romance took a bit of a backseat to the thriller/mystery aspects of the story and I was ok with that because the details of the investigation were just so well developed. The romance progressed very quickly compared to the mystery plot, partly due to the history between the MCs. Would I have liked a little more on the romance side? Sure, as a primarily romance reader, but I also loved the way the plot had me questioning everything and everyone. And I mean everyone. Mia Sheridan has dabbled in psychological/thrillers and this is another solid story in that genre from her. I will always line up for a Mia Sheridan book, whether it is romance or thriller.
Mia Sheridan 

Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven.



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