Excerpt from A Mother’s Trial

Don’t forget I have a Kindle freebie promo running for In the Tick of Time. Check it out! I am going to have a contest and a bunch of promos going for Canada Day and Independence Day, so check back here this weekend.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

This is the second time I’ve read A Mother’s Trial by Nancy Wright, so you know it’s an interesting book! A flagship book about Munchhausen by Proxy, A Mother’s Trial presents the story of Priscilla Phillips. It will keep you engaged from beginning to end, but may leave you with more questions than you started out with. Non-fiction teasers two weeks in a row:

He had learned that most pathological people are convincing not in spite of but because of their pathology: they believed their own stories.

Nancy Wright, A Mother’s Trial

FACT: Priscilla and Steve Phillips adopt a Korean baby. Shortly afterwards little Tia begins developing strange symptoms. In and out of the hospital for months, she finally succumbs. Cause of death: unknown.

FACT: The Phillipses adopt a second Korean infant named Mindy. Once again the same symptoms develop. Near death, the child is taken away to intensive care, away from any interaction with her mother. The child recovers.

FACT: Mindy is removed from the Phillipses’ home. Months later she is adopted by a new couple. After a few weeks in her new home, she falls ill once again.

As far as anyone knew, Priscilla Phillips was the perfect mother: A pillar of her church, a social worker, a devoted wife and loving mother of two sons of her own. Priscilla lavished endless love and attention on little Tia, and later on her sister Mindy. To this day she claims total innocence of any wrongdoing.

Yet she was arrested and tried for murder. Was she a mother who literally loved her children to death? A woman so desperate to be needed that she’d take any risk, pay any price?

Here is her incredible true story.

P.D. Workman Authorpreneur

P.D. Workman is a USA Today Bestselling author and multi-award winner, renowned for her prolific output of over 100 published works that span various genres. With a knack for crafting page-turners, Workman captivates readers with everything from cozy mysteries like the Auntie Clem's Bakery series to gripping young adult and suspense novels. Her stories resonate deeply as she masterfully weaves sensitive themes—such as childhood trauma, mental illness, and addiction—into compelling narratives that evoke a powerful emotional response. Readers are drawn to her unique voice and empathetic portrayal of complex issues. With each new release, fans eagerly anticipate another thrilling blend of thought-provoking storytelling and relatable characters that define P.D. Workman’s brand as an author of unforgettable page-turners—gripping tales that leave a lasting impact long after the last page is turned.

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Mystery and suspense fiction Young adult crime thrillers Character-driven storytelling Cozy Mysteries Mental health and trauma in fiction Resilience and personal growth themes Indie publishing Writing craft and novel development Obsidian for writers and authors Forensic and medical thriller research Social issues in contemporary fiction Psychological thrillers Traditional mysteries Police procedural mysteries Characters with disabilities