2.5 baby stars

This one had a very slow start for me. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book that goes into so much detail about the difficulties of becoming a mother. There are physical issues, mental issues, and throw in a difficult baby who never wants to sleep, and you have a recipe for depression.

Natalie has moved into a new house and now has a new baby. She’s struggling to keep it all together. And what about her career?

A stay-at-home father in her neighborhood, Paul, gives her some tips about how to soothe baby Oliver. Soon Natalie is seeking out his company more and more. Does he have more sinister things in mind?

I did not find this one to be a true thriller and maybe that’s why it falls a bit short for me. I did enjoy some of the detective character storyline and I wish the conclusion was a bit more fleshed out.

3.5 stars, rounded up. This story was a slow pace thriller with not a lot of twists, just a slow build up to the predictable ending.

That being said, this book engrossed me from the beginning. I did find the main character Natalie truly unlikable at first. And though I am familiar with post-partum depression, I somehow didn’t know that’s what she was experiencing during the story, I thought she was just trying to keep up with all the mom advice online while making herself miserable. I found her more and more likeable past the 50% mark.

I did find the mixed POV a bit confusing to flip through- from first person Natalie to 3rd person focused on Paul.

Overall, a light thriller and not a bad read.

I was hesitant when I got approved for this arc, because I'm not a mother and have no idea what it's like and the reviews were all from people who'd experienced it. I don't know if my not being a parent made this more or less terrifying, but it was a very scary book.

Natalie is a new mother with a very weak support system and she's really struggling until her neighbour Paul, a stay at home dad, starts offering her help. But Paul isn't really there to help, he's there to prey on a sick and vulnerable woman.

I was definitely on the edge of my seat the whole time with this one. It also made me never want to have a baby though lol.

Warning: compulsive reading! If you're a mom-fiction fan, meet your new favorite read! I read The New Mother in one sitting! I can't wait to listen to the audiobook next! Nora Murphy writes with deft precision and her cat and mouse drama had me biting my nails until the end! One new mother + one good Samaritan neighbor = murder? A must-read to find out! Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to preread and review this amazing novel!

I so badly wanted to love this book. I had such high hopes when I requested an ARC.

I LOVED The Favor. I LOVE Nora Murphy. But this one just didn't do it for me. I think it had so much potential, but there was so much time spent on the breast feeding and the lack of sleep that the actual plot of the book got a little bit lost until the very end. There was no surprise twist, there was a tidy ending...it wasn't really a "thriller" for me and I didn't find myself waiting in suspense.

I still love Murphy's writing and will not hesitate to pick up her next piece. I think maybe this one could be more enjoyable to new mothers or mothers who have dealt with postpartum insomnia and depression. It just wasn't the book for me and that's okay!

I thought this was well written and a good storyline. I felt it was predictable because we knew each side the whole time and what each other was setting each one up for. So no mind blowing twists and turns like I enjoy. I felt a lot of time was spent on little details about motherhood and Natalie’s struggles as a mom versus the plot. Then it just wrapped up super quickly. A nice read if you are a mom and want to relive the struggles of that newborn and postpartum phase to have relatability. Some of us don’t want to remember those parts, ha!!!

I really enjoyed Nora Murphy’s debut, The Favor, and I enjoyed this book even more. Nora Murphy has become a new auto-buy author for me!

There were a few things that I thought may be an issue to other readers but ultimately weren’t a deal breaker for me:
I thought it took too long to get to the main plot of the story. I understand why it took so long, and I think other parents who have experienced the newborn stage will also understand why Natalie’s postpartum period is focused on as much as it is before getting back to the detective and the murder investigation that are mentioned at the beginning of the book. But it really does take 50% of the way through the book before that piece is even alluded to again, and I think that’s a bit long.

It also doesn’t really feel like a thriller at first. When the murder happens, the reader knows who committed the crime, but there were still some elements of suspense and the last 20% of the book or so kept me on edge to find out how things were going to end.

I think those that aren’t parents or haven’t experienced the newborn stage may not empathize with Natalie and therefore may not push through to 50% and stick with the story. There is a lot of repetition on things like sore nipples, as an example, that I thought actually worked to bring home the monotony of nursing a newborn and the loss of bodily autonomy you feel as a new mother. However, I can see how the repetitive nature of these types of scenes and phrases could put other readers off and result in a DNF.

I think Nora Murphy has done a great job, once again, of bringing tough subjects to light. The postpartum period is transformative in so many ways and there is an unfortunate stigma associated with the negative transformations that can occur as the result of the birth of a child. This book heavily discusses postpartum and all facets of that. If the postpartum period is in any way triggering to you, please read up on any warnings that may be applicable before reading this book.
Please also make sure you read the author’s note at the end of the book, it adds an extra special touch to the book.

It’s a very good domestic thriller and I recommend it to readers that enjoy the genre. A 4.5/5 star read for me, rounded up to 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book.

What a harrowing story involving both post-partum struggles and a murder plot. I was fully engrossed in the book, and felt so sorry for Natalie. I’m sure that many women who have given birth will be able to relate to a lot of what happens, just maybe not the murder part! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one is different in a way. No twists. We KNOW who the bad guy is. The pacing is slow, and without a mystery to unravel, some people may not enjoy it as much.

I enjoyed it. It’s quite realistic, so that made up for the lack of suspense.

This book may be a thriller but it tackles a big issue new mothers have..sleep deprivation and loneliness. Natalie, is the classic new mother, wanting to do it all herself regardless of what it takes from her mentally and physically. This was very realistic. Being a new mom is so hard and this book really shows the sacrifices mothers make and the hardships they go through. 

Then add in the element of a too friendly, too helpful neighbor...and that can really confuse the situation. 

I loved the concept of this plot but it felt like it dragged on a bit too long. I had an uneasy feeling throughout this book, worried that Natalie was getting herself in a situation that she could not come back from. We learn pretty quickly that Paul is not who he seems. 

Overall I liked the book, just wanted a little more excitement throughout the story.

What a page turner! I was on the edge of seat not wanting the book to end! You will not want to put this book down. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by this amazing author!

Have to say I’m a little confused by this book… on one hand, the postpartum representation is SPOT ON and I related so hard to this new mother’s experiences. Unfortunately that was the only thing I found compelling about this book. The mystery of this book is literally not a mystery at all, and all of the other characters are one-dimensional and unbelievable. I even thought a twist of the book was going to be that some of the characters never existed because of how little development there was for them. But there were no twists, and while I think a book depicting postpartum depression is important, I wish it wasn’t marketed as a mystery/thriller because I think it really missed that mark.

This didn't feel like a thriller to me, more of a character based novel surrounding a new mother and what new motherhood is like. As someone who is child free by choice, I couldn't relate to Natalie's character and with no connection, the story felt slow and drawn out. With how long the story felt, the ending wrapped up to fast for me, I needed more details with the ending, it was too quick and glossed over. Murphy drew on personal experiences to create Natalies character and the bravery in that, and showing the darker, less talked about side of motherhood, is good to see and help destigmatize it. The New Mother might have been a miss for me, and could be triggering for new mothers, other readers might enjoy it more.
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Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The New Mother creatively combines a deep dive into postpartum depression with the thriller genre.
Author Nora Murphy clearly paints the picture of what it can be like when a new mom experiences postpartum depression and psychosis. Natalie has recently moved to a new neighborhood with her husband to accommodate their growing family. She is feeling anxious and isolated and finds herself needing help, but she doesn't know how to ask for it making herself the ideal mark for a predator.

This book was entertaining, but I found certain parts to be repetitive. Natalie was clearly intelligent, but I did loose patience with her paralyzing depression and her husband's lack of response to it. Overall, I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy a fairly fast paced mystery.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The New Mother by Nora Murphy is a well written novel about motherhood that really tackles issues that many new moms face. And while I certainly appreciated and understood our MC I wanted a little bit more from this book. I feel like it wasn't as thrilling as I thought it would (or could) be.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.


I had mixed feelings about this novel. I do understand that it is a work of fiction, and that the story is extreme, but it all just does not sit right with me. Natalie, the main, character, deals with post partum depression ( post partum psychosis was also mentioned later, but I’m not sure if she was diagnosed with that), after the birth of her son, and it makes her an easy target. I guess I just don’t like the fact that her post partum struggles were what was used to make her an easy target. All I kept thinking was, “Someone help her!”, and that did not happen until the very end of the last chapter and the entire epilogue.
The author does share in her Author’s Note - at the end of the book - that she dealt with post partum depression after the birth of her oldest son, and that many of Natalie’s symptoms came from her own experience. To me, even with the epilogue, and the author note, it just felt like too little too late.

Let me start this review off by saying that I LOVED Nora Murphy's debut, The Favor. One of my favorite books of 2022, and I still think about it. While I did really enjoy The New Mother, it isn't my new favorite. I think when you have such a strong debut, it's really hard to keep that same energy going into a second book so soon after the first is published. Not to say that this is a bad book, by any means, it's just not as good as her debut- in my opinion.

I will say, though, this book taught me a lot about motherhood that I knew nothing about. I'm not a mother myself, so this really helped me get this very real and honest picture in my head about what new motherhood looks like. And, quite frankly, it's terrifying. I gotta say it probably further solidified my choice to not have kids. That being said- it's one of the first thriller books that I've read that focused so heavily and realistically on motherhood and I know there's so many women out there who will find themselves relating to it.

This wasn't much of a fast paced thriller, if you could even call it a thriller, it was definitely more of a slow burn read. I really did enjoy it- but the mystery within just felt overshadowed by the constant reminders that Natalie's a new, struggling mom. If that makes any kind of sense.

It's probably a 5 star for a lot of readers, particularly moms who will find it more relatable, but for me it wasn't. Will I still continue to read this author? Absolutely. She's a fantastic writer, and I'm looking forward to her 3rd novel.

Thank you so much, Netgalley & SMP Influencers for my gifted galley in exchange for my honest review.

This one brought me BACK. 9 years ago I had my first newborn. Wow does your life change. Sleepless nights, endless feedings, you have really no idea what you’re doing. I connected with Nat instantly in that respect.

Weeks go by and she doesn’t feel like herself. Time is escaping her. She’s not sleeping. Enter neighbor Paul. He’s a stay at home dad who helps show her the ropes. Seems he has good intentions but does he????

I gave this a 4 but it could be a 4.5. It kept me reading and I couldn’t wait to see how it wrapped up.

Natalie is struggling with being a mom. She loves her son - of course she does - but she is having trouble doing it all. She fails at getting her son to sleep. She fails at getting herself to sleep. She fails at going back to work. She just needs some help.

Paul, her neighbor from down the street, notices that she needs help. And she's in luck because Paul is great with babies, him being a stay-at-home father himself. But is Paul helping out of the kindness of his heart? Or will he want something in return?

Okay, let me start by saying that the descriptions of Natalie's postpartum episodes were so vivid that I actually felt them. I'm childless, yet I felt it all... her aches, her psychosis, her absolute desperation. There were times where I actually had to put the book down & walk away because I was getting so anxious. Now, that is GOOD writing. The author's note explains that parts of this story were inspired by her own struggles, and I think it's incredibly brave and important to put that out there. I don't think anyone could have written this as well as Nora did without having gone through it themselves.

I was invested in the story the entire time. I couldn't figure out Paul's angle at first, and then it was a mad dash to the end to see what was going to happen. I wouldn't say this was a thriller; it was more of a suspense novel, which was fine by me.

My only issue with the book was that no one in her life realized that Natalie had postpartum depression. That just didn't seem plausible to me in this day and age. But, other than that, this was a solid sophomore novel by Nora Murphy! Excuse me while I go add her to the auto-buy list.

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley for my review copy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Publishing: May 30, 2023
Series: N/A
Pages: 400

This is a first time read by Nora Murphy, new author to this reader. This book was a well-written story, developed characters who were at times were unlikeable people and a dual POV that gave me mixed feelings on the story. Struggling with new motherhood, Natalie'vacations from her job to care for her son, Oliver. She soon forms a friendship with the neighbor who has sinister intentions as he befriends her. There is suspense, twists and turns, and too much emphasis on postpartum depression in this fictional thriller and comes and fades in certain areas of this fast-paced novel. The killer is revealed early on, however the story doesn’t pick up past until midway of the book. It was a bit difficult to believe that a new mother would open her home to a married man, let alone leave her new bay with him…totally unthinkable.

This has been a first time read on motherhood in a thriller and I thought it was good. There are feelings of anger, fear, empathy, however the story made the main character out to be a victim when I think she placed herself in harms way…something that could have been avoided. A good slow-burn story.