I really didn't like the characters in this book. I also thought the story really start way to late. Thank you, NetGalley.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur, and Nora Murphy for an ARC of this book!**

“Motherhood is tough. If you just want a wonderful little creature to love, you can get a puppy.” – Barbara Walters

Natalie Fanning is about to learn the meaning of the word 'tough'...in ways she NEVER could have anticipated. Nobody said motherhood was easy, but nobody could have prepared her for postpartum life either. On top of a difficult and arduous labor, Natalie's bundle of joy, Oliver, is anything but. He won't sleep (unless he's contact napping) and breastfeeding has sapped all of her remaining energy. Being up at all hours and having the life force draining out of her, Natalie feels trapped, isolated, and like she's slowly losing her mind...but at the same time, can't fathom life without the tiny person she brought into the world.

Husband Tyler wants to help, but he can't quite figure out how to stand in for Natalie, and she won't even usually let him try....but somebody else is waiting in the wings who seems to know ALL the tricks. Paul, a neighbor from down the street, makes Natalie's acquaintance and as a daughter of a 10 year old himself, knows just how to calm little Oliver. He seems to have the magic touch, and it gives Natalie hope for the first time. Nat is FINALLY able to focus on herself for a few hours: even just having time to shower and take a catnap feels like a gift.

But Paul has had his eye on this new mom for a while...and she isn't the first neighbor to live in that house that he has befriended. Paul's cold, stringent, and well-to-do wife Erin has him at his wits' end and in his mind, divorce isn't an option, for fear of losing custody of his daughter AND his cushy lifestyle. Could the answer to his problems be right in front of his eyes...in the form of one sleep deprived, desperate new mom...too forgetful to notice the small details, and too intrigued and charmed by Paul to question his motives...no matter how DEADLY the consequences?

Murphy is a student of law, and her first book The Favor was in line with a trend popping up in domestic suspense and women's fiction of late: women with an axe to grind getting well-deserved revenge on the deplorable men in their lives. The plot was intricate and handled the subject matter of domestic violence and intimate partner violence in a visceral, real, and sensitive way, while still providing some twists and turns to remind you it was indeed a fictitious tale. Though aspects were predictable, it had range and depth of emotion and was grounded in reality.

The New Mother had the same potential: the difference being that while Murphy nailed some of the emotions and thoughts that are part and parcel with the early days of new motherhood...this book had little success in any other arena. In fact, there was SO much heavy focus on all of the negative aspects of becoming a mom, that in some ways it became too much to read, even though I found it remarkably accurate. My son just turned two not too long ago, and though I am not too far removed from this time period, this book certainly gave me a violent shove back into the mindset and torturous sleep deprived feelings that in many ways I've forgotten. While the depictions were spot on, I could see it being arduous and even annoying to read to those who have no interest in child rearing or also for those who have struggled to conceive, so be forewarned.

Aside from this angle of the book, however, you'll quickly come to realize that these characters aren't particularly realistic in thought or action, and Paul in particular is unlikable from the jump. We aren't given enough information about Tyler to like or dislike him, and this might be because the only insight we receive on him is from Natalie's POV, and he isn't exactly her favorite person. Even Paul's estimation of Natalie is all over the place: one minute he assumes she will figure out certain things because she's an intelligent lawyer, and in the next breath he pats himself on the back for outwitting her.

Once the murder happens, things sort of fall apart completely in terms of the narrative, and there are plot holes aplenty (at least, IMO) including somewhat incompetent police/detectives, ONE piece of evidence and some tomfoolery with cell phones that somehow makes and breaks an investigation. I also had trouble with buy in with the motivation of one character (I won't name names to avoid spoilers) but again, this took the focus OFF of the very important message about postpartum depression and psychosis that Murphy was trying to shoehorn in here and left me somewhere in between frustrated and annoyed.

I know Murphy can plot better than this, for one simple reason: she has before. I would have much preferred a relationship/family drama that tackled this same subject matter, but kept the focus on the dynamics of a new family and how a baby changes and tests every relationship in the home. The murder may have been 'necessary' to create conflict, but the REAL 'death' a new mom experiences is the death of her old self and her old way of life: this alone would give her plenty to talk about for the length of this book, and possibly more. I often feel that authors end up obligated to write one 'style' of book, but sometimes have something very different to say, and I truly believe this was the case here.

Murphy also helpfully adds some resources at the end of the book for those who may be struggling with postpartum depression and psychosis, and given that the numbers are constantly on the rise (and so many cases go untreated AND aren't even diagnosed!) NOW is definitely the time to have this conversation: I'm just not sure if Natalie's world of mayhem, murder, and motherhood was the right PLACE to have it.

2.5 stars

The New Mother
Thank you @netgalley and the publisher for the #AdvanceReviewCopy

Released June 30
Genre: Thriller/mystery

Summary: New Mom, Natalie, feels the effects of having a new born, collicky baby who doesn’t sleep. As a result of lack of sleep herself, her mental health suffers. Add the resentment she harbours toward her husband for making partner at his firm and still being able to be himself and work while she feels ‘stuck’, Natalie leans on a new neighbour, Paul, who is miraculously great with babies. But Paul has his own agenda and reasons for befriending the new Mom, and as the story progresses we see (unlike Natalie) just how sinister his reasons are.

My Thoughts: I really liked this one for many reasons. It was written through Natalie’s perspective in 1st person and through Paul’s perspective in 3rd person. This shift in POV and perspective added drama and flavour to the story and characters.
I was instantly brought back to early motherhood and the struggles I went through trying to juggle a house, mat leave, laundry, a new baby…it can be a lot for a new mom. I related to Natalie and wanted to help her get through it, like a friend. But, as the story progressed, I began to resent her treatment of her husband and also her insistence with wanting to spend time with Paul, but I also understood she was not herself, she was sick and her husband didn’t notice she was suffering from Postpartum psychosis…The heart of the problem.

The first half of the book is slow, and a tad repetitive, mainly focusing on the issues of having a new born but then once the 50% mark hit, it took off like a winding, fast rollercoaster, and I held on tight with white knuckles until the wild ride was over.

Well developed characters, and an ending that left me well satisfied! The only thing preventing me from giving it 5 stars was the slow, repetitive start.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#postpartumdepression
#bookaboutmotherhood
#thriller
#reviewer

OMG, this was a wild ride. I often get really infuriated reading books about first-time mothers who essentially get no support from their husbands, but I stuck it out and finished the book. Nora Murphy knows how to illustrate elements of Post-Partum Depression, a job well done. I am very thankful to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, Nora Murphy, and NetGalley for granting me Audiobook access and a physical copy of the book before it's projected to publish on May 30, 2023.

Natalie Fanning is a new mother to a miserable/colicky baby who can't seem to acclimate to being a newborn. Unable to get sleep, or have any sense of sanity, Natalie and her husband, Tyler aren't having a great go at parenthood. Tyler is gone at work all the time, and when he is home, he doesn't want to help with the baby, or can't seem to do anything right by baby Oliver.

One day Natalie stumbles upon a neighbor who's like the baby-whisperer, for he can calm Oliver down in mere seconds. Natalie and Paul strike up a friendship instantly, but Paul has secrets that he's keeping from everyone, including his not-so-distant homicidal plans. When Paul's wife goes missing, everyone always blames husband, but this husband is on the ball and already has a plan sorted out to frame a certain sleep-deprived mother, and cash out on that life insurance check...

Skeevy, but so well done.

I really enjoyed The New Mother by Nora Murphy. She did a great job of immersing the reader in Natalie's thoughts and feelings. It was fascinating to watch how easy it is for new mothers to spiral into post partum depression without even realize it's happening and in Natalie's case this vulnerability really opened her up to being taken advantage of. Paul was such an interesting villain, especially since you would think he would sympathize with Natalie, since it seemed like he really took on the role of both mother and father despite still being with his wife. Instead he uses Natalie's post baby induced psychosis to make his own life better. This book seriously had me on edge because, even though this scenario is like one in a million of happening, there are plenty of new mothers with untreated post partum depression that could potentially end up doing dangerous things or end up in dangerous situations. If you like edge of your seat thrillers then this is a book to check out!

🌺 Pub Day Feature: The New Mother 🌺

⁉️: What’s a favorite memory that you have of your mother or mother-figure in your life?

Mothers play such a pivotal role in our lives. I think for me, the memory of my mom that I always remember is when I was moving to Canada for my second Masters, we took turns on the road trip from Westborough, my hometown and London, Ontario. Although we had fights and disagreements, she was my world. It brings me great joy to see how mothers are at the center of so many books (both fiction and non-fiction) nowadays.

Nora Murphy’s The New Mother explores politics of new motherhood - what does it mean to become a new mother? Set in the suburbia, this nerve-wrecking, bone-chilling novel tells the story of Natalie Fanning, who loved her son unconditionally. She, however, struggles with motherhood as well.

She then meets her neighbor, Paul, who helps her with Oliver, her baby. But, things get worse as this help seems to good to be true as he wants something in return.

But Paul wants something in return. It’s no coincidence that he has befriended Nat—she is the perfect pawn for his own plan. Will Nat wake up in time to see it?

When I lost my mother, the prospect of becoming a new mother felt like an overwhelming endeavor. As we are slowly moving towards that prospect, I still wish I had her with me in this stage of my life.

Thank you @minotaur_books and @noramurphybooks for the gifted copy. I was so happy to see a finished copy at @barnesandnoble while I was at the Cape a few weeks ago!

#NoraMurphy #TheNewMother #Minotaurbooks #SMPGinfluencer #BarnesandNoble

I was impatient with Nat, the new mother, who is exasperated with the new baby - his sleeplessness, his crying, his demands to be fed every two hours. I could understand her frustration, but thought she was over-reacting.

When she accepts her neighbor's friendship and help, stay at home dad Paul, she seemed overly clinging and needy to me, especially when her husband made partner at his law firm and she can think only of how she misses her own law career.

I was prepared to dislike her and the novel all the way through. What changed my mind? The last part of the story was worth reading the first half, as putting up with a clearly unraveling new mother paved the way for a very good ending.

I changed from a 3 star rating to a 4-5.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel as an eGalley before its publication in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Nora Murphy, you packed a twisted punch with this one! Overall, I enjoyed reading The New Mother. Unpredictable and unreliable, at times UNHINGED characters, kept me turning the pages. That being said, I wish the mystery and twists would have been more prominent throughout, leading to my 3-star review.

The first half of this novel is solely dedicated to building Natalie's postpartum experience and her marriage difficulties. I couldn't decide whether I liked husband Tyler or not. The two of them were a tough match and very toxic with how they coped, treated each other, and treated themselves. Paul's character also seemed a bit out of place until his psycho side came through with all of the crazy and narcissism.

The twists were not entirely surprising, but I still enjoyed them. Some of the novel's ending moments were straight up wicked. I liked it!

There were also moments of this book that were' personally painful to read, due to my own mental health history. If you are easily triggered by characters experiencing mental health difficulties, specifically depression, use caution when reading this novel. My anxiety was definitely spiking as I empathized with Natalie.

I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

I read The New Mother a few weeks ago and I'm feeling conflicted in how I should rate this book. On one hand, I appreciate the author's attempt to tell a much bigger story than what you might find in a typical domestic thriller. Unfortunately, it bogged down the story to the point in which I was reading more to finish rather than enjoying the reading experience.

Natalie Fanning is a first time mother and her son, Oliver, is a handful. The kid does not sleep! So of course Natalie is tired, very, very, tired. Her neighbor Paul is great at calming Oliver down and Natalie is comforted by his presence. The problem is Paul has an ulterior motive and Natalie unknowingly will play a role in his master plan.

The author was effective in showing the harsh realities of motherhood. The repetitiveness of Natalie's days and nights spent with her son I'm sure was done by design but if you already have experience in this area, it's not really something you want to relive again so to speak. This story succeeded in raising my anxiety levels. Natalie is feeling isolated and is terrified and as the reader it's hard not pick up on that.

I would recommend this book if you are specifically wanting a depiction of the challenges of motherhood. There are better options out there though if you are in the mood for a domestic thriller or suspense read.

TW: PPA/PPD

Full disclosure, I went into @noramurphybooks The New Mother blind. What I wasn’t prepared for was to see my past self in the incredibly honest and raw reality Natalie finds herself in after the birth of her first child. Nat loves her son more than anything, but he is a difficult baby and motherhood isn’t what she’d hoped for. She is exhausted, anxious and lonely. It all feels like too much, so she is grateful when she befriends her neighbor Paul. He too is home during the day and is more than willing to lend her a hand, something Nat desperately needs while her career, marriage and sanity feel like they are falling apart. Paul becomes a lifeline, but his ulterior motive isn’t yet known. He draws Nat in closer, preying on her vulnerability. Will Nat realize what’s happening before it’s too late?

After my first was born in 2018, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression and anxiety. In reality, I had been struggling with anxiety throughout my pregnancy and it only worsened when my baby arrived. My daughter was difficult. She cried often and only slept when held. In the moments where she did sleep or someone was there to help, I couldn’t calm my mind enough to rest myself. Breastfeeding was difficult and I cried at every feeding for the first three months. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, pushing my body to its physical limits while feeling like I was losing my mind. So many times reading The New Mother, I saw myself in Nat and hoped she’d get the help she desperately needed. She is the perfect victim for the manipulative and conniving Paul, and I found myself holding my breathe as I watched his plan unfold.

I couldn’t put this book down and definitely recommend it, with the TW in mind. It’s a fresh take on a suburban murder that I think all thriller lovers will enjoy.

And just to add… I’m happy to report that I didn’t have PPA/PPD with my second and like the book says, all babies are different. My number 2 is mellow and sleeps like a dream.

This one is out today! Check it out.

Thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This is a book that is going to make parents (especially moms new, in the middle and towards the end) feel seen. So relatable. Unfortunately haha. While the story is slower at parts, I loved the ending. Can’t wait to read more of her books!

I got a bit tired of Natalie’s self-pity and the easy manipulation by her neighbor.
It does bring to light the neglect of our health system that does not follow up on the emotional wellbeing of a new mother. The problems of reading all the how to be a perfect mother who will leave any mother as a complete failure. The lack of understanding by her employer who rather sees her gone isn’t helping. Her husband’s promotion only builds up her resentment of missed opportunities now that she has become a mother. The alternative motive of the neighbor is only becoming clear in the later part of the book and comes to a rather fast conclusion. If you are looking for a thriller this might not be it but is well written and I’m glad I didn’t give up and finished it.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Nora Murphy for the advanced copy of The New Mother in exchange for my honest review.

I got through about 20% of this one before I unfortunately decided to DNF. So far nothing has really happened aside from a new mom struggling to adjust to her life with a newborn, and as I was expecting a thriller it's just not doing it for me.

As is always the case for me, I will not rate this book on any retail sites aside from NetGalley since I did not finish it.

This book seemed very relatable as far as the setup went - I have been a new mom and a new mom and a lawyer trying to keep up with ridiculously high standards i was mostly setting for myself as far as my childcare and my work went. I could even relate to going on a sabbatical - I opted out of the intense law firm work when my son just wouldn’t sleep for more than two hours by opting for academia and writing a phd thesis in law, while still thinking that keeping my CV current was important enough to not actually take a break. But that is about as far as I was able to follow this protagonist‘s turns this. She makes horrible decisions and her thinking is warped by a postpartum disorder - this was an aspect I loved about the book, the author goes into both her own experience and the general experience of underdiagnosed women in the author’s note which I did appreciate as much as I get annoyed by main characters whom I’d love to grab and shake.
As far as the thriller aspect goes this is a cat and mouse game for the reader. You get to know more than the main character but you are stuck on the outside and can’t tell her - will she be trapped or will she escape ?

(my son is 20 now and he sleeps perfectly well - so yes, it‘s all a phase, but how long is the phase …)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St Martin's Press.

Natalie is a new mom. It's an isolating time. Thankfully, her neighbor Paul is there. He wants something in return though...

I did not see that story coming. So twisted. Will check out more of this author now!

Having a new baby and moving into a new house in a new neighborhood are not ideal situations. When Natalie begins to struggle with just how demanding motherhood can be, her neighbor, Paul provides relief. It's very kind of Paul to be so helpful, or is it? This story is very descriptive of just what childbirth recovery is like for Natalie. She is a bit on edge with her spouse, who gets some time away from their new bundle of joy. It is a bit suspect as to why Paul would be so friendly and helpful to someone he just met. Does motherhood make us less skeptical of who we allow around our kids or are we too tired to consider ulterior motives?
This was a quick read. Nothing too sinister. We were given great detail about what to expect after a C-section. Not sure if that was essential to the plot, but the description was all laid out. Neighbors can be a big help, but it is not usual for them to involve themselves so fully in someone's life that they just met. So perhaps we needed to know just how poorly Natalie felt and how tired her body was, to believe that she would allow Paul in her home so freely. Paul was a piece of work. He knew what angles to play to work situations to his advantage. Well, mostly. I so love reading drama and not actually living it.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

I definitely had a love/hate relationship with this book.

Natalie is a sleep deprived stay at home mom who gets no help from her husband. She meets her neighbor Paul, who is a stay at home father and the two strike up a friendship. There is just something off about Paul, and his too friendly attitude. Paul's wife is found murdered, and all suspicion falls on Natalie.

The second half of this book was fantastic. It had some serious Gone Girl vibes and was just so engaging.

However, I almost did not finish the book, multiple times, while reading the first half of the book. I didn't need to be told what felt like several hundred times that Natalie was breastfeeding. It almost turned into a joke, how many times it mentioned breastfeeding her child, we get it.

This was a great idea for a book and executed fairly well in the second half. I just wish the editors would have cleaned it up a bit with the comical number of breastfeeding references.

I thought The New Mother was incredibly well done, but I would add a trigger warning for actual new mothers - I could not have read or enjoyed this book if I wasn't several years removed from this stage of motherhood. Postpartum can be a very challenging time, and I do think the author encapsulated a lot of the feelings and struggles that can come after giving birth. The story felt fast-paced for me, and I was anxious to see where it was going. The ending was very satisfying!

Natalie is having a hard time adjusting to motherhood. She can’t sleep because Oliver, her son, only wants her and screams if anyone else touches him. Then she meets her next-door neighbor, Paul, and he seems to have the magic touch with Oliver. Soon, they have a close friendship. But things are different from what they seem with Paul. His befriending Natalie wasn’t a coincidence. Paul is setting Natalie up for a crime he committed. What crime did Paul commit? Will Natalie take the fall for it?

Reading this book took me back to my seventeen-year-old daughter’s birth and the months shortly after. I thought I was prepared for her birth and everything after. I wasn’t. I dealt with a horrible birth experience and a newborn/infant who screamed constantly. Unlike Natalie, I thankfully had my family and friends that watched out for PPD. But it was challenging and draining. And, like Natalie, it was a sense of relief when I got answers for why my daughter (Miss B) screamed all the time. She had colic and went nine months with an undiagnosed milk allergy. It took me switching doctors to get that diagnosis. So, yes, I related to this book.

The New Mother is a fast-paced book with dual points of view. The points of view went between the first person (Natalie) and 3rd person (Paul). I wasn’t a massive fan of that, I wouldn’t say I like it when it changes POV, but I did like that I got to see how Paul formulated his plan and how Natalie figured out what he was doing. The pacing for this book fits it perfectly.

The storyline for The New Mother was interesting. It centers around Natalie and her life after having Oliver. Natalie was one of those Facebook-perfect mothers at the beginning of The New Mother. She was going to do everything organic, exclusively breastfeeding and babywearing. I did get a good giggle at how the author initially wrote her. But Oliver wasn’t your typical baby. He had colic and screamed all the time. He hated the sling. And breastfeeding was an awful experience for Natalie. Plus, she started getting depressed and not allowing anyone to hold Oliver but her. In the middle of the book, Natalie is having a rough time. Then Paul swoops in like an angel and helps Natalie. She can sleep and feel like she is her old self around him. But Paul, well, his friendship with Natalie had sinister motives, and the author clarified those motives around the time their friendship deepened. I did call what happened next and everything else after.

As I said above, Natalie was a Facebook-perfect mother. She was one of those mothers who did everything perfectly. I was rolling my eyes whenever she yelled at her husband for bringing nonorganic food into the house. The scene where he bought the swing was a perfect example also. But at the same time, I did feel bad for her. She was struggling. Breastfeeding was hard for her, and she wasn’t expecting it to be painful. Oliver was a difficult baby, and she made it worse by holding him constantly. I called because she had PPD long before it was mentioned in the book. Natalie also wasn’t sleeping, and it was starting to mess with her. I was also a little irritated that no one, mainly her husband, caught on that she was depressed. It was so obvious (well, to me, it was). And it made it easy for Paul to prey on her.

I didn’t like Paul from the beginning. I have nothing against stay-at-home dads (actually, it’s excellent), but how he became one was awful. He had nothing nice to say about his wife, and that was a huge red flag to me when he started bad-mouthing her to Natalie. He just got skeevier and skeevier as the book went on. Poor Natalie didn’t know which end was up with him. The night of the Halloween party and the confrontation after were his doing. He was just a nasty man who did get what was coming to him.

I found the thriller/suspense angle of The New Mother interesting. I liked that the author kept the bad guy (Paul) first and foremost in the book. I loved that I got to see the planning that he did to frame Natalie. Some of it was genius. But, at the same time, I loved it when Natalie figured out what was happening and how she turned everything around on Paul.

The end of The New Mother didn’t quite gel with the rest of the book. The author fast-forwarded a few months and then explained what was happening. I wish that she hadn’t done that. I would have loved to see what she explained written out. I was left feeling meh about it. There was a humorous part of the ending where Natalie’s husband asked if they could have another baby, and she was like, “No, I’ll kill you.” I thought, “You’re having another one, lady.” I said the same thing after Miss B turned one, and then I went on to have two more children.

I would recommend The New Mother to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and nongraphic sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Nora Murphy for allowing me to read and review The New Mother. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

A sympathetic new mom in a new house and neighborhood. A not-so-sympathetic husband. An overly helpful stay-at-home dad/neighbor. These characters are the perfect ingredients for a good thriller. Nora Murphy’s New Mother is a good thriller, but it wasn’t a great thriller for me.

Natalie and Tyler have recently moved into the suburbs as they are about to start a family. For Tyler, there is little impact. Natalie, however, has to put her law career on hold and essentially goes into isolation as she takes care of a colicky baby without extended family or supportive friends. Queue Paul’s introduction, the ever-present, helpful, empathetic neighbor. Only, we readers get a few throw away thoughts and comments that provide some insight into Paul’s potentially nefarious motives.

Paul is a bit obvious. The focus on Natalie’s struggles with motherhood drone on a bit too long, but how can you not be affected by her sleep deprivation and emotional state? The action and mystery don’t kick in until past the half-way point of the novel. I wanted to feel more compassion or empathy for the characters but ultimately I could only feel that Natalie’s emotional state made her an easy mark for Paul.

New Mother is a slow burn thriller without a big twist. It reads like a classic Hollywood movie…no special affects, just a good story line.