Alex, by Proxy

by Karen Myna Cantor

A Munchausen by proxy victim reveals his deepest secrets on a true-crime podcast—but will his audience believe him, let alone his loved ones?

HARROWING NEW DETAILS IN ‘MONSTER MOMMY’ CASE… SHOCKING INFORMATION SURFACES AS ‘MONSTER MOMMY’ CASE HEADS TO TRIAL… HOW COULD A MOTHER POISON HER SON?

Welcome to sixteen-year-old Alex’s life, ripped straight from the headlines.

Alex is a victim of Munchausen by proxy, but he’s also a witty, sarcastic kid with unusually good crossword skills and a penchant for astronomy. At least he used to be. Now that he’s recovered from years of illness induced by his mother, he sort of has to figure out who he is all over again… And most importantly, he’ll have to decide if he can testify against the woman who gave birth to him.

As Alex awaits the trial, his friends convince him to start a podcast as a way to tell his story. Together, they create “Lethal Lullaby.” The podcast brings Alex closer to his old life—hanging out with friends, cracking jokes, having fun… At the same time, new memories surface and disturbing revelations come out, forcing Alex to acknowledge that the podcast could be making things worse. It seems like he’s got deeper issues than he’d like to admit–and this time, he can’t blame them on his mom.

Day by day, Alex’s mental health crumbles, until he can no longer distinguish between truth and fiction. Should he trust himself to testify? And if he gets up there, what version of the truth will he share?

This breathtaking YA debut is perfect for fans of Sadie and The Act. Come for the can’t-look-away take on true crime, stay for the honest portrayal of mental illness.

Genres: Young Adult, Mental Health, Contemporary, Thriller, Family, Fiction, Disability

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 21, 2026

About the author

Karen Myna Cantor is a Young Adult fiction writer based on the East Coast. Now a mapmaker, she spent several years working as an environmental scientist in a small Florida town notorious for Florida Man stories. Her work focuses on mental illness, queer identity, and environmental themes.

She is the author of Alex, by Proxy, a YA contemporary in which a boy starts a true crime podcast about his own mother, and Snaketown, a YA contemporary in which two teen girls try to put their town in the map in the worst way possible—by staging a (fake) disaster.

Reviews

[Erin]

3.5 Stars

This is a difficult book to read. The whole experience feels like being gaslit, and that's kind of the point. And even though it was the point, it was... difficult to read. More so than was intended. I liked the messy ending we got (messy in a good way), and I liked what the author was trying to do here. But I was frustrated, pretty constantly, while reading it. So, you know, it all evens out.

Why was I frustrated? And what was the authorial intent that made it worth it? Well, that's all being saved for my full review, which will be available on August 7th over at Gateway Reviews. Swing by if you feel curious!

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

[myreadingescapism]

So I'm not a huge fan of YA, but I enjoyed the audiobook of Sadie. I figured this would be similar, (not story wise, obviously)

It was decent, but not something I'll remember.

[Alicia]

I don't know how many teens know what Munchausen's by proxy (or factitious disorder which is what it's called now) is about children who are abused by their parents using illnesses to keep the attention on themselves or actually inflict illnesses and issues on their children for the attention.

Alex is the kid whose dad was in the military, so away often, and a younger brother. He was often sick and underwent surgeries and plenty of scrutiny until it was determined that she was a "monster mommy" and arrested under suspicion of causing Alex's illnesses all these years, but it's hard for him to work through it and as she awaits trial, he joins with a few other kids to create a podcast around the topic in the hopes that it might help him separate fact from fiction.

The countdown to the trial is used as the pacing of the story which, at times, is hard, but fascinating to read especially in her stronghold on him even awaiting trial and his relationship with his dad.

[Sharon]

CW: [graphic:] child abuse, medical abuse, medical trauma, medical content, emotional abuse, ableism, victim blaming, mental illness, psychosis, panic attack/panic disorder, [moderate:] alcoholism

A supremely frustrating book. Not because of the gaslighting, because I appreciate its use as symptom of Alex's illness, but because 75% of the plot hinged on one character being a victim blaming ableist.

[Jillian Rothschild]

I couldn’t put it down!! I loved this book. Fascinating representation of mental illness and how True Crime affects victims and loved ones.

[eli ★]

2.5 ★

as much as “show, don’t tell” can be basic and overdone writing advice, i think this book is a perfect example of telling, not showing. there are so many things that the book clearly wants to be; it wants to be a nuanced portrayal of mental illness, a complex discussion of the characters, and a thrilling and exciting story, but just telling me that it’s those things doesn’t make it so.

i could so clearly see where the author was breaking into the narration to share the themes they wanted to get across. alex’s thoughts are sometimes taken over so he can be a mouthpiece and explain, for example, that schizophrenia doesn’t make someone evil. which, for the record, i 100% agree with. i just wish that was shown and explored in the book, instead of just sloppily told to me through alex’s thoughts.

the characterization is probably the weakest part of this book. none of the characters feel fleshed out or real. it felt like i could see the matrix of the “25 questions to ask yourself about your characters” writing prompt that the author used or something. they each felt like a short list of traits, not people. this lack of characterization is the most damaging with alex. he is supposed to be a complex character who is both haunted by and part of his past. but he’s just… not. i think he’s hiding too much for too long. by the time that the majority of the past starts to actually be revealed, there’s like 20 pages in the book left. he has to be withholding so that the suspense will work, but he withheld too much.

i also really dislike the decision to kind of completely leave alex’s mom out of the story. she’s pretty much a non-entity in this book, which is bonkers considering that it’s ostensibly about her and alex’s relationship. i understand that having her be a bigger part of the narrative might ruin the one, single reveal in the whole book, but leaving her out undercuts a lot of the nuance the book was trying to have. the book wants to explore how mental illness doesn’t make someone evil, but then is fine saying “well alex’s mom (who is also mentally ill, which is stated on page quite explicitly) is just kind of evil though lol” . how is that different than saying “mental illness doesn’t make you evil BUT people with schizophrenia are the exception to that.” there’s absolutely no nuance to it; the book cannot handle that she is both suffering from a mental illness AND she deeply and profoundly hurt alex. instead she is pretty much just a caricature. i don’t even need her to be developed as sympathetic or given any kind of redemption, it just feels like the themes of the novel are undermined by her being so underdeveloped and one note.

on the suspense, it also didn’t work for me. again, the drip feeding of intrigue was WAY too slow to maintain a tense atmosphere. there needed to be like 5x as much information we learn over the novel to maintain any kind of suspense. and, because there is not much in terms of secrets to be revealed, there’s literally nothing to focus on except the hollow characters and simplistic prose. there is literally ONE reveal in the entire book and it happens in the very last section. it’s like this book couldn’t decide between being literary suspense or a thriller and so it just decided to do both poorly. there’s not really a thematic exploration (and certainly not a nuanced one) or character development, but there’s also not enough in terms of plot and suspense. it makes the whole thing feel unfocused and dragged out.

finally, i think that the writing/characters were juvenile to the point of this book almost reading as middle grade at times, which was completely incompatible with the mature themes and plot it wanted to have. at times logan (who is 10) felt WAY more mature than alex or any of the other 16 year olds. it just did not work for me at all.

other than the ending sequence, which i did find to be pretty good both writing and content wise, i just did not click with this book. based on the quality of the ending sequence, it does seem like the author has the potential for something better in the future, so hopefully the next one will be.

[Steff Fox]

There is no such thing as a perfect victim.

Alex, by Proxy stands up as an exceptional illustration of this truth. There is no such thing as a perfect victim; and yet, somehow, an unfortunate number of people in the world expect it when presented with real people—real victims.

In every manner of the words, the story told in this book is a grim and dark one. It is one where we follow the journey of a victim, after the fact, once the atrocities committed against him are finally brought to light or the rest of the world. What follows is the story of a victim who has experienced far more than his mother’s poisoning and who, as a result of both what he has been through and the public’s reaction to it, suffers even more. It’s the sort of book you finish reading and find yourself feeling a deep sense of despair at the way our world treats people who have been victimized and traumatized. And my hope for this book is that it creates within those who read it an understanding of compassion and a desire to care more than we may have previously.

I truly believe books like this are important, for the reasons I’ve already mentioned but also for many more.

And while, at the end of the day, this isn’t likely to be a book I return to nor is it a story I consider to be exceptionally well written through every page—I have some issues with certain aspects of the character development that felt unrealistic in regards to Alex’s friends and there are definitely points where it drags a bit—the subject matter and the story that is genuinely somewhat expertly woven in is actually one I felt deeply impressed by. Anyone who reads Alex, by Proxy will, I believe, come away from this reading experience a more understanding and knowledgeable person. And that’s worth a lot.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Caitie]

4.5/5 stars. Not my usual kind of mystery/thriller, but I’m glad I read this one. An interesting look at the fallout from a parent who is accused of hurting their own child.

[Hunter037]

Unusual YA story about a boy whose mother has Munchausen by Proxy and abused him for years. I enjoyed the story, Alex as a character, and the twists and turns the story took. I think the audiobook missed out on the opportunity to make the podcast episodes into actual episodes with sound effects etc rather than reading out directions like "discordant lullaby music". I've listened to some other audiobooks where podcasts or interviews featured and it was so much better to have them recorded properly like that.

Incidentally, some of those podcas episodes sounded awful and I found it a bit hard to believe that high schoolers would go viral in that way. But overall I would recommend this for people looking for something a little different.

[Emily]

I would say this written for young readers based on the pacing and tone of voice used, but the content is suitable for older readers. I think it will hit a dissonance there with what reader is truly interested in this book.

The story was interesting. The dueling podcasts was...a different way to go about this story for sure. I can't believe that a former friend could be so cruel?? Sheesh, has high school gotten worse since I graduated?

I think high schoolers will be interested in this and it will find it's home. But it won't be around forever.

[Tina]

4.25 Libby

[Evan]

To me, the elevator pitch of this book is: a teenager is a victim of Munchausen by proxy and now has to testify against his mother. How does that affect his relationship with his mother, his father who is newly his primary caretaker, his younger brother? We get a little bit of that, but most of the book is a well-worn critique of the ethics of true crime podcasts. Alex’s prep for the trial only happens in his own notes, there’s no conversations with lawyers or with his father. He’s whispered about at school, but you don’t really see the effects of him being out of school and in a coma. And a big pet peeve of mine in any media: when we have to believe that a poem, song, or in this case podcast, is really good. And what we get is ostensibly a scripted podcast, but then the teenage hosts argue with each other, and there’s sound effects. And this unprofessional, non-fact-checked podcast gets thousands of listeners? Very disappointing because it feels like there’s a good book buried in here.

[Skye]

a well-told, deeply moving story. made me cry and made me laugh, sometimes in the same chapter. the characters seem straightforward, almost cliche when you first meet them, but they all quickly unfold themselves into compelling, realistic portraits of children trying to exist in a confusing, heartbreaking, complicated world. even when the protagonist, Alex, makes some profoundly stupid decisions, the reasoning makes sense; it never felt like things were happening for plot’s sake, but because these people really would do that.

i love the way media is interwoven into the narrative: audio logs of podcast clips, excerpts of emails, text messages back and forth are all mixed into nearly every chapter. in a book about communication and understanding (and that really is what it’s about, at the end of the day) the way the author found a unique and novel way to portray modern communication is fantastic. Cantor really understands what she’s doing with this book, and executed her vision with talent and finesse.

[Nina]

sharp objects wersja young adult

[Ms. Yingling]

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Alex has been in poor health since he was young, but it has recently come to light that his mother Clarissa suffered from Munchausen by proxy syndrome and has been poisoning him with mercury, salt, and other substances. He also suffers from a battery of psychiatric disorders, and hallucinates and has had psychotic episodes, but it is unclear if this is because of his mother’s actions. A former friend and fellow student, Ella, has issued a podcast alleging that Alex has made himself sick, which has caused an uproar in their community, since Clarissa’s trial is approaching, and Alex is set to testify against her. Alex has fallen out with his best friend Bryce, who has his own issues to deal with since his parents are involved in an acrimonious divorce. When Naomi talks to Alex, she encourages him to talk to Ella, and soon the four teens are working together on another podcast so that Aelx can tell the “real” story. But what is real? Alex’s father, who was deployed during most of Alex’s childhood, struggles to care for Alex and his younger brother, Logan, who was often neglected since Alex’s illnesses took up so much of Clarissa’s time. Ella babysat for Logan, and was fond of Clarissa; she claims she saw Alex poisoning himself. Alex is not taking his antipsychotic medication, and has recently been in a coma, so struggles with getting through the day. He’s getting emails from Clarissa that turn out to be from her online blog that detailed her struggles with getting proper care for her son. As Alex tells his group about his experiences, a theme emerges; doctors were not to be trusted, and Alex willingly accepted Clarissa’s cures. Why was this? And what finally made him think that he should stop his mother?

Alex’s journey through understanding what has happened in his life is an interesting but harrowing one. He doesn’t always remember things properly, and doubts his own perception, making the reader unsure about what has happened. Researching and taping the podcast brings some clarity, as does preparing to testify for the trial.

Ella’s podcast was initially very damaging and hurtful, and learning her reasons for interpreting the situation in the way that she did is interesting. Logan, who at ten is much younger than Alex, ends up playing a key role in Alex’s decision to quit going along with his mother’s plans. Naomi has her own issues, as does Bryce, and they, too, have some relationship issues with Alex that play out during the course of the book. I loved that Alex’s dad was so supportive, and the fact that he was deployed in order to afford medical bills was all the more poignant since he felt so guilty for not knowing what the mother was doing to Alex.

The ending is rather surprising, but makes sense. There are some parts of this that might confuse middle school readers a little, but high school readers will enjoy the twists, turns, and changes of perspective as Alex comes to terms with what happened to him. Readers who found Corrigan’s Remedy enthralling, or who are oddly intrigued by true crime podcast books like Henry’s Girl Forgotten, Altebrado’s The Possible, or Otis’ At the Speed of Lies will want to pick up this look at mental health, family dynamics, and changing friendships.

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[Nicole Austin]

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Alex, by Proxy” by Karen Myna Cantor is one of those books that sounds intense going in, and somehow ends up being even heavier than you expect, though there are some moments of levity.

At its core, the story follows Alex, a teen survivor of Munchausen by proxy with his mom making him sick on purpose for attention, and his situation is absolutely devastating. The long-term effects of the abuse aren’t just physical; he’s dealing with psychosis, hallucinations, PTSD, and the possibility of permanent brain damage from mercury poisoning. What makes it even more heartbreaking is that Alex knows he’s an unreliable narrator. He openly admits he can’t always trust what he sees or remembers, but you still want to believe him because he feels so genuine.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is the format. It mixes traditional narration with podcast transcripts, emails, and other media, which makes it feel like you’re piecing together a true crime case in real time. The podcast Alex creates with his classmates (“Lethal Lullaby”) is meant to help him reclaim his story, but it also kind of sends him spiraling, especially since he’s not taking his medication due to trauma. Watching that downward slide is tense and honestly pretty hard to read at times.

The emails from his mom are especially chilling. You get a firsthand look at her mindset, and it’s deeply unsettling; she genuinely seems to believe she was helping him, while also being manipulative enough to make Alex question his own reality. Their relationship is complicated in a way that feels painfully real. Even after everything, Alex still loves her, which just makes everything hurt more.

The book also touches on some really relevant issues, like “mom influencer” culture and how parents oversharing their kids’ medical lives online can have serious consequences. Alex is literally dealing with bullying and public scrutiny because of things his mom posted without his consent, which adds another layer to his trauma.

Character-wise, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Alex is incredibly well-developed, and his bond with his younger brother is one of the strongest parts of the story, especially when he realizes his mom might have targeted his brother next. That moment really drives his determination to protect what family he has left. On the other hand, some side characters (like Ella) can be frustrating. She constantly pushes her own narrative and refuses to listen to Alex, and while that feels realistic in terms of how people treat victims, it would’ve been nice to see more growth there. The emphasis on the aftermath of abuse (rather than just the crime itself) is what makes this book stand out from other YA thrillers.

Overall, this is a raw, emotional, and sometimes uncomfortable read. It’s less about solving a mystery and more about figuring out what comes after the truth comes out, like how you rebuild your identity, how you deal with trauma, and whether you can trust your own mind again.

It’s not an easy read, but it’s a memorable one. If you like messy, emotional stories with true crime vibes and a strong focus on mental health, this is definitely worth checking out.

[Insert Name Here]

When your entire childhood has been built on lies, where do you begin rebuilding the truth? Alex has survived his mother's abuse—but surviving turns out to be only the beginning.

📚 Pre-Reading Thoughts

Munchausen by proxy is one of those conditions that many people recognise from documentaries or crime dramas, but rarely from the perspective of the person who lived through it. That immediately made this feel like a story with something important to say beyond the headline.

📖 Post-Reading

As I thought...

This is an emotionally challenging read, but an immensely rewarding one. Rather than focusing on the sensational aspects of Alex's abuse, it explores what happens afterwards, when the cameras have gone and life has to continue.
Alex is a wonderfully realised narrator. His wit, sarcasm and love of crosswords and astronomy remind us that he is far more than the terrible things that happened to him.
The podcast framing works well, allowing Alex to reclaim ownership of his own story while also showing how revisiting trauma can be both healing and painful.

It surprised me by...

How thoughtfully the novel explores trust. Of course Alex struggles to believe doctors, to trust his own memories, or even to know which thoughts are truly his. The abuse has shaped his understanding of the world in ways that recovery alone cannot immediately undo.
The gradual unravelling of Alex's mental state. Watching him question reality is unsettling, but always handled with empathy.
The revelations towards the end, which reframe earlier events without ever feeling manipulative. They're difficult to discuss without spoilers, but they add another layer to an already compelling story.

This is not always an easy book to read, but it is a worthwhile one. It treats trauma with compassion, allows recovery to be messy and uncertain, and ultimately reminds us that rebuilding a life takes courage long after the crisis itself has ended.

🎧 Music Pairing

🎵 Featured Song:
Fix You

🎶 Vibe Album:
A Rush of Blood to the Head

🎧 Artist Recommendation:
Sleeping At Last — reflective, hopeful and quietly healing.

🌈 Vibe Check
Colour Palette: soft blue, hospital white, charcoal grey, sunrise gold
Soundtrack: a microphone clicking on, pages of a crossword turning, quiet conversations after visiting hours
Season: early spring
Mood: fragile, reflective, hopeful
Scent: antiseptic, fresh rain, sharpened pencils
🃏 Tarot Pull

Ace of Wands

After years of having his identity shaped by someone else's lies, Alex is faced with an extraordinary challenge: discovering who he really is. The Ace of Wands represents that first spark of a new beginning—not an easy one, but one filled with possibility. Recovery isn't about returning to who he was before; it's about creating someone entirely new.

👀 For fans of
Sadie
The Act
contemporary YA exploring trauma, resilience and reclaiming your own story

[Tara]

Alex never expected to survive. Much less to have to stand trial, testifying against his own mother. All Alex knew is that he is sick. He has always been sick. When his mother is accused of poisoning Alex, he enlists the help of a few classmates to create a podcast to get his story out there. But Alex can't remember what has happened to him over the years, and seeing/hearing his mom despite her imprisonment doesn't help others believe him. An engaging mystery with an unreliable narrator that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Alex, by Proxy, is an interesting take on a mystery. I like that Alex is an unreliable narrator and the story doesn't feel predictable. The problem, though, is that Alex doesn't feel like a relatable character because of his lack of reliability. I struggled to maintain interest in the story throughout because the characters felt flat. Not one that I think many students will finish, even if the premise will get them to pick it up at first.

I read an ARC from NetGalley.

[Izzys_Internet_Bookshelf]

3/5

I am usually one to not go anywhere near medical books because of my own triggers but this one...

It was so interesting with Alex's inner thoughts and going back and fourth with his own past, while trying to figure out the pieces in the present and how he will continue with his future. That being said, I wasn't the biggest fan of how the podcast was shown, with Alex's friends dramatizing it so much, but two things, one I have never been the biggest fan of podcasts, and two, I also know that that was there to show almost the insensitivity others take to murder events, they just take it and use it to get views.

I felt like the story was paced really well, and the story itself was really captivating, but I just couldn't get past Alex's two friends I guess I was more so focused on Alex himself and how it felt during those months leading up to the trail.

Overall, a really moving book that ended up not being my favorite because of the supporting characters.

[Brianna Patrick]

Oh Alex !!! Munchausen by proxy victim… his own mother.. no one believes him. The long term damage and side effects of the poison.. First off where did his mom get mercury???? So much changed so fast for Alex… like your mom. Your mom who you love you have convince the court that she’s unwell but she’s your mom.. your dad after 10 years overseas comes back and doesn’t know you or your brother at all… but he had to work so he could afford the medical bills and he didn’t know what the mom was doing to Alex . omg Logan the younger brother is so awesome like so smart building a game and releasing it before you graduate middle school is top tier… Alex being so protective of Logan makes so much more sense.. Like when you are a kid you can sometimes feel something is wrong even though you know it’s wrong you trust your parent is telling the truth. So Alex i it knew his mom’s reality and blames himself. I’m so proud of him for breaking the cycle . Ughh this boom broke me.

[Renee Ding]

Picked this up expecting a breezy YA read, and ended up crying through the whole second half.

Solid 4 star read, 4.5 for the ambition of an actually original story, 5/5 by the time of the stunning ending.

This story takes seriously what it means to live with illness. It's more honest than moralizing, and goes deeper than easy narratives. It also takes seriously what it means to be young. I really liked the whole cast of classmates and siblings.

Would recommend to any young person, or formerly young person, dealing with chronic illness. Appreciated the exploration of the theme that so many feel like they only deserve help and sympathy if they're perfect, and the real and complicated damage of stigma.

I wish I had this book when I was younger, and think it would be a good fit for a school bookshelf or anyone looking for quality inclusive stories about mental health.

[USOM]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Alex, by Proxy was a difficult read in some ways. Your heart breaks for Alex. It's this experience of gaslighting as he has to constantly prove he's telling the truth. Alex is such a caring person, motivated by his love for his brother so he doesn't experience the same. I loved the relationships with Alex and his family. His brother is one of my favorite side characters in Alex, by Proxy. The audiobook and narration from Eddie Lopez makes your heart break even more. You can feel his pain, his twisting feelings of guilt, and wanting to be heard. We obviously side with Alex because we're reading through his narration. 

[Ash]

This was so well written and perfectly balanced the heavy topics with hope and love and friendship. I loved the way Cantor handles a lot of health topics that most people consider taboo to talk about, but are still so, so important to talk about and deserve genuine and sensitive representation in media. The word I keep coming back to to describe this book is stunning. The prose is stunning, the plot is stunning, the characters are stunning, the twists are stunning! I absolutely recommend this book, especially knowing how much of the disability rep is own voices.

[Danielle Russell]

Munchausen by Proxy is such a fascinating mental illness, and I was excited to read a YA fictional story about it. The cover is so intriguing, and immediately caught my eye. Plus it contains podcasts!

However, I just didnt vibe with the story. The author did a good job, i just didnt personally ever connect with Alex. I think maybe it was because I expected the story to go in a different direction? The book wasnt bad by any means, it just ended up not being one for me.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves)]

3.5 stars

An interesting way to structure a thriller. Much like Alex, you question what's real and what isn't as a reader. I liked how that built suspense and though the ending wasn't clean cut, it fit the rest of the story. I don't quite agree with the comparison to Sadie, aside from the podcast angle. But if you like books featuring podcasts, this is definitely for you!

[Lealie Mae]

Anticipating this release!

[Susan]

Review to come.

[Kkamiyah]

I really like the podcast element and what the main character and side characters offer to this story.

[Patb]

Read a book whose main character is in their teens

[Becca]

3.75