She Stole My Baby

by Jessica Huntley

A BRAND-NEW totally addictive psychological thriller with a shocking final twist.

I race to the nursery gates to pick up my baby daughter. I’m ten minutes late because I’ve been stuck at work.

The receptionist seems puzzled. “I think there’s been some confusion. Your daughter was picked up hours ago.”

‘By my childminder?’ I ask.

‘Uh . . . no, Ms Banks. By you.’

My whole world seems to collapse in an instant. They show me the CCTV. The woman collecting my daughter looks just
like me. Except she’s not.

My worst nightmare has just begun. Someone has stolen my baby.

AN EXHILARATING PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE WITH TWISTS THAT WILL MAKE YOU GASP.

Perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Sue Watson, John Marrs, Jane E. James, Shalini Boland and Valerie Keogh.

Genres: Audiobook, Psychological Thriller, Thriller, Suspense

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2026

About the author

Jessica Huntley is an award-winning and best-selling psychological thriller author. She's an ex-British soldier and Personal Trainer and has been writing almost non-stop for the past four years.

She is both self-published and traditionally published with Inkubator Books and Joffe Books.

She writes books for thriller readers who like their stories dark and twisty with complex, yet memorable characters, who often suffer from relatable mental health disorders.

When she isn't writing, Jessica is either keeping fit, walking her dog or looking after her young son.

Sign up to her email list to receive news about her upcoming book releases, get a first look at covers and some thriller recommendations. Visit her website where you'll also be able to download a short story called "You Die ... I Die".

Reviews

[Erica Lavalley]

Completely unbelievable!
There were so many things wrong with this one. She breaks her phone then minutes later makes a call on it from the Uber. The lawyer gets Poppy out of jail but then Layla who never met Charles has to convince Poppy he’s a good lawyer. Poppy the lawyer never thinks to file charges against her bosses who clearly need lessons about sexism in the workplace! Poppy THE LAWYER never once thinks to tell them she has an ironclad alibi for the time when Maddie was picked up and the moronic cops don’t think to get one til days later, after her arrest , when they find out she was indeed at work and was seen by everyone in the damn office so she could not have kidnapped her own child!!! The whole Gemma/Richard thing was just ridiculous and over the top! They do unimaginable things to each other and poor Blair, but then all is forgiven and they’re one big happy family? No one smells the dead baby in the halls of the building for NINE MONTHS—and Layla can live in the flat like it’s nothing all that time and then somehow it’s all of sudden overpowering but still doesn’t ever reach the hallway?????
The neighbor seems to know about the baby then later he just knows she’s grieving but doesn’t question the smelly bundle they wanna burn in his fire place and doesn’t even seem to care she wants to keep the ashes….i get ppl who mind their own business but come on now!! I only finished because u kept hoping the author would redeem herself! I believe in giving a fair shake but this one left me with NOTHING !!

[Allison]

What did I just read??

I mean no offense to the author for my opinion.

But I’m sorry what was happening?? I was with the story. It was an odd start with the whole breast milk thing at the office, but I pushed through. I had sympathy for both of the main characters, but mainly wanted that baby to be safe. But where tf did that plot twist come from? Outer space??

I feel like I’m owed a chiropractor appointment.

What do you mean one minute Poppy’s willing to kill for her baby then the next she’s given her away. It makes zero sense. Then afterwards she’s buddy buddy with Layla as if nothing happened? I’m sorry- what??! If someone stole my baby, kept her away from me, BREASTFED HER, and plotted my murder and attempt to take over my life unless I gave her my baby… I mean, there would no longer be a sister for me to have. Simple. There’s no world where any of this would just fly and I would go visit her in prison for a family day or SWAP LIVES???!?!!

Then we add ANOTHER secret sister that’s been plotting against them the whole time with Dick- who was honestly such a random character the whole time. One minute he’s supporting Layla blindly, stealing stuff from Poppy to help her leave, but then no he actually was a secret plant? It doesn’t make sense why he would give her all of the things to get away then actually be against her the whole time.

I fear I’m looking at the moon with the amount of plot craters that happened in the back half of the book. I understand it’s a thriller there has to be twists and turns, but I fear that these just don’t make any sense.

[Ju Lu]

This book is full of contradictions. From the start, unless things are different in England, how could Poppy be so broke? Yes i realize university fees, single mom, but she got rid of her car? I really balked at both twins delivering on the same day...come on. A part that made me giggle out loud was when Poppy said that everyone should go on a family holiday.
Poppy is a very unlikeable character. She's bitter and angry, but by the end yoh are like, ok you killed your dad and got away with it. You got pregnant and kept it, but favored your career. I found it unbelievable that a woman in this situation would really tell the police she has to go to work. I enjoyed Layla - she lived a life most would if they could get away with it. Sleeping around, staying drunk and stealing. I still call BS on anyone who doesn't know they are pregnant. Did the baby not move at all? I really wanted bad things to happen to Richard...rich pompous lying ass.

[Horace Bear]

I read it so you don’t have to! This book is so ridiculously unbelievable. Identical twins who never knew they were identical twins, one steals the other’s baby. They start off hating each other but the real mother decides her baby will be better off with the kidnapping twin.

There’s such a lot to pick apart in this narrative but I disliked it so much it doesn’t deserve any more of my words!

[Chelsea Babec]

Sometimes less is more. I was really enjoying the storyline until the last bit. Then it became so far stretched and didn’t make any sense. It had potential but I felt like the need to continually put twists and turns in actually ended up being the thing that took away from the storyline.

[Emmy]

Wooft that was a struggle to finish. Thought the way the author wrote was interesting and engaging and an interesting premise for a story. However, the characters behaviour and motivations fall very flat and don't make sense (I.e. why would you leave your baby with a stranger and trust that stranger with your darkest secrets?? Why would you give your baby up to someone who has killed their own baby because you think they are a better mum than you???? Who would you LEAVE A BABY alone for several hours that you claim to love and care for, to go and speak to someone???? Why would you blindly believe someone who you've just met that you stole your own baby back, instead of kidnapping it??............). I think the author needs a deeper understanding of human psychology, motivations and behaviour because this was a bit all over the place and very erratic. There was too much going on and way too many twists in the story designed to shock the reader but had me eye rolling and muttering 'yeah right'...

[Tiffany Hembree]

This book was exactly what I needed. I ended up listening to this book on Audible and I absolutely enjoyed it. It makes you wonder if you too have a lost sibling.

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm)]

4.5 stars!

Anything that Jessica writes is guaranteed to grab my attention! I've read all her books, but when it comes to series, I have to admit I struggle with commitment! Just imagine walking down the street, catching a glimpse of someone who looks exactly like you, all the while unaware that there could be two of you out there!

Poppy rushes to pick up her baby daughter from nursery, only to discover that her daughter was collected hours earlier—by a woman who resembles her. This shocking twist triggers a nightmare scenario for the mother, who realizes her baby has been abducted, setting off a thrilling and suspenseful journey...

The story unfolds from the dual perspectives of Poppy and Layla, who are completely unaware of each other until their lives begin to intersect. Poppy grows up in a loving, relatively stable environment, while Layla experiences the exact opposite. Poppy comes off as a bit snobbish and demanding, while Layla carries the weight of a more complicated upbringing. In many ways, they reflect their respective environments. As we delve deeper into each character, it’s easy to jump to conclusions about them, but remember that sometimes bad behavior is just a cry for help. While this may seem like the worst-case scenario, this story actually has more heart than you might expect from Jessica, and I’m here for it!

Jessica's writing always keeps me on the edge of my seat, packed with suspense and unexpected twists, though this particular story is a bit lighter than her usual fare. The ending was exactly what I was curious about after learning some key details. I found myself stopping the wild guessing because, at that point, I was already invested and eager to know how it all wrapped up. Deep down, I was holding out hope for a happy ending! Did I get my wish? You'll have to read it to find out!

This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, puzzle-filled read about a mother’s choices that ripple through her children's lives and even affect her grandchild. It tackles themes of generational trauma, revealing that nothing is as it first appears, and offers some unexpected turns that might just warm your heart. If you enjoy tropes like “touch my child and die” or encountering an identical stranger with a twist, this one’s for you! As I mentioned, it's a bit different from Jessica's previous work, but I loved it just as much! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check my birth data to make sure there aren’t two of me roaming around! Ha!

Thank you, Booksprout, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tina A.]

Oh Mama! She Stole My Baby is one of Jessica Huntley’s most twisted psychological thrillers yet. If you are new to her books, she is definitely an author to keep on your radar.

The story grabbed my attention immediately with an embarrassing workplace scenario. Poppy is a single parent struggling to balance a demanding career and a new baby. Her world is turned upside down when her nine-month-old disappears from daycare. Shockingly, security footage shows a doppelgänger picking up the child.

The plot spirals fast with deeply flawed, messy characters who consistently make frustrating choices and hide secrets. I couldn’t connect with any of them, but the fast-paced plot carried me through. Just when I thought things would play out one way, the book delivers twist after twist!

It’s a surreal, addictive, and fast-paced read. Note that the heavy plot centers on a missing child, so keep that theme in mind before diving in.

***I received an Advance Reader Copy. The opinions expressed are my own.***

[Brides]

In the words of Will from The Inbetweeners, that was f****** dreadful.



The story follows Poppy, a woman who clearly didn't want a baby, now with a baby and no support system. She returns to work 6 weeks postpartum at her highly stressful job as a commercial lawyer, even though the book shows she has no concept of the legal system. Poppy rushes to pick up her baby from nursery, only to discover her daughter was already collected hours ago by a woman who looks exactly like her.

We're then introduced to Layla, an alcoholic thief living in squalor between jobs and grieving the loss of her baby. After being mistaken for Poppy by a random man on the street, she takes it upon herself to research everything she can about a girl called Poppy from Southampton and MAGICALLY FINDS EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT HER. Next thing you know, she's popping over to Southampton on the bus to steal a child from a nursery.

From there, the story gets even weirder. We find out around 40% of the way through the book that Poppy and Layla are twins separated at birth after their father decided he only wanted one baby because they were crying too much??? after Poppy visits her mum in prison. Poppy was ready to kill Layla for her baby back, and Layla was ready to kill Poppy to steal her identity.

For me, the characters' motivations were the strangest and utterly incomprehensible things I've ever seen in a book. For example: WHY WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR BABY UP TO THE WOMAN WHO KILLED HER OWN BABY AND THEN STOLE YOURS BECAUSE YOU THINK SHE'S A "BETTER MUM" THAN YOU????????? or WHY DID NO ONE SMELL A DEAD BABY IN LAYLA'S FLAT FOR 9 MONTHS?

Then, just when you think it can't possibly get any more far-fetched, ANOTHER SECRET SISTER IS REVEALED WITH A PLOT TO BLACKMAIL THEM , and the cherry on the cake was Layla's neighbour seeming to know about the baby at the beginning of the book, EVEN FORCING HER TO GO TO GRIEF COUNSELLING; then later he doesn't know about the baby, he just knows she’s grieving but doesn’t question the smelly bundle they want to burn in his fire place and DOESN'T CARE THAT SHE WANTS TO KEEP THE ASHES?????????? FML.

Honestly, they all deserved jail time.

[Jackie]

3.5 ⭐️

Another Jessica Huntley book and another one I flew through. I knew I could count on her for a quick, twisty read. I’ve now read more than a handful of Jessica’s psychological thrillers and I’ve been engaged and satisfied with every one in one way or another. I always like how she delivers fast-paced, twisted drama and this one was just that. There’s plenty of family dysfunction, secrets, questionable decisions, and enough twists to keep me guessing where it was all heading. Some of it definitely stretched believability but I was entertained enough that I didn’t really care.

This was my first listen by Charlotte Worthing and I really enjoyed her narration. Her tone and inflections felt very fitting for the story and made it an easy audiobook to listen to.

Thanks to Booksprout for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion. (Audio)

[Marilyn Coombs]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 STARS

She Stole My Baby — Jessica Huntley

This one was okay, but it didn’t completely hook me the way I wanted it to. 😭 I was definitely curious enough to keep reading because I needed to know what was actually going on, but overall it just didn’t WOW me.

There were some good twists and plenty of “okayyyy, what the hell is happening here?!” moments 👀😂, but I wanted a little more suspense and shock factor from a psychological thriller.

Not bad, not amazing—just a solid middle-of-the-road read for me.

⭐️ 3/5 — glad I read it, but probably not one I’ll be thinking about for weeks afterward. 📚🖤

[Jody Lalande]

2 stars was quite generous. This book did keep my interest for at least the first half but it got so unrealistic that it totally lost me. I finished it but, sweet fancy Moses, it was just ridiculous🤦‍♀️

[Paula Phillips]

Grab a cuppa and get comfy, because I have another one for you from an author who has fast become one of my absolute favourites Jessica Huntley. I've had the pleasure of being part of a few of her book tours now, and every single time I come away thinking "how does she keep doing this to me?" She Stole My Baby is no exception, and honestly, it might just be one of her best yet.

If you've hung around this blog for any length of time, you'll know my weakness. Found family? Yes please. Identical twins? Sign me up. Mistaken identity that spirals into absolute chaos? I am there. This book ticks every single one of those boxes and then wraps them up in a thriller so tense I had to keep reminding myself to breathe.

We meet Poppy first, a woman who did the thing so many of us dream of doing and quietly worry we can't: she built a career and became a mum. A one night stand left her with her daughter Maddie, and against the odds, she made it work. A good job, a trusted nanny, a life that finally felt settled. You know, the kind of hard-won ordinary happiness that makes you want to reach into the pages and protect it for her.

Then there's Layla. My heart genuinely ached for her. She wanted nothing more than to be a mother, and after tragedy stripped that away from her, we watch her life come undone thread by thread. It's the kind of grief that curdles into something darker, and Jessica Huntley writes that unravelling so convincingly that you almost understand how Layla ends up where she does.

When Layla is mistaken for Poppy by a stranger, something shifts in her. She starts pulling at the threads of Poppy's life, and what she uncovers is the gut-punch of the story: the two of them could be identical twins. And once that thought takes root, it festers. Layla decides Poppy's life was meant to be hers all along and the first thing she reaches for is Maddie.

I don't think I've held my breath quite like I did during the daycare scene. Poppy arriving to collect her daughter, only to be told Maddie was signed out hours ago by "her" that moment where the ground just falls away. And then the horror of not being believed, of standing face to identical face with the police thinking you're the confused one. It's such a clever, cruel use of the mistaken identity trope, because it doesn't just fool the characters around Poppy, for a moment, it makes you question the ground under your own feet too.

To save Maddie, Poppy has to go somewhere she never wanted to go again: back into her own past, including a visit to her mother in prison. This is where the found family thread really got me discovering the sister she never knew she had, a twin her mother gave away, reframes everything Poppy thought she understood about her family. It's messy and painful and so, so human.

Jessica Huntley has such a gift for making you love and fear for two women at once, even when one of them is doing something unforgivable. This isn't a book with a cardboard villain, Layla's descent feels tragic as much as it feels terrifying, and that's a hard balance to strike. Meanwhile Poppy's fight to get her daughter back, racing against time while nobody quite believes her, kept my heart in my throat right up to the end.

If you love thrillers with real emotional weight behind the twists, the kind where the danger comes wrapped in family, in identity, in the question of who we might have been this one is an absolute must-read. Cosy up somewhere you won't be interrupted, because once Maddie goes missing, you will not want to put this down.

Another triumph from Jessica Huntley. I can't wait to see what she does next.

[Karolyn]

Here’s my review for She Stole My Baby by Jessica Huntley

I thoroughly loved reading this totally addictive, gripping psychological suspense thriller that had me so hooked I just couldn’t put it down. Poppy was a lawyer and she was trying to prove she could do her job well plus look after her baby girl, Maddison, who was nine months old. Gemma was a good childminder and looked after Maddison while Poppy was at work. One day, Poppy had to pick Maddison up from Acorn Nursery instead of Gemma so she arranged to leave work early to pick her up. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure of the way from work, her phone died, she got lost and got to the nursery, ten minutes late. When she pressed the buzzer and said she was there to collect Maddie, there seemed some confusion and a woman came to tell her that Maddie was collected four hours earlier by her! They took Poppy inside and showed her a CCTV picture of a woman that resembles her and Poppy's blood runs cold. Her baby has been kidnapped. She gets the woman to call the police stating that the woman in the picture isn't her!

This was such a tension, emotional and suspenseful psychological story that was filled with plenty of twists. Also, it was a fast paced read. It was told from the viewpoints of Poppy and Layla and I totally love these types of stories as you learn so much of the story. The characters were very intriguing, well described and well thought out. The story was excellently written, extremely well plotted and superbly thought out. I think the author may have done some indepth research before writing this story as the information contained within confirms this and adds to the depth of the novel. It's written with a great insight to support groups and grief. The descriptive writing was superb and everything was described in great detail. I really love reading this author’s psychological thrillers as they're so brilliantly written and so invested in drawing the reader into their books. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Synopsis :

I race to the nursery gates to pick up my baby daughter. I’m ten minutes late because I’ve been stuck at work.

The receptionist seems puzzled. ‘I think there’s been some confusion. Your daughter was picked up hours ago.’

‘By my childminder?’ I ask.

‘Uh . . . no, Ms Banks. By you.’

My whole world seems to collapse in an instant.

They show me the CCTV. The woman collecting my daughter looks just like me.

Except she’s not.

My worst nightmare has just begun. Someone stole my baby.

AN EXHILARATING PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE WITH TWISTS THAT WILL MAKE YOU GASP.

Perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Sue Watson, John Marrs, Jane E. James, Shalini Boland and Valerie Keogh.

[Lesley Hart]

It's clear Jessica Huntley writes from a position of first hand knowledge when, breasts leaking from just having given birth and no allowances made by her mainly male and condescending colleagues, main character Poppy is preparing for the biggest meeting of her career in her plans to become the company's youngest corporate lawyer.
The intrigue comes thick and fast: where's the file for the meeting gone? Had she sent it the night before, as she believes, or has baby fog got the better of her, who's the father of her baby etc. And that's just the first two pages!
Character and settings details are deftly woven through the narrative and for anyone who's been in a situation of wanting something just beyond their reach when it feels as if time, circumstances and people are conspiring against you - I think that's all of us, clever. eh - then there's that immediate sense of empathy.
This first chapter felt a little slow because of repetition about Poppy's situation but Huntley's just laying the groundwork for her clever and emotionally charged story which had me grabbing this book whenever I had a spare moment. It's an emotional rollercoaster from the end of chapter one and Jessica justifies each of her dual characters behaviours perfectly, which kept me reading long past bedtime.
Jessica's second main character, Layla, is a complete contrast to Poppy, practically destitute and begging on the street corner in a break from work and to carry her through the next few days. She's lost her baby which her body and mind haven't come to terms with and which has resulted in a powerful alcohol addiction alongside the emotonal give away of leaking breasts. Again there's lots of intrigue but hers surrounds why her baby's not there. The ache of her loss is well conveyed.
Both characters are spiky, expecting and predicting a world that's conspiring against them, so neither receives much sympathy or has found many friends along the way.
In an alleyway close to home, Leyla necks half a bottle of vodka stolen from the local shop and makes a chance acquaintance with the father of Poppy's baby. He mistakes her for Poppy and, with the promise of a free dinner, Layla takes the first steps towards her and Poppy's paths crossing.
Jessica Huntley's She Stole My Baby is an explosive, twisty psychological story that messes with her characters heads and will mess with reader's hearts.
Thank you to Zooloos Book Tours and Joffe Books for an ARC copy of She Stole My Baby in exchange for my voluntary and honest review.

[Angel **Book Junkie**]

Thank you to Jessica Huntley, NetGalley, and Joffe Books for a copy of She Stole My Baby in exchange for an honest review.

I'm just going to say it...

I thought I knew exactly what I was getting into.

Another baby kidnapping thriller. I've read enough of them lately that I figured I had this one all mapped out before I even pressed play.

Jessica Huntley looked me dead in the eye, grabbed me by the hair, and basically said, "Oh, you think you've got this figured out? That's adorable."

And she was right.

This wasn't just another missing baby story. It was layered, emotional, shocking, and so much smarter than I expected. Every time I thought I knew where the story was headed, Jessica Huntley casually changed the road signs and sent me in the opposite direction.

Poppy and Layla completely stole this book for me. They felt so real that my emotions couldn't decide whose side I was on. One chapter I wanted to shake them. The next I wanted to wrap them both in a blanket, hand them a cup of tea, and tell them everything was going to be okay.

That's the sign of well-written characters—they make you love them, frustrate you, and break your heart all in the same book.

I also loved how the story wove together the women's past with the present. Every revelation added another layer until the mystery became something far bigger than I ever expected. Even when the future looked incredibly bleak, I couldn't stop turning the pages because I had to know how all of these lives were going to collide.

And then...

That ending.

Jessica Huntley didn't just throw in a twist. She wound up like she was pitching the World Series and fired a ninety-mile-an-hour curveball directly at my face. I never saw it coming, and I absolutely loved every second of it.

This is one of those rare thrillers that delivers on the suspense and the emotion. It kept my heart racing while making me genuinely care about the people caught in the middle of it all.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 Stars)

Final Verdict

Jessica Huntley has officially earned my trust—and my sleep deprivation. She Stole My Baby is twisty, emotional, and impossible to predict. If you think you've already read every version of the "stolen baby" trope, think again. This one flips the script, lands every emotional punch, and delivers a finale that will leave your jaw somewhere on the floor.

Do yourself a favor and grab this one when it releases on July 30th. You can thank me later.

[morrison_is_reading]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Mother’s Double

Poppy arrives at nursery to collect her daughter, only to discover someone already picked her up hours ago.

The CCTV footage shows a woman who looks exactly like her.

But it wasn’t her.

As panic sets in and secrets begin to surface, Poppy realises this nightmare is far more personal than she ever imagined.

Jessica did it again!! This was a fast-paced, unputdownable psychological thriller. It’s such an easy read, with short chapters that constantly keep you engaged and wanting “just one more chapter.”

The story is told through multiple POVs, Poppy and Layla, which worked really well for this type of story.

Poppy has quite a difficult personality—one many readers will probably find unlikeable. I personally think she’s often misunderstood, and she most definitely has trust issues. Despite that, I connected with her and was fully invested in finding out how everything was going to unfold.

Layla was also a fascinating character. I felt for her, even during the moments where she seemed completely unhinged. Both women had strong character development, and the supporting cast added even more tension and layers to the story.

Jessica’s writing is once again effortless, uncomplicated, and such a joy to read. Her books are incredibly bingeable.

I also really enjoy the kidnapped-child trope, so this plot immediately intrigued me. And I love stories involving twins. If you’ve read a few Jessica Huntley books before, you’ll know she likes incorporating twins into her stories—which makes sense, considering she’s a twin herself.

Now, Joffe Books… let’s talk about the title. When it was first announced, I honestly didn’t love it. It has grown on me since, but I still feel a little more creativity wouldn’t have hurt. The title needs to pull readers in because more people really need to discover Jessica’s books.

That said, at this point you could literally publish “Untitled by Jessica Huntley” and I’d still read it.

Thank you to Booksprout, Joffe Books, and Jessica Huntley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

She Stole My Baby releases July 30, 2026.

And lastly—today is Jessica’s birthday. Happy Birthday!! 🥳

[Cheyenne Joy Mijdam]

ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
She Stole My Baby by Jessica Huntley
Release date: July 30, 2026

Thank you, Jessica and InsideStory, for trusting me with this ARC and for giving me another excuse to completely ignore the real world for a few hours.

I’m just going to rip the bandage off. The only reason this didn’t get a full five stars is because that first chapter almost lost me. Not because it was bad, but because I couldn’t see where it was going, and it felt a little too slow for the mood I was in.

Thankfully, I was wrong.
And yes… I owe that first chapter an apology.

This story slowly crawled under my skin until I realized I couldn’t stop turning the pages. It felt surreal, but at the same time painfully real. As a mother, parts of this hit differently. And having experienced the unimaginable loss of a child myself, there were moments that genuinely hurt to read. Not because they were overdone, but because they felt honest.

One of my favorite things? I spent most of the book wondering if I was rooting for completely the wrong person… and by the end I wasn’t even sure that I was.

I’m not a spoiler goblin, so don’t worry.
What I will say is this: this story is about motherhood in all its messy, complicated, terrifying forms. It asks how far a mother would go to protect her child. It reminds you that guilt has a nasty habit of refusing to stay buried, no matter how deep you shove it. Secrets don’t simply disappear because you pretend they never happened, and sometimes people make terrible decisions while believing they’re doing the right thing.

I also loved that beneath all the lies, fear, manipulation, blackmail, and enough bad decisions to keep every therapist employed for life, there’s still hope. Watching people who believed they were completely alone finally find connection and peace genuinely warmed my cold little thriller-loving heart.

Who knew?
By the end I was emotionally exhausted, questioning everyone’s motives, and once again reminded why psychological thrillers are my favorite way to willingly destroy my own peace.

Do yourself a favor and move this one up your TBR. Get comfortable, cancel your plans, and prepare to become the world’s nosiest CCTV camera because once you’re watching these lives unravel… looking away simply isn’t an option.

[Sacha]

4 stars

Hahahaha. Jessica Huntley is putting out some WILD books, and I can't seem to devour them fast enough. Though I'm relatively new to this author, I've already found myself immediately requesting Huntley's works without knowing a thing about them (aside from authorship). Like others I've read, this moves fast, requires a total suspension of disbelief, and is A LOT of fun.

Poppy has recently had a baby, and from the first pages, it's obvious she hasn't quite figured out how to balance her new life with her demanding job as an attorney. It's also not super clear that she wants to in ways readers might guess. She is struggling, and even her appointed child minder can't solve all of her problems. While Poppy thinks her issues are real from the moment readers meet her, they get way more serious when her baby goes missing. The strangest part? Everyone at the day care is convinced that POPPY is the one who picked her up!!! Even CCTV is on board!

Layla, on the other hand, is grieving the loss of her child. A caring neighbor, reluctant. her (to say the least) participation in a bereaved parents support group, and her general state make it clear that she's not managing well. Know what else makes that clear? Her kidnapping of Poppy's baby.

There were so SO many times when I wondered how a particular coincidence was possible, WHY someone would ever do what literally every character in this book does, or how this was all going to get resolved, and I was exclusively entertained by all of it. I had a very fun time reading about these out there characters and just assumed that in their strange little world, all of these things make more sense than in mine. As noted, suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.

I will absolutely keep jumping at the chance to read Huntley's work and look forward to all the fun I know I'll have in the process! Buckle up!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Lady Di Reads]

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Jessica Huntley is officially one of those authors I'll always read, no questions asked!! Her soon to be released, She Stole My Baby, completely lived up to my expectations and had me glued to the pages from start to finish.

The premise is every parent's worst nightmare, and Huntley wastes no time throwing you into the panic. From the moment Poppy arrives at her daughter's nursery to discover her daughter has already been picked up by someone who looks exactly like her, I was completely invested. The tension never lets up, and those short, fast paced chapters made it impossible to stop reading.

The story is told through alternating POVs, Poppy and Layla, and I loved how each perspective slowly peeled back another layer of the mystery. Neither Poppy nor Layla is a perfect character, but that's exactly what made them feel real. They're flawed, emotional, and driven by grief, fear, and desperation. Even when I questioned their choices, I understood why they made them.

The themes of motherhood, identity, grief, and family secrets add real emotional weight beneath all the twists and suspense. The twin storyline was especially intriguing and gave the mystery an extra layer that kept me guessing. This keeps you guessing think you figured it out, but the final reveals still manage to catch you off guard.

Yes, there are a couple of moments that require suspending disbelief, but honestly I didnt care. This is exactly the kind of psychological thriller I love tense, addictive, emotionally charged, and packed with twists that keep you intrigued and second guessing everything.

If you're a fan of fast paced psychological thrillers with unreliable characters, family drama, and shocking reveals, this one is an easy recommendation. This release July 30, 2026

Thank you to Jessica Huntley, Joffe Books and BookSprout for an ARC of this book.

[Nikki B.]

I am a sucker for a great, fast paced, well written thriller. This was definitely that.
Poppy is a busy lawyer that just had a baby. But she's so overwhelmed with work and life that she isn't fully enjoying or appreciating motherhood for what it is. That is, until she goes to pick up her daughter Maddie from daycare and learns that someone who looks identical for her already picked up her daughter. When the cops are called, she immediately lies to them though, because she has something in her past she doesn't want dug up. But now, by lying to the police, she has made herself look like the prime suspect. Even after coming out telling the cops the truth, they still don't believe her. I don't want to say why without giving too much of the story away. But I thought the whole premise was captivating. How can you prove who you are when somebody is stealing your identity and claiming to be the correct version of you, making you seem like the imposter. That part of the story hooked me.
What lost me was how little is seemed everyone cared for Maddie in this whole process. While Layla did take care of Poppy while she had her, she knew what she had done. She knew what she was capable of, and still held onto Maddie. Then there's Poppy, who was willing to give up her child even after knowing what Layle did. Excuse me?? Then the story switches and it goes from Layla wanting ti end Poppy so that she can take over her life and identity to wanting to protect her and keep her out of jail. I almost had whiplash.
I'm a fan of Jessica Huntley's stories. I enjoy the writing style and the pacing. But I couldn't get behind the characters or their decisions in this one. There was not one sane character in this entire story.
I do still think this story was an enjoyable read though and I do still recommend giving this a read.

[Julie (JuJu)]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I know I brag about Jessica Huntley every time I review one of her books, but what can I say? She’s an auto-buy author for me. The second I see one of her ARCs pop up, I’m basically standing there with my hand raised, begging for a copy. No shame.

Do be sure to check the TRIGGER WARNINGS.

Huge thanks to Jessica Huntley and Joffe Books for letting me read this one early. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

“She Stole My Baby” starts with the raw, messy, overwhelming side of new motherhood. Poppy is a single mom, a lawyer, and completely exhausted. She’s juggling her return to work in an office packed with older men who seem to have skipped every lesson in simple respect. Throw in the struggle of breastfeeding, zero family support, a nanny she can hardly afford, and a baby she never planned for, and Poppy is barely hanging on.

Then she goes to pick up her daughter from daycare.

And they tell her the baby has already been picked up.

By Poppy.

There’s even camera footage.

Excuse me? No way. I think I would have absolutely lost it.

From that moment, the tension grabs you and refuses to let go. This is the kind of thriller that keeps you teetering on the edge, second-guessing every clue, and frantically turning pages to unravel the mystery.

If you love psychological thrillers with unraveling protagonists, icy atmospheres, and plots that keep your heart spinning, you’ll never guess all of these twists. This is your next read.

I caught myself feeling anxious for no reason at all! And if Jessica Huntley isn’t already on your radar, now’s the perfect time to fix that.

[Padmajha [PJ] Me and My Bookshelf]

I had previously read a series by this author and absolutely loved it, so when I came across this book, I didn't hesitate to pick it up. I already had high expectations, and I was eager to see what the author had in store this time.
This is a gripping psychological thriller told through the dual perspectives of Poppy and Layla, a narrative style that adds depth to the story and kept me invested in both characters. Seeing the events unfold through their eyes made the emotional impact even stronger.
The author did a wonderful job of portraying Poppy's unease at work, her growing emotional turmoil, and the overwhelming panic she experiences when her child goes missing. Layla's struggles and emotions are equally compelling, making it impossible not to empathise with her. The fear, desperation, and heartbreak that both characters experience are written with remarkable realism, capturing the raw emotions that come with losing a child.
For most of the book, I found myself rooting for both women, trying to piece together the truth alongside them. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, the author threw in a completely unexpected twist that caught me off guard. The ending was emotional, satisfying, and felt like the perfect conclusion to this powerful and thought-provoking story.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers filled with emotional depth, unexpected twists, and well-developed characters, this is definitely one to add to your reading list.
I’m delighted to be among the first readers reviewing this book on its publication day. It’s always a privilege to share my thoughts on a new release as it begins its journey to readers everywhere.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor]

She looked in the mirror and saw the woman who stole her daughter.

Jessica Huntley is an auto-read author for me, and She Stole My Baby completely lived up to expectations!

The story kicks off with every parent's worst nightmare: Poppy arrives at nursery only to find her daughter was picked up by a woman who looks just like her.

Told through alternating POVs between Poppy and Layla, the short, fast-paced chapters kept me reading into the wee small hours. Both women are deeply flawed, unhinged in places, and driven by grief, fear, and desperation, and yet I found myself rooting for them anyway.

Their questionable choices only made me love them more. There were moments I had to suspend disbelief and just let the story carry me, and honestly, that's part of the fun.

What hit hardest, though, was how much this book made me feel. Underneath the twists is a real gut-punch of a question: what do we sacrifice, and what are we willing to risk, when we're trying to be good mothers and still hold onto ourselves?

The push and pull between wanting a career, an identity, a life outside motherhood, and the guilt and fear that comes with leaving your child in someone else's hands, is woven into every page. It's messy and painful in the way real motherhood is messy and painful, and that's what gave this story its emotional weight for me.

The final reveals completely caught me off guard! Another brilliant, emotional rollercoaster from an author who never misses.

My thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC. This is my own opinion.

[Melissa (honeybee.reads)]

She Stole My Baby is an addictive and fast paced wild ride of a thriller. Right from the start, there's just so much going on that the book is just a breeze to get through. Jessica always manages to hook me with her plots and storylines, this one was no different. I am a sucker for twin thrillers and this one was well done. I loved how the story was told in dual POV and how once they collided everything just unraveled. The book is a wild ride, insane, everyone is a trainwreck, honestly I was here for it and loved every second.

The characters are truly all unlikable and I think that was the point. You can't root for any of them, they all manipulate, lie, gaslight, do shady things, but I just couldn't look away and it made the book even more exciting. The author is always able to steer me in multiple directions and then slap me in the face with an unexpected twist. Just when I thought I had it figured out, she hit me with another twist. This was an absolute blast to read!

Overall, if you're a fan of fast, twisty, insane psychological thrillers, grab this one you won't be able to put it down. It is so entertaining and will have your mind spinning.

🎧 The narration by Charlotte Worthing was really good. I never struggled with her accent, she truly immersed me in the story, she played the characters to perfection and gave them distinct personalities. The emotions were also spot on!

✨ Thank you to @booksprout & @jessicahuntley for my gifted copy & audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.

[TJ Wynn]

Jessica Huntley has become one of those authors I can count on for an entertaining psychological thriller, and She Stole My Baby was no exception.

The premise hooked me immediately. A missing child is already every parent’s worst nightmare, but adding the uncertainty of who can actually be trusted made it even more compelling. I really enjoyed following both Poppy and Layla’s perspectives. Neither felt entirely reliable at first, which kept me questioning everyone’s motives and changing my mind more than once.

The pacing was one of the book’s strongest points. The chapters were short, the story moved quickly, and there was always another secret waiting to be uncovered. While I guessed a couple of the bigger reveals before they happened, that didn’t take away from the overall enjoyment because I still wanted to see how everything connected.

My only reason for stopping at four stars is that I would have liked a little more depth in a few areas. Some of the emotional moments and character relationships felt like they could have been explored further, and a few plot points wrapped up a bit more conveniently than I expected. Still, none of that stopped me from being invested in the story.

Overall, this was another fast, twisty thriller from Jessica Huntley that kept me entertained from beginning to end. If you enjoy domestic thrillers filled with family secrets, shifting suspicions, and plenty of tension, this one is definitely worth picking up.

[Ag]

Everyone in this book is a trainwreck and all the wrecks keep having non-stop collisions. When you think a wrecked trainwreck cannot be wrecked anymore, more collisions come and then all the train graveyard is set on fire. Btw, there are no actual trains in the book.
The book is wild. It’s insane. So. Much. Happens. There. And not a single person is ok there. Not. At. All. Everyone has some secret agenda, some secret vendetta, some secret sick plans, and - omg, that poor baby. The baby is like fire - Prometheus took it from Zeus. Maui took it from the fire Goddess. The baby is like Golden Apples: Norse and Greek gods lose these magic fruit items to giants or tricksters often, again and again, the baby is like those golden apples, traveling from one thief to the next. Or, an even better comparison would be the ring from The Lord of the Rings, the stolen baby saga is equally complicated and has equally crazy number of thieves. How many times can one baby be stolen in a single book? It feels like the number is infinite. Ok, I’m exaggerating, of course. It’s not THAT many times. But enough times to make your head spin. And it makes your head spin in a weirdly pleasant way. There are no nice characters. There are no nice people in the book. There is no one to like. No one to root for. But fear not! Hating everyone is even better than liking them.
Can’t wait for the next book by Jessica!
BTW, the book’s pub date is tomorrow, just sayin’!

[Ney oh the thrill of it FN]

This is my first Jessica Huntley read and if they are all of this standard it will definitely not be my last!

This was such a twisty and rather wild ride. There was just so much going on within the plot that the story just seemed to fly!

Told via dual pov, we meet Poppy, a successful lawyer who is career driven and has has just returned after a very short maternity leave. She is struggling with juggling both areas of her life and facing the expectations placed on working women in regards to children.

Then we meet Layla, a woman who has recently lost her own child. She is deep in the throes of grief and has turned to drink to numb the pain. Jessica does a great job of portraying both of these struggles in a way that is relatable and real. When the two timelines collide it's with a bang and the action ramps right up.

My perceptions changed while reading and my allegiences flip flopped as the story progressed.

There were several twists I didn't see coming that just kept me hooked and desperate to find out how it would all come together.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend. This book is for you if you love a twisty, fast-paced, action-filled read, and layered characters dealing with themes of mental health, generational trauma and the expectations on women.

Thank you to Jessica Huntley and Joffe Books for this advanced complimentary copy via Netgalley. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions expressed are my own

[Ashly]

Super unrealistic and unbelievable.

Poppy is a successful lawyer but can't come up with "I was at work and that can be easily verified" for her alibi and proof she didn't kidnap her own baby.

A twin, Layla, she didn't know she had kidnaps her baby (identical accept for the same birthmark being on opposite sides which neither Poppy nor detective notices or points out) and manages to trick multiple people into helping her under false pretenses.

A third previously unknown (half) sister, Gemma, is behind a large plot twist that makes no sense. Comes into the story as the child carer for the baby but winds up knowing who they are all along and manipulated her way into the job because she has a plan to blackmail for money and get "revenge" on Poppy.

Poppy and Layla's mother is in prison for a crime Poppy committed which isn't revealed until later.

Richard is the accomplice to the third sister, Gemma, but starts as a love interest for Poppy, whom mistakes Layla for Poppy, then finds out who Layla really is and what she's done and starts helping her try to take over Poppy's identity and life...but wait he's actually working with Gemma all along.

And don't get me started on Layla's dead baby in the cabinet left decomposing in her apartment for MONTHS. Or Layla and Poppy being pregnant and giving birth at the same time.

Too much going on here and had me rolling my eyes and thinking, "seriously? this is where this is going?" more than a few times.