Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

“The New Mother” by Julia Crouch is an audiobook that ensnares the listener with its intricate web of psychological suspense. Narrated by Kirsty Dillon, the story unfolds with a chilling precision that echoes the meticulous nature of its protagonist, Rachel. As a book reviewer, I found the narrative to be a masterful blend of domestic noir and psychological thriller, where the seemingly mundane task of finding a nanny for an expectant mother turns into a harrowing journey through trust, deception, and self-doubt.

Crouch’s writing is sharp and evocative, painting a portrait of two women bound by the intimate yet precarious relationship between the employer and employee. The character of Rachel is particularly well-crafted, with her obsessive tendencies and dark past adding layers of complexity to the story. Abbie, the innocent and eager-to-please nanny, provides the perfect foil to Rachel’s controlled chaos.

The audiobook format adds an extra layer of intimacy to the experience, with Dillon’s narration capturing the nuances of each character’s voice, bringing them to life in a way that is both compelling and haunting. The pacing is relentless, each chapter peeling back another layer of the mystery, urging the listener to consider the lengths one would go to create the facade of a perfect life.

A must-listen for fans of Ruth Ware and Shari Lapena, and a testament to Crouch’s prowess as a storyteller in the realm of psychological thrillers.

The queen of domestic noir does it again! A Social Media Influencer and soon to be first time mom, alongside specific healthcare issues she faces Rachel has more than enough to make her anxious and feel she needs help. However, necessity over caution leads to the arrival of Abbie along with her attention grabbing obsession, that forms the tense and gripping nature of this story.

Well worth a listen (read)

This book will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Have recommended to my family and friends.

Rachel is a narcissist and she just got on my nerves. She is an influencer and obsessed with her Instagram. Her Instagram posts between chapters threw off the pacing.

The ending was a disappointment to say the least. It was just so damn convenient. That's the only word I can use to describe it honestly. These are hours I won't get back of my life

The narrator did a wonderful job with different voices for both Rachel and Abbie. Though there were some parts I simply could not understand her, but that might be a me problem

i am so glad read this before having my new baby! this was a dark thriller and great. the audiobook is absolutely great!

This one wasn’t my favorite. It didn’t really hold my interest and the pace was slow. It’s about a social media influencer that hires a mother’s helper

This book gives you an insight into the life of influencers and all their posts on social media. The story is slow; I kept waiting for something to happen but only until 85% of the book is when some action started to happen and was entertaining. In the end, I felt there was an unanswered question, but I will not go into details so not to spoil the book.

I'll be honest, this one took me awhile to get through. It's a story about a woman (Rachel) who is in need of a "mother's helper" because she's pregnant. She's an online influencer who uses Instagram to show every detail of her life. Now, enter Abbie. she's going to be Rachel's savior... or is she? Well, the first half was hard for me to get through. Maybe it was all the Instagram posts... but i almost gave up. Then, I went to read reviews and people raved about it, so I kept going.

The second half of the book really comes together and is way more interesting, IMO. I hit a point where I finally didn't want to put it down until I finished. So, what was likely going to be a 1 or 2 stars for me, ended up being a solid 3 stars out of 5. I wish I could give it more because the 2nd half was really pretty good and I did like the ending. But I just struggled at first to be engaged or care about the characters. I'm all for unreliable narrators (check), figuring out who the crazy one is (check)... but the narcissism and droning on of the Instagram posts was a bit much for me. I do get why she put it in the story, but meh.

I would definitely recommend this book to folks who are kind of in that headspace for Instagram/text type pieces in stories. The overall story was different and I did like that. So, again, 3 out of 5 stars for me!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

My first with Julia Crouch using audio book. The beginning was a slow start bringing the two female characters together and bonding with each other.... in the meantime the social media element gave insight into what it is like from that side of the fence as an influencer.... Forever on show and only letting people see what they wanted them to see....

I enjoyed this book and its build up to what was a really good ending and a twisty turn outcome... but the only problem i have as an oldie is the run up was too drawn out for me ....

However once in and the story gathered momentum i was well and truly hooked.... it is a good read... and highly recommended... the build up is just a personal opinion from my reading expectations

a four star from me and i am also going to be reading more of Julia Crouch .

This was quite interesting plot and you almost knew how it would end. A few twists and turns but it stayed with my first guess. I did audibly gasp at one of grisly death of an animal. There were a few things that struck me as inconsistent. For instance, Rachel was 'spying' on Abbey with the nanny cams but she failed to see Abbey 'borrowing' things. I would think she would see that.

In any case, I really enjoyed the narrator. She did a really good job portraying the characters. And listening to the story was probably better than actually reading it.

Thank you #NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to this.

I found the New Mother to be an entertaining, domestic thriller that was quite the wild ride!

Rachel is an Instagram influencer who is looking for a mother's helper. She soon meets Abbie, who appears to be a dream come true, fulfilling all of Rachel's requirements. Abbie appears to be qualified and she waits on Rachel hand and foot. She seems too good to be true, but there is something that feels off about her to Rachel. Abbie is pretty quiet about her background, and Rachel will often catch Abbie contradicting something she had said earlier. Soon Rachel becomes quite suspicious of Abbie.

There are so many secrets that unfold and nothing is what it seems in this roller coaster ride of a thriller. It was hard to decide who to trust, who was telling the truth. This book was a true page-turner that had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. I would highly recommend to lovers of domestic suspense thrillers.

Speical thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The New Mother is an entertaining, twisted domestic thriller! Rachel, an Instagram influencer, is looking for a mother's helper. Abbie appears to be a dream come true, filling all of Rachel's requirements. Not only does Abbie seem to be qualified, she also worships Rachel. Abbie is too good to be true, but there is something that doesn't feel right about her to Rachel. Her background is mysterious and she often contradicts herself. No one is as they seem in this roller coaster ride of a thriller. My feelings about Rachel and Abbie were constantly changing. Who is the real villain in this tale of deception , friendship and betrayal? Kristy Dillon's narration brings the characters to life, adding an extra layer of tension and suspense. The action packed conclusion had me on the edge of my seat! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for my audiobook.

wow what an excellent listen ! I was pleasantly surprised with this one as it was not the usual straight forward storyline of a ‘physio’ nanny ! It had you guessing which direction the story was going to go in ! Totally gripped from the beginning right to the end !! A better narrator couldn’t have been chosen , excellent, great doing the different voices and bought the characters to life !

Rachel has her own issues & finds the girl she thinks is the best candidate to help her through her pregnancy, Abbie. But, oh my, Abbie, has issues of her own. These two together are a hot mess & I found myself trying to figure out which one was more twisted, who the bad girl was. This book is so full of twists your head spins!

I've read quite a few of Crouch's books and she is always dependable when you're looking for an entertaining and well plotted thriller. Once again, she delivers! Recommended!

I really enyoyed this book! Narration was excellent and the story kept my interest all the way through.

Synopsis:
When Abbie is hired by Rachel, a famous Instagram influencer and her biggest idol, to be her mother's helper, she can't believe her luck. After her dreadful past, she's sure she deserves to have things finally go her way. But not everything about Rachel's glamorous life is quite as it is shown on social media, and Abbie has some things to hide, too ...

My thoughts:
This book started off slow. Like, sloooooooooow. I mean, yes, there were loads of hints as to the secrets everyone's keeping and to all the little grudges brooding under the surface, but it was rather a drama than a thriller, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Then, suddenly, the speed picked up, and things got WILD. And with wild, I mean gross. Yes, I know, giving birth is a normal thing, and I don't have anything against it being mentioned, but I don't need every little detail in an audiobook on my way to work. Also, some descriptive elements were just gruesome, but overall, the story was interesting enough to keep up my attention. Also, I LOVED the narrator, she did such a great job!

Parts of this book reminded me of:
- The Sisters by Claire Douglas

This was my first book by Julia Crouch.

3.5 rounded to 3 stars

Social media storylines really pull me in. So, when I saw this one about a pregnant influencer that is looking for a nanny, I needed it. The beginning hooked me, then it slowed down for quite a bit, then it picked up again. If it weren't for that pretty big lull where not much happened, I probably would have rounded up. I did enjoy the narration of the two different characters.

The New Mother, formerly known as The Mother's Helper - I thought that title fit the story very well!- is quite the thriller. I enjoyed the story and the narrator, but I found it hard to warm up to the characters. I didn't like any one of them. Abbie is horrible and Rachel is unrelatable. But the story is entertaining and I wanted to find out how things would work out for everyone. The narrator was pleasant to listen to.

I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy reading domestic thrillers.

With thanks to Bookouture Audio and Netgalley for the digital reviewer's copy.

This was a dnf for me.
While I appreciate the opportunity to be given a chance to read the advanced copy I found the whole premise far fetched and the characters extremely unlikable.
Not for me but I'm sure we'll received by others