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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller

325 pages, Kindle Edition

First published 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

[Meg]

Some gripping moments. I enjoyed the fact that for once, the stepmother isn’t a crazy witch who wants to get rid of the kids.

[Manveen M (booksandcoffeerecss)]

ARC Review!!!

Genre: Suspense Thriller
Author: @sheilabuglerauthor
Publication: 24/Sep/2026

Book Tropes:
• London Location
• Trust Issues
• Parents Identity Issues

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Suspense that keeps you reading till the end!!!
FMC’s husband and children gone missing all together and it turns out, her husband is the one who takes them from their school. 🏫

Who is the real father or mother of the children???
Well! This book keeps you wondering upon this question over and over again, and that’s exactly what makes it so addictive, that you will be hooked till the end.

This book has a really strong start!!!
It’s written in a way that keeps you awake, the only reason i gave it 3.50 stars is because it feels a little dragged like if it’s a short book or has more elements then it will be more interesting. But overall, It was a good engaging read.

[Jannelies]

How nice to read a domestic thriller where the stepmother isn’t the horrible person she so often is in this genre.

Sarah and Mike are a happy couple, and live with ‘their’ two children in a nice home. The children are Mikes by his former wife Lauren, who sadly passed a way. Sarah adores the children; she’s been taken care of them for the past six years. One day, she goes to collect the children from school and they are not there. Mike picked them up. But why? She didn’t ask him to do that – and moreover, they seem to have disappeared now. Mike’s taken her car and her children, but little else. Since
Sarah isn’t married to Mike and she never adopted the children, there is nothing the police can do.
The only thing Sarah can do is try and find out herself what happened and above all else: why?
By the end of the book we’ve read a story full of unexpected twists and turns, and it also ends with another unexpected twist. This story is all about love and trust, and how to deal with unexpected events that can lead to having to decide who you really can trust.

An entertaining story with interesting characters.

[Chloe]

#Gifted

The Step Mother is the brand new book from bestselling author Sheila Bugler. Like its predecessors, this is a gripping crime fiction that you’ll struggle to put down.

Sarah does the school run as usual but instead of finding her twins running out to her, she meets their teacher who tells her their father Mike picked them up earlier in the day following an apparent family emergency. This is news to Sarah who starts to panic when all of her calls to Mike go to voicemail. The police are no help because technically Sarah and Mike aren’t married and she hadn’t adopted the kids, so legally she has no standing. Terrifyingly Sarah then receives a text saying “don’t go home. It’s not safe.”
Things soon go from bad to worse and Sarah has to work out what secrets Mike has been hiding from her before it’s too late.

Oh I was hooked on this one! I read it over two nights and couldn’t put it down. It’s almost impossible to trust anyone in this book but I was absolutely rooting for Sarah the whole way through. It’s great to read a step mother character who actually loves her step kids like they’re her own, not always the case in a lot of thrillers!

I also spent most of the book trying to work out what was going on, to little success!

This is a twisty one.

If you like a crime/thriller that keeps you guessing, this is the book for you! Out today!

[Sandra Vd Donk]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Stepmother by Sheila Bugler
Published by @hodderstoughton

OUT NOW!!!

Sarah and Mike are a happy couple with the kids from Mike's former wife Lauren.
Lauren sadly died.
Sarah is a great stepmom to the kids and she loves them so much.
One day she is gonna pick the kids up from school but they are not there.
She finds out that Mike picked them up.
They are just disappeared.
Police is not gonna do anything because Sarah never adopted the kids.
But why is Mike gone with the kids in her car and left everything behind?

This is not the crazy, wicked stepmother story.
I was really locked in this story and was on the edge of my seat.
I also wanted to know what was going on.

[Chelsey Pryce]

Thank you to the author for sending me an e-read of this book, all reviews are my own.

This is my first book by this author and I will be looking up her others to read now too.
This one had me hooked early on and the further in I got the easier it was to say 'just one more chapter'. The chapters themselves are reasonably short which I prefer, especially in this genre. I found myself suspicious of almost everyone at one point or another as there are many lies uncovered among the characters. These were easy enough to keep track of though, with some answers given as we move through the story rather than all coming at the end. This was a quick read with a great twisty storyline.

[Aisha Faisal]

Some thrillers slowly build tension. This one threw me straight into panic from the very first pages.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sheila Bugler, and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The prologue alone was enough to hook me completely. A terrified pregnant woman quietly planning her escape from an abusive and controlling partner while carefully monitoring every expression, movement, and word she says instantly created this suffocating atmosphere of fear. What made it even more unsettling was the psychological control woven into every interaction.

And before I had even recovered from that tension, Chapter One completely shifted direction.

Sarah is living what seems like a normal life — school runs, work deadlines, family routines. Then she arrives to pick up her twins from school and discovers they’re gone. Mike, her partner, picked them up early after telling the school that Sarah had been in a terrible accident. Then Sarah receives the text: Don’t go home. It’s too dangerous.

That was the exact moment this book fully grabbed me. What I loved most was how the story turned something so ordinary into something terrifying. Sarah’s panic never felt exaggerated or overly dramatic; it felt painfully believable. I especially appreciated how she initially tries to rationalise everything before the fear truly sinks in. You can feel her world slowly beginning to unravel, chapter by chapter.

The pacing was incredibly addictive. Every chapter ended with another revelation, suspicious interaction, or unsettling discovery that made it impossible to stop reading. What made the story even stronger was the constant uncertainty surrounding the characters. I trusted Sarah because her reactions felt emotionally authentic, but almost everyone else made me suspicious at some point. Mike’s presence hangs over the entire story even when he’s absent, creating this constant sense of unease.

Paloma added another interesting layer of tension because even during supportive moments, I was never fully convinced of her intentions. Every time I thought I finally understood what was happening, the story shifted again.

I also liked how the novel explored Sarah’s vulnerability beyond simply fearing for her children. The fact that she and Mike aren’t legally married becomes deeply important once things begin spiralling, forcing Sarah to realise how fragile her position really is.

The atmosphere throughout the novel felt claustrophobic, paranoid, and emotionally intense. Even moments that should have felt comforting carried an underlying sense of danger. The twists genuinely worked for me, too. A lot of thrillers begin strongly and then collapse under ridiculous late-game reveals, but this one stayed emotionally grounded while still delivering shocking turns. The story becomes far darker and more layered than it first appears, moving beyond a missing-children mystery into something involving manipulation, trauma, hidden crimes, and buried secrets.

I also appreciated that the ending didn’t feel rushed or unrealistically neat. It acknowledged the emotional aftermath while still giving a satisfying conclusion.

If I had one small criticism, it’s that at times, absolutely everyone felt suspicious to the point where I was side-eyeing every character who breathed. But honestly, that paranoia also made the reading experience more fun because I genuinely never knew who to trust.

My Perspective:

This was one of those psychological thrillers that completely consumes your attention while reading it. Tense, addictive, emotionally charged, and impossible to put down. If you enjoy domestic thrillers filled with unreliable characters, escalating tension, emotional stakes, and twists that constantly make you question everything, I’d absolutely recommend this one.☝️

[Serena]

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.

[Tanya]

This story immediately pulled me in with a situation that feels disturbingly ordinary—until it isn’t. What struck me most is how cleverly the narrative transforms a routine moment into a spiraling nightmare. A school pickup, something so mundane and familiar, becomes the point of rupture, and from there, the tension never really loosens its grip.

From my perspective as a reader, I found myself deeply aligned with Sarah. There’s something profoundly unsettling about her position—not just because the children are missing, but because of how quickly her role in their lives is rendered fragile and almost invisible. That detail—that she is not legally married to Mike—hit particularly hard. It introduces a layer of helplessness that goes beyond emotional panic; it becomes institutional. You can feel her desperation intensify not only because she fears for the children, but because she realizes she may not even have the right to fight for them.

The pacing of the story, at least from what this premise promises, feels sharp and anxiety-driven. Each revelation escalates the stakes: first the absence of the children, then Mike’s silence, then the legal dead-end, and finally that chilling message—“Don’t go home. It’s not safe.” That last line, for me, is where the story truly shifts from a domestic thriller into something darker and more psychologically complex. It suggests that the danger isn’t just external; it’s embedded within the life Sarah thought she knew.

What I personally appreciate is how the story seems to play with trust and perception. Mike’s character becomes a haunting presence—absent, yet central. The question isn’t just where is he? but who is he? That sense of betrayal, of living beside someone whose secrets could unravel everything, is something that lingers with me as a reader. It taps into a very real fear: that the people closest to us might be the ones we understand the least.

Emotionally, I imagine this story would be exhausting in the best way. It’s the kind of narrative that keeps your mind racing, constantly trying to piece together clues while also feeling the protagonist’s panic. I find stories like this particularly compelling because they don’t rely solely on action—they thrive on uncertainty, on the slow, suffocating realization that something is deeply wrong.

If I were to reflect critically, I would say the success of the story will ultimately depend on how it resolves these tensions. A premise this strong creates very high expectations. The mystery around Mike, the children’s disappearance, and the ominous warning all demand a payoff that is both surprising and emotionally satisfying. As a reader, I would want the resolution to not only explain the events but also justify the intense psychological buildup.

Overall, from my point of view, this story feels like a gripping domestic thriller that explores vulnerability, legality, trust, and fear in a very intimate way. It’s the kind of narrative that would keep me turning pages late into the night—not just to find out what happens, but to understand how everything that seemed normal could unravel so completely.

[Mona Sami]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *The Stepmother* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

*The Stepmother* is a tense and emotionally charged psychological thriller about family, secrecy and how quickly a person can lose everything when their place within a family has never been legally protected. Sarah arrives at school expecting to collect her stepchildren, twins Izzy and Patrick, only to be told that their father, Mike, removed them earlier that day. He is not answering her calls, and Sarah has no idea where any of them have gone.

The situation becomes even more frightening when the police explain that Sarah and Mike are not legally married. Despite loving and caring for the twins as her own, she has no automatic parental rights and very little power to demand answers. Then Mike sends her a disturbing message warning her not to return home because it is not safe. Sarah is left trying to find the children while questioning what her partner has been hiding and whether the family life she trusted was ever as secure as she believed.

Sarah’s position is the strongest aspect of the novel. Her love for Izzy and Patrick is genuine, but legally she is treated almost like an outsider. That powerlessness gives the story emotional depth beyond the mystery itself. The novel also explores the complicated role of a stepmother, particularly the expectation that she should accept all the responsibilities of a parent without necessarily receiving the same recognition or protection.

The story moves quickly, with short chapters, new discoveries and constant uncertainty surrounding Mike’s motives. Sarah is forced to reconsider their relationship and examine the inconsistencies she previously overlooked. I enjoyed the way each answer created another question, particularly as it became increasingly unclear whether Mike had disappeared to protect his family or because he was responsible for placing them in danger.

Some of the later twists and character decisions require suspension of disbelief, and the number of revelations occasionally makes the plot feel slightly overcomplicated. However, the urgency of the missing children, Sarah’s emotional connection to them and the warning not to return home kept me invested throughout.

Overall, *The Stepmother* is an addictive and suspenseful psychological thriller with a gripping opening and a sympathetic central character. It combines domestic secrets with a genuinely frightening examination of how vulnerable a stepparent can become when a relationship suddenly collapses. Despite a few less convincing developments, it was tense, twisty and difficult to put down.

[Barbara Schultz]

Title: The Stepmother
Author: Sheila Bugler
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: September 24, 2026
My Rating: 4.4 Stars
Pages: 288

Sarah and her partner Mike have lived together for five years and have a lovely home in Cator Estate on a beautiful
tree-lined street. She loves being a Stepmother to his twins, and is happy being a mom doing routine family things.
Sarah had dropped off nine-year-old Lizzy and Patrick at St. Bartholomew Prep (a pricey private school) and
then return home. She is a freelance writer and just got a new assignment that she needs to work on.
She overhears Mike on the phone and he seems upset. He has his own PR business and says something
about an unhappy client then drops the subject. She goes back to working on her job and when she finishes, she is aware
it close to time to pick up the twins from school. This is the last day of the term so she knows they will be anxious.
When she goes downstairs Mike isn’t home, additionally, she notices that her car isn’t in the driveway. Mike
doesn’t like to drive but for some reason he took her car.
She approaches her friend Paloma who is fine with taking her to pick up the kids. However, when they get to school, the children aren’t there. Sarah talks with their teacher Miss Hardy who is surprised to see Sarah and tells her Mr. Williams, their dad picked them up early because she had been in a terrible accident. Sarah wants to speak with the principal Judith Simms who is a long-time friend of Mike’s family and the children’s godmother. When they enter Ms. Simms’ office she is s also surprised to see Sarah and states the same thing as Miss Hardy. Confirming that Mike came around noon upset said there was an emergency and had to take the children.

Confused and wondering if the phone call had something to do with Mike’s behavior.

While in the Principal’s office she receives a text message – Don’t Go Home it is too dangerous!
Of course, she goes home hoping to find Mike but he nor the children are there. But in the middle of the night
she hears someone in the house.

Wow! This story got far more involved than I had expected or anticipated. Great read!
I am already looking forward to my next Sheila Bugler story!

I want to thank NetGalley, and Hodder & Stoughton Publishers for this great eGalley.
Publishing date Scheduled for September 24, 2026.

[bookedupnurse]

It seems like just another day when Sarah arrives at the school gate to collect her two stepchildren, Izzy and Patrick. But when the twins don’t run out to meet her like normal, Sarah knows something is wrong. She cannot believe what she is hearing when the teacher informs her that their father, Mike, removed them from school earlier in the day. All her calls to him go to voicemail and when she reports them missing, as she has no legal responsibility for the children, there is nothing they nor Sarah can do. She is deflated. Surely Mike hasn’t left her? But then a text message from Mike appears: Don’t go home. It’s not safe.

What has Mike been hiding? Where are their children? As the number of crimes start mounting, can Sarah get her family back before it’s too late?

A strong prologue and the book just continues to get better! The book focuses on Sarah as the main narrator who is really likeable and well developed by SB. Despite us finding out she has told lies about her past, she does seem a reliable, authentic narrator. During her emotional panic, we can sense her desperation and helplessness as well as the legality of Sarah’s relationship with children she has raised as her own. This was a heartbreaking realisation to read.

The involvement of unexpected people from Sarah and Mike’s past was really well done and made the book feel even more claustrophobic! I didn’t know who to trust as thrillers have me doubting everyone! As more clues come to light, it is clear which direction the story is going, but it doesn’t ruin it. The intense build up at towards the ending was so exciting and satisfying!

A fast paced, dark story with a great plot, short chapters, misdirection, paranoia, betrayal and past secrets that bubble to the surface. This is my first read of SB’s work and I would highly recommend this story for those who enjoy psychological thriller with a domestic element.

*TW - discussion of domestic violence throughout the book*

Thank you to NetGallery, Hodder and Stoughton and Sheila Bugler for the ARC of this book!

[Andria Lambert]

This is the first book I have read by this author. I did enjoy it and will be interested in reading other works.

In The Stepmother, the story starts with a prologue in which a pregnant woman is trying to make her escape from an abusive situation. Then, the next part kind of confused me because the direction completely shifted from where the story started in the prologue, to a mother(Sarah)going to pick up her children from school and finding that her partner(Mike) has already picked them up. He's then not answering phone calls but at some point he sends her a message telling her not to go home because it's not safe. Mike and the children disappear and Sarah cannot find or reach them. The police refuse to do anything because she's not the actual mother of the children but the stepmother and she's not married to Mike. She does go home where then someone breaks in and she recognizes this person from her past, who gives her some information. She realizes something from the words of the conversation that is a potential clue. She then tries finding out information about Mike's activities and associates around the time of these events to try to piece together what is going on and to find Mike and the children. A good lady friend of Mike's is then murdered and Sarah is considered a suspect. There are quite a few twists and turns in the story which I don't want to go through as to spoil all the story. There are several very suspicious characters that come into play in the story, and I went back and forth on who might be a potential villain. It was interesting how everything all connected up. A story where secrets don't stay secret. I thought the pacing of the story was good, it was one of those stories you kept wanting to read to find out what happens next, the reveals were well timed to keep me fully invested in finishing the story and I was well entertained.

Thank you Netgalley and Hoddard and Stoughton for the complimentary copy of the story.

[read.with.cherise]

- 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

[Leanne]

The Stepmother hooked me from its opening moment of quiet, everyday normality—the kind that feels safe right up until it isn’t. Sarah arriving at the school gates, expecting the familiar rush of Izzy and Patrick into her arms, only to be met with an empty space and a teacher’s uneasy expression… it’s such a simple scene, but it lands with a thud of dread that never quite lets up.

What follows is a tense, spiralling unravelling of a family built on love, trust, and the fragile hope that blended lives can knit together seamlessly. Sarah’s panic feels so raw and immediate, especially as she realises how little power she has in the eyes of the law. The way the ground shifts beneath her—one moment she’s a mother in every way that matters, the next she’s told she has no rights at all—gives the story a sharp emotional edge.

Mike’s disappearance, the unanswered calls, and then that chilling text—Don’t go home. It’s not safe.—turn the novel into a breathless race for answers. I loved how the tension builds not through shock tactics but through the slow, creeping sense that Sarah has been living alongside secrets she never even thought to question. Every revelation feels like a door opening into a darker room.

The pacing is tight, the atmosphere claustrophobic in the best way, and Sarah’s determination to protect the children—despite every obstacle thrown at her—makes her incredibly easy to root for. There’s a real emotional heartbeat beneath the twists, a reminder of how vulnerable love can make us and how fiercely we fight for the people we claim as our own.

Gripping, unsettling, and surprisingly tender in its quieter moments, The Stepmother is the kind of domestic thriller that keeps you reading long after you meant to stop, driven by equal parts fear and hope.

With thanks to Shelia Bugler, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

[Ifeanyi Omoike]

The Stepmother is a book loaded with suspense and emotions that made me not want to stop reading. I had to keep going to see how it ended.

At the beginning of the story, Sarah’s boyfriend, Mike, takes his two children away from school and disappears without a trace. Sarah keeps trying to find them, and in her search, she discovers many shocking truths about Mike and about herself. The story unfolds through a fast-paced psychological thriller filled with deep secrets and buried emotional trauma.

I enjoyed the suspense and the way the emotions were displayed so vividly. It felt like I was right there with Sarah, experiencing her worry, fear, and shock all rolled into one. It was so difficult knowing who to trust, and at some point, I felt like Sarah couldn’t trust anyone either. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and discoveries.

I really wish Sarah had actually been a stepmother to the children, in the sense that she had been married to Mike or had already legally adopted them. I think that would have made her love for them, as well as her kindness and worry toward them, even more meaningful to me. It would have also made the unique, kind and loving stepmother trope more meaningful.

I also felt like there were too many threads and clues. At the end of the day, I kept wondering why there had to be so many. Some almost felt like they were there just for the sake of being there, and a few parts felt unnecessary.

Overall, this was a fast-paced thriller with loads of suspense and emotion that kept me reading until the end. I was sad about the way it ended, though. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but when you read it, you’ll find out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[halfserious]

Unless you have peculiar reading habits, your first contact with this book will be the prologue. It’s a great one, don’t get me wrong - one of those delicious prologues that throw you directly into the eye of the storm - but it cannot prepare you for what’s coming, nor can it truly measure up to the rest of this magnificent, thrilling book about Sarah, a stepmother whose life is turned upside down one day when she discovers her stepchildren she’s supposed to be picking up from school have already been picked up by their father, her partner Mike. who isn’t answering his phone, and nobody can (or will?) tell her what on earth is going on.

I will probably never be able to properly express my gratitude for writers who know how to describe their characters (just enough details that you can quickly understand the gist of a person, without unnecessary ideas being hammered home when there’s no need to do so) and how to properly pace their books (anything that could qualify as too out of the blue or outlandish is out of the question for me when it comes to the way the narrative is progressing), and Sheila Bugler hit the nail on the head in both regards with this book.

The pervasive sense of urgency accompanying you from page one is a nice additional touch, as are all the multi-faceted complexities of Sarah’s and Mike’s life, compounded by the fact that they both appear to be hiding a whole lot from themselves and from one another. Be warned, though - this will be an insanely wild ride, so you better put on your metaphorical helmet and hold on tight to your metaphorical handlebars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Sheila Bugler for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Mihaela]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

Everyone has secrets. Some get you killed, others pull you into their mysteries until you find yourself digging for the truth so you can survive. Sarah has a secret, and during the course of the book, she finds out everyone around her has secrets of their own. But those secrets become dangerous when it involves the lives of her step-children.

The book shows us what makes a mother a mom, and to what ends she can go to find and protect her children. No matter who says otherwise, Sarah is a mother who will do anything she can to solve the mystery of her partner's disappearance together with his children.

Everyone in the book acts like their own person, driven by their will and secrets. Some react negatively, others hold on tight to what keeps them human, others make choices based on what they think is right. Sometimes, there is no right or wrong when it comes to decisions, just who is more desperate about making it.

Sarah is a distraught mother and partner, and fighting all odds to find her family, even if that means digging all the secrets her family has hidden. While at times I found her a bit gullible and distant when it comes to some matters, she fights tooth and nail for her loved ones.

The thriller aspect became a whirlwind after the bad guys revealed themselves, and you felt like you had to finish one more page until you find out what exactly is going to happen. I finished the book in a day just to make sure my hypothesis was correct, which was a bit predictable, but still entertaining.

[Cristina Rodrigues Silva]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

If I had to describe this book in a few points, I would say:
• Fast paced thriller
• Family secrets
• Multiple twists
• Suspense and tension
• Strong setup and payoff

This book honestly helped pull me out of a reading slump. The pacing was fast enough that I kept wanting to know what was going on, and the middle of the story was especially fun because there was so much information unfolding at once that I genuinely did not know how all the pieces connected.

What I enjoyed most was the payoff. The author introduced enough clues, twists, and characters to keep the story interesting without making it too confusing or overcrowded. In the end, most of the threads came together in a satisfying way, and I appreciated how everything connected back to earlier parts of the story.

That said, I think some of the reveals came a little too early. At a certain point, the book suddenly gives a lot of clues at once, and I started figuring things out shortly before the official reveal. I would have preferred the surprise to last a little longer because the buildup before that was done really well.

I also felt the ending was slightly rushed. Some of the biggest moments and action happened very quickly or were explained afterward instead of being fully experienced in real time, which made parts of the resolution feel a bit underwhelming compared to the tension built earlier in the story.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and engaging thriller with enough twists, tension, and family drama to keep me invested until the end

[Angel **Book Junkie**]

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Sheila Bugler for providing me with an advance copy of The Stepmother in exchange for an honest review.

This book was all over the roadway—and surprisingly, that's mostly a compliment.

From the very beginning, The Stepmother throws readers into chaos. Sarah's boyfriend disappears with two children in tow, and from there the story takes one sharp turn after another. Just when I thought I had a handle on what was happening, the plot swerved in a completely different direction. Psychopaths? Check. Wealthy families with secrets? Check. Questionable decisions and increasingly wild schemes? Oh, absolutely.

The pacing kept me engaged, and I genuinely wanted to know where this train wreck was headed. The problem was that after all the twists, tension, and drama, the ending felt a little too neat and sentimental for my taste. It wasn't exactly a romance, but it had the emotional wrap-up of one. After all the darkness and dysfunction, I expected something with a bit more bite.

That said, I can't deny that I was entertained. The mystery kept me guessing, the characters kept me side-eyeing everyone, and the story never stood still long enough for me to get bored.

Overall, The Stepmother is a twisty domestic thriller that delivers plenty of surprises, even if the final destination wasn't quite where I wanted the journey to end.

⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ 4 Stars

Final Verdict: Buckle up, keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times, and don't get too attached to your theories—this one takes the scenic route to crazy.

[Allie James]

4/5

The Stepmother is an action-packed thriller that really has you wondering what secrets the characters are hiding.

It follows Sarah, who arrives at her step-children's school to pick them up, like any normal day. However on this particular day, she finds out the children aren't there... and her partner sends her a message that she shouldn't go home because it's not safe. From there, it's non-stop action as Sarah attempts to find out where her partner has taken his kids and what they're on the run from.

This was a really compelling story that never seemed to let up. Sarah is a smart and determined main character who really follows any and all leads to their end. Her relationship with her partner, Mike, seems idyllic at first, but in hindsight becomes VERY suspicious and you do kind of wonder how on earth she missed all the signs, especially since she seems reasonably intelligent. Her backstory is also pretty interesting and kind of takes away your anger at Mike because she's hiding a bunch of stuff too.

Most of the other characters in the book immediately become suspects. It seems like everyone has pertinent information and Sarah has to get to the bottom of it while dealing with some seriously dangerous men.

I will say the ending is slightly predictable and a little bit anti-climactic only in the sense that it doesn't all add up. Mike's reasoning is a little dumb and never fully explained. But overall, this is still a really good, action-packed mystery with a mostly satisfying conclusion.

[Donna's Book Addiction Book review Arc Reader]

Book Review: The Stepmother by Sheila Bugler
Pub Date: 24 September 2026
The Stepmother is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that hooks you from the very first page and refuses to let go.
What starts as an ordinary school pickup quickly spirals into every parent’s worst nightmare. When Sarah arrives to collect her stepchildren and discovers they’ve been taken by their father, the tension escalates instantly. From that moment on, the story becomes a relentless race against time, layered with secrets, fear, and a growing sense of dread.
Bugler does an exceptional job of capturing Sarah’s vulnerability and frustration—especially the legal helplessness she faces as a stepmother. That emotional realism adds a powerful depth to the story, making it more than just a thriller; it’s a deeply unsettling exploration of family, trust, and how quickly everything can unravel.
The pacing is sharp and addictive, with short, tense chapters that make it almost impossible to put down. Just when you think you have a grasp on what’s happening, another twist pulls you deeper into the mystery. The ominous message—“Don’t go home. It’s not safe.”—lingers long after you’ve read it, setting the tone for a story filled with unease and suspicion.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers packed with tension, emotional stakes, and shocking reveals, The Stepmother is one to add to your list. It’s a compelling reminder that sometimes the people closest to us hold the darkest secrets.
**Rating: 5 🌟

[RK_reads]

Secrets and suspense abound in this adrenaline rush of a plot.

Sarah and her partner Mike have been together for five years. Though they are not married, she is, for all intents and purposes, step-mother to Mike's twins, Isobel and Patrick. All is well in their lives ‐ or so she thought ‐ until one fine day, Mike absconds with the kids, empties their bank accounts and leaves behind a cryptic message for Sarah to not go home because it is no longer safe. Nothing makes sense, until a ghost from the past resurfaces. As Sarah tries to untangle a messy knot of secrets and lies, she wonders whether Mike did a runner because he discovered her own murky past or whether itwas something more sinister.

From start to finish, this was one fast-paced thriller, with every chapter ending on a new reveal or plot twist. The story is narrated entirely through Sarah's POV, while Mike's POV is limited to one short chapter. The supporting characters were etched out as vividly as the protagonist. And so, it was a constant guessing game to see which one among them will turn out to be the adversary. To add fuel to the suspense, there are a handful of run-and-chase scenes to ensure the adrenaline keeps pumping throughout the read.

Overall, a decent thriller with a bittersweet ending. Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Read With Me Maybe]

Like any normal day, Sarah drops her step-children to school and heads back home to continue her freelance writing. When her partner Mike arrives home, Sarah greets him and instantly knows something is not quite right. Without wanting to stress him out further, Sarah heads back upstairs to continue her writing until its time to collect the twins. With an empty house, no car and Mike no longer home, Sarah enlists the help of her friend Paloma for the school pick up. Little does Sarah know that when she arrives at the school, the children have already been picked up by Mike and the trio are now missing. Sarah then receives a text from Mike "dont go home its not safe". Its now a race against the clock to pinpoint where Mike and the children are and why they have gone into hiding, leaving her behind. With appearances from past acquaintances, and hidden secrets coming to fruition, Sarah is on a mission to find the children safe and get them home where they belong.

I really enjoyed the plot to this book. It was really nice to have a book that shows the step parent in a favourable light, enjoying being a part of the children's lives. With short chapters, it was easy to follow the spider web of lies and deception throughout the book. I questioned every character and became suspicious of the smallest details. Definitely a book I would recommend for anyone looking for an easy 'popcorn thriller'. This book is proof that love conquers all - whether blood related or not

[Nanasbookreviews]

ARC Review
The Stepmother by Sheila Bugler

Sarah believed she had a wonderful life with her partner and his two children, raising the twins as if they were her own. She loved them all deeply. Then, one day, her life shattered. Mike picked the twins up from school and disappeared without a trace. Terrified and desperate, Sarah searched for them, but no one seemed to know what had happened. The deeper she dug, the more danger she found herself in, and the secrets that slowly came to light shocked her to the core. Would she ever see the children again?

This was an incredible psychological thriller that hooked me from the very first page. The story is fast-paced yet well written, filled with twists that left me speechless. I kept turning the pages, eager to discover what would happen next. So many secrets were revealed along the way, and the characters developed significantly by the end of the novel.

I especially loved Sarah. She was fierce, determined, and willing to fight for the children no matter the cost. The secondary characters also played strong and important roles in shaping the story. Although the ending wasn't exactly what I expected, it fit the plot perfectly.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers packed with suspense and shocking revelations, this is definitely a book worth picking up.

[Janine]

3.5 stars A psychological thriller where the stepmother isn’t the baddie. YEAH!

Sarah arrives at school to pick up her stepchildren, Izzy and Patrick who are twins. But they’re not there because she learns her husband, Mike, had picked them up earlier. If this isn’t crazy enough, Sarah learns from the police that she and Mike aren’t even married. Soon Sarah receives a text from Mike: “Don’t go home. It’s not safe.” Then she’s front and center in a murder case. Sarah’s world is spiraling out of control. Where are Mike and the children?

This book is fast paced and crazy as it twists and turn with a ferocity equal to Sarah’s search. It’s divided into consecutive days until the end once the story is wrapped up six months later. Each day in Sarah’s pursuit to find Mike and the twins is then divided into chapters that until the final one preceding the epilogue which goes into the past and clears up mystery - that you will need to find out by reading the book. The pacing keeps you on the edge of your chair.

I did get a little brain weary with all the tension and twists in the book as the it pushed on. This is only to say maybe a few twists weren’t necessary to my way of thinking but this doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great read because it was.

Readers who enjoy twisty tense and tortuous psychological thriller definitely need to read this one.

My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Paperbacks for allowing me access to this ARC.

[Khushwant Rakhecha]

This was the kind of thriller that caught my attention early and kept me curious about what was really going on. I liked how quickly the story established a sense of unease and then continued building the tension without unnecessary detours. Sarah’s situation made her easy to sympathize with, and I found myself invested in her attempts to uncover the truth and protect the people she cares about. The pacing was one of the highlights for me as it kept the story moving and made this a quick and engaging read.

However, while I enjoyed the overall experience, I wouldn't say every twist surprised me. Some of the plot elements felt familiar if you regularly read domestic or psychological thrillers, and I would have liked to see more development in some of the supporting characters. A few conversations also felt repetitive, while the conclusion seemed slightly rushed compared with the buildup. Even so, the suspense and emotional stakes kept me turning the pages, and I appreciated how the story continued to raise questions as it unfolded. I wouldn't describe this book as a groundbreaking thriller, but for readers looking for a straightforward, suspenseful story with emotional stakes and plenty of twists, I think it delivers an entertaining reading experience.

#TheStepmother #NetGalley

Rating:- 3/5

[Dani]

This one started out strongly by immediately setting the tone. We get a glimpse into the past of a woman being abused and trying to escape. The urgency of the situation came across very well, and I was rooting for her to get away from him.

In the present, we meet Sarah, who is in a happy relationship with Mike and his two children. When she arrives at their school to pick them up, she learns that her husband has already collected them. When she cannot reach him, it quickly becomes clear that something must have happened for him to run away with them.

Sarah also has a past of her own, having left her old life behind to start over somewhere new. The early chapters leave it unclear whether she is the same woman we met at the beginning. As Sarah begins to uncover things about her husband, I really felt for her. Not being the children's biological mother put her in a situation where she legally could not do anything, and her helplessness resonated with me. When the pieces finally came together and we learned what had really happened, I was eager to see how everything would unfold. Once I understood what was going on, I had a suspicion that it could only end one way.

Were some things a bit unrealistic for me? Yes, but that did not take away from the fact that this was a very entertaining read.

I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Keeva Savage]

3.5 ⭐

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and Sheila Bugler for allowing me to read an ARC of this book ! 🫶🏻

This book was fun for the most part. A good twisty decently paced book. There were times where I felt this all could've been avoided if there was a little communication, but again, stress and trauma would make anyone act irrational.

I felt so bad for Sarah the whole book, the fact she was left alone through it all ! No answers and had to navigate it for the most part, on her own. Loveee how she wasn't portrayed as the crazy one !!! 🥰

I hated the fact that she kept being told "they're not your kids", okay ?, but she raised them from young kids. Quite frustrating.

I loved to hate some characters, some slimy people 😩

Sarah needed to do some introspection talking about alcoholism in others when she was drinking for most of this book. Again, stress does things to people but my goodness.

And people love to forget in this book, that was the biggest frustation for me. 🫠

I felt at times it was mismashed together and it became a frustrating read at times, BUT, it was a good easy quick read and would probably read another book from this author. I wish there was more lore with Brendan.

[Tanya]

Sarah arrives at school one day to pick up twins as normal. But, not normal, the twins are nowhere to be seen. She is told they were picked up earlier by their dad because she had been involved in an accident. After, she receives a text from her husband telling her not to return home because it is not safe. And the story goes from there with Sarah desperate to find her husband and children and understand what is happening.

The author did a great job of providing a story that pulled me in. It did not seem to lag as some tend to do and kept momentum throughout. The storyline itself was not super outlandish although I did have to do a bit of a mental stretch to see how all of the intertwining of characters happened. I am not normally one to figure out what has happened early in a story but this one was the outlier. I pretty quickly picked up on what was happening but I still wanted to finish which is a plus. There are still quite a few typos, etc., that need a good edit but overall the writing was not bad and what I expect from a domestic suspense like this.

I did receive this book as an arc from NetGalley