Listen to a sample
Motherfaker
- Author
- Anna Brook-Mitchell
- Narrator
- Laura Aikman
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 26 February 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 1 minute
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Humorous fiction, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Modern and Contemporary romance, Narrative theme: identity / belonging
- Rating
- 5.0 (1 review)
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
Read brilliantly by Laura Aikman (Gavin and Stacey)
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A YEAR OFF WORK . . . ?
'The comedy gold standard' – Stylist
'This book will make you guffaw out loud' – Prima
'It’s one that’s sure to have you laughing and crying in equal measures' – Express
Meet Barri Brown. Respected teacher. Upstanding citizen of Guernsey. Down for a bit of law-breaking . . .
Barri has spent years slaving away as a teacher and covering for colleagues with kids. When her husband vanishes – along with her savings – it’s the final straw. And so, she hatches a wild plan: fake a pregnancy and use the paid maternity leave to start over somewhere new.
With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist underway, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good – without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. How hard could it be?
On a small island like Guernsey, it’s a motherfaking nightmare. And to make matters worse, when Barri’s fake pregnancy forces her to make genuine connections with people for the first time in years, she begins to understand the true cost of her deception . . .
Will she really get away with telling the mother of all lies?
__
PRAISE FOR MOTHERFAKER
'A bold, brilliant and bonkers caper’ – ALEXANDRA POTTER
'Brilliantly original and hilariously executed' – ROSIE WALSH
'A very clever novel' – Belfast Telegraph
'Funny, moving, relatable and keeps you on the edge of your seat' – LIBBY PAGE
'I raced through it' – Daily Mail
'I couldn’t put this down! Hilarious, surprising, and sneakily tender' – NATALIE SUE
'A crazy, screwball comedy with real heart and soul' – SARAH HAYWOOD
Critics Review
-
Brilliantly original and hilariously executed
Rosie Walsh, author of The Love of My Life
-
Motherfaker is an unforgettable story with an unforgettable main character. I couldn't put it down. It is a tale that is all at once funny, moving and relatable and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. I loved the themes around found family and know it is going to resonate with many readers. A five-star read!
Libby Page, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Lido
-
I couldn’t put this down! Hilarious, surprising, and sneakily tender. I was rooting for the witty main character, Barri, who has an uncanny knack for getting herself into trouble as she navigates the chaos of her own making. While packed with shenanigans, it’s also a tale of heartwarming connections, set in a charming small island, and the beautiful mess that comes with finding out where you belong.
Natalie Sue, author of I Hope This Finds You Well
-
Motherfaker is a crazy, screwball comedy with real heart and soul. I was enticed in by the hilarious premise and stayed for the brilliantly-crafted storytelling. Barri Brown is a sometimes exasperating, always entertaining, character - as logical and resourceful as she is eccentric and impetuous . . . A joyful novel of family (in all its forms), friendship and staying true to oneself.
Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author of The Cactus
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
Anna Brook-Mitchell has given birth to a genius of an idea. A bold, brilliant and bonkers caper about how sometimes you have to fake it, to discover who you really are
Alexandra Potter, bestselling author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k-Up
-
The comedy gold standard . . . a brilliantly funny and charming tale
Stylist
-
Motherfaker is just as fun as you’d expect from a synopsis like this, but it also tackles some heavier themes that give it a lot more depth. It’s one that’s sure to have you laughing and crying in equal measures
Express
-
This book will make you guffaw out loud
Prima
-
A very clever novel
Belfast Telegraph
-
I raced through it
Daily Mail
User Reviews
Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
-
5.0 5.0
This was such a refreshingly different book to listen to. Barri is a rather prickly secondary schoolteacher who finds herself recklessly faking a pregnancy to escape her disfunctional life- her husband has just left and made off with her money, plus she has missed out on a promotion which has been awarded to a colleague who is just returning from maternity leave.
The story is outrageous, funny but full of heart. Set in Guernsey in the Channel Islands, a small island where everyone knows everyone else’s business, how Barri expects to pull this off is incredible in itself!
The author skilfully describes situations that many can relate to and takes us right into Barri’s head.
Though humerous, the book also deals with some very serious themes, all dealt with thoughtfully and sensitively.
The book is brought to life with superb narration from Laura Aikman.
No hesitation in recommending this.karinm 2026-03-20
Details
- Author
- Anna Brook-Mitchell
- Narrator
- Laura Aikman
- Duration
- 10 hours 1 minute
- Release Date
- 26 February 2026
- ISBN
- 9781035073054
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Humorous fiction, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Modern and Contemporary romance, Narrative theme: identity / belonging
- Rating
- 5.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Read brilliantly by Laura Aikman (Gavin and Stacey)HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A YEAR OFF WORK . . . ?'The comedy gold standard' – Stylist'This book will make you guffaw out loud' – Prima'It’s one that’s sure to have you laughing and crying in equal measures' – ExpressMeet Barri Brown. Respected teacher. Upstanding citizen of Guernsey. Down for a bit of law-breaking . . .Barri has spent years slaving away as a teacher and covering for colleagues with kids. When her husband vanishes – along with her savings – it’s the final straw. And so, she hatches a wild plan: fake a pregnancy and use the paid maternity leave to start over somewhere new.With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist underway, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good – without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. How hard could it be?On a small island like Guernsey, it’s a motherfaking nightmare. And to make matters worse, when Barri’s fake pregnancy forces her to make genuine connections with people for the first time in years, she begins to understand the true cost of her deception . . .Will she really get away with telling the mother of all lies?__PRAISE FOR MOTHERFAKER'A bold, brilliant and bonkers caper’ – ALEXANDRA POTTER'Brilliantly original and hilariously executed' – ROSIE WALSH'A very clever novel' – Belfast Telegraph'Funny, moving, relatable and keeps you on the edge of your seat' – LIBBY PAGE'I raced through it' – Daily Mail'I couldn’t put this down! Hilarious, surprising, and sneakily tender' – NATALIE SUE'A crazy, screwball comedy with real heart and soul' – SARAH HAYWOOD
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.