This was at times a very difficult book to read, dealing with post natal depression during a suburban thriller is something I've not read in as much detail and depth as this book goes into.

I think this book is a very raw representation of the early days of new motherhood and how a new parent can lose their identity and relationship in the wake of a birth.

I would have liked to see more of Tyler's point of view regarding the impact of Natalie's behaviour on him although I can understand why we did not in terms of the way the story was told. I also felt that the pacing was a little of with lots of setup for the main mystery, a short portion of the actual investigation and then a longer epilogue.

I overall enjoyed this book but recommend looking up triggers before reading.

It was actually good. I wouldn’t say it was a chilling thriller but it definitely is entertaining story if you push through the first part.

I can see many aspects that are irritating and worth a good eye rolling, but… I don’t know, I kind of liked it :)

This was a did not finish for me. I tried several times to get into the book. But neither the story or the narrator got me hooked. Gave up after 25% of the book.

Unfortunately, it was a DNF for me. It was slow going and I could not engage with the narrator, she sounded almost robotic, without any emotion/feeling.

The New Mother by Nora Murphy and Narrated by Dylan Moore, Lee Osorio I found hard to get into and I could not get into the narrator, which took me longer to finish it. Sadly it was not for a me....but loved the cover of the book.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio and Pan Macmillan for my ARC and audiobook.

So suspenseful I had palpitations while listening to this, it was so scary and I loved it!
Only a woman could have written this novel as the thoughts and feelings are completely spot on but the murder, conniving and twist were jaw dropping. Never did I imagine what was gonna happen

Natalie’s newborn son, Oliver, is her world. Alone in the house, while husband Tyler goes back to work, sleep deprived Natalie strikes up a friendship with neighbour Paul. He seems to understand all that she is going through emotionally. However, his friendship comes at a price.
As an audio book, I found a lot of the content repetitive and over tedious with the details of being a new mum. The mystery aspect seemed to take a back burner to this content and found myself obliged to finish rather than enjoy this plot.

I hate leaving negative feedback but I just couldn't get on with the narrator. I started the book twice but gave up both times and didn't finish it. The narrator wasn't for me but I can'r really pass comment on the story.

This was a hard listen and slightly depressing kind of book. It has an extremely slow start and doesn’t kick in until about 60% in which made it hard for me to still get excited about. With that being said the author does write and really gets her point across on how difficult it can be for a first time mother. But it wasn’t thrilling enough to have held my attention.

Thank you to Macmillian UK and Netgalley for a audiobook copy.

3.5 stars
What I really liked about the story was the division into three parts, that just fit right for me.
I had to struggle through the middle a bit because Nat, the main character, behaved too naive in my optinion
However this comes to a totally fine conclusion!
It is a story of a woman struggeling to find her life being turned upside down and inside out by becoming a mother. And that's real life!
The narration by Dylan Moore and Lee Osorio was pure enjoyment!
Thank you #NetGalley #Macmillan UK Audio for this audiobook

It wasn’t the sort of neighbourhood for murder.

Natalie Fanning already loves her newborn son, Oliver, with everything she has. From the moment he was born she knew that she was meant to be his mother, even though she didn’t want that to be all she was.

When Oliver refuses to sleep, and her husband Tyler returns to work, Nat is left mostly alone in a new house, in a new neighbourhood, the task of keeping her small son healthy and happy on her shoulders alone. No one else can breastfeed Oliver; no one else will protect him like she can; no one can help her.

No one, that is, except her neighbour Paul.

Paul is everything Tyler isn’t, and 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.

This is a thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

I found it quite hard to listen to this audio book. It took me longer than normal to finish it. There were moments that I enjoyed but it wasn't consistent.

This sounded so promising but it was very slow (and a bit depressing). It covers themes of motherhood, post natal depression, insomnia and stalking with a lot of repetition. I didn't really like any of the characters so struggled to empathise with their various struggles. The final quarter of the book was better and warmed up to a twisty conclusion. Thank you to Net Galley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

At the beginning I wasnt sure what to make of this audio so I took a little break before going back to it. Once I got passed the first bit it got really good and then I realised why the first bit was so important - do dont make the same mistake that I did, just go and listen to it. There are lots of triggering moments especially for new mums (even remembering what it was like being a new mum).

The narration worked well.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

I'm not really sure I'd categorise this audiobook as a thriller.
It went into great detail about a new mother Natalie and how she was coping with her baby, breastfeeding and the problems that come with that and post natal depression.
There is a murder and a bit of who dunnit but this really wasn't one of her best books.
The narrators were good.

For a thriller, this took an age to warm up. The first hint of any potential threat came at the end of chapter 12, 25% of the way through the story. While it didn’t affect the pace (Natalie’s experience of being a new mother was a bit like driving past an accident; you can’t help but stare, wide-eyed in disbelief at the wreckage), the focus was definitely more on the ‘new mother’ experience for the first half of the story. It felt more like an autobiographical tale designed to raise awareness of postpartum depression (which sounds dreadful).
Natalie’s descriptions of her experience were darkly funny and I’m sure that many new parents would relate to a lot of the circumstances she experienced.
The next hint of any jeopardy was a glimpse at the very end of chapter 21; even then it was only a passing comment. I think I was past the 60% mark before the real plot began to unfold.
Without giving away any spoilers, there was a clear alibi that was completely ignored as a plot point, which was never explained.
I also felt like there was a missing chapter at the end from Paul’s perspective, that (in my opinion) could have made the ending more satisfying.
It was engaging, and well narrated, but lacked the edge-of-your-seat suspense that I expect from a thriller for well over half of the book, so it’s a four star rating from me rather than a five.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan U.K. audio for the chance to listen to an ARC.

The New Mother by Nora Murphy was an incredible book! The challenges that new moms face were described so accurately! This book must be for sale in every midwife's office and EVERY new dad must read it to understand how challenging it is to become a mom!
If you feel confused about why this book is in the thriller category - just wait! The thriller part is coming. It's a build-up to make sure you understand all the reasons WHY she did, acted, or felt in a particular way!
Usually, I do not react to negative comments but when I saw that some comments said "Don't waste your time" I could not help. If someone didn't like this book it doesn't mean you will not like it! I absolutely loved it! In my opinion, this is one of the best audiobooks I listened to this year!
Narrators Dylan Moore and Lee Osorio did a fantastic job with this book! I felt it! I felt this book in my bones! The emotions were so real! And by the way 8 weeks maternity leave should be illegal!

This book will take you through the struggles that new mum Natalie experiencing. Natalie wants to be perfect, she wants to do her best. This adds unbelievable pressure on her shoulders. She feels she is failing. She feels she is alone in this until she meets her charming neighbor Paul. He comes into the picture as a savior. Natalie feels that finally there is someone who understands her but can she really trust Paul? Is everything so selfless as it feels like? Is it possible that this friendship can be dangerous?

If you feel that you are in between yes and no about this book, please, give it a go! Don't give up just because it doesn't feel like a thriller at the beginning, all the thrilling parts will come once the perfect picture is built!

This book definitely will be added to my "I will listen again" pile!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for giving me a chance to listen to this audiobook! Thank you Nora Murphy for describing so accurately the struggles that new mums face at the beginning. Thank you Dylan Moore and Lee Osorio for such an amazing narration!

#TheNewMother #NetGalley #MacmillanUKAudio

This was not the psychological thriller I was expecting, it felt more like a domestic drama for the first 65% and was a real slow burner. I had to speed up the narration as I found the story very slow to get going and the female narrator dreary and wearisome, although this may have been intentional in relation to the character she was portraying. Once the excitement hit in around 65% I did enjoy the story but it was far too long coming, the lengthy and monotonous build up was unnecessary. I would have enjoyed this much more if it was shorter and with a different female narrator. The cat and mouse element was fun but the ending seemed rushed and all a bit tied up neatly when there could have been so much more investigated and discussed to add intrigue and excitement. I think overall the ratios were out - the build up should have been a lot shorter and the ending more involved.

I’ll admit, it took me a while to get into this book. I think it might be partly down to the narrator. Not the best I’ve heard and I just couldn’t take to her voice (sorry, personal preference). That being said, once I got used to it and was invested in the story, it turned out to be a really good book.

Natalie - new mum who is worried about looking after her son Oliver and going back to work, needs someone to help or tell her she is doing a good job
Paul - the neighbour who hates his life and stays at home with his child to keep his wife happy - wants to help

What could possibly happen here?

This was such a fast paced audio and I enjoyed it immensly, a slow burn but also a tense rollercoaster of our main character trying to be a good mum but also being sucked into a situation she doesnt want.

4 stars