A Mother Always Knows: A Novel

by Sarah Strohmeyer

Overview

The beloved, award-winning author of Do I Know You? and We Love To Entertain returns with an electrifying novel of psychological suspense that explores the way our pasts shape our futures in so many unexpected ways.

Stella O'Neill is just your average millennial, working at a public library and worrying about making rent. No one would suspect she's been living under an assumed name or that she was raised in a Vermont commune of ""diviners"" where, and as a ten-year-old, she witnessed her mother’s brutal murder—a crime that has gone unsolved for years.

But her quiet, anonymous existence is upended when a true-crime obsessive posts her current name and location on the internet. Now, Stella has to get out of Boston before her mother’s killer can find her and finish the job he started all those years ago. Fed up with living in fear, she heads to the off-the-grid retreat of her childhood to confront her mother’s unhinged guru who controlled their lives for so long—the infamous Radcliffe MacBeath.

Stella has two powerful assets: determination and a supernatural gift. Relying on her mother’s beloved rose quartz pendulum, Stella will have to outwit the charismatic leader who’s ruined so many lives and discover once and for all the true identity of her mother's killer—before becoming his next victim.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798228471764
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/29/2025
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Sarah Strohmeyer is an award-winning novelist of eleven stand-alone novels, as well as seven novels in the Bubbles Yablonsky cozy mystery series. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Boston Globe.

EJ Lavery is an audiobook narrator who records titles in a broad range of genres, including thriller, romcom, and middle-grade fiction. A former disc jockey for a mid-Michigan Top 40 radio station, her fifteen-year career in theater has given her the opportunity to inhabit many lives. She has also sung at several prestigious venues, including The Kennedy Center, Disney World, Carnegie Hall, and the Vienna Music Hall.

Karla Serrato is a Chicago-based bilingual audiobook narrator. She received her BA in theatre from Loyola University Chicago, along with a BA in psychology and a minor in dance, and her MS in arts administration from Drexel University. In addition to her work with audiobooks, she has appeared on and off screen in numerous plays, musicals, commercials, indie films, and industrials. She also produces and hosts The Potty Mouth Poopcast.

Editorial Reviews

"Strohmeyer delivers a knockout with A Mother Always Knows, a relentless psychological thriller that grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go...With its spooky atmosphere, well-paced plot, and exploration of the dark side of belief, this is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts looking for a story with both heart and sharp edges. Trust me, you'll love this book." — MSN

"Cults and childhood trauma lead to real suspense in this latest from Strohmeyer...The suspenseful plot and pacing work well to keep readers engaged and turning pages quickly. Fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose will enjoy." — Library Journal

“A diabolical and deliciously twisty romp through reality TV home renovations infused with humor and warmth. Sarah Strohmeyer does murder and suspense in all the best possible ways!” — Wanda M. Morris, award-winning author of All Her Little Secrets and Anywhere You Run, on We Love to Entertain

“Praise to Strohmeyer for creating a novel both so funny—the behind-the-scenes details of the HGTV-like show To the Manor Build are a hoot—and so frightening. . . . This book should appear to a broad range of readers, from twenty- and thirty-somethings to cozy fans and those looking for traditional mysteries.” — First Clue on We Love to Entertain

"Strohmeyer offers an original plot that keeps us guessing and entertaining writing that veers from dark humor, usually with tongue in cheek, to tragedy.” — Booklist on We Love to Entertain

“Intricately plotted, entertaining, and full of red herrings . . . a fun romp of a thriller that will keep readers guessing until the last page. For fans of Lisa Jewell and Clare Mackintosh.” — Library Journal on We Love to Entertain

“A fabulous read packed with suspense, unexpected twists, glamour and humor. Prepare to be gripped from the first to the last page!” — Liane Moriarty, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies, on Do I Know You?

"Gripping and emotionally resonant, Sarah Strohmeyer’s thrilling new novel introduces readers to a relentless heroine who’s driven by the power of sisterly love.” — Alafair Burke, author of The Better Sister and Find Me, on Do I Know You?

"Tense and suspenseful. . . . a shocking yet satisfying ending." — Booklist on Do I Know You?

“Sarah Strohmeyer made an impression on me two decades ago with the first of her Bubbles Yablonsky mystery novels, full of humor, verve and a slightly manic air. . . . it’s welcome to see that early spirit revived in DO I KNOW YOU? . . . kept me reading, near breathless, until all assumptions were gloriously upended.” — Sarah Weinman, New York Times Book Review, on Do I Know You?

“An entertaining suspense novel. . . . Strohmeyer knows how to keep the pages turning.” — Publishers Weekly on Do I Know You?

From the Publisher