S3, Ep 5: Estrangement dynamics in Mother in the Dark by Kayla Maiuri, with Tam episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 8, 2026 · 44 MIN

S3, Ep 5: Estrangement dynamics in Mother in the Dark by Kayla Maiuri, with Tam

from Bad Mothers Podcast · host Monica Cardenas, PhD

This week, my book club partner and Family Estrangement Substack author Tam and I are discussing the novel, Mother in the Dark by Kayla Maiuri. We read it for the Estrangement Book Club, and since it includes parental and sibling estrangement, I thought it would fit nicely with this season. The novel was published in 2022 and is narrated by a twenty-something living in New York City, who has been out of contact with her parents and younger sisters for several years. When she gets a call because something has happened back home, she recalls a troubled childhood and struggles with whether to return the call or stay away.*This discussion is focused mainly on the estrangement dynamics at play within the novel, and we tried to avoid any major spoilers, but there are some included in this conversation.Tam and I will discuss Daddy Issues by Katherine Angel on April 28 — live on Substack at 2PM EDT/7PM BST. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monicacardenas.substack.com/subscribe

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S3, Ep 5: Estrangement dynamics in Mother in the Dark by Kayla Maiuri, with Tam

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