Natalie is a new mom alone with her colicky baby in a new house. Things are difficult for her. Her neighbor, Paul, comes along and everything changes with his help. But Paul wants something from her in return. Will Natalie see that he’s using her as a pawn?

THE NEW MOTHER fell flat for me. I was expecting a thriller and instead found a slow-paced book that was incredibly descriptive about postpartum issues. This wouldn’t necessarily have been bad if it was what I was looking for, but at the time I picked this book up, I really did want to read a thriller. Nothing significant seemed to happen until quite late in the book and by that point if felt pretty lackluster.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the DRC.

Natalie is a new mom and she's dealing with all the pressures that come along with it, including postpartum depression. Her baby is difficult. He cries constantly and Natalie is the only person who can soothe him. She's left her job as a lawyer temporarily and her husband has made partner and is working long hours. She's resentful towards her husband for this and ends up finding comfort and friendship in her neighbor, Paul, who happens to be a stay-at-home dad and is good with babies. Erin, Paul's wife, is unhappy about Natalie, a younger woman, spending time with her husband and she makes it known at a neighborhood Halloween party. Not long after this confrontation, Erin goes missing...

The New Mother had me drawn in from the beginning. I could sympathize with Natalie because I've experienced life with a difficult baby. It was really nice to read a title that shines some light on the struggles of being a new parent and postpartum depression. With that being said, this was definitely still a mystery/thriller. My heart was literally racing during portions of this title. I was drawn in and needed to know what happened. I finished this title in a day. I gave 4 stars just because the ending seemed abrupt to me and kind of rushed when the rest of the book was so intriguing. I wanted something a little "bigger".

Thank you so much to Nora Murphy, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As I often do with mystery/thrillers, I went into this completely blind to avoid any preconceived ideas and spoilers for myself. Had I known going in that the plot was heavily based on post partum depression, I probably would have skipped this.

🎧I paired the book with the audio and really enjoyed the narration choice, and often even preferred this format.

WHAT TO EXPECT -the trials of being a new Mom/New Mom Horror -domestic suspense -slow burn -unlikeable characters

*many thanks to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy for review

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars. Post partum issues had this mother all kinds of messed up. The issues she was having, trouble in connecting, obsessiveness and protection of her child, inability to separate herself from home life and function on anything else in the world, felt all too real. That portion of the book gave me anxiety and sorrow for what she was facing within herself.

The thriller portion of the book had me wanting more. I could not stand her tendency to continue to push the friendship across the street, it was very uncomfortable and made me angry. I saw no twists in the plot, the ending though abrupt, was predictable, I just didn't feel like I was on the edge of my seat in any way.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Being a new mother is tough. Especially for Nat, who feels alone in her struggles to meet her own ideas of being the perfect mother mixed with a recent new house/move and her struggles for sleep and sanity. You also get the POV, right from the get-go, of a neighbor couple. It's hard to read because their family is pretty dysfunctional and they are awful to each other.

The twist in this one was great. It really blew me away because I didn't see it coming. But the wrap up felt a bit rushed and I wish we'd had just a little more in the end. It is an entertaining and very quick read and I did like it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I found that this book dragged for me a bit. As a mother myself, there were parts hard to read so check trigger warnings before reading. It definitely gives you the in sight on what it’s like to be a new mom without the support of others around them

Fun book with some really good twists. A few of them relied too much on coincidence, but overall, the book provides exactly the experience that its readers want.

This was an ARC from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. My first from this author and I was impressed. The writing flowed well and she was able to weave a domestic suspense w an important issue facing women.

I was a little iffy on this book if I am being honest. I feel like postpartum mental/sanity issues as a trope has just been beat to death. This author chose to try to revive this trope. I could really feel for the new mother and this was written well, however after this information being repeated ad nauseum, I was quite a bit bored. The neighbor swoops in on a white horse to save her and immediately decides to use her in his plot. The whole plan was ridiculous and I felt that it really lacked depth. I wish I would have passed on this book. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this thriling read . It was a page turner from start to finish. I really could not wait for the next chapter as the twists and turns kept coming. It was an ending that made me go WOW. You really don’t know someone that well at all. This book was insanely good!!!!!

This was a great read that I quite enjoyed from beginning to end. I was curious to read what was going to happen next and was hooked! I would recommend this one.

While “The New Mother” is marketed as a chilling mystery/thriller, its essence lies more in the realm of domestic drama and a commentary on the challenges of new motherhood, shedding light on the perils of postpartum depression.

Natalie and her husband Tyler’s move to an upscale suburban neighbourhood in anticipation of their child’s birth sets the stage for a startling narrative. Following the arrival of their son, Oliver, Natalie grapples with the immense weight of new motherhood. She is plagued by sleep deprivation, unsettling thoughts about her baby, and an inexplicable anger toward Tyler. In this vulnerable state, her only source of comfort becomes her neighbour, Paul, who appears to possess an uncanny understanding of Natalie’s struggles. However, Paul harbours sinister intentions and preys upon Natalie’s vulnerability to execute a malevolent plan.

The narrative unfolds in a somewhat repetitive manner and the actual crime and subsequent investigation take a backseat, rendering any detective work unnecessary. It transforms a supposed mystery into something less compelling than anticipated.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The lead in Nora Murphy's The New Mother is exactly that. Natalie and Tyler Fanning (both attorneys) have just had a baby. Nat struggles with motherhood. She's insecure and overwhelmed.

A neighbor, Paul (a stay-at-home father) seems to be a baby whisperer. He offers sympathy and help. Then Paul's wife is murdered and Nat comes under suspicion.

Whodunit?

Sadly this was a DNF for me at 30%. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not a mother or what, but I just couldn't resonate with the characters and found the story to be a little unbelievable. I was also expecting more of a thriller type aspect rather than the family suspense, which may have added to the dislike. I know others have really enjoyed this one as well as her other book, The Favor, so I'd still give the author another chance!

I received a free copy of The New Mother from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
The New Mother freaked me out. It reminded me a bit of The Push but Ashley Audrain, but the threat was outside of the home. The psychological games in this novel are intense and scary, and of course I read this novel while a terrible thing was happening to someone close to me…it certainly made this novel feel real and possible.
A great read, but be warned that this novel will screw with your head and it most definitely worth checking out trigger warnings before heading in. Especially if thrillers involving babies is a deal-breaker.

*Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the copy of this book*

Natalie is a new to motherhood but everything is not as she expected. As a successful professional, she becomes overwhelmed with her desire to care for her child and her need to rise the ranks in her career. She soon becomes resentful towards her husband who seemingly has it all - wife, baby, and newly promoted - without all the struggles of being a perfect parent and employee. Enter friendly neighbor, and follow parent, Paul. He seems to understand Natalie since the roles are reversed in his relationship - he is the stay at home dad while his wife is fully committed to her profession. Unfortunately, Natalie is unable to see beyond his kindness while he is manipulating her to fix his situation.

Although I am not a parent, I truly appreciate the commentary on parenthood and past-partum experiences. It was heartbreaking to see Natalie's struggle to find her identity after the birth of her child - no one should have to choose between their family and career. I am not easily disturbed by many things but this book had me uncomfortable at times because of the parallels to reality. I do wish there were more twists prior to the resolution but it was still an interesting read.

Another domestic thriller that makes you wonder if there are any neighbors you can trust. It was interesting to read a thriller that also tackles the sometimes impossible feeling feat of being a new mother, and how often women are not shown the understanding or help they need to make it through those first few daunting months of raising a child while also maintaining their sense of self and sanity.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Suspenseful, surprising, quick read, the ending was unexpected, the book made you keep guessing the whole way through the book.

Uneven pacing and a predicable twist left me wanting more from The New Mother. I don't often see the darker side of motherhood portrayed in mystery/thrillers that lives up to The Push or The Whispers- big shoes to fill. Overall the main character comes across more unlikable than sympathetic and it was a bit difficult to get fully invested in the story. Not a terrible book but not a favorite