"The Nanny" by Ruth Heald

 

20 years ago, a little girl disappeared. You thought it was your fault. Until now…

To the outside world, I am just like any other mother. I juggle my job with the school run and taking care of my mum, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My family is everything and I want to keep them safe.

But when a young woman arrives on my doorstep, a past secret that I have spent years running from comes hurtling into my present.

In an instant, I am taken back to a dream trip to Thailand and to a job as a nanny that changed my life forever. It was supposed to be my chance at a better life. But it turned into a nightmare.

I try to tell myself that I am overreacting. But the woman in front of me looks so much like him. Is she the child who vanished without a trace? Does she want to be part of my life, or destroy it? ~taken from Goodreads

I was intrigued at the premise of the story and I was so excited that Bookouture approved my Netgalley request to read and review the eARC. From the get-go I was hooked. This story is told from the main character, Hayley's, point of view but moves in duel timelines- past and present. 

Present day Hayley and her husband, Lars, are struggling to make ends meet and decide to take on a lodger, Johanna. Johanna looks eerily similar to an age progression of a missing child that Hayley nannied for in Thailand 20 years ago. Suddenly everyone in Hayley's life is interested in this decades old case that Hayley has tried to keep secret, even from her husband.

Not a single character, other than Hayley, is likeable in either the past or the present timeline. It was weirdly frustrating to read because no one acted like what I would consider to be a rational human in any of the situations presented. It was also a really long book with 72 chapters that seemed quite repetitive. Most of the dialog seemed unnecessary and just a filler. One quarter of book could have been omitted and not changed the thriller aspect. 

Overall I did like this book as it kept me reading to figure out where it was all going. There were several plot twists, none of which I was expecting. The last few chapters seemed rushed though and it was too neatly tied up for my liking. 

Once again, thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy to read and give my honest review. It was a 4 star read for me. 

"The Nanny" is set to be released here in the U.S. on Sept. 8, 2022 so preorder now so you can start reading in the morning! 

Happy reading!