OK!!! This was a slow burn that lead to a GREAT ending.
I loved this so much. I thought the story was fresh, the characters were so sketch in such a good way.
I cannot wait for more from Murphy!!

The New Mother was a fast read and one that will keep you engaged till the end. The story of a new mother who is overwhelmed by her new baby is one that most mothers will recognize. Natalie finds herself alone in a new home with a new baby that is anything but easy to attend to. Her beautiful Oliver cries and is difficult to care for . Oliver only sleeps when he is being held...and Natalie can not sleep for fear of not being there when he needs her. Enter a friendly neighbor who is a stay at home dad with a child of his own. What a blessing this can be as the new neighbor (Paul) turns into someone she can trust and gives her a chance to rest while he tends to her baby. His child is now 10 and he has been through it all...so he says. What occurs take the reader on a wild ride. I found myself rooting for Natalie and I know you will too.... This book will also bring to light a dangerous situation that sometimes occurs after childbirth and is sometimes overlooked. Entertaining and enlightening..enjoy this story.

This one sucked me in from the first page. Maybe it’s because I relayed SO HARD to the depictions of life as a sleep-deprived breastfeeding mother to a colicky newborn. It’s been years since that was me, but it’s something you never forget.

Then there’s the murder, and the psychotic neighbor attempting to take advantage of the poor mother’s fragile state. Fortunately, that wasn’t as relatable but it sure made for a wild ride of a story!

*Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Prominent lawyers and the ultimate power-couple, Natalie and her husband move to a typical suburban neighborhood to have additional room when their baby, Oliver, arrives. Quickly, Natalie realizes that she can’t juggle being pregnant and being a practicing lawyer at the same time, so the couple agree that Natalie will take an extended maternity leave. Oliver is a difficult, fussy, colicky baby, and Natalie thinks that she is in over her head.

She begins to rely on Paul, their neighbor, as he seems to have the magic touch with Oliver and can get him to stop crying seemingly as if by magic. As Oliver starts to adapt to life outside the womb, Paul continues to insert himself in their lives…and Natalie lets and even invites him in.

Until one day, when Paul gives her the coldshoulder and then his wife is found murdered. Then, it’s as if someone flipped the lights on during a movie. First, shock and confusion. Then, rage.

I liked the plot line in this book. And I really like the ominous cover. I was occasionally annoyed with Natalie because at times the writing regarding her current mental state and feelings about Oliver was repetitious, but the point of that was to impress upon the reader the extent of the Post-Partum Depression and psychosis. I enjoyed the author’s description of Paul and his chameleon like qualities, lurking beneath the surface. A wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing – and Nora nailed that!

Pub date: 5/30/23
Genre: domestic suspense/thriller
Quick summary: Natalie is finding new motherhood (and sleep) impossible, so she starts to lean on her neighbor Paul. But Paul's motivations aren't entirely pure...

Nora Murphy's THE FAVOR was one of my fave thrillers of 2022, and she has plenty of tricks up her sleeve in THE NEW MOTHER. I love when an author makes you think you know exactly what's going to happen - and then completely pulls the rug out from under you. Yes, I am still terrible at guessing twists - but that's the fun of reading thrillers/domestic suspense.

This is a 4 star rather than a 5 star for me because it's a slow burn to start, and it took me a bit to get invested. The description of postpartum depression/psychosis also felt graphic to me as a non-parent, so I wouldn't read this one if that's a trigger. Otherwise, I think this book will be popular among thriller lovers, and it's a book you can read in one day!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This pulled me in right from the beginning. It felt like it was something that could actually happen, and that drew me in and kept me hooked even more. This was definitely more of a slow burn, and I didn’t feel like there was much of a big twist, but I didn’t want to put it down.

This was a bit of a slow-burn type of book, but once it picked up it had me hooked. The cat and mouse game was incredibly well thought out and well planned, and I loved how the author dove into issues surrounding postpartum depression and psychosis. I liked how the main character was written, but I definitely wanted to smack her husband at a few points throughout the story. This was my first book by Nora Murphy but it certainly won't be my last.

The New Mother starts out with Natalie, who recently gave birth to son Oliver a few days prior. After leaving the hospital and trying to settle into new motherhood, Natalie begins to have an extremely difficult time. Oliver is very colicky, having trouble with breastfeeding, and only sleeping no more than 2 hours at a time. The emotions and experiences Natalie faces are palpable and terrifying. She also pushes her husband Tyler away because she feels he is not listening and just doesn’t understand what she is really going through. Is this all in her head?
She then meets neighbor Paul. He seems to be relatable being a stay at home dad, experienced in new parenthood and the difficulties, and seems to have the magic touch in soothing Oliver’s constant crying. What Natalie doesn’t know is that Paul has his own agenda and a plan mapped out on how Natalie will repay him for his kindness. This was a slow burn thriller and a 4* read. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the E-Arc and the chance to review it!

The tension in this new thriller will make you crack your teeth from gritting. Natalie Fanning has entered motherhood with a less-than-optimistic attitude. The hardest change to accept is her lackluster job performance, which requires her to go on a sabbatical. She’s tired of breastfeeding and suffers from lack of sleep, her husband tries to help except HE got to keep HIS job. She’s so confused she mistakenly returns to their old house after a doctor’s appointment, only to terrify the new tenant.
She hasn’t been crazy about the new home since they moved in. It doesn’t feel cozy, and the neighbors aren’t as friendly. Except for the one stay-at-home dad, Paul. Their relationship seems platonic, but there’s an undertone of something that’s not healthy. Is one infatuated with the other? Does one have nefarious reasons for the friendship? Told from the two points of view, the weaving plot and subtle hints add to the tension. This is one of those fun thrillers you stay up reading, it’s a welcome break from the boring monotony of our real life.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is May 30, 2023.

Nora Murphy has a way with characters!! I started out thinking that I didn't really like the book, but realized I couldn't put it down, so it wasn't the book I didn't like, it was the characters that I was didn't care for. The first few chapters really had me disliking everyone in the book except for poor baby Oliver and maybe I felt a little sorry for the husband, Tyler. However as got further along in the book I felt more understanding for Natalie and maybe even started to root for her. I think the book was so well written and had some great twists and turns but also tackled some real issues regarding motherhood. Thank you for the chance to read this ARC, I enjoyed it.

While I normally enjoy Nora Murphy books, I had some trouble with this one especially as it dealt with being a new mother and those really tough postpartum weeks/months. I personally experienced them so I just don’t think I was in the proper head space to read about it, plus I don’t like reading about that subject matter in general because it’s slightly triggering so I should have known better going in! :(

After loving Murphy's debut, THE FAVOR, last year I was so excited to read her next novel. It truly did not disappoint. The way Murphy writes psychological thrillers is entirely captivating from beginning to end, and this one had me feeling right back in it.

Throughout the book I tried figuring out the connections. After becoming a mother, Natalie is filled with many mixed emotions. Navigating motherhood and these emotions are not easy, and she befriends fellow neighbor and father, Paul. After finding comfort in their interactions, the lines start to blur for them both, but not in the way you would expect. I found myself eager to read more to figure out where the connection will go. Twist after twist the story developed in ways I did not see coming. Close to the end I did feel as though where it was going got obvious, but the details of it were still so well done and surprising that I didn't even mind.

This one might be a bit touchy for those who have experienced postpartum depression, but I do think it was overall handled with care. Murphy takes us through these emotions and the experience in detail, making the reader understand Natalie's mindset and this factors into our understanding of how the whole situation comes together.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for my gifted copies in exchange for an honest review!

This book had me hooked from the start!! I feel like Natalie is incredibly relatable to new moms. As a mom myself I would never allow a stranger that much access to my children so I was instantly skeptical of Paul. I really liked the twists in this book! I haven’t read anything from her before but I’ll be looking out for other books by her in the future! Trigger warning for anyone who has or is dealing with PPD. I’ve never personally experienced it but her approach to the topic I felt was informative. Look out for this book when it drops in May and add it to your TBR!

This book should be read by everyone who is having or hopes to have a baby including their close friends and family as it serves as a cautionary tale of how vulnerable new mothers can be. Predators are always looking for victims and new moms who suffer from postpartum depression and/or psychosis are ripe for manipulation and exploitation.

Natalie and Tyler are married professionals who are expecting their first baby and have just bought a new house. After the baby is born, Natalie is alone without a good support system. Her world starts to unravel.

But then she meets Paul, her neighbor. He swoops in like an angel to help her. But then his wife dies and Natalie is the prime suspect.

Murphy does a brilliant job of putting you in Natalie's shoes by allowing you to experience her feelings of isolation, abandonment, delusion, and helplessness. I'm not sure it's a thriller so much as a cautionary tale but I was intrigued from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Such a good read - I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Loved it!! I was thrilled to be chosen to read and review Nora’s book The New Mother before it’s release date. How I felt for this tired new mama trying to do it all, finding herself being manipulated by her “hero”/stay-at-home-dad neighbor. It’s a twisty read told by both points of view, which I really enjoyed. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but was very pleased.

I feel so many of us moms can relate to this book on different levels and love that it normalizes PPD for those that may not recognize the signs and symptoms as they’re going through it. Take care of yourself mamas! 😘

Natalie Fanning is struggling to adjust being a first time mother after sleepless nights and endless crying. Being away from work as a lawyer is making her question if she is fit for motherhood until she meets her neighbour, Paul. Paul is a stay at home dad and is naturally good at calming down her colicky baby. Natalie is happy to find a friendship in Paul as she can finally relax a little but Paul has his own motives for helping Natalie..

This book is listed as a domestic thriller and although it is a chilling read I found that the more important message was postpartum depression and Natalie’s honest and raw experience as being a new mother. If you go into this thinking it’s an intense thriller (although it gets intense at the end) you may be disappointed, but I loved this! I really empathized with Natalie and the psychological and physical pain she experienced after giving birth. It was gripping getting to deep dive into Natalie’s thoughts in her isolation. Very honest and raw (4 ⭐️)

The New Mother is a book full of emotion and twists. Natalie's character was written is such a raw, honest way that I immediately sympathized with her character. The first two parts to this book are a bit slow, but picks up in the second half of the book. The ending left me wanting more, and I would highly recommend this author. Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC!

I can’t say enough about The New Mother! This book was so good on so many levels.
Natalie Fanning is a new mom, in the throws of motherhood. In a desperate effort to breastfeed and be the best mom, she turns to a parent who has been through the same thing with his daughter. Paul has plans for Natalie, much like he did with the woman who lived in Natalie’s house before her.
This book is great insight into a new mom’s experience as well as a twisty thriller that I could not put down.
The New Mother comes out on May 28th, and it’s definitely worth the read!
5/5 ⭐️

I wish I could say I enjoyed this, but it just dragged on and on. The story doesn’t really get interesting until midpoint and by then I wasn’t very interested anymore.