Book cover of Magpie

Book description

For fans of The Last Mrs. Parrish comes a twisty psychological suspense about motherhood, obsession, and just how far some will go for the perfect family. “Great, plain and simple” (Stanley Tucci).

Marisa and Jake are a perfect couple. And Kate, their new lodger, is the perfect roommate—and not just…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked Magpie as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Magpie is tense, clever, and so beautifully written that I thought I was following a certain point of view, only to be whiplashed into the reveal of someone completely different.

With a story that centres around motherhood and pregnancy, the dread is a slow, subtle, terrible creep, and I loved how the characters unraveled.

Elizabeth Day’s novel isn’t just a gripping thriller (I didn’t put the book down once from the moment I opened it), but it’s also a rich and thoughtful exploration of women’s reproductive and mental health–topics that are all too frequently minimized or brushed over. 

Having suffered from and written about my own personal experience with a maternal mental illness, I deeply appreciated how, in this book, Day deftly yet powerfully brings this often taboo topic into the light. Also, prepare to get whiplash from the intense and completely unexpected plot twist midway through the book.

I really enjoyed this book!

I am usually drawn to these types of stories as I am an author of domestic thrillers as well, a few of which are forthcoming. Magpie is the type of book that grabs my attention, which is why I gave it a read despite not being familiar with the author. I am not an author snob, by any means, and if a story’s description grabs me then I will read it regardless. I liked the final twist in the story, one that I didn't see coming(but it was a good one)that gave me the satisfying…

If you love Magpie...

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December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

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