This review is one of the more difficult that I have attempted to write, because it is difficult to discuss this book without spoilers, and I do not like spoilers! This is a fast-paced read with extremely well-developed characters. The tension is continuous, and midway through the book the reader is confronted with an enormous twist that was likely unforeseen. Being a mental health professional, I saw it coming, but the read was still enjoyable, as I wanted to see how the story played out. I did not agree with the exploitation of the mentally ill subject ( being relegated to life in the country rather than receiving proper care by a mental health provider), but in reality, there are probably many incidences in which this would actually take place (society seems to devalue mental health treatment). While the undercurrent is continually dark, the book ends with threads of hope and healing. Themes of abandonment, mental illness, infertility, surrogacy, and motherhood are woven through the story and could trigger some readers.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Publishing, and Elizabeth Day for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Big twists you won't see coming, especially that first one. Already looking forward to Elizabeth Day's next twisty thriller. A fresh take on a tired trope, yet masterfully pulled off. Brava!

Another title for this books could have been "Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss: The Novel". I was hooked from page one. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Day threw in another twist. I couldn't put it down. For fans of thrillers, this book is a must. Take care when reading, however; pregnancy, fertility, and motherhood play a major role in the plot. If these topics are sensitive for you, Magpie might be a difficult read.

This was a really great book. It kept my interest with the twists and turns to the end. Once I thought I figured it out I realized I had not. Really great book.

I am sorry to say this was a 2 star (at most) read for me. I thought the book started out with promise, but then took a complete nose dive. There was a lack of content and a lot of unnecessary over detailed descriptions. I was expecting a thriller and found it quite drawn out, no tension or build up. I would not recommend this book.

I loved this book. I didn't see the huge twist coming! I highly recommend this book by Elizabeth Day!

The synopsis of the book was very intriguing, I was engrossed, and was eager to finish. However, the ending sort of fell flat to me.. I would recommend this book.

This was the kind of book that you think you have figured out until you reach a point and realize that everything you thought is wrong. It’s rare for an author to surprise me, but this one did. While some of the characters were weaker than others, they all came across as believable. Anyone who has tried for a baby, experienced mental health issues or had a disagreement with a family member will find something to relate to.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Magpie by Elizabeth Day is a thrilling debut that will leave the reader questioning everything they know. Marisa and Jake seem like the perfect couple-until they endure fertility struggles. When they decide to save some money and rent out a room to the stylish, overly familiar Kate, Marisa becomes suspicious of her motives. Jake's complicated relationship with his mother continues to cloud over their happiness once Marisa is finally pregnant. Marisa's suspicions of Kate are ramped up as Kate seems to know way too much about Marisa and Jake-to protect her baby Marisa will risk everything. Full of twists and turns this is one novel you won't want to put down!

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I ended up liking this is -ish, but it was tough going for a while. Marisa is a difficult character to like, and when Kate starts to tell her side of the story, she also seems distant and analytic, reporting her feelings in a way that didn’t make me feel them along with her. This story is about motherhood, but I can’t tell you much more about it without giving too much away.

The author uses the phrase “the smile didn’t reach her eyes” multiple times, and while I understand this, it’s already become a cliché, and one that an author can’t use more than once per novel, let alone multiple times.
The psychological wackiness of this is compelling and page turning. It gets better at 30 percent, more interesting at 50 percent, and much better at the end—you can decide if you want to not enjoy 90 percent of a book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MAY 3 in the United States.

Thank you to NetGalley and Elizabeth Day for the opportunity to read this eARC.

For all the mamas out there, this book really feels like a punch to the gut. I was completely hooked by fifty pages in. Would you let the perfect stranger into your perfect home with your perfect baby? How many people have you trusted your children with?
Magpie had me second guessing everyone I have ever let put a hand on my children. This is a gripping tale that will have you flipping pages and staying up way to late to finish!

Well I didn't see that twist coming!. I read this in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. I want to write more, but don't want to ruin the story. It is best if you go into this one blind. It was completely unexpected and an overall excellent read. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for a chance to read this e-ARC prior to publication for my honest review

Magpie focuses on two women. Marisa moves in with relatively new boyfriend Jake and is excited to try to have a baby. For economic reasons, they take in a boarder, Kate, who takes an uncomfortable interest in Jake and has no respect for boundaries. I was gobsmacked by the twist in the middle of the novel and anxiously read on, but the second half of the book dragged a bit to the rather lackluster ending.

This book is so up my alley, I knew as soon as I read the synopsis that I needed to read it and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect, and the dual POV, though it didn't last long. I thought the writing was so well done because in the beginning I was truly rooting for the wrong person and ultimately didn't realize who I would end up disliking. This book reminded me of the movie Hush that starred Gwyneth Paltrow back in the 90's but with an updated twist. TWs of infertility and surrogacy gone slightly wrong, just fyi.

When a couple chooses to have a child via a surrogate their lives take several turns. A page turner to the end

I was excited to dig into and the beginning had everything I hope for in a thriller. I was questioning characters, including the narrator and trying to guess what would happen next, until Part II starts. As soon as the POV changes at about a third of the way in it becomes a little too clear what's happening and takes away a lot of the suspense since we now have a reliable narrator. Not to spoil anything but it leaned a little too deep into 'crazy women' trope and never called into question the men in the story which was frustrating. I also feel like a lot of the plots that brought depth to characters weren't wrapped up or tied into the story enough.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honesty review.

A couple newly moved in together takes in a lodger to help them along.
Insecurities and suspicions sort of quickly come along to add stress to the whole situation.
I picked up this book just to start it off but ended up finishing it off quite quickly.

When will couples ever learn? You never hire an au pair if you want your partner to be faithful: do not have a surrogate who becomes your friend; and if your man’s mother adds an ‘ey’ to the end of your hubbys name-I.e. ‘jakey’. I thought this was predictable initially and with the twist, I was so happy I was wrong! Really easy to read and a good thriller!’

This book was so good I literally stayed up all night and read it in one sitting. Without giving away major plot points or spoilers, the multiple viewpoint setup was very well done, and it was great to read the scenes through different lenses. Well-crafted and taut, it elicited sympathy for all the characters, even though there were points where I alternately loved and got annoyed with all of them.

"Magpie" surprised me. The twist in the story that I had been expecting never happened. Instead, there were some rather unexpected twists in the story of Kate, Jake, and Marisa. The book explores the lengths that women will go to in order to have children, and the pain and devastation of infertility -- getting your hopes up, thinking that finally this time everything will work out, only to have hopes crushed yet again. The book also explores the power of motherhood (and to a lesser extent, parenthood more generally) and the steps a mother (or parents) will take to protect their child(ren), and how good intentions can become distorted, and the pain and problems it can cause. The story also addresses mental illness, and the struggles that mental illness can bring.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.