Friends, THIS is the novel you should read this weekend. Okay, I’m not sure if that’s possible, as the pub date isn’t for a few days yet. But order a copy now and then take a day off from whatever you have planned to dive into this astonishing book.

Mother, Mother is Koren Zailckas’ first novel. It was heralded by the San Francisco Chronicle as, “Superbly unsettling…a firecracker thriller full of whip-smart psychological insights.” I picked this book right after reading Zailckas’ two memoirs, Smashed and Fury, because  I love her writing–she’s a genius with metaphor–and figured that if she was half as skilled with her fiction, her first novel would be a solid investment of time.

Talk about an understatement. This book is amazing. The same fine writing is evident, but it’s more subtle and controlled, creating the vivid tension the SFC review describes. I was so caught up in these characters I could barely put the book down to walk the dog or make dinner.  It will be weeks before I stop thinking about this story.

Seriously, order yourself a copy now :)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. (And I would have told you honestly if I didn’t like it, so you can believe me when I say that I did).