My heart goes out to Annie. Not only is she struggling to take care of her newborn Lola, but she is also an instant stepmother. What makes matters worse is her new stepchildren aren't her biggest fans. Battling postpartum brain fog and exhaustion is consuming Annie’s life. Is she having difficulty coping with motherhood or is something more sinister at play? Along with the uncertainty of the cause of Annie’s health issues; a murder happens causing Annie to doubt everything and everyone. This is a murder mystery with several twists, turns, and countless red herrings. The story kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. The narrator, Tamsin Kennard masterfully brings the characters to life adding emotion, intensity, and suspense. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for my audiobook.

Annie’s life takes an unexpected turn with a new marriage, a baby, and two teenage stepchildren. Adjusting to these changes proves to be more challenging than she anticipated, leaving her feeling fatigued, uncertain, and overwhelmed. Although certain that her husband, Max, only wants the best for her, Annie struggles to cope with the daily fumbles and uncertainties that plague her. While Annie loves her new baby, Lola, and has embraced the role of stepmother to her stepchildren, she can’t help but wonder why she’s struggling so much. But with little sleep, even that love is questionable.

The twists and turns in this book, expertly narrated by Tamsin Kennard, keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Some of the events are cringeworthy, as it’s impossible not to empathize with Annie’s pain and uncertainty. Is she unwell or being gaslit? What about Max’s first marriage? Did he treat his first wife the same way he’s treating Annie?

As I began listening to this book, I couldn’t help but notice several familiar tropes: a new marriage, stepchildren, a new baby, a baby with colic, baby blues, gaslighting, and more. However, AJ Campbell’s storytelling is so compelling that I found myself thoroughly enjoying the shocking surprises along the way. This book will be with me for a long while.
Many thanks to Bookouture Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell was an addictive psychological thriller that will have you gripped from the beginning till the very end. This book was excellent and I loved it, this was my favourite book by this author. First time mother was full of twists and turns from start to finish, that will have you turning your pages over quickly. In my case I could not stop reading it.. . . . . The ending to this book was WoW - Excellent! Perfect ending.

I highly recommend First-time mother - great holiday read.

The plot of "First Time Mother" began intriguingly, but as I read on, it became overwhelming. The numerous twists and the main character's constant shifts between theories made the story feel disjointed.

Despite my initial enthusiasm, I struggled to maintain interest and pushed through to the end. The convoluted plot detracted from the suspenseful tone that a thriller should have.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy, and to AJ Campbell for sharing the story, though I wish it had been more focused.

Although not exactly what I thought it was going to be, this novel was still an entertaining journey. I always enjoy books about the struggles of new motherhood because it's such a relatable (and at times stressful) topic. It also makes for an excellent unreliable narrator situation in which the reader is unsure of what is actually real and what is imagined. This story explored that component well.

Overall, the audio narration was great and the plot perfectly paced. I did however, struggle to accept/believe the way in which the main character reacted to a certain disturbing incident involving the loss of a family member. For such a tragic occurrence, the character's reaction was far too downplayed, making her come across as indifferent and therefore unbelievable. In fact, the entire incident seemed like a minor afterthought throughout the novel which felt inauthentic.

That being said, FIRST-TIME MOTHER was a quick and easy read perfect for fans of twisty psychological thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for access to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I am very on the fence about this one. I felt like it was just okay for me and then the twists just came out of nowhere for shock factor but they didn't truly make sense. The cover and blurb are highly misleading as to what the story is about. It wasnt as thrilling as I hoped it would be.

Annie keeps having blackout/fainting spells after her traumatic birthing experience with her first baby. On top of dealing with her health issues she is also a newly wed that is the new stepmother to two teens. Annie starts being accused of being an alcoholic, that’s why she is having these fainting spells and blackout periods. Annie’s husband has the idea to hire a nanny, to give her a helping hand. However, Annie’s condition gets worse. Things are missing or moved. She can feel her family growing more distant from her, she doesn’t understand what is wrong with her.

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely kept me guessing. I was hooked on this book from the start. This would be a wonderful read for someone looking for a decent domestic thriller. The characters go astray at times, you have to make sure you’re keeping track. Truly an enjoyable read though.

A special thanks to Netgalley & Bookouture for the ARC copy of this.

First-Time Mother kept me hooked from the very beginning, thanks largely to the narrator’s engaging voice—she really brought the story to life and made it easy to stay immersed. I went in not knowing what to expect, and I loved constantly guessing who was seriously messing with Annie’s head. The plot unraveled slowly, keeping me intrigued and eager to uncover what was really going on. It had just the right level of suspense to keep me listening. A solid, gripping audiobook I’d recommend to fans of psychological thrillers.

I really liked this book, I didn't want to stop listening. The ending was not what I expected, I enjoyed the twists.

Huge thank you to AJ Campbell and NetGally for the advanced copy!!
AJ Campbell delivers a taut and emotionally gripping psychological thriller in First-Time Mother, a story that unpacks the raw vulnerability of new motherhood and threads it seamlessly into a chilling web of secrets, doubt, and danger. With a quiet intensity and a slow-burning sense of dread, this audiobook keeps listeners on edge from the very first chapter.

The story follows the emotional unraveling of a woman confronting the most fragile chapter of her life—becoming a mother for the first time—only to find herself surrounded by unsettling truths and increasingly blurred lines between reality and paranoia. Campbell writes with precision and empathy, capturing the emotional highs and lows of postpartum life while expertly layering a mounting sense of psychological tension.

The audiobook format amplifies the experience, with an immersive narration that captures both the intimacy of the protagonist's inner world and the suspense that builds steadily as her reality begins to crack. Every pause and whispered doubt is rendered with chilling clarity.

Dark, clever, and deeply human, First-Time Mother is more than a thriller—it's a haunting exploration of identity, trust, and the cost of silence. AJ Campbell proves once again that the most dangerous truths are the ones closest to home.

This is my third book by AJ Campbell and it won’t be my last even if one wasn’t my favorite.

This one stressed me out since the FMC is a dunce! I was so frustrated with her the whole time, it drove me crazy. It made the book feel very repetitive, but it still kept me wanting to see what was going to happen next. I mean I understand how some of her flightiness happened, but she didn’t question a lot of the things that were happening around her.

I loved how quick this book went! I listened to it in a day and I couldn’t put it down. So the book is definitely good, I struggled with various components of it.

I have some other qualms about this book, but I can’t say them since it will give a massive spoiler alert.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The line on the front cover reads "A baby is missing, everyone thinks it's my fault", but the book is not about this. The front cover photo doesn't line up with the story either.

I can say I did not expect the ending, I do think the twists were good! Sometimes I had a hard time following the story but maybe that was to just add to Annie's scrambled brain? or was it a storyline flaw?

Overall "First-Time Mother was a decent read!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and AJ Campbell for the opportunity to listen to First-Time Mother.

First-Time Mother is a captivating listen from start to finish. The story grabbed me right away with its mix of tension and emotion, and it really dives deep into the challenges and fears of becoming a new parent. The characters felt real, and the narration was excellent. i felt it really brought the atmosphere to life. If you're into psychological thrillers with heart, this one is definitely worth your time.

Man, this was a crazy one. I think I read this back to back with another domestic thriller that had a similar vibe, but this one definitely took it further on the crazy train at the end.

You have a young second wife with a new baby, a husband, a couple of obnoxious teens from the previous marriage, a nanny, and a few side folks.

The blurb on the book cover doesn’t really make a lot of sense to the storyline, so I would highly suggest the publisher change the book cover and blurb, because it’s not reflective of what the book is about.

I definitely enjoyed listening to the narrator and always enjoy her work.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to preview this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Another brilliant read from A.J. Campbell!
I have loved this author's books for a long time now, and this latest book is a fast paced and intriguing read from start to finish.
The female main character Annie is a new mother to Lola, her four month old daughter. We see immediately how much Annie is struggling with her new role, and this is a huge part of events in the book.
Mothers everywhere will be nodding enthusiastically when they read this book!
The events that unfold are shocking, and I could never have guessed any of them!
I read the audiobook format, narrated by Tamsin Kennard. I have loved books narrated by her, she does a great job of being an easy listen, but one who portrays the tension wonderfully.

An excellently portrayed unreliable protagonist, a delightfully twisty plot, and a definitely unseen ending. An all-round fabulous listen

This one was actually really well done. I never would have guessed what was actually happening, and it kept me on my toes throughout the whole read. I had no idea what was happening or who it could have been all the way up until the very end. The author did great at building up the growing distrust that everyone had for Annie, including me, and even led to me not being able to trust anyone. The ending was not something that I expected at all, and it did come out of nowhere. My main complaint, is that we hear about this on basically every page and it became pretty repetitive. My second complaint is that if you go into this book after reading the synopsis, don't actually expect this to be accurate for a while. There is a lot of buildup before we get to that and, while I was waiting for that pin to drop, I was still entertained by what was happening up until that point.

Thank you to Bookouture, A.J. Campbell, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

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!