THE DEMISE OF THE SOCCER MOMS.

THE DEMISE OF THE SOCCER MOMS by CATHRYN GRANT.

A seemingly quiet suburban neighborhood is upended when a provocative single mother saunters onto the school playground for the first time. Her Doc Marten boots, tight T-shirts, and in-your-face attitude stir up buried fears and sexual anxiety.


In the dark corners of her home, a woman battles crippling memories that threaten to destroy the family she wants so desperately to protect. A suspicious death forces her best friend to make a hard choice between marriage and friendship.


Paranoia, jealousy, and maternal instinct collide, leading to the demise of the soccer moms.
.... Outer back cover.


FIRST SENTENCE (Prologue): The doorbell woke Amy from a feverish sleep.


MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 312): All the feelings of being trapped in her home rushed back, as if the fog had reversed course and blown back into the yard. So much for a peaceful morning, they weren't going to leave her alone.


KEEP IT OR NOT?: Definitely one for the shelves.


A great debut novel, a tale of suburban women who lead an idyllic life .... or so it would seem .... until petty jealousy and age-old  insecurities raise their ugly heads creating an atmosphere of tension and suspicion.


If I'm totally honest though it wasn't the story itself that had me hooked as although there were one or two 'gasp out loud' moments a lot of the plot was predictable.


No, it was Cathryn Grant's wonderful characters that compelled me to read until it was well past my bed-time. I say characters as they all brought something to the story but it was really Amy's story that had me completely grasped - her descent into madness was brilliantly written, talk about scary, this was one woman I wouldn't want to befriend.


Then of course there's Amy's nemesis, 'new-woman on the block', Charlotte who I found almost as scary but in a totally different way. Driven and way too sexy for these suburban moms, she poses a threat to the lives of these seemingly perfect women.


A fascinating read that on more than one occasion had me chilled to the bone, I did not think I would enjoy this book as much as I did.

A competition win, many thanks to Dorte @ DJ's Krimblog (click HERE for her review) for hosting the giveaway and to author Cathryn Grant for sending this signed copy, The Demise Of The Soccer Moms was the 53rd book read in my 100+ Reading Challenge.