This book was captivating from page 1. I love when I immediately click with a book and it doesn’t take time to get going. Murphy writes from experience (as per the author’s note) about what a terrifying, all consuming, life changing thing new motherhood can be. Without getting into spoilers, this book addresses some hard topics that may be triggering for some people. (Pregnancy, childbirth and mental illness among others). As someone who struggled after giving birth, I can relate so hard to parts of this book. It is definitely a thriller and there are many moments where I thought I knew what was happening. But I was so wrong. I loved the twists and turns and the tension Murphy built within this story. I read this in less than a day. It was that good.

I would not call this a thriller or mystery. It's just straight fiction and very straightforward. There are no twists and turns. The pace is languid for what the story is all about. Paul's character is odd and not very smart. His character doesn't seem to be fully developed. There is no background to Paul. The detective in this story was so easily misled that it is not believable in real life. What is real and what I love about this book is Natalie. Nora Murphy captured the new mother's life in a very accurate and picturesque way. A new mother's struggle is complex and cannot easily be identified if something is wrong or if that's just the tiredness of having a baby.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This domestic thriller touches on the real and raw reality of PPD and post partum psychosis, while also jumping into betrayal, deception and murder. I found absolutely none of the characters to be likable, however that didn’t take from my enjoyment in the story. Solid 4 stars!

I don't even know where to start, I LOVED this one SO much! It reminded me of The Push, which was one of my Fave books for 2021. This was such a fast paced page turner, it left me wanting more! This was my first Nora Murphy book and won't be my last.

I related to Natalie in so many ways. I had 3 babies in 3.5 years, Motherhood was messy, a blur and full of self doubt in the early days.

This is going to leave me with a book HANGOVER. I loved this one SO dang much! BRAVO Nora! If I could give it 100 STARS .... I would.

This one was just alright for me. I liked the plot and the writing. The main character was not very likeable. I found this book to be literally 90% the main character complaining about her life and baby, 3% the actual murder and 7% solving the murder.
It was rather anticlimactic. I enjoyed the read as the author clearly has writing skills and it flowed. It was just a little slow in action for my liking.

Natalie and her husband Tyler have just moved into a beautiful house in a new neighborhood. Soon after, she has her son, Oliver. Oliver has not been the easiest baby. He cries all the time and won't sleep for very long. Natalie is struggling at being a new mom. She is exhausted! Her husband, Tyler, has tried to help her many times, but she won't let him. She meets her neighbor, Paul, who is a stay at home dad and has a ten year old daughter. He offers her help and assistance. They become fast friends, but is Paul really wanting to help her or does he have his own hidden agenda?

THE NEW MOTHER was everything I love in a book. It was engaging and relatable. This story brought back memories of when my two children were babies and that being a new mom is not easy. I felt bad for Natalie as she struggled and then got herself into such a situation. I loved Nora Murphy's debut THE FAVOR and I thought this book was just as good. Her writing is just so good, I found myself lost in the pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

The New Mother was an easy to read book with short chapters and a main character who many of us can probably identify with. . I felt able to relate to the main character as she struggled through sleepless nights and long days with her newborn son.

The book itself started very strong and held my interest. I was a little disappointed when the book was winding down, only because I felt nothing exciting was happening. The epilogue was good, but it needed a little more action or at least one jaw dropping scene. Despite not getting the ending I had hoped for, I truly enjoyed the writing style of the author. The book flowed well, the dialogue was good, and the plot was unique. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I especially liked the note from the author at the end. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC.

This is Nora Murphy’s 2nd book and I enjoyed this even more than her first book, which I also loved. Natalie is a new mom who suffers from postpartum depression. She and her husband moved into a new neighborhood where she meets Paul. The twists and turns are fantastic and had me guessing till the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be released May 2023.

Book: The New Mother
Author: Nora Murphy
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: May 30, 2023

This was a mediocre read. I think most mothers have felt the way that Natalie has felt and it was very relatable. But chapter after chapter it was the same thing over and over. It really takes a deep dive into postpartum and the feelings that come along with a new baby. Honestly I think it was depressing. That said the author definitely put a spin on it and the next door neighbor took advantage of her baby blues. It’s a fast easy read but there are no twists here. It’s easy to see what’s coming.

Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is May 30, 2023.

If being a new mother wasn’t hard enough..

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book. It started off as another new mother struggling with her new reality. It quickly turned into something else and I was here for it! The ending was somewhat predictable but it didn’t take away from the rollercoaster ride.

Natalie is having a tough time after moving into a new house and having a new baby, Oliver. Tired, lonely, and frustrated she welcomes the friendship her neighbor Paul. Paul gives Natalie the support she is desperate for. She feels like she can finally rest. But Paul is not what he seems. He has a plan and that plan involves Natalie.

The New Mother is available May 30,2023.

Thank you netgalley and stmartinspress for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was so nice and creepy and anxiety inducing. It was so stressful seeing what was actually happening in the mind of a sociopath while our main character was tricked and deceived at every turn.

Four stars! Some of this felt familiar to me but the rest of the story was full of details and a glimpse into the mom’s world of postpartum depression and anxiety. That was an impressive amount of dialogue and action around a new mom. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for the purposes of this review.

"The New Mother" presents a believable protagonist with a propulsive story line. Recommended for fans of domestic fiction and mystery/suspense. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

So, I am kinda freaking out over here.

Its Nora Murphy's SECOND book and I am literally elated to have been chosen to read and review early. Um HELLO!! Can you hear me screaming over there?

Saturday was a big day in my house. Having to co-habitate with a die hard NY Giants fan, I knew I was in for a really long day. Shop-Rite, prep, cook, entertain.... all while wearing ear plugs to drown out the screams.

"GO GO GO GO GO !!"
"STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!!!"
WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!

So, after all the excitement, and through my husbands wallowing tears, I finally went through all my e-mails, and there it was. My very own Christmas morning in the shape of a netgalley approval email. Cue the book gods, my appreciation was radiating through my unwashed game day pores.

Well, It was pretty late, the game just ended, and I was exhausted. I tried to give myself the pep talk...

"Don't start now, you will be exhausted tomorrow"

Do you think I listened to my inner good girl? Nope.

Needless to say, I spent Sunday morning sleeping off my book hangover. It was totally worth it.

Nora Murphy broke the internet with her debut novel, The Favor. After having read The Favor, I became an instant fan. Who is this little lady, and where did she come from? All I knew was, I wanted more.

Ask, and you shall receive.

Nora Murphy's second novel, The New Mother, delivers. If anything she is just getting spicier. This book is jam packed with suspense and a side cart of deceit. The entire time I was reading I kept saying to myself " I would love for this to be made into a movie, God, I hope they dont ruin it"

This story is truly original, I have never read anything like it. I was in constant suspense and held my breath through 99.9 percent of this book. There was no way I was anticipating the twist. I was truly shell shocked and left in awe with my jaw on the floor.

There was no debate on whether or not I had become a fan of Murphy when I read The Favor, now after reading her second book, The New Mother, I can say that Murphy has become an auto-buy author for me.

You do not want to miss this one! Due out May 30th, this book is definitely worthy of a pre-order.

Teaser :

Isolated. Lonely. Tired. It's hard being The New Mother. Sometimes it's murder.

Nothing is simple about being a new mom alone in a new house, especially when your baby is collicky. Natalie Fanning loves her son unconditionally, but being a mother was not all she wanted to be.

Enter Paul, the neighbor.

Paul provides the lifeline she needs in what feels like the most desperate of times. When Paul is helping with Oliver, calmed by his reassuring, steady presence, Nat feels like she can finally rest.

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?

Nora Murphy’s New Mother scared the living daylights out of me! This is not a horror novel! This is most honest and realistic fiction I’ve lately read about a woman’s struggling to be the best mother to her child! You may ask: what’s so terrifying about it? It sounds like a self exploratory, emotional bounding story! No, it isn’t!

Natalie Fanning might be one of the best portrayed characters I truly empathize with. She’s lonely, isolated, helpless, sleep deprived, exhausted, depressed, trapped in her new house with her new born, doing everything she can to keep him safe, well- fed, loved.

But what about her needs? She’d graduated summa cum laude from college and then law school. She’d passed the bar exam. She’d been promoted to senior associate at my firm and had negotiated hundreds of commercial contracts over the course of seven years of practice. But really gut now she barely fastens a baby wrap.

The author puts emphasis on the dark side of C-section by giving detailed examples about Natalie’s daily struggles like witch hazel pads she’d need for her hemorrhoids; the magical ice packs; the diaper-like sanitary napkins; the billowing, hospital-issue underwear; the sit bath and squirt bottle. She’s dealing with third degree tear!

She’s physically and psychologically in pain! She cannot sleep. She has to endure strict diet rules for her baby’s health issues! She’s just like ghost version of herself lurking around in her house! You can hear her inner screams at each page!

Unfortunately nobody understands why she’s struggling so much. Her husband thinks something wrong with her. Sabbatical is the best solution he could present! But what if Natalie wants to work and get the promotion she highly deserved instead of sending him work and taking care of her son all day alone as she slowly loses her mind! She’d been isolating herself in her spiral of confusion and sleeplessness, of swinging moods and irrational thoughts, of missing hours and panic attacks.

Her only friend Elaine is also pregnant, counting the days, burying her head into her own world. She cannot help her!

Her mother passed away. Her old father lives in his own world. He cannot be helpful, either.

Thankfully her neighbor Paul Riley who is stay at home/ writer dad provides the emotional support she needs. She’s taking care of her baby to give her enough time for resting, cooking her muffins, giving her special gifts for the baby. He’s godsend! Is he really?

When we read Paul’s POV, we sense something is truly off with him. First of all he was having a affair with the married woman who recently moved from the same house Natalie is living. He has special plans for Natalie. Do you want to know what his devious plans are? Keep in reading!

This is absolutely slow burn thriller. There’s no big twist. There’s no big mystery. You may sense Paul’s intentions from the beginning. But I truly loved Natalie’s voice: her loneliness, her silent cries and screams easily made me connect with her.

The lack of suspicion, slow pacing made me a little anxious but the characterization was perfection! So I decided to give four stars!
It’s effective, realistic, thought provoking story perfectly questions of motherhood and how far a mother can go to protect her child.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this stunning digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

The New Mother
by Nora Murphy
Isolated. Lonely. Tired. It's hard being The New Mother. Sometimes it's murder.
Nothing is simple about being a new mom alone in a new house, especially when your baby is colicky. Natalie Fanning loves her son unconditionally, but being a mother was not all she wanted to be.
Enter Paul, the neighbor.
Paul provides the lifeline she needs in what feels like the most desperate of times. When Paul is helping Oliver, calmed by his reassuring, steady presence, Nat feels like she can finally rest.
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?

Wow, this was a wonderfully written book. I steamed rolled thru this one. Natalie was in serious need of help from someone after birth. She went weeks without sleep, and felt alone, even with a husband willing to help. It was true she had postpartum depression.
I felt for her, as she came more deeply dependent on Paul, the very helpful neighbor to help her with baby Oliver. Until he stopped helping. Of course, I felt the red flags, but wow, it was so much .
I loved the book and it was easy to relate to Natalie.

𝑨𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒉𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆, 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑨𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕. 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔, 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒎 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕. 𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒘𝒂𝒔, 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚, 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕. 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕.

After loving THE FAVOR, I couldn't wait to get my hands on her sophomore release, and THE NEW MOTHER did not disappoint!

My children will be 32 and 22 this year, so I haven't been a new mother for quite awhile, but I do remember thinking I was doing everything wrong. When my child cried, he hated me. When I couldn't comfort him, I was a failure. I was lonely, I was isolated, and accepting help meant you were less than, because working mothers were supposed to be able to have it all.

Natalie has just given birth to her son Oliver, and she's struggling. Part one is a deep dive into post-partum depression, and to be frank, it's stark, it's bleak, but it's a brilliantly insightful foray into the days, weeks, and even months after giving birth. Oliver is a difficult baby who rarely sleeps, and she's sleep deprived, she's losing chunks of time, and worst of all, when she returns to work at her law firm, she's making critical mistakes. She returns home for an extended sabbatical and finds herself isolated and resentful of her husband, who has just made partner at his law firm. Mourning the career that could have been hers, she finds solace in a kindly neighbor, Paul.

To Natalie, Paul is gentle, welcoming, and an apparent baby whisperer as he soothes Oliver in a way that Natalie can't. Their friendship blossoms, and Natalie finds herself looking forward to Paul's visits, and she begins to reciprocate by showing up at his house. What she doesn't know about Paul is that he's been completely emasculated by his wife, the sole breadwinner, and that he harbors deep resentment toward her. When Natalie is at her most vulnerable and in most need of a friend, Paul graciously steps up to provide what she so desperately needs. Unfortunately, Paul wants something from Natalie in return.

I was completely immersed in this story until the shocking ending, and that final sentence just stopped me in my tracks. A searing, blistering portrayal of the dark side of motherhood that you don't want to miss. THENEW MOTHER will publish May 30, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my early copy.

A couple brings their new baby home. The husband goes to work…the mom works also. Enter a neighbor. What ensues is mysterious and intriguing. The characters are so lifelike…this would make a good television show. This author is that writing a cannot put down novel. Actually, this fiction reads like nonfiction, at times. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Enjoy an afternoon with this quick read.