This books was exactly what I needed after a period of heavier reads. This one felt like a true palette cleanser – fun, fast-paced, and just the right amount of messed up.
We meet Florence Grimes, a gloriously chaotic single mum with a past in a barely-famous girl band and a present that involves balloon arches and a lot of wine at inappropriate hours. She’s an outsider at her son’s fancy London school – she’s messy, impulsive, and wildly self-sabotaging.
The book kicks off with a school trip gone wrong: a boy goes missing, and Florence’s son, Dylan, is the last person to have seen him. Add in a suspicious backpack, a smattering of red herrings, and an unlikely friendship with another school mum turned amateur sleuth, and you’ve got the bones of a breezy thriller with serious mum lit sass.
What I Enjoyed:
- Florence Herself: She’s an absolute train wreck – but an entertaining one. Equal parts maddening and magnetic, I spent the entire book torn between rooting for her and wanting to shake some sense into her. I live for a complicated protagonist and Flo delivers in glittery, chaotic spades.
- That Tone: Darkly funny in all the right ways. There’s a definite Only Murders in the Building vibe here, though Flo’s motherhood and the stakes of a missing child give it an edge that feels a bit more emotionally fraught. Harman dances on that line between absurd and grounded really well.
- The Mystery Plot: It’s not the deepest crime fiction you’ll read, but it’s sharp enough to keep you flipping pages. I found myself second-guessing characters right up until the final few chapters – and I loved the little breadcrumb details sprinkled throughout.
My Take?
Look, it’s not without its flaws. Some of Florence’s choices – especially around Dylan – had me rolling my eyes. There are moments when the seriousness of the situation feels a little brushed over in favour of banter. And there’s one decision that Florence makes halfway through that honestly had me clutching at my imaginary pearls. But that’s also kind of the point – Florence isn’t meant to be comfortable or conventional. She’s flawed and raw and, deep down, completely devoted to her son. Even if she goes the wrong way about it.
Would I Recommend It?
Definitely – especially if you’re after a bit of a break from your usual reads. It’s juicy, dramatic, funny, and weirdly heart-warming in places. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, or anyone who loves a deliciously messy main character.
So yeah, maybe all the other mothers do hate Florence, but I kind of loved her.
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