I really enjoyed The Due Date. From the premise I was intrigued as we follow pregnant Ali who makes a new (also pregnant) friend in Rebecca. Ali feels an instant connection and the fact both babies are due on the same day seems even better. They can enjoy both the highs and lows of motherhood together. When their due date passes, Ali hears nothing further from her friend. Worried for her friend, Ali eventually tracks her down but relief turns to shock when Rebecca denies netting Ali before or ever having been pregnant. This was a gripping thriller that, whilst I couldn’t put it down, I did feel it dragged in places. I would rate this book 3.5*. Thank you to NetGalley, Headline and the author for the chance to review.

The concept of this was good, I was really gripped from the beginning and at no point in this book did I want to stop reading - I needed to know what happened. However, I felt like it dragged on a little. The last 20% was really good but even that dragged. I think this book would have been better if the chapters from the other characters were more dispersed throughout the book and not just in the last 30%. I think, even if they were kept anonymous until the end, it would have worked better as the suspense would have been kept up throughout the book. Unfortunately it felt like the author was trying to hard to explain everything which at points made me think ‘I actually don’t care about this at all’ which is a shame because I did enjoy it to begin with.

A fantastic plot, well written and super chilling.

I was intrigued by the blurb. The thought of becoming friendly with another pregnant mum-to-be and feeling like you’d formed a friendship, only for her to deny having ever met you or having been pregnant - WOW! And the story really delivered.

I was totally with Ali, in her determination to find out the truth of why Rebecca was insisting they’d never met and I did actually think Ali’s husband was a bit harsh in saying she was stalking - I’d have done the same! Because I would want to know!

I had no idea how the story was going to go and I certainly wouldn’t have predicted what did happen - an absolute blinder! Well played, Niki Mackay 👏🏻

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Niki Mackay and Headline for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Fantastically dark with an unsettling feeling that builds and builds. A expectant mother, vulnerable and lacking friends, meets another lady who has the same due date as her, as though it’s meant to be. They strike up a friendship and become close fast but when the first of the babies is born, suddenly the other mother disappears into thin air to reappear denying all knowledge of who her new friend is or ever having met her. The descriptions of being a new, sleep deprived mother desperate for company and acceptance are spot on plus the vulnerabilities of mental health, sleep deprivation and finding your new self are sublime and the sinister aspect draws on this brilliantly. The added threads of past lives and how our actions and friendships from teenage years can deeply affect your adult existence are perfect and terrifying simultaneously. A really good, edge of your seat psychological thriller and I loved the ending. Definitely recommend.

A tale of friendship, neglect, abuse and murder…which narrator is reliable?

The due date follows Ali as she tries to make new friends, having been betrayed by her best friend. Can Ali make better choices this time?

Ali meets Rebecca and all seems to be well, until maddie comes into the mix.

At times this book seemed a little confusing and long winded, but I enjoyed the ending and the overall story. I enjoyed the unreliable narration and working out who was telling the truth.

3.5 rounded to 4

This is a fascinating read from a writer who is new to me. Two women who are expecting a baby on the same day become firm friends and seem set to share their experiences of motherhood. However, one of the mothers seems to disappear and the other becomes obsessed with finding her. Full of surprising revelations, this is an engrossing and well written novel.

What I loved about the due date was the fact it was quite a unique thriller, in some thrillers I find the balance between the back story and the excitement, twists and turns of the story aren’t always equal, however with the due date I think the reader was given a good amount of both, you had all the fun and excitement of a thriller plus a really good and different story line.

Ali is pregnant with her first child, one day she is sitting alone in the park where she is approached by Rebecca who also happens to be pregnant. As the two women talk a friendship is immediately formed and soon both women realise their babies are due on the exact same days.

Ali and Rebecca meet up a few times more and it looks like a solid friendship is formed, for the first time in both their lives Ali and Rebecca both feel they’ve made a good friend who truly understands them. Ali gives birth before Rebecca and shared photos of baby Charlie, not long after Rebecca has her baby, then to Ali’s shock she hears nothing from Rebecca.

Dan (Ali’s husband) tries to convince her that everything is fine and that Rebecca may simply have been kept in hospital for a few days, but as time passes Ali becomes concerned about her friend and does some investigating of her own. When Ali turns up on Rebecca’s door step she is shocked when Rebecca claims not to know her and denies the fact she was ever pregnant.

Confused and hurt Ali is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on with Rebecca so she follows her and learns various things about her mysterious friends life, however when the truth is uncovered Ali is shocked by what she finds and begins to wish that she hadn’t got involved with Rebecca at all.

Pretty soon on in this book I thought I knew exactly where this storyline was going, but I was completely wrong (which I love as I find it makes a much more exciting read) never in my wildest dreams did I think this book was going to go off in the direction that it did. If it wasn’t for work I think I could have easily sat and read this book in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review. This was my first book by Niki Mackay and I doubt very much this will be my last, I can’t wait to see what else she has to offer her readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to this eARC!

I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked from the first chapter. The short chapters made this such an easy read and the writing style was great.

The characters were very believable and the author did a fantastic job at giving us a beautiful insight into the beginnings of motherhood/parenthood.

This book kept me guessing the entire way through. What secrets is everybody keeping? Is Ali endangering herself by getting involved? How will this end? And I was not disappointed by the ending.

The only reason I am giving this a 4 ⭐️ rating instead of 5 is because some switches in timelines and the switches from first person POV to third person POV were a little confusing for me at times.

I highly recommend this novel and will definitely be picking up more books from this author in the future!

OMG!!!! What a book!
I really enjoyed reading this and couldnt put it down! Lots of twists and turns and at one point actually shouted out No way while on my lunch break 🤦‍♀️had never read this author before so thanks Net Galley

Ali is pregnant and feeling lonely so is very happy when she meets Rebecca in the park who is another expectant mother. Ali thinks that they can be close friends and let their children play together when born so is shocked when she is ghosted by Rebecca for no apparent reason. When she finally does find her, Rebecca denies all knowledge of knowing her or ever being pregnant. Can Ali work out what is going on?

This is an interesting thriller with short, catchy chapters and a lot of mystery. Books about expectant/new mothers have been done so many times so it’s hard to be unique but this does offer something slightly different. I was constantly changing my mind about where the plot was going and enjoyed the character build up. Although this was a good read and got great reviews, I found I wasn’t fully gripped with the story line but that could be down to my head space at the time rather than the story itself! I will definitely be looking out for what else the author has out. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Omg, what a book! I was hooked right from the start and couldn't put it down. An incredibly gripping story with a killer ending!

Massive thanks to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, lots of twists and turns that you don’t expect without a lot of unnecessary violence. Liked the characters especially Alice, she seems a good person. Would recommend.

This had me guessing early on what was going to happen. However, I did get confused slightly going back and forth with the timelines and I found myself rereading parts so I understood what was happening correctly in the story which is why I have given it four stars.

The chapters were short, which I liked and were just enough to keep me wanting a little more of the story. This would make good drama television.

Highly recommend if you enjoy a twisty psychological thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of the is ebook in exchange for my honest review.

When a pregnant Ali meets a pregnant Rebecca in the park, their friendship blossoms. But then Rebecca stops answering Ali’s calls and texts.
Convinced her friend is in danger, she turns up on Rebecca’s front door, only for her to deny she knows Ali or has ever been pregnant.
Then the book took a different turn from what I was expecting.
A good thriller with lots of twists and turns and a surprising ending.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest.

So a book in part about expecting a child but not as you think
Imagine being heavily pregnant and meeting someone in the park at almost the same stage as you are, you bond, become massive friends quickly and you have your baby…you are then ghosted and when you track down your friend she isen’t pregnant anymore and refuses to acknowledge she ever knew you or was due to have a baby
And nope, if like me you think you know why then very swiftly ( and I loved the author doing this ) you find out you are mistaken and from there the plot you thought could be thin actually becomes very thick
There is a lot to come to light and an onion of in story stories that make up a good satisfying read that I ended up finishing with a grimace ( a good grimace as it’s a good ending…..but scary! )M

Thanks Net Galley for opportunity of reading this book - first time I have read a book by this author - despite previous rave reviews from others - I enjoyed the book at a steady pace but felt it was an average read.

I really enjoyed reading this tense and gripping book. Keeping you guessing with twists and turns and unexpected outcomes!

Wow! I loved this book. It was a great story backed up with some clever writing and strong characters. Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed the pace and constant build-up of tension of this book – it had all the elements of the perfect psychological thriller! It was very hard to put down, and impossible to guess what was going on. I had an idea in my mind of what might turn out to be the reason for Rebecca’s behaviour and it was totally wrong (and my idea would have had everyone complaining it was way too silly, so thank goodness!)

The scene is set with a flashback to an accident at a party where a boy falls from a terrace and the police arrive. But we are not sure who all the characters in this scene are, or what the relevance may turn out to me.

We then meet Ali, whose due date for her baby is in just a few weeks. She has recently moved out of central London with her husband and is feeling lonely and isolated – we quickly learn that she has lost touch with her best friend and has never got over the loss and betrayal of this friendship.

Then she happens to meet Rebecca, who is due on the same day as her. They hit it off and she is so excited to have clicked with a new friend. But then Rebecca drops off the radar for no reason. Ali finally tracks her down at her home only for Rebecca to completely deny knowing her or ever being pregnant!

Ooooooooh from then on this got so hard to put down! The plot and storytelling were just wonderfully gripping and the sense of unease and danger really built up as everything gradually fell into place and started to make sense. The twists kept coming right up until the end – which I thought was excellent and left you with just enough to think, “oh my gosh!”

A great story, brilliantly written!

Ali and Rebecca instantly form a strong bond when they meet whilst both heavily pregnant, a fast friendship blossoming. Once both their due dates pass Ali hears nothing from Rebecca, eventually tracking her down to discover she denies knowing Ali or ever being pregnant at all. Shocked, Ali has to grapple with becoming a new mother and protecting her family whilst also uncovering the depths of this mystery.

📖 Wow! This thriller was so dark and mysterious, constantly maintaining a heightened level of tension throughout whilst keeping a fast pace that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could!

📖 I didn't want to put it down and every time I thought I knew what was happening, the plot took a sharp turn, leaving me baffled and intrigued at the same time!

📖 I really believe this would make an excellent Netlix or BBC mini series. I'd love to see it all play out on the screen and see how it would be adapted.

💫 Thank you to Niki Mackay, Headline and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.