When Melissa Crawford sees a baby being mistreated, she knows she has to do something about it. She can’t let it happen again. Baby Gabriel is only four months old. He doesn’t deserve the amount of neglect he’s suffering at the hands of his parents, being shoved outside in his pram while they argue inside the house. They obviously don’t want him, treating him like that. She does, though, and she’s going to do them all a favor and take him. He’ll be better off with her, she tells herself. She will love him like his parents don’t. They will be happy.

Yet, starting their new life together doesn’t go as easily as she thought it would. A hit-and-run accident as Melissa tries to make her getaway with Gabriel may upgrade her from a kidnapper to a murderer. Fearful of what she’s done, she high tails it to the cabin she rented for them in the middle of nowhere, anxious to settle in and finally feel safe. But nothing is going as planned. She hasn’t even unpacked when an unexpected guest shows up, waving a gun. Going on the run again, she’s determined to get Gabriel to safety and start their new life. The cops are looking for her, but she doesn’t care. She has to keep going. If they catch her, they will send her to prison. They won’t understand that she’s just a loving grandmother protecting her grandson from her son and his horrible wife.

Riveting, tense, and horrifying at times, “Hush Little Baby” by J.A. Baker is a steady-paced, emotional exploration of the effects of domestic violence and trauma as seen through the character Melissa. As a child, Melissa watched the severe beatings her mother suffered at the hands of her father. She remembers living in silence as to avoid any noise or word that would trigger him. Even though he left while she was still small, the trauma she suffered was there for life, lurking in the shadows and waiting to reappear. It appears early in the novel when her temper nearly gets the best of her with a fussy baby Gabriel (she reminds you of her father), and it stays front and center as she runs from the police.

“Hush Little Baby” is told through Melissa’s first-person point-of-view (POV) in the present day and through her mother Nancy’s third-person POV in 1970 when Melissa was a little girl. It’s a little confusing at first, because it’s not clear who Nancy is and why she’s part of the story. But once it’s revealed, it takes the book from good to enthralling. “Hush Little Baby” is filled with heart-in-your-throat twists and turns. However, it’s also busting at the seams with emotion. There are enough gut punches to bring tears to your eyes at least a few times.

This book is brilliantly written and oh-so-addicting. The middle of the story seemed to go on a little longer than it should, but it gave me more time with Melissa, Gabriel, and Nancy — and that’s a win. Melissa’s POV is both emotional and action-packed. Nancy’s POV is written so well, it might traumatize you a little. “Hush Little Baby” grabs you by your attention span and doesn’t let you go, but it’s the final twist that will steal your breath from your chest as it breaks your heart and twists your tummy into knots. I read a lot of books. I’ve loved a lot of final twists. But this one? It broke me.

I have all the respect for author J.A. Baker. I don’t know if she cried as she wrote this, but I need a new box of tissues after reading it. “Hush Little Baby” is the first book of hers that I’ve read, but it won’t be the last.

A grandma snatches her grandson to protect him and is now on the run. This was a fast read that I finished quickly because I just had to know how things would turn out. I loved that nothing was as it seemed and that this book kept me guessing AND entertained. Also the ending left my haw on the floor!

This book is my worst nightmare as a mother because it’s a child being taken so I think that pushed me to reading this. Melissa our main character has dealt with a lot in her life especially as a child. Though she doesn’t make her life easier by kidnapping her grandson along with some other incidents. Though things aren’t as they seemed to Melissa due to her past trauma she isn’t always thinking clearly so we are trying to decide what is and isn’t real. One part of the book that had me laughing actually was t the way that the ashes were disposed of I thought was pretty great!

Thank you net galley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

Hush Little baby is a taut thriller not for the feint hearted. The chapters are under Melissa and 1970 where the mystery begins ie. what is the connection between the two. This is a story full of helplessness,hopelessness and terror. One is almost too afraid to turn the pages at times.

The writing is descriptive and suits the narrative of the story .
5 stars

This is another very good domestic thriller by JA Baker. The writing style is fast past and engaging and the book came with plenty of twists to keep me guessing.

This story is told in two timelines. One takes place in the 70’s and tells the story of Nancy who is married to a well respected doctor. The community and his colleagues think the world of him. But Nancy knows better. Behind closed doors, her husband is abusive and Nancy and her daughter have to walk on egg shells around him. When things come to a head, Nancy’s infant son almost loses his life.

The other timeline is current day and is about Melissa. Melissa is apparently estranged from her grown son, blaming his wife for filling his head with nonsense. Melissa keeps a close eye on her son’s home and is distressed to hear constant shouting and yelling coming from the home especially since her infant grandson is forced to live in this environment. Melissa has had enough and takes matters into her own hands when she sees her grandson alone outside in his pram. Acting quickly, Melissa takes her grandson and takes off.

What happens to both families separated by decades? And what is their connection? Will either have a happy ending?

This was a three star read for me. The storyline with Melissa was rather repetitive portraying her as totally inept to handle a baby while the baby seemingly did nothing but cry insistently.

I love the author’s books however and will always jump at the opportunity to read her works!

This was my first J A Baker novel, but I am aware that they have authored many well received novels. I was drawn to the book by the blurb, which sounded like it had all the ingredients of an excellent thriller. I really liked the way the book was written over two timelines - it helped to build Melissa's backstory and provide context for the present. Melissa was suitably flawed and unlikable, and I enjoyed analysing her character and trying to unpick her emotions and actions. There was a sense of vulnerability underneath the determined exterior, and she was clearly very troubled. I sometimes felt it would have been good to hear a bit about the other side of the story - what were the baby's parents thinking and feeling, how was the investigation progressing, etc. The final few chapters were a surprise and brought an interesting twist to the whole book. Hush Little Baby is tense and gripping with an interesting premise and a good twist.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

The narrative switched between the present day, and 1970. I was drawn in from the beginning, and I sensed something that felt ominous, and made me feel uneasy. My feeling of unease motivated me to keep reading. I found Melissa an intriguing character, and initially, I questioned her motivations and intentions.

I've read books by this author before, and I found they had a clever way of creating a tense and chilling atmosphere. I felt very aware of Melissa's emotions and everything that went on around her, and found myself on tenterhooks.

This was an addictive nail-biter that thriller fans will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Hush Little Baby by J. A. Baker. I quite enjoyed this book. The ending was a twist that I did not see coming! It was a little slow at times but an easy read. There was some repetitiveness but not as much as a book I recently read! A lot of emotions while reading this book, heartbreak, sadness, shock, grief. This book is worth picking up and giving it a go. I gave it a 4 star rating.

The thriller had a gripping plot, but the writing style detracted from my enjoyment. It was pretty distracting from any tension I should have felt. The overly descriptive language and use of outdated synonyms made the narrative feel cumbersome, disrupting the story's flow and pacing.

W.O.W
This book was very hard to put down, it's written in chapters with Melissa the daughter and Nancy her mom who was abused by her husband Roger.....it explains how Nancy planned to leave Roger with her children Melissa and George.
Written as Melissa an adult, she takes away her grandson or is it? from what she thinks are his abusive parents. As they go on the run, things happen and Melissa realises looking after a baby isn't going to be easy......
I certainly didn't see the end coming !!
I was hooked.......
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read in my opinion

I was into this book from 1st page but then had to stop and gather the info I had read! A little bit confusing but couldn't read this fast enough!! A great deal of the storyline is a bit far fetched but doesn't take anything away from the enjoyment. Was even more confused with the ending but so glad I read it all. A really good storyline, just a bit confusing at times.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publishers for allowing me to read and review this book

Hush Little Baby by J.A. Baker

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When she hears the baby crying, she knows she has to do something to keep it safe. To protect it from its terrible parents. Even though the father of the child is Melissa's own son...

When Melissa Crawford snatches a crying baby from outside a house, she knows she's done the right thing. She can't bear to see the baby suffer one more day in that house, with those people. With her, baby Gabriel will be safe and loved. She is his grandmother after all...

But as Melissa is making her escape, she is involved in a terrible accident which forces her into hiding. She can't believe she's been so careless - now she has to lay low and let the dust settle.

Gabriel's parents won't care where he is, they'll be glad he's gone but if she goes to prison who will care for the little baby? Who will keep him safe?

But caring for Gabriel is harder than Melissa imagined. Why does he keep crying? Why won't he settle? Why does he remind her of another child she once loved...and lost?

My Opinion

Melissa kidnaps a baby and ends up having to go into hiding. This is the second book I have read by J.A. Baker and both have been entertaining. For a thriller I thought that Hush Little Baby had a relatively slow plot but the twists made up for it. If you are looking for something a bit different, then look no further.

Rating 4/5

I’m a massive fan of the author and this did not disappoint, the start instantly grabbed me, I need to know who this woman was robbing her grandson?!

The dual timelines worked really well together, Roger was awful, but through his actions, we saw how this affected Vanessa physically and mentally (even him speaking threateningly to her filled me with unease).

I also really enjoyed that we truly got to understand Melissa and my heart broke for her.

Well let me tell you this was such a great read! A story of abuse and how it affects someone long after they are out of the suituation. I was caught off guard by how things turned out. Not what I was expecting at all. Heartbreaking, thrilling, just a great story! I actually rated this 4 1/2 stars!

Hush Little Baby
by J A Baker
Pub Date: Aug 23 2024

Hush Little Baby is a psychological thriller involving domestic abuse. The story is told over two separate timelines, now and back in 1970. It has a really good storyline, at times a bit repetitive. There is some disturbing graphic descriptions that could trigger anyone that has been involved in a domestic abuse relationship. With this in mind, the author did do a good job of telling the story as respectfully as possible.

Synopsis: When Melissa Crawford snatches a crying baby from outside a house, she knows she's done the right thing. She can't bear to see the baby suffer one more day in that house, with those people. With her, baby Gabriel will be safe and loved. She is his grandmother after all...

Many thanks to #HushLittleBaby #NetGalley & Boldwood Books for providing me with an E-ARC of Hush Little Baby.

Hush Little Baby by J A Baker is another chilling story that took me on a wild ride.
A slow burn suspense filled with twists that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
An intriguing story with characters who draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.

Huge thanks to Boldwood Books, as well as to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Hush Little Baby!!

This book just went from 0 to 100. Melissa had a troubled past and sadly things have followed into her present. Family can cause problems, yes, but for some it’s more than that.
I felt lots of feelings about this book but it kept me reading up to the last.

*Hush Little Baby* by J.A. Baker is a gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a chilling journey into the mind of a woman driven by desperation and a twisted sense of love. The novel opens with a shocking act—Melissa Crawford, convinced she is rescuing an innocent child from a life of neglect, kidnaps baby Gabriel from outside a house. Her belief that she is doing the right thing sets the stage for a tense, emotionally charged narrative that delves into themes of loss, obsession, and the fine line between right and wrong.

As Melissa attempts to flee with Gabriel, fate intervenes in the form of a devastating accident, forcing her into hiding. Baker masterfully portrays Melissa's mounting paranoia and fear as she realizes the enormity of what she has done. The tension is palpable as Melissa grapples with the consequences of her actions, all while trying to care for a baby who is far more challenging than she anticipated. Gabriel's constant crying and refusal to settle only deepen Melissa's sense of unease, stirring painful memories of another child she once loved and lost.

Baker’s skillful character development brings Melissa to life in a way that is both unsettling and sympathetic. Readers are invited into her fractured psyche, where her good intentions are tainted by delusion and unresolved trauma. Melissa's growing realization that she may not be equipped to care for Gabriel is heartbreaking, adding layers of complexity to her character. Her internal struggle between protecting Gabriel and confronting her own past is the emotional core of the novel, driving the plot forward with relentless intensity.

The pacing of *Hush Little Baby* is expertly managed, with each chapter adding to the suspense and uncertainty of Melissa's situation. Baker's writing is taut and atmospheric, creating a sense of claustrophobia as Melissa’s world closes in around her. The novel’s exploration of grief and guilt is handled with sensitivity, making Melissa's tragic backstory a key element in understanding her motivations, even as they lead her down a dark and dangerous path.

*Hush Little Baby* is not just a story about a kidnapping; it is a haunting exploration of how unresolved grief can warp a person’s sense of reality. Melissa's belief that she is saving Gabriel is both her justification and her undoing, as she struggles to reconcile her past with the present. The psychological tension is heightened by the mystery surrounding Gabriel's real parents—why does Melissa believe they wouldn't care about their missing child? This question lingers throughout the novel, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the unfolding drama.

For fans of psychological thrillers that delve deep into the complexities of the human mind, *Hush Little Baby* is a compelling and unsettling read. J.A. Baker has crafted a story that is as thought-provoking as it is suspenseful, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an advance copy to review.

Struggled a little on places to read this.
Would recommend

Thank you for providing me with a copy to read.