Call Me Mummy by Tina Baker Blog Tour

 What a year for new books it has already been.

I'm ending February joining in with the blog tour for Tina Baker's fantastic debut novel Call Me Mummy. This is set to be THE thriller for Mother's Day this year so if you know a mum who's an avid reader of books, get this ordered now!

Glamorous, beautiful Mummy has everything a woman could want... except for a daughter of her very own. So when she sees Kim - heavily pregnant, glued to her phone and ignoring her eldest child in a busy shop - she does what anyone would do. She takes her. But little foul-mouthed Tonya is not the daughter that Mummy was hoping for.

Meanwhile Kim is demonised by the media as a 'scummy mummy', who deserved to lose Tonya and ought to have her other children taken too. Haunted by memories of her own childhood and refusing to play by the media's rules, she begins to spiral, turning on those who love her.

Though they are worlds apart, Mummy and Kim have more in common than they could possibly imagine. But it is five-year-old Tonya who is caught in the middle...

I was highly intrigued by this book and more than thankful to be given the chance to read it (thank you Viper Books).

This book is thrilling, in truth actually that is an understatement, it is disturbing whilst remaining overwhelmingly compelling.

Motherhood but not as we know it.

THIS MOTHER'S DAY YOU WILL CALL HER MUMMY

When a young girl vanishes from a shop, one mother is left distraught whilst another is finally assuming the role in which she was born to take on, or so she believes.

Scary, sinister and surprising.

Call Me Mummy isn't your typical thriller.

It looks deep into the emotions and sometimes realities that mothers can and do go through and the realisms of being a parent and this isn't just about the mums which is refreshing to read. Showing that it isn't all easy.

Told from three differing perspectives. One simply known as Mummy and the second a mum called Kim who is now going through all the stages of guilt and loss not knowing where her daughter is or if she's even alive. And then there's the third, Tonya.

Chapters are kept relatively short, this I felt really added to the atmosphere and drama of it all. It certainly gave the book a sense of urgency.

CALL ME MUMMY. IT'LL BE BETTER IF YOU DO. 

This is a story that although dark and quite honestly distressing at times, it is also utterly gripping.

I didn't want to put it down.

With themes of abuse, alcoholism and mental health problems, I feel as though this novel may become quite a difficult read for some. However I would urge anyone to persevere with it. There's a lot to be learnt from the behaviours displayed over the pages. 

My only negative was that the little girls narrative felt too grown up. Tonya was what I'd describe as a brave and spirited little girl but the things she was saying/shouting were not what a child of that age would - in my opinion - be able to articulate in the manner in which she did.

Call Me Mummy is entirely unexpected (in a good way) and for a debut novel, it deserves high praise indeed.

For more reviews and insights please do follow the rest of the blog tour outlined below: