Cover Image: The Babysitter

The Babysitter

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Member Reviews

First, I want to thank Sheryl Browne, Bookouture, and Netgalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review. 

The Babysitter A Gripping Psychological Thriller with Edge-of-your-seat-suspense was written by Sheryl Browne. One of my favorite genres to read are Psychological thrillers. The description of the book, the title and even the cover of the book made me want to read it. Even though I had never read from this Author before. I am now an instant fan after reading this book! 
After reading this book I totally feel that it would make a huge box office hit at the movie theater! One that I would definitely go to see. I think others would agree with me after reading this book too.  
I absolutely loved how the story started out Jade acted all sweet and innocent. However, as the book developed you saw her character develop into how twisted and sick her mind really was. Not the type of person you would trust with your children! 

One of my favorite characters was Poppy the little baby. She was adorable throughout the book.
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This was a tense psychological thriller it kept you wanting to read it to see what would happen. That being said it was also difficult to read at times, because as the reader you wanted to scream at the characters to make them see what was happening. I would recommend it but not for the faint hearted.
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It seems like a match made in heaven. Mark and Melissa need a babysitter and Jade, the perfect candidate needs a place to live after her own home burns to the ground. The couple happily move Jade in, but what seems too good to be true, is. Melissa becomes very depressed, her business isn’t doing as well as she hoped and she just doesn’t seem to be able to cope with anything. Luckily, Jade is there to take over. Meanwhile, Mark’s training as a cop has kicked in and he begins to investigate Jade. It turns out that he and Jade have met before and now his “babysitter” has come back for what she believes is hers
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A very dark and satisfying thriller with an involving plot which I enjoyed.

When Jade appears on the scene at just the moment Melissa and her husband Mark need childcare help, they are only too happy to take her on as live in babysitter to their two children. Detective Mark is busy with his current case trying to find a missing child and Melissa needs to get orders ready for her business. But neither of them realise who they have let into their home, and as Jade quickly ingratiates herself into their lives, things begin to fall apart leaving the family in terrible danger.

Although I did find some of the plot a little implausible given that Mark was in the police force and was so easily taken in, it was nonetheless tense and exciting and seeing poor Melissa fall into decline was pretty shocking. The characters are well rounded, especially Jade, damaged by her childhood, and good guy Mark just trying to do right by everyone, I also liked little Poppy.  Overall, this was an entertaining thriller that I would recommend.
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This was a great book! Not my favorite the babysitter made me so mad. I would tell my friends to read this book and I would definitely make this a read at my book club because it was very good.
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I really enjoyed this book. Although it was easy to figure out, the writing still kept you wanting to read at the end.. It also makes one think about how what we say to people, may be taken very literally. Grace/Jade was something else. Very good read and I do recommend. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publsher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
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This entire novel focuses on how live-in babysitter Jade ingratiates and insinuates herself into the lives of Melissa and Mark Kane. She arrives at exactly the right time. Melissa has two young daughters; one a tiny baby. She has built up a home-based business and is juggling too many balls, trying to keep them all in the air, so she is absolutely delighted when Jade arrives with her ample qualifications and calm and supportive attitude. Mark is also busy trying to track down an evil child kidnapper or maybe by then a child murderer. Nobody knows. There are no clues left behind and no trace of the little girl. As a father himself he knows he must act quickly to retrieve the little girl who has been taken and return her to her family. Time is the key. He is hardworking and driven; a credit to the police force. He too is relieved Melissa has the support she so deserves and can have a little extra help with their young family while he is at work such long hours. She has orders to fulfil.
Each narrator tells their own story in this engrossing novel. It seems Jade has them all fooled as they all think she is a little gem, but worryingly, despite having Jade living in, everything deteriorates until everyone and everything becomes chaotic. Jade narrates her own story and she makes it abundantly clear what she hopes to achieve from the very start. In fact she wears her heart on her shoulder and is determined to emerge with what she wants. She plays her cards superbly well and waits to see what will happen.
Jade is very damaged although she is like a chameleon and hides her plans from everyone. She juggles all of the balls in her hand skilfully but with pure evil intent. Despite knowing everything there is to know about Jade, the twists and turns in this engrossing story are malicious and shocking to the core. She is like a master Poker player, holding her cards to her chest but willing to bluff, gamble and deceive. She must win. There is no other alternative.
Mark is my favourite character in this superbly crafted, skilfully engineered novel. He’s the typical heroic good guy, a great detective, a wonderfully caring father and a loving husband. But he is no match for what is happening in his home, where feelings are running out of control and are not nuanced at all. The lives of his family ultimately depend upon him, but he is fraught and vulnerable. Will he be man enough to protect them?
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for my copy of this novel, sent to me in return for an honest review. Although the motives and facts of the story are laid bare by the characters in the novel, it is a terrific read; a real page turner. It’s a 4.5* review from me.
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Hi Noelle/Kim. Cleaning up my shelf. Thanks. Louise x
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I would not recommend this, when there are many better psychological thrillers out there.  I'm not even sure why I finished, but I ended up skimming for the last two thirds or so.  There wasn't much that was mysterious or thrilling about this, as the babysitter's motives and intentions were revealed pretty much right off the bat, so there was really nothing that was surprising or suspenseful, in my opinion, though it did veer into rather over-the-top territory as things ramped up at the end.  And I found the characters all rather flat.  Jade wasn't an interesting or compelling villain, and Mark and Melissa were boring.  There are better thrillers out there than this one, so I'd steer clear!
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