She Treads Softly: The Mother Upstairs

Saturday, February 7, 2026

The Mother Upstairs

The Mother Upstairs by Becca Day
3/2/26; 272 pages
Bookouture

The Mother Upstairs by Becca Day is a highly recommended psychological thriller which moves at a lightning fast pace. Take note that it should be titled The Mother-in-law Upstairs. In the opening before Mellie’s wedding to Henry her future mother-in-law, Pauline Winslow, confronts her saying, "I know your secret and I will not let you marry my son." After which the narrative jumps ahead two months and we learn that her mother-in-law had a stroke following this declaration.

Now Pauline is moving back home the home where Mellie and Henry currently live. She is purportedly completely incapacitated and requires for for everything, but Mellie has reason to believe Pauline is more capable than she's letting on. Mellie knows that Pauline will expose her secret, but Mellie is also looking into Pauline's secrets. While doing so, she discovers a secret of Henry's.

This is an entertaining, fast-paced psychological popcorn thriller that will hold your complete attention throughout and is exactly what you are looking for from Becca Day. Set all your disbelief aside and go with the flow. There is no way to predict where the plot is heading. Secrets abound and seem to multiply everywhere. As the unsettling narrative unfolds readers will begin to learn about some of these secrets, which all lead up to the revelation of what was Mellie's huge secret and an absolutely over-the-top final scene.

Mellie is a character that you will support and hope she comes out safe at the end. You know she had a tough childhood. As more and more secrets are exposed, her fear and anxiety is ever present and growing. It is clear that a threat is present and she must expose it. Pauline is the obvious antagonist, but she is bedridden, right? Or is she? And what's up with her loving husband Henry.

The Mother Upstairs is a good choice for those who enjoy fast-paced psychological thrillers. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

No comments:

Post a Comment

John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.