This is an unusual concept for a book but it certainly works. There are two parts and in the second the characters change their roles. Jake remains the male partner but in the two parts the female partner changes to make a challenging story. Other characters such as the difficult mother in law come over well too. Why it is called Magpie is not explained. The relationships are the important thing about the book. That is what keeps the reader glued to the text. The book is very well written and is likely to become a popular read.

Wow, there’s a lot going on in this one!

For the first two thirds of the book I was completely gripped. I loved the writing style and was intrigued by the direction of the plot. The backstory to Marisa was so well drawn and poignant, and the tension between Marisa, Kate and Jake was expertly built.

The book deals with difficult themes such as mental illness, parental abandonment and infertility and for the most part deals with them sensitively. I found the surrogacy angle a little uncomfortable at times - using a surrogate with evident mental health problems felt exploitative and, dare I say it, selfish; but I appreciate I’m coming at this from the privilege of not having to use the services of a surrogate!

However … the last third of the book fell a little flat for me. The twist was brilliant and so well revealed - but afterwards the remainder of the book just felt full of padding with no discernible direction. I was expecting some further twist or revelation but nothing else seemed to happen.

I also found that there was a fair bit of extraneous detail, again more so in the last part - to the extent of describing how there were bowls on the kitchen table with the word ‘bowl’ written on them! I’m all for scene setting and descriptive narrative but it felt a little excessive at times.

That said, overall it really was a case of ‘just one more chapter’ and I did find myself really engaged with the characters, albeit none of them were hugely likeable!

A solid four stars from me.

Marisa has only known Jake a few months, but their relationship seems to be going well. Despite the concern of her good friend, Marisa gives up her rented flat, moves in with Jake and their relationship appears to accelerate quickly when the couple decide to have a baby together.

Everything appears pretty rosy for Marisa, that is until Jake suggests getting a lodger to help the couple financially and Kate comes to live with them. There is something not quite right about Kate. She seems far too obsessed with the couple, she asks way too many questions about the baby, and she just seems far too comfortable in their house. To Marisa something just doesn’t seem quite right, but why doesn’t Jake share her concerns?

Having read and enjoyed other books by Elizabeth Day I was very excited to read Magpie. If I am completely honest it took me a little while to get my teeth into this book but once I warmed to the characters, I began to fly through it, and the perseverance was worth it as I have never read a book with a plot quite like it. Without giving too much away, all I will say is the plot twist is incredibly clever.

Within the book many themes are touched upon including, but not limited to, mental health illnesses, expectations of women and family relationships. However, one overarching theme which I would like to touch upon is infertility. Elizabeth Day has always been very open about her own fertility journey and I thought the way infertility was touched upon through Magpie was done empathetically but it also came across as very real. I think this is a topic which is far more common than people realise yet can be difficult for authors to touch upon in a way which is detailed yet realistic. I would like to thank Elizabeth Day for bringing this topic to light in such a candid way.

I have seen in other reviews people have said that the end seems too tidy for such a complex life situation. I will comment on this and say I must agree to some extent. Is the ending realistic? Not really. Is it possible? Yes, you would have to be very lucky. However, this is a fiction story and who doesn’t like a happy ending?

All in all, 4.5 stars. Magpie is a very clever and compelling novel with a one-of-a-kind plot twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and 4th Estate for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

"Along the top of one wall, she spots a magpies and automatically raises her hand to salute it, just as her mother taught her she should in order to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. The another magpie jumps up to join it, then another and another until there are four of the birds lined up next to each other on the wall."

Marisa wants to be loved. Her mother left with her baby sister, Anna and her father tried his best. Marisa finally feels loved by Jake, who is perfect - dependable and protective. After three months he asks her to move in with him. He wants to start a family, as does Marisa. When Jake's work suffers he suggests they take in a lodger and lithe, clever Kate moves in. Marisa is paranoid tmshe doesn't deserve her new life with Jake. Or is she?

Kate, working PR for celebrities is tired of the partying lifestyle and dating emotionally unavailable men. When she meets Jake, he represents adulthood and settling down. After three months he asks her to move in with him and he tells her he wants to start a family. But Kate does not fall pregnant after four devastating and traumatic years of trying. So they find a surrogate. Will it be happy ever after for Kate?

Told from first Marisa's and then Katie's perspectives, we learn a both them both, can relate to and empathise with their wants and needs. We only see Jake and his parents through their eyes and it becomes apparent as the plot progresses that all is not as it seems. Clever, tense and involving, focusing on women and motherhood, whilst exploring difficult subjects of fertility and mental illness with empathy, I could feel something shocking was coming. I found the major plot twist ingenious - a complete 360. Definitely a thriller to read blind and perserve with, because it is worth it!

I thought I had easily got the plot of this boom set in my head, right up to the point when I didn't! I absolutely reccomend that you read this book. I bet you will love it.

“In Jake, Marisa has found everything she’s ever wanted. Then their new lodger Kate arrives…Marisa knows something is wrong…How far will she go to find the answer – and how much is she willing to lose?”

WOW! What a mind-bending and pretty terrifying thriller. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this, BUT without reading too many reviews etc. I read a spoiler on Goodreads and it sort of dulled the magic of this amazing book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Wow what a story, I selected this book as I recognised the author's name however not read any of her books before. The premise seems intriguing, started the book and was not really sure at all, I found it hard to like Marisa and was not at all invested in her story and was considering not finishing the book. I even went online to see how other reviewers got on and was encouraged that others too found the beginning hard going to.

Then, you get to a good bit in the book where the really story takes off (really hard to write something in here that is not a spoiler), from there on in I was fully engrossed and was keen to finish the book. I could even imagine how good this would be if made into a film.

Again I don't want to give anything away, stick with the story and you'll be rewarded. I am now keen to seek out other stories by Elizabeth Day.

Thank you to NetGalley & publisher for the opportunity to read this copy in exchange for a honest review

Another master class by Elizabeth Day; the twists were unpredictable and satisfyingly jarring. An initial slow burn that rapidly built momentum and simultaneously, tension. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. Was a bit undecided at the beginning of this book as to whether I would enjoy it. Yes I did, couldn’t put it down. Loved the characters and how the story evolved through them. Would thoroughly recommend.

Marisa is in love with Jake; he asks them to move in together into a grand new house and try immediately to start a family. However, financial issues lead them to take in Kate as a lodger, who immediately makes herself right at home and makes Marisa feel very unsettled. Why is Kate becoming so involved in their life? Is she a threat to Marisa? This book has a huge twist at its heart which I would never have guessed. Totally involving, this literary thriller makes for a satisfying and rewarding read.

Two narratives tell a very different story in this compelling tale of infertility and mental health and I really enjoyed the first half or more. There were shocking twists and recalculations but I found the final part of the book a bit weak. It all seemed too easy and I was waiting for a final twist to out Jake as the real villain of the piece. However, a good read.

Well, this was one strange book for me. It was nearly a dnf at one stage but I ended up giving it 4 stars. How so? Well let me explain.

I went into this blind(and I thoroughly recommend you do too) so had no real idea what the book was about.

The first third of the book is told from the perspective of one of the most annoying characters I can ever remember. The story felt all that bit familiar and I found myself frustrated and not really sure if I wanted to read a whole book of the path the story was going down. I thought this was going to be drawn out over the whole book…..

And then……bang! We change perspective, there is a huge twist, and still two thirds of the book to read. I didn’t see it coming at all.

Very cleverly plotted. Some really memorable characters, the author pulled the rug from under my feet more than once.

I started off hating this book and ended up loving it. I’m not sure I would have quite enjoyed it as much as I did if I’d read the synopsis or had an idea what it was about. I’m so glad I didn’t.

If you start this and aren’t enjoying it, stick with it. It won’t take long before it draws you in.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC through Netgalley.

Such a gripping, well-crafted tale of domestic bliss gone wrong. I adored it from start to finish, deeply impressed by the writer's sensitive handling of thorny issues (mental illness, trauma, gaslighting, infertility) and how relatable the scary/strange in-laws were! Compelling, polished and very clever, I found it so hard to put down. I had only read Elizabeth Day's non-fiction before this but now I will definitely be seeking out her other earlier fiction. One of the highlights of my reading year so far, for sure!

With thanks for NetGalley and 4th Estate for an ARC.

Magpie does not follow the whimsical tune associated with magpies. Instead Elizabeth Day has used other associations with magpies, to help tell this twisted tale.

Magpie begins through the point of view of Marisa, a creative individual who illustrates children's stories for a living. The reader is soon introduced to Jake and Kate, as they all live together. Magpie is about how their lives weave into each other and how a very complicated love triangle can occur in a very unexacting way. If you were looking for a romance novel however, you would be mistaken with this novel. Magpie tackles women's issues within family roles and questions what it is that makes a women, a mother.

Magpie is written in three parts, to allow the reader to see Marisa and Kate's point of view in relation to what's happening inside their house. The point of views work well in this novel as it gives an insight into Marisa and Kate's background. The first part of the novel was quite steady and I found it quite tricky to read. It was only at the end of part one that my interest began to peak. The writing in part one seemed a little chaotic, however I believe this to be intentional to suit where the plot is going. For this reason I applaud Day in taking meticulous care with her narrative.

Elizabeth Day appears to have strong female leads within Magpie. This consists of Marisa, Kate and Jake's mother, Annabelle. Each character is strong with survival instincts, however these traits are expressed differently throughout Day's novel. As a result, readers are able to feel connected to one of these character's, whilst the remaining women will likely remind them of someone they know.

Day's novel is very calculating, gripping and brings to light the depths that women will go to for motherhood. A compelling read.

Magpie by Elizabeth Day is out September 2021.

Pre-order a signed copy at Waterstones today.

Review will be added to blog on August 7th at 10:28am (UK time).

After a noticeably short relationship Marisa knows Jake is ‘The One’ So, they take their relationship to the next level and decide to move in together. The pair are blissfully happy and start talking about having kids. But, for now as the new flat is quite expensive, they decide to take in a new lodger to make some money. Jake already has someone in mind, Kate and she moves in.
After several attempts to conceive and when Marisa finally becomes pregnant jealousy is running away with her when she thinks that Jake is spending too much time with Kate and when one night, she finds them together. Her first thought that it is not real it’s just her hormones running away with her. But other things that happen makes her prone to think it is actually true.
Thank you, 4th Estate, for a copy The Magpie. This is cleverly written psychological thriller also about fertility, how far someone will go to get a child and also mental health issues. I found it to have a really unique storyline. I have not read something like this before. There were so many twists to this story. I kept thinking what will happen then it changed direction again. The author is a great storyteller keeping to engaged right up to the end. 4 stars from me.

What an intriguing tale. I loved this book and thought it was very cleverly thought out.

I’m going to say very little about the plot since I would hate to spoil it for potential readers, but I’m not entirely sure if I would call this a thriller in the true sense of the word. Yes it is thrilling, but it’s really a story about family, abandonment, mental illness, mistrust, motherhood, fertility and maternal relationships. That’s a lot of themes and they are all interwoven to make for a very compelling and sometimes quite poignant read.

It had me constantly wondering what would happen next, feeling empathy for all the characters, yet with an undercurrent of niggling doubt as to whether characters were always telling the truth.

I thought it was brilliant and highly recommend it. And that is probably the shortest review that I’ve ever written, but I just think it’s a book you need to read yourself, knowing very little beforehand.

*review to be posted to blog on publication day*

This book was brilliant. I would very much like to thank the publishers for sending me an unsolicited copy of this book. I absolutely loved it. Before all the hype started on Twitter, I was already a proud recipient, and this book did not disappoint..

I was pulled into the story immediately, the writing style was fantastic and the story just flowed.
Marisa and Jake are newly in love when they move in together. He is keen to start a family straight away. Marisa feels she has it all, a great personal career as an artist designing children’s books, a great house, and now the man of her dreams.

Jake’s mother Annabelle is not very welcoming, and comes across as extremely judgemental.
When Kate moves in to help with the rent, the whole story turns upside down.
What a brilliant read. Totally compelling, and intriguing, Who is the real outsider?

This is a book that keeps twisting and keeps the reader on amber alert until the very end.

Elizabeth Day is one of those people who I can immediately recognise by her voice, having heard her many times on podcasts and the radio. But I hadn't read any of her books, so didn't know what to expect.

The book told the story of Marisa and Jake, who a short time into their relationship move in together and decide to have a baby. But all isn't as it seems when lodger Kate moves in.

I thought it was a well written and enjoyable book that had a good, and unexpected, twist. An intriguing read.

Marisa and Jake are happily living together and expecting their first child, until they invite a lodger to move in to help pay the mortgage. Then things seem to quickly go downhill. There is a huge twist in this story and things are not how they initially appear! The story touches on some uncomfortable subjects - infertility, sexual assault and mental health making it a difficult read at times. It’s gripping and hard to put down but I did find the ending a little annoying with who turns out to be the ‘bad guy’ in the tale.

This is a difficult book to read in that the three main protagonists are all damaged individuals. A young girl suffers the abandonment of her mother, a second abandonment by her father to boarding school and subsequently as a result of unwise choices becomes the victim of a serious assault. A second woman enters the relationship and to the exclusion of all and everyone else decides her biological clock is ticking and she will do whatever it takes to satisfy this primeval longing. Both women become involved with charming but a weak individual who is unable to move on from his mothers overbearing influence. These three embark on a series of events that can only end in disaster. To some degree it is necessary to put aside the questions raised regarding the cavalier and legality of decisions taken by them and others. On this occasion it is perhaps enough to accept, read and enjoy . However it would be irresponsible to review this book that I thoroughly enjoyed without raising the issue of the morality of an improbable finish to a serious and weighted subject matter from an excellent story that perhaps deserved a more realistic conclusion. Many thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.