This was a great audio! Enjoyed the narrator’s pacing; the storyline was easy to follow listening along. The setting of the book is what drew me in at first, but I really appreciated the brutally honest look at motherhood.

This was an interesting read that details the main characters experience with post partum depression. The main character really struggles with this and it is detailed a lot so note that it might be triggering to some readers so please proceed with caution.

A murder takes place and her husband is accused. On top of everything else she is already coping with, she begins to investigate to try and uncover what happened and prove him innocent, but how will she do that when she is so sleep deprived she can barely keep track of her own day?

Overall, I thought that this one was good. It felt like it was a little long at times and a bit repetitive. It has the unreliable narrator trope, so it kept me on the edge of my seat, second guessing what was happening.

It’s likely that this review is a case of it’s not you…it’s me.

I went into Such a Good Mom for the murder mystery. From the synopsis, I was intrigued, but, after reaching the 50 percent mark and only a small portion of the book being about the murder and the rest about Brynn’s struggles as a new mom, I was beginning to think I missed a crucial part of the plot summary. After going back and reading the description, it’s clear that Such a Good Mom is intended to be both, but, unfortunately, that just wasn’t what interested me. This book has an audience that it will appeal to, and the writing is engaging, but this one ultimately just isn’t for me.

I just finished Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro and here are my musings.
Brynn is struggling with motherhood and being a wife. Her husband has been withdrawn and she can’t manage to do her job around the baby… When a waitress at their country club is found murdered, then tragedy hits her home… Her husband has been arrested for the crime.. It looks like he did it but Brynn isn’t so sure and she will stop at nothing to find the truth.

This one was really well done. I loved the narration. It really brought me into the story and held my attention. I felt the postpartum aspects of the story were handled with care and accuracy so that was a big plus too. It was loaded with family drama and the thriller side of it felt like the secondary story which was a bit of a bummer.

Brynn was the star of the show. Her whole character was what kept me going through the whole story. The pace was a bit slow for a thriller but Brynn kept me engaged. It was a really clever story. I didn’t figure out what happened so the ending hit me hard. I was like what the SHEET!!!! I love it when I am kept guessing….

This is definitely a different type of thriller to my norm but I enjoyed the heck out of it!! The writing was great, the other characters were a bit flat but all in all… I great book, well narrated and I was entertained.


4 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio and @minotaur_books for my ALC and ARC!

Solid 3.5 star mommy mystery. Fourth trimester feelings were honest and relatable. Revelations and twists kept me interested. I’d check out more of this new-to-me author’s books in the future! Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillion Audio for the review copy!

In Such a Good Mom a new mom, a local in Martha’s Vineyard, gets involved in solving a murder when a local woman is found dead and her new mom’s husband is a suspect. It is a mix of a psychological thriller with a taste of women’s fiction mixed in, dealing with postpartum issues and the stress of being a new mom. It was twisted, with lots of background details to set the stage. I also liked seeing what life is like on the island for the locals. At times the whining was over the top and made me more interested in the murder than the day to day struggles of the new mom. But I was invested until the very end to find out what really happened.

All in all, this novel—with its character-driven narrative, deceptively simple premise, and evocative small-town island setting—embodies the essence of an ideal beach read. Beneath its breezy exterior, it tackles weightier themes that would make it an excellent choice for book club discussions. While I anticipated part of the final reveal, it did little to diminish my enjoyment; in fact, I welcomed the moment with a quiet sense of triumph rather than disappointment. Ultimately, I found the story thoroughly engaging. If you’re in the mood for a slower-paced, thoughtful mystery with a light touch, this one is well worth your time. A solid 4-star read.

This book seems to be more women’s fiction than mystery/thriller. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but the murder mystery seems secondary to Brynn’s postpartum depression. This aspect of the book is very well done and realistically shows the devastating effects postpartum depression can have on new mothers.

I loved the setting of Martha’s Vineyard and enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job conveying Brynn’s exhaustion and frustration and her narration elevated this story.

Brynn is trying to deal with a new baby, lack of sleep, breastfeeding, and no help from her husband. Then her husband is arrested, and she feels even worse. She starts to rely more on Ross' brother and mother. Ross keeps telling her not to believe everything she hears. As she searches for the "orange sun," she realizes who is telling her the truth and who is not. Good book with classic backstabbing.

Brynn Nelson is a new mother. She had a difficult childbirth, and while her son Lucas is healthy, it was exhausting, and they’re both still having trouble sleeping at night. She’s barely keeping up with the basic things they need to survive, much less getting back to writing novels. Her husband Ross says that he’ll do whatever she needs, but then he goes off to work at his father’s company, leaving her alone with the baby. Brynn needs help, but she’s so tired that she can’t articulate to herself what is is she needs, much less tell anyone else.

To make things more difficult on her, they live on Martha’s Vineyard, so resources are sparse. Even Brynn’s parents moved off the island. But Ross’s family is still around, his parents and brother Sawyer, and she has some friends on the island. But Brynn is struggling to ask for help, trying hard to be a good mom who doesn’t need anyone else.

But when she finds out that there was a death on the island, a woman the family knows, she can’t help but be curious. The woman found on the beach, Cecelia, had worked at the club and known them all. She was kind and smart, and Brynn was sad to find out that she had died. But then the police were saying she was murdered, and Brynn was stunned. Why would anyone kill Cecelia?

But Brynn is truly shocked when the police show up and arrest Ross at work. Brynn had taken Lucas in to talk to Ross about a worrisome text he had sent, and then he was arrested for murder. Brynn knew that her husband would never kill anyone, but she had no idea what had happened to cause anyone to think that he would.

As the days go by and she sees evidence that someone who looked just like him was on video chasing after Cecelia the night of her murder, Brynn tries to figure out what is happening. Ross had given her a cryptic clue as he was arrested, to find the orange sun. But Brynn couldn’t figure out what he was talking about or where to start looking. Meanwhile, she continues to struggle with breastfeeding, sleeping, and then one night Lucas runs a fever, making her worry even more if she could ever be a good mother or not. But as she finally starts to accept help from those around her, Brynn starts to figure out what really happened to Cecelia that night.

But just as she’s starting to find her footing as a mother, will her chasing after a killer put her in danger? Or will she be able to free her husband and start the family life they both deserve?

Such a Good Mom is a powerful story about the first few months after having a baby and how difficult those days can be without the right support. Having so little sleep and help with the baby certainly put Brynn in a crazed mindset to try to take on a complicated crime, but her determination through it all is inspiring. It was not easy to hear about the childbirth or the days following, so I would be aware of that if you’re squeamish, but this is a solid thriller about a young family’s struggles to make sense of a heartbreaking murder through postpartum depression.

I listened to the audio book for Such a Good Mom, narrated by Abigail Reno. I thought she did a beautiful job, even with some difficult scenes. I could feel Brynn’s pain through her narration, and I thought Reno treated this story with strength and grace, which fits Brynn perfectly. Such a Good Mom is well written, but it is a little darker than I expected. Brynn’s struggles as a new mother was more than just some baby blues. She had some genuine physical issues after going through childbirth and got very little care for herself afterwards, which was disheartening. But the ending is satisfying, and it is a strong story with an important message as well.

Egalleys for Such a Good Mom were provided by Minotaur Books and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

Julia Spiro’s Such a Good Mom is a deeply emotional and quietly suspenseful novel that explores postpartum depression, privilege, motherhood, and trust—all set against the beautifully rendered backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard.

Brynn is a new mom, silently battling depression, isolation, and the weight of trying to keep it together. Her husband, part of one of the island’s most powerful families, is suddenly arrested for the murder of a local young woman. Alone with her baby and unsure what’s real, Brynn spirals deeper into confusion and fear.

Thankfully, the few friends who truly see behind her “everything’s fine” mask step in to support her. Together, they begin to unravel what really happened. That added thread of friendship and women showing up for each other in hard seasons gave the book a much-needed layer of warmth and strength.

As a mom who has experienced postpartum depression myself, this was a tough listen at times. I saw pieces of myself in Brynn—and that made her story both difficult and healing to follow. Spiro handles Brynn’s mental state with nuance, honesty, and empathy.

The narration was a great match for this story—grounded, emotional, and easy to listen to, even through the harder moments.

That said, there were a few politically charged conversations among the characters—particularly around abortion and values—that didn’t feel fully integrated into the story and ended up being a little distracting. They weren’t poorly written, but they pulled my focus away from the main thread at times.

Still, the emotional realism and satisfying ending make it worth it. A bittersweet, thought-provoking look at motherhood, identity, and what happens when your world flips upside down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this novel by Julia Spiro, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Abigail Reno. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Brynn should be on top of the world - she has a new baby, a devoted husband, a career she enjoys, and life on Martha's Vineyard. But she's struggling. Her husband seems distant and new motherhood is hard. When a family friend is found dead and her husband accused of the crime, Brynn's life is really turned upside down.

I loved this story of a new mom, struggling with all that entails. Nothing in her life is as it was before – not her relationship with her husband, not her body, not her work. She doesn’t trust herself enough to know who she can trust, even her husband.. You could feel Brynn's struggles and doubts about herself and those around her. I liked the look into all that goes into the label of being a good mom, mostly how we as women judge ourselves and our own moms.

This started strong but ultimately was so predictable that I figured out exactly what was going to happen with the mystery as soon as the premise was set up. The setting of Martha’s Vineyard was a nice touch and I enjoyed the commentary surrounding those who lived their all year vs the summer folks. Brynn’s struggles were handled well and felt super real - I liked that Spiro didn’t shy away from the tough side of motherhood.

The audio narrator was great. If not for that I would not have finished this book. I loved the voice. The way she made it real.

Seems I am alone with my thoughts about this book. I did not enjoy it. It was so repetitive aggravating for me. I'm sorry but to me it was just ok. Maybe awful. I honestly hate to write this kind of review. To me this was just not that good.

Brynn is a new mother. She is never sleeping and her husband is not understanding. Their baby cries all the time and Brynn wishes she had never had him. Well yes some mothers go through this. It is good to adress. But all Brynn does is whine about her baby. About lack of sleep. About breast feeding. About everything.

When Brynn's husband is arrested for the murder of a waitress at the club they belong too on Martha's Vineyard she begins to wonder if he had an affair. If he killed her. Good grief would you blame him if he did? Well yes I would but still. Brynn starts to investigate. Lack of sleep and a screaming baby would stop a normal person. But not this one. She wants answers. She tells her friends how much she believes in her husband. Seems to me she should have recognized her own husband in a video. NO MATTER WHAT...

I didn't like anyone in this book. Well maybe Ginny. But the rest were so perfect. Until they weren't. I give Ross, Brynn's husband a pass because he seemed to truly be a nice guy. He was working hard for them to have a good life. He was also investigating someone for being crooked. I won't say who.

Everything does come out in the end. Not that I didn't figure it out. Good grief I was hoping it would be more. Maybe a long lost relative or something. All well what can I say. I did not enjoy any part of this book. To much about lack of sleep, breast feeding, and don't get me started on that rectal thermometer thing. lol It wasn't like Brynn did not have help. Oh and all throughout this story you hear how awful her mother was and is but then she shows up and it's like Brynn's best friend forever showed up. Yes this book was aggravating. It had me rolling my eyes so much. But the author worked hard on it I'm sure and I have to give her credit for that...

Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, #MacMillanAudio, for this ARC.

Julia Spiro is an auto-buy for me. She just writes stories you want to stay with. This was such a personal story that had so many relatable aspects for mothers all the while wrapped into a mystery. Loved it.

This was my first Julia Spiro book and I look forward to more. I was able to connect with the FMC in this book as she was a first time mom and the experience is less than positive, I think that it will be reassuring for other women who are having the same post partum experience. The setting of the book is Martha's Vineyard and a very rich family with dark secrets.

The narration was well done with the voice and pacing working for me as the reader/listener.

Thank you Net Galley, Julia Spiro and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Such a Good Mom is expected to be released April 29, 2025.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was a slower to medium-paced story that dives deep into the raw, messy emotions of early motherhood — and I mean deep. Julia Spiro captures the feeling of being trapped in that hazy, timeless fog after having a baby, when you’re running on no sleep and everything feels like it’s falling apart.

As a mom myself, parts of this book felt very real. Brynn, the main character, struggles with new motherhood in ways that will feel familiar to a lot of people — but maybe repetitive to others who can't relate. She dances a little too close to the "incapable mom" trope at times, which isn't my favorite, but I understood her hyper-independence. That feeling that if you don’t do it all yourself, it won’t get done right? Very real.

The mystery takes its time to build. If you're someone who needs clues and action sprinkled throughout, this might feel a little slow. But if you love a slow-burn mystery with a payoff that lands hard toward the end, you’ll be rewarded. I especially appreciated the setting — Martha’s Vineyard in the summer — and the way it added a dreamy, isolated feeling that fit the story so well.

The audiobook narrator was fantastic — she kept me in the story the whole time. Not once did I feel like my mind wandered, and that's a huge win. All in all, this would make a strong beach read for those who like a little more emotional weight with their mysteries. Just be ready: the book doesn’t shy away from the hard parts of postpartum life.

I received this book from Netgally. I went into the book totally blind and I was quite pleased. The book is heavily about postpartum depression with a mystery. I really enjoyed how Julia Spiro told the story of Brynn and the trials of being a new mother, but feeling like she is in an unknown world. We are also learning about Ross and his well-known family on the island.
How far will a new mother go for a husband that she is upset with. Who will she turn to,who can she trust.
I gave this book 4 stars it was engaging.

Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro is a gripping and intricately woven mystery that pulls you into a world where twisted pasts and hidden secrets collide. Spiro masterfully crafts a slow-burn narrative, steadily building tension as layers of deception and truth unravel.

The audiobook format enhances the suspense, drawing listeners deeper into the story’s dark twists and emotional undercurrents. The pacing is spot-on, keeping you engaged and constantly questioning who to trust as the stakes rise.

With well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Such a Good Mom is a thrilling exploration of how far people will go to protect their secrets—and what happens when the past refuses to stay buried. A compelling listen for fans of psychological suspense and slow-building mysteries.

Set against the cozy, deceptively quiet backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard, this domestic thriller taps into small-town claustrophobia in a big way. The storyline felt thin in spots, but it stayed compelling enough to keep me turning pages.

Brynn, a published author with two books under her belt, is a brand-new mom trying to survive the brutal chaos of postpartum life. Healing from a C-section, running on no sleep, breastfeeding a fussy newborn, and getting practically zero help from her husband Ross — it’s a brutal, unvarnished look at early motherhood. (Honestly, the portrayal of postpartum struggles was the strongest and most relatable part of the entire novel.)

Where it faltered for me was in the logic: Ross is basically useless, and yet, for some reason, they don’t hire even basic help — no cleaner, no groceries delivered, no night nurse, despite clearly living in a tax bracket where that would be an easy fix. The choice to ignore that option felt like an unnecessary stretch to keep Brynn isolated and struggling.

Then, just when her life couldn't get messier, a family work associate turns up dead — and Ross gets arrested for murder. Brynn is left piecing together what little she knows, and her cluelessness sometimes bordered on irritating. As an author, you’d think she’d have a little more imagination when the mystery started unfolding around her.

Still, the plot had enough twists to keep me guessing — not all the reveals were predictable, which I appreciated. It wasn’t a flawless thriller, but it definitely had its moments.