I absolutely loved this book! However, the line on the cover of the book is not what the book is about. "My baby is missing, everyone thinks it's my fault!" This line makes you think the book is going to be about a missing baby when it isn't.
.
Annie is a first time mom who is having a difficult time with "postpartum depression" and a colicky baby. She is always forgetting and misplacing things and most of all exhausted. She can't get any sleep. She is just not herself since the baby was born. If things aren't hard enough, she has to deal with twin teenage step children who do not like her and make her life even more difficult. A tragedy occurs in her house and she doesn't know how and why it happened. As she tries to discover who could have done such a horrible thing she begins to have suspicions about her husband, her step children, and other people in her life. Who did it and why? The ending had a great twist that I did not see coming.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book before it was released. I could not put this book down!

FIRST TIME MOTHER BY A J CAMPBELL
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ s.
Release date set for the 14th of April 2025.
Oh wow what a prologue that was.
It was Relatable at first and then it turned chilling.
It had me questioning every single character in this book. Honestly I didnt know who was doing what.
I genuinely felt so sorry for the main female character Annie..
This book kept me guessing all the way through.
I had a few thoughts that I thought I knew what was going on then BAM out of know where a twist came.
Then another double whammy.
An amazing twisty psychological thriller.
I can't wait to see what else this brilliant author writes.

Wow! AJ Campbell sure knows how to write a gripping psychological thriller! First Time Mother is about sleep-deprived, new mum Annie. Struggling with baby Lola and not getting on with her stepchildren, Annie feels like she’s going mad, with increasingly sinister things happening at home. This multi-layered book starts with a death in her home and culminates with baby Lola going missing. There are so many twists and turns, engaging and well-crafted characters, and emotional scenes, you definitely won’t be able to put this book down. An excellent read.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

First-Time Mother
AJ Campbell

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is my fifth read by this author and I've really loved all of them so far!
I almost want to say that this was the best yet, but I say that at the end of each one, so....!!

This book had me hooked from the start and I was so engrossed that I couldn't put it down! I read this in two sittings!

So, this really wasn't quite what I expected - the title (and blurb now that I've read it) suggest that this will be all about the baby and mother - but (without giving too much away) there was so, so much more at play here.
Don't get me wrong, this definitely plays a huge part in the storyline - but there was so much going on, so many twists and different threads running through, that I could hardly think straight! (This is a good thing!!)

I really connected with our FMC, Annie, who was struggling with exhaustion after having her first baby.
I totally remember how she feels and even though it's many, many years ago, this brought back all those feelings and memories for me.
Being so tired that you feel as though you're going mad!

When strange things start to happen and different parts of the story unfold, I didn't know who to look at and suspect.
I even had moments wondering whether Annie was going to turn out to be an unreliable narrator - but this flowed so well and came together so perfectly in the end - and it was still a huge shock when the reveals started coming.

Some great characters and a really clever and unique storyline to keep you guessing until the end!
A great read and a bonus having the audio book narrated by one of my favourite narrator's too!
Gill did a great job keeping me glued to this one throughout!

This was my first book by this author and will definitely not be the last. I was hooked from the start! Very well written. This book had so many twists which I didn't see coming at all.
I loved how the author kept us guessing throughout the book. One moment, I thought it was a certain character, then the next I thought someone else. Highly recommend reading this book if you love twisty thrillers.
Thanks, Netgalley and Bookouture for letting me read this book for an honest review!

This was a fast-paced, twisty psychological thriller about a postpartum mother that I read in just two sittings as I had to keep turning the pages to find out what was happening.

There were lots of red herrings, secrets, a main character who may not be reliable, a colicky baby, and unfriendly and hostile stepchildren, All these ingredients made for a solid read that built to an unexpected reveal and a satisfying ending.

I enjoyed this one!

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Annie just had a baby and she seems to be struggling with memory loss, constant sleepiness and overall fatigue. Her husband Max tries to understand her but fails to do so and her step-kids Jasmine and Jacob hate her. Everyone constantly blames her for everything that goes wrong, including her sister's death. Samantha was found dead in Annie's en suite bathroom while Annie slept in her bed with her baby by her side. What Annie doesn't know is that someone is doing all these things and creating this chaos around her in order to get even with her and her husband. Annie holds a deep secret and so does Max and together they will have to deal with these dark pasts in order to save their baby Lola.

First-Time Mother will have you doubting the mother and questioning everyone surrounding the baby. Every twist and turn is better than the last! 💫💫💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this thrilling ARC!

First-Time Mother" by A.J. Campbell is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the fears and struggles of new motherhood. The story follows the protagonist, who is overwhelmed by the challenges of caring for her newborn, Lola, after a difficult birth. Her husband, Max, reassures her that her blackouts are due to sleep deprivation, but her world is shattered when Lola goes missing. As suspicions arise, she begins to question her own memories and actions, while also suspecting someone close to her is setting her up. The narrative is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on edge as the protagonist fights to uncover the truth and bring her baby home. This was fast paced and easy to read but I did think it was hard to follow and chaotic in places and I saw the ending coming.

Twisty, Tense, and Unexpected — A Dark Dive into Motherhood

First Time Mother was a new author experience for me, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The story started a bit slow, but around the 25% mark, I was hooked.

The plot explores a woman who believes she’s dealing with postpartum depression, anxiety, and stress—only to start questioning everything around her, including her own memory. Her husband and stepchildren seem loving… but something darker may be at play.

I do wish the characters were a bit more developed, especially the main character, but overall it was a strong read that finished well. With some intense themes and unsettling moments, I’d even place this closer to horror than a traditional thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review!

First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell is an intriguing thriller about a newly wed married to a widower who already had teenage children. As a first time mother, she's struggling to deal with a baby with colic, hostile stepchildren and then she begins to have memory blackouts. Quite interesting but it dragged for a bit and the blurb is very different from the book, so that threw me off. The twists at the end were unexpected and the book resolved well.
I got the ARC from Bookouture via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine

This one had a twist I never saw coming! Gripping from the very first page. You'll need a full day if you start this one as you won't want to put it down!

It's hard to write too much without giving away a lot of the plot. The key thing to know is that Annie is a new Mum barely keeping it together. Exhausted, overwhelmed and running on zero sleep thanks to a constantly crying, colicky baby - he’s starting to unravel. Her husband and stepchildren think she’s losing her grip on reality. Things are about to take a dark turn—and soon, Annie isn’t just struggling to cope, she’s genuinely afraid for her life.

Definitely one of my favourite thrillers of 2025 so far!

Thanks Netgalley!

A.J. Campbell returns with her latest twisty and jaw-dropping domestic thriller, FIRST-TIME MOTHER —her best yet!

Sleepless nights can be more terrifying than anything from the horror shelves. A pulse-raising thriller that keeps you guessing until the very last page.

About...

Annie and Max are married. Max has twins (17-year-old Jacob and Jasmine) who reside with them. Their mom is deceased. The couple also has a four-month-old new baby girl, Lola.

However, Lola is quite colicky, and Annie desperately needs sleep and help. Max is not a lot of help either and tells her she needs to hire a nanny or go to therapy.

She has not bonded as she should with her daughter and worries she is going insane or MAD.

Plus, they are undergoing significant home renovations, which are stressful and involve constant disruptions. Within days of Max's proposal, he had arranged for the contractors. Max is too busy with his business and the possible sale. Plus, the twins are there and do not seem to like her no matter how hard she tries.

Strange things happen: the lost keys, a fire, bad dreams, and she is losing blocks of time. Is it due to sleep deprivation or something more sinister?

Are the twins jealous, or is her husband trying to eliminate her? What about her sister? Then, Max hires a nanny, Zoe. She seems capable but makes Annie feel inadequate. Can she trust her?

Then, their worst nightmare.

The baby is missing, and everyone blames Annie. Is someone setting her up, and who has her baby girl?

Annie can trust no one. Not her husband, nanny, her sister, or her stepchildren. Annie has secrets and feels guilt, but why take her baby? What is the motive? Gaslighting?

What is going on? She must find her daughter.

My thoughts...

A.J. ramps up the suspense and suspicion from the first page and never lets up in FIRST-TIME MOTHER. A deviously twisted thriller.

You may think you know where the book is headed, but you will be incorrect. With clever plotting, twists, misdirection, red herrings, and surprises, readers will be glued to the pages to learn the motive. That ending ??!!! So clever.

You will love Annie and cheer for her if you have ever been a mother trying to do it all, a stepmom to two teens on top of it, working, and undergoing home renovations.

From revenge, obsession, trust, motherhood, blended family, lies, and plenty of dark secrets with characters you cannot trust— a well-written domestic psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist. I would like to see perhaps a sequel to continue this saga.

Audiobook...

I had the privilege of reading the book and listening to the audiobook narrated by the mega-talented Tamsin Kennard (a favorite), elevating the story to new heights and making the characters come alive with emotion, drama, and suspense for a superior, engaging listening experience. This is a MUST-Listen audio!

Recs...

FIRST-TIME MOTHER is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Freida McFadden, Jenova Rose, Christina McDonald, K.L. Slater, Miranda Rijks, and Emily Shiner.

Interview and Blog Tour Stop...

Stay tuned for my upcoming #LitLiftMiniAuthorChat and Blog Tour Stop, where we go behind the scenes with the talented author, Amanda, and the book. (pub day, April 14)

Thanks to Bookouture and Hachette UK for a gifted advanced review and listening copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub date: April 14, 2025
April Newsletter
April 2025 Must-Read Books
#LitLiftMiniAuthorChat

Well I thought I had this sussed but how wrong was I. Good chracters and a plot to keep you hooked. Annie is a new mother who is struggling and Max her husband is supportive but why is she having blackouts and tried all the time? Thanks to Bookoutre and Netgalley for this review ARC.

You’re a new mom and everything is tiring and challenging. And then tragedy strikes and you’re desperate for answers.

What a page turning thriller! Question after question just kept popping up in my mind. What’s real and what’s imagined? So many unsettling events and disturbing occurrences. I loved all of the uncertainties because it had me so hooked on the story.

A decent and very easy read in my favourite category of book.
If I'm totally honest, I saw part of the storyline well in advance but certainly not the full picture as there are red herrings along the way.
First time reader of a AJ Campbell publication and sufficiently enjoyed to ensure that I wouldn't hesitate to read further ones.
A pretty solid 3.5 stars, which I'll round up the way.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review

Overall 4.5*

Anybody who has become a mum for the first time along with having an emergency C Section will automatically empathise with Annie for the muddled head, lethargy and general fatigue. Add to this her husband's lack of help, her two teenage step children and a house renovation taking place and you feel exhausted for her but when her sister is found dead in her bathroom, things take a turn for the worst and Annie finds out that there is no-one she can really trust, and as the reader, you are trying to figure who the good guys are. Twisty with plenty of mis-directions, this is a great read and one that you wont want to put down until the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

First-Time Mother
by AJ Campbell

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fast paced thriller with lots of twists! The premise was good, I just found myself not really connecting with the characters or caring about the outcome…

The story wasn’t what I was expecting based on the front cover “my baby is missing and everyone thinks it’s my fault” including the blurb it gave me a feel of something entirely different..

But that aside, I enjoyed the book fully, as I can remember what it was like having a newborn and sleep deprived and how crazy you feel. I was throughout the book second guessing things, every time a situation happened I’m like you know what it could be brain fog,

It kept me guessing until the end. Even the unexpected twists and turns just added to that list of what is going on, I think I even gaslit myself.. I never saw it coming the what last 25% there abouts… that my jaw dropped! Even now I’m thinking of all the moments that character is on the scene to see if I recall anything suspicious because that was unexpected

Huge thank you to this author for sending me a message on Instagram to read this ARC! I have a feeling that one of the characters was involved somehow, but was definitely shocked how it all came together at the end. If you love super short chapters with cliffhangers at the end of each one, this one is for you!

This is my second A.J. Campbell book and it didn't disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this unputdownable thriller.

I really liked the characters, especially Annie. She was a strong, determined first time mum, having such a difficult time with her new baby and blended family.

The storyline was full of twists and turns I didn't see coming, that shocked me to my core. What a fantastic read. I can't wait to see what A.J. Campbell writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.