This book spoke to me on many levels. I am a new mother - 2 months postpartum - and never have I related to a book character more in my life than I related to Natalie. Thankfully, my babe is a much better sleeper than Oliver and I am not struggling nearly as badly as she was but the way Nora Murphy portrays new motherhood in this book is so true.

I was very excited to get a copy of this after previously reading and loving The Favor. This is a story of a new mother (hence the title) who moves into a new neighborhood with her husband and VERY fussy baby. She begins to lose herself and at times her mind, and only seems to find comfort in one person - her neighbor Paul. This is a dark, neighborhood drama with not so much a who done it, but an are they going to get away with it suspense.

I stayed up way later than I should have after a nighttime feeding because I was so invested in the story and will confidently say Nora Murphy has become an auto read author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Natalie, our main character, is a struggling mom with a collicky newborn. She is having a lot of trouble adapting to motherhood and being a stay at home mom, as well as her husband being pretty absent and climbing the corporate ladder (which is something she also wanted to do)

I found that, for me, this one didn’t have a lot of depth and it left me wanting more. I also felt like the ending was extremely abrupt. It was excellent at showing the difficulties of being a new mom and not having “a village” to help you at the beginning and how that can affect every aspect of your life.

I would recommend that everyone check trigger warnings before reading this one!

I loved the author’s last book (it blew me away) so I thought I’d feel the same way about this, I didn’t. There was too much about her being a new mom (even though that’s what the title says) and I wanted to get to the story and the action.

M O N D A Y 🍷 Book Hangover: “The New Mother” by Nora Murphy is the PERFECT weekend binge read for fans of The Push, Little Disasters and Desperate Housewives💥

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Picture suburbia 🏡. Young families, pristine landscaping and neighbours who see and hear everything. Natalie and Tyler have moved to a cozy cul-de-sac to start their new journey as parents and welcome their new baby Oliver.

But being a new mother is HARD. No one can possibly prepare you for motherhood. Especially with a colicky baby. Natalie struggles as her husband goes back to work and she is left alone with the baby. The constant insomnia is making her have delusions, forget important things and have spiked paranoia.

One day on a walk, Oliver begins to have a melt down and Natalie is beside herself. She meets her neighbour Paul who happens to be a baby whisperer and she is so thankful for his ability to settle down her baby. A friendship begins to bud between the two of them, however they both need different things from one another. Is this newfound friendship genuine or something more sinister??

THIS BOOK 🤯!!! Still thinking about it gives me goosebumps all over and I will be thinking about this book for a long time! It is emotional, haunting, dark and compulsive! Everyone needs to read this!

Thank you kindly to @minotaur_books @macmillanusa @noramurphybooks @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This nail biter releases on May 30, 2023!!

I have mixed feelings about this book. The author writes well and her character development was well done even though often the characters weren’t very likable. The book is billed as a thriller, but I wouldn’t necessarily agree. The book didn’t really get rolling until it arrived at the halfway point. I realize it was necessary to paint a detailed picture of Natalie’s struggle with dealing with a difficult newborn, her mental health deterioration and her vulnerability to manipulation by an unscrupulous person, but the first half of the book felt overwhelming. There just wasn’t enough of the thriller aspects interspersed in the first half of the book to carry the overwhelming information dump. The second half of the book moves along at a quicker pace and holds your interest more. The author tackled the difficult and often not talked about postpartum issues that many women experience. Even though this is fiction, and some might say the portrayal was extreme, bringing awareness to these real issues is important.

I was fortunate to have access to a NetGalley copy of The New Mother and it was certainly something. Natalie Fanning is a new mother struggling to get through her days with her young son Oliver. She does not feel seen or understood by her husband and in time, she befriends one of her neighbors. Paul seems like the answer to Natalie’s problems and he works to help her adjust to her new situation in life. But does he have other motivations for his kindness?

I learned more than I wanted to know about breast feeding and it definitely put new motherhood in a slightly disturbing light. Although, the last line of the novel did make me chuckle. I will certainly check out Nora Murthy’s other books.

Not for me. I appreciate that the author put a disclaimer at the beginning. I was hesitant to read this one as the plot isn’t my usual cup of tea but I loved Nora Murphy’s other books. This book is broken down into Four Parts. I felt like parts 1 & 2 were courses on breastfeeding. Lots about post-partum depression as well.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and the author for an ARC of this book.

In this dual pov novel you meet, baby Olive, new parents Tyler and Natalie and Erin, Peter and Petra who are a somewhat disconnected and strained family.

Natalie is struggling. She begins to resent Oliver and Tyler and when work becomes too much for her, she takes a sabbatical from work to care for Oliver. Feeling lonely and isolated, she forms a friendship with her neighbour Paul. Paul is a confident stay at home dad and allows Natalie the break she needs.

But his intentions are quickly shown to be sinister.

I found this to be a fast paced novel, that kept my attention and I was curious to see how it ended. I was a little disappointed in the ending. It felt slightly rushed and quickly summarized. I was hoping for a bit more to wrap up the plot.

I connected with this novel as a mother, who can still recall the anxiety and stress newborns bring. The “rules”of motherhood. Breast feeding, using swings, sleep schedules, diapers. Opinions on what makes a “good mother?” Stressing about going back to work. The emotions that can sometimes be overwhelming and controlling. I think the author approached an important topic in a well thought out and honest manner.

Fictional story about postpartum depression with a thriller element coming in at the end. The author is a good writer and did an excellent job at describing how hard it can be to be a new mother. Natalie is a lawyer married to Tyler and the new mother of Oliver. Oliver is a difficult newborn, he cries constantly and only settles down when Natalie holds him and feeds him. Tyler tries to help but also fails to understand how exhausted and overwhelmed his wife has become. She tries to go back to work when Oliver is a few months old but finds it difficult to work when she has been up all night and she worries about her son being in day care.

The first three parts of this book are primarily about postpartum depression and while it is an important subject, the thriller part would have worked better if it were woven through the entire book. Natalie becomes friends with Paul a stay at home dad who seems to have the magic touch with Oliver and who provides some company for her when she is both exhausted and lonely. Honestly, I found it difficult to believe that Natalie would invite a married man into her home and leave him alone with her baby at times. Paul never came across as anything but smarmy and unlikable. Towards the end of the book a dead body is found in the woods near Natalie's house and she is considered a suspect. Can she come out of her baby fog to save herself?

The thriller part of the novel comes and goes pretty fast and there is little suspense as we already have been told who the killer is and can guess the ending. The author leaves a note at the end describing her own bout with postpartum and suggesting women and men provide support to new mothers. Great message and perhaps would have been better in a memoir. i do like the author's writing and I understand her goals in writing the book but it lacked a bit as a thriller. Thank You to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Wow! I’ve never read a book about the first days of motherhood that has so perfectly captured how I felt. The feelings of fear, failure, anger, sadness. Nora Murphy’s latest book The New Mother, is about Natalie. She has just had her first child and come home from the hospital with her husband. Right before they had the baby they moved to a new home so when they return there after the baby is born, Natalie is out of sorts. They haven’t quite gotten used to their new home and they don’t know any of the neighbors. Their son Oliver is very fussy and will only let Natalie take care of him. She is getting zero sleep and is falling apart. When her husband goes back to work, Natalie feels totally isolated.
One day on a neighborhood walk, she meets Paul, a stay at home dad who takes an interest in her. He seems to understand her feelings and is able to calm Oliver from his many bouts of screaming and crying. He assures Natalie that her forgetfulness, losing time, and other feelings are perfectly normal. What she doesn’t know is that he has an ulterior motive. In order to find out what that is you’ll have to read this book. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot.
I really enjoyed this book. It had of very claustrophobic feel to it. I wouldn’t really call this a mystery more of a domestic thriller. The ending seemed a little rushed to me. I would’ve liked more explanation or for it to be drawn out a little bit more. The first half of the book not much happens except setting up the characters. Overall, this was a very good read, and I will definitely read other books by the author. Thank you to Net Galley, and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I didnt hate this book but I also didn't love it. I felt that Natalie was made the victim and I didn't like it. Portraying a new mother as so easily manipulated didn't sit well with me. Also, the only person that realized she needed help was the detective....and of course Paul. The plot was good, definitely kept me turning pages. Then the ending was good until the last line of the book. Why? Why did the author do that?
I will look at other books by this author because the writing was good. This book and new mother storyline just wasn't a favorite. Thank you @netgalley for another opportunity to read this ARC

80% of this book is about post partum depression/psychosis yet its billed as a thriller. I feel like this author read "baby teeth" and "the push" and wanted to do something similar but it just wasn't executed well. I didnt find it thrilling at all.

I will start off by saying I really loved Nora Murphy's First book.
This one not so much. I could not stand the characters. I was bored within 25 pages and the pace never picked up. I gave up around 120 pages. it just was not working out for me

Natalie Fanning is a new mother with a challenging baby. Motherhood is not what she expected. Even when she does all the “right” things, her baby cries uncontrollably unless being held by her, and she quickly becomes sleep deprived and overwhelmed. When she meets a stay at home dad, Paul, in her new neighborhood, it seems she may have a found a friend and someone to provide the help she so desperately needs. Unfortunately, Paul has more sinister motives for the friendship.

The New Mother very accurately portrays the early weeks of motherhood with a challenging baby. In the writer’s note, the author mentioned hoping that mothers feel seen while reading this novel, and I think she certainly achieved this goal.

The New Mother was my introduction to Nora Murphy’s writing. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. There was enough relatable material woven in with a suspense narrative to keep me turning the pages till the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Wow! All I can say is WOW! This was a slow burn and very evisceral. If you've been a parent or a caregiver, you'll relate to this to the T. And there in lies the fear. This book is very plausible and wholly realistic. It's not a mystery but a solid suspense that ratchets up

Natalie had just given birth to her son Oliver. He wasn't an easy baby..he cried all the time. Natalie was determined to be the perfect mother though because that was what Oliver deserved. She was going to put his needs first before anyone elses..that's what a good mother does right? So as time goes on and poor Natalie loses sleep, forgets things and starts losing her mind she turns to a neighbor Paul for respite. He is very helpful with the baby Oliver.
However there is a murder in the neighborhood and the police are looking at Natalie as a suspect. Did she do it?
I liked this book as it was very engaging and exciting read.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press/minotaur books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
4 1/2 Stars

This is a domestic suspense novel, not a thriller. it had a very slow start, but did pick up about halfway through. it felt very predictable, nothing shocking or crazy happened.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with this novel. And since the narrative primarily is about post partum depression exacerbated by a colic infant, I won’t be offering my rendition of the story.

More than 60% of the novel focuses on a new mother’s bout with depression, sleepless nights, and a clingy infant. The never-ending loop of feed, attempt sleep, endless crying really got tiresome. It was even more exasperating as the protagonist enters the realm of martyrdom — not sacrificing anything to save herself and her sanity. The protagonist’s adamancy of not bottle feeding, because “good” mothers don’t bottle feed their babies, got pretty old, pretty quick. Yet, she continued to drink coffee while breastfeeding…

There were so many annoying things, but I stuck it out, hoping for a redeeming finale. That. Did. Not. Happen. At best, it was pretty predictable, but very abrupt. And I got the feeling that the author wanted to emmulate the writing of another author tht dealt with mental health issues. Sad to say that the execution didn’t meet my expectations. One and a half stars.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

The New Mother by Nora Murphy

We meet Natalie Fanning fresh from having her first baby and she's already on a downhill slope of misery. And she's not fresh, she's a body fluid-y, shapeless, mushy mess. Her mind is all in the wrong places, she hurts, she feels like a failure already, she has no idea what she is doing, what she is going to do, why she ever thought having a baby was a good idea. And she hates her husband, Tyler, he understands nothing, he gets to go on with his life, have a life, gets to escape from "baby life", her hatred of him grows by the minute. About body fluids, how can so much come out of one tiny body? Did I mention that Natalie is miserable?

Sorry, I can't help thinking I'm team Tyler but then I've never had a baby and although I do know the things a new mother can go through physically, mentally and emotionally, I don't want to read an entire book about those things which can seem like a minute by minute desertion on the crummy parts of giving birth and being a new mother. I thought I was going to read a thriller/mystery but that genre fits only a small part of the story. I do feel for Natalie even thought my review doesn't show it sufficiently but I would like other readers to know the book they are getting. That way they can opt out if they don't want a long read on the perils of giving birth and caring for a newborn.

Poor Natalie, because Tyler gets to go on with his life, for the most part, while Natalie feels like a baby has blown her life and body to smithereens, she doesn't even have Tyler to depend on. Actually she does have Tyler to depend on and he's doing what he can to help her but her resentment and hatred of him are so strong right now that there is absolutely nothing he can do right. Poor Tyler and poor baby, I worry about this baby that is around someone who is so unbalanced by the changes in her body and her life. If I sound like I'm repeating myself, that's just a small taste of what is going through Natalie's mind, over and over and over.

Enter neighbor, Paul, stay at home dad who understands exactly how Natalie feels. She is ripe for this new man in her life, one who gives her the exact sympathy, words, and actions that she wants and expects without having to explain anything to him. But Paul is not what he seems and Natalie is ripe for manipulation. Oh, the book starts by letting us know there has been a murder but then sidelines that plotline for most of the book. By then I'm tired of Natalie and it's not the book's fault exactly. If I had known the book spent so much time on the misery of having a baby I would have known it wasn't a book for me. I do think the author has written the book she wanted to write but I also think the book was mis-genred and that is a shame for the book because it pulls in an audience that isn't right for the story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

First, a huge thank you for allowing me the chance to read and review this book early. It is such a privilege and I appreciate it so much.

This book was truly chilling. As a mom of two, the postpartum scenes and emotions both in the hospital and the early days at home were so well written and relatable. The characters were well developed but at times I found myself wanting to know the other characters interpretation of things, especially the husbands. Overall a great read!