Hannah Beckerman’s Three Mothers is a taut, emotionally resonant domestic suspense novel that exposes the raw vulnerability of motherhood and the extraordinary lengths to which mothers will go to protect their children. Set against the backdrop of a tragic hit-and-run that claims the life of seventeen-year-old Isla Richardson, the novel peels back layers of secrets, betrayals, and deceptions that have far-reaching consequences for three families irrevocably connected by the accident.
What begins as a seemingly straightforward narrative about a grieving mother quickly evolves into a complex psychological exploration of maternal relationships. Beckerman demonstrates remarkable skill in portraying how grief can simultaneously unite and divide, how the past inevitably shapes the present, and how well we truly know those closest to us—especially our children.
A Masterclass in Multiple Perspectives
The novel’s structure is one of its greatest strengths. Alternating between three mothers—Abby (Isla’s mother), Nicole (best friend to Abby and mother to two teenage sons), and Jenna (mother to Callum, Isla’s ex-boyfriend)—Beckerman crafts distinct, authentic voices for each woman. These perspectives are interspersed with flashbacks of Isla in the months before her death, gradually revealing the secret relationships and betrayals that culminated in tragedy.
This narrative approach creates a mounting sense of unease as we slowly piece together what really happened the night Isla died. The emotional impact of the storytelling is heightened by the intimate portrayal of each mother’s fears, hopes, and desperate attempts to protect their children, often at considerable cost.
Devastating Characterization and Emotional Depth
Beckerman excels at creating nuanced, flawed characters who remain sympathetic despite their sometimes questionable choices:
- Abby Richardson: Widowed five years before Isla’s death, Abby’s grief is layered upon unimaginable grief. Her journey from devastation to discovery as she uncovers Isla’s secrets is rendered with excruciating authenticity. The complexity of her relationship with her younger daughter, Clio, living in Isla’s shadow but harboring her own dark feelings, is particularly compelling.
- Nicole Forrester: Affluent and seemingly perfect, Nicole’s carefully constructed life fractures when family secrets surface. Her maternal instinct to protect her son at all costs creates a moral dilemma that forces readers to question what they might do in her position.
- Jenna James: A single mother and social worker, Jenna fights prejudice and judgment to protect her son Callum, whose troubled past makes him an easy suspect. Her fierce defense of her child showcases the novel’s recurring theme: the fierce, primal nature of maternal protection.
- Isla Richardson: Though deceased at the novel’s opening, Isla emerges as a fully realized character through flashbacks. We witness her manipulation by an older man, her internal conflicts, and the burden of being the “perfect” daughter, student, and athlete. Her portrayal avoids the trap of victimhood, instead revealing a complex young woman making difficult choices.
A Tangled Web of Secrets and Lies
At its core, Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman is about secrets—how they fester, how they isolate, and how they eventually demand to be revealed. The novel examines how easily we can believe we know everything about those we love while being blind to crucial truths. Beckerman’s skill lies in making each revelation feel both shocking and inevitable, a natural extension of the characters’ established motivations.
The web of deception includes:
- Isla’s secret relationship with an older, married man
- Anonymous threatening emails sent to Isla
- Nicole’s protective lies following the accident
- Jenna’s concealment of Callum’s troubled past
- Clio’s hidden resentments toward her sister
Each secret creates ripples that affect all three families, demonstrating how interconnected their lives have become, for better or worse.
Critical Assessment: Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works Brilliantly
- Emotional authenticity: Beckerman renders grief, guilt, and moral ambiguity with unflinching honesty
- Pacing: The gradual unfolding of secrets creates escalating tension
- Character development: Each protagonist feels fully realized and distinct
- Moral complexity: There are no easy villains or heroes, just people making difficult choices
- Exploration of motherhood: The novel thoughtfully examines different maternal experiences and challenges
Some Minor Shortcomings
- Predictable elements: Certain plot developments, particularly regarding the identity of Isla’s lover, feel somewhat telegraphed
- Convenience: The narrative occasionally relies on coincidences that strain credibility
- Social commentary: While the novel touches on class divisions through Jenna and Callum’s experiences, this theme feels slightly underdeveloped compared to the psychological aspects
- Structural repetition: The multiple perspectives, while effective, sometimes cover the same ground and create some redundancy
A Thoughtful Exploration of Class and Social Prejudice
Through Jenna and Callum’s storyline, Beckerman examines how social prejudice and class differences impact perceptions and opportunities. Callum’s previous criminal involvement makes him an easy target for suspicion, highlighting how past mistakes can permanently taint someone’s reputation despite genuine efforts to change.
The contrast between Jenna’s working-class struggles and the privilege enjoyed by Abby and Nicole adds texture to the story, forcing readers to consider how socioeconomic advantages shape our lives and how quickly judgments are formed based on background rather than character.
The Final Twist: Shocking Yet Earned
Beckerman builds toward a dramatic revelation that reshapes our understanding of the entire narrative. What makes the twist effective is that it emerges organically from established character traits rather than feeling artificially imposed for shock value. The novel’s conclusion avoids neat resolution, instead offering a nuanced look at how the characters begin to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of tragedy.
The epilogue, set eleven months later, provides just enough closure while acknowledging that some wounds never fully heal—a bittersweet yet realistic ending that honors the complex emotions the novel has explored.
Comparison to Contemporary Domestic Suspense
Fans of Liane Moriarty, Lisa Jewell, and Louise Candlish will find familiar elements in Beckerman’s work, but she brings her own distinct emotional depth. While Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman shares the domestic suspense framework of these authors’ novels, it leans more heavily into the psychological and emotional consequences of its characters’ choices rather than plot-driven thrills.
Beckerman’s previous novels, including The Forgetting, The Impossible Truths of Love, and If Only I Could Tell You, demonstrate her consistent interest in family secrets and their emotional fallout. Three Mothers represents a refinement of these themes, with perhaps her most accomplished balance of suspense and character development to date.
Final Verdict: A Haunting, Thought-Provoking Read
Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman is a devastating, thought-provoking exploration of maternal love, grief, and the consequences of deception. While it offers the page-turning qualities of domestic suspense, its true strength lies in its emotional authenticity and its willingness to explore uncomfortable truths about family relationships.
Beckerman asks difficult questions: How well do we know our children? What would we sacrifice to protect them? Can we ever truly recover from devastating loss? She offers no easy answers, instead inviting readers to sit with the complexity of human relationships and the impossible choices parents sometimes face.
Though occasionally predictable and reliant on convenient plotting, the novel’s emotional impact and nuanced characterization outweigh these minor flaws. Three Mothers by Hannah Beckerman will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss, kept secrets, or questioned how far they would go to protect those they love—which is to say, nearly everyone.
