You'll know immediately if this book is for you from the opening line:
"The missing boy is ten-year-old Alfie Risby, and to be perfectly honest with you, he's a little shit."
I initially picked up All the Other Mothers Hate Me because I was fascinated by the buzz surrounding the author and her book deal—and, thankfully, it did not disappoint.
Harman's background alone makes this debut worth noting. A "recovering journalist" living in London, she spent over a decade reporting major breaking news stories worldwide, most recently as a foreign correspondent for NBC News. With such a dynamic background, it's no surprise that her storytelling feels sharp, fast-paced, and layered.
This novel also didn't just enter the publishing world quietly—it exploded onto the scene. It was at the center of a nine-way auction, ultimately landing Harman a "significant deal" rumored to be in the seven-figure range. Adding even more excitement, The Bear creator Christopher Storer signed on to adapt the book for FX in 2023.
I'm not typically a big thriller reader, so it takes a lot to hook me. But this novel pulled me in. It hits all the right notes for fans of Big Little Lies and Finlay Donovan—a mix of sharp humor, suburban drama, and a compulsively readable mystery.
Florence Grimes is in a rut after the collapse of her promising girl band career. Instead of pursuing her dreams, she's delivering overpriced balloon arches to influencer events. But in her heart of hearts, Florence knows Mariah had a comeback. She, too, will find her Emancipation of Mimi moment to begin her singing career again. But it's not only financial struggles that have this singer down. She's also a single mom raising her ten-year-old son, Dylan, alone.
Just as she is about to have her comeback interview with a promising lead in the music industry, an incident at her son's private school changes everything. Alfie Risby, a problematic classmate, becomes a field trip partner with her son on a nature excursion. But when they return to school, the teachers realize that the pair is now down to one, and Dylan is the last person to have seen him.
Later, when Florence finds Alfie's backpack hidden in Dylan's room, she discovers a diary tucked inside with a chilling entry that says, "Dylan Palmer said he's going to kill me." She realizes she must put her music career on hold, get rid of this backpack, clear her son's name, and discover what REALLY happened to this mini heir to a frozen food empire.
Thankfully, she finds the perfect amateur sleuth accomplice in another single mother named Jenny, who works as an insurance lawyer but has always secretly wanted to be a private investigator.
This novel offers some surprising and laugh-out-loud twists as they get to the bottom of the mystery. It kept me guessing, but more importantly, I felt highly entertained. Florence is the kind of unlikable protagonist I love—insufferable, messy, and unapologetically flawed. I indulged in her antics, and Harman's writing made the experience deliciously fun.
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