'No matter how far you run, and where you hide, the past can still reach out of the grave and grab you by the ankles. This story wouldn’t let me go.'
MICHAEL ROBOTHAM, author of When You Are Mine 

'A fierce, action-packed story of redemption and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her son. Rae Cairns has created a world that feels terrifyingly real and you can't help but cheer on Sarah her tough but vulnerable protagonist. The Good Mother is a wild, original ride from start to finish!'
SARAH BAILEY, author of The Housemate

‘This taut, propulsive debut celebrates female strength and speaks to the extraordinary courage and resilience of mothers everywhere. A brilliant achievement - there should be more crime novels like this.’
ANNA DOWNES, author of The Shadow House 

‘An absorbing story that packs a powerful punch, The Good Mother is the very best kind of page-turning thriller. A rock-solid five-star read!’
SARA FOSTER, author of The Hush 

‘Fans of Dervla McTiernan will love this rollercoaster ride of a crime novel where a violent past returns to threaten an uneasy peace. I inhaled it!’
AOIFE CLIFFORD, author of When We Fall 

'With this stylish, gripping debut Rae Cairns claims her place among Australia’s most promising new crime writers.’ 
SULARI GENTILL, author of The Woman in the Library

‘All the ingredients of a gripping page-turner. I was hooked from the first page until the final twist. A brilliant debut from a writer to watch.’
TIM AYLIFFE, author of The Enemy Within 

‘Surprising, moving and utterly heart-stopping. A stunning, thought-provoking debut from a brilliant new talent.’
KATHRYN HEYMAN, author of Fury 

‘A tautly woven, high-stakes action thriller with a fierce and unbreakable heroine. Fuses the lingering fault lines of the Northern Irish conflict with the lengths a mother would go to protect her family in a cracking and deftly-plotted thrill ride.’
DINUKA MCKENZIE, author of The Torrent

‘By turns warm, frightening and compulsive, The Good Mother is compelling from first page to last. Cleverly wrought and beautifully written, the characters will get under your skin, the plot will drive you deep into the night, and the fear will follow you home. Rae Cairns is the new Dervla McTiernan.’ 
LORAINE PECK, author of The Second Son

‘Once a suburban mum, now a cornered lioness: what won’t Sarah Calhoun do to save her son? This heart-felt and heart-stopping thriller is a gem of a debut novel.’
GREG WOODLAND, author of The Night Whistler

‘A fast-paced thriller… tears the reader from their comfort zone and holding their breath page after page. Highly recommended, five stars!’
JOANNA NELL, author of The Tea Ladies of St Judes Hospital

'A smart, sexy thriller that races along at a cracking pace and builds to a white-knuckle ending. Rae Cairns has absolutely nailed it!’
CASSIE HAMER, author of The Truth About Faking it

‘An absolutely gripping debut about family, loyalty and morality that will keep you hooked.’
PETRONELLA MCGOVERN, author of Six Minutes

‘A thrilling debut, full of shocking twists and unforgettable characters, some heroic and others terrifyingly malevolent. The explosive ending left me breathless.’
SHANKARI CHANDRAN, author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens

‘Action, danger, love and sacrifice … it’s all there! The Good Mother is a thrilling read that will have you burning the midnight oil. A compelling and first-hand insight into Northern Ireland through the eyes of the strongest of people - a mother who will do anything to protect her children.’
MELISSA DOYLE AM, journalist and author

‘Rae Cairns has delivered a compelling tale of love, power and betrayal, the momentum rising with each chapter as she hurtles the reader to a spine-tingling conclusion.’
SUZANNE LEAL, author of The Deceptions and co-host of BAD All About Crime podcast

‘Strap yourselves in for a fast ride as Rae Cairns takes readers on a journey full of twists and turns. Past and present collide in this compelling and thrilling debut.’
ALLI SINCLAIR, author of The Codebreakers

‘Cairns skilfully blends a gripping, high-stakes plot with flawed, relatable characters who we can’t help caring about. Once started, this book is impossible to put down!’
LISA IRELAND, author of The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan

‘A gripping page-turner that had me cheering on this feisty heroine.'
PAMELA COOK, author of All We Dream and host of the Writes4Women podcast

‘One of those rare books you’ll want to read twice. The first time for the tight writing, psychological insights, and narrative twists and turns. The second time to ponder the question: what would I have done?’
PENELOPE JANU, author of Clouds on the Horizon

Where to buy The Good Mother