"All the Other Mothers Hate Me" | Reviewed by Pat Sainz

“All the Other Mothers Hate Me,” by Sarah Harman, is a debut novel, a comedic mystery, in spite of the plot revolving around a missing child.  

            Alfie has gone missing from a prestigious elementary school in London. Florence Grimes, mother to 10-year-old Dylan, a classmate of Alfie’s, is worried but not overly upset. Alfie has occasionally been the reason Dylan has been suspended from school. Florence thinks if any child is in trouble, it might as well be Alfie, a popular kid who seemingly has made her son’s school life difficult.

            When Dylan comes home carrying Alfie’s backpack on the day Alfie disappears, Florence’s instinct is to protect her son until she can find out why he has the backpack. She doesn't ask him about it because she doesn’t really want to know the answer.

Dylan also was paired with Alfie on an outdoor field trip on the day he went missing. The police believe Alfie has been kidnapped for ransom money because he is the son of a billionaire. Florence doesn’t share that she is in possession of Alfie’s backpack, in which he has a journal with complains about Dylan.

The plot of the novel centers on Florence’s role as a detective hoping to find Alfie. Only when Alfie is found will she be convinced of her child’s innocence. She enlists the help of Jenny, the only other mother from school with whom she has had any positive contact. They get into ill-advised but “madcap” situations which provide humor to a serious situation.

Florence is not liked by the other mothers at her son’s school, mostly because she doesn’t fit the stereotype of wealthy, helicopter moms. At age 31, she is one of the younger mothers, and she flouts tradition. Florence was once in a well-known girls’ singing group which became more famous after she left to have Dylan. After a very brief marriage, Florence was left to raise Dylan alone. Dylan’s education is paid for by his father who wanted Dylan to attend the same fancy school that he attended.  

            Florence lives off the last of her money from being in a girls’ band. She spends her days watching television and at night she often meets strangers in bars. Sometimes she provides “balloon arches” for weddings and children’s birthday parties. Florence may not be an admirable person, but she is a surprisingly likeable character. The novel is written with Florence as the narrator. Her insights into people and situations are sarcastic but humorous. 

             Based on the book’s ending, it is likely that a second novel featuring Florence is in the works. I’ll look forward to it. “All the Other Mothers Hate Me” is a fun, well-written novel that provides a break from the concerns and pressures of the day.

About the Author:  Sarah Harmon is a graduate of Georgetown University. She has worked as a foreign correspondent for NBC news. She was an on-air reporter for Today, Nightly News, and MSNBC.

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