A Good Enough Mother

Starred review from February 11, 2019
As the director of a nationally renowned trauma therapy unit, London psychotherapist Ruth Hartland, the narrator of Thomas’s exceptional debut, most definitely knows better. But from her first glimpse in the waiting room of new patient Dan Griffin, when she momentarily mistakes him for her own troubled son, Tom (who disappeared a year and a half earlier at 17), she feels an instant emotional connection that will threaten her ability to maintain professional boundaries. Thomas, herself a former clinical psychologist with Britain’s National Health Service, hooks the reader with Ruth’s unblinking dual narratives. The first traces her doomed treatment of Dan, during which the pull to see him as a surrogate for Tom blinds her to the depth of his dysfunction and his potential for violence; the second focuses on the guilt-strewn shambles she has allowed her own life to become, including the breakdown of her marriage and estrangement from Tom’s twin sister, Carolyn. Thomas melds astute psychological insight with powerful storytelling in this moving thriller. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM.

February 15, 2019
An experienced psychotherapist's judgment is clouded by a new patient who reminds her of her missing 17-year-old son.Ruth Hartland has 25 years of service and is now an NHS Trauma Unit Director in London. The responsibility is tremendous, and her colleagues still don't know about her son Tom's disappearance more than a year ago. She couldn't stand the thought of pitying looks and doubts about her ability to cope. But she's not coping. Not really. Her marriage has fallen apart, and her relationship with Tom's twin sister, Carolyn, has frayed. So, when she meets new patient Dan Griffin, who bears a striking resemblance to Tom, she finds herself crossing vital boundaries. Dan experienced a brutal sexual assault and has been unable to cope ever since. Ruth has trouble obtaining records from his doctor, leaving critical gaps in her knowledge of his case. Dan is erratic, going from manic to thoughtful in one breath, and he attempts to push Ruth into revealing details about herself. This isn't unusual, but Ruth's practice is built on boundaries for a reason. Dan's very existence forces her to confront the events leading up to Tom's disappearance and question her abilities as a mother. Ruth obsesses over a website dedicated to the missing and relives her happiest and most harrowing moments with her troubled, sensitive son. Perhaps inevitably, an egregious lapse in judgment leads to an act of violence that changes the course of Ruth's life. Thomas expertly mines her own extensive experience as a psychologist to paint an intricate portrait of a mother in crisis who blames herself for her son's pain. Ruth's interactions with Dan and other patients are realistic and insightful, and Thomas' focus on society's expectations of mothers as well as the pressure they put on themselves will resonate. Ruth's fierce love for Tom gives the narrative its beating heart, and the conclusion strikes a hopeful note and avoids an overly neat resolution.A suspenseful and emotionally stirring debut.

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March 1, 2019
Ruth Hartland is the well-respected head psychotherapist of the trauma unit at a London clinic, treating patients using the transference model, in which, within the established boundaries of the therapy session, the patient projects feelings onto the therapist. Ruth is also a mother to adult twins. One twin, Tom, disappeared a year and a half ago, and Ruth is not quite aware that she has not fully processed her grief. Then trauma patient Dan enters the clinic, and his resemblance to Tom is uncanny. Though Dan's story is different from Tom's, Ruth and Dan's therapeutic relationship quickly becomes entwined, verging on out of control. Clinical psychologist Thomas' debut is a compelling, ingenious novel about grief, love, the healing process, and what it means to mother. Realistic characters and a dynamic family relationship will have readers mourning with Ruth along her journey. The whole book is absolutely engrossing, but with the final unexpected twist, Thomas brings it home with a boom. Perfect for fans of psychological fiction, in particular Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient (2019).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)