“Part murder mystery, part darkly humorous riff on modern parenthood.”
—New York Times
“Jaw-dropping ... A darkly comic send-up of motherhood.”
—People
“Complex and gripping...Dark secrets, retribution, and the lengths a mother will go to to protect her child all feature in this twisted, disturbing story that will keep readers off balance from beginning to end.”
—Booklist
“With devourable writing and pitch-perfect humor, Cutting Teeth is a sharp, original, wickedly astute look at the sting of modern motherhood. In this group of toddlers and parents out for blood (literally!), Chandler Baker nails the performance pressures of parenthood, and the unachievable standards to which we hold ourselves.”
—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push
“Cutting Teeth may be Chandler Baker's boldest book yet. A razor-sharp, biting social commentary on motherhood that is equal parts scary and satirical, thrilling and thought-provoking, that begs the question: how far is too far when it comes to taking care of your kids? You'll sink your teeth into it.”
—Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark
“It's a hilariously apt metaphor, but Baker does a deft job weaving this commentary on the all-consuming nature of motherhood with a fun mystery novel.”
—Glamour
“What could be a more perfect and hilariously dark metaphor. . . Any parent who has imagined that their young children are draining the life out of them will both get the joke and feel the (piercing) pain . . . Gruesome, funny, jam-packed, sharp as baby teeth.
—Kirkus (starred review)
“Suspenseful and darkly comic tale of motherhood and murder…Baker’s descriptions of the joys and trials of raising children bolster the mystery at the book’s core. With winning cynicism, she delivers a wicked thriller that doubles as a glimpse at motherhood’s dark underbelly.”
—Publishers Weekly
“As brutal in its honesty as it is in its deceptions, Cutting Teeth is a viciously sinuous whodunnit . . . an incisive and fearless exploration of motherhood and the self-inflicted wounds we hide up our sleeves as we each struggle to survive it.”
—Elle Cosimano, USA Today bestselling author of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It
“Deliciously dark, Baker’s novel exposes all the little horrors of motherhood. Cutting Teeth will make you question what’s expected of the “perfect” mom—and have you wondering just how much you're willing to give.”
—Kirsten Miller, author of Good Morning America Book Club pick The Change
“First comes love, then comes marriage... but in this baby carriage comes gnashing social commentary swaddled in Chandler Baker's delicious wit. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.”
—Steven Rowley, bestselling author of The Guncle and The Celebrants
“Entertaining and engaging…Baker examines the complexity of female friendships and the expectations of mothers in particular, making Cutting Teeth relevant and thought-provoking....A hugely suspenseful and delicious enjoyable story. Cutting Teeth is going to bring Baker into the spotlight once again, and the praise is warranted.”
—Mystery & Suspense
★ 2023-05-09
A tony preschool is plunged into chaos when a beloved teacher is murdered during—or because of?—a disturbing outbreak of bloodsucking among her otherwise adorable students.
What could be a more perfect and hilariously dark metaphor for privileged modern motherhood than Baker’s invention of “pediatric Renfield’s syndrome”? In Miss Erin Ollie’s class at the usually perfect Little Academy in Texas, many of the 4-year-olds have taken the age-appropriate problem of biting a step further: They bite for blood. Particularly, they crave the blood of their mothers, who decide collectively that this is a need like any other—although, admittedly, grosser and creepier—and that it will pass and, in the meantime, must be met. Attachment parenting at its finest! Any parent who has imagined that their young children are draining the life out of them will both get the joke and feel the (piercing) pain. When Miss Ollie turns up dead in the school supply closet, everyone wonders: Was one of the newly vampiric children involved? Three different moms—Rhea, Mary Beth, and Darby—provide rotating perspectives. Each has secret information about the day of the murder, and all three make misguided decisions designed to protect their kids. In keeping with the ruthless satirical tone, though, what they want to protect their kids from most isn’t bodily harm—it’s a bad reputation. Red herrings abound and clues are dispensed tantalizingly. The building social tension is so good that the murder mystery can feel almost unnecessary. Will it come back to bite readers in the end? In the meantime, Baker limns the fascinating ways parents in a community can be simultaneously at odds with and bonded to each other and how the pressure of parenthood makes crisis hard to define.
Gruesome, funny, jam-packed, sharp as baby teeth.
