Title: Such A Good Mom
Author: Julia Spiro
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller; Family Drama
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 304

Brynn Nelson has a healthy newborn baby, a devoted husband, as well as a successful career, as a writer. Additionally she leads a busy life on Martha’s Vineyard; she knows she should be happiest person there! However, is a struggling new mom, she want to be a good mom but isn’t feeling the attachment she thought she would have with her baby.
She isn’t aware that she is suffering from postpartum depression.
Her husband Ross works with his father at a construction company, however lately seems to be distant and things aren’t on the best of terms in their marriage.

When Cecilia a family friend is murdered, Brynn is shocked that Ross is a suspect.
She is determined to find the truth, and in doing so she discovers secrets.
Story turned out to have more family drama than I thought.
I had this on my TBR shelf for some time and feared it wasn’t going to work for me.
Turned out better than expected!

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Book for this this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 29, 2025.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This was an easy read. I really love how the author wrote postpartum depression. I feel like all of her descriptions of motherhood, c sections, and the terrifying newness of bringing a baby home were right on the money.
This is more of a drama than a thriller, so good though. I was invested in the story Spiro was weaving the entire time.
Thank you so much netgalley and Minotaur for inviting me to read this one! Would recommend.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the audiobook and eBook!

As someone who really loves what I call "baby mama drama thrillers", I was so excited for this one!

I loved the post-partum aspect a lot and watching our main character, Brynn, navigate life after motherhood. That aspect felt very realistic!

In this case I actually cared more about Brynn and her motherhood struggles than I did about the actual mystery. Once the mystery started coming to a conclusion, it was told to the read very matter-of-factly and not revealed in a creative way.

I also struggled with the repetition of so many of the same points and lines over and over again, especially surrounding the reveal.

Overall, it was an easy and quick read, but not one that will stand out to me!

This is a serious book about postpartum depression with a murder mystery on the side. Brynn is a first time sleep-deprived mom, totally in denial that she is severely depressed, questioning her worth, her ability to be a mom, her marriage, her career, her own mother, her extended family, her baby son’s love for her and her husband’s loyalty. Ross has been less than a perfect father, not always aware how overwhelmed his wife is, but still obviously in love with her. Brynn and Ross are residents of Martha’s Vineyard, a relatively small place in the off season. Ross is employed by his father’s shady construction company, and of course, everyone on Martha’s Vineyard knows everyone. As if things couldn’t get worse, Ross is suddenly accused of murdering another islander. He insists he’s innocent, tells Brynn not to trust anyone(including his family), and to look for the “orange sun.”

Even as Brynn’s world is imploding, she does believe Ross couldn’t have killed anyone, and she tries to figure out who was really responsible.

The murder mystery is simple, but the story is still overwhelmed by Brynn’s state of mind. We get multiple flashbacks to Brynn’s awkward relationship with her own mother and stories of childbirth followed by the disappointment of motherhood. As much as you want the murder to be solved, you also want Brynn to break away and get the mental health support she really needs.

The audiobook is superbly narrated by Abigail Reno, who brings Brynn to life and allows us to empathize with her. But, overall, this is a sad book with a broken main character. 3.5 stars for the story, 5 stars for the narration.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No eye colors are mentioned, but a lot of tears are shed.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Not much is mentioned about the unique vegetation of the Vineyard.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

As a mother of two and someone with a history of post partum depression, the realness of early motherhood was beautifully captured. For Brynn, the sleepless nights, the changes in her relationship, losing her identity, and struggling to keep up with the daily basics is a enough to bury her, but then add in the fact that her husband has just been arrested for the murder of a young woman…how is she supposed to get through this? This explores the importance of support systems, friends, and admitting when we need help. The focus is on Brynn and what she is going through mentally and emotionally during this time of her life. The murder is obviously significant, but the story leans more strongly as women’s fiction novel vs mystery/thriller. I do wish there was more depth regarding the other mothers in the book and their relationship to Brynn throughout the book. Some of that seemed rushed at the end. It would have been a great through line/mirror/juxtaposition.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Apr 29 2025

Mystery murder is one of my fav genres to read, and this book did not disappoint.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of "Such a good mom".
Postpartum depression/issues, motherhood are issues very well described/presented.
A psychological thriller intertwined with a woman's invisible struggles with motherhood.

Murder in paradise isn't what any new mom plans for, but that's exactly what Julia Spiro serves up in her latest thriller. Set against the pristine beaches and old-money mansions of Martha's Vineyard, this story follows a fresh-faced mother who stumbles into a murder case that shatters her picture-perfect world.

Spiro nails the less-than-Instagram-worthy moments of new motherhood—the sleepless nights, the crushing anxiety, the constant second-guessing. She weaves these raw realities into a mystery that peels back the manicured lawns of island life to reveal the rot beneath. The Vineyard itself becomes more than just a setting; it's a pressure cooker of wealth, secrets, and judgment.

The mystery itself won't shock hardcore thriller fans, but that's not really the point. The real story here is about the masks we wear as mothers and the price of fitting in. Spiro's strength lies in her sharp observations of privilege and parenthood, even if the plot occasionally meanders like a tipsy tourist on Circuit Avenue.

The ending ties everything up neatly—perhaps too neatly for some—but it's satisfying enough for readers who want resolution with their beach reads.

Verdict: 3.5/5 stars

Pick this up if you like your mysteries with a side of mommy drama and social commentary. Just don't expect breakneck pacing—this one's more chardonnay on the porch than shots at the bar."

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc/alc.

This book was a delightful women's fiction/thriller novel. I think it will be a good book for fans of Elin Hilderbrand (like myself!), as she has made the decision to no longer write books set on Nantucket Island. While in no way is this the same as an Elin Hilderbrand book, I think it is a pretty good substitution. I also liked the story about all that mothers have to go through when raising their children. While I haven't had the pleasure of being a mother yet, this story really resonated with me as a woman in her twenties. I also enjoyed the audiobook narrator, Abigail Reno. I don't remember if I have ever listened to her narrate any audiobooks before, but I would definitely consider listening to more in the future. Furthermore, I definitely want to see what Julia Spiro writes next!

3.5 ⭐️

SUCH A GOOD MOM by Julia Spiro

Brynn is a new mom and is very overwhelmed by her baby Lucas. She’s deeply struggling with postpartum depression, and I felt Spiro gave a very accurate portrayal of a new mom who can’t focus, can’t sleep, is worrying about everything, and feels like she is doing so much worse than every other mother that she knows. To top it all off, her husband Ross is being accused of murder.

➕ I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an accurate portrayal of postpartum depression. The author did a really good job, but I can see it being *too much* for a lot of readers.
➕ I appreciated following Brynn’s evolution throughout the novel.

➖ The mystery element didn’t carry the book. There was a murder, but solving it felt extraneous to Brynn’s internal machinations.
➖ Ross, Brynn’s husband, was a bit too milquetoast to care much about.

While I thought the mystery element was rather weak in this novel, I did enjoy the writing and thought Spiro did an excellent job capturing the lived experience of postpartum depression.

I thought the audiobook narrator Abigail Reno did a great job conveying the turmoil that Brynn was going through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and MacMillan Audio for an Advance Reader Copy and Advance Listener Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes April 29, 2025.

ARC review- 04/29/2025 pub date

I really wanted to enjoy this book. The description made me assume this was a thriller, and while there was a murder mystery- it took a back seat. The heavy focus was on the main character's PPD and general hatred of motherhood. It was extremely repetitive and honestly made it hard for me to finish the book. I'm a mom and understand the struggle, but I don't need an entire book describing how much the character loathes being a mother.

2.5🌟 rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy to review!

I want sure what to expect going into this book. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery around the main family and how digging was dangerous to whoever tried. There was alot of postpartum awareness that I think burbank gets over looked. This was a good read.

Mothers who are overburdened these days with grocery shopping, cooking, doing laundry and taking care of the kids will totally understand Brynn’s weariness. It’s not easy.

This book swallows you into the world of motherhood. Brynn is finding out that life with a baby can be a bit of a challenge with time constraints. She tries to fit in with the joy of other mothers but she feels like a frustrated outsider. Some readers may relate to Brynn shuffling several jobs simultaneously with an artificial smile.

However, the plot must keep our attention so the author created apprehension with a dead body that washed up on the shores of Martha’s Vineyard. Brynn was right in the middle of trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

I could feel the frustration of Brynn although in my own mind, I found her to be over the edge. She was living on one of the most sought out places in the country and yet, she seemed miserable. Her beautiful baby was crying and where was her husband when she needed him? That’s part of the mystery. It’s a quick read but one that may appeal more for young mothers.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 25, 2025.

Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro is a reasonably satisfying mystery with a message I found particularly poignant.

So, the mystery—Somebody killed a young woman on Martha’s Vinyard, and Brynn’s husband is arrested. Brynn may have to face unpleasant truths as she tries to clear her husband of the charges. Was he involved with the dead woman? Did he commit the murder? If not, how can the evidence against him be so damning?

The poignant part is the honest and sometimes devastating descriptions of the wonderful and horrible adventure of motherhood. Brynn exhibits all the signs of someone dealing with postpartum depression—and some of those descriptions are hard to read. I remember too well how hopeless you can feel—the weight of the world and literally the life of another human are in your hands, and you wonder how you’ll ever get through this. You mourn the old you and your old life—both gone forever. You doubt you can rise to the tasks, and you despair, certain that you are somehow ruining this kid.

None of that is true, of course, but it certainly feels true at the time.

For me, the book leaned a bit too heavily in the direction of Brynn’s mental state and a little too lightly on the mystery at hand. The author did illustrate clearly how all-consuming these feelings are—not to mention the stress generated by Brynn’s doubts concerning her husband's innocence and her struggles to stay sane as she balances caring for an infant and investigating.

That part really did feel real to me.

But the mystery itself is slow to develop and feels rushed and secondary to Brynn’s feelings. Other reviewers have mentioned that the book seems out of balance, and I agree with that. I just wish the plot had a few more twists and a bit more development. At times, the discussion of Brynn’s problems seems preachy and never-ending.

I can still recommend Such a Good Mom, especially if you or someone you love is dealing with or has ever dealt with postpartum depression alone. The plot is adequate, but be ready to go down the rabbit hole of Brynn’s mental health along the way. The ending was not a huge surprise and was a bit dark, but—you know me—the darker, the better.
All in all, a good read that reminded me to reach out to a couple of peeps I know who are new to motherhood.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book!

Julia Spiro’s Such a Good Mom had a lot going on—perhaps a bit too much. The premise intrigued me: a new mom, struggling with postpartum life, is suddenly thrown into the middle of a murder investigation when her husband is arrested for the crime. Set against the backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, the novel weaves together mystery, motherhood, and marital tension, creating a story packed with emotion and suspense.

While I appreciated the author’s exploration of Brynn’s internal struggles—her exhaustion, self-doubt, and the overwhelming pressures of new motherhood—I found the pacing uneven. The book juggles so many elements that it sometimes felt scattered. There were moments when the mystery took a backseat to Brynn’s personal turmoil, and while that added depth to her character, it also slowed the tension I was hoping for.

Additionally, some plot points felt a bit predictable, and the secondary characters could have been more fleshed out. I didn’t always feel fully invested in the mystery itself because the story leaned so heavily on Brynn’s emotional journey. That being said, Spiro’s writing is engaging, and I did enjoy the atmospheric setting and the themes of trust, resilience, and identity.

Overall, Such a Good Mom was an okay read for me—not bad, but not quite as gripping as I had hoped. If you enjoy domestic thrillers with a strong emotional core, this might be worth picking up, but if you’re looking for a fast-paced, twisty mystery, you may find it lacking.

A new mother finds herself in a dilemma when her husband is accused of and arrested for murder and she thinks she is certain that he did not do it and he tells her he did not do it and is being set up but she is just not certain what she can believe. He tells her what she needs to find but she is torn and confused. She does finally find what she was looking for and figures it out before it’s too late. Good read. Don’t want to give away too much so I’ll just stop with this.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was initially intrigued by the premise of this book—an overwhelmed mom caught up in a murder mystery on Martha’s Vineyard, but it ultimately fell so flat it became a DNF.

Such a Good Mom reads like so many other current books: new mom is ridiculously tired, baby won’t stop crying, no one understands, societal expectations etc etc. And I’m sure there’s probably a postpartum depression message in there at some point and it’s a very real thing, but as a reader you just want the plot to get on with itself. Childless women can’t relate and moms who’ve been there, well, it’s the same motherhood we’ve all been doing for ages. After awhile I just lost interest and started skimming.

Thank you to the publisher for making this available to read and review through NetGalley.

As a currently expecting first time mother, this book was a bit difficult to read at times. It openly & honestly covered the challenges women face both during labor/delivery, as well as postpartum (unfortunately much too common). Though it made me feel more nervous & anxious at times, it was also eye opening and normalized the struggles. Motherhood aside, it was a good story line and a nice mystery without all the gore/grim details. However, I did quickly catch on/solve who was responsible.

Thank you Net Gallery!

I had a difficult time with SUCH A GOOD MOTHER. I feel like it had too much of Brynn’s internal reflections about the struggles of new motherhood and not enough thriller. Overall, the book was a downer, although I do appreciate Julia Spiro’s exploration of the difficult topic of postpartum depression (I’m not denying that this is a fascinating topic, it’s just really heavy).

I would not call SUCH A GOOD MOTHER a “perfect beach read,” as is advertised in its blurb. There is a twist midway through but it was not totally shocking. This book was a fine read, but I didn’t love it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an early digital copy of SUCH A GOOD MOTHER in exchange for my honest feedback.

Such a Good Mom seems to be a love (hate?) letter to postpartum depression. Yep, that’s about it. Theoretically, it’s supposed to be a mystery about a young woman that was killed, and Brynn trying to figure out who actually killed her after Brynn’s husband is arrested for the murder. But it’s really more just Brynn questioning her fitness as a mother and reliving a horrible delivery experience over and over and over again. I don’t want to belittle postpartum depression, because it’s a very real thing that isn’t taken seriously enough most of the time, and maybe Spiro is trying to convey how all consuming it is. But it consumes the book, and for anyone that isn’t looking to be validated, having gone through it themselves, it makes it feel like there really isn’t a plot line to the book. The killer is eventually revealed, and while it is not particularly surprising, it feels like it just falls into Brynn’s lap and it magically makes her see that she needs help with her situation. I read a book a year or so ago, one I unfortunately can’t remember the name of, that is also a new mother with postpartum depression trying to solve a murder and that book struck a much better balance of conveying the sense of isolation and questioning one’s memory and judgment to make the protagonist an unreliable narrator and a woman dealing with a very real mental illness that she needed help with. Good idea here, but the execution was lacking for me. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.