This is my second Minka Kent book. She's a fantastic story teller. What would you do to see your child you gave up years ago? What lengths would you go to to see her? You hope she's been placed with a perfect family but has she? Good story with some twists.

Thank you NetGalley! I have enjoyed reading books by this author. I loved the back and forth between the characters to help build suspense towards the twists.

This was such a fun read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Memory Watcher is a fast-paced psychological thriller that dives into obsession, identity, and the dark side of social media. Minka Kent does a great job keeping the suspense high as we follow a woman fixated on the seemingly perfect life of another family. The story is told through alternating perspectives, which adds to the tension and keeps you guessing the whole way through. With twists you won’t see coming and characters that are both flawed and fascinating, this book is a gripping read from start to finish. If you enjoy domestic thrillers with a dark edge, this one’s worth adding to your list.

The Memory Watcher by Minka Kent was a good read for me. About 3/4 of the way through the book, the twist comes at you, and I felt it was kind of predictable. Nonetheless, there's a good amount of turmoil throughout this book, strained family relationships, infidelity, and characters doing things that seem implausible on the surface. The interplay between characters is good, but the story is still filled with tropes. Overall, it was a pretty good read.

This was one of the best domestic thrillers I have read in a while!! This book was written perfectly and includes so many things. I highly recommend reading this book and it’s better to just go ahead and read it. You will be let speechless.

Such a great book! Well written. Exactly as I had expected from minka Kent! Never ceases to amaze me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a gifted ARC of this novel.

What happens when social media “lurking” goes too far? This is a great book to find that answer. I recommend going into this one as blind as you can (always checking trigger warnings!) to sit back and be along for the wild ride. I was hooked from the prologue, and the ending had a twist that I did NOT see coming. Told from dual POVs, both characters were likable but each had their down moments, which I believe was the author’s design. The pacing here was done pretty well too, with short chapters to keep the plot going. I definitely recommend giving this one a read!

What a wild ride! I figured all was not as it seemed, but I was unprepared for just how many twists and turns I would be experiencing. A complex book in the sense that there are several storylines happening simultaneously and different POVs, but the way it wrapped up was simply delectable. A must read.

Thank you so much for this ARC! How have I not read other Minka Kent books before?

This was a solid 5 for me throughout -- until the ending. UGH. I LOVE this particular trope, however, in this instance it did not fit for me and felt like a very abrupt ending. Not a fan of the ending. A total fan of the writing, the two main characters and the plot leading up to the ending.

The Memory Watcher
by Minka Kent
Pub Date: May 06 2025

If you're looking for a clever and engaging psychological thriller, look no further as The Memory Watcher has it all! Full of suspense, secrets, the characters were great including the main character, Autumn.

I highly recommend if you are a fan of psychological novels to pick up this 5 star novel now!

Synopsis: When Autumn Carpenter stumbles upon the social media account of the family who adopted her infant daughter years ago, she finds herself instantly drawn into their picture-perfect existence. From behind a computer screen, Autumn watches Grace's every memory, from birthdays to holidays to bedtime snuggles. But what starts as an innocent fascination spirals into an addictive obsession met with a screeching halt the day the McMullen family closes their Instaface account without so much as a warning.

Frantic and desperate to reconnect with her daughter, Autumn applies for a nanny position with the McMullens, manipulating herself into Grace's life under false pretenses. And it's only then that Autumn discovers pictures lie, the perfect family doesn't exist, and beautiful people? They have the ugliest secrets.

Many thanks to #TheMemoryWatcher #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for providing me with an E-ARC of this amazing 5 star book!

The Memory Watcher by Minka Kent is a gripping psychological suspense novel that explores obsession, secrets, and a mother's love. This edition is revised from the original.

When Autumn Carpenter finds the social media account of Daphne McMullen she finds herself obsessed with the picture perfect life that is being portrayed. Another reason for her obsession? The McMullen's adopted Autumn's daughter Grace years ago. Now with unfettered access to the life of a daughter Autumn gave up, she is able to see Grace grow up even if Grace doesn't know who she is. But Autumn's routine of scroll, refresh, repeat abruptly ends one day when the McMullen's account is gone without a trace. Determined to get close with her daughter again, Autumn takes on a nanny position at the McMullen's gorgeous house. But soon she realizes that appearances are misleading and not everything is as perfect as it seems online.

I have read most of Minka Kent's books so I thought that I had an idea where this was going to go, but I should have known that unpredictable twists and dramatic turns are a couple of Kent's calling cards! Another highlight for me is the excellent character development. Every character is deeply flawed and complex which makes them easy to relate to. Overall a highly engaging read from the first page, fast-paced and riveting, you definitely want to check this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Minka Kent, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC! Publication date is May 6th 2025.

That twist though. I felt as though the ending was a bit open-ended and would love to see a sequal-prequal about what happened to Autumn. but other than that I absolutely loved this book (clearly if I want to read another book related to this one)

I always get excited to see a new Minka Kent book out! This book was entertaining and a fast, easy read. If you like Kent’s other books, you’ll like this one. Give it a read!

Another 10/10 for me. Kent, your books have a serious hold on me! This one had everything: drama, obsession, suspense, and that twist! I was hooked and guessing right up until the final page. If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for?

This was the first book by Minka Kent that I have read, but it definitely will not be the last. The Memory Watcher is out on Tuesday, May 6, and believe me when I say that you are going to want to go out and pick this one up. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of this book. I haven't really seen this one on social media, and I am very surprised! This is one of those hidden gems that deserves way more hype! As someone who uses social media and is also a mom, this one had me thinking on so many levels. From the very beginning, I was invested in the story. I found myself racing through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. Personally, I don't put my children on social media, and I do believe that social media is very curated. It is often a highlight reel, where people only share the positives of their lives. Even like the Ruby Franke case- she seemed like the picture perfect mom, but the reality of what was going on in her house was far from that. Anyone who has kids and posts them on social media will definitely think twice after reading this book. I couldn't put it down!

This was a really good psychological thriller. Kept me guessing and I couldn't put it down. The end was surprising. Totally caught me off guard! Loved it and recommend it if you're a fan of a suspenseful thriller..

I didn't realize this but I grabbed this on netgalley and I already read it! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own..

Minka Kent delivers a dark and unsettling psychological thriller with The Memory Watcher, a novel that explores obsession, identity, and the blurred lines between motherhood and madness. With a premise rooted in emotional complexity and quiet tension, this story unfolds through the perspectives of two women—one a protective adoptive mother, the other a desperate figure lurking on the outskirts of her former life.

The plot centers on a chilling dynamic: a woman watching from afar as another raises the child she once carried, a secret known only to her. As the narrative unfolds, Kent draws readers into a psychological spiral, where trust is fragile, intentions are unclear, and reality is never quite what it seems. The pacing is taut, with twists that emerge naturally and escalate the tension in subtle but powerful ways.

While the story occasionally veers into the odd or unsettling—especially in its portrayal of obsession and emotional instability—this unpredictability adds to its intrigue. Kent knows how to tap into the unease that defines the genre, making the reader question motives and truths up until the final pages.

The Memory Watcher is not your typical thriller—it’s quieter, more psychological, and built on emotional suspense rather than high-octane action. But that’s exactly what makes it compelling. It’s a twisted and layered narrative that will appeal to fans of domestic suspense who enjoy digging into the messy, fragile corners of the human mind.

The overall plot of Minka Kent's The Memory Watcher is quite intriguing and really held my interest. It's the perfect length for this genre and is very easy to read. The pacing is a bit slow in some spots, but never boring and reads quickly. for the most part. The main characters are engaging and surprisingly likeable given the plot. The tension builds nicely with some interesting twists. The ending was a bit of a shock to me, but I still loved it. And while The Thinnest Air is my favorite Minka Kent title, The Memory Watcher is right up there. 5 stars. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing) via Netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Autumn Carpenter stumbles upon the social media account of the family who adopted her infant daughter years ago and finds herself instantly drawn into their picture perfect life. From her phone she watches her daughter’s memories which soon spirals into an obsession. Suddenly they close their social media account and she is instantly cut off. In an effort to keep watching her daughter grow up she applies for a nanny position and realizes their family actually isn’t as picture perfect as they seem.

I found this book incredibly captivating and couldn’t put it down. However, I did notice a few loose ends that felt unresolved or lacked closure. Autumn’s story also concluded somewhat abruptly, leaving me with a sense of unease and a feeling of wanting more. Despite these minor flaws, the build-up and character development were exceptional, making the book an intriguing and thought-provoking read. Overall I love this author and her writing style I always look forward to her books.