2.5

I found the individual cases interesting, and liked that it showed a lot of the bias and ignorance about medical child abuse.

I did not care that the author kept referring to her personal experience without actually describing her personal experience. It kind of felt like it was purposely vague to get people to listen to her podcast.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy
by Andrea Dunlop; Mike Weber, narrated by Andrea Dunlop

Having seen Munchausen by Proxy due to family experiences, Andrea Dunlop has written this book with Mike Weber to highlight three high profile cases investigated by Mike Weber during his law enforcement career. Andrea knows Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy due to it taking place in her family. Mike didn't start out his career knowing he'd be fighting for the lives of children being victimized by those who should be their caretakers but once he got involved in this underserved area of crime, it's not something that he could sit by and allow to go unnoticed.

Mike Weber had already investigated claims of Medical Child Abuse (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy) when he met Andrea Dunlop. As a writer and podcaster, Andrea has the skills to present the subject matter while Mike has the "in the trenches" real life, day to day, month to month, year to year, actual battle scars of fighting for the lives of children who need someone to even notice that their illnesses are not real. Mike needed an author and Mike had the first hand stories for this book and Andrea could be the one to write the book.

Having grown up and run and biked all over Tarrant County, I recognized many of the places that are mentioned in this book although these three cases take place after I'd moved elsewhere. But knowing this area so well, it really sinks in that these things do happen right where we live, possibly right next door, possibly to the kid in our neighborhoods. In one of the cases, the person slowly killing her child seemed to have the best of reputations and everyone was shocked of find she was causing her child's debilitating illnesses. In another case, just about everyone knew the mother was up to no good and no one was surprised by what she was doing to her child. The difference in the cases were glaring but the similarities are there, too, and maybe some of these cases can be caught sooner in the future. Care must be taken to do things in the right way though, so lives are not ruined by false accusations. I'm not at all familiar with MBP first hand or even second hand, I've only read about it in the news and a few books. Children need to be protected and I know the job is difficult. I'm not the one to say how the job can be done differently or better. Thank goodness for people such as Mike Weber because he's a trail blazer of the best kind and for authors who shine a light on the situation.

This book is narrated by Andrea and because it's her book and some of this is her story (we get bits of her family story, barely enough to understand what might have gone on in her family) Andrea is able to give the narration the inflection the story is meant to convey. As an author, podcaster, and video presenter, she has the speaking abilities to narrate her own book. This mental illness/type of child abuse, should not be ignored, when catching it might be the only way of saving a child. The stories here are heartbreaking and even with the one that doesn't work out as well as the others, a spotlight on the situation may have helped to save a life.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

Wow! This book is both equal parts fascinating and disturbing! Being an ER nurse for the last seventeen years has introduced me to a lot of terrible things, nothing more terrible than Munchausen by Proxy! The thought that a parent can injury their own child for their own personal gain is unimaginable to me.

The three stories covered in this book are told in a really interesting way. I found myself compulsively listening, trying to better understand why these types of things happen. The author narrates the book in a fast paced and engaging way. I’m glad to see more attention being given to MBP! Hopefully the more people who know about it, the less likely parents are to get away with it.

If you are a reader who is interested in true crime, healthcare, and mental health then I definitely recommend reading this book.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the book #TheMotherNextDoor by #AndreaDunlapAndMikeWeber. This book is a journey about kids being abused by the adults they trust, Munchausen by proxy. These are people who somehow convince others that their child is sick or needs procedures that they don’t need. Andrea and Mike tell personal stories of accounts that have happened, some good outcomes, some bad. How can we protect these innocent children?

I really have a hard time giving stars to books based on real life crime, but since The Mother Next Door was a Netgalley audio arc, it’s necessary. The theme of this one is Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) where moms inflict illness on their children for the satisfaction of medical, familial, and community attention. It’s disturbing, uncomfortable, and makes the reader/human dislike these women.

This one is written by a podcast journalist whose sister was a MBP mom. Of the several stories, that was the one which felt very authentic. Given her own experience with that case, author Andrea Dunlop writes from experience and, as a bonus, she narrates the audio. This combo of having lived it, and now telling it in her own voice, is chilling.

The co-author, Mike Weber, is a police detective with far too much experience in this vastly horrible crime.

I hate that MBP exists, but I’d recommend this book if you are interested in some well done research detailing cases.

As a mother, this was a tough listen, but I knew what I was in for when I started this audiobook,

This is read like a documentary, getting details of three separate cases of MBP. They were all heartbreaking and infuriating to listen to. If you’re looking for a true crime story definitely check this one out.

4⭐️

Thanks to MacMillan Audio for my ALC.

#MacAudio2025

While I hesitate to use the word "enjoy" to describe my experience of listening to such a dark book, I definitely appreciate Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber's willingness to not only investigate these cases, but to bring them to light. Rather than a cold recitation of statistics, The Mother Next Door paints pictures of three very different families who are united by one of the most horrific things that a family could experience: Munchausen by proxy or medical child abuse. Using these stories as the foundation, the authors are able to provide some of the more clinical information and context that is key to understanding this disorder. While I typically dislike nonfiction audiobooks narrated by the author (except for memoirs of course), Andrea Dunlop does an excellent job, likely due to her work on her podcast, Nobody Should Believe Me. Her narration makes the book compulsively listenable, despite the heavy subject matter. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my eALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy is a fascinating tale of three cases of medical child abuse, also known as Munchausen by Proxy (MBP). As told by Andrea Dunlop, who herself has a case of MBP in her family, and Mike Weber, a detective who investigated the three cases, this book gives a vivid portrait of the often devastating impact of MBP on children by the hands of the mothers and the fallout it can create in families.

Dunlop narrates this audiobook in what feels like a fast-paced podcast deep dive. Thoroughly researched and highly compelling, the cases of Hope Ybarra, Brittany Phillips, and Mary Welch are discussed, with inside knowledge provided by detective Mike Weber. The stories are told in such a way where it is easy to imagine scenes playing out between mother, medical providers, and child. For the majority of these cases, providers are unaware of the harm being done to the children and the mothers are instead seen as champions for their children. I think this is an important topic to shed light on, as it seems to be much more common than previously thought and is a difficult form of child abuse to prosecute.

As a mother, I find this topic highly fascinating and highly disturbing. I had not previously heard of the three cases mentioned, but as a psychotherapist, I am privy to the diagnosis of factitious disorder imposed on another. Although this is not something I have worked with professionally, it is one of those disorders that pique my interest. Looking at the cover you would assume this is a work of fiction, but it is not. It also reads like fiction, which makes it all the more frustrating to hear how cases are handled and how there really aren’t many resources for families struggling with suspected MBP. I found it especially interesting to hear how providers are not reporting these cases to Child Protective Services, but simply charting the suspicion in their notes and moving on.

Although I have not listened to the author’s podcast Nobody Should Believe Me, or read the fictionalized book based on her own experiences titled We Came Here to Forget, I am definitely planning to check these out! I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in true crime-esque books and podcasts!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the authors Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber for this ALC of The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy in exchange for an honest review!

Truly horrifying. The Mother Next Door follows three real-life cases of Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) as viewed through the lens of Andrea Dunlop—novelist and podcaster personally touched by MBP—and Mike Weber—Texas detective with countless child abuse cases under his belt. Told with rigorous research and a riveting storyline that makes non-fiction feel like fiction, The Mother Next Door is like watching a train wreck in slow motion; it's impossible to look away. I have never interacted with any of Dunlop's work but I find her narrative voice refreshing and I really enjoyed—is enjoyed the right word?—reading through this. Each co-author—Dunlop and Weber—bring their unique experience with MBP to the table to tell this story and pull back the curtain on medical child abuse. These cases and these stories will have readers thinking 'wtf'. Dunlop knocked it out of the park with her narration.

Thank you Macmillan for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Feb. 04 2025

Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber deliver a harrowing and thought-provoking exploration of Munchausen by proxy in The Mother Next Door. This chilling and emotionally charged book offers an eye-opening look at a deeply troubling disorder, emphasizing how it can hide in plain sight—perhaps even behind the picket fence of the seemingly perfect family next door.

The narrative is a rollercoaster, immersing readers in the complex dynamics of families affected by Munchausen by proxy. Through real-life accounts and vivid storytelling, Dunlop and Weber unravel the disturbing psychology of perpetrators and the devastating consequences for their children. The book not only captures the emotional toll on the victims but also sheds light on the systemic failures in the medical and social services fields, where red flags are often missed.

What sets this book apart is its ability to balance gripping storytelling with a call to action. It doesn’t just tell a story—it demands awareness and reform, urging readers to consider how society and the medical community can do more to protect vulnerable children. The authors’ compassionate yet unflinching approach keeps the pages turning while leaving readers deeply unsettled and introspective.

Verdict:
The Mother Next Door is a powerful, unsettling, and essential read for anyone interested in true crime, psychology, or child advocacy. It’s a stark reminder that these cases could be happening closer than we think and a call for vigilance and systemic change. Highly recommended for readers who appreciate stories that inform, provoke, and linger long after the last page.

As a fan of the Nobody Should Believe Me podcast, I was eager to read The Mother Next Door, and it certainly lived up to my expectations. It offers a fresh perspective on MBP, revealing both the sad realities and the intriguing cases Mike Weber had to investigate. As a mother, I find it hard to fathom how anyone could deliberately make their child ill. I’m grateful for those shining a light on this issue and raising awareness. This is a book that everyone should read, as it may help identify signs in someone they know.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC!