Although I did enjoy this book and Day's writing is solid and completely engrossing, sadly I think the description gave away most of the plot. I do recognize that it is hard to write a blurb for a thriller and to keep it entertaining and still a mystery but when I read the book I realized I already knew most of what was going to happen.
That being said, it was a good thriller and I feel with a little less detail, it would have been a furious page turner to find out who done it. I will read more by this author.

This is a competent domestic thriller that had me hooked for a good portion of the story, but, in my opinion, ultimately fell flat with its concepts and characters toward the end.

It's hard to speak about the story properly without spoiling some very important things, so I'll keep it brief and somewhat vague:

Magpie follows the budding relationship between Marisa and Jake, who after just moving in together, have decided to try for a baby -- something both of them have wanted for a long time. When money suddenly becomes tight when a deal falls through at Jake's firm, they agree to take a lodger in to help make ends meet -- enter Kate.

Kate is a 30s-something career woman who Marisa immediately feels threatened by. She's too comfortable in the house and too familiar with Jake -- often spending time with him in Marisa's absence. When Marisa finally gets pregnant, Kate becomes weirdly concerned and involved with the pregnancy leading Marisa to question: Who is Kate, and what does she want with Marisa's family?

First off, Elizabeth Day's writing is great -- the descriptions were vivid and the dialogue flowed naturally. This made it really easy to get sucked into the narrative super early in. The first half unfolds much like your average domestic thriller with Marisa talking about her tragic familial past and becoming increasingly obsessed with figuring out who Kate is -- spying on her and even reading her text exchanges. If you're an astute reader, or someone accustomed to the thriller genre, you will probably be able to guess that there is something not quite right about the situation, which telegraphs the twist that comes about around the halfway mark.

After the twist in the middle, the tension in the story sort of flatlines and it becomes more of a drama than a thriller, focusing on the pregnancy and the relationship between Jake and his overbearing mother. It's not like this part of the book is bad, per se, it just didn't live up to the twistiness and suspense of the first half. I also didn't really love any of the characters enough to fully enjoy this slower portion of the book. It laid its cards out too early with characters that were a bit too one-dimensional to keep me 100% invested all the way through.

Despite that, I think the book has a lot to say about mental health struggles, sexual assault, abandonment, motherhood, and relationships. So I would still recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written book covering these topics with light elements of thriller and suspense.

I am interested to see whatever Elizabeth Day writes next!

This is an unsettling, creepy story that was very unusual and interesting! It is the kind of story you can't wait for friends to read so you can discuss.

Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

A very intriguing premise with a roller coaster story. I didn't care for the portrayal of Marisa's Bipolar Disorder. Being in the field of psychology, there were a lot of inaccuracies with the portrayal of the disorder and medication management. It just wasn't realistic and took away from the story for me.

The writing of Annabelle however was perfect. The evil mother-in-law trope works because it can really be true. My sister had a similar experience with her ex's mom and that's what caused them to break up. She was manipulative and pried into their lives, just like Jake's mom. Not to the extent with the surrogate, but it was a good twist making her the 'big bad' at the end.

This was an "okay" read for me. 3/5 stars.

This is a book that poses as a thriller (& has a BIG twist in this first half) but is really about the emotional experience of infertility. So a giant trigger warning if that’s going to be hard for you.
For me, this is the most clear, emotionally resonant portrayal of a couple that’s trying to conceive (from the TTC forums to the stupid things people say). There is a creeping sense of dread that kept me reading. Some of the thriller bits didn’t work as well, but the premise (infertility and mental health leads to …some unbelievable actions) is a great set up.

Sucked me right in but I didn't love the twist. Seemed a bit too casual about a serious illness. I wanted a bit more compassion from the characters. That said, I'd be open to another novel by this author.

3.5 rounded up!

Marisa and Jake have it all… except for a baby. In order to get more money for fertility treatments, they agree to have Kate live with them. However, when Kate seems to become obsessed with Jake and too much to handle, Marisa will do whatever it takes to create and protect her perfect family.

This was a very eerie read for me to start while pregnant with my own child. I expected a straightforward thriller but was met with something much more complex and intense. I felt like the heart of the story got lost along the way, and sometimes I wasn't sure what I was exactly reading or where things were going. It did do a good job in highlighting the impacts of infertility on a relationship, though, and I appreciated how it explored that issue. The ending seemed too sappy, though, and I didn't like a second-act villain coming into to "solve" the thriller aspect of this.

Fast-paced and enjoyable read, but left me wanting something else!

The twist was great and had me excited...but then it all fell apart.

The actions of the main characters made no sense.
And I honestly have no idea what the point of this book was.

This book had so much potential but unfortunately fell flat!

Thank you to netgalley for an E-arc and to the publisher Simon & Schuster for a physical arc.

I loved Magpie! It was such a gripping read and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I would definitely recommend this book to any fellow thriller lovers.

Unexpected twists. Great writing and characters. Keeps you engaged.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

The strength of Magpie solely lies in a halfway point twist. If you're not a fan of the twist then you'll probably not enjoy the book because it takes the story in a completely different direction. I did like the surprise of the twist but it didn't really go anywhere after that point. The characters weren't the best, each had their own issues. I did enjoy the first half though and think the author has a great writing style. Overall, 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Jake asked Marisa to move in with him shortly after they start dating. For Marisa, Jake is the one. After an unstable and chaotic childhood, Jake provides Marisa the security that she’s been craving. Once they decide to start trying for a baby, they take on a lodger named Kate to help make ends meet. Kate becomes overly interested in both Marisa’s husband and her pregnancy. Halfway through the novel, the perspective shifts from Marisa to Kate, thus revealing the twist. Nothing was quite as it seemed. Going back to the first few chapters of the novel, it is interesting to read them knowing what Marisa’s perceptions of the events are compared to Kate’s point of view.

The novel was written well for a thriller. I think Day could write in any genre and produce a successful book. The biggest flaw for me was the way that a couple of tropes were used. It really takes away from my overall enjoyment of a book when I don’t agree with how a trope or literary device is used. The biggest one for me was the unreliable narrator trope, but the main character is really exhibiting symptoms of an untreated mental illness and that’s why they can’t be trusted, which I think is the most harmful in this form. In hindsight, every female character in this book is somehow “crazy”. Kate is a stalker. Marisa is clearly experiencing a psychotic break. Jake’s mom is the stereotypical narcissist and manipulative mother-in-law from hell. I think it’s time that we move past using these harmful narratives as plot devices.

The twist in this book occurs halfway through so remaining portion of the novel gets wrapped up over the remaining half. For me, this means that the ending is wrapped up well and not rushed. However, we could have probably cut out about 50 pages as nothing of note really happens after this point. Overall, the book does fall a little flat for me. It’s a very average thriller with an author that I truly think has potential.

I liked Part 1. When we reach the end of that part and things start falling into place I thought.... oh this is getting JUICY. The ending got more twisty and thrilling again but the middle was.....slow
The beginning of Part 2 felt super slow for me... it was, honestly, kind of boring the way the story was presented.
Once we get back to when the timelines meet it gets back to more interesting times. The end interactions are very twisty and I felt unsure of what characters I could trust. The writing is good to the point I was feeling infuriated by characters and circumstances. The last few chapters wrap everything up neatly but got back to the boring territory of how the story was presented (now I'm thinking back maybe it was the third party present tense..? or maybe I'm just taking it wrong, lol!)

CW: definitely infertility as we get an inside glimpse of Kate and Jake's journey of trying to have a baby.

Thanks to the publisher for the Netgalley approval to read and review. This was one of my first few approvals back when I initially joined NG so I feel terrible I haven't gotten around to it until now but don't they say better late than never :-D

Could not recommend this book any higher. It's just a really great book that keeps you engaged. Great writing and characters. Look forward to more from this author.

NB: I read this while experiencing fertility struggles, and will note that it may be triggering for those in a similar situation.

This book had so many twists and turns that I could never have predicted the ending - just when you think you know what's going on, the author takes things in the completely opposite direction!

There's not much I can say about this book without spoiling things, but if you're looking for a mystery, this one is for you!

One of the best thrillers I’ve read in QUITE a long time. After reading so many of them, I typically don’t get too invested and usually I can see the twists coming, but this one hooked me.

A couple and their surrogate, an odd mother-son relationship, infertility, mental illness, and so much more. Lots of triggers in this book, but the author has handled the topic of infertility with care as she has firsthand experience.

Loved this one!

This book definitely threw me for a loop with the role changing in the different point of views. It definitely kept me engaged throughout the whole book.

I wish I liked this more than I did. I really wanted it to be a 5 star read. but it fell flat for me. I just felt it drug on and would not end.

Magpie is an easy and entertaining read that will keep you guessing and take the reader to unexpected places. Elizabeth Day is great at keeping the suspense high from chapter to chapter - I never wanted to put this one down. I easily devoured this book in two sittings (hey, a girls gotta work!)

My only criticism of this book was that it ended rather abruptly. Throughout the entire book the suspense is building, and the reader is questioning Marisa's recall of events. Personally, I would have enjoyed the conclusion being extended a chapter or two more to increase the suspense.

A solid four stars for this book and one that I recommend to friends when they ask me for an entertaining read. I often refer to this one as a "beachy thriller" due to its ease of reading and juicy storyline.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Marissa and Jake are having a baby, and to help with expenses, they take in Kate as a renter. Kate begins to seem overly involved in their lives and a bit too familiar with Jake for Marissa’s liking. She follows Kate to work and reads Jake’s emails, realizing they have been having an affair for months and want to take her baby as their own. She won’t let that happen.

I love an unreliable narrator that keeps you guessing who or what to believe and where the truth lies. I found Magpie haunting and suspenseful, full of unexpected twists and turn throughout, even to the very end. I think I was most surprised with the ending, but this domestic thriller is worth a read.