Aptly titled The Mother Next Door is about manipulation, deception, mother/child bonds, roles of healthcare providers, government policies, (in)justice, and unprotected children in Munchausen by Proxy which is medical child abuse.

Novelist Andrea Dunlop shares glimpses into her family which has experienced this horror. She also describes three cases elsewhere in the United States with the help of co-author Detective Mike Weber who has been instrumental in more cases than anyone. This disturbing yet compelling book gave me goosebumps and filled me with disgust for the perpetrators as well as frustration for the innocent children who suffered at the hands of their mothers, those they should feel safest with. The focus is investigating the families and providing protection for the children. There are so many gaps which need to be filled in. Sadly, Munchausen Syndrome and Munchausen by Proxy are more common than we think.

Told in an unflinching and raw manner, the stories are powerful and impactful. My eyes were opened to learn more about what drove these mothers to gain attention and sympathy. The levels of deceit of these spin doctors are through the roof! From feigning university degrees to convincing family they had cancer to deceiving physicians to making up medical histories for their children, they must have had to use spreadsheets to keep track of their numerous deliberate lies. The Hope Ybarra case struck me most in its complexity and the lengths Hope went to are mind boggling.

Are these mental health issues or crimes? After lies upon lies are revealed, what does one believe? The "separation test" is telling. Imagine intentionally putting your child through unnecessary surgeries for your selfish motives! Fascinating, yet heartbreaking.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this engrossing and informative book.

4.5 stars. I don’t know that I know enough powerful adjectives to describe this book. It’s accessible, spelling everything out in a clean and concise manner, while being absolutely heart-wrenching and anger inducing.

I, like many people I’m sure, know about MBP from the highly sensationalized accounts that hit the mainstream. This book pulls back the curtain on it and centers the story back where it should be (and always should be): the children who suffer at the hands of caregivers who want more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Andrea Dunlop & Mike Weber, and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother Next Door is my latest true crime reqd. This book took me down the rabbit hole in an examination of medical child abuse, or as it is better known, Munchausen by proxy. This book recounts three cases of the syndrome that took place in the Fort Worth area of Texas in the 2000s. These were the cases that made detective, Mike Weber one of the leading authorities on Munchausens in the nation.

Each case is examined in detail, from the crimes, to the investigation to prosecution. Every step of each case was fascinating, heartbreaking and infuriating. Most Munchausen cases are perpetrated by women and therein lies the biggest problem with prosecuting these crimes. People just don’t want to believe a mother could inflict that kind of abuse on their child. Weber met with pushback as he investigated what amounted to attempted murder over and over.

The crimes themselves in this book were bizarre. It is hard to imagine having unnecessary medical procedures inflicted on your own child, much less poisoning them to induce symptoms to aid in your deception. Each case looked at here is similar in the perpetrator’s methods of abusing their child, there is definitely a pattern to this disorder. But the first case looked at in the book, took deception to a level rarely seen in crimes of any type. I was left in shock at the ways and number of people that she managed to deceive.

I highly enjoyed this book. It is certainly disturbing, but the fact that there are people like the author’s in the world working as advocates for the victims is inspiring. This was a fascinating read. Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother Next Door is a gripping exploration of Munchausen by Proxy (MBP), told through the cases of 3 mothers. Each woman, through various means, factitiously created illnesses in their children for attention. The victims underwent unneeded medical procedures, hospitalizations, and other medical trauma.

This book was a page-turner, and often hard to read. With the help of Mike Weber, Dunlop goes into extreme detail about the lengths to which these offenders went to convince medical professionals that their children were extremely sick. The writing was exceptional, and it read like fiction. Having to periodically remind myself that it was true made it all the more harrowing. I do wish Dunlop had gone into further detail about how her life was affected by MBP, rather than just alluding to it. Overall, this was one of the best true crime books I’ve read in awhile!

If you’re a fan of true crime and psychology, I highly recommend this book. Huge trigger warnings, so make sure you check them before starting.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the gifted eARC!

A fascinating and frightening look at three women-Hope Ybarra, Brittany Phillips, and Mary Welch- who committed MBP against their children told by a woman who is more than a little familiar with it and a detective-Mike Weber- who has investigated cases of it. MBP has gotten a great deal of attention in recent years but there's still a lot that's unknown about it, notably what turns the mind of the mother. Dunlop. whose sister was investigated doesn't offer much of her personal experience or insight (which frankly would have made this a better, albeit more voyeuristic, read). What she does so, along with Weber, is document the lengths to which these mothers will go and how difficult it is for law enforcement and the medical community to right the wrongs against the kids. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Well written and interesting read.

This book is a bit uncomfortable, in a good way. It has big "podcast" energy, sort of like a large format "Did you hear THIS crazy story?" townie bar conversation.

Andrea Dunlop is an author and podcaster, her sister was lost to her due to Munchausen by proxy. Because of her personal experience she created a podcast based on a famous case of MBP, Hope Ybarra, who pretended to have cancer 4 times and faked that her daughters had cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis. At first her family thought she was delusional. Then they discovered she was guilty of fraud, falsifying medical documentation.

Mike Weber was the sheriff/law enforcement on the Hope Ybarra case, he has made his career on several child abuse cases to varying results.

On one hand, this book is a good guidebook for those who want to know the patterns. On the other hand, it is also a good guidebook for how to work on this and pull it off. For me it felt like "eek this is none of my business" and I legitimately felt like a rubber necker... but I suppose there is a bit of that in all true crime genre.

It was an eye opener. I learned a lot. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around MBP is both a mental illness and a crime.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC. Book to be published February 4, 2025

I have really enjoyed Andrea Dunlop's fiction, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I was instantly interested. I was even more intrigued when I realized it wasn't a fiction book, but a non-fiction book looking exploring Munchausen by proxy.

Co-written with a detective from Texas, Mike Weber, this books takes a look at three cases that Mike worked on in Texas exploring the nuances of each case, allowing the reader to see the similarities that emerge along with the complex systemic and cultural challenges that are at play.

I heard about this book because I listen to Andreas podcast "Nobody Should Believe Me." I was excited to hear she was coming out with a book about MBP as it's a topic in fascinated by. Unfortunately the book doesn't cover anything that wasn't on the podcast. Andrea doesn't delve a lot into her sister and covers 3 women who she devotes seasons to of her podcast. It's still an interesting read but not much new information to learn.

Thank you to #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for the DRC of #TheMotherNextDoor. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This is a riveting book about a topic that most people think is rare, but it actually common though under-reported. Author Andrea Dunlop has first hand experience through family and her co-author has been investigating these cases for 15+ years. This is a well-written account of 3 cases with different outcomes that is eye-opening and infuriating. Should be required reading for anyone who works with kids especially in a medical setting.

Definitely recommend.

I have always been fascinated with mental health but especially Munchausen.

This was really good! I loved the authors passion for these three cases. I loved seeing the legal side to this mental health diagnosis. A beautiful mother being charged with MBP. The dynamics of the jury, family members, doctors, and the legal system being swayed in these cases.

So good!

4/5

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This book was both fascinating and terrifying. Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a topic I have always been interested in, however, I still felt as though I learned so much reading this book. Detailing three different complex cases and the challenges involved in researching and prosecuting, the writing was easy to read and follow.

It is incredibly difficult to read about how easily these cases can fall apart due to politics or a lack of understanding. Hopefully books such as this one can help make the general public more aware of Munchausen by proxy. Although at times an upsetting read, I would highly recommend to anyone interested in learning more on the topic.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

Honestly, I thought this was a work of fiction when I requested it. I didn't read the blurb past the mention of Munchausen by Proxy. I was surprised to find out it was more of a case study, but I ended up enjoying it very much. It's well written and really taught me a lot about a subject that I thought I already knew a lot about. As a mother myself, it's so hard to believe that a mother can be capable of such horrific things.

📚The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy by Andrea Dunlop & Mike Weber

CWs for graphic descriptions of hospitalizations and ailments (both real and made up), child abuse, gaslighting/manipulation, and pretty much anything else you can think of given the topic at hand

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A huge thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“No bond is more sacred than the one between a mother and child. And no figure is more sympathetic than a mother whose child faces a life-threatening illness. But what if the mother is the reason for the illness?”

I’ve worked as a medical/behavioral health social worker for over 7 years, and diagnoses like Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) have always felt so elusive and scary to me. I've always wanted to learn more about MBP in particular, especially given how uncommon it is and the fact that the stakes are so exceptionally high. Andrea Dunlop (an author who witnessed MBP within her immediate family) and Mike Weber (a law enforcement professional specializing in medical child abuse with over 20 years of experience) are both uniquely qualified to shed light on this topic. I was engrossed right from the start and had a hard time putting this down. I love reading nonfiction where you can clearly feel the the passion and knowledge of the authors.

This book provides a detailed explanation of what MBP is, what it often gets confused for, the way that medical abuse cases have been handled in the past, and goals for tackling it in the future. Through three separate real life case studies (Hope, Brittany, & Mary), the authors effectively portrayed the varying faces and insidious forms that MBP can take. This book truly gives you a front row seat to the gaslighting, manipulation, coercion, fissures in relationships, and heartbreak that is so common within MBP.

Let's start this by saying this book will make you so incredibly angry and frustrated at times. Most obviously, it can be incredibly hard to wrap your head around the fact that someone could intentionally harm their own child for various reasons (ie., attention, money, sympathy). It bluntly showed how the system has failed (and will likely continue to fail) children in situations where medical abuse is evident.

As angry as I was with the perpetrators and the people in their lives that reinforced the behavior, I found myself even more angry with the providers. I remember this one patient I had that presented to multiple EDs across multiple state lines requesting alcohol detox. Through a basic chart review, I quickly noticed that the patient’s blood alcohol content was not always checked (and it was checked it was always 0.00). I brought this up to the treatment team and was immediately faced with resistance (because what does the dumb social worker know, right?). Long story short, we eventually discovered that the patient was a benzodiazepine addict that was pursuing alcohol detox in order to get the detox medications (benzos). I felt so angry and helpless after the fact. Both in the fact that my concerns were so quickly dismissed by the doctors, but we ultimately became her glorified dealer and were just as culpable in her illness. I felt all of those emotions come rushing back when I was reading about the numerous providers that performed invasive and expensive procedures on children without doing a thorough history/assessment/chart review. It absolutely broke my heart. I understand that there’s only so much that a provider can do during a 15 minute interaction (and the heavy reliance on self-report from the parent), but there are still steps that a provider should be taking to provide basic ethical care in line with their license.

But then there were moments where you couldn’t help but feel hopeful. It showed examples of bystanders using their voices and speaking up when they saw something that wasn't right. It showed us people like Mike Weber, a passionate professional driven to protect all children from MBP and medical abuse. I really liked how respectful they were when discussing Child Protective Services and social workers in general. They succinctly explained how CPS is not always able to act when faced with a dangerous situation, and how it is an overworked and underpaid job. I also felt like the authors did a good job at emphasizing the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach when addressing MBP. Everyone (bystanders/law enforcement/hospitals/families) need to work together if we want to make any progress.

Ultimately, I think the biggest takeaway from this book is “see something, say something”. You never want to people that person that suspects something but finds whatever reason to not make a report. Maybe you think you “don’t have enough proof”. Maybe you think you’re “making a big deal out of nothing”. Maybe you're a doctor that thinks they "don't have enough time to make a report" (yes, I've actually seen that happen). It doesn’t matter. If you suspect that a child could possibly be experiencing medical abuse, make a report. It is not your job as the bystander to prove abuse (there are literally people that get paid to do exactly that).

I highly recommend picking this book, but definitely make sure you're in the right headspace before diving in.

Andrea Weber and Mike Dunlop had me tumbling through my feelings this one. This book dives into three cases of Munchausen by proxy investigated by Detective Dunlop. Firstly, as a mother it is always so hard to hear stories like these, but to find out how much they are underreported is seriously disheartening. The Mother Next Door dives into the deception of each mother in these cases through interviews with, family, friends, co-workers, and medical professionals. Each tale, a little more eerie than the last. Seriously... I can't believe it's not fiction. It demonstrates exactly how hard it is to bring justice to the victims in these cases as politics, culpability, family ties can often get in the way, before prosecutors can even bring these cases forward, let alone make a conviction for medical child abuse. Andrea's commentary gives hope and insight in these cases as MBP has effected her family. Thankfully, there are people like Andrea and Mike who continue to bring awareness and fight for these children.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the advanced copy.

Holy cow, this book was A LOT. I have never read a book that taught me so much but at the same time, broke my heart.

This story is written by two authors who both had experiences with Munchausen by proxy (MBP). We follow along with three cases where mothers were causing harm to their children. The way these stories broke my heart, I'll be thinking about this for a while.

Being in the medical field, I have heard of MBP, of course the most obvious case is the Gypsy Rose case that was televised and followed for years, but this story really showed me how hard it is to have a case like this taken seriously. How long it takes for a case to be put together for it to just fall apart and nothing be done. It's hard to digest.

This story wasn't written perfectly. It was wordy and repetitive, but I feel as though the information given, and the story is so important for people to read. I will say, if you're a momma of young children, parts of this story will be hard to read. The way these mothers had no remorse for what they did just blows my mind.

If you don't know much about MBP, I highly recommend giving this book a read. It's a quick read and it packs and punch. I'm so thankful I read it.

Thanks for giving me a chance to discover something new.

This is not usually the kind of book I read but I really enjoyed it. Great subject and I am now wanting to learn more about this.

I have so many thoughts and so many questions!! I've typed out my review and deleted it many times since finishing.

I requested this book on Netgalley, truly wanting to keep an open mind towards Andrea and knowing I could form my own opinion about MBP (Munchausen by Proxy) and the perpetrators. I don't feel every single case is going to automatically mean a child is being abused, or that a mother needs to be put through the ringer over trying to care for her child, BUT I do know women are fully capable of hurting/killing their children. It's a very sad reality that we live in. I do not know what needs to happen in regards to MBP, nor do I know where to even begin to get tougher laws passed for both mothers and providers, but something needs to give before another child suffers at the hands of the one person who should love and cherish them.

I have 20 years of experience working in the medical field. It absolutely baffles me that a provider would 1) not do their own testing to confirm a diagnosis and 2) review other providers' records before making a plan to do any invasive procedures or surgeries. I realize that insurance isn't going to cover testing every single time a child goes to a new doctor, but there must be a way to prevent MBP from going on so long without being caught. I'm heartbroken that mothers and providers are getting away with it. Yes, I absolutely believe providers should be held accountable for not taking the time to properly treat a patient or, in the three cases mentioned in this book, not treat a patient for unnecessary reasons.

I don't have the answers, but my gosh, does my heart hurt for these innocent children being mistreated by anyone who is supposed to love and care for them.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an absolutely amazing and eye-opening book. While incredibly sad and emotional, the author did a great job conveying the facts of the cases presented without biases. Her personal connection to medical child abuse brought the book to life, but of course, it’s devastating to know she’s lost her sister in her life because of it. I found myself absolutely riveted by the cases, and I plan to listen to Andrea’s podcast for even more information.

This is a must-read for all lovers of narrative nonfiction and fans of Law and Order: SVU!

This book about Munchausen by Proxy is both disturbing and fascinating. A must read for all true crime junkies.