Several families attend a group to help prepare for the arrival of their babies. Not long after the births, a member of the group is dead and someone is responsible.

This story is mostly told by Jax and Alison, but all of the families have chapters from their points of view, both before and after the barbecue, where the death takes place.

The characters are all flawed but mostly likeable, although it can be hard to keep track of them all at first. There are bits that don't help, for example having two unconnected characters, one with a name that is the shortened version of the other's (e.g. a Ben and a Benjamin). I did wonder if this was deliberate but it doesn't seem to have been.

Overall, this was an engaging story and while I worked out some of what was going on quite early, there was enough to keep me interested. I will be looking at the author's other work.

Great read! Loved the premise, the babies and all & I really was unable to identify the villain. Keeps your interest, great writing.

I was excited for this thriller, but it ended up being sort of run-of-the-mill for me. Some of the "twists" or secrets were really evident from the onset. I felt like I've read similar books like this before; it didn't stand out as extraordinary. There were also some prejudices in the book that gave me pause.

I probably should have been cautious of this as a new mum myself, but it was good and I wanted to read more. I usually dislike the flipping between characters set up, but thought it worked really well here and didn't confuse the story line. Didnt see the twists and turns coming but enjoyed disliking most of the characters whilst feeling sorry for poor Jax! Thanks for letting me read!

I enjoyed this psychological whodunnit type book centred around an ante natal class and I rattled through it. The story is told from multiple P'sOV. You can't really be sure whose body is in the rockery until a good way into the book...and even when you discover who you're still unsure of why! The parents are all different- age, culture, lifestyle - but what links them is they are all hiding a secret. Some of the characters are extremely likeable, and some are definitely not, but they all have a part to play in this well written story.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for an arc of this ebook.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review. The Push, is a domestic thriller that explores a mysterious death in the complicated lens of motherhood. The novel begins with an antenatal group reunion/bbq which turns deadly. The question is, did the victim go over the balcony as the result of a tragic accident or were they pushed. Like many books in this genre, the author has chosen to tell the story using alternating timelines and points of view. The story features several characters and I must admit that it can be hard at times to keep everyone straight. Part of the problem is that some characters have very similar names and thus it is easy to conflate them.

The book is fast paced and I enjoyed that it was not only a who done it but also a why done it. I don't want to spoil the reveal but there are definitely plenty of twists and turns to keep readers hooked. While I figured out some of the mysteries about half way through, this did not detract from my enjoyment of the novel. In fact, for me I appreciated the underlying theme of motherhood more so than the mystery. The author makes some very astute observations about the way in which women are defined by their choices regarding motherhood. Every choice is explored in the book, the unwed teen, the career woman who fears she has waited too late, the woman who wants a baby to cement a relationship or her status in society and those who have decided to be childless by choice. All of these women and all of these choices are represented in this book and handled with great sensitivity. Women can sometimes judge one another so harshly and I appreciated the author's fearless depiction of those first few weeks of parenthood. Motherhood is messy and brutal and sometimes not as advertised, I found it refreshing to hear an authentic take on this topic.

Overall, I recommend that readers come for the crime thriller but stay for the enlightening commentary on motherhood. I'm glad I did.

The story revolves primarily around 6 diverse expectant couples whose babies are all due at similar times and who meet at a antenatal group, the leader of the sessions and 2 investigating police officers. After the birth of their babies they attend an event at "Monica's" house where one of the guests, not identified until well into the book thankfully plunges to their death from a balcony. The initial belief is that it was an accident however, Alison, one of the investigating officers believes the victim was pushed.

The story is told from different POV's both on the lead up to the death and post the death. Each of the characters had their own sub-story but It seemed a little incredulous that all the characters had problems hardly believable that this would be the case.

I struggled to like any of the characters with the exception of the investigating officers and unlike the author's other books this was a little predictable although I did not work out "who dunnit"

I have read other books by this author and really loved them but although this was a good read I was not quite as enamoured with either the characters or the storyline although on the whole it was worth a read.


XXXXXXXXX NOTE TO AUTHOR OR PUBLISHER. CARY GRANT IS REFERENCED AS BEING I N THE MOVIE REAR WINDOW BUT IT WAS JAMES STEWART. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN AMEND THIS IN THE BOOK BEFORE IT IS PUBLISHED XXXXXXXXX
Thanks to Netgalley UK and the publishers Thomas And Mercer for an advaced arc copy in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

A domestic thriller that kept me guessing! Six couples meet at a prenatal class, all very different. When they meet again after the babies are born, a tragedy occurs. Everyone seems to have a motive.

Pregnancy. Seems like it would be the simplest thing in the world to make happen, but not for this group. This book exposes the shame, the blame, the guilt, deceptions, family dynamics, addictive personalities and all the interventions leading up to and during a pregnancy. It is a very sad tale. The author reveals an accurate and sometimes upsetting account of how a “ magical time” can be run off the rails. While I easily figured out a few of the character issues early on, I never predicted the final scene. The title sends a mixed message——I chuckled when I made the connection. An enjoyable read.

This book feature two main characters whom you get to know as one works the investigation into a suspicious death, and one tells her story leading up to the day of the incident. Jax felt really fleshed out and vivid, but Alison’s character seemed to only consist of baby-craziness and competence at her job. I appreciated the last check in on all of the characters in the final chapter— I love tying up a loose end. I did not appreciate the one bisexual character being revealed as a cheater, however, as this is a damaging stereotype.

I thought the story was a little slow to get in to but about 30% of the way in it picked up! Classic "whodunit" style with a crazy plot. The book is about six couples that are all a part of the same baby group and after a party something bad happens. Told over multiple POVs. While the twists were a little predictable I still thought it was enjoyable and would recommend.

A classic who done it book. Six couples with one thing in common Pregnancy. They meet weekly at a parenting class held by Nina. Everyone starts to get on each others nerves because of the array of personalities that they are surrounded by. Four babies, six couples and someone ends up pushed off the balcony. Everyone is investigated and it's realized that everyone has something to hide. Full of secrets and twists til the very end! Thanks Netgalley for the advance ecopy.

I really liked the premise of 'The Push'. Antenatal classes are the perfect setting to bring together a diverse set of people , each with their own stories, but there for the same purpose.

The novel was written from a number of different perspectives, before and after the key event, which was a woman falling off a balcony at the BBQ following the births.

in this class we have Kelly , a young mum and her boyfriend Ryan , Cathy and Hazel, who used a sperm donor, Jax and her much younger partner, Aaron, Anita and Rahul and Monica and Ed.

From quite early on, we sense that something is not right about Monica's situation and it transpires that her baby was actually carried by her teenage daughter, Chloe. One of the threads is Aaron searching for his biological mother. Both of these are nicely resolved at the end but quite predictable.

We also follow the stories of Nina, the class leader and Alison, the investigating officer. The stories of each couple's journey were interesting and well thought out.

I enjoyed this read, but I felt it was a bit busy with all the different perspectives. Not all the voices were as strong and I wasn't compelled to keep reading.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is one of my favorite types of thrillers, but I couldn’t give a complete 5 stars, as something was missing! I did find it to be well written, character development pretty good, but I don’t think it was completely unputdownable! Overall, for us thriller lovers seeking our thrill, chills, twists & turns, and shocks, I think you will get them. I don’t think it was as fast paced or a thrill ride, as I like, but do think most will be able to enjoy and finish. I recommend to those seeking some chills and thrills, with all stuck together and not knowing whodunnit!

Will make sure to buzz around platforms and use lower Amazon reviewer number on release date!

This was a pretty decent psych thriller. I thought it was a bit slow and predictable in places but overall I enjoy thrillers involving sets of couples.

Claire McGowan sets up an intriguing situation that immediately draws the reader in: at a post-birth party attended by the members of an ante-natal class, there aren’t enough babies to go round.

Monica, the perfectly groomed hostess, seems determined to make her guests feel inferior by showcasing her immaculate house, rich husband and perfectly behaved baby, whilst her sleep-deprived guests squabble with their partners and struggle with their fractious babies.

It’s clear that what was meant to be a celebration isn’t going to go well.

Into this toxic mix comes Nina, the ante-natal group leader, who has intuited all the couples’ secrets and appears intent on stealing someone’s husband.

When someone at the party falls (or is pushed) from a balcony, all the guests have their own reasons for lying to the police about what happened.

So DS Alison Hegarty has her work cut out for her. But she is suffering from her own fertility issues. Will her judgement be clouded by the sight of all the new babies, and pressure from her boss to class the death as an accident?

The story is skilfully structured; as DS Hegarty interviews everyone present at the party, we read the suspects’ accounts of the day of the party and gradually discover their secrets. I enjoyed the technique of showing us the party from multiple viewpoints and felt that it worked because the characters all had distinctive voices.

McGowan is absolutely brilliant at describing the pressures on women caused by pregnancy and birth: the partner who insists on terry cloth nappies but doesn’t wash them herself; the ante-natal group’s total condemnation of sugar, caffeine and alcohol; the ‘non-stop boasting’ on Facebook making other women ‘feel crap’ about their mothering skills.

I raced through this thriller in a couple of days. The twists were a bit predictable and I missed the psychological depth of the characters in McGowan’s other books but the book did the trick of keeping thoughts of Covid at bay for a while.

A few quibbles: there’s something weird going on in this book regarding perceptions of age. I felt it was implausible that DS Hegarty would feel ‘past it’ with a work colleague who’s only 6 years younger. She and Jax both fear that they’re too old to have babies at 36 and 38: surely that’s normal nowadays? Would Jax really believe that she could be sacked from her job as a suspected ‘paedophile’ because her partner is 24?

But small quibbles aside McGowan can certainly write and I’ve already packed a few of her other books in my suitcase for my next staycation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my advance copy.

Thank you, Amazon Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy The Push by Claire McGowan. I have heard good things about this author, so I was happy to receive a copy of this.
Six couples from completely different backgrounds join an ante-natal group to learn the joys of babies and parenthood. The story centres around each individual couples’ points of view. Not all the couples get on together. When one day they are all invited to a barbecue, a party for the couples before the babies arrive. But, one of them falls over the balcony to their death. In comes Alison to investigate the death and taking statements from each couple to find out who has the motivation to kill. But the investigation is not straight forward as it seems.
This book I am afraid not for me. I didn’t like anything about it. The characters the storyline nothing. I thought there was too much bitchiness and racist. This is said to be a Thriller, but I didn’t find that. This book reminded me of an American reality TV show which I can’t stand. Sorry I find this so bad I couldn’t finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my copy of The Push by Claire McGowan in exchange for an honest review. It publishes November 12, 2020.
This was an interesting thriller with a large and diverse cast of characters that always kept my interest. I really enjoyed the multiple POV’s and the going back and forth in timelines.
It was somewhat predictable at points, but not everything. The end reveal was pretty surprising!
If you like thrillers you will enjoy this!

Set around an antenatal group at a party shortly after most of the group have had their babies, someone falls from a balcony in an apparent accident. But DS Alison Hegarty, who is herself trying to conceive, is suspicious and decides to dig deeper. The various secrets and lies of the group are revealed bit by bit during this page-turning novel with thoroughly believable and interesting characters. Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ughhhh......Claire...

Not a fan, not a fan what so ever. FIrst off, why did I know exactly what was going to happen before it ever happened?? Like I mean, way before. So that was a drag right there.

Secondly, what is up with all of the -isms?? I mean, I get it, as humans we are very opinionated but this book was just wayyy too much. I didn't like the way some things were worded, personally. It was too much when it came to stereotypes especially.

Maybe not for me but I won't be recommending.