OMG. This was so heart wrenching. I felt sick to my stomach hearing what these mothers are doing to their young children. It’s unimaginable, yet it happens more often than I realized. I just can’t wrap my mind around Munchausen by proxy. It’s horrific.

Thank God for Andrea, Mike and the many others advocating for these children. Sadly, fighting against political unjustness. I pray someday soon there will be more support in protecting all children.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy.

The mother next door offered multiple stories about women who have MBP and abuse their children. I liked the incorporation of the author's own family into the storytelling. Well done and good on audio.

The Mother Next Door is a harrowing and eye-opening account of Munchausen by proxy cases and the devastating impact it has on children. Written by an author with firsthand experience and a detective who has worked these cases in Texas, this book brings chilling real-life stories to light in a way that is both gripping and heartbreaking.

What shocked me the most was how unbelievable yet disturbingly real these cases are. The way some mothers manipulate, control, and harm their children is beyond comprehension, and this book does an excellent job of shedding light on the hidden horrors these victims endure. It’s well-researched, deeply emotional, and impossible to forget.

This is an important and necessary read for anyone interested in true crime, psychology, or child advocacy. Highly recommended.

A nonfiction read on medical child abuse via Munchausen by Proxy, specifically in Tarrant County, Texas, this book was hard to wrap my head around as a mom, but also very informative.

The Mother Next Door is difficult to read as it’s nonfiction about Munchausen By Proxy (MBP) - mothers who knowingly and purposefully inflict medical abuse on their young children. The authors have very personal connections to this horrific subject; author Andrea Dunlop suspects her sister of MBP and Mike Weber is a respected law enforcement MBP expert. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ms. Dunlop.

While the subject is appalling, this book is compelling. The majority of its content are detailed reviews of three specific and egregious cases of MBP in which Mike Weber was an investigator. I was shocked by the behaviors of these mothers, the blind faith of medical professionals who accepted their lies as facts which extended the medical abuse of vulnerable children, and the barriers faced by attorneys, law enforcement, and others when attempting to intervene.

I hope The Mother Next Door will educate more people about the warning signs of MBP and the importance of taking action on suspicions. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for early access to the audiobook; all opinions are my own.

A heartbreaking, true crime account of stories of Munchausen by Proxy. It is so hard to wrap one’s head around why a parent would do this. This book explores multiple families and the possible reasons behind it, as well as the very difficult time law enforcement has in proving and prosecuting these type of cases. A disturbing yet interesting and informative book.

I listened to the audiobook and one of the authors narrated it, she did a good job with a clear voice. The cases were interesting and horrific. The writing was done well and I highly recommend it for other true crime lovers.

A gripping investigation into three mothers accused of Munchausen by Proxy (MBP), this piece reveals how many victims begin with genuine medical needs, often related to prematurity, only for their mothers to exaggerate these issues to dangerous extremes, putting their children at serious risk.

The author’s personal connection to these cases is clear—Andrea Dunlop’s own sister was investigated for medical child abuse, and Detective Mike Weber has dedicated his career to protecting vulnerable children from unnecessary medical interventions.

The exploration of the legal obstacles in prosecuting such cases is both eye-opening and complex. When the perpetrator is a charming, successful mother, family members, medical professionals, and even a jury can be easily manipulated.

Though it delves deeply into the legal intricacies, the medical terminology is accessible to a general audience. This narrative nonfiction is an engrossing read that brings attention to a little-known yet profoundly impactful crime.

Recommend the audiobook as it has a podcast-vibe execution.

An in depth, up-close, send you reeling sort of audiobook. If you like true-crime podcasts, hearing all the gruesome details of a case, and want the version straight from those who have lived it...this one is for you.
Andrea Dunlop introduces us to 3 of the most disturbing cases of Munchausen by Proxy and explains how it affected each person involved. Mike Weber has been the leading investigator on more MBP cases than anyone else, ever! We get taken right through each case from beginning to end. Dunlop and Weber don’t sugar coat a single tragic detail. No matter how disturbing. This is one brutally honest look at just how terrifying it is that these sorts of cases can go on for years without anyone suspecting there’s more to the story. Mother’s are their children’s protector right? How can this happen, why didn’t the doctors know? Didn’t the family suspect something?
Dunlop shares with us how sometimes even when people suspect it can take a long time for justice to be served. She also shares her own struggles, with having a sister who is an MBP case.
Weber brings us through each investigation and helps answer some of the pressing questions on Child Protective Services and how Doctor Shopping can keep others from finding out the truth.
This is one audiobook; I listened to almost straight

Extremely eye-opening, educational book about Munchausen by proxy. Author apparently has a podcast and this book is a collection of info released in the podcast prior. True stories. Highlights how many of these individuals are very educated and thus able to fool many doctors with their intelligence. It also touches on about how hard it is to confront these people even when you can see what’s going on as a “friend” or a “neighbor”. Made me think deep. Highly recommend.

This was a fascinating book that details the true stories of 3 different cases of Munchausen by Proxy (MBP). Andrea Dunlop teamed up with Mike Weber to tell the story of this happening in her own family with her sister, as well as two other women. It was very eye-opening to see how difficult the legal process is and the role of CPS and other organizations in these cases.

Overall thoughts: It is mind-blowing and sad to hear about this happening and in some cases, it can even be fatal to these poor vulnerable children. I found the progression of the stories to be interesting and the stories were full of details. This was a quick book to listen to and I feel that the authors did a good job explaining them and relating them to legal system. Quite terrifying and shocking.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio (#MacAudio2025) for the ALC!

I don’t read much nonfiction, but truth is more twisted than any fiction could ever be. In this book, a novelist and former Texas detective offer insight into Munchausen by proxy (MBP). MBP is hard to understand in any circumstances, but when it is a mother intentionally harming their children, it becomes truly horrifying. The authors, Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber, examine several cases where mothers make their children sick with medication, starvation and even bleeding her child to cause anemia. It’s hard for me to look at this with anything other than anger. I am a huge mental health advocate, but when the well-being of your child is at stake, it’s hard to feel any sympathy.

What makes this book even more chilling is that Andrea herself has experienced MBP within her own family, and she narrates the audio. Well researched, and in a clear, concise writing style, Andrea and Mike shine a light on something so sinister it’s painful to think about. Thanks to them, more people will be aware of what to look for and how to best protect children from medical child abuse.

”The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception and Munchausen by Proxy” is out now. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

If you enjoy true crime or books on Munchausen by Proxy, you'll like this one.

I was not familiar with the author (although she seems to be pretty well-known in certain circles), but this book definitely made me want to read more of her work.

In "The Mother Next Door," she highlights a few of the most notable and heartbreaking cases of Munchausen by Proxy that she and a former detective who specialized in the field have ever seen.

The stories are heartbreaking (though most have at least somewhat of a happy ending), but I find them very interesting nonetheless. After the whole Gypsy Rose debacle, people have become much more familiar with this condition. But I've not found a ton of reputable knowledge out there on the subject. (Other than those written about Gypsy Rose, of course.)

This definitely fit that bill.

Give it a shot if it's something you'd like to know more about.

If you are a fan of Andrea Dunlop's podcast "No One Should Believe Me," this book reads like an extended version of her podcast. In the book (which Andrea Dunlop narrates herself in the audio version), Andrea and Mike cover three cases of medical child abuse, as well as weaving in details about Andrea's own connections to medical child abuse via her sister's case. In the book, we learn more about Mike Weber's life and how he became so integrated in these cases. The book seems to be quite extensively researched and, while I can't imagine anyone actually *enjoys* this content, Andrea and Mike cover the cases with compassion and objectivity. I recommend it.

3.5 stars* This was a compelling and informative book that highlights three different child abuse cases in which the mothers had Munchausen by Proxy. I did not know that Andrea Dunlop had a podcast on this topic, but I will be sure to check it out! She does a good job narrating this audiobook. Dunlop mentions that her sister has Munchausen by Proxy but never explained the details surrounding that, assuming that the reader is familiar with the case. I’m guessing she discusses this in her podcast? That was one area for improvement in my opinion. I also wanted more of a psychological perspective rather than listing the facts of these cases, which is what this book essentially was. Overall, I liked this and would recommend it if you’re interested in the topic.

The Mother Next Door is out now. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an early copy of this audiobook via their influencer program!

This book is non-fiction. It is the retelling of three tragic stories of Munchausen by Proxy.
WebMD defines Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy as “a mental illness where a caregiver makes up or exaggerates an illness in a person in their care. It is now called a factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA). The caregiver, usually the mother, seeks medical help for exaggerated or made-up symptoms of a child in their care. The caregiver’s reward is attention.”
The Mother Next Door was written by author Andrea Dunlop and Mike Weber. Dunlop is an author and podcaster. Weber was the law enforcement on the case.
Hope Ybarra, Brittany Phillips, and Mary Welch. Each of these women fabricated the medical story that their children had debilitating medical conditions.
Hope Ybarra: Mother of three. For eight years she claimed to have a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. She went through numerous, grueling treatments including radiation causing the loss of twin girls during the second trimester. The cancer spread to her brain and lungs. Her five year old daughter suffered health issues including cystic fibrosis and anemia. In her early twenties she began planning for a funeral. However, Hope never had cancer, she’d never been pregnant with twin girls and her daughter didn’t have cystic fibrosis.
Brittany Phillips was accused of injuring her child through medical child abuse. She enjoyed the attention she received through having a sick child. She lied about her daughter’s medical history and symptoms. She withheld food and het feces into her IV line or feeding tube.
Mary Welch was charged with medical abuse of her child. She doctor shopped until she found a dr. willing to do surgery on her son, and she treated him with medications. The boy had several surgeries: placed an intracranial monitor in his skull, inserted a spinal fluid drain, put a shut in his brain, did surgery on his esophagus and inserted a feeding tube. She also had the boy placed in a special school for autism.

This was a very interesting read. The author explored 3 cases of medical abuse all while tying in her personal connections.

Munchausen’s by proxy is an extremely sad phenomenon and I feel for the child who are its victims. I found it especially important how it was noted that this condition is characterized by a perpetrator who understands what they are doing and understand how their actions are wrong.

Thank you to MacMillan audio and Netgalley for a copy of this ALC!

The Mother Next Door by Andrea Dunlop delves into cases of medical abuse and munchausen by proxy (MBP). The audiobook was very interesting and had many pros and cons.

Cons:
- The author jumps right in and acts like I know what’s going on and who she is. I have never heard of her podcast before this or her story with munchausen by proxy (MBP). She often eludes to her sister and munchausen by proxy but she never actually tells the story of what happened. She also praises her own podcast which seemed over the top for me.
- You need to be familiar with pop culture and recent documentaries. She references multiple different documentaries and tv shows. If you didn’t watch them then you’d be confused by the references. It felt unnecessary to include this.
- She randomly discusses political views. Andrea Dunlop brings up the fact that her and Mike Weber have differing political views. This has nothing to do with the MBP stories. It was out of place and honestly seemed rude.
Pros:
The actual MBP stories. It’s clear that the authors are invested in the stories and worked hard. It was really interesting to hear about Mike Weber and his career as a detective working on medical abuse cases. The cases are disturbing and mind blowing. It’s hard to imagine parents forcing illnesses and unnecessary medical procedures/treatments on their children.

Ultimately this book felt like a podcast turned audiobook (which it is). I would have enjoyed the book more if the author stuck to telling the stories of others and didn’t add all of the random tidbits or act like everyone should know who she is.

Wow!! This is an alarming and disturbing collection of documented cases of Munchausen By Proxy -something that more people need to read and share/dialogue with others. Too many people, at a variety of levels of authority, continue to turn a blind eye to MBP or simply deny that such a horrific thing exists.
I enjoyed not the subject matter but the articulate way in which the documentation/story has been written. This is a ‘must read/listen’!
Narration of the audiobook is very well done. Author, Andrea Dunlop’s pleasant voice is clear, well paced and very easy to listen to despite the horrific subject matter.
Thank You to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version of this ARC and to Andrea Dunlop; Mike Weber for taking the initiative to present this information.

A deeply illuminating and incredibly scary look at Munchausen by proxy. The blend of investigative reporting and personal insight makes for a gripping, eye-opening read. The real-life cases are both shocking and heartbreaking, shedding light on a form of abuse that’s often misunderstood.