I started this book with high expectations, felt the storyline dragged on and nearly gave up however 3/4 way through it picked up speed - this was an ok read on a difficult subject - thanks Net Galley for granting me a copy.

This book is awesome! I loved Nora Murphy’s previous book, so was super excited to read this one. It certainly didn’t disappoint.
It is the perfect domestic thriller with plenty of twists and engaging characters.
A must read and one of my favourites this year.

A fast paced page turner that grabbed me from page one. I really felt for Natalie and remembered those awful new days of motherhood.

I really enjoyed this had me hooked stayed up late in to the night as I could not put it down.

Natalie has just had a baby and moved to a new neighbourhood. Natalie is finding it difficult motherhood isn’t all that she wanted she is shutting her husband out. Then she meets Paul, the neighbour. Natalie is relived she has someone who can calm the baby while she rests. But Paul wants something in return for his help. Paul hasn’t found the one for his perfect plan in Natalie how much danger is she in.

This was a great thriller with a fast paced story which keeps you hooked highly recommend.

To say I wanted more would be an understatement. This was a delicious page turner right from the start. Everytime I had to put it down, it was all I could think about. I did end up finishing way past my bedtime, just so I would be able to sleep. If you love a quick, immersive thriller, than this is definitely for you!

Natalie and Tyler are new parents who have just moved into a larger home with their baby, Oliver. They aren't familiar with the neighbourhood, so they are taking on quite a few new experiences simultaneously.

Unfortunately, their lack of experience with babies leads to situation where Tyler is shut out by his wife, who feels that he does not understand any of what she is going through. And given that she is going through the worst possible combination of after-effects from giving birth - that too, by a C section - she might have a point.

But the fact is that in the midst of coping with a range of things including post-partum depression, isolation, sleep deprivation, loneliness and a colicky baby, Natalie is not really in the right frame of mind to be fair to Tyler. Instead, she chooses to rely on her next door neighbour, Paul, who - as a stay-at-home father with a 10 year old daughter - she considers to be something of a baby-whisperer.

Unfortunately, Paul has his own agenda, and it is one that actually, if she had any suspicion of what was going on in his mind, would terrify Natalie. After having had an affair with the woman who used to live in Natalie and Tyler's house, Paul now has plans for Natalie, whom he considers to be a perfect patsy.

This book was not quite what I expected. While I appreciate the writer's assertion that she wanted to raise awareness regarding the horrors of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, this book turned out to be unexpectedly grim reading with respect to those issues. The details of Natalie's biological distress were not pleasant, and there was a fair bit of repetition when it came to the challenges of postpartum life.

The last quarter the book makes up for some of this, and tighter editing and more engaging storytelling would really have lifted the story to another level. Nora Murphy is an excellent writer, but she may have given in to the desire to make a point about the human (maternal) experience rather than showcasing her best writing skills with this one. I look forward to her next novel though!

#TheNewMother #NetGalley
Awesome thriller.
Nothing is simple about being a new mom alone in a new house, especially when your baby is collicky. Natalie Fanning loves her son unconditionally, but being a mother was not all she wanted to be. Enter Paul, the neighbor. Paul provides the lifeline she needs in what feels like the most desperate of times. When Paul is helping with Oliver, calmed by his reassuring, steady presence, Nat feels like she can finally rest. But Paul wants something in return. It’s no coincidence that he has befriended Nat—she is the perfect pawn for his own plan. Will Nat wake up in time to see it?
Really loved this one by Nora Murphy. she's brilliant.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me an advance copy.