There is no shortage of famous mothers in modern literature.
Marmee in “Little Women,” Mrs. Bennett in “Pride and Prejudice,” and Margaret White from “Carrie” come quickly to mind, but hundreds of other worthy candidates have emerged from the page ever since.
To commemorate Mother’s Day, volunteers with the Tucson Festival of Books were asked for a sampler of recent books featuring moms. Predictably, there are many to choose from:
“Mother-Daughter Murder Night” by Nina Simon was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection that appeared on a number of “best of” lists for 2023. Lana Rubicon is a high-powered businesswoman being treated for cancer. While convalescing with her daughter and granddaughter at a beach town north of Santa Barbara, the granddaughter finds a body floating off the coast. What should the Rubicons do? Solve the case, of course. — Shannon Baker
“Evil Eye” by Etaf Rum is a complicated mother-daughter drama that features Yara, a Palestinian-American woman who feels painfully unfulfilled even when living a life her mother would have dreamed about. Her mom is very much a part of the story. How can either one of them escape generations of abuse and racism? — Jeaiza Quinones Ivory
“The Expectant Detectives” by Kat Ailes. A seemingly tranquil prenatal class proves to be anything but when a body is found nearby, making each of the mothers-to-be a suspect in a murder investigation. Naturally, they decide to solve the mystery themselves. — Kimberly Peters
“Hell If We Don’t Change Our Ways” by Brittany Means is a memoir that recounts her time on the road with her mom, who often found herself fleeing abusive relationships. Brittany didn’t care where they were going, as long as they went together. Then, every so often, her mother would leave her, too. — Pamela Treadwell-Rubin
“Faithful Daughter” by Ami McConnell is a heartfelt tribute to motherhood. The stories of 35 mothers and daughters recount the deep bond, unconditional love and the lifelong connections that make this relationship special. — Thea Chalow
“This Could Be Us” by Kennedy Ryan is a romance novel that introduces us to Soledad Barnes, a woman whose life is totally under control … until it isn’t. The arrest and imprisonment of her husband leaves Soledad on her own to pay the rent and feed her three kids. Can she save them? Can she save herself? — Jessica Pryde
“Blank” by Zibby Owens is the story of a mom who writes books, has a serious case of writer’s block, and now must repay an advance she has already spent. The solution, which comes from her 12-year-old son, will either save the day or end her career as an author. — Pamela Treadwell-Rubin
“The Manicurist’s Daughter” by Susan Lieu is an emotional memoir about the crumbling of the American Dream. Lieu’s family integrated to the U.S. from Vietnam in the 1980s, and her savvy, charismatic mom established two successful nail salons. After she died during plastic surgery, Lieu spent a lifetime wondering why the most perfect person in her life felt the need to change how she looked. — Tamara MC
“Maternal Instinct” by Tucson author Becky Masterman is the story of a woman persuaded to move in with her mother-in-law. What could possibly go wrong? — Tricia Clapp
“Good Night, Irene” by Luis Alberto Urrea is a lovingly-told novel based on the real-life experiences of Urrea’s mother during World War II. She joined the Red Cross and became a “Donut Dolly,” a cadre of women who took doughnuts, coffee and camaraderie to soldiers at the front. — Bill Viner
“I Cannot Control Everything Forever” by Emily C. Bloom is a memoir detailing Bloom’s journey to and through motherhood. What makes it different is Bloom’s reliance on science to explain her life … and the deafness of her daughter. — Lynn Wiese-Sneyd
“My Mother’s Daughter” by Olympic hurdler Perdita Felicien is an inspiring account of how her mother’s love, grit and faith helped her to become a record-breaking, world champion athlete. When Felicien lined up for the most important race of her life in 2004, she carried the hopes of her nation and the dreams of her mom. — Thea Chalow
