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Mother Is Watching
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An internationally bestselling author’s chilling horror debut in which an art conservator’s obsession with a mysterious painting spirals into a nightmarish descent, where the line between reality and the supernatural shatters, threatening both her sanity and her life.
Mathilde “Tilly” Crewson, a thirty-nine-year-old mother and art conservator, is tasked with restoring The Mother. The painting, believed to be the work of a female surgeon-turned-artist after a personal tragedy, is the rumored fourth piece in a collection of only three known works. But this newly discovered painting, scarred by fire, holds more than meets the eye.
Soon after receiving the painting, Tilly discovers she’s unexpectedly pregnant. But almost immediately, strange, inexplicable things begin to terrifying insect swarms, eerie visits from her long-deceased mother, and sinister whispers that invade her mind. As these malevolent forces intensify, Tilly comes to a harrowing the only way to sever the perilous bond she shares with the painting is to destroy it. But The Mother has plans of her own—and they’re darker than Tilly could ever imagine…
Mathilde “Tilly” Crewson, a thirty-nine-year-old mother and art conservator, is tasked with restoring The Mother. The painting, believed to be the work of a female surgeon-turned-artist after a personal tragedy, is the rumored fourth piece in a collection of only three known works. But this newly discovered painting, scarred by fire, holds more than meets the eye.
Soon after receiving the painting, Tilly discovers she’s unexpectedly pregnant. But almost immediately, strange, inexplicable things begin to terrifying insect swarms, eerie visits from her long-deceased mother, and sinister whispers that invade her mind. As these malevolent forces intensify, Tilly comes to a harrowing the only way to sever the perilous bond she shares with the painting is to destroy it. But The Mother has plans of her own—and they’re darker than Tilly could ever imagine…
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 17, 2026
8963 people want to read
About the author
Karma Brown
16 books1,350 followersKARMA BROWN is a Canadian award-winning journalist, speaker, and the #1 bestselling author of six novels, including RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE. She has also written the non-fiction bestseller THE 4% FIX, and has co-authored two holiday rom-coms under the pen name Maggie Knox. In addition to her books, Karma's writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine. Karma lives just outside Toronto with her husband, daughter, and a labradoodle named Fred. She released a holiday rom com in 2026 (THE CHRISTMAS CURE) under the pen name Kristine Winters, and her horror debut, MOTHER IS WATCHING publishes March 17, 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 4, 2025
4.25/5
Finally, a genuinely creepy “cursed media” book! The backstory of the paintings that the main character, Tilly, becomes obsessed with was emotional and haunting. Tilly herself is very likable and well-meaning, so the situation she’s put in seems high stakes. It makes the reader feel very sympathetic for her, rooting for Tilly to overcome the madness and have a happy ending. However, Tilly is pretty deep in the madness and this book constantly had me questioning what was reality vs Tilly’s hallucinations.
Additionally, I am not much of a sci-fi fan, but the author incorporated some really cool, interesting sci-fi tech in this book that had me freaking out!
Highly recommend checking out this horror debut upon release, 03.17.26! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Dutton, for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book.
Finally, a genuinely creepy “cursed media” book! The backstory of the paintings that the main character, Tilly, becomes obsessed with was emotional and haunting. Tilly herself is very likable and well-meaning, so the situation she’s put in seems high stakes. It makes the reader feel very sympathetic for her, rooting for Tilly to overcome the madness and have a happy ending. However, Tilly is pretty deep in the madness and this book constantly had me questioning what was reality vs Tilly’s hallucinations.
Additionally, I am not much of a sci-fi fan, but the author incorporated some really cool, interesting sci-fi tech in this book that had me freaking out!
Highly recommend checking out this horror debut upon release, 03.17.26! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, Dutton, for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book.
September 7, 2025
This novel was made up of two major storylines. One of them was absolutely my thing and the other was one that I personally don’t like to read about because it’s always frustrating. So this experience was kind of like having someone put licorice in my peanut butter
However, the two storylines did work very well together and made complete sense. The book takes place in a not so distant future in which every woman’s fertility is closely monitored by government technology, and they can even get a tattoo that turns different colors based on ovulation and other health stats. Women in this world are high-pressured to conceive as much as possible because a virus has wiped out the sperm count of the average male and the burden has fallen to them to continue the species.
In addition to this, there’s a rewards/incentives program women can join called “Motherwise” that seemingly provides lots of benefits to pregnant women and their families, but is also more than a little pushy when it comes to telling the mother-to-be what to do. And ladies with fewer children are essentially made to feel inferior, like they aren’t contributing as much to society.
That was one aspect of the plot: all the stuff going on with main character Tilly and her husband trying to conceive another child, and there was a lot going on with that. It wasn’t my favorite thing to read about, especially because I hate controlling husbands. Wyatt wasn’t quite on the same level as the guy from “Rosemary’s Baby,” but he was close!
What I LOVED about the book was the other plot line, the art horror. A favorite genre of mine in general. Tilly restores damaged paintings for a living, (just like Dana did in “Ghostbusters 2!”) and she’s tasked with restoring a particularly mysterious work by a late artist with a lot of tragedy in her life.
The creepy lore in this story was so interesting! The more Tilly uncovers, the scarier things get. I don’t want to say too much, but there is some cool body horror and imagery and I was into it. The backstory for the artist fascinated me.
I also appreciated the short chapters. The wild stuff that happened every time the painting was in the room. The parallels between what was happening biologically to Tilly and what she was discovering as she did the restoration. Mothers and daughters as a theme. This book had a lot happening. I think anyone who likes art horror, supernatural horror and elements of feminism and future dystopia will really like this.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Loss of pregnancy, Insects, Self-harm
However, the two storylines did work very well together and made complete sense. The book takes place in a not so distant future in which every woman’s fertility is closely monitored by government technology, and they can even get a tattoo that turns different colors based on ovulation and other health stats. Women in this world are high-pressured to conceive as much as possible because a virus has wiped out the sperm count of the average male and the burden has fallen to them to continue the species.
In addition to this, there’s a rewards/incentives program women can join called “Motherwise” that seemingly provides lots of benefits to pregnant women and their families, but is also more than a little pushy when it comes to telling the mother-to-be what to do. And ladies with fewer children are essentially made to feel inferior, like they aren’t contributing as much to society.
That was one aspect of the plot: all the stuff going on with main character Tilly and her husband trying to conceive another child, and there was a lot going on with that. It wasn’t my favorite thing to read about, especially because I hate controlling husbands. Wyatt wasn’t quite on the same level as the guy from “Rosemary’s Baby,” but he was close!
What I LOVED about the book was the other plot line, the art horror. A favorite genre of mine in general. Tilly restores damaged paintings for a living, (just like Dana did in “Ghostbusters 2!”) and she’s tasked with restoring a particularly mysterious work by a late artist with a lot of tragedy in her life.
The creepy lore in this story was so interesting! The more Tilly uncovers, the scarier things get. I don’t want to say too much, but there is some cool body horror and imagery and I was into it. The backstory for the artist fascinated me.
I also appreciated the short chapters. The wild stuff that happened every time the painting was in the room. The parallels between what was happening biologically to Tilly and what she was discovering as she did the restoration. Mothers and daughters as a theme. This book had a lot happening. I think anyone who likes art horror, supernatural horror and elements of feminism and future dystopia will really like this.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Loss of pregnancy, Insects, Self-harm
October 4, 2025
What a premise! This plot had me sitting uncomfortably on the edge of my proverbial seat. Paintings can be chilling, and the idea of one being haunted is terrifying. This book absolutely captures that terror. The future timeline is a fun twist with lots of updated technology. I will say, the watch notifications got old fast. Luckily, the plot was strong enough that I could overlook her never ending watch pings. Overall, a delightfully frightful book that I’m sure will stay with me for some time.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 3, 2025
Thank you to Dutton for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Mother is Watching by Karma Brown is part horror, part science fiction. Tilly is a fine arts conservator in a near-future Savannah, Georgia. In this further, fertility rates have been decimated, and women are encouraged to have children, enrolled in government programs to incentivize. At the same time that Tilly discovers she’s pregnant with a baby after a devastating loss, she gets an opportunity to work on a painting by Leclerc, the artist who her mother was working on when she suddenly died.
There are really two separate horror stories at play here; one is seemingly benign, domestic horror while the other is the more obvious supernatural plot. The supernatural plot is mysterious, convoluted, and open-ended. It’s not particularly jumpy, but it does have some wonderful moments of body horror. Playing heavily on the fears and terrors of motherhood, pregnancy, and gaslighting, there are some really well written sections.
What I would have loved was the expansion of the stomach-churning, skin crawling, reproductive control sections. In the year 2025, the idea of programs that promote motherhood as the highest aim of womanhood is far too real. The elements of blatant pronatal propaganda (including sowing the seeds of distrust of childless people), control of women’s bodies and activities, and the way that social and government pressure consumes the main character and makes her feel uncomfortable with her very much wanted pregnancy is so, so scary. This feeling of being reduced, minimized, and stripped bare injures all women, not just those that don’t fit into the norms. Even Tilly, who desires this pregnancy, finds herself being erased and misunderstood. This is such a topical horror. This really drops off in favor of the supernatural horror in the final few chapters. I could have read even more about this , and wish elements would have made it to the final chapters.
The element of this book that really dropped the ball for me was that the husband character is somewhat of a nothing blob. He’s somewhat necessary for some set dressing, but he never really does anything important. While he does have a weird controlling attitude with the MotherWise program and a friend who’s somewhat suspect, he isn’t fully invested. He doesn’t have enough redeeming points to be “good” not enough, not “bad” enough to fully be part of the female reproductive horror, and not important enough to the plot one way or another. I just wish that he would have had more impact in any direction. He definitely makes controlling decisions for Tilly and is a bit of a crappy partner, but he feels a little bland as a major player.
I really enjoyed this title. I thought that the conservation of a painting was a pretty unique take on the “spooky painting” genre of horror. I thought there was some great gross horror, especially the scene on Christmas Eve. I wish the secondary and tertiary characters were more well developed. 4/5 stars!
Mother is Watching by Karma Brown is part horror, part science fiction. Tilly is a fine arts conservator in a near-future Savannah, Georgia. In this further, fertility rates have been decimated, and women are encouraged to have children, enrolled in government programs to incentivize. At the same time that Tilly discovers she’s pregnant with a baby after a devastating loss, she gets an opportunity to work on a painting by Leclerc, the artist who her mother was working on when she suddenly died.
There are really two separate horror stories at play here; one is seemingly benign, domestic horror while the other is the more obvious supernatural plot. The supernatural plot is mysterious, convoluted, and open-ended. It’s not particularly jumpy, but it does have some wonderful moments of body horror. Playing heavily on the fears and terrors of motherhood, pregnancy, and gaslighting, there are some really well written sections.
What I would have loved was the expansion of the stomach-churning, skin crawling, reproductive control sections. In the year 2025, the idea of programs that promote motherhood as the highest aim of womanhood is far too real. The elements of blatant pronatal propaganda (including sowing the seeds of distrust of childless people), control of women’s bodies and activities, and the way that social and government pressure consumes the main character and makes her feel uncomfortable with her very much wanted pregnancy is so, so scary. This feeling of being reduced, minimized, and stripped bare injures all women, not just those that don’t fit into the norms. Even Tilly, who desires this pregnancy, finds herself being erased and misunderstood. This is such a topical horror. This really drops off in favor of the supernatural horror in the final few chapters. I could have read even more about this , and wish elements would have made it to the final chapters.
The element of this book that really dropped the ball for me was that the husband character is somewhat of a nothing blob. He’s somewhat necessary for some set dressing, but he never really does anything important. While he does have a weird controlling attitude with the MotherWise program and a friend who’s somewhat suspect, he isn’t fully invested. He doesn’t have enough redeeming points to be “good” not enough, not “bad” enough to fully be part of the female reproductive horror, and not important enough to the plot one way or another. I just wish that he would have had more impact in any direction. He definitely makes controlling decisions for Tilly and is a bit of a crappy partner, but he feels a little bland as a major player.
I really enjoyed this title. I thought that the conservation of a painting was a pretty unique take on the “spooky painting” genre of horror. I thought there was some great gross horror, especially the scene on Christmas Eve. I wish the secondary and tertiary characters were more well developed. 4/5 stars!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review in the February 2026 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/02... (link live on 2/5/26 at 7am central)
Three Words That Describe This Book: near future dystopia, art horror, psychological horror
More words: Horror debut by an established author, fertility horror, art restoration, haunted painting, trauma, surveillance state horror, immersive, visceral (paintings were made with blood, fingernails, insect wings), unreliable narrator-- only Tilly. She is all we know. Can't see her husband, friends, kid, mother in law's perspective.
Brown's Horror debut.
One Before Chapter to set the stage and introduce the reader to the artist-- Charlotte LeClerc who painted Tilly will be restoring for the bulk of this book. The backstory about the artists is haunting, macabre, and as we find out-- threatening. Tilly's mom restored LeClerc's painting, THE CHILD, and now Tilly is doing THE MOTHER. LeClerc died in a fire as she was working on The Mother.
Then we have the "Now" chapters. the action. Everything is in Tilly's point of view, in conversational language, she is clearly telling the reader her story because at the end of a few chapters, she tells us that things are about to get worse-- which in "now" chapters was a bit odd. How can she know that?
There is an "After" for the ending.
This book has a few too many frames. I think the frame of a near future where floods and fires have changed the world in ways that are hinted at but not explored was not helpful. We could have easily had hey there was a virus, men have compromised sperm counts, that's why there is all this fertility surveillance. Why add in the climate change, fires, storms. There is a big storm at the end but there could have just been a big storm. It takes place in Savannah. They have big storms now.
The intense fertility surveillance and the "supporting" pregnant people and new mothers is not that far off from life now.
There were also a lot of extraneous details and side plots that did not pay off for the amount of pages needed for them. Some I am like, hmmmm where did that go, others completely left dangling.
But library readers will enjoy the immersive horror here. The psychological horror of the painting– is ithaunted, is it literally our to get Tilly, is it moving into the real world, OR is all of this in Tilly's head, Is she so damaged from her life (multiple things) that she is having a complete breakdown. Readers will get caught up in all of it. There is good use of all five senses here to invoke a real sense of unease, anxiety, and eventually all out terror.
There is a lot of great detail about art restoration as well.
I fall on the side of the haunted painting but there is information here for both, especially for when she purposely avoids her therapist friend on purpose towards the end of the book. (Side note, the therapist and her wife are and entire side story that is developed and then just dropped)
Shares similarities to cursed media stories. I thought of Black Flame Gretchen Felker-Martin because we have the restoration and the art work blending into and threatening the restorers life. But missed with Womb City for sure-- the near future dystopia with fertility and surveillance horror.
Three Words That Describe This Book: near future dystopia, art horror, psychological horror
More words: Horror debut by an established author, fertility horror, art restoration, haunted painting, trauma, surveillance state horror, immersive, visceral (paintings were made with blood, fingernails, insect wings), unreliable narrator-- only Tilly. She is all we know. Can't see her husband, friends, kid, mother in law's perspective.
Brown's Horror debut.
One Before Chapter to set the stage and introduce the reader to the artist-- Charlotte LeClerc who painted Tilly will be restoring for the bulk of this book. The backstory about the artists is haunting, macabre, and as we find out-- threatening. Tilly's mom restored LeClerc's painting, THE CHILD, and now Tilly is doing THE MOTHER. LeClerc died in a fire as she was working on The Mother.
Then we have the "Now" chapters. the action. Everything is in Tilly's point of view, in conversational language, she is clearly telling the reader her story because at the end of a few chapters, she tells us that things are about to get worse-- which in "now" chapters was a bit odd. How can she know that?
There is an "After" for the ending.
This book has a few too many frames. I think the frame of a near future where floods and fires have changed the world in ways that are hinted at but not explored was not helpful. We could have easily had hey there was a virus, men have compromised sperm counts, that's why there is all this fertility surveillance. Why add in the climate change, fires, storms. There is a big storm at the end but there could have just been a big storm. It takes place in Savannah. They have big storms now.
The intense fertility surveillance and the "supporting" pregnant people and new mothers is not that far off from life now.
There were also a lot of extraneous details and side plots that did not pay off for the amount of pages needed for them. Some I am like, hmmmm where did that go, others completely left dangling.
But library readers will enjoy the immersive horror here. The psychological horror of the painting– is ithaunted, is it literally our to get Tilly, is it moving into the real world, OR is all of this in Tilly's head, Is she so damaged from her life (multiple things) that she is having a complete breakdown. Readers will get caught up in all of it. There is good use of all five senses here to invoke a real sense of unease, anxiety, and eventually all out terror.
There is a lot of great detail about art restoration as well.
I fall on the side of the haunted painting but there is information here for both, especially for when she purposely avoids her therapist friend on purpose towards the end of the book. (Side note, the therapist and her wife are and entire side story that is developed and then just dropped)
Shares similarities to cursed media stories. I thought of Black Flame Gretchen Felker-Martin because we have the restoration and the art work blending into and threatening the restorers life. But missed with Womb City for sure-- the near future dystopia with fertility and surveillance horror.
October 19, 2025
Mathilde is a working mother and art conservationist in a post-climate crisis, near-future Savannah, GA. I was intrigued to see The South as the backdrop for a distopian sci-fi horror novel, and being from that area I had hoped that we would get more about what happened with The Great Flood and everything else leading to this point. But I guess that's a whole other book. At the beginning of the story, I was grasping at straws to find exactly what made it dystopian, because within context to maternal care and the current trainwreck that is politics in the United States, this future with the Motherwise program actually sounds pretty nice (weekly curated boxes, neighborhood support classes, an efficient public railway transit system, drone delivery, etc). As the story progresses, we find that the world Matilde occupies has incentivized child-rearing after major population decline. Motherwise is actually similar to a Big Brother-like entity, with health tracking bracelets and tattoos, mandatory home-rest, AI therapists and required breath-work. And we know it's never good for women when the government gets involved with their bodies and reproductive rights.
There is a duality in this story: the life of Mathilde rooted in a pro-life distopian reality and her experiences in the haunted ephemeral plane that she keeps tapping into through the conservation of The Mother painting.
I noticed obvious similarities in this book with The Handmaid's Tale, and also with Stephen King's Rose Madder. But instead of the oppressor in Rose Madder being a single man, the oppressor in Mother is Watching is a broader definition of the Patriarchy.
This story ends up being what I feel is an ultimate loss to Matilde. Truly a "horrible" ending. I loved all of the different elements of this story, but I felt they deserved more elaboration and cohesiveness.
TW: death of mothers and children, miscarriage, self-harm, traumatic birth
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of Mother is Watching by Karma Brown.
There is a duality in this story: the life of Mathilde rooted in a pro-life distopian reality and her experiences in the haunted ephemeral plane that she keeps tapping into through the conservation of The Mother painting.
I noticed obvious similarities in this book with The Handmaid's Tale, and also with Stephen King's Rose Madder. But instead of the oppressor in Rose Madder being a single man, the oppressor in Mother is Watching is a broader definition of the Patriarchy.
This story ends up being what I feel is an ultimate loss to Matilde. Truly a "horrible" ending. I loved all of the different elements of this story, but I felt they deserved more elaboration and cohesiveness.
TW: death of mothers and children, miscarriage, self-harm, traumatic birth
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of Mother is Watching by Karma Brown.
February 14, 2026
#ad much love for my advance copy @duttonbooks #partner
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC
🅼🅾🆃🅷🅴🆁 🅸🆂 🆆🅰🆃🅲🅷🅸🅽🅶
< @karmabrownauthor >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴍᴀʀᴄʜ 𝟣𝟩, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑…
The Mother, the rumored fourth painting by famed artist Charlotte Leclerc, was believed to be lost forever after the painter died in a tragic house fire while working on it. Now, years later, Tilly has been hired for a top-secret restoration job on the burned canvas, a piece many people don’t even know exists.
But Tilly is already carrying her own grief. She’s mourning the loss of her mother, wrestling with past regrets, and struggling to conceive again after a miscarriage. All of this unfolds within the suffocating control of MotherWise - a company that monitors women through smartwatches after a virus wipes out male sperm counts, ensuring population growth while quietly policing women’s bodies and movements.
🎧: Karissa Vacker YO! You know this is an instant MUST LISTEN! I don’t even need to say more. Just a fabulous audiobook that I def recommend.
I enjoyed this one overall. The speculative fiction elements were compelling, especially the exploration of the pressures and expectations placed on women and mothers. At times I felt those themes overshadowed parts of the plot, but not enough to ruin it. I also loved the art world backdrop and the unsettling real-life horror anecdotes sprinkled throughout.
What made this book for me was the horror elements. The constant surveillance, the feeling of never truly being free, and the unsettling mystery surrounding the painting - especially when strange things begin happening as Tilly restores it, push the story into unhinged territory. And the Savannah, Georgia setting was the perfect setting for all of this.
Mother is Always Watching by Karma Brown is a propulsive, genre-blending read that explores grief, motherhood, bodily autonomy, and the ways women often blame themselves when they struggle to conceive. But it’s also more than that too.
I also found the art aspects to be interesting. And it was also interesting that the more Tilly descends into the chaos, the harsher her surveillance gets. All of this is building, building, and building - until it all explodes. The plot is like a mix of the past and future colliding in the most spectacular way.
My only issue with this was that there’s no chapters. There are chapters, but just not in the traditional sense - they aren’t labeled. Which paired with the audio can get a bit confusing.
Lmao .. that ending tho.
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC
🅼🅾🆃🅷🅴🆁 🅸🆂 🆆🅰🆃🅲🅷🅸🅽🅶
< @karmabrownauthor >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴍᴀʀᴄʜ 𝟣𝟩, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑…
The Mother, the rumored fourth painting by famed artist Charlotte Leclerc, was believed to be lost forever after the painter died in a tragic house fire while working on it. Now, years later, Tilly has been hired for a top-secret restoration job on the burned canvas, a piece many people don’t even know exists.
But Tilly is already carrying her own grief. She’s mourning the loss of her mother, wrestling with past regrets, and struggling to conceive again after a miscarriage. All of this unfolds within the suffocating control of MotherWise - a company that monitors women through smartwatches after a virus wipes out male sperm counts, ensuring population growth while quietly policing women’s bodies and movements.
🎧: Karissa Vacker YO! You know this is an instant MUST LISTEN! I don’t even need to say more. Just a fabulous audiobook that I def recommend.
I enjoyed this one overall. The speculative fiction elements were compelling, especially the exploration of the pressures and expectations placed on women and mothers. At times I felt those themes overshadowed parts of the plot, but not enough to ruin it. I also loved the art world backdrop and the unsettling real-life horror anecdotes sprinkled throughout.
What made this book for me was the horror elements. The constant surveillance, the feeling of never truly being free, and the unsettling mystery surrounding the painting - especially when strange things begin happening as Tilly restores it, push the story into unhinged territory. And the Savannah, Georgia setting was the perfect setting for all of this.
Mother is Always Watching by Karma Brown is a propulsive, genre-blending read that explores grief, motherhood, bodily autonomy, and the ways women often blame themselves when they struggle to conceive. But it’s also more than that too.
I also found the art aspects to be interesting. And it was also interesting that the more Tilly descends into the chaos, the harsher her surveillance gets. All of this is building, building, and building - until it all explodes. The plot is like a mix of the past and future colliding in the most spectacular way.
My only issue with this was that there’s no chapters. There are chapters, but just not in the traditional sense - they aren’t labeled. Which paired with the audio can get a bit confusing.
Lmao .. that ending tho.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the eARC of this debut horror novel. While this novel took me much longer to read than anticipated, I did enjoy reading it. A complex and layered story about bodily autonomy, pregnancy, motherhood, government overreach (is this a utopia? is it a dystopia?), but also art conservation. I really loved the art aspect of this book because it was so unique, and I think this story is extremely unique more generally. Tilly is an art conservator who is hired to conserve the fourth and final piece of a famous artist who was highly mysterious. Tilly's mother had worked on the third piece from the artist, Charlotte Leclerc, and had died not long after finishing it. Tilly also struggles with infertility, but finds herself pregnant not long after she starts working on the painting. Soon we come to find out Leclerc was very experimental, and many things around the house start happening that worry Tilly as they directly relate to the painting. I loved the characters in this book, except for Wyatt. Fuck you Wyatt. I get it but I hate you for it. I loved the story, the execution, the writing. It was at times claustrophobic, which I think would make for a great audiobook. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and it made me feel a whole lot of feelings. I think I will need to sit with this book for a little while before I fully understand how I feel about it, but hey I had fun and it got me to read an ebook.
I would definitely read another horror novel by this author!
I would definitely read another horror novel by this author!
November 11, 2025
3 words for this: creepy, terrifying and pulsating
When I first started reading it, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Ghostbusters movie and the painting that was “alive”. So if you want a general synopsis, you could think of this book like this, BUT know that it goes from there into a creepy “what the F” scenes that gave me the chills. I would be more specific but can’t because it would take the experience away.
The ending:. I mean I kind of expected it but I didn’t.
FYI for horror lite readers. It’s dark but not anything too crazy
When I first started reading it, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Ghostbusters movie and the painting that was “alive”. So if you want a general synopsis, you could think of this book like this, BUT know that it goes from there into a creepy “what the F” scenes that gave me the chills. I would be more specific but can’t because it would take the experience away.
The ending:. I mean I kind of expected it but I didn’t.
FYI for horror lite readers. It’s dark but not anything too crazy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2025
I don't normally read supernatural horror but I'm glad I read this. I loved the writing style for sure and the suspense made it hard for me to put the book down. The only thing I did not like was the ending, I needed to know more! Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up.
August 4, 2025
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!
This was a treat, I really enjoyed the blend of sci fi and horror, mixed with legacy and the lasting effects of trauma. The painting being a focal point for the horror a person experiences after loss, and the fear of bringing that loss to a new generation was masterfully done. I loved the sci fi elements and the ramping tension of pregnancy and gaslighting experienced by the main character. I think the ending could have been a little clearer, but all in all I really enjoyed it.
This was a treat, I really enjoyed the blend of sci fi and horror, mixed with legacy and the lasting effects of trauma. The painting being a focal point for the horror a person experiences after loss, and the fear of bringing that loss to a new generation was masterfully done. I loved the sci fi elements and the ramping tension of pregnancy and gaslighting experienced by the main character. I think the ending could have been a little clearer, but all in all I really enjoyed it.
November 11, 2025
With
Mother is Watching,
Karma Brown once again proves she’s an absolute powerhouse of an author, no matter the genre she chooses. Her first horror novel is smart, timely, intensely creepy, and delivers a downright horrifying ending. Read this one with all the lights on!
December 22, 2025
In a mildly dystopian not too distant future, the society becomes obsessed with increasing the population after a virus results in men’s fertility issues. This leads to increased pressure for women to bear as many children as possible, and social status is mapped by motherhood. Tilly is an art conservator trying to restore the last painting of a famous artist titled The Mother, and her struggles with motherhood intertwine with the haunting events surrounding this painting.
I thought this was going to be an art horror about a painting coming to life. What it turned out to be was a horror centred around being pregnant - both in the body aspect and in how society treats you. Tilly’s loss of control with her work restoring a haunting piece of art is reflected in the controlling nature of her husband and her loss of personhood in her pregnancy.
I found many aspects of this book truly creepy, and the body horror was well written. The futuristic setting helped to “other” the situation while making it only too easy to imagine being real. I felt all the feelings of our protagonist and was fully engrossed. If it wasn’t for the fact that there were minimal happy feelings (and I prefer to read to relax and be happy) I would give this 5 stars. However that is absolutely not the point of reading horror! I would recommend this to spooky horror loving readers 👻
I thought this was going to be an art horror about a painting coming to life. What it turned out to be was a horror centred around being pregnant - both in the body aspect and in how society treats you. Tilly’s loss of control with her work restoring a haunting piece of art is reflected in the controlling nature of her husband and her loss of personhood in her pregnancy.
I found many aspects of this book truly creepy, and the body horror was well written. The futuristic setting helped to “other” the situation while making it only too easy to imagine being real. I felt all the feelings of our protagonist and was fully engrossed. If it wasn’t for the fact that there were minimal happy feelings (and I prefer to read to relax and be happy) I would give this 5 stars. However that is absolutely not the point of reading horror! I would recommend this to spooky horror loving readers 👻
Read
August 23, 2025Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 17 March 2026
Off the bat, this book was pitched as something I would love: art, an art conservator, horror. Sign me up. When I started reading, I realized it is set in a near-future world that is dystopian and even more reliant on technology than we are today. At first, I wasn’t sure if the tech added anything to the story since it felt a bit shoehorned in. However, once I got deeper into the book, the technology became integral and added a lot to the narrative.
I am not sure if the author is an art conservator or knows one well, but the details of the job felt spot on. That matters to me, because if an author chooses a very specific profession, I want them to get the details right.
The commentary on the pressures society places on women to be mothers and to make that their primary role was handled in a unique way in this imagined society. There was also strong emphasis on how women are controlled not only by husbands, but also by workplaces, technology, and social expectations.
The story leaves some things open-ended, which I personally liked, though I am not sure all readers will.
Pub Date: 17 March 2026
Off the bat, this book was pitched as something I would love: art, an art conservator, horror. Sign me up. When I started reading, I realized it is set in a near-future world that is dystopian and even more reliant on technology than we are today. At first, I wasn’t sure if the tech added anything to the story since it felt a bit shoehorned in. However, once I got deeper into the book, the technology became integral and added a lot to the narrative.
I am not sure if the author is an art conservator or knows one well, but the details of the job felt spot on. That matters to me, because if an author chooses a very specific profession, I want them to get the details right.
The commentary on the pressures society places on women to be mothers and to make that their primary role was handled in a unique way in this imagined society. There was also strong emphasis on how women are controlled not only by husbands, but also by workplaces, technology, and social expectations.
The story leaves some things open-ended, which I personally liked, though I am not sure all readers will.
January 9, 2026
When I read the author’s note talking about horror being her happy place, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. There’s something about disturbing literature that always draws me in, and Mother is Watching was no exception.
If you’ve never been afraid of a piece of artwork before, then I’m guessing you’ve never read this book. The vivid, macabre descriptions of things coming out of and being found on the painting of The Mother was intensely ominous.
And the scenes with the bugs…I almost couldn’t deal with that.
Add in the connection of horror and motherhood, and you’ve got yourself a book worth reading.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy!
If you’ve never been afraid of a piece of artwork before, then I’m guessing you’ve never read this book. The vivid, macabre descriptions of things coming out of and being found on the painting of The Mother was intensely ominous.
And the scenes with the bugs…I almost couldn’t deal with that.
Add in the connection of horror and motherhood, and you’ve got yourself a book worth reading.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for providing an advance readers copy. Unfortunately this book was not for me. I never read supernatural novels but when I saw this as a Goodreads giveaway and won, I had to give it a try....and the author has fantastic reviews. The story was well written thou moved at a snails pace ( pun intended). Would definitely suggest this to anyone who loves a creepy supernatural novel.
August 6, 2025
4.5⭐️ it was really cool to obtain an ARC from NetGalley and be able to read this book before it comes out next year. This was so interesting on many levels and different from anything I’ve read recently. The commentary on the pressures society puts on women to be mothers and have that be our main focus was done in a unique way in this particular society. There was also an emphasis on how women are controlled even by husbands and partners. I wasn’t expecting those aspects in this story but it made for an interesting read on terms of this society works particularly with technology. I really enjoyed the horror story centered around a painting and what it represented. I do kind of wish there was maybe a little more explanation or just something more to the story of what happened to the mother of the main character in relation to the paintings. But I definitely enjoyed this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Well this was a creepy one to read! We were just waiting for something absolutely terrible to happen. So suspenseful! We really loved the futuristic premise where men's sperm count was wiped out by a virus so the women who can get pregnant are closely monitored with watches and tattoos by a government program called Motherwise. So interesting! Loved the different plots and how they worked together.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ominous and creepy! I thought Mother Is Watching was a fantastic read. Excellent writing. I also loved the plot, which centers around a macabre painting and an odd pregnancy, and the underlying themes; they complemented each other so well. The setting takes place in the not-so-distant future with a government that pushes for marriage and motherhood while monitoring fertility. The fact that it's not an implausible future makes it so spine-chilling. And on top of the creepy setting, there's mounting tension and lots of suspense with a something-isn't-right vibe. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. It's not that I felt like it was bad, but it felt unfinished.
January 19, 2026
I’m not usually a horror fan, but I really enjoyed this book. I genuinely couldn’t tell the difference between Tilly’s hallucinations and reality, which kept me hooked the entire time. This story also showed the future of medical technology. I loved the idea of the Motherwise program. Thank you to Tyler and Zak for gifting me this ARC copy <3
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had to take a couple of days to process this book before reviewing it. I always like to do that but in this case…I don’t think I could have formed coherent thoughts right after finishing the book. And I say that in the best way possible because this book was so much more than what I thought it would be and I loved every second of it. I forgot that I was shocked to see the book had three chapters. When I finished the first one, which was short, I saw “expected reading time: 11 hours 41 minutes” and thought my e-reader was broken. But fear not because there are little “breaks” in between this very long chapter. Even if we don’t get a “next chapter” marked, it is separated into not very long sections. So that’s good but also, I wanted to read it in one sitting so I ended up not caring.
So the premise tells us about this painting which could be cursed and the character who will be trying to fix it might suffer some consequences for being near it so much. There’s a pregnancy too to add to the mix…it sounded good to me. Then I started reading it and I realised the premise does the book no justice. Because it’s such a nuanced story that, honestly, it’s hard to sum the plot up in just a few sentences. How do you explain all this?
If I had to give it a try and create a summary, I’d first mention how unsettling the book is. My God! I felt my anxiety on edge because it was relentless. There were no transitional scenes where you know nothing crazy will happen. Those scenes that are needed to develop the plot and such. It’s a constant feeling that something could happen on the next line that will blow my mind. Given this is a horror book, that’s absolutely brilliant! That’s what we want from horror. To feel unsettled and not safe. That was probably my favourite thing about the book and what I thought the author did best.
So it’s unsettling but also a little disgusting sometimes. I laugh typing these words but there were a few scenes that really were impactful. And a little gross but, again, it’s horror. It made so much sense to include them and it wasn’t just gore for the sake of it. Each scene had a purpose. Even if one made me feel a little dizzy but blood and I…we don’t get on well. Though I do love feeling so immersed in a book that it makes me feel that way.
However, what I found so interesting when I read the book was that we find this is set in a near future, if I had to guess. It sounds a bit more modern than 2026 but not like it’s super in the future. Some of the technological advances can give us a clue but we don’t get a year so I can only guess. The world in this book has also been affected by a global situation. Trying to be vague here even if we find out about it at like 4%. We had COVID so it’s very easy to not just relate but to understand what a global crisis does to society as a whole. And while being vague, I’ll say it was absolutely infuriating. Once again, men’s problems became women’s burden. That part of the story isn’t in the premise but when I realised what we were doing here…I wanted to read the whole book in one sitting. The way that it connects with the could be cursed painting plot is so brilliant. I just found it genius how this society is all about controlling women and yet Tilly, our protagonist, is losing control. Control is a key word here and that theme was explored beautifully. I love my social commentary and didn’t really expect it here so I was having the time of my life reading about it.
The very beginning of the book shows us Tilly has a smart watch, which I first assumed would be something from Apple or similar but then I realised the differences. That and the talk about the data we share is very 2026. We’re having a lot of conversations about how much we are sharing with companies and where that information is going to. So seeing that introduced into this book added a different flavour of horror that feels way more realistic than a cursed painting.
It felt very topical too with I guess we could say how the narrative was being controlled by the media and the governments. That word again: control. I would have read a whole 500 page book about that part of the plot. I really love the way the author approached it.
I’m going through my notes to finish this review because the moment I realised how many layers this book was going to have, I had to pick up my notebook. And I see I didn’t mention the painting yet. I was so captivated by the commentary I wanted to talk about it first but the horror from the painting and all the weird stuff going on with it is fantastic. Again, going back to that unsettling feeling. And the backstory we get for Charlotte Leclerc was really unique. This is a book that leaves you with questions and maybe answers. It would depend on how each reader interprets the story and the ending. I loved it. What I found to be the explanation works really well. I enjoy when an author doesn’t feel the need to spell everything out and trusts the readers.
The way I ended my notes was by saying that there is a healthy balance between the horror and the social commentary. “Mother” is watching but so are others. The ending is ambiguous but also…is it? I’m looking forward to seeing other reviews and reading what other readers thought about it. Also, I won’t shut up about this book until I get a lot of people to read it because in a literary world with so many books that feel like a waste to me, I love elevating those that are unique and offer more for my curious brain to enjoy.
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So the premise tells us about this painting which could be cursed and the character who will be trying to fix it might suffer some consequences for being near it so much. There’s a pregnancy too to add to the mix…it sounded good to me. Then I started reading it and I realised the premise does the book no justice. Because it’s such a nuanced story that, honestly, it’s hard to sum the plot up in just a few sentences. How do you explain all this?
If I had to give it a try and create a summary, I’d first mention how unsettling the book is. My God! I felt my anxiety on edge because it was relentless. There were no transitional scenes where you know nothing crazy will happen. Those scenes that are needed to develop the plot and such. It’s a constant feeling that something could happen on the next line that will blow my mind. Given this is a horror book, that’s absolutely brilliant! That’s what we want from horror. To feel unsettled and not safe. That was probably my favourite thing about the book and what I thought the author did best.
So it’s unsettling but also a little disgusting sometimes. I laugh typing these words but there were a few scenes that really were impactful. And a little gross but, again, it’s horror. It made so much sense to include them and it wasn’t just gore for the sake of it. Each scene had a purpose. Even if one made me feel a little dizzy but blood and I…we don’t get on well. Though I do love feeling so immersed in a book that it makes me feel that way.
However, what I found so interesting when I read the book was that we find this is set in a near future, if I had to guess. It sounds a bit more modern than 2026 but not like it’s super in the future. Some of the technological advances can give us a clue but we don’t get a year so I can only guess. The world in this book has also been affected by a global situation. Trying to be vague here even if we find out about it at like 4%. We had COVID so it’s very easy to not just relate but to understand what a global crisis does to society as a whole. And while being vague, I’ll say it was absolutely infuriating. Once again, men’s problems became women’s burden. That part of the story isn’t in the premise but when I realised what we were doing here…I wanted to read the whole book in one sitting. The way that it connects with the could be cursed painting plot is so brilliant. I just found it genius how this society is all about controlling women and yet Tilly, our protagonist, is losing control. Control is a key word here and that theme was explored beautifully. I love my social commentary and didn’t really expect it here so I was having the time of my life reading about it.
The very beginning of the book shows us Tilly has a smart watch, which I first assumed would be something from Apple or similar but then I realised the differences. That and the talk about the data we share is very 2026. We’re having a lot of conversations about how much we are sharing with companies and where that information is going to. So seeing that introduced into this book added a different flavour of horror that feels way more realistic than a cursed painting.
It felt very topical too with I guess we could say how the narrative was being controlled by the media and the governments. That word again: control. I would have read a whole 500 page book about that part of the plot. I really love the way the author approached it.
I’m going through my notes to finish this review because the moment I realised how many layers this book was going to have, I had to pick up my notebook. And I see I didn’t mention the painting yet. I was so captivated by the commentary I wanted to talk about it first but the horror from the painting and all the weird stuff going on with it is fantastic. Again, going back to that unsettling feeling. And the backstory we get for Charlotte Leclerc was really unique. This is a book that leaves you with questions and maybe answers. It would depend on how each reader interprets the story and the ending. I loved it. What I found to be the explanation works really well. I enjoy when an author doesn’t feel the need to spell everything out and trusts the readers.
The way I ended my notes was by saying that there is a healthy balance between the horror and the social commentary. “Mother” is watching but so are others. The ending is ambiguous but also…is it? I’m looking forward to seeing other reviews and reading what other readers thought about it. Also, I won’t shut up about this book until I get a lot of people to read it because in a literary world with so many books that feel like a waste to me, I love elevating those that are unique and offer more for my curious brain to enjoy.
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Never have I ever been so unnerved by a piece of artwork than when I read MOTHER IS WATCHING.
This story is both spooky and unsettling, and not just because there’s something wrong with The Mother. MOTHER IS WATCHING bridges a five-minute-in-the-future, dystopian adjacent world with contemporary motherhood and gender role themes that resonate loud and clear even in today’s society. I’d say it’s like BRAVE NEW WORLD meets THE HANDMAID’S TALE.
Throughout this book, I was never quite sure how Tilly would react. I knew from reading the blurb that there was something sinister about the painting The Mother, so I knew it wasn’t totally in her head. The balance between Tilly making excuses for the unexplained circumstances around the painting and her potentially degrading health and sanity was such a fine, polished line. I loved how all the details in the story built a comprehensive, intricate tale. Every little piece mentioned is important and returns with meaning. No detail is left hanging.
The jury is still out on Tilly’s husband, Wyatt. He seems loving and devoted, but he also overreaches and makes decisions for Tilly, specifically medical decisions—something that could be construed as helpful, but ultimately leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I do believe this was intentional, though.
Overall, every character in this story has stripes of good and bad in them. There’s no one, irreparably bad villain, nor one flawless heroine, and that is one of my favorite parts. There’s a little bad in everyone, just like there’s a little good in everyone in real life, too.
The slightly futuristic setting is cautiously dystopian, the kind of dystopia where—if you squint and turn your head to the side—it’s not that bad. I loved how the culture in Tilly’s world played into her decision making, too. It seems like the government program, MotherWise, is a great support for expecting mothers, but there’s a sinister edge to the implementation. Tilly’s choices feel very real to me. Do some of her decisions scare me? Oh heck yes, but I can absolutely see why she chose what she chose.
I think the story highlights a topic that a lot of women can relate to. Do we postpone our jobs in order to prioritize family, or can work and family coexist? What do we sacrifice if we choose one over the other? I feel like I really hammered on the themes in this review, but I really resonated with them.
There are scary moments where Tilly’s reality slips and there are splashes of body horror and insect parts, too. You know, the good stuff. It’s not just a treatise on motherhood, pinkie promise. With that said, I have one final warning:
Mother. Is. Watching.
I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy from Dutton and NetGalley. My review is honest and given freely.
This story is both spooky and unsettling, and not just because there’s something wrong with The Mother. MOTHER IS WATCHING bridges a five-minute-in-the-future, dystopian adjacent world with contemporary motherhood and gender role themes that resonate loud and clear even in today’s society. I’d say it’s like BRAVE NEW WORLD meets THE HANDMAID’S TALE.
Throughout this book, I was never quite sure how Tilly would react. I knew from reading the blurb that there was something sinister about the painting The Mother, so I knew it wasn’t totally in her head. The balance between Tilly making excuses for the unexplained circumstances around the painting and her potentially degrading health and sanity was such a fine, polished line. I loved how all the details in the story built a comprehensive, intricate tale. Every little piece mentioned is important and returns with meaning. No detail is left hanging.
The jury is still out on Tilly’s husband, Wyatt. He seems loving and devoted, but he also overreaches and makes decisions for Tilly, specifically medical decisions—something that could be construed as helpful, but ultimately leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I do believe this was intentional, though.
Overall, every character in this story has stripes of good and bad in them. There’s no one, irreparably bad villain, nor one flawless heroine, and that is one of my favorite parts. There’s a little bad in everyone, just like there’s a little good in everyone in real life, too.
The slightly futuristic setting is cautiously dystopian, the kind of dystopia where—if you squint and turn your head to the side—it’s not that bad. I loved how the culture in Tilly’s world played into her decision making, too. It seems like the government program, MotherWise, is a great support for expecting mothers, but there’s a sinister edge to the implementation. Tilly’s choices feel very real to me. Do some of her decisions scare me? Oh heck yes, but I can absolutely see why she chose what she chose.
I think the story highlights a topic that a lot of women can relate to. Do we postpone our jobs in order to prioritize family, or can work and family coexist? What do we sacrifice if we choose one over the other? I feel like I really hammered on the themes in this review, but I really resonated with them.
There are scary moments where Tilly’s reality slips and there are splashes of body horror and insect parts, too. You know, the good stuff. It’s not just a treatise on motherhood, pinkie promise. With that said, I have one final warning:
Mother. Is. Watching.
I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy from Dutton and NetGalley. My review is honest and given freely.
November 15, 2025
3.5 stars
Parts of this really worked for me, and others did not, but prospective readers who are really into body horror, cursed objects, and general weirdness in their horror should strongly consider queuing this one.
Tilly is an art conservator who is married, has a daughter named Clementine, and lost a child after that. She lives in a dystopian society where women are encouraged to populate (gross), so while the loss is traumatic for personal reasons, there's also a lot of social pressure on her as a mother of one. Her husband? He's no treat. He's also part of this pressure.
Two pivotal changes happen for Tilly right at the start of the book: (1) she receives that creepy painting (well a version of it) from the cover and (2) she finds out she's pregnant. This painting is by far the most exciting element of the novel, and I'm glad I read this to see what was going to happen with that alone. It's weird, scary, gross, and dark: all things I want in horror. The other part? Well... meh. There's a lot of mom content here that I just was not interested in at all. Now Tilly's relationship with HER mother is intriguing, but Tilly's relationship with her various kids did not grab me. My trajectory with this read went from total fascination with the art in the beginning to waning interest with all of the dystopian mom content (that's what I watch _Secret Lives of Mormon Wives_ for tbh, not pick up a horror novel), and then, near the 2/3 mark, I was just a little over it.
The concept is excellent and truly I can see exactly why some readers will be very into this. While it wasn't my favorite, I will definitely read more from this author (whom I'd like to see go deeper into dystopian without the mom component, perhaps).
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Nicole Jarvis at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Parts of this really worked for me, and others did not, but prospective readers who are really into body horror, cursed objects, and general weirdness in their horror should strongly consider queuing this one.
Tilly is an art conservator who is married, has a daughter named Clementine, and lost a child after that. She lives in a dystopian society where women are encouraged to populate (gross), so while the loss is traumatic for personal reasons, there's also a lot of social pressure on her as a mother of one. Her husband? He's no treat. He's also part of this pressure.
Two pivotal changes happen for Tilly right at the start of the book: (1) she receives that creepy painting (well a version of it) from the cover and (2) she finds out she's pregnant. This painting is by far the most exciting element of the novel, and I'm glad I read this to see what was going to happen with that alone. It's weird, scary, gross, and dark: all things I want in horror. The other part? Well... meh. There's a lot of mom content here that I just was not interested in at all. Now Tilly's relationship with HER mother is intriguing, but Tilly's relationship with her various kids did not grab me. My trajectory with this read went from total fascination with the art in the beginning to waning interest with all of the dystopian mom content (that's what I watch _Secret Lives of Mormon Wives_ for tbh, not pick up a horror novel), and then, near the 2/3 mark, I was just a little over it.
The concept is excellent and truly I can see exactly why some readers will be very into this. While it wasn't my favorite, I will definitely read more from this author (whom I'd like to see go deeper into dystopian without the mom component, perhaps).
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Nicole Jarvis at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
January 9, 2026
This book was a wild ride! There were so many moments that took me by surprise that I'm still thinking about them. This book touches on so many topics, environmental change, fertility, maternal expectations, and adds in grief, miscarriage, and a possibly-possessed painting.
This book is set in the near future, where climate change is in full effect, and a virus had emerged that makes men sterile. Once the virus has been identified, a new company in the US, MotherWise, aims to help couples have children and the government provides many incentives to encourage couples to have as many children as possible to maintain the population. In this setting we're introduced to Mathilde 'Tilly' Crewson, an art restorer in Savannah, Georgia. She and her husband, Wyatt, have one daughter, and Tilly is still grieving the loss of their second pregnancy and her inability to conceive again. She is hired to restore a newly-discovered painting by a scientist-turned artist, and once she begins work on the painting, she discovers that she's pregnant. She attempts to balance her desire to work with the societal pressure to become a housewife, but also starts to notice that something isn't right with the painting. As she continues to restore the piece, she finds her world isn't as safe as she hoped.
I inhaled this book. Every step Tilly takes had me on the edge of my seat, and her interactions with the painting are unnerving. The nanny-state that Tilly is ushered into with MotherWise is deeply upsetting, with the use of new technology to have her health monitored at every second. There's also the added horror from the painting, and the mysterious death of the artist. Add into this the constant health monitoring, the questioning from her husband and friends, and Tilly's on grip on reality, the general horror from this book was incredibly well-written. This book had me engaged the entire time I was reading, and I look forward to rereading this book soon.
I received an e-ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This book is set in the near future, where climate change is in full effect, and a virus had emerged that makes men sterile. Once the virus has been identified, a new company in the US, MotherWise, aims to help couples have children and the government provides many incentives to encourage couples to have as many children as possible to maintain the population. In this setting we're introduced to Mathilde 'Tilly' Crewson, an art restorer in Savannah, Georgia. She and her husband, Wyatt, have one daughter, and Tilly is still grieving the loss of their second pregnancy and her inability to conceive again. She is hired to restore a newly-discovered painting by a scientist-turned artist, and once she begins work on the painting, she discovers that she's pregnant. She attempts to balance her desire to work with the societal pressure to become a housewife, but also starts to notice that something isn't right with the painting. As she continues to restore the piece, she finds her world isn't as safe as she hoped.
I inhaled this book. Every step Tilly takes had me on the edge of my seat, and her interactions with the painting are unnerving. The nanny-state that Tilly is ushered into with MotherWise is deeply upsetting, with the use of new technology to have her health monitored at every second. There's also the added horror from the painting, and the mysterious death of the artist. Add into this the constant health monitoring, the questioning from her husband and friends, and Tilly's on grip on reality, the general horror from this book was incredibly well-written. This book had me engaged the entire time I was reading, and I look forward to rereading this book soon.
I received an e-ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
October 14, 2025
This book is the kind of quiet horror that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave. Mother Is Watching blends sci-fi, grief, and the suffocating weight of control into something that feels unsettlingly close to our own world.
Tilly’s a fine arts conservator in a near-future Savannah, where fertility rates have collapsed and women are practically worshipped—and monitored—for their ability to reproduce. After suffering a devastating loss, she learns she’s pregnant, just as she takes on restoring a painting once worked on by her late mother. The deeper she gets into both projects, the more reality begins to twist around her.
There’s a haunting duality here: the creeping supernatural mystery tied to her mother’s past, and the even more disturbing domestic horror of a world that insists motherhood is every woman’s purpose. The way Brown captures that loss of autonomy, that erosion of self, is bone-deep chilling. I found myself far more unsettled by the government “care programs” and social expectations than by any ghost or curse.
Honestly, I could’ve lived in that horror a bit longer—the slow suffocation of a woman being told what’s best for her until she no longer recognizes her own voice. It’s so disturbingly relevant it made my stomach turn.
If anything fell flat, it was the husband. He exists mostly as a prop—a little controlling, a little oblivious, but never enough of either to matter. In a story so focused on power, his lack of it left a gap that could’ve made the emotional stakes even sharper.
Still, Mother Is Watching hit me hard. It’s atmospheric, deeply psychological, and terrifying in ways that don’t rely on monsters. The real horror here is the system—and the way it whispers, we’re only trying to help.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway, this did not reflect my review.
Tilly’s a fine arts conservator in a near-future Savannah, where fertility rates have collapsed and women are practically worshipped—and monitored—for their ability to reproduce. After suffering a devastating loss, she learns she’s pregnant, just as she takes on restoring a painting once worked on by her late mother. The deeper she gets into both projects, the more reality begins to twist around her.
There’s a haunting duality here: the creeping supernatural mystery tied to her mother’s past, and the even more disturbing domestic horror of a world that insists motherhood is every woman’s purpose. The way Brown captures that loss of autonomy, that erosion of self, is bone-deep chilling. I found myself far more unsettled by the government “care programs” and social expectations than by any ghost or curse.
Honestly, I could’ve lived in that horror a bit longer—the slow suffocation of a woman being told what’s best for her until she no longer recognizes her own voice. It’s so disturbingly relevant it made my stomach turn.
If anything fell flat, it was the husband. He exists mostly as a prop—a little controlling, a little oblivious, but never enough of either to matter. In a story so focused on power, his lack of it left a gap that could’ve made the emotional stakes even sharper.
Still, Mother Is Watching hit me hard. It’s atmospheric, deeply psychological, and terrifying in ways that don’t rely on monsters. The real horror here is the system—and the way it whispers, we’re only trying to help.
I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway, this did not reflect my review.
February 12, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This story is about Mathilda (Tilly) a 39 year old art conservator and mother. After the loss of her second daughter, Tilly and her husband were struggling with fertility in a world that promotes pregnancy. Tilly took on a new nda worthy paint restoration while her and her husband discussed the possibility of IVF. Tilly continued to struggle with the grief of her second daughter and her mother as she restored this painting titled The Mother which we discover is the 4th and final painting of an artist named Charlotte LeClerc. We learn that Tilly’s mother restored Charlotte’s 3rd painting titled The Child. Shortly into Tilly’s restoration we learn that she is pregnant, but as happy as Tilly is, her restorations become more and more eerie. Not only does the painting have a weird tendril that pops out of it occasionally, she’s also seeing visions of her dead mother, with her neck bent and head to the side. As she continues to restore the painting, more creepy events happen and they get progressively worse as does the state of her dead mother’s apparition.
So originally I was a bit slow getting into this one, partially because I’ve never really been super into Art and two because sometimes life happens and reading slumps hit hard. But, once I dedicated more time to this, I was consumed by the desire to finish this. I was on the edge of my seat, couldn’t get enough of the story. I really enjoyed it actually. I found that I really enjoyed the main character, I found myself to relating to her a lot. As far as the world building, I love the sort of utopian setting, although I found myself wanting to know more about the control it seemed doctors and the government had over people. I think that is the only thing I really wanted more of or wanted to know more about.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
This story is about Mathilda (Tilly) a 39 year old art conservator and mother. After the loss of her second daughter, Tilly and her husband were struggling with fertility in a world that promotes pregnancy. Tilly took on a new nda worthy paint restoration while her and her husband discussed the possibility of IVF. Tilly continued to struggle with the grief of her second daughter and her mother as she restored this painting titled The Mother which we discover is the 4th and final painting of an artist named Charlotte LeClerc. We learn that Tilly’s mother restored Charlotte’s 3rd painting titled The Child. Shortly into Tilly’s restoration we learn that she is pregnant, but as happy as Tilly is, her restorations become more and more eerie. Not only does the painting have a weird tendril that pops out of it occasionally, she’s also seeing visions of her dead mother, with her neck bent and head to the side. As she continues to restore the painting, more creepy events happen and they get progressively worse as does the state of her dead mother’s apparition.
So originally I was a bit slow getting into this one, partially because I’ve never really been super into Art and two because sometimes life happens and reading slumps hit hard. But, once I dedicated more time to this, I was consumed by the desire to finish this. I was on the edge of my seat, couldn’t get enough of the story. I really enjoyed it actually. I found that I really enjoyed the main character, I found myself to relating to her a lot. As far as the world building, I love the sort of utopian setting, although I found myself wanting to know more about the control it seemed doctors and the government had over people. I think that is the only thing I really wanted more of or wanted to know more about.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An interesting examination of art and the role of motherhood!
I'm not normally for near-future/any kind of future settings, and I might not have picked up this book had the blurb made that clearer, but I think it worked really well here. The balance of positive (responses to climate change, AI use limited to kinda-sensible things, social safety nets in place) and dystopian (the obsession with reproduction, keeping pregnant women under around-the-clock watch in a way that limits autonomy) elements added to the unease of Tilly's world in a way I found really effective. As a childfree woman, numerous aspects of this setup horrified me, so that tied in well with the haunted nature of The Mother and Tilly's work—something the world around her wanted to take away in favor of keeping her a perfect baby-making vessel.
The elements of the haunted painting were spooky as well, both with the horror details in the art and the ways in which similar things (the moths, the blood) manifested in Tilly's life in ways she couldn't control. The helplessness in how the painting worked its way into her life combined with how her pregnancy made her helpless in other ways worked well together.
This all said, I'm not sure the pieces came together as effectively as they could have. The intersection between Tilly's work restoring art, her mother's legacy, her own pregnancy, and the role of women in a society that wants babies above all else kind of played separate roles at times. While I think I could see what the author was going for, it wasn't as cohesive as I was hoping it would be.
But the ending was very creepy, A worthy wrap-up IMO.
3.5/5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC.
I'm not normally for near-future/any kind of future settings, and I might not have picked up this book had the blurb made that clearer, but I think it worked really well here. The balance of positive (responses to climate change, AI use limited to kinda-sensible things, social safety nets in place) and dystopian (the obsession with reproduction, keeping pregnant women under around-the-clock watch in a way that limits autonomy) elements added to the unease of Tilly's world in a way I found really effective. As a childfree woman, numerous aspects of this setup horrified me, so that tied in well with the haunted nature of The Mother and Tilly's work—something the world around her wanted to take away in favor of keeping her a perfect baby-making vessel.
The elements of the haunted painting were spooky as well, both with the horror details in the art and the ways in which similar things (the moths, the blood) manifested in Tilly's life in ways she couldn't control. The helplessness in how the painting worked its way into her life combined with how her pregnancy made her helpless in other ways worked well together.
This all said, I'm not sure the pieces came together as effectively as they could have. The intersection between Tilly's work restoring art, her mother's legacy, her own pregnancy, and the role of women in a society that wants babies above all else kind of played separate roles at times. While I think I could see what the author was going for, it wasn't as cohesive as I was hoping it would be.
But the ending was very creepy, A worthy wrap-up IMO.
3.5/5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 13, 2025
Genre: horror, psychological thriller, sci-fi
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 17th, 2026
Mother Is Watching is a horror filled dive into the layers of grief and motherhood. Our story starts with Tilly, an art conservator, who is dealing with the aftermath of loss along with her family.
WHAT I LIKED:
The storyline was unique and well done! Creepy with gorgeous and amazing visuals.
The writing was great*
WHAT I DIDNT LIKE:
*while the writing IS great, it felt stilted at times and a little awkward. more tell than show. certain things felt handed or spelled out to us.
I have no idea what time period this was set in or if this was some kind of alternate universe type of thing. There was some dystopian vibes I guess one could call it. I would have enjoyed it more if I could have had a grasp on it.<
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I believe I read this was Karma's first horror novel? And for that, this was a very strong start into the genre. One I hope she keeps exploring. Mother Is Watching was a chilling read that I do think people will generally like, especially if you like your horror with touches of supernatural and feminism.
Also, shout out to my dad for saying "oh, like ghostbusters?" when i was explaining the plot to him.
Thank you to Dutton for the arc!
storygraph. | fable | tumblr.
January 7, 2026
This was truly a terrifying and wonderful experience.
There were some genuinely disturbing moments that had me squirming and viscerally uncomfortable. To start, there is so much thought provoking conversation to come from this, especially in regard to women’s bodies and the amount of control the government has in this particular setting. Where does the line need to be drawn, and how much incentives can justify the invasiveness on women’s choices to have or not have children? And while Wyatt wasn’t the worst husband to read about, his controlling nature masked by benignity had my skin crawling. These elements were horrifying in their own sort and amped up the more harrowing portions of this story.
The star elements of this book go to the art and body horror. Wow! I found this so compelling. Every time Tilly stepped foot into her studio or was interacting with the painting, I immediately felt my heart rate increase. These moments were written so beautifully and so eerily. It gave me goosebumps! The pacing was fantastic! I had a hard time putting this down, and if it weren’t for the new year chaos, I would’ve read this in one sitting. This was creepy, it was disturbing, and yet so thought provoking in the way it handled grief, pregnancy, women’s choices around their bodies, and so much more. Obviously, check the trigger warnings but this was an incredible horror story that I will be recommending to every horror lover. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
There were some genuinely disturbing moments that had me squirming and viscerally uncomfortable. To start, there is so much thought provoking conversation to come from this, especially in regard to women’s bodies and the amount of control the government has in this particular setting. Where does the line need to be drawn, and how much incentives can justify the invasiveness on women’s choices to have or not have children? And while Wyatt wasn’t the worst husband to read about, his controlling nature masked by benignity had my skin crawling. These elements were horrifying in their own sort and amped up the more harrowing portions of this story.
The star elements of this book go to the art and body horror. Wow! I found this so compelling. Every time Tilly stepped foot into her studio or was interacting with the painting, I immediately felt my heart rate increase. These moments were written so beautifully and so eerily. It gave me goosebumps! The pacing was fantastic! I had a hard time putting this down, and if it weren’t for the new year chaos, I would’ve read this in one sitting. This was creepy, it was disturbing, and yet so thought provoking in the way it handled grief, pregnancy, women’s choices around their bodies, and so much more. Obviously, check the trigger warnings but this was an incredible horror story that I will be recommending to every horror lover. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 16, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for approving this ARC.
Tilly has a lot going on for her. A strong and solid family, a fulfilling career, and a close group of friends. After mourning the death of what would have been her second child, she finds out she is pregnant again. On the other hand, Tilly works as an art conservator, and she is presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to restore a piece of art work no one even knew existed, until now. Juggling a top secret project and her pregnancy is tough, but she soon realizes there’s something else infiltrating her life.
I very much enjoyed this book, even though the whole glorifying of motherhood and pregnancy freaks me out. It’s unclear when this story takes place, but it definitely gives futuristic vibes due to the technology and mentions of the “past”. It’s always fascinating to see how different authors imagine the future to be like, and in this specific world, becoming a mother is like the most important thing in the world. There were parts that made me wonder if this was actually what Tilly wanted, or what she was supposed to want.
While one part of the book discussed the pregnancy, the other equally haunting part (in my opinion) was about the work she was doing. I don’t come across many hauntings via art, so this was a very original take in my book. While the progression was more or less predictable, the ending though? Damn.
Very well written and horrifying. Adding Karma Brown to my future author auto reads!
Tilly has a lot going on for her. A strong and solid family, a fulfilling career, and a close group of friends. After mourning the death of what would have been her second child, she finds out she is pregnant again. On the other hand, Tilly works as an art conservator, and she is presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to restore a piece of art work no one even knew existed, until now. Juggling a top secret project and her pregnancy is tough, but she soon realizes there’s something else infiltrating her life.
I very much enjoyed this book, even though the whole glorifying of motherhood and pregnancy freaks me out. It’s unclear when this story takes place, but it definitely gives futuristic vibes due to the technology and mentions of the “past”. It’s always fascinating to see how different authors imagine the future to be like, and in this specific world, becoming a mother is like the most important thing in the world. There were parts that made me wonder if this was actually what Tilly wanted, or what she was supposed to want.
While one part of the book discussed the pregnancy, the other equally haunting part (in my opinion) was about the work she was doing. I don’t come across many hauntings via art, so this was a very original take in my book. While the progression was more or less predictable, the ending though? Damn.
Very well written and horrifying. Adding Karma Brown to my future author auto reads!
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