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!

A tense psychological thriller that had me flying through the pages. The writing style made me think ‘just one more chapter’ as I couldn’t put this down. Plenty of twists and turns which is perfect for any thriller fan, this is the second book I have read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last.

The story was compelling, and I especially liked the way it was written. The level of detail pulled me in, and the twists were genuinely surprising. At first, the pace was a little slow, but once things picked up, I was fully invested.

What I appreciated most was how the twists didn’t feel random. When you look back, the clues were there all along, which made those moments feel earned rather than forced. That kind of thoughtful plotting always wins me over.

First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell
3 ⭐

The book follows Annie, a first-time mother. She is feeling overwhelmed, sleep deprived, and beginning to lose her sense of reality, as she is clearly struggling with post-partum mental health symptoms. She starts losing time, hearing noises, and starts to wonder what's real, as strange things start happening around the house. She also has struggles connecting with her 4 months old daughter, all things that to me scream PND.
She begins to question if someone is attempting to hurt her or if it's all in her head, as her mental state clearly deteriorates during the course of the book, and the people around her grow suspicious, and you really feel you can't trust anyone.

Although I enjoyed the tension and overall concept, I occasionally found it to be confusing. Everything seems jumbled and foggy because we're inside Annie's head, which makes sense for her character but was a little hard to read. Although it has an unreliable narrator and is unquestionably a psychological thriller the way it was marketed (making the missing baby the tagline) didn’t quite match the actual focal point of the plot.

An ok read if you’re into slow burns and don’t mind feeling a bit lost along the way.

🍼First-Time Mother
✍️AJ Campbell
Published 14 April 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Is Annie just being paranoid, or is she surrounded by lies, manipulation and betrayal? Are her family against her? Is someone playing tricks on her, or is she losing her mind? Who can she trust?

…TRUST NO ONE!

This one grips you from the beginning and keeps you guessing until the final twist. Every-time you think you’ve cracked it, believe me, you haven’t!

My fave AJ Campbell yet. Thanks for the ARC copy @ajcampbellauthor @netgalley and @bookouture

First-Time Mother is a tense, emotionally layered domestic thriller. Annie, a new mother navigating life with a newborn and two teenage stepchildren, begins to unravel when strange incidents occur—and then her baby disappears. Is it exhaustion, or something more sinister?

AJ Campbell crafts a suspenseful, well-paced story with strong psychological depth. Though the blurb didn’t quite match the plot, the twists at the end kept me engaged.

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

Annie is a first time mom with a colicky baby, two step-children, an almost never present husband, and very little sleep. It's no wonder that she forgets things. Maybe falls asleep and lights the house on fire. But no....something is wrong! It's got to be someone else trying to make her look bad...the twins., who act like she's the wicked stepmom...or maybe even her husband Max.

AJ Campbell told this story in a way that made you feel as utterly exhausted as Annie, who was at her wits' end, until her husband insisted on bringing someone in to help. But every time someone else held her baby, from the new babysitter, to her friend, and even her friend's daughter, Annie felt even more incompetent. Why was this so hard? Was it postnatal depression, or worse, was she having a breakdown? Campbell leads you along as she takes you inside Annie's mind to the twists at the end. And even if you guess part of the ending, there's still a twist you won't see coming!

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and AJ Campbell for an advance reader's copy and a compelling read.

Annie is settled in her home with her new baby, husband, and two step children but something just isn’t right. Odd things are happening, she’s losing track of time, and doesn’t feel right. Is it post partum or something else?

This is the perfect vacation read. It’s fast paced and entertaining. You’re as confused as the main character as to what is going on but there are several possibilities that it could be. Once we are in on the twist, it becomes super exciting and nerve wracking. It also is pleasing because two unexpected characters begin to work together.

“I have so many questions. And literally no answers. But I’ll get them. I will.”

First-time Mother comes out 4/14.

A fast paced and twisty thriller with Annie who having just recently had a baby is sleep deprived, forgetful and doesn’t know who to trust. Loved all the twists and turns and enjoyed this book. Thanks for my ARC.

I liked the overall plot of the story but I did feel like it was really slow paced for me. I don’t really get into it until the last 30% of the book. The twists at the end did take me by surprise though.

**Thank you to @netgalley, AJ Campbell, and @bookouture for a free ebook ARC copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

4.5 🌟

Wow. This was crazy! Annie is so relatable to first time moms, AJ accurately depicted all the hardships. I remember the sleepless MONTHS.

I made so many notes and highlights on my kindle, but none were close to what the truth was. I wasn't prepared for the twist! If you want a Thriller that keeps you on your toes look no further than AJ Campbell, this is my 4th title by her and I cant wait to see what she comes up with next :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of First-Time Mother by AJ Campbell. Well that was enjoyable. I have wanted to read several books by this author but had yet to read one. Now I know I will look for the others that peaked my interest. There were quite a few twists and turns along the way with this one. It started off a little slow for me but then quickly picked up the pace. A quick read that I would definitely recommend to others. I gave this one a 4 star rating.

While the book was good - there must have been a change in the story line. The baby never went missing and in fact the story focuses on how tired Annie is and how image is constantly sick and lost. The book is great - but had nothing to do with the description! I read the entire book waiting for her baby to disappear.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Annie is a new mom, overwhelmed by postpartum depression and exhaustion, and struggling to bond with her two teenage stepchildren. Her husband, Max, does his best to support her and get her the help she needs. But when baby Lola suddenly goes missing, Annie will stop at nothing to get her back.

First-Time Mother is a fast, fun, and entertaining read. One of those books you start just to see what it’s about—and next thing you know, you're flipping pages and finishing it in a day. I’m not a mom, but AJ Campbell really nails how draining and relentless caring for a newborn can be. Honestly, I was getting exhausted just reading about Lola crying. Like—please, Lola, take a nap!

Recommended for fans of quick, twisty domestic thrillers that you can read in one sitting.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5⭐️
There are so many well thought out, gripping twists! Great lineup of characters. You don't know who to believe or trust. Very relatable plot for anyone who's had a child or cared for one.
I feel like the ending was a little bit of a cliffhanger with the potential for a continuation if the author chooses

I absolutely loved this book! However, the line on the cover of the book is not what the book is about. "My baby is missing, everyone thinks it's my fault!" This line makes you think the book is going to be about a missing baby when it isn't.
.
Annie is a first time mom who is having a difficult time with "postpartum depression" and a colicky baby. She is always forgetting and misplacing things and most of all exhausted. She can't get any sleep. She is just not herself since the baby was born. If things aren't hard enough, she has to deal with twin teenage step children who do not like her and make her life even more difficult. A tragedy occurs in her house and she doesn't know how and why it happened. As she tries to discover who could have done such a horrible thing she begins to have suspicions about her husband, her step children, and other people in her life. Who did it and why? The ending had a great twist that I did not see coming.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book before it was released. I could not put this book down!