Gosh, what a cracker of a thriller!

Keep Her Safe really does make you question how far you would go to keep your child safe. It made me question what personal views and beliefs I would be willing to overlook in order to survive. I found myself feeling conflicted over who I sided with, and the idea that there might be no end to the fear and torment really messed with my mind at times.

I loved that there were hardly any characters in this story. I hate trying to keep track of lots of characters, as my memory isn’t what it used to be. In fact, there are only really three main characters. Two mothers of young children and the Babysitter (shudder), who we mostly encounter through text messages to the mothers.

Another thing I loved about this book was that it covered only a few hours, so had a real time feel to it, making me feel like I was right there experiencing everything with them.

My advice before you pick up this book:
1. Set aside some spare time, because once you pick this up you won’t want to put it back down.
2. Practise reading fast, because however fast you normally read won’t be fast enough when
you’re dying to find out what happens next.
3. I do hope you’re good at holding your breath for long periods of time. If not, I suggest you set
a regular alarm on your mobile phone to remind you to inhale from time to time, as this is
certainly a breath holding kind of a thriller.

I highly recommend this to fans of fast paced thrillers and psychological thrillers.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last!

Keep Her Safe. Richard Parker

Never have I read such a complex, and compelling, story based on so few characters.

This book has two protagonists, Maggie and Holly. The fate of both of these women is controlled by the mysterious Babysitter.

The Babysitter kidnaps women’s young children, and will only return them when they have completed his tasks.

So, when Holly is sent to kill Maggie, it is to save the life of her young daughter Abigale.

The story is that of these two women as they fight for their own survival, and takes place over an 8-hour time frame, Maggie must be dead before sunrise

Maggie is not the innocent woman that Holly though she was, and it soon becomes apparent that she has more in common with Holly than you would expect.

Holly is dead set on killing Maggie; and the struggle between the two women, in Maggie’s house, is one of the most engrossing bits of writing I’ve ever read.

The story sways to and fro, one chapter narrated from Maggie’s point of view the next Holly’s. It’s a struggle between right and wrong, good and bad, but it’s perspective is never black and white.

All the while the struggle is taking place texts messages from the Babysitter make it obvious he can see what is happening, so there is no escaping the fact Holly needs to kill Maggie or die trying.

At first different readers will want Holly to succeed, others Maggie; but I can guarantee whichever one you start with you will change your mind more than once.

After all what would you do to save your child, alternatively how far would you go to save your life if somebody broke into your house and tried to kill you.

More compelling than most books which have many more characters, and take place over days, weeks, or months, this book had me turning each page with as much nervous trepidation as anticipation. I had not got a clue how the story was going to end, and I was fully engaged with both Maggie and Holly.

I may have made this tale sound simplistic. Two main characters and a short time period, but if you love psychological thrillers you will go an awful long way to find a better book.

Pages: 329
Publishing date UK: 11th January 2018.
Publishers: Bookouture

3 Stars - Maggie is a single mom to her eighteen-month-old baby girl. When Holly breaks in, Maggie was asleep but as soon as she saw Holly’s blue surgical gloves she knew who is the intruder and what she wants, she wants Maggie dead so she can save her own baby and they only have time till sunrise. Maggie knows this cycle because she was in Holly’s shoes that week.

Do Holly and Maggie have any choice? Who would win this sick game? But more importantly, who does want these mothers dead and why?

Well, this story got me bored even though it was a thriller. The action scenes were too much for my taste and it was poor on mystery side. After reading 67% I started skipping and skimming, at some point the end wasn’t important to me anymore but I succeeded to finish it. Its idea was good but the story, itself, didn’t really do it for me! Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s a standalone novel. Overall, I think it was just me and I hope you enjoy it more than me!

Thanks to Richard Jay Parker, Netgalley and Bookouture for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

There’s nothing really more compelling than a child in danger and from the opening pages Keep Her Safe by Richard Parker set that stage and really piled on the intensity of the situation. Maggie and Holly are meeting in the middle of the night with both ladies being mothers and both would go to the ends of the Earth to protect their child.

Maggie is alone in her home when Holly breaks in but Maggie just can’t call the police because she herself knows why Holly is there. Holly has come to kill Maggie because her daughter is being held by a mystery man that is giving the orders. How does Maggie know this? Because Maggie was his victim too and had her own orders that she had to carry out to get her baby back and isn’t about to let her go now.

The stand off between these two ladies had me on the edge of my seat wondering just how this could all work out in the end. A mother’s love and protectiveness is definitely not something you would want to test so I had no idea just how far the story would go.

However, after the first half of this book the action starts taking the reader on a different journey as the story moves forward and I’m not quite sure I was a fan from that point. The beginning definitely had me from the get go but the second half became where I get to that point I’m thinking to myself just what are you doing?? So I struggled with how to rate this one as it was a bit up and down to me as far as level of enjoyment. I got to the end and questioned some things here and there too so overall I’m going to give this one 3.5 stars. I would definitely read more from this author though as a lot of this was a nail biter for sure.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Excellent book. My first by this Author but not my last. Single women each wth a young child are targeted by a psychopath. He kidnaps the child and instructs the mother what she needs to do if she wants her child back. The story revolves around his last two targets. A fast reading page turner with many twists and turns. I would have given more than 5* if I could. Thank you NetGalley, Bookoutre and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

A psychopath who calls himself the Babysitter is targeting mothers of very young children. He kidnaps their child and promises to return it, only if they break into the home of another mother with a young child and kill the mother. Terrified of losing their children, women have been playing his deadly game until one night Maggie is awoken by a woman intent on killing her to get her own baby back. But Melanie has dealt with the Babysitter before, and she doesn’t intend to let him win this time anymore than she did the first time. Two terrified women take on a killer to save themselves and their children in this twisted thriller

Keep Her Safe is a story you should not read alone and at night, especially if you’re a single mother. Beware. You’ve been warned. This story will get your heart rate pumping and is every mothers worst nightmare.

Keep Her Safe had me hooked within the first two chapters, very gripping. You will not want to put it down! I could easily have devoured this brilliant, thrilling story in one sitting it certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat!

This story is easy to read, fast paced, written well and contains short chapters. Parts will have you holding your breath so don’t forget to breathe throughout! An amazing thriller I would highly recommend to you all.

A well deserved five stars from myself. This is the first story I have read by Richard and I seem to have found a new favourite author, I cannot wait to dive into his other stories. Keep Her Safe is released today and was in my top twenty reads of 2017. Very impressed. High expections from Richard now. A thriller that you NEED to read. Enjoy.

(Please note this is the review I have scheduled for my blog blitz date on the 11th of Jan 2018).