I'll Watch Your Baby

by Neena Viel

A suffocating and sharp narrative horror novel for fans of Victor LaValle and The Reformatory, I’ll Watch Your Baby is a haunting reimagining of Linda Taylor -known as the original Welfare Queen - pursued, scrutinized, celebrated and vilified, and the impact her image has had for generations.

1974. Lottie Turner is already infamous. Running a wheel of schemes and scams, she’s willing to work for what she wants in…creative ways. But no business is more lucrative than desperate families looking to adopt a child—and there’s only one way to procure children quickly.

And the only way to take what’s owed you is to cross the line no one else is willing to cross.

1994. Bless has finally found the family she deserved. After suffocating slowly with lackluster parents and a non-starter past, she’s found the friends that means everything to her. That she’d live and die for. As they make their way across the country, one smash and grab at a time, Bless is used to acting fast and thinking on her feet.

But someone is playing a long game. Someone has unfinished business. Soon Bless is trapped in a web of horrors past and present, where the only escape hatch is a path only she can walk, if she finds the courage to take it.

Genres: Horror, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adult, Halloween, Historical, Horror Thriller

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

Neena is a horror writer who lives in a cabin in the Washingtonian woods with her husband. She has a canine assistant who fundamentally disrespects the creative process.

Reviews

[veerali · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley and st. martin's press for the eARC—all are thoughts are my own!
✦ publication date: may 26, 2026

i don’t usually read horror books, but this year i decided to go diverse. i'll watch your baby taught me a lot, especially about a real person i had never heard of before: linda taylor, the woman who was called the “welfare queen.” the author turned her story into a horror tale, and i learned why she became such a famous (and controversial) figure.

the novel follows two main characters, lottie and bless, who live in different time periods. both of them do things that aren’t good. even though they make bad choices, i still felt sorry for them because the world around them is so harsh. the book shows how black women are often blamed and treated as villains just for trying to survive. 

at first i wondered how the writer would connect the two timelines. the parts jump back and forth, and for a while it felt confusing. but as i kept reading, the pieces fell into place. when the two stories finally meet, the twist hits hard. everything i thought i understood changes, and the ending left me shocked and thinking about the whole story long after i turned the last page.

you should pick up this novel when it’s released. neeva viel is definitely a writer to watch, and i recommend this book to anyone who wants a thrilling read that also matters.

⤿ historical fiction
⤿ horror/thriller
⤿ generational trauma
⤿ systematic oppression
⤿ possession

౨ৎ ⋮ more by neena viel
— listen to your sister

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading for review in the April 2026 issue of Library Journal. Issue will also feature an interview with the author.

Three Words That Describe This Book: physically upsetting, generational trauma of systemic oppression, possession

This book is physically upsetting on so many levels. Readers are angry, frustrated, sympathetic to the trauma and horror inflected upon all of th characters, mad and their choices, frozen knowing it is systemic oppression, terrified, and you can feel it all in your body.

It is also original, visceral, terrifying. It is a direct and emotional response to the harm inflicted upon generations of black women who were villainized for having to get help through welfare even though systemic oppression and violence against them and their bodies is what put them there. The anger and revenge that is wanted at all costs. How this turns them against themselves. How it is cycle that may not be able to be broken, etc....

And it is all wrapped up in a very entertaining horror package.

The white flies that are used throughout the book and across story lines to unite the supernatural haunting is a nice touch. They appear at key moments -- sometimes a few and sometime MANY-- but they are a nice bridge between the timelines to unite the timeless story Viel is telling, They are the psychical manifestation of the real life horrors inflicted upon black women and their bodies over time.

This story is much about getting revenge over the harmful welfare queen stereotype-- owning it and controlling the narrative, taking it away from the white media and politicians-- as it is a chance for the current generation of black women -- like Viel herself-- come to terms with their own shame of growing up in a family who accepted welfare-- she speaks about this with honest emotion in the Afterword.

4 parts-- alternating between the story of Lottie-- a fictionalized version of the welfare queen-- in 1971 and Bless in 1994. Both stories are told on a tight timeline with flashbacks. It alternates Lottie, Bless, Lottie, Bless. As part 2 gets going, readers can see the storylines overlapping and it keeps the pacing compelling.

Lottie and Bless are characters readers want to follow. Both are flawed, both are technically criminals and readers know that. But Viel builds sympathy for them. Especially Lottie. She is both awful and charming. Bless you feel badly for but she gets her autonomy as the story goes on. As a reader you don't identify with these women, but you sympathize with their circumstances and more importantly, you want to keep watching to see what happens.

Haitian god of Legba is invoked. And the recurrence of a field in TN, the dirt, the bugs....these details repeat in a way that readers can feel the grime, see the space, and feel the lingering trauma in their own bodies as we see it affecting characters bodies.

I like Viel's debut and this is a very good second book. I will keep reading her work for sure.

For fans of Tananarive Due, Catriona Ward, Caitlin Starling, and Hailey Piper.

[Raaven💖 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to edelweiss for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Actual rating 4.5. I’ll be the one to say I loved Listen To Your Sister. Low rating means nothing to me. I enjoy Neena Viel’s writing and this was just as interesting as her last book.

I’ve actually not really heard of Linda Taylor and this book had me doing a lot of research. I loved how the author was able to spin this real life event into a horror story. In the beginning I wasn’t sure how the two plot points would merge but the way it did was so good! I’ll admit I wasn’t sure if I really hated Lottie. She was bad of course like kidnapping kids and babies and ripping them from their families is devastating but also she was real and loyal to Filly. I wanted her to lose and win at the same time. Bless I identified with a bit. Wanting so bad to have friendship and connection. I was a bit surprised she got so attached after only 3 months but I guess it was trauma bonding.

There were a few things I was confused about with the timeline. Were Lottie’s parents around during slavery? How old was she if the originally story was in 1974? Or maybe I just didn’t understand it all the way. Also, what happened to Manny? He just disappeared never to be seen again. I was hoping he’d pop up and never did. And another question I had was about Wayne and why he never showed back up again. The ending felt off to me and I wasn’t a huge fan but I loved the build up till the end.

This story gripped me and I was focused till the end. This type of slow horror that builds up is great if done well. I’m going to say I loved this book and as the first review I’ll tell everyone to read it. Might not be everyone’s thing but who knows! Neena Viel I’ll be your reader for the next book!!

[Thebiblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. I was completely immersed from start to finish. The author gives us morally gray to pitch-black characters we somehow can’t help but root for. Watching their development and reckoning was deeply unsettling but addictive.

The story unfolds through dual POVs, Lottie and Bless, across two timelines set decades apart. I loved how the narratives slowly intertwined, allowing me to piece everything together bit by bit.

Lottie and Bless are women behaving badly. Lottie, cast into the public spotlight and branded “The Welfare Queen,” is inspired by a real-life figure who carried the same title. But the author takes that foundation and builds something far more layered. Lottie isn’t just committing welfare fraud. She is entangled in murder and child trafficking. Then there’s Bless, a young runaway who joins a group of misfits plotting to break into an elderly woman’s home to steal her settlement money. Both storylines lead to an inevitable reckoning neither can outrun.

This book is gritty, grimy, and deeply disturbing. The horror elements, especially the ghost story aspects, are uniquely executed and genuinely creepy. The atmosphere is tense, and the descriptive scenes are vivid and beyond the eerie horror, the story explores loyalty and friendship, both the beauty and toxicity of it, and opens up conversations about how media can easily target a demographic of people by using one terrible example for all. That depth and thought-provoking element will stay with me for a long time.

The ending feels intentionally open, and I am fully hoping for a sequel because I have so many questions and would love to see where this story goes next.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Trisha]

this sounds good!

** UPDATE - ARC REC'D THANK YOU!! **

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[She’s Stranger Than Fiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll Watch Your Baby is based on Linda Taylor, the woman behind the welfare queen mythos. In 1974, Lottie Turner is a woman on the make. She likes nice things and beautiful clothes, furs, wigs, and makeup. Get what you can however you can. She makes her money by procuring and selling children and has a multitude of looks and aliases. Lottie was only looking out for herself until she met Filly. Filly is a dear friend, and Lottie loves her.
Twenty years later, Blessyn falls in with a group of petty criminals and ends up in a filthy, hoarded up antebellum house in the middle of Tennessee. Sasha has gathered them together for a very significant reason.
This book is a love story, a revenge story, a ghost story, a story of families found and lost. It examines poverty, government assistance, political theater, and race and shines a light on the struggles faced by Black mothers eking out a living for their families in a world that pushes them down and shames them if they seek help. The stories of Lottie, Filly, Bless, and Sasha are interlaced with a supernatural, insectile horror. If bugs, flies, or creepy crawlies are a hard no for you, you should probably sit this one out.
Now, for those who of us who love horror and don’t mind entomology, Viel’s writing is sharp, unapologetic, and evocative. She shows her characters to us in all of their messiness. No rose colored glasses. No excuses. Both the bad and the good. As a result, these characters become living, breathing human beings you won’t soon forget.

This is a review of an uncorrected digital galley. I would like to thank Neena Viel, St.Marten’s/Griffin Publishing, and NetGalley for this opportunity. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are my own.

May you read in peace.✌️

[Ladiami · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a hard read for me. From the very beginning, I felt confused and struggled to find my footing in the story. There were moments where I thought I was finally starting to understand Lottie’s schemes and Bless’s journey, but that clarity never lasted. Instead, the plot became more tangled, and I found myself feeling more lost as the story moved between timelines and revealed darker truths. I had such high hopes for this book because the premise was intriguing and full of potential, but it often felt like the author was trying too hard to be complex and shocking rather than letting the story unfold naturally.

That said, the book wasn’t without promise. The ideas behind the characters and their motivations were interesting, and there were glimpses of what could have been a powerful and haunting story. Unfortunately, it never fully came together for me, and the emotional impact didn’t land the way I expected. The ending was great, mostly because it meant the journey was finally over and I could step away from the confusion. Overall, while the concept was strong, the execution came up short, leaving me disappointed in what could have been a much more compelling read.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

[From The Reader’s Nest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good! At first, you think it’s very surface level, but it’s actually quite deep and we’re digging so far back in time for when a lot of these horrible tropes and social villains are created namely the welfare queen.

I really enjoyed how this book essentially reclaims that power and says you want to see a welfare queen... I’ll show you a welfare queen!!

And then the book goes in a direction that I didn’t intend for it to go and it’s one that I really enjoyed. I love how the author brought this story full circle and tied everything together.

There’s so many descriptions in this book that I don’t think we’ll leave my brain of just from the character development itself.

This is certainly a book that I would like to write a paper on or have a very intellectual book club discussion about because there are so many aspects of this book that deserve to be discussed and as per usual, the author creates something that is so rich!

[Emily Poche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I’ll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel is the bloody, haunting story of Lottie, and, years later Bless. Despite somewhat different paths they’ve both found themselves to be in a similar predicament; they’re both living lives of crime that have been interrupted by something dark. This dark entity is insidious, violent, and powerful. Reading on, it turns out there’s more linking Bless and Lottie together than the supernatural.

Firstly, this author deserves all their flowers for writing some scenes that were truly visually frightening. The words in certain scenes at Filly’s house were jumping off the page and onto the movie screen in my head. It’s really good when the author can create horror moments that are experienced so strongly that they are visceral, cerebral, and strongly imprint on you.

Something that I did love about this story was Viel’s ability to create complex characters. Bless is literally breaking into homes with a group of friends to commit fraud and Lottie is involved in all manner of schemes. Engaging in, among other things, benefit fraud, she is considered to be a “welfare queen” and is demonized by the news and law enforcement. Viel is talented and able to show that Lottie has a point. Her life has been stacked against her, there’s a huge bias, and she’s doing what she has to to get ahead. Viel is so talented at crafting charming Lottie that it’s easy to lose track of the child trafficking she’s doing. even that gets a final backward glance in the final pages as it shows how Lottie has a fundamentally broken worldview from her own trauma. Does it cross out the harm? Surely not, but it does keep the reader wildly trying to make a judgement call on her, one that’s often more nuanced than it appears.

What I thought the book fell flat on was the establishment and explanation of the welfare queen role. While we are told in forwards and the afterward that this is a fictionalization of a real woman, it actually doesn’t feel as deeply important to the story as anything else. We see the news headline and the specter of being caught, the night in jail, but ultimately it does feel like it’s just the setup for the rest of the story. Maybe that was the intention, that it actually is a meaningless part of her story, but on the other hand I feel like a little more detail would have strengthened the background and the character. We know she does it, but we see very little of it. It’s sort of a weird telling rather than showing in a book that is otherwise really descriptive.

Ultimately I did like this book. The horror sequences were jumpy and bloody, and there’s a gross fly motif that runs throughout. I think that the social elements of the story could have been teased out a little more clearly, but it’s a very good horror choice. 4/5 stars.

[Riti · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I tried my hardest to really like this book and I did. Part 1 and 2 I was really into it, however part 3 is when I got lost and never seemed to jump on the right train back. I’m fairly disappointed that I didn’t quite grasp the book as I thought I would, due to the fact the plot was enticing. Like we are talking about baby kidnapping/traficking and that’s a plot I’ve never read about before.

Now I want to get into the main characters bless and Lottie.

Lottie is the welfare queen and even I had respect for her and was amazed. However, the progression of the story and flies and a ghost? I got more lost and tbh wish I didn’t only cause I loved her. Second bless is part of a friend group, Devin, manny and Sasha. And I thought she was the leader at first but she isn’t. As the story progressed you get to see why the kids (the gang I mentioned earlier) and Lottie are related and the dual pov is necessary.

But man I was ANNOYED with Sasha and bless, she kept reminding us she hates the meaning of her name. Also, I need to understand the authors obsession with Manny and the fact he is Punjabi and the obsession with his aunties. I swear his idenety came up just as much as bless’s did.

I want to thank St. Martin’s essentials for providing me with an ARC.

[Adam Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Neena Viel’s first novel, Listen to Your Sister, and her second novel is even more assured, layered, brilliantly written and complex. Viel tackles a difficult and controversial subject and turns it into a scary, visceral, and compulsively readable book. Lottie Turner, based on the infamous “welfare queen” that Ronald Reagan vilified in his rise to the presidency, is one of the most difficult to pin down characters I’ve read in a long time. Sometimes you hate her, sometimes you enjoy her, but you always understand her and she’s always honest about who she is, and that is fascinating to read. The book skips around in time and requires your attention, something her first novel required as well, and I for one love that, as it does not fit into a cookie cutter narrative and reads as a mix of literary and horror fiction, doing both brilliantly well.

[The Noire Anthology · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neena Viel’s I’ll Watch Your Baby is a historical horror novel that mixes Southern Gothic haunted house elements with a sharp look at the myth of the “welfare queen” and the ways Black motherhood has been policed and exploited. The story moves between the 1970s and the 1990s, following two main threads. One centers on Lottie Turner, a Black woman loosely inspired by the real life figure Linda Taylor, who moves through multiple identities while scamming the welfare system and secretly trafficking children through illegal adoptions. The other follows Bless, a young thief whose crew hides out in the home of a dying woman and instead finds strange white flies, ghostly figures, and the lingering fallout from Lottie’s earlier crimes. Even while the story nods to the media spectacle around “welfare queens,” Viel refuses to make Lottie a simple stereotype. She is written as charismatic, sharp, and deeply morally compromised, someone who constantly builds her own legend while hiding the damage she causes.

At its core, the novel is about how the legacies of slavery still shape the treatment of Black women’s bodies and motherhood. Lottie’s child trafficking makes the exploitation painfully literal, echoing the history of Black children being treated as property. Her welfare scams are almost a distraction compared to the deeper horror of turning children into commodities. The haunted house that connects both timelines acts like a storage place for all that harm and secrecy. It draws in a supernatural force, suffering that has turned into something vengeful that follows Lottie and later the younger characters. The horror here is not just ghosts or creepy imagery but the idea that violence and exploitation do not disappear. They linger and keep resurfacing.

Lottie herself is both disturbing and fascinating. She fits the role of the “unlikeable” Black woman who refuses the expected image of gentle motherhood, which exposes how heavily those expectations fall on Black women. She is clever despite having little formal education and knows how to use colorism, religion, and charm to get what she wants. At the same time, she carries the weight of a lonely childhood in Tennessee and the feeling that something dark has always followed her. Bless and the other young thieves represent a later generation trying to survive poverty and build their own found family, only to realize their lives are tangled up with Lottie’s past. Through them, the book shows how cycles of harm and survival strategies pass from one generation to the next.

Genre wise, the novel sits between historical fiction, horror, and mystery thriller. It pulls from real histories of welfare policy, media demonization of Black women, and systems that have controlled their lives, while also using classic horror tools like a haunted house, restless spirits, and eerie infestations. The robbery gone wrong setup and the slow reveal of who the younger characters really are keep the story moving, even when the writing slows down to build atmosphere. Most importantly, the supernatural is not just decoration. It is the way the novel shows how buried harm and ignored histories eventually come back to demand attention, making the book a strong example of how modern Black horror uses the genre to challenge both past and present systems of oppression.

[Erin Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to Goodreads for providing me with a physical ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: May 26, 2026

“Listen to Your Sister: A Novel” author Neena Viel has delivered a sharp and haunting story with her new novel, “I'll Watch Your Baby”, a compelling and immersive re-imagining of Linda Taylor, the original Welfare Queen.

1974- Lottie Taylor is known throughout the country, albeit with different names (and hair styles). After running scam after scam in one town, she leaves quickly before she can be discovered and arrested. What starts as a simple welfare scam gets more complicated when Lottie realizes the price infertile couples are willing to pay for a baby, no matter where the child comes from.

Twenty years later, Bless is desperate for a family. After being raised by harsh, judgmental, religious parents, Bless finds comfort and love with her new young friends, led by the charismatic Sasha. With no home besides each other, the group takes what they need through robbery and break-and-enters, until the one day they stumble across the home of someone who isn’t just going to sit back and let it happen.

“Baby” is a dual-timeline, dual protagonist story, narrated by Bless and Lottie in their respective time periods. Initially, there is no obvious connection between the two women but as the story plays out, readers learn more about the women, their pasts, and their ancestry. Both are young, multi-racial women, trying to find a place in a world that never quite seems to fit, finding instead a life of crime, and one true friend who has more secrets than anyone knows about. The characters are resilient, smart and sassy, and readers will no doubt connect with one, or both, of these powerhouse protagonists.

Viel is a gripping storyteller, her writing style creative and her language poetic and influential. Both Bless and Lottie face dark monsters, of various kinds, and Viel brings readers along for the ride. There are numerous twists and turns that circle back and form a cohesive, spell-binding and satisfying ending.

I loved “Sister” by Viel, so reading the next novel by her was always going to be a no-brainer for me. “Baby” takes a real-life story that I was previously unfamiliar with, that of Linda Taylor, and builds a fictional framework around her and I always love a novel I can both enjoy and learn from. Viel’s writing is refreshing and modern, and “Baby” is a thought-provoking examination of racism and marginalization, told in an in-your-face terrifying way.

[Mac S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book (expected publication date of May 26th, 2026) in exchange for my honest feedback!

Lottie is taking control of the narrative. If society expects her to be some conniving fraudster, a welfare queen, that’s exactly what she’ll be. They expect her to have a dozen different identities, she’ll have dozens. They expect her to lie about working, she’ll cosplay as employees in various different occupations to scam people. They expect her to lie about the number of dependents she claims, she’ll say she has ten kids. And hey, that last one isn’t exactly a lie! Because, in addition to scamming the government, Lottie has a side hustle: she traffics children.

One of Lottie’s schemes to make money is kidnapping children to sell to wishful parents. Yes, really. But she isn’t all bad. She does abide by a strict (albeit convoluted) moral code. The children she steals are well taken care of—she makes sure their dwellings are bug-free, they are well-fed, and they even have around-the-clock care.

She doesn’t want to harm the children (well, you know, other than kidnapping them). She wants them to be well cared for. Is that because she really cares about them, or she wants to protect her assets? Who’s to say? But, she was never wronged by children, so she doesn’t view them as a malicious and dangerous group to seek revenge on. White men have historically wronged her at every turn. Lottie reduces people to their observable traits, she stereotypes. That’s why she can manipulate and con people—all white men have wronged her, and have no qualms with wronging her further, so why shouldn’t she wrong them back? They view her as nothing more than a pathetic welfare queen, so she owes them nothing. They only care about her for how they can use her to advance their own needs (sexual, financial, political), but children are not corrupt yet, and deserve to be taken care of.

This book was incredibly well-crafted. The 2nd part was genuinely terrifying, and the 3rd part was incredibly stressful. Looking back, the amount of foreshadowing was sublime, without feeling obvious or forced.

That said, the writing style itself was rather confusing, and I found certain parts hard to follow. I had to keep going back and rereading passages to really get what was happening. And lots of small details were omitted that would’ve helped the reader visualize the scene. Additionally, the character development of one character in particular (Bless) felt very unearned, and out of nowhere (although the photo she keeps finding was an absolutely brilliant detail).

Overall, it was a very memorable book, and I loved how it reclaimed the welfare queen trope. I just wish the writing style was easier to follow.

[Kimberly Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This dual timeline story of notorious "welfare queen" Lottie Turner from 1974 and adoptee Bless from 1994 is chaotic, disturbing, and, for me, very hard to follow. The blurb pulled me in by describing this as horror for fans of The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, and Victor LaValle. I am fans of both so I had high hopes.

The character of Lottie Turner was very compelling. She was written with depth and substance, not at all a one dimensional hero or villain. Her motivations were murky which made me want to keep reading to find out what was really going on here. The character of Bless was less well fleshed out, but still interesting. The history of both main characters was revealed slowly, which was also a bonus for me. The horror elements involving insects was consistent throughout and was not overly gratuitous. My favorite element of this story was the relationship between Lottie and Filly. I just loved the complexity and evolution of their feelings for and about each other and the intense bond that developed between the two women.

Unfortunately, this book overall lost me. I found this very hard to follow. The writing style shifted from a relatively normal narrative to fever dream to hallucination back to narrative so quickly that my head was spinning. I was never sure whether I was reading a scene that was actually happening, a flashback, or just the rabid thoughts of the character. There was an element of posssession that I didn't catch on to until almost the end and I always felt like I was missing something. Also, due to the nature of each character, they were referred to by multiple names which made it very confusing to follow who was who.

I would still recommend this book based on the characters and the serious themes of race, family, and systemically flawed systems. Readers who are looking for something unique and chaotic could really love this one.

Thank you to NetGally and St. Martin's Press for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel reimagines the story of “The Welfare Queen.” It follows her as she kidnaps children to sell to adoptive parents as one part of her scheme to make money and escape the poverty of her childhood in Tennessee. What we learn through her story and a parallel story happening twenty years in the future is that something dark is lurking in the shadows.

This is a tale of possession, crime, SO MANY INSECTS, and the horror of chattel slavery in the US. The atrocities committed in the US are a fitting subject for a horror novel, and this one traces some of its lasting effects and the continuing systemic oppression and racism Black people face. Still, this story had so much heart despite its dark subject matter — Lottie is a complicated, multifaceted character who actually cares deeply for those she loves despite all the abuse she has experienced in her life as a mixed race child in the South. She is also a HOOT. Her voice really came through and made the story extremely entertaining (when it wasn’t just absolutely hide-under-a-blanket gross and scary!)

I appreciated the author’s note at the end that explained this reimagined history. There hasn’t been another “Welfare Queen” because Linda Taylor (the real woman) was a singular criminal. Most people on welfare are not Black, and yet most Americans think they are. In an ironic twist, Lottie asks why shouldn’t she take what she can from a country and government that hates her? It’s certainly a very interesting way to reclaim power against institutions that consider her life to be of less value than the white women around her. The author goes on to explore what the consequences of the Welfare Queen potentially kidnapping and rehoming children could have been — and ties all the stories together in a heart-pounding conclusion that is worth it if you can stomach all of the insect horror. (I was not expecting so. Many. Bugs.)

I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t thank NetGalley enough for the ARC.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prose: descriptive
Pacing: episodic
Scary: creepy and off-putting
Gore: very
Character Development:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I'll Watch Your Baby' is at its core a story about a woman with a spiritual attachment and how misogyny, racism, neglect and revenge called that attachment and shaped the fallout from that. This book is a strange combination of 'A Head Full of Ghosts' by Paul Tremblay and an autobiography of Linda Taylor. If you like gritty, smart character driven horror this is for you. Morally grey villains are my favorites but in this case many of our characters were morally black. Lottie and Bless were beautifully complex and richly written. 'I'll Watch Your Baby' by Neena Viel is a traumatic, domestic crime thriller and possession horror that pulls no punches. The main characters have strong flawed personalities that absolutely transported me and the Nonlinear Timeline, while not easy to follow, is marked in the chapter headers so you at least know who you are with and when. The story jumps between main characters Lottie and Bless back and forth until the timelines merge. You do have to fight through the first half of the book's confusing story before it comes together. I totally got what the author intended to write and appreciated every bit of it. Vividly penned prose, for the time periods in which they're set, launch the narrative. Viel, who is also the author of 'Listen to Your Sister' uses imagery and symbolism to tie all the chapters together into one extremely creepy horror offering. As a fan of the supernatural, I found the story to be original, scary and expressly disturbing. Trigger warnings for violence and SA are in effect for this book. It isn't meant to be a feel good story but instead a thought provoking, probing book with hidden depths and I loved it! It will be on my best books of 2026 list.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

Wow, this was definitely a unique read. I always love a good 90s setting and I wonder if part of the appeal is the nostalgia that comes with it. The atmosphere of the story really pulled me in and created such an eerie tone from the start.

One of the things I appreciated most was the character building. If an author can make me feel sympathy for a woman who steals children, then they have truly done something right. The emotional complexity of the characters made the story more compelling and added depth to what could have easily been a very straightforward horror narrative.

The overall vibe of the book was incredibly creepy, especially the recurring imagery of the flies. I could not stop imagining them crawling everywhere and even entering someone’s mouth which honestly made my skin crawl. It created a disturbing visual that stuck with me long after I finished reading.

There were moments where I had to pause and reread certain sections because I was unsure if I was missing something or not fully understanding the message. Some parts felt a bit drawn out and I think that may have contributed to the pacing feeling slower for me at times. The supernatural elements also felt like they did not hit quite as hard as I expected. I kept waiting for that aspect of the story to land in a bigger way.

However, toward the end, things really started to come together and I was genuinely shocked by how everything connected. I also appreciated the deeper themes surrounding generational trauma and how it continues to resurface in different forms throughout families and generations.

Overall, this was a memorable and unsettling read with a strong atmosphere and complex characters. If this story were to become a series, I would definitely be interested in seeing where it goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

[Debbie Viscosi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lottie started life on a plantation, but found a way to leave. On her own, she managed to figure out the "system" of welfare and use it to her advantage. Multiple names, addresses, and credit cards are only part of what she gathers. She also gathers children. Lottie manages to abduct children from inattentive parents. Childless people will always pay top dollar for a "child of their own". At a church social, Lottie meets a friend and her whole world changes. Sasha, Manny, Devin, and Bless are travelling around making money by robbing wealthy homes. A botched robbery forces them to hide. Sasha leads them to a dilapidated shack on an overgrown plantation inhabited by a very ill woman. Why would Sasha bring them to this location?

Horror oozes from this story. Flies, maggots, sweat, blood, ghosts, and demons torment the characters of this story, but why? What makes these people the targets of evil? As we learn about the characters, we also examine how they are in such an awful predicament. Do you inherit evil? Do your actions attract evil? Can you plan for evil? All these questions are explored as we follow Lottie, Sasha, Manny, Devin, and Bless as their paths cross, culminating in an epic battle for the continuation of evil.

I enjoyed the premise of this book. However, there are several times the conflict and battle with evil carry on for far too long. This slows the story down and nearly caused me to stop reading the book. While some readers might enjoy the prolonged conflicts, I did not.

[Erin Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book really interested in what it was trying to do, and I’m still thinking about parts of it after finishing. The ideas at the center of the story are heavy, layered, and important, especially the focus on motherhood, power, and the ways systems shape people’s choices and lives. There were moments where I found myself really engaged with those questions and with Lottie as a character.

Lottie, in particular, stood out to me. She’s not written to be easily understood or liked, and I appreciated that. There’s a complexity to her that made me pause and think, even when I wasn’t fully invested in the plot itself.

At the same time, I had a hard time getting fully pulled into the story. I was more aware of what the book was doing than I was immersed in it. The supernatural elements didn’t quite land for me, especially the recurring imagery of the flies. I could tell they were meant to carry meaning, but they didn’t create the kind of tension or atmosphere I was expecting.

This may just be a matter of reader connection. The book is clearly doing something intentional and has a lot to offer in terms of themes and character work. For me, though, there was a bit of distance between recognizing its significance and feeling absorbed by the narrative.

Overall, I’m glad I read it. It’s a book that raises important ideas and will likely resonate strongly with many readers, even if it didn’t fully click for me as a reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

[Jazisunray Skillern · Rating 4 out of 5]

An electrifying, unflinching novel that sinks its teeth into the darkest corners of ambition, survival, and legacy. Lottie Turner is instantly unforgettable—a magnetic antihero with a fierce will and a knack for bending the world to her desires, no matter the cost. The narrative pulses with the tension of her schemes, especially as she dives into the morally murky business of black-market adoptions, a plotline that is both harrowing and deeply human.

Fast forward twenty years, and the story shifts to Bless, a young woman whose found family is her anchor in a world that feels perpetually on the edge. The journey across America is raw and propulsive, each heist a testament to Bless’s grit and adaptability. But the ghosts of the past refuse to stay buried, and the suspense ratchets up as Bless is ensnared in a chilling game that tests the limits of her courage and loyalty.

What makes it truly stand out is its fearless exploration of trauma, identity, and the cyclical nature of secrets. The writing is razor-sharp, the pacing relentless, and the characters—especially Lottie and Bless—are drawn with empathy and complexity. This is a story about crossing literal and metaphorical lines and about the price of survival in a world that rarely forgives.

A haunting, heart-pounding read that lingers long after the final page. It’s a gut-punching meditation on what we do to protect ourselves—and what happens when the past comes calling.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this eARC -all thoughts and opinions are my own!

I went into this book expecting one thing but getting another and I honestly think I liked what I got which was a new intense fear of flies (remind me to never EVER move somewhere where there are swarms of flies!) and intense feelings of rage and hatred towards the white patriarchy yet again, especially when it comes to women’s bodies and the lack of consequences there seem to be for men who put women into these positions in the first place.

According to the author, this book takes inspiration from a woman named Linda Taylor, denoted as the original “Welfare Queen” and reimagines her story in this haunting and visceral tale of Lottie Turner. We jump between two timelines as we see the evidence of Lottie’s business dealings and the further consequences of those choices 20 years later.

This is one of those stories that has to be read to be experienced and there were some parts that honestly had me making sure I wasn’t crawling with insects because the imagery just felt so suffocatingly real! If you are looking for a claustrophobic horror with a bit of history and feminine rage, then you should definitely check this one out!

[Emboldened · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
"I'll Watch Your Baby" presents a strong and important idea at its core, but for me, the way it was told felt more average than exceptional. I liked how it tackles the harmful stereotype of the "welfare queen" through a horror lens, connecting it to issues like generational trauma and racism, specifically regarding how society often controls the lives and choices of Black women. The imagery of white flies, the use of two timelines, and the gradual building tension are all smart ways to show the impacts of systemic violence. However, where it didn't quite work for me was in terms of enjoyment while reading. The back-and-forth structure felt more confusing than engaging, and I didn't connect with the plot as deeply as I hoped, even though I appreciated what the book was trying to convey. I could relate to the characters Lottie and Bless on a surface level, but I didn't feel that deeper emotional bond that would have made the horror more impactful. The themes are powerful, and the atmosphere is solid, but my overall reading experience was a bit mixed.

[Reading Xennial · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Neena Viel. I really enjoyed both of her books, but in different ways. The first book was a clear and obvious horror almost creature feature. This one does have horror elements that stem off of history and long time trauma, but it’s also mystery and literary fiction. The characters were fleshed out and I enjoyed how everything came together in the end. Her writing is smart and tactile. The way she words things is so unique that it really sets the scene. Sometimes it would go between reality and supernatural so seamlessly that I had to reread some parts because I got a bit lost. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think Viel is such a talented author and I plan to read any book she comes out with in the future. I like how Viel writes horror books that seem aimed towards women, but anyone can enjoy this. Viel gives a perspective of black women that isn’t seen often enough in literary spaces. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc.

I'll Watch Your Baby is a story of revenge; it's about a woman who takes whatever she deems she's owed, and about a woman who has to face a past she didn't know she had. Through it all, both these woman are haunted, possessed, and how they deal with their ghost compels you to finish the story. Let me just say, I was thoroughly engaged throughout the entire book.

Neena Viel does an incredible job is jumping straight into the action. There's no hesitation. She tells you, "Here's Lottie: she's no nonsense, she's greedy, and she wants" and I love how Lottie describes herself. Lottie knows how she is, and she isn't afraid to be herself to the reader, bare her worst parts while letting in on the little pieces of her humanity. Then, there's Bless, who's found herself with a group who robs old people under the promise of a large sum of money, but there's more to the story than anyone will tell her. She's in a sticky situation that only gets worse when she starts seeing vision of a past she's apart of.

Viel leaves you with questions at every turn, in suspense, wanting more, and then she delivers beautifully. She doesn't pull her punches, lets her characters hurt each other, wants you to hurt with them, and sends you off on the best ending that there could be for them. It's a haunting story, at parts suffocating, and I can't help but want more.

[Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this book a week ago and I have been trying to decide what to write. This book is raw and emotional and a challenging read. I spent most of the book confused, wondering where it was going and what motivated the characters. It was challenging to read, and I am not sure I fully understood what the author was trying to say. I have read other reviews, and I am not sure I fully agree with what they describe as the theme of the book.

There were scenes in the book that I had to reread several times because I couldn't get them to make sense in my head. Was that the purpose of the writing? I didn't find it to be a useful narrative tool. I found it pulled me out of the story and I had trouble getting back into it while trying to make sense of a scene.

The last 50 pages of the book were great; action packed and visceral. If thee first 250 pages had been more like the last 50 pages I think it would have been a more enjoyable read.

[Tonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin press for the ARC.

This book is in the middle for me, it wasn't bad but it wasn't great. I had to push through at some points because it became drawn out at certain points. It has potential but the story needs to weave better. When doing 2 different POVs especially from different eras many authors struggle to fuse them together evenly. Too much space between stories can lead to important details being forgotten of the others story. I feel like the title is not truly fitting to this book. I get why that was a title thought of but to me it doesn't fit the whole story. Queen of the flies/lies might've been a better fit, I think that more so describes the whole story. Because the story was filled with ALOT. If this was just about a story of a kidnapping and nothing else I would go with the author's title but it was way more than that.

[Ashley Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 4.5⭐ read was not what I was expecting. Surprised to say the least. One heck of a roller coaster. Not an emotional one but there are some big drops and a few loop-de- loops.
Lottie is one bad ass b**** and to see her growth in this book, is pretty epic. A no-nonsense woman, he doesn't take s*** from anyone to maybe having found the family she is always wanted.
Bless a very interesting FMC. Her past is muddled and full of contempt and hate. Yet she keeps wanting to find good. She keeps holding her hand out for her found family only to find out things are not how they seem!
The twist at the end had me rereading the pages three times, just to make sure I read it right. This book is a sucker punch to the face and if you like thrillers then come stand in line. It's worth the pain

[Carly F · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so bummed about this one. I adore the author and was so excited to hear about this concept. This feels like three novels and two short stories fighting for the spotlight.

The welfare queen storyline was so intriguing and Lottie’s frame of mind and confidence was delicious reading. Then it all fell apart for me. Most of the time I felt like I was trying to catch up, or flipping back seeing if I missed something. Despite the attempts to connect the dots, these plot points were all over the place.

I’ll continue to support the author and pick up their books, but this one was a big miss for me and needed a heavy hand on editing.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

I wanted to read this because it sounded so different and interesting. I also saw someone else talk about it, so I was very intrigued. And I am always willing to try something different.

This is a very dark book, but not in the typical way a book is scary or spooky. This is dark in a very real-world way.

This is Southern Gothic but in a welfare scheme and child trafficking (illegal and shady adoptions) situation.

This is a very interesting and disturbing character study on our main character, while also being very informative about how messed up a lot of government systems are.

I don't think this book was my style, but I was definitely fascinated by it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!