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Obstetrix

Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26
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From the Hugo award-winning author Naomi Kritzer comes a tense portrait of a future we desperately hope to escape.

O Lord, deliver us.

Doctor Liz has just been acquitted for performing the last abortion in North Dakota when she's kidnapped.

They're not just any kidnappers, but a fundamentalist cult, deep in the rural west, without respect for law or decency, and in desperate need of an OB/GYN.

Guarded, isolated, without access to the outside world, Liz nevertheless is treated with respect as the only doctor on the compound, but she is very aware of what happened to the last obstetrician they kidnapped.

She must escape, and bring help to the girls trapped at the compound, if it's the last thing she does.

208 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 9, 2026

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Naomi Kritzer

99 books327 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for K.J. Charles.
Author 65 books12.2k followers
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November 13, 2025
A fast-moving feminist thriller, in which an obstetrician is kidnapped by a violently patriarchal extremist christian cult somewhere in nowhere USA and forced to provide midwifery and medical help for their (many) pregnant women. Great atmosphere of surveillance and fear, and a very realistic depiction of how a normal person would react in the circumstances, which is to say, if you are expecting the heroine to go Jackie Reacher on the cultists, you will be disappointed. Rather, it builds a horrifying high-tension picture of the heroine's helplessness and desperation to escape, along with her sense of obligation to her patients, and an awful feeling of not knowing who to trust or help. Compelling reading that feels all too plausible in the current climate.

I had an ARC from the publisher (which is also my publisher).
Profile Image for Librariann.
1,607 reviews92 followers
November 26, 2025
** I received an advance digital copy from the publisher, because I am a librarian and librarians are awesome **

While the publisher bills this as near-future science fiction, the "science" aspect is that the narrator is a physician, and the "future" (where an OB/GYN is prosecuted for her role in terminating a viable pregnancy) basically feels like it could happen any second, so, yeah.

I found myself flying through the story, though, because it has many features that I like in a book, among them: natural childbirth, cults, and a premise ripped from true crime.

While the ending felt like it wrapped up too quickly, and absolutely nothing can compare to Candace Fleming's Death in the Jungle when it comes to capturing the insidious creep of a cult's control over its members (like falling in love John Green style - slowly, then all at once), the story was realistic enough and entertaining enough. This is a case of appreciating what it is, even if I probably would have enjoyed a novel-length version with rotating POVs even more for its ability to ratchet up the tension and stakes.
Profile Image for Jenna.
483 reviews75 followers
January 14, 2026
Another typically fresh and fantastic novella from Tor, and from Naomi Kritzer, author of the delightful Catfishing on CatNet!


I read this 200-ish-page treat in basically one sitting. I relished the voice and thought process of Dr. Liz, the pragmatic and straightforward but compassionate (and fantasy literature-loving) obstetrician who finds herself mysteriously stuck in the rural compound of the cult-like group Harvest during a time when obstetricians are in short regional supply due to increasing hardship and pressure for medical professionals in that line of work - as Dr. Liz has already discovered all too well.


This moving and suspenseful little story read like a mix of Big Love, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Call the Midwife. In some ways - and especially in their shared ability to find calmness and inspiration through escapism into a fantasy narrative - Dr. Liz reminded me of another favorite Tor character who is also beloved for their keen-eyed observations and askance assessments of the humankind around them: that’s right, Murderbot! The book should also appeal to fans of Tor luminary Sarah Gailey. And is not the cover striking?


I’m not sure that Tor ever commits a misstep, and they certainly haven’t done so with this one. Obstetrix is due on June 9, 2026. Big thanks to Tor Publishing Group, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC!
Profile Image for Kate.
79 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2026
I finished this book (edit: this is considered a novella!) in one, four-hour sitting. It was a fast paced thriller about an obstetrician that was kidnapped by a religious cult to help the often very young women (and children) deliver babies. Naturally it had strong feminist themes, but also presented really interesting moral/philosophical debates within the main character that made me consider what I would do in a similar situation.

It is everything I hoped for when I requested this ARC, if anything I wished it was a little longer. I would have loved more character development from some secondary characters, like Bethany’s parents, or backstory about Pastor John and the development of the compound (although, I think we can assume, these types of cults are all essentially a copy-paste). The ending came fast, but I loved it.

A free ARC was provided through NetGalley and Tor publishing exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Michelle.
773 reviews30 followers
December 29, 2025
This novella/short book went by so fast I was left wanting so much more! I wish there had been a little more depth and character development, but the premise for the story was interesting and it’s hard to go very deep in a novella.

I really enjoyed the story overall though. It feels very timely and very likely to happen, if it isn’t already. I think fans of Neal Shusterman’s Unwind series would enjoy this book and I would recommend it to teens and young adults. This might also be a great book for adults who are learning to read since it has adult topics but isn’t too long.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Edelweiss for providing this advanced readers copy for free for review.
2,374 reviews47 followers
January 19, 2026
It's not often that I immediately turn around a review after finishing a book, but sometimes you read something incredibly special and know you're going to be hearing a lot about it coming up and want to be part of hyping it up. Takes place in a near future where we are still living in the aftermath of Roe v Wade calling, and our main, Liz, is an ob/gyn who was just acquited for performing the last abortion in North Dakota. She's kidnapped by a fundamentalist cult with the lure of a job interview in Minnesota to be their doctor. We get a hell of a tale of how she survives, the things she witnesses, how she tries to prevent harm as best she can in a place where fourteen year old girls are married to forty year olds with the expectation of rapid and frequent childbirth, and how the power of stories gives hope and shared power in a patriarchal nightmare cult. This comes out in June, but preorder it now, and enjoy the summer treat.
Profile Image for A.R. Hellbender.
Author 4 books97 followers
January 13, 2026
This was a really good read from start to finish, as is the usual with Naomi Kritzer’s books no matter the subject matter. There were so many small details that gave the story a face no matter how central any particular characters were, and I couldn’t help but be invested in every plot point no matter how small.
The narrative also makes the cult seem like a parallel for rigid gender roles overall, with details such as the myriad of ways that the cult seems to only care about healthcare when it extends to pregnancy, that have an effect on their whole society.
Profile Image for Allie O'Connor.
9 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2026
Thank you to TOR and Netgalley for providing this advanced copy!

As miserable as it is that our current political landscape makes this book plausible, I could have read like 600 more pages of this.

Obstetrix is a tense novella detailing the experience of a doctor who is kidnapped by religious fundamentalists to work as the only medical provider on their compound. Kritzer writes from the extremely engaging POV of a main character who handles her situation much, much better than I could in her shoes. Dr. Liz's determination to survive and escape is really well foiled by her moral drive to care for the women and children around her, regardless of the fact that she isn't there willingly.

The atmosphere of the cult's remote compound is another bright light of the book--it doesn't need to be driven home to readers over and over again that they're in the middle of nowhere. It makes the feeling of constant surveillance and the riskiness of trusting the intentions of the women around Liz really effective.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book being billed as "near-future science fiction". It's almost a little too grounded in its bleakness for me to associate it with the far-flung realm of science fiction. I feel like we're gonna read about a heath care provider getting arrested for performing an abortion, like, tomorrow. (Will they then be acquitted just in time to be taken against their will by a small-scale Gilead? Probably not, but you know what I mean.)
Profile Image for Dori Gray.
267 reviews21 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 16, 2025
4.5 stars rounded down. This was SO good. It is short but doesn’t feel short because so much happens, and it is incredibly well written.

An obstetrician in the not-too-distant-future lives in a world where OBs have left a number of states because of restriction on their professions when it comes to ending pregnancies. And yes, this feels predictive and terrifying.

Liz was put on trial for saving the life of a mother by terminating her pregnancy and though she was acquitted, she was without a job (she was the last remaining OB in North Dakota) despite moving to a state with more opportunities. That’s why she was receptive to a phone call inviting her to work for a midwife office as a backup OB.

I won’t summarize this here and you can read the description, but what follows is wild. The setting is so clearly described you can picture where she is and you can hear and see the people she is with and you feel her pain and fear and hopelessness. You also feel her hopefulness. And her despair.

And the moments of good, particularly the connection amongst those who might feel the way she does.

Half star deducted only because I felt like I needed more details about this near-future world where obstetricians left a number of states.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Stacey.
447 reviews4 followers
January 14, 2026
Thank you to Tordotcom and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

This was definitely a page turner!
Liz is an OBGYN and is desperately looking for a job after a controversial public trial made it hard for any company to want to hire her. She accepts an impromptu interview, and it turns out to be a big mistake. Kidnapped, and being forced to be a doctor/obgyn for an extremist religious cult, she has no idea where she is or if anyone is even looking for her.

I thought this was very well written. I had read somewhere that this was Waco meets Gilead in a story, and I couldn't describe it any better. The author did a great job portraying it in a quick easy to read way, while giving us the suspense and twists that we would expect in a plot like this. I actually was impressed at how this was a shorter book, and it felt like a very complete story without it needing to be any longer.
I loved Liz's character. She was calm, composed and smart about what she needed to do. While taking necessary risks at the same time. Cue the suspense!!
The author did a good job describing what the compound and the people were like, it felt very easy to picture it all.
I had a great time reading this.
Profile Image for Reading Xennial.
522 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 14, 2026
3.5 stars

Liz is an obstetric doctor who is going through a tough time and is looking for a new job in her field of work. She gets offered an interview out of the blue. She gets kidnapped and is forced to care for the pregnant women at a compound cult-like ranch. Liz tries to help the women, but also how to get them to safety. The ending felt a bit unrealistic and then it ended with a lot of loose ends. It seemed it could’ve used another chapter or epilogue. The writing was good and I was invested in the story and the characters. I do recommend this book if you’re looking for a quick read that involves women’s rights. If you’re sensitive to triggers then I’d recommend checking trigger warnings.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read this early. The opinion in this review is my own.
Profile Image for MAB  LongBeach.
528 reviews7 followers
December 2, 2025
A long novella or very short novel, set in the very near future. (It's almost unnoticeable.) Dr. Elizabeth Gwinn is an obstetrician who was prosecuted--and acquitted--over a medically necessary abortion. She moved from North Dakota to Minnesota and is looking for a new job. A last-minute job interview leads to an abduction. She finds herself in an isolated cult compound...somewhere. The cult badly needs a doctor, specifically an obstetrician, and the last one didn't work out. As each day and week brings new horrifying realizations, she tries desperately to keep her sanity and find a way out.

Great characterizations and a gripping story.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
11 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 8, 2026
Kritzer has a knack for extremely compelling stories that make me tear up a little. 5 minutes into the future, with all the haunting plausibility you should expect if you've read CatNet or Liberty's Daughter.

I started Obstetrix this morning at work. I finished it before I clocked out, and already told a friend I'd be reminding her to pick it up on release.

(and by sheer coincidence, I got home to write this up and this same day, an asshole (ICE) in Minnesota made the news. Hope you're safe, Naomi, and I know you'll be out protesting.)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I'm so glad I got to read this and give it a boost, so maybe more folks will pick it up. (be careful about content warnings, though; it may be short but it's not light.)
Profile Image for Jenna Maldonado.
75 reviews5 followers
January 10, 2026
Um, WOW. This was such a uniquely thrilling story! I especially appreciated this because of my medical background and of course being a mom. This tells the story of an OBGYN kidnapping and her being held hostage at a religious cult. The women in the cult are arranged to be married young and reproduction is highly encouraged, therefore the OBGYN Dr. Liz has her work cut out for her. You see the corruption within as well as the creation of an escape plan. The men keep a close eye on the members and Dr. Liz struggles to find someone to trust. She uses her skillset to deliver babies and keep the women as safe as possible all while trying to escape. It will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time!

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing this ARC for review purposes!
Profile Image for Zoe Lipman.
1,304 reviews30 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 7, 2026
I really enjoyed this short story (I think it was only about 150 pages, maybe a little less). I finished it so quickly. I did it in two sittings, but I'm sure it could easily be done in one.

This really did feel like an episode of Criminal Minds!

This follows an OBGYN who gets abducted by a cult to help them deliver the bajillion babies they have.

I don't want to say anything else because that would lean into spoiler territory. Just know that I had a fun time with this! And it wouldn't surprise me if something like this has actually happened in real life.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Profile Image for Jordan.
6 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 17, 2026
I loved the premise of this story - an OBGYN being kidnapped to work for a religious cult. I enjoyed the main character, Dr. Liz and felt pulled into her experience with every plot point. I rated this book 3 stars because it left me wanting more. The major events felt rushed and under developed. It was like I was spoon fed what was going to happen next instead of letting the tension build. Additionally details about the compound and silent acts of rebellion by those wanting freedom would have made it more cohesive. I’m glad I read it and I am grateful to the publisher for providing me an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jeffrey Riley.
12 reviews
December 26, 2025
I want to thank NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It’s a gripping thriller that touches on health care issues currently happening across the US. I actually wish that had been a more prominent issue in the book as it would have added to the drama. As it is, we have a likable main character put into a dangerous situation and we follow her through that. There is almost a sub-plot focusing on and pushing literature and being well read, but it falls short of the goal. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will give the author another read with her next book.
453 reviews3 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 8, 2026
this fast-paced, not so far fetched novella was a treat!
an ob/gyn who was recently prosecuted for performing an abortion is kidnapped by cult members and taken to a remote location to be their new “in house” doctor. religious cult madness mixed with medical experiences combined with the anxiety of being kidnapped(!) made for a wild ride. i didn’t want to close my kindle until the book was done!

thank you to tor publishing group for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Alexis.
24 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 18, 2025
Very fast paced thriller that where the tension and horror are amplified given the current state of American reproductive care. Compelling doctor heroine who is not a superhero (can the hot flashes be a secret weapon? fantastic idea, loved it!) but is realistically grappling with what is truly out of her control and how she can still help her patients.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC - I was looking forward to reading this in the spring, but delighted to get it early!
Profile Image for Katie Mauger.
112 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 5, 2026
Great little thriller that I think will stick with me. The events of the story felt pretty plausible (unfortunately), with the exception of the resolution, which was a bit too perfect to be realistic. I like a tidy ending though, so I’m not complaining. This is the first Naomi Kritzer book I’ve read, though I’ve been following her blog on local elections for quite a while now. I think I’ll pick up Catfishing on Catnet next!
18 reviews
January 6, 2026
I went into this book not expecting much, but when this books was over I was left wanting more to the story. This book sucked me right in and I couldn’t put it down no matter how hard I tried. The tension is just the right amount making you sit right at the edge of your seat without making you completely uncomfortable. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian or feminist style books.
Profile Image for Amanda Mooney.
50 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 7, 2026
This was a 5 star read for me - it’s the perfect high paced thriller. Liz is an obstetrician that is kidnapped by a Christian fundamentalist cult because they need her skills on their compound. I was holding my breath as she was trying to figure out details of her surroundings and how to potentially escape. If you liked the Handmaid’s Tale, you should definitely pick this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing group for the ARC! I can’t wait to read more of Naomi Kritzer’s books.
Profile Image for TheCozyReaderLife (Bev).
71 reviews16 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 19, 2026
Thank you to Netgally and Tor for providing this ARC.

This was a very fast-paced novella about an obstetrician who was recently acquitted for a medically nessceary abortion. While looking for a job, she gets kidnapped by a cult. The premis was very interesting and what kept me reading.
However, I am sad to say this story fell a bit short for me. The story lacked character development. I wasn't invested in any of the characters. The ending was very unrealistic and rushed.
Profile Image for Pamela.
539 reviews21 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 21, 2026
This story is so so good! Really great, fast-paced feminist thriller following an OB/GYN kidnapped by a cult to support their unethical baby-making. And while it is fiction, it highlights actual reproductive healthcare issues in the US today. My only complaint is that it wraps up too quickly and easily, otherwise it’s a 5 star read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC! Pub date June 9, 2026.
Profile Image for Emily Westerwick .
86 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 28, 2025
Gilead meets Waco-- An obstetrician is kidnapped by an off-the-grid Christian cult compound to provide maternity care to their members. Has timely commentary on reproductive rights, morality, and literacy. Pacing was just right for a novella. Really makes you feel the dread and uncertainty in a setting that could be entirely plausible today. Thanks to NetGalley and the author and the publisher for the ARC.
Profile Image for D.
251 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 13, 2026
2.5 This was nothing special. I expected it to be much more thrilling but it felt like nothing really happened. For an already short book there were a few repetitive sentences/thoughts. It wasn’t bad there are just a lot of books w similar concepts that are more engaging

Thanks netgalley for the arc
1,104 reviews17 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 5, 2026
This is well done, seems to be barely science fiction as in it could happen today or maybe next week. It's short and gets into the main character's head quite well and touches on a modern hot button issue. Has a bit of a thriller vibe to it but without quite as much tension as some of those books.
Profile Image for Allyson.
434 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 10, 2026
A powerful novella perfect for 2026. I just wanted more! It was so good and had such a good premise I just needed to know what happened. And I wanted some more on the pre kidnapping. Recommend to jumpstart your reading goal as it’s 200 pages, to anyone who loves a cult story / waco or to anyone who’s just over all of this Trump shit. Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Deej.
258 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 11, 2026
Rounded up from 2.5 stars.

I enjoyed the plot of this novella, but for an already short book, there were chunks where nothing happened. The prose was pretty poor and simple, but I enjoyed the characters.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the eARC.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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