This book reminded me of Big Little Lies in a way, which I loved. Many view points and switching back and forth with time. That can get confusing at times but provides a little more information each chapter and keeps you on your toes.
I also liked that this book showed motherhood and the lives of women in all different ways. It was refreshing to read about and feel acknowledged in parts that are often looked away from by others.
I highly recommend this book.

The Push is the first book I have read by Claire McGowan, although she has been on my radar for a while and I have a couple of her books on my TBR pile.

The Push is a psychological thriller about six couples who make up the very diverse members of an antenatal group and the group facilitator, Nina. The book’s focus is a South London BBQ at the group’s reunion, once the babies have been born, and we read about that day from the point of view of several of the female characters. The Push opens with Alison’s story. DS Alison Hegarty has been called to the BBQ to investigate a death, although we don't know who has died until much later in the book. Alison’s story, weaves through the chapters of the book, together with stories of the other antenatal group members, although we learn about Jax, the central character, in much more detail.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for letting me read The Push for an honest review and I give it 4 stars

Not my favorite recent read…

I requested this book because I thought it was a mystery/thriller. While there are some mystery elements to the story, the bulk of it is a family drama—or maybe to be more correctly a series of family dramas within the total context of an unusual death. For the reader, one significant part of the mystery is the identity of the victim—who was identified for a long time simply as “the victim” keeping even the gender of the deceased a secret.

At the party were twelve people and the teenaged daughter of the host. Each one of them not only had secrets, but was in some ways lying not only to the police but to their partner. My problem was that I found none of them to be a sympathetic character. The most likable to me was Jax, and even she didn’t score high on the chart.

DS Alison Hagerty, who was the officer assigned to look into the incident, was a flawed character, but then again every investigator in a good mystery is flawed in some way. She and her husband had been struggling with fertility issues themselves, so she fit thematically into the drama of the book.

This book was an adequate read. The author did a good job drawing the characters and moving the plot along through multiple timelines and using multiple points of view without confusing the reader. It is not a book that I would be tempted to read again nor would it be high on the list of books I would recommend to a friend. For those more interested in a drama about families struggling to cope with the difficulties of pregnancy and parenthood—most for the first time—it might be a good read. For those interested in a mystery/thriller/psychological drama, this would be one to pass by.

I was given this book by NetGalley with the promise that I would offer an honest review. I appreciated the chance to do so.

The Push is a psychological thriller about a couples baby group that has a barbecue after the births of their babies. One person ends up dead by falling off a balcony and secrets abound. Were they pushed or did they fall?
The story is told by two narrators, Jax, an older pregnant woman and Allison, a police investigator and switches between the past and present. Characters are a bit hard to keep track of and the story is a slow build but comes a page-turner and screeches to a surprise ending. I have read McGowan's Paula Maguire series and her other books and have enjoyed them too. I look forward to her next book and recommend this book to those who love psychological thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a free copy for an honest review.

Absolutely loved The Push!! Thanks Amazon publishing UK and netgalley for the chance to read this awesome book!!! I loved this story and how it goes back and forth from the "incident" to the past working its way up to it. McGowan did a great job keeping me guessing and wanting to know the whole story. I loved her writing style and the storyline!!! Had a Big Little Lies vibe to it!

This was an interesting plot, that kept me turning pages well past bedtime. I enjoyed it. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

I’ve thought long and hard about what to score this book on and think three stars about right. The story held my interest and the characters on the whole were well drawn if some maybe more so than others but there were too many times that grown adults wouldn’t have behaved that way in real life. It took me a while to get everyone in my mind as to who was who but not to ant real detriment to the read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing and Claire McGowan for this e-copy in return for my honest review. I love a book told from multiple perspectives and this one didn't disappoint. An Agatha Christie style story where everyone's a suspect. Loved it.

A death at a party. Is it a tragic accident or was it murder? If murder then there is a limited number of suspects but they all have secrets they do not want revealing.
An interesting read where you discover the back story to the various couples as well as the detective. There were enough clues along the way for the reader to work out what was being hidden from the police but was it enough for murder?
I found the diverse mix of characters both believable and relatable and I would quite like to read more books based on DS Alison Hegarty.
There was the reveal towards the end of the book, enough clues had been dropped for it not to be a total surprise but it was good to hear the whole truth finally. What I appreciated more though was the ending where all loose ends were tied. I have a real dislike of books that leave you wondering but thankfully this went above and beyond that.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC for my honest review.

A truly gripping thriller of the 'locked room' type, in which six mismatched couples from an antenatal group gather after the births of their babies. Before long, someone is either pushed or falls from a balcony and splat! the rockery is damaged, much to the consternation of the host.

The accident (crime?) is investigated by a female detective, who is struggling with fertility issues of her own. The ensuing investigation uncovers secrets and lies and is so expertly told that the reader doesn't actually find out who the victim is until around half way through the book.

The subject matter - pregnancy, birth, post-natal depression and poor parenting - might affect some readers adversely, but the book also has some light-hearted moments. Clues are tantalisingly revealed and although I worked out the perpetrator's big secret quite early on, absolutely everyone had a big secret and so the ending was a surprise.

A thoroughly enjoyable book which I'm glad I read.

This was a very good story but spoilt for me by continually jumping from character to character and between one time and another. It makes it very difficult to become involved in the story. Some rally good characters and an absorbing storyline. Great conclusion.

A contemporary plot paired with an old school writing style. Told through alternating perspectives, this who-done-it thriller centers around a baby group's post-birth party where someone ends up dead.
With many unlikable and reprehensible characters, the suspense is maintained as the investigator unravels the secrets and deduces the identity of the killer.
So fast paced that, at times, the multiple perspectives and timelines were a bit confusing. But, overall, it was a decent read.
*Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer Publishing, and Claire McGowan for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Push spins a story of different timelines, people and backgrounds. Moving primarily between Jax, an older pregnant woman and Allison a police investigator, the book explores a accident/murder. Shifting between the present and the past, it reveals just a little every time. At first, this is a little confusing and annoying. However, it slowly resolves itself as more and more of the circumstances are revealed.

While the plot is fairly predicable, exploring the complicated relationships in the book, particularly that of Jax and her 14 years younger partner had a lot of heart and realism.

Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

The Push is an engrossing mystery that was difficult to put down. So many suspects regarding the "push". I liked how the author had different time lines in the book going forward and backwards. The characters were all very believable as suspects. The main premise of the book was - was it a fall or a push? If it was a push, who was responsible? The chapters go back and forth between the main investigator and the possible suspects. The main investigator is convinced that it was not a fall, but her time is running out to prove otherwise. The possible suspects are 6 couples who met in a baby group prior to their babies arriving. They are a very miss-matched group of individuals that all have something they seem to be hiding. As the investigator interviews each person, she slowly begins to eliminate suspects. Will she discover whether the deceased was pushed or did they fall? Who was responsible? And who is this deceased person? I love how the author did not reveal who was "pushed" into much later in the novel. Excellent read!

This is a great read and a read that sets up a great story! From outset the author tells the story from both in the present, and in the past. The book revolves around a group of new mums who come together in a new mums group but when the group get together after their pregnancies, this take a turn for the worst, and someone dies! A captivating read, a huge well done to Claire McGowan

I really enjoyed reading this book. While not a taxing who dunnit style of mystery , it nevertheless had enough intrigue and twists to keep you guessing. I felt it was more about exploring the characters and why they behaved in the way they did. It kept me up late as I couldnt actually put it down

One party. Thirteen people. By 3.02 p.m., one of them will be dead.

The party should have been perfect: six couples from the same baby group, six newborns, a luxurious house. But not everything has gone to plan, and while some are here to celebrate, others have sorrows to drown. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, the secrets and conflicts within the group begin to spill out …

Wealthy Ed and Monica show off their newborn while their teenage daughter is kept under virtual house arrest. Hazel and Cathy conceived their longed-for baby via an anonymous sperm donor—or so Hazel thinks. Anita and Jeremy planned to adopt from America, but there’s no sign of the child. Kelly, whose violent boyfriend disrupted previous group sessions, came to the party even though she lost her baby. And then there’s Jax, who’s been experiencing strange incidents for months—almost like someone’s out to get her. Is it just a difficult pregnancy? Or could it be payback for something she did in the past?

A real page turner of a book.
I have never read any of #clairemcgowens nooks before and I really was presently surprised.
The story itself is of an unusual topic which bases itself on a post-natal group. Those with babies themselves will recognise the awkwardness and nerves of those first introductions of an eclectic mix of mothers to be and partners from from all walks of life, thrown together into a group ,but there is more sinister and pressing matters to worry about other than their social backgrounds.. Mainly. a Murder!
A fascinating book with many twists
Although i could relate on some level with most of the characters , I did find that it was slightly predictable and I had guessed some of the turns midway through the bookk That said, very much worth a read and I enjoyed the writing and story very much.
#ThePush #ClaireMcgowen
#netgalley

The Push was OK. It was predictable. Someone "falls" off a balcony but one cop thinks it may not have been a fall. Two things told me it wasn't. First, it is not easy to fall off of a balcony. Second, the book is called "The Push." You don't even know who was pushed for about half of the book. By then I could pretty much have written it myself. I am not familiar with this writer, but I think she owes detectives everywhere an apology because not a single one wouldn't have been able to see most of this from the first second. The big twist between mother and daughter was so obvious I actually said, "Really?" out loud when the cops seemed to be so surprised by it. Handled differently, this could have been better. The market for this kind of thing is flooded. You need to stand out more. Hiding the identity of the victim may have been this author's way of trying to do that but it was more annoying than anything else.

A classic (but not pivotal) who-dun-it, packed with characters, most of whom I didn't like as people but that is not to say it wasn't a good read. I enjoyed the alternating POV and timeline, the character building was great even if they were not likeable people (excluding those neutral characters that I didn't hate or like) and the world building was a plus as well. I enjoyed a lot of aspects of this book and would recommend picking it up. It's not a top thriller, but a great piece of mystery and fiction. Twists and turns, lies and secrets, loyalty to others but mostly to oneself, and a great reveal. The cover is perfect, the writing style is engaging, and the structure of the unfolding story was seamless... It was a great build of suspicion over suspense

[Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the free eARC]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Unfortunately I find the characters too offensive to to make this an enjoyable book.