This book was so good fast paced kept me turning pages the main character was very determined to do what needed to be done to get to her daughter I found my self sitting at the edge of my seat trying to read as fast as I could to get to the next page

📚 E-ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Memory Watcher By Minka Kent
Publication Date: May 6, 2025
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer| Amazon Publishing

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing, and NetGalley for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

The Memory Watcher is a wildly unhinged domestic thriller that feels like a car crash you see coming but can't do anything to stop. This was a crazy train of secrets, betrayals, obsessions, and lies that had me hooked.

Autumn stumbles across the social media account of the family who adopted her baby girl years ago, and she quickly becomes obsessed with following the family and the glimpses into her daughter's seemingly idyllic childhood. Daphne and Graham are the adoptive parents of Autumn's daughter and seem to have the perfect life -- at least on social media. When Autumn sees an opportunity to become the family's summer nanny and get to know her daughter, she goes for it. Again I ask, what could possibly go wrong? Everyone has secrets -- and the way these secrets intersect just might unravel these seemingly perfect lives.

Told in the dual POVs of Autumn and Daphne, this book is unhinged royalty! As a fan of unhinged and unreliable narrators, I definitely got my bucket filled with this read! The constant building of tension and the unraveling of the main characters as the story went on was nothing short of epic. And the twists?! I did NOT see these twisty bits coming -- but salt the popcorn and pass it over. I'm here for it.

This was my first read by Minka Kent and it definitely won't be my last. This book was so much fun and an unputdownable read that I finished in just one sitting. This one is for you if you enjoy unhinged characters, crazy twists, and fast reads that leave you wondering just what in the hell could possibly happen next. The Memory Watchers is available May 6th!

#TheMemoryWatcher #MinkaKent #ThomasAndMercer #amazonpublishing #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARCs #thrillerreads #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #domesticthriller #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

digital arc was provided by Netgalley and the publisher

The Memory Watcher is definitely a book that could grow on to its readers. The writing's flow is superb and the characterizations are great too.

Synopsis
Autumn gave her daughter up for adoption years ago, but she couldn't stop thinking about her. So, Autumn does what she thinks she need to do to get close to her daughter: stalking the family that adopted her, and next, be their babysitter. If only Autumn knew that there's no such thing as the picture-perfect family out there.

Likes and Dislikes
Ok so, I enjoyed the book and the alternate povs between Autumn and Daphne, both are the mothers of Grace, the adopted daughter. Autumn looked unhinged at times, but so was Daphne, so it kinda evens out. I just didn't like how Autumn turned out in the end. And the ending was just so abrupt and although it set the hopeful tone towards one of the main characters, it's just weird.

I am now officially HOOKED on Minka Kent books, there is something just so absolutely addicting to them all. You never know how to truly feel about the character or how to feel FOR the characters - you just end up feeling everything!! anyways brb, going to go read the rest of her books!

This book was honestly wild.

It had me turning the pages with so many twists and turns that I stopped trying to predict what was going to happen next. Told through multiple POVs, this story mainly follows Autumn — and let me tell you, she becomes obsessed with this seemingly perfect family’s social media account.

She watches their every post, lives for their updates, and imagines their lives are flawless. But when they suddenly shut down all of their accounts and go completely dark? Oh, Autumn loses it. She spirals. She’s desperate to figure out why they disappeared and becomes determined to get answers… by any means necessary.

What I loved about this book is that beneath all the juicy twists and suspense, there’s a very clear message: nothing you see on social media is really what it seems. That perfect life you envy? Not so perfect once you get too close.

This was fast-paced, dark, and kept me guessing the entire time. If you love thrillers where obsession turns dangerous and secrets unravel in the most jaw-dropping ways, definitely add The Memory Watcher to your list.

Thanks to NetGalley, Minka Kent, and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

This was a great read!! It was very interesting from start to finish, although the ending has me…confused!!! I wish there was one more chapter to really end the book and not be left on a cliffhanger that wasn’t very well explained.
It has kept me hooked throughout and I enjoyed the different points of views in the chapters from different characters.

Years ago, Autumn Carpenter felt compassionate and wise for placing her infant with a nice couple through adoption. Regardless of time and distance, Autumn’s motherly connection and curiosity for her daughter’s welfare have never waned. Imagine her surprise to see current images of her estranged child posted on social media. Autumn becomes obsessed with the McMullen family and decides to follow their every move both on and off the internet. She will do anything to continue to witness her daughter’s happy life. As Autumn becomes ever more daring in her efforts to stay close . . . keeping all of this secret and under the radar becomes increasingly desperate and difficult. She gave her up once and can't bear it again.

Despite having aspects that are outlandish and hard to swallow, I could not stop flipping these pages with urgency. Overall, I found this book to be an entertaining read . . . worthy of staying up way past my bedtime. I want more and sincerely hope that there will be updates on these characters in a sequel soon.

I recommend this novel to fans of Minka Kent and those who like mysteries, crime fiction, and suspenseful domestic drama.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Memory Watcher for my unbiased evaluation.  4 stars

The Memory Watcher by Minka Kent is a suspenseful, clever and well-written domestic thriller with a good plot twist and a kind of fresh and original storyline.

Each character is made to be loved and to be hated!
You can feel for each of them, and you can take a deep breath to avoid swearing from frustration!
They are all villains and all are victims!
And this was so fascinating!

This is a story about broken hearts, lost dreams and passion to protect what's yours.

This story is told in present from a dual point of view, giving you a good understanding of the full story.

Daphne, wife and mum of three, is wrapped in family life, but she is not enjoying it! She wanted freedom, travelling and growing her InstaFace following! Instead, she stuck with three children: her daughter and son, and her adopted daughter, Grace. There are different treatments for Grace and Daphne's biological children, so Grace is playing up and becoming challenging.

Graham, Daphne's husband, is handsome, rich and perfect... on paper. In reality, he is a workaholic, leaving Daphne to deal with everything without any help.

Autumn, the biological mother of Grace, regrets her decision to give up her baby at age 15 and finally find her daughter. All she wants is to get as close as possible to her daughter's life. She will not stop for anything to make her daughter happy!

This is Minka Kent's debut novel that is re-released this May!

And.... Minka Kent has done it again... I absolutely love & devour everything she writes!

This book was disturbing but kept me wanting more & more! I wasn't prepared for Autumn or Daphne!

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for this ARC for my honest review!

#NetGalley #MinkaKent

4 stars. This is a really fun domestic thriller. If you love unlikeable characters, messy family situations, and fun escape reads, this is your book! It will be a perfect addition to your beach bag this summer! This is written in Minka Kent’s signature style, with multiple POV’s. We have Autumn, who placed a child for adoption and later finds the family who adopted her on social media and becomes completely obsessed with the family’s posts and watching her child grow up online. One day, the posts disappear, and Autumn falls apart. We also have Daphne, who is the adopted mother. Her social media posts are not telling the real story of what is happening in her home. These two character’s worlds collide in unexpectedly, and it is like watching a train wreck, in the best way – you literally cannot look away. I was surprised by several of the reveals in the book, and I read a lot of thrillers. Pick this book up if you are looking for some delightful brain candy – you will not be disappointed.

I really enjoy Mink Kents writing style. The memory watcher is Engaging and suspenseful. The alternating viewpoints between Autumn and Daphne offer layered storytelling and character depth.
It’s written in a style that’s easy to follow, which makes it a quick, bingeable read.

The Memory Catcher is told in dueling perspectives, following both Autumn Carpenter and Daphne McMullen. Autumn is a middle-class woman, in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend Ben, and lives in the home in front of the McMullen family, Graham and Daphne, along with their children, Grace, Rose and Sebastian. Autumn harbors a love for the McMullen's that is bordering on obsession, simply because they adopted her daughter, whom they named Grace, when she was a baby a decade earlier. Desperate to get close to the family, and more importantly, her daughter, Autumn takes it to another level when she ultimately interviews and gets the position of a summer nanny. But, Autumn quickly realizes that the McMullen's aren't who their social media profiles claim them to be...and she isn't quite who she claims to be either.

At first, this story absolutely was hard to get through. Autumn, while I sympathize with her, was, for lack of a better word, crazy. Daphne was a little easier to read in terms of her perspectives, as she dealt with losing herself as a mother (don't we all!?) and trying to find herself again while still being the perfect wife and mother that her husband imagines her to be. But their own marital issues overtake her and she can think of nothing else but distancing herself from her life as much as she can. However, in the last 15% of the story, I was enraptured by the twist. I NEVER saw it coming, and I absolutely thought I had this book figured out.

Despite this story having already been published for several years, I will go to the ends of the Earth to recommend this one to my friends and family.

Thank you to Minka Kent, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for offering this story as an ARC.

This was such a good book! I enjoy Kent a lot. Her books are so easy to get into and to read. This was a good, quick thriller for me with some shocking twists!

This book was phenomenal! If you enjoy YOU and Frieda McFadden, I expect that you'll enjoy this. The story follows Autumn Carpenter infiltrating the lives of the McMullens. The book features a representation of a deep parasocial relationship, which is similar to ongoing growth of social media and everyone's heavy presence. Kent writes the character of a disturbed woman beautifully, too. While the ending may be predictable to others, I didn't see it coming. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, the characters, and the plot.

Amazing psychological thriller, read this one before it got picked up by a publisher.

Loved the plot and twists of this one.

This was sure a creepy one! You have people being fake, relationships in trouble, and a murder….wow! I flew through this to get to the end! Loved it!!!

This one was a bit of a letdown for me. The premise sounded super intriguing, a woman watching the life of the woman who adopted her biological daughter through social media? Definitely had potential for a dark, twisty thriller. But sadly, it just didn’t deliver.

I couldn’t really connect with the main character, and a lot of her choices felt weird or unbelievable. The story started off strong, but then it kind of lost steam. Some of the twists were easy to see coming, and the pacing dragged in places. By the time the twist hit, I didn’t feel shocked, I mostly just wanted it to be over.

That said, the writing is easy to get through and I finished it quickly. But overall, it just felt flat and forgettable. Not the psychological thriller I was hoping for.

When Autumn placed her daughter up for adoption she hoped that she would find a better life, and she did. Grace was adopted by the McMullens, a wealthy family that adores her. At least that's what it looks like on social media. Watching her daughter's life via social media is enough to Autumn, for a while, but when she learns the McMullens are hiring a nanny, she jumps at the chance to watch from much, much closer.

I absolutely loved this one. Daphne & Autumn are both flawed and likeable, the other characters are interesting and felt real, and the plot moves FAST. This author's books are always quick reads for me, but I killed this one in a day because I couldn't put it down. I loved the way the stories folded together in a way that felt believable and then how the last 20% had an amazing twist that you can't possibly see coming. 10/10, highly recommended for anyone who loves a good twisty thriller!

3.75 🌟 rounded up

Autumn Carpenter becomes obsessed with the social media posts of the family who adopted her biological daughter, Grace. When their account suddenly disappears, Autumn takes drastic action to stay close to the girl by posing as a nanny. As she infiltrates their lives, she learns that the seemingly perfect family hides disturbing truths, and the reality behind the photos is far darker than she imagined.

Minka Kent is quickly becoming a favorite thriller author of mine. They're always quick, twisty reads that I usually devour within a day. The Memory Watcher is told from two POVs - Autumn and then Daphne (the mother who adopted Grace). Both women have their flaws and I spent most of the book trying to figure out if I empathized with either one, but I still had to know what happened. The ending got a little trope-y but I still enjoyed it. It almost feels like it was left open for a possible sequel.

Recommended for lovers of fast-paced domestic thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

The first chapter held me & the ending had me shooked!!!

The book was highly addictive and packed with suspense that kept me hooked from the start. Though the ending was surprising, I still had a lot of questions about how did the heroin get into the deceased body and was it that after Autumn thought her to be dead, she wasn't really dead? So yeah, the book left me slightly confused.

Overall, the book was a fast-paced, well-written psychological thriller full of drama, secrets, and emotional tension.