Like Mother, Like Mother | Susan Rieger

How do we become who we become? This is the question behind Like Mother, Like Mother. It's a story of identity, family and how the past shapes who we were. Lila, Grace and Zelda are the three generations of women. Lila is much of the focus. A highly driven, successful media executive who overcomes abuse and neglect to become an iron lady kind of character. She has a daughter, Grace, who is left with a largely absentee mother, and tons of questions about who she is, why she is as she is, and just trying to make sense of it. So much so that she writes a best-selling novel based on her life. Grace's podcasting friend Ruth helps Grace in her search This all leads to the story of Lila's mother Zelda who, she was told as a child, was sent away by her father to an institution when Lila was a small girl and died there. End of story, or so her father maintained until his death. But did she? You're only a short way into the novel so I think we all know that it's not the end of the story. There are no records of Zelda's death. Lila has mixed feelings about exploring this mystery, but Grace is pretty sure it'll give her closure -- even more than writing the novel exposing the neglect and coldness of her mother.

It's a mystery, it's historical fiction, it's family drama and, because Rieger is a gifted writer, it's laugh-out-loud funny in parts.