The Push

Brilliant psychological thriller that had me turning the pages so fast. Gripping, well written and an interesting storyline. There's a party held to celebrate, where one of the guests falls off a balcony. That then causes many secrets and lies to unfold and questions whether the wealthy family that hosted the party are all they seem to be. The characters were well defined and I highly recommend this psychological page turner. 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF this book. I will pick it up again and try later. I struggle with fertility issues and the investigator just got to me

I always love her books and I will come back to this for sure.

The premise was so intriguing. I love books with a contained number of suspects and the slow process of eliminating who's not guilty. However, I figured out the ending about halfway through the book. I feel like I can't even categorize it as a thriller since the second half of the book was more just watching everything I knew play out. With a little more suspense and a few more twists, this book could have been great. Unfortunately, it just didn't pull out the punches I'd hoped it would. That said -- there are some interesting characters and is worth a read as long as you aren't expecting a huge surprise ending.

Thank you for allowing me to discover such a good new author for my repertoire! Great plot line, interesting characters, I will recommend to friends and family.

DS Alice Hegarty is called in to investigate what appears to be an accidental death at a party. The party goers are all recent parents and they’ve gotten together to cut loose and relax a little, but when one of them goes over the balcony, the party is over. Hegarty doesn’t believe the fall was an accident and begins questioning the other party guests and discovers that none of these couples had an easy or typical path to parenthood. Is one of them keeping a secret worth killing for? You better believe it!

A classic locked room mystery thriller the likes of Agatha Christie.  How well do you know your friends? A close knit gathering in a luxurious house ends in murder.  How could be responsible?  There are so many twists and turns until a thrilling climax that unveils someone no one expected.

I enjoyed this excellent thriller very much. The storyline was exciting and kept me entertained all the way. Highly recommended!

A compelling thriller with a focus on pregnancy and motherhood
Lots of twists (although many were foreseeable), This was a page turner and definitely kept my interest

In a sense, it could have been a great story. However, mid way through the book, there was no longer any mystery/thriller. It's only the unveiling of all the characters and the unfortunate event. With that being said, there are so many characters that it's hard to fully developed all of them to where you feel like you know them. I think if the characters were more developed it would make the mystery of it all much better. 

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Push’ by Claire McGowan focuses on a disparate group of people whose only link is their state of pregnancy.  Taught by an increasingly strange ante-natal teacher, Nina, they gather weekly in a local hall to be scared, humiliated and generally undermined by this woman.  Strange and not altogether believable although one could argue that first-time mothers may be too worried to question anomalies, perhaps feeling vulnerable or insecure.
Whilst McGowan’s main focus is on charity fund raiser Jax and her significantly younger partner, Aaron, she does manage to balance the narrative so that we remain interested in all of the other couples, even if some of them are rather sketchily drawn.  There is no doubt that readers will be drawn in to the story; we learn early on that one of the women has met an untimely death and the police have to work out whether or not she has been pushed or whether she slipped and fell at the party Monica is hosting to celebrate the birth of the babies.  What is clear is that pretty much everyone has something to hide!
This isn’t the most stretching of murder mysteries.  It’s not difficult to work out who the deceased is even though McGowan doesn’t actually name her for most of the story.  Likewise, the ‘twists’ are easy to predict.  However, whilst further development of the couples’ relationships would have been interesting, this is still an entertaining, cleverly structured and well written thriller.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

This genre is so crowded that a book needs to be extra special in order for it to stand out and unfortunately this did not deliver for me.

The push is a strangely compelling read,not your usual psychological thriller more of a suspense type read! Centred around a varied group of couples attending a baby group led by the enigmatic Nina, despite the differences amongst the attendees of the group they all come together for a summer barbecue/party where they witness a tragic event! Each couple is thoroughly investigated and it becomes clear they all have differing versions of the event and something to hide! Proving that many a relationship is not what it appears! An entertaining read.
Thank you net galley for this early read.

What a deliciously clever story - Christiesque in its limited number of suspects and a pair of investigators who are determined to get to the truth.

I thoroughly enjoyed the structure of the story and the  nicely drawn characters, and although I sort of guessed what had happened,  the last couple of reveals were very well handled and the ending seemed to be most appropriate.

I've not read Claire McGowan before but I can thoroughly recommend this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

What an absolutely amazing book! This is the first book I have read by Claire McGowan and am looking forward to reading more of her work.  I adored the six couples in this book - loved how diverse the group was and how they came together only because they were all expecting babies.  I could not put this down and read it in one day.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.  I cannot wait to recommend this fantastic suspenseful book!

This was an intriguing read that pulls you in right from the start and makes you want to keep reading until you finished.

This was a great domestic mystery that has me drawn in from the beginning. The storyline is compelling, and I found that it really paid off. I found it quite predictable at times but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

One of my favorites for 2020. This book has it all. Mystery, drama, you name it, this book delivers. 
Dont miss this one!

Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I have read a few books by this author and when I had the chance to read this book for review before publication, I jumped at the chance.  It did not disappoint, living up to my expectations completely. The story follows six couples who all attend the same baby group.  Each of the couples seem to have a story to tell, something to hide, provoking the question "did they fall or were they pushed?" 
I liked the way the story was told through the eyes of each individual character, split between weeks before and they day of the incident. I worked out some of the plot by the time the book got to it but it was, nevertheless,  still surprising. A thoroughly recommended read which did not disappoint at all,  Thanks NetGalley!

Really enjoyed this book. I love a story that’s told from several points of view, it keeps me hooked. I tried to guess the ending from early on, but was kept guessing until the last few pages! Highly recommend!

The Push (Claire McGowan): This was a decent thriller, overall. Someone (you don't know who at first) is pushed off of a balcony at a gathering of families from a prenatal class. The book dives into the lives and problems of the different families who were present at the party, both before and after the murder. 

There were some great subplots in the story. The main character's chapters, however, had nothing to do with the mystery most of the time. Part of her story did connect with the twist at the end, but most of her plot was completely irrelevant and felt like filler content. The story would have been more enjoyable if it was shorter, with fewer red herrings.

[triggers: infertility, loss of a child]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this title! It will be released on November 26th, 2020.

Tense chilling page turner.new author for me one I am excited to be reading all her books.Will be recommending .#netgalley#amazonuk

Claire is one of my fave authors in the genre and I was so excited to be approved for this. 

Thankfully, she didn’t let me down!

I love the multiple POVs. 

As is usual in the genre, parts of the plot are guessable. Other twists, not so much. 

It’s well-written, with each character distinguishable from others. 

A very compelling read.

It should be a happy occasion: six couples and six babies, a baby group meeting up to discuss the highs and lows of new parenthood. But while some are ready to celebrate - and absolutely judge most of the other guests - others are feeling lonely and isolated. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, it’s clear everyone has secrets, good and bad, and they won’t take long to surface. The DS in charge of the incident also wants a a baby but it’s not proving successful. How will she cope when surrounded by new mothers? Each couple has something to hide, and something to say about the person who fell. I lapped this up - I thought it was clever, quick-witted and you feel empathy for those you should. Really interesting take on the idea of becoming a new parent.

This was a 3.5.star for me. There was something compelling about wanting to know the outcome but the speed of the book dipped at times. 
A group of couples meet at an ante-natal group. They are all very different characters with different journeys resulting in them getting to that point. Once the babies are born, they reassemble at a party where an incident occurs. We learn very early on that this might not have been an accident (The book title also makes this plainly obvious!)
I think this author is suffering with me as I absolutely loved one of her previous books, What You Did. This is not as strong but still a fine read.

a good and enjoyable read which has kept my attention and kept me guessing. 
This is a great author and i cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Claire McGowan for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review"

The Push is an excellent mystery about a baby group gone wrong. The book mainly focuses on Jax and Aaron, a May December couple (She is 38 and he is 24) who seem ill suited to be having a baby. Towards the end of Jax's pregnancy, they join a baby group. The group has six couples, all in various states of disarray. One couple is adopting, One couple is an arranged marriage, One is in their early 20s and struggling, One is a lesbian couple and another older wealthy couple. Monica, the older weatlhy woman, has a BBQ at her home, and someone is murdered.

This book had so many twists and turns that sometimes I had a hard time keeping up. The ending surprised me, which is sometimes hard to do. I wish that Claire McGowan had provided more of an epilogue as I really wanted to see how all of these couples ended up. I gave it five stars! It was a lot of fun.

This book centers around a group of mother and father to be attending an antenatal course and a death. I thought this book was great!  it had a lot of good drama but some details I could see coming. nevertheless, it was a great read.


Thank you to the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

I love a title with double entendre. The push refers not only to the central mystery, but also to the central theme of childbirth, letting us know right off the bat what the focus will be.

Told through alternating POVs, The Push centers around a prenatal support group that decides to have a post-birth party where one of them ends up dead. Was it an accident, or was there something more nefarious going on that led to the victim falling from the balcony? The story unfolds over the ten weeks prior to the incident, unraveling the seams of a not-so-perfect group of parents. 

I liked this book.

There are a lot of characters and story lines to keep track of, not necessarily in a bad way, but most real in-depth development beyond the spheres of impending motherhood/parenthood and careers isn't there. Also, none of the cast is really that likable. I'm the first to throw in my support for a morally gray, complex, or ambiguous character, but I found it hard to root for or enjoy any of them from beginning to end. From racism and ageism to jealousy, immaturity, antiquated assumptions, and body shaming, each couple was a study in all the things that could go wrong in a stressful time. 

Jax, a thirty-eight year old first-time mother, struggles with her competing emotions about motherhood, as well as the critical eye of her friends and family because her boyfriend is twenty-four. Alison, the detective in charge of investigating whether the case warrants the assignation of accident or homicide, is battling her own insecurities as she struggles to get pregnant herself. While there are other POVs, these two struck me as the most prevalent and mostly carry the plot. 

In terms of plot, we get the case within the first few pages, but the mystery revolves more around who the victim is rather than who did it. Halfway through, the identity is revealed, and from that point on, the chapters read more like an explanation of what we already know rather than the events unfolding. Fairly predictable, and definitely more of a character study than an action-packed narrative.  

What The Push does well is highlight the realistic side of pregnancy. From a woman's standpoint in particular, each pregnancy and childbirth is a different experience. There is no one-size-fits-all pregnancy, and oftentimes, there is a fear of speaking up about aspects about which we're not knowledgeable or curious about--hence the many relevant discussions of vaccination, feeding methods, maternity leaves, natural vs epidural vs c-section, and the concept of "bouncing back" immediately post-birth. McGowan addresses all these topics, as well as a woman's autonomy, the frequent dismissal or ignoring of a woman's concerns over her own body, and society's pressure to be the perfect mother. 

Overall, The Push is a stark discussion on the various stages of motherhood and the expectations we put on mothers to be flawless saints. While character-heavy and slightly predictable, it is an enjoyable, thought-provoking read. 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I have read and enjoyed previous books by the author and I love a whodunit so I was really looking forward to this one. Overall I did enjoy it, but it didn't wow me and I think it could have been done better.

There was a large cast of characters, which is something I usually like in a book but in this case one or two of them were heavily focused on and then we only got occasional mentions of the others, so I didn't grow to have any real feelings for most of the cast. I'd also guessed pretty much all of the reveals except one, so whilst I did enjoy reading it I was never really surprised. For me there was a bit too much graphic detail about pregnancy and childbirth that made me a little squeamish.

The writing was very good and even though I knew mostly where the story was heading, I did enjoy the reading experience. I also really liked how the epilogue rounded off all the characters' stories, I'm not a fan of loose ends so it was nice to get proper closure.

I would recommend this book but for people who haven't read this author before I would prioritise The Fall or What You Did over this one.

With thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a digital copy of this book. I had not heard of this author previously but was attracted by the description. I have to say Wow! It’s one of those books you fall straight into and then cannot stop reading. A really tight, fast paced narrative switches the story about between the characters who have all attended a party where someone fell off the balcony - or were they pushed? Each character has a secret and the policewoman investigating has to unpick their secret in order to establish exactly what happened. I really enjoyed this book - for me it has echoes of ‘Big Little Lies’ and I think it deserves the same popularity. The characters, all from different backgrounds, meet at antenatal classes -meeting each other at a significant milestone in their lives. They share in common their impending parenthood but very little else. As the story evolves, each thread unraveling and taking the reader with it, while providing enough clues to allow the reader the satisfaction of being slightly ahead of the reveal. The conclusion is satisfying and on the strength of this read I have ordered Claire McGowan’s back collection.

The Push starts off at the scene of a death with the police investigating. Then we go back in time, to when all of the women met, and how they interacted in the weeks leading up to the death. 
The novel cycles through many points of view and many points in time, but I did not find it confusing or hard to keep track of the characters and timelines. I credit the author for creating unique and complete characters. 
I want to give this book 4.5 stars because I did not understand the motivations behind the perpetrator but that’s my only nitpick. I really loved this book, the characters, and I was hooked from the start trying to figure out who died and why. Definitely recommend!

** spoiler alert ** This definitely felt more like a drama than a thriller,because you knew everyone was hiding something,and you just had to work out exactly who was lying about what.
Most of the lies were easy to guess,but there was still a slow drip feed of clues that confirmed my guesses.
A complete mixed bag of characters,complete with mixed bag stories of pregnancies... apart from the crazy one,they actually felt like someone you might know.
Not my first book by this author,and won't be my last either.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I will give this 3 1/2 stars....
I sometimes wonder how how crazy characters can be in one story....
Yet, the story was fast paced and had several twists!
I would recommend if you like a light thriller and a quick read

This book was very interesting, and I really enjoyed the multiple storylines. Most of the characters were entertaining in there own way. I did not anticipate the ending of this book-finding out who the murderer was during a BBQ. I enjoyed Claire McGowan's writing which often made me feel like I was having a nice chat with a friend. It was casual, with occasional bits of drama and suspense added in. Would recommend this book to anyone looking for a domestic thriller which was fun somewhat light!

The Push by Claire McGowan was a suspenseful novel about the mysterious death of a new mother. Is THE PUSH about pushing out a baby, or is THE PUSH what happened to the person who fell from the balcony of the mansion?

In this group of new moms and dads, it seems like everyone has something to hide. The investigator on the case is Alison, who wants to have a baby, so the case really strikes a chord.

Six couples, new babies, and a gorgeous house. What could go wrong?

Take a look:

The party should have been perfect: six couples from the same baby group, six newborns, a luxurious house. But not everything has gone to plan, and while some are here to celebrate, others have sorrows to drown. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, the secrets and conflicts within the group begin to spill out …

DS Alison Hegarty, herself struggling with infertility, is called in to investigate. She’s convinced the fall was not an accident, and finds the new parents have a lot to hide. Wealthy Ed and Monica show off their newborn while their teenage daughter is kept under virtual house arrest.

Hazel and Cathy conceived their longed-for baby via an anonymous sperm donor—or so Hazel thinks. Anita and Jeremy planned to adopt from America, but there’s no sign of the child. Kelly, whose violent boyfriend disrupted previous group sessions, came to the party even though she lost her baby. And then there’s Jax, who’s been experiencing strange incidents for months—almost like someone’s out to get her. Is it just a difficult pregnancy? Or could it be payback for something she did in the past?

It’s a nightmare of a case, and as events get even darker it looks impossible. Only one thing is clear: they all have something to hide. And for one of them, it’s murder.

The book is told through multiple points of view. The reader knows something happened and someone died, but we don’t know who until about midway, and we don’t learn the details until close to the end. That was enough to keep me hooked. I didn’t figure it all out until the author revealed certain parts, so I liked that. I want to be kept guessing!

There are many characters to keep track of but don’t let that deter you from this entertaining novel. I liked it!

Pre-Order The Push here, it comes out on November 12!

I first would like to thank Claire McGowan, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC of The Push for an honest review. This is not my first book read by this author and I enjoyed them very much so I was thrilled when I received an ARC however, I was unable to finish it.  I'm not sure if the book is slow in the begining I didn't make it very far but I'll try again and post an update on this review.

This novel ticked many boxes for me, being original, engaging, and above all, utterly readable! 
Despite coming from multiple perspectives, I had no problem following as I dipped in and out of this novel.  It was so engaging that I found myself eagerly anticipating each opportunity to delve back in!

Nina, a somewhat mysterious NCT group leader, falls to her death at a barbecue attended by several couples (all of whom are the new parents who recently attended her classes). Investigating officer, Alison, is loathe to believe  that this is the  unfortunate ’accident’ all witnesses claim it to be, and as we, (through Alison’s perspective), delve deeper into the story it becomes apparent that everyone has something to hide, with motive and opportunity at every turn.

A couple of ‘twists’ in this novel went much the way I’d expected, but this didn’t in any way detract from my enjoyment of the story, and as such I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

My thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I didn't really get into this story line until about the middle and I couldn't really engage with the characters.  Overall it was a well written book but probably wasn't really suited to me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

What happens when a diverse group of people ends together in prenatal class and everyone has their problems, secrets and doubts? 

I love these type of thrillers where every character has his/hers own narrative. It was a little predictable in the end but nevertheless a gripping story that I've read in one evening.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ecopy of this book for review. What a page turner! An economically and socially diverse group of soon-to-be parents meet for a series of prenatal classes at a community center in South London. At the start of the book we learn that, post giving birth, the group will meet at one of the members home for a bbq. An accident happens and one member dies.  Is it truly an accident or murder? From that point on the story flys. We learn the back stories on all the couples as the story switches back and forth from their pregnant states to the day of the party and subsequent accident. The investigation is conducted and we learn how each of the couples had secrets they hope to protect. I am really looking forward to reading more by this author.

This is a page turning book, where I was so keen to know what happened next, that I would have finished the book in one sitting, if my tablet charger had not run down. Nothing daunted I was reading the next day, and there are so many twists and turns to the plot, that I will not spoil it for the reader. All I can say is that I recommend this book, and happily give it a five star rating. 
The book concerns a group of mother's to be, who join an ante natal group, where a death takes place. Was it an accident? This is what the detective, Alison, wants to find out. In the process, she discovers that every person at the barbecue has something to hide. But is it relevant to the death or not? I can say no more without spoiling the book.

It all begins with a group of mothers and their partners see an advertisement for a group for expectant mothers.  They are a diverse group and the members could not be more different.  The one thing they all have in common is that they all have secrets that they are hiding.  There has been an event that could be an accident, or could be a cold blooded murder.  The timing could not be worse the the detective on the case.  DS Allison has been struggling with infertility and now she is surrounded by newborns with a side of deception.  I thought the characters and situations in this book were fairly novel and liked that it went back and forth between different characters to prize out their side of the event.  I thought this was a fairly well written and am thought the pieces came together well.  Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

I enjoyed this novel. A group of six couples and their instructor from a pre-natal class  plan to meetup  for a celebratory  party a couple of weeks after most women have delivered.   An awful accident/ murder happens at the party when one of the women falls from a balcony.  Alison, a detective sent to the home is suspicious.  Told from various POV’s  counting down from the first of the six week class we  are introduced to  all attendees (too many characters to keep up with at first).  Unusual in that we are halfway through before we find out which women was dead, which I liked, but did guess.  The second half is the continuation of our character’s back stories (all have something to hide from either the police or their partner).  None of the women or their partners are really likable  but I was invested in finding out who was dead, and then why.  Alison, who wants a baby, is convinced it’s murder and so do we,

It was supposed to be the perfect party: Six couples are to come together for a party, having met at an antenatal group. They're supposed to have six perfect little babies to show off. But not everything has gone to plan. 

Especially not now that someone has fallen off the balcony...

DS Alison Hegarty is called to investigate. It's thought to be nothing more than a terrible accident, but Alison believes it's much darker altogether. And the deeper she digs, the more secrets these people all seem to be hiding. Including murder...

I have mixed feelings about this book. I'll get the things that didn't quite work for me out of the way first.

I had a hard to connecting to a lot of the characters--in particular the ones who took up the most space on the page--because they were so awful. My sympathies went to Aisha, Chloe, and Aaron, but their parts were so small. And speaking of the latter, Jax did not deserve him. Her condescending attitude toward someone with whom she decided to get pregnant was repugnant. I couldn't stand another "Oh woe is me how can he take care of me and the baby when he's just a hoodie wearing big man-child" statement. I know the book was aiming at some point that she was suffering from post-partum depression; instead her attitude throughout left me with zero sympathy for it.

It was also a little hard to take the overall heavy handed anti-pregnancy message this imparted. Maybe I'm being overly sensitive because I actually like being a mom, but aside from Cathy and Aisha, who seem to be ok with motherhood, we're treated to a variety of "kids are terrible because climate change, overpopulation, they ruin mothers' bodies/homes/finances/lifestyles, etc." 

BUT, and I know those negatives seem kind of major, but I really did enjoy this book. It was truly a page turner and an interesting premise that I had a hard time putting down once I started. It takes some time before you know for sure who dies and then you never know for sure "whodunit" until the very end. McGowan does a great job keeping you guessing the whole time.

It's also well written and the voice of the characters is great. There are a lot of POVs in this book (I really liked Alison), but it wasn't difficult to tell them apart. And though I mentioned not liking many people here, it takes a certain skill to voice them in such a way to draw out your negative emotions. And I definitely do like feeling something when I read. And all things together, I'll definitely check out McGowan's other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for proving this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I figured I would love this book as someone who is struggling with infertility, but in all honesty, it was so hard to read. Not just what the content was about, but it was like reading Reality Housewives of Wherever. With babies. Everyone was so cliche and overdone, especially Monica. 
And the kicker...I figured out the twist (or twists should I say) right from the get go and there was no suspense for the vast majority. Just a long winded book that made me want to punch someone and feel a bit more upset about things.  2.5 ish sadly

The Push - Claire McGowan

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley. 

The Push is a book that once you start reading, you just can’t stop. It is a fast paced book which easily tells the story of six couples and DS Alison Hegarty, who is charged with investigating the ‘incident’. The story focuses mainly on the last 8 weeks of Jax’s pregnancy, whilst also incorporating the events of ‘the day’ from each of the character’s perspective and also details Alison’s current day investigation.

Whilst every couple is vastly different from the next, they have one thing in common, they all have a secret. Alison is tasked with unravelling the secrets to determine what actually happened on ‘the day’

Rating: 4.5/5 
This is the first book I have read by Claire McGowan, but after reading The Push and really enjoying it I think I will check out some of her other books.

I enjoyed this one.  I mean…I hated almost every character, but I hated them equally and I was totally invested in who died and why.

I did love the fact that the author gave us such a diverse group of characters – not only in race, but age & economic status.   While they all had impending parenthood in common, they had little else in common and that really added to the tension in the book.

Finally, it was a solid police procedural.  The author did a good job of using different character POVs to build out the story and our solution to everything was satisfying.

Would read the author again!

*ARC via Net Galley

The premise of this book is a good one but the plot has a number of holes and didn’t feel very plausible. It was also fairly easy to predict certain key plot spoilers. Nevertheless it was a good quite pacy read.

Six couples from completely different backgrounds are together by the one thing that knows no discrimination: Pregnancy.  They all meet once a week for a parenting class ran by the mysterious but helpful Nina. Tensions between these clashing personalities start in the parenting class and escalate with dire consequences during a party. Six couples, four newborn babies, a luxurious glass house and one dead body. 

DS Alison Hegarty (who is struggling with infertility) is called in to investigate the death. Despite what all the guests have said, she’s convinced the fall was not an accident. The more she digs, the more she realizes each member of the parenting group has something to hide. Which one has a secret worth killing for? 

This was a twisty tale told from multiple perspectives. There were so many layers to the characters, and I loved how their personalities, motives and secrets were slowly revealed throughout the story. I had a particular fondness for DS Alison and her partner Diana, and would love to read more stories with them in the future. (Fingers crossed). Was the story predictable? Yes. But I still enjoyed the journey. Plus the ending wrapped all the story lines up nicely, and I appreciate that. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Push by Claire McGowan follows the stories of an antenatal group throughout their pregnancies. The Push creates suspense building up to a party, hosted by Monica, post birth of all the babies. The Push highlights the trials, tribulations and joys that becoming a mother becomes for everyone. It places emphasis on relationships and how important they are. The book was full of suspense 75% in.

I was so excited to see a new book from Claire McGowan ARC available!  And it did not disappoint - solid 4.5!

Alison, a detective, finds herself at a posh house with a body fallen off a balcony and surrounded by a diverse and hysterical group of mothers and newborns.  For the first third of the book, we don't know who has met this untimely demise.  When we do find out, questions abound.  What possible motive and connection could there be?  It turns out, each person and couple has their own secrets and no one is entirely innocent.  

While this is definitely a thriller, I felt like it was also a character study in marriage and pregnancy/motherhood.  I found it to be a fresh take in the genre and very enjoyable!  The twists kept coming right up until the final pages - and I was genuinely surprised at the ending.  It seemed like most of the storylines wrapped up very neatly, which was surprising given some of the admitted transgressions.

Overall, I would recommend this as an enjoyable, draw-you-in domestic thriller with a new take on the genre!  

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#ThePush #NetGalley
Big thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the talented Claire McGowan for a free copy to review of The Push.
A fast pace gripping thriller in a similar air of Big Little lies and The Husband's secret. Get ready to get comfortable and have plenty free time because as you begin reading the first couple of lines you wouldn't be able to stop till your reach the end. 
Six couples who met through a baby group are gathered in a glass fancy house that belongs to one of them to celebrate the arrival of their babies to the world. An incident happens where one of the people present in the party falls to death from a balcony. Was it an accident, an innocent fall or was there a push, a deliberate murder act?
The story is told by the different characters switching between their days before the incident and the day the incident happened. You couldn't have a more diverse group of people; Jax aged 38 having her baby with 24 years Aaron who feels inadequate to have a baby in her age, Monica aged 44 who throws the party and drives everyone crazy with her perfectionism and effortless achievements, Aisha and Rahul Asian Muslim couple, Cathy and Hazel a gay couple, Anita and Jeremy who are waiting for a baby that seems to never arrive whom they were adopting overseas, and finally Kelly aged 22 and her partner Ryan.
I have to admit that till almost halfway the book I even guessed the wrong victim. Some of the plot twists could be easily spotted early on but that wouldn't make the reading any less enjoyable. You wouldn't completely figure out what actually happened till the very end. 
All of the characters are not telling the truth, is it because they are hiding something related to the incident or simply because each one of them is hiding his own personal secret?
Alongside the main story line, couple of serious issues are discussed as well, like postpartum depression, teen pregnancy, social media pressure, the emotional and financial ache couples suffer upon trying to get pregnant, and the cons of the foster care system.
After enjoying this I'll be looking forward to reading all the titles by Claire McGowan.
The expected publishing date for this book is 12 Nov 2020, keep your eyes on it.

I was really excited when I saw this book on Netgalley as I have previously read Claire Mcgowan and really enjoyed.
Firstly the title of the book, very clever as based around an antenatal group and a 'push over the balcony.

Very unique story a 'who done it' based around an antenatal group.
Lots of characters which I do feel some could have been explored more in depth, as I did not feel a deep connection with many.

I did figure out most of the ending about 3/4 of the way through but this did not deter my enjoyment.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced copy a great read.

I read this book in one go,  As a horrible rainy day! I enjoyed it and thought the mix of characters worked well ( though very simple). I guessed who had been killed early on and that she was also the mother! No spoilers... but it didn’t stop my enjoyment of it! All in all a good quick read.

(4.5⭐)

This book tells the story of six couples in the same baby group and how just one party on a hot summer day can go wrong.

The party should have been perfect: six couples from the same baby group, six newborns, a luxurious house. But not everything has gone to plan, and while some are here to celebrate, others have sorrows to drown. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, the secrets and conflicts within the group begin to spill out …

Alison Hegarty, herself struggling with infertility, is called in to investigate. She’s convinced the fall was not an accident, and finds the new parents have a lot to hide.

It’s a nightmare of a case, and as events get even darker it begins to look impossible. Only one thing is clear: they all have something to hide. And for one of them, it’s murder.

Where to start? Well, this book is incredible.

It was the first book I read by the author and I was completely surrendered. I loved the author's writing, the chapters are short and fluid which makes reading very addictive.
The author pays attention to details so small details that may not seem like anything are really important.

I loved having chapters alternating between the past and the present and having different points of view of several characters (although we have two outstanding characters), this way you can get to know these characters and their relationships better.

At first I was a little afraid of getting lost in the middle of so many characters but it didn't happen. I was able to quickly understand who was who and understand all couples.

All the characters are well developed (my favorites are undoubtedly Jax, Alison and Chloe).

The couples between them are very different so it is much more than just six couples waiting for a baby. I loved that we have lgbt diversity. No doubt the book has earned extra points for that.

In addition to the couples being different, the pregnancy itself is also different (in addition to the traditional pregnancy we also have adoption and FIV).

I loved seeing the development of some relationships (especially Jax's relationship with his mother).

From the beginning we see that everyone has secrets and is hiding something.

In addition to the main mystery we have many other secondary mysteries which makes the story more captivating.

I liked that in addition to being a mystery about who is to blame, it is also a mystery of who is the victim up to half of the book.

At one point we started to doubt the sanity of one of the characters. Is everything really happening or are they in her head? I really loved this dilemma.

The book talks a lot about pregnancy, which at first seems uninteresting but believe me it is not.

The book also shows the negative side of pregnancy. That it's not always flowers and rainbows and that sometimes there are problems and complications, thus making the book more real.

Despite being very brief, the book addresses some of these themes: child abuse, overexposure to social networks, privilege, racism and prejudice.

This thriller also surprised me a lot because it caused me moments of reflection that thrillers normally can't do.

Now let's talk about what the thrillers can't miss - plots twist. This book, in addition to having many twist plots, they are all amazing and surprising. When I thought I knew what was going on, the author would put a plot twist and I would drift again.

The end of the book is perfect. I would not change anything. The last 20% of the book is just incredible, full of revelations and just impossible to let go.

I loved these characters so much but so much. I will miss you so much.

I want and need a book only focused on Chloe and another one only focused on Alison please.

I think the only downside is the introduction. Not that it's bad, it's just slow because we are still getting to know all the couples and the history that surrounds them. And I also wish that the interrogations had been a little more developed.

To conclude I can say that it is a perfect thriller for any thriller lover.
Full of secrets, revelations, discussions and even a hint of drama (which I love).

I highly recommend this book and don't forget - not everything is as it seems and everything is possible.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing Uk for proving this copy in exchange for as honest review.

Another great book by Claire McGowan!  This psychological thriller had me turning the pages as fast as I could to see how this story would end.  Loved the storyline, loved the characters and loved how the plot line unfolded.  Definitely recommend for a book you can't put down.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Six couples, who are different from each other in every expect, the only thing connected them is that they are expecting. They met at an antenatal group. Now they are supposed to meet in a party showing off their little bundle of joys, Everything is supposed to be perfect. Until one person falls from the balcony.

Alison is assigned to this case, she doesn't think it is an accident. There isn't evidence which supports her gut feeling, but she is not going to get it away. As investigation proceeds, she found it nothing is perfect. Everyone got secrets, grey or black. 

There were a lot of POV, from different couples, from Alison, from past and present. So it took time to distinguish one voice from another. 

It took time to reveal who is dead, which was interesting and kept me hooked. I like the story and pace. But the mystery? Two major secrets were in plain sight. I guessed many things even before 50% of the book, which made me sad. What is the point of mystery when you already know things? There wasn't any twist or turn which shocked me. So it was kinda plain for me.

Great book, solid character development, loved Jax as the sometimes unreliable narrator. Domestic thriller that ticks all the boxes. Loved it.

Loved this book, it was very entertaining. I thought at first I would have trouble keeping track of all the different characters but the author managed to make each couple unique enough.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in a day!
The plot revolves around the members of an ante-natal class. Shortly after the birth of their children, they attend a party at the house of one of their number. Monica, The reader discovers that someone died at the party and follows Alison, a detective, as she tries to unravel what exactly happened, convinced it was a murder rather than an accident. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn how the group interacted at their classes, and discover that each couple is hiding something, though how this may or may not be  related to the death does not become clear until the end.. Key among the group is Jax, in her late thirties and having a baby with Aaron, a man in his mid twenties who was abandoned as a child and who has been looking for his birth mother. Alongside the pressures of pregnancy, Jax is troubled by a series of unexplained events that she thinks may be the secrets of her own past catching up with her. Aside from the mystery and tension of the central plot, the book tackles the theme of motherhood: what it means to be or to  not be a mother, and the lengths people will go to to have a baby. A gripping read and really recommended.

Six babies due to arrive at the same time- one party to welcome the babies from different families who attended the baby group and one fatal push! 
With so many people at the party someone will know what happened but each story is different and stopping DS Alison Hegarty from investigating.
This was such a great read, had me guessing right to the end. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I received this ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Six couples from the same baby group reunite three weeks later at a barbecue to celebrate their newborns. Some falls from the balcony, the police suspects murder, and everybody’s secrets start to spill out. 

I am of mixed feelings about The Push. I was new to Claire McGowan, but I’d heard great things about her work, so was looking forward to it. 

The book begins with the crime having already taken place, and the police going through the crime scene. I really liked this and it made me want to find out what had happened, encouraging me to read more. 

One thing I really enjoyed about this was the variety of motherhood that features. Ages, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, relationship statuses, even fertility differences. It was a great insight into a range of experiences of motherhood hidden in the story of a thriller. 

On the other hand, I didn’t really enjoy it that much. I found the plot twists incredible predictable, and had guessed a lot of them way before the victim reveal half way through the story. I also was a bit confused, especially in the beginning half of the novel, about the such strong focus of Jax as a character in comparison to some of the others, as it wasn’t really making sense - and the first person narrative for her and the third person for all of the other characters because a bit confusing to follow sometimes. 

I almost DNF’d this at around 40%, and I am glad I powered through but I just didn’t really enjoy the book as a whole. I do intend to read another of McGowan’s work though, as I have heard good things so hope that I can connect to another book better. 

2.5/5

**4 stars**
    It was the perfect way to celebrate six couples' little new arrivals until someone succumbed to a long descending fall in a rookery. Was it an accident? Or was there some foul push? Claire McGowan creates a cunning "can't put down" story lavish with humor and suspense. 

The six couples could not be more disparate. Each pair with their confounding stories or lack. They meet weekly at the often not so pleasant prenatal class where the expectant couples learn of details, often horrific, of what to expect while expecting. There are some conflicts and woes, but they all meet post-natally at a lush house where someone meets an early demise off the balcony. DS Allison and Diana are working the case and interview the guests at the party and weeks after. Told in alternating points of view and timelines from past to present, we are privy to the intimate details and thoughts leading up to the tragic event. 

The Push was an unexpected delight to read. The characters, some savory and others less, were interesting and complex in history. This context provided ample motives for all couples. We do not learn about who died until midway through the book, which dialed in suspense. From that point, we learn of why the death happened through rich individual narrative. The two detectives harbor suspicion about the nature of the fall and will leave no stone unturned in the 5000 dollar rookery. 

Thank you, NetGalley, Amazon UK, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A neatly plotted psychological thriller with a limited number of suspects. The idea of not revealing the victim until 50% through was novel and shows the ability of the author to maintain a tight narrative. Some of the characters are well developed but some aren’t. The secrets of everyone are nicely brought out in the conclusion. A very good book. Enjoyed it.👍

What is a detective to do when someone falls off/is pushed off a balcony, and nobody saw a thing? Well, the easy answer is to call it an accident, close the case, and move on. But something seems off to Alison, and this detective is determined to discover the truth.
 Six very different couples who met at a prenatal class facilitated by Nina, attend a barbeque hosted by one of the new mothers, Monica. They don't know each other well, but they are bonded by their shared experiences. What should have been a lovely get together is anything but a good time. Somehow, there are only four babies in attendance, almost no one is telling the truth, and oh yes, there is that little issue of a dead body.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, starting ten weeks ago leading up to the barbeque, and Alison's investigation of the incident. The identity of the deceased is not immediately revealed, so I was trying to figure out who was missing from the interviews Alison held. Once I knew who died, then it was a guessing game to figure out which of them did it or if it was just a tragic accident.
I didn't particularly like any of the characters. Not only do they have no qualms about lying to the police, but they easily lie to their partners. All I could think about was one of the endings to Clue, the movie, where all of them were guilty. Then I could picture Alison, who was trying to have a baby raising all four infants. No way these kids would grow up normal with this group of parents.
But, I digress, there was no butler, so you can at least rest assured that he didn't do it. A fast-paced read that came together in a way that I didn't imagine. I enjoyed putting the clues together, though if this had been a jigsaw puzzle, mine would not have shown the killer's identity.

I loved this thriller! I was a bit worried that the changing POVs would be difficult to follow, but the writing is strong enough that I was able to stay on track. It was a definite page turner that kept me guessing. I definitely recommend if you’re looking for a good “whodunit”! Good read!

This was a classic whodunnit type book, where someone (you don't know who it is for sure at first) is pushed off a balcony and the book takes you through the investigation of figuring out who it was.  Though the story is primarily told from the POVs of Jax, one of the new moms, and Alison, the detective assigned to the crime, there were 13 total people at the new-baby party where the incident occurred and the author delves into some detail on each one of them.

I liked the style of the book, alternating between Jax's POV leading up to the murder, and Alison's POV after it occurred- that style kept the story moving along.  While I liked Alison, I did grow tired of Jax, who was so insecure about her age and weight (and later, parenting skills) that it was sometimes painful to read. the author didn't go into much detail on the other players, beyond what Alison/Jax thought/witnessed, but I felt that thiis was actually enough info to get a pretty good idea of their characters and the dynamics between them. 

Though this was a fairly fast-paced read, I figured out who the victim was before the author intended, and I also figured out both twists pretty early in the book.  The twists themselves were rather interesting (though in one case, fairly improbable) but I wish there was more surprise.  

All in all, this was a decent read, though perhaps not the  most memorable I've read recently.  Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Push by Claire McGowan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book i received early from #netgalley! I was so excited about this one since I loved the last Claire McGowan book I read. This book started out having me very intrigued. But then it just got sort of all over the place. So much going on throughout the book. I definitely didn't see the ending coming which is always a huge plus for me when it come to reading a thriller. I definitely enjoyed this book but parts of it didn't hit me right.



View all my reviews

Six couples attend the same prenatal class. They have nothing in common except the great equalizer, pregnancy/impending parenthood and the fact that they're all hiding something. The Push starts at the end and then is told in a before and after fashion though multiple characters. Their secrets unfold through backstories and for the most part make you love to hate nearly all of them. 

I loved the double meaning title, yes, someone is pushed after all the couples go through the big push of birth. The characters are, with only a few exceptions, truly unlikable. Similar to McGowan's "What You Did," the characters' many flaws are essential to the storytelling and the slow unfolding of the truth. I absolutely love that about her books. There are no warm and fuzzy caricatures of real people in The Push. Thrillers need real people with real baggage to be truly gripping. McGowan does that beautifully in her books.

There were a few plot holes that I desperately wanted filled and wished for a couple of the stories to be expanded upon, but on the whole I was once again pulled in fast and could not put this one down.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am still not sure what to make of The Push,it was a decent enough thriller but i wouldn't put into the psychological thriller bracket.Centred around a group of couples who meet up every week to discuss their pregnancies and then they attend a party thrown by Monica after all the births have taken place,but when one of group is found dead after falling from a balcony all the couples are in the spotlight,was it an accident or murder ? Every one of the couples it seems has something to hide and secrets and lies come tumbling out as the police investigate.It is a decent thriller with a good enough ending to keep you guessing,would i recommend this book ? yes i would it's not the best thriller i have read this year but not the worst either.A solid 3 star read for me.

Real rollercoaster, a gripping story which had me hooked from the get go. So many twists and turns, just when you think ahhh that’s what happened another twist appears.  A fantastically written book by a fantastic author. Highly recommend that this book is started with plenty of time on your hands as you will get lost I’m the plot.

An easy read whodunnit book about a group of people who are connected through a prenatal class. Everyone has their own issues which the author reveals throughout the book. Someone dies or is murdered it is unclear to begin with and it is teased about who is could be. Well written, easy to read would recommend

Thank you so much to #amazonpublishing and #clairemcgowan for this ARC from netgalley, due out in November. 

I really enjoyed this and would give it 🌟🌟🌟💫

The book centres around a number of couples who are part of an antenatal class, then flashes forward to after the babies are born when there is a murder. It is one of those stories where you don’t know who has been murdered for a while and you are constantly guessing who has done it. 

I liked the perspectives of the different characters in both past and present, and liked getting to know them and their little secrets. I did not guess who did it but I did guess a couple of little things along the way. 

This is a great whodunnit and I would recommend it to anyone. I have enjoyed some of the previous books by this author and this one was great too.

This was a beautifully written book. The author manages to discuss so many sensitive topics with the attention they rightly deserve, from post natal depression to infertility and adoption. A great murder mystery with an undercurrent of a romance story and the formation of friendship between a group of couples that would never have otherwise met, had it not have been for their weekly group meetings. 

An absolute stunner of a murder mystery - You don’t find out who the victim was until half way through the book and it most definitely wasn’t who I was expecting! I also couldn’t call the ending until the last moment - even after I had thought it had all been tied up with a bow! It was a difficult read considering the sub topics but I really enjoyed it and read the entire book in two days - I couldn’t put it down. 

There are some cracking quotes throughout, but this one really summarised the entire book for me: 
“This was what came of mixing people who should really stay apart”
Although, Looking back on it, I think they were exactly what each other needed.

The participants of an anti-natal class get together for a BBQ once the babies have been born. The group have little in common apart from their shared experience of having babies. When one of them falls from a balcony, the investigating police officer realises that they are all hiding something but what? This is a great thriller taking in a little of the social experiment side of big brother, seeing how people get on when thrown together from all walks of life, intermingled with the strong writing on the thriller aspect. I found it a great read and enjoyed it immensely. Very clever plot and a little different from the run of the mill crime thriller. Some twists were easier to see coming than others, but I think that helped. As a reader I was looking for clues to confirm what I thought I knew and got blindsided by other twists that I hadn't seen coming. It was one of those books that I wanted to keep reading. At the end I wanted more, I wanted to know more about certain characters which I think demonstrates a connection with them. Well written, well rounded and highly recommended.

A really gripping read, easy to get into and difficult to put down. I really liked both Jax and Alison, their characters were realistic, often humorous, and easy to relate to. A solid, pacy whodunit with a cast of excellent characters and enough twists to keep you guessing.

"The Push" by Claire McGowan was creative and intriguing in its storytelling. I was instantly drawn into the story involving a group of new mothers, especially since I have a two month old myself. While it is a thriller, McGowan also did a great job incorporating and touching on important and sensitive issues women face today-- infertility, postpartum depression, loss, etc.

The story centered around a mysterious fall at a party. Deciphering through interviews with party guests, autopsy results, and DNA evidence, the reader, along with detectives, try to make sense of what really happened that fateful day. Was it just an accidental fall or was it more sinister and was someone pushed off the balcony?

McGowan gives insight into each woman from the party. The women all met at a group for people becoming parents. I feel like each reader will find a particular character they relate to and another one they see a friend, family member, or colleague in.. Overall, the story was a quick read for me. While some of the surprise twists and turns were easy for me to anticipate (Monica and Chloe situation), others were harder and more of a mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Push.

I was pleased when my request was approved because the premise sounded like a straight forward police procedural, but it wasn't.

It's really a domestic drama about the characters in a parenting group who are suspects in the suspicious death of the woman who led the group.

Each couple has something to hide (secrets that were easy to figure out) and the detective in charge has to deal with these potential suspects and their personal dramas as well as juggle her own drama of motherhood and fertility.

The Push isn't a thriller so much as a book about motherhood; the travails and trauma, the angst and obstacles women go through to conceive, to juggle parental and societal expectations, to face their own fears about becoming a mother.

I liked that the couples were diverse and from varied social classes and occupations but I didn't connect with anyone.

I also dislike the constant POV switch; it's confusing and distracting. Every time a new character gave her perspective I had to remember who was who and what they did.

The author's constant focus on Jax and the wide age gap between her and her baby daddy got old (no pun intended) fast.

I was bored with all the motherhood and parenting discussions possibly because I'm not a mother but mostly because I thought this was going to be a story about a murder, not about babies.

There are no clues for the detectives to follow back to the killer, just endless interviews with the suspects and only to find out they're all lying about their whereabouts.

The Push wasn't for me, but some people would enjoy it, as well as the multiple POV perspectives from all the characters.

Is it murder? Or an accident? Someone is pushed (!) over a balcony. There are 13 people and you have to read this to see who did what and why. Sat and read all of this today. Absolutely brilliant. 5/5.

I loved this book; what a page turner. I was quickly drawn into all of the characters and the plot and raced through it in one sitting. 
I’d definitely recommend this book. It’s a great read!

I thought this book would be a typical thriller, but it was really complicated and filled with family drama, & the difficulties of motherhood. This book is filled with unique characters, an intense story line, & a shocking ending. I will be recommending this book to everyone!!

#ThePush #NetGalley 
A really gripping thriller.
Six couples from the same baby group, six newborns, a luxurious house. But not everything has gone to plan, and while some are here to celebrate, others have sorrows to drown. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, the secrets and conflicts within the group begin to spill out …
DS Alison Hegarty, herself struggling with infertility, is called in to investigate. She’s convinced the fall was not an accident, and finds the new parents have a lot to hide. Wealthy Ed and Monica show off their newborn while their teenage daughter is kept under virtual house arrest. Hazel and Cathy conceived their longed-for baby via an anonymous sperm donor—or so Hazel thinks. Anita and Jeremy planned to adopt from America, but there’s no sign of the child. Kelly, whose violent boyfriend disrupted previous group sessions, came to the party even though she lost her baby. And then there’s Jax, who’s been experiencing strange incidents for months—almost like someone’s out to get her. Is it just a difficult pregnancy? Or could it be payback for something she did in the past?It’s a nightmare of a case, and as events get even darker it begins to look impossible. Only one thing is clear: they all have something to hide. And for one of them, it’s murder.
I loved the characters of Jax,Nina, Aaron, Monica and Alison. Other characters were ok ok.
Narration of the story is good. McGowan is a master storyteller. 
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me an advance copy of this creepy psychological thriller.

I really enjoyed this book.. It had plenty of drama and I really loved the way in which the story was told from so many different perspectives.  It was intelligently written and had genuinely good twists.  A great read

A story that’s is probably true to life for some couples in regards to having children. Like the mystery surrounding the characters! Keeps you guessing till the end to find out who did the crime.

What I liked about this book was the very real description of the pains that infertility (in its many forms) causes couples.  The descriptions hit home for me, and likely will for so many other readers.  If you are currently struggling, you may want to avoid this book for a while- that’s how well Claire McGowan describes it.  The story itself is interesting- a party ends up with someone dead.  Did they fall or were they pushed? Who died? If they were pushed- who pushed them and why?  I love a psychological thriller. Without giving too much away, I think both big “twists” are probably going to be guessed by most readers.  The final reveal, however, may leave most surprised.  I would recommend this to friends, specifically to see if they can guess what happens.

A party-reunion of participants in a prenatal class is held when the babies are around two weeks old.   One person dies.  A push or a fall?
     We don't know who the victim is for half the book, although you could deduce it by seeing who the detectives interviewed after the death.    Practically everyone in the class and at the party has a secret.   
     Enjoyable book!

Love (and hated)  the diverse characters and I couldn't put it down.  I enjoy the different points of views and didn't want it to end.  Can't wait to read more from McGowan.

Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for this ARC!

Short synopsis - The party should have been perfect: six couples from the same baby group, six newborns, a luxurious house. But not everything has gone to plan, and while some are here to celebrate, others have sorrows to drown. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, the secrets and conflicts within the group begin to spill out. 

I really enjoyed this murder mystery! There wasn't a character that I felt connected to or even liked, but that did not stop me from enjoying this one and I almost appreciated how wildly complex the author wrote these characters. While most of the characters were either about to become parents or going through the struggles of getting pregnant, not one of them had anything in common. The tension between every single character really made the story and hooked me from the start.

From the start, I couldn't wait to figure out who was the murder victim and who was the one that "pushed". However, when all said and done, I was a bit disappointed with who the "victim" ended up being. It didn't seem realistic and almost took me out of the story. But figuring out the twist did make me go, "WHAT", so I guess the author did what she set out to do!

Overall, this is a great summer read! Just know that this book does deal with PPD and infertility issues, so if those topics are too heavy for you right now, then please proceed with caution.

For some reason, books about baby group are having a real thing at the moment so I was intrigued whether The Push would offer anything 'different.' While a diverse set of characters, not many of them were particularly likeable, other than perhaps Alison at a push (ha). I liked that while you knew someone had died, it wasn't clear who this until about halfway through, however, I do think from this point onwards, everything went downhill. It felt far too convenient that all of the characters had such drama happening in their lives and they just all so happened to go to the same baby group (which in itself, felt incredibly unrealistic, especially following the 'twist.' I mean come on!). And because these separate storylines were never fully explored (even Jax's felt half-finished), I just didn't particularly care about any of them. I thought the themes of motherhood and expectations were explored well, covering a variety of topics many people will be able to relate to but unfortunately, this was by far the strongest element of the book.

“The Push” by Claire McGowan is a psychological thriller with many twists and turns. Secrets and lies galore! 
A good read which is best read in long bursts to really get into the story.
4 stars, very enjoyable.

Six different couples. They only thing they had in common was having attended the same antenatal group.
The post-birth party was supposed to be perfect, a chance to celebrate the birth of their babies, but something went wrong...
All the attendees claim it was just an accident, that the victim just fell. 
But is that really what happened?

I've read a couple of the author's books before so I was excited to be approved for this ARC, especially since the blurb sounded right up my street.
The story was told from multiple perspectives, but despite it not being my favourite narrative style, it wasn't confusing.
However, it was the kind of book that had me unsure of how to rate it.
The main twist remained a mystery to me until the end, but I found some aspects of the plot predictable.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable, gripping, cleverly-plotted read that had me guessing what happened on that fateful day until the very end, but it didn't have me on the edge of my seat enough to warrant 4 stars.

I enjoyed this one. A quick page turner of a read that came together really well in the end. If you pay attention throughout you can predict the twists and turns but in a good way. I like when authors give you the tools you need to figure things out before the big reveal instead of having things come out of left field. I thought the characters were well developed and realistic. Overall a solid read.

Wonderfully written Agatha Christie who-dunn-it type of mystery that I read in one sitting! This novel deals with sensitive issues such as infertility which some women may find triggering; however, they were dealt with in a respectful manner and in a way that makes sense in the story. The ending was a good twist and I bet you won't be able to guess it!

The Push by Claire McGowan 
Pub Date 11/12/2020

I really enjoyed this book it has my favorite set up to it. The "locked room" mystery. 
One party, thirteen guest, one dead before it was over.

I love trying to figure out a good whodunit story. This one you even had to figure out who was murdered before the big reveal. I also loved to hate most of the characters. My two favorite characters were definitely Jax and the detective Alison. 
I would most definitely recommend this book to a friend. 
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publisher and to #netgalley for the book.

I needed a fantastic story after the last book I read bored me half to death! I’m pleased to say The Push is that incredible thriller that we’re all searching for!

Full of suspense and I had no idea what to expect! Claire McGowan has done it yet again! 

It’s so good I recommend to everyone! If you’re the type of reader that only grabs one book a year then make it The Push!!

The Push is not your typical thriller. Initially lots of characters are introduced and it is hard to figure out who everyone is and their connection to each other. Once you have that sussed what follows is a book filled with family issues, fertility issues, the difficulties of being a parent and consequences.
For me, I think it’s more of a “who dunnit” than a thriller, I had figured out what 2as going on before the big reveal but that doesn’t detract from the story as I was eager to see if I was right so read the second half faster than the first. 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After "What You Did," I already knew that Claire McGowan is a skillful suspense writer, so I was excited for "The Push." Let me tell you it is as good as her previous books, if not better!  

Let's start with the premise: One fancy party. Six couples. Six babies. Someone falls from the balcony and dies. Alison Hegarty, the detective assigned to this case, has grounds to suspect that this was not an accident. And so, if the course of the investigation, one dirty secret is revealed after another. 

I loved the style of this mystery, which reminded me a lot of the recent favorite, Lucy Foley's "The Guest List," when you just know the killer is among the guests, but the investigation brings out a lot of dirty laundry. The characters are almost totally unlikable, which I think is exactly the point - McGowan wants you to dislike everyone and their unreliable POVs, so that you can't root for anyone or guess the ending.

I'm giving this book 4 stars because I don't think it's as fast paced at "The Guest List," although this could totally be a personal preference.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a tale of the dark side of pre natal groups! I don't remember mine being so toxic but there was certainly new mum judging going on!

This book covers so many topics adoption, same sex relationships, big age gap relationships, cultural differences all thrown together because they happen to be having a baby at the same time, a group of people who in any normal walk of life probably wouldn't be friends.

Once the babies arrive, they are reunited at a celebration party to parade the babies in an Instagram worthy post.

That is until someone disappears over the balcony. Detective, Alison believes they were pushed, she just needs to find the motive, evidence and wade through everyone's accounts of their alibis as something isn't adding up.

I worked out the identity of the victim fairly early on and once the PM came back, I realised how they were connected to a certain character and it really could've only have been one person whodunnit as it tied their story up.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

I started this and then put it down because I couldn't get into it. I read another book and then started again. It was obviously my state of mind because I got on with the book much better second time around.
The story revolves aroubd a group of pregnant women and their partners who are in a prenatal class run by Nina . All couples have at least one "problem" which becomes apparent as the book progresses, but most of the book is written from the viewpoint of Jax (her partner is much younger than her) and the policedetective investigating the death.
Early on in the book, some one falls or is pushed from a balcony and dies. You don't find out who this is until later in the book.
The exploration of the relationship between the couples and the group interaction is interesting and their stories are realistic.
Personally I thought that the last part was a bit rushed and the detection of the crime not always well grounded. Some questions are not answered, it may have been better to concentrate on less characters and tell the full story rather than leaving it hanging.
I would give this book 3,5 stars so have rounded it up to 4.... Benefit of the doubt! All in all, better than I thought it would be and worth perservering with

Thankyou to Net Galley for an Arc in exchange for an honest review

A tragic incident at a baby group party leads to an intriguing death investigation.
The only thing these couples have in common is that they have all joined the same antenatal group but they are all from very different backgrounds and everyone seemingly has a secret or something to hide.
This read gave an honest insight into being a new parent and did not paint the picture of perfection that the couples anticipated it to be.
I enjoyed the gradual unwinding of everyone's story, the author flicks between the couples while they are being investigated and we get a more thorough glimpse of what it is they are hiding and why.

I really enjoyed The Push by Claire McGowan. An intriguing mystery with enough character intrigue and twists to keep me guessing right till the end. A refreshingly different thriller.

Six couples attend weekly birthing classes for their pending babies. At the final meeting, someone meets an untimely demise and this is where our story kicks off. I think my favorite thing about this book was the diversity amongst the couples and the different takes on pregnancy. The only thing that stopped me from giving it five stars is that it needed to be fleshed out a little bit more instead of spotlighting one couple. I found the couple with the arranged marriage far more intriguing and would have loved knowing a bit more about them. Overall, it was a good book and though I had about 95% of the mystery figured out halfway through, I didn't see that final twist coming.

This was ok. Not horrible but not especially gripping, unfortunately. 

I liked the premise. It had potential to be a proper thriller but for me it fell a bit short. 

There wasn’t a great deal of suspense as the main twists were glaringly obvious throughout. The characters were stereotypical and their portrayal was shallow. 

It would have been far better if the hidden secrets were not as easy to find. The identity of the victim was hidden to begin with then revealed without fanfare which I found unnecessary and distracting. 

The police officers again were not strongly characterised and did not come across as particularly competent. 

Having said that I did read it all and I was interested in elements of the storylines. 

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for this review. As an aside, I know the copy was not yet corrected, but the overuse of the word probably as a fronted adverbial was jarring.

Firstly, i'd like to say thankyou to Netgalley for allowing me an advanced reading copy of this book.

This is the first time i've read a book by Claire McGowen and i was pretty impressed. The storyline was good, and as much as i thought i knew what was going on there were lots of revelations that completely caught me unaware! I will give a small spoiler as a trigger warning- Baby loss- just because it is a theme within the book that came up suddenly and i'm fully aware that it could cause distress to some, as well as adoption in the book- which can be equally distressing.

It took me a while to really get into the book, possibly the first 150 pages, but that's mainly because there were lots of characters introduced in a very short space of time with only a small amount if description or backstory (although that did get built upon as you read on) which made it hard for me to remember who was who and how they were connected to the other characters.

Overall i did enjoy it, and the second half had me riveted and i couldn't put it down until i had finished. The twists are good and nothing that you'd expect and the character development is strong, by the end you really have feelings for certain individuals. I wouldn't widely recommend this in my bookshop to every customer because of the sensitive nature of some things but i would recommend it to the right customer!

This was a great fast paced read from McGowan, she never seems to disappoint.

Told from the different views and backstories from most of the characters, that slowly unfolds and gives us a good twist.

This book follows six couples, all as different as chalk and anything that is not-chalk, as they come together for weekly antenatal classes and form some unusual friendship ties.  We have the older Mums, the posh mums, the young broke Mum, the waste of space boyfriend, the disinterested Dad, the culture divides the lesbian couple and the couple who can’t have children … you know, every single type of character was covered. All that was missing was someone in a wheelchair, and we even managed to shoe horn that in at the end! 
That said, it did make it interesting to have a huge variety of people to read about, especially when the story is told from differing POVs throughout.   The addition of an investigator who is struggling with fertility seemed to over-egg the pudding for me a bit though.
This was an interesting and hard to put down read for me.  I particularly liked the way the story moved around, and it wasn’t too hard to keep track of who was who.  Equally, it was a genius move to hide who the victim was for so longer, keeping us on our toes, and unsure. However, that was probably the only real “reveal” as everything else was painfully obvious and make this less mystery and more general fiction.
The Stars
Despite the things that I felt were obviously wrong with this, I actually really enjoyed the book, and because I wanted to keep reading it I have to give it 4 stars.  It did have me feeling invested, despite the fact I couldn’t like a single character (the babies, when they arrived were probably alright, to be fair).
An interesting concept, if a little hammy at times.

This was an ok read. The cover is pretty cool and the premise sounded intriguing.  It wasn’t particularly thrilling or suspended so I’m not quite sure what genre it would fall in to. I did guess fairly early on about the ‘surprise’ revealed at the end.  Most of the characters were either pure stereotype or so over the top that you couldn’t believe them if you tried.  There were a few too many For me to keep straight, although that could easily be a reflection on me as a reader. In the end this was just so so. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.  This is my second book by this author and I've enjoyed both, possibly this one more.  There were a lot of characters to keep track of but was fairly easy.  A well done 'who dunnit' novel with each character having a reason and a backstory.  I will say I read this while going through a reading slump so it took me longer to get through than it would have in normal circumstances, but overall, it's a good read!

I love Claire McGowan and wow, do I continue to do so! This book was a ride. I loved that everyone had a secret so we had to really decide who had the most to lose/gain... it was a murder mystery dinner party packed into a thriller and I loved it.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author Claire McGowan for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

I absolutely loved the cast of characters in this novel. The multiple viewpoints really provided an added extra to the story line and kept it moving. I found this really hard to put down once I picked it up and started reading. Definitely a good twist involved, and I really enjoyed it!

The blurb was interesting with six couples, a summer barbecue and then someone falls of the balcony and dies. 
The only common thing between all these couples is they are "expecting". They all are strangers who happen to incidentally meet in a antenatal group therapy and become friends. Every character is different and have their own story. This event where the unfortunate death takes place is a party where they are supposed to be flaunting their squishy, tiny newborns.

Our investigating officer is Alison who suspects foul play and not accidental death. We still don't know who has died though, its just being talked about without any real names. Alison feels they are all making desperate attempts at hiding something under the nonchalant demeanour.

- I found the multiple POVs and timelines to be off- putting, they were just too many.
- Some parts could be obliterated and the story could have a short read.

It was a decent read but missed the surprise/thriller element. My purpose of picking up a thriller after reading the riveting blurb is to be surprised and when that doesn't happen I just cant be invested enough in the story. 

3/5 stars 

Thankyou NetGalley and Claire McGowan for n e ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Claire McGowan is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors so I was really excited to read such an advanced copy of this book.....but it let me down a bit! It became a little predictable and unlike other psychological thrillers, it failed to keep me guessing right until the end, in fact I guessed the ending quite early on, there were too many obvious hints and clues and not enough red herrings or parts where I was kept guessing! It was difficult to engage with the judgemental characters and by the end I found myself not really caring about who had been 'pushed', I just wanted to finish reading. A 6/10 for the author and her writing style but sadly not one of her best.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for the ARE copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and literary fiction however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for  opening up my mind to something totally different.

A group of people meet at a baby group and have a party to celebrate the birth of their babies. What could possibly go wrong? Someone falls from a balcony and dies? We're they pushed? DS Alison Hegarty is called to the scene. The home owner claims the balcony has been recently cleaned and was slippery. DS Hegarty suspects murder. Each party goer have their own story making this a delightful read.

I'm a fan of Claire McGowan, but this was not one of my favorites.  I figured out a couple of the surprises fairly early on, and really couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters.

What could be more innocent than an antenatal group meeting once a week to help new mothers understand the process of childbirth and caring for infants? But at a barbecue celebrating the birth of those babies a few weeks later, one of those women ends up dead. Was it an accident or was there a "push." Alison, the detective who must unravel the mystery is conflicted as she also is desperate to become pregnant. The story unfolds from present to past, the day of, and the weeks leading up to the incident. Of course each couple has their own secrets that must be unearthed to discover the truth. And while you may figure out part of the mystery, there are plenty of twists to enjoy!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited when I saw this book available because I've read 2 previous novels by Claire McGowan and they were both exceptional.  While not many novels will top The Other Wife, this one sure comes close.  I really enjoy her writing style of multiple characters pushing forward and going in reverse.  It is never hard to keep up with and compels you to just keep turning the page needing to know more and more.  She has gained a lifelong fan after reading 3 fantastic novels.

Such a great book l absolutely devoured this in a reading binge could not put it down great characters all with back stories and yes l did guess most of the twists but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment one of the best books l have read this year

The Push - What does this refer to. Is it linked to the theme of childbirth or is it indicative of what is to come? The book introduces several characters who take their turn in 'leading' the chapter. This is always a risky strategy in a book as it is important to ensure that individual characters have a strong enough voice. However, I think this worked well in this book. Personally I thought that the ending felt  rushed in particular how the answer to the crime was discovered.  Some questions from the book remain unanswered, although this perhaps reflects a reality of life but if there was a focus on fewer characters this may have been different.

This is a particularly well written story, with the action moving from past to present and from the perspectives of the different characters.  However, it is handled so well it is not confusing to the reader.  A group of new mothers meet for a post-birth party; however all is not the perfect picture they are presenting to the world, with a maelstrom of secrets being carried.  Then someone falls from the balcony (it takes half the book for the victim to be formally revealed) and detective Alison, struggling with her own efforts to conceive, has to sort out who is telling the truth, who is hiding things, and whether the person was pushed or fell.

An interesting read, written very well from many viewpoints, with the evidence of each character forming most of the story.  I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TRAGEDY strikes a barbecue organised to reunite members of an antenatal class soon after the births of their babies, in this excellent thriller.
During a party at the luxury home of one of the new mums, one of the women plunges to her death from a balcony.
Everyone insists she fell rather than was pushed, because they're all great chums after meeting together for several months to learn about pregnancy, birth and parenting.
Of course they aren't! The class was a hotbed of secrets, rivalries and intrigues, and the leader of the class was – to put it politely – not the most sympathetic of teachers.
Some of these prospective mommies and daddies came to the class with secrets, some form secrets as the weeks went by, and quite a few no more than they're letting on about the day of the 'fall'. 
The secrets are revealed gradually by MacGowan as she tells the story through the eyes of the various women, and switching between three timescales: the week-by-the class, the afternoon of the barbecue, and the police investigation.
The result is a twisty story that never gets over-complicated or confusing, McGowan gradually  introducing us to the numerous characters and revealing just enough to keep you turning the pages.
Once you're through the first few chapters and have got used to all those characters, you'll won't want to put down will continue finished.

Couples from an antenatal (prenatal) group meet up for the first time since giving birth. One person falls from a balcony to their death.  Was it an accident? Or is it murder?

This thriller by Claire McGowan was an enjoyable read.  It was a slow burn for the first half but quickly picked up speed in the second half.  Great story!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Pros:
I enjoyed the overall story line of who dun it. I tried to figure out who was pushed and who did it. That was intriguing so I was shocked at who was the pusher and pushee. Also, the story was told from past and present which I enjoy. Eventually the story met up for the final few chapters. The multiple POV were interesting especially since everyone there was a suspect. 
—
Cons:
It’s didn’t grab me. I only read it when I had nothing else to read or ran on my treadmill. There were too many characters to keep track of. Some I felt were just fillers to create more suspense but felt like there was more chaos with trying to keep up with everyone. Some characters didn’t need to have their side told. Almost everyone had drama going on that didn’t pertain to the actual crime...more filler. 
—
It overall was a good read for a quick story if you like multiple POV with MANY characters.

A decent thriller. It wasn’t super fast paced, and it didn’t grab me from the first page... but it did have a somewhat compelling story.

I got fairly caught up in the characters’ lives, enough that the ‘twist’, although a little underwhelming, did surprise me.

I really liked the different narrator perspectives, this really drove the narrative for me because I would look to the next chapter to reveal the secrets of the previous narrator.

Overall, fairly enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Push, by Claire McGowan, is a phenomenal book with well developed characters and a fantastic plot loaded with twists! I absolutely loved this book! It was an astounding psychological thriller because any one of the characters could’ve been guilty of doing more than they admitted to at the party, and more than they admitted to in their relationship with their significant others. Claire McGowan did a brilliant job writing The Push because it pulls you in from the very beginning and will keep you hanging on until the end. It’s an irresistible page turner and is guaranteed not to disappoint readers! How could couples who were so different and have so very little in common seem to pull together over what happened at the party and claim to have seen nothing? This book is sure to be a hit, and is a must read! The Push is stunning, and is crammed full of unexpected twists and ending that you surely won’t see coming! The story weaves back and forth between characters from different points of views with timelines that countdown to the date of the party. Thank you Claire McGowan, Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing UK, and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this extraordinary book. My Feedback is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The book starts off in the aftermath of a tragedy that occurred during a party. Despite each of the individual’s claims to have witnessed nothing, Detective Alison felt a strong sense from the moment she arrived that it was murder. Were her initial feelings because of her personal situation with her difficulties conceiving, or was it because there was more going on than what the party guests admitted to? Claire McGowan gives the reader just enough information about the tragic death at the beginning, but doesn’t reveal so much that it spoils the intrigue and curiosity. This book was impossible to put down! 

The death occurred at a perfectly planned party that was meant for six couples and six babies. The hostess and host (Ed and Monica) were overly attentive to making sure that every detail was carefully attended to. Monica was thrilled about showing off her and her husband’s new (and very elaborate and expensive) house. Monica was proud to show off her wealth and was strongly opinionated. She had a teenage daughter from her previous marriage, and much to her satisfaction, her ex husband seemed to want nothing to do with their daughter. The guests she had invited were diverse couples who she and her husband had met when they attended a class for expectant parents. Although the class lasted for several weeks, the party was the first time they were all getting together with their babies..

There was a large age difference between Jax and Aaron, and much was speculated about that. Jax worked for a charity organization to help children who were living in struggling circumstances. Aaron had grown up in a struggling environment himself. When emails, notes, and social media messages start targeting her as an abuser (in the sense that she took advantage of young clients), she’s at risk for losing her job and is desperate to keep some things hidden. She runs it over and over in her mind trying to figure out who cold possibly be so vengeful and why, but can’t think of anyone. One night after she wakes up from a nightmare she realizes that there is one person who would want to hurt her that bad. The results of actions and decisions that were made when she was younger could definitely impact multiple people for a lifetime, and possibly even lead someone to seek revenge.

Aisha and Rahul were ethnically different than the others, but they were both excited about their baby. When it came to a real relationship though, they were struggling. Aisha feels the loss and questions their marriage because she can barely get her husband to communicate with her. When circumstances lead to them arriving to the party later than the others, the hostess was quick to make a statement about their tardiness. While she tried to fit in and enjoy herself, her husband seemed to intentionally try to distance himself from her. With a newborn baby who kept her up all night, Aisha was hungry and tired, but he scolded her about wanting to eat or drink something other than what the hostess was planning to prepare. Even asking him to bring her water to drink seemed to set him off. When the police show up at their house to talk to them, she makes the statement that she doesn’t know if she should talk to them without her husband being present. Is there something she is trying to hide?

Hazel and Cathy are a lesbian couple who had chosen artificial insemination with a donor neither of them knew. Although the other couples were accepting of their lifestyle choice, it still gave them all plenty to talk about. They both seem happy, but a strain in their relationship had become more obvious and was noticeable to Detective Alison when she went to question them. The reader is thrown another twist when one of the women receives a text message while at the party, and inwardly chooses to ignore it and not tell her partner. Who is the sender and what is she trying to hide by ignoring the text message?

Anita and Jeremy had a planned adoption of a baby from America, but yet again, the reader is thrown another twist. Where is the baby, and why was neither of them openly and honestly discussing the circumstances?

Finally, there’s Kelly. She was the youngest of the group at 22. Much to everyone’s surprise she showed up at the party. Everyone tries to empathize with her heartbreaking situation, but in the back of their minds is her boyfriend’s behavior when he attended the group session.

With six babies to proudly coo over, how is it that one thing led to another and someone died and no one seems to have witnessed anything? Who could’ve died at such an idealistic party, and who was disturbed enough to have a motive for killing someone there? Or was it really just a tragic slip that no one witnessed because taking care of that many babies is sure to distract everyone’s attention?

Wow y’all this one was really really good!! Definitely a thriller and will leave you wanting more. I’m glad I was able to read this one. Loved the storyline!

This is a great domestic thriller, which is one of my favorite type of thrillers. I had not read this author before, but she writes well and I would read more from her. This is about six couples in a parents groups and the mystery is who was pushed and why. I had a hard time sometimes reading about the parental topics as I struggled with bad postpartum depression, but it is still an amazing book. 

This is a before and after story, well done and interesting. I was invested in what was going to happen, and I read this book in one sitting. This reminded me a little of Big little lies, which was a book I loved. Overall, this is a superb thriller with lots of mystery I could not stop reading. 

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The push off a balcony just after the push of labour seems arduous. Yet the new thriller from McGowan makes light work of the motives for motherhood and for murder. 

The story follows DS Hegarty as she investigates the fall from a balcony of a party guest. The guests are new parents from various backgrounds, having all met at a local ante-natal group. But as the crime scene is examined, it would seem that every guest has something to hide from the police and from each other.

There were many twists and turns to the story, but I was able to guess at a few of them. Having said that, watching them unravel was still entertaining and I appreciated the exploration of the diverse journeys to motherhood as well as the story being told from the viewpoints of the different characters.

Who is guilty?  Reminiscent of the Agatha Christie books that narrowed down suspects... A superb cut above the other reads of domestic thrillers that I have read lately!

An antenatal class with 6 widely differing couples, is invited to a party given by Monica after the birth of all of the babies. All 5 couples plus Monica, 44 years old, her husband, Ed, and her daughters - Chloe (15) and baby, Isabella are at the party. More than wanting a party, Monica wants to show off her beautiful house with the glass windows and rockery...

It is quite obvious that Monica feels "better than" the others, (So why the party?) To put them in their place, the reader might guess. 

The party - the great BBQ at Monica's wonderful house - turns sour....

Enter DS Alison Hegarty on the scene... Alison has infertility problems. Maybe not the best DS to be in charge, here - with four babies?

I have not YET read any books by Claire McGowan but I certainly intend to do so!

This is not one to miss...

Many Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, Amazon, UK and NetGalley for a great preview of a solid mystery/thriller.

What a great read! I wasn't looking forward to this one, after reading bad reviews on goodreads suggesting that the story involved racism, sexism, ageism etc

Can I start by saying DON'T BELEIVE THESE REVIEWS yes it is true, a couple of the characters have points of view that might be old fashioned and not politically correct in todays society, but that's the point - the book is about 6 different couples all either pregnant or trying for a baby, and not everyone is life has the same views or has been around different cultures, sexualities etc - it's just a fact of life, and explains the way the chracters think and their actions. It isn't offensive in any way and is quite obviously not the point of view of the author. Anyone taking offense in this manner really is one of those 'woke' individuals always looking to make a mountain out of a molehill. 

In actual fact, I found this story challenging and true to life in many ways. Each couple have their issues, their secrets and whilst some twists were quite obvious, some were really shocking and it made for a great read. I havne't previously read anything by Claire McGowan but I love the writing style and will be looking out for more of her books. 

In all a solid 4 star read, I finished it in one sitting and am glad that I didn't pay any attention to things I had read previously. if you enjoy a good domestic thriller this is one for you.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fricking spectacular. I loved this book. Enough twists and turns to keep me very happy. Not your usual subject (pregnant women) for a mystery/thrillers. Great characters, great storyline, great writer. Buy this book.

‘The Push’ is told from multiple POVs at different times. The biggest mystery isn’t The Who has done it, it’s who was the victim? The book did draw me in, but I didn’t connect with the any of the extremely flawed characters.  The end of the book was rushed and not wrapped up as you’d expect. There were many different things going on and they were easy to guess before the reveals, so not too much of a mystery in my eyes. I’d like to thank NetGalley for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another excellent read from Claire McGowan.  This book is told from the multiple perspectives of the attendees of an antenatal class.  Great characters and storyline although I did guess a few of the little twists and turns along the way.  It didn’t detract from my enjoyment though,

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

Six couples meet at a baby group and reunite at a get together following the birth of the babies. One person falls off a balcony and dies. Allison, the detective investigating, thinks this may not have been a fall, but instead the person was pushed. The story alternates between the baby group some weeks before the party and the actual party, mostly from the points of view of 1 new mom, Jax and Allison with other people's points of view occasionally thrown in. 

I liked this book for the most part. I found it to be pretty readable and it held my attention. The issue I had is that almost every couple had something they were hiding and the things they were hiding were pretty easy to sniff out pretty early on, so there weren't a lot of surprises, it was just waiting to see what would happen when the secrets came to light. I think this is my second book from this author and I will probably read more.

The premise is there for this book! The setup takes a minute, because there are so many voices and there's a lot of jumping around in time, but the reveal of who's actually died is delayed a fair bit and that alongside the plot setup hooks you.

And that's it for me on the positive list for this book. It took me nearly a week to read (which is a LONG TIME for me), and I considered DNFing it several times. So many uncomfortable things are happening throughout the book - lots of moments of sexism, racism, ageism.

I loved this book! It was so annoying when I had to put it down to attend to real life. I thought I had it figured out half-way through, but I was wrong! I loved the perspectives of the different guests and the time-lapses. This writing reminds me quite a bit of Liane Moriarty, which is a very good thing! I'm super excited to read Claire McGowan's other books and I will keep an eye out for her future books. I highly recommend this one, my only slight criticism would be to have less swearing in the book, but I am admittedly an old fashioned gal who does not enjoy foul language in books. Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC. 5 (I can't put this book down) stars!!

Fantastic page-turning stand alone thriller from Claire McGowan whose Paula McGuire series is so sucessful.

An accident occurs at a BBQ where a group of people who were in the same ante-natal support group have got together to celebrate the birth of their children. But was it really an accident?

As well as being an effective crime/ procedural, The Push explores the anxieties and pressures of parenthood and the societal expectations on new mothers.

Highly recommended.