A Good Mother

A Novel

By: Lara Bazelon

Narrated by: Cindy Kay

A Library Journal Best Debut Novel of Spring and Summer 2021

"A high-stakes legal thriller packed with intense courtroom drama." -Alafair Burke

A gripping debut thriller about two young mothers, one shocking murder and a court case that puts them both on trial.

When a soldier is found stabbed through the heart at a US Army base, there is no doubt that his wife, Luz, is to blame. But was it an act of self-defense? An attempt to save her infant daughter? Or the cold-blooded murder of an innocent man?

Ambitious public defender Abby is determined to win at all costs. As a new mother herself, she wants to keep Luz out of prison and with her daughter. But when the surprises stack up and shocking new evidence emerges, Abby realizes the task proves far more difficult than she suspected and will require a terrible sacrifice.

As the trial hurtles toward an outcome no one expects, Abby, Luz and a captivated jury are forced to answer the question that will decide everything—what does it mean to be a good mother?

“Lara Bazelon combines a riveting courtroom thriller with a nuanced and thought-provoking examination of gender, race, and justice. Helmed by an intelligent, complex, and flawed protagonist, A Good Mother is a beautifully written debut that kept me turning the pages late into the night.” —Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek

"Sexy, shrewd, and wholly contemporary, A Good Mother takes pitch-perfect characters, a page-whipping plot, and themes about marriage, lust, betrayal, and the juggling of new motherhood plus a hard-driving career and mixes it all into a deeply perceptive legal thriller that made me drop everything else and just READ." —Cathi Hanauer, New York Times bestselling author of Gone, The Bitch in the House and The Bitch Is Back

Wow!!! 5 stars for sure!!

Such a great storyline, narration, all the twists & turns of a great domestic thriller, courtroom drama, badass woman lawyer all in one. Did not, could not stop listening. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well Narrated Legal Drama

After learning of advocate and U San Fran law professor Lara Bazelon (and her 2019 New York Times op-ed "I've Picked My Job Over My Kids"), I was interested in giving her novel a shot. After all, a story of an ambitious young public defender representing a client in a difficult murder case seems right up Bazelon's alley.

While not my favorite courtroom drama of all time, the story was an enjoyable listen. Plot, character development, subplots and pace kept this criminal defense lawyer interested (although I found the ending a little anticlimactic). Bazelon's knowledge of the criminal justice system (both inside and outside the courtroom) is evident and adds welcome authenticity to her story.

Cindy Kay does what the best narrators do - she gives each character an easily distinguishable voice and gets out of the way. When you feel the narrator fading into the background while you get lost in the story, you know you listened to a good read.

Decent

This was a decent listen. Kept me interested. A bit of “White Privilege” and “ Misogyny” comments. If that doesn’t bother you, it’s a good listen.

Is this a mother protecting her baby?

This story was good. I can’t believe I was as into the story as I was, considering that not one of the characters was likable at all. They all made very poor choices, and no one had a likable personality, yet I had to see how it ended. It was well-written; I enjoyed the courtroom drama.

Excellent

A terrific trial story. Good, realistic trial about domestic violence. it is well written, the characters are compassionate, the plot moves. It's done well. narration is well done too.