The central theme of this book is motherhood, not the raising of a child so much as the conceiving of one as testimony of either a woman's suitability as a life partner or, more elementally, authenticity as a woman.The narrative is divided between Marisa, the younger one, who needs to repair her own destructive childhood by becoming one of a stable marriage or at least relationship and Kate, somewhat older, who feels her career successes are not sufficient to prove her essential womanly worth.

From my review in Reviewing the Evidence::

Kate's narrative is the most compelling section in the book and it is a pity that its force is undercut by one of the most irritating conclusions I've had the misfortune to encounter lately. The problem, I think, is that Day was unable to find a way successfully to embed the issue of infertility inside the genre demands of the psychological thriller. And when convention rules, invention loses.

All the same, there is quite a lot here to satisfy. The central issue of the book is real and there is enough here to fuel a serious discussion. Just be prepared to give a regretful shrug at the finish.

Marisa and Jake have just moved into a new house and are now expecting a baby. Kate is their new lodger. Everything seems perfect. But, is everything what it seems?

Magpie started off very strong. The first part of the book was very enjoyable for me. Eager to learn more about Marisa, Jake, and Kate, I couldn't turning the pages fast enough. The second part of the book begins with a deep dive into the past and the pain of infertility. The switch in flow and pace was a little confusing. As the book nears its end, the pace picks back up. I think the ending wraps everything up a little too conveniently, but it still works.

Magpie blends infertility, motherhood, jealousy, and obsession. Overall, Magpie is an enjoyable read due to its well-developed characters and somewhat unpredictable twists. It would be a good choice for fans of dark psychological suspense novels like The Wives by Tarryn Fisher.

Rating: 3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital copy.

Magpie was spooky and fun! I loved the descent into madness and unreliable narrator. This was a thriller but one I was able to sleep after reading. If you’re TTC this one might not be the book for you.

I didn't like the beginning of this book, and almost DNFed it. A friend told me to keep going and I'm glad I did; I really liked the middle, and overall I thought the writing was really strong. But i hated that the "plot twist" was focused on mental health. A mental health crisis is NOT a plot twist, regardless of how delicately you handle it!

I have to admit that I was intrigued to read this book because of the cover and the title. I had to read about Magpie's to learn a little more. A magpie bird is considered to be an intelligent creature with a bold personality. It can be a bit ruthless and they carry a folklore or myths of bad omens. Well, that could sum up the book in many ways but the synopsis gives an excellent description of the book without giving anything away!

The first half of the book is told from Marisa's point of view and then when Kate begins to give her point of view the story quickly ignites. Is anyone telling the truth? Who can you believe? The characters are well developed and strong. The mother in law is hot blooded and my least favorite character. The story is well written and totally kept my interest to the very end even though the ending is crazy and far fetched. Some of the twists and turns may be predictable but then Elizabeth Day gives you a new spiral to unwind.

There are some trigger warnings. This book does discuss mental health concerns and the expectation and longing for a child and the grief of infertility.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Jake and Marisa fall in love almost as soon as they meet. They decide to begin trying for a baby as having a family is important to them both. To help save money, they invite a lodger, Kate, to stay with them. Marisa feels that Kate is too comfortable in the house and that she is becoming much too comfortable with Jake. Is it safe to have Kate stay or is she becoming a threat to Marisa, Jake, and their future baby?

This thriller was well written and had an unexpected twist. It was difficult to tell who could be trusted as the story was told from multiple viewpoints. I really enjoyed this novel and hope to read more by the author. I can't really say much more as I don't want to give anything away.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #Magpie by #ElizabethDay. 4 stars

I was really excited to read Magpie by Elizabeth Day. From the synopsis alone, I was intrigued.

But as I started to read the book, I started to sense a theme of different narratives. At first, I thought, this was really cool but as I got past the multiple narrative parts of the book, the story just kept weaving in and out of these same themes with different characters. It didn't enhance the story much and by the time the big reveal was presented, I was already checked out of the story.

Magpie was ok. I was into until I wasn't. It isn't a book I would run back to but I'm sure someone else might enjoy it more than me.

To begin this story, I thought this was going to be another 'husband's infidelity makes the wife crazy' story. Ho Hum. I'm so over those.

But to my surprise, it was something completely different! I wasn't quite sure how this one was going to end and the interesting roads that it took were a pleasant surprise.

Overall, this was a good read. Not really a Thriller, more of just a domestic drama.

I enjoyed this author’s previous novel The Party and this book seemed to have made a splash when it was released in the U.K. I was eager to read this novel and happy to receive an e-arc from the publisher. This is well written and a pageturner but ultimately disappointing. An eminently unreliable narrator, serious mental illness, infertility and an evil mother in law. All just too much.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of "Magpie" by Elizabeth Day. While this was touted as a "thriller," I personally didn't feel it lived up to that hype. It just was not for me.

I enjoyed Magpie and its twists and turns throughout. It's difficult to share much without giving away some of the storyline. This was a fast read and I could not wait to find out what was really happening. The book was very enjoyable although I did find the ending a bit implausible.
If you enjoy twisty suspense books, you will likely enjoy this quick read.

3.5 ⭐️‘s
Marissa and Jake seem to have it all. A nice home, good jobs and plans to start a family. All of that changes when the need for some extra cash has them taking in a boarder. When Kate moves in, Marissa notices a change in Jake and she’s sure she’s losing him. Pregnant and hormonal, is she just imagining things? The story is blown wide open when part two is reached and Kate’s voice is heard leaving the reader wondering for just a bit just what to believe. Day does a nice job of writing about issues surrounding infertility and the ensuing emotions, but the addition of Jake’s mom pushes the story over the top.

This book started out feeling like a domestic suspense, then had a great psychological thriller feel in the middle, and then the ending was back to domestic suspense. As a reader who devours psychological thrillers, I really enjoyed this book! The twist in the middle had me reading for literally hours upon hours. The ending kind of lost its thrill, but I was still desperate to find out the ending. I was a little disappointed in the ending but also so happy with the ending because it was a “feel good” end. No cliffhangers or desire for more. Overall, a great story and perfect for those who love domestic suspense with a touch of thriller!

A great big thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Elizabeth Day for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley, Simon & Schuster and Elizabeth Day for an ARC copy of this book.

Magpie

An extremely creepy book just how a thriller should be!
Magpie is about Marisa and Jake, who are a couple, a very happy couple, who are wanting a child of their own which has been challenging. While struggling with infertility they face some financial hardship and end up getting a lodger to help ease that financial burden. This lodger is Kate, she seems like an amazing person and is a perfect roommate. Until Marisa starts getting suspicious of Kate, especially of Kate’s relationship with Jake. Kate behaves weirdly, for instance she seems too comfortable as a lodger as if it’s her own home. Then comes the BIG twist, the unexpected big twist.

I felt the first half of the book was great, a real page turner I was not expecting the twist that came along. This book covered some very hard-hitting subjects e.g., rape, mental health (Bipolar), infertility (IVF) and abandonment. Except for the infertility, I felt the other subject were just brushed on and could have been explored further so that the reader could relate past events with approaching events. After the twist the story went in a totally different direction, to be honest the second half of the book was a let-down, and it did not live up to the first half of the book.

I felt that the ending of this book was unexpected, unrealistic and not thought out. Thrillers usually start by building to the twist, then the twist occurs and is unravelled, after that the story takes a clear trajectory towards the climax with a is neatly wrapped ending. But in Magpie this was not the case I felt that story did not end in the traditional manner for a thriller in fact the ending was just dumped in and not clearly thought out. Overall, a good start, but the whole point of a thriller is that the reader is hooked on and always on the edge of their seat.

Day’s writing is eloquent and easy to read, but this story is nothing like the thrillers I enjoy delving in. It could be that my review is tainted by the numerous thrillers I have devoured but that’s not to say that other readers will not enjoy this book. Throughout my review I have tried to be as honest and unbiased as possible. I will still continue to read Day's new work like I said before her writing style is easy to read.

This book was SO GOOD. Once I started reading it I had finished it in two days because I was so eager to see how everything played out, There were great twists and each chapter kept you guessing as to what would come next. I highly recommend!

What a wild ride! It’s hard to give a summary of this thriller without giving away the big twist, so I’ll just say this — it’s totally worth the read. I would’ve given 5 stars but the ending just fell a bit flat for me given the fast-paced excitement throughout a majority of the book. Still… it’s a great read!

Very twisty Fun book. Was quite surprised by the ending so if you get bored stick with it. Infertility issues Are a big part of the story

Marisa has found the love of her life and they are ready to have a baby, but things are not as they seem. Kate has struggled with fertility, and is desperate for a child - so desperate she would do anything for her baby.
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This was a twisty suspenseful read that I absolutely could not put down. Told in several parts, each section ends with a gut-wrenching twist just as you think you've figured it all out. This is the first book of Elizabeth Day's that I have read, but she is now one of those instant-read authors for me, and I cannot wait to read more from her.
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Thank you to the author, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. #Magpie #NetGalley

I loved the premise of this book and was caught off guard with the unexpected twist.. I couldn’t put it down, because I was anxious to see how it all turned out. . I was slightly disappointed with the ending. . I thought it wrapped up a little too neatly and seemed unrealistic.

Marisa and Jake are a perfect couple trying for a baby. And Kate, their new lodger, is the perfect roommate.. Except—no one is truly perfect.

I was really excited by the premise and really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately it fell flat. I didn't connect with the characters and the story had a really hard time holding my attentions.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.