I hear a voice speaking to my child...'Your mother doesn't love you'...

I thoroughly enjoyed Rosie Walker's first two thrillers "The Serial Killer's Secret" and "The House Fire" , both of which were phenomenal! So I had high expectations for this one. It didn't disappoint, on the whole, but the ending lacked a little in execution. And left me with a few questions (something of a pet peeve of mine as I like things to be neatly tied up). Don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic story and at times it was decidedly creepy. I still really enjoyed it for the most part.

An addictive thriller with a solid storyline, and coming off the backs of the author's first two, I was excited to dive into this domestic thriller extraordinaire. But her previous two were a lot darker than this one taking instead a domestic approach with creepy messages and a ton of gaslighting. The question is...who is behind it all?

Miriam and Jeremy's family is now complete with 5 year old Liv and now newborn baby Samuel to add to the fold. Ever since they discovered Miriam was pregnant, they have worked hard at preparing little Liv for the new addition reiterating that she will be a big sister to her new baby brother. But from the moment they come home, their perfectly curated plan (and lives) fall to pieces. Liv refuses to have anything to do with the baby insisting she didn't want him and asking when were his real mummy and daddy coming to get him. It broke Miriam's heart to see her daughter reject her little brother and the confusing emotions she must be feeling about his sudden appearance. She has been an only child for five years, has had her parents' sole attention for all of that time. Suddenly there is a new baby that will inevitably take their attention away from her...and she doesn't like it one bit.

But it's as Miriam closes the bedroom door to Liv's room on the way out that she hears a disembodied voice whisper to her daughter "She's lying. Your mother doesn't love you."

Miriam is furious. Who is talking to her daughter and filling her head with lies? A quick glance around the nursery and her eyes fall on the new WiFi baby monitor. Could that be the culprit? Is someone watching her every move and speaking to Liv that way? But when she tries to voice her concerns to Jeremy he doesn't believe her. He immediately thinks she is imagining things, it's an auditory hallucination brought on by Samuel's birth and a pre-cursor to post partum psychosis, which she suffered badly after Liv's birth.

So what does Jeremy do? He gathers her friends, her mum and himself and has her sent to a "retreat" but basically it is a private mental health facility, for two weeks. During that time Liv refuses to join in the daily video calls and visits. The one time she does visit she punches Miriam in the face then insists "Can we visit my other mummy now?" Miriam feels the sting of rejection not only from Liv but also Samuel who she has ached to breastfeed since admission to the facility but when she unbuttons her blouse Samuel rejects her too. Jeremy, in his stupid wisdom, gave him a bottle of formula before coming into the visiting room. Why would he do that? He knows Miriam wanted to breastfeed him. And he organised for a state of the art breast pump to be supplied so she could express every day and freeze her milk which would later be delivered to Jeremy to feed him with. And he feeds him formula? I could slap that guy from the very first moment for his stupid behaviour.

When Miriam is finally discharged, she returns home to find that she is under continued surveillance. Hidden cameras everywhere. Her house has suddenly become a smart home which she has no control over. The only consolation is that Jeremy had disposed of the baby monitor and now she has a cheaper non-WiFi model so that no one can hack in and whisper lies to her little girl. Miriam doesn't know who to trust or who to confide in? Who is watching her? And why? What do they want?

There is so much going on in this story, some of which you will have to suspend belief while others will leave you scratching your head. Both Jeremy and Miriam were clueless and failed to talk to each other. He automatically dismisses her claims as being part of a psychosis and rejects anything she has to say without actually listening to her. Miriam wasn't much better but at least she was better than Jeremy and Liv put together. That child was like the devil incarnate. She made my blood boil behaving like a spoilt princess. I'm the oldest in my family and I was excited about my baby brother's arrival. I certainly didn't behave like that.

And then there is the gaslighting. That is on a whole other level. It sometimes makes for uncomfortable reading because you sympathise with Miriam as no one is listening to her, which then leaves her questioning herself and her own sanity.

I knew who was behind it almost from the start. But then when the ending came it left things a little confusing. Who was actually to blame? We are given a couple of suspects at the end but it's not really clear which of them was actually the guilty party.

POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD
[(view spoiler) And there was the whole hidden network thing. Miriam was told that whoever set it up knew exactly what they were doing and it was beyond her husband's and her friend's expertise. So the two suspects we are given, how did they have the nous to set up an entire hidden network and then remove it with barely a trace? It doesn't make any sense. It would make a little more sense for one of them but I still question their actual knowledge when others had a lot more. (hide spoiler)]

I really couldn't get my head around that and it's for this reason I had to knock off a star. Throughout the entire book it was five stars all the way...until I got to the end.

Misgivings aside, this was a taut tense and thrilling read. I devoured the entire book in one day. It is compelling addicive and wholly entertaining.

I would like to thank #RosieWalker, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBabyMonitor in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Miriam and Jeremy come home with their new baby Samuel. Liv their five year old daughter is not interested in looking at or becoming a big sister at all. Liv is a brat and is saying off the wall things for a five year old to know, much less to say out loud. Miriam is hearing voices and becoming paranoid about everything. She is sent off to mental health facility by Jeremy.
The book starts off with so much potential but unfortunately fell very flat for me. I didn’t have any interest or connection with anyone in the book. Liv’s tantrums were just over the top for what a five year old would even know. What five year old says, “I’m the boss of my body”.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a chance to read this. Sorry it wasn’t my thing but everyone has different taste.

This book had me hooked from the start, all the feelings of postpartum to sibling feelings towards a new baby hit home for me. This story kept me on my toes the whole time and every time I thought I figured it out, I DID NOT!!
Great read with twist after twist

I literally could not put this book down. I read it from start to finish in one sitting… I found myself constantly checking my on baby monitor, thinking someone was on the other end..

The description of The Baby Monitor had me hooked and once I started the book I could not put it down. It had so many twists and turns that I just could not work out who was behind it all and what a fantastic ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC. I absolutely devoured this one.

The novel starts with a Baby Monitor whispering bad things over the monitor. Is Miriam hearing things, is it possessed or is something else going on?

This novel takes you down into the depths of Miriam’s terror. You have no idea who she can trust, or what is going on. Miriam fights for her daughter and fights for her sanity which makes her an excellent central character. She really wants to get better even though she is not 100 percent sure that she really is unwell.

I suspected everyone at different times, and unusually for me my money was on the wrong person. For me this makes it a 4 star read as usually I can guess who it is fairly quickly.

Curl up with this one and go through Miriam’s drama in one sitting, as I guarantee it, you wont be able to put it down.

My heart was pounding right from the beginning! The thought of someone watching/listening via a baby monitor is terrifying. My immediate reaction was that new parents should not read this book as the premise is waaaay too scary. But, upon reflection, I wonder if it might, in fact, be a good idea - it might help them consider taking precautions against possible/potential hackers. This was a quick, one day read.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Rosie Walker for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I will attach this review shortly and link to my book page..
I originally attached the wrong review

I’m so sorry but I have to DNF this book. It’s too frustrating. I cannot suspend my belief that a mother would hear someone say horrible things to their child through the baby monitor and then just turn away to think it over? Even if she thought she heard things or it was her husband joking go in and talk to child?!? I’m sure this novel has great twists and probably some amazing commentary on postpartum life and probably touches on motherhood mental health too, I just can’t get over how ‘lazy’ the set up feels. I understand that the author has made a deliberate choice to sky rocket into the thriller so barged her way through the set up of an eerie voice on the baby monitor but I couldn’t handle it.

Who is watching Mim? Who wants her children? Who’s talking to her daughter through the baby monitor? Most importantly, who can Mim trust? Someone wants her gone and wants to take her place. Or is she crazy and imagining it all?

Thank you NetGalley for yet another AMAZING read! The Baby Monitor by Rosie Walker was a thrill ride from page one through the last page. I felt like I had to take breaks to catch my breath reading this one! As far as constant thrills and shocking moments, this one wins the prize! This is not just a thriller but touches on topics such as parenthood, relations, trust, and the lengths we will go to for the ones we love.

Well written plot, great characters, and when they say you will keep turning the pages well into the night, this one is telling the truth! A must addition to your TBR list!

Due out on 2/01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and some extra 🌟🌟🌟

#TheBabyMonitor
#RosieWalker
#NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and Rosie Walker for letting me read and review this AMAZINGLY perfect thriller. This was hands down my favorite book of the year (This was number 7 for me). It had me hooked from the first line and I read it in 24 hours (only taking a break to sleep). It gets a perfect 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very interesting. I was hooked right from. The start and I enjoyed reading it and trying to guess the twists and turns

This was my first book from this author. It was a pretty quick read and I enjoyed the twists but felt like the ending could have given me a bit more!

Putting Liv to bed and Miriam hears the words “your mother doesn’t love you” - did she hear it or is it exhaustion from just having Samuel?

After suffering from post natal depression when she first had Liv, her husband worries it’s happening again, the signs are starting, she’s questioning someone hacking into the baby monitor, talking to Liv. Then she gets even more paranoid when Olivia says she wants to see her other mummy - is Jeremy having an affair?

This book had me on the edge of my seat, with Gone Girl vibes that keeps you turning those pages. The twists towards the end are thrilling and have you thinking over every part of the story so far! My first 5 star read of the year.

I couldn’t devour this book fast enough!! Something about that new mother trope… is she just having a hard time coping with parenting two instead of one or is she truly losing her grip on reality?! Well written characters who you feel as if you know invite you into their world as we watch Miriam struggle to find her new normal after the birth of her second child. Is someone out to ruin her life or has she slipped over the edge into insanity? I couldn’t put this book down!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was my first Rosie Walker book and it will not be my last. I read this book in record time. Lately most books I have been reading are taking me a while to get through, not this one. I couldn't put it down.

I thought I had it all figured out and then BAM there was a complete twist. I definitely recommend picking this book up. You will not be disappointed.






#TheBabyMonitor #NetGalley

I cannot say I was a fan of this book. As I read it, I got frustrated. The story is about a woman who has some mental issues and she just had a baby. She feels like someone is talking to her daughter through the baby monitor. When she tells her husband about this, he dismisses it and doesn’t listen to her. The story evolves from there basically about how she can’t trust her husband and she feels like he is against her. I don’t feel like the relationship between the husband and the wife was very deep in the book. In a real marriage, I feel there would be more communication, so it made the storyline a little far-fetched. It was a quick read, so I was thankful for that. I didn’t care for the ending. I thought it was a little too extra.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Bookouture for an early release of this book in exchange for my honest review. Publication date February 1, 2024.

This one started slow for me, and I found myself choosing to do other things than pick it up and read. When I realized how long it was taking and what slump I was in, I decided to set aside time and push through to 50%, if it hadn't picked up, I was going to give up. Well, I am so glad I made that decision! Once I sat down and focused, I was hooked. I stayed up far past my bedtime to see what all of these unreliable characters were up to. So many times, I wanted to shake Miriam and scream at her for her dumb decisions. I suspected everyone of being guilty at one point or another but was still blown away by the end twist. This was a very enjoyable read, and I will definitely check out more by Rosie Walker in the future!

Thank you again to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book.

"The Baby Monitor" by Rosie Walker was a fast paced story that made you want to keep reading. This story hooked me from the first page to the very last page. There were so many twists and turns that kept you guessing.
Miriam just had her second child. While trying to figure out how to balance her daughter and her newborn she notices that things around her house are not like they were before she went to the hospital. Her husband was afraid that she might suffer from postnatal depression and was imagining things. As time goes by Miriam notices more and more things that just don't seem right. As she dives deeper into what she is seeing she starts to believe that she is not safe from anyone. What she finds out just might break her.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good psychological thriller. This book will have you wanting more, and not wanting to put it down.

The Baby Monitor sucked me in from the beginning! I loved the themes throughout the book. They were so relatable as a woman and a mother. I loved the short chapters and how there was literally a cliffhanger at the end of very chapter. I did not want to put it down! As the story progressed I thought I had everything figured out and boy was I wrong! I look forward to more reads by this author.