Ep 72: What Makes Someone a Mother? Susi Fox and The Other Child

What Makes Someone a Mother? A Conversation with Susi Fox about The Other Child In this episode of Between the Lines, we're joined by bestselling author Susi Fox to discuss her novel The Other Child - a gripping psychological story that explores motherhood, identity, and the fragile boundaries of belonging. This is a book that unsettles in the best way. At its heart, The Other Child asks a confronting question: What truly makes someone a mother? Biology? Love? Care? Or something more complicated? In our conversation, Susi shares the inspiration behind the novel and how she approached writing morally complex characters who don't sit neatly in "right" or "wrong." In This Episode We Discuss: The emotional spark behind The Other Child Writing flawed, layered female characters The psychology of maternal attachment Moral ambiguity and reader discomfort Why the novel challenges traditional ideas of motherhood How tension is built through character rather than plot twists We also talk about how readers respond when a story pushes them into uncomfortable territory, and why that discomfort can be powerful. Themes Explored Motherhood and identity Belonging and displacement Jealousy, fear, and vulnerability The complexity of female relationships The gap between public perception and private emotion This is a thoughtful, layered discussion about the emotional terrain beneath the thriller elements. If you enjoy psychological fiction that stays with you long after you close the book — this episode is for you. About the Book The Other Child is a psychological novel that explores the fragile bonds between mothers and children, and what happens when those bonds are threatened. With emotional depth and mounting tension, Susi Fox examines how love can exist alongside fear, and how identity can fracture under pressure.   AND IF YOU LOVE DISCUSSING BOOKS: Join our bookclub here for insider author chats: https://www.betweenthelinesaustralia.com/bookclub2026