The Baby Group

If you're looking for compulsively readable books, you can't go wrong with the Avon Books UK lineup of upcoming releases. Caroline Corcoran's The Baby Group (September 17, 2020) is one such novel, which features some twisted ladies out for revenge. Newish mom Scarlett seems to have the perfect life: gorgeous husband, idyllic countryside house, adorable one-year old daughter Poppy, a job she loves, and a popular mummy blog. But her past comes back to haunt her when an old sex tape is circulated to everyone she knows. Everyone except her new trio of mom friends. Now Scarlett has to face the past she's so desperately tried to erase to figure out who's truly out to get her. She begins to question everything and everyone she thought she knew. And when all is said and done, how much does she really know these new friends? There's nothing terribly unique about this book, exactly; it's a fairly standard drama about lies and cheating and trying to outrun your past, but I really enjoyed the narrative. Scarlett is a lovely protagonist. She's thoughtful about her actions, regardless of how others see her, and her grief and shame about what's happened to her comes to life on the page. I really felt her pain. And I liked how, though you can sort of put together who the "bad guy" is, you're left second guessing until everything's revealed. This was a book I had a hard time putting down once I picked it up.

I enjoyed it so much that I did something I don't do that often: I went off to buy Cororan's Through the Wall, which was advertised at the end of the novel. Don't get me wrong, I often find myself checking out other books from authors I've had the privilege of reviewing. I've grabbed books at the library and have bought several. I've even pre-ordered the very same book I've reviewed (here's looking at you, The All Night Sun). But I've never so quickly sought out and purchased one at the end of my reading. I can't wait to see what else Corcoran has in store!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Book UK for providing this copy for review. If you're in the market for a breezy thriller that you can devour in a sitting or two, you should put this on your TBR.