This reminded me a lot of 'Big Little Lies' by Liane Moriarty. We start off with someone dead, but we don't know who and we don't know what happened.
There is a very complicated timeline to keep track of. We have Jax counting down the weeks until the incident. There is DS Alison Hegarty in the present-day investigating, and we have the day of the incident seen from multiple points of view. Interspersed with the Jax sections and the day of the incident sections, we have flashbacks to events that happened years ago. So, it is a complex storyline. The author, however, has done an excellent job of portraying everything so that it is quite easy to keep up. Just remember to check the chapter heading before you delve in.
The story itself was quite slow going. We don't find out much about the person murdered until about 50% of the way in. We don't even know the gender up until then. The different points of view are what give this book momentum and the relatively short chapters. Even though not a lot is being discovered, you can still get through it at a good pace. There are little hooks at the end of some chapters, but you don't return to that perspective for some time, another good way to keep the drive of the book going.
I did guess who had been murdered and the big twist. However, it was still enjoyable to see it all unfolding and to fill in the gaps that had been created throughout.
There are a lot of characters, so the tying up of everything at the end was quite longwinded as you needed to have everyone's story tied up in a bow and nothing left unfinished.
Overall, it was a good read, and I read it quite quickly too. I didn't think it was as impressive as the other books I have read by this author, but I'd still recommend it to friends and family!

Six couples expecting babies get together in an ante-natal group run by Nina, a somewhat strange woman who seems to know a lot about the couples. The couples are all very different and would not normally meet up and there are many tensions there. After the birth of the babies, one of the group, Monica (a monstrous creation!) invites them round to her house. Somebody dies, having fallen or having been pushed off a balcony onto a rock garden. Police officers investigate to try to find out what actually happened as no-one claims to have seen the fall.

I enjoyed this novel. It was a real page turner and the characters were well defined. It was easy to work out what was going on but I didn't mind this. Sometimes twists aren't all they are cracked up to be. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I loved this book, and couldn't put it down. It is a well-written and gripping thriller, with some interesting plot twists. Yes, some of the characters are cliched, and the plot is slightly unbelievable at times, but the story is strong, and it raises interesting issues about parenthood, class and relationships, and Alison is a great character. I will definitely be recommending this book.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy --- Uncorrected Proof eBook

Six couples, all expectant parents, participate in an antenatal program conducted shortly before their babies are born. A bit later, a celebratory get-together turns tragic when someone falls from a balcony and dies.

The incident, assigned to Detective Sergeant Alison Hegarty, appears to be a catastrophic accident, but Alison is certain there is more to know about the victim's fall. As she and her partner, Detective Constable Diana Mendes, investigate, they find few answers . . . and many secrets.

Was the fall an accident or was it the result of something more sinister? What will the investigation reveal?

The story, told from a variety of viewpoints, switches between the present investigation and the events of the recent past leading up to the barbeque party. The identity of the victim remains unrevealed . . . a clever ploy . . . until more than halfway through the book. However, this late revelation leads to a LOT of interviews with folks trying to keep their secrets hidden from the detectives.

The idea of a mystery revolving around a group of expectant mothers is a bit intriguing, but the group is the main problem with the telling of this tale. None of the expectant mothers seems particularly happy to be having a baby; most of the characters are truly unlikable [some bordering on absolutely despicable]; the biggest plot twist “surprises” of the narrative are glaringly obvious to astute readers long before the reveals late in the story.

Unfortunately, there’s an unsettling undercurrent running throughout the narrative that is simply quite off-putting. In addition, the judgments, the racism, the stereotypical comments, the catty age-comments, the meanness all worked together to make this book rather difficult to read.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley
#ThePush #NetGalley

This was really slow moving for me. I couldn’t get into the characters at all. Maybe the theme just wasn’t for me but it wasn’t as Thrilling as I had hoped it would be.

I really enjoyed this suspense novel. Very well crafted with tons of twists and turns to keep the reader interested! It was extremely well written and a fun quick read. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Basically a very simple story dressed up to try and look like a thriller. This book is remarkable in that every single character bar one is utterly loathsome. A group of dysfunctional mixed couples go to a new age ante-natal class where the advice they are given is factually inaccurate and delivered with a harsh brutality. Even the female police officer is awful. It doesn't take much effort to work out the plot. Jacqueline (or Jax) is pregnant for the first time with a much younger man and then starts to get offensive emails calling her a paedophile, her cat goes missing and her car is sabotaged. Her younger partner has parental issues due to being abandoned as a small child. The story is slow going, told from a variety of perspectives after an "accident" happens at a party held by one of the more obnoxious parent's houses. That was a good way to tell the story I thought. With all the characters being atrocious you aren't actually rooting for anyone so that was a new experience and not a bad one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ One dead adult in the middle of a celebratory baby party for six couples who went through a prenatal class together. Who did it??? Be prepared for multiple points of view with 13 characters involved in the story not including the detectives investigating the murder. Playing the part of a sleuth detective, I had it narrowed down to the two people who I thought were responsible so it wasn’t quite the thriller nor the suspenseful ending I had hoped for. A good premise, and interesting dilemma, yet some plotholes that weakened the book. Thanks to NetGalley for the book, the thoughts are my own and without bias.

This book was so excellently written that I was shocked at the twist. It was so crazy how ever person had a secret but were unwilling to share. Of course the book would have been over quickly if the author allowed communication between people.
I was so involved with this book that I was done with it in 4 hours. This is a great book for those who like books with a twist.

Well...wow.
The first book by Claire that I have read but off to peruse her other ones right now!
The Push brings together a group of seemingly mismatched women at an antenatal group, along with their partners and the group leader. Post natal, a barbecue for the group is held at the home of one of the women and by mid afternoon one member of the party is lying dead on the ground - but who is it and why? It is up to the work of two female police officers to decipher.
This book kept me gripped and I read it one day. The outcome even made me gasp out loud as I pieced the story together alongside the officers. Would highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley!

I was enticed by the cover and the premise sounded good but in reality was a slow burner and all the ‘twists’ were evident tbh
The characters were wholly unlikeable and way way too much virtue signalling throughout
Not for me am afraid

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.

This was a great fast read. If your looking for a fast read, gripping, amazing book.... I'd grab this one!

This thriller is good for a niche market, but not the overall thriller market. The writing style and attitude of the characters will only appeal to a certain audience. For me, I didn't enjoy the "Mommy & Me" theme and some negativity in the characters throughout the book. But if you enjoy thrillers with group of ladies (especially ones with pregnancies and babies) then this could be the thriller for you.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK & Netgalley for the copy to honestly review!

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of PUSH by Claire McGowan in exchange for my honest review.***

Six babies. Twelve parents. One party. One dead. Many secrets.

Allison, a detective struggling with infertility investigates the death of party guests’ support group leader. If not for Nina’s group, the diverse group of couples would have likely never met.

Told from multiple points of view and timelines, the pieces of the group participants’ lives, what they show themselves and others, slowly emerges with many twists, turns and surprises.

PUSH is more mystery/domestic drama than thriller. Most of the characters aren’t very likable or easy to root for. At times I found myself hoping one narrator or another was the culprit so she could be jailed.

McGowan wrote each point of view in a way that showed the narrator’s prejudices and faults, rather than telling me, the reader how I ought to feel, which is something I appreciate from a writer. The characters were complex with enough dimension, not all bad or good. I won’t say which narrator was my favorite, to avoid any possible spoilers, because I’ll bet most readers will have the same reaction to the turn of events in her life.

PUSH is a quick, fun read but one that likely won’t stick with me for long. When I finished, I didn’t think, “I want to reread this to see what I missed” the way I do with my favorite mysteries. I didn’t want more from the characters of hope for a sequel. I thought about what I wanted to read next.

This storyline begins with a very concise prologue that throws you right into the heart of the action and is a great way to pique your interest. You know that soon after a group photograph is taken at a summer barbecue at Monica and Ed Dunwood’s fabulous south east London home, there will be a dead body amongst the rockery, the victim having fallen from the high glass sided balcony. Who the victim is remains to be seen.
The reason for the barbecue on this glorious hot Saturday afternoon in June is a reunion of six couples and their babies who are part of an antenatal group headed by facilitator Nina. This is a gathering to celebrate the births of their babies and a chance for Monica, alpha female of this group to show off her million pound dream home. What should be a happy occasion quickly turns into a tragedy.

The narrative then hops back in time, introducing the reader to all the members of this group, gradually revealing backstories. Jax at 38 is the second oldest woman of the group and it is her relationship with the much younger Aaron,24 that immediately makes you think cougar! Monica at 44 is clearly the spokeswoman for this group, already having a daughter, Chloe who is fifteen and puts everyone else in the shade when it comes to her pregnant state, blossoming and a vision of loveliness unlike others who simply feel undesirable, unattractive, bloated and uncomfortable! There’s twenty two year old Kelly, minus boyfriend Ryan, Cathy and Hazel,
Aisha and Rahul and finally Anita and Jeremy. All are hoping to welcome their newborns into the world very shortly and their diversity as a group is what makes them interesting. Some of their stories are heartbreaking, some heartwarming but you can guarantee they all have skeletons in their closets.

The timeline jumps backwards and forwards but never becomes confusing. The final character to complete the picture is DS Alison Hegarty, in charge of an investigation that at first glance appears to be a tragic accident.
There’s something immediately likeable about this detective whose tenacity is responsible for finally uncovering the truth surrounding this fateful event. She’s a no nonsense down to earth character who perhaps has more in common with some of these women than you’d first think. Her intuition tells her not to write this tragic incident off as accidental but to continue to dig deeper. I liked the fact the author has chosen to give her a well developed backstory too so that she simply isn’t seen as the lead investigator in the storyline.

I found Nina, the group leader to the least likely person suitable for such a position and therefore a bit unbelievable. She comes across as lacking in empathy and witch like in her ability to see through these women’s disguises. In reality if you encountered such a person when you were at such a vulnerable emotional stage in your life, she wouldn’t put your mind at rest in the slightest. I’d be running (or waddling!) to the door during the very first meeting, never to return!

I appreciated the fact that although much of the storyline is based around mum to be Jax and her much younger partner Aaron, it thankfully isn’t to the detriment of other characters. I felt I got to know all the other members of this diverse group fairly well but suffice to say not many are portrayed in the best light. However it is Jax’s relationship with Aaron and her difficult pregnancy that steals the limelight since there’s much going on in her personal life,past and present, that has a bearing on the storyline. Someone has taken a definite dislike to Jax and seems intent on wreaking as much havoc as possible, their aim to destroy her. It does make you wonder what on earth she could have done to warrant this attention given that her role in a child protection charity leads you to assume she is a compassionate and caring individual, incapable of causing offence. What dark secrets could she be hiding or are they simply the imaginings of the person messing with her mind? One cryptic derogatory email is all it takes to send Jax’s life off course. I did feel sympathy for her trying to negotiate this troublesome pregnancy whilst her professional and personal life is rapidly unravelling, not helped either by the existence of such a cold hearted unsupportive mother. She’s a woman in need of a hug!

I have to say despite guessing every single twist and turn, apart from the motivation behind the actions of the character named in the ‘big’ reveal I actually quite enjoyed this novel. Although you don’t know who the ‘victim’ is until halfway through the novel, you don’t need to be a super sleuth to ascertain who it is. As for accident or foul play you only need to take heed of the title to guess which it is, which kind of makes a mockery of the author’s attempt to try and suggest otherwise. On this basis I wouldn’t describe it as much of a thriller, so if you prefer to be shocked and kept on the edge of your seat you may not find this to your liking. Normally I hate it when a plot is too easily fathomable but I think what saves the day here is the range of characters in this group, however unlikeable, and how the author has explored the dynamics of their relationships, giving the reader a good sense of their personalities and individual problems. What I found incredibly sad is that none of these people seemed remotely happy,so bogged down they are by their own secrets. This novel isn’t a great endorsement of motherhood or relationships in general. It would seem everyone has something to hide, big or small, though they may not necessarily having any direct bearing on the events that take place on this boiling hot afternoon in June.

This was the first novel I’ve read by this author and despite not being wowed by the secrets that are revealed I found this novel to be enjoyable and entertaining. It may be predictable and a far from memorable storyline on this occasion I didn’t care! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Some years ago I read this author's Paul Maguire detective novels and quite enjoyed them. I requested an ARC from NetGalley based on my previous enjoyable experience. Sadly it has not been repeated. In fact I gave up about one third of the way in....

DS Alison Hegarty is called in to investigate an unnatural death at a party. Sounds simple enough. The guests at this party, held in the most luxurious house imaginable, are members of a baby group, six couple who met at during their pregnancies. So, six newborn babies to coo, and gush and drool over. Pity the parents, without exception are all horrible. Whether this was intentional or not, I dot know, but I couldn't relate to or sympathise with, any one of them. Oh, DS Hegarty isn't resentful at all, is she – I mean, the fact that she has fertility issues herself couldn't possibly affect her attitude towards this group of shallow self-satisfied, privileged idiots.

I have tried another one or two of McGowan's novels – the non-Maguire ones I mean – and I couldn't get on with any of them. I have to wonder if it's the same person wielding the pen, or sitting at the keyboard.

A gripping read! I was hooked right to the end and can't wait to read more of Claire McGowan's work!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The different perspectives are expertly weaves and although I’d figured out the ‘twist’ fairly early on, there was still enough going on to keep me reading.

The different characters are relatable in different ways and the setting makes it stand out.

I received this copy from netgalley. I loved this book, great story. will have to read more of this authors book's.

I loved <i>What You Did and The Other Wife</i> by the same author very much and was SO happy when NetGalley approved me for this one. <i>The Push</i> is a wonderful whodunit with an Agatha Christie feel to it and a bit of police procedural thrown in for good measure. This is an enjoyable, tense physiological drama. It's not original but it's well written.

Visitors arrive at a BBQ and someone ends up dead after being "pushed/falling" from a deck...and every single one of the guests are implicated. The best part!? You don't even know who the victim is until half way through the book.

It's fun and I like the way the tension escalates. Ms. McGowan writes well. She vividly describes her settings and characters and her prose is easy to read. I could empathize with all the new mom's, even if I didn't like them very much, and I loved the surprises the author had in store for us readers. The Push isn't a thriller in the usual sense but is for those readers who are looking for a book that deals with what lies beneath.