Book Extract: The Other Mother by Heidi Field

I’m very excited to be welcoming Heidi Field back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Other Mother.

Suzannah is pregnant with her third child. The first is in prison. The second is dead. How far will she go to keep her unborn baby safe? 

When Suzannah learns she is pregnant, she feels like safety and happiness are finally within reach. Her handsome, successful fiancé, Alec, is over the moon about the baby. He proposes and pampers her. He thinks this is Suzannah’s first marriage and first child, but she’s keeping a few secrets. Actually, a lot of secrets. And they are dangerous…putting Suzannah in a position where she must choose who and what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her baby and her freedom.

Drowning in her lies, Suzannah is desperate to bury her past, but her ex-husband, who abandoned her years ago, returns, stalking her and demanding to know what really happened to their daughter. When the imprisoned serial killer who lured and groomed her son, threatens to sell his story to the press, Suzannah feels like the life she’d built and the precious one she’s growing, teeter on a precipice. Now the two children she’s hidden from Alec may be the least of her worries.

Heidi has shared an extract from The Other Mother with us today. We hope you enjoy it. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Suzannah has just had an argument with her new friend, Shiv, about the serial killer, Gunner Piper, who groomed her son, and she has escaped to a coffee shop to calm down.

I glug down the coffee and head out to the car. I’ll call the prison and see if I can arrange an extra visit or bring the next one forward. I need to see my precious son, touch him, check that he is OK. I want to know that Gunner hasn’t got to him inside, isn’t trying to find a way to communicate with him. I need to know that Shiv hasn’t tried to contact him, that Gunner isn’t trying to poison my son’s mind through her. I need to make sure that Mason never talks to her, never has to listen to her talk fondly about the man who stole his life.

As I lift my shoulder bag over my head and start searching for my car keys, somebody slams my body sideways against the car. I drop my bag and turn my head.

“Breck?”

His eyes are struggling to focus on me and his body is swaying. He’s drunk.

I put a protective arm across my belly. “What are you doing? I’m pregnant.”

“Another child whose life you’re going to destroy.”

“That’s not fair. Leave me alone.”

“I’ll never leave you alone. Not until you tell the truth.”

He steps towards me, his body pressing up against my bump, his stale breath warm against my cheek. He walked out of my life over a decade ago and I wish he’d stayed gone. I push my palms against his chest trying to fend him off, but he is bigger and stronger than me. I look around, hoping to see someone else in the car park, somebody who can help. I take a breath, ready to shout, but Breck wraps a hand over my mouth and cracks his forehead sharp against mine. The shock of the impact takes my breath away; an initial stinging sensation makes my eyes water and then my whole head starts to throb.

This is how Mason felt, every time Breck laid a hand on him. Small, scared, humiliated and in pain. Tears escape my eyes and I can feel my tiny baby pushing back against the weight that is squashing her inside me.

Breck moves his head, so that his mouth is against my ear. “Fine. Keep your secrets. I’ll just go and ask Jamie’s parents. Mason’s little buddy, right? The note taker. I found out where his parents live, Scott and Blair. Ran off to Spain, didn’t they? They’ll tell me the truth, I bet, especially if I threaten that little girl of theirs. Then I’ll tell the world what really happened to Lily. I’ll make sure Mason never gets out of prison and you never get to raise that baby you’re carrying. I’ll save it from you. And I’ll save that poor man you’re with. He should know what it is he’s about to marry, don’t you think?”

“HEY.”

Breck turns and something slams into his face, knocking him backwards off his feet.”

(Excerpt From The Other Mother – Heidi Field. This material may be protected by copyright.)

*****end of extract*****

About Heidi Field – 

Heidi Field was raised in the beautiful countryside of the South of England with her parents and her two sisters. In her twenties she was a freelance Sports Massage Therapist. She achieved a Degree in Zoology at the age of thirty and then went on to raise two boys and became the stepmother of three more young children. She still lives near her family home with her partner, their Great Dane and the children that have yet to fly the nest.

In her early forties Heidi completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Winchester University. She entered the course hoping she would become a children’s fantasy writer and left with a burning desire to write contemporary mysteries and thrillers. Heidi wanted to put relatable people in extraordinary situations, challenge them, push them to their limits and watch them fight for their sanity.

The Other Mother is Heidi’s second novel, the next book in The Peasedale Woods Killers series.

Say hello to Heidi via Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

The Other Mother is book two in the The Peasedale Woods Killers series and was released in November 2025. Click to buy on Amazon, Kobo and Google.Click here to find out more about The Other boy, book one in the series. 

Click here to read our interview with Heidi. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.