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The Push

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The Push

Written by: Ashley Audrain
Narrated by: Marin Ireland
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About this listen

INSTANT INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

WINNER of the 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Best First Crime Novel

SHORTLISTED for the 2022 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize

“Utterly addictive.” —Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

“Written with an unflinching eye and a stylistically sharp, tight economy The Push is a single-sitting read, as suspenseful as any thriller, as thoughtful as any literary novel, with an almost physical force behind each of its turns and revelations.” —Toronto Star


A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family, and about a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for, and everything she feared.

Blythe Connor is determined to be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby, Violet, that she never had.

But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe doesn’t find the connection with her daughter she expected. She’s convinced something is wrong with Violet—she is distant, rejects affection, and becomes increasingly disruptive at preschool.

Or is it all in Blythe’s head? Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining things. Fox doesn’t see what she sees; he sees a wife who is struggling to cope with the day-to-day challenges of being amother. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.

Then, their son, Sam, is born—and with him, Blythe has the natural maternal connection she’d always dreamed of. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fallout forces Blythe to face the truth.

The Push is a rare and extraordinary gift to readers: an utterly immersive novel that will challenge everything you think you know about motherhood, about what we owe our children, about what really happens behind the closed doors of even the most perfect-looking families and about what it feels like when women are not believed.

©2021 Ashley Audrain (P)2021 Viking
Domestic Thrillers Fiction Genre Fiction Psychological Thriller Women's Fiction Exciting Marriage Scary Suspense
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What the critics say

2022, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, Short-listed

2022, The Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence - Best Crime Novel, Winner

“[A] taut, tense thriller . . . [and] chilling debut.” (The New York Times)

“Audrain cleverly examines and exploits women’s near-universal anxiety that they won’t measure up to some internalized standard of maternal perfection dictated by society. . . But what makes it stand out from the rest is Audrain’s nuanced understanding of how women’s voices are discounted, how a thousand little slights can curdle a solid marriage and—in defiance of maternal taboos—how mothers really feel, sometimes, toward difficult children. . . . The Push [is] more than a novel of suspense, the sum of its parts speaking to the burdens we all carry, whether we are mothers or simply children of women who did the best they could, however far their best efforts may have fallen short.” (Los Angeles Times)

Featured Article: 12 Unpausable Can’t Miss Thriller Audiobooks

There is nothing like a great thriller to hook you in, grab your attention, and leave you hanging on every word. Thrillers are some of the most exciting audiobooks out there, and the power of a well-told suspenseful story is virtually unrivalled. From murder mysteries to psychological thrillers, action-packed plots, or intriguing characters, audiobooks in the thriller genre will keep listeners coming back for more. Here we’ve compiled a list of the most unpausable thrillers that will have listeners unable to stop.

What listeners say about The Push

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great book

took me about 14 chapters to get into it. but once the push happened the book came alive.

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Great story

Great story, unconventional and sort of comes full circle. The ending was a touch predictable. I hope the story continues, but I’m not sure if it’s quite possible.. couldn’t stop listening!!

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What a page turner

Bought this to listen while I’m on a trip. Finished it before I even arrived! The story and narrator kept me engaged, wanting to keep reading. Well done.

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Gut Wrenching!

A relatable, gut wrenching story about motherhood, yet riveting. Wish there was a part two!

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Very disturbing but realistic story

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed, the details of a dysfunctional family well described, and the suspenseful plot believable. It goes into the heart of the nature versus nurture debate and leaves you yearning for more discussion. A great book for book clubs and new moms groups. I definitely re-examined my relationship with my daughter and my expectations as a parent.

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Great book, author, and narrator

Very well written and narrated. The author does an excellent job of portraying the unimaginable grief of losing a child. She touches on so many difficult topics. Can’t wait for her next book.

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Couldn't stop listening

I loved the story and the narrator. I couldn't stop listening. Also, it was very well written.

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This book should have a content warning

Amazing book but not a thriller. A brutal horror. Loved it but it was really intense. You don’t realize how intense until you’re right in the middle of it. It got really dark at timesz

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Couldn’t stop listening

If you don’t have a queezy stomach, this will be the book for you. Some parts of the story are uncomfortable, but it is such a good story that has you questioning the sanity of the main character.

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Could not stop listening

One of my favourite books, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

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