The Stepmother

by Sheila Bugler

'Had more twists than a corkscrew there was always another twist or piece of action that kept my attention. A truly fantastic book!... I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, holding my breath until the nail-biting finale. A must read for psychological thriller fans!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Talk about a whirlwind of a plot! It's fast-paced and most definitely thrilling... A twisty, twisty tale that just rolls with the punches! As it unfolded I was almost inhaling the book!... Fabulous read!!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It is a day like any other when Sarah arrives at the school gate to pick up her two stepchildren, Izzy and Patrick.

But when the twins don't run out to meet her like normal, Sarah knows something must be wrong.

Sarah can't believe what she's hearing when the teacher informs her that their father, Mike, removed them from school earlier in the day. All of Sarah's calls to Mike go to voicemail.

Worse is to come when Sarah is told by police that as she and Mike are not legally married, and he is the children's father, there is nothing they or Sarah can do.

Then she receives a text message from Don't go home. It's not safe.

What has Mike been hiding? Where are their children? How can Sarah get her family back? Before it's too late...

Everyone is gripped by The Stepmother:

'The tension builds brilliantly, and the action never lets up, which kept me completely hooked from start to finish... The twists were genuinely unexpected' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Gripping psychological thriller with strong emotional depth and plenty of suspense... Fantastic' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'An action-packed plot... Gripping is an understatement... The kind of book you start, then barely put down until you reach the shocking and unexpected conclusion. A fabulous psychological thriller that fully deserves five stars' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 24, 2026

About the author

I'm the author of the Ellen Kelly and Dee Doran crime novels. My first stand alone novel, The Lucky Eight, is published in July 2021.

I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.

Reviews

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books ease you in gently. This one grabbed me by the collar in the prologue and said, You're not sleeping tonight. And it was absolutely right.

The story opens with a woman trapped in an abusive, controlling relationship. She’s terrified, newly pregnant, and planning her escape. The tension is immediate, and I was invested before Chapter 1 even began.

Then Chapter 1 shifts to what appears to be a normal day. Sarah is heading out to pick up the kids from school. Her husband Mike is acting a little strange, and she can’t find the car keys. No big deal… except Mike rarely takes the car. When Sarah arrives at school, the kids are gone. Mike picked them up early after telling the school Sarah had been in a terrible accident. Then Sarah receives a text from him: Don’t go home. It’s too dangerous.

And just like that, . From that moment on, I was completely hooked.

What I loved most about this book was the constant uncertainty. Nothing and no one was what they seemed. Every time I thought I had things figured out, something shifted. The pacing was tight, the suspense kept building, and I genuinely didn’t know who to trust.

I trusted Sarah, the stepmother, throughout the entire book. Her reactions felt authentic and grounded, even when her secrets started to surface. I understood why she made the choices she did, which made the emotional stakes even higher.

But everyone else? Suspicious. All of them. Paloma, the helpful friend who sometimes acted ... unexpectedly. Mike, the children’s father. Surely I should trust him ... right? Sarah’s brother, believed dead for twenty years, suddenly reappearing. Helpful? Maybe. Maybe not. Alasdair, the kind, wealthy businessman looking to buy Mike’s company and eager to help. Or is he? Then the children’s godmother, who I absolutely did not trust, is murdered, Sarah becomes the police’s number one suspect, and the entire time I’m thinking:

What the Fuzzy Kitty? There will be no sleep tonight.

This book made me feel tense, suspicious, and completely invested. I kept reading “just one more chapter” and ended up staying up far too late. By the time I finished, I had a full-blown book hangover, which is always the sign of a great psychological thriller. Thank heavens I don't have any responsibilities tomorrow.

The plot itself was twisty and layered, with strong pacing and well-timed reveals. I especially appreciated that the twists felt earned rather than forced. And the ending delivered. It was satisfying, including outside-the-system justice, and best of all, no loose ends.

If I had one small critique, it’s that the sheer number of suspicious characters occasionally made me second-guess everyone at once, but honestly, that also added to the tension and kept me turning pages. So even that worked in the book’s favor.

Content warnings include themes of domestic abuse, controlling relationships, and violence, which may be difficult for some readers.

This is a top-tier psychological thriller that will appeal to readers who enjoy twisty plots, unreliable characters, and high emotional stakes. If you like stories where you trust no one and question everything, this one is absolutely worth picking up. Five stars, no question. I am already recommending it.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing this advanced copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[read.with.cherise · Rating 4 out of 5]

- 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓽𝓮𝓹𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 [ꜱʜᴇɪʟᴀ ʙᴜɢʟᴇʀ]

Rating: ★★★★

author; @sheilabuglerauthor

My first ARC of 2026 from @netgalley — and what an absolute read! 🤯

This story follows Sarah, who goes to collect her twins from school only to discover they aren’t there. What starts as a normal school pick-up quickly turns into every parent’s worst nightmare, and from that moment the tension never lets up.

This book had me hooked right from the prologue. I devoured it within 24 hours, which honestly doesn’t happen to me very often. It’s been such a long time since I’ve read one that completely pulled me in and refused to let go.

The plot was incredibly well done and the pacing kept me turning the pages constantly. The twists and turns had me questioning absolutely everyone. I didn’t trust a single character except Sarah and even then I found myself wondering if there was more going on. I love a thriller that keeps you guessing, and this one absolutely delivered.

I kept telling myself “just one more chapter,” but before I knew it I had finished the book in two sittings because I had to know what was going to happen next. The suspense, the mystery, and the constant sense that something wasn’t quite right made this such an addictive read.

This was my first time reading anything by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last. I loved everything about this book - the plot, the tension, and the way it kept me completely invested in the story from beginning to end.

If you love psychological thrillers that keep you guessing and make you question everyone, this is definitely one to pick up.

🖤 psychological thriller
🖤 trust no-one
🖤 domestic abuse
🖤 hidden secrets
🖤 murder
🖤 estranged siblings
🖤 violence
🖤 revealed truths

🏷️ #bookstagram #homelibrary #booklover #bookshelves bookworm

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved The Stepmother by Sheila Bugler—it’s exactly the kind of psychological read I enjoy. The tension builds brilliantly, and the action never lets up, which kept me completely hooked from start to finish. I really appreciated how the story unfolded, with revelations revealed at just the right moments to keep the suspense high. The twists were genuinely unexpected, and the ending didn’t go the way I thought it would at all, but I really liked how everything was wrapped up—it felt both satisfying and impactful.
Sarah was a standout character for me. I loved her fierce, protective nature—like a true tigress fighting for her cubs—and I thought she handled everything thrown at her incredibly well. The characters overall were so well drawn and realistic that I found it easy to picture both them and the scenes as I read.
There are so many secrets woven into the story, and the writing is clear, concise, and perfectly paced. Sheila Bugler does a fantastic job of keeping the reader engaged throughout, and this is definitely an author I want to read more from.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read, with action that built up as the story continued. It centers on Sarah, who goes to pick her twins up at school only to realize that her partner Mike has already taken them with no explanation. The rest of the book is Sarah trying to get them back while at the same time investigating the secrets Mike was hiding. Of course she has secrets of her own too.

Sarah acted like I would expect of someone in this situation as she untangled the various clues to figure out what was happening. There were some things that I felt she was a little slow to pick up on, but I enjoyed being along for the ride as she figured stuff out. While I thought it was pretty clear who the culprit was early in the book, I enjoyed following the breadcrumbs. I thought the ending of the book was realistic for the story and the characters, though I suspect some won't be satisfied.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend to those who enjoy psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done! This is a solid thriller with lots of action and twists galore. Not earth shattering twists but decent and interesting. You can figure out some of the twists but it is still ok and won’t impact your enjoyment of the book. It’s a fast read with relatively short chapters and good pacing. The characters were consistent and their actions made good sense for the most part. This feels like a fun pulpy beach read for hot summer days. This is my first book by the author but I would definitely pick up her other novels!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced review copy for honest review!

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an early copy of The Stepmother. This was a really good read. What an Awesome and sometimes Terrifying plot! There were plenty of parts that were obvious but that didn’t stop the book from being suspenseful. I always knew there was something about Paloma. Very well written, many emotions and the ending I was sad the way it turned out for Sarah and Mike. Thank you again, I loved it.