Under Her Care

This one had a strong premise and definitely pulled me in at the start. Small Southern town, a brutal murder, a mother protecting her son, and layers of family secrets? Say less—I was intrigued.

That said… it didn’t fully deliver for me.

The tension was there, and I liked how the story explored the complexity of motherhood and perception, especially with how quickly the town jumps to conclusions. Some twists were genuinely surprising, and the atmosphere was heavy and unsettling in a good way.

But parts of the story felt a little overworked, and a few character motivations didn’t land as strongly as I wanted. By the time I hit the final stretch, it started to feel more chaotic than shocking, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth instead of constant escalation.

Overall: engaging, dark, and thought-provoking—but not quite a knockout for me. Worth a read if you love psychological thrillers with messy families and moral gray areas, just don’t go in expecting perfection.