Those Other Women

April 2, 2018
Australian author Moriarty follows her debut, The Fifth Letter, with a darkly droll page-turner. Devastated Poppy Weston, who’s been blindsided by her husband’s announcement that he’s dumping her for her best friend and that he has changed his mind about not wanting kids, finds comfort where she can, first from office mate Annalise and then from the Facebook group they launch to connect childfree working women like themselves in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. But each of these brings problems of its own. Beneath spunky Annalise’s exterior lie disturbing—maybe even dangerous—secrets. And the Facebook group, known as NOP (for Non-Mums Online in Parramatta), begins to fall apart after a mole leaks some of the more vitriolic anti-mum posts to their archenemies, MOP (Mums Online—Parramatta), leading to a few hairy real-life run-ins. Although Moriarty doesn’t quite manage to successfully infuse the weightier material that appears, including abuse and early-onset dementia, into a thriller that’s largely a chick-lit soufflé, she does serve up a tasty divertissement. Agent: Pippa Masson, Curtis Brown (Australia).

June 1, 2018

Moriarty (The Fifth Letter) delves into the perils of social media in her new novel. Poppy's husband and her best friend have fallen in love. Even worse, Garrett and Karleen are going to have a baby. Poppy never wanted children and thought Garrett felt the same. While she's still stinging from the breakup, she is befriended by coworker Annalise. The two decide to form a private Facebook group for other women who don't want to have kids. Initially the group works well, offering tips and support for those who deal with the challenges of nonmumhood. Then someone in the group shares an angry, drunken post of Poppy's to a mom's Facebook page. As Poppy realizes she has lost control of the gang, she's also becoming aware that Annalise has not been honest with her. VERDICT Moriarty expertly captures the tensions women face from all sides about all of their choices. There is real suspense here, generated not by a crime, but by the snowball effect of small actions and how they can grow and grow. [See Prepub Alert, 12/11/17.]--Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

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