This novel had me flipping pages late into the night. First-Time Mother does a great job of capturing the anxiety and isolation that can accompany new motherhood—especially when you’re also managing stepkids, a complicated family history, and a husband who keeps parts of his past locked up tight.

The suspense builds slowly at first, with subtle moments that make you question what’s real and what might be in the main character’s head. But once things start going wrong, the tension ramps up quickly. There were a few genuinely chilling moments, and the final twist caught me off guard in a good way.

A couple of aspects felt a bit overdone—some characters’ reactions seemed a little off, and there were moments where I wished the plot had delved a bit deeper instead of leaning too heavily into the “is she losing it?” vibe. But overall, it’s a solid psychological thriller with a strong emotional core.

If you enjoy stories that play with your mind and keep you guessing, this one’s worth picking up.

First-Time Mother is a gripping thriller that twists and turns in ways I did not expect! Just when I thought I had "cracked the code" I found myself sorely mistaken! Annie is a first-time mother (hence the title), and she and her daughter Lola share a home with Annie's husband, Max, and his two children - twins - from a previous marriage. As we get to know Annie, we find out that she is a bit overwhelmed in new motherhood and could use some support. Although Max tries to be helpful in hiring help and encouraging support, Annie is left feeling off. Is she drinking? Is something off with her hormones? Is someone poisoning her? While Max navigates selling his company, with whom Annie's sister is a part of, issues start to arise. Annie begins to suspect someone in her family is lying to her.

I do think the cover is a bit misleading with the baby carriage and the headline "My baby is missing. Everyone thinks it's my fault." This is not really the premise of the book and Lola really only plays a minor role in the plotline of the book. There is a greater focus on domestic issues within marriage versus new motherhood.

The narration by Tamsin Kennard was superb! She does a great job at differentiating voices and sounds believable as a new mom. This is a great listen if you're looking for a fun and fast paced thriller that will keep you surprised until the end!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, the author AJ Campbell, and the narrator Tamsin Kennard for an ALC of First-Time Mother!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great thriller! There were so many layers to this story and so many great twists. I loved this thriller and really enjoyed this book. I was on the edge of my seat and could not wait to find out how the whole story would play out. This was a great and fun read!

I listened to this on audio and was so interested in what the outcome was going to be… I did not expect the ending, that was wild! Such a fun, fast read!

Absolutely loved this, very gripping from the start and kept
Me wanting more. The audiobook had a great narrator and no issues following. Would definitely read more from
This author when any other new releases appear

Was a quick easy audiobook.
Mildly enjoyable and interesting but highly predictable.

The characters were really good. The narrator was ok, kinda annoying with the child voices etc but not too bad.

The story is highly predictable a little more than quarter of the way through. I kept on till the end and finished, was a little disappointed I was right.

Overall a fun little read

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

A gripping psychological thriller, expertly narrated.

This audiobook is the story of Alice, a first time mum married to Max and stepmum to his teenage twins (with whom she has a fractured relationship).

From the start we learn that Alice is struggling both mentally and physically following the birth of her colicky baby girl.

A series of events follow that have her family believing she has postnatal depression, particularly as once such lapse has her responsible for a small house fire.

Without giving spoilers I will say there are themes of murder and adultery in this very listenable novel!

I enjoyed it immensely and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to fellow readers/ listeners of this genre.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

As a first time mother myself I could really relate to the struggles of motherhood in this book.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in the book and the twist was a surprise.
I really enjoy the broken and somewhat toxic family dynamic that got resolved in the end.

This is one of those thrillers that you think you've got figured out, but you are completely on the wrong track. It is twisty and kept me engaged throughout the whole book, which is quite a feat considering this is not my most preferred genre. I really enjoyed the step parent dynamic as well. Enjoy the ride.

4.5*

've read several psychological thrillers involving nannies, and I'm pleased to say that this one was a little different and held my interest all the way through. As I listened I couldn't decide who to believe as there were so many twists that I felt quite dizzy. I did feel sorry for Annie, though her actions sometimes frustrated the hell out of me. I look forward to A J Campbell's next book.

I enjoyed the narration by Tamsin Kennard.

Review of First Time Mother by AJ Campbell

A huge thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the advanced listening copy of this one. It is out now though, so you’ll want to get your copy. I listened to this in one day…I couldn’t stop listening because I had no idea what was going to happen. The main character was a solid unreliable character that I could really identify with. It’s really hard when you have a newborn and especially if it’s your first baby; you feel exhausted and you feel anxious. You feel worried and this poor main character really had a lot to deal with in her life. I found the ending very satisfying and enjoyed the audio very much.

Synopsis:

My family say I’m unwell. They think I can’t care for my baby. But they’re lying. Who can I really trust?

My delicate newborn, Lola, is just perfect. Seeing her gorgeous little face look up at me, I know the difficult birth was worth it. And I swear I’ll never let anyone hurt her.

My stepchildren say they love their new little sister, and my wonderful husband Max is so happy. He reassures me that the blackouts I’m having are normal: I’m sleep-deprived, and I just need help.

Accidents keep happening around the house. Max and his children look at me pityingly. I know what they’re thinking. She can’t cope. But why can’t I shake the feeling something else is going on?

Then one day I go to check on Lola and what I see changes everything…

Because my baby isn't there

Thank you Bookouture Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: In First-Time Mother, a new mom struggling with blackouts and self-doubt begins to question her reality, and everyone around her, when her newborn baby suddenly disappears.

First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell was my first book by this author, even though it’s her 10th thriller, and wow, what a ride! This psychological thriller had me hooked from the very first chapter and kept me guessing until the final twist. Even when I thought I saw something coming, the story delivered surprise after surprise.

Annie’s journey as a new mom is messy, emotional, and so relatable! I found myself feeling both deeply sorry for her and frustrated at the same time. Those early days of motherhood are no joke, and the author really captures that tension and uncertainty.

If you love authors like Frieda McFadden or Jeneva Rose, this one’s for you! And if you’re into audiobooks, the narration by Tamsin Kennard is top-notch and makes the experience even more gripping.

First-Time Mother was published on April 14, 2025, by Bookouture Audio.

This is my first Campbell book and won't be my last. I thought the plot flowed and was easy to follow. There were several things going on that would naturally lead the reader to a certain conclusion about who was gaslighting whom, and what might or might not happen. In many modern domestic thrillers, it often is fairly cut and dry and not hard to unravel the whodunnit, but this definitely was an exception. There were some evident things, but there were also twists I didn't see coming. That was refreshing for a change. Overall a fun offering but my socks were still on at the end.
Tamsin Kennard never disappoints as a narrator and I'll listen to her offerings every time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARL. All opinions are mine.

Fast paced high quality audiobook that is a binge listen. The narrator did a fab job of showing the emotion and confusion of the main character as she desperately tried to work out was someone to get her and her baby whilist dealing with a new baby and step children who seemed to resent her. This had me gripped from the first word. There were do many twists and turns and red herrings it was engaging as I was thrown into the journey what was happening. The final reveal completely blew me away. This a highly recommended listen a 5 star perfect for all thriller lovers. Thank uou netgallery and publisher and author and narrator.

She does it again! This one was so entertaining, I love thrillers! I was so curious and interested the whole time wondering what in the world was going on and who was doing what? And things got intense towards then end & I didn’t see that coming! This was a fun and fast paced read!

@ajcampbellauthor

Twisty and intriguing thriller. The storyplot and pace were perfect. This thriller was narrated amazingly - perfect tone and intonation. Such an enjoyable book. I loved seeing the change of attitude of the mother to the twins along the story.

This edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller is the perfect read by the incredibly talented AJ Campbell! I’m always so excited when she writes a new novel & even more this time because she reached out to me personally to share it with me!
The ending! I can’t say enough about the intense twists and excitement of those turns! It’s a favorite for 2025!!! And with the audiobook’s narration by the impeccable Tamsin Kennard, it’s a must read!

Prepare to stay up all night reading!

Decent book. Just not really one that kept me engaged. There were lots of things going on and some didnt make much sense, including the ending. I was expecting more lies and scandals and was a little disappointed. What also bothered me is the cover says “my baby is missing and everyone thinks its my fault” however the whole premise of the book is about a murder of someone else.

I really enjoyed this thriller! The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the author’s book to life. Great plot twist, I never saw it coming. Highly recommend to anyone who likes to be kept guessing.

3.5 stars. Most of it was pretty predictable and the ending felt rushed and out of left field, but the first 75% I really liked. It’s a domestic thriller about a murder with a large tangle of lies and deceit between main characters.