This study guide was created using the following version of this book: Molloy, Aimee. The Perfect Mother. Harper, 2019.

The Perfect Mother tells the story of a mommy group called the May Mothers who come together to find out what happened after one of their babies is abducted. During one of their meetings, Nell suggests that the group go out for drinks and have a night away from the babies. The group really wants Winnie to attend because Scarlett mentioned to the other mothers that Winnie is struggling with depression. Most of the mothers from the group meet at the Jolly Llama. While Winnie is getting a drink at the bar, Nell takes Winnie’s phone and deletes the baby monitor app from it. Winnie is not seen the rest of the evening. Nell gets a phone call from her babysitter Alma that Midas, Winnie’s baby, is missing.

As the investigation into Midas’s abduction ramps up, the May Mothers learn that Winnie was once the star of a popular television show when she was younger. No one knows the name of Midas's father. The longer that Midas is missing, the more questions the police and the May Mothers have.

While Midas is missing, the May Mothers deal with their own issues at home and at work. Colette is working as a ghostwriter for the mayor’s second memoir. Since becoming a new mother, she is struggling to meet her deadlines. While in the mayor’s office, Colette spies a folder on Midas’s case and snoops through the file, reporting back to her mom friends. At home, Colette cannot bring herself to tell her husband Charlie that she is struggling at work and thinking about becoming a stay-at-home mom.

During the course of the investigation, Nell must cope with her former identity being exposed to the public. When Nell was in her twenties, Nell was involved in a scandalous affair with a Presidential candidate.

After a dead body is discovered on Winnie’s property in upstate New York and a blanket with Midas’s blood is found, Winnie is arrested in Midas’s disappearance. The May Mothers are anonymously sent a mug shot of Token, the lone man in the May Mothers. After Token is confronted about the mugshot, Token identifies himself as Daniel, one of Winnie’s old boyfriends who defended Winnie from a former stalker. Token leads the May Mothers to suspect another mom in the group, Scarlett.

Scarlett, who has been avoiding the May mothers since Midas’s abduction, is struggling with her own mental health crisis. Scarlett is revealed as Midas’s abductor, pretending that Midas is her stillborn child Joshua. When Nell, Francie, and Colette confront Scarlett about having Midas, Scarlett stabs Colette. After Scarlett divulges her reasons for abducting Midas and coming to believe that Midas is her deceased son Joshua, Scarlett stabs herself to avoid facing consequences for her crime.

Scarlett and Colette survive their stab wounds. Scarlett goes to prison, and Midas is reunited with Winnie. The May Mothers are still meeting up with each other a year later.