The New Mother by Julia Crouch
(previously titled "Mother's Helper")
Genre: Domestic thriller, Psychological thriller, Suspense
Read: 12th October 2021
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Published: 12th October 2021
★★★★ 4.5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
Who would you trust with your precious family?
Wanted: full-time, live-in help for expectant mother. Must be organised, friendly and willing to do anything.
Rachel is determined to be the perfect mother. She has a birth plan, with a playlist and a bag ready by the door. She’s chosen a lovely light cream paint for the nursery, and in wide-eyed, innocent Abbie she’s found the perfect person to help her with her baby.
After all, every mother needs a bit of help, don’t they?
But Rachel needs a little more than most.
She still makes sure her bedroom door is locked before she goes to sleep. She still checks the cameras that are dotted throughout the house.
Rachel trusts Abbie. Even if Abbie’s smiles don’t always reach her eyes, and the stories she tells about her past don’t always add up, it doesn’t matter.
Because Rachel knows better than to trust herself…
From the bestselling author of Her Husband’s Lover, this is a truly gripping story about how far people will go to find a family. Filled with tension and twists to keep you glued to every page, it is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Shari LaPena and The Girl on the Train.
MY REVIEW:
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Julia Crouch's engrossing domestic thriller THE NEW MOTHER (previously titled "Mother's Helper").
Think "Single White Female" meets "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle"...and thensome! Because this compelling domestic thriller with a little bit of stalkerish and a lot of Insta isn't what you expect it to be. My introduction to Julia Crouch as an author was fraught with tension throughout despite a little lagging to begin with. Just when you think you know what's happening, you realise you haven't got a clue!
Crouch does a brilliant job of setting the reader up to wonder which of the two women is the biggest threat...sweet but slightly dull faithful follower Abbie or the self-obsessed narcissistic control freak mum-to-be Insta influencer with one too many hashtags Rachel? From the first moment, you are unsure who to believe. And then just when you gain an opinion on the two women, all that you think you know is turned on its head in a twisted role reversal that will leave you thinking...what the hell did I just read?
Instagram influencer Rachel has the perfect life successfully promoting products she is sent for free as part of her #onbrand #veganlife. At 38, biological clock is ticking and all she wanted was a child to complete her life. Now she is pregnant with the much wanted child that will make up for everything that has gone before. But Rachel has a problem. As a busy influencer who employs people to keep her world appearing perfect, she now needs a mother's helper to assist Rachel leading up to the birth and beyond. She puts out the call on her Insta profile and travels to London with #bestfriendFran who has come over from Rotterdam to help Rachel interview the shortlisted applicants over the course of three days. Just when all hope appears to be lost, Rachel finds the perfect candidate in 26 year old Abbie James, a quiet and reserved but seemingly competent young woman with glowing references too good to pass up. Added to that, Rachel sees Abbie as a "work in progress" for her to promote on her Insta profile which will in turn boost her followers.
After a wealth of forms and NDAs to sign, Abbie makes the journey from Bristol to Devon as the live-in help for Rachel over the ensuing months. But upon arrival she immediately gets admin Wanda offside who takes an instant dislike to her, with the feeling being completely mutual. She is shown to her "rooms" made up of a suite of rooms incorporating living, kitchen, bedroom and ensuite in the top floor attic space. Abbie cannot believe her luck. With her is her trusty friend Barney, her budgie, who she must keep to her rooms as Rachel is allergic to feathers. Soon after arrival, Rachel puts her to work in the gym and a vegan diet, which Abbie has faithfully adhered to since following Rachel, for a makeover project that Rachel has coined as #AbbiesJourney.
Rachel has based her whole life on Instagram as being #authentic but when Abbie moves in and makes herself invaluable to her, she realises that what she sees on Insta is only what Rachel wants you to see. Begging the question, is Rachel all that she appears?
Both women have a hidden past that is lurking just beneath the surface - but which of them is the most sinister? Which of the two women is hiding the most? Who has the darkest secrets?
THE NEW MOTHER is a solid read that will have you questioning the outcome throughout, despite the slow pace that lulls you into a false sense of boredom at the start...thoroughly intentional, I might add. The characters? I'm not sure you are supposed to like either of them and I sure didn't. Not one....except maybe Fran, and of course Sam the dog #SamDog and Barney the budgie. Animals are always my favourite people anyway. Suffice to say, neither woman is quite right in the head but one of them is full on bats*** crazy, taking things to a whole other level! I was completely captivated by the train wreck of an ending.
The big secret from the past dubbed The Event, when revealed, does shed a light of understanding for which I completely sympathised, making the entire story fall into a twisted jigsaw puzzle piece by piece. It was then I realised that the slow pace from the start lulls the reader into a false sense of something like boredom where it's all about Rachel and how completely self-obsessed she is. The tension mounts rapidly then and by 60% I couldn't put the book down as I watched the train wreck unfurl.
It's interesting to note that THE NEW MOTHER is an entirely female-oriented plot with no men to save the day. The only male to feature, albeit briefly, is Fran's hubby Wim (pronounced Vim)...although he was a heavy presence from time to time despite not actually being there. But the biggest feature of this story is the fake and disturbing aspects of social media and its influence on others, particularly those vulnerable to such influence. It highlights the fact that what you see is not real - it's all fake-up for marketing and money. A prime example of the way media governs the market of advertising. You'd think we'd learn that none of it is real - it's just hype to promote their products so people are stupid enough to spend money on them. Marketing...that's all it is. And social media is just another tool.
THE NEW MOTHER will mess with your mind. It is claustrophobic; it is tense; it is complex; and it is thrilling. And just when you think you know what is happening, it veers off in another direction leaving you scratching your head. The dynamic between Rachel and Abbie becomes something sinister as you are left wondering who to believe in this dishevelled mess.
You live with her. You trust her. But you don't know her... Who do you believe? Who can you trust?
THE NEW MOTHER (previously titled "Mother's Helper") is a fun and captivating read that is horrifyingly real. Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers with a twist.
I would like to thank #JuliaCrouch, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheNewMother in exchange for an honest review.
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