I could not get into this book. I got 20% in and couldn’t finish. I appreciate you sending me a copy to review.

The Safe Place by Anna Downes was a suspenseful and atmospheric read that had a slow burn, but really paid off. The story follows Emily, who’s struggling with her life in London and suddenly gets offered a job on a luxurious estate in France. At first, it seems too good to be true — and of course, it is.

What I found really interesting was how the tension built gradually. The setting was beautiful and peaceful, which made the feeling of something being “off” even more unsettling. As Emily gets more involved with the family she’s working for, little red flags start to pop up, and I loved how that sense of unease slowly crept in.

Emily was a character I could connect with — she’s flawed, a bit lost, but also determined to prove herself. Watching her go from unsure to brave as she starts uncovering the truth kept me rooting for her. The story touches on themes like trust, control, and the masks people wear, which made it feel deeper than just a surface-level thriller.

The twists, when they came, were satisfying and well-placed. By the end, I couldn’t put it down. Overall, The Safe Place is a tense, character-driven thriller with a gorgeous yet sinister setting and a mystery that keeps you guessing.

Unfortunately I was unable to download this book before the archive date, so I'm not able to leave a review. I look forward to reading and reviewing books by this author in the future.

The story was interesting, but the pace was too slow for me. But for my first time reading this author it was a pretty decent read

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. Anna Downes did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

What a bizarre read! I tried to figure out what was going to happen and I kind of did and kind of didn’t. Trigger warning of self harm - that took me a little by surprise.

The Safe Place is one of those books that is impossible to put down, with plenty of well-crafted characters, plot twists, and drama! The novel follows a young actress, Emily, who is manipulated by a wealthy and successful businessman. She is given an opportunity to work in France, and at first everything is ideal. As she begins to uncover some truths about the family who has welcomed her into the fold, she is forced to make some hard decisions. Overall, a great read!

The story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of Emily, a down-on-her-luck actress hired as a housekeeper, and Scott, a wealthy businessman. Emily also serves as a companion of sorts for Scott’s wife, Nina, and their daughter. Told in dual POVs may allow the reader to question both narrators and keep them guessing about whom to trust.
A good mystery thriller is a potent cocktail of suspense, intrigue, and unexpected twists. The narrative in The Safe Place is a slow burn, which can be effective in building tension. Still, the unraveling exposition is too gradual here, leaving a feeling of meandering, resulting in disengagement. Things do pick up in the third act, but the story soon falls back into a plodding pace. Emily tries hard, but her attempts to sort out her life and the entanglement with Nina fall flat. The real champion of the novel is the seaside setting and the Denny estate.
The ending is generally satisfying, but it leaves some lingering questions about certain characters and plot points, which might leave some readers unsatisfied.

Absolutely loved this read! Loved the premise and how everyone one of the adults were a little crazy which weaved this perfect web of chaos! I was not expecting so many of the plot twists and then there were others that were a little predictable. But I couldn’t out this books down. Loved the setting as well! It was beautiful, it was mysterious, it was claustrophobic. Perfection!

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This book is more of a creepy, atmospheric suspense story than a thriller, because of that the pacing can be a bit on the slow side, but the story is still interesting. The whole time it feels like the plot rings a bell, like it's taken from a headline, but not directly, perhaps in another European country. This sensation that you've heard this story in real life, makes it believable enough to be creepy, even though Emily makes some choices that seem very naive and that seem to obviously lead down a treacherous path, but she goes there anyway, like some people do in real life.

Emily is an aspiring actress who pays her bills with temp work. However, when she fails at her auditions, she misses her job, or is consistently late.

One day, she is approached with a seemingly perfect job. Working as a house manager of sorts to a family at their mansion on the coast of France. She even arrives by private jet.

She quickly falls into a comfortable place with the family and disconnects from the world.

Then everything changes.

This was a slow burn at times, but definitely entertaining!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Great read. Couldn’t put it down. I only wish there was a follow up to the ending because I had a few unanswered questions. But it was a quick read that definitely kept me interested.

This was an interesting book. It was different from other thrillers which was definitely nice. I know most reviews said it was predictable; however, I didn't predict it. I knew something was up but I didn't think what it was.

I do feel like there were some unanswered questions left floating around. Like what was the smell?! Maybe I missed that part I don't know.

But overall, it kept me engaged and interested throughout.

I think if it is already on your radar then you should definitely read it.

Main character, Emily, loses her job, her agent and her home all in the same day. She gets offered a job as a housekeeper/Nanny for a family living in France. Sounds perfect doesn’t it? But when the secrets start piling up, Emily isn’t so sure about this new job.
Psychological thriller that is a fast paced read. Definitely read this if you like domestic thrillers.

Ooh time goes by and if i don't write the review right away...sigh. I'm trying to be better. The best i can do right now is give a star count...

An Interesting cast of characters and very bizarre setup. A receptionist plucked by the CEO to live in France with his wife and daughter. Too good to be true. Emily is also a strange protagonist, who is estranged from her family. There is definitely a twist with the daughter Aurelia. I thought the pacing could have been a bit better. Emily finally figured out the underlying evil that had taken place. It would have been interesting to know Aurelia's fate.

Absolutely loved this book. It sucked me in from the getgo and had me guessing all the way to the end. Did not want it to end at all.

I really enjoyed this book.I recommend reading it .I love beach or water type of psychological thrillers. 4 stars.Thanks for the ARC I received from the author Sarah Downes

This was an interesting book. It was different from other thrillers which was definitely nice. I know most reviews said it was predictable; however, it was not predictable to me. I do feel like there were some unanswered questions left floating around, but it kept me engaged and interested throughout. I can't wait to read more by Anna Downes!