Crime fiction used to account for most of the books I read, but recently I've found myself getting tired of the repetitive tropes and storylines. So I've made a concerted effort to find crime fiction that somehow does something a little different from the rest.



Jess is the mother Liz always wished she could be, so when Jess brings her baby daughter into A&E, Liz is sure that it must have been an accident. But when Jess' story doesn't match her daughter's injury, Liz begins to wonder how well she really knows her friend.

Little Disasters is a compulsive page-turner. My desire to find out what had happened was sparked from the beginning - Sarah Vaughan has a knack for ending chapters at just the right moment - and the delicate nature of the investigation, combined with the realistic characters at the centre of it, keeps you guessing without resorting to an overly complicated plot.

What makes Little Disasters stand out from your average thriller, however, is its exploration of motherhood. Vaughan writes wonderfully believable characters, and her portrayals of motherhood are nuanced and feel true to life. I love the way Vaughan dismantles the myth that motherhood comes naturally to women, and that being a stay-at-home mum isn't a proper job. Too often, I struggle to engage with thrillers because they feature unrelatable characters or overly dramatic events - Little Disasters does neither.

Little Disasters is so much more than a compelling thriller, and it is definitely worth your time.