This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
The New Mother: A Novel by Nora MurphyPublication Date: May 30, 2023
Publisher: Minotaur Books / Macmillan
Pages: 304
Goodreads
Source: From the Publisher
Genre: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Rating: ★★★
Synopsis:
From the author of The Favor, The New Mother is a tense suspense novel that builds to a gripping game of cat-and-mouse, as well as a searing exploration of what it means to be a “good” mother.
It wasn’t the sort of neighborhood for murder.Natalie Fanning already loves her newborn son, Oliver, with everything she has. From the moment he was born she knew that she was meant to be his mother, even though she didn’t want that to be all she was.
When Oliver refuses to sleep, and her husband Tyler returns to work, Nat is left mostly alone in a new house, in a new neighborhood, the task of keeping her small son healthy and happy on her shoulders alone. No one else can breastfeed Oliver; no one else will protect him like she can; no one can help her.
No one, that is, except her neighbor Paul.
Paul is everything Tyler isn’t, and provides the lifeline she needs in what feels like the most desperate of times. When Paul is helping with Oliver, calmed by his reassuring, steady presence, Nat feels like she can finally rest.
But Paul wants something in return. It’s no coincidence that he has befriended Nat—she is the perfect pawn for his own plan.
REVIEW
As I begin my review, I have to admit that I am childless by choice. However, that doesn’t mean I hate children. In fact, I love them and I’m really good with them. I just prefer when I can return them to their parents. I am very happy being the beloved aunt and godmother to a whole horde of children. Reading “The New Mother: A Novel” by Nora Murphy made me very happy about my choice.
Now, this book is billed as a mystery-suspense novel, but it’s not a traditional mystery. We already know who committed the murder and why. The real mystery revolves around whether they will get away with it or not. The only thing that kept me guessing was whether Natalie or her husband would figure out what was going on with Natalie. While I initially thought the extensive descriptions about breastfeeding and dealing with a colicky child would be excessive, they actually served as a powerful tool to highlight just how desperate Natalie had become. I found myself shaking my head in dismay that she wasn’t receiving the help she so clearly needed.
I listened to an early audiobook version of this novel courtesy of NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. The narrators did a superb job, of effectively conveying Natalie’s desperation and Paul’s psychopathy. Overall, “The New Mother: A Novel” by Nora Murphy is a good read that demonstrates motherhood is not a one-size-fits-all experience.
