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.

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 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 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

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!

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

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.