ARC REVIEW:

Not a bad read by any means, but I do have a few complaints.
The front cover of the book mentions, 'My baby is missing. Everyone thinks it's my fault'. That's not the plot of the book. Yes, baby Lola does go missing towards the end, but fingers are pointed else where.

The story follows Annie, a new mum struggling with post partum life. She's sleep deprived, forgetting things, unable to remember conversations, trying to navigate her relationship with her husband and two teenage step-children. Weird things are going on, she's sure someone is sabotaging her... then a murder occurs.

I found the first half of the book very repetitive. It was constantly planting the idea that Annie was potentially being sabotaged and made to look like a struggling mum who wasnt coping. It took a long time for the plot to develop and thicken. Once the story moved along, I was pleasantly surprised and absolutely did not pick the plot twist, hence the 3 stars.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

So I have new favourite book by this author now!!! I absolutely loved this one. What a ride this one was, I went into this one not really knowing what to expect as AJ Campbell books are an auto read for me.

Annie is a new mum, she’s feeling so tired all the time. Her husband and step children think she is going mad. I literally didn’t trust anyone!! I felt so bad for Annie, she was really struggling and no one was believing her.

I was so shocked by the twists, it was honestly so so good!!! Such a brilliant read. I’m already looking forward to AJ’s next book.

Thank you to Bookouture for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.

First-Time Mother
by AJ Campbell
Pub Date: Apr 14 2025

Wow, what a gripping psychological thriller! It is about sleep-deprived, new mum Annie. The book starts with a death in her home and concludes with baby Lola going missing. A shocking story with many twists and turns, not only will mothers everywhere want to read this book but everyone will want to read this 5 star thriller!

Synopsis: My family say I’m unwell. They think I can’t care for my baby. But they’re lying. Who can I really trust? My delicate newborn, Lola, is just perfect. Seeing her gorgeous little face look up at me, I know the difficult birth was worth it. And I swear I’ll never let anyone hurt her.

Many thanks to #FirstTimeMother #NetGalley and #Bookouture for providing me an E-ARC of this amazing 5 star psychological thriller!

Another fantastic book from AJ Campbell!! Having had my own baby, it was my worst nightmare to fall asleep with her but this book takes that fear to a new level. I really felt for Annie and the way she was written was brilliant, I certainly didn’t see what was going to happen but I think that’s because I thought it was everyone at one point or another. Without spoilers I think the ending was perfect too and capped off a great plot. I will be recommending this one to my fellow thriller lovers as I have done with all the books I have read from this author!

Another fantastic 5 star read from A.J Campbell. I have never been disappointed by any book I have read that has been written by her and this one was no exception.

When Annie meets Max they have a whirlwind romance, Annie gets unexpectedly pregnant and then Max proposes and asks her to move in with him so they can be a proper family. Now Annie has had their daughter, Lola, who is 4 months old, she feels like she is sleepwalking through each day, not helped by Lola being very unsettled and crying a lot which makes Annie desperate for a break from it all. Annie is also now stepmother to Max’s 17 year old twins, Jasmine and Jacob, who she is convinced hate her. Their mother died 8 years earlier although Annie doesn’t know much about what happened as Max finds it hard to talk about. Alongside trying to blend the family together as one, the family are also having renovations done on their home which, despite the builders being very jovial and easy to work with, still causes upheaval that sleep deprived Annie could do without. An added problem is that Max, Annie’s sister, Samantha and their business partner (and friend) Sean are in the midst of selling their Software business to an American company so Max can’t be around as much to help Annie out with Lola and the twins. He convinces Annie that she needs help and so they met with a young girl called Zoe who came recommended by Cameron, one of the builders. Zoe seems perfect and she is great with Lola, so she is hired as their part time nanny. However, even with Zoe’s help, Annie just seems to be getting more forgetful and ill as the weeks pass with her doctor unable to find anything wrong and just keeps suggesting new mum exhaustion, Annie feels it is more than that but is too exhausted to advocate for herself. Then a tragedy occurs that turns everything on its head, someone dies and suddenly Max and Annie’s home is a crime scene and everyone is a suspect. Will the police be able to get to the bottom of what happened? And if so will Max and Annie’s family and friends’ lives ever be the same again with all the secrets and lies that will be uncovered?!

As I said above another great read by A.J Campbell, in fact I think this could be my favourite one so far! I really liked Annie, and the writing was so good that I could feel the exhaustion she felt through the pages that I was reading. I found Max quite annoying as I felt he wasn’t helping the twins’ bond with Annie as much as he should have been considering he was their father, and he was more distracted with the selling of the company than the wellness of his family especially considering how difficult Annie was finding things with Lola. There was one character that I didn’t trust from the very beginning of the story but I didn’t quite know why however I found out later that my suspicions were correct and I was right not to trust them, I put this more down to the fact that I read a lot of psychological thrillers rather than it being glaringly obvious that they were untrustworthy. There were really good twists and turns that I didn’t see coming; the twist in chapter 56 shocked me and the one in chapter 70 had my mouth on the floor, that one was pretty outstanding!! Again, as usual, I must apologise if this review seems cryptic, but I don’t want to give anything away. Ultimately, I was completely astounded by who the villain was as I hadn’t suspected them at all so fantastic writing A.J Campbell!!

Overall, this was another cracker from A.J Campbell and I highly recommended it for anyone who loves a good twisty psychological thriller. It deserves nothing less than 5 stars and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, A.J Campbell and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Out now.

AJ Campbell has done it again! She has written another brilliant 5 ⭐️ psychological thriller. I honestly don’t know how she comes up with such unique and creative storylines! Just when I thought I’d figured it all out, boom Ms Campbell blindsides me with a shocking twist. I would highly recommend First-Time Mother if you are looking for an engaging unputdownable psychological thriller.

The First-Time Mother was so relatable as it brought me back to the days when my children were babies and I was chronically sleep deprived and drained. I felt like I was living in a fog. This is exactly how first time, new Mum, Annie is feeling. Four month old Lola has terrible colic and Annie cannot get a reprieve from Lola’s constant crying and fussing. Annie is beside herself feeling overwhelmed with exhaustion. But something else isn’t quite right as she has stomach pain and dizzy spells. On top of that, Annie is also step-mum to her husband’s teen twins. They are not thrilled with Annie and the fact that she married their widowed father and now has a baby with him. The twins make Annie’s life unbearable and she starts having a sick feeling that they are doing sneaky things to make her look incompetent. At first it’s minor things, such as items being misplaced or forgotten. Annie begins to doubt herself. Is she going crazy or is something more sinister happening. But when things escalated and serious accidents and situations occur, Annie begins to fear for her life and doesn’t know who she can trust!

Thank you so much @bookouture and @ajcampbell for my stop on this book tour and my arc. I thoroughly enjoyed First-Time Mother from start to finish.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: April 14, 2025

My baby is missing. Everyone thinks it’s my fault.

I’m so scared carrying my delicate newborn, Lola, home from the hospital. It wasn’t an easy birth and she is so small. Seeing her gorgeous little face look up at me I swear I’ll never let anyone hurt her. But maybe I should have been protecting her from myself…

My wonderful husband Max reassures me that the blackouts I’m having are normal: I’m sleep-deprived, and I just need help.

Until my baby girl goes missing.

I’m distraught. How is it possible? How could her crib be lying empty?

They think the pressure of being a mother has broken me. And there’s just so much I don’t remember, I have to wonder if they could be right? After all, I have done some terrible things in my life… but I’d never, ever hurt my baby girl.

I’m certain someone close to me is setting me up. And they don’t know how far I’ll go to bring my baby home again.

This is a thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

When I think of a suspenseful, unputdownable thriller, this is it. This is my first book by AJ Campbell and most certainly won’t be my last.

We start off with Annie, who is a new mom, struggling with motherhood and all of its complexities. When she starts to feel sick she downplays it to her family prioritizing her baby girl, Lola.

Cue in a large family, tons of distractions, and her sisters murder- she loses it and becomes obsessive.

There’s so much to unpack here and at first I thought Annie was too manic for my liking. But when it pops off - it POPS OFF. The last 30% of this book is when it gets wild so buckle up; twists and turns galore.

This was great. An intense and high-stakes thriller where I am absolutely sure you will have no idea how and where this leads. It was a ride. Absolutely recommend and I will be checking out AJ’s backlog.

Thank you to AJ Campbell, Bookouture and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely amazing, 4.5 stars! I've only deducted 0.5 stars because at times I got so overwhelmed reading, but that is on me and it's a testament how good the writing is!
The story follows Annie, first time mum to a 4 month old baby. She lives with her husband and his two kids, whos mother passed away and they are not thrilled to have Annie around. Annie is sleep deprived, constantly on edge, forgetting things, having black outs... Something is very wrong with her, but what exactly is going on?
This book kept me on the edge of my seat, my pulse was sky rocketing as I was devouring the pages. I was feeling for Annie as the book took me back to the times of being home with a small baby having no clue what I was meant to be doing at times.

Absolutely brilliant book, I definitely didn''t see the end coming, so many shocking twists and turns throughout the story.

First Time Mother is my third venture into a book by Campbell. It's also my favourite to date.

I was immediately drawn in from the prologue and that was it, I was hooked right until the last page was turned.

It's pacey, has unreliable narrators and so many unpredictable twists to mess with your mind.

The characters are great, the plot is clever. There's intrigue, suspense and an extra layer of tension to top it off.

Absolutely loved it!

First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell is a fast paced and twisty thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end!

New mom Annie is absolutely exhausted. Since little Lola was born she has felt like she is losing her mind. She is sleep deprived, keeps forgetting things, and is overwhelmed. But when strange things start to happen Annie wonders if this is more than just post partum. The formula she bought isn't in the cupboard, Lola's bottles are missing, and a pan of rice on the stove catches fire almost burning the house down. Her husband Max is busy trying to sell the business he runs with Annie's sister and Max's 17 year old twins aren't exactly helpful and kind to Annie. Things only go from bad to worse when a body is found right next to where Annie was sleeping... Can she figure out what is really going on before she loses her mind?

Wow!! From the synopsis of this book I was intrigued but what the book is actually about... I was shocked! This was such a twisty read, you could feel the paranoia and exhaustion from Annie as a new mom. With not a ton of characters you would think it would be pretty straightforward as to what was going on but nope!! Campbell takes what you think you know and flips it on its head!! I absolutely recommend this for fans of Daniel Hurst and Freida McFadden and also for readers of twisty domestic thrillers!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, AJ Campbell, and Bookouture for this ARC!! Publication date is April 14th 2025.

First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell is a thrilling rollercoaster of a read. Packed full of twists you don't see coming.
The pace was spot on, with bucket loads of suspense - had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. This was a very quick read, it kept me engaged from start to finish.
This psychological thriller by AJ Campbell was truly engrossing. It was impossible to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a suspenseful read, I felt on the edge of my seat and felt completely gripped the whole way through.

"The sleep deprivation of motherhood is a silent destroyer of any new mum’s sanity and emotions."

Or so it would seem in the twisty First Time Mother, by the reliable, always gives us the shocking ending you won't see coming, author A.J. Campbell.

Annie is a new mother. Lola won't sleep, won't stop crying. Her husband Max is trying to be sympathetic, but he already raised his spoiled 17 year old twins with his first wife; and he's trying to sell his business and can't take off work to help her.

However, when there's a kitchen fire, when Annie has no memory of conversations, and then there's a startling death in the room next to where Annie fell asleep, and she hears nothing, well maybe something else, besides a tired first time mother, is going on with Annie...maybe something sinister!

Listening to voice actress Tamsin Kennard heightened panic, confusion and fear as Annie was a visceral experience deserving of a standing ovation. There were some reveals I knew right away but that ending was nowhere in my mind for this family drama thriller.

Did I mention that there is also reconstruction going on at the house? Constant hammering, drilling, people coming in and out of the house? Yeah it's a lot for a first time mother...and then Lola is missing!

If this is your first time reading or listening to this writer, after this shocking, what just happened ending, it won't be your last time seeking out her psychological thrillers.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from Bookouture and Bookouture Audio for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Annie is a first time mother and constantly exhausted and struggling, looking after her daughter Lola. She lives with her husband Max and his 17 year old twins in the house he shared with his late wife. Unable to remember events and conversations, she is constantly sleep deprived and drowning in doubt when something far more sinister takes place in their home.

The author does a wonderful job of perfectly portraying the vulnerabilities of being a new mother and postpartum life. I could totally relate to Annie's frustration with being unable to form a connection with her four month old daughter. There are things going on in the house that Annie doesn't remember talking about. I was pulled into Annie's constant spiral of fear and paranoia, making me question everything right alongside her.

The characters are complex and well drawn and every one of them has secrets. The plot is masterfully executed and the short chapters built up the suspense and kept me guessing until the very end. Filled with drama and intrigue, this is a gripping psychological thriller that is bingeable and entertaining.

Thank you @ajcampbellauthor for inviting me to read this book and @bookouture for the digital ARC.

Annie is a new mother to Lola and new step mum to teenage twins Jasmine and Jacob. Her husband Max is a good father but he's busy trying to sell his business with partners Sean and Samantha (who happens to be Annie's sister). Suspicions arise about Annie's mental health and capabilities when she starts experiencing extreme fatigue and brain fog. Is it the missing wine that's causing it or something more sinister?
And when Annie discovers a body and her baby is missing, things only get worse for her. Can she uncover the truth before she loses everything?

With such a small cast of characters, you'd assume it would be easy to work out what was going on and who's responsible for it all. But you'd be wrong. I know I was. This book contains many a secret and many a surprise twist that keeps you guessing. You will not be able to trust a single person, I was even dubious of the baby at one point.

Packed full of short and snappy chapters, it is easy to read this fantastic book little and often. Or, as I did, get through half of it in one go during a long journey. It will always leave you wanting a little bit more so don't read it at night if you've got an early start the next day.

Newly postpartum mother Annie has a colicky baby that never stops crying, step kids who seem to not like her, and things suddenly start happening that don’t make sense. A pan of rice on the stove she fell asleep and forgot about catches fire and nearly burns the house down, the bottles she made up the night before aren’t in the fridge where she thought they were, the formula she swore she bought last week isn’t in the cupboard. Is she really forgetful from lack of sleep or is something more sinister going on? Annie and her new husband are also keeping secrets from each other that could change everything.

First-Time Mother is a gripping thriller with several twists I never saw coming! As a mom, I could relate to Annie and feeling like you’re losing your mind from sleep deprivation. I’m a little confused by the part on the cover that mentions her baby is missing because 98% of the story wasn’t about her missing baby or about it being her fault. Anyway, I would highly recommend!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"My family say I’m unwell. They think I can’t care for my baby. But they’re lying. Who can I really trust?"
First-Time Mother is a captivating read that had me turning pages until the very end. This one follows Annie who is a new mom who loses track of time, is always tired and can't remember things. What happens when she wakes up from a nap and her life ends up changing? The author did a great job writing this one and all of the characters were interesting in it. The book will keep you guessing until the end. I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to any reader who likes psychological thriller. Thank you to the author A.J. Campbell for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review of First-Time Mother.

AJ Campbell has become one of my favorite psychological thriller authors and First Time Mother is one of her latest books which will be released on the 14th.

The story follows a woman named Annie who has been struggling with post-partum after giving birth to her daughter Lola. Because of Annie's foggy brain and with Annie accidentally almost making the house on fire, Max, her husband hires a sitter named Zoe. Meanwhile for the renovation of the house, Max hires a group of builders. One night, Annie falls asleep with her baby in her arms. The next thing when she wakes up, she realizes that her sister Samantha is dead in the room. Annie has no recollection of what really happened. Initially, Samantha's death was considered suicide, but the autopsy reports proved that Samantha was in fact murdered. Annie maybe a prime suspect as she was the only one to see Samantha alive. Annie knew that someone in the house is responsible for Samantha's murder and she must find out before it is too late.

This was a fast paced thriller. The whole story was unputdownable and there were twists and turns along the way. Not only that, the story is told in Annie's POV and you can see her emotions as she battles to find out what is real and what is not. The writing overall was great and the author manage to put the reader on the edge when reading this one. The ending was completely an unexpected ending. Overall, this is a highly recommended thriller and would rate this book five stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

First-Time Mother
A twisted mind-bending thriller. A fast-paced read…full of surprises. Could not put it down! I was flying through the book, I had to know what happened!