***I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity.***

This was a great book. The story was captivating and kept me interested throughout. Can’t wait for more from this author.

A bit too predictable with stereotypical characters. When characters fit such a literary norm, it’s too easy to figure out the ending because you know who the villain is.

Review: THE BABYSITTER by Sheryl Browne

If THE BABYSITTER came packaged with a warning label, that label would read: "CAUTION: If it seems too good to be true, WATCH OUT!!" In smaller print, a second warning, "BEWARE OF GASLIGHTING!"

Detective Inspector Mark Cain, his sculptor wife Melissa, and their daughters, Poppy, age seven, and infant Evie, seem to be a fairy-tale happy family. A marriage built on a strong foundation of mutual love and trust, dual devotion to their children--seems a happily-ever-after often unheard of in modern times. Mark and Melissa have suffered tragedy and depression, surviving and eventually thriving. But now--will their marriage--and their lives and children--survive gaslighting? Insanity can be contagious.


["Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity." Wikipedia. Term derives from the 1944 film "Gaslight," starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Joseph Cotten.]

The Babysitter is quite different from the other thrillers out there. There’s not much mystery involved and there’s no shocking twist and turn in store along the way as the truth of who Jade really is and what she’s up to is immediately laid out. It was pretty predictable. However, that didn’t make this any less of an exciting read. If anything, I was even more intrigue of how things will play out knowing the who and why and looking forward to the when and how or if she’ll ever be caught. The pacing was okay but dragged on the middle. The moment the action happened, though, it didn’t let up until the end. The ending seemed a bit rushed and I was hoping for more than the open-ended that it was. It can be a little unsettling, too, as some description can be quite graphic. In spite of the lack of surprises, I still find The Babysitter a decent thriller and ended up enjoying it as a whole.

“The babysitter” is a well written psychological thriller that will make you bite your nails from the very start to the very end.
Mark and Mel finally have everything they need. After years of suffering, they managed to form a happy and healthy family without losing the sparkle in their marriage.
Everything changes when Jade shows up in their lives. She is perfect and the circumstances let her stay in Mark’s house and slowly turn his perfect life into a nightmare.
The book has been almost impossible to put down, but I have to say I was annoyed the entire time reading it. None of the characters (besides the kids) were likeable. Mark and Mel in my opinion were both weak and spineless. Lisa was irritating me when she didn’t persist more to share with their friends the news she got when doing background check on Jade. Jade? She was simply a psycho…
What happens in the book is not really unpredictable. All characters in the book blindly turned against each other rather than putting one on one together and avoiding the disaster all together, which kept on making me even more irritated.
Saying that, I guess this was the purpose of the story all together. And because of all the above, the novel grabs your attention and doesn’t release it until the very last page.
A good read recommended for those with a higher level of patience to naïve people, and strong nerves to handle the suspension while waiting when the naïve will get a grip of what is happening.

When their new neighbour Jade finds herself homeless after a house fire Mark and Melissa Cain are quick to offer their help. Discovering her qualifications in childcare and seeing how good she is with their daughters seems like kismet. She's just what they need as Marks job as a police officer always keeps him busy and Melissa has struggled running her business. Jade soon makes herself indispensable, she seems perfect. But Jade isn't all that she seems, and it's no accident old fate that has brought her into their lives.

This is an entertaining psychological thriller. There are no real surprises but that isn't the point of this novel - it isn't a twist in the tale story. It's more a story about manipulation and obsession, and how one person can wreak havoc in a seemingly perfect relationship. At moments it's a bit mental. Jade is a one woman mafia, and frankly I loved her. I know, I really shouldn't but she's a great baddie especially against quite bland characters like Mark and Mel. For pure entertainment value alone this is a definite 5 star novel.

Wow. This book has been sitting in my to read pile for ages and I’ve resisted, it sounded a bit silly, far fetched and dramatic....I’m so pleased I read it! Yes it’s all of those things but it’s gripping and such an enjoyable dramatic read! Like a special treat! Thanks so much for the read and def want to read more from this author!!!!

The Babysitter by Sheryl Browne
Publisher: Bookouture

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for the ebook ARC of The Babysitter by Sheryl Browne.

You trust her with your family. Would you trust her with your life?

Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn down, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can’t it?

As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family has become more than ever reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to fall into depression, Jade is the one who is left to pick up the pieces.

Before long Mark notices that things aren’t quite as they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter. He is shocked to his core when he discovers that he has met Jade before. And now he suspects he might now what she wants….

Now Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?

I give this book a rating of 4 stars! It kept me on the edge of my seat and kept guessing until the very end. It was creepy and suspenseful. It was written in different points of views between the three main characters, Mark, Melissa and Jade. Parts of the story was kind of hard to believe because Mark is a detective and he couldn’t see what was going on in his own house. Other than that I highly recommend reading this book. It was well written.

A tense and well paced thriller that keeps the reader guessing.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A brilliant modern thriller. I read it in a day and couldn't put it down. Mark and Melissa are a happily married couple with two young children. Mark is a policeman. When Jade who is a 20 something neighbour, has a fire in her home, Mark and Melissa invite her to stay. Soon Jade is indispensable, she looks after the household chores and the children, as Melissa appears to become very depressed. Mark and Melisa's marriage and lovely family life starts to disintegrate and as they blamed each other. I felt like I was screaming at this book! Shouting "It's the babysitter!" As the reader, the story was fantastic, I just couldn't believe people were so trusting! Read on!

The Babysitter by Sheryl Browne is a psychological thriller that I loved............I've never read a book from this author but I found this book well written, gripping, tense, realistic and just wanting more. A very quick paced story, where you will not want to put it down. So don't start reading it before you go to bed!

Mark and Mel are both in very busy jobs. Mark works long hours as a Police Officer and Melissa struggles with running a business. They have 2 small children a baby Evie and 7 year old Poppy, and are both juggling with child care and their work lives.
They meet a young girl called Jade who is their neighbour. Whilst she's waiting for the Fire Brigade she watches her house burn down and get all get talking. They all get on and Jade offers to babysit Marks and Melissa's small children to help them out. Jade is now homeless and they asked Jade to move in. The family become more reliant on Jade the babysitter as Melissa begins to slip into depression. Jade is left picking up the pieces.
However, Mark soon notices things are different at home and begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter Jade.
However, what he discovers shocks him. He’s met Jade before many years ago.

Now he suspects he might know what she wants .............Is he going to be in time to save his family!?!?
What is he going to find when he gets back home?

What a read.....So looking forward reading more from Sheryl Browne

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinions

Unfortunately, I had a very hard time with this book because it was hard to believe this loving couple would completely doubt the other and then turn on each other almost seemingly overnight and I expected Jade to be a little more ruthless but she's just a whining, tantrum throwing child herself. Just wasn't for me.

Lovely thrilling tale that kept me entertained. From the beginning to the end. True page turner. Will recommend this book.

*3.5 stars*

When new neighbor Jade’s house burns down, Melissa and Mark don’t think twice about welcoming her into their house and making her their new babysitter. But Jade isn’t who she seems, and the entire family is in danger...

So I have mixed feelings about this psychological thriller. On one hand, it kept my attention with its excellent pacing and impending sense of danger. I was really worried about the kids and the pet dog for most of the book.

But, I couldn’t believe that a seasoned detective would welcome a stranger into his home, caring for his kids, without looking closer into her background or even calling her references. The same goes for Melissa. Where is the parental instinct? Jade escalates, and for too long the couple turns a blind eye to her, instead thanking their lucky stars that she’s there to help out. What??? I understand that they’re going through a rough time, but I didn’t believe that they would be so gullible.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

This is a psychological thriller which will have you hugging your children even more once you have read it.

Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.

A mixed reviiew from me. There were moments I loved this book, and times I found I was skim reading. I think that’s because from the outset we know the assailant and the plot.

And thus it’s a not for me, but please don’t be put off by our review. It could be a good read for you as for others who have left very positive reviews.

It’s a medium paced book,

Mark, a detective, and his wife, Melissa, are happily married with 2 young children. They are both busy .. he with the homicides he investigates she with her sculpting business. Of course, it's usually Melissa that winds up changing her plans .... murder doesn't wait.

A new neighbor watches one night as her house burns down. Mark saves the cat, but Jade is left with nothing more than what she's wearing. They take her into their home and she winds up being the babysitter... something that Mark and Melissa have discussed before.

Things start changing .. Melissa starts slipping into depression. She is sleeping way too much..leaving her husband and children at Jade's mercy.

Mark begins to realize that something isn't quite right with the babysitter.... and when he investigates, he discovers something that he never considered.

Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?

This was a nice easy read ... suspenseful, yet more character driven. The reader knows from the beginning who the babysitter really is and why she does the things she does. The reader knows what the end game is. But it's the uncertainty of how she manipulates this family.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I enjoyed this book but found it little slow going.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This was an ok book, but I found it written as though it was a teen thriller, and the plot a little unbelievable. Unfortunately I didn't gel with the characters either and found it hard to believe that a married couple wouldn't just ask each other what was going on!

Fans of stalker/betrayal thrillers will love this book, which combines some classic aspects of the genre - a psychopath, murder and madness - with some interesting twists.

Mark and Melissa Cain offer to house their neighbor when her home burns down one night. She seems too good to be true: she loves their kids and is willing to help out with whatever they need. But you what they say about things that are too good to be true, and that's certainly the case here. Who exactly is Jade, and what is her plan for the Cain family? Hopefully they figure it out before it's too late.

This book has a lot of really good things going on: there's the main plot with the Cains and Jade alongside an intriguing mystery involving a missing local little girl, as well as a couple other subplots that are entwined in there. I liked that multilayered effect.

The book is high on suspense, but there's not a ton of mystery, because that's not the type of book this is. It's more of a "what is going to happen," not "whodunnit." I also enjoyed the "How far will Jade go?" aspect of the book. And it's pretty far.

Overall, this is a great "Hand that Rocks the Cradle"-esque thriller, which is full of suspense and packed with different subplots which keep things interesting.