The Nanny by Ruth Heald – REVIEW

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Nanny by Ruth Heald
Published by Bookouture on September 8, 2022
ISBN: 9781803145099
Genres: Fiction, Psychological, Thrillers, General, Noir
Pages: 364
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

As I clutched baby Chloe's blanket, tears streamed down my face as I remembered what happened the night she disappeared. Looking up at the apartment block I once called home, my mind was crowded with memories. David's words echoed in my head, telling me to get out and never come back. I understood why: our mistake had ruined everything.

When I accepted a job working as a nanny for David and Julie and their young children, I was excited to be making my own way in the world. I bonded with baby Chloe instantly and would have done anything for her. She had David's thick, dark hair and smiling eyes. I fell in love with her and was excited for my future.

But when a terrible mistake led to Chloe disappearing, I was instantly blamed. With no evidence, I was let go and I returned home to rebuild my life.

Twenty years later and I am still haunted by what happened. I have a family of my own now and I've worked hard to be the best wife and mother I can be, but I've never forgotten the child who stole my heart.

Then a young woman arrives on my doorstep and the past secret that I have kept from my family comes hurtling into my present.

I try to tell myself that I am overreacting. But the woman in front of me looks so much like David. Who is she and why is she here? And if I welcome her in, will she want to be a part of my life, or destroy it?

A totally addictive psychological thriller that will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Shalini Boland.

What readers are saying about The Nanny:

'Amazing!!!... I read the first 20% of it Monday night and finished the rest of it at 2am. I was completely sucked into this book. So many little twists... I couldn't put it down.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Fabulous. LOVED it... so many twists and turns that you won't be able to put it down... Everyone should read it.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A real heart pounder! I loved this book! Lots of twists and turns!! Definitely some jaw dropping moments! It's well worth the thrill! The kind of book you will find yourself saying urgently, over and over, to friends: 'Have you read it?' NetGalley reviewer

'TRUST ME when the cover claims that it's going to be an unputdownable and edge of seat thriller, it actually proves it. This book was one hell of a roller coaster ride... full of turns and twists... I can't recommend this enough.' Bookish Caterpillar, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I loved every second of reading this... Omg those twists completely blindsided me.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I loved this book and raced through it... There were plenty of twists throughout that kept me guessing what would happen next. It's the perfect beach read.' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Nanny is an immersive page-turner. It’s provocative and shocking and hurtles along at breakneck speed.

The past forges the present; that’s a fact that’s well known. How long can we keep running before it catches up with us? We can lace up those Nikes and get a head start, but the funny thing about our past is that it’ll always know where we are, where we reside; its GPS is continually trained on you. Some people are lucky in the knowledge that their past harbours no secrets, no skeletons in the closet – but for some, as is the case of the protagonist, Hayley, her past is something she’s worked hard to bury.

The Nanny is one of those rare novels that engages you from the start and holds you captive until the end. It’s entertaining; it makes your heart skip a beat, and there are too many “OMG” moments to keep count. It pays tribute to the old saying – you can’t trust anyone or anything. Finally, it makes you appreciate your boring life; although not much happens, at least you’re not left trying to swim through the murky waters of the past.

Okay, so Hayley is a multi-layered character that I felt immense sympathy for. First, the reader gets an insight into her past and present – the present-day Hayley is a mother to six-year-old Alice. She works in Student Services at the local university. She’s married to Lars, a successful businessman working incredibly hard to keep them afloat; they are undoubtedly facing financial ruin if he doesn’t land an important contract. Her mother stays with them as she declines with Dementia; she has a carer, Michelle, who comes in daily to help her but fears she might need to up her hours as her mother’s memory worsens. Hayley is worried for another reason. However, student Ryan, an aspiring crime writer, is interested in the case where a baby girl went missing in Thailand – a girl she nannied for, a secret she’s determined to keep. He wants to write a true crime story about it and thinks it’ll be his big break.

Hayley spent her gap year travelling, found herself in Thailand, and nannied three beautiful girls – Eva, Emily & baby Chloe. She loved the job but hated Julie, her employer; her husband David was nicer to her, but neither bothered with David’s children from a previous marriage, Eva and Emily. It broke my heart how they were treated and then ostracised when Chloe came along. However, it was only going to be a matter of time before things came to a head.

Don’t assume you know the end of this story; nothing is as it seems; you’ve got a jigsaw in your hand with about 10 bits missing – you don’t know that until the crucial moment. Ruth Heald is a mistress of compulsive plots – I found myself chewing on my nails; I was that nervous. There is nothing not to love about The Nanny.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruth Heald is the bestselling author of six psychological thrillers,  The Mother’s Mistake, The Woman Upstairs, I Know Your Secret, The Wedding, The New Girl and The Nanny. Her books are published by Bookouture, part of Hachette UK.

The Mother’s Mistake is an eerie, twisty and atmospheric psychological thriller about a mother’s worst nightmare. When Claire Hughes and her young family move to the countryside in the hope of a fresh start, it seems the perfect life – and the perfect family – are just within reach. But it isn’t long before Claire’s past catches up with her … and her daughter’s life is in danger.

The Woman Upstairs is a psychological thriller with gothic undertones. When Katie’s unreliable boyfriend goes awol just before the birth of their twins, she puts her life and her daughters’ lives in her doula’s hands. But can she trust her?

I Know Your Secret is the story of Danielle and Beth. Both have secrets to hide, and both are out for revenge.

The Wedding is about childhood sweethearts who discover someone wants to destroy their wedding and their life together.

The New Girl follows Sophie whose dream job and new boyfriend are not everything they seem. 

In The Nanny, Hayley’s past working as a nanny in Thailand comes back to haunt her twenty years later, when a familiar-looking woman arrives at her door. 

Ruth’s debut novel, “27: Six Friends, One Year,” published in 2012 by Dancing Parrot Press, is a relationship drama about the lives of six friends aged 27 who reunite in London. On the surface they lead enviable lives, but underneath the facades they are falling apart. “27” was selected as a Quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Ruth grew up in a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. Seeking a more creative environment, she joined the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

Ruth Heald